Mending Fences

By Norm Foster

Harry Sullivan hasn't seen his son Drew in thirteen years, and now Drew is coming to Harry's Saskatchewan ranch for a visit. This poignant comedy tells the story of two men who are too stubborn to give in to feelings of the heart.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Playwrights Canada Press
• Release date: Aug 1, 2008
• ISBN: 9781770914018

Norm Foster

Norm Foster has been the most produced playwright in Canada every year for the past twenty years. His plays receive an average of one hundred and fifty productions annually. Norm has over sixty plays to his credit, including The Foursome, On a First Name Basis, and Hilda’s Yard. He is the recipient of the Los Angeles Drama-Logue Award for his play The Melville Boys and is an Officer of the Order of Canada. He lives in Fredericton.

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Cover: Mending Fences by Norm Foster

Mending Fences

by

Norm Foster

Second Scene Editions

Playwrights Canada Press • Toronto

Mending Fences © Copyright 2006 Norm Foster

Playwrights Canada Press

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First edition: August 2007

Production Editor: M.Z.K.

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LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA CATALOGUING IN PUBLICATION

Foster, Norm, 1949-

Mending fences / Norm Foster.

A play.

ISBN 978-0-88754-759-1

I. Title.

PS8561.O7745M45 2007       C812’.54       C2007-904574-X

Playwrights Canada Press operates on Mississaugas of the Credit, Wendat, Anishinaabe, Métis, and Haudenosaunee land. It always was and always will be Indigenous land.

We acknowledge the financial support of the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council (OAC), Ontario Creates, and the Government of Canada for our publishing activities.

Four logos. One is for the Canada Council for the Arts, one is for the Government of Canada, another is for the Ontario Arts Council and the fourth is for the Ontario Media Development Corporation. The latter two organizations are agencies of the Ontario government.

Mending Fences was first produced at Theatre In Port in Port Dalhousie, Ontario from November 3rd to December 31st 2006 with the following company:

*The music suggested in the stage directions is from the True North CD Speechless by Bruce Cockburn.

True North Records

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Licensing & Royalties

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CHARACTERS

Harry/Harry’s Father

Drew/Young Drew/Young Harry

Gin/Lori/Harry’s Mom

ACT ONE • SCENE 1

Time: The present.

Place: A farmhouse in rural Saskatchewan.

It is a modest farmhouse. The one room contains the living room area and the kitchen. A door leads to the outside S.L. where there is a porch. There is also an exit to the bedrooms and bathroom somewhere in the room.

Music: Cut #1 Foxglove. As the lights come up, a woman, Virginia or ‘GIN’ is onstage. GIN is about 50. She moves to the kitchen and wipes the counter. Then she calls out in the direction of the bedroom.

GIN: Harry, get up! You have to get goin’… Harry?!!

HARRY: (offstage) I’m up. I’m up.

HARRY enters from the bedroom. HARRY is 59. He is doing up his shirt.

Where’d you go? I thought we were gonna make love.

GIN: We did.

HARRY: We did?

GIN: Yeah. Thanks.

HARRY: Sorry. I’m tired. I’m not thinkin’ straight. So, how was it?

GIN: (She speaks in a monotone.) Great. Wonderful. You’re the best.

HARRY: Very funny.

HARRY goes to the fridge and takes out a beer.

GIN: What are you doing?

HARRY: I’m gettin’ a beer.

GIN: You don’t have time for a beer. Your son’s waiting at the train station.

HARRY: Ah, those trains are always late.

GIN: No, you have to go and get him. Go on.

HARRY: All right, I’ll drink it in the truck.

GIN: Oh no you won’t. Give me that.

GIN takes the beer from HARRY.

HARRY: What are you doing?

GIN: You’re not going to meet your son that you haven’t seen in thirteen years with a beer in your hand.

HARRY: Why not? He won’t care.

GIN: Well, I will. Now get going.

HARRY: All right. You sure you don’t want one more quick one before I go?

GIN: Harry, it’s ten o’clock. The train got in a half an hour ago. Besides, I can only take so many quick ones in one night.

HARRY: Was the last one a quick one?

GIN: I’ve had longer farts.

HARRY: Well, like I said, I was tired.

GIN: Maybe we need to try a different approach.

HARRY: A different approach? I think there aren’t but a couple of ways to approach it.

GIN: No, I mean something new. You know, to spice it up. Hot oils maybe.

HARRY: Hot oils? Are we gonna have sex or a fondue?

GIN: Fine. Never mind.

HARRY: I’ll tell you what. I’ll make up for the short one when I get back.

GIN: Yeah, right. With your son here.

HARRY: Well, we’ll be in the other room. He can occupy himself while we wrestle around for ten minutes.

GIN: Harry, you keep up that romantic talk and I swear you’re gonna sweep me off my feet.

HARRY: I do have a knack for it, don’t I?

GIN: Like nobody’s business.

HARRY: Well, maybe you’ll change your mind when I get back.

GIN: No, I’m gonna head home, Harry.

HARRY: What? Why?

GIN: Because. You and your son need to be alone his first night here. You need to get caught up.

HARRY: Caught up. I don’t even know why he’s comin’. I don’t hear from the kid for thirteen years and then out of the blue he says he’s comin’ to see me.

GIN: