Scene 6 - Mrs Grey's house and street

Mrs Grey walks on, with a shopping bag in one hand. She gets out her key to unlock the door. Naomi runs on, in tears.

Mrs Grey  Naomi! Naomi runs into her arms and cries.

Naomi, tell me what the matter is. Come into the house. Come on, now.

Mrs Grey leads Naomi into the house and sits her down.

Now then, what's all this about?

Naomi   It's Mum.

Mrs Grey   You two been arguing again?

Naomi   No. She's got a boyfriend.

Mrs Grey   Oh.

Naomi   He's awful. He was trying to be all young and trendy and then he had the cheek to tell Mum that she shouldn't let me behave the way I do. It's not fair. I had been planning to visit you at this time anyway, but they took it as an excuse!

Mrs Grey   Oh, I see.

Mrs Grey stands up and goes to the kitchen and brings over the remains of the cake.

What else?

Naomi   What do you mean?

Mrs Grey   Naomi, don't take this the wrong way. But don't you think your Mum deserves a boyfriend?

Naomi   What? Well yeah, of course she does. But she's just met him, and already he's taking over.

Mrs Grey   Looks uncomfortable. Well-well-there you're wrong. You see, your Mum has been seeing Stuart for two months.

Naomi   Stands   Two months??? Two months! Well, that's worse! That means she's been hiding it from me for ages, lying to me! And how did you know his name?

Mrs Grey   I met him at the market about a month ago.

Naomi   Then you've been lying to me. Oh, this is great. Everyone knew my Mum had a boyfriend except for me, her daughter. And I suppose she was sending me to see you so they had time in the house alone. So, you've all been using me. I bet you're not even ill! You've been in it all this time? I hate you! I hate you, him and my Mum. I'm getting out of here. She goes to the door.

Mrs Grey   Naomi. She goes and blocks the way. I will not let you behave that way in my house. If that's the way you treat your Mother, then I'm not surprised she didn't tell you.

Naomi   aggressively  Let me out.

Mrs Grey   No. It's my house and I'll do as I please. Now sit down, now. Naomi looks like she's going to argue and then she turns and sits, dejectedly.

Naomi   Fine then.

Mrs Grey   Now that's better. She sits next to her.  The only reason I didn't tell you, is because it wasn't my place to. I thought that it was up to your own Mother to deliver the news. I'm not defending her, far from it. It's my own skin I'm trying to save at the moment. Now, your Mother asked you to come here because she's another nosey do-gooder in this town who try and press things on me. Just last week, for instance, I had Mrs Jones from the vicarage try and enrol me in yoga classes! She thought it would improve my peace of mind! HA! She just wanted to stop me snapping at her whenever she opens her mouth.         

Naomi   Are you calling my Mum a nosey do-gooder?!?

Mrs Grey   Ooooh, defending her now then?

Naomi   Sarcastically. Oh, ha ha. Very funny, not.

Mrs Grey   For your information I just said that to get round the fact that I think your Mums ok, your Mum and her boyfriend. Now, I don't say that often. I think there must be about three other people I've said that about; my Mother, my Son, and of course, you.

Naomi   Ok, I'm sorry. But all this still doesn't make it ok about what he said about me doing community service, and how he thought I was too stupid to go to university and how he started taking over our house. I can't stand him.

Mrs Grey   Didn't you think that about me once though?

Naomi   Don't be silly, I still do of course. She laughs.

Mrs Grey   Also laughs. No, joking aside, you did think that and now we're over it all. I think that this Stuart guy was a bit nervous about meeting you; he messed up and then tried to comfort your Mum when she thought it had gone all wrong.

Naomi   You think I should give him another chance, don't you?

Mrs Grey   My Father died. When my Mother got a new man five years later, I hated him for taking the place of my Father. But I tried to get to know him and he turned out alright. We haven't spoken in years though.

Naomi   Maybe you should try and contact him again.

Mrs Grey   That's going to be hard, he's dead too.

Naomi   Really?

Mrs Grey   He died of old age when I was forty. Anyway, I was meant to be giving you the advice.

Naomi   I'll give it a try, the whole giving him another chance thing.

Mrs Grey  Good for you.

