Bound goods - Part 2

bound goods
(part 2) by Susan Murray

(The door opens. Richard pushes Shelly in. She is bruised and her clothes are tattered.)

MARY: What have you done! You come back here and face me!
(She pounds the door)
Come back and try to do the same to me and see what I give you. You don't deserve the air you breathe! You filthy chicken-shit! Come back here! Why have you done this!
CAROLINE: Shelly! Shelly! Are you alright?
SHELLY: No. No. I feel very cold.
CAROLINE: Shelly, Shelly come under my arm.
MARY: (Still pounding.)
Come Back! Come back and face what you've done! Come beck here!
CAROLINE: Shhhh ...
MARY: (Slides down the door, crying.)
They did the same to me. In the thicket by our house. When I told my mother about that first time, she hit me and told me not to speak of it. But I saw the fellow in the market that week and I pointed him out. I recognised the stains on the uniform. There was such a lot of shouting then. My mother father the soliders. My family decied to send me off. On the truck the next day they did it again. I didn’t have the sense to fight then even. I was too scared! You see. We should all be shot! That man for what he has done and us to stop us from crying like children.
CAROLINE: But, we are children.
MARY: Not anymore, not since we left.
CAROLINE: (To Shelly.)
Shhh, shhh, it's not so bad. We're going to a better place. Why look at my hair! We'll do your hair too, Shelly. We'll all be so beautiful. When we get to Gabon our lives will be better, so much better. Just stay strong for now. Everybody faces time like this every now and then! And we're not alone! We've got each other! Look at the three of us! Friends, in spite of all this crap. We'll be there soon, and then we won't be hungry or cold anymore. We'll be happy-- some day some day soon I know-- some day soon
SHELLY: I'll never get a husband now. I'm no good for anything now.
CAROLINE: Lie still little Shelly. I'll go and look out of the crack and tell you what I see.
SHELLY: No, please don't!
CAROLINE: But why?
SHELLY: If I hadn't been there looking out he wouldn't have taken me---
MARY: That's right. He'd have taken someone else.
SHELLY: That's not what I meant... I shouldn't have been there.
CAROLINE: I don't think it was that. It was Mary, making too much noise and me. It wasn't you. I'll go look for you.

(Caroline goes to the crack in the hull.)

MARY: What do you see out there?
CAROLINE: Nothing just the ocean forever ... no wait!
SHELLY: What!
MARY: What!
CAROLINE: I can see a plane.
SHELLY: An airplane?
CAROLINE: An airplane! Yes, a big one, it must be international!
Do you think they can see us?
MARY: How could they see us?
CAROLINE: Do you think they know we're down here?

MARY: What would do they if they did know?
CAROLINE: I don't know-- but maybe--
(She thrusts her hand out of the crack to wave.)
I'm waving!
SHELLY: Wave harder!
CAROLINE: We should shout!
MARY: No, don't shout the captain will come back!
CAROLINE: Give me your scarf.
MARY: Here, much good it'll do.

(The sound of the plane grows. Caroline waves as hard as she can. It is very loud and then it passes.)

SHELLY: Did they see us?
CAROLINE: I don't know. Maybe.
Something good will happen now I know.

(The boat lurches.)

MARY: They could at least learn to drive this thing.
CAROLINE: I can't see the plane anymore...
SHELLY: I feel sick.
MARY: Footsteps!

(Shelly and Caroline freeze. Mary sits with her arms folded.)

SHELLY: (Softly.)
Hide me!

(The door opens its Bernard. He looks at the girls who remain frozen.)

BERNARD: What is this?
(Pause)
I have your food.

(Suddenly, Shelly scrambles under a ledge in the dark corner of the room.)

BERNARD: What the- hey come out!
CAROLINE: She's not well.

BERNARD: Was Richard down here?
CAROLINE: Who?
BERNARD: The captain.
CAROLINE: Yes, he-
BERNARD: (Quickly)
I see.
Well, give her this.
(Turns to leave)
I'm sorry I can't you get anything better to eat.
Do you want any?
MARY: No!
(Pause.)
Yes.
BERNARD: There. I think we'll be there soon.
CAROLINE: Do you?
BERNARD: Yes, very soon. I-
CAROLINE: What?
BERNARD: I know it's not fair how things are for you.

