SCENE 6
(Lights up on – Graveyard with sign, DEAD LAKE CEMETERY. WHITNEY approaches to read a stone aloud)
WHITNEY
“John Doe – a friendless stranger. The Lord will recognize His own”.
(Enter a grave-tending woman, MRS DAVISH with basket of gardening tools and wheeled cart of plants.)
MRS. DAVISH
Did you know that poor lost soul?
WHITNEY
Looks like nobody knew him.
MRS. DAVISH
(Pulls an ear trumpet off her cart and holds it to her head)
What’s that you say? Speak up.
WHITNEY
A trumpet!
MRS. DAVISH
Just funning with you! My hearing’s perfect.
(Tosses the trumpet back on the cart.)
You wouldn’t believe the things people leave on graves around here. And the signs say, Plants Only. Trust me, Great Grampster hears fine in heaven. Care to purchase a remembrance for this grave? It would be very thoughtful of you.
WHITNEY
I’m not sure he’s the right one. Is he the only John Doe you’ve got?
MRS. DAVISH
He’s the only one. Usually people no one can identify go straight to paupers’ field. But the Hidden Glade developers paid for this poor gentleman.
WHITNEY
Why would they?
MRS. DAVISH
Maybe ‘cause they’re the ones that disturbed his peace by digging him up. But they didn’t bother to buy the perpetual care — that is rarer than hen’s teeth… They do say nothing is perpetual but my fond fancy… Look, I could just give you some flowers if you’re not too particular.
(Rummages in her cart)
WHITNEY
Nothing for me, thank you. Doesn’t he ever get … remembrances?
MRS. DAVISH
Never. Poor lost soul. Anything that’s ever been on that grave, I’ve put there myself.
WHITNEY
Well, that’s peculiar, don’t you think?
MRS. DAVISH
Not in the least. It’s the rule, really. You’d be surprised. No one speaks for the dead.
WHITNEY
But when you want to speak up for them, it seems like they object.
MRS. DAVISH
(Smiles at her)
Some of them can get a little noisy.
WHITNEY
So how long have you been working here?
MRS. DAVISH
Oh! Thirty years. Thirty-five years, off and on. My grandmother brought me every Sunday. You could call it a ritual. You’re welcome to try breaking out of long-established rituals – but it can’t be done.
WHITNEY
Glad I found you. Seems lately I owe everything to people living in the past. So this man was buried by the Dead Lake developers, eh?
MRS. DAVISH
Sssh. They don’t like the connection to anything “dead”. Hidden Glade, it’s called these days. Yup, a backhoe tossed this man up and out like a ragdoll!
WHITNEY
But where’d they find him?
MRS. DAVISH
Heavens, I don’t know! You never saw such a frenzy of obfuscation! One of those houses around the lake they bulldozed is all I know. There’s no fact-getting at this late date.
(WHITNEY looks depressed – MRS DAVISH leans to stage whisper)
But they did have to call the cops!
(Sage nodding. WHITNEY perks up)
WHITNEY
And why’s that?
MRS. DAVISH
(Leans forward to whisper)
He was as full of lead as a shad full of roe! They took some out and left the other ones inside!
(Pats tombstone lovingly)
Died of “heavy metal” poisoning, poor old thing.
WHITNEY
Wow! Not a popular guy.
MRS. DAVISH
Either that, or he was far too popular to suit somebody.
(They laugh)
WHITNEY
But couldn’t they tell what house he came from?
MRS. DAVISH
I’m telling you they didn’t want to know! Tenants had been pushed out and disappeared long before.
(Pulls down an eyelid)
There’s none so blind as those who will not see.
WHITNEY
I guess ancient corpses full of bullets are pretty blind, too.
MRS. DAVISH
True, true. Who wants to buy a property that had a murder on it? Who signs up for a haunting? Said they owed it to the shareholders to hush things up. But truth is the daughter of time, not of authority, says the poet.
WHITNEY
Surely somebody checked for missing people!
MRS. DAVISH
Oh naturally. Naturally. But nobody was missing! Everyone accounted for. He was some poor stranger.
WHITNEY
So maybe it was a “good riddance” situation.
MRS. DAVISH
Most likely.
WHITNEY
(Jubilant)
Under the circumstances, then, I’d like to buy some flowers.
MRS. DAVISH
The pinks are magnificent this time of year. Or acacia. Means “Secret love” in the language of flowers, not that anyone tries speaking that no more. But for those of us in the know, it lends a little added pleasure. Got some beautiful violets just coming into bloom.
WHITNEY
The language of flowers, eh? So what do violets mean?
MRS. DAVISH
Faithful love.
(Quoting)
“The faithful shall be rewarded,” that’s what the violets say.
WHITNEY
But what will we get, I wonder?
(Flower exchange. LIGHTS OUT.)
Alysse Aallyn 