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L M N G O U T Copyrighr O 2005, Lisa h o m e r

All Rights Reserved

CAUTION: Professionals and amateurs are hereby warned that erfarmance of LIV- ING OUT is subject ro payment of a royal It is fully protecteBunder the copyright laws of the Unired Scares of America, and counrries covered by the International Copyright Union (including the Dominion of Canada and the rest of the British Commonwealrh), and of all countries covered by the Pan-American Capyri ht Convention, rhe Univenal Copyright Convention, the Berne Convention, and ofgal counrries with which the United States has reciprocal copyright relations. All rights, .. - ~ncluding pn,trrr~onal amarcur rtagc r:ghtr, m d o n pirrure, rrclcallc~n. Iccrur.ltg, pub. It' resdmp, rscl:o broddiasting. tclcvision, vldco or smtd rcrc,rdang all orhrr h r m l of rnc~h.an~crlor clcccronl: rcnnrducclc,n. quch i c CD.ROh1, CI)-I. I ) \ I ) . ~ni.,rmrilon

and retricv~l ,).rrrm', and photorc>pytq,and rhr r~ghrs of rranrlarton into fin rtgn anpage.?. are \ ~ r ~ c r . yrr.~,rvv<l. Ihrrictll~r rrnphwr is placrd upon thr marrcr o i r e a d ~ n q , prrmlsion for wnich must bcrccurm from thc A~thor'5 a g ~ n cin x.ntin5.

T h e English language stock and amateur stage performance rights in the United Srares, its territories, possessions and Canada for LIVING O U T are controlled exclusively by DRAMATISTS PLAY SERVICE, INC., 440 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016. N o professional or nonprofessional performanceof the Play may be given with- out obtaining in advance the wrinen permission of DRAMATISTS PLAY SERVICE, INC., and paying the rcquisire fee.

Inquiries concerning all orher righrs should be addressed to T h e G e n h Agency, 41 Madison Avenue, 33rd Floor, N n v York, NY 10010. Arm: Perer Hagan.

SPECIAL NOTE Anyone receivin permission ro produce L M N G O U T is re uired to ive credit to the Author as safe and exclusive Author of rhe Play on rhe d& age ofgallprograms disrribured in connection with rformances of the Play and in instances in which rhe ride of the Play appears purposes of advertising, ublicizing or otherwise exploidng the Play and/or a production thereof. The name oPthe Author musr appear on a separate line, in which no other name appears, immediately beneath the rifle and

e equal to 50% of the size of the largest, most prominent letter used for $eS%::t?& Play. No erson, firm or entity may receive credit larger or more promi- nent than that accordexthe Author. T h e following acknowledgments must ap ear a n the title page in all programs distributed in connection with performances of t i e Play:

World Premiere Produced by Center Theatre GrouplMarkTaper Forum of h s Angeles,

Gordon Davidsan, Artistic Directar/Producer.

Produrcd by 'l'hr. Second Srrge'fhnrrr, NLWYmk. S~pc~-rnher9 2003,

(:rrolc llorhman, AIII\IIL Dircct~r

SPECIAL NOTE ON SONGS AND RECORDINGS I . , r prrforrn.~ncer o i ~ o ~ ) . r l ~ h r c l l u,ng\, arrdngenallt- ur rccc,rdlnp\ rncllrtoncd in thir IJlrY, rhc pcrml\\l ,n of rhr c(~~?rn:ht owner s lnurr bcohlxncd. O ~ h c r <oi,g<,arrnnse- mcnn or record:ne~ may he <un~r~rurcJivrovidrd ocrmiunln from rhc copvri~hr

u . .. awner(s) of such songs, arangements or recordings is obtained; or songs, arrangements or recordings in the public domain may be subsrituted.

2

SOME THOUGHTS ON PRODUCTION

The set is a living room, a kitchen and two children's areas -flexible enough so that the play can go back and forth between an expen- sive home on the Westside of Los Angeles and a modest apartment on the Eastside. It's essential that the Anglo couple and the Latino couple occupy the same stage space. So sometimes the living room is Ana and Bobby's, and sometimes it's Richard and Nancy's. And sometimes it goes back and forth wen within the same scene, allowing us to see overlapping and parallel worlds. In the park scenes, the living room couch becomes a bench. And, in the final three scenes, only a bed is onstage.

In the Taper production, there was a moveable outer ring which brought on key pieces such as a crib or a chair -or actors. In the New York production, the living room and kitchen areas were on an inner turntable. So sometimes the couch was downstage -and the kitchen table, chairs and counter were upstage -and some- times it was the reverse. Jenna's crib was UR, and Santiago's bed was UL -both behind scrims. A backdrop of palms came in to establish the park, and another backdrop later established a night sky I will make references to the latter configuration in this text.

However the set is conceived, it should enable scene transitions to be seamless or you lose the rhythm and momentum of the story. Both Ana and Nancy have warm, colorful homes, so please avoid a look that is cold and conceptual.

In terms of tone . . . The play walks a delicate line between funny and tragic. Actors who are innately funny (not broad), who under- stand timing and irony, but are not afraid to go deep, capture the tone best. Please go for nuance of character and good intentions as opposed to caricature. Every character in this play cares about children and is doing the best they can . . . in their own way.

Music is also key in.conveying tone. Percussive sounds are especially helpful in that they are neither comic nor sentimental and can drive the play fonvard and hint at something darker to come. Contempo- rary Latin music from Anis favorite radio station and National Public Radio from Richard and Nancy's house also work well.

A NOTE ON LANGUAGE

Some productions have done the scenes between Spanish-speaking characters-in Spanish. The Spanish translation of those scenes is available upon request from Dramatists Play Senrice.

LIVING O U T was commissioned by the Mark Taper Forum (Gordon Davidson, Artistic Director; Charles Dillingham, Managing Director; Robert Egan, Producing Director) and received its world premiere in Los Angeles, California, opening on January 18, 2003. It was directed by Bill Rauch; the set design was Christopher Acebo; the costume design was by Candice Cain; the lighting design was by Lap-Chi Chu; the original music was by Joe Romano; the sound design was by Jon Gottlieb; the stage manag- er was Susie Walsh; and the production stage manager was Mary Michele Miner. The cast was as follows:

ANA ................................................................. Zilah Mendoza WALLACE ...................................................... Kate A. Mulligan LINDA ........................................................... Elizabeth Ruscio NANCY ................................................................. Amy Aquino BOBBY ................................................................ Carlos Gomez RICHARD ..........1..................................... Daniel Hugh Kelly SANDRA ............................................................ Maricela Ochoa ZOILA ............................................................... Diane Rodriguez

L M N G OUT received its New York City premiere at Second Stage Theatre (Timothy J. McClimon, Executive Director; Carole Rothman, Artistic Director; Christopher Burney, Associate Artistic Director), opening on September 30, 2003. It was directed by Jo Bonney; the set design was by Neil Patel; the costume design was by Emilio Sosa; the lighting design was by David Weiner; the sound design was by John Gromada; the stage manager was Kelly Hance; and the production stage managers were Pamela Edington and Leslie C. Lyter. The cast was as follows:

4 N A .....................................................................Zilah Mendoza WALLACE .................................................. Judith Hawking LINDA ...................................................Kelly Coffreld Park NANCY ............................................................... Kathryn Meisle BOBBY ..................................................................... Gary Perez RICIHARD ............................................................ Joseph Urla SANDRA ....................................................Maria Elena Ramirez ZOILA ..............................................................Liza Col6n-Zayas

CHARACTERS

ANA HERNANDEZ -early 30% smart, proud, Salvadoran, a nanny.

NANCY ROBIN -30% a lawyer, a liberal and a new mom. BOBBY HERNANDEZ -30s, Salvadoran, a carpenter. Good

sense of humor. Big hearr. Still . . . a man who grew up in a war. RICHARD ROBIN -30s or 40s, a Public Defender, but offbeat.

His liberal politics and ideals are in conflict with his instincts as a new dad.

WALLACE BREYER -30s, well OK helpful, with a charming smile. An excellent manager, sure of her opinions, and eager to share them.

ZOILA TEZO -40s, Guatemalan, a nanny, a woman who says what she thinks and likes to laugh.

LINDA BILLINGS FARZAM -30s, a well-intentioned, sweet, harried mom.

SANDRA ZAVALA -Late 30s, Mexican, a nanny, positive and practical, an amiable survivor with a surprising depth of emotion.

Note: All parts require actors who have true ease with comedy .. . and are equally comfortable with drama.

PLACE

Los Angela.

TIME

The present.

LMNG OUT ACT ONE

Scene 1

In the dark, on the main speakers, we hear an L.A. radio station, perhaps "Etrella,xplaying a Roc En Epanolsong. As lights come up on Ana in her kitchen, the muric comes from a lit& radio there. Ana quicklyjxes her hair, glances at her resume, and sticks it in her purse. As she crosses t o Santiago? room, the ligba go down in the kitchen and come up there. She kisses her sleeping son goodbye, and the lights go down i n hir room, as she leaves and head for her interview. The mmkc changes to transition muric on the main speakers, pperhaps somethingpercussive, as she crosses to WaMace? living room on the other side of town.

Ana rings the doorbell, and Wallace Brqer comes on to greet her. The couch is DSC. An ultramodern chair is DSL.

WALLACE. Zoila -? ANA. (Smih; eager) No -Iin Ana. Hernandez. WALLACE. Well -(SurprirPd andpleased.)You must he -early! I'm Mrs. Breyer, come in. ANA. Thank you. WALLACE. Sit down - ANA. Okay -(Aria starts to sit on the couch. Wullacepoints to the chair) WALLACE. (Smiles.) No, no, why don't you sir there, Ana? So we can chat - (Aria sits, sliding back a bit in the ultramodern chuir. Wallace takes the couch and takes out herpalmpilot.) Now, you were interested in living in or living out? ANA. Living out. (Eager to get the job.) The agency told me -

WALLACE. That's all right. I'm seeing both. So. Tell me about yourself. Where are you from? ANA. Do you know Huntington Park? WALLACE. No, l meant, where are you -(Gestures.)fiom? ANA. Oh. I was born in El Salvador. WALLACE. Good God, everyone is from El Salvador these days! (Laughs.) What happened to all the Mexicans? ANA. I -don't know. WALLACE. (Smiles.) No -of course not. Do you have a resume, h a ? ANA. Yes. And here is references -@%allace rises and Ana hand her the papers.) WALLACE. Excellent. (Wallace remains standing and motions that Ann may sit. Looking over papers:) So. Let's see. You drive . . . You swim ... You know CPR ... Excellent! You worked for the Meyers for three years . . . And the Reillys for four? May I ask why you left those jobs? ANA. The children I took care of -they started school. So they didn't need a nanny no more. WALLACE. So there's no problem with my calling for a reference? ANA. Yes. WALLACE. There's a problem? ANA. I mean -no! -if you call -is no problem. WALLACE. (Smiles, a bit skeptical) Alrightee .. . Well, I have a few questions, Ana, that I always like to ask .. . ANA. Good. (Wallace reads questions~om herpalmpilot, a chamz- ing inquisitor.) WALLACE. What do you do when the baby cries? ANA. I . . . go see what's wrong. Maybe his diaper, maybe he's hun- gry, maybe he just want me to pick him up - WALLACE. So you would pick him up? ANA. Yes, of course, I - WALLACE. Every time he cried? (Ana hesitates, knowing there: a right and wrong answer here. Final& she gives up andjust says what she thinks.) ANA. Yes. WALLACE. (Inscrutable.) 1see . . . (She makes a note in herpalm and goes to the next question.) And what is your attitude towards discipline? ANA. Depends - WALLACE. O n what? ANA. How old is the child?

8

WALLACE. Oh, say six. iWA. Me -I like to talk to the child. I like to sit down and t r y ro explain - WALLACE. So you don't use "time outs"? ANA. Well, sometimes, it's good to take the child to a more quiet place - WALLACE. Like -? ANA. His room -or the family room maybe -or - WALLACE. The garage? ANA. No! WALLACE. Do you believe in spanking, h a ? (Again, Ana has no idea what Wallace wants her to say. Finally, shejust tells the truth.) ANA. No. I don't. I don't spank. WALLACE. (After a beah thrilled.) Excellent! Why don't I tell you just a little about what this job entails before we go on. (She sits, patting the couch, motioningfor Ana to join her Ana does, Showing photos on her palm pilot:) 1have a girl, Alex, who's six, and a thir- teen-week-old boy, Jackson . . . (She calls up a few more pictures, laughing at the images, then gets down to business.) So I would need you to come by eight. (Smiles.) Now, I understand that different cultures have different concepts of time, so I want to be clear that "by eight" . . . I mean "by eight 0' dock." Then you'd walk Alex to school, and take Jackson along with you -and on to the play- ground. O h -by the way, I would prefer you speak to the chil- dren solely in English. (Looks at A m : jeans.) And no Lycra, no jeans. ANA. Okay. WALLACE. Now, Jackson needs to be home by eleven for his nap, so that gives you time to fix his lunch and do a little light cleaning -just the kids' rooms and the family room and the kitchen . .. Before you go back for Alex. Now most days Alex has a music o r art class or karate or ballet, so you'd just drop her off and pick her up ...Then just keep them busy with books or puzzles or an art project, and I'm usually home by five or six. How does that sound? ANA. (Smiles.) Okay . . . (Beat.) But . . . you don't want to say a reg- ular time -like maybe -I work till h e ? WALLACE. No. I need someone who's flexible. ANA. Okay . . . (Beat.) Do you work near to the house or -? WALLACE. I don't work, h a . But, as I said, I need someone who's flexible. Is tlrat a problem? ANA. No . . . Is just -I have to pick up my son at -(Wallnce sighs,) WALLACE. You have a young child?

ANA. Yes -hut he's in the after-school program till six and - WALLACE. I'm sorry, Ana. ( E x a s p e r a t I specifically told the agency not to send me anyone with a young child. I don't know what's wrong with those people! (She rises. And rises as well.) Well, thank you for coming by. (Walkzce exits. A doorbell rings, Linda runs on, Ana turns -and we are in the next interview. Wallace? chair dis- appears and Lindas comfj, one appears downstage right, p l e d with toys. Linda? a bit of a navow wreck. She has a baby i n her arms.) LINDA. Hi! I'm Linda! And this is Jackson! ANA. Oh! He's beautiful - LINDA. He's almost asleep. (Laughs.) Finally! (Worried.)And the agency told you I also have twin boys? ANA. Yes - LINDA. Well, sit down, Ana! (Ana wairsfor a clue as to where.) O h just sit anywhere! Don't mind the toys -(Dumps toysfrom chair to floor.) Just -(Point, to couch.) Sit! Do you have references? ANA. Yes. Would you like me to hold him so you can - LINDA. Oh -would you? (Linda gives her the baby with some reliefand shakes our her arm. And gives her the resume and references.) Would you like some water or something? Juice? ANA. Okay. (Linda goes o& reading the references. Ana coos to the baby.) LINDA. Well, this all looks great! Your last employer just loved you! (She returns with a kidr'juice box, opens it, and sticks in the straw, as she continues.) And you're available to start right away? ANA. Yes. LINDA. Great. You see our last nanny left rather suddenly ... Seems her mother needed an operation in Guatemala. You don't have a mother in Guatemala do you? ANA. I am from El Salvador. LINDA. Great! (She takes a s$ of juice - then remembers and hand it to Ana.) We've had a couple of nannies from El Salvador, they were wonderful, such hard workers - they were just like members of the family. And I'd love for you to speak Spanish to the twins. I think a second language -in this city -it's just -well, it's like a car really -it's just great. My husband speaks Farsi to the kids -he's from Iran -(Laughs.)and, frankly, I don't understand a word he says -(Beat.) When he speaks Farsi, I mean. Gee, I'd love for you to meet the boys. I mean -they're the ones you real- ly have to get along with. (Laughs.) Keep up with, I should say. Have you worked with boys?

