Road to the Isle
A Mini Screenplay by:
Felix (LeRoy) Perry
Thursday, April 18, 2002
Opening Scene:
Play begins with a scene of a World War Two soldier silhouetted against the tombstone he is leaning back on. His helmet is at an angle and his rifle is resting across his knees. Over the sounds of a bagpiper playing the mournful sound of “Road to the Isle” you can hear that he is sobbing.
This scene fades out to be replaced by that of a typical middle income ‘40’s home. Several young men and women (brothers and sisters) sit around a table discussing the latest war news. A radio plays a scratchy rendition of the old war time tune Lily Marlene.
“Under neath the lamppost by the garden gate,
there stands Lily…
Maurice: “You know I’ve been thinking more and more about signing up for the army, it’s only a matter of time before I’m enlisted anyway, and works getting so scarce here I may as well go. I’m tired of bumming beer money all the time. “
John: “Aye, I agree, wouldn’t it be great to be fighting on the same side instead of amongst ourselves, I bet we’d be heroes before we were over in Europe a year. He pauses and takes a swig of his older brothers beer before going on. What about you Bill, think you’d like to get your mitts on some of them German Frauleins?”
Bill (looking half drunk already and slurring his words): “Count me in boys, I‘m sick of working at the Cable Factory. Pass that bottle of home brew over John don’t hog it, the old man will be home soon.
Felix: “We’ll all have to go sooner or later so it may as well be sooner.”
Patsy: “Are you fools crazy or what? There’s nothing funny about going over to some foreign land and getting your fool heads blowed off. Mabel you’re the oldest you talk to them maybe they’ll listen to you.”
Mabel (looking from one to the other before speaking): I don’t know if we need to worry too much, Maurice here is probably too dumb to pass the physical though God knows he’d probably stay up all night studying (laughter). Felix doesn’t like taking orders so he’d be crazy to join, and John and Bill are still too young.
Pausing she gets up to get the broom and as she starts sweeping the floor she adds:
“I know one thing though, you boys better get rid of those homebrew bottles or there’ll be war right here when Dad gets home. You’d better fetch some fire-wood in too for tonight.”
Maurice speaks up:
“Never you mind Mabel, I’m pretty good scrapper and its scrappers they want to fight the Huns right Felix?” .
Felix (hanging his head a little, and looking to see if anyone else was in earshot):
“Well I guess you’re all going to find out soon enough, I already went to the recruiting office on Monday and signed up. I still haven’t told Mom and Dad yet so it’s still a secret. I’ll be leaving for me training the week after next.”
The shock is evident in the silent shocked looks on all his brothers and sisters faces. The conversation that had come to a sudden halt, breaks out in an excited round of back slapping and hurrahs by his brothers. His two sisters however sit silently now wearing worried frowns shaking their heads in disbelief.
Maurice: “Well, Felix when we go to the dance tonight the beers on me, I guess you beat me to the punch so now I’ll have to enlist as well. I can’t have me little brother showing me up. Bill, John I guess the two of you will have to wait for awhile before you can sign up… er, can you lend me five then Felix for the dance tonight?”
Felix: “Remember, don’t tell anyone tell I’ve a chance to break the news to Mom and Dad, promise?”
As Felix looked at each of them they either agreed or nodded their heads in assent, and the door opened just as Mabel the oldest began to object, so she grudgingly nods her head. The other two sisters Louise and Francis enter the room behind their Mother and Father taking off boots, coats, scarves and gloves. Mabel gets up from the table and takes the paper bags of groceries her mother had laid on the floor, Patsy busies herself stirring a pot of stew on the stove and the four boys grab their coats.
The boys had tucked the empty beer bottle behind the wood-box and grab their coats as they head for the door.
“Time to get some wood in Mom” Maurice says “it’s going to be a long, cold night, good night for staying in and sharing family secrets.”
Bill and John chuckle but Felix just gives Maurice a nasty look and pushes him through the open door.
Scene Two
Gunfire and shells exploding as Felix huddles in a trench hole every now and then popping up to look over the rim and fire a shot at real or imagined targets. His uniform is muddy and his face is unshaven and haggard looking. The men on either side of him look similar to him and a few sleep curled up in what could best be described as a crouching fetal position.
