Owen Sheers: The Two Worlds of Charlie F

Beat.

But I can find out.

Simi( as her mother ) Get to school before you’re late! And stop talking your stupidness!

She ushers Young Simi away.

Young Simi( to the audience ) Joining the Army wasn’t even a thought in my family. I had no father, so Mum was both Mum and Dad. Every time I mentioned my dream she went ballistic.

Simi( as her mother ) Of course I did! What is to have a girlchild in the Caribbean and be mother, father, everything? You want to keep them close. Where you can see them, reach them.

Young SimiIf I was playing in the backyard and went out the gate, she’d come out to pull me back in.

Simi( as her mother ) You was too far for me to reach out that gate. Too far.

Young SimiBut I wanted to do something different. I wanted to go to England. I wanted to be a soldier.

So one day I woke up and I told her. I was going.

The two women look at each other.

Simi( as her mother ) Too far. Too far.

Young Simi walks upstage towards a recruiting office.

Young SimiTwo weeks after I got to England I saw an advert. ‘Be the Best,’ it said. ‘Join the British Army.’ I got on a bus to Edgware, came out of the station and there, in front of me, was a careers centre. So I walked in.

She enters the recruiting office, where Dave sits behind a desk.

DaveAfternoon, how can I help you?

Young SimiI’d like to join the Army.

DaveWell, you’ve come to the right place. Are you local?

Young SimiPardon?

DaveAre you from round here?

Young SimiNo. I’m from Trinidad. San Fernando. I have my passport.

DaveBut you didn’t come from there today?

Young SimiNo. I came from my auntie’s.

DaveAnd she lives in —?

Young SimiKent. She lives in Kent.

DaveRight, fair enough. Well, let’s get started shall we? Age?

Young SimiPardon?

DaveHow old are you?

As Dave asks the question the lights come up on another recruiting office upstage. Richard and his mother, Tracy, sit across a desk from Roger.

RichardSixteen.

TracyTwo months ago, August.

RogerRight, thanks. And was it always the Paras that interested you, Richard?

RichardYeah.

RogerAnd why’s that?

RichardWell, they’re the best, ain’t they?

RogerWe like to think so. Some bootnecks might tell you different, but yeah, the best, that’s right. Enjoy your sports, do you? Outdoor stuff?

RichardYeah, I do.

RogerWell, you’ll get plenty of that. Skydiving, water-skiing in Cyprus, scuba diving — ( To Tracy .) There’s some brochures there if you want to take a look — muff diving.

TracyHow long is the training again?

As she asks the question the lights come up on another office downstage. Becky sits across a desk from Frank.

BeckyThirty-two weeks, if you pass everything first time.

FrankMy girlfriend’s pregnant. Will I be away for all that time?

BeckyNo. There’s a break halfway though. But bear in mind, Frank, of every fifty recruits who try and join the Marines, only nine or ten will graduate.

FrankRight. Yeah, I read that. So I’ll miss the birth?

BeckyWell, perhaps. Probably. Initially. Any marriage plans?

FrankWe thought we’d wait until I’d finished training.

BeckyRight. Well, yes, that could work. If you pass out on a Friday, you’ll be reporting for duty with your new unit on the Monday morning. So there’s a couple of days there.

FrankIt’s that quick?

As he asks the question the lights come up on another office downstage. Leroy sits across a desk from Charlie, who wears his prosthetic leg under his jeans.

LeroyCan be. A year from now you could be in Afghan. Norway. Belize.

CharlieSweet.

LeroyAnd that stuff you hear about women and the uniform? All fucking true. You get your green beret, women all over your cock.

CharlieSo when can I get started?

LeroyYou can start now if you want to, mate. I’ll just get the forms and we’ll get cracking.

He wheels away from the desk, revealing he has no legs.

( As he returns to the desk. ) Everything all right mate?

CharlieYeah, sorry. It’s just. I didn’t realise … um, well, you’ve got no legs.

LeroyWell, at least you’ll pass the observation test.

Beat.

Look, you’re making the right choice, Charlie. When you join the corps you join a family. You’ll make friends who’ll be closer to you than brothers. You’ll have a hoofing time with them. You’ll fight for them, and they’ll fight for you. Yeah, shit happens, but I wouldn’t change any of it. I lost my legs, but I saved my best friend’s life that day. You any idea what that feels like? To care that much about something, to care that much about doing your job?

CharlieNo.

LeroySign here today and you will.

All four recruits — Young Simi, Richard, Frank and Charlie — sign simultaneously.

Young Simi turns towards the audience.

Young SimiI signed up for twenty-two years. Then I got on the bus and went back to my auntie’s. When I came in the door I told her, ‘Auntie, I’m a soldier.’ I was living my dream.

The other recruits also face the audience. They all raise one hand. Young Simi begins the Oath of Allegiance. The others join her in turn until they are all reciting the oath.

I swear by Almighty God that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, her heirs and successors –

Charlie— and that I will as in duty bound honestly and faithfully defend Her Majesty, her heirs and successors –

Richard— in person, crown and dignity against all enemies –

Frank— and will observe and obey all orders of Her Majesty, her heirs and successors –

All— and of the generals and officers set over me. So help me God.

SCENE FIVE — TRAINING

As the recruits come to the end of the Oath they are joined by Marc and Angus. The sound of a train leaving a station. They loiter. Some light cigarettes.

Suddenly Darren marches through them, screaming orders.

DarrenOi! You lot, get fell in! That means get into a fucking line!

Put out that fag, you scraggy little shit! Stand up straight! Don’t you fucking look at me like that, you worthless little shit! Get that fucking hoodie down! You’re in a new gang now! You two, Pinky and Perky, put those fucking phones away!

RichardSorry, Sarge.

DarrenSarge? Sarge? Would you like me to massahge your passahge with my sausahge? I’m not your sarge, I’m a bombardier, shitlips!

He turns on the audience.

What you fucking looking at? You! Get a haircut. You! Sit up straight. Don’t you fucking smile at me, sonny boy! You think I’m funny, do you? Well, we’ll soon see about that.