Scene 7 - Naomi's house. Stuart and Mum are sat on the sofa, watching a slushy romantic  movie. Stuart has his arm around Mum and Mum's crying. She has a box of tissues on her lap. Naomi walks into the room, stares at her Mum and Stuart, then tries to creep upstairs without being seen.

Stuart   Naomi!

Mum   Hello, love.

Stuart   You had a nice time?

Naomi  Yeah.

Stuart   Listen, I thought that we could do something together, all of us. We could go and see a film, or go bowling, or have dinner somewhere.

Naomi   Ok.

Mum   Really?

Naomi   Yeah, why not?

Stuart   Well, that's settled then. You want to watch the movie?

Naomi  Erm, no, sorry, but it doesn't look my sort of film.

Stuart   Prefer bone-crushing zombie movies then?

Naomi   Definitely. I'm going to do some homework.

Mum   Ok, love, I'll bring you up some tea.  Naomi goes upstairs. Mum and Stuart look at each other.

Stuart   She's changed her mind quickly.

Mum   It's that Mrs Grey. She comes home in a strange way after going there. I don't need Naomi to tell me where she's been when she comes back from there; she's not in a mood.

Stuart   I like your Naomi, she's a good kid.

Mum   If she heard you say that, she'd kill you.

Scene 8 - Mrs Greys house.

Naomi knocks on the door. Mrs Grey comes and answers.

Naomi   You were right.

Mrs Grey   I generally am. Well, come in. They go in and sit.

Naomi   We went bowling yesterday, and then went to pizza hut for tea. Stuarts quite nice really. Rubbish bowler though.

Mrs Grey   I knew it! Not that he was a rubbish bowler, that my plan would work.

Naomi   Ignoring this last interruption. He needs a bit of a fashion change; the knitted jumpers aren't cool, but he's got loads of money. He lives up in that posh estate on the other side of town, and he's a solicitor! Apparently, his wife died about six years ago, and he's been falling to pieces ever since. But then he met Mum and he's feeling a lot happier.

Mrs Grey   I know.

Naomi   You do?

Mrs Grey   Your Mum told Mr Bott the baker, he told his wife, who told Mrs Jones, who told Mrs Underwood, who told Mrs Bond who told me yesterday at yoga and -

Naomi   Wait a minute....yoga?

Mrs Grey   I thought I'd give it a try, though the yoga teacher is at a loss of what to do with me, I make loud rude remarks all the way through it and talk at the top of my voice to disturb everyone! It's funny, because they just think I'm a deaf old lady.

Naomi   Puts on dreamy hippy sort of voice  Ah, but are you, Mrs Grey, are you finding your peace of mind, so that dear Mrs Jones can stop being snapped at? That's the question.

Mrs Grey   For your information, Mrs Jones is going to regret - next Sunday at church - that she ever told me what to do.

Naomi   Don't do anything really bad, will you?

Mrs Grey   I won't scare her away completely, of course, I mean where would the fun be during the sermon if I can't annoy her?

Naomi   You're hopeless. She gets up and goes over to the kitchen  Tea?

Mrs Grey   Hang on, this is my house!

Naomi   Sorry

Mrs Grey   If you just going to come and help yourself to my stuff then there's only one thing I can think of to do.  Says this while going over to a draw in the kitchen and brining out a key. For you

Naomi  A key?

Mrs Grey   To my house. Now you can come in whenever you want.

Naomi   Well, thanks.

Mrs Grey   To be honest I was going to give it to you anyway. Now, Sits back down  tea would be great.

Scene 9 - Mrs Grey's street

Naomi is walking on, two girls are stood on the side of the stage, one leaning against the wall. Both are about the same age as Naomi, but they are white and quite tarty. They are giggling and whispering.

Katie   Hey! Naomi! Naomi Johnson! Come here a second.

Naomi walks over to them.

Naomi   What?

Katie   We just wanted to say hi.

Sarah   God, you're so rude.

Naomi   I'm rude because I don't know you.

Katie   We're in your school, surely you know us?

Naomi   Nope.

Sarah   She's too busy hanging around with her black friends to pay us any attention. 

Naomi turns and walks towards Mrs Grey's door.

