ACT I
SCENE I
(Stage Left. A dimly lit interrogation room. A single light bulb hangs from the ceiling lighting up a table and two chairs. There are no windows and a single door. On one wall is a large mirror. Does not change.)
(The door swings open and CONSTABLE SERIOUS marches in dragging CARL BENSON by his shirt. Constable Serious pulls out a chair and shoves Carl Benson into the chair. Constable Serious marches out of the room. The door slams shut behind him.Carl sits there dazed for a moment. He stands from his chair and walks over to the door, jiggles the handle.)
CARL BENSON: What is going on? Why am I here? (Carl turns and paces the room a few times.) I am the principal of St. James High School. I demand that you let me go.
(The door opens again. Constable Serious walks in and drops a file on the table. He pulls out the chair and sits down. He doesn't speak. He crosses his arms and stares at Carl Benson.)
CARL BENSON: Why have you brought me here? (Carl places his hands on the table.) What have I done wrong? I demand to know why I am here. I am the principal of a high school and school started twenty minutes ago. I need to get to work. I have things to do. (Carl smacks his hands down.) Are you going to say anything? Or are you just going to sit there and say nothing? If your not going to speak I am going to leave.
CONSTABLE SERIOUS: Go ahead, leave. (Serious leans back in his chair. Carl glances at the door and walks towards it. Serious sticks out his leg and Carl trips over it.) Careful now. Wouldn't want to hurt yourself.
CARL BENSON: What are you getting at?
CONSTABLE SERIOUS: Nothing. You can leave if you want but that would be a mistake.
CARL BENSON: Would it?
CONSTABLE SERIOUS: You tell me.
(Carl looks to the door. Moves to sit down at the table.)
CONSTABLE SERIOUS: Good choice.
CARL BENSON: Why am I here?
CONSTABLE SERIOUS: You tell me.
CARL BENSON: I don't know.
CONSTABLE SERIOUS: Yes. You do.
CARL BENSON: No, I don't. You don't you tell me.
(Serious falls silent.)
CARL BENSON: I have never done anything wrong. I shouldn't be in here and you shouldn't have dragged me in here the way you did. (A beat.) Not only do I demand an explanation but I want an apology for the way you have treated me. (A beat.) Why won't you answer me?
CONSTABLE SERIOUS: You know what you have done wrong, I am waiting for you to explain.
CARL BENSON: What? I haven't done anything wrong. I am a model citizen. (A beat.) I-I am a good man. I haven't done anything. Just let me go. Please.
CONSTABLE SERIOUS: Aren't all criminals good men before they commit the crime.
CARL BENSON: What?
CONSTABLE SERIOUS: A man is a good man before he kills someone, is he not? Or how about a rapist; before he was a rapist he was good man. Everyone is a good person until they do something wrong.
CARL BENSON: But I haven't done anything wrong. I haven't killed someone, or-r raped anyone.
CONSTABLE SERIOUS: No you didn't.
CARL BENSON: Then why am I here?
CONSTABLE SERIOUS: You know why.
CARL BENSON: No I don't.
(Serious stands and walks around the table. Pulls out Carl's chair.)
CONSTABLE SERIOUS: (Yelling) We all know what you have done wrong. I know. My chief knows. And by now your wife knows. So why don't you just confess and tell me the truth.
CARL BENSON: I-I-I don't know what to say.
CONSTABLE SERIOUS: Start at the beginning.
CARL BENSON: Well it was at a coffee shop. (He gets up) The same one I go to everyday before work. (Walk stage right, neaten self. Lights down stage left, lights up stage right.) She was there. (Acting as he speaks.) We ran into each other, literally. I couldn't help myself. She was beautiful. So beautiful.
(Stage right, lights up. A small cafe. Square tables with two or three chairs. People sit at the tables with coffee and they are talking. A large bench with a case sits at the back and there is a line for coffee.)
(Snap to scene.)
CARL BENSON: Oh, I am so sorry.
LINDSAY HUNTER: That's alright. I should have gotten out of the way.
CARL BENSON: No I should have looked where I was going.
LINDSAY HUNTER: Maybe it's both our fault.
CARL BENSON: No, I won't accept that. And for knocking into you allow me to buy you a coffee.
LINDSAY HUNTER: Can't say no to that.
(Carl Benson walks back to the counter and orders another coffee for Lindsay Hunter.)
CARL BENSON: Do you take sugar?
LINDSAY HUNTER: Yes, two.
CARL BENSON: Right.
(The two take a seat at the centre table.)
LINDSAY HUNTER: I'm Lindsay, Lindsay Hunter.
CARL BENSON: It's a pleasure, Lindsay.
LINDSAY HUNTER: And your name?
CARL BENSON: Oh! Right. Yes. Carl Benson.
LINDSAY HUNTER: It's a pleasure to meet you as well.
(The two sit awkwardly for a moment.)
LINDSAY HUNTER: Do you come here often?
CARL BENSON: Yes, every morning on my way to work.
LINDSAY HUNTER: Part of your morning routine?
CARL BENSON: Yes, yes. I like my morning routine.
LINDSAY HUNTER: Am I interrupting it by sitting down with you?
CARL BENSON: No, not at all. I sit here for as long as I can in the morning.
LINDSAY HUNTER: You don't like your job.
CARL BENSON: (sighs heavily) It's not that. I do like my job. Children these days drive me insane. They get sent to my office for the most ridiculous things.
LINDSAY HUNTER: So you work with children?
CARL BENSON: Yes. I am the principal of St. James High School.