(pause.)

BERNARD: I have to go. Keep quiet in here! And stop sticking your arms out of that crack. Someone might shoot them off!
(Bernard exits.)
CAROLINE: Shelly he fixed your food for you anyway. Shelly?
MARY: We'll be there soon.
CAROLINE: Shelly?
SHELLY: Let me be.
CAROLINE: Shelly come out. Eat.
MARY: Don't be silly little Shelly-peanut ... come out...
CAROLINE: Shelly.

(They hear Shelly crying.)

MARY: Come out. I'll braid your hair!
It’s no time to hide and cry.
SHELLY: Seems like a perfect time hide and cry to me!CAROLINE: I'll sit by you. I'll keep your food for you. The food guy said that we're almost there!

(They eat in silence. Caroline looks at Shelly's food and tastes just a bit of it. Then she sets it aside. Mary starts gouging at dirt in the floor, again.)

CAROLINE: What are you doing?
MARY: I'm bored.
CAROLINE: You're making dirt, stop it.
MARY: Look.
CAROLINE: What.
MARY: Something’s written here.
CAROLINE: What is that?
MARY: It's French.
CAROLINE: Who wrote it?
MARY: The people who went on this boat before us.
CAROLINE: In French?
MARY: This boat must have been all over the west coast.
CAROLINE: Can you read it?
MARY: No.
CAROLINE: Try.
MARY: I don’t know where to start.
CAROLINE: Try the first letter.
MARY: But it’s in french!
(pause.)
Oh okay! Let me see.
(pause. To herself)
What the hell is that thing?
(to Caroline)
Don’t worry I’ve got it. Okay.
(sounding it out)
Lir-re. Lib. Lib-bet. Libbet!
CAROLINE: What does that mean?
MARY: I don't know. I know English, not French.
CAROLINE: Shelly knows French.
Shelly! Shelly!
Shelly read this word!
SHELLY: I can't read, I just speak French. I can’t read anything. I’ve never even seen a book.
MARY: I still don’t buy that.
SHELLY: Well, I haven’t!
CAROLINE: Mary read it again.
MARY: Libbet. Libert. Libbre. Lit- li-bra-tay.

(Suddenly, Shelly laughs.)

CAROLINE: What?
SHELLY: You really want to know?
CAROLINE: Yes.
SHELLY: It means, "there is no hope"
Shelly laughs.
CAROLINE: Why would they write that? What a terrible thing to leave written there. Of course there's hope!
We're going to a better place! Stupid words!
MARY: I think it works.
CAROLINE: But were going to a better-

(Bernard enters.)

BERNARD: Hey! Stop hiding, you.
CAROLINE: She's frightened.
BERNARD: We’ve been delayed. They’re going to search the boat.
CAROLINE: Who?
BERNARD: Some bad men. They don't want you to make it in to the country. But we’re going to hide your from these guys. They’re going to board the boat. So you all hide and stay quiet. If they find you you'll be shot --on the spot.
SHELLY: (Correctly, in french.)
Liberté.
BERNARD: What?(Pause. footsteps.) Okay, now hide.

(Caroline, and Mary scramble into Shelly's hiding place.)

BERNARD: Not a sound or you'll never see your new family.
(Bernard exits.)
MARY: Do you think he's telling the truth?
CAROLINE: I don't know. But we should keep quiet.

(Sound of boots above voices.)

MARY: What are they saying!?
CAROLINE: French again!
MARY: Shelly listens up what are they saying!?
SHELLY: I'm trying!
RICHARD(Offstage.)
Of course. In all honesty we are just taking this boat back to Gabon for a friend. As for the slave trade-- I think it is terrible. I don't know how the people who do that can even live with themselves.
THE BOAT INSPECTOR:(Offstage)
Okay. But you won't mind an inspection then.
RICHARD: (Offstage)
Oh not at all. The boat is yours.
MARY: What are they saying?

(Shelly starts laughing.)

CAROLINE: Shhhh! We'll be found.
SHELLY: I knew it. (Laughs.)
THE BOAT INSPECTOR (Offstage): What was that?

(Caroline and Mary cover Shelly's mouth.)

