At Capacity--Scene 8: Exposed

(Lights up on Mark’s hotel room. There are clothes all over the floor, as if two people were quick to get into bed.  Mark is bare-assed across the bed, checking his phone. Someone is in the bathroom, and there’s the sound of water running.)

MARK (yelling towards the bathroom)
You have no idea what you’re talking about. I mean what do you have to worry about? No one will know. Plus I’m sure it happens all the time.

(Cassie comes out of the room, wearing the hotel robe. She’s carrying a tooth brush in a case and a little travel sized toothpaste, which she puts back into her handbag that was on the floor next to her panties. She dresses through the next section of the conversation.)

CASSIE
It doesn’t happen to me all the time. I do not sleep with customers. (She struggles to get her panties on, almost falling over.)

MARK
Why are you wearing my robe?

CASSIE
Because I’m cold.

MARK
You weren’t cold awhile ago.

CASSIE
I know.

MARK
You don’t need the robe.

CASSIE
Why don’t you put some clothes on?

MARK (rolling over and facing her)
Why don’t you relax and come back to bed?

CASSIE
It’s 3:00am. I’m supposed to work lunch today, ugh, and I need to get some sleep.

MARK (standing up, very confident in his nakedness, pointing to the bed)
You can sleep here.

CASSIE
Would you just put some clothes on, please?

MARK
Why are you being so uptight all the sudden?

CASSIE
It’s not all the sudden.

MARK
Well, 20 minutes ago you weren’t acting like this.

CASSIE
20 minutes ago I wasn’t thinking straight.

MARK
Exactly!

CASSIE (turning away from him to put her bra on and pull on her jeans)
I know better than to do things like this.

MARK
Did you not enjoy it?

CASSIE
Yes, I enjoyed it. I told you. I haven’t had sex in a long time. And certainly not with anyone who looks like you.

MARK
Uh huh.

CASSIE
Big deal. I enjoyed it. I enjoy a lot of things but that doesn't mean I need to do them.

MARK
Like what?

CASSIE
None of your business.

MARK
Oh c’mon Cassie. We just had sex. We have shared bodily fluids and now—

CASSIE
Safely! With barrier protections!

MARK
OK! With barrier protections. Why are you being all private about stuff now? There’s not much else to hide.

CASSIE
Having sex doesn’t mean that people suddenly share things. Everything. (buttoning up her blouse) Is that what you think?

(Mark just looks at her. Cassie laughs to herself.)

MARK
What?

CASSIE
You really think that?

MARK
What’s wrong with thinking that?

CASSIE
God, you're such a boy.

MARK
That’s what I think, that’s what Sarah feels and—

CASSIE
Don’t say her name.

MARK
Cassie, what—

CASSIE
And don’t say mine either.

(Cassie is searching for her jeans. Mark sees them and gets up to get them for her.)

CASSIE
I should have never come here with you. I should not do things like this. I know better than this.

MARK (holding out her jeans)
Here.

CASSIE (going to him to get her jeans)
I read somewhere that no matter how much we know things are right or wrong, no matter how much we're warned, as soon as we start to feel passionate—

MARK
Like sexual?

CASSIE
Yes, as soon as we start to get aroused, our bodies shoot out these chemicals that disrupt our ability to think rationally. Our brains lose the ability to make rational decisions, even when we know what’s right.

MARK
There’s nothing wrong about what we just did.

CASSIE
Number one, you're engaged. Number two, I should not sleep with customers. It’s not allowed.

MARK
I made the decision with my fiancé about how this works. That's not your responsibility.

CASSIE
I'm a good human being! I do not have sex with other people’s partners! I do not have sex with people I serve at work.

MARK
Well, you just did. And you’re still a fine human being.

CASSIE
No I’m not.

(Cassie sits down on the bed and starts to cry. This makes Mark very uncomfortable. It’s the first time that he reaches for his underwear. He doesn’t put it on, but he holds it in his hand.)

MARK
Oh no. No, no, no. Please don’t do that. I can’t do that. I’m awful with this. Please don’t cry. (Mark is pacing around the room now, naked, holding the underwear in his hand.) This is what Claire did the other night.

(Cassie cries harder at the mention of Claire.)

MARK
I finished up the little show she wanted, and then she started crying. We didn’t even get very far into “it” because she wouldn’t stop crying. Every time I tried to get her to stop, she kept going on and on about her parents and them dying and her sister this and her brother that.

(Cassie is still crying. Mark goes and sits next to her. He puts his underwear over his crotch. Then awkwardly tries to touch her. He does not know what to do.)

MARK
Cassie. Cassie, it’s ok. C’mon. It’s not a big deal. (He finally figures out how to hold her, and she lets him.)  Shh. Shh. (He strokes her hair.) It’s ok. Stop crying. (He just holds her, as she calms down.) You're not a bad person.

CASSIE
You don’t know anything about me.

MARK
I know some things about you.

CASSIE
You know carnal things about me.

MARK
Cassie. You keep making it sound like I’ve deflowered a nun or something. What's the big deal?

CASSIE
You wouldn’t understand.

MARK
You keep making assumptions about me, and I keep proving you wrong. So why don’t you try me?

(Cassie looks up at him, realizes that he’s still naked except for the underwear strategically draped, and then she starts laughing.)

