Save our Supermarket

A MONTH LATER. THE SUPERMARKET IS IN DARKNESS. PENNY ENTERS. SHE SETS UP A CARD TABLE UNDER A SINGLE HEAVILY SHADED LIGHT DOWN STAGE. DIMLY WE CAN SEE THAT THE SUPERMARKET IS NOW DISUSED. BOXES ARE PILED AROUND THE CHECKOUTS, AN URN IS STANDING ON ONE CHECKOUT AMONG A COLLECTION OF UNWASHED CUPS. THE COKE MACHINE STANDS OPEN.PENNY SETS CHAIRS AROUND THE CARD TABLE.
ERN ENTERS.

ERN Pen.

PENNY Oh. Ern. Hello.

ERN I wondered were you were.

PENNY I've got to get ready. For the meeting. It's Thursday.

ERN Yes. Can I help.

PENNY We'll need something to eat. Arnotts. Arnotts Assorted.

ERN I'll get them.

PENNY And some Monte Carlo Creams. Betty always likes Monte Carlo Creams.

ERN Yes.

ERN RUMMAGES IN THE BOXES BY THE CHECKOUTS.

PENNY There's nothing like Arnotts Biscuits to keep spirits up. Arnotts and Bushells.

PENNY PLUGS IN THE URN. ERN FINDS THE REQUIRED BISCUITS.

ERN Here we are.

PENNY We'll need water for the urn.

ERN Yes. I'll get it. Pen, why don't we take a holiday. Just you and me. Up the coast somewhere. Just get away from here for a bit.

PENNY We couldn't do that. This is your life, the supermarket. We can't abandon it.

ERN The thing is, Pen. The thing is... There comes a time when you've got to face up to things. Accept the world the way it is.

PENNY No. We make the world. Isn't that what Cloe said. We make the world the way we want it. We've got to fight to make our world. Don't you see that?
We've got to fight to save the supermarket. Our supermarket.

ERN Pen.

PENNY Don't you see, Ern.
That night you marched on the factory I didn't know what to do. I didn't know what to do. I was torn between my desire to help you. To stand beside you and fight for our supermarket and my duty as mayor.
And when the factory was fire bombed in my secret heart of hearts I rejoyced. The conflict was resolved. The factory was destroyed. The supermarket was saved.

ERN I know.

PENNY But now we face an even graver danger. These Von Neumann machines are springing up everywhere. If the factory was a bad thing, these Von Neumann machines are ten, a hundred times worse. We've got to stop them, Ern.

ERN Pen. The battle is over. It's been fought and lost. We lost. The supermarket is gone. All that's left is a shell. We must accept it.

PENNY No Ern. No. Never. It's not just that the world is different now. It's a poorer world. A shabbier, a crueller, a less caring world. Those are the reasons I fight on and always will. We must fight Ern. We must. It's our duty to fight to re-establish law, and order, and respect for the office of mayor.
(PAUSE)
I am still mayor. No one can take that away from me.
Never.
You'll stand beside me and support me, won't you Ern?

ERN Yes, Pen. I'll be here. I'll get some water for the urn. I won't be long.

ERN EXITS.

CLOE ENTERS.

CLOE What are we playing, stud poker?

PENNY Cloe. Welcome. Welcome. I've always hoped you'd come along to our meetings.

CLOE What meetings?

PENNY You know. Of course you do.

CLOE Do I?

PENNY In a way you are responsible.

CLOE Me?

PENNY You were the inspiration. My inspiration. Cloe, the fight against the Von Neumann machines is a fight we are all involved in one way or another. It's a fight I'm proud to be a part of. A fight you began.

CLOE Uh uh. I don't fight on principle. You might lose.

PENNY When the factory was fire-bombed, I admit, I was initially shocked. Horrified. Such wanton destruction of property went against every civilized precept I'd ever learnt.
But with the passage of time I came to realise you were right. There was no alternative. The factory had to be destroyed. The factory had to be fire-bombed.
And you, Cloe, were the only person with the wisdom to see that, and the only person with the guts to carry it out.

CLOE Now hang on.

PENNY That's why you, Cloe, are the patron saint of our revolution.

CLOE Me! Fair crack of the whip.

PENNY And it is why I have so looked forward to you attending our meetings.

CLOE I'm not attending your meeting.

PENNY But Cloe, we need you.

CLOE I'm not a joiner. And I'm not a patron saint of anything.

PENNY But Cloe...

CLOE And I didn't inspire your little band of conspirators. Don't say I did.That's something you've dreamt up all on your own. Don't go giving me credit for it.

PENNY But Cloe...

CLOE And I didn't fire-bomb the factory.

PENNY But you said, in here...

CLOE I get verbal diahorea. But fire bomb the factory. What do you think I am? An anarchist?

PENNY Then you don't care.

