1. TRINKETS 1
TRINKETS
a one act play
by
John McKinley
John McKinley
340 Dartmouth Rd
Santa Paula, CA 93060
(805) 708-6469
johnmmckinley@yahoo.com

2. TRINKETS 2
THE STORY: A middle-aged couple, scraping to get by, have their lives turned inside
out by a mysterious lamp that seems to grant wishes, but not in the way they hoped it
might.
THE SETTING: Les and Amelia’s simple apartment during what may be the Great
Depression. There are no modern conveniences but an old percolator coffee pot.
Clothing style is consistent with the era. Men in shirts and ties, coats and hat when
outdoors, women in dresses and shawls.
CHARACTERS:
LES (M, 40’s to 50’s): A kindly and devoted married man.
AMELIA (F, 40’s to 50’s): A weary woman with a shadow of mourning that hangs over
her.
MR. BARKER (M, 30’s to 40’s): A gruff landlord.
BRIDGETTE (F, early 20’s): The dead daughter of Les and Amelia.
Scene 1
Lights Up on a simple, impoverished apartment. Les shines one of many shoes. Amelia,
enters through the front door with a basket of knick knacks. A framed black and white
photo of a girl about twenty years old, Bridgette, is on the wall with a black ribbon over
it.
LES
You were up early this morning.
AMELIA
As I am every trash day.
LES
Not like today.
AMELIA
I was up earlier than usual. Couldn’t sleep. Tossed and turned all night.
LES
I know. Me, too. So, how did it go?
AMELIA
I found some good items. Should bring in a few dollars at the flea market.

3. TRINKETS 3
LES
Mrs. Blore dropped off some sewing, alterations and what not. I told her you would have
them ready for her by Monday. I hope that’s all right.
AMELIA
Is it much work?
LES
Not so bad.
AMELIA
Fine. I’ll do it tonight.
LES
I made coffee. Want some?
AMELIA
Coffee? I thought we’d used the last of it.
LES
I was keeping a bit back… for emergencies.
AMELIA
Are we at that point? Emergencies?
LES
Let me get you a cup.
AMELIA
As time goes on, I feel myself getting tireder and tireder. Don’t you feel it, Les? Don’t
you feel tireder?
LES
Don’t worry your pretty little head. We persevere as we must. No time for being tired.
AMELIA
Surely, you must feel it. Like a weight upon your chest? Your shoulders? It buckles the
knees. I feel it all the time.
LES
Okay, I get tired. Now, enough with that talk. Drink your coffee.
AMELIA
How did we come to this, Les?

4. TRINKETS 4
LES
Amelia—
AMELIA
Me, a scavenger and a seller of trinkets, a seamstress, a laundry woman. You, a shoe
shiner, a handyman, a jack of all trades.
LES
We do what we must to get by.
AMELIA
I feel like I’m sixty-five. How old do I look, Les?
LES
Twenty-three.
AMELIA
You’re full of blarney, you know that?
LES
I feel like I’m twenty three.
AMELIA
What’s happened to us, Les?
LES
This is just the way things are. Relax and enjoy your coffee. You’ll feel better.
AMELIA
I’ll relax, but I doubt I’ll feel better.
LES
Show me what you found. Anything need fixing?
AMELIA
A clock that doesn’t tick and a locket that doesn’t latch.
LES
I’ll take a look at them as soon as I’ve finished these shoes.
AMELIA
Can you believe that it’s been seven years?
LES
We talked about that last night, my dear. Now, please…

5. TRINKETS 5
AMELIA
She would be twenty-eight years old today.
LES
Amelia…
AMELIA
Our sweet little girl.
LES
I’ve packed our lunches. We’ll go to the cemetery soon.
AMELIA
Les, do you think we—
LES
Shush, we did everything we could.
AMELIA
Tough love doesn’t make me happy, or warm….
LES
She made her own choices.
AMELIA
Maybe we didn’t read the signs soon enough. Maybe she was reaching out to us.
LES
We gave her our love and kept the door open. She didn’t come back.
AMELIA
I wish she had come back.
LES
If she had, it would’ve been on our terms, not hers. She wasn’t willing to do that.
AMELIA
Don’t you wish you could change the past? Correct mistakes, avoid danger—
LES
Some things can’t be changed. Don’t blame us for being bad parents, because we
weren’t.
AMELIA
If I could just hold my little Bridgette in my arms once more, and she a little child, I
would keep her from harm forever. I would never let her go.

