Sop and Grit
Two men walk separately from each other, with their heads bowed and hands
in pockets, around in a park in the early hours of the morning. One hears
the other approaching, so he lifts his gaze from the blossoming ground-
vegetation to the source of the disturbance. Initially tense, he is at ease
when the other man is only his good friend.
Grit: Hello Sop, what a surprise.
Sop: Hi Grit, didn't expect to see you here either.
Grit: How are you?
Sop: Can't complain. Yourself?
Grit: I've had better days. (sighs and looks distantly)
Sop: What's amiss? (Sop looks concerned)
Grit: I've lost my wedding ring. (He looks dejected, and shrugs his
shoulders)
Sop: Well, that's no good at all. Where'd you leave it?
Grit: If I knew where it was, I would have it on my finger right now. Oh,
I'd hate to disappoint Maria, bless her soul.
Sop: During my long marriage to Lucy, I've not lost my ring once. Where do
you remember having it last?
Grit: Hmm. (Grit rubs his balding head with his fingertips, lost in
thought, then tilts his head doubtfully.) Well, I'm not sure. Maybe. no,
that's just silly.
Sop: Come on, out with it. What are you thinking?
Grit: Well at our old friends' party, Bruce and Robin's. I wore it there
last night.
Sop: It has to be there then. Come on then, let's go and find it.
Grit: No, no, I'm sure they'll want some rest. (He scratches at his grey
stubble.) We'll go later.
Sop: Oh, they won't mind. It's up this street.
The two friends walk up the road as Sop directed. They soon make it to a
fairly large brick house with a white picket fence.
Sop: This is it, Grit. Let's go in.
Grit: (smiles) You're a good friend, Sop. Let's knock on the door, then,
shall we?
Sop: (bows his head.) Yes, Grit. Not too loudly, they won't take kindly to
loud intruders.
Grit: (looks gloomy) If at all.
Sop unlatches the gate, then steps through up to the door. He beckons to
Grit, who dubiously follows him. Grit raps lightly on the door.
Grit: Hello? (he knocks more loudly this time.) Anybody home?
Sop: It looks like nobody's here.
Grit: Shall we go in then?
Sop: Yes, we shall. Don't make too much noise though, just in case.
Grit tentatively turns the handle, and pushes the door open slowly. It
creaks softly. The pair sneak in, eyes darting nervously. They look about
the area until they come to a messy room, with empty bottles and many
coloured decorations. They turn over bits of paper and all sorts of items
in an attempt to find Grit's wedding ring. When they hear stumbling
footsteps from behind them, they turn guiltily.
Grit: Don't sneak up on us! (When he realises who he is talking to, Grit
turns red and steps backwards. He looks at the young woman.) Uh sorry, what
I meant was, we'll be leaving right away. Sorry to have disturbed you. (He
walks towards the door. Sop follows.)
Rose: Where are you off to, my fiancée? Don't you remember? (She holds up
her hand, and Grit's wedding ring is on her ring finger. A look of horror
emerges on Grit's face.)
Grit: W-w-wedding ring? (He looks awfully shocked.) There. must be some
kind of mistake.
Rose: You proposed to me last night. It was very romantic. (She looks upon
him, her eyes glittering dreamily.) You were a little "influenced" by some
of our refreshments, but you wouldn't go back on your word, would you?
The three stand in silence. Sop with awe, Grit with desperation and Rose
awaiting the answer to her question. Grit is anxious and at a loss of
words. evidently he had proposed to his guests' daughter in his tipsy state
the last night. What would his wife, Maria say?
Two men walk separately from each other, with their heads bowed and hands
in pockets, around in a park in the early hours of the morning. One hears
the other approaching, so he lifts his gaze from the blossoming ground-
vegetation to the source of the disturbance. Initially tense, he is at ease
when the other man is only his good friend.
Grit: Hello Sop, what a surprise.
Sop: Hi Grit, didn't expect to see you here either.
Grit: How are you?
Sop: Can't complain. Yourself?
Grit: I've had better days. (sighs and looks distantly)
Sop: What's amiss? (Sop looks concerned)
Grit: I've lost my wedding ring. (He looks dejected, and shrugs his
shoulders)
Sop: Well, that's no good at all. Where'd you leave it?
Grit: If I knew where it was, I would have it on my finger right now. Oh,
I'd hate to disappoint Maria, bless her soul.
Sop: During my long marriage to Lucy, I've not lost my ring once. Where do
you remember having it last?
Grit: Hmm. (Grit rubs his balding head with his fingertips, lost in
thought, then tilts his head doubtfully.) Well, I'm not sure. Maybe. no,
that's just silly.
Sop: Come on, out with it. What are you thinking?
Grit: Well at our old friends' party, Bruce and Robin's. I wore it there
last night.
Sop: It has to be there then. Come on then, let's go and find it.
Grit: No, no, I'm sure they'll want some rest. (He scratches at his grey
stubble.) We'll go later.
Sop: Oh, they won't mind. It's up this street.
The two friends walk up the road as Sop directed. They soon make it to a
fairly large brick house with a white picket fence.
Sop: This is it, Grit. Let's go in.
Grit: (smiles) You're a good friend, Sop. Let's knock on the door, then,
shall we?
Sop: (bows his head.) Yes, Grit. Not too loudly, they won't take kindly to
loud intruders.
Grit: (looks gloomy) If at all.
Sop unlatches the gate, then steps through up to the door. He beckons to
Grit, who dubiously follows him. Grit raps lightly on the door.
Grit: Hello? (he knocks more loudly this time.) Anybody home?
Sop: It looks like nobody's here.
Grit: Shall we go in then?
Sop: Yes, we shall. Don't make too much noise though, just in case.
Grit tentatively turns the handle, and pushes the door open slowly. It
creaks softly. The pair sneak in, eyes darting nervously. They look about
the area until they come to a messy room, with empty bottles and many
coloured decorations. They turn over bits of paper and all sorts of items
in an attempt to find Grit's wedding ring. When they hear stumbling
footsteps from behind them, they turn guiltily.
Grit: Don't sneak up on us! (When he realises who he is talking to, Grit
turns red and steps backwards. He looks at the young woman.) Uh sorry, what
I meant was, we'll be leaving right away. Sorry to have disturbed you. (He
walks towards the door. Sop follows.)
Rose: Where are you off to, my fiancée? Don't you remember? (She holds up
her hand, and Grit's wedding ring is on her ring finger. A look of horror
emerges on Grit's face.)
Grit: W-w-wedding ring? (He looks awfully shocked.) There. must be some
kind of mistake.
Rose: You proposed to me last night. It was very romantic. (She looks upon
him, her eyes glittering dreamily.) You were a little "influenced" by some
of our refreshments, but you wouldn't go back on your word, would you?
The three stand in silence. Sop with awe, Grit with desperation and Rose
awaiting the answer to her question. Grit is anxious and at a loss of
words. evidently he had proposed to his guests' daughter in his tipsy state
the last night. What would his wife, Maria say?