Cast

CHARLIE

VIV

MARTIN

MARTINA

Settings

A kitchen; a cafe; a dining room.

NOTE

This play features a nested play. This shouldn't be confused with a frame-narration or a "play within a play." "An Encounter" is simply to be performed during the mid-section of "Wait and See" just as someone might change TV stations. That is, the entire story and plot change mid-play, the audience begins watching another, and then changes back to catch the end of the first.

SCENE 1

A kitchen and dining room.

Well-lighted.

Plain decor, neat, organized.

Dining table empty.

Enter CHARLIE and VIV.

CHARLIE: I'm starved.

VIV: Can I fix you something?

CHARLIE: You know you can't.

VIV: Well what do you want?

CHARLIE: And I can't either. That's not the point.

VIV: [Leaning against the kitchen counter.] Well I don't know what to tell you. Unless you choose something, or pick something up, you'll just be hungry.

CHARLIE: I am sick of picking up things.

VIV: Well, I'll get it.

CHARLIE: That's not what I mean.

VIV: That's not what you mean.

CHARLIE: I wonder.

VIV: We can go somewhere to eat, instead of picking something up.

[Pause. CHARLIE ruminating.]

CHARLIE: Why don't—

[Silence.]

VIV: Why don't what?

CHARLIE: We have so much food.

VIV: Don't. Not again.

CHARLIE: Why couldn't we?

VIV: WHY? Why couldn't we? How many reasons do you want?

CHARLIE: But I'm starved! Surely this time—

VIV: [Interrupting.] Nothing will change! It never does. It's not inevitable! Sometimes things just don't change. And so you accommodate that.

[CHARLIE goes to the cupboards. He starts taking cans of food down and setting them on the counter.]

We aren't having all that.

[CHARLIE continues to pull things out. Shuts cupboard doors. Goes to refrigerator, opens door, begins pulling out food. Opens freezer door. Pulls out a frozen chicken. VIV folds arms, stares at him. He throws the chicken in the microwave.]

You can't cook a chicken in a microwave.

[VIV follows, closes fridge and freezer doors.]

CHARLIE: I'm thawing it. And yes I could cook it in there if I wanted to. But I don't.

VIV: So you are thawing it.

CHARLIE: Yes, like you thaw anything frozen if you want it done well.

VIV: [Closing her eyes and sighing.] Fine. [Softening.] If you are going to do it, you'll need a hand.

CHARLIE: You?

VIV: [Hurt.] Who else?

CHARLIE: What are you going to do?

VIV: I don't know. Hand you the stuff.

CHARLIE: [He looks at her skeptically. Realizes her sincerity and relents.] Alright.

[Microwave goes off. He pulls the chicken out.]

VIV: Everyone raves about your cooking, Charlie. I always wondered why we didn't cook more often.

CHARLIE: And then you remember.

VIV: No, I mean why couldn't we have people over more often?

CHARLIE: I suppose we could.

VIV: Yeah?

CHARLIE: Not tonight, though. It's ours.

VIV: Oh.

CHARLIE: Besides, having people over would get expensive. And what would they be good for? Staring at us while we don't eat? Or while we eat carryout?

VIV: Well—

CHARLIE: Could you hand me the poultry seasoning?

VIV: Where is it?

CHARLIE: I don't know.

VIV: Do you think it's in the cupboard?

CHARLIE: Check.

VIV: Which one?

CHARLIE: It doesn't matter.

VIV: [Searching the cabinets.] How long do you think

this will take?

CHARLIE: We've got potatoes, beans, corn, baked bread, chicken, gravy—what else?

VIV: [Still tending to the cabinets.] Spinach? [Pulling out the poultry seasoning.] Poultry seasoning!

CHARLIE: What?

VIV: Found it.

CHARLIE: Oh.

[Takes it, sprinkles some on the chicken and hands it back to her.]

It'll be a few hours.

VIV: So I have time then?

CHARLIE: Time for what?

VIV: Nothing. Just having it.