6. TRINKETS 6
LES
Amelia--
AMELIA
I miss her so much.
LES
As do I.
AMELIA
We didn’t lose her when she died seven years ago. We lost her four years before that.
I’ve mourned her for eleven years.
LES
Those first four years were hoping, not mourning.
AMELIA
They were filled with loss. It felt like mourning to me.
LES
We couldn’t help her unless she wanted it. She wasn’t ready.
AMELIA
I wish she would’ve wanted it… as much as I wanted to help her. As much as I wanted
to give her back her self again. I don’t think, in the end, she even knew who she was. If
she did, she… do you think she killed herself on purpose, Les?
LES
Shush, dear. It was an accident. She didn’t mean to do it. She could’ve always turned to
us. We never gave up on her. She knew that.
AMELIA
I suppose you’re right. But why do things have to be this way?
LES
It’s just the way they are. No sense in trying to make rhyme or reason from it.
AMELIA
I love you, Les. You know that.
LES
And I love you.
AMELIA
The coffee’s good. Thank you.

7. TRINKETS 7
LES
Now, will you show me what you’ve found?
AMELIA
Here’s that old clock I told you about, and the locket. Some tsachkies of one kind or
another, and an old brass oil lamp. I’ll polish it up. Good for scrap if not for decoration.
It looks nice doesn’t it?
LES
Lovely.
A knock at the door. Les and Amelia exchange glances.
AMELIA
He knows I’m here. He saw me when I came up.
Les opens the door and Mr. Barker, the landlord, enters the doorway.
MR. BARKER
Well, looky here. It’s tomorrow already.
LES
Good Morning, Mr. Barker.
MR. BARKER
Don’t ‘good morning’ me, Shoeshine Boy. It’s your day of reckoning. Time to pay up.
AMELIA
Mr. Barker—
MR. BARKER
Don’t tell me. You don’t have it… again.
LES
These are tough times, Mr. Barker.
MR. BARKER
Look, I got a job to do. And when I don’t collect the rent, it makes my job harder. I
don’t want to work that hard, see? You’re lucky I’m a little lazy, because you’re this
close to being put out on the street. Don’t think I won’t do it, either. I’ll be back
tomorrow. And you’re lucky you caught me on a good day. Don’t forget that.
Mr. Barker leaves and Les shuts the door.

8. TRINKETS 8
LES
Another reprieve.
AMELIA
I’m worried. Remember when Mr. Fascenda died? Mrs. Fascenda and her kids were out
on the street the next month.
LES
There weren’t any vacant apartments back then. There are at least four empty ones right
now.
AMELIA
The money from the sewing, and your shoes, and the flea market… I hope that’ll be
enough to cover the rent.
LES
We’ll cover it. I’ve got a bit of money set aside in the lock box.
AMELIA
You’ll fix the clock?
LES
I’ll do my best, and the locket, too.
AMELIA
I’ll polish the lamp.
LES
I’m nearly done with these shoes.
Amelia polishes the lamp.
AMELIA
Mr. Barker is an ogre of a man, don’t you think?
LES
He’s just doing his job.
AMELIA
He could at least have a little compassion. We’re honest, upstanding folk. We’re not
trying to cheat him. Doesn’t he know that?
LES
Deep down, I think he does. It’s just his way.

