INTRODUCTION TO ACT I
Today on Tuning In The U.S.A., we’re with Marilyn Stewart at a New York City boutique. Marilyn works as a salesperson in the shop. Sometime she makes clothes of her own design. Today a customer comes in looking for a coat. She doesn’t like the coats in the store, but she likes Marilyn’s sweater. It’s hand-made, and it’s perfect, expect for one thing.
Act I
Marilyn: Good afternoon. What can I do for you?
Customer: Are you Rita Mae, the owner?
Marilyn: No, I’m Marilyn Stewart. I work for Rita.
Customer: I see.
Marilyn: Rita will be away until next Monday. Perhaps I can help you.
Customer: A friend of mine told me about this shop. She said the clothes are original designs. And they’re well made.
Marilyn: We like to think so. What are you looking for?
Customer: I’m looking for a coat.
Marilyn: We have just a few coats left. Can I show them to you?
Customer: I’d like that. Thank you.
Marilyn: Here is a zippered coat. It has a wide belt and two large pockets. Would you like to try it on?
Customer: I don’t think so.
Marilyn: It comes in several colors. In your size, I have a dark blue, a black, and a gray-green.
Customer: No, I’m looking for something different.
Marilyn: I’m sorry. This is all we have until fall.
Customer: You are wearing a very nice sweater.
Marilyn: Thank you. I made it myself.
Customer: It’s beautiful. Could you make me one?
Marilyn: Why, Yes. I could do that. And I could make it long, like a coat.
Customer: That’s a good idea! I’d like that. Is it wool?
Marilyn: No. It’s mix of wool and man-made materials.
Customer: Hmm. May I make a suggestion?
Marilyn: Certainly. Please do.
Customer: Your design is wonderful. And it’s very well made.
Marilyn: Thank you. I care about my work.
Customer: Everything is terrific, but the material. It’s so ordinary. It should be better. Pure wool. Maybe even hand-spun wool.
Marilyn: Do you think so?
Customer; Close your eyes and picture it. Go on.
Marilyn: Yes. Maybe you’re right.
Customer: Fine designs deserve fine materials.
Marilyn: Hand-spun-wool. I like that idea!
Customer: I don’t want it to be a bright color.
Marilyn: Hmm. I like your idea. And I can use wooden buttons. They would be nice.
Customer: Perfect!
Marilyn: But may I be honest with you?
Customer: Of course.
Marilyn: I don’t know very much about wool. Maybe you can help me. Where should I look for wool? Do you have suggestions?
Customer: Well, wool has to grow on sheep. And sheep have to grow on farms.
Marilyn: And you know of a sheep farm?
Customer: There’s the Thompson farm in the Catskill Mountains. The Thompsons sell wood.
Marilyn: It sounds like an adventure! I’ll go there.
Introduction to act II
This time on Tuning In The U.S.A., Marilyn Stewart visits a sheep farm in New York State. She is looking for wool spun the old way, by hand. Marilyn wants to use this kind of wool to make a special sweater. So she goes to the best place to find wool, a sheep farm!
Act II
Thompson: [to his dog] All right, Blackie. That’s enough barking.[to Marilyn] Hi. You must be Marilyn Stewart.
Marilyn: Yes, I am.
Th: My wife told me about you. You phoned yesterday.
Ma: That’s right. You are Mr. Thompson?
Th: The one and only.
Ma: How do you do?
Th: Very fine, thanks. You are a clothing designer?
Ma: Yes. I came to buy some wool.
Th: My wife does all the spinning of the wool. She can show you the different kinds.
Ma: That will be great. This is a nice farm. How many sheep do you have?
Th: A hundred and ten. At last count.
Ma: That’s a lot.
Th: [He points to his dog.] Blackie, here, gives me some help.
[The dog begins to bark.]
Th: [to his dog] That’s enough, now. Really, we’re a small farm. The big sheep farms raise a couple of thousand animals.
Ma: So many! You can probably guess I don’t know much about sheep and the wool business.
Th: New at it, eh?
Ma: Yes.
Th: Do you want to see something really new?
Ma: What is it?
Th: Two lambs born just this morning.
Ma: May I see them? I’d love that!
Th: Follow me. [to the dog] Go on. Lead the way, Blackie!
[They walk to the barnyard.]
Th: Here’s a nice little lamb. [to Marilyn] Why don’t you hold him?
Ma: Ohhh…his wool is so soft.
Th: First-year wool is always like that.
Ma: Do you sell it?
Th: I sure do. There’s a real interest in natural things right now. My wife’s business is growing. My wife’s business is growing. Oh, here she comes now.
Marge: Hi, there! Did you phone yesterday?
Marilyn: Yes. I’m Marilyn Stewart.
Marge: I’m Marge Thompson. Nice to meet you.
Th: I can take that little lamb from you.
Marilyn: Here you are. Oh, I hate to give him up.
Thompson: I’ll tell you what, Marilyn. Go with my wife. She can show you the different types of wool.
Marge: We have several kinds of sheep. Each one gives a particular kind of wool.
Marilyn: I didn’t know that. This is my first time working with hand-spun wool.
Thompson: Mrs. Thompson can teach you everything about it.
Marilyn: There’s a lot for me to learn.
Th: You finish your business with Mrs. Thompson and then come back here to the barn.
Marilyn: All right.
Thompson: I like to be fair to my lambs. And that other newborn, see him?
Marilyn: Ohhh.
Th: He wants you to hold him, too.
Marilyn: Tell him not to worry. I’ll be back. |