CHARLIE: Oh.

Lights down.

Quick set change.

SCENE 2

AN ENCOUNTER

(after Ionesco)

Lights up again.

Dim.

The kitchen is no longer visible.

The former dining room is now a cafe.

MARTINA is seated at the table. She is drinking a

coffee, reading a book. She is mid-twenties.

MARTIN, mid-twenties, suited, enters.

MARTIN: Excuse me, but have we met?

MARTINA: [Eyes still on book.] Usually people just ask if this seat is taken.

MARTIN: Well—

MARTINA: [Eyes still on book.] But apparently I've misjudged my attractiveness.

MARTIN: Misjudged?

MARTINA: [Puts down book, looks up at MARTIN.] Either you are thoroughly interested in me, which is somewhat peculiar, especially this early in our relationship—

MARTIN: Relationship?

MARTINA: —and that type of zealousness makes me nervous. Or, you are the type who genuinely feels as if you have met me before and are completely uninterested in me but will not rest until you figure out who I am.

MARTIN: Ah.

MARTINA: In any event, either I am much more attractive than I thought and so am attracting more seriously perverse men than ever, or I am less attractive and merely a cause of memory-lapse-based irritation.

[Pause. MARTIN perplexed.]

So which am I?

[Pause.]

MARTIN: I just thought you were someone I met.

MARTINA: Fine then. I don't recall so.

MARTIN: But you are—

MARTINA: [Looking up quickly at MARTIN.] Yes?

MARTIN: You are attractive.

MARTINA: [Softening. Smiles.] Thank you.

[MARTIN begins to exit.]

Come to think of it...

[MARTIN stops but doesn't turn back toward MARTINA.]

...You seem familiar. What is your name?

MARTIN: [Turning around to her.] Martin.

MARTINA: How odd.

MARTIN: [Perplexed.] I'm sorry?

MARTINA: My name is Martina. I just thought that was odd, is all.

[Pause.]

This seat isn't taken.

MARTIN: [Walks to chair, places his hands on the back of it, but does not sit.] I'm sorry, but have we met?

MARTINA: Hard to say, really, when you live in a city this large — when you live in any city, really.

MARTIN: So we haven't?

MARTINA: I didn't say that. Of course, we might have. On the bus here, this afternoon.

MARTIN: I drove.

MARTINA: What kind of car?

MARTIN: Chrysler.

MARTINA: Really?

MARTIN: Yeah.

MARTINA: Me too. What model?

MARTIN: Cirrus.

MARTINA: No! Really?

MARTIN: [Smiling at her.] Yes. Why?

MARTINA: That's what I was in this morning.

MARTIN: Oh.

MARTINA: Have we met before?

MARTIN: I thought so.

MARTINA: I would have remembered. I remember everything.

MARTIN: Yeah?

MARTINA: Mine is a '99.

MARTIN: Mine too.

MARTINA: Mine is full of boxes.

MARTIN: Mine too.

MARTINA: Just moved into town a week ago. Unpacking lots of new stuff in my house.

MARTIN: Me too!

MARTINA: Are you kidding?

MARTIN: Honest.

MARTINA: You just moved here?

MARTIN: With my dog and wife.

MARTINA: Oh.

MARTIN: Over on Coldenfield Road.

MARTINA: Coldenfield!

MARTIN: Yeah.

MARTINA: COLDENFIELD!

MARTIN: Yes.

MARTINA: You are joking.

MARTIN: No.

MARTINA: You are joking! [MARTIN shakes his head.] Well that's amazing. I live on Coldenfield, and I just moved in a week ago with my dog and husband.

MARTIN: That's amazing.

MARTINA: We just got married.

MARTIN: Me too.

MARTINA: What was your name again?

MARTIN: Martin.

MARTINA: No! Really? Are you kidding?

MARTIN: Really. Not kidding.

MARTINA: That's my husband's name.

MARTIN: You know, I wasn't going to say anything, but my wife's name is Martina.

MARTINA: This is so odd.