Katie   You know, they should really wash. Hey, Naomi, why are you walking away?

Naomi   Turns back   because you're being racist.

Sarah   No we're not, I was just saying how you hang around with people who are black like you.

Katie  And I was just saying how black people should wash to become white again. The two girls crack up laughing and Naomi turns back and starts to try and find the house key.  Oh, come on, I was joking. Can't you blackies take a joke?

Naomi   Shut up! I would have thought you were too old to say stuff like this. I was obviously wrong.

Sarah   Don't yell at me, or I'll tell my Mum.

Naomi   Tell your Mum what? That you were being racist?

Sarah   No that a blackie was yelling at me.

Naomi finds the key and starts to open the door,

Katie   Hey, you don't live there!

Sarah   Oh my god, she's stolen a key and know she's gonna nick all the stuff in the house.

Katie   We should call the police.

Naomi   My grandma lives here. The two girls look disappointed.

Sarah   Oh, ok.

Naomi   Why don't you clear off?

Katie   Fuck you. They walk off.

Naomi opens the door, she kicks the sofa angrily.

Naomi   I hate it! Mrs Grey walks into the room carrying an empty mug.

Mrs Grey   Naomi?

Naomi   I thought I'd let myself in, sorry.

Mrs Grey   Well, that's what the key is for. Now, who do you hate?

Naomi   You don't miss anything do you?

Mrs Grey   Not really, no. Now, what's wrong?

Naomi   Oh, it doesn't matter.

Mrs Grey Yes it does. She pulls Naomi down onto the Sofa, Come on, spill.

Naomi   It's just....it's just....well, there were these girls and they were saying things and...

Mrs Grey   Were they friends of yours?

Naomi   No, I didn't know them.

Mrs Grey   So, they were bullies?

Naomi   No, they were random people who apparently go to my school.

Mrs Grey   And what things were they saying?

Naomi   Oh, you know....about my skin and...

Mrs Grey   Racism?

Naomi   Well, yeah, sort of - but it doesn't matter, I've had stuff like that my whole life...

Mrs Grey   But you shouldn't, it's wrong.

Naomi   But you can't help, can you? I mean, you won't get that.

Mrs Grey   Why shouldn't i? I'm as black as you. Anyway, you saw those boys outside the house before.

Naomi   Yeah, but they weren't really being racist. They were doing it because you're old.

Mrs Grey  It was still racism though.  You can get racism in anything that's considered odd or out of the ordinary. Anyway, just because not many people are racist towards me because of my skin colour, doesn't mean they weren't always like that.

Naomi shakes her head and slightly turns away.

 No, listen to me, Naomi. I moved to England when I was 12. I was an illegal immigrant, and in those times lots of ignorant people thought people like me inferior to themselves. I got it, even worse then how you get it probably. Naomi looks stunned.  Now, those girls are pretty stupid, because there are loads of black skinned people living everywhere now. Imagine if one moved to where blacks are the majority, they would be the people open for racism then.

Naomi   I suppose.

Mrs Grey   If the racism gets worse then go to your Mum, and then to the police. It's a serious offence you know.

Naomi   Thanks. You know, I think you help me too much sometimes.

Mrs Grey   Nah, it was a whole two months ago I helped you with the whole Stuart thing, and it was four months ago that you first knocked on my door.

Naomi   Well thanks anyway. Erm, Mrs Grey, you haven't got a cake recipe have you?

Mrs Grey   A recipe?

Naomi   Yeah, I thought I'd make a cake.

Mrs Grey   Come upstairs, and we'll have a look. They leave through the door to the stairs.

Scene 10 - the street outside Mrs Grey's house.

Jason, tall boy, boy, Katie and Sarah are all hanging around, leaning on lamp posts, the boys have beer cans.

Jason  You know the plan, Kate?

Katie   Of course I do, you think I'm retarded or something?

Jason   Oh, no! I just thought we should practise. The boys snigger.

Sarah   Don't get too carried away, Jase.

Boy   She's coming!  They go back to looking like doing nothing. Naomi walks onto the stage. Jason pulls Katie towards him and starts to kiss her. Sarah is talking lazily to the boys, flirting. Naomi stops short at the scene and then shakes her head and tries to walk past. Sarah lets Naomi brush her as she goes past.