CLOE No. I don't care. That's morose clap-trap. You're better of doing something than worrying yourself sick with care.

PENNY You heartless monster.

CLOE Now you're talking. Heartless monsters I can relate to. Just don't mention any of this saint business to anybody, will you?

PENNY No, Cloe. You can't convince me you don't really care. That toughness is all front. You really will help us fight the Von Neumann machines, won't you?

CLOE Not a chance. Penny, the Von Neumann machines are here to stay. You might as well get used to them.

PENNY They are the work of the devil. They are satan incarnate loose in the world.

CLOE You'd know more about that than me.

ERN ENTERS WITH THE URN ON A SMALL TROLLEY.

PENNY Ern. We'll need more food. There's a Sara Lee in the freezer. And some Big Ben's I think.

ERN Alright. Just as soon as...

PENNY No. I'll go. I want to have a look. There might be a Papa Guiseppe as well. Cloe's staying. She'll talk to the meeting. Make her stay, Ern.

PENNY EXITS.

CLOE I'm not staying.

ERN No. Penny isn't very well. She can't accept the changes.

CLOE She's not alone.

ERN So you're not staying for the meeting?

CLOE No. I came to see you. You asked me. Remember?

ERN Ah. Yes. Come in the office.

THEY GO INTO THE OFFICE.

ERN You can guess why?

CLOE Yes. I can help you.

ERN The thing is, I can't help wondering, is it for the best? Wouldn't we all be better off back with our nine to five jobs?

CLOE George Orwell took a job once. In a penny library. He wanted to experience the dignity of labour. He found he worked long hours. He was always tired. There was no time for the finer things of life. No time to read. No time for music or theatre. He could feel his brain shrivelling in his head. Labour has no intrinsic dignity.

ERN I've always enjoyed working. Serving behind the counter. Organising the supermarket. Perhaps it was just a job. Repetitive. Everything bad you want to say about it. But I was happy there. You were serving people. Giving service. Service with a smile and a "Good to see you Mrs. Brown".

CLOE You were a slave to the customer's whim.

ERN Maybe so, but isn't there a kind of social glue in that. People acting together, customer and salesperson, to create society. Isn't that what society is all about. The complex web of interactions from you to me to Mrs. Brown to everybody else from the highest in the land to the lowliest street sweeper. We're all in it together. We all depend on each other. We all, by our interactions create civilization. Then along come these Von Neumann machines. A dozen industrial robots that sit in your garage and provide everything you'll ever need in life. Everything society ever provided. What if Pen's right? What if these Von Neumann machines are destroying civilization?

CLOE Perhaps they are. Perhaps it's time civilization got the big A.

ERN I don't know. I can't decide now, Cloe. Let me think about it for a while.

CLOE Alright. But if you decide you want a Von Neumann machine I've got one for you.

MRS. GLADWICK ENTERS.

MRS G She's gone. She's gone.

ERN What?

MRS G Mrs. Alsop. She's gone. It's all your fault, Ern.

ERN Mine?

MRS G You've got to find her. God knows what'll happen to her on her own.

ERN Alright. We'll look.

MRS G Well look then. You won't find her standing there.

CLOE, ERN AND MRS GLADWICK EXIT.
CROSS FADE TO CHECKOUT AREA. MRS ALSOP WANDERS ACROSS THE STAGE. EXITS.
ROSE ANNE ENTERS FOLLOWED BY BARRY.

BARRY Rose Anne.

ROSE ANNE Yes, Barry.

BARRY About the meeting.
BETTY ENTERS.

BETTY Rose Anne, I've been meaning to talk to you.

BARRY Do you mind?

BETTY Don't interrupt. that's very rude of you, Barry.

BARRY Ignore her. I wanted to talk to you, Rose Anne.

BETTY Barry.

BARRY Yes, Betty.

BETTY I've dropped something. My gold watch. Could you be a gentleman and pick it up?

BARRY Talk about helpless women. Alright. Where is it?

BETTY By the cabinet. In the lounge. At home. Trot along. I'll wait for you right here.

BARRY Now hang on.

BETTY Go on. Shoo. Shoo.

BARRY I was here first. I was talking to Rose Anne when you barged in and interrupted us.

BETTY Of course. If I waited for you to finish we'd be here till Christmas.

BARRY TAKES ROSE ANNE'S ARM AND LEADS HER AWAY.

BARRY Just ignore her. She'll get tired of listening to her own voice and go away.

BETTY TAKES ROSE ANNE'S OTHER ARM.

BETTY Rose Anne this really is important, and I can't talk in front of this person.

BARRY It would be the first time in your life.

ROSE ANNE Hey. Hey. Stop it both of you. I break easily. You can both talk to me.

BARRY Ah.

BETTY That's the catch.

BETTY What I've got to say is confidential.

BARRY Say anything in front of Betty and it'll be all over town in a matter of minutes.

