Lily visits Bumps
LILY ENTERS BUMPS’ TEMPLEBUMPSTurn it off.[ARCHITECT]People with private lives. And no motor cars. I hate/LILY TURNS THE RADIO OFFBUMPSOld Friend of mine. Very famous now. Vee Eye Pee. Most gentlemanly to me.Gives me this.SHE INDICATES HER INVALID CHAIRBefore he goes to India.We have a nice joke about Invalid or Invalid. A particular game of ours- playing with words. But never mind that.I often say: A little learning is a dangerous thing. Especially etymology.It breeds a certain sort of shorthand presumptive smartness I deplore.LILY IS HUNTING IN THE COLLECTION. BUMPS IS TRYING TO TREAT HER LIKE THEPREVIOUS AUDIENCE, BUT…Smell: frankincense. Feel: zinc. Listen.SHE SHAKES A SEED PACKET LILY PULLS WHITE SILK FROM A TINY DRAWER AND READS THE LABELLILY“DRESS WORN AT SISTER’S WEDDING”.BUMPSArsenic. Lace. Gum Arabic.LILYOh, look!BUMPS(BLINDLY) What?LILYYou take photographs.LILY TAKES OUT A CATWhat of?BUMPSOf what. My garden and my cats. My cats IN the garden, and my garden ROUNDthe cats. Nothing else presented to me as being sufficiently interesting.LILY SETS UP THE CAMERA ON A TRIPODLILYTake my photograph.BUMPSI don’t do people. Especially young people.LILYTake my photograph.BUMPSWhy?LILYBecause I’m beautiful. Don’t you think?BUMPSAll faces are the same to me.LILYCome closer. Can you see at all? How do you photograph things?BUMPSI was going to be a painter.LILYWould you have painted me?BUMPSNow I paint with flowers.LILYI’m a flower.BUMPSI paint my garden on the garden.LILYI’m Lily.BUMPSWithout wasting paint or canvas.LILYI’m beautiful.BUMPSGive me your hand.BUMPS TAKES LILY’S HANDBeautiful perhaps - but are you useful? Do you have enough patience –LILY (SHE SNATCHES IT BACK)No!BUMPSTut-tut.LILYThere’s no time.BUMPSAt your age!LILYYou wouldn’t understand.BUMPSBecause I’m old?LILYBecause you’re ugly.SHE GIVES A LITTLE SQUEALBUMPSWhat is it?LILYA frog!BUMPSBring it to me. One of last year’s.LILYUgh.BUMPSSo bronze. So fearless.LILYStamp on him. Nasty little beast.BUMPSIt may be a Prince!LILYBut you’d have to kiss it first!BUMPS KISSES THE FROG.Ugh! Gross!LILY LOOKS AT PHOTO OF FRED (ARCHITECT). IT MOVESBUMPSDon’t be afraid.LILYIs it a ghost?BUMPSOf course.LILYIs it dead?BUMPSDoes it look dead?LILYWhat’s its name?BUMPSFred. My brother. He died at your age.LILYDead Fred! I’m Living Lily. How’d’you do? Can’tit speak?BUMPSWhy should he?FRED DISAPPEARSWhat’s to say after all? The whole of life is just a point of time.LILY (SPINNING ON HER TOE)We can be anything we want to be.SHE TURNS INTO THE CATNow: take my photograph.BUMPS GETS UP ENERGETICALLY AND YOUTHFULLY FROMTHE CHAIR TO DO SO