Watch Your Step

The Times (a screenplay)

Scene 1:

A big hourglass almost two feet can be seen pouring its sand in the corner of the room. Behind it, a little girl named Nenette and an old lady, her grandmother, huddled on the cold floor together. "Mamman, it's time," Nenette said, once the sand inside the hourglass has settled at the bottom.

They were in a basement and you may say they were under a passing train because of the shaking around them. But it was only the construction that had been going on above them for some time. On the window atop them, termite droppings were piling like sand inside the hourglass.

(Sounds of drills and hammering)

The little girl crouched beside her grandmother. Medicine in one hand and a glass of water on the other. She let her Mamman drink slowly. Mamman groaned as she lay back in her bed made up of carton boxes and dirty cushions.

Mamman (weakly): "Thank you, hija."

Nenette nods her head and proceeds to turn over the big hourglass. Nenette could only count from 1 to 10 and could only utter a few words, work, pay, money, and "Mamman it's time."

When all was quiet:Mamman: "I wish I could repay you something."

Nenette shakes her head.

Mamman: "How about a story?"

Nenette held up her hands.

Mamman: I insist, Ineng.Nenette sat and propped her ears to listen.

Mamman: Have you ever experienced an earthquake?

It was 1972 when I felt the first earthquake in my life. I still feel those tremor today. I was about your age and I was at school back then when people were suddenly in disarray. When we had drills, someone would ring the bell. But that time, no one bothered to. The first time I realized that people only cared about themselves. The teachers ran first before the students. We had a crippled teacher but we saw him running!

Mamman laughs revealing her rotting gums and protruding incisors but suddenly, she gets serious.

They didn't help us. When you stand up, you'll only be out of balance. People were pushing each other, looking for the exit. But they never learned. My older brother died because of the earthquake.

A tear slides on Mamman's cheek.

Mamman: We were in the wrong hands. I blamed the earthquake, but no one heard me, no one believed me.

The raucous sound of the construction above them commenced.

Mamman: We'll continue later.

Nenette nods her head again and straightens the creases on her Mamman's dress that she'd been wearing since she was bedridden. Her disproportionate limbs hang on her sides.

Nenette trots to the door.

Mamman: Where are you off to, Ineng?Nenette rubs her wrists together as if scrubbing clothes.

Mamman: I see, you take care out there.

Scene 2:

Nenette set her trail to find money. She climbed the upper ground where more termite droppings could be found. Out there the rending sound of the construction was louder. Later, she knocked on a house in the neighborhood and the door was opened by a lady with pink velcro rollers.

Laundry Lady: What do you want?

Nenette: Work.

The lady escorted Nenette to a dirty backyard, where piles of laundry were dumped in utility basins.