MARK
What? (Cassie continues to laugh.) What are you laughing at? I’m trying to be nice to you, and you’re on some emotional zig zagor something. Why are you laughing now? Are you on medication or something? Not a big deal if you are, but if you need to take it, let’s get to it. (He gets up, looking for a glass, and he’s naked again. As he’s looking…)

CASSIE (regaining control, slowly)
I’m sorry. It’s just that you look so funny, trying to console me, completely naked. It’s hysterical actually. (She starts laughing again.) It’s impossible to take you seriously.

MARK
Nice. Very nice. That’s just great. You laugh at me being naked when I’m trying to help you. I forego clothing to help you, and you laugh at me. (Turning away from her.) Fine. Just fine.

CASSIE
You’re not foregoing clothing to help me. You are a gigantic exhibitionist. You are enjoying all of this.

MARK
And?

CASSIE
I’m just stating a fact.

MARK
That's right. I wear clothes as little as possible, and I’m completely at ease with that.

CASSIE
I see that.

MARK
Are you judging me about that now?

CASSIE
Judgment-free zone here. Remember?

MARK
Right. That zone doesn’t seem to work so well for you personally.

CASSIE (shifting in tone a bit)
That’s different. Different rules for me.

MARK
Not fair.

CASSIE
Not your call.

MARK
My hotel room.

CASSIE
My hometown.

MARK
Huh.

(There is a silence between them. Mark looks at her with some questions in his eyes. Cassie looks at him with some softening. Mark sees it in her.)

MARK
Aha. That’s where we were about 25 minutes ago. Is that Cassie coming back?

CASSIE
That Cassie is not going to play another round with you. But that Cassie is not so upset anymore. Guilty, but not so upset.

MARK
You shouldn't feel guilty.

CASSIE
There’s a lot of history you don’t know.

MARK
So tell me about it.

CASSIE
I think it’s better left unsaid.

MARK
If you tell it, it might go away.

CASSIE
Nope. It’s never going away.

(Mark’s cell phone goes off. It’s the sound of text message. He goes to the phone and reads the message.)

MARK
What? “On my way up. Let’s try again.” Who is this?

CASSIE
You’ve been busy this week.

MARK
Cut it out. I have no idea who this is.

CASSIE
Well, you seem to be very popular in these parts.

(Mark picks up his underwear again. Suddenly there’s a knock on the door. Both Cassie and Mark look at the door. Another knock. Across the stage, a light finds Claire, outside a door, knocking. She pulls a bottle of brandy out of her purse and takes a swig. Her voice reflects that swig.)

CLAIRE (way too loud whisper)
Mark! Mark! Did you get my text? It’s Claire! I wanna try again. I’ve got your key right here (fishing it out of her purse), and I’m going to come in. But I’m going to count back from 20 so you have time to get that speedo back on. That’s where we need to start. Ready? Here we go. 20, 19, 18…

(As Claire counts back slowly, Cassie and Mark are left standing there staring at each other and at the door wondering what to do as the lights fade to black before Claire hits 5. End of scene.)

At Capacity--Scene 7: How it's always been?

(Claire is in the dining room of her parents’ house. The caroling figures are still in the same place, but the stacks of boxes are starting to get smaller. There are a few boxes that are unmarked, then there are three distinct boxes: one labeled “CLAIRE,” one “JULIA,” and one “STEVE.” Claire is sitting at the dining room table, wine glass half empty, and she is on the phone. The snowflake is on the table near her wine glass.)

CLAIRE
I can’t believe you, Patrick! Why would you think that I have time to pick up Jack after his scrimmage? We are desperately trying to get this house packed up before the closing on Tuesday. . . . Yes. TUESDAY. I told you that last night. . . . Patrick, I did so! . . . I can’t help it if you were paying attention to something else. I told you— . . . Look. You need to go get him. . . . I don’t care what’s on going on at work. I have to do this last sort with Julia and Steve. . . . She’s better. . . . She’s starting to accept it all. . . . I told her that. . . . .I don’t think she really cares about it. . . . . I just know. Jesus Christ, she’s my sister! I know what she’s thinking about all of this! . . . I’ll stop yelling if you stop asking me so many damned questions about all of it. . . . . Yes, I promise I will call you if we need help. . . . . No, Steve is not going to—. . . . (She takes a drink of her wine.) Oh, for the love of God just go get Jack, and I’ll be home in a couple of hours. . . . Don’t worry about dinner for me. I’ll find something here or on the way home. . . . Yes. That would be nice. He likes that Italian place. Now just go FIND HIM!

(She hangs up the phone and finishes the end of the wine in her glass. She picks up a bottle from the table and fills her glass. Drinks again. Sets it down. Goes to one of the boxes and starts rummaging through it. Three more photo albums come out of the box. Steve and Claire are heard offstage coming in the front door of the house. They are arguing as they enter, Julia leading a bag of groceries and Steve following with the purchase from the last scene.)

STEVE
I told you that we didn’t need any more wine, but you insist on spending more money.

JULIA
I’m not going to go through all of this stuff without some liquid lubrication. I can’t deal with all of it.

STEVE
You shouldn’t be self-medicating that way. It’s not healthy.

JULIA
Would you cut the crap about self-medicating and wellness and blah, blah, blah. You’re making me sick with all of this kumbaya bang the tambourine bullshit therapy stuff. I don’t want to hear anymore about what your shrink says or what your meditation instructor says or any of it. It’s all bullshit that you keep spending all your money on, so stop saying you’re so poor. Maybe if you stopped paying other people to tell you how to feel about everything, you’d have some money to yourself.

