John & Sue Discuss Housework

Sue is sitting at a table working hard at her new project. Her tongue sticks out of the corner of her mouth as she colors in the big block letters on the brightly colored posterboard sign that says "No More Laundry". Leaning up against the wall are a dozen more makeshift signs with various slogans against cleaning, dish washing, vacuuming, knob polishing, ironing and dusting.

She hears the front door open and close. "Jane? I'm in the kitchen." she calls, not looking up from her sign. She hears heavy footsteps in the hall treading slowly toward the kitchen. That is not Jane. She thinks as her heart speeds up. She glances around panicked, looking for a hiding place, but knowing in her heart it's too late. She spots the half open pantry door and lunges for it.

"Sue?" his voice seems to reverberate off the cans surrounding her. "Are you in here?" Hufflef in the dark, she doesn't dare to breath, she can hear him moving around the kitchen. "What's this?" he mumbles quietly to himself. She can no longer hold her breath and finally gives in to her desperate need for air. Trying to stay quiet, she gasps. The small sound seems like thunder in the quiet stillness of the kitchen. The footsteps move toward the pantry in time with her heart. He swings open the door to finde her kneeling on the floor.

"What are you doing in here?" he asks

"Oh!" she says looking up, "John, I didn;t know you were home. I was just organising the cans."

"Why are you doing that?" John asks, "They don't need to be organised, that was done last week."

"Oh." she says, "Well, I was just--"

"So tell me," he says, cutting her off, "What are all these signs?"

"Well, you see, I've decided to go on strike." She stands up proudly, holding her head high, daring him to say something.

"What reason on Earth would you have for going on strike? You don't work"

"I'm on strike from housework. These conditions that I am forded to slave in day in and day out are inhumane. I refuse to stay idle while my hard work goes to waste on someone who makes me suffer in such conditions."

John stares at her for a moment, trying to make sense of what she has just said. "Sue," he says "We have a maid."