10

ANA. Yes. LINDA. Then you know how . . . active they can he. Boys are - well, you know if ~ou've worked with them, they're ... active. (Bit defensive.) That's just how boys are. ANA. (Laughs.) I know! That's why they so much fun! LINDA. (Thrilled.) Right! Could you stick around for an hour or so? They're back from the doctor at noon. ANA. They sick? LINDA. (Defmsive.) No, no, they're fine! (Ana hesitates.) ANA. Maybe I could come back tomorrow? I said I would be someplace at twelve. LINDA. Can't you make a call? ANA. I'm sorry. (Beat; j u t admit, it.) I have to pick up my son from soccer. LINDA. Oh. You have children? ANA. Just one in this country. My other son is in El Salvador. LINDA. (Dying to make this work.) Well, can't your husband pick up your child? ANA. He's working. LINDA. You don't have a -a mother or something? ANA. She's in San Francisco. LINDA. (Still nying.) How old is your child? ANA. Six - LINDA. Ouch. You know what, Ana? (Distraught.) We had a nanny with a young child -she got sick all the time . . . I just can't put myself through . . . I'm sorry, Ana. 1need someone who can make my kids a priority. (Feeh awfil and hugs Ana.) But thanks. (Linda stark to leave. Ana get, up and start, to give back the baby.) Oh! Right! (Linda runs backfor the baby and exits. A doorbell rings, and N a n y enters with her baby) NANCY. Hi. I'm Nancy Robin. ANA. Ana Hernandez. NANCY (Warmly.) Good to meet you. And this is Jenna. She just ~ r n e dtwelve weeks - ANA. Oooh -she's big! You just have the one child? NANCY. Yes. She's my first. So -I've never had a nanny before -(Laughs; bit awkward.) Well -obviously. Do you have kids? ANA. I have two boys. (Long beat.) But they are both in El Salvador. (They sit down to chat, as their husband come on, and we move to the next scene.)

Scene 2

Anaj h b a n d , Bobby, sits in the chair downstage right, reading the sports section of La Opinion. Nancy? husband, Richard reads the sports sectibn of the Times on the couch. The scenes on the Eatside and the Westside are simultaneous, and at times ovedap, but each woman clearly speaks to her own husband

ANA. (To Bobby.) Pues -tengo un trabajo! I got a job! NANCY. (To Richard) Well - I hired a nanny! (Richard and Bobby are not pleased, but cover.) RICHARD. BOBBY. Great! Fantistico! ANA. I only met the woman. She's seems okay - NANCY. (Positive.) She's a little young maybe, but she seems fairly intelligent, sweet ... RICHARD. Well -great - NANCY I'll put Jenna down and later we can take her to the park. RICHARD. Okay - (Nancy exits. Richard thinks. Bobby tries to read the paper) ANA. Where's Santiago? BOBBY. Next door, playing. ANA. I promised to take him to the park to play soccer - (Ana changes her shoes and straightens up.) BOBBY. I already took him. (Laughs; kicks an imaginary ball) You should see him -gonna be another Maradona! (Cmually.)So how much you gonna make? ANA. Four hundred. And it's only eight hours! BOBBY Ten dollars an hour? (Feels awjd, covers.) Great! Where? ANA. (Hesitates.) Santa Monica. BOBBY. (Laughs.) Santa Monica? You gonna go all the way to the Westside, hour and a half to Santa Monica, and be back t o get Santiago by six? What you gonna do, mama? Fly? ANA. (Care&l&.) Pues .. . Maybe I'm going to need you to pick him up sometimes - BOBBY. O h sf? So you could take care of somebody else's kid instead of your own son?

12

ANA. I got to go back to work, Bobby - BOBBY. Why you got to work, Ana? I work -(She nods.) Mira, I worked all last month! (She nods.) I work when there's work, Ana. That's construction. If the guy I work for got no work, what you want me to do? ANA. Pues, maybe when you get your papers, I could get my papers -and get a different kind of job. BOBBY. I told you the lawyer is working on it. ANA. We just got to save the money for our papers. (Beat.) And the money to bring Tomis. BOBBY. We're going to bring him soon, baby. Can we eat some- thing now? ANA. Pero -when?! This morning I called El Salvador and my grandmother said he went on a trip with his school - BOBBY. Si? ANA. He hit his head in the pool -my grandmother didn't even call me! But I'm his mother, even if I can't do nothing -I got to know! (Bobby goes and hugs her.) BOBBY. Okay, amor. No te preoccupes, we're going to get your son. (Beat.) Can we eat something now? ANA. Si. (Bobby goes to the kitchen table, arid Ana starts to prepare something to eat. Nancy reenters with the baby? laundiy and stands folding it above the couch.) NANCY. But, you know, I hate the term "nanny." It sounds so British. Makes me feel so PBS. RICHARD. Well, if you're not comfortable . . . (He remains on the couch, helping her fold.) NANCY I heard someone in the park say "babysitter" - but that's not really the truth is it, if it's a full-time job. I've heard "care- giver" too. That sbunds warm but not, you know ... fuzzy. More like a regular job description. RICHARD. No I meant -if you're not comfortable having a - someone - NANCY. (Light&) Well, I have to go back to work, don't I? RICHARD. Well, how do you define "have to"? NANCY. (Laughs.)If I don't go back I'll get fired? RICHARD. They can't fire you, you're an attorney, you'll sue. NANCY Then I'll be on the "The Mommy Track." I won't have a prayer in bell of making partner -(Laughs.)And then what have the last sixteen years of my life been for? RICHARD. I know, sweetie. I understand. (Beat.) But you always

say the ioh's unrewardine -" NANCY. I never said it's "unrewarding." I said its "unfulfilling." RICHARD. Oh... S o r ~ .-... NANCY. (Smiles.) I mean -it may not be as important as the kind of law you practice - RICHARD. (Lzes.) Well, that's not true - NANCY. I mean, I may not be working for the "People" - RICHARD. Well, people in Hollywood are -people . . . NANCY But I'm an attorney -it's what I'm good at, it's what I -do. We talked about all this when I got pregnant - RICHARD. I know. I just thought we could take this time right now to enjoy - NANCY. Besides, we're going to need my salary with the new mortgage, honey. RICHARD. (Bit tightly.) Uh-huh . . . NANCY. And a good pre-school costs nine thousand a year . . . RICHARD. Uh-huh ... (Ana brings Bobby hisfood, and the nuo scenes start t o overlap.) BOBBY. Gracias, amor: You got a beer? (Anagets Bobby a beer.) NANCY. Unless you'd want to consider taking a job with a firm . . . RICHARD. (Laughs.) Defending Halliburton? No thanks! BOBBY. (ToAna.) Gorda, you got chips? (Ana gets the chips.) NANCY. And, you know, honey, several of the studies I've read say it's actually good for a child to see a mother do work she loves - RICHARD. Well sure. Unless the stress is . . . BOBBY (To Ana.) Bring a little lemon too, baby, please? (Anagets him some lemon.) NANCY. (Laughs.) Well, that's why we're hiring a nanny! (Nancy sits next to Richard Kisses him.) BOBBY. (To Ana.) Mira, mmi, sit down a minute, mama, I ain't gonna bite. (Bobby pulls Ana down next to him. Richardputs his arms around Nancy) RICHARD. Listen. I completely support whatever decision you make, Nance . . . (Bobby kisses Ana and bites her neck.) ANA. Mentiyoso! RICHARD. I'm only questioning the timing. (A last attempt.) You're still breast-feeding, honey . . . NANCY. I'll pump! They have pumps that look like a purse! And she had excellent references, Richard. Plus she has two kids of her own so she's had experience! RICHARD. Two kids? What if they get sick? How's she going to take

care of Jenna? (Nancy n k s and stam to leave, pmingAna and Bobby.) NANCY. They're in El Salvador! (Amand Bobby exit.) RICHARD. Oh. (Richardfollows Nancy oj$ as Wallace and Linda enter with baby cdrriages and move to the couch, which becomes the park bench.)

Scene 3

The park. Wallace and Linda sit on a bench,

WALLACE. So how are the boys? LINDA. Terrific! They're fine! They're much better. (Nancy enter3 with Jenna, who is either in her carriage or in a sling.) Who's that? WALLACE. She looks familiar. Maybe yoga? LINDA Oh -do you think she's the one who just moved into that fixer-upper on Marguerita? WALLACE. Aren't they tearing that down? LINDA. Guess not . . . WALLACE. I lave her diaper bag. Leis ask her to sit down. (Nancy approaches.) LINDA. Hi! Sit down! Sit! NANCY. O h -thanks. (She sits.) WALLACE. What a pretty baby! (Wallace turns her own baby towards N a n d NANCY. Thank you - (Looks in Wallacei carriage.) Yours too! (Looks again.) Well, not pretty, I mean -handsome. WALLACE. I'm not big on color-coding babies. I think, in this day and age, a boy should be able to wear salmon. NANCY. Absolutely. I'm Nancy Robin. WALLACE. Wallace Breyer. LINDA. Linda Billings Faixam. WALLACE. You look familiar. Do you go to Yoga Works? NANCY. (Laughs.) God no. I mean -I'm sure yoga - (lakes.) works -I'm sure it's great - WALLACE. It's an excellent way ro get your body back after a baby. NANCY Then I really should go! If I could find the time . . .

WALLACE. Well, yoga actually gives you more time. NANCY. Wow. I'll -look into it. We just moved here. LINDA. (Hugs Nancy.) Well welcome! WALLACE. (Looks her over.) From New York? NANCY. No, just across town. WALLACE. (Underwhelmed.) Oh. NANCY. We're over on Marguerita - (Wallace and Linda exchange a look.) LINDA. Oh! You bought that cute house! NANCY We just thought it would be a little safer here, you know, now that we have a child. LINDA. So you just moved -and you just had your first child? Ouch! WALLACE. Talk about stress! Do you have a good Nanny? NANCY. Yes, our caretaker -caregiver -seems very nice. LINDA. Great! WALLACE. How long have you had her? NANCY. Oh, we just hired her. She officially starts Friday, WALLACE. Well, that's smart, so if it doesn't work out you just call over the weekend. Does she read? NANCY. Well -I assume .. . WALLACE. And you've watched her with the baby? NANCY. What do you mean? uokes.) Stand outside, have a ciga- rette, and watch through the window? (Linda laughs,) WALLACE. Well, I'm certainly not suggesting you smoke. NANCY. Of course. I was just joking. WALLACE. I know. Well, I just like to take a few precautions. LINDA. After all, it takes a while to get to know someone in any relationship - WALLACE. Only in this one, right away you're trusting a perfect stranger with your child. NANCY. So . . . what do you do? WALLACE. (Eager to help.) Well, I just got a new nanny a couple ofweeks ago, myself. And, for the first day or two, I'd tell her I was going to yoga or over to Whole Foods, and I'd just watch through the window for an hour. (She takes a bottled waterfrom her bag and has a drink.) NANCY. So, basically, you just .. . watch? WALLACE. And, maybe For the first week or so, 1'11 just leave a little cash on the kitchen counter -like I've just - left it, you know ... And when I get home I'll count it and see how much is

gone. If it's just a little change, well, no bigee . . . But if it's a dollar -and she doesn't say anything about having taken it for an emer- gency ... (Wallace takes another drink.) NANCY. What? LINDA. Well, you certainly don't fire her -not if she's good with the children. WALLACE. But the next time anything is missing, be it a dollar or a hand towel or a yogurt -I'll mention it. Casually. I'U just say "Gee, didn't I buy two cherry yogurts?" And if she doesn't say, "Oh -I took one for lunch" -then I have to fire her. Now, I know that might sound petry - (Linda pies 80 understand and rupport Wallaceiposition.) LINDA. Well, I suppose -if a person can lie about a yogurt - bow do you know she won't lie about your child? WALLACE. See, an older child like Alex - (Points.) That's my daughter over there, playing soccer - (Nancy looks over. Alex is a very competitiue chitd.) NANCY. (Shocked.) Wow! WALLACE. An older child can let you know what's going on. But a baby . . . NANCY. O h my God. LINDA. Did you ask what religion she is? NANCY. (Totally taken aback.) Should I? LINDA. Well, one of our nannies was Pentecostal -she was very nice . . . But she found one of the twins playing with his -well, with his . . . (She pointr. Nancy nods.) And she started telling the rwins about this La Llorona person who drowned her own children in the river, and the boys tried to -well, they didn't know what they were doing -they're very good boys -but the dog did wind up in the pool ... (Laughs,)Well, thank God poodles swim! NANCY. O h my God, I never thought of any of this - WALLACE. Because you're a new mother! You're probably totally exhausted and sleep-deprived. Listen, why don't you just get a Nanny Cam and then you can watch the tapes at night when you're relaxed and calm? NANCY. A -camera? WALLACE. They come in a little teddy bear. Don't you belong to a Mommy and Me? NANCY. No -(Wallace gets out her card and ban& it to Nancy.) WALLACE. Call me! You get in the right Mommy and Me, you get in the right pre-school - (Calk, firmly.) Alex! ALEX! (To

- -

Nancy.) She's got cotillion -(Nancy sticks the card in her leopard- print diaper bag. Linda checks her watch.) LINDA. (Remembers.) Oh God -I have to pick up the twins! W a L A C E . By rhe way, I love your diaper bag. NANCY Oh -yours too - LINDA. Bye! WALLACE. Bye-bye. Wallace and Linda exit. The turntable revolves so the kitchen is now downstage.. . and Nancy. with Jenna in the sling, is in her kitchen)^ the next scene.)

Scene 4

Nancy, carehlly andguiltily, sets a& and a couple of dolhr bills on a counter downstage Then she sits and works on conhacts at the kitchen table. After a beat, Richard enters, dvssedfor work.

RICHARD. I'm leaving, Nance. (She; working anddoesn't look up.) NANCY. Warmly, but distracted) Okay, honey .. . RICHARD. Hey, maybe we can try that Pan Asian place for din- ner -to celebrate your first day back at work. NANCY. Working.) Okay, honey . . . (He kisses the top of her head and kisses Jenna.) RICHARD. (Silly voice.) Bye-bye little boo -(He starts to leave.) Have a good one, honey. (Nancy picks up the phone and dials. Richard notices the smallpile of mong, on the counter.) NANCI. (Into phone; profissional voice.) Diane Machado, please .. . Diane? Nancy. RICHARD. Hey, Nance -? (She stops him with a gesture of her hand He sees she: on the phone. So he takes a fivp and leaves.) NANCY (Into phone.) Just wanted you to know h e looked over the contracts and I'll be in by ten ... Yes, well, I'm thrilled to be back! . . . Love to have lunch! I'm on my way. (She hangs up and turns to the baby. Horn'bly torn:) Mommy's only going out for a little while, Jenna ... Just an itty bitty while . . . (She starts t o coo in that embanassing way mothers do. Aiza enters and crosses to the kitchen countcl: Startled; cheery) Oh -hi! Everything going okay, h a ?

