GORDON
(getting a little peevish; refills kettle and puts it on stove)
It's perfectly absurd not having any pantry to keep the icebox in. In here, the heat of the stove melts the ice right away. (Goes back to icebox and slams its doors shut.) Of course, she never keeps the doors properly closed. (He returns to sink and resumes dishwashing.) It's a funny thing.
LAURA
What is?
GORDON
Why, that a presumably intelligent coon can't understand the doors of an icebox are meant to be kept tight shut, to save ice. What does she suppose those little clamps are for? (Laura is silent. There is a pause, while Gordon scrapes portions of food off the soiled plates. He examines some of these plates rather carefully, and picks out several large pieces of meat, lettuce, butter, etc. which he puts on one plate at one side. Then he seems to resume his good humor and relights his pipe.) Well, it's jolly to have both the grandmothers here together, isn't it?
LAURA
Gordon, dear, put the silver away in the sideboard before it gets wet again. (He gathers up silver from the table in front of her and exit L. Laura steps outside door R, and returns, bringing garbage can, which she puts down by the sink. She begins to wash dishes, and sees the plate of odds and ends which Gordon has carefully put to one side. She scrapes its contents into the garbage pail. While she is washings Gordon enter, L.)