The Ceiling

Scene: Daughter enters home(base) as mother opens the door.

MOM (excited)

Look up, you, see it, you see the difference, like it?

DAUGHTER (surprised)

Ooh Mom, the ceiling looks good. They did a good job.

MOM (pleased)

Didn’t they?

DAUGHTER (curious)

Yes, how long did it take them? It was just two guys right, Aron and his brother?

MOM

Yeah, a few weeks, but they worked through the last two weekends ‘cause they had another job. I paid ‘em half up front, so I guess they figure, let’s hurry up with this woman and go make some more money! Marco is the one who really knows what he’s doing, ‘cause he tells the brother what to do, I was lisnin’ from the room.

DAUGHTER

Well, they did good. I like the color too. They stripped it down and sanded it first?

MOM (confident)

Yes, I told them, I wanted it done right. They did a good job, they sanded it down, but I wanted it painted, I didn’t want it stained. I’m glad to have my living room back tho, it was a mess. They cleaned up, but you now how men clean… mm-hmm, I had to go in after ‘em and do it all over ‘gin, do it right, you know. I just put all th’ pictures back. Yours right there, I saw you checking, right there so everyone can see!

They both laugh.

DAUGHTER

That’s right. Number 9, at the entrance! Mom, how much it cost?

MOM

Ooh chile, a pretty penny.

DAUGHTER

Well, it looks good, it really does.

MOM (feeling accomplished)

Only took me, what (counting fingers) 45 years since the day we bought it… finally got done, 'bout time I say...

DAUGHTER

It was worth it right?

MOM

Yes, it was worth it.

Fade out.