TROPHIES A Drama in One Act by William C. Seward March 31, 1998 Copyright 1998 by Bill Seward 1904 Magnolia Dr. Round Rock, TX 78664 (512)255-7564 email bill.seward@usa.net Characters: Paul O'Conner: Sculptor. 43. Sylvia O'Conner: His wife. 42. Hot temper. Lena Samuels: Art teacher. Brick Samuels: Lena's husband. H.S. Football coach. Cheryl Kaminsky: Lena's best friend. Chief Gray: Jenson police chief. Scene: The living room of the Samuels house. A window looks into the front yard. A door leads outside. Another door leads to kitchen/bedrooms. The room is tastefully decorated, but not too expensively. There is a stuffed deer head on the wall, sports trophies, autographed football. There should be at least one painting, fairly good, on the wall. Time: Present day. Spring. Early evening, midweek. Lighting note: There is a mention of "fantasy mode". This is left to the discretion of the lighting designer. I envision a "warmer" mix than usual. At any rate, obviously different from the "normal" scene lighting. (AT RISE:Lena stands at the window looking into the yard, she is tense, frightened, worried. At first she speaks in almost a monotone, as if hypnotized. Cheryl stands beside her, watching both her and what is going on outside. Muffled noises off: Sirens, shouts, crackle of fire, muffled explosions. Reflections of flashing lights, and flickering firelight against early twilight outside.) CHERYL So much smoke for such a small car! LENA The gas tank blew already. And the tires. CHERYL Brick's going to have a coronary. LENA His new driveway is melting. The mailbox is already gone. CHERYL I hope you already got the mail. LENA (Nodding.) I may already be a winner. CHERYL Not today. LENA No. CHERYL It looks like one of those "dream" paintings you do. You want to discuss it? LENA What's to discuss? CHERYL Jesus, girl! A yellow sports car is going up in flames in your front yard. The entire Jenson volunteer fire department is trampling Brick's lawn. The citizens of Jenson, population 930 on a good day, are in your street, and you ask "What's to discuss?" LENA You think people will talk? CHERYL Lena, this is the biggest thing to happen since the grain silo exploded in '53. Will they talk? "Next on Geraldo.....!" LENA (Looking up through the window.) There's a lot of smoke. It just hangs there, like a black fist waiting to... to.... (she turns away.) I don't know. CHERYL Smoke from the tires, I guess. Look, Brick and Chief Gray will be coming in here, you know they will. What will you say? Christ, honey, you haven't even told me anything, what will you tell them? LENA I don't know anything about it. Why ask me? CHERYL (physically turning Lena to window) Lena, look out there. They all know that was Paul's car. No one else drives a yellow sports car. You're his friend. Of course they'll ask you, and Brick is already pissed. LENA (Resigned) You're right. I thought I knew Paul. I never thought he was . . . capable of this. (To herself) How could anyone be capable of this? Why couldn't he just . . . CHERYL Just what? LENA Nothing. CHERYL (Glancing out window) Well, here come Brick and the Chief. I don't think "nothing" is going to cut it. (From off, sound of stamping, feet wiping. Chief's voice.) CHIEF (Off) I think it's about burned itself out now, Brick. Soon it'll be cool enough to check. (BRICK and CHIEF enter from front door. CHIEF seems calm, efficient, BRICK is seething) BRICK Somebody should be looking for that damn artist. I've got damages out there, dammit. He's gonna pay. CHIEF Brick, we have to look at everything. It could have been an accident. BRICK I find that asshole he'll think accident. He'll wish he was still in that fried banana. LENA (To CHIEF) Was Paul... anyone... in it? CHIEF It doesn't look like it. Hard to say. Some of these car fires burn so hot you can't tell a body from a seat cover. (See's Lena's distress) Sorry, Lena, no, no one was seen in the car, but then, nobody noticed much of anything until the fire started. (To Brick) The deputies are looking for O'Conner now. If they find him we'll see what he knows about this. BRICK Keep me posted, and I want to know who's gonna clean up that mess out there. CHIEF Can't help you there. Let us finish looking it over, maybe tomorrow you can start on it. BRICK I guess it'll have to do. CHIEF And for the rest, let us handle it. We'll find out what's going on. Don't worry. Save your energy for that track tournament Saturday. See