A Sargent duck-walks down the line and passes out mail such as there is. Each man hungrily watches and hopes the Sarge will call his name but the only name they hear that day is Private Perry, F.L., the Sarge stops beside Felix and passes him a muddy brown envelope.
Sarge: “Take a break and move back of the lines if you want Perry, Tell Johnson I said to come up and relieve you.”
Felix (nods and clutching rifle and letter to his chest starts to head towards the rear of the line): “Thanks Sarge” were the only words he seemed to be able to muster.
In the makeshift field galley after waking Johnson who awakes mumbling and grumbling but heads for the front following the order Felix passed onto him by the Sargent. Felix fixes himself a cup of muddy coffee more chicory than anything else.
Six months has passed since he enlisted, he made it through his training and is now posted to Eastern Theatre of Operations (ETO). Searching about he finds an empty crate and removing his backpack and leaning his rifle against the burned skeleton of a tree trunk he settles down to read his letter.
Dear Son,
It seems so long since you’ve left and I pray this war will be over soon and you and Maurice will be coming home. Have you heard or seen him since he went over? He hasn’t written and we all worry so about the two of you.
Your Father had another bout of pleurisy and we thought we might lose him but he survived another winter, he’ll probably outlive me. He misses Maurice and although you had harsh words for each other before you left I know he loves and misses you too. Your Father learned first hand in the First Great War the horror, the pain and the results and just didn’t want his sons to go through that. You must admit it was quite a sudden shock you gave us with that news.
Your sisters and brothers are well, Mabel’s being courted by the Barber’s son now, looks like there may be a wedding in the future. Patsy’s doin’ volunteer work down at the VG Hospital but may get a job there soon. Billy and Johnny are well and both have jobs down at the Ammunitions Factory but all they talk about is going to enlist when their birthdays come, it worries me so. Francais and Louise are both doing well at their schooling and talk of you and your brother often. We all light candles for you over at the St. Anthony’s church for your safe return.
How are you holding up son? Do you need us to send you anything? I’m knitting some heavy socks for you and some mittens; the BBC Radio says its awful cold and wet over there. I’ll try and slip some smokes and sweets into your parcel as well. Well son I guess that’s about all but say your prayers every night and know that I’ll be praying and thinking of you every night until you get home. Write me when you get a chance,
Your Loving Mother
XXX OOO
PS: If you do manage to see your brother Maurice, tell him his mother loves and misses him and that he should write her a letter
Felix folded the letter and carefully placed it back inside the envelope, he walks over and refills his coffee mug. Digging through his backpack he puts the letter inside and takes out a notepad and a small stub of a pencil and sitting down he begins to write.
November 13, 1944
Somewhere where the grapes grow,
Dear Mother, Father, brothers and sisters,
I just received the letter you sent me dated September 2, mail sure takes a long time to get to us but it sure helps to know our loved ones at home are thinking of us. In the dead of night when bullets are flying everywhere and the bombs explode it’s hard to remember that we’re not all alone here. As each day goes by we gain a little and push back the enemy but oh what a cost. The horror of this war is watching so many young men die alone facedown in the mud and the only feeling you eventually carry is relief that it wasn’t you. I miss you all so much.
As for Maurice I haven’t seen him as yet but I heard his division landed with the First in Sicily so they should be catching up to us soon when we reach the frog country if you catch my drift. We hope to be there before St Nick arrives. If I do meet up with Maurice I’ll give him heck for not writing.
Tell Mabel I’ll be hoping the war will end before her wedding so I can dance with the bride and tell Patsy not to get hooked up with any them wounded sailors, Look for a soldier boy instead. Frankie, Louise mind your schooling and Billy and Johnny don’t be in any hurry to get over here, I did but now I think sometimes I wish I could turn back the hands of time. Enlisting and com9ing over here seemed like the solution to all my problems at the time but now I know it was just running away to a whole new set of problems.
Father if you’re reading this I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me. I now know that I should have listened to you but the past is the past and I’m committed by my honour as a soldier and a man to fight for my Queen and Country. I guess I haven’t set much of an example for my brothers. Please pray for me Father cause I need all the help I can get to survive this war.
Your loving son and Brother,
Felix
PS: Mother, when you send the parcel could you send some of your home-made fudge to me I’d be so happy, we don’t get too much baked goods over here.