MARTIN: Yeah.

MARTINA: Have we met?

MARTIN: I get the feeling we have.

MARTINA: And your house number?

MARTIN: [And MARTINA simultaneously.] 9107! The dog's name is Duke!

MARTINA: We must have met before!

MARTIN: We must have!

MARTINA: Martin!

MARTIN: Martina!

MARTINA: Married in England?

MARTIN: London!

MARTINA: London!

MARTIN: Met in college?

MARTINA: Anthropology!

MARTIN: Yes!

MARTINA: Wrote our own vows.

MARTIN: A speech on sharing memories.

MARTINA: Sharing memories.

MARTIN: We have met.

MARTINA: I'm sure of it.

MARTIN: Drove here in the same car.

MARTINA: Moved into the same house.

MARTIN: Have the same dog.

MARTINA: Duke.

MARTIN: Fell in love.

MARTINA: Madly.

MARTIN: Deeply.

MARTINA: [Standing up.] Do you want to get out of here?

MARTIN: Yes. Back to Coldenfield.

MARTINA: Lovely.

MARTIN: Question.

MARTINA: Yes?

MARTIN: Do we have any children?

MARTINA: I don't know.

MARTIN: Oh. I guess I'll wait and see.

MARTINA: Yes. Wait and see.

Lights down.

Set change.

SCENE 3

Lights up again.

Former kitchen and dining set of VIV and CHARLIE

returns. Both in dining room. VIV is setting the table

and CHARLIE is carving the chicken and placing pieces

on the provided plates. The feast is abundant.

CHARLIE: I'm starved.

VIV: Well, here we are.

CHARLIE: Is there anything else?

VIV: No, this is it. This is everything.

[VIV kisses CHARLIE on the cheek and he pulls out her chair. She sits. He goes to his chair and sits.]

CHARLIE: [Eagerly.] What first?

VIV: [Shakes her head, excited, smiling.] I don't know.

CHARLIE: [Forking up a piece of chicken.] Well—[He puts it up to his mouth. Hesitates. Smiles nervously at VIV. He smells it. He licks his lips. Hesitates. Frustrated. Opens his mouth. He is trying to eat, but can't will himself to take a bite. He puts down the fork.] I can't!

VIV: [Sympathetic.] Dear.

[Pause. Shakes her head sorrowfully.]

I'm sorry.

CHARLIE: [Rubbing his forehead.] You try.

VIV: [Spoons a bit of corn. Glances at CHARLIE. Hesitates. Licks lips. Opens mouth. Hesitates. Hand begins to shake and corn spills from the spoon. She tries to shovel what she drops in her plate. Her hands continue to shake. She slams down the spoon.] I can't! [Pause.] I'm sorry, Charlie. I'm sorry.

CHARLIE: What is the matter with us?

VIV: I don't know.

CHARLIE: I'm starved.

VIV: I know. Me too.

CHARLIE: And I can't eat a bite.

VIV: Me too.

CHARLIE: It tastes great, I bet.

VIV: Everyone loves it.

CHARLIE: But it'll just sit there. [Pause.] And go to waste.

VIV: What's the matter with us?

CHARLIE: I don't know.

VIV: I bet it tastes great.

CHARLIE: You want to go pick something up? [Reaches into his pocket to pull out some money. Tosses a few dollars onto the table.]

VIV: You want something?

CHARLIE: [Sighs. Looks over the table at all the food.] Actually. Maybe I'm not too hungry.

VIV: [Disappointedly.] Me neither.

CHARLIE: I could call the Martins over for dinner.

VIV: They love your cooking.

CHARLIE: Yeah, they seemed to like the last chicken I made.

VIV: I love you, Charlie.

CHARLIE: I love you.

VIV: We'll just say we made it but then decided to pick something up.

CHARLIE: That is what happened.

VIV: And they always loved your cooking.

CHARLIE: Yeah. Yeah they did.

VIV: And still do.

CHARLIE: And still do.

THE END.