18

ANA. Fine. I cleaned up her room and made the bottles. Would you like me to take her now? NANCY. Uh -sure! I should probably get ready to go ... (And smiles and takes a step towards the baby. Nancy instinctively steps back.) I think I've told you where everything is .. . ANA. I think so, Mrs. Robin -(Ana smiles and moves towards the baby again. Nancy movei away.) NANCY (Points to a cabinet.) I told you the nipples and bottles are in there ... ANA. (Points to another cabinet.) Diaper genie .. . Diapers, wipes . . . thermometer . . . NANCY. Well, hopefully you're not going to need - (Remembers.) Oh Ana! I left a list of numbers by the phone in case of an emergency. My ceU, Richard's cell, her doctor, nearest hospi- tal ... But I'm sure you won't need - ANA But I always l i e to have all the information. NANCY. Well .. . (To Jenna.) Mommy's just going to the ofice for a little while, Jenna - (To Ana; with enormow dzficulp.) Here. (Ana takes the baby and starts cooing to her in Spanzsh, holding her comfirtably and close.) Well, you do seem to have a touch . . . Okay, well, I better -(Remembers.) Oh -! (Nancy goes to the counter.) I thought I should probably leave you some cash just in case ... (Surprised-and acting "rurprised. '7 Darn! I'm sorry, I could have sworn I had more money here! (Nancy waits Ana says nothing.) Well, there's a few dollars anyway . . . ANA. Thank you. (Beat.) Mrs. Robin? NANCY. Yes? - -ANA. I know it's hard to leave her. It was the same for me with - (Carefully.) my babies. NANCY. (Feelspilty now.) Oh God. And you had to leave them in another country! I'm just going across town ... ANA. Why don't you call me -every hour? Whenever you like. NANCY. All right. Thanks.And if she gets hungry, just give her some pureed zucchini -but wash it first with the soap that says -(Shegets thesoap andshows it t o Ana.)This green soap right here. ANA. (Smiles; covering offmse.) I know how to read, Mrs. Robin. NANCY. Oh -of course! Of course. ANA. I went to school. To be a dentist. NANCY. You're a -dentist? ANA. I couldn't finish . . . NANCY. Oh. Of course. Because of your children ...

ANA. Because of the war. NANCY. (F& really guilq now.) Right! (Checks watch.) Well, I really should go. Don't want to be late my first day back! I should be home around five. Unless the tr&c is bad ... (She picks up her purse and brifcase.) ANA. worried about Santi; improvises.) Well - maybe you could call me? Just ... so I could call my husband? H e gets really ... worried. NANCY Sure. And don't worry, if I'm a little lare, my husband can always write you a check. ANA. Oh. (She tzcrns awajl and cleans the kitchen table.) Mrs. Robin . . . D o you think you could make it to cash? NANCY. Cash? ANA. It's just easier for me to - NANCY. You don't have a bank account? @nu doesn't answer.) Ana, you're not ... illegal are you? (Drops bripfase andpurse.) O h God, I can't believe I didn't -I was in such a rush to - ANA. I am getting the green card, Mrs. Robin. Don't worry. NANCY. O h good. Do you know when exactly? ANA. The lawyer say soon. NANCY. Yeah, well, never believe a lawyer, Ana. (laughs.) I'm a lawyer so you can trust me on that one. Is there a problem? ANA. They keep changing the laws for the amnesty. NANCY. But if there was a war in El Salvador .. . Good God, a client of ours did a film -they were torturing people -it was horrible! Was it like that in your ... village? A N A (Again, offended, but answers directly.) I come from the city, Mrs. Robin. But . . . yes. NANCY. Gee, this is a little more complicated than I . . . ANA. Don't worry, Mrs. Robin, my husband is already a resident, so soon as he gets his papers I could get mine. NANCY. (Really torn now.) Well - I really have to get to rhe office ... Look -why don't I just make out your check to cash this week. (She gets her checkbook and start2 to write a check. Ana rocks the baby.) But please -don't say anything to my husband about your, uh, situation. H e doesn't need to be concerned with the legal ethics ... (Si7e crosses t o Ana.) Here you are. ANA. (Smiles; re: baby.) She's asleep. NANCY. Wow! What'd you do, slip her a beer? ANA. No! Clara que no! I would never -! NANCY. I'm joking! @na m'es a little laugh. Nancy hands hey the check.)

ANA. Thank you. (Glances at check.) Mrs. Robin, this is more than - NANCY. I know. Maybe if you have the time this weekend you could get something more -comfortable to wear to work? (Looks at her t k h t jeans.) Just something . . . more comfortable. ANA. okay. NANCY. Well -wess I11 just get my phone and go. (Am n o d . Nancy hurries to /en&s room. To herreg) okay. (She goes to the new nanny cam. She makes sure the littk teddy bear with the camera in its beUy isproperlypositioned then looks through its qes to check@m,panning the room. Then shc takes her cellfrom her pocket andgoes to the kitchen.) Okay -I'm leaving now! Bye! (The baby cries. Nancy hesitates.) ANA. She just want her bottle -(Nancy sigh and quickly leaves the howe. A moment latpr, she appears outside the kitchen windozu. She ligha up a cigarette and watches Ana >ed the baby. Then Ana mover with Jenna, and Nancy crouches, then stands on her tiptoes, smoking, and hying dq~erately t o fee. Finally .. . ) NANCY. Oh, let the fucking hear do it. (She drags on her cigarettr and leaves. Ana exits with Jenna, as the scene shiftr to the park.)

Scene 5

Thepark. Zoila and Sandra come on with the same baby car- riages Wallace and Linda wed.

ZOILA. Hola! Buenos dfas! SANDRA. Hola! Oye, muier -aqui. (Thg, sit on the bench.) Pues, coma te trata la seabra? ZOILA. Esta mujer es completamente loca. She tell me give - ("Yackson'y Jackson the -come se llama esta cosa -blanca y - (She makes a face.) SANDRA. Cual cosa? ZOILA. Esa cosa, tli sabes, the white thing that looks like some- hod- i r e it alreadv -? ..-,--- - SANDRA. Este 1.. rofu? ZOILA. Eso es. Tofu. I give it to Jackson for lunch and then I feel so bad I took him out and bought Ilim a doughnut with my own

money. You think 1 give him the rat poison! Mrs. Breyer, she start yelling at me, "Only give him what I tell you!" "His doctor don't want him to eat sugar." What kind of doctor is that? I'm telling you, I got to quit this job. SANDRA. I worked for a lady once -the kid hit his head on the table, I put sugar on the cut -I got fired. ZOILA. They don't like sugar! They rather pay a hundred dollars to the doctor. They don't care. Mrs. Breyer -she got so much money, she just leave it around a l l over the place. Anybody could come in and find it. These peoples got no respect for money. Gringos. SANDRA. (To her baby; "Yarkon. ':, Not you, Jackson. Chulo. Precioso. ZOILA. (TO her baby.) Oyeme, Jackson, next rime I give you a doughnut, we don't say nothing to your crazy mami. Okay, papi? (To Sandra.) I got five kids in Guatemala. All of them ate sugar. They're fine. (Aria enten withknna in a carriage.) SANDRA. Quien es? ZOILA. I seen her walking down the street from me. She think she something 'cause she drive a Altima. Go ahead ask her to sit down. (Sandra calls out to Ana.) SANDRA. Oye -oye, quieres sentarte? ANA. Sf. Gracias. (Ana comes and sits.) SANDRA. Yo soy Sandra, esta es Zoila - ANA. Ana. Mucho pusto. - ZOILA. You working on Matguerita, sf? ANA. Sf. SANDRA. I work on Alta. In the house with all the fountains? ANA. Oh! I think I had a interview with the lady you work for. SANDRA. (Pleased she got the job.) Si' ZOILA. (Laughs.) Esa casa es bien fea. That house is ugly, no? Where those people from? SANDRA. Pues, the sefior is from Iran. (Zoila looks in Sandra; carriage.) ZOILA. Ay! That's why he so dark! Pobrecito. (To Ana.) What kind of people you work for? ANA. Pues -Americanos. (Zoih andSandra look in And? carriage,) ZOILA. Jews? ANA. Ay no! Americanos. Their name is "Robin." ZOILA. Mija. Sometime they change the name so you don't know How much they pay you? ANA. (Euaive.) They pay okay -

ZOILA. Then they not Jews. SANDRA. Per0 10s Hindus pay the worst! ZOILA I worked for Hindus. They make you sleep in the room with the kids -you never get no sleep! ANA. (Laughs.) You never work for Chinese? ZOILA. Ay! Los Chinos pay the worst. And they never talk to you. SANDRA. How about 10s Itdianos? ZOILA. (Laughs; imitating Italians.) All the time screaming! (They all laugh.) ANA. You ever work for Latinos? (Zoih stops laughing.) ZOILA. (Indignant.) Please. I do not work for Latinos. I am no slave. I work for Latinos when I come to this country and I had to live in - they wouldn't let me go to school at night to learn English! They was afraid I'd get a better job! SANDRA. Cubans? ZOILA. Worse. Colombians. (To Ana.) So how much they pay you? ~ - ANA. Pues ... They pay okay. ZOILA. You just take care of the one baby? ANA. Sf. ZOILA. You clean? -ANA. A little - - ZOILA. How much you make? A N A Nooks in Sandra? carriace, avoidins) What a cute baby! .-..>. ,-" SANDRA. Gracias. Dile gac&, lackson! ZOILA. All the boys around here is name Jackson ("Yackson.'3. It's like Jesus ('Heysoos. '9. ( T O Ana.) You got kids? ANA. Two. Tomis and Santiago. You? ZOILA. I got five kids in Guatemala. SANDRA. And I got two here and my oldest son in Mexico. But I'm bringing him next month! ANA. Ay, si? You're lucky! ZOILA. (Laughs.) Not so lu&. She got a husband too. She work all dav and she work aU night -for the same money! Pues -asi es la vida. SANDRA and ANA. (Overlapping each other.) Asi es! ZOILA. You got your kids with you? ANA. (Afrer a beat.) En El Salvador. ZOILA. It's better. Mira, I broughr two of my kids over -they got in gangs, I sent them back. This is no $ace to raise kids. (Zoila and Sandra exit in the scene transition and Ana takes Jenna +om the carriage.)

Scene 6

Ana is singing a LuLLabye to the baby later that evening.

ANA. A la ru ru nifia, a la ru ru ya . . . (Moving to Jenna? room.) Ay, dios mio, your mami is late! (She pun the baby in her crib. Bear watches.) Pero, no te preocupes, nena, Ana is here . . . Pero Ana has to go home soon -to her own Iitde boy SI1 Santiago! (Remembm) That's a secret, Jenna, don't tell nobody Entonces, duermete con 10s ingeles, mija. Todo esta bien. (Shepicks up the stuffed animals in the crib, one by one.) You got your little doggy .. . You got your lit- tle piggy ... (Shepicks up the teddy bear.) You got your little teddy hear - (The teddy bear is too heavy.) Quk? Mierda! (She takes the bear out o f the room and unscrews its head.) I know you, puto! (She takes out the tape.) You don't need to know about my son, little puto! (The tape bredks. We hear thefiont door open. Richard enters - with flowers. Ana guickly runs back to the crib, puts the bear back in place, and sticks the tape in the back pocket of herjeans.) Mierda. (Richard c a b from the living room.) RICHARD. Nancy? (And goes to the living room.) ANA. Oh! Good evening Mr. Robin - RICHARD. Hey! How's it going, Ana? A N A Good! (He nods andsmiles. A n awkwardpause. Tb2 is their first real conversation.) RICHARD. How's the baby? ANA. Fine. (Pause.) She's sleeping. RICHARD. Qokes.) Well - that's her job! (Another awkward pause.) So . . . Everything going okay? ANA. Yes, very good. She's a good baby RICHARD. Best kid I ever had! (Ana looks confwpd. Richardjnally calhfor help.) Nancy -? ANA. Oh, she still at the o&ce. She call a little while ago and say she sorry, she stuck in a meeting, she be back in maybe one hour. RICHARD. (Smiles; coveringanger.) Stuck in a meeting, huh? First day back! (Puts downflowerr.) Okay ... Well, guess I'll just call for a pizza. What kind do you like? (He headsfor thephone.) ANA. O h -(Looks at her watch.) You still need me, Mr. Robin?

24

RICHARD. O h -no, no -I can change a diaper, trust me, we took the course. Uh, what time do you work to, Ana? ANA. Till h e . RICHARD. Jees, and the traffic's a mess. Do you have far to go? ANA. Do you know where is Huntington Park? RICHARD. Of course I do! I know Huntington Park. I'm a pub- lic defender, I went to a Quinceanera there once for the daughter of^ a client. Danced my ass off. In fact ... can you keep a secret? ANA. I guess . . . RICHARD. I actually prefer the Eastside. I find it much more soul- ful. This olace? Way too white. (Ana doesn't know what to say to that.) - ~ ANA. Well, I guess I better get going. The traffic . . . RICHARD. Your husband's waiting? ANA. Yes. RICHARD. Well, don't keep him waiting. Especially on a Friday night. Have a terrific weekend, Ana. ANA. You too, Mr. Robin. RICHARD. Adios! (Ana smiles and leaves.) Fuck, Nance ... (He turns on the TVwith the remote, stands behind the couch a moment and watches the game. Bobby comes on andsits on the couch. Richard puts down the remote, Bobby picks i t up andswitches t o the same game in Spanish. Richard exits, and we are in the next scene.)

Scene 7

Bobby; watching the game, aAna hurries in with groceries.

ANA. Santi esti dormido? BOBBY. Clara. ANA. Gracias. (Ana goes to the kitchen and unpacks groceries.) BOBBY. We got a paper from the teacher. There's no school not this Monday but the next. ANA. ~ o m ' e d . )Por quC? BOBBY. Some holiday, pues, don't ask me -I got to work. Can we eat something now? ANA. I'm sorry. The sefior got home later than - BOBBY. I called over there, the guy said you left two hours ago.