you folks later. (CHIEF exits, BRICK turns to window and looks out, pointedly turning his back on LENA. There is an uncomfortable beat, then the phone rings, BRICK answers) BRICK Coach Samuels. . . . Hello. . . is anyone there? (Hangs up) Another hangup. Cheryl, I really appreciate you being here, and I know Lena does too but I need to talk to her for a bit. Do you mind? CHERYL No, it's your house. I should be heading home anyway. Call me, either of you, if you need me. LENA Okay, thanks Cheryl. BRICK Yeah, thanks. CHERYL Bye, now. (She exits) BRICK (Pause to be sure CHERYL is gone. Then in a controlled voice.) You want to tell me about it? LENA Cheryl asked the same thing. I don't know what's happening. BRICK That was Cheryl, I'm me. You know, your husband. LENA (Turns to window.) I don't know anything about it. BRICK (Grabs her shoulder, turns her around, holds her with both hands.) Don't give me that. That's your buddy's car out there. That artist. He torched it for some reason. LENA You're hurting me. BRICK (Releasing her.) Excuse me, I'm a bit worked up. My flipping yard is on fire. I put a lot of work in that. All our so-called friends and neighbors are gawking at our house. I haven't done anything to deserve this, it must be you. LENA I haven't done anything. BRICK That guy didn't torch his own car for no reason. I know I'm not an "artist" but that's a little extreme for an argument over paintbrushes. LENA He's a sculptor. BRICK You know what I mean. LENA I don't know anything about it. BRICK I want to know what's been happening. Are you seeing this guy behind my back? LENA (looking away) No. He's just a friend. BRICK A couple of weeks ago you were singing him for a song. Everything was Paul! You expect me to believe that there's nothing between you? Look at me! LENA (Reluctantly almost looking at him.) Nothing. BRICK Well, something sure as hell happened. Look out there. Someone sure got worked up about something. Look out there! This is really happening! This is not one of those crazy dreams of yours. LENA (Turning away) I have to go to class. BRICK (Grabbing her arm) Don't go. Not now. LENA I have to. We don't have substitutes. BRICK I let you teach art, I didn't know you'd spend all your time at the damn school. LENA It's only one night a week. BRICK You can take tonight off. LENA No. These people paid for their classes. BRICK Is "he" going to be there? LENA The police are looking for him. I don't know. BRICK He'd better not be. I'll find out. LENA You're going to check up on me. BRICK I have reason to. LENA Suit yourself, I have to go. We'll talk later. (She gathers her things) BRICK Yes we will. (LENA exits. BRICK exits to kitchen, returns with can of beer, stands at window drinking. As he crushes can, lights go down.) End of Scene 1 Scene 2 (TIME:About an hour later. Outside the windows it is dark.) (AT RISE:BRICK is on sofa drinking beer and watching television, he seems preoccupied, keeps punching buttons on the remote. There is a knock at the door.) BRICK (Turning off T.V., not moving from sofa.) Who is it? CHERYL (Opening door, looking in.) It's me. BRICK (Not looking at her) Lena's not here. CHERYL I know, it's a class night. BRICK If you know, then why . . . CHERYL I wanted to talk to you. BRICK (Looking at her finally.) Oh yeah? CHERYL Well you did ask me to see what I could find out. BRICK Oh, yeah. So tell me, what's happening? CHERYL (Indicating Brick's beer.) Can I have one of those? BRICK You know where they are. CHERYL (Speaking while exiting to kitchen and returning with beer.) Did she have an explanation for what happened today? BRICK Of course not. She said she didn't know. What did she tell you? CHERYL Nothing. She was awfully worried about it though. BRICK Something got that artist awfully worked up for him to set fire to his own car. CHERYL Something? Or someone. BRICK What do you mean? CHERYL Brick, both of you are my friends. Lena is like my own sister, but I don't like what she's doing to you. BRICK That's what I want to know, what she's doing. CHERYL She wouldn't talk to me. Whatever it is, I don't think you're being treated very fairly. BRICK She is not going to make a fool out of me, not here. I won't allow it. CHERYL We've known each other a long time, you deserve better than that. BRICK What do you mean? CHERYL Whatever is going on, she's hiding it. What kind of marriage is that? BRICK Not so hot. CHERYL You're a good man. You've taken