STEVE
I’m making an investment in my health, Julia.

JULIA (unpacking four bottles of wine from the grocery bag)
Yeah, so am I.

CLAIRE
Good thinking, Julia. I think this is the last bottle. What do I owe you?

JULIA
Nothing. It’s fine.

CLAIRE
But—

JULIA
Just get the next batch when we need it.

STEVE
You’re going to need more before Tuesday?

JULIA
Five days is a long time.

CLAIRE
Definitely.

STEVE
You two are a mess.

(Julia has found a wine glass and emptied the contents of the wine bottle into her glass.)

JULIA (holding up the bottle)
Kicked. (to her sister, holding out her glass) To being a mess.

CLAIRE (holding out her glass)
To messiness.

(The two sisters clink glasses and drink. Steven tries to ignore them and looks at the snowflake. He takes his container out of the bag, sets it down on the table, takes off the lid, picks up the snowflake gingerly and places it into the container. It fits.)

STEVE
It fits!

CLAIRE
What fits?

JULIA
Whoopee… (she drinks again)

STEVE
I wanted to protect the snowflake from getting lost again, so I got a container for it.

JULIA
We looked at every possibility at the store. That’s why we were gone so long.

STEVE
It took so long because Julia just kept fighting with me about it.

JULIA
You looked at every size three times!

STEVE
It’s an important piece of our family history!

JULIA
IT’S A CHEAP PIECE OF GLASS!

STEVE
THAT IS NOT TRUE!

(Steve slams his hand down on the table. The snowflake container jumps. The three carolers start to glow again.)

CLAIRE
THAT’S ENOUGH! My God, it sounds like we’re in this dining room 30 years ago. Why are you two always, for all eternity, fighting about stupid stuff?

STEVE
It’s not stupid.

JULIA
It is stupid. She’s right. You know how much I hate saying that, but she’s totally right. That stupid snowflake and your stupid container are—

CLAIRE
It doesn’t help that you’re such a bitch to him all the time.

JULIA
Excuse me?

CLAIRE
It doesn’t help that you’re such a bitch to him all the time.

(Julia just looks at her.)

CLAIRE
It’s true. You are always at him. Just leave him alone.

JULIA
My God, you sound like Mom.

CLAIRE
Well, she was right. You should leave him alone.

STEVE
Claire, I don’t need your help with Julia.

CLAIRE
Sounds you like you do.

STEVE
She’s just a better arguer than I am. Doesn’t mean she’s right.

CLAIRE
She always wins when you two fight.

STEVE
And?

CLAIRE
Maybe you should try a little harder?

STEVE
I don’t really care about winning an argument with her. She’s never going to change.

CLAIRE
That’s the truth.

JULIA
Uh, hello? I’m right here, so don’t talk about me like I’m not.

CLAIRE
Just keep drinking the wine, Julia. It makes it all better.

JULIA
Great advice from the numbed out big sister.

CLAIRE (lifting her glass)
If the shoe fits.

JULIA
Oh, it fits alright.

(Julia and Claire both drink their wine.)

STEVE
When is the closing?

CLAIRE
It’s Tuesday. That’s why we need to finish sorting these things. It’s got to be empty.

STEVE (looking around)
I can’t believe we’re selling this house.

CLAIRE
What do you mean?

STEVE
I just feel like we should have kept it.

JULIA
Why would we keep this house?

STEVE
There’re so many good memories in this house.

JULIA (drinking again)
My God…

STEVE
What?

JULIA
You are so sentimental about everything.

STEVE
And what’s wrong with that? Why are you so cold-hearted about everything?

JULIA
I am not cold-hearted.

STEVE
You are. About everything having to do with Mom and Dad.

JULIA
You know what? Maybe there’s a reason for me to be cold-hearted about Mom and Dad. Did you ever think of that?

STEVE
I can’t believe you.

JULIA
You said that already. Back at the store.

STEVE
Why do you have such a chip on your shoulder? What did they ever do to you but love you?

CLAIRE
Steve, I think—

JULIA
I’m not going to—

STEVE
No. NO! I’m sick and tired of you raking our dead parents over the coals. You’ve been doing it since you got here, and I’m tired of putting up with it. You come back here with your big city attitude and—

JULIA
Omigod, don’t start with this crap about my “big city attitude.” It’s not my problem that you stayed here. It was your choice to stay here, Steve. Not mine. I left when I could, and I had good reasons to go, so shut the fuck up and don’t say another word about my attitude.

STEVE
What good reason? You know all they ever wanted was for us to all be together again. That’s all they wanted, and you could never help that along. You always found a reason not to be here, not to participate. “Too busy with work.” “Have to travel that same time for your job.”

JULIA
I travel a lot for my job, Steve! I can’t help that. What is it that you want me to say? It’s not my problem that your stuck here. You’ll never leave. You’d have stayed in this house forever if we didn’t have to sell it. You don’t remember anything about what it was really like here. You just play pretend, like it was some kind of 1960s television show. Well, I don’t pretend like that. Not anymore.

(As Julia says this last speech, the carolers begin to glow. There’s silence after this exchange. Steve is not sure how to respond.)

STEVE
What happened to you?

(Julia cringes here and takes another gulp of wine. Claire looks at her.)

