[Bus stop. Jo is sitting, holding a bunch of flowers and looking through an old photo album. Stef enters]
S: Hey hi.
J: Oh hi Stef. How've you been?
S: [Shrugs] Ok... What's that?
J: These are our parents' photos. See, that's their wedding photo. They look so happy together.
S: Mom looks very pretty in that one. Is that us?
J: Yes, that's you when you were a baby, that's me, and that's Reuben.
S: I can't remember how they look like.
J: You were only two when they died.
S: Anyway, where's Reuben?
J: Ya, we were supposed to meet half an hour ago. It's unlike him to be this late.
[Reuben enters, dressed in street punk fashion, talking loudly into a cellphone]
R: Cannot lah... yah I know bowling. Ya... got to visit my parents' graves lah! Cannot cannot. Like I don't want!
J: Reuben.
R: Aiya sister angry already. No no, cannot go. Yah. [Ends call] Yes?
J: Reuben why are you so late?
R: Something came up lah.
S: Gor, why is your hair purple?
R: It's fashion! See, so cool. Maybe you should go and dye your hair purple also.
S: You're suddenly so different.
R: How?
S: Auntie always tells me stories of how neat and nice you were.
J: What happened to you Reuben?
R: [uncomfortable] Aiya, Uncle brought me up this way, what to do? Eh let's go, very late already. Faster faster!
[Trio moves across the stage]
S: Are those their graves?
J: [places flowers on graves] Look, our names.
S: [reads] Left behind three children, Loved from the Beginning. Joanna, Reuben, Stef. [To Jo] I want to look at the album again. Tell me more about mom and dad. How did they die?
[Reuben rolls eyes and wanders away, smsing. Sisters move to a grassy patch nearby and sit]
J: It was a car accident along Orchard Road. A lorry crashed into their car and they died on the spot. We were at grandma's house at that time. After the accident, Aunty Pearl, Aunty Magaret and Uncle Bruce took care of us seperately. Unfortunately they didn't like each other.
S: Ya. They didn't want us to meet.
J: First time in eleven years... and on their anniversary.
[Reuben's phone rings]
R: Hello? What... I said cannot. So irritating! How come? Fine fine fine... I'll go later. Later lah! [Ends call] Eh, you all ready or not? Faster can? I need to go already.
S: Gor, do you miss our parents?
R: Die already, miss for what?
J: Reuben, what would mom and dad say if they ever saw you like that? [Long pause] How would they feel?
R: [Gruffly] I miss them sometimes, ok? Quick, let's go.
[Sisters get ready to leave]
J: Have you been crying?
R: Who, me? No, no, nothing. Let's go let's go.
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Hopefully this short script is coherent =) Please do comment, suggestions most welcome. Thankie!
