Father. That was a lovely tea Brenda: I...

Father. That was a lovely tea Brenda: I love Spam fritters and beans.

Mother. I just wish we could afford real meat every day Ernie. I do hate to have to make do.

Father. We don’t exactly have to “make do” as you put it, plenty of people are worse off than us, how many do you know can afford a week at Butlin’s every year?

Mother. Oh I know you’re right, we should be grateful, it was much worse just after the war, everything on ration.

Father. I’m just grateful our Carol won’t have to go through what we went through, though sometimes I don’t think she knows how lucky she is.

Mother. I don’t think any youngster today realise how lucky they are, all they seem to care about is having a good time and listening to that awful noise they call music.

Father. Still, that’s why we fought the war, so our kids would have a better life and be free to do what they want, would have been a lot different if the Nazi’s had won.

(Carol, their daughter enters the room.)

Mother. Where are you off to love?

Carol. Just out, shan’t be long.

Mother. I do hope you’re not going out with that James Simpson again; you can do a lot better.

Carol. Oh Mum, we’re only going to the pictures, he likes the same kinds of films I do.

Mother. And what kind are they? Full of bad language and such I suppose.

Carol. No, you have to be sixteen to see that sort of stuff and anyway we don’t want to watch that sort of film; last week we saw West Side Story, it was wonderful, a modern day Romeo and Juliet.

Father. What are you going to see tonight then? A modern day Macbeth!

Carol. Don’t be silly daddy; no we’re going to see El Cid, Charlton Heston and Sophia Loren are in it.

Father. Hell Sid? Sounds like a devilish film to me!

Carol. You know very well its spelt EL CID; it was you who pointed it out to me the other day.

Father. Just kidding love, but your Mum is right you can do better than this Simpson lad, Charles Wadsworth was only saying the other day that his son invited you out but you turned him down.

Mother. Charles Wadsworth? He owns that big engineering firm; and you rejected his son? How could you do such a silly thing?

Carol. Because I’m going out with James, I couldn’t “two time” him. And anyway James has got big plans; he wants to go to College to get his A levels and then go on to University.

Mother. College? University? More like Borstal!! No one off that estate ever made anything of their lives; half of them are on the dole, the other half are a bunch of thieves.

Father. Steady on Brenda, a lot of the men on that estate work with me at the factory.

Mother. Not with you Fred, for you, you’re the foreman not a labourer.

Carol. Well James isn’t going to work at the factory; he’s going to be a high flyer in the city.

Mother. The only way he will fly high is from the end of a rope.

Father. Now you’ve gone too far Brenda. (Mother sits down in a huff) But your mother does have a point love, he’s not our sort and he never will be he’ll only drag you down if you continue to see him.

Mother. I can’t believe you turned down Charles Wadsworth’s son, you would want for nothing if you were part of that family.

Father. For God’s sake Brenda, they are only kids, Carol is barely fifteen yet and you are marrying her off.

Mother. I was only seventeen when I married you.

Father. (Softly) But we didn’t have a lot of options.

Mother. Fred!!!

Carol. It's okay mum, I knew you had to get married, I can count.

Father. Don’t be so cheeky young lady; I married your mother because I loved her.

Carol. I’m sorry daddy; I didn’t mean to be disrespectful.

Father. Apologies accepted, but mind what you say in future. We only have your best interests at heart love, we know how hard it is when money is tight, you might think you can live on love but I can tell you love doesn’t put a roof over your head or food in your belly.

Carol. (Sadly) Can I go out now?

Father. Of course you can, but remember what we’ve said, if you want to make me and your mum happy you will end it with James and find someone with a bit of money and a future in front of them.

Mother. Think about it love, don’t waste your life on a lad like James Simpson, in the end you will live to regret it

Father. Yes love, give it some proper thought, you’re an intelligent girl you know deep down your mum and I are right.

Carol. I suppose. Can I go now?

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