(Mrs. Thomas has died of a heart attack, so David and Sheila are in her home in Wales to collect their son and daughter and return them to Liverpool.)

DAVID ASHTON
Where's Janet?

SHEILA ASHTON
She's gone to say goodbye to the hens and the rabbits.

DAVID
She's done that three times already.

MRS. JONES
Mrs. Thomas always liked them to do things proper.

DAVID
Well, if doing everything three times is proper, Mrs. Jones, my name is General Montgomery.

MRS. JONES
A good Welsh name, Montgomery!

SHEILA
Um, David, did you tell Peter about your new job?

DAVID
Uh...no.

SHEILA
I think you should, don't you?

DAVID
He wouldn't be interested.

SHEILA
Yes!

(She prompts Peter to nod his head.)

DAVID
Well, I sell things, Peter.

PETER ASHTON
What sort of things? Cars?

DAVID
No...radios.

MRS. JONES
(laughing)
Bless the boy. Who'd have the money to buy cars these days?

DAVID
I would.

SHEILA
Oh...you?

(She chuckles.)

DAVID
Yes.

PETER
Does that mean you're going to get one?

DAVID
Why not? Yes, eventually.

PETER
Oh, great! What kind will it be...a big Yankee job?

DAVID
Yeah. Why not?

PETER
Oh, boy!

DAVID
Yes, actually, I'm thinking of moving into the second-hand car business. There's a big future there, you know.

(Janet enters the room.)

JANET ASHTON
Mum! Mum, I said goodbye to the rabbits. There's only the cows left.

PETER
Jan! Jan, Dad's going to buy a car...a big American one. You know, red with hundreds of lights.

JANET
A car! Dad... Dad, is it true?

PETER
Of course it is. He's just said so. Hasn't he?

SHEILA
David, what do you mean, there's a big future in it?

DAVID
Oh, just that I think it's time for a change, that's all.

 

(from "Coming Home" by John Wiles)