Denny

(to Customer 2) Won’t keep you. (she calls across to Brenda, who is helping Customer ) Brenda? Could I borrow you, please?

Brenda smiles apologetically at Customer 1, and moves towards Denny.

Customer 1 is not pleased with this.

Denny

It’s the till. It won’t open again.

Brenda

(mock French accent) I ‘ave told you, it is a very special till. It requires to be treated like you would treat a lover.

She touches the till gently, almost stroking it. The drawer opens. Prue and Customer 2 give a mock round of applause. Brenda bows. Denny deals with the money, then shuts it again. Customer 1 is angry.

Customer 1

Excuse me? Is this the way you always do business? I’m waiting.

Brenda

Coming, madam.

She crosses to Customer 1 and they resume their search. Their body language shows that Customer 1 is imperious, Brenda is coldly polite.

Denny

(to Customer 2) You spend a lot of time in the library? You know they’re thinking of closing it, don’t you?

Customer

Crying shame, if you ask me. Why can’t the council make their savings getting rid of something people don’t actually want?

Denny

We’ve got a petition about it. Would you sign it?

She produces the petition. Customer 2 signs it, then picks up her bag and exits through the Shop Door. Denny comes from behind the desk, starts to sort through the clothes left in the sack. Prue follows and helps her.

Prue finds a floaty dress, Indian in style.

Prue

This is pretty. I love anything from India. (she holds the dress against her) I wanted to go to India, when I was young. It was my big dream. I was going to go there, and travel around, see it all. Got my ticket and everything. But then I had to cancel.

Denny

Why?

Prue

Mother said it would be a bad idea. She said I might catch some dreadful typical disease.

Denny

You can have vaccinations against them.

Prue

I told her that. But she got in such a state, had one of her turns. I couldn’t just go off and leave her like that, could I? So I cancelled. I always thought I might get the chance again one day. (she looks wistfully into the middle distance for a second, then pulls herself together) I might buy this dress, and wear it round my house, and pretend.

Denny

You could go now.

Prue

I don’t think so. I’m too old for all that now. I’m not like you, jet setting off to Italy. When are you going?

Denny

Tonight. But it’s not like it sounds –

Prue

Tonight? Aren’t you working tomorrow then?

Denny

It’s not quite what it seems.

Prue

I hope they don’t think I’m going to do it all on my own. You know how I am when I’m left all on my own. I can’t do it all. I get –

Denny

Don’t worry. I’ll be here tomorrow.

Prue

You’re only going for tonight? Long way to go for a night, isn’t it?

Denny

I’m trying to tell you. When Robert retired, he wanted to take a cruise. But I was working here, and we couldn’t get the time. So instead, we have these, evenings.

Prue

Evenings?

Denny

Once a week, while I’m here, he does the whole house up to look like somewhere in another country. He cooks a meal from that country, and we pretend we’ve gone there.

Prue

How romantic.

Prue holds the dress like a dance partner, hums a few bars of #O Sole Mio# Denny continues with her work. Suddenly, Prue stops dancing and humming. She is troubled.

Prue

Why would we have to be vigilant?

Denny

Pardon?

Prue

About that man. The flasher on the radio. You said the public had to be vigilant. Why would we have to be vigilant?

Denny

In case he does it again, I suppose.

Prue

You wouldn’t need to be vigilant. I mean, if he wants to do that sort of thing, he’d make sure people saw him, wouldn’t he? He wouldn’t do it if he didn’t want people to see him. He’d make sure you wouldn’t be likely to miss anything.

Denny looks as if she will answer, then changes her mind. Prue looks puzzled.

Prue

I wonder how they go about it.

Denny

What?

Prue

Flashers. I wonder how they do it?

Denny

Well, they – they – I –

She struggles to answer. Prue is impervious to her discomfort.

Prue

I know they have those raincoat things they wear, but they only come down to their knees, don’t they? You can see the bottom half of a man’s legs when he’s wearing one of those. If he wasn’t wearing trousers, you’d be able to tell. And if he had his trousers unbuttoned, they’d fall down round his ankles, and you’d be able to tell that. So how do they flash at people without anyone realising they’re going to?

I’ve never thought about it before.