LINDSAY HUNTER: Oh wow. A man of power.
CARL BENSON: Not really. The children are the only ones who fear me.
LINDSAY HUNTER: I think you deserve their respect not their fear.
CARL BENSON: Yes. Many other teachers say the same thing but when you aren't feared the children don't listen. Sometimes its better to be feared than ridiculed.
LINDSAY HUNTER: A better thing to think about is do you prefer to have people around you or be alone?
CARL BENSON: I wouldn't be alone. I have my wife.
LINDSAY HUNTER: Just because you have a wife doesn't mean you aren't lonely. (Lindsay checks her watch.) I am sorry but I have to get to work. Thank you for the coffee Mr. Benson.
CARL BENSON: It was my pleasure Miss. Lindsay.
LINDSAY HUNTER: Till next time.
CARL BENSON: I didn't think I would ever see her again after that. She surprised me. (Stands and walks stage left. Stage right lights down, stage left lights up.) No one had ever spoken to me like that before. And I thought that it wasn't possible that a woman like that would even talk to me again.
(Serious is standing, leaning against the large mirror observing Carl.)854Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt3jivUtBVW
(Snap to scene)
CONSTABLE SERIOUS: She sounds like an interesting woman.
CARL BENSON: Oh she is. (Sits down again.) She challenged me like no other woman had before. It made me feel young again.
CONSTABLE SERIOUS: Is that what it was all for? To feel young?
CARL BENSON: No! It wasn't like that at all.
CONSTABLE SERIOUS: Then what was it about?
CARL BENSON: I don't really know.
CONSTABLE SERIOUS: Sure you do. Think about it.
CARL BENSON: Maybe it was because for the first time in twenty years I felt like someone treated me as an equal and not their superior.
CONSTABLE SERIOUS: Did you see her again? Was she apart of all this.
CARL BENSON: Yes. Of course she was. She started all this.
CONSTABLE SERIOUS: So you blame her.
CARL BENSON: No. (He gets up, walks stage right.) This is my fault. (Lights down stage left, lights up stage right. Acting as he walks.) I should have stopped.
(Stage right, lights up. A nice hotel room. A large queen bed sits in the centre. Two small side tables sit on either side of the bed. There is a couch facing the audience. A dressing table to the left. Beside that is a small fridge.)
(Snap to scene. Lindsay sits on the bed, wrapped in a dressing gown. Carl knocks at the door and she opens the door in-wards. On the door is the number, 204, and a do not disturb sign hanging from the handle. In steps Carl.)
LINDSAY HUNTER: It is a pleasure to see you again Mr. Benson.
CARL BENSON: You too Miss. Hunter.
LINDSAY HUNTER: How have you been?
CARL BENSON: Well, thank you. Yourself.
LINDSAY HUNTER: I have been okay.
CARL BENSON: Only okay?
LINDSAY HUNTER: I have had a lot of things on my mind.
CARL BENSON: Perhaps I can help.
LINDSAY HUNTER: You're the only one who can.
CARL BENSON: Well it's a good thing I am here.
LINDSAY HUNTER: Yes. It is.
(Lindsay picks up a glass and opens the fridge. She pours a glass of scotch and hands it to Carl.)
CARL BENSON: Oh. Thank you.
LINDSAY HUNTER: I figured you would be a scotch man.
CARL BENSON: Well you figured right.
LINDSAY HUNTER: I'm right about most things.
CARL BENSON: What are we doing here, Miss. Hunter.
LINDSAY HUNTER: Lindsay, please.
CARL BENSON: Lindsay.
LINDSAY HUNTER: We are here because for the past few weeks I haven't been able to keep you out of my head. (Lindsay steps so close to Carl so that their chests are touching.) You have kept me awake at night. I have kept going back to that cafe just so that I can see you.
CARL BENSON: I'm flattered but, I'm married.
LINDSAY HUNTER: Your wife doesn't concern me. And I am sure she doesn't concern you.
CARL BENSON: I care about my wife very much.
LINDSAY HUNTER: Care but you don't love her. It is clear from the conversations that we have had that you don't love her and she bores you.
CARL BENSON: My wife is not boring. She is a wonderful companion.
LINDSAY HUNTER: Just lousy in the sack.
CARL BENSON: That is none of your business.
LINDSAY HUNTER: Which means I'm right. Let me show you how amazing sex can be.854Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyvf83Dqf4I
(Lindsay unbuttons Carl's shirt.)
CONSTABLE SERIOUS: (Stage left, lights up.) Enough!
(Lindsay freezes in position. Carl looks up and over to Serious.)854Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGATseyfi8m
CARL BENSON: But you said that you wanted to know...
CONSTABLE SERIOUS: Okay, just...continue.
(Stage left, lights down. Lindsay unfreezes.)
CARL BENSON: No, Miss Hunter. I'm a married man.
LINDSAY HUNTER: Forget about your wife. She doesn't exist. Not here. (Lindsay pulls Carl's tie off and walks behind him, she ties the tie around his eyes.) No one but you and I.
CARL BENSON: But, I-I...
LINDSAY HUNTER: Shh. Relax.
(Lindsay pushes Carl onto the bed. She climbs on top of him and kisses him. Carl rolls them over so he is on top.)
CONSTABLE SERIOUS: Enough! Enough! I don't want the details.854Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdMXPQeijA5
(Stage left, lights up. Lindsay freezes. Carl gets up, buttons his shirt, puts on his tie and suit jacket while walking stage left. All lights down.)
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