STEVE
What happened to you when you left here? What has that place done to you?

CLAIRE
Steve, just cool it. OK? Just cut it out. Leave her alone.

STEVE
Why are you siding with her?

CLAIRE
I’m not siding with her. I just think you should leave her alone.

(Steve is completely confused by this.)

CLAIRE (lifting up the albums she pulled from the box at the top of the scene)
Who wants to go through these?

JULIA
What are they?

CLAIRE (reading each label)

“Grand Canyon—1984”, “Maine—1982”, (she pauses before this last one) “Uncle John’s Birthday—1987”

(Julia hears the last title and starts to choke a bit on her wine. The carolers get brighter yet.)

STEVE
Julia?

(She continues to choke.)

CLAIRE
Must have gone down the wrong pipe.

(Julia is heaving a bit, still coughing.)

STEVE
Do you want some water or something?

(Julia shakes her head “no.” She starts to settle down.)

CLAIRE
Are you OK?

(Julia still sputtering nods her head “yes.”  She finally calms down.)

JULIA (out of breath)
I think I need to go to bed.

CLAIRE
OK.

STEVE
But I thought we had all of this to do.

CLAIRE
We’ll keep going.

STEVE
Why are you babying her? She’s fine.

CLAIRE
Steve, just let her go to bed.

(Julia exits without saying another word.)

STEVE
Fine. “Whatever Julia wants to do.” That’s how it’s always been.

CLAIRE (looking at Steve)
You have no idea what you’re talking about.

(Steve looks at Claire, completely confused. The carolers glow even more, as the rest of the lights fade on the scene.  End of scene.)

At Capacity--Scene 5: Evolving philosophy

Scene 5

(Mark sits at the bar from Scene 3. It’s the next evening, around 7:00pm. Cassie is mixing him a drink. He is dressed very similarly to the day before, same pants, different shirt, and he’s talking on his cell phone. )

MARK
Except for Mom, I’m not really sure who else is gonna be there. Dad’s gotta work, and Sarah’s out of town for her job. . . . Yeah, she’s traveling a lot too. . . .Yeah. . . . Uh huh. Yeah. . . . Right, that’s what I said, but-- . . . Yeah, I know. . . I know. (Cassie hands him his drink. He mouths “thanks.”) OK, you know I should really get going. The dinner’s about to start and I— . . . . OK. Yes, I will call Dad and see if he can get off to be there.  . . . Yes, I will call tonight before I go to bed. . . .OK. Right. . . . Yeah, ok, I gotta go. The dinner is starting. . . . Yep, OK, I love you too. . .  Got it. Bye, Donna. Bye, yes, Bye! (He hangs up and takes a very large gulp of his drink. It’s strong.)  YOW! (He sets it down. To Cassie) That’s a very generous pour.

CASSIE
Sounds like you needed it.

MARK
Oh, yeah. (He sets the phone down.) My sister. She can’t leave anything alone.

CASSIE (wiping down the bar, pretending to half listen)
A sister? Interesting…

MARK
Why is that “interesting?”

CASSIE
It just is.

MARK
You know, I don’t think people say something is “interesting” when it’s interesting. I think they say “interesting” when they censor themselves. Like “interesting” is some kind of polite euphemism for “fucked up” or “shitty” or—

CASSIE
“You treat women like shit.”

MARK
What?

CASSIE
You have a sister and you treat women like shit. That’s interesting to me.

MARK
What are you talking about?

CASSIE
Is she younger or older?

MARK
Older. Why?

CASSIE
Who’s Sarah?

MARK
Were you listening to my conversation?

CASSIE
You were having the conversation in front of me.

MARK
You work in a bar.

CASSIE
And you're in said bar talking right in front of me. (She leans in for emphasis.) Public place.

MARK
That’s fucked up.

CASSIE
I mixed you a double, didn’t I?

MARK
So?

CASSIE
Do you think I would’ve mixed you a double if I hadn’t heard your conversation?

MARK
Why would you mix me a double if you think I treat women like shit?

(Cassie ponders this.)

CASSIE
Cause one bad quality doesn’t mean the whole person goes to shit.

MARK (taking a drink)
That’s interesting.

CASSIE
Think: “fucked up.”

MARK
No, actually, I find it interesting. For real.  (He drinks.)  Have you always felt that way?

CASSIE (she stops to think)
It’s an evolving philosophy.

MARK
Uh huh.  How evolved?

CASSIE
Couple o’ years.

(Mark finishes the drink.)

MARK
Bad break up?

CASSIE (ignoring him)
Another?

MARK
I am really supposed to be at a dinner, but—

CASSIE (moving to the computer screen)
I can run your tab.

MARK
No, not yet. I hate these dinners. I’ll have another.

CASSIE
Same?

MARK
Yeah, but don’t double it. I can’t be slurring when I get to the dinner.

(Cassie starts to mix the drink. Mark’s phone goes off with a text message. He picks it up.)

CASSIE (while working, not looking at him)
You didn’t answer my question.

MARK (half paying attention)
What?

CASSIE
Who’s Sarah?

(Mark looks up from the phone. He considers what Cassie said before.)

MARK
Sarah’s my girlfriend.

CASSIE
Uh huh.

MARK
So now you must think I’m a real dick.

CASSIE
Well, yeah, but you’re a paying customer, and I’m working on my evolving philosophy.

MARK
I’m really confused.

