Country Music

Act 1

Richard: Hot dogs. I love hot dogs. There is nothing better than a hot dog in the country.

Ellen: Hot dogs and mustard.

Richard: Cooked outdoors over an open fire. I wish I had one now.

Ellen: Do you remember when Daddy and I used to take you and Susan and Robbie to Jones Beach?

Richard: Oh, I sure do.

Ellen: We'd wait until dark and make a fire, and we'd cook the hot dogs. Oh, don't forget the mustard. And, oh, does anybody want ketchup?

Richard: I might as well take it along. And now to make sure we've got the hamburger patties. I have to remember to put them in the bag tomorrow morning before we leave.

Ellen: I'll remind you, Richard.

Richard: Mom, we really appreciate your taking care of Max for the weekend and giving up your free time.

Ellen: I love doing it. Susan and Harry have a sitter for Michelle in the city, and I'm taking care of Max. It's no big deal. I am happy to do it for you.

Richard: I guess Max is asleep by now. He's not crying anymore.

Ellen: Oh, poor baby. He's teething.

Marilyn: Well, he's asleep—finally. I feel so bad for him. It hurts so much when a baby gets his first teeth.

Ellen: He'll be fine, Marilyn.

Richard: Well, he wakes up several times during the night, and the pain is so bad.

Marilyn: I'm really concerned about going away for the weekend, Ellen, and leaving you with the full responsibility of taking care of Max. Especially with his teething. I wish he felt better.

Ellen: Please don't worry, Marilyn. Remember your father-in-law's a pediatrician. We have a live-in doctor if there's a problem I can't handle.

Richard: I agree, Marilyn. We really don't have to be overly concerned.

Richard: I'll go upstairs and stay with him until he falls asleep again.

Marilyn: Thanks, Richard. Try putting him across your lap on his stomach. He likes that.

Richard: I'll try it.

Ellen: When are Susan and Harry picking you up, Marilyn?

Marilyn: They're coming by at six tomorrow morning, so we can get an early start.

Ellen: That's nice. And you'll have a full day in the country.

Marilyn: And a full night. Tomorrow night we'll be camping out in tents.

Ellen: And coming home on Sunday?

Marilyn: We'll be heading back late in the afternoon.

Ellen: You're going to have the time of your lives. Camping out is such great fun.

Marilyn: We'll have a great time camping out, I'm sure. But I'm still a little worried about you, Ellen.

Ellen: It will be my great pleasure, Marilyn. Remember, it's only one night.

Richard: He's asleep. I think he'll sleep through the night now.

Marilyn: Thanks, honey. I hope he's good when we're away.

Richard: Well, so do I. Now, to check the list of things we need for the camping trip. We need to bring a flashlight.

Ellen: It's in the right-hand drawer, next to the bottle openers.

Richard: Do we have a bottle opener on the list, Marilyn?

Marilyn: No. No bottle opener. Is that one of the things Susan and Harry are bringing?

Richard: No. And we're bringing the ketchup, mustard, relish—all that stuff. And cooking utensils. Well, here's the bottle opener, and here's the flashlight.

Ellen: Matches.

Marilyn: Matches?

Richard: Yes, of course. For when we build our campfire. I can't build a fire by rubbing two pieces of wood together.

Marilyn: And don't forget your camera and film, Richard.

Richard: All packed and ready.

Marilyn: And let's not forget our cassette player and some tapes. Some music tapes and some blank tapes so that we can record our thoughts about the trip.

Ellen: Oh, that's a nice idea. An audio diary.

Marilyn: That's what I thought.

Richard: Got it! The cassette player and the tapes.

Act 2

Susan: Oh, I love it! To be away from the city on such a beautiful day is my idea of heaven! The grass. The trees. The fresh air.

Harry: I told you you'd like it. I've been doing this for years.

Richard: You have the spirit of a teenager, Susan. Wait till you see yourself jumping around.

Marilyn: That's what I love about Susan. She works hard. She plays hard. She's a real Stewart.

Harry: Come on, Richard. Help me get this stuff out of the car.

Richard: Where does it go?

Harry: Well, we'll put everything over there. We'll set up our tents over there by the edge of the woods. Then we'll be able to make our fire there where it's safe.

Richard: Oh, there's our table and benches. All set for eating.

Harry: That's what makes this spot so good.

Marilyn: Is anybody hungry?

Susan: I am.

Harry: We just got here.

Susan: When you're out in the fresh air like this, it makes you hungry. Aren't you hungry, Marilyn?

Marilyn: I sure am. How about you, Richard?

Richard: Starving.

Harry: You guys are like three kids.

Richard: Aren't you hungry, Harry?

Harry: Well, yeah. Now that you mention it, I guess I am. I mean, how could a guy not be hungry with all this talk about eating?

