39: Dreaming from whence they came.

Judy stands in the kitchen. Somewhere a TV plays and Kitty watches it enthusiastically. Judy goes to plug in a beater, but the mess of cords and plugs in the way makes her want to give up.

TV: (off) Let’s follow Brown Bear to his cave where he will continue to dream.

Kitty: (off) Yay! Brown Bear! I love you, Brown Bear.

Judy: Quiet down! Mommy’s trying to think.

Kitty: (off) Shhhh! Mommy’s trying to think, Brown Bear.

TV: (off) Brown Bear spends fifteen minutes a day dreaming. Do you dream? Do you want to dream? What do you dream about? Do you have goals? What do you want to do with your life? Brown Bear would like to be a chef. See his hat. See his spatula? Brown Bear helps his mommy in the kitchen. What do you want to be when you grow up?

Kitty: (off) Ballerina!

Judy: Happy.

Clara enters.

Clara: Ms. Judy. Ms. Judy.

Judy: What is it?

Clara: Alfred did not go to work this morning.

Judy: I know that.

Clara: He’s very sick. He can barely speak.

Judy: I know. I’m baking some cookies.

Clara: Maybe we should go to the doctor.

Judy: Doctor? Nonsense. Nonsense.

Clara: If he is like this tomorrow, I’m going to call a Doctor.

Judy: I think we should. If he is like this tomorrow.

Clara: Fine.

TV: (off) Brown Bear loves his friends. He loves his mommy too. Brown Bear loves his family.

Judy: Turn that racket off, Kitty. Now.

Clara: Ms. Judy.

Judy: I don’t want to listen to it anymore. I have to listen to that damn Brown Bear program every single day.

Clara: It’s just a show for the ninos.

Judy: What?

Clara: It’s a kids show.

Judy: I know that. But I’m sick of all the noise. How can I plug in this beater?

Clara: Unplug something.

Judy: But I need this plugged in and this and that. We need a bigger house that’s what we need.

Alfred appears. He is very pale, feeble, and weak. His eyes are barely open. He wears a bathrobe.

Clara: Oh, Senor. You should not be up.

Alfred: I need some water.

Clara: How do you feel?

Alfred: Achey. Achey.

Clara: Oh, I know.

Alfred: Is she here yet?

Clara: No.

Judy: Who? Is who here?

Alfred: The nurse. Kitty’s nurse.

Judy: What?

Alfred: I told you I wanted to hire back Kitty’s nurse. I hired back Clara. She’s coming today.

Judy: Another mouth to feed?

Alfred: Why are you concerned about that? You who buy the expensive dresses.

Judy: Just leave me alone, Alfred. Just please do.

Alfred: What are you doing?

Judy: I’m making cookies.

Alfred: Don’t. It’s Clara’s job.

Judy: I like to cook, Alfred.

Alfred: Since when?

Judy: Since I’ve been trying to find more things to do. That’s why. You even said yourself that I don’t have any hobbies.

Alfred: I guess you’re right. But you make such an awful mess. I need a cup of coffee, Clara, can you get that for me?

Judy: I got it.

Alfred: No, Clara.

Judy: I said I got it.

Alfred: I don’t like your coffee, Judy. I don’t.

Judy: Fine. Clara just get-

Clara: I know.

Judy continues to make the cookies in anger, Clara unplugs some things to make the coffee, and Alfred sits at the table.

Clara: Hey, does anyone know where my electric can opener went? I left it here when I left the first time and it has disappeared.

Alfred and Judy exchange a glance.

Judy: No.

Alfred: Haven’t seen it.

Clara: Oh. I swear that I left it here.

Alfred: Aww. My head.

Clara: What does it feel like? Is it bad? Do you need to go to the ‘Ospital?

Alfred: No.

Judy continues with the cookies. She holds a spoon of the stuff over the mixture.

Alfred: I’ll tell you what it really feels like –food poisoning.

Judy puts the spoon back in the jar.

Judy: Really?

Alfred: Yes, really. I mean no offence to you, Clara.

Clara: None taken.

Judy whirls around.

Judy: Oh. But you mean offence to me. Huh? Is that it?

Alfred: I don’t really.

Judy: Why can’t you be nice to me, Alfred? Why? What happened to us?

Alfred: The answer is nothing. Nothing happened.

Judy: You got bored and your hormones went on a rollercoaster ride. Is that it? Had to find some other people to fuck? Some better fucks!

Alfred: Calm down, Kitty-

Judy: I will not calm down. We are going to live together till the end Alfred. And you are going to like it.

Alfred: Ha. Fat chance.

Judy: We’ll see about that.

Clara: Ummm. I’m sorry.

Alfred: There is nothing to be sorry about. Thank you for the cup.

Clara: No. I just feel-

Alfred: No need to feel-

Clara: Why don’t you two get a divorce?

Silence. Alfred stands.

Alfred: I have to go back to bed.

Judy: Wait. I’ll tell you why, Clara. Because I married this man for love. I still love him. Even though he is hard headed. I will not divorce him.

Alfred: That’s enough.

Clara: But you are both so-

Alfred: Clara, thank you for your perspective, but I will not be getting a divorce.

Judy: Oh, no Clara, Alfred just waits until he kills his wives and then he moves on.

Alfred: You bitch.

Alfred comes at her, just as she scoops the “stuff” into the batter. The doorbell.

Clara: Senor!

Alfred: It must be the nurse. Go let her in.

Judy: I couldn’t stand that Maggie woman.

Alfred: I’m sure she couldn’t stand you. It’s not Maggie. It’s-

Clara opens the front door. Cindy stands there with suitcases.