ANA. You called over there? What did you say? BOBBY I said, "Is my wife there?" ANA. You didn't say nothing about Santi? BOBBY. (Laughs, keeping it light.) No, I knew where Santi was! Santi was with me! 'Cause I'm the one that picked him up from school and took him to play soccer -(Adds)And took him to eat and gave him a bath . . . ANA. ( G u i l ~ )I'm sorry. I'll take him to soccer next week. And tomorrow I'm getting a cell phone, so you can always call me. So you don't need to call over there. BOBBY Oh. I don't need to call over there .. . 'cause maybe you ain't gonna be over there? You want to tell me what's goin' on, Ana? ANA. (After a beat.) I told them both my kids was in El Salvador. BOBBY. (Rises.) You told them my son was in El Salvador? Santiago is an American! Why you want people to think I cant take care of my own? ANA. I had to teU them that! I needed the job! And that's what the agency told me to say. BOBBY. (Laughs.) Claro, agency's got to get their cut! ANA. Dues, as soon as you get your papers - BOBBY. I told you my lawyer is working on it! Ya! ANA. I'm going to say good night to Santi - BOBBY. Go on. But he's asleep. ANA. What did he eat? BOBBY. I got him some fries. ANA. Just fries? BOBBY. ("What? wrong withfires?') That's what he ask for! Just fries! ANA. ( A f r a beat.) Maybe we could move a little closer . . . I could pick him up, the schools are better - BOBBY What's wrong with the schools right here? ANA. The air is better .. . Maybe he wouldn't have the asthma ... BOBBY. (D+miive about this.) Lot of kids have asthma, Ana - ANA. Around here - BOBBY. Why you always got to be better? (Mutters.) Man, Mama was right. Always got to get the best school, the best doctor ... Why you got to pay all that money for a car? ANA. Because I want my child to be safe! BOBBY. And who's picking him up in the truck while you work- ing late? ANA. You think I want to work late? BOBBY. (Insinuating.) I don't know .. .

ANA. (Explodes.) Sure, Bobby! Sure I rather be washing their underwear than yours! Sure I rather be sweeping their floors! And I rather be taking care of their kid than my own son. I love i t , Bobby! (Imitating.) "This is the soap, Ana" -"Was it bad in your village, Ana?" "Here, let me give you a little money, Ana, for a nice pair of ugly pants -" BOBBY. (Cant help himre&) I told you those pants was roo tight - ( T h o , J look at each other a moment. He smiles and hugs her.) GO say goodnight to Santi. I'll make myself something to eat. (Anagoes to Santij room behind the scrim upstage left and talks to the sleeping boy Bobby watches.) ANA. I'm sorry I missed your soccer, mijo. But if I work hard - for a little while -sabes quk? I could bring your brother! I'll take you to soccer next week. Bueno . . . DuCrmete con 10s angeles, mijo ... (Bobby exits. Nancy tiptoes into Jennai room behind the scrim unstare ' 0 "

rieht and fixes her covers. Ana sings.) A la ru ru nifio, a la ru ru ya, dukrmete mi nifio, duCrmete ya ... NANCY. (Sings.) Lullabye, and !good night - (Hesitates, k e q s singing.)1don't remember the wo-ords, but it's Brahms, or Beethoven, so-oo go to sleep, Jenna .. . (Richard enters. They whisper ... ) RICHARD. Everything okay at work? NANCY. Fine! (Ksses him.) I'm so sorry I'm late! (They start to go to the living room.) We're going to be meeting with an incredible director next week. French! And I'm the only lawyer at the firm who happens to speak fluent French! RICHARD. Terrific, Nance, Hey, I got to chat with the nanny when I got home. She seems very nice. NANCY. Yes ... RICHARD. - ~ You sound hesitant. (Nancy goes back to Jennak room. He follows.) NANCY. I'm not hesitant. RICHARD. Sorry. Ambivalent? NANCY. No, I Like her. It's just -(Sees the bear.) O h shit, we're on tape. RICHARD. What? (Shepicks up the bear and they go to the living room.) NANCY Oh, I got a nanny cam - RICHARD. (Grabs tite bear.) What!? Why? Is something wrong? NANCY. No no! She's wonderful with Jenna. It's just .. . Well ... She took some money from the counter. Just a five. But - RICHARD. I took a five from the counter, Nancy. You were o n

the phone -(Bit loaded) You were working. You probably didn't wen hear me say we were going to that Pan Asian place tonight to celebrate. (Mutters.) Now that we have a nanny ... NANCY. O h God, I'm so sorry. RICHARD. Honey, I know you're under stress - NANCY. Mavbe I'll trv voga -, , a RICHARD. ~ o o d .And if you don't trust the nanny - NANCY. "Caregivei' - RICHARD. Whatever -if you don't trust her, just get rid of her! Because I'm getting rid of this bear! (He headsfor the kitchen area.) NANCY. Wait! I haven't watched the - RICHARD. Taping unsuspecting immigrants!? Who are you!? Aren't you a member of the ACLU? Lord Almighty, I'm married to Linda Trim! NANCY.' kichard -(She tries to grab it. He holdr it too high.) RICHARD. I refuse to deal with the LAPD all day and come home to this bear! (Heej headingfor thegarbage now.) NANCY. Well, don't throw it out -it cost two hundred dollars! RICHARD. I don't care! (She keeps hyiPg to grab the bear but he keeps it out o f her reach.) Either Nanny goes -or Bear goes. (He tosses it into the microwave andskzms the door. Righteous:) I won't live in a world with this bear. (He turns on the microwave and exits fast. N a n 9 quickly rehieves the bear, drops it i n thegarbage, and exits,)

Scene 8

Ana, Sandra, andZoikz enter the park with their baby car- riages. Sandra sneezes.

ANA. Salud - SANDRA. Gracias ZOILA. SientensC. ( T h q watch another nanny walk by.) ANA. Quitn es? ZOILA. She's from Australia or someplace. I don't understand nothing she says. Don't ask her to sit down. (They sit. Sandra sneezes again. Zoikz lea$ through a little magazine.) ANA and ZOILA. Salud.

SANDRA. My daughter give me her gripa Linda keep telling me, "Take her to the doctor! Take her to the doctor!" Then she tell me, don't come tomorrow, she don't want Jackson to catch nothing - ("Etcetera.'? la la la ... This cold cost me two hundred dollars! ZOILA. Y those kids you work for? They always got something coming out of their nose. C6mo 10s aguantas? Those kids never s i t down! (To Ana.}They got DDT, both of em. ANA. (To Sandra.) They got ADD? ZOILA. They probably got that too. How much she pay you t o take care of them? SANDRA. Three fifty. ZOILA. (To Aua.) Y how much Mrs. Robin pay you? ANA. About the same . . . (To Sandra.) So where does your daugh- ter go to school? SANDRA. (Nods.) Right over there. . ANA. (Surprised.) So ... you live near here? SANDRA. (Avoiding.) No ... Pues, there's a loterla ... ANA. Si? SANDRA. Pues . . . ZOILA. O h tell her. She don't got no kids in this country, que le importa -? (Zoilas cellphone rings.) Mierda. (Into phone; brightb.) Allo? ... Yes, Mrs. Breyer. Okay, but I'm feeding the baby right now .. . Okay, no problem, I'm writing it down . . . (She makes no move towards a pen.) Wheat-free, sugar-free . . . Barbara's Camb Chip. Okay .. . Okay .. . (Holdrphonefarther away.) Sorry -what did you say? (She makes her voice sound like the phone: breaking up.) T h e phone is breaking up -I can't hear you, Mrs. Breyer -(Shefans her magmine to sound like static andgives the phone to Ana so she can hold it evenfarther away. Elh tophone:) I cant hear you! I see you in a little while! (Zoila takes thephone back and hangs up.) Ltavieja puta piensa que soy su cholera. I got to walk over to the Whole Foods. The Mommys and the Mes are coming over. Pues, I got to buy some food anyways 'cause I'm living in now and that woman got nothing in the 'frigerator. Just tofu. Pero, sabes qui? (Lowers her voice; smiles.) Mrs. Breyer hides candy bars -in the drawer with her panties! ANA and SANDRA. No! ZOILA. Si! That woman got twenty-two pairs of panties! I gor to wash 'em by hand! I don't know why she need silk panties with a old husband like that. I saw him without no shirt -he got more tetas than she have! (Ana and Sandra laugh.) SANDRA. QuC boca!

ZOILA. I'm telling you, I got to quit this job. ANA. How come you live in? ZOILA. Because she ask me. And when I said no, I got fired. So I said yes. ANA. You should have stayed home! One day! She'd change her mind. ZOILA. Easy for you to say. You got a Altima. ANA. One day we should all stay home! SANDRA. Everybody! The waiters, the parking peoples, the cleaners - ZOILA. Los Americanos be driving around in their dirty clothes -starving. Can't go to a restaurant -there's nobody to wash the plate! You get home, the house is a mess - ANA. The plants is all dead - SANDRA. Nobody to deliver you pizza - ZOILA. And then you got to take care of your own kids! (Thg, all laugh. Then Zoila rises.) Pues .. . I see you tomorrow, mijas. ANA. Primero Dios. ZOILA. (To baby.) Ven, mijo, let's go to the Whole Foods and get a doughnut. (Zoila exits.) SANDRA. Pohrecita. She's older so she don't get offer so many jobs. ANA. Pobrecita. SANDRA. And she don't got a license. So the sehora don't let her drive the kids. Just the errands -("Et cetera.'y La la la ... ANA. Q u ~horror. (Beah casually.) So how did you get your daughter in that school? SANDRA. Oh. The last lady I work for, she let me use her address. ANA. (Surprised) She lied for you? SANDRA. She was very nice. The school where I live? The gangs sell drugs in the playground. ANA. The school where my son goes -the same. SANDRA. They got gangs in El Salvador? ANA. No -sf, there's gangs -the kids they deport back from here -but .. . (Beat; conjdes.) Mira. My little one is here. But I told Mrs. Robin . . . SANDRA. (Nods, understanding.) Entiendo. Oye, the only reason I got hired is I got my mother-in-law living with me to watch my girls. How old are your kids? ANA. Santiago is six. And T o m i is eleven -my son that's in El Salvador.

SANDRA. How long since you seen him? ANA. Eight years. Last time I seen him he was playing with his lit- tle cars. (Beat.) But I talk to him every week. I just sent my grand- mother the money to get their own phone. Oye . . . please don't say nothing to Zoila. I'm already worried for my job 'cause my son got no school next Monday -so I got to ask the sefiora for the day off. SANDRA. Ay no, mija! You're only working a linle time there! Tell her sick. (Beat.) No, then she don't let you come back the next day, la la la .. . (Beat.) Tell her your mother is sick. (Ana looks hesitant. Sandra nods and sneezes. Then she exits, as the scene shiftr t o the living room.).

Scene 9

Ana is sweeping, preoccupied. Jenna is asleep i n her carriage or career. Nancy enters with a new hairdo.

NANCY. Hi - ANA. (Stops sweepin$) - - O h Mrs. Robin -you change your hair! I like it. It's very pretty! NANCY. Really? My hair's been so thin since Jenna was born ... ANA. Same thing for me with my -children. (Touches her o w n hair.) But it comes back again, see? NANCY. Well, you have great hair. I didn't have hair like that before I got pregnant. And it's that straight, naturally? mA. Yes. NANCY. Boy are you lucky. If I had a dollar for every hour I've soent torturing my hair! - . ANA. Torturing -? NANCY ((Morti3ed) Well not .. . 'torturing"! Of course I didn't mean to compare straightening my hair -to what people in your countw had to .. . (Getspurse.) Okay,I'm leaving. @nu star8 to swerp.) ANA. ' O h , Mrs. ~ o b i n ... I wanted to ask you ... Do you like m e to work late this Friday? NANCY. Friday? Gee .. . I'm sure my husband would love a night out! ANA. Because next Monday I don't think I could come.

NANCY. No? ANA. (Turned away.) My mother is sick. I have to go to San Francisco. NANCY. I thought your mother was in El Salvador - ANA. No. NANCY. Oh. I just assumed she was with your children - ANA. No. My grandmother is with them. My mother is here. NANCY Here? ANA. I mean - in San Francisco. The doctor, he wants her to

have an operation ... (She gestures, vaguely, to her own body) NANCY. Oh. A hysterectomy? ANA. Yes! NANCY. Well, I did have a meeting Monday afternoon with this French . . . When do you think you'll be back? ANA. Tuesday. I'll be hack Tuesday. (Afier a beat.) I'm sorry, Mrs. Robin. NANCY. No, no, I mean -you only have one mother. I'll just have to change my plans ... (Headsfir thephone.) Just this one - ANA. It's just this one time. (Sound of baby: cries.) I'll get her. (Thty both headfar the baby.) NANCY. No, no, I'll get her. (Ana nods andgoes to the other room.) Shit. (Naney gets Jenna and makes a call. Drops voice; instantly pro- j%sional.) Diane Machado, please .. . Diane? Nancy. Listen, Diane, something has come up vis-his the meeting Monday -. . . Well, I'm afraid it's a real emergency. You see, my caregiver's mother . . . died . . . and . . .-No, I can't leave her with a strange sitter, actu- ally ... Well, I can understand how it might seem "overprotective" if you're not a mother -. . . No, no, of course I respect your deci- sion to be "child-free"! . . . (Nods.) Absolutely. Just this one time .. . Thanks. (She hangs up.) Bitch. (Nancy takes the carriage, a Wallace and Linda come on with theirs, and we moue to the next scene.)

Scene 10

Wallace, Linda and Nancy are i n the park with their baby carriages.

WALLACE. (Smikr.) Well, I just hope for your sake, she comes back. NANCY. What -she needs to work, doesn't she? LINDA. (Care&lly.) Well, sometimes, when they say their mother is sick in Guatemda . . . NANCY. San Francisco. WALLACE. (Surprised.) So -she's legal? NANCY. Well -of course. Yours are legal, aren't they? LINDA and W U C E . of course! LINDA. So you probably don't have to worry. Still ... NANCY. What? LINDA. (Sensjtiuek) Well ... It's not that they actually lie ... It's a cultural thing, I had a girlfriend who lived in Mexico for a sum- mer and she explained it to me, See, they don't consider it "lying -they just don't want you to be unhappy! It's just easier to say, "My mother is sick in Guatemala" than "I just got a job for a dol- lar more an hour." The thing is they're just such sweet people. Especially the Mexicans. WALLACE. Well, the Guatemalans are sweeter, if ~ou're talking sweet - NANCY. How about the Salvadorans? WALLACE. Tough as nails. But they can dean. LINDA. The thing is, they just may not understand the position they put us in. NANCY. Well, they have children - WALLACE. And they're able to leave them in another country - I mean, could you do that? NANCY. Well, I think you really need to take into consideration the political and economic situation that our caregivers - LINDA. Well, of course! Of course I do! And I pay Sandra top dollar. WALLACE. How much do you pay if you don't mind my -? LINDA. (Avoiding.) Top dollar. (Nancy checks her watch, eager to

avoid frnrther discussi~n.) NANCY. Which reminds me -God, I better get home and do some work! WALLACE. I didn't realize you worked, Nancy - LINDA. What do you do? NANCY. I'm an entertainment attorney LINDA. Oh!. WALLACE. Well, if you have to work, char must be an interest- ing job. NANCY. And you? WALLACE. Oh, my husband and I are on a few boards ... LINDA. (Laughs.) Oh give me a break. This woman has done more diseases than anyone else in town. She runs, she walks - WALLACE. (To N a n d I used to run a museum, actually, but I gave it up when Alex was born. LINDA. You should see the Thanksgiving decorations she made for our school! WALLACE. (Smiles; t o Nancy) I keep trying to get her involved with philanthropic work - LINDA. Well, get over it. I don't have time to get my mots done. WALLACE. Find the time, honey. Do. Yoga. LINDA. (To Nancy; bit dgfensive.) Well. Guess I just have my hands full just being a mom! NANCY. Of course - LINDA. I just couldn't imagine not being there the first time one of them crawled, or walked, or said their first word .. . Could you, Wallace? WALLACE. Oh God no. LINDA. I mean, why else have kids? WALLACE. (Nods.) Why else have kids? (The two moms look at Nancy and smile. Nancy tries to smile back. As thg. pxtt in rhe scene transition, Ana mters on thephone.)