9. TRINKETS 9
AMELIA
Well, I wish things were different. I wish he was in our place for a change. Maybe he
should struggle a bit more… like us, like many of us. Only if he could walk in our shoes
for a while, that might humble him a bit.
Lights Fade to Black.
Scene 2
Lights Up on same setting as before in continuous action, however, the shoes are no
longer on stage. Instead of Les, Mr. Barker sits, reading the racing form, which covers
his face. A framed black and white photo of a girl about seventeen years old, Anna, is on
the wall.
AMELIA
If only he had to struggle a bit more, I think he would understand. Times are hard
everywhere. People out of work, just scraping to get by, and him with a guaranteed roof
over his head. And really, can you really call what he does work? I mean, you fix half
the things around this building, not him. Sure, he’s the landlord, but would it hurt him to
use a kind word now and then? Treat us tenants with a bit of dignity? You know what
they say, you catch more flies with honey than—
MR. BARKER
(lowering the racing form)
What the hell are you goin on about?
Amelia screams.
MR. BARKER (cont)
Jesus Christ! Can you keep it down? I’m tryin to concentrate here.
AMELIA
What’re you doing here?
MR. BARKER
What does it look like I’m doin? I’m tryin to pick some winners in today’s races.
AMELIA
Where’s Les?
MR. BARKER
Are you feelin all right?

10. TRINKETS 10
AMELIA
Just tell me where Les is.
MR. BARKER
How the hell should I know? But if I were a betting man, and I am, I’d say he’ll be
showin up on our doorstep any minute.
AMELIA
Our doorstep?
MR. BARKER
Doorway, whatever.
AMELIA
Are you… ? Are we… ?
MR. BARKER
Am I, are we, what?
AMELIA
Married?
MR. BARKER
I swear, Amelia, you’re a damn basket case. Here I am, tryin to raise some scratch to
cover the rent and you can’t even leave me in peace. You can’t even fix me a decent
meal. You sit there like a princess surrounded by your junk, blatherin on about God
knows what. You’re certifiable, you know that?
Amelia gathers her strength, a sense of herself, and rises.
AMELIA
What about you! Maybe if we had some groceries, I could make you something decent
to eat! I scrape and scavenge to make ends meet and what do you do? Why don’t you
get a job instead of gambling away our money on the dog races!
Amelia surprises herself with her outburst. Mr. Barker backhands her across the face..
MR. BARKER
Don’t give me no lip. Show some respect, why don’t you. Jobs are hard to come by.
And it’s not like I ain’t been tryin. I gotta do what I gotta do. You understand me?
AMELIA
I’m sorry, Joe. Forgive me. I’m just frustrated, that’s all.

11. TRINKETS 11
MR. BARKER
You and me both.
AMELIA
Joe?
MR. BARKER
Yeah?
AMELIA
Your name’s Joe.
MR. BARKER
I swear to God, Amelia…
Amelia sees the photo on the wall of Anna.
AMELIA
Joe… do we… do we have any children?
MR. BARKER
You serious?
She goes to him and grabs him by the shirt and shakes him.
AMELIA
Please tell me!
Mr. Barker pushes her away and she falls to the floor.
MR. BARKER
You’re headin straight for the sanitarium. You hear me? Ever since Anna died, seven
years, and you’re still—. Pull it together. Get over it. You’re embarrassin yourself.
Amelia sobs.
MR. BARKER (cont)
I’m going to the track. Did you iron my shirt?
Mr. Barker exits into the bedroom.
MR. BARKER (O.S.)
Amelia! My shirt?
AMELIA
On the back of the door!

12. TRINKETS 12
Amelia picks up the polishing cloth and wipes her nose and face with it.
AMELIA (cont)
What’s happening to me?
She spies the lamp and reaches for it slowly. There’s a knock at the front door. Mr.
Barker enters from the bedroom wearing a clean white shirt and tying a tie.
MR. BARKER
What did I tell you? Damn, why can’t I have that kind of luck at the track?
Mr. Barker opens the door, revealing Les.
MR. BARKER
Yeah?
LES
Good morning, Mr. Barker. I think we both know this isn’t purely a social call.
AMELIA
Les!
LES
Hello, Mrs. Barker. Good day to you.
MR. BARKER
We don’t have it.
LES
Now, you’ll remember that yesterday, you told me you would pay your rent today.
MR. BARKER
Well, we don’t have it. Come back tomorrow. I’m goin to the track today.
LES
You have money to wager, but not to pay your rent?
MR. BARKER
I only have half of it.
LES
You know what day of the week this is, right Mr. Barker?

