Lavaropas: Scene 2

Scene 2

Enter Jordi wearing grubby white shorts, black vest top, hiking books with greying socks poking out. He is wheeling 4 bulging carrier bags on one of those wheel-lifts removal and delivery men often use. He fills machines 4 and 5 and perches down next to Quinn. Quinn continues to type rapidly but starts shifting unconfortably. He looks up angrily:

Quinn: You stink man!

Jordi: Sorry?

Quinn: Stiiiiiiiinky (waving his hand like a fan)

Jordi: Sorry?

Enter Elderly Señora wheeling a small shopping trolley with sheets and knickers semi-trailing on the ground. She is wearing a paisley-patterned housecoat and slippers, ankle tights protruding in dull orange. She pauses in the doorway, panting slightly and taking a moment to shift her teeth back into position. She surveys the room with beady eyes, nodding in approval and the whirring machines. With regulated gasps she fills machine 1 which is nearest to her, closes the machine door and sits down next to Jane.

Quinn shifts across to the far side of his seat, Jordi's mobile rings and he moves to the doorway and offstage to answer it...we hear him talking in muffled Catalan. Simultaneously Quinn's laptop announces a Skype call -he lets it ring out as he scuffels with his rucksack to find a headset.

Jordi: No. What? No, later...
Quinn: Hey man. How you doin?...
Jordi: yes, at the laundrette. ...
Quinn: So you heard?... yeah...
Jordi:Round the corner... he's not there anymore...
Quinn:Her cancer's kicked off again...
Jordi:Right next to the the snail restaurant...nono..
Jordi:.you know...next to the sex shop... What sort? ...
Quinn: No...In hospital since Wednesday...
Jordi:Which one?... Ill go there now...
Quinn:No way man, he's an effin piece of...
Jordi:later...where... I don't want to talk about last night ... no... (voice fading off)

Elderly Señora begins to look round anxiously, apparently wondering why her machine has not started the wash cycle. She shuffles over and bending down, peers inside, taps the glass mystified

Quinn:I don't give a ... what? No...
Quinn:Do I look like a retard to you? ..
Quinn:I can't do it man...

Elderly Señora bangs the top of the machine with suprising strength

Quinn:I'm effin crying now man...
Quinn: no way man...
Enter Consuela, the Elderly Señora's Bolivian carer:

Consuela: (panting slightly) There you are Mrs Fernandez, My dear lord god, I thank you, that I have found you. You scared me beyond my wits. What have I told you about not running away...