Felix folded the letter and put it in a crumpled envelope. Licking the flap he addressed it and put it in the mailbox the Quartermaster keeps by his tent. Shouldering his pack-pack he puts the mug aside and picks up his rifle and slowly makes his way towards the fox holes and the exploding shells. He walks like a man carrying the weight of the world.
End of Scene Two
Scene Three
In a field hospital tent the horrifying sights and sounds of war are everywhere. Screams and moans of the wounded and dying compete with the not too distant sounds of rifle and mortar fire. The smoky kerosene lanterns turn the shadows of the harried blood soaked doctors and nurses into monsters and ogres that torture the minds of the already shell shocked patients. It resembles a scene that the artist who painted “Dante’s Inferno” might have conceived but much more terrifying because it is not imagined it is real.
On a cot near the entrance a padre stands over a young soldier, blood soaked bandages are wrapped around a portion of his head. The Padre is holding his prayer book and mumbling the words of the last rites. A nurse holds the young soldier’s hand as he stares through the door of the tent up at the stars overhead.
The nurse wise beyond her years, talks softly to her patient knowing his time is almost up.
Nurse: “So young fellow what shall I call you, I know your dog-tags say Private Perry, M.M. but I’d rather call you by your first name so what does the M stand for?”
Maurice mumbles his name but continues to stare out at the stars in the night sky occasionally the night is lit up as a shell explodes somewhere. The priest makes the sign of the cross, closes his book and moves on to the next cot to begin his ritual all over again.
Nurse: “Well Maurice my names Deborah or Debi if you like…”
Maurice squeezes her hand and suddenly interrupts her.
Maurice: “Debi, I know I’m dying but could you do me one last favour and take a letter for me. I just though that I should say goodbye before…”
The nurse starts to protest but realises it would do no good and goes to locate the writing supplies.
When she returns and as the tears slowly travel down both his cheeks he begins to dictate his last letter…
Dear Family,
My time on this earth is not long. I’m goin’ on from this place and leavin’ this foreign land to go somewhere warm and bright I hope. My biggest regret is I never got to hug you all one last time or tell you I love you. If this letter is neater than me writing it’s because I got me an angel disquised as a nurse writing it for me. I’m not in too much pain as the Morphine has finally taken hold.
Maurice pauses for a minute and closes his eyes making a lie out of his last statement, Ruth lays her hand on his shoulder, but he opens hi eyes and continues…
Please don’t tell feel too bad about losing me I did what I wanted to do and now I’m dyin. I sure hope Felix is doing okay, I heard his division is almost to the land of the wooden shoes, God how I wished we could have been together and fought side by side as we dreamed about.
Maurice stops again and coughs blood into a handkerchef Debi quickly holds for him.up when he continues his speech is erratic and slurred but he continues:
Tell them…tell them…tell them I love them.
Maurice’s eyes flutter for a moment, he is close to death now and starts to slip out of conscienous. Ruth puts the letter in her tunic pocket and once again holds Maurice’s hand after a few seconds he opens his eyes one last time and says:
“Mother, Mother where are you?”
His head falls back to the cot, his war is finally over. Debi lays his lifeless hand down on the bed beside him and slowly covers his face with the blanket.
She feels like crying but tucks the letter into her tunic to be mailed at a later date. Debi then moves on to where the Padre stands with another patient who needs her warmth and love. She is a stranger who offers human contact and love to the dying youth of the war. She becomes for those last few minutes their Mother, their girlfriends or their family, in place of the ones so far away who they’ll never see again on this earth..
End of Scene Three
Scene Four
Felix looking much different from the wretch we saw in the trenches now sits with a few of his buddies in a small bistro in Paris that managed somehow to escape the ravishes of the war. The Germans are on the run and Felix’s division has been given a furlough before pushing on into the last great holdout of Holland. It is raining and the rain-drips down across the canopy they’re sitting under. The worn, checkered, tablecloth has seen better days and Felix unconsciously rubs his fingers back and forth across a patch in it close to his wine-glass.
Felix’s two companions are Leonard and Henry, (he never bothers trying to learn their last names anymore since he lost so many of his new friends in the trenches). Leonard and Henry carry on an animated conversation about when the war will end but Felix chooses to ignore them lost in his own thoughts
Leonard: Hey Felix, you with us, we’ve heard there’s a whorehouse two streets over, we figure we’ll get us some “Frenchie lovin”, you in or what?
