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44 HOUSELIGHTS

AMONG AUDIENCE

PRETORIA She killed herself. She couldn't stand it any more--the drudgery, the unrelieved drudgery, the hunger. She couldn't stand it. That wasn't a life for anyone to lead--it was for animals, cooped up animals. How she must have hated it! How much easier it must have been to leave, to let herself die in the factory. Edward is lying! He had nothing to do with my mother! He's lying! He tried to kill my father.

EDWARD There would have been a riot all right! Jesus don't you see that Harold?

HAROLD Edward! What on earth are you talking about?

EDWARD That accident! A woman drowned in burning metal and the Indians started hollering to beat hell to get us out of there.

CECIL What a strange thing that was. It was a series of irregularities, one after another.

EDWARD Christ if they'd gotten hold of that woman's husband!

CECIL The plant's Executive Director sent me a full report on it. I remember it as if it happened last year. That was twenty years ago! When the woman filled out the application form, she put down two children, plus one overseas; the two actually staying with her were different in age--one was over ten years older than the other.