RICHARD(Entering.): I didn't hear anything!
THE BOAT INSPECTOR (Entering.)
Must be me. Everything seems to be in order here.
BERNARD: Seemingly
RICHARD: (Quickly.)
Yes.

THE BOAT INSPECTOR: It's ridiculous to think that people would be placed in a boat like this it's for cargo or live stock ... clearly.

RICHARD: Well, we are talking slave traders.
BERNARD: Scum of the earth.
THE BOAT INSPECTOR: Indeed!
BERNARD: I don't know how such men live with themselves.

(Shelly laughs, but she is quickly stifled by Mary and Caroline. All three men hear the laugh but they do not look at each other to acknowledge it. A pause.)

RICHARD: (To Bernard.)
In the end most don't.
THE BOAT INSPECTOR: (Laughs.)
Well, when my job is done, as it should be they won't.
RICHARD: (To The Boat Inspector.)
Did you hear anything?
THE BOAT INSPECTOR: Oh no.
BERNARD: Noooo.
RICHARD: I thought I did. Boats are creepy that way, they say that echoesget trapped in the passageways and crevasses.

THE BOAT INSPECTOR: An old seaman's tale.

BERNARD: Ah bullshit!

(All three men laugh for a long time, then abruptly stop exactly at the same time. They stand still for a moment looking out.)

THE BOAT INSPECTOR: Well, about those other papers. The ones you told me about. RICHARD: (Drawing an envelope from his inside pocket and handing it to The Boat Inspector without looking at him)

Here they are.
THE BOAT INSPECTOR: (Peeking in the envelope and flicking through its contents.)
Everything seems to be in order in here. You're cleared for passage!
RICHARD: A drink?
BERNARD: Hell yes.
THE BOAT INSPECTOR: Why not!

(Bernard and the boat inspector exit. Richard is last to go, but then returns to the room Richard stares at the girls hiding place then after a pause leaves.)

MARY: God why did you do that
SHELLY: That's a customs officer... he could get us out of here.
MARY: What and go back to Gabon?
SHELLY: The word he used. ‘esclavage’ you know what that is?
MARY: No.
CAROLINE: What?
SHELLY: Slaves.

(Shelly laughs.)

CAROLINE: We should have called out to him... It's not too late!

(Caroline rushes to the door.)

CAROLINE: Wait! Wait come back come back there are people on this ship! We don't want to be slaves! We say no to ‘esclavage!’

(The sound of the three men laughing and toasting can be heard far off some place.)

CAROLINE: I know you can hear me!

(The laughter continues.)

CAROLINE: Why won't you hear me!

(The laughter continues and then fades.)

MARY: Aw, let them laugh. I knew what was up with this place from the get-go so we're slaves. So? It could be worse we could be-
(Pause.)
Hmmm.
SHELLY: (Helpfully.)
Dead!
CAROLINE: Yes.
MARY: This is the life that we got. We'll find a way to make it worth living.
CAROLINE: Heh. Or we'll spend enough time searching that they manage to get a few years of work out of us before we have the sense to run away or die.
MARY: And everything that we said, the good family the place in the city, good food, a room... we'll have that. It's a lot better than going hungry in some dusty little town in Benin.
CAROLINE: (To herself.)
I wish my father could see me now.
MARY: (To Shelly.)
We'll be fine.
CAROLINE: (To herself.)
I'll see you soon. I'm sorry, but I just can't do this!
MARY: What are you muttering about?
CAROLINE: I’m saying my prayers.

(The boat lurches. A solid thud. The girls fall across the room and in to the wall.)

MARY: Oooo, owwwww. Well, I think we just hit a dock. That or we're sinking.
CAROLINE: God willing.
MARY: What?
CAROLINE: God willing this boat would sink. I do not want (strikes the door with her fist) to be a servant, a farmhand or a whore. I don't want to be a slave.

(Richard enters.)