Scene 11

Ana is on the phone with Tomds, in a pool of light. Bobby jxes a w c k f o r Santiago i n the kitchen.

ANA. Tomis? Soy mami! .. . Me puedes oir, mijo? .. . C6mo estas? .. . Si? Recibistes el paquete? And the shirr? Does it fit? (Pronouncing itfor him.) "Hill-finger." (Laughs.) I don't know, mijo, the17 l i e to put their name on everything, quien sabe .. . How is school? . . .Then you got to study a litde harder, Tomis, so when you come here you know your math .. . Okay, just spend a l i d e more time ... What are you eating? ... Bueno, Tom&, pero don't eat too much sugar ... Pues, tell me something else -. . . (HA running out of conversation.) Do you miss me? ... I miss you up to the s b ! ... You're going to come real soon, mijo. (Surprised) No, no, not for vacation -you're going to come here to live! ... No, not with abuela. Your great- grandmother don't want to come, mijo, she says she's too old. (BobEy mitt. Pained) I know it's hard to leave her. But don'r you want ro be with Mami? . . . Oye, did you get the pictures I sent you from the beach?With the rides? (Laughs.) Tegwtan?That's me and my sister- in-law and her friend. (Paw~;fighting team) No, mijo . . . I'm the one in the middle. (She bangr up and walks right into the n&rcme.)

Scene 12

Nancy is making coffee at the kitchen counter downstage lefl. Ana enters, still u p s ~ t by her call with Tomds.

ANA. Good morning, Mrs. Robin. NANCY. (Thrilled.) Ana! I wasn't sure you'd be back - (Adds auicklv,) so soon! My husband took Jenna out for a run. How's ' " . your mother doing? ANA. She's fine. She always say, "I talk to God, I tell him I see him

- - - - -

next year." She's a very stubborn woman. NANCY (Laughs.) Mine too. She always says, "If Hitler didn't get me, why the hell should I fear God?" ANA. (Surprised blurts.) Oh! You -Jewish? NANCY. Uh-huh. Would you like some coffee? ANA. Okay -(Nancy gets a cup and saucer.) NANCY. You sure everything's all right? You seem worried. ANA. My first son is having a little problem in school. NANCY. I'm so sorry. Well, anyway, I'm so glad you're back. And I've been thinking ... Maybe I can be of some help with the, uh, immigration situation. I am a lawyer after all. (She brings Ana? cof f;e to the table and starts adding tempoons of sugar.) ANA. (Surprised, eager.) You could help with - immigration? fThen;proud.) No, no, it's very nice of you, but -(After three tea- spoons of sugar, Ana puts her hand over the cup.) NANCY. No, really, I want to help. In fact, I took the liberty of speaking with a friend who gave me the name of an excellent irnmi- gration lawyer, and he'd be happy to have a phone conversation with you, no charge. (Am thinksfor a moment. Her need to get Tomh i s more important than herpride.) ANA. Thank you, Mrs. Robin. Thank you very much. NANCY. Ana, please -''Nancy." (Nancy hands her apiece ofpaper with the lawyer? name and number.) Well, now I can get to the office! O h -I'll probably have to make up for yesterday, so I may not get back till six or seven - ANA. Okay -(Nancy starts t o leave. Ana runs and hands her the cellphone she? left on the table.) Mrs. Robin - NANCY. Nancy. ANA. Nancy. (Nancy smiles and leaves. The rest of the scene is a col- lage of time and space over the next f m weeks. Lighting anda few cos- tume changes indicate the passage of time. Bobby comes on andsits on the couch. Ifthe set? on a turntable, the living room is now upstage, so the couchJ'aes upstage.) BOBBY. Ven, amor, SABADO GIGANTE! Ven! Sientate! (He turns on the T V t o apopular variety show. Ana hands him thepaper. In a j n e mood.) What's this? ANA. Mrs. Robin give me the name of a real good immigration lawyer, Bobby (He turns offthe W a n d moues downstage.) BOBBY. So you been talking to her about my business? W h o told you you could talk to her about my business? ANA. No! Pues ... she's a lawyer, Bobby -

BOBBY. So is the lawyer I got, h a ! You told her I was with the guerrilleros?(Nancy enters and goes to her kitchen counter.) NANCY. H e was with the guerrillas? ANA. (To Bobby.) Pues -you were fifieen y e m old, you were with them because they took you before the army did. What dif- ference does it make to the Amedcanos which side you was on? BOBBY. (Laughs; ironic.) It don't. They gave the guns. We gave the bodies. Americanos probably don't even remember which side thq, was on now! All they know is, "Ay! Where'd a l l these brown people come from!" (He gives her back the paper.) Don't be t&ng about my business. (He exits, pissed. And straightens up Nancy? kitchen, as we jump in time.) NANCY. So the lawyer was helpful? ANA. I ... haven't called yet. (Richard enterr, turns on the TC: and sits on the couch.) NANCY. Well, don't worry, we'll call together - RICHARD. Nancy? That program about the development of the brain's on - (Nancy does not want Richard to find out about any of this.) NANCY. Be right there, honey' (Nancy goes andsits with Richard, ac Bobby enters and reads the paper a t the kitchen table. Ana sits with . . ~ o b b ~ j ANA. H e said it's no problem you were with the guerrilleros, Bobby .. . (Bobby doesn't reply.) So ... what's the problem? (Bobby doesn't reply.) Is there a problem, Bobby? BOBBY. The problem is you talking to some woman you work for instead of listening to yout husband! (Richard and Nancy exit.) ANA. She's trying co help us, Bobby! BOBBY. So she don't have to worry about hiring nobody illegal! Tu estas ciega? ANA. I don't care! I want my papers! And that lawyer you got don't do a damn thing! So I don't care why she's trying to help! BOBBY. Well, she's helping a lot, Ana. 'Cause you never talk to me like that! ANA. (In his face.) Well, maybe I should have -! RORRY. Ya! Cillate! I don't want to hear no more! (He turm away. Aria gea up, hurt and&riow. Nancy goes t o her.) NANCY. (FeelJ ~ ~ $ 4 1 . ) h a ? I'm so sorry, I - certainly didn't mean to cause you any ... stress. (Richard enters, with his bri4ccase, excited.) RICHARD. Hey, Nance, remember that Vet I was defending? I

finally got him out of jail and into the VA Hospital, so - NANCY (Interested -but torn.) That's wonderful! Can you fill me in in a second, honey? We're just discussing Jenna's binky - RICHARD. (Smiles; covering hurt.) I'll call you from the car. (Richard crosses Ana and Nancy as he exik downstage right. Nancy turn back to Ana.) NANCY. Ana, I don't want to interfere .. . (Care@&) But this is America, you do have your rights as a woman. (Ana turns t o Bobby.) ANA. I got my rights as a woman, Bobby! (Nanq~ exits. After a moment, Bobby starts to peak.) BOBBY. W i t h dzfFculy.) I got in a fight. Before we met. When I just come to this country. I was walking down Figueroa. Nighttime. Some gang guys tried to jump me -(Cries out.) What do I want to be in a gang for? I just come from a war! What do I want to be some punk cholo for? So I went a little crazy . . .The police came - chc siren, the uniforms, the sticks . . . I got confused -like I was back there, in El Salvador! And I'm fighting everybody -the army, the cholos -guerrilleros, police -I got confused, m'entiendes? (Beat.) And the lawyer told me to make a plea. Guilty. ANA. Por el amor de dios, Bobby! BOBBY. The lawyer I got now's been trying to fix things - (Nancy enters downstage rzght, holding Jenna, and charges across the sage t o the phone.) NANCY. (Incensed by Bobbyjpredicament.) So he's got a felony on his record? Let me make a dl.(Dialing) Jesus. The criminal jus- tice system in this city. Taking advantage of immigrants who don't even know their basic - (Into phone; wannly.) Ham? .. . Nance. How are you? . . . How's Berh? . . . Oh no! (Nopause.) Listen, Ham, remember that couple I told you about from El Salvador? (Ana is between Nancy and Bobby now.) ANA. (Angry.) She knows people, Bobby! NANCY (Intophone; laughs.) No, no, I'm not getting involved . . . M A . She's Jewish! (Nancy talks to Aria, and Ana talks to Bobby with increasing urgeng) NANCY My friend says chat any competent lawyer should he able to get it - ANA. (To Bobby.) Expunged. BOBBY. Sponged? NANCY. He can get your husband's record sealed - ANA. (To Bobby.) He can do it for a thousand dollars - NANCY. And once he's a citizen, you'll automatically get your

~apers! 4NA. (To Bobby,) And when I get my papers, I could go to El Salvador and get Tom& - BOBBY. Where we gonna get a thousand dollars?! (He walk away upstage. Ana looks at Nancy.) NANCY. Well ... I suppose I could just lend -advance you the money -and you could work it off . . . ANA. Or maybe you could still pay me every week and - NANCY. And you could work off a thousand dollar advance in overtime . .. BOBBY. (Hates this.) Overtime!? ANA. (To Nancy.) How much an hour? (Richardenters, wearing the Rolling Stones T-shirt with the big mouth.) RICHARD. (Tving not to blow.) Nance - the Stones concert starts in exactly fifty-five minutes. I don't mind missing dinner, but there's a Dodger game downtown and the trafklc is going to be - are you kidding me? The traffic -on a Friday night?! Now I am not taking the ten. I am not taking Wilshire. And I sure as hell am . not taking - NANCY. I'm coming right now, sweetheart. (He lOoksfrDrn Nancy to Ann.) RICHARD. Fine. (He starts to exit, upstage.) NANCY. I saw Jagger on the news, he looks great! RICHARD. Jagger will he dead by the time we get there! (He exits. Nancy continues to Ana.) NANCY. Ten dollars an hour. BOBBY. (Continues to Ana.) And what about Santi? ANA. (To Nancy.) Elwen. BOBBY. What about his soccer? NANCY. All right, eleven for overtime. BOBBY. What about the son you got here! NANCY. Oh Ana .. . Think you could work this weekend? ANA. (To Bobby.) Santi will have a brother -a family! (At the end ofher rope.) How else am 1going to do it? (He looks at her, pained.) BOBBY. Pues - ANA. I can do it, Mrs. -Nancy. BOBBY. I'm going out for a l i d e while. (He hues.) ANA. Anytime you need me extra -I can do it. (Nancy hands Jenna over to Ana, as the lights fade.)

End of Act One

ACT TWO

Scene 1

When the lights come up, it: three months later.Ana h m f . l h aktp on the couch with the TVon, and we hear the +ankh station. For a moment, it?unclear which liuing room she: in, hers or the Robins: A door o p m and closes, waking Ana, and Richard entern