Sarah   It touched me! Blackie touched me!

Tall boy   Why is she black?

Boy   It's because she's weird. The two boys block Naomi's way.

Jason   Oh, no, that's only Naomi Johnson.

Katie   I remember her, she was really rude to us a week ago or so. I told my Mum and she said that if someone yelled at me again, she'd go and complain at the school.

Jason   Come on, baby, let's get down to some business.

Sarah   Didn't you go out with her, Jase?

Jason   Yeah, but to be honest, I prefer the lighter skinned sluts.

Katie   Oh you, always the little joker. They kiss again.

All that time, Naomi has been trying to push past Tall boy and Boy; they push her onto the floor.  

Naomi   Hey!

Jason    Stay where you belong, in the dirt! He goes and kicks her.

That's for not being my girlfriend... kicks her again as she tries to get up, making her fall again. His friends start to get worried and try and get him to go.

Katie   Jase, let's go...

Jason    And that's for being friendly with an old lady... kicks her again, angrily.

Boy    Jason, don't do that....we might get into trouble.

Jason   Yelling And that's for being black! His friends drag him away.

Naomi stays still for a moment, but then gets up to her knees and sits on them, looking down at the ground, crying. The stage lights dim slightly as the scene changes around her, into her house. The actors all get into place around her.

Scene 11 - Naomi's house.

Mum sat on the sofa that Naomi is now leaning against;; Stuart is leant against the wall.

Mum   Darling, what's wrong? .

Naomi   Nothing.

Stuart   Hey, don't speak to your Mum like that. Now, tell me what's up. Goes and stands behind the sofa, leaning on the back.

Naomi   Like you'd care.

Stuart   Of course I care. Come on, we're almost like family now...

Naomi   You're not my family, OK? You're not my Dad!

Stuart   I know...I meant...

Mum   Standing. Naomi, listen to me -

Naomi   No, I won't. I hate being me, I hate my life. Why can't I just be normal, why can't I have parents that are together and love each other, why do I have to live in this scabby city with all the scabby people? Why couldn't we live in the country? Why do we have to be so poor? Why -

Mum    Naomi, stop shouting in my house and listen to me.

Naomi   Why should I? I won't do as you say, I won't -

Mum    Cutting across her   Me and Stuart are going to be married.   

Naomi    Silence, Naomi can't quite believe it. What?

Mum    We were going to tell you tonight, but...

Stuart    We understand if you're upset, but me and your Mum love each other very much. They go and stand by each other and watch Naomi anxiously.

Naomi   I...I guess that's ok then.

Stuart    Really?

Mum   We wouldn't get married for a whole year or so, we just want to see how things go.

Naomi    Yeah....I....wow... She sits on the sofa in a daze. She then breaks down.

Stuart   Hey, hey, what's up? Goes and sits by her.

Naomi   There are these people.....they say stuff about my skin, I hate them and I don't know what to do.

Mum    Darling, we've talked about this before, and I've explained to you that being the colour you are in such a town is going to cause problems...

Naomi    But it was worse today...they beat me up!

Stuart    They what?   Goes and crouches by Naomi.  They beat you up? Who? I'm going to the police about this, they can't treat you like that, they can't treat anyone like that...

Naomi    No, they would only get cautions and then they'd be around to do worse stuff to me!

Mum    Naomi, you know that's not true. Now listen...

Stuart    Why don't we move? We could go to the country, just like Naomi said earlier. You wouldn't see them ever again. The next to Mum What do you think?

Mum    Shocked  Well, it's a bit unexpected, but if it helps my Naomi - I'll do it. Naomi, what do you think?

Naomi   What about Mrs Grey?

Stuart    What about her?

Naomi   I can't just leave her.

Mum    Mrs Grey, Naomi, is a very capable old woman. She'll be fine on her own; she's got her son and other people who are her friends.

Stuart   You could write to her, and phone all the time...

Mum   Whenever you need help....

Stuart    You don't need to decide today of course...

Mum   Just think it over, will you?

Naomi   Ok, I'll think about it. Stuart and Mum stand up and silently go out the room. Naomi stays still for a while, then gets up and goes out the front door, and offstage.