13. TRINKETS 13
MR. BARKER
Yeah. It’s race day. (He grabs his coat and hat.) I can still make it to the track in time
for the second post.
Mr. Barker exits. An awkward pause follows.
LES
Thank you, Mrs. Barker, for that China doll you gave me yesterday, for Bridgette. She
just adores it.
AMELIA
Bridgette?
LES
She named the doll Sally. And the clothes you made were simply delightful.
AMELIA
You said… Bridgette.
LES
My daughter. Are you feeling all right, Mrs.—?
AMELIA
No, I don’t think I am.
LES
Here, sit down.
Les takes Amelia by the hand and guides her to a chair.
LES
Do you want some water or a cup of tea?
AMELIA
We don’t have any more tea… or coffee for that matter.
LES
We have both back at our place. I’ll bring some over for you.
Amelia picks up a small doll’s bonnet from the table.
AMELIA
Here’s a bonnet I made for Bridgette last night, for her doll, for Sally.
LES
Thank you. You’re so good to her. I’m sure she’ll love it.

14. TRINKETS 14
Les puts the bonnet in his shirt pocket.
AMELIA
Les, don’t you know me?
LES
Of course, Mrs. Barker. You’ve lived here for six years.
AMELIA
No. Don’t you really know me?
LES
What do you mean?
AMELIA
Who am I?
LES
Shall I call a doctor?
AMELIA
What sort of woman am I, Les? Tell me.
LES
Well, you’re a kind woman… patient, charitable. You’d share your last loaf of bread
with a hungry stranger.
AMELIA
There’s more, isn’t there? What else?
LES
Well, for a long time I’ve known… and no disrespect… because I find you a dear person.
But… you’re a sad woman. You try to put on your best face, but sometimes the sadness
shows through. (pause) I’m sorry for you, really I am.
AMELIA
Sorry?
LES
For the loss of your daughter. And I know living with him Mr. Barker can’t be easy.
AMELIA
But I’m married to you, Les.

15. TRINKETS 15
LES
Pardon, Mrs. Barker?
AMELIA
Don’t call me that! My name’s Amelia Newman. I’m your wife! I’m Mrs. Leslie
Newman!
LES
Is there any medication—?
AMELIA
Don’t you know me, Les? We love each other. This is our home. You shine shoes. You
fix things. You’re a handyman. I take in laundry and sewing, I scavenge for trinkets to
sell at the flea market. Mr. Barker is our apartment manager!
LES
I’m the manager, Mrs. Barker. And I have a job to do. I’d better go, but I’ll check in on
you later. Promise, I will.
AMELIA
Our daughter, Bridgette, is dead!
A pause.
LES
About the coffee and tea, I’ll drop it off when I come ‘round again.
Les exits and closes the door.
AMELIA
Les, don’t leave me! I need you! You’re my strength. You’re my husband!
(sobbing)
My God, what have I done?
She spies the lamp, wipes her face and nose, and picks it up.
AMELIA (cont)
I must put things right again. If I did it once, I could do it again.
She begins polishing the lamp.
AMELIA (cont)
I wish… I wish everything was back the way it was before.
Lights Fade to Black.

16. TRINKETS 16
Scene 3
Lights Up. Les sits, fixing the clock.
AMELIA
Les! You’re back!
She gives him a hug.
LES
Woah, Amelia! I have little clock parts everywhere!
AMELIA
I love you, Les.
LES
Yes, I can see that.
AMELIA
Do you remember anything that happened before?
LES
Before what?
AMELIA
Just now! You were the apartment manager. Don’t you remember? You offered me tea
and coffee.
LES
I made you coffee this morning, but what’s this about me being the—
AMELIA
I made some doll clothes and gave them to you for… for Bridgette.
LES
Honey, are you feeling all right?
AMELIA
No! I’m not! Why does everyone keep asking me that?

17. TRINKETS 17
LES
I’m sorry, my sweet. Can I make you a bromide?
AMELIA
No, I’m fine now. I’m perfectly fine now because I have you back again.
LES
But I never left.
AMELIA
Yes, you did. It was horrible. Mr. Barker was my husband and he was mean. An ogre.
LES
That’s kind of the way he is.
AMELIA
But he was my husband! I was married to that beast.
LES
You must’ve flashed on a bad dream.
AMELIA
It was no dream! It was real. As real as me standing here right now.
LES
Sit down, my love.
AMELIA
It was the lamp!
LES
What’s the lamp got to do with it?
AMELIA
It granted my wish. Remember when I told you I wished Mr. Barker could be in our
place, so maybe he would understand and have some compassion for us?
LES
I remember.
AMELIA
Well… it happened.
LES
What happened?

