SCENE ONE
(The next morning Mr Rogers and Sarah are making breakfast in the kitchen)
MR ROGERS: (washing a cup in a sink) Every time we face problems you are going to break up with me?
SARAH: My Ex-boyfriend was very careless with money. He was addicted to gambling. I don’t want you to walk in the same shoes as him. He made so many financial promises to everyone and he was strained. He couldn’t keep those promises.
MR ROGERS: I have savings.
SARAH: We all have savings. You can’t use all your savings, you need to save money for rainy days. You need to have an emergency account for emergencies and you need to invest your money.
MR ROGERS: I know how to use money. I don’t need you or anyone to teach me. I can take care of my kids and I have a property.
SARAH: Your property doesn’t bring any money to the table. It has been locked for a month now. Worse part you plan to allow Casey back to the apartment
MR ROGERS: That’s what you wanted!
SARAH: That’s what I wanted? Excuse me?
MR ROGERS: Remember when I told Casey that I’m going to sell her apartment? Remember your reaction? You were mad claiming we didn’t discuss it.
SARAH: Correct. One, we didn’t discuss it. You took a decision alone. I’m your fiancée damn it. Two, you wanted to sell your apartment, why the hell sell your apartment while you can rent it out. I care less about Casey’s feelings I don’t care if Casey stays with us or not. I was mad that you made such a bad decision and you made that decision alone.
MR ROGERS: We are not yet married but you control my money, you control my decisions, in fact you control me. You are a control freak!
SARAH: (shouts) What? Me a control freak? I’m done with you
(Sarah takes off the Apron and throws it down, heads to Mr Rogers’ bedroom and comes back with a suitcase. She then heads straight to the door to leave)
MR ROGERS: Yeah go ahead and run that’s what you do best
(door bangs)
SCENE TWO
(Casey and Bob are walking on the street holding hands facing the traffic)
BOB: Thank you for agreeing to meet me.
CASEY: I also have to tell you something.
BOB: Oh, you go first.
CASEY: You called first so you go first
BOB: No serious, you go first.
CASEY: Okay I have good news (smiles)
BOB: Let me guess you your dad is not selling the apartment anymore?
CASEY: Correct.
BOB: Wow awesome. When are you moving?
CASEY: I’m not sure yet. I still need to convince him. The sole reason he is allowing me to move back to my old apartment is because I agreed to go back to school.
BOB: Finish your degree?
CASEY: (frowns) Ugg, you don’t know?
BOB: (confused) Know what?
CASEY: I don’t have matric. I dropped out in grade 11.
BOB: (shocked) What? Are you… slow..?
CASEY: (snaps) Say it, dumb? I was never slow. It’s a long story.
BOB: Mhmm.. what happened?
CASEY: Long story short. My mom died the year I was doing grade 11. I couldn’t cope then I dropped out.
BOB: I’m so sorry about your mom, I didn’t know.
CASEY: It’s cool. I should have went to school the following year but I didn’t. Come to think of it now I was stupid for not going back to school. My peers have degrees and are now working. Me on the other hand I’m stuck at home. No one wants to hire me. Who will hire someone without matric?
BOB: (sighs) Tricky! Yes, you should have went back sooner but It’s never too late to go back to school. Did you register for next year?
CASEY: I found an online school. I will register next year but Sarah (rolls eyes) my step mother wants me to research more schools because apparently the one I found is “expensive”.
BOB: Want my help? Researching things is my strength.
CASEY: But I love Excellence Online High School.
BOB: I agree with your step mother, you can’t settle for your first option. There are so many online schools we will find a cheaper one that offers quality education.
CASEY: Ohk thank you. I assume you have a degree
BOB: I’m not telling you anything until you pass your grade 12.
CASEY: (laughs) Hha you will tell me after two full years?. What if you will no longer be in my life?
BOB: I guess we will have to find out.
CASEY: Enough about me. Why did you want us to meet?
BOB: (clears throat) you really want to know?
CASEY: Come on. Tell me.
BOB: (stops walking) Uhm where do I start?
CASEY: (stops walking and folds arms looking at Bob)
BOB: I would like to take you out on a date
CASEY: (blushes) Where and When?
BOB: (smiles) Is that a yes?
CASEY: (smiles) Of course.
BOB: Uhm.. tomorrow night.. uhm 19:00 at the Dine?
CASEY (walks) Ok I guess I will see you tomorrow then
BOB: (still standing and shouts) I will fetch you.
SCENE THREE
(Rogers family is having dinner silently)
LAYLA: Dad, next week is my birthday.
MR ROGERS: (raises eyebrows) Your birthday?
LAYLA: Yes dad. You said you will throw me a big birthday party when I turn 10.
CASEY: (laughs) Yeah you did. I remember very well.
MR ROGERS: (uninterested) I said that?
LAYLA: Yes dad, you even said that you are going to invite all my friends.
MR ROGERS: Its short notice. There’s no party.
LAYLA: But dad, you promised me.
MR ROGERS: (hits the table with both hands) I don’t have money. I’m not a Gold Mine that you can keep digging. I have so much on my plate - the wedding, the fees, the apartment and now a party. Soon you will be telling me about Christmas clothes. I need a break please. Am human also.
CASEY: But you promised, you won’t even spend a R1000 on party?
