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Synopsis
Scene One
Liddie Morrow, an attractive, troubled woman, seeks refuge in her special place – a green bit of her family’s Central Illinois farm. She’s recently back from a long, mysterious and seemingly painful disappearance. Gene, a young farmer and Liddie’s longtime love, finds her; their conversation is tense with unanswered questions.
Scene Two
In the Busy Bee Café, four farmers, Liddie’s father Ben (who recently suffered a stroke), and a smart aleck waitress named Franny tease, joke and lament about the life of a farmer.
Scene Three
During a conversation between Liddie and her mom, Esther, Liddie refuses to reveal why she disappeared – or why she’s back. Liddie’s brother Larry, a Chicago real estate developer, is attempting to sell the family farm, which has been in the Morrow family for generations. What are his motives, and is it what his parents want? Liddie takes off. Ben and Esther discuss, in a good-natured way, the pro’s and con’s of their old family farmhouse.
Scene Four
Larry, along with Darleen, his gum snapping, city gal wife, arrive at the farm and describe their very different views about it. Liddie and Larry confront each other with the unfinished business that lies between siblings. Later, Liddie and Gene talk. There are still feelings between them but also, beneath the surface, so many unanswered questions.
Scene Five
Esther calls Ben while she and Liddie are at the café; he tries to answer the phone but is suffering a mild stroke.
Scene Six
The family gathers around Ben’s hospital bed. A strong disagreement ensues –Larry, who has power of attorney for the property, has sold the Morrow family homestead. Liddie explodes. Esther wonders where she and Ben will live now.
Scene Seven
Darleen bursts angrily into the Busy Bee Cafe. At first, Darleen is full of bluster and sarcasm but the warm-heartedness and good humor of the denizens of the Busy Bee Café cause her to open up and confess that she and Larry have problems of their own. Darleen comes to feel more at home with these women than she has felt in a long time.
Scene Eight
Gene is alone in the cafe. Liddie enters and reveals that after she ran off to New York City she discovered she was pregnant with Gene’s baby. Alone in her apartment, Liddie lost the baby and sank into depression and helplessness. At last, Gene understands.
Scene Nine
At the farmhouse, Ben talks with Larry about the sale and Larry’s sincere regret that the farmhouse will be lost. Esther and Ben reminisce while packing up.
Scene Ten
Liddie has decided to stay and has taken a job as a high school English teacher. She tells Gene that she wants to buy back the farmhouse so that Ben and Esther can stay on. Gene reveals that he’s the buyer of the farm; since the Morrow land is contiguous with his own farmland, this was a good business decision. He wants Ben and Esther to stay in their home and he can use Ben’s help farming. Gene and Liddie head off to the farmhouse to share the good news
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Title Information
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Approximate Runtime (hh:mm)
1:20
Number of Acts
1
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