18. TRINKETS 18
AMELIA
Mr. Barker was in our place… well, in your place, actually. And you were in his.
LES
Let me guess. He learned compassion for our plight and was a changed man. Sounds
like a Charles Dickens story.
AMELIA
No, he didn’t, and he wasn’t. Mr. Barker was the same as before, if not meaner. But you
were still a wonderful man!
LES
Thank you, my dear, but it’s just not possible. It must’ve either been a very vivid dream
or some kind of delusion.
AMELIA
It was no delusion! Don’t you believe me?
LES
What I do believe, sweetheart, is that you believe it happened, and that concerns me.
This day is stressful, I know. You should get some rest. Later, we’ll go to the cemetery.
AMELIA
Listen to me, Les. When you came to collect the rent, when you were the apartment
manager, I gave you a doll’s bonnet, for Bridgette, for her China doll. You put it in your
shirt pocket, right there.
LES
A doll’s bonnet?
Less reaches into his pocket and pulls out a doll’s bonnet.
AMELIA
Now do you believe?
LES
I… I don’t understand.
AMELIA
You don’t need to. But it’s all the proof you need. It happened. It was real.
LES
Don’t touch that lamp, Amelia. It’s cursed. It’s evil.
AMELIA
How can it be evil?

19. TRINKETS 19
LES
It must be. You asked it for something good, something unselfish, but instead it gave you
something twisted and mean.
She reaches for the lamp.
LES (cont)
No! Don’t touch it!
AMELIA
Don’t you see? If I changed things once, I can do it again.
LES
You don’t know that!
AMELIA
Of course I do. I’ve already done it.
LES
A lamp has three wishes, right? You’ve already used two.
AMELIA
Who says there’s only three wishes? Don’t you see? We can have our Bridgette back
again.
LES
Amelia. Take a deep breath. Let me fix you a cup of tea.
AMELIA
We don’t have any tea.
LES
Listen a minute to what you’re saying.
AMELIA
I know exactly what I’m saying.
LES
Bridgette’s gone. We still hold her near and dear in our hearts and minds.
AMELIA
I want to hold her in my arms.

20. TRINKETS 20
LES
I share your pain, my dear. It’s a wound that never heals, a raw patch of flesh that gets
irritated over and over again. If it were any different, we wouldn’t be human.
AMELIA
I’m tired of hurting, Les. Something inside me is dead. I only want to put back what was
there before, something alive.
LES
You saw what happened before. It turned out all wrong. You shouldn’t mess with this
kind of magic. It’s not right.
AMELIA
Don’t tell me what’s right! What’s right is putting things back the way they should be.
A mistake happened and our Bridgette is dead. I want to fix it!
LES
Amelia, please. Let’s think about this first, okay? You know I want what you want,
right? We’re together on that.
AMELIA
Then put your hand on the lamp. Do it now.
LES
What?
AMELIA
It’s happening.
Les puts his hand on the lamp while Amelia rubs it with the cloth.
AMELIA (cont)
I wish we had our Bridgette back.
Lights Fade to Black.
Scene 4
Lights Up on same setting as before in continuous action. Nothing has apparently
happened.

21. TRINKETS 21
LES
What now?
AMELIA
Bridgette?
LES
Bridgette, dear!
Only silence.
LES
It didn’t work. Maybe you can’t bring back the dead. Maybe it’s a rule.
AMELIA
What rule?
LES
There are always rules to magic. What you can do, what you can’t—
AMELIA
I’m sorry, but I didn’t find the user’s manual lying beside the lamp!
LES
Please, let’s not fight. Let’s put that lamp away. It’s unsettling.
AMELIA
I won’t give up. Not that easy.
LES
I feel a sense of doom, Amelia. Don’t you feel it? Surrounding you? Pressing in? You
don’t know what you’re messing with. It’s some kind of black magic. I told you it was
cursed, didn’t I?
AMELIA
You don’t know that.
LES
Did it give you what you wanted the first time?
AMELIA
All I know is that it changes the way things are. If I just wish hard enough the right
way…
Les grabs the polishing cloth and wraps the lamp up inside.