Scene 12 - Mrs Grey's house

Naomi knocks on the door and Mrs Grey answers. They go in.

Naomi   Stuart and Mum are going to be married.

Mrs Grey   That's great. Naomi sits down and Mrs Grey starts to make tea.

Naomi   They want to move, to the countryside. Mrs Grey drops the cup and it breaks.

Mrs Grey   What?

Naomi   Not really noticing Mrs Grey's reaction. They're doing it because of the whole racism thing. Something else happened today and I took your advice and went and told them. They want to move so I'll never have to see them again. But, I don't know if I want to move. I mean, it'd be great to get away from here, and from them, but I don't want to leave you. Turns to look at Mrs Grey. Are you alright?

Mrs Grey   I....erm...yes. Yes, I'm fine.

Naomi   What should I do?

Mrs Grey   I can't possibly say, my dear. You see, I am the problem.

Naomi   But you've always helped me.

Mrs Grey   I know, but I can't this time.

Naomi    If I went, would you hate me?

Mrs Grey   Hate you? Why, no, of course I wouldn't; no, far from it. Goes and sits down next to Naomi.  Listen. I'm old, and you're young. If you stay around waiting just for me, you would be highly disappointed.

Naomi   Why?

Mrs Grey   You must know Naomi, someone as clever as yourself, that I'm going to die one day. Now, if you stayed here, you'll hate life and then be lost when I die. If you go, you will love life, and have some place nice to go when I die. I want you to go. Promise me you'll go. Call it a dying wish.

Naomi    But you're not going to die soon, are you?

Mrs Grey    How could I possibly know?  I'm ill, Naomi, I've been ill for a long time. It wouldn't astonish me if I went tomorrow.

Naomi   Somewhat pathetically Don't die.

Mrs Grey   Don't talk like that, I don't hold with it. Of course I'm going to die, and to be honest, I'm quite looking forward to it. No nosey people, just peace and quiet for ever; sounds nice to me.

Naomi says nothing but just looks very miserable.

Naomi, you're the best thing that ever happened to me. Before you knocked on my door all those months ago, I was a grouchy old codger and I hated all kids. Now, I feel happy, I actually smiled at a passing teenager and I got a smile back, with a "Good morning," to go with it. Don't be sad, for I'm not.

Naomi   We won't be moving yet. We'll have to choose a house and a school and Mum would have to see if she could get a job up there.

Mrs Grey   Then that's all right then. Why don't you go back to your house now and tell them that you want to go. I'll see you soon. They stand and go to the front door. Naomi stands out on to the street.

Naomi   I'll miss you, when we go.

Mrs Grey   Oh, I'll miss you. Now then, till tomorrow. They hug each other. Naomi walks off and Mrs Grey shuts the door.

The lights fall and then rise, Naomi, Mum and Stuart drive on in a car. Naomi gets out, they're playing music - turns into the backing music later on.

Mum   Just say goodbye and then come straight back out. Stuart, dear, do we have to listen to this?

Stuart   Yes, it's my favourite. He turns up the music so it turns into backing music.

Naomi goes over to the house and knocks on the door, no answer. She knocks again and then gets her key out. She goes in. She moves into the sitting room. Mrs Grey is dead, she is sitting in the armchair. Her son, David is knelt beside her, in a shocked state.  He looks up as she enters but doesn't really have any reaction. She walks slowly over, and kneels at Mrs Grey's other side. She starts to cry and David looks up and puts a hand on her shoulder. He stands and guides Naomi out of the room.  They leave the house together; Naomi sits down against the wall, crying uncontrollably, David leans against the wall, in shock. Mum and Stuart get out the car, and bend down next to her, once they understand what has just happened, both sit by her sympathetically.

Naomi   Her voice   I had to knock on Mrs Grey's door. I didn't know why I had to, except my Mum had asked me to. I could have so easily walked away. I'm glad I didn't, for if I had I would never have learnt all I learnt with her. I had loved Mrs Grey like family, and I think she felt the same. There's so much I want to tell her, so much I hadn't said. I think, "Thank you," was the main word, "Thank you, and goodbye."

Lights dim and black out, music fades out.