Henry: Come on Felix, you need some R & R (rest & relaxation) and that’s pretty restful ya know.
Felix (shaking his head as if to clear it): Sorry boys, I think I’ll pass I have something I’ve got to do.
Leonard: Suit yourself but if you change your mind the Sarge told me the address is 47 Rue de Manse, we’ll see ya there.
As Leonard and Henry depart Felix holds up his glass to the elderly matron who serves the tables and she quickly pours the thick red wine into his glass. He pulls out the letter he received the day before and rereads the words again.
9 Trinity Ave.,
Dartmouth, N.S.
Tuesday, November 28, 1944
Dear Son,
It is with heavy heart that I try to write this letter. I just received word today that you’re brother Maurice died from wounds received in action while they fought in Italy. His dying thoughts were of his family and you and he didn’t want me to tell you about his death but I figured you’d want and have a right to know. A lovely nurse wrote us a letter with his and said how proud we should be of him, oh son how I pray this war will end soon. You can take comfort in the fact that some of his last thoughts were concerning you.
Johnnys went and joined the Royal Navy and his ship sailed for convoy duty last week and it’s just a matter of months before Billy will be old enough to go as well. By the way Mabels not going out with the barbor’s son no more, she got a new beau. Remember Ray that she had a crush on in high school will that’s who it is. He’s in the Navy too, I guess that’s where John got the idea from...
Felix refolded the letter put it back inside his jacket pocket and taking out his rumpled pad and pencil stub began writing a reply.
In the land of the “Frogs”
January 02,1945
Dear Family,
I am well, at least as well as can be expected with the news of Maurice. My heart hurts with the memories we shared and it’s hard to imagine with all the death and destruction I’ve witnessed that a death so far away that I never saw could effect me so deeply. I can remember bits and pieces of all our conversations. I can remember the troubles we’d get ourselfs into. I can remember the good times we had. I can even remember the times I got so mad at him that I thought I hated him and I now feel guilty that I did. What I can’t seem to remember some days is his face, the Padre said this is just my grief but sometimes I just don’t know.
So Johnnys joined the Navy, he always was a little different, tell him to write the next time you see or hear from him, and tell Billy not to rush to join up. By the way, I got your Christmas parcel just before we left Italy and I shared the sweets with my buddies they all send their thanks. The canned ham I’m saving for a special treat. Tell Mabel she should have stayed with the barbor at least we could have got free haircuts…just kidding.
Give my love to all especially to Dad,
Your loving son,
Felix
Felix folds the letter and puts his writing material aside as he notices a pretty uniformed WAC nurse staring at him from the next table. Picking up his wine glass he walks over and asks if she’d like some company.
“Be my guest, I’m sorry for staring but you looked so familiar somehow” the WAC
holds out her hand, “I’m Debi, Debi Clark RN, and who might you be?”
End Of Scene Four
Scene Five
Billy in the uniform of the Army Reserve sits at kitchen table with his Mother and his sister Mabel. Mother and Mabel are peeling potatoes and Father as usual, is asleep in the rocking chair. Mother gets up and puts a shawl around his legs.
Mother: “Poor old dear, he minds the cold so much ya know. So Billy what would you like for your birthday this year anyway?’
Mabel: Yeah Billy you’re finally legal age, so are you planning on going out partying with your friends or what?
Billy: You know if I could have anything for my birthday Mom it would be your blessing if I enlisted in the army for active duty. You know because I’m a Sargent in the reserve they’d make me a Corporal in the Regular Forces and I wouldn’t have to go through Entry or Trades training at all.
Mother(turning and walking over to Billy): Son, please don’t ask me something I can’t give, we’ve already lost your brother to this war and God knows if Felix and Johnny will survive it. We need you home with us. Your Dads not getting any younger and he may have to take early retirement cause of his health. You’re my youngest Billy and it would break my heart if you were to go.
Mother rises, wiping the tears from her eyes with the corner of her apron. Billy fighting to control his temper loses, he slams his palm down on the table and rising yells:
You guys always make me feel guilty for being the youngest, you let all my brothers go off to war but you want to keep me here like some goddamn baby. I’m a laughing stock of all my friends who’ve already signed up. Why can’t you just let me go.