RICHARD. (Calls out.) h a , I'm home - ANA. O h -good evening, Mr. Robin - RICHARD. (For the tenth time; smiles. Sheget, zp and t u r n of the 7% Ana, please ... Richard. Sorry I'm a little late. Client of mine, schizophrenic, got out of the VA hospital -started to direct traf- fic. Caused a ten-car pile-up on Wilshire Boulevard. ANA. Av no! RICHARD. 1should've been a personal-injury lawyer. Everything okav , here? ANA.

~~~~

Yes, fine! Guess what happen, Mr. Robin! RICHARD. I give up. ANA. Tenna is crawling! R I C H k D . She is?You're

0

kidding! She crawled? ANA. - - - Ys!.... RICHARD. That's amazing! Eight and a half months old and she -? Wow. God, I wish I'd seen that! She's been doing that snake thing, lately, hut -where did she -? ANA. Right here. She was trying to get the remote. RICHARD. (Laugh.) Uh-oh. (He goes to the spot where she crawled. Beat.) You know, h a -I have a thought ... ANA. Yes? RICHARD. Don't tell my wife. When she gets back from her trip. About Jenna crawling. ANA. (Swrprispd) You want me ro -lie? RICHARD. O f course not. Just don't mention it. She's been gone

so much these last couple of months ... She'll feel just awful that jenna crawled when she wasn't here. ANA. (Torn.) Okay ... RICHARD. She'll see her crawl when she gets home, right? No harm in her thinking it's the first time ... (He goes t o thefidge.) No point in adding to her ... (With an edge.) stress. (Hegets a beer,) O h - h a , would you like one before you hit the road? ANA. A beer? No no! Thank you - RICHARD. (Laughs.) Oh, c'mon, someone should toast my daughter's first crawl, don't you think? ANA. Well - RICHARD. (Playfl.) Look, I'm your employer and I insist. ANA. Maybe a juice? RICHARD. You got it. (Hegets a beer anda g h s ofjuice. Mutters:) Someone should acknowledge the moment ... (Ana looks at her watch. He brings her juice.) How do they toast in El Salvador? ANA. "Salud, amor, dinero." RICHARD. Let's see, I have a little Spanish from high school ... "Health ... love ... money"? ANA. Yes. But I like how the Mexicans say it ... "Amor, salud, dinero ... y el tiempo para disfrutarlos." RICHARD. I'm sorry, I should have added that IfaledSpanish - ANA. "Love, health, money -and the time to ... to like them" -(Seerchesfouthe right word.) no -the time to ... RICHARD. "Enjoy"? "Enjoy" them? ANA. Yes. RICHARD. The time ro enjoy them ... Hell, I'll drink to that! (He does.) ANA. What do you say? "To your health"? RICHARD. (Laughs.) Well, thatb what we say ... M e r all, it wouldn't he nice to say, "To your money!" (They smile. An awkward pame.) Wow. That Jenna. What next? (Beat.) You know, I had her in the car the other day and I had this Elvis Costello tape on, and she starts cooing along with the song -and I swear she was in the same key! I think that kid has perfect pitch. ANA. (No idea what he? talking about.) Yes? RICHARD. Well, I was in a band after college- ANA. (Can't help but laugh.) You was in a band? RICHARD. Shit yeah. Rock 'n' roll. Ana. Never judge a man by his clothes. V e played a lot of the clubs in Hollywood. We opened for Seinfeld ... Lot of guys -(Ana smiles, but glances at the clock.)

What kind of music do you like? ANA. Latin music I guess I like the best - RICHARD. Salsa, Tejano, Cubano.. .? ANA. Yes. RICHARD. You like t h e Buena Vista Social Club? ANA. I don't think I been there - RICHARD. What? Oh -no, no -they're a band! Let me put 'em on for you. Jenna's crazy about these guys -(He goes to the cabinet andpua on a CD. "Chan Chan" would be ideal here. Ifthat i s notpossible, Richards next line changes to -"Oh, wait- listen t o this! This is Cubano too. You have to check this out. "/ ANA. O h no, I don't want you to go to no trouble - RICHARD. These guys are like the original - they're like the Beatles of Cuban music. You have to check this out. (Ana sighs. The music, "Chan Chan" or something s i m i l starts to ph? y.*) ANA. It's very pretty. (Richard dances to the music and strums an imaginary guitar.) RICHARD. Isn't it? So simple, so pretty . . . (Listem) No synthe- sizers, no samplers . . . No electronic bullshit. (Lwtenr more.) These guys didn't live in fancy houses ... Their cars weren't "retro" - they were old'Think these guys get all bent out of shape over air? They just breathe . . . (Ana sneaks anotherpeck at her watch. Richard keeps grooving.) m a t does this part say -? (Ana listens. This is not an easy h i n g to transhteforyour boss.) ANA. O h - it's like ... "The love I have ... I can't stop -" C6mo se dice ... "I can't stop drooling for you." RICHARD. Wow. Heavy. (Ana worries thry're about t o hear the whole album. Finally ... ) ANA. Well, thank you for playing it for me - (He? lost i n the music and doesn't hear. Louder:) Thank you for playing it for me! (The b a b cries. She puts her glass on a side tabk and rises.) Excuse me -(Heputs his beer down next to herghs andthqgo to the baby> room. Anagetsjenna.) It's okay, Jenna ,(She brings the baby to the couch and rocks he,: Richard sits next to her on the arm.) She's going to go right back to sleep. RICHARD. Really? How do you know? ANA. From the cry. (Aria imitates the exact 9) RICHARD. So ... simple. ANA. She's a very easy baby.

See Special Note on Son@ and Rwrdings on copyright page.

RICHARD. (Surprised.) She is? ANA. And she's so smart! She's much smarter than the other babies in the park. I think she even know how to say my name! Only she say, %ma" - RICHARD. (Laughs,)Gee, hope she's not trying to say, "Mama-" (She looks up at him and smiles. He looks down at her and smiles ... Sudenly iti tembly awkward She hands him the bahy and rises, fat.) ANA. Okay -pues -I see you tomorrow. (She headfir the door.) RICHARD. Listen, it's the weekend for godsake -I'm ~erfectly haopv to take care of my own daughter. Take the . . . tiempo por disfrutarlos. ANA Oh no, Mrs. Robin already pay me. I'll be here. (She exits. The music renrmer for several beats, a Richard ddnces jmna back to her crib ,,. And Bobb enters Santiagui room and watches his sheping son.)

Scene 2

Ana enters her apartment and calls to B o b b

ANA. Bobby - ? BOBBY. (Enteringfrom Santii room.) SL, mi amorcita! (He hugs her, spins her amund, phyfil. He has good news.) ANA. All these nights I'm working late ... te sientes solo? BOBBY. I miss "0-0 like crazy, mama. Cada noche. ANA. Pero, you don't never.. .? BOBBY. Quk? What are you asking me? ANA. No se. When I was working tonight, the sefior - BOBBY. QuC? He tried something? Because if he did, I'm going to go over there right now and -I don't want you working there, that's it. You don't know norhing about men. ANA. He just seemed a little lonely -with the sefiora gone. BOBBY. Do I have to hear about the seiior and all his -lonely - ANA. I'm sorry. (She nies to kiss him.) BOBBY. I'm not in the mood no more. ANA. Okay -(She flops d a m on the SO@ BOBBY. (Smiles.) I'm telling you, you give up too easy ... Guess what happen?

ANA. What? BOBBY. You got to guess! ANA. Okay. The Lakers won? BOBBY. No. ANA. T h e other people won? BOBBY. I won. I got a job. Full-time! ANA. You did? BOBBY. Don't look so surprised! I been telling you! That guy I work for last week, painting his house? He wants me to paint his apartment building -the whole thing! Gonna take me a couple of months! I told him I know how to put carpet, fix the electric, whatever he want. And no weekends -so I could still take Santi to soccer! (Beat.) Eleven dollars an hour. ANA. Eleven dollars! (He puts his arms around her, dances her around.) BOBBY. Eleven dollars. So now you could quit your job. ANA. Bobby, the sefiora lent me the thousand dollars for the lawyer, I got to work to pay her back - BOBBY. (Proud) So now I can work to pay her hack. (Kisses her on each word.) Vieja, chula, amorcita .. . H e said he's going to need somebody to manage the building, do repairs ... And they going ~- - to get a free apartment! ANA. Where? BOBBY. Pues, Vernon - ANA. (Sarcastic.) By the factories or the recycling plant? BOBBY. O h -so now you only want to live on the Westside? ANA. Y por quC no? Why shouldn't I live there? BOBBY. I got a good job, Ana! How come you're never happy? ANA. I'm happy, amor -(Pause.) But I'm not going to quit till we get Tomis. One of the nannies from the park? She paid five thousand dollars to a coyote to bring her son. They brought him in the wheel well of a truck. I can't quit now! BOBBY. Okay. ANA. You sure? BOBBY. (Smiles.) Because we gonna save that money in no time. Only thing is, if you late coming home, and I'm working, I got to get my sister to get Santi - ANA. No. I don't want somebody else watching my son. BOBBY. Just once in a while, amor - ANA. She's too young. BOBBY. She's eighteen now! She got her license!

M A . What kind of car? BOBBY. Caprice. ANA. What year? BOBBY. Mira. She can come to my job and leave the Caprice a n d take the truck. What do you want me to do h a ? Not take a job? ANA. (Bea$ sighs.) Okay BOBBY. And I pot to pay her something - . . - ANA. Okay. BOBBY. Why don't you call El Salvador in the morning and talk to Tomis. Then I take you and Santi for breakfast. Sunday, if you're not working, maybe we even go to church. But if we go to church, I got to start making up for it tonigh; .. . (She smiles. They begin to kiss on the couch, as the set reuolves, canying them o x and night turns to day.In the scene transition, Richard enters downstage left, i n jogging clothes. He does a few stretches, jogs across the stage, stops f i r a cigarette, downstage right, andjogs o f f . . . as Ana enters the kitchen.)

Scene 3

Ana is rtraightening up i n the kitchen. Apublir-radio host fi doing the subscription drive, laying on the guilt about non- subscribers getting afree ride.

ANA. (To radio.) Cillate, hombre, por favor! (She changa the station to Latin music and starts to dance. A door opens and closes, and Nancy enten with her suitcase.) NANCY. Hi! ANA. Nancy! You're back early! NANCY. I got an early plane! I'm just going to run in and see Jenna -(She hurries to her room.) ANA. She's taking her nap -(Nancy doesn't hear. Ana turns o f f t h e radio. Nancy returns, disappointed.) NANCY. She's taking a nap. ANA. She been taking her nap a little earlier. How was your trip? NANCY. Good! Very good! Tres bien! Oh, Ana -I brought you something from New York -(She opens herpurse and gives A n a a snow globe souvenirfrom New York.) Snow. Because you said you'd

never seen it. ANA. Oh, that's pretty! Thank you! NANCY. And I got some "I Love NY" T-shirts for you to send to El Salvador. ANA. Ay, Tomds love T-shirts! NANCY. How about Santiago? ANA. (Caught.) Sf! Tomds a little more 'cause he's older - NANCY. (Laughs.) Right. So tell me everything Jenna did while I was gone. (Ana hesitates, remembering her secret with Richard) ANA. Oh -Jenna was very good, Nancy- (Searching.)She slept -very good. NANCY. She didn't cry for me? ANA. No, no - NANCY. (Disappointed) No? ANA. WeU, the first night - NANCY. And you didn't call me? ANA. The next night she was fine - NANCY. You didn't dress her roo warmly for bed? ANA. Just the one blanket like you tell me. NANCY. And she ate weU? ANA. Yes, very good -(Sound offmnt door opening and closing. Ana starts. Nancy notices.) NANCY Ana, there wasn't a problem.. .? ANA. No problem! (Richard enters in jogging clothes with a bag of groceries.) RICHARD. Nance! You're back early! (He puts down the bag and kisses her.) Hey, Ana - ANA (Bitaulkward) Mr. Robin. (Ana quicklygoes to another room.) RICHARD. Let me just change out of this sweaty shirt - (He exits. Nancy take, offherjacket and puts it on the couch -and notices the beer and t h e g h s on the side table. Looking closer, shejinds lipstick on the ghs.) NANCY. Shit. (Richard returns in a clean shirt and hugs her.) RICHARD. How was your trip? - NANCY. Terrific. I had breakfast with that director. RICHARD. You had breakfast? Great! NANCY How was your week? RICHARD. All right. NANCY. (Tving to remain casuaL) Anything happen while I was gone? RICHARD. What do you mean?

NANCY. Well, I don't know. I just got the sense that Ana is act- ing a little strange. RICHARD. Maybe she feels a little put upon having worked ten days straight. NANCY. Oh, I doubt that because she needs the overtime. RICHARD. (Beat; smiles.) All right. I asked Ana not to tell you because I knew how awful you'd feel for having missed it, but - Jenna crawled! (Nancy looks at him, moved andguilt-stricken -but swpicious.) NANCY. Jenna crawled ... Well. I am sorry I missed that ... (Calling ou$ casually.) Hey, Ana? could you come in here a sec? fAna comes in. Nancv rmiles.) So Ana -Jenna's crawling? (Ana looks ,- from Nancy to ~ichr;rd. Richard nods. Nancy notiies.) ANA. Yes, Nancy. NANCY. WOW! That's -great. Thanks, Ana. (And haves but starts to eavsdrop, j u t out of rig&. So we see some of her reactioiu.) RICHARD. That was a really lousy position to put her in. NANCY. I didn't put her in that position. I d i d n t ask her to lie. RICHARD. She didn't lie. She simply omitted to - NANCY. An omission is a lie! You know how I feel about honesry. You know that -no matter what it is -the worst thing you can possibly do is lie to me -(Ana listens, intently.) RICHARD. I was simply trying to protect you because I knew you'd feel bad for having missed your daughter's first crawl. NANCY. (Beat; camping hem&) I know I've been gone a lot lately, Richard . . . RICHARD. Well, yes, but, it's part of your - NANCY. I know we haven't had sex in a few -weeks . . . RICHARD. (Checks dace on watch.) Well, seven and a hdf, actu- ally, but who's - NANCY. Did you have a woman here last night? RICHARD. A woman!? Nancy, you're jet-lagged - NANCY. I found some lipstick on a glass - RICHARD. (Laughs,) Oh for godsake, that was probably Ana's. NANCY. She had a beer? RICHARD. No, she had a juice. I had the beer - NANCY. With Ana? RICHARD. Whoa. Counselor. Am I on trial here? I wanted a little company -something wrong with that? NANCY. Did you sleep with her? RICHARD. (Afta beat; deeplypained.) You know . . . I understand

you are under a lot of stress. But I think if you really examine what you just said ... I chink you will have to admit that it is a pretty god- damn racist assumption. And classist -and sexist too. NANCY Yeah, hut did you sleep with her? RICHARD. Jesus, I didn't even want to hire a nanny, no less fuck one! Mna reacts -unable to believe her ears. The baby cries. Aiza doern? h o w what to do. She takes a breath and runs past them toward the b a v s room.) ANA. (Lightly.) I'll get her - NANCY and RICHARD. (Smile; light& Thanks! ( T h q go right back t o j g h t mode.) RICHARD. Well, if you think something happened, go ask her. Waits,) Go - NANCY. Oh, I'm really going to go ask the nanny if my husband . . . (Beat.) Well. I guess I'll just have to accept your version of the facts for now -(Richardgrabs a teddy bear among apile of toys nearly.) RICHARD. I know -get a Daddy Cam! (Ana rum back through towards the kitchen.) ANA. (Lightly.)Diaper -! RTCHARD. (Cheery.) Right over there! Say, Ana, could you do us a favor and rake Jenna and run over to The Coffee Bean -not Starbucks -and get us five pounds of French Roast? ANA. Okay - RICIIARD. Thanks a lot, Ana. NANCY. (Cheery.) Thanks! (And p b s a diaper andhurries back to Jenna'r room. The argument immedkteb resumes.) Because you do know that I intend ro keep working, Richard. One of has to bring in serious money - RICHARD. Sweetheart- no one has ever asked you not to work. I may have felt you were going back a bit prematurely - NANCY To pay the mortgage - RICHARD. Which I may have felt was a hit high - NANCY. Well, that's the price you pay for clean air - RICHARD. Which I may have felt was clean enough where we were. Where we were happy - NANC(. The air was not good. RJCHARD. You know what? We cannot afford "good air," Nancy. We are mortgaged up the wazoo. We cannot afford to breathe. So let's just stop breathing right now. (He holdr hic breath.) NANCY. And the safety issue? RICHARD. Let's get guns! Let's get 'em, Nance. 1'11 get you a