Cindy: Hi ya!

Judy: You.

Cindy: How are you doing?

Judy: You want to avoid a scandal, Alfred? Oh just you wait. I’ll give you a scandal.

Judy throws the batter into the refrigerator and takes the brown bag with the “stuff” and huffs down the stairs. Kitty appears at the front door as Cindy goes up the stairs.

Kitty: Hi Cindy lady!

Cindy: Hi, there.

Alfred: Where are you going?

Judy: Out. To have a little fun.

Alfred: Judy.

Judy: What?

Alfred: Don’t you do anything that you’ll regret.

Judy: You can have yours. I can have mine. I’m outta here.

Kitty: Mommy-

Judy: What?

Kitty: Nevermind.

Judy: What is it?

Kitty: Will it hurt to burn?

Judy: What are you talking about?

Kitty: Nothing.

Judy: (to Cindy) Have fun with her. She’s a handful.

Judy stamps out putting her coat on. The front door closes behind her and she is on the stoop. Clara looks out the living room window after her. She starts to walk. The leaves are falling. She walks several blocks.

Judy: (thinking) They suspect. They know. I’ll have to call him again. I have to get something else. Something quicker. Something more. More than what that is.

Judy turns onto Pine Tree Lane. She walks a ways and goes to a house that is all the way at the end of the block. It is secluded by many trees and weeping willows. She goes into the gate which squeaks and then goes up to the door. She knocks the knocker. After awhile, Charles appears.

Charles: Hello. I didn’t expect to see you again so soon.

Judy: I just wanted to stop over and say hello. Thank you for the walk last evening. It was lovely.

Charles: Oh I didn’t mind. I quite enjoyed myself. I like your top.

Judy: Thank you. Thank you very much.

Charles: Did you want to come in?

Judy: No. I was hoping we could go on another walk.

Charles: I don’t know-

Judy: It’ll be fine. Do you have the time?

Charles: Sure. Did you want to come in for a bit?

Judy: I better not.

Charles: I really, really, really like your top.

Judy: Thanks.

Charles: Sorry.

Judy: Sorry for what?

Charles: Nothing. Let me just have a second.

Charles disappears inside for a second. He returns with an umbrella.

Judy: An umbrella?

Charles: For the sun. It’s very sunny.

Judy: You are so old fashioned.

Charles: Not really. I just don’t want to get skin cancer.

Judy: I used to tan. But now . . .now I don’t do anything.

They walk.

Charles: Anything?

Judy: I have always just done what I could, you know? I never really thought about what I wanted. Do you know?

Charles: No, I’m not sure I follow.

Judy: When I was a little girl, I wanted to be rich. That’s all that mattered. It is all that mattered.

Charles: What’s wrong with that?

Judy: I’m not very happy. I’m realizing money isn’t everything.

Charles: But it’s something. It’s definitely something.

A car passes. Someone shouts:

Driver: Go back where you belong, asshole!

Judy: Did you hear that?

Charles: What?

Judy: That man screaming at us.

Charles: I didn’t think he was screaming at us. Do you want to go back to my house?

Judy: No, I don’t. Why do you keep asking me that?

Charles: It’s awfully sunny.

Judy: I know.

Charles: Sorry.

Judy: Don’t apologize. What a weird thing to say. Anyway, I think I missed out on dreaming in my childhood or something. Do you dream?

Charles: What do you mean?

Judy: Do you dream? Do you think about what you want out of life?

Charles: Sometimes.

Judy: And are you happy?

Charles: Sorta. I’ve made some mistakes.

Judy: Haven’t we all. Haven’t we all.

A lady is across the street. She screams:

Lady: Don’t you dare come across this street or I’ll beat you, you pervert!

Judy: You had to have heard that.

Charles: I did.

Judy: I think she was talking to us.

Charles: I don’t think so.

Judy: I do. She was looking right over here. Oh. But she’s gone now. What a weird day.

Charles: Where were we?

Judy: Dreaming. What are your dreams, Charles?

Charles: I don’t think I can tell you all of them.

Judy: Oh. Charles. You can. You can share anything with me.

Charles: I’m a different sort of person, Judy. I am.

Judy: I don’t mind. I don’t. Really I don’t.

Charles: You are married.

Judy: Sometimes the word isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Charles: You aren’t happy?

Judy: Not really.

Charles: Has divorce crossed your mind?

Judy: I’ll just say more than once. But there is so much security here. I feel so safe living here. I don’t think I could move.

Charles: I wish I could say the same.

Judy: You don’t feel safe.

Another car:

Driver: Sick fuck! (The driver throws a wrench and it hits Charles in the head. He is down.)

Judy: Oh my God. Oh my God. Are you okay?

Mildred Pierce comes out of her home.

Mildred: Get out of here! You depraved sex freak!

Judy: (shouting) Are you talking to us?!

Charles: Don’t listen to them, Judy, don’t!

Mildred: Yes, I’m talking to you. You hussy! Get off my lawn.

Mildred goes into her house again.

Judy: Charles. You’re bleeding. It was a wrench. Are you okay?

Charles: I’ll be fine.

Judy helps Charles up.

Charles: People don’t like me, because I’m different.

Judy: You’re different?

Charles: Yes.

Judy: I see. Do you mind telling me what it is?

Charles: I’d rather not talk about it. Can you take me home?

Judy: Yes.

Charles: Will you come inside?

Judy: I better not.

Charles: I could make you happy.

Judy: We’ll see.

Charles: Good.

Judy: Are you sure you are okay now?

Charles: I’m not sure.

They walk from whence they came.