Scene 3 - Endurance

(Couple come back to the apartment with shopping. Ray drops the grocery items on the kitchen table while Teni goes to sitting room area with the other carrier bags).

Teni – Oooooooh! I can’t wait to wear my new shoes!

Ray – And I can’t wait to eat my Chinese.

Teni – You and food. Let’s have that wine we bought.

Ray – Okay. Let me quickly use the toilet. I’ve been holding this for a bit.

(He runs downstairs, tinkles and comes back up).

Ray – Baby (laughs), did you see the notice in the toilet?

Teni – No. What does it say?

Ray – What Eugene said – Do not put sanitary towels and pieces of paper in the toilet bowl. Maybe the previous guests were doing that a lot.

Teni – Hmm. Anyway bring the Chinese please. I’m starving.

(Ray brings over the takeaways and then pours red wine in two glasses. They eat and sip in front of the television.) Insert minor banter over what to watch.

Ray - Don’t they have any English speaking channels? I don’t understand what they’re saying?

Teni - This isn’t DSTV o. Let’s just manage.

Ray – Eh hen, the mattress on the bed downstairs is too soft. Can’t sleep on that or else I won’t be able to…perform.

Teni – This man, there will be no performance tonight. We can sleep on the sofa bed. It’s quite firm.

Ray – (Sulks) You can go and sleep downstairs and I’ll sleep here.

Teni – Eh? See this man. You’re not serious.

(The couple stretch out the sofa bed and place pillows and duvet. Shortly after they both drift to sleep. )

(At daybreak Teni wakes up and goes downstairs to use the bathroom. She comes back up and talks to Ray who is still in bed).

Teni – Er…have you used the shower today?

Ray – No baby

Teni – Hmm. Water is coming out of the drain and also the water level in the toilet bowl has risen. We need to inform Eugene.

Ray – Chai! So this means we can’t use the toilet or take a shower. And you know we didn’t take a shower yesterday when we rushed out of the ferry (he smells his two armpits).

Teni – And I need to pee oh!

Ray – Even me sef. Where’s that wine bottle?

(The couple are visibly fidgeting and trying to stifle pee so their conversation becomes frenzied).

Teni – It’s over there. You men, you’re so lucky. I can’t use a bottle. What am I going to use now? (She pauses) Did you throw away the takeaway box?

Ray – It’s in the fridge but there’s still food in…

(Teni whizzes past Ray in mid conversation and darts for the fridge, takes out the takeway box and rushes downstairs. He goes to a corner in the sitting area.)

*Sounds of gushing pee heard mixed with sounds of relief*

(Teni comes up the stairs in stealth mode as if she is carrying a bomb that could detonate. Ray stands there laughing with his filled up bottle)

Ray – Let me guess – that’s Chinese with your ‘special sauce’.

Teni – And let me guess – you’ve miraculously turned urine to wine.

(The couple both laugh).

Ray – I just got a message from Eugene. He said somebody will come this afternoon to fix the bathroom.

Teni – Ok let’s get ready and go out. Baby, can I borrow one of your belts? I forgot to bring mine.

Ray – Sure, baby. It has a different kind of buckle but it works.

Teni – Ok. Thanks baby.

Ray – Kai! Two days without baffing. A whole me!

(Teni pauses and eyes him as if to say ‘na only you?’)

(End of scene)