CASSIE
About what?

MARK
Most women would throw that drink in my face if I told them that. After last night?

CASSIE
And?

MARK
And you just keep right on mixing.

CASSIE
I’m doing my job. A bar is a judgment free zone. People come in here to take a load off, forget about their problems. And the tips flow if I let the problems flow.

MARK
Aren’t you women supposed to stick together on this stuff?

CASSIE
“You women”?

MARK
Yeah, you women.

CASSIE
That’s more offensive than you being a slutty cheat with an old lady.

MARK
She’s not old.  Forty-four is not old.

CASSIE
Older lady.

MARK
Better, but what’s the difference?

CASSIE
She could be your mom!

MARK
Yo, what happened to “Miss Judgment Free Zone”?

CASSIE
She went on a break.

MARK
You were giving Claire a hard time last night even before she started up with me. I saw you change as soon as she came in. You got all tense and started working at the other end of the bar.

CASSIE
Whatever.

MARK
You did! You were chatting me up, asking me all sorts of questions, and as soon as she came in, you took off.

CASSIE
She’s just so gross. She always has been.

MARK
She’s a lonely older lady.

CASSIE
She’s lonely alright.

MARK
Are you jealous?

CASSIE
Omigod, please give me a little credit.  She was my history teacher for Christ’s sake!

MARK
But it sounds like you’re jealous of her. Who cares what she’s doing?

CASSIE
Do you know what we used to call her? (Mark shrugs his shoulders.) Extra credit Claire. You know why?

MARK
Is it that thing you said about her at the bar?

CASSIE
Yeah. It is.

MARK
But she said you did the same thing.

CASSIE
I never blew one of my teachers for a grade. I did the work that I needed to do. She just likes to make shit up.

MARK
Why would she make that up?

CASSIE (handing him the drink)
Why is she in a bar picking up guys like you?

(Mark takes the drink from her.)

MARK
Why should I believe you?

CASSIE
It’s your choice what to believe, Baby Boy.

MARK
Baby Boy? How much younger do you think I am?

CASSIE
I checked your ID last night when you came in. You’re 25.

MARK
Fuck. That’s right. (He takes a drink.) How old are you?

CASSIE
How old do you think?

MARK
Do you think I’m stupid? I may be young, but I know not to guess a woman’s age.

CASSIE
OK. Well, since you are smart enough to know that, I’ll tell you that I’m 30 years old.

MARK
C’mon. (he looks at her long and hard) Seriously?

CASSIE
Why would I lie about being 30?  Just turned this year. Do you know any other women who are 30?

MARK
Yeah, my crazy sister, Donna. You’re so much cooler than she is.

CASSIE
Based on your conversation it doesn’t sound like it’s that hard to be cooler than Donna.

MARK
She’s not that bad. Just has way too much time on her hands. Stay at home Mom, always on the phone with our mom and our aunts. Busy body. And then she calls me and has to tell me all about when I really don’t give a fuck. She tries to get Sarah involved and—

CASSIE
The lovely Sarah. How long has she been in the picture?

MARK
A long time.

CASSIE
College?

MARK
Sophomore year.

CASSIE
Getting bored?

MARK
Not exactly. It’s long distance now, and we’re together but—

CASSIE
But you play on the side.

MARK
Actually we both play on the side. That’s the agreement.

CASSIE
Interesting!

MARK
Not this again.

CASSIE
No, I actually really mean it this time. Sarah agreed to this?

MARK
Such a typical response.

CASSIE
What do you mean?

MARK
Asking me if she agreed to this. It was her idea! She’s the one who wanted it to happen. We see each other once a month, and I love her.  She says she loves me, and she suggested this open thing.

CASSIE
Open thing?

MARK
We agreed that until we can live close together again, we’re allowed to have sex outside the relationship.

CASSIE
And that’s the stipulation? No other rules?

MARK
Oh, there are lots of rules. No repeats. No co-workers. No reckless behavior. No kissing. Never when we’re in the same city.

CASSIE
Fascinating. Truly.

MARK
Yeah, well, it’s worked for us for two years now, and I’m not going to change it up now.

CASSIE
Will you get married?

MARK
Eventually.

CASSIE
That doesn’t sound so promising.

MARK
We both have good jobs in different cities. Neither of us wants to sacrifice that for a marriage where we both live together.

CASSIE
Sounds logical but so not—

MARK
Traditional?

CASSIE
Normal was what I was thinking but—

MARK
Normal’s overrated.

CASSIE
Says the very handsome white male who benefits every day from what the world thinks is normal.

(Mark raises his glass in a cheers motion and finishes the drink.)

MARK
I should get to my dinner.

CASSIE
What’d I say?

MARK
That last comment was not an evolving philosophy. Can I get my check?

CASSIE
What? It’s true, isn’t it? You just don’t look like the type. I mean really. You look like every guy that graduated from my high school, went off to college, and has some office job now, married with at least one kid, and disappointed with how life turned out.

MARK
I didn’t go to your high school. And I’m five years younger than you. And I’m not doing what the guys you know did. That’s why I love Sarah.  She doesn’t want any of that.

CASSIE
Neither did I.

MARK
But look where you ended up.

CASSIE
Where I ended up is just fine. 

(Mark gets up to go.)

MARK
Sounds great.

(Mark is leaving.)

CASSIE
It is great.  I love my job.

MARK (over his shoulder)
Yeah. It’s a great judgment free zone.

