Ernest Treadwell, for the past forty-nine years, has led a very simple life. He and his wife, Gertrude, a pleasant woman, share a pleasant home in a pleasant neighborhood. She is pleasantly plump, has a pleasant disposition, a rare pleasant smile on a pleasant face and a pleasant but well paying job. As a matter of fact she is so well paid that for the past twenty-four years, all of their marriage, Ernest has not had to work very hard. On the day after their wedding, Ernest accepted the job as the night watchman at the town garbage dump. He has made the rounds of the dump every hour on the hour, every night from nine o’clock in the evening until the last round at five o’clock in the morning. Rain or shine, in sickness and in health he makes his rounds. The finding of an old lamp base before it enters the dump sets into motion his life-long quest to be an artist using ‘found objects’ as a base for his studio: his own art studio. In a bedroom impromptu ‘birthday party’ Gertrude and Ernest confront their future together and decide to begin anew. They decide, after Ernest looses his job and Gertrude retires from her job, to open an art studio/thrift shop for Ernest and a party shop for Gertrude in Ernest’s fathers’ old welding shop. Further discussion brings up the possibility of adopting a child. Eventually they agree to take in three foster children: a boy and two girls.
Cast of Characters:
Ernest Treadwell: 45-49
Gertrude Treadwell: 45-49
Martha 14-16,
Judy 12-14,
Danny 10-12,
Cherry Northrup: 40-45, Social worker, County Foster Home Counselor
(Using your imagination you can create your own outrageous lamp like my Ernest created.)