22. TRINKETS 22
AMELIA
What’re you doing?
LES
I’m hiding it away. I don’t trust it.
AMELIA
I don’t trust you! Give me back my lamp. I found it!
LES
I’ll keep it safe. I just want to put it away.
AMELIA
If you loved me, Les, you wouldn’t do this to me!
LES
When I get back, we’ll go to the cemetery.
AMELIA
My Bridgette’s not dead, do you hear me! She’s not dead!
Les exits. Lights Fade to Black.
Scene 5
Lights Up on same setting as before. Les works on the clock as Amelia enters through
the front door with her basket of treasures.
LES
You’d better hurry if you want to get to get a good place at the flea market. I think I’ve
finally got this clock fixed.
Amelia sits heavily in her chair, looking worn out, expressionless.
LES (cont)
Mrs. Blore picked up the sewing and left you a little something extra. (pause) I counted
the money in the lockbox. We almost have the entire rent without the flea market money.
That’s good news, don’t you think? (pause) Amelia?
Amelia removes a gun from her basket and lets it clunk heavily onto the table.

23. TRINKETS 23
LES
Where did you get that?
AMELIA
It’s loaded.
LES
Amelia, where did it come from?
AMELIA
I was picking out pieces of stained glass from the bottom of a dumpster, and there it was.
It was warm when I picked it up.
LES
Don’t touch it. We need to turn it in to the police.
AMELIA
Don’t you love me anymore Les?
LES
Of course, I love you, Amelia. What kind of talk is that?
AMELIA
Yesterday, you had coffee waiting for me. Today, there’s nothing.
LES
I was waiting for you, my dear. Besides, I’ve been busy with this clock and lost track of
time. I’ll make some for the both of us, hot and fresh.
(pause)
Feeling any better, today?
(pause)
I was thinking that, since we didn’t go to the cemetery yesterday, we could go today,
after the flea market. Mr. Evers owes me for the shoeshine. We can stop by his flower
stall—
AMELIA
I already went.
LES
To the flower stall?
AMELIA
To the cemetery.

24. TRINKETS 24
LES
Without me?
AMELIA
She’s not there anymore.
LES
What?
AMELIA
Bridgette’s grave isn’t there anymore. It’s somebody else now.
LES
You must be mistaken.
AMELIA
I know where my daughter is buried!
LES
Yes, my pet. I thought maybe with all the stress—
AMELIA
I’m not crazy, Les. You act as if I’m crazy.
LES
No, of course not. I don’t think that.
A knock at the door.
LES
There’s Mr. Barker. I’ll get the lockbox.
Les goes to the bedroom while Amelia goes to the door and opens it.
LES (partially off)
After the flea market we’ll straighten out this business at the cemetery.
Amelia has opened the door while Les re-enters with the lockbox.
BRIDGETTE
Cemetery? Who died?
AMELIA
Bridgette!

25. TRINKETS 25
BRIDGETTE
You look like you’ve seen a ghost.
LES
I don’t believe it.
AMELIA
Bridgette? Is it really you?
LES
How—?
BRIDGETTE
--unexpected? Surprise, Mom and Dad.
Amelia hugs Bridgette.
LES
You came back.
BRIDGETTE
Yeah, I know I haven’t come ‘round in a while. You made it pretty clear last time that I
wasn’t welcome around here anymore.
LES
That’s not true!
AMELIA
We love you.
BRIDGETTE
I don’t remember it like that. You hated my friends and didn’t want me around.
LES
You know what it was we didn’t want around, but you were always welcome here.
AMELIA
Sit down, Bridgette. Sit down. I’ll make you a sandwich.
BRIDGETTE
Forget the sandwich. I don’t really have time to stay. I just wanted to let you know,
before long, you’ll be paying your rent to me.
LES
What?