care of her. Is this how she repays you? BRICK I'll kill both of them. CHERYL That's not necessary. Just don't let them hurt you anymore. BRICK Doing it is harder than saying it. CHERYL Just look around at what you have. There are others who care about you. BRICK What do you mean? CHERYL C'mon, you're not stupid, you have to know what I'm talking about. Look at me, I'm right here. BRICK You? CHERYL Me. I've always been here, under your nose. I can be everything you want, just give me a chance. BRICK You're Lena's friend. CHERYL I'm yours if you'll have me. She doesn't want you, I do. BRICK Why are you saying all this? CHERYL I've waited as long as I can. I thought you would see a long time ago. BRICK (He turns away) I don't know, Cheryl. This isn't what I wanted for my life. CHERYL (Touching his shoulder.) Open your eyes Brick. Look at what you've got, and what you could have. She's hurting you, don't let it keep happening. We can be so good together. BRICK Cheryl, I . . . CHERYL Hush, don't say anything. (She holds him in her arms, he stands stiffly, then slowly relaxes. He returns her embrace, they kiss.) (Blackout) End Scene 2 Scene 3 (TIME: Nearly midnight. There is no light in the living room except the television. BRICK is lying on the sofa, apparently asleep. LENA opens the outside door and enters quietly. She sees BRICK and pauses, crosses to turn off TV, then stops. Turns, starts to exit quietly to kitchen. Is almost out when BRICK speaks) BRICK I've been waiting. LENA I thought you were asleep. BRICK Too much happening. (He turns on lamp at end table) The Bulls won again. (He drains his beer.) LENA How many of those have you had? BRICK (Glancing at TV, turning it off.) Not enough to make Rupaul look good. What took so long? Class was out at ten. LENA It takes time to straighten up, get everyone out, lock up, drive home. You know that. BRICK I'm not sure I know anything anymore. A lot of surprises lately. LENA Well, anyway, everyone wanted to stand around and talk about . . . what happened. BRICK Yeah. Hard to get away with anything in a small town. I always liked that before. You always knew pretty much where you stood. LENA So, where do you stand? BRICK I'm where I want to be, doing what I want to do. I thought you wanted to be here too. Do you? LENA Yes . . . I do. BRICK Do you? I wonder. Nothing is what it seems to be today. For once I don't know where I stand, and I don't like it. Are you leaving me? LENA . . . No. BRICK I don't know what's happened. I don't think I want to know. I just want everything to stay like it was. I love you Lena. LENA I . . . love you too, Brick. BRICK What's happening to us? LENA I don't know. BRICK What is it? Something I don't do for you? Something I can change? What? LENA It's not you, Brick, it's me. BRICK There must be something we can do to make things right again. LENA Everything is all right. Really! BRICK What about that artist? LENA No one's seen him. BRICK You know what I meant. LENA There's nothing else to say. He's just a friend. BRICK Not much of one, to do all of this to us. Not much of a gentleman either. LENA I don't know what's going on, I wish everyone would just stop asking me. BRICK Come on. You two are the dynamic duo. Half of the community school program revolves around you. That makes you the authority on Paul O'Conner. I don't like it, but that's how it is. LENA Well, they can stop asking me. BRICK What about his wife? LENA Somebody saw her hanging around the studios tonight. BRICK Maybe I should talk to her. LENA Go ahead. I'm going to bed. BRICK Yeah, it's late. Go ahead. LENA Aren't you coming? BRICK I'll be there later, I'm going for a walk. I need to think. Besides, I'm not sure you want me there. LENA You decide, I'm tired. Good night. BRICK Lena? We had something good. I don't want to lose it. Okay? LENA Okay. Good night. (She exits to bedroom. BRICK watches her leave.) (Lights fade to dark.) (End Scene 3) Scene 4 (TIME: Next day, mid-morning..) (AT RISE: LENA is alone. Listening to '70s music on the stereo. She is trying to dust, but is preoccupied. When a particular song comes on,(enough bars that we can recognize it later) she abruptly turns off the stereo. The phone rings, startling her.) LENA Hello? . . . Who's there? (Listens, says nothing,then gently puts the phone down. She continues her motions. The doorbell rings, she is startled even more and answers it.) LENA Yes? SYLVIA I'm glad you're home. LENA (Warily.) Oh, . . .Sylvia. Come in. SYLVIA (Entering, she is brisk, cold) Where is he? LENA Who? SYLVIA You know. Is he here? LENA You mean Paul? Why would he be here? SYLVIA I'm not stupid. He loves you, he has for years. That's why he left me. LENA That's not what he . . . well, he said. . . SYLVIA Yes? LENA Of course, we're friends. We talk . . .sometimes. SYLVIA About art, I suppose. LENA Art and . . . other things. SYLVIA I can imagine. Tell me, why should he talk to you and not me? LENA Why don't you ask him? SYLVIA (Firmly) Because no one has seen him lately. He hasn't spoken to me or our friends. That leaves you. Are you going with him? LENA Going where? SYLVIA Wherever runaway husbands and their bimbos run away to. LENA I'm no one's "bimbo". I'm not going anywhere, with Paul or anyone, and I haven't seen him. I have a husband, and a life. Paul would have to be crazy to come here. SYLVIA Bingo, so did he? Where is he? LENA I tell you I don't know. He didn't teach last night. SYLVIA I know, I was waiting outside. He can't hide forever. And you can't hide what you're up to. LENA There's nothing to hide. SYLVIA Didn't yesterday teach you anything? LENA Yesterday? SYLVIA The car? LENA What do you know about that? SYLVIA Everybody knows. You can't hide anything in a small town, certainly not a burning sports car. LENA Would Paul really burn that car? Maybe someone else did. Who? SYLVIA You're right, Paul loves that car more than anything, maybe even more than he thinks he loves you. If someone wanted to hurt him that would do it. Or maybe dear Paul just wanted to make a statement. He likes romantic statements. Buying that car was one. Pathetic isn't it? LENA Did you do it? Burn his car? SYLVIA Me? Of course not. Or did I? I'm not really sure anymore. You see, my whole world has crashed around me. There are blank spots. Worse are the looks everyone gives me. LENA Sylvia, I . . . SYLVIA I don't want to hear anymore. I thought once you were a friend. I've got no one now. LENA Have you talked to your counselor? I know another one that . . . SYLVIA Counselors! They think Paul is so reasonable and intelligent. They think it's all my fault. I can see it in their eyes. Well, I'm not the one that's crazy. LENA I didn't say . . . SYLVIA (Crossing to outside door.) I'm not crazy. And you two are not going to wreck my life. LENA I'm not . . SYLVIA You are both going to suffer as much as I have. (SYLVIA exits. LENA watches out the window. PAUL enters quietly from kitchen, looks at her for a moment then speaks.) PAUL That's quite a mess out there. I suppose Brick's pissed. LENA Paul! PAUL What did my soon-to-be-ex want? LENA What do you expect? She's looking for you. Everyone else is too. PAUL Everyone but you. LENA (Resigned) I knew you'd be back. PAUL Pretty pitiful, huh? LENA Don't be so hard on yourself. PAUL I'm sure Brick would argue with you. LENA What were you trying to prove with the car? PAUL I thought you did it. LENA You thought I would burn your car in my front yard? PAUL I didn't say it made sense. Nothing else has. LENA Are you saying you didn't do it? PAUL I just heard about it. I've been gone since Sunday. Since just after you told me it was over. Everything pretty much went to hell from there. LENA Why? You knew it was impossible from the start. It was time to end it. It's better for both of us. Don't you know that? PAUL It's the way I am, the last of the romantics, remember? LENA Why couldn't you just let it go? PAUL I told you I would love you forever. LENA But you've lost everything. PAUL Nothing I might have lost hurts nearly as much as losing you. LENA But your family, your job . . . your car. PAUL I tell you I'm not responsible for the car. LENA Oh right! PAUL I wish I were. I really felt like making some big dramatic statement. But that? I couldn't draw attention to you that way, destroy any last hope for an "us". LENA There is no hope. There never was. PAUL There has to be. It's all I have left. LENA I didn't tell you to leave Sylvia, your family. PAUL No, she told me to. LENA You saw a counselor, why couldn't you just take her advice? PAUL How do you know she didn't advise me to leave? LENA Did she? PAUL Counselors never give advice. She wanted to me to decide what was best for me. LENA Like torching the car? PAUL Do you think I could do any of this? Hurt you like this? LENA I hurt you. PAUL I still love you. It's all I have. LENA I don't think I know you