Prue

Perhaps they have special trouser leg things they can buy. You know, like stockings.

Denny nods, unsure.

Prue

I wonder where you buy them?

Denny

My husband’s trousers have always come complete. I used to get them at Greenhams Department Store, when he worked there. These days I buy them in here. Saves me a fortune.

Prue

We’ve never had a pair in here. Have we?

Denny

Course we have. We’ve got whole rails of them. (she points to the trousers rail)

Customer 3 enters, browses. She is theatrical in dress and mannerisms.

Prue

Not trousers. Legs for flashers. We’ve never had a pair of them donated.

Denny

I never saw any.

Prue

If we did, we’d have to report them, wouldn’t we? Because, let’s face it, you wouldn’t have a pair of them unless you were up to no good.

Denny

I shouldn’t think there’s a great demand for them.

Prue

So if someone brought some in, he’d be suspicious, and we’d have to tell the police. And then they’d arrest him and he’d have to go to court. (horror) Oh, no. Denny. We’ll have to go to court.

Denny

(thrown by Prue’s panic) Why?

We’re witnesses. We have to identify him in one of those parade things.

Denny

I don’t think my Robert would like me doing that.

Prue

It’ll be all right. It’s all synonymous. You stand behind a magic mirror so the criminal can’t see you. But then, afterwards, you have to go to court and give evidence. And he’ll see you there.

Denny carries on folding. Prue is getting agitated.

Customer 1 moves about the shop, looking at things. She picks up things as she goes. Brenda starts tidying another rail.

Prue

Do you think they’ll give us police protection? They’ll have to, won’t they? They can’t expect us to get by without it. Head Office’ll tell them they’ve got to look after us. (pause) I’m not giving evidence without it. I know what they do to stool pigeons. I don’t want to end up in a concrete trench coat.

Denny

Overcoat. It’s a concrete overcoat, not trench coat.

Prue

Is that what he said? I told you. We’re not safe. If they want us to help them, they’ll have to protect us.

Denny looks ready to say something, then walks away, leaving Prue agonising over the danger she is in. Denny picks up the tray and takes them to the staff room, and exits.

Customer 3 taps Prue’s shoulder. Prue nearly jumps out of her skin.

Customer 3

Are you all right?

Prue

Don’t do that!

Customer 3

I needed some help. And you’re so good.

Prue

What are you doing?

Customer 3

It’s a new play. Friends, Romans, Countrymen.

Prue

That’s not new. That’s Shakespeare.

Customer

The original quote, yes. But now, it’s the title of a play. And I need Roman togas.

Prue leads her to the rails and shelves. They begin to look at things.

Customer 1 piles several garments onto Brenda’s outstretched arms. Brenda’s fixed smile never wavers. Customer 1 strides to the desk, Brenda follows. She adds the items together and puts them into a bag.

Brenda

That will be twenty three pounds, please, madam.

Customer 1

Twenty three pounds? For that little lot? Could we not negotiate?

Brenda

Alas, madam, I am not permitted to do that. But if madam is financially embarrassed, I could always put something aside for you until your next pay cheque arrives.

Customer 1

I can afford them.

She almost throws the money at Brenda. Brenda opens the till and changes the notes, gives Customer 1 change. Denny re-enters from the Staff Room. She crosses to the till, stands listening to the conversation.

Brenda

While you’re here, madam, perhaps you’d care to sign the petition to keep the town library open?

Customer 1

I don’t sign petitions. And anyway, why should I care about your silly little library. I don’t even live in this town.

Brenda

Oh? Madam is visiting, then? Have you come far?

Customer 1

About twenty five miles. I live in Frinsham. We have a very good library.

She picks up her bag and walks haughtily to the Shop Door, then exits.

Brenda

Have a nice day.

Prue takes a sheet from a shelf, wraps it around herself like a toga. She models it while Customer 3 walks around her, examining it. Brenda watches, bemused.

Brenda

I’m going to be sorry. I know I am, but why is Prue wrapped in a sheet?

Denny

She’s helping a customer.

Brenda

Of course she is.

Customer

That’s exactly what I want. How many do you have? I’ll take them all.

Prue picks up a pile of sheets. Customer 3 checks them, then follows Prue to the desk.