16: An Old Encounter Again

The Executive Offices at the Goode Candy Company. Alfred’s office. Alfred sits doing a paddle ball –the ball attached to a rubber band attached to a paddle which with rapid, steady hand motion you can repeatedly hit the ball and never lose it. A buzzer.

Alfred: (still paddling) Yes?

Cindy: (on the buzzer) Michael is going to-

Michael enters.

Michael: Hello, father.

Alfred: Hello.

Cindy: (through the door) I told him to wait. I said, your father needs time.

Alfred: Don’t worry about it. Thank you, Cindy.

Cindy: You’re welcome.

Michael closes the door.

Alfred: I never imagined I’d see you again.

Michael: Still lying to yourself, Dad?

Alfred: I won’t dignify that my boy. I won’t. You must want something. With that nasty cut, I'd expect plastic surgery.

Michael: No. I came to admit to you that I know somehow God knows I know that you were the one to send me that money at my last apartment. A 100 dollars a week.

Alfred: I don’t know what you’re talking about.

Michael: The cool collected nature. This is your lying face.

Alfred: You think you have me so pegged down, Michael, well you’re wrong.

Michael: Same old ancient paddle ball. Same old young, flirtatious secretary.

Alfred: God damn it. (Alfred gets up and pushes Michael into the wall. A picture falls.)

Cindy: (off) You guys okay in there?

Alfred: Fine.

Michael: We’re fine.
Cindy: Oh. Okay.

Alfred: Listen punk. Did you come here because you wanted something or because you came to ridicule me?

Michael: Same manner. Ha. I should have known.

Alfred: Get to the point, before I boot you on out of here.

Michael: Well. . .I have more than just money to ask you for.

Alfred: I let you have adolescence the way that you wanted it. What else do you need?

Michael: You fucking kicked me out. You didn’t let me have anything.

Alfred: I didn’t do no such thing.

Michael: Fuck you, Dad. You did too. She made you do it.

Alfred: She didn’t make me do anything. Quit being such an asshole.

Michael: You still haven’t lost it, have ya, dad. For an old fart, you are still kicking, scheming, paddling. . .

Alfred: No, I haven’t.

Michael: I need you to pull some strings. Get me accepted to Yale.

Alfred: What?

Michael: I don’t need to actually go, but I need to have some sort of record on file there.

Alfred: What do you think I am?

Michael: Made of money. Just get me a file. It’s my girlfriend’s dad. He has some sort of clout there. He went there.

Alfred: I don’t care.

Michael: You haven’t given me anything. You haven’t. And you killed my mother.

Alfred: Get out of here. Get out. I don’t ever want to see you again.

Michael: Thanks for a wasted life, asshole.

Alfred: Oh, and Mikey?

Michael: What?

Alfred: Don’t come back to the house again. Judy’ll kill you. I’m not kidding.

Michael: I believe it. Thanks for the tip.

Alfred: Take care of yourself.

Michael: I’ll try. (He exits.)

Alfred stops paddling and throws the paddle ball to the ground and it bounces off of the desk. He tries to collect himself, but tears well up. The buzzer.

Cindy: Freddie? Clara is here to see you. (pause) Freddie, are you there?

Alfred: Send her in.

Clara: (entering) Mr. Andreas, you don’t look well.

Alfred: I don’t feel well.

Clara: You wanted to see me?

Alfred: Yes, well. I-

Clara: You want me to come back?

Alfred: Yes.

Clara: Get that tail out from between your legs, Mr. Andreas. I would be glad to.

Alfred: Great. Can you start tonight?

Clara: But when you fired me, I got hired by another family.

Alfred: Oh.

Clara: The Windhovers. They are really nasty people. The wife and husband always fight. And the husband is British. Mexicans hate the British.

Alfred: So do most Americans. Anyhow. . .what will it take for me to get you away from there?

Clara: Pay me more than they pay me.

Alfred: How much do they pay?

Clara: Oh you know. A little above standard.

Alfred: Do you live with them?

Clara: Oh yes, Mr. Andreas. I do.

Alfred: Hmmm. Do you have the number for Mr. Windhover?

Clara: Dr. It’s Doctor.

Alfred: Oh. Well do you?

Clara: Yes.

Alfred: May I have it please?

Clara: I just don’t want you to jeopardize my job there and then in the end I have no job.

Alfred: I understand. I won’t do that.

Clara: Buono, Mr. Andreas.

Alfred: Give me there number.

Clara: Here it is. I wrote it down for you already.

Alfred: Thank you, Clara. I knew you were reliable and loyal to our family.

Clara: I saw Michael at dinner there.

Alfred: Where?

Clara: At Dr. Windhover’s house.

Alfred: You did?

Clara: Yes. He’s dating their daughter.

Alfred: Oh. Strange.

Clara: There daughter is like Kitty.

Alfred: That young?

Clara: No. You know. Especial.

Alfred: Hmmm. I might have to find Michael. I want to speak to him about this.

Clara: When should I start, Mr. Alfred?

Alfred: Tonight. (Buzzer)

Cindy: Hi, Freddie, Judy called.

Alfred: Yes?

Cindy: Yeah. She said pick up another of those plug strips on your way home.

Alfred: Another?

Cindy: Yeah, something about she’s trying to cook a roast or something.

Alfred: (to Clara) Yes, Clara definitely tonight. Go over to the house immediately and help with the roast.

Clara: Que Casualidad! I have a plug strip cosas para Dr. Windhover’s garage con me.

Alfred: Perfect go right over to the house.

Clara: Grazias, Mr. Andreas. Grazias. (She rushes out.)

Alfred: De nada.

Cindy: Freddie, Michael also tore up that envelope that you had waiting for him. He didn’t want the money.

Alfred: I’ll never understand that boy. Can you dial me up to a Dr. Windhover?

Cindy: Sure try, sweetie!