From “Mary Courage & Her Children”
Just before an important vote to extend funding the war against the Arabs, Senators Coward and Apollo visit defense lobbyist Mary Courage and her son, Neppo, in her Washington office. The topic of the upcoming fundraiser is broached.
COWARD
If you’re looking for someone helpful, there’s no one in Washington as generous as Mary Courage.
MARY COURAGE
Oh, he’s such a flatterer.
COWARD
In fact, in two days she’s holding a very high-dollar, charity fundraiser.
APOLLO
Oh really? For children?
MARY COURAGE
Probably. Hard to say at this point. In a way, I hope not.
NEPPO
It’s a fundraiser to help rebuild houses we’ll destroy.
APOLLO
For families we’ve displaced? That does seem like a good cause.
NEPPO
No, families we’re going to displace.
APOLLO
What?
MARY COURAGE
What’s done up to this point, well, it was done in an act of war. Can you really be apologetic for a few missed targets here, a few stray bombs there during the heat of battle, when our boys’ lives were hanging in the balance? Paying to rebuild what’s been destroyed is like saying we made a mistake to go in there in the first place. But, when you’re fighting to keep the peace, you don’t want an innocent family to suffer when someone accidentally blows up their home, now, do you?
APOLLO
Isn’t it a little premature to have a fundraiser like this when the military funding bill hasn’t passed the Senate yet?
MARY COURAGE
Apollo, I don’t know if that bill will pass or it won’t pass. It doesn’t matter to me; I just like helping people. If that money doesn’t go to the future rebuilding of lives overseas, I’m sure it will go to something just as worthy.
COWARD
Mary’s a real humanitarian.
MARY COURAGE
Oh, now stop. I don’t do it for any kind of reward. Just seeing the looks on the faces of people we helped as I watch the satellite surveillance video is reward enough for me.