anymore. PAUL We used to read each other's minds. LENA I can't anymore. PAUL Can't or won't? LENA I won't let myself. PAUL You were my best friend. LENA I can't be there for you. PAUL Friends give friends the benefit of the doubt. LENA I can't. (Pause, 2 beats) PAUL Call it quits with him. LENA We've been all through this. PAUL How can you stay with someone who doesn't respect what you do? I couldn't. I didn't. LENA I can't just give up everything. I did that once, I promised I'd never do it again. PAUL He uses people, he hurts people. LENA He loves me. PAUL He doesn't love you, he owns you. You're his trophy, but he doesn't even notice you. Like that deer. He killed it, hung it's head on the wall, but someone else has to keep it clean. LENA I love him. PAUL You fear him. He reminds you of your father, and he treats you the same way. What does he give you? LENA Everything. PAUL Respect? Understanding? Appreciation? You went to that faculty party last week. LENA Yes. PAUL Did he dance with you? LENA No. PAUL Did he take your arm and tell you how beautiful you were? LENA . . . No. PAUL He spent the entire time with the coaching staff didn't he? LENA It's his job. PAUL Was he proud of you? Did he even look at you? LENA It's difficult for him. PAUL How difficult is it to like someone you love? LENA Were you that way with Sylvia? PAUL Always. Until . . . . LENA Until me? PAUL I was going to say until she quit wanting that. LENA But I wanted that. PAUL We all do. You have a right to be treated that way. You deserve it. LENA It's not always that easy. PAUL It should be. LENA It's easy for you, not for everyone. PAUL As easy as ending us? LENA It wasn't easy. I still can't believe you care so much. PAUL Believe. LENA Where did you go Sunday . . . after? PAUL I drove West until I ran out of gas. That's the last time I saw the car. Honest. LENA What did you do? PAUL Caught a bus, kept going. Looked for trouble. LENA Trouble? PAUL I was eating breakfast somewhere. I felt watched. Some tough looking kids were eying me. Somehow I knew that they were waiting to follow me outside so they could rob me. LENA What happened? PAUL I finished eating. I didn't look at them again, didn't particularly ignore them either, just didn't care. LENA Then? PAUL I paid and left. Waited on a corner. They followed me. A patrol car passed, they left. I wished they hadn't. I felt like hitting someone, anyone. I didn't even care about myself. I even thought about suicide. LENA That's so stupid. Think about Megan. PAUL What about her? LENA How would she feel if anything happened to you? PAUL She has her mom. LENA You're her father. That's very special. PAUL I had you, that was very special. LENA You never had me. PAUL (Points to heart) Here I had you, from the first time I saw you, the first time I kissed you, held you. There was "us". LENA I had to get involved with an artist. You "feel" too much, "see" too much. I never promised you anything. PAUL No, you didn't. All the promises were mine. You were very careful that way. The look in your eyes was all the promise I needed. LENA (Thoughtfully) It was just a few weeks, how could it mean so much? PAUL All my life I've wanted someone to be everything you were to me, and there you were. LENA I'm sorry. I can't be that person. PAUL It's not something you have to do. You already are, to me. We were like two halves of the same being. You said it yourself. LENA I was wrong. PAUL How? LENA I must have been. (The doorbell rings, LENA looks out the window.) That's Chief Gray, you'd better hide. PAUL Why. LENA Just do it for me, okay? (PAUL looks at her for a beat, then exits through kitchen door. LENA composes herself and opens the outside door.) Hello, Chief Gray. Is something wrong? CHIEF No. I just wanted you to know that we're all through with the car. Brick can have it towed off. Or, Paul O'Connor can have it back if he still wants it. LENA Has he . . . has anyone seen him. CHIEF Not yet. He'll turn up though. There's probably a simple explanation to all this, there usually is. You'd better hope Brick doesn't see him first. He was really upset. That temper of his is sure something. I don't have to tell you though, do I? LENA No. CHIEF I remember the time we played Haley in the district play- offs, he and Elmer Winter got drunk and . . .well, I'd better not go any further. Lodge secrets, you know. LENA I suppose you're right. CHIEF Pass the word to him about the car, and