26. TRINKETS 26
BRIDGETTE
I’m going to be the new Mrs. Barker. We’re getting married.
AMELIA
What’s this?
BRIDGETTE
You know Joe and I’ve been seeing each other for a while. He’s going to ask me to
marry him.
AMELIA
No! Bridgette, you can’t! Don’t do it!
BRIDGETTE
I know he’s not perfect, but who is? Anyway, look at it this way, I’ll always have a roof
over my head, won’t I?
LES
You’ll always have a roof over your head right here, with us.
BRIDGETTE
Anyway, Joe sent me to collect the rent, whatever you got.
LES
Tell Mr. Barker if he wants to collect the rent, he can come see me himself. When I have
the full amount later today, I’ll go see him.
BRIDGETTE
He told me to—
LES
Regardless, I’ll only pay Mr. Barker.
BRIDGETTE
I was hoping, Daddy, that maybe you could give us an engagement present.
Amelia picks up the clock and holds it out.
AMELIA
Here you are.
BRIDGETTE
I don’t need a stupid old clock. I was hoping you could give us some cash.

27. TRINKETS 27
AMELIA
You know we have no money.
BRIDGETTE
Daddy’s got the lockbox.
AMELIA
That’s the rent money.
BRIDGETTE
Then give me the rent money. I’ll give it to Joe.
LES
I already told you no.
BRIDGETTE
You hate me.
AMELIA
No, no baby, we don’t.
LES
Show us your arms.
BRIDGETTE
Stay away from me! Don’t touch me!
LES
You would show us your arms if you had nothing to hide.
BRIDGETTE
If you loved me, you’d give me what I need.
AMELIA
All the love you could need or want is yours to have.
BRIDGETTE
I don’t need your love, I need money!
Bridgette picks up the gun and points it at Les.
BRIDGETTE
Give me the lockbox.

28. TRINKETS 28
LES
Don’t be ridiculous, Bridgette. Look what you’re doing. I’m your father. I love you.
Put down that gun.
Mr. Barker enters the doorway.
MR. BARKER
What the hell’s going--? Woah! Never mind. I’ll come back later.
BRIDGETTE
Wait! Joe, I need you.
Les lunges at Bridgette and takes the gun away.
BRIDGETTE
You don’t understand! You’re messing up everything!
LES
Get a hold of yourself, Bridgette. Calm down! Mr. Barker, I want a word with you.
MR. BARKER
Like I said, I’ll come back later. Looks like a family squabble.
AMELIA
Bridgette said you were going to marry her.
MR. BARKER
What? She said that?
LES
Is it true?
MR. BARKER
No. ‘Course not. What the hell?
BRIDGETTE
What about those things you told me?
MR. BARKER
What things?
BRIDGETTE
That you wish I could be yours all the time, twenty-four seven.
MR. BARKER
That’s just pillow talk.

29. TRINKETS 29
BRIDGETTE
You said you loved me.
MR. BARKER
Yeah, well, maybe I did for a minute, but do you think I’m gonna marry a heroin whore?
BRIDGETTE
You’re the one who gives it to me!
MR. BARKER
We have a little business arrangement, is all.
BRIDGETTE
All those nice things you whisper when we’re alone…
MR. BARKER
Wake up, little girl. If you wanna keep comin around now and then, that’s okay, but
we’re not gettin married.
BRIDGETTE
After everything I did for you? Everything you said? You bastard!
Bridgette runs to Mr. Barker and pounds on his chest with her fists. Mr. Barker slaps her
and knocks her to the ground.
MR. BARKER
Don’t give me no lip. Show me some respect, why don’t you. I swear, Bridgette, you’re
a damn basket case. Pull it together. You’re embarrassin’ yourself.
Amelia picks the gun up from the table.
AMELIA
I can’t let this go on.
MR. BARKER
What’re you gonna do? Shoot me?
Amelia fires the gun and Mr. Barker grabs his midsection and staggers backward
through the door. Bridgette screams.
LES
Amelia!
BRIDGETTE
Look what you’ve done!

