Blankets and Bedding
Irene Sankoff and David Hein
[JANICE, spoken]
11:53 am

[COMPANY, spoken]
Tuesday

[JANICE, spoken]
September 11th, 2001
Any available community buildings
Will be converted into shelters
With thousands of passengers arriving at any minute
The town is asking for help with --
Well, anything you can do

[BEULAH]
Crystal, I saw on the news
That they're looking for blankets and bedding
And maybe some food

[CRYSTAL]
Do you know what they need
And how much?
[MARTHA (ACTOR 5)]
I need something to do

[MARTHA, CRYSTAL & BEULAH]
'Cause I can't watch the news anymore

[ANNETTE]
Can I help? Is there something
I need to do something
To keep me from thinking of
All of those scenes on the tube

[CRYSTAL]
I need something to do
'Cause I can't watch the news

[WOMEN]
No, I can't watch the news anymore
In the winter
From the water
Through the wind
If a stranger ends up at your door

[BEULAH]
You get on the horn!
(spoken)
Hello, this is Beulah Davis down at the Academy
I heard we might be getting some guests
And I thought I'd see if I could help whosever in charge of getting the school organized
How many passengers can we take?
Oh, well, we fit about four hundred students --
Yes, we could probably do six hundred
Or sure, seven hundred if we really pack 'em in
When are they coming?
Could be any time now?
Well, I'm glad I phoned

[OZ, spoken]
I get a call from Beulah
Looking for anything seven hundred people
From around the world might need
So, I go down to Shoppers and the manager says
To just take what I want off the shelves
Toothbrushes, floss, mouthwash, deodorant
And I'm back at the school when Beulah says:

[BEULAH, spoken]
You know, those planes probably got some babies on 'em

[OZ, spoken]
So I'm back to Shoppers for diapers
And we're unpacking 'em when Annette says:
[ANNETTE, spoken]
You know, those babies are probably gonna be hungry

[OZ, spoken]
So I'm back to Shoppers for formula and baby food
And when I get back Beulah says:

[BEULAH, spoken]
You know, those planes are probably filled with women of childbearing age

[OZ, spoken]
So...

[BEULAH, spoken]
So I'm back to Shoppers
To pick up as many pads and tampons as they have

[JANICE, spoken]
The Baptist church needs a hand moving their pews
Doctor O'Brien down at the pharmacy
Is ready to fill any prescriptions
Oh, and the Lions Club is looking for some toilet paper
If you have any extra

[ANNETTE]
Medicine

[MARGIE]
Toothpaste

[MARTHA]
Underwear

[BEULAH]
Aspirin

[CRYSTAL & ANNETTE]
Jackets our kids grew out of last summer

[JANICE]
And down at the station
We're taking donations
Out by the door

[WOMEN]
Holy Jesus, there's more!

[ANNETTE]
It's better than being at home alone
Wondering what's really happening

[MARGIE]
Everyone's phoning!

[ANNETTE & BEULAH]
We're setting up rooms in the schools

[MARGIE]
Been crying all afternoon
Wondering what could be done!

[MEN]
What do we need?

[ANNETTE, spoken]
I made a tray of sandwiches

[BEULAH, spoken]
We need fifty more

[ANNETTE, spoken]
Sandwiches?

[BEULAH, spoken]
Trays!

[MEN]
What do we need?

[DWIGHT]
Two hundred gym mats. Is that enough?

[BEULAH, spoken]
You tell me and we'll both know

[MEN]
What do we need?

[JANICE]
For the love of God, stop bringing toilet paper to the Lions Club!

[MEN]
How do you know what you need
When you don't know how many
You're needing to feed
When you don't know how many are staying
How long they are staying
We better start praying the weather stays nice

[WOMEN]
In the winter
From the water
In the winter (Through the wind)
From the water
In the winter (Through the wind)
From the water

[COMPANY]
In the winter (Through the wind)
From the water
If a stranger ends up sent by fate

[ANNETTE, spoken]
Are we gonna be ready?

[BEULAH, spoken]
Well, we have to be. Don't we?
Write the lyrics for a rock song made in 2017, titled "Blankets and Bedding", by artist "Irene Sankoff and David Hein".