RICHARD: Don't want what? To be slaves? Slaves? Are you nuts? You're not slaves your apprentices.
(Pause.)
Do you realize the opportunity we're presenting to you girls?
(Pause.)
Look, immigration in to Gabon is illegal and we are risking our lives to get you there so you can work and have a future.
(Pause.)
Be glad that that customs officer didn't hear your crying!
SHELLY: (Softly)
But I was laughing...
RICHARD: Laughing!
You don’t know what slavery is. None of you do. Well, I’ll tell you. Slavery is living in a place where you can do no better then dream of some day getting plumbing -oh and maybe even a radio! Slavery is fearing the drout and trying to choose which child to feed first. Your life in Benin, that was the slavery. Provincial people make me sick. This is it. Your only chance. Get your hair and clothes in order Bernard will be down here soon to show you out. Look good, dry off those tears and that blood or no one will want you. No one wants a house servant with a permanent scowl. Okay? Smile.

(Shelly laughs. Richard heads for the door.)

CAROLINE: Captain.
RICHARD: What?
CAROLINE: I'm not provincial. I'm not dumb. I know what this is.
RICHARD: Oh?
CAROLINE: And I know what you did to her.
RICHARD: Yes, and your point? (Pause. Richard breaks in to a laugh) Oh m
god! What will you do? Tell the police?
CAROLINE: I'd -
RICHARD: You'll be arrested if you even speak of this boat to the police. Immigration is illegal. Knowing me is enough. You'll be thrown in jail.
CAROLINE: You'll pay for all then.
RICHARD: I already did.
You think it's easy to come up with $500? There are almost 50 girls on this boat. I gave every one of their families $500.. And look how I'm treated! Then there was the bribe for the customs officer, the food supplies, salary for Bernard and the fellow in the engine room. Some local code that required that I have this boat painted only a few weeks ago. That was an arm in a leg. It’s hard to make ends meet in this trade. And it's thankless. No one sees the good in what we do.
CAROLINE: Because there is none!
RICHARD: That's just what I mean! (Mocks.) There is none. I have 50 things to do! I haven't even hired trucks or cages.
CAROLINE: Cages!
RICHARD: For the unruly ones.

(Caroline lunges at Richard removing his glasses then goes for his eyes with both hands. Richard is so startled that it takes him a moment to grab Caroline by both wrists and then both legs and pin her to the floor. During all the Mary backs, frightened to the wall and watches, Shelly remains where she is but when Richard seems to have the upper hand she looks away from the struggle and remains still.)

RICHARD: Bernard! Bernard! Ropes, tape, wristbands!

(Bernard enters shortly after with ropes, tape and wrists bands. Expertly they tie Caroline'd hands legs and feet in place and gag her mouth. )

BERNARD: The other rooms are empty, well but one.
RICHARD: Where are you taking them?
BERNARD: The truck.
RICHARD: Oh I thought I forgot that.
BERNARD: No.
RICHARD: Take care, these two out and I'll do one last sweep. Did you count them?
BERNARD: Um 46
RICHARD: Should be 52
BERNARD: We lost a few.
RICHARD: Right. 47 ... 48 ... (looks a Caroline) 49. (Pause) No not 49, just 48.
BERNARD: You two come on; we're going off the boat.

(Obediently, Shelly and Mary rise. They exit with Bernard. Shelly laughs; Mary looks over her shoulder at Caroline.)

RICHARD: 48.

(Richard exits. Pause. Suddenly, violently Caroline erupts in a fit of struggling. It is completely hopeless and the bindings remain tight. She repeats this three times each time struggling for longer than the first until on the last try it is perhaps a uncomfortably long period of struggling nearly a minute or even two. At last she stops, but solely from exhaustion. Bernard enters with a pistol in his hand.)

BERNARD: Hey there.
(He kneels)
I wanted to say something to you. The captain asked me to shoot you, well he said to drown you but honestly a bullet is less painful. Um not that I know. Well, what I wanted to say was that I have a daughter. She lives in Gabon, she is your age.. just the same almost. So it's not that I don't see you there. It's not that! I know this wrong, but there is no other way to make good enough money to keep my family, my daughter, my wife safe from the famines, wars, all of it. The way I see it, we could all be miserable equally and no one would ever really live.. or some could suffer a great deal, others profit, and, at least, someone would be happy. You can't win if you don't beat some one. (Laughs.) You know my daughter thinks I'm a fisherman. I don't know anything about fish! (Laughs)
(He stands and aims the gun)
Thanks for listening to me.
I'll never forget you.

(Lights out. Pause. Caroline tries to break free again. Pause. Now the gun shot. Pause. Shelly laughing, and then humming the song from the start of the play.)

Curtain.