RUFUS   No – to tell the unpleasing truth. I don’t see any light at the end of our particular tunnel. Talking to a man the other day, managing director of a small family firm in the Midlands. Employing about 250 people. Mainstay of the local community. Making electrical components for use in heart-support machines – chief customer the Health Service. Right. One morning, letter from the Department of Health. Dear Sir and so on. New marketing developments cause cancellation of all forward orders. Components can now be obtained at a third of the price. Where? Taiwan. Come Friday night this chap locks up, puts key in an envelope, puts it through his bank manager’s door. That firm is now dead. I mean, what is the point?

GEORGE   It’s the same all over the country.

RUFUS   An entire community now on social security. And getting more than they would if they were working. Cost that in economic terms.

RUFUS   Life is poorer.

PAULINE   (between Peter and Sue) Aren’t they pretty? Every time I look at them I just think, ‘How pretty.’

SUE   Lovely pudding.

PAULINE   Sweet.

GEORGE   A toast. Absent friends.

ALL   Absent friends.

RUFUS   (rising, solemn) Absent friends … Wherever they may be.
They drink. There is a sudden silence. Pauline puts her glass down heavily.

GEORGE   Sorry. Didn’t mean to put a damper on the proceedings.

PAULINE   I keep thinking about Totty.

BETTY   Yes. Poor old Totty.

OSCAR   Poor dear Totty.

PAULINE   It’s not the same without Totty.

SUE   I wish I’d met her. I’ve heard so much about her. I thought she might be here.

STELLA   How long do they think it’s going to take?

OSCAR   Three months.

SUE   How awful!

GEORGE   That can mean anything.

BETTY   We seem to have known Totty for ever.

OSCAR   Longer.

PAULINE   Peter was her special favourite, weren’t you, Peter?

PETER   Well, Auntie – she really brought us up, when …

PAULINE   Peter’s no stranger to sadness either, are you, Peter? When you’ve lost both your parents in two separate air crashes you understand pain. Don’t you, Peter?

PETER   I don’t know, Auntie, one presses on.

PAULINE   He calls me Auntie, but I’m not really. He just wants someone to hold on to. I think that’s why he married so young. Aren’t they pretty? You’re pretty too, my dear. Isn’t she?

STELLA   Yes. I gather you’re also an accomplished clarinettist.

SUE   Oh, I’m not much good really.
Stella, who has been eyeing Glyn, folds her napkin up and drops it deliberately. Glyn moves towards the table, and suddenly drops down on all fours, disappearing.

OSCAR   Is there money? Totty?

GEORGE   I take it there is.

OSCAR   Is there money, Dickie? Totty? Money?

DICKIE   There’s some money.

RUFUS   What sort of money though? There’s money and money.

BETTY   I don’t think anybody’s going to starve.