HAROLD PINTER First OLD WOMAN sitting at milk bar 2:

table. Small. 1: Second OLD WOMAN approaches. 2: Tall. She is carrying two bowls of soup, 1: which are covered by two plates, on 2: each of which is a slice of bread. She 1: puts the bowls down on the table care-- fully. 2: 2: You see that one come up and speak to me at the counter?

1: (She takes bread plates off the bowls, takes two spoons from her pocket, places bowls, plates and spoons.) You got the bread, then?

2: I didn't know how I was going to carry it.

In the end I put the plates on top of the soup.

1: 1 like a bit of bread with my soup.

(They begin the soup. Pause.) 2: 2: Did you see that one come up and speak to me at the counter? 2: 1: Who? 1: 2: Comes up to me, he says, hullo, he says, what's the time by your clock? Bloody liberty. I was just standing there getting your N, 1: It's tomato soup.

2: What's the time by your clock? he says.

1: I bet you answered him back.

2: 1 told him all right. Go on, I said, why don't you get back into your scraghole, I said, clear off out of it before I call a copper.

(Pause.) 1: I not long got here. 2: By permission of Samuel French, to whom appli

catien for amateur rights should he made. 1:

1: Did you get the all-night bus?

I got the all-night bus straight here.

Where from?

Marble Arch. , Which one?

The 294, that takes me all the way to Fleet Street.

So• does the 291. (Pause.) I see you talking to two strangers as I come in. You want to stop talking to strangers, old piece of boot like you, you mind who you talk to. 1 wasn't talking to any strangers.

(Pause. First old woman follows pro- gress of a bus through the window.) That's another all-night bus gone down. (Pause.) Going up the other way. Fulham way. (Pause.) You ever been down the other way? (Pause.) That was a 297. (Pause.) I've never been up that way. (Pause.) I've been down to Liverpool Street.

That's up the other way.

I don't fancy going down there, down Ful- ham way, and all up there.

Uh-uh.

I've never fancied that direction much.

(Pause.) • They don't charge for the bread if you have soup.

They do if you have tea. (Pause.) 2: How's your bread? (Pause.) 1: Eh?

2: Your bread.

1 : All right. How's yours? 2: If you have tea they do. (Pause.) You talk to strangers they'll take you in. Mind my word. Coppers'll take you in.

1: I don't talk to strangers.

2: They took me away in the wagon once.

1: They didn't keep you though.

2: They didn't keep me. but that was only because they took a fancy to me. They took a fancy to me when they got me in the Do you think they'd take a fancy to me?

(First old woman gazes out of the window.) 1: You can see what goes on from this top table. (Pause.) It's better than going down to that place on the embankment, anyway.

2: Yes, there's not too much noise.

1: There's always a bit of noise.

2: Yes, there's always a bit of life.

(Pause.) 1: They'll be closing down soon to give it a scrub-round.

2: There's a wind out.

(Pause.) I: 1 wouldn't mind staying. 2: They won't let you.

I : I know. (Pause.) Still, they only close hour and half, don't they? (Pause.) It's not long.

(Pause.) You can go along, then come back. 2: I'm going. I'm not coming back.

When it's light I come back. Have my tea. 2: I'm going. I'm going up to the Garden.

I: I'm not going down there. (Pause.) I'm going up to Waterloo Bridge.

2: You'll just about see the last 296 come up over the river.

I'll just catch a look of it. Time I get up there.

(Pause.) It don't look like an all-night bus in daylight, do it?