Mary, Marty, Unseen Guest


Mary’n’Marty sit opposite, at the rickety, rocky kitchen table.
The Unseen Guest, a piper dressed in green, leans against the reminder board,
Pinned notices remain still, as still as the reminder to contact cable.
Mary is small, impish, grubby, wearing a ragged skimpy red dress.
Marty is mediocre, swarthy, badly suited. He’s Mary’s brother.
Unseen Guest leaps onto the table, thrusts his face into Mary’s just as
A cheap battery radio chirrups into life, “He Ain't Heavy, He’s My Brother”.
Wildly, He yells, “Go for it Mary – tell him – better out than in!!”
Marty’s face sweats, he mumbles, “So what am I here for?”
Mary – “Have another …”, pushes a half bottle of Scotch towards him.
He lifts it, wondering why Mary appears so sincere, unsure.
Unseen Guest playfully rubs noses with Mary – she sneezes,
Marty slurs, “God bless you.” “Already done matey,” was the unheard reply.
“Jesus!” Mary says, wiping her nose. Marty whispers a prayer to the ceiling.
“Come on!!” Marty bleats, “You said it was urgent!!”
“It is, it is!!!!” screams Unseen Guest as he does a slo-mo double flip.
Mary becomes serious. “Last night I went through Mum and Dad’s papers.”
Marty - “And!!” Unseen Guest takes a stroll up one of the walls – reeaall hip!
Mary breaks down, into tiny raw, weatherbeaten hands, shaking.
Mixed into heart wrenching blubbers, “I – can’t – tell – you …”
Unseen Guest crouches before Marty, grabs his cheeks, shakes his face,
To a ditzy tune UG sings, “Make her tell you – you have a right to know! ”
“Sod it Mary! – I’m off!” Marty stands, rubbing his face with drunken grace.
Mary jumps up, leans over the table and seizes Marty’s hand.
Unseen Guest floats down to the floor, stands hands on hips, like a cowboy.
In full sherrif’s garb, he blocks the doorway, enjoying scenarios unplanned.
Mary - “Sit Marty!” Marty sits. Mary sits. Unseen Guest grins, chews’n’spits.
Mary – “You” Unseen Guest – “Yes?” Mary – “Are” Unseen Guest – “Yes?”
Mary – “Adopted!!! Our parents are/were mine – not yours!!”
She tosses a tied bundle of browning papers and letters at Marty.
“Read through that lot – you were born to our neighbours.”
“What?!” Marty screams. “The Harrels? The murdering swine?!”
“Marty, you’re a survivor, found in the trash with bones and rotting meat.”
“At least one of the Harrels loved you or maybe it was God’s design.
Our/my parents took you in, loved you, a finished circle – complete.”
Unseen Guest is back on the table, skipping with rope, grinning.
“Is this true?” asked clichéd Marty. “What about this house – the money?”
“Marty honey, you may not be true family but you're still my brother.
You were my older brother, in control, now it’s changed, how funny.”
Marty takes to the air, dives through Unseen Guest and strangles Mary.
He didn’t see the humour, he knows Mary was a scheming bitch.
He lies across the table until Mary slips from his hands, he is already
Thinking of condemning evidence, this must go without a hitch.
Unseen Guest drops to his knees, screaming to no one but himself,
His face blends with Marty’s, “WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR??!!??”
Unseen Guest has no one to yell to for help or blame,
As Marty burns the paperwork in the kitchen sink ………..
Unseen guest, dressed in black, wearing shades, feeling betrayed
Sits on the floor, cross legged, head dropped, loyalties possibly swapped,
Pondering the weaknesses of his gift of freewill …………………
To the audible backdrop of ‘He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother’.

DEar Rusty,
You certainly had me hooked on this one. I had to read it twice, as a matter of fact. Your imagination has no boundaries! Loved it.
Suzanne