Alexandra：Excuse me, officer Can you help me?

Policeman：Sure.

Alexandra：Can you tell me how to get to Linden

Street, in Riverdale?

Policeman：“Richard  Stewart,46  Linden  Street,

Riverdale, New York.”You should take the number 1subway.

Alexandra：Is there a station near here?

Policeman：Yes. The station's that way. You should take the

number 1 train to Van Cortlandt Park.

Alexandra：Number 1 train to Van Cortlandt Park. Thank you.

Policeman：Anytime.  Good luck. Remember, the number 1 train.

The uptown platform .

Alexandra：Thank you.

Policeman：You're welcome.

Customer：Is this pink too bright for me?

Marilyn：Mmm-hmm. It is a very bright pink. Try this.

It's size eight.

Customer：But  wear size ten.

Marilyn：How about green?  It's size ten.

Customer：Let me  try it on .

Customer：I'm taking too much of your time.

Marilyn：It's six o'clock , Where's my husband? I was expecting

him here at five forty-five.

Customer：Don't worry. The traffic is very heavy at this hour.

Marilyn：I know. But we're going to be late for dinner.

Customer：I'll take this green sweater, I like the color on me, don't you?

Marilyn：think it looks terrific on you.

A little later. Richard rushes into the boutique.

Richard：I'm sorry I'm so late. I had a really bad day.

Marilyn：It's ten after six. We're late. Robbie's cooking tonight, and

dinner's at six thirty.

Richard：I know. I know. I'm really sorry. I left my bag of film on the

ferry.  I went back for it, but the ferry was gone. I lost a whole day's work.

Marilyn：I'll call the Staten Island Ferry lost-and-found office.

Richard：I didn't think of that. Thanks.

Marilyn：Hello. Yes. The number, please, of the Staten Island Ferry

lostand-found office. Five five five… zero eight zero eight. Thank you.

Richard：I really appreciate it, Marilyn.

Marilyn：Hello. Did anyone find a camera bag this afternoon, a small

canvas bag, on the J. F. Kennedy Ferry?  No? Maybe someone will find it.

The name is Stewart, Richard Stewart. And the telephone number is five five

five…three oh nine oh. Thank you.Sorry, Richard. They don't have it.

Richard：Thanks, anyway.There was a girl on the ferry. Now maybe…

Marilyn：Tell me about it on the way home.

ACTⅠ

 

On a ferryboat in New York Harbor. We can see the Statue of Liberty.

Richard Stewart, 30, is taking pictures.

Richard：Excuse me. ¹ My name is ² Richard Stewart  I'm a photographer³.

May I ⁴ take a picture of you and your little boy?

Mrs. Vann：What's it for? ⁵

Richard：It's for a book.

Mrs. Vann：You're writing a book?

Richard：It's a book of pictures ⁶. I call it Family Album, U.S.A.

Mrs. Vann：Oh, that's a nice idea Well, it's fine if you take our picture.

I'm Martha vann. [She offers her hand.]⁷

Richard：Thank you. I appreciate your help. ⁸ [to the little boy]I'm ⁹ Richard.

What's your name?

Gerald：Gerald.

Richard：How old are you, Gerald?

Gerald：Five.

Richard：And where do you live?

Mrs. Vann：We live in  California¹⁰.

Richard：Well, welcome to New York.¹¹ OK, just a second. ¹²

[He takes out a reflector ¹³ to have more light for his photographs.] I'm almost ready here.

[Alexandra, a sixteen-year-old girl, is watching.]

Alexandra：Can I help you?

Richard：Oh, please. [He gives her the reflector to hold.

Then he speaks to Mrs. Vann and her son.] Hold Gerald's hand, please.

Great! Now point¹⁴ to the buildings. Terrific! ¹⁵ Give Mommy a kiss, ¹⁶ Gerald. 

Nice! Thank you, Gerald. And  thank  you, Mrs. Vann.

Mrs. Vann：Oh, my pleasure ¹⁷ We'll be looking for your book.¹⁸

Richard：Thank you. Good-bye.Bye,¹⁹ Gerald.[to Alexandra]Thanks ²⁰ again.

Alexandra：Oh, you're welcome ^21.

Richard：Hey, ²² let me take your picture!

Alexandra：Wonderful.  Please.

Richard：Are you from New York?

Alexandra：No, I'm from Greece²³. I'm an exchange student^24.

Richard：When did you come here?

Alexandra：Three months ago.

Richard：Your English is very good.

Alexandra：Thanks. ²⁵ I studied English in school. [They sit on a bench.]

Richard：Would you like some coffee?

Alexandra：No, thank you. Tell me about your book.

Richard：Oh, it's not finished yet, but I have some of the pictures. Would you like to see them?

Alexandra：Yes. I'd like that.

Richard：Here they are. ²⁶[He opens his bag and takes out a photo album²⁷.]

Family Album,  U.S.A. It's an album of pictures of the United States：

the cities, the special places, and the people. [He shows her the photos.]

And these are pictures of people working：steelworkers, ²⁸ bankers,²⁹ police,

street vendors, ³⁰ ambulance drivers,³¹ doctors… Oh, this is my father. He's a doctor. This is my mother.

“It's an album of pictures of the United States.”

Alexandra：What's her name?

Richard：Ellen. My younger brother, Robbie. He goes to high school.

This is my sister Susan. She works for a toy³²  company.   Here's my grandfather.

He lives in Florida. And this is my wife Marilyn.

Alexandra：Oh, she's very pretty.

Richard：Thanks. ³³ And what about³⁴ your family?

Alexandra：They are in Thessaloniki. That's a large city in northern Greece.

But now I'm living in the Bronx^35.

Richard：With a Greek-American family?

Alexandra：No. Hispanic. ³⁶

Richard：[He hears  a  foghorn.] Oh  no! It's  five thirty³⁷. Will you excuse me?

I have to meet my wife.

Alexandra：It was nice meeting you.³⁸

Richard：It was a pleasure meeting you,³⁹ too. Thanks for your help.

And good luck! I've got to go. ⁴⁰ By the way, ⁴¹ I'm Richard. What's your name?

Alexandra：Alexandra.

Richard：Bye-bye, Alexandra. Thanks.

Alexandra：Bye-bye. [Richard hurries off the boat. 

Alexandra  sees that he forgot one of his bags. She takes it and begins to follow him.]

Richard! Richard! You left your bag!

In an art gallery¹ in New York City. Mr. Carlson, the publisher

of Richard Stewart's book, Family Album, U.S.A., is preparing

an exhibit² of Richard's photographs. Mr. Carlson is telling Tom,

his young assistant, where to place one of Richard's photos.

Carlson：A little further³ to the right, Tom.

Tom：Is this OK?

Carlson：Good What do you think, Richard?

Richard：I like it there.

Carlson：It's the first thing people will see when they come in.

It sets the tone⁴ for the whole show. The next thing they'll see

is this enlargement⁵ with the words Family Album, U. S. A.

Richard：I can't believe this is really happening!⁶

Carlson：You've earned it.⁷Years of work went into these pictures.

Richard：I know, but it's still a dream come true⁸.

Carlson：Well, remember, we're not sure what the critics⁹ are going

to write about your show yet. And you never know what the man

from the Now York Times is going to say about it.

Richard：Are you worried?

Carlson：I always worry. The reviews¹⁰ of this show are important

for the sales of your book.

Richard：When do we see the reviews?

Carlson：Soon One of the critics is coming over this morning for a

preview¹¹. I hope he's i a good mood.

Richard：So do I.