(She yells after him.)

CASSIE
It works for me!

(Mark is offstage. Cassie looks after him and then looks around the bar. The expression on her face doesn’t agree with the words she just said. The lights begin to fade, leaving Cassie staring after Mark. End of scene.)

At Capacity--Scene 4: Another perspective

Scene 4

(Lights up on Steve in the dining room, surrounded by boxes. The three caroling dolls are set up in the corner of the room (downstage), and they are glowing. Steve is asleep, his head down on the table. He has on a knit hat and scarf. The clock on the wall reads about 3:30am. He is snoring lightly and sleeping pretty soundly. It doesn’t look comfortable to be sleeping that way, but he seems to be at peace and in a deep sleep. Outside in the distance, a dog starts to bark, a car door slams, the dog continues to bark, the car starts, its engine revs and then races past the house with squealing tires. Steve sits up with a start.)

STEVE
Jesus Christ!  What the--?

(He looks around the room as the car speeds away and there are more tire squeals as it rounds a corner and moves away, the sound fading in the distance. The dog continues to bark for a few moments and then quiets down. Steve looks around, sees what time it is, and groans. He drops his head back down to the table and tries to fall back asleep. The snowflake tree topper is under some tissue paper on the table, and it begins to glow, like the caroling dolls, except that the snowflake has more of a pulsing quality. There’s also a slight humming that accompanies the glowing, very low pitched, but growing in intensity. As the humming becomes more prominent, Steve stirs at the table. He changes position with his head turned away from the snowflake. The light coming from it gets brighter and the humming sound gets more intense. Steven sits up quickly and everything stops: humming and glowing. It’s dark in the room, other than the light coming in from the streetlight outside.

Steve sits up in his chair and looks around the room again. He gets up and goes to the window, looks outside to see if there’s anyone out there. Walks back to his chair, sits down, and notices the snowflake for the first time. He picks up the tissue paper on top of it, sees what it is, and a smile spreads across his face. He picks it up and it glints in the little bit of light coming through the window.)

STEVE
After all these years, they finally found you. (He looks up, like he did out in the park before.) Well played.

(As he continues to turn the snowflake over in his hands, the caroling dolls begin to glow ever so slightly, not as strong as at the top of the scene, but noticeable for the audience. He sets the snowflake back down on the table, and looks up.)

STEVE
Uh . . . I don’t know whether you can hear me or not? I don’t really believe there’s a heaven or anything like that, but my shrink told me that it would be OK if I talked to you. He said even if you’re not there, like you can’t hear me, it’s good for me to talk. Say what I need to say. (He waits for an answer. He doesn’t notice, but the caroling dolls have gotten a little brighter.) My shrink says it’ll help me either way, so uh . . . yeah . . .  (He looks up again for an answer. Nothing.)

(Steve takes off his hat and scarf. He’s got major hat head. He starts to pace around the room a little, looking up as he talks.)

STEVE
You know . . . . uh . . . how’s mom? Is she there with you? Are you together? (Again, he waits for a response.) My shrink said this would happen. That asking questions, trying to get answers wasn’t gonna work. That instead I should say things I felt. That I wanted to say. Needed to say.  And didn’t get the chance . . . But I just have a lot of questions. And that’s not helpful cause I’m not gonna get any answers. (He pauses, frustrated, confused about what he’s even doing.) My shrink is into all this “verbalizing my thoughts” stuff. He says it keeps me from getting too anxious, and when I saw him last, he said that you dying like this, like so suddenly and all? That it can make it really hard to get any closure. Like if you had died slowly, like over time, I could have said a bunch of stuff.  You could have said a bunch of stuff too, and like maybe we’d have said a bunch of stuff that needed to be said. And there’d be kinda some peace. (He pauses here and looks around the room. The caroling dolls have gone dark.) But the fact that you all up and died so fast you know, no one had a chance to say anything. Like nothing. So that leaves us with a lot of questions. Or me with a lot of questions. My shrink says that I should speak for myself and not for Julia or Claire or anyone else. So correction. I have a lot of questions.

(Steve walks back to the chair, sits down, and picks up the snowflake.)

STEVE
I remember the night this happened. Gone missing. Claire called from the road and said she was almost home. We were eating dinner. Roast beef and mashed potatoes. . . . Mom told youto get the boxes of decorations down from the attic so we could decorate the tree. You told me to hurry up and finish my food so I could help. I shoved the rest of my potatoes in all at once, and Julia was like “That’s gross” and then she got up and stamped up to her room and slammed the door. I followed you up to the attic and watched you pull out the boxes. I carried three of them down to the living room, and when I came back up, you had the last one pulled out and opened up. When I came up the steps, you looked at me a little like I caught you doing something wrong. Like you didn’t expect me back so soon. The snowflake topper was next to the box, wrapped up in tissue. This tissue. It’s how we always put it back in the box after each Christmas, and there it was. I asked you why it was out of the box, and you told me to sit down on the attic steps. You told me that you hated that goddamned snowflake topper, hated it for 25 years, and that you’d had enough. That you didn’t want the goddamned snowflake on your goddamned Christmas tree and that I better keep my goddamned mouth shut or you were going to beat my goddamned ass silly. Then you asked me if I understood. And all I could do was nod my head because at that point I was so scared of you that I didn’t know what else to do. You handed me the box and told me to remember what you said and to go downstairs. And that’s what I did.  And later that night when you and Mom started to fight about the snowflake, I just kept my goddamned mouth shut like you told me to. And at breakfast the next day, when Mom was on the phone with Gram, carrying on about the missing snowflake, I just ate my cereal and kept my goddamned mouth shut. Year after year I kept my goddamned mouth shut, and then here it is. After all these years. To think that it took you both dying for the girls to find the goddamned snowflake. Priceless. It’s been up there all this time, and nobody else ever looked hard enough for it. You knew no one would. We all hated that goddamned snowflake. Except for Mom. (Steve picks up the snowflake and lets it catch the light.)  Except for Mom.