ROSE ANNE Is this something to do with the committee?

BETTY Yes.

BARRY I guess so.

ROSE ANNE Then there's no need for secrecy, is there. Openness, honesty, the sharing of information is what we're trying to achieve.

BARRY That's all very well.

BETTY This is very private public infomation.

ROSE ANNE The others will be here in a minute. Shall we wait for them?

BARRY No.

BETTY Definitely not.

ROSE ANNE Please. Spit it out.

BETTY Alright. I will if you will.

BARRY Alright.

BETTY After you.

BARRY Eh?

ROSE ANNE Well?

BARRY O.K. It's this... I'm resigning from the committee.

BETTY What?

BARRY I don't think the committee serves any useful purpose any longer, so I'm severing all ties with the organization. I won't be coming to the committee meetings any more.

BETTY You traitor. You snake in the grass. You Judas. You viper in the bosom.

ROSE ANNE You really are leaving the cause.

BARRY I'm afraid so.

BETTY After all the work we did together to protect our business interests.

BARRY The fact is we're not getting anywhere. Nobody's interested in bringing back the old days. Businesses everywhere are collapsing. People aren't interested in business any more. They're all getting their own little personalised factory and dropping out. And who can blame them. If you can get everything you want from a machine, why work?

BETTY Just because everybody else is giving up is no reason for you to give up. Where's your stickability?

ROSE ANNE The issues we started out on are still there, Barry. Aren't these things worth fighting for? The effect on people's lives, their culture. What about the effect on the environment. Does the Von Neumann machine put out toxic wastes?

BARRY I don't know.

ROSE ANNE Well if everybody's going to get a Von Neumann machine that means over 4 nearly 5 billion Von Neumann machines in the world. If there are any problems with these things they're going to be very big problems. Don't you think we ought to know what we're letting ourselves in for?

BARRY That's all very well, Rose Anne, but that's not what we're doing. We're not looking at the future. We're looking back. We're saying Hey, wind the clock back. Give me back yesterday." Well that's not going to happen. The Von Neumann machines are here. We've got to start learning to cope with them. The fact is, I've got a Von Neumann machine.

BETTY I might have known it. It's shocking to see how quickly a man can cast aside every principle and tenet of civilized behavior. Barry, you've sunk to the lowest of the low.

BARRY Alright. What about you. Tell us your private communication.

BETTY Ah. The fact is I've got a Von Neumann machine too.

BARRY Haaaa!

BETTY But at least my sympathies are all with Rose Anne and the cause. Not like some rats I could name. It's just unfortunate that, due to unfortunate circumstances, I have to resign from the committee and won't be able to attend meetings anymore.

F.X. CRASH!!!!!!

THERE IS A LONG CONVOLUTED CAR CRASH JUST OUTSIDE THE SUPERMARKET. PIECES OF CAR WRECKAGE FLY IN THROUGH THE DOOR. SPECIFICALLY A BENT BUMPER BAR, WINGED VICTORY, AND A HUB CAP WHICH ROLLS ON STAGE AND SLOWLY AND MAJESTICALLY CIRCLES TO A HALT.
ERN AND CLOE COME OUT OF THE OFFICE.
ROSE ANNE PICKS UP THE WINGED VICTORY.

ERN What was the crash?

BARRY A car. Expensive looking.

ROSE ANNE It was a Rolls Royce.

BARRY The car's a total write off.

BETTY Was anyone hurt?

BARRY Don't know. Call an ambulance.

CLOE Look.

RATHER BATTERED, BUT DELIRIOUSLY HAPPY CLARKE STAGGERS IN.

CLARKE Wow. What a ride.

ERN Clarke.

CLARKE I am, aren't I.

BETTY Don't crowd him. Give him some air.

CLARKE Where am I?

BARRY Take his pulse.

ERN What happened.

CLARKE You've no idea.

ERN Are you hurt?

CLARKE I've done it, dad. I've done something I've always wanted to do. I've stacked a Roller. I can die happy.

BETTY He's dying. Call an ambulance.

BARRY He's not dying.

CLARKE I'm not dying am I?

ERN You're not dying.

ROSE ANNE Where did you get the Rolls Royce is more to the point?

ERN Yes. Where on earth did you get a Rolls Royce?

CLOE I think that should be obvious.

CLARKE I had my Von Neumann machine make it.

ERN Good God.

BARRY A Rolls Royce.

CLOE They said those machines could make anything.

ERN Yes. but... A Rolls Royce.

BETTY Cloe's right.

BARRY Any machine that can make a box of matches implies the ability to make something as complex as a Rolls Royce.

BETTY The difference is the Roller knocks your sox off.

ERN You're lucky your aren't hurt, Clarke. How on earth did you lose control of the car?

CLARKE I didn't lose control. I crashed the car.

ERN You didn't see the war memorial?