twenty-two for our anniversary, you get me a Glock! NANCY. Richard - RICHARD. It's a non-issue to me, Nancy, bur, what can I say? I'm also the one who nuked the bear! I'm also the one who thinks the Volvo's just a really ugly car! NANCY. (Emotional,)What do you want to drive, Richard? You want to drive a V W Bup -convertible? Maybe you'd rather throw " a guitar in back or a surf board -instead of a car seat. RICHARD. (Hurt.) I had a car seat! You took my car seat -for the nanny's car! NANCY. (Furious andjghting tears.) I know the Volvo's ugly. I know it's not -exciting. But at least it's not a gas-guzzling, fume- emitting SUV! The Volvo may not be fun, it may not be hip, or funky, or sexy or "soulful." (Starts t o break.) But it's afamily car, Richard. It's an honest car. It's Swedish! And it's fucking safe. (She mhes out ofthe worn.) RICHARD. Fuck. @nu, hearing silence, ventures out with Jenna. Richard beats her t o the door. Eager to leave:) Never mind, h a . I'll just run down to The Coffee Bean myself. ANA. (Eager to have.) No, no, I'll go to The Coffee Bean - RICHARD. (Fimly.) No. I'll go to The Coffee Bean! (He kisses the baby, jeling a@l, and leaue~. Nancy reenters.) NANCY. (Hurt.) Did he -leave? ANA. Yes. (Nancy goes to Jenna -overwhelmed with guilt and love.) NANCY. Hi Jenna! Hi my baby! I'll take her - (Takes Jenna.) Mommqs home, baby, Mommy's here. rJulnerable.) h a -I'm so sorry if you were put in an awkward position. ANA. (Barely controlling her anger.) Maybe, Nancy ... you want to find somebody else. NANCY. oh no! ANA. After this week, I have worked off the overtime for the thou- ~ ~ sand dollars - NANCY. Ana, please . . . It's just hard when you're away so much to feel ... in touch. (Beat.) I know you understand. (They look a t each other.) ANA. (Ajecep a beat; nods.) I .. . understand. NANCY. Thank you. Anyway, in the future, please -whatever i t is ... just -let me know what's going on. Never ever feel you have to lie to me. (Ana nods. Lightsfade on the two women. In the scene change, Nancy exits and Ana takes the cloth from the kitchen table which will become a blanketfir npicnic in thepark.)

ANA. Mira. I'll tell you how I got my license, okay? I know a guy that works for AT&T and he got to check people's credit with their social security number. Now California has a code, lor of people ..~~ have the same social s e c u r i ~ , except for the last four numbers. ZOILA. ~ H u h ' ! vQuC? ANA. So he can try a number -and if nobody has it -he could ', give it to you. ZOILA. Q U ~ ? ANA. Then you go down to the DMV in Huntington Park. O n a Saturday -late -when everybody's ready to go home. And you give that number - ZOILA. But that's -lying! ANA. (Matter offdct.) Pues, you need your social security to get a license, you need your papers to get your social security, they don't want to g i v e p u your papers -you got to lie. ZOILA. QUE? I could never get a license like that! ANA. Then go down to Alvarado and buy one! Yya! ZOILA. QuC horror. What kind of person would do that? ANA. A person who wants a better job! (Sandra starts to laugh, then quickly turns it into a cough.) ZOILA. (With contempt.) Uh-huh. (Rises; ignoringAm.) Burno, I see you tomorrow. ANA. Primero Dios - ZOILA. I see you at the Gymboree, Sandra. SANDRA. Bueno - ANA. (Tying.) Adios - (Zoila walks off with great pride. Ana sigh.) She's never going to quit that job. SANDRA. Ay, mija, I got to get a new job too. Linda is very nice. But the twins? Yesterday they was playing firemen? They put the couch on fire. And I got three kids when I get home, too! And m y son that come from Mexico? Last night he come home with a tat- too! I can't work till seven -he needs his mami now! ANA. Entiendo. I keep missing Santi's soccer practice because I got to work. Pero now I don't got to work the overtime no more - and Santi's got his first real game tomorrow night! SANDRA.S i ? ANA. He's real good at soccer. And the doctor says it's good for his asthma. You should see him in the uniform! And I sent one to Tomb too! SANDRA. Q u t bueno. You going to bring him real soon. ANA. I got my appointment next month with immigration! So

Scene 4

Zoila and Sandra enter with their carriages and meet Ana in the park

ANA. Hola! SANDRA. Hola muchacha, c6mo estas? (Ana stam t o hy out the blanket on the grass.) ZOILA. No. Demasiado gringos. Aqui -Mna moues the blanket downstage centex) ANA. (To Sandra, eagerly.) So what did they ask you on that test? SANDFU. Everything! What day is Fourth of July? What Thursday is Thanksgiving! How many stars have the flag?How many stripes? ANA. Ay dios mio! (Zoila takes out a box of doughnuts to celebrate Sandra. .) SAND&. Ay no, mijas! ZOILA. Ta da! ANA. For your citizenship! (Zoila starts to sing Ana joins hez) ZOILA and ANA. Happy citizenship to you, happy citizenship to you, happy citizenship to Sandra - (Zoilas cell phone rings.) Happy citizenship to you. ZOILA. (Getting her cell.) Ay por dios. @nu hand; out hughnuts. Intophone; charming) Allo? . . . (Sitting down on thegrass.) Yes, Mrs. Breyer, we walking to the doctor right now . . . Okay, so I'll drop Jackson off, and then I could go to the Trader Joe's ... And the Savon .. . And The Borders. (Feeding a bit of doughnut to Jackson.) Okay ... Okay ... Okay ... Okay, Mrs. Breyer, no problem. (She hangs up. The three of them sit and eat.) Hija de la gran puta. Now I got to go driving all over Santa Monica. Thank God I don't have a license -she'd send me to Beverly Hills! ANA. Pero how do you drive without a license? ZOILA. Carefully. Very carefully. That's why people who don't got a license is better drivers. ANA. $a mujer es una bruja! Why don't you just quit? ZOILA. Porque my daughter's got her quinceaiiera next month and I got to send money for the party, the dress, the rings, el cojin ... Easy for you to say "Quit"! You got a license! You drive a Altima!

what did you do when you made your citizenship? You made a party? SANDRA. It's a long story. I don't want to be boring you ... (But she? dying to tell her.) I went to Texas! ANA. To Texas? SANDRA. To see the father of my son. ANA. Sf? SANDRA. AT, mija, I never love nobody like I love this man! (Makes the sign of the cross.) God forgive me, not even the husband I got now. (To baby.) 1love you, Jackson, but not like this! ANA. But you didn't get married? SANDRA. We was going to! En Oaxaca. Then, when I was three months pregnant, he say his mother don't want him to marry me 'cause he's Christian and I'm Catholic, and he give me money for the abortion, fljate! And when my son was born, my father give me money to leave Mexico -ripido! -and I had to leave my son and come here. Hijole, I cried for months, for years! ANA. Ay no . . . SANDRA. Then last week, I talked to mv cousin in Oaxaca, and she say he moved to Texas. So I called his house, his girlfriend answered the phone -(Laughs.) She called me a puta, la, la, la .. . But I got dressed real nice and I took a picture of my son in his uni- form -from the CatholicSchool - ANA. (Incredulom.) And you went to Texas? (Sandra no& Seventeen years ofemotions begin topour out ofher.) SANDRA. (With la&ter; tears and hiumph.) And I tell him, "You know what? I have your son!" H e thought I come for the child sup- port, but I say -"I'm not after you! I have a happy life and I feel so proud of myself 'cause I got my citizenship now and I sent for our son!" And I showed him his picture! (With suddenjerceness.) I say, " I didn't ask for welfare -and I didn't he a prostitute -and I didn't ask you for nothing! I didn't ask you -or my father - nobody11 just work every day and I feel so ... with my face up." And then I left. He want to take me out to eat, but I say, "No, I'm really happy to see you and I just come to say hi." ANA. How long were you there? SANDRA. (Shmgs.) About forty-five minutes. ANA. You went to Texas for forty-five minutes? SANDRA. Pues, I had the day off. (Sandra starts to clean q.Ana has been inspired by Sandra? speaking up.) ANA. Sahes q d ? Maybe I should tell Nancy about my son. She's a woman too, no? She's a mother -

SANDRA. (Shakes her head no.) They're nor like us mija. Wait till you get your citizenship. Then we get cake for you too! (Checks watch.) Oooeey -the twins! (Starts to leave.) Have a good time at the soccer game tomorrow! QuC juege hasta la quinta chingada! (Sandra leaves. Ana exits in the other direction.)

Scene 5

Nan? in h w robe, if lookingfor aspirin in the kitchen. Ana enters, carvying a bunch offlowers behind her back.

ANA. (Surprised,) Nancy! You're not going to your yoga class? (She puts theflowers in a little vase as Nancy keeps looking.) NANCY. No. (Beat.) I hate yoga. Frankly, I find lying on the floor listening to the breathing of thirty women who are in better shape than I am extremely stressful. Jeuna's asleep. D o we have any aspirin? ANA. I put it in the medicine cabinet in the bathroom. (Nancy goes o f f to get it.)\Qe got to get the childproofing for the cabinets, Nancy -it's very dangerous now that Jenna is crawling - NANCY. (Guilty.) I know. I promise I'll call this weekend. ANA. Can I get you something? Some chamomile tea? NANCY. Oh, no thanks, it's just a cold. I must have caught some- thing on the plane. I just hope 1 haven't given it to Jenna. She seems, I don't know, fussy - ANA. I could make her some tea too - NANCY. Tea? For a baby? ANA. I always give it to my -(Quickb.) both my kids -when they were babies in El Salvador. But you can call the doctor if you don't - NANCY (Sits.) O h Ana, please, I trust you. Make me some tea too. (Ana puts the flowers on the tabh.) What're these for? God, I didn't forget my own birthday, did I ? ANA. I just thought maybe you like flowers ... (Nancy?eyes well up,) I didn't buy them - I just picked them on the street - &anq starts to cry.) NANCY. It's not that. It's just ... so kind of you. It was just a - redykind thing to do. I'm sorry, I don't know why I'm - I didn't

get much sleep . . . Jenna was so fussy, and nothing -nothing I did seemed to . . . She just kept crying and crying and crying ... Richard says she never does that with you. He thinks she's angry I'm gone so much -( h 6 g h S / c r i ~ ~ . ) clearly he? angry -youWe!!, can always tell when he gets really nice . . . What am I saying, he has a right to be angry -(Ana doesn't know what to say so she says what Nancy has said to her.) ANA. Well, you got your rights as a woman, Nancy - NANOT. (Laughs.) Rights? I have the right to do it all -and not do any of it very well? ANA. I know. You got stress - NANCI. No, you've got stress. I mean, you don't wen get to see your kids! You know what I should do? I should just call up right now. I should just call up and quit and take care of my own child. ANA. (Shocked blurts.) O h no. No Nancy! No! NANCY. (Taken aback.) Wow. You must think I'm a really lousy mother - ANA. No! NANCY. I was joking, Ana - ANA. O h - NANCY But tell me the uuth -because I'd quit in a minute - in a second if I thought . . . I mean, I'm her mother, I can fuck her up for life! (Aria thinks. She decides, for a varieq of reasons, but mostly for the sake of her own chih'yen . . . ) ANA. You're a good mother, Nancy. And Jenna is fine. NANCY. (Utterly vulnerabh.) You think? ANA. I think Jenna is .. . a very lucky child. And -you like to work - NANCY I do like to work! I like to work -and I love my child! Is that so horrible of me? ANA. You know what? I like to work too! (Laughs.) Ay, don't tell that to my husband. Because, in my country, all the women is sup- pose to love to stay home. I get depressed if I stay home all the time! NANCY. I know, I know! ANA. I tell you a secret, I want to go back to school -(Quickly adds.) When Jenna is older - NANCY. You should! You're a smart woman. (Puts a n arm around her.) You should go to school and get a real job! Thank you. Thank you, Ana. ANA. Ay dios mio, I forgot your tea! (Aria goes andpours tea.)

NANCY. Aren't you having some? ANA. Okay. (Nancy takes cigarettesfrom her purse and lights up.) NANCY. I don't- do this in front of Jenna, by the way. (Conjdentidlh) Or Richard. (Nancy sits. Ana gets her tea but doesn't sit. Nancy laughs.) Oh, Ana, sit! ANA. Okay. (An awkward moment when the two of them are actu- ally seated together at the table.) NANCI. What the hell, let's have some cookies. (Nancy jumps up, gets a bag of cookies, and offen it to Ana, who takes a cookie. Embarrassed9 Jees, I certainly didn't mean to get into all that. Let's talk about your life for a change. What's happening with your papers? ANA. I got my appointment next month with the immigration! NANCY. That's terrific! And you know what? When your kids come, we're having a party. (Shakes her hips.) At El Cholo. (AnajGeIr so a w f i l that she starts to tell Nancy the m t h about Santiago.) ANA. Nancy ... I . . . I want to tell you something. It's a little bit hard. I should have told you before . . . (Thephone rings.) It's about my kids . . . (The phone rings.) NANCY. They need something? ANA. No, no -(The phone rings again. The machinepicks up.) NANCY'S VOICE on MACHINE. Hi! You've reached Nancy, Richard, and Jenna. Please leave a message. NANCY. Maybe I just better listen to the -(Ana nods.) DIANE'S VOICE on MACHINE. Nancy, it's Diane calling around eight twenty-seven. It's important, and I'm in the car, so call my cell if you get this before nine -(Nancy rolls her eyer at Ana.) NANCY Maybe I just better -(Ana nods. Nanry races to thephone.) DIANE'S VOICE on MACHINE. After that I'll be at Disney - NANCY. (Into phone; instantly profssional.) Diane? Hi, I just walked in . . . Tonight? Gee, I did have plans . . . (Surprised.) H e did? Dinner?! . . . No, no, I understand .. . Can you hold just a sec -? (She covers the mouthpiece and goes to Ana.) Ana . . . do you think you could possibly do me a huge favor ahd work late tonight? ANA. Tonight? NANCY. I know -it's ridiculously short notice - ANA. I'm really sorry, Nancy. I can't. NANCY. (Surprised) You can't? ANA. No -I already got plans. NANCY. O h gee. I'm sorry ... (Beat.) Ana, I know it's awful of me to ask -but could you possibly change them? For the week- end maybe? I'm home all weekend -

ANA. I don't think so. NANCY. Well, can you tell me what it is? Maybe I can figure a way to - ANA. No. (Beat.) It's a -a family thing. NANCT. (In a bind.) O h God -(Intophone.) Diane? ... I'm so sorry. I'll have to call you right back. (She hangs up.) ANA. Please don't be angry - NANCY. No, no, I understand. It's just - this director is just impossible to pin down - ANA. (Feeling cornered.) I already worked off the overtime for the thousand dollars ... (Sheputs her cookie down.) NANCY. I know that! But Richard's working late -there's really no one else I can call - .4NA. And Jenna is getting a cold - NANCY. I know! I know. But believe me, my boss does not want to hear about Jenna. And she'll be asleep practically the whole time ... I'm sure I'll be back by nine. And then I don't have a trip planned for quite a while .. . (Sits.) I wouldn't ask if I didn't real- ly need your help, Ana. What if we say sixty dollars for the four hours -? ANA. It's not the money! NANCY. Well, could you possibly just do me a- favor? Just this one time? (Touches her h a n d ) As a ... a friend? (Ana hesitatesfor several beats.) ANA. I ... guess I could call my husband . . . (She starts to get her celljom her bag.) NANCY. Could you? O h thank you, Ana, so much. O h please - use our phone. (Ana goes to the phone. Nancy goes to her bedroom.) ANA. (Intophone:) Bobby? Listen, the sefiora asked me to work late .. . I know, I know I promised, bur I'll see his next game ... Porque she got no one else! Please - tell him I'll take him to play soccer on the weekend, tell him I don't got to work all weekend! (Listens; upset.) Pues -you can't go? ... Okay, okay, you got to work too, entiendo ...Your sister? ... Pues, just make sure she know how to get there, and she got his bag -every- thing -(Nancy reenters. Ixto phone:) And tell everybody have a good time at the party! Gracias, mi amor . . . Bye. (Hang up.) I can do it, Nancy. NANCY. You can? Oh, thank you so much! Listen, if you get hun- gry, here's a twenty -(Sheputs a twenty on the table.) Now let's just finish our cookies. Diane can just wait! (Thg,sit back down.) Now