(Steve sits down and puts the snowflake to his heart and starts to cry. As he does, the snowflake begins to glow in his hands and humming begins again. He notices none of it. The caroling dolls glow as well. All lights fade to black and the humming follows into the darkness then fades during the next transition. End of scene.)

At Capacity--Scene 3: Disappearing acts

Scene 3

(Lights up to find Claire in a bar. She has a glass of wine in her hand, and she’s laughing. Sitting opposite her is a handsome younger man, MARK, in his late-20s. His shirt is open at the neck, but it’s clear that he was dressed up when he came in, as if he works in some kind of corporate environment. His tie is on the bar, and his jacket has fallen on the floor. He’s drinking a beer. There are sad Christmas decorations around the bar, indicating that it’s a bit of a dive, and there are Christmas classics playing. A female bartender, CASSIE, is bustling in and out of the scene.)

CLAIRE (with her glass raised)
“Not soon enough” I said to him.  “Not soon enough!”  (she drinks; it’s her third) I said, “Patrick, not soon enough before you move out of this house. I’ve had it with you and your—

CASSIE
Hey Claire, can you keep it down?

CLAIRE
I wasn’t talking to you, Cassie. I’m talking to my new friend Mark. My very handsome new friend Mark (she leans in with a giggle and her glass almost spilling)

MARK
Whoa! Easy there. I have to keep these pants intact for later in the week. Red wine down the front won’t—

CLAIRE (touching his leg)
Oh, don’t be silly, I would never spill anything on you. Trust me!

MARK (moving her hand and taking the glass out of her other hand)
I trust you, but let’s just set this on the bar here, OK?

CLAIRE
OK!

(Claire is having trouble balancing on her bar stool, but she’s otherwise keeping it together.)

CLAIRE
So I told him, I said “Patrick—“ His name— My husband’s name is Patrick.

CASSIE
He got that. The whole bar got that about 5 minutes ago—

CLAIRE
Can you shut up and get me another glass of wine?

CASSIE
Not if you’re going to talk to me like that.

CLAIRE (making kissie lips)
Oh, Cassie Cassie Cassie. My sweetie Cassie, just one more?  Just one more little glass of wine for your old teacher?

MARK
Teacher? You’re a teacher?

CASSIE
Was. 

CLAIRE
I was a teacher. A very good teacher I was. History. High school history. But that was a long time ago.

CASSIE
Not that long. I’ve only been out five years.

CLAIRE
You make it sound like it was prison.

CASSIE
Uh?

CLAIRE
You were such a good student back then. How did you end up in here?

CASSIE
Same way you did. By walking through the front door.

CLAIRE
She always was clever that way.  Cassie Cassie Cassie. Quick with her tongue.

CASSIE
Yeah, well, I’d rather be quick that way than others. (to Mark) You know what I mean. (she makes a glass tipping motion and nods over to Claire who is back to fawning all over Mark)

CLAIRE (ignoring Cassie, to Mark)
So where are YOU from?

MARK
Uh, not from around here. I’m just in for a conference.

CASSIE
You part of that tech group that’s at the Hilton across the street?

MARK
Yeah, actually. How’d you know?

CASSIE
I had a hunch. A bunch guys that look like you were in here last night. Real rowdy.

CLAIRE
Are you rowdy, Mark? I’d love to see you rowdy. What do you wear to be rowdy?

CASSIE
Oh, brother…

CLAIRE
Don’t you have to get that bottle of wine from somewhere? 

(Cassie just looks at her.)

CLAIRE
You finished the bottle on my last glass, and it’s time for refill.

(Cassie looks at Mark who shrugs his shoulders.)

MARK
She’s a paying customer, right? 

CASSIE
Yeah, but—

MARK
And the customer’s always right, yeah?

CLAIRE
Ooooh, I knew I liked you!  (to Cassie) You heard the man.  The customer is always right. Next bottle?

CASSIE
You driving her home?

MARK
Uh…?

CLAIRE
I will be fine to drive in an hour. You know that! I’m always fine.

CASSIE
That’s kind of a lie, and you know it.

CLAIRE
Oh hush, that one time doesn't count.  The police chief helped me right out of that little pickle.

CASSIE (to Mark)
That’s because she swallowed his pickle in the back of the squad car and—

CLAIRE (slamming her hand on the bar)
That is enough, Cassie! Stop spreading lies. (collecting herself) Now get me my wine or we might have to talk about how you passed Mr. Smith’s class that year.  Funny how so many senior girls go to Disney World with Ds and come back with As after that trip. And Mr. Smith always chaperones. 

CASSIE
Whatever. I earned my grade, Claire.

CLAIRE
Just like I paid my ticket. 

(The two women glower at each other until Cassie walks off to get the bottle.)