let us know if you need anything else. LENA I will. Come back soon. (CHIEF exits) PAUL (Re-entering) I don't think he would ever get re-elected if he wasn't related to everyone in town. LENA I thought you were gone. PAUL I had to stay and see how the dragnet was progressing. LENA How long can you hide? PAUL I'm not hiding, in fact as soon as I leave here I think I'll visit Chief Gray and let him know I'm still around. LENA You won't tell him about . . . PAUL Us? What if I threatened to, blackmailed you? LENA Would you do that? PAUL No, that's not how I want you. I don't want to destroy whatever chance there may ever be. LENA So what will you say? PAUL I just went through a divorce. I'm middle aged crazy, that's all the excuse I need. Will you be all right? I worry about you, you know. LENA That's hard to believe, that you would still think about me. PAUL Think about you? How about every time I see a car like yours. Every road we ever drove on reminds me of you, and that's every road around here. Every place we ever talked about going, every thing we ever wanted to do. Every Barry Manilow song, every love song. Christ, every minute of every day I think about you. LENA But you can't. PAUL I can, and I do. And I know you still care about me. LENA No. PAUL You won't let yourself think about it, but you do. LENA You never stop hoping, do you? PAUL Never. LENA (Fondly) You're a loon. PAUL And alone. I'll see myself out. (He starts toward kitchen door.) LENA Wait. . .will you tell anyone about . . us? PAUL You said there wasn't an "us". . . Don't worry, nobody needs to know. I'm still your friend. LENA I told you a lot of things I never told anyone, not even Brick. PAUL I won't tell. But I think that should indicate something. LENA If you did tell I would be ruined. PAUL Don't worry, there's enough talk around. I'll let you know what happens. (He exits. Is gone before LENA speaks.) LENA Goodbye. (She seems to want to say more, but there is a knock on the front door. LENA crosses to open it. Before she can get there, CHERYL opens it and sticks her head in.) LENA Oh . . . hi, Cheryl. CHERYL I heard voices, you talking to yourself? LENA No. It was . . the radio . . one of those talk shows. I turned it off. CHERYL (Looking around suspiciously) I thought you only listened to music. Oldies and such. LENA There was nothing else on. Did you need something? CHERYL No, just came by to see how you were. LENA Everything's okay. CHERYL Heard from Paul? LENA (Pause) No. Should I? CHERYL You tell me, you have his "fried banana". LENA Sylvia came by. CHERYL Sylvia came here? What did she want? LENA Same as everyone else, I guess. She was looking for Paul. CHERYL What did you tell her? LENA There was nothing to tell. She wouldn't believe me. CHERYL I heard she make a scene at the school last week. LENA Yes. CHERYL She just doesn't give up, does she? LENA The breakup was pretty sudden. CHERYL I wonder, the last straw. Was it another woman, you think? LENA Paul wouldn't . . .never told me. CHERYL They seem so different. I never understood how they got together. Maybe now Paul can find someone more on his wavelength. LENA Maybe. CHERYL He's not bad looking, and intelligent. A good catch for the right woman. LENA I suppose. CHERYL How's Brick taking all this? LENA He's still pretty upset. CHERYL Who can blame him? LENA Whose side are you on? CHERYL Well, yours of course, it's just that he's your husband, so naturally he's jealous. LENA There's nothing to be jealous of. CHERYL Really? Sorry, Lena, but it just doesn't look that way. Everyone is talking about what happened yesterday. LENA It's nobody else's business. CHERYL It's a small town, everybody makes it their business. It's your fault everyone is talking. LENA My fault? CHERYL Sure. You won't talk about it, not even to me. When there's a mystery everyone makes up their own story to fit the facts. They even make up the facts. LENA There's nothing I can do about that. CHERYL You can tell me what's happening. I'm your best friend. Trust me. LENA Can I? I wonder. Anyway, I can't talk about it, even if I wanted to. I promised. CHERYL Promised? Your marriage is going down the tubes. I thought maybe you wanted to save it. LENA It'll be all right. It has to be. CHERYl There's no reason for me to stick around then. Call me when you need something! LENA Cheryl, I'm sorry! (CHERYL exits) Damn! Am I driving everyone away? (A single knock at the door. It opens