BETTY Oh my God, the war memorial.
(ALL BUT CLARKE RUSH TO LOOK OUT AT THE TOWN WAR MEMORIAL).
Is it damaged?

BARRY Can't see for busted bits of Rolls Royce.

BETTY Go and have a look, Barry. We may have to start a restoration fund.

BARRY What about Anzac Day?

BETTY Anzac Day is just next week. What are we going to do?

BARRY The war memorial had better be alright.

BARRY EXITS.

BETTY Why did you have to crash into the war memorial. Couldn't you have had your accident somewhere else?

CLARKE It wasn't an accident. I lined the war memorial up and went splat.

ROSE ANNE You crashed deliberately?

CLARKE I've always wanted to stack a Roller into the war memorial.

CLOE Ah.

ERN But a Rolls Royce.

CLARKE That's what makes it interesting.

ERN Think of the cost.

BETTY Think of the damage to the war memorial.

BETTY EXITS.

CLOE There is no cost. Clarke owns a machine. The machine made the Rolls Royce. Who's Clarke going to pay?
Himself?

CLARKE I'm making a fleet of Rolls Royces. I'm going to smash all of them, one by one, into public monuments.

ROSE ANNE Why?

CLARKE Got to do something.

ROSE ANNE There, you see the essence of the problem. This poor boy thrown out of work by the machine is a lost soul.

ERN Clarke?

ROSE ANNE Jobless. With no prospect of meaningful work, what can he do with his time? What can he do but turn to mindless violence. Exorcising the hurt and pain of his shattered life in the ritual dismemberment of that symbol of the very pinacle of manufacturing excellence, the Rolls Royce motor car.

CLARKE No. I just like crashing cars.

ERN I can see that.

CLARKE It's no big deal. Lots of people do it;. Haven't you heard of the demolition derby?

ERN Well...

CLARKE And didn't you ever go scrub bashing when you were a kid?

ERN Well...

CLARKE I bet it never did your car any good.

ERN That was an old bomb. This is a brand new Rolls Royce.

ROSE ANNE The car is immaterial. The point is you can't build a career out of crashing cars.

CLARKE What else is there to do?

ROSE ANNE Something. Anything. There's always work somewhere.

CLARKE The machine does all the work.

ROSE ANNE Well invent something else. Invent a new kind of job.

CLARKE I have. Crashing Rollers.

ROSE ANNE We've got to fight these Von Neumann machines.

BETTY AND BARRY ENTER.

BETTY You won't believe it.

BARRY Of course they will.

BETTY There are two war memorials out there.

ERN Two war memorials.

BARRY Two.

BETTY Identical down to the last detail.

BARRY Well, the second last detail.

BETTY There is one difference.

BARRY The one Clarke crashed into is wrong. The bronze soldier with the bayonet, is holding a guitar.

BETTY And the Roll of Honour lists every musician who played with Eric Clapton.

ERN Clarke, where on earth did you get a war memorial? Don't tell me...

CLARKE & ERN The machine made it.

CLARKE I didn't want to hit the real one, did I. People get upset about things like that.

CLARKE EXITS.

ROSE ANNE (TO BETTY AND BARRY) You see the effect this is having on the young. We've got to do something before we're knee deep in bits of Rolls Royce. The committee needs your help.

BARRY Well I've got to get on.

BETTY Yes. So have I. Can you drop me off, Barry?

ROSE ANNE Barry. Betty. I want to talk to you.

BARRY Betty'll talk to you.

BETTY No. It's your go, Barry.

BARRY You wanted to hog the conversation before. Hog it now.

BETTY I was terribly inconsiderate. I want to make it up to you, Barry. You first.

BARRY No. I insist. You first.

BETTY I can't. Nature calls. See you.

BETTY SLIPS AWAY. EXITS.

BARRY Betty.

ROSE ANNE Barry.

ROSE ANNE RUSHES AFTER BETTY AND BARRY. EXITS.

ERN I don't know. Personalised factories that make war memorials. Rolls Royces that cost nothing. I don't understand what's happening to the world.

CLOE The same thing that always happens. Change. Life is change.

ERN I don't object to change. I just wish it wouldn't happen all at once. Pen's not coping. Clarke's writing off perfectly good cars...

CLOE There was a reason why Clarke stacked that Rolls Royce.

ERN Was there?

CLOE Why don't you ask him.

MRS GLADWICK ENTERS.

MRS G Have you found her?

ERN Who?

MRS G Mrs Alsop. She is still missing.

ERN Oh my god.

MRS G Find her Ern, before something happens to her.

ERN EXITS.

MRS G I don't know.

MRS GLADWICK EXITS. PENNY ENTERS.

PENNY There was a Sara Lee, and some Big Bens. I've put them in the oven to warm through. And guess what. The Minister for Industry is coming to our committee meeting. Isn't that wonderful?

