A drama by Commitment for Life, adapted by Ana Gobledale
Speaker 1: affluent western female stereotype
Speaker 2: male or female
Speaker 3: male or female, but a woman is more likely to be collecting the water.
Speaker 1:
What a great morning, sun shining. I think I will get James to get the private jet ready. A little retail therapy in Paris should fit the bill. Mind you, Rome at the weekend can be quite fantastic, all those shops and then the quick hop over to the coast for a little sun. Hmmmm… [thinking]
Speaker 2:
What a great morning, sun shining. I think after a quick top up of the month’s budget we should be able to take the kids on that special outing tomorrow. We have had to be so careful over the last few months. I’ll ask them where they would like to go, within reason, of course. Maybe lunch at McDonald’s… That would be a treat.
Speaker 3:
The sun’s due up soon. I need to get up and get to the bore hole whilst it is still cool. The 6 mile walk will take me well into the morning, and I want to get back before the sun is too hot. I hope Marion is there, too. I’d love to stay and chat, but a quick hello will do, as I need to get back to the family with the day’s water.
Speaker 1:
I’ve just heard about a fantastic new restaurant in London. Can’t wait to try their specialty. Mind you, need to be careful of the figure. But there is a fabulous choice of desserts! Makes me go weak at the knees!
Speaker 2:
Thank goodness for the choices of supermarkets we have. I like Waitrose, but Lidls offer some great deals. As we are watching the pennies at the moment, Lidls fits the bill. I can even get the odd product with the Fairtrade mark. The local market is great for bargains, too. So much choice, and often organically grown.
Speaker 3:
Well we could have rice today, or perhaps rice, or there again rice. We may have no choice, but at least there is something to eat. We are very lucky. Some people I know with bigger families, have used all their store, and have had to eat the seeds they were going to sow for food next season.
Speaker 1:
When Algernon was born, our first, we put his name down for [Eton], our first choice. I am already sending him to Nursery which leaves me time for manicures and lunch out with friends and the odd shopping trip.
Speaker 2:
We have a reasonable choice of schools here. We think our daughter will fit in best at ________________, the local comprehensive. As she seems to enjoy anything with numbers and they have a great maths department, we have put her name down there.
Speaker 3:
My greatest desire would be that my children receive an education, but that is unlikely especially for my daughter. If the choice is between eating or education… well, you understand….
Speaker 1:
So many choices, it’s exhilarating!
Speaker 2:
Choice, it enables us to do or buy what we can afford, and sometimes make ethical and environmental choices too.
Speaker 3:
Choice? What choice? One billion people like me live on less than one pound [dollar/Euro/rand] a day. Choice? We have no choice.
[pause – look at the congregation] The choice is yours.
Photo: Zimbabwe, credit Christian Aid