what did you want to tell me about your kids? ANA. Oh. (Beat,) I told them I sent the T-shirts. They're really excited. NANCY. Well -good! Listen, Ana, whatever they need . . . (Takes her hand) I mean, you're really part of the family now ... (Nancy holds Anai handfor a moment. Then the two women pick up their cups and sip their tea. In the scene transition, Richard enters and hands Jenna over to Ana, and he and Nancy leave. Sound of a Spanish radio station cakes w into the next scene.)

Scene 6

Ana isgiving Jenna tea in a bottle. A contemporary love song plays on the Spanish station.

ANA. Asi, nena . . . You had enough tea? Okay, Jenna .. . That's m y good girl. Duermete con 10s angeles ... (Her cellphone rings.) AA~. (Shegets her cell nnd answers.) Hallo? ... Q u t ? . . . I can't understand you Bobby, slow down, the phone is -.. . Q u t ? (She mrns down the radio a bit. Very still:) Okay ... Okay, Bobby ... Okay. (She hangs up and dials Nancyj cell.) Answer -damn you -(She hedrs a cellphone ringingand realizes it? Nancy? -in the purse Nancy left behind.) Mierda! (The baby stam to ny. She hangs up, grabs her purse, and looks for paper andpen. She scribbles a note and leaves it on the kitchen tabla. Then she runs out with Jenna. Light change. Richard enters with his briefcafe. The Spanish station continues t o play The sonr is now nptempo, driving, something like Juanes' 2 Dios 1ei);do. ."*) - RICHARD. Nancy? (He sighs and pours himselfa drink. Nancy enters with her briefase and sets it on the table. She has good news.) NANCY. Hi! You just get in? (She kisses him. He is surprised and pleared.) RICHAEUJ. Yeah. Where were you? NANCY. Dinner. I signed a new client! RICHARD. Congratulations!

See Special Note on S o n p and Recordings on capyrighr page.

NANCY. I'm just going to run in and get Ana - RICHARD. Can we have a drink afier she leaves? To roast your - NANCY Sure! (She goes t o Jennai room and returns, calling to the bedroom -) Ana? (Calk out window.) Ana? (Wits.) Richard - she's not there - R I C W . What? NANCY. Jenna's not here - RICHARD. Honey, I'm sure there's some good - NANCY. (Keeps calling.) Ana? (To Richard.) She'd have called - ( C a l l ) Ana? (ToRichard) She'd have lefi a note- did you see a- ? RICHARD. Well, I just got home, I didn't - NANCY You didn't even notice your chid wasn't here? It's ten o'clock! (Notices.) Richard - h a left her jacket - RICHARD. Nancy, calm down. I'm sure there's some perfectly good reason. Didn't you have your cell? NANCY. Of course I - RICHARD. Well, did you check your voice mail? (Nancy looks i n herpurse -then sees her other purse and realizes -) NANCY. Shit! I changed my purse for the dinner! (Shegets her cell and hies her voice mail ar she continues -) What about your cell? RICHARD. Well, I was in court, I had it turned - NANCY. Check the machine. RICHARD. Wait -there's a message -(Heplays it. We hear a bit of a telemarketing call, "Mortgage rates are a t an all-time low -"Then he cuts it O R ) NANCY. (Listening to voice mail.) She called my cell -she didn't leave a message -? (He finds A n a i note -under a bri$ase.) RICHARD. Here. (Reads.) "Emergency. Gone to hospital. Okay." "Okay"?What the fuck does that mean? NANCY. Whose emergency? Where? RICHARD. Santa Monica Hospital? St. John's? 1'11 call. You call Ana's cell. (They call on their celk. Ana and Bobby appear on oppo- site sidrs o f the stage -on their c e h . T h e f i r n i t u r r starts to leave the stage. The backdrop changes to a nightscape of the city. Dialogue and sound almost overlap -a fragmented mix of dialogue, light and round.) ANA. (On cell.) Bobby? BOBBY. ( O n cell.) Ana -mira -otra direccion -(We hear the ringing ofphones that Richard and Nancy hear.) ANA. (On cell.) No te oigo, Bobby - NANCY. Answer, damn you -

ANA. (Re: cell.) Puto Sprint! BOBBY. (On ce& louder) Martin Luther King Hospital. (Sound of Anai cellphone ringing that Nancy hears.) ANA. (On cell.) Okay. Okay, Bobby -(Sound of the information recording, "What city pleare?" that Richard hears.) RICHARD. ( O n cell.) In Santa Monica - for Santa Monica Hospital. NANCY. Oh God, maybe the tea! (Sound of cell ringing continues.) RICHARD. Tea? BOBBY. ( O n cell.) Ana?! ANA. (On cell.) El traffico, Bobby -! NANCY. Doesn't she have fucking call waiting? BOBBY. Ana - ANA. Bobby? BOBBY. Por favor -aplirate! (We hear the recording, "You have reached Santa Monica ~ o $ i t a l - '7 RICHARD. (To Nancy) It's a recording, honey -maybe I should call the police. BOBBY. (On cell.) Pues -don't take the 1lo! .-

NAN& ~ i c h a r d ,no - RICHARD. Will you let me handle something for a change?(And picks up Nancyi call.) NANCI. ( O n cell.) Ana? ANA. ( O n cell.) Nancy? NANCY. ( O n cell.) What happened to Jenna!? ANA. ( O n celL) Jenna is fine - (Beat; cries out.) It's my child, Nancy. My child! (Blackout.)

Scene 7

Sound of birdc as Zoila and Sandra enter theparkfiom differ- ent diwctiom. Sandra h a a new carnage. It: a& &ys kztei:

ZOILA. Hola -! SANDRA. Hola. C6mo estas? ZOILA. Bien. How come I ain't seen you?

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SANDRA. Oh -I'm not working for Linda no more, I just got a new job! (Zoila looks in Sandra: carriage.) ZOILA. Oh! (To b a b ) Hola, chiquitita! (Surprised) Morenita! How much they pay you? SANDRA. Fifteen dollars an hour! Black peoples! ZOILA. Fifteen dollars! (Zoila is speechlessfor a moment.) I got to quit my job. Today I got to start looking. ( M e m e n t ~ . ) A n dSm not going to live in no more. I'm going to live out! SANDRA. Si, mija, daro. ZOILA. I got to get a license .. . (This reminds her.) Pero, you hear what happen to h a ? SANDRA. h a ? What happen? (They start to walk through the park, pausingjom time to time.) ZOILA. Q u t horror. I heard Mrs. Breyer telling it to the Mommies and the Me's -(Linda and Wallace enter, Linda with her baby. They walk through the park too. Zoila and Sandra speak to each othm and Linda and Wallace speak to each other -though the m o conversations ouerlap.) WALLACE. Linda, she took Nancy's baby - SANDRA. LINDA. QuC? What? ZOILA. She took Mrs. Robin's baby! SANDRA. LINDA. QuC!? No! WALLACE. She was taking care of the baby the other night - and something happened -so she was taking the baby with her to the hospital and - LINDA. The hospital -? ZOILA. Pues, Mrs. Breyer said Mrs. Robin said that Ana said something happen to her son -but that's a lie 'cause her kids are in El Salvador, verdad? SANDRA. (Beat; lipr.) Pues, si . . .Pero - LINDA and SANDRA. Why was she at the hospital? ZOILA. Quien sabe? Maybe she wasn't at no hospital! That h a .. . tan misteriosa! L i e she think she better or something. WALLACE. And, as it turns out, she war illegal after all. Apparently she was a rather mysterious person . . . SANDRA. Hijole - LINDA. What? According to Zoila? WALLACE. Oh Zoila's very reliable. ZOILA. (To Sandra.) You remember how she tell me to lie -

WALLACE. She acmally told Zoila to lie - WALLACE. (Continued.) ZOILA. (Continued.) -to get her license! -to get my license! LINDA. Oh my God. SANDRA. But if it was an emergency ... LINDA. Was there a note? WALLACE. Note shmote, Linda. She took the baby out of the house. She was driving around without a valid license - with Nancy's child! (At some point in the scene, dtpending on the wt and staging, Linda and Wallace stop to talk on one side ofthe stage, andZoila and Sandra on the other. Ana might appear upstage centrr, looking out a window her back t o us. Bobby mightjoin her bnn@j then leave.) ZOILA. She's lucky the police didn't stop her. LINDA. But you said her own child was in the hospital -? WALLACE. A child Nancy didn't even know about! A chid who was supposedly in El Salvador! LINDA. (Cries out.) What difference does it make?! It's a child! (A beat ofsilence.) Is the child going to be all right? (The question stops Wallace. She: hom$ed she never arked.) WALLACE. (Upset.) I ... don't know. Nancy was very upset -I just -literally ran into her at Whole Foods. And I ... Well, I ... (Her eymf;ll with tears.) 1 didn't ask about the child. (Ana exits.) SANDRA. I'll call Ana. WALLACE. 1'11 call Nancy. ZOILA. I got to get Alex - LINDA. Listen, I have to pick up the twins. WALLACE. Where's Sandra? SANDRA. (To Zoila.) Pues -cuidate mija ... (Zoila nods, and she and Sandra exir in different directions.) LINDA. Oh, her father is sick in Oaxaca. She had to go back to Mexico for a little while. (Wallace sighs.) No, no, no. Not Sandra. People do get sick in Oaxaca you know! And she loves the boys! The boys are -much better. WALLACE. Well, .if there's anything I can do . . . If you get crazy ... Just bring the boys over to my house and Zoila can watch them for a while. LINDA. Thanks. (Wallace gives Linda a hug. They exit in dzfferent directions, ar N a n y and Richards bed comes on, with Richard on it.)

Scene 8

Richard is sitting up in bed The T V i s on, though we only see the light it casts. Nancy paces, channel surfing with the remote. We hear bits of infomerciah, news .. .

RICHARD. You've got to stop torturing yourself, honey. You've left messages on her voice mail, her machine .. . NANCY. But if I hadn't asked her to work late - RICHARD. You were paying her to work late - NANCY. She was doing me afavor -as a friend! RICHARD. No, honey, you were working. Ana was working. For all we know she was paying the sister-in-law to take care of her child. Everyone's working and paying someone else to take care of their child -it's insane! It's insane people even have to leave their families to come to this country - NANCY (Feelingpilg about everything) Well, we funded the war in El Salvador - RICHARD. We personally? NANCY. We pay taxes - RICHARD. (Ironic, exasperated.) So in a couple of years we can hire a nanny from Iraq. (Beat.) Nancy. Is it your fault her son had an asthma attack? Is it your fault the sister-in-law took him to the nearest lousy clinic before getting to a real hospital? NANCY. Doesn't asthma have something to do with . . . stress? If he was expecting his mother and - RICHARD. Half the kids in this city have asthma! What are we going to do about Jenna? Do you want to call the agency about a new nanny or -? NANCY. No! If there's something seriously wrong with her son -I am certainly not going to ... I11 call Diane and tell her my mother is sick. I'll tell her she needs an operation and I have to fly home to Washington. RICHARD. Fine. And what if Ana doesn't even want to come back? I'm just saying - I mean -we have options. Maybe we could cut hack on our hours. Or hey, if worse came to worst -I mean, we've already made a profit, we could.. . (Carefilly.)move -

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NANCY. After that night?! Do you realize how lucky we are ro live near the best hospitals? What if something had happened to our child? (Heputs his a m around her] RICHARD. Look ... Nance . . . If you wanted to stay home -for a while -just for a little while . . . (This is very hard.) I suppose I could take a job with a firm . . . NANCY. Working for Halliburton? RICHARD. (Breaks.) I just -I just want us to be a family! I just want our family (Beat.) Why don't you call the hospital again. NANCY. Good. (He gets her thephone. Shepresses "uedial. "Looks at watch.) O h God, Jenna's going to be up in like another four hours ... Great. I'm on hold. Should I just go to the hospital? RICHARD. I don't know, honey, you really knew h e r better - NANCY. (Pained.) Did I? Wallace's nanny knew her from the park and apparently there were things I didn't .. . (She gets a cigarette.) I mean, can you ever really know someone -who's s o -different from you? (They share the cigarette.) RICHARD. Well, you know, I read this article the other day about witnesses.. .?How ninety-seven percent of what a person perceives about someone else is what they already believe? It's like that Dylan song, "Ain't no use in talkin' to you, just like talkin' t o me" - NANCY. I guess -. . . (Startled into phone:) Yes -I'd like to inquire about a patient. Santiago Hernandez. ... I'm sorry, I'm having a little trouble understanding your accent ... No, I'm not a family member, but can you just -. . . (Immensely relieved.) So he's no longer a patient? Thank you. Thank you so much. (She hangs up.) Well, thank God. (Richardputs his arm around her. They kiss, tentatively, then again. The baby cries. They look a t each other, smile, andgo offto Jenna'r room, hand in hand. Bobby enters in the scene hansition and sits on the bed which is now his andAna?.)

Scene 9

Bobby is sitting on the bed, putting on and lacing up his work boots, slowly and deliberately. After several beats, Ana enters

from outside.

BOBBY. D6nde estabas? ANA. (Quietly.) Pues -fui para un trabajo. (Bobby is surprised but nods.) BOBBY. You went for a job. (Beat.) It's only two weeks. ANA. I got to work . . . (Bobby continues lacinga boot. Ana takes off her sweater.) BOBBY. How did it go? ANA. Okay. (Pause.) BOBBY You hungry? I got tortillas .. . Queso . . . (Ana shakes her head no. She sits on the bed facing away from him.) Cafe? ANA. No, gracias. (Pawe.) BOBBY. Friend of mine told me 'bout a night job over in Hollywood. ANA. What's the job? BOBBY. Valet parker. I'm gonna check it out after work. So soon as we pay the hospital, you could take a break for a while. And soon as we get our papers, we go back to El Salvador together and get Tomas. ANA. Gracias. (Beat.) But I think he's better down there. With my grandmother. BOBBY. Ana - ANA. It's better. BOBBY. A grandmother is not a mother - ANA. Sometime . . . a mother is not a mother, Bobby. (She rises and moues away.) BOBBY. Ana, please! Don't turn away from me! -because -it wasn't your fault. ANA. (After a beat.) If I'd picked him up . . . If I'd been there. Like a mother. Like any mother. (Starts to break.) I never saw him play soccer, Bobby! Did he play good? Did he look for me? Tell me, Bobby! 'Cause I never saw him play! (He goes to her.) BOBBY. Ana -I'm telling you and you got to listen -because

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Santi was my son too! (Cries.) My son! Mi hijo. M'entiendes? And I'm telling you . . . Let him rest. (Through tears.) He's . . . sleeping with the angeles, h a . Just like you always telling him! Tell him. Dile, arnor -(She tries to bring herselfto say the words.) ANA. Dutremete . . . Dutrmete con 10s angeles, mijo .. . (He h o l d her, lets her oy Then he sits her down on the bed.) BOBBY. You too, amor. You get some sleep. (Kisses her; rises.) I'll get dinner for us tonight. (Nancy enters holding her cell. Bobby gets his jacket. Richard enters.) RICHARD. I'm going out for diapers, honey. (He kisses Nancy.) BOBBY. (To Ana.) I got to go to work. (Richardand Bobby exit. Nancy sits at the head of the bed and.makes a call. And? cell phone rings. Ana takes i t from her sweater pocket. T h g , speak from opposite ends ofthe bed, facing out.) ANA. H d o ? NANCY. Ana? ANA. Si? NANCY (Warmly.) It's Nancy Robin. I . . . I just wanted to see how you were doing ... ANA. (Af2er a beat.) I'm fine. NANCY. And your son? We called the hospital and they said h e was no longer a patient, so he's doing better? (Ana realizes Nancy doesn't knolu.) ANA. (After a long 6eahf;ghting tears.) Yes. NANCY. Well, thank God. And you got the check we -? ANA. Yes, Mrs. Robin. NANCY. W i t h enormous d z f i c u l g ) Well, as I said in my note, we . . . we decided -we're just going to take care of Jenna ourselves -for now . . . (Ana nods, but doesn't reply.) But I just wanted to say how -badly I feel, Ana, about what happened ... And to thank you for . . . everything. And if you need anything, a reference - anything .. . waits.) I hope you'll let me know. ANA. I'm fine. I got another job, Mrs. Robin. (Nancy nods.) Kiss Jenna for me . . . (Nancy nods, jigbting tears.) NANCY. Well .. . Good luck to you, Ana. ANA. You too, Mrs. Robin. (Pause.) Goodbye. NANCY. Goodbye. (The lightsfade on the two of them .. . )

End ofPlay