CLOE Sure.

CAROL ENTERS.

CAROL Hello Penny. Cloe.

PENNY Carol. Are you coming to tonight's meeting?

CAROL I can't. Sorry. I'm just looking for Cloe

CLOE What have I done now?

CAROL Can we use the office?

PENNY Of course. Can I get you anything. An Arnott's Assorted?

CAROL No thanks. Not while I'm on duty.

PENNY Oh.

CAROL Come on Cloe.

CAROL AND CLOE GO INTO THE OFFICE.
CROSS FADE TO OFFICE. PENNY EXITS.

CLOE Well?

CAROL You're someone of substance now.

CLOE No more than anyone else.

CAROL No more sleeping out on the ground. No more stinking old clothes held together with dirt and grease.

CLOE What do you want?

CAROL I'm trying to tidy up some loose ends. The fire bombing at the factory, for example.

CLOE It was nothing to do with me.

CAROL Yet you were the only one who knew about it in advance.

CLOE Odd that isn't it?

CAROL If you didn't fire bomb the factory who did?

CLOE I don't know.

CAROL Look. Cloe. Please tell me. Off the record. Just for my own infomation. I promise I'll never make use of the infomation. Never reveal my source.

CLOE Strictly off the record?

CAROL Strictly.

CLOE Still don't know a thing.

CAROL I don't believe that. Cloe, I'm leaving the police force in a few hours. I'd like to know the truth before I go.

CLOE You? Leaving the police force. Never.

CAROL Yes...

CLOE Why?

CAROL I've got the sack. Same as everybody else. There's no money for public servants any more.

CLOE I'm sorry.

CAROL So tell me. Who fire bombed the factory?

CLOE I don't know. I really don't know. But I could make a guess.

CAROL Yes?

CLOE The factory wasn't just about a few people losing their jobs and a few small businesses folding up in one small town. Imagine lots of those factories springing up. One in every suburb. One in every small community from here to the back of Bourke. There wouldn't be an industry that was safe. There wouldn't be a job in the country that was safe. My bet is that somebody somewhere saw what was coming and decided to do something about it. But who it was? Who knows. Get the phone book and take your pick.

CAROL And why did Global Consolidated drop their complaint against you. You did get the factory to make something it shouldn't.

CLOE Yes. The first personalised factory. The first Von Neumann Machine. Global Consolidated knew they were in trouble with the factory. But they'd sunk a fortune into developing it. They saw the Von Neumann machines as a good way to recoup some of their investment. They decided to market them. They could hardly complain about me after that.

CAROL Pity. You know, in all these years I've never once put you in gaol.

CLOE It's too late now.
(CLOE AND CAROL EXIT OFFICE.)
So what are you going to do with yourself.

CAROL I don't know. I guess I'm at a loose end.

CLOE It's going to be a strange old world without coppers.

CAROL Who knows. It might be an improvement.

CLOE Yea. Come on. I'll get you a drink. That'll make you feel better.

CAROL A drink from where?

CLOE From my Von machine, of course.

CLOE AND CAROL EXIT.
MRS ALSOP ENTERS. SHE WALKS INTO A SHOPPING TROLLEY FULL OF SPOT SPECIALS AND BEGINS TO PUSH IT DOW STAGE. THE TROLLEY TURNS ASIDE AND SHE ABANDONS IT, CONTINUING IN A STRAIGHT LINE UNTIL SHE COMES TO A HALT D.S. TENTATIVE, CONFUSED, LOST, ALONE.
PAUSE.
MRS G ENTERS.

MRS G There you are, dear. Where have you been.

ERN ENTERS.

ERN You found her.

MRS G No thanks to you.

ERN But she's alright. That's the main thing.

MRS G I don't know what's going to happen to her. The hospitals are all closing. And the nursing homes. I can't be expected to look after her all the time. Come along dear.

MRS GLADWICK AND MRS ALSOP EXIT.
PENNY ENTERS.

PENNY I know the evening is going to be a big success. Get the drinks ready, Ern. People will be here before you know it.

ERN Pen. We're down to our last crate of Woodies.

PENNY Darn. I always like to have Woodies. It's a local product and you can rely on the local product.

ERN Pen, they've stopped making it.

PENNY Woodies?
No, they wouldn't stop making Woodies. It's an institution. Proudly South Australian since 18 something. They can't stop making Woodies.

PENNY SITS AND BURIES HER HEAD IN HER HANDS. MAY ENTERS.

MAY Ern?

ERN May? Hello. It's good to see you.

MAY And you, Ern. How's the old place?

ERN Still here.

MAY Yes.

ERN What's the matter.

MAY You know.

MAY Yes...No. That's the problem.

ERN Oh?

MAY I've chucked it in. I'm fed up with it.

ERN I thought you were doing alright. A natural netballer.