He storms out of the kitchen slamming the door behind him.
Father wakes and rises to give Mother a peck on the cheek and sits down at the seat Billy just vacated. Mabel pours him a cup of tea from the pot on the back of the stove which he laces with canned milk and sugar. Mabel leaves the room.
Father: Billy seemed pretty upset, somethin’ bothering him, no doubt about it. Any idea what’s got into him?
Mother: “Well dear, it appears likely that the wars going to call another of our sons up for service. He’s bound and determined even after what’s happened to Maurice to be a soldier. Worst thing is we really can’t stop him.”
Father (shaking his head sadly): “Aye, I know you’re right. I’m just so tired of seeing so many of our young men disappearing. You know Tom Lindsay got a letter from the government last week saying his son Gerard was taken prisoner of war, and Harry Staples son was killed in action just shortly after our Maurice. Lord I wish the boys were still too young to go.”
Mother puts her hand over Father’s on the table but says nothing, words just aren’t there to ease her own mind let alone console her husbands.
Father: “ Did the mail come yet, Mother?”
Mother (snapping out of her reverie): “Oh yes, I almost forgot we got a letter from John, shall I read it to you then Father?”
Mother anxiosly opens the letter with a butter knife and sitting back down begins to read:
Dear Family,
Hope this finds you all well. I am fine and doing well here on the HMCS Niobe, I was seasick for the first week or so out but I’m gradually getting my sea-legs and don’t mind the rolling so much. It’s also hard getting to sleep in a hammock but with a piece of rope I manage to keep from falling out through the night.
We’re doing convoy duty somewhere in the North Atlantic so I don’t know when I’ll be home again. We haven’t seen any real action although one of the lookouts thought he saw a German U-boat mast on the horizon last week. The food is okay but it’s not like yours Mom, I really miss your Sunday dinner and your baking.
Have you heard from Felix lately, I will write him next to brag about how much better it is in the Navy than the Army. How’s my favorite brother Billy doing. Is he still planning to go into the Army? How are all my sisters getting along without us big brothers not there to look after them.
Well I guess I should close for now, say a prayer for me and give my love to all.
Your loving son,
John
Mother lays the letter down and the scene closes on the two worried parents sitting there quietly drawing strength from each other.
End of Scene Five
Scene Six
Debi and Felix sitting in same Café where they’d met only a few short weeks ago. They now know why Felix had looked so familiar to her but strange times create strange bedfellows and they are in love. They sip on their wine and squeese each others hands, Felix’s platoon is moving out in the morning for the last push through Holland and Ruth must remain behind she’s being rotated back to Canada and is scheduled to leave in a few days.
Debi: So soldier boy I guess this will be our last night for a while, with me going home and you going to Holland, are you going to miss me or just go chasing them Dutch girls around the windmills.
Felix doesn’t say anything for a minute, then reaches into his pocket and takes out a small silver initial ring and kneeling down beside Debi’s chair, puts the ring on her finger.
Debi I wish I could afford one of those fancy expensive diamond rings cause you deserve it but the closest I could find was this little silver signet ring I found in a shop around the corner. I love you and I want you to marry me when this war is over and I go back to Canada. Deb, I know it’s only been a few weeks but it seems like we’ve known each other forever, what do you say, will you wait for me and be my bride?
Debi is in a state of shock, and for a moment at a loss for words. A tear rolls down her cheek and Felix manages to catch it on the tip of his finger. He glances at it as if it were something he’d never seen before.
Debi: Felix I know I’m not a very nice girl and sleeping with you out of marriage is a sin but I don’t want you to marry me just because of that. Don’t feel like you’re obliged to me I’m a grown woman and you didn’t force me …
Felix cuts in before she can finish:
Don’t be daft, it has nothing to do with that except that I love you all the more for it and it going to be hell being apart from you. I believe in fate and fate or God or something brought you here to me to love just when I was about ready to give up. So dry those tears and say yes, we have one night left to celebrate.
They rise hug and kiss each other and as they sit back down the Company Sarge walks up to their table and says hello. Felix introduces Ruth to his Sarge.
Felix: Sarge I’d like you to meet Debi who’s just agreed to marry me when we return from the war, won’t you join us.
