52 Waiting

A/N: something really different!

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SCENE: a yellow plastic and Perspex Merseytravel bus shelter in the rain; Claire, a young woman aged anything from 15 to 20, dressed in the latest fashion, leans against it standing under the roof; Betty, a much older woman, hair covered with a foldable plastic hood and pushing a shopping trolley, arrives and sits down heavily

BETTY: Lovely weather we’re having, eh love? (chuckles to herself)

CLAIRE: (half looks over her shoulder at Betty and gives a fake smile) Er, yeah, lovely. (returns to looking at her smartphone)

Betty pulls a face at Claire’s back and rummages in her bag for her bus pass

Diane arrives, her face hidden by an umbrella, which she lowers as she reaches the shelter; she is between the others in age

BETTY: (looking at the newcomer with interest, then recognition) Diane!  I ‘aven’t seen you in years.  How’s your baby doin’?

DIANE: (smiles affectionately at Betty and sits next to her) He’s doin’ great, thanks.

BETTY: (nods) How old is ‘e now?

DIANE: (with an amused smile) Twenty-five.

Betty goes off into a loud laugh; Claire rolls her eyes.

BETTY: (dabbing her eyes with a cotton handkerchief) Well, just goes to show ‘ow long it is since I’ve seen you.  Watcha doin’ up this end?

DIANE: (smiles sadly) Sortin’ out me mam’s place.  Our Joey an’ Kathy can’t face it, so it’s up to me.

BETTY: (sober again) Oh, yeah, I heard she’d passed.  I’m so sorry; (pats Diane’s hand) she was a lovely woman.

DIANE: Ta, Betty love.

BETTY: It’s what you get for being the oldest girl.  It was the same with our Nelly.  Anything needed doin’, even before me mam passed but especially after, she’d ‘ave to do it.  Me dad couldn’t organise a piss up in a brewery, and our lads weren’t much better.  There were four of them between me an’ Nelly, you know?  Being the baby...

Betty’s voice fades as Benji arrives.  He is Claire’s contemporary in age and style of dress.

BENJI: (to Claire as they embrace enthusiastically) Hello, gorgeous!

As they separate, behind them Betty and Diane nudge each other and exchange knowing smiles.

CLAIRE: Hiya, Benji!  Headin’ into town?

BENJI: Yeah.  (hesitantly)  I'm meeting Rollo.

CLAIRE: (digging him in the ribs)  Oooh!  You an’ ‘im are getting to be quite an item, eh?

Behind them, Betty and Diane give each other rather sheepish smiles as they realise their mistake.

BENJI: (bashful)  Well, I’m takin’ slow, Claire.  Don’t wanna scare ‘im off.  But what about you and Josh?  I don’t think either of you saw anything of that film, did you?

CLAIRE: (blushing but clearly pleased)  Is there no privacy?  We went to that cinema because it’s more out of the way.  Couldn’t believe it when you showed up!  Anyway, I jibbed ‘im off.  (tosses her head, affecting carelessness)

BENJI: (genuinely shocked)  What?!  Why?  That boy has an arse to die for.

CLAIRE: Yeah, but that’s also where his brains are.  I mean, seriously – I need intellectual stimulation and he has all the charisma of cold custard!

BENJI: (laughing)  Awww, poor boy.  If it wasn’t for Rollo, I might take pity on him.

Both giggle.

BENJI: How long you been waitin’?

CLAIRE: Oh, about 10 minutes.  I always get here early to be first in the queue – then I'm not waiting behind the arl biddies...

Betty and Diane’s righteous indignation is forestalled by the arrival of Dennis, a very elderly man leaning on a stick.

BETTY: ‘Ello, Dennis!  It’s good to see you up and about again.  You remember Diane...

DENNIS: (lifting his hat to Diane)  Of course!  I always remember the pretty girls.

Claire makes a gagging motion for Benji’s benefit, who giggles; Diane smiles affectionately and stands up.

DIANE: There you go, Dennis, take the weight off.

DENNIS: (shaking his head)  No, no!  I can’t sit while a lady is standing.

BETTY: Oh, sit down, Dennis.  I know that leg of yours still isn’t right.

DENNIS: Well, well – age before beauty, eh, love?

He winks at Diane and sits down with evident relief.

DIANE: What’s wrong with the leg, Dennis?

DENNIS: Oh, I had a bit of a fall...

Betty is about to regale Diane with the full history, when the bus arrives.