Strawberry Jam

A woman tries to convince her mother that it is time to give up her home and move into an apartment. Her mother has a plan of her own.

Drama. 20 minutes. 2 females.

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Excerpt

Strawberry Jam © Talia Pura

This excerpt may not be used for any purpose whatsoever. Rights to produce, in whole
or in part, by any group, amateur or professional, are retained by the author.

Susan: Come on Mom. Just have a sip of tea.

Mary: I told you. I’m not thirsty.

Susan: But you love your tea.

(Mary crosses her arms and turns away)

Susan: And you haven’t even touched your supper.

Mary: I’m not hungry either.

Susan: I made your favourite.

Mary: Not hungry.

Susan: And strawberry jam on your bread.

Mary: You made it?

Susan: Safeway. But it’s good. Lots of fruit.

Mary: No thanks.

Susan: Oh, come on, Mom. You haven’t eaten a thing since you got
here yesterday.

Mary: Take me home.

Susan: Now you know I can’t do that. You know what they said.

Mary: What do they know?

Susan: They’re concerned about you, Mom, as well as the neighbours.

Mary: The neighbours? Let them all go to hell! What did they ever
do for me?

Susan: They’ve always been good to you.

Mary: Ha!

Susan: Mrs. – Mrs. Chornick across the back lane; she used to give me
candy.

Mary: Yeah, and now she says it’s my fault if her dog gets into my
garbage in the back lane.

Susan: We’ve been through that, Mom.

Mary: See what I mean?

Susan: No! She’s just — okay, okay. What about old Mr. Schuller
down the block? He brought you chicken soup last winter
when he heard you had the flu.

Mary: Oh yeah, him! That’s what started the whole problem.

Susan: How can you say that? A lot had already happened by then.

Mary: I never seen that asshole Dickson before that.

Susan: He was just trying to help–

Mary: Help! It’s getting so that every time I turn around, somebody’s
meddlin’ in my business.

Susan: Alright, Mom, alright. I don’t want to fight with you.

Mary: Then take me home.

Susan: I can’t do that.

Mary: My own daughter won’t even help.
Susan: I want to help. That’s why I brought you here. That’s why I set
up the appointment for tomorrow morning.

Mary: I’m not going.

Susan: Mom! You have to go. It’s the only way we’re going to
straighten this whole thing out.

Mary: What are they going to do?

Susan: I don’t know what they’re going to do.

Mary: What do you think they’re going to do?

Susan: They’re going to try to help you.

Mary: They don’t care about me. They just want to make my life
miserable with their stupid rules.

Susan: They aren’t stupid rules. They’re health regulations.

Mary: Huh! Don’t make no difference anyway. I won’t have to see
Dickerson tomorrow morning.

Susan: I don’t want to argue with you Mom.

Mary: Then don’t.

Susan: If you’re not going to eat, help me clean up the dishes.

Mary: Jake always said I treated you too soft.