Marilyn: Where's the bag with the chicken salad sandwiches?

Harry: Right here, next to the ice packs. Here. Put the tablecloth on the picnic table, and I will bring the cola and the plastic cups.

Harry: Well, how do you like it so far?

Richard: I've never been more relaxed.

Marilyn: Me, neither.

Susan: I wish we had brought Michelle, Harry. She would have loved it.

Marilyn: Oh, you're right. I wish we had brought Max.

Richard: Marilyn, Susan, let's not begin to worry about Michelle and Max. We're having a good time, and they're in good hands.

Harry: Richard is right. Are you having a good time, Susan? You haven't answered my question.

Susan: I am having a good time, Harry. I promise not to think about the city. We're in the country. Let's all just enjoy this wonderful place and this wonderful weather.

Harry: Good.

Susan: This is heaven, Harry! It was such a great idea to spend the weekend this way.

Harry: Thanks, Susan. I thought you'd all like it.

Susan: Like it? I love it! Listen to the sounds of the summer that surround us. It's so calming.

Harry: I've always liked camping out. Away from the telephones and account books. It's refreshing for me. I always go back to the city in a wonderful state of mind.

Susan: We've only been here for a day, and I've completely forgotten about all my business problems. The office seems so far away.

Harry: I'm glad you like it, Susan. We'll spend many more weekends like this.

Susan: And next time we'll bring Michelle. I wish she were here with us to enjoy the country.

Harry: And next time we'll bring Michelle.

Marilyn: Just listen to the sound. It's so soothing.

Richard: I can hardly keep my eyes open. If only we could bottle the fresh air.

Marilyn: Wouldn't it be wonderful?

Richard: We could call it "Deep Sleep Country Air."

Marilyn: It puts you to sleep. So does the sound. I've been having a hard time keeping my eyes open just listening to it. It's like a special music.

Richard: Too bad we can't bottle the sound.

Marilyn: But we can!

Richard: Can what?

Marilyn: Bottle the sound.

Richard: What are you talking about?

Richard: Oh, yeah? Great idea! Let's do it!

Act 3

Marilyn: I'm so glad everyone is asleep. I thought Max would be crying, and everybody would be awake.

Richard: What did I tell you? Nothing to worry about.

Susan: I'm sure everything is fine. My mother knows all there is to know about taking care of babies, I assure you.

Harry: Let's put some of this stuff away and then take off. We've got a forty-minute drive into the city.

Ellen: Welcome home—and I do mean welcome home.

Richard: Something wrong?

Ellen: Oh, nothing's wrong, Richard. Believe me, Max is fine. But his teeth hurt, and he just can't get to sleep, poor dear.

Susan: Neither can you.

Marilyn: Oh, I feel so bad.

Ellen: Oh, I'm fine. How was your weekend?

Harry: We had a great time, Mom.

Richard: It was wonderful. The weather couldn't have been better.

Ellen: It was nice here, too.

Marilyn: Did you get a chance to get outside at all?

Ellen: Oh, yes. Grandpa helped me yesterday afternoon. I went to the supermarket to get a few things, and I stayed out an extra half hour. The village was filled with people—the weather was so nice.

Richard: Harry's a professional camper, Mom. He knows all there is to know, and he made the weekend very easy for us to enjoy.

Harry: Come on. You all helped.

Susan: You were wonderful, Harry!

Marilyn: Why don't you go to your room, Mom, and get some sleep.

Ellen: Oh, I'm fine. Tell me more about your weekend. Did you do anything special?

Susan: Lots of special country things. We picked flowers.

Marilyn: And we brought some home for you. It was so nice to be out in the country.

Ellen: They smell wonderful.

Marilyn: Everything smelled so special. It would have been great if we had been able to bottle the smells.

Harry: It would be a great business if you could do that.

Ellen: Oh!

Marilyn: Uh, we're home now, Ellen. We'll take care of it.

Richard: I'll take care of it. Let's see if it works.

Ellen: What's that?

Richard: A little special country music. Susan: I think we'd better head home. It's getting late, and we have a bit of a drive.

Harry: Well, all your things are inside. There's your sleeping bag.

Marilyn: Oh, thanks, Harry.

Harry: Say good-bye to Richard. We'll call you all tomorrow night.

Marilyn: Good-bye.

Susan: Bye, Mom.

Ellen: Bye-bye.

Marilyn: Bye.

Ellen: I'm so tired I think I'm overtired. I don't know if I can get to sleep.

Ellen: Max has stopped crying.

Marilyn: Yes. It works!

Richard: It works!

Ellen: What works?

Richard: This.

Ellen: Oh. Oh, where did you get that? It sounds so nice. I think I'm falling asleep.

Richard: Like Max did.

Richard: Good night.

Marilyn: Good night. Sounds of the country. The soothing sounds of the country.