MR ROGERS: You make it seem like R1000 is nothing. Do you know how hard I work for that R1000? And to just spend it recklessly on sweets and drinks. No, I can’t. I’m sorry Layla there’s no party.
CASEY: Is this even about Layla or about Sarah? Where is she?
MR ROGERS: (snaps) Sarah has her own house. She can stay wherever she wants. She is an adult and can pay her own bills unlike someone I know. Layla I promise to buy you a cake
LAYLA: You promise? You failed to keep the first promise how are you going to keep this one?
CASEY: Good question. Will I even enrol in excellence school next year? I doubt
MR ROGERS: (pulls a chair backwards and stands up throwing a spoon on the plate. He heads to his bedroom to find Sarah seated on top of the bed)
MR ROGERS: (shocked) What are you doing here? How did you get in here?
SARAH: You gave me keys, remember?
MR ROGERS: Damn! Ok what do you want? I thought you made it clear that the wedding is off.
SARAH: I was wrong to storm out like that. I want us to talk like adults and advise each other and most importantly support each other.
MR ROGERS: (sits on the bed facing the other direction) I’m glad you are aware that you over reacted.
SARAH: (smiles) Guess what? I found a better school for Casey. R3000 registration fee. R1 500 monthly school fees. Fair?
MR ROGERS: (with a straight face) Does it provide quality education?
SARAH: One of my friends teaches there. She recommended the school.
MR ROGERS: Of course she will recommend it she is your friend after all.
SARAH: (sighs and rolls eyes) I give up!
MR ROGERS: Am I not allowed to express myself? We can’t assume a school is good just because a friend is one of the employees.
SARAH: What do you suggest we do then?
MR ROGERS: Leave the school to me. Let’s fix our problems. Were you serious about calling off the wedding?
SARAH: (turns to look at Mr Rogers) I love you but we can’t have a wedding if your finances are not in order.
MR ROGERS: (still facing the other direction) Just because I’m a manager at a workshop that automatically means that my finances are not in order?
SARAH: That’s not what I’m saying. What is your budget for the wedding?
MR ROGERS: (smiles) I have R15 000
SARAH: (chokes) Are you kidding me? That’s money for deco, deco alone.
MR ROGERS: Wait? You want those big luxurious weddings you see on TV?
SARAH: Yes!
MR ROGERS: (stands up putting hands in the pockets) Women! What happened to a small wedding? You all want to copy everything you watch on Tv. TV is not a reality. Reality is that things are expensive.
SARAH: First time in my life hearing that there’s a wedding budget of R15 000
MR ROGERS: All my weddings were below R15 000
SARAH: (looks at him in disbelief) What is your ideal wedding?
MR ROGERS: Good question. With that money we can buy a nice wedding dress, get a suit, some cake, rings and go sign at the home affairs.
SARAH: (stands up) Wow, a wedding without deco, a wedding without bridesmaids, groomsmen, and a wedding without guests. (shouts) Why dint you say let’s go sign at home affairs? You have been nagging everyone in the house that you have saved money for the wedding? You call R15000 money? You don’t afford a lawyer and a wedding. You can’t even afford a medical aid. If you were to collapse your stupid savings would not even cover for one day. Which savings have you been preaching about?
MR ROGERS: It’s not enough? What is the purpose of the wedding? Why does it seem like a wedding is more important than marriage.
SARAH: (opens a closet shaking her head and throws her remaining clothes on the bed)
MR ROGERS: Where are you going? You just got here. I thought you came here to fix things. You call that fixing?
SARAH: I made a mistake. I can’t commit myself to someone who can’t save and invest. What do you do with your salary?
MR ROGERS: This whole thing is about money? You are a gold digger. Everything to you is about money.
SARAH: (shocked) Now Im a gold digger for addressing things? I have money. Lots and lots of money. I can do this wedding alone and even fund our honeymoon. That’s how much I have, and I’m talking about a high class wedding. R15 000 can buy a cake - a wedding cake. Do you know the dresses I had started googling? R70 000 dresses and by the way I’m not a gold digger because there’s no Gold here.
MR ROGERS: (stands up furious) Let me go before I do something I will regret.
(shuts the door)
SCENE FOUR
(Later that night, Mr Smith and David are in the woods. They are both leaning against their cars which are parked side by side. The cars’ flashlights brighten the quiet dry forest)
DAVID: How is the case going?
MR SMITH: Complicated!
DAVID: I don’t like the sound of that.
MR SMITH: I have found a new strategy
DAVID: (sternly) This one better work.
MR SMITH: The first one was working perfectly fine until that little miss…
DAVID: (interrupts) I don’t want excuses. This new strategy has to work.
MR SMITH: It will work but…
DAVID: (shouts angrily) What’s the plan here Smith? I pay you a lot of money. I don’t want mistakes, I don’t want buts and you know very well I hate excuses.
MR SMITH: I’m not sure if I should run it by you first or try to implement the strategy first.
DAVID: Smith I pay you a lot of money to protect my family so whatever you are planning you should run it by me first (phone rings and answers it)
DAVID: Is it done? (there’s silence) Good. I’m coming right now (hangs up) Sorry Smith I have to run. Take care of my family. I trust your strategy will work this time.
(David enters his car, starts the engine and disappear to the dark forest)