13: A People Puzzle

Janet’s Living Room in her apartment with a couch in the center and the entrance behind her. The picture of the Cornucopia puzzle hangs on the backwall –three ears of corn stand on the table below it in a decorative fashion. The puzzle has been framed and matted. She watches Pinocchio on television and she is crying. The telephone rings.

Janet: (answering) Yeah. . .come on up. (She pushes the button on the phone.)

Michael: (entering awhile later) Hey.

Janet: Michael!

Michael: What’s wrong?

Janet: Nothing. This movie makes me sad.

Michael: I’m sorry.

Janet: It’s okay. I’ll be okay. I’m so glad that you are here.

Michael: Me too. We have to talk.

Janet: What about?

Michael: Our wedding.

Janet: Of course.

Michael: I think we should move in together.

Janet: You do?

Michael: Yeah. I do.

Janet: Paula told me that my apartment wouldn’t be free anymore, so that might be a good idea.

Michael: Your apartment is free?

Janet: Yeah, I don’t know why.

Michael: Oh. Well we’ll have to talk to Paula about that.

Janet: What about where you live? What about your roommate?

Michael: What about him?

Janet: I’ve never met him. I’ve never been there.

Michael: That’s okay. Don’t worry about it.

Janet: But I do worry.

Michael: He’s not worth meeting. He’s kind of a bad guy. The apartment is always a mess.

Janet: Kind of?

Michael: No, not kind of. He is. Don’t worry about it.

The telephone rings.

Michael: Are you expecting someone?

Janet: No. I’m not. (She answers) Oh. . .hello! Yeah, I’ll buzz you up. (to Michael) It’s Paula!

Michael: Really? I just ran into her at the restaurant Roberto’s Uncle.

Janet: What were you doing there? I thought you said you had errands to run.

Michael: I know, but I might buy a car from this guy I know.

Janet: Oh.

Paula enters with her son, Frederick, who is not happy.

Frederick: I said, How long?

Paula: Shhhh! Janet! Come here!

They hug.

Michael: Hi, Paula. How are you?

Paula: Just great, Michael. Just great. I thought I should let you know that I don’t know what you were thinking about, but I wouldn’t buy a car from that man.

Michael: What?

Paula: Fred and I just came from dinner and that man you were with stayed at the restaurant quite sometime making such a racket. He kept drumming on the tables and singing really loudly. I think they were on the verge of kicking him out of the place.

Michael: Oh. Good to know. He seemed really pushy.

Janet: You don’t want to buy a car from a pushy person.

Michael: No. No. I don’t. So Paula, what brings you to this neck of the woods?

Frederick: What happened to her eye? What about his face?

Paula: We can talk about it later. Oh you know, I just wanted to stop in and see Janet.

Fred: How long-

Paula: Fred, just watch the movie.

Janet: It’s Pinocchio. It’s one of my favorites. I feel so bad that he wishes to be a real boy.

Fred: It’s a dumb movie.

Paula: Fred! Stop that. He’s being really bad this evening.

Michael: (noticing puzzle) Janet, is this the puzzle that Carol gave you yesterday?

Paula: Carol gave you that puzzle yesterday? Was it already put together?

Michael: No. She put it together herself.

Janet: I like puzzles.

Fred: I think they are dumb.

Paula: Stop saying dumb, Frederick. I mean it. Let us visit in peace.

Janet: Does anybody want anything to drink?

Paula: I’m fine, thank you.

Fred: I want some soda.

Paula: You don’t need any soda. He’s fine.

Michael: Do you have a beer, Janet?

Paula and Janet look at each other.

Janet: No, I don’t.

Michael: Oh. That’s cool. I’m fine then.

Paula: Michael, Janet can’t have beer here. It’s part of the lease in the subsidy.

Michael: Oh, no problem.

Paula: You didn’t know that?

Michael: No, I also don’t really get it since Janet’s an adult.

Paula: Yes, but-

Janet: But Michael I’m special- you know that.

Paula: Yes, you do.

Michael: I do. I do. I’m sorry. It’s not a big deal.

Janet: But can I have beer for Michael, when Michael moves in?

Paula: Michael, is moving in?

Janet: We were just talking about it.

Michael: Before you arrived.

Paula: Oh. Well Janet that is going to change everything for your state subsidy. I bet you’ll have to pay full rent then.

Michael: I have a job.

Paula: You are a volunteer firefighter? Is that all?

Michael: No, I do some work for my father.

Paula: Who is your father? Does he live in town?

Michael: Yeah. Yeah he does. Janet, can I get a glass of water?

Fred: I want one too!

Paula: Michael, since you are moving in, could you get some water? There is something that I would like to speak to Janet about in private.

Michael: Sure. Sure.

Paula: Fred, go with him.

Fred: Geez, fine, just when it’s getting interesting.

Michael and Fred exit to the kitchen.

Janet: Please don’t say anything about the corn.

Paula: Did you steal those three ears over there and put them in your backpack?

Janet: Steal? What do you mean?

Paula: Did you take those three ears of corn over there or did Carol give them to you?

Janet: I took them.

Paula: Why?

Janet: I wanted them for decoration to go with my puzzle.

Paula: Did you pay for them? I saw them in your backpack this morning.

Janet: No, I didn’t.

Paula: You do know that stealing is wrong.

Janet: Yes. I do.

Paula: Janet, I have figured out a puzzle and I’m not sure if I like the picture that I see.

Janet: What puzzle?

Paula: Well it’s not a puzzle with pieces, but it’s a puzzle with people.

Janet: A people puzzle?

Paula: Yes. Janet, when you lived at the home growing up, do you remember Shirley Johnson?

