the curtain falls
[The Curtain goes up]
Storyteller
Anyone who told himself this was a bit one-sided, in favor of
the male gender will be happy to get to the second act, and maybe we can fix this, when I write it, but sorry for now, this is it. To be continue…
[A month later I wrote it–the new act.] In any case, now we are in the trailer court, it is a private park-yard, and Eva’s parents have a piece of land that they save for when they come to the city of St. Paul, to visit, therefore, they have a place ready for them to park their little RV for the summer, come fall, and then the winter they’ll be in Florida at another trailer park that owns a parcel of land also in Florida.
When they’re not anywhere, they’re driving their trailer across the country. They’re retired people and they come back to the park twice a year for two or three months, depending on/or should I say again, ‘if’ they can deal with the fall or winter in Minnesota, and the ups and downs of life, and of course if they don’t get bored. But they know a lot of people and have a lot of hi’s and phone calls to make, as well as visits.
Now they’re all standing outside by the trailer having some sort of picnic, sausages being cooked, Lee is standing next to his fiancée Eva watching the food cook, while the mother [Holly] is taking the food out of the trailer [seemingly making more trips than what she needs to], along with dinner plates and cutlery, carefully placing them on the table. The father is standing by the picnic table wanting to talk to Lee about his heart condition, but he is speechless…
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Acts II and III ended on April 27, 2003 (revised 2/2006).
Act II
The trailer park
Time to eat
If you look around you will see a beautiful private park with mobile homes on lots of land, sections, plazas, so to speak, with names on mailboxes and a doorman as you enter this highly known park for retirees. although the land is expensive, the ongoing monthly payments for site maintenance are somewhat reasonable; for the most part, it is used by those who vacation in Minnesota during the summer, and as mentioned above, owner-renters, get out of there in time