DRAMA 59 SCENE

opening line

Mauritius is a paradise tropical island in the Indian ocean, off the coast of Africa, east of Madagascar

Jackie: I don’t need to know about the island i was curious about the stamps

Mary: But you have to know all of it, that’s what makes it so fun! Mauritius what do I remember? Volcanic in origin, surrounded by coral reefs, what else? The Labourdonnais orchards-

Jackie: These are all the bills. Most of the I can’t even read to tell the truth. You look at it, theres so many numbers. I have no idea what we owe. Every time I try to figure it out my head starts to hurt. I feel so stupid

Oh, look, her jewelry! Did you bring this down?

Jackie: Yes, i, yes i did

Mary: Lets see what else do I know about Mauritius. They have beautiful beaches. I dislike the beack, don’t you? All that sand. Do you like the beach

Jackie: I’ve never been

Mary: You’ve never been?

JAckie: NO I’ve never been

Mary: To the beach? Any beach?

Jackie: No. I’ve never been to any beach

Mary: You’ve never seen the ocean

Jackie: Oh god. You know-

Mary: I just find that

Jackie: I’m not-

Mary: What? Why can’t I even comment?

Jackie: Because there’s nothing to comment on. I’ve just never seen it. I will see the ocean. I will, I’ll see it, I’ll see it some day. I’m young. I’m young. So how much, a thousand, a hundred thousand? How much are stamps worth?

Mary: Of course you are! Of course you are. We don’t have to talk about it. Lets see where were we?

Jackie: The stamps

Mary: Oh yes. They had this stamp the Mauritians- Mauritians that sounds like Martians could that be right? Oh well actually it wouldn’t have been the Mauritians it would have been the British. They took it over back when they were, you know, taking things over, and in 1847 they printed one of the first postage stamps on earth. The fifth country I think. The head of the young queen Victoria- Oh look at this! I remember this!

Jackie: take it. take all of it

Mary: I’m sure you want some of it

Jackie: Its not worth anything

Mary: Maybe not to anyone else but to us, oh- look at this!

Jackie: So its worth a lot of money then, this Mauritanian stamp

Mary: Both of them. The one penny and the two penny post office. Together. They’re considered the crown jewel of philately. It’s quite a spectacular error.

Jackie: So whats the “error”

Mary: Alongside her face are the words “post offfice”. The printer was supposed to print the words “post paid”. Post paid. Of course once you know that it makes sense, why would you put post office on a stamp? I wonder that sometimes. What was going through that mans head. While he made the first postage stamp, and put the wrong words on it, out there in the Indian ocean.

Jackie: So how much a thousand, a hundred thousand? How much are stamps worth?

Mary: I have no idea how much its worth, its besides the point I couldn’t possibly sell it. Oh! Oh. I’m sorry. But you do realize those are my stamps, don’t you?

(beat)

He was my grandfather. He wasn’t your grandfather. Those are my stamps.

Jackie: Mom said, she gave the stamps to me, because she didn’t know for sure, but she said they might be worth something.

Mary: Well but- these weren’t her stamps.

Jackie: She gave them to me

Mary: If you want the jewelry

Jackie: I don’t want the jewelry I already said I don’t want the jewelry

Mary: But they were my grandfathers stamps, they’re not part of the general- this isnt

Jackie: This isn’t what? I mean you werent here-

Mary: Thats not exactly-

Jackie: Not exactly what, not exactly true? That you werent here?

Mary: Not exactly relevant, I was going to see.

Jackie: It was relevent to me. Thats why I asked so many times. You got my messages right? We really needed you, I really needed you.

Mary: Yes yes yes- but- I’m sorry could we stay on the point please?

Jackie: The point is when Mom was- even when she was so sick, she she she gave the stamps to me and you weren’t here

Mary: Look I dont want to, we’re just having a conversation. You asked about the stamps

Jackie: Yes I did, thats right I did.

Mary: So we’re having a conversation! Theres no will and it would be terrible if we had to probate anything, that would take years, and involve all sorts of legal issues, so its great that we can talk about whats yours, and what is mine. Im really thrilled to have the stamps back. I don’t know how they ended up in mothers hands. Grandfather and I spent so much time with these stamps. Making catalogues and lists. Corresponding with other dealers. Grandfather once, obviously this is a long time before I was born, but he actually extended correspondence with FDR about the Two-Penny Post Office, he wanted to buy it but Grandfather would never et it go. You just wouldn’t. Let it go. You wouldn’t

Jackie: Wow. An extended correspondence with FDR. Thats incredible, how much did he offer?

Mary: I don’t know they never got that far.

Jackie: Maybe you could look through these boxes, I cleared out that closet upstairs. It doesn’t look like anything to me but what do I know

Mary: Look, the inverted Jenny! This was one of my favorites. I used to pretend that Grandfather and I were flying in the airplane upsidedown!

Jackie: Are you getting the door?

Mary: What?

Jackie: The door, didn’t you hear the door?

Mary: Oh I thought you were getting it.

Jackie: Im working

Mary: All you have to do is ask

Jackie: Thats what Im doing, Im asking

Mary: And Im getting it!