31 Plays in 31 Days, #30 - "New Girl"

[breakinglight11]

So close to finished. I'm pretty burnt out at this point, though I will say it took me longer to get to that point than it did in previous years. This is another for the "Bombshells" idea, exploring more ideas for rounding out the team.


Day #30 - New Girl
for Bombshells
by Phoebe Roberts

CAPTAIN SISTER, a nun and the head of a special WAC corps
MABEL JANKOWSKI, a member of the corps
RUBY COLEMAN, a new addition

Europe, 1944
~~~

(CAPTAIN SISTER sits at her desk in her office wearing a uniform and a wimple. In strides MABEL, who flops down into the chair in front of it.)

CAPTAIN SISTER: You didn’t knock, Miss Jankowski.

MABEL: You called me in.

CAPTAIN SISTER: Not without knocking. Next time, you’ll do better.

MABEL: Well. I don’t want to get the paddle.

CAPTAIN SISTER: I have a new assignment for you.

MABEL: I didn’t figure you wanted to feed me cookies.

CAPTAIN SISTER: Are you giving me sass, Miss Jankowski?

MABEL: No, ma’am. My ear couldn’t take the pulling.

CAPTAIN SISTER: Then we’ll get down to business, if you don’t mind. We’re adding a new member to your team.

MABEL: Somebody new? Ah, sister, no.

CAPTAIN SISTER: Excuse me, Miss Jankowski?

MABEL: Things are finally getting on! If you add in somebody else, you’ll throw everything off.

CAPTAIN SISTER: You need a demolitions expert. You do not currently have one.

MABEL: Can’t we, I don’t know, train somebody?

CAPTAIN SISTER: You are in a warzone, Miss Jankowski. I don’t think you have the time to waste.

MABEL: We’re already crammed in there like sardines. Does Julie know? She isn’t going to like this.

CAPTAIN SISTER: She’s aware.

MABEL: Then why you asking my opinion?

CAPTAIN SISTER: Because I am entrusting you with seeing she learns the ropes of serving on the team.

MABEL: Me? Why do I have to do it?

CAPTAIN SISTER: Because I’m your superior officer and I am asking you to. Are you disobeying an order, Miss Jankowski?

MABEL: No, sister.

CAPTAIN SISTER: That’s captain sister to you. Miss Cole? You can come in now.

(Enter RUBY COLEMAN, a statuesque young black woman with her hair pinned under a hat.)

CAPTAIN SISTER: Ruby Coleman, meet Mabel Jankowski.

MABEL: This is her? Our new girl?

RUBY: You were expecting Lana Turner?

MABEL: Before I was expecting Josephine Baker.

RUBY: Can you do what I do?

(Pause.)

MABEL: Would you be here if I could?

RUBY: Then you’d best show respect. Because I know how bad you need me to do it.

CAPTAIN SISTER: I trust you understand what I expect of you, Miss Jankowski.

MABEL: Yeah, I get it. In that case, Miss Lana Jo, welcome to the henhouse.