MAY Oh, yea. I enjoy playing.

ERN Well then.

MAY But everyone takes it so seriously. I just want a social game, you know.

TERRI ENTERS.

TERRI There you are.

MAY Aw gee, Terri. Leave me alone.

ERN Hello, Terri. What's going on?

TERRI Hello Ern. Just rounding up May. We're late for practise.

MAY I'm not going.

TERRI You've got to go. You don't want to let the team down, do you?

ERN I don't think she's very well.

TERRI Then we'll get the team doctor to look at you. Come on.

ERN Team doctor?

TERRI Team doctor, and physio, trainers and so on.

ERN Last I heard you couldn't afford to get your courts surfaced.

TERRI We're fully professional now.

MAY Seventh division.

TERRI It's not where we play. It's how we play that's important. And we'll move up a division or two if May is prepared to dig in and do her bit. She's a natural talent, Ern.

NAOMI ENTERS.

NAOMI Hello Ern.

COACH MARY BALL AND JEAN PAIGE ENTER.

COACH Honestly, May, you've lead us a merry dance.

ERN Hello Naomi, Mary.

PENNY Customers, Ern. Would you like to go through to the supermarket?

ERN Sit down, Pen. It'll be alright.

PEN SITS. FOLDS UP AGAIN.

COACH May, I don't want to pressure you, but I'm going to. You've got to play tonight. It's an absolutely crucial game for the future of the club. Your club. May, The team needs you.

TERRI Mary's right, You play with us or you let everybody down. Do you want to go through the rest of your life with all of your friends calling you turkey?

NAOMI Let me talk to her.

MAY No.

NAOMI May, what's the matter?

MAY (SOBS) I want a job. A proper job. I don't want to play games all day.

NAOMI Netball is a proper job. It's a full time job.

MAY(SOBS) It's not a career.

NAOMI It can be. When we were working here in the supermarket we couldn't see anything beyond the walls. The loss of our jobs was the end of the world. But it wasn't an end. It was a beginning.

COACH Make it march. The game starts in thirty minutes.

NAOMI Alright. The Von Neumann machines are killing off lot of jobs. But the netball club has thrived. The licenced club, ticket sales, bingo, chook raffles, have made the club a professional organization. It gives you and Terri an income as players, and me as administrator, and Mary as coach and a dozen other people. These are real jobs.

COACH The point is it is a job. A job with responsibilities.

MAY But it's not a sport anymore. It's not a game anymore. I'm sorry, I'd rather go back to the supermarket. Ern.

ERN We haven't got any jobs any more. I'm sorry May.

NAOMI Take time, May. Think about it.

COACH We've got to go. The match is starting. Come on.

MAY No.

TERRI May.

MAY No.

TERRI Turkey.

TERRI EXITS.

COACH I've got to go.

NAOMI I'll stay and see if I can get her to change her mind.

COACH Don't try, succeed. We could lose this match.

COACH EXITS.

MAY Penny.

PENNY Yes? May.

MAY Do you still hold committee meetings?

PENNY Oh yes. We'll be starting soon. You're welcome to attend. Why don't you sit here. Ern, you sit here. Are you ladies part of this meeting?

NAOMI Sure, Penny.

PENNY Jean. It's good to see you. You can sit here.

NAOMI I didn't know you'd been to these meetings.

JEAN I'm a writer. I try to keep an open mind.

PENNY That's all we ask.

JEAN Do you mind if I take notes?

ERN No. (TO NAOMI) So you're administrator of the netball team.

NAOMI It's not as important as it sounds.

ERN It's good to see you doing well.

NAOMI I've been lucky. I've landed on my feet. And so has May if she'll take some good advice.

ERN I think she will.

NAOMI What about you, Ern.

ERN I don't know.

PENNY Now we can start. Welcome to the committee for the restoration of economic work. That's C.R.E.W.

ROSE ANNE ENTERS.

ROSE ANNE Sorry I'm late.

PENNY I'd like to extend a warm greeting to May, who is joining us for the first time tonight.

ROSE ANNE I said I'm sorry.

PENNY The chair does not recognise odd noises.

ROSE ANNE May I say something Madam Chair.

PENNY Is this matter on the agenda?

ROSE ANNE Penny, do we have to go through this every week?

PENNY This committee is a properly constituted committee established by council. It's rules are set and enshrined by council. Council rules are that the chair of committees shall before each meeting and by consultation, establish an order of business. This I have done. There is an order of business. An agenda. It is part of the system of civilization and good government we are trying to protect. It is part of council. We can not abandon our principles. We can not abandon our rules. Where would we be? Where would we be?

ROSE ANNE A lot further along with the meeting.

PENNY The first item on the agenda is a report from the treasurer. Unfortunately Betty seems to have been delayed.

ROSE ANNE That's what I wanted to say. Betty and Barry have quit.

