Setting:     A café with three empty tables, each covered with a white tablecloth which goes down to the floor, in turn covered with the remains of afternoon tea, largely untouched, and some used tissues.    

Time:          present

Character: Ginnie, female, early 40′s, reasonably attractive and well-groomed.

GINNIE sits at a fourth table, a cup in front of her. She is holding a mobile phone and staring at it.

GINNIE

Come on you. Ring. It’s your turn. What? Do you expect me to ring you? Last chance today, matey. I’ll be incommunicado from seven. Then he’ll be home for the weekend. That’ll mean no chance for next week.

 (GINNIE fiddles with the phone, sighs, then sighs and places it on the table)

I don’t want to end up like them. You should have seen them.

(SHE nods towards the table downstage right.)

He looked younger than her. Wearing a smart business suit. She’d got her laptop with her. He was wearing a wedding ring. She wasn’t. I couldn’t see what he saw in her. She was a bit chubby. No make-up. But it was the hands across the table and staring into each other’s eyes. He touched her cheek. That made me shiver …. Made me think of you.

(SHE touches her own cheek and stares at the phone.)

They’re not like me and you, though. We’re solid, aren’t we?

Well, I couldn’t actually hear what they were saying… but I’m sure they were splitting up. I did hear him ask her if she’d be all right. She nodded, and then covered her face with her hands. I think she was crying. She did take a tissue from her bag. Then she was up on her feet and away.

He rushed after her and his face looked pained. He nearly forgot his shopping though. I called him back. It was a Baby World bag he’d almost left behind. That would have caused a bit of trouble I expect.