30. TRINKETS 30
AMELIA
He never would have been good to you.
BRIDGETTE
He was going to marry me!
LES
No, Bridgette. He was never going to marry you.
Amelia drops the gun on the table. Bridgette grabs it and points it at Les.
BRIDGETTE
Give me the money.
LES
Bridgette, dear, put down the gun.
BRIDGETTE
Give me the goddamn money!
LES
What’re you going to do with it?
BRIDGETTE
Just give it to me.
AMELIA
Sweetheart, we love you.
Bridgette puts the gun to her own head.
BRIDGETTE
I’ll shoot myself if you don’t!
AMELIA
No!
BRIDGETTE
(in tears)
Give me the lockbox and I’ll go.
LES
You want it? Take it.

31. TRINKETS 31
Les holds out the lockbox. As Bridgette comes near, Les grabs for the gun. There’s a
struggle and the gun goes off. Les grabs his belly and sinks to the ground. Amelia
screams and goes to Les.
AMELIA
Bridgette, what have you done?
BRIDGETTE
It was an accident, momma. I didn’t mean to. I never wanted—
Bridgette drops the gun, grabs the lockbox and exits through the front door.
AMELIA
Les, talk to me! Say something!
LES
It’s like a dream, isn’t it?
AMELIA.
I’ll get you to a doctor. Can you walk?
LES
I love you, Amelia. I love Bridgette. Together, we’re a family. Apart, we’re…
AMELIA
Les, tell me, where did you hide the lamp?
LES
The lamp?
AMELIA
I can fix everything. Just tell me where you hid the lamp.
Les laughs with difficulty.
AMELIA
What’s so funny?
LES
The lamp…
AMELIA
Yes…
LES
The lamp… was in the lockbox.

32. TRINKETS 32
Amelia looks toward the open doorway, leaves Les where he is, goes to the doorway and
looks out. She screams in despair. Lights Fade to Black.
Scene 6
Lights Up on same setting as Scene 1. Les polishes shoes. Amelia enters through the
front door carrying her basket of treasures.
LES
Good morning, my dear.
AMELIA
And what a morning it’s been.
LES
Sit down. Let me get you a cup of coffee.
AMELIA
I thought I smelled coffee. Wondered if it wasn’t wishful thinking.
LES
Wish no more.
AMELIA
I thought we had used up the last of it.
LES
We did. But this morning—and this is strange—this morning I found a tin of coffee in
the cupboard with a note attached that read, ‘Mrs. Barker, hope you’re feeling better.’
AMELIA
Mrs. Barker? Your right, that is strange. Mr. Barker isn’t married. And what would it
be doing in our cupboard?
LES
You know what’s even more strange? The note looked a lot like my handwriting.
AMELIA
Let’s not look a gift horse in the mouth. How about that cup?

33. TRINKETS 33
LES
Of course, my love. Good advice. Any good finds today?
AMELIA
A brass picture frame, a bit scratched, with a crack in one corner of the glass, a stopwatch
with a broken stem, and a porcelain angel with broken wings, but I found the pieces, with
only the smallest amount of chips missing.
LES
I’ll glue the wings on as soon as I’m done with these shoes. And I can fill in the chips
later. I’ll see what I can do with that stopwatch, too.
AMELIA
No hurry.
LES
Mrs. Blore dropped off some sewing. I told her not to expect it until the middle of next
week. Hope that’s all right.
AMELIA
I’ll have it done by Monday. You know she always pays extra if she gets it sooner.
LES
I packed a lunch for us. Thought we could picnic in the cemetery. It’s been a while.
That is, if you’d like.
AMELIA
What would I do without you, Les?
LES
If you’re lucky, you’ll never need to know.
They hug and enjoy their coffee.
AMELIA
Don’t you feel there’s a hole in our lives?
LES
Absolutely. Torn right down the middle. And nothing could ever fill it up the way it
used to be. Only the love we have for each other—that’s what we need to keep putting
inside.
AMELIA
I should warn you. Mr. Barker saw me coming up. He’ll probably be here any minute.

34. TRINKETS 34
LES
I can handle Mr. Barker.
AMELIA
I love you, Les.
LES
How’s the coffee?
AMELIA
Good. Very good.
Lights Fade to Black.
CURTAIN