PENNY What?

ROSE ANNE They've got Von Neumann machines and gone over to the enemy.

PENNY No.

ROSE ANNE And they're not the first. And it's no wonder. We talk. We drink Bushells. We eat Arnotts, and Sara bloody Lee. We achieve nothing.

PENNY No.

ROSE ANNE It's time we took action. Direct action. Violent action if needs be.

PENNY No.

THE MINISTER AND ALICE COWPER ENTER.

MINISTER Hello. Sorry we're late. We had to walk the last hundred yards or so. For some strange reason there are bits of Rolls Royce all over the road.

PENNY Minister. Minister. Mrs Cowper. Welcome. Welcome.

COWPER It's good to see you again Madam Mayoress.

PENNY Well, thank you.

NAOMI Come on. We don't belong here.

MAY No.

NAOMI Let's have a talk.

MAY I don't want to go back.

NAOMI Your mind is definately made up?

MAY Yes.

NAOMI Then it won't hurt to talk about it, will it?

MAY Alright.

NAOMI Ern. Can we use you office for a bit?

ERN Sure. Help yourself.

NAOMI Ta.

PENNY Do sit down. Do sit.

NAOMI AND MAY EXIT TO OFFICE.
EVERYBODY ELSE SITS CRUNCHED AROUND THE CARD TABLE. IT'S CLEARLY NOT PRACTICAL. AN AWKWARD SILENCE SEEMS ABOUT TO BEGIN.

JEAN Just act naturally, as if I wasn't here.

PENNY Perhaps we'll have tea.

MINISTER A good idea.

PENNY Ern.

THEY ABANDON THE CARD TABLE. ERN POURS TEA INTO PLASTIC CUPS. CROSS FADE TO OFFICE.

NAOMI The question is what do you want to do with your life.

MAY I don't know.

NAOMI You surely weren't planning on building a career as a checkout girl.

MAY I thought you weren't going to harrass me.

NAOMI I lied. May, you've seen what's happening. People are losing their jobs all over the place. Jobs like our jobs here. Gone. If you don't play netball where are you going to get a job?

CROSS FADE TO CHECKOUT AREA.

PENNY We're so glad to see you here Minister. It makes us feel we're not standing alone against the menace of the machines.

MINISTER Ah.

ROSE ANNE Minister, the time has come to act. The government has to mive. Outlaw the machines.

ERN Here you go.

MINISTER Thank you.

PENNY Bushells, you know.

MINISTER Is it?

COWPER I don't want to preempt the Minister, but you can't conceive how serious the situation is.

ROSE ANNE All the more reason to move now. Hard.

ERN Tea. Bushells. There's Lanchoo if you'd prefer.

JEAN Bushells is fine.

PENNY Everybody. Everybody. The Minister.

CLAPS.

MINISTER Lady Mayoress, members of the committee. I won't beat about the bush. The fact is, the time has come, we feel, to admit this is a lost cause and to accept the presence of Von Neumann machines as an integral part of the community.

PENNY No.

ROSE ANNE You're throwing in the towel.

PENNY No.

MINISTER Not at all. Just accepting an unfortunate reality. My colleague from industry, Mrs Cowper, head of Global Consolidated agrees with me.

COWPER Not exactly.

MINISTER In fact Von Neumann machines are not without their positive side. They may very well eliminate poverty. When everyone has their own Von Neuman machine...

COWPER The fact is the government is collapsing.

COWPER Public servants are resigning in droves.

MINISTER We see that as an advantage. Reduced staffing, reduced expendature, reduced taxation.

COWPER You've got nobody left to collect your tax.

MINISTER We must adjust our expectations.

COWPER We expect to be out of business in eighteen months.

MINISTER You're panicking. In the event it will never happen.

COWPER We are seeing the death of Western Civilization.

MINISTER Rubbish.

JEAN No. That's an interesting idea. Civilizations do rise and fall. Rise and fall. Rise and fall. And the world is littered with the remains of dead civilizations. What's so special about ours?

MINISTER Everything. Every strand of culture, through art, through drama, through jurisprudence, whatever, races back thousands of years to Roman and Greek ideals. You don't throw out that sort of heritage just like that.

COWPER It's happening. It's happening now.

ROSE ANNE Is it that bad?

MINISTER No.

COWPER Yes. We have civilization in the first place to provide three things. Food, clothing, shelter. The machines provide all three. So what use is civilization?

ROSE ANNE But that's not all there is to civilization, surely. What about art? Culture?

COWPER I'm no expert. Shakespeare may survive. Mozart, maybe. But this supermarket didn't, and Global Consolidated won't.

MINISTER There will be some changes, but in essence things will go on as before. Life is change.

ROSE ANNE I think everyone here's missing the point. There's not been one single impact statement. There's been no economic assessment of anysort. Just what are these machines going to do to the environment?

