Part Seven of the Khalil Short Play Series

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THE ANNIVERSARY - (c) 2007 Cherie Renae

Khalil is loosely based upon my own grandfather, who lived to be 99. He lived to the last with my grandmother in their own home. Family and friends were always dropping by to visit. Their house, and especially their kitchen, still hold special memories for me.

Introduction: It's Joe and Esther's three-month anniversary. What have Khalil and Joe cooked up now?

THE ANNIVERSARY

Scene: Khalil and May's living room

(The women are sitting on the couch, drinking coffee)

May: Where are the boys, Esther? They've been gone for hours!

Esther: Why, I don't know, May. Didn't they tell you where they were going?

May: They didn't tell me anything. What are those two up to now?

Esther: Well, knowing them, it'll be interesting!

May: (laughing) That's true. In all of our years of marriage, it's never been boring with Khalil.

Esther: You two have weathered it all, haven't you?

May: Yes, we have. You know, it was hard for Khalil when he first arrived in this country. He was just a boy. His mother died giving birth to him, and his father died soon afterward. He was a ‘come lately' baby, and all of his brothers were much older than he. They took turns caring for him, but the wives weren't happy having to raise this child. When he was twelve, they put him on a boat, gave him a cigar box full of sundries to sell, and said, “Go make your living in America.”

Esther: Oh my goodness.

May: When he arrived, a kind teacher befriended him, and she took him in and taught him to read and write English. He learned to be a tailor, and then worked in the shipyards during the war. He really found his calling as a salesman, though. He worked at our cousin's Oriental rug company, and they loved him. He could sell anything to anyone!

Esther: Didn't you work there, too?

May: Oh, yes. I repaired the rugs until my hands got too old and arthritic to make those fine knots. I retired when I was 78. I think Khalil kept working part-time for them until he was in his mid-80's, when he had his first bout of gout. It's been a good life, Esther.

Esther: I heard that you had very rough times when the children were little. I remember those days. There was no work for anyone.

May: Those were difficult times. I remember begging a farmer for some milk for the baby. But everyone has tough times. It makes for the good stories later!

(The two women laugh, and continue to drink their coffee. There is a commotion offstage, and Khalil and Joe come in, carrying a heavy bundle between them.) 

Joe: Hello, ladies! Have you had a nice morning?

Esther: Yes, thank you Joe. What is that?

Khalil: It's a surprise. You ladies go into the kitchen. We'll tell you when you can come out.

May: Khalil, what have you two been up to?

Khalil: Patience, my love.

May: Uh-oh. When you call me ‘my love', it always means trouble.

Khalil: What – a man can't be affectionate with his wife now? I'm hurt. Now go into the kitchen.

(The women exit.)

Joe: Khalil, do you think Esther will like it?

Khalil: She'll love it. You'll see. Let's set down over here.

Joe: Shall we unwrap it now? Maybe we should have met at our house, Khalil. We're going to have to carry it over there next!

Khalil: No, Esther can call her son to come move it. He's young. He's only 60. At my age, I don't need a hernia.

Joe: Me, either. And Ed is a good boy – he'll come move it. He takes good care of his mother, and of me.

Khalil: That's what youngsters are supposed to do.

Joe: Sixty isn't so young.

Khalil: It's not so old, either.

Joe: Anyway, shall we unwrap it, or leave it for Esther? Oh, I hope she like it!

Khalil: She'll love it. It's her present, she should unwrap it.

Joe: It's not fancy wrapping, though. Just this brown shipping paper. And the bubble wrap. I hope she'll be able to get the bubble wrap off. They used an awful lot of tape.

Khalil: It'll make it more fun to open. (Turning.) Ladies!

(Esther and May return) 

Khalil: (To May.) See?

May: See what? Why did we have to go in the kitchen? You set the package down. Big deal.

Joe: Happy three-month anniversary, Esther! I hope you like it.

Esther: Oh, Joe! Is it for me?

Joe: It's not wrapped fancy, but they didn't have any wrapping paper. We should have stopped for wrapping paper.

Khalil: Carrying that big thing? We barely made it home as is.

Esther: I don't need fancy paper. Shall I open it?

Joe: Yes.

(Esther slowly unwraps the gift. It reveals a huge vase, decorated in terribly gaudy colors.) 

Esther: That's…quite interesting, Joe. Where did you get it?

Joe: I made it myself! Well, I didn't make the vase, but I decorated it. Khalil and I spent all morning at that Make a Memory ceramics place.

Khalil: I heard Edna talking about it at our pinochle game last week. I thought, “Esther would like a nice vase for their anniversary.”

Joe: Do you like it?

Esther: Oh, Joe. That was so thoughtful of you to make something for me! You're such a sweetie.

Khalil: I helped him pick out the colors. He wanted to paint it in drab browns and tans.

Joe: To match our living room.

Khalil: I convinced him to liven it up a bit. Much better, don't you think?

Esther: Um. Well, how wonderful of you. I didn't even think about it being our three-month anniversary. I didn't get you anything, Joe!

Joe: That's OK, Esther. Actually, I didn't remember, either. It was Khalil who remembered. He's such a romantic.

Khalil: Besides, Joe's old. Who knows if he'll make it to his one-year anniversary? You have to celebrate while you can.

May: Khalil!

Khalil: What? It's true. Oh, before I forget.

(Khalil digs in his pockets and pulls out a smaller package. He hands it to May.)  

Khalil: This is for you.

May: (Unwrapping it.) It's a coffee mug. Did you make it, Khalil?

Khalil: Yes. I used the same colors as Joe did. I hope you don't mind, Esther.

Esther: Oh, not at all!

May: Khalil, this was very nice of you. (She kisses him on the cheek.) You are a romantic, aren't you?

Khalil: I just want you to be happy. With my gout and all, you might get tired of me and go find some younger man.

May: (slapping him affectionately on the chest) Oh, Khalil. I'm an old woman. No one would want me.

Khalil: Huh. Not so old looking to me. I have to watch out for those other guys.

May: You're silly. But I love you.

Khalil: I love you too, May.

Joe: (to Esther) So, where should we put the vase? Perhaps in our entry way? We could put peacock feathers in it, to brighten it up a bit, maybe.

Esther: (faintly) Oh, I don't think it needs any brightening, Joe. It…stands on its own.

Joe: You think? Oh, I'm so glad you like it. Maybe we could put it on the front porch, where the whole neighborhood can see it.

Esther: Or maybe it could go in the corner in the living room, where there's a bare spot now.

Joe: Oh, but that's so hidden. No one would ever see it there!

Esther: We'll find the perfect spot. Just like you've found the perfect spot in my heart. You are so sweet.

May: Maybe we could all go together to this ceramics place – spend an afternoon or something.

Khalil: That's a great idea! We can start working on a matched set of coffee mugs, just like the one I made you!

May and Esther look at the mug and at each other. They start laughing.

May: I think that's a wonderful idea, dear. Come into the kitchen. I made bread this morning. And there's a fresh pot of coffee waiting for us.

Joe: Sounds perfect. Happy three-month anniversary, Esther!

Esther: Happy three-month anniversary to you, too.

(They walk off-stage.)

THE END

---(c) 2007 Cherie Renae - may not be reproduced without permission

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