Sarge: Well, well. I guess congratulations are in order, but I can’t stay, work to be done and all..
The Sarge calls over the matron and orders a bottle of wine, which he pays for and puts on the table before the young couple. .
Sarge( starting to leave pauses and passes a letter to Felix): I almost forgot this came for you this afternoon, see you at revelle.
Felix grinning happily from ear to ear smiles at Debi and rips open the letter from his folks.
Felix: “An engagement, a free bottle of wine and a letter all in one afternoon how lucky can I get.”
He opens the letter and begins to read aloud, already accepting Deb as part of his life to share all with.
Dear Felix,
Oh how it griefs me to write this letter. Last night we received word from the Navy that Johnny’s ship the HMCS Niobe was hit by a torpedo and sunk off the coast near Chebucto Head. They were returning with a convoy when it happened and would have been home in Halifax the next day. A few survivors were reported found but John wasn’t amongst them so they told us. I cried myself empty and my heart is so badly damaged it pains me constantly.
Oh God Felix I wish this war was over and you would come home safe and sound to me. Your Father has been in a severe state of depression since he got the news about Johnny, he collapsed and was confined to bed. The Doctors are afraid he might get worst and turn catatonic if he doesn’t soon snap out of it.
Billy is more determined then ever to enlist now and I know I won’t be able to hold on to him much longer. He wants revenge for Maurice and Johnny and feels quilty because he never went to fight yet. Perhaps you could write him. Mabel is officially engaged to Ray but I think it will have to wait as Ray is going into Officers training. Maybe in the spring we will have a happy event to celebrate or when you return. Then we’ll have a reason to be laugh again.
I love and miss you son and pray every day for your safe and speedy return.
Love,
Your Mother
Felix laid the letter down got up and walks off from the table lost once more in the grief of losing another loved one and momentarily forgetting that he is not alone. Debi picks up the letter, puts it in her purse and goes to catch up with Felix. She reaches him turns and puts her arms around him to control and muffle the sobs he tries so hard to hold back.
End of Scene Six
Scene Seven
The kitchen scene again with Mother sitting crocheting at the table. Patsy is ironing her Nurses Aide uniform and Louise and Frankie sit listening to the radio. Father now occupies the rocking chair and croons softly to himself. Billy enters loaded down with Army Kit including his rifle and helmet.
Mother looks up from her knitting:
So, you’ve finally signed up heh, I guess you’ll be leaving soon.
Billy: “There’s no official word Mom but I’m hoping we’ll be overseas before winter comes around again. Maybe I’ll even catch up to Felix, and we can finish off fighting this war together. I’ll make those dirty Germans pay for Maurice and Billy, mark my words.”
Mother burys her face in her hands. Billy is aware that she is crying but makes no move to console her. Patsy puts the iron on the edge of her stove and giving Billy a dirty look goes to hold her Mother.
Patsy: “ Now, now Mother it’ll be alright.”
Suddenly and without warning Louise and Francais let out a scream, the news has broken on the radio, Germany has surrendered the war is over. Mother knows her prayers have finally been heard, she jumps up from her chair, and with the girls begins whooping and hollering and dancing around Father’s rocking chair. Billy sits stunned, the disapointment of never getting to fight evident on his face.
In the midst of all the noise a knock is heard at the front door, and when Louise answers it a young lady in a WAC uniform stands there. She’s red eyed from crying but stands very prim and proper as if bracing herself to say something important.
…“I’m sorry for intruding, my name is Debi Cl;ark, I knew your son Felix in Europe, axctually we were just engaged before, before…
She couldn’t hold back the pain any longer, she started to tremble and Mother rushed to help her to a seat then her news broke like a damn as she said:
“Felix was killed by enemy sniper fire the day after he proposed to me…
Billy still wearing his helmet and still holding his rifle flies out the door and running down the lane, he reaches the graveyard. He sits crying as he realizes he has lost all three of his brothers. As dark falls on the scene and the song Road To the Isle plays it’s last final notes, you can then hear Last Post being played on the bugle.
The End
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Reviewed by April Smith
5/12/2005
This one made me totally teary-eyed!! Great job. April
Reviewed by karen beecher
3/1/2005
I enjoyed reading this play. Very interesting, and full of emotion. Karen
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