MINISTER I'm sure there is no cause to worry.

ROSE ANNE But you don't know.

PENNY I'm scared.

COWPER That is a reasonable approach to the problem.

PENNY No. You must stop the spread of this blight. You've got to stop it. This is our supermarket. It's our life. You've got to save it.

MINISTER (LOOKS AT WATCH) I really must go. And don't worry. Things never turn out as bad as we fear even if they don't turn out as well as we hope. Fare thee well.

ERN Thanks for coming.

THE MINSITER LOOKS AT PENNY WHO IS EXTREMELY UPSET.

MINISTER All we can do is try and cope day by day. Would you like a lift, Alice?

COWPER Thanks, I wouldn't mind.

THE MINISTER AND COWPER EXIT.

ROSE ANNE That's wonderful. There's a problem. Everybody knows there's a problem. But nobody wants to do anything about it.

PENNY Please don't.

ROSE ANNE They're not going to do a thing. They're playing Pontius Pilate. It's too hard. They've washed their hands of the whole thing.

PENNY Rose Anne, please.

ROSE ANNE If we want anything done we're going to have to do it ourselves.

PENNY No.

ROSE ANNE There's still council. There's still councillors. Penny, you're still mayor.

PENNY I am mayor.

ROSE ANNE You could pass a by-law. You could ban Von Neumann machines.

PENNY Council..

ROSE ANNE You can fix everything. Everything will be like it was. You... you'll be respected. You'll save the supermarket for Ern.

PENNY Ern..

ERN Pen.

ROSE ANNE It's up to you Madam Mayor. You can do it. You can save us all. You've got the power.

PENNY Yes.

ERN No, Pen.

PENNY I am the Mayor. I have the power.

ERN It's not you, Pen. It's not the way you do things.

PENNY We've got to stop them, Ern.

ROSE ANNE Let her decide, Ern.

CLOE ENTERS FROM THE BACK OF THE STORE.
PENNY TRIES TO REACH A DECISION.

PENNY (WAILS) I don't know.

PENNY COLLAPSES.

CLOE I think you ought to leave it.

ERN Yes. Please Rose Anne.

ROSE ANNE Penny.
(TURNS AWAY) I'm going to fight. Who'll stand with me. It's a simple issue, do we control our future or not? Who'll stand with me? Penny?
(ALONE, SHE DRAWS HERSELF UP AND STARTS TO EXIT).
I won't fold. I won't give in. I won't just accept defeat. Meekly. I will fight on for what I believe in. I will fight on. For as long as it takes.

EXITS

JEAN And this is just the beginning.

PENNY No.

JEAN The world shimmers and changes and is never quite what we believe. Then it shimmers again and changes again.

PENNY Please.

JEAN Isn't it exhilarating. We're rushing headlong into the future and the future is a foreign country. I wonder what it'll be like.

PENNY I can't cope with it.

ERN I think I'd better take Pen home.

JEAN Yes. I must go. I've got my notes to write up. Thank you for a stimulating evening.

JEAN EXITS.

ERN Come on Pen. Let's go home.

PENNY This is home.

CLOE Ern, I came in the back way.

ERN Yes.

CLOE There's a Von Neumann machine out there for you. If you want it.

ERN I want my supermarket the way it was. And Penny.

CLOE It's up to you.

ERN Yes.

NAOMI AND MAY EMERGE FROM THE OFFICE.

NAOMI Thanks Ern.

ERN All sorted out?

MAY Yes. I'm going to go back and give it a try.

ERN That's probably the best thing.

MAY Yea. I do enjoy netball, and at least it will be something to do.

NAOMI Come on. If we hurry you can play in the second half.

NAOMI AND MAY START TO EXIT.

MAY And thanks Ern.

ERN What for?

MAY For trying.

NAOMI AND MAY EXIT.

CLOE Did you ask Clarke why he crashed the Rolls Royce?

ERN The Rolls Royce. I hope he's going to clean that up.

CLOE Did you ask him?

ERN No. Clarke and I don't really communicate.

CLOE You should. You learn a lot.

ERN Well why did he crash the Rolls?

CLOE He's learning to be a stunt driver.

ERN A stunt driver?
A stunt driver. Clarke tried to get me to modernise. To install bar code readers. We were arguing about bar code readers and the world was falling apart.

CLOE You make your own world, Ern.

CLOE EXITS THROUGH THE SUPERMARKET.

ERN Come on Pen.

PENNY Ern, are we going to open the supermarket again, Ern?

ERN Of course we are, Pen. Of course we are.

PENNY With Mortein and Vegemite and Kellogs and Palmolive?

ERN And Arnotts and Nestles and Farmers Union.

PENNY And Amgoorie and Woodroofes and Mr Sheen and Aeroplane Jelly?

ERN And Aeroplane Jelly.

THEY EXIT.

END