slowly. CHERYL looks in.) CHERYL I'm sorry, Lena. That was childish of me. LENA It's not your fault. CHERYL It bothered me to know that we kept secrets from each other. LENA Not all secrets are ours to share. CHERYL I know. I forgot for a moment. Forgive me" LENA There's nothing to forgive. (The phone rings) Hello? . . . Oh, hi Chief Gray. . . He did? . . . What did he say about it? . . .Well I'm glad you found him. . . Sylvia? Your kidding. Are you sure? . . . Why would she? . . . That's terrible. . . Okay, thanks for calling, I'll tell Brick. Bye. . . .I will, thanks again. (She hangs up, turns to CHERYL) That was the Chief. CHERYL What happened, did Brick . . ? LENA No, it's Paul, they found him. CHERYL Where was he? Why did he . . LENA Apparently he walked into the station and asked for the chief. He had decided to go away for a while, ran out of gas and left the car. He just got back, didn't know anything about it. CHERYL What was that about Sylvia? LENA That's the weird part. She confessed to Paul and the Chief. She was following him, saw him leave the car. Her sister helped her bring it back. She burned it to hurt Paul. CHERYL In your yard? LENA I was the last one he talked to before he left. She saw him here. She was mad at everyone, I guess. CHERYL I know Ruth, Sylvia's sister. I'll call her. Sylvia probably needs someone now. Did they arrest her? LENA Not yet. Maybe Brick won't press charges. CHERYL Maybe not. I'll go make that call. Will you be all right? LENA Yeah, sure, go ahead. See you later? CHERYL Of course. Still friends? LENA Sure. (CHERYL exits, LENA moves to look out window.) Paul, Sylvia, all of us. Isn't there any way everyone can be happy? (Lights dim momentarily, rise to fantasy mode, BRICK comes in through front door.) BRICK I'm home. LENA (Moves to him, hugs him, acts loving and attentive) It's good to see you honey, you look tired, sit down. How was your day? BRICK About the same. The Patton boy looks like a good bet for the hundred. LENA That's wonderful! Are you hungry? Dinner's ready. BRICK Starved. Did you get the mail? LENA No. Why don't you get it while I set the table? BRICK Okay. (He exits, LENA moves back to the window, looks out in same position as before, lights dim then come back up, still in fantasy mode. PAUL enters from front door with flowers, she turns to him, they kiss. Their song is playing, the same one she turned off earlier. They dance a bit, the song ends. She seems young and in love.) PAUL It's wonderful to see you, I missed you. LENA Silly, you just saw me. PAUL It doesn't matter, it was too long. Do you know you are beautiful? LENA I think you are prejudiced. PAUL I mean it, you're incredible. LENA (Laughing) And you're a loon. (A new song begins, she moves easily into his arms. They dance across the floor towards the kitchen.) PAUL I've been thinking. We could add some more classes at the studio. And we should have a show together. LENA Mmmm. . . . (They dance out the kitchen door, with little pause, BRICK and LENA dance back in through the same door. She is radiant.) BRICK I love your hair. LENA I hoped you would. I wanted something different. BRICK It looks wonderful. Especially tonight of all nights. Happy anniversary. LENA You remembered! BRICK How could I forget the most incredible day of my life. LENA "To love and cherish." BRICK Every day. (They dance a bit in silence.) I almost forgot, the champagne, in the car it's getting warm. We're celebrating. (He exits, LENA moves to the window to watch him. Lights dim, return to normal. The front door opens slowly, PAUL enters again. LENA turns to him, they stand a bit apart.) PAUL I just wanted to tell you I'm leaving. LENA What do you mean? PAUL I got another job, teaching, in the city. I'll get an apartment. LENA What about your family? PAUL It's not so far, I'll have Megan sometimes, maybe all the time if Sylvia will let me. LENA I'm sorry all this happened. PAUL Don't be, I'm not. Well, maybe some of it. At least now I'll be out of your life. LENA I hope it all works out for you. You deserve it. What's the school like? PAUL It's Alpine Arts School. Really nice studio, big budget. LENA Sounds wonderful, I'm happy for you. PAUL I'd rather you were happy with me. LENA You'll see. Before you know it I'll be a pleasant memory. Think of all the young artists you can romance. PAUL You think so? LENA I hope so, for your sake. PAUL I'll always love you. LENA Yes. (Blackout) End of Play