Guest in  the House

or

Soliloquy Confession of a Polish School Cleaner that Pigeons Once Shat on

(A door slams. A woman, alone now, holds a metal bin and a black bin bag)

Hello. I want to introduce myself. My name is Marta Tomesz. I in very big trouble. I work here the Remington High School since three months when I leave my home town Krakow in my mother land Poland. I cleaner in department of Modern Foreign Languages and English. I always work hard. Is interesting job and pay is good. I take two pounds and ninety pence for the hour. Is better now than when I sell flowers in Rynek Glowny and pigeons shit on me. I practise to speak English with teachers here every day when children is go home. Now is half to six and teachers is go too so I talking to myself to make English better.

(Marta tips the contents into the bag)

These teachers they throw away so many papers. It should go recycle bin. I very hungry now when I see papers of biscuits and bar of Mars, banana skin and bag of tea. Anyway Mrs Martin always she speak to me and complain of life but I not understand why woman with nice boyfriend and white Ford car and own house not happy. She say teachers soon go strike because Unions of National Teacher decide pay is no good. She say classes too big. She say boys and girls no respect teachers. She say work too hard and take many hours. I still not understand because many peoples in Poland have no job and no house. I not tell Mrs Martin I live now in small room of house in prostitute district with seventeen people, three dogs, two cats and bird in cage.

(Marta lines the bin with a plastic bag)

There is famous English singer with funny face and strange guitar who wash windows and see many strange and funny things. I tell you I too learn much when I speaking to teachers and when I cleaning classrooms. Some things very funny and make me laugh and I speak with Jans and Jarek and they pissing themselves. Problem is some things I wish I not know like what I shall do now. Shall I go to Policja to speak of what I know or shall I pretend I not see?

(She squirts cleaning cream onto a dirty grey desk and starts scrubbing ferociously)

This boy who sit here he always say Spanish is shit and he draw picture of squirting penis. Girl behind she love same boy for three days and then change mind. Other boy at back of class maybe he like to garden: he always draw leaf on table. I think Polish boys and girls not treat tables so bad but I not clean school in Krakow. I sell flowers and pigeon shit on me. Now is not birds who make poo but English peoples. Childrens drop jogurt from big height near steps and put feet on bread sandwiches and pink ham.

(Moves to another desk. Steps on chewing gum)

Coorva! Coorva! Coorva! I hate this chewy gum. Is how I feel some time in England. I want escape and go home to Poland but my feet not move.

(Pulls foot away. Takes out a can, sprays onto the gum and walks away)

This is good thing, I come back soon and scrape gum. Is like magic spray. Anyway I tell about what I find yesterday. It make me scare. Is much badder than when I find Dramas and Music teachers making sex in cupboard. Is more bad than time I see dinners lady put twenty pound in the pocket of she apron. Maybe is badder than suicides letter I see on desk of assistants head teacher. Coorva! I in very bad position. Let me talk and think and makes up the mind what to do.

(A three note melody. Marta takes out her mobile and goes to the back of the classroom to get a signal)

Who is sending me text? Ah it is my friend Nelka from our house. She come from Przemysl near Ukraine and now she put the vegetables in box in big factory in England. Her job not so interesting but she not listen good and learn thing like me. Is say in Poland guest in house see more in hour than host in year. I know is truth.

So this little problem. Yesterday I am going in staffroom where other cleaners is having drinks of coffee and illegal cigarettes. They is laughing loud but when I go in door they stop to laugh and all go out of door very quick. I ask me why they hate me. Then I find they forget very bad pieces of papers on table. First is picture of me with Nazi swastika and knife go in my heart. I angry and fright. Second is letter to heads teacher from all cleaners say I steal cleanings materials and they say I trying to have sex with fifteen year old boy. On table is also letter cleaners send to bad nationalist people saying Polish peoples taking English jobs and should go back to own country or be liquidate. I think of mother of my mother who killed by Nazis in Oswieczim because she Jewish. Is still many racist peoples in world and make me very sad. I not know. Should I go home to Krakow and sell flowers and let pigeons shit on me? Or should I stay here where shit is harder and pay is better but go to Policja and fight for…. Sprawiedliwość- I not know in English- because is many lies told about Polish peoples? Maybe I come back here tomorrow to clean and when boys and girls is gone and teachers is home in big houses, maybe my mind is then deciding to take charge. As I learn in Proverbs lesson in Poland: a guest in the house is like God in the house.

©Cre8ivation