CLAIRE
Now.  She’s gone.  And I can focus on you.

MARK
Yeah. You can.  Sounds like you’re pretty talented.

CLAIRE
Lots of talents, Mark, I have lots of talents. Good teacher. Good listener. Good at lots of things.

MARK
I see that. You get rid of annoying bartenders—

CLAIRE (tapping his nose with her finger)
Only the ones that have too much to say.

MARK
Can you make other things disappear?  (Mark lets his hand drop down to his crotch and just stay there.)

(Claire looks down and then looks back up to Mark. He smiles, takes a sip of his beer without looking away, sets it down and rubs his chest with his other hand.)

MARK
I’m away a lot. My girlfriend lives on the West Coast. There’s only so much I can take care of on my own.

(Claire looks at him then looks at her phone on the bar counter.)

CLAIRE
You’re right across the street?

MARK (pointing out the door)
Right across there.

CLAIRE
And you’re all alone? No roommates?

MARK
Big king bed. Me and the sheets. Nothing else.

CLAIRE
Nothing else?

MARK
Nothing.  Just me and the sheets.

(Claire reaches down to feel his leg again. This time he lets her.)

CLAIRE
I’d like to see that. You in that big bed with the sheets and nothing else.

MARK
That could definitely be arranged. As long as I get to see how you make things disappear.

CLAIRE
Oh don’t you worry. I’ve got a couple of ways to make things disappear.  (she leans in) Ways I think you’ll like.  Ways I learned from another young man like yourself.  (in his ear) I like them young.

MARK
Well, that’s perfect then, cause I like ‘em broken in.  Don’t have to be so careful. (He’s very close to her. The last line makes her shudder.)

(Cassie comes back in with wine bottle.)

CLAIRE
Cassie, just the check.

CASSIE
I thought you wanted another glass?

CLAIRE
Changed my mind. My friend Mark here has a product he thinks I might be interested in.

MARK (draining his beer)
Right.

CLAIRE (hands Cassie her card)
Put his drinks on my tab and run the bill.

(Cassie takes the card and moves away to run the bill.)

CLAIRE
You do know what you’re getting yourself into, don’t you?

MARK
Let's see. Former teacher. Likes to play with young guys. . . . It’s not my first rodeo.

CLAIRE
I can see that, Cowboy. But I bet this’ll be new for you.

MARK
I may look young, but don’t confuse that with inexperience.

CLAIRE
That’s what they always say.  I promise. You’re in for a treat.

MARK
So are you, Claire.  So are you.

(Cassie throws the check down on the bar. Claire picks up the pen, signs, grabs her card and puts it away. She gets up to go.)

CLAIRE
Ready?

MARK (getting off his stool, picking up his coat and tie)
Actually, uh, let me go first.  Make sure my buddies from work aren't in the lobby. (Claire looks at him questioningly.) You know, I uh should be discreet.  (She doesn’t change her expression.)  Uh, my room number is 523. Here’s my extra key. (He hands her a swipe card. Her expression changes.)

CLAIRE
523. I’ll be there.

MARK
Give me 5 minutes to get up there. And get ready. You know, just me and the sheets.

CLAIRE
Uh huh. (She moves in close.) Well, I want you to leave something on. ‘Tis the season, right? I like to unwrap things. Don’t disappoint me.

MARK
I have just the thing.

CLAIRE
Uh huh?

MARK
I was on the swim team in college. Still like to work out when I travel. Sleek, black, tight—

CLAIRE (knows exactly what he’s talking about)
Put it on. 

MARK
You got it.

CLAIRE
And tie the drawstring.

(Mark gives her the thumbs up and leaves quickly. Claire looks back at Cassie who rolls her eyes. Then Claire takes out her cell phone and dials.)

CLAIRE
Patrick?...It’s Claire. . . . I know I’m late. But it’s only 8:30pm . . . I know dinner was at 7:00.  Listen, Julia is really having a hard time, so I took her to dinner, and we’re having a glass of wine. . . . Well, she just can’t accept that they’re gone.  She’s just so broken up about it. Doesn’t understand why they even wanted to go there in the first place.  She’s just a mess.  And she and Steve are fighting so I have my hands full at the house. . . . I think we’ll be another hour here.  She says she has things she needs to tell me. . . . If I knew I would tell you. That’s why I think I should stay here and talk with her. . . . I wanted to get her out of the house, so we’re at that bar near the hotel. . . . Yeah, well, we used to come here as kids, and she wanted some old times. . . . No. NO! I mean no, it’s not necessary for you to come down. I think it’s actually better that you stay there. She’s really starting to open up, and I think it’s going to be important when we have to tell her about the other stuff. . . . Right. It was hard enough for Steve, but (she looks down at the keycard in her hand).  Right. . . . Right. . . . Yes. I know. I will tell her. Just not tonight. . . .  OK. Good . . . . Yes. . . . OK.  Julia’s back from the restroom, so I’m going to go.  I’ll see you later.  Yes, I will . . . . (she says to no one) Patrick says hello. . . .She says she can’t wait to see you.  Yes. OK. Yes. I will drive safely. Yes. OK.  Love you too. See you soon (hangs up).  Jesus Christ!

(Claire puts the phone in her purse and leaves the bar. Cassie shakes her head and the lights fade with Mariah Carey singing “Oh Come, All Ye Faithful” plays. End of scene.)