Janet: Yeah, I didn’t like her at all.

Paula: Do you remember how you used to share a room with her until things got moved around?

Janet: Yes.

Paula: Shirley’s things were always going missing. Was it you that was taking them?

Janet: What things?

Paula: Barrettes, hair ties, that horse statue. . .those things never turned up.

Janet: I didn’t take them.

Paula: Come here.

Janet: Why?

Paula: Please.

Janet goes over to Paula. Paula takes her wrist.

Paula: Your pulse is racing. Are you lying to me?

Janet: No. Okay. So I took some barrettes. I wanted them. She wouldn’t let me have them.

Paula: They were hers. Janet, I’m very disappointed in you. I think you should return those ears to Carol.

Janet: You said yourself that she is stealing from me.

Paula: What do you mean?

Janet: I know that Carol doesn’t pay me enough. I could hear the whole thing.

Paula: Still that doesn’t give you the right to steal from her.

Michael and Frederick return with waters for everybody.

Janet: Let’s not talk about this anymore.

Paula: That’s fine. But I think you understand that I have figured out the puzzle. I hope you’ll do the right thing.

Janet: Puzzle? Where are the pieces?

Paula: The events are the pieces. When things don’t add up, you think about how they can or how they will. If something doesn’t make sense to you, you should try to make it make sense. Make a picture out of it in your mind. Make the people, the events, the strange occurrences the pieces. . .

Janet: Yeah, I could do that.

Michael: Uh oh. Looks like we’re going to have a genius on our hands before too long. (Michael laughs)

Paula: Well, Janet, I’m just going to phone your father in the next couple of days and if anything further in this development-

Michael: What do you mean?

Paula: Further in this matrimonial development-

Janet: What’s matri-

Paula: Wedding. Let me know. Keep me posted. I still do take care of Janet.

Michael: I think it’s time I moved in on that.

Paula: In on that or in to this place to live?

Michael: We’ll see.

Paula: Michael. You are being rather hasty, don’t you think?

Michael: My lease is up. Soon we will be together for the rest of our- well- lives. I don’t think it could hurt. . .

Paula: Maybe you want to have a meeting with Mr. Windhover and me?

Michael: Do you own her?

Paula: Well, of course, not.

Michael: Then stop acting like it.

Janet: Michael. Don’t be mean to Paula. Please.

Michael: I’m sorry.

Paula: I don’t see why you are getting so defensive.

Michael: You are being really quite hostile towards me. I don’t know what I have done.

Paula: I’m just very busy with my job and I care about Janet more than anything in the world.

Frederick: What about me?

Paula: You too. I care about you too. I just wouldn’t want anything to happen to her.

Michael: Neither would I.

Paula: Well, we should exchange phone numbers. At least that.

Michael: What for?

Paula: To get in touch with each other in case of an emergency.

Michael: There isn’t going to be any emergency.

Janet: Michael. Paula’s my friend.

Michael: Your friend. Not your mother. You are a big girl now.

Janet: I know.

Paula: Well we should be in touch, Michael. Don’t you think?

Michael: I love Janet. I do Ms. Pluckston.

Paula: I understand, you think I’m moving in on your territory, but I just want to be precautious about Janet’s welfare. This is a delicate situation.

Michael: There I agree. Okay, want my phone number? Here it is.

Paula: (searching in purse) Let me get a pen. Okay. What is it?

Michael: 555-4565.

Paula: Got it. Thank you Michael. Mine is.

Michael: That’s fine. I don’t need yours.

Paula: We should be in touch. Trust me.

Suddenly there is a loud crash. Frederick has somehow knocked the cornucopia picture off of the wall. It shatters.

Paula: Frederick!

Janet: My puzzle!

Michael: Let me clean it up. Somebody’ll get hurt.

Paula: I’m so embarrassed. Janet, I’m so sorry.

Janet: It’s okay. I can get another frame from the drug store.

Paula: You apologize to Janet. Right now!

Frederick: I’m sorry I broke your picture.

Janet: It’s okay. I forgive you.

Paula: Here. Janet. Here. Let me give you some money for a new frame.

Janet: That’s okay. I can get anoth-

Michael: Janet, take the money.

Silence. Paula hands over some cash.

Paula: I’m really quite embarrassed and I have to get this obnoxious brat to bed, so I think I’m gonna go. Please you two. Let me in on anything, any developments about your wedding. I want to be here to help. Please. And Janet. . .please don’t forget what I said about everything . . .puzzles etc.

Janet: I won’t.

Michael: Have a good night, Ms. Pluckston.

Paula: Paula, please.

Michael: I would feel strange calling you Paula.

Paula: Please do. Don’t worry about it.

Michael: But I do. Have a good night.

Paula: Say good-night, Frederick.

Frederick: Good-night, Frederick.

Paula: Oh, I tell ya. Thanks for the water.

Janet: No problem.

Paula: I’ll give you a call very soon.

Janet: Good.

Paula: Good night you two! See ya.

Paula and Frederick exit.

Michael: I don’t know about your friend, Paula.

Janet: What do you mean?

Michael: She’s strange. . . Trying to tell me I can’t move in here.

Janet: She’s just looking out for me. We should let her know.

Michael: Well we can call her in a few days once I move all my stuff in.

Janet: You are moving in now?

Michael: I don’t see why not tonight.

Janet: I’m so excited. But what about Paula?

Michael: What about her?

Janet: She doesn’t think it’s a good idea? Why?

Michael: I don’t know. She’s a busy body.

Janet: Yes, she’s very busy. She takes care of a lot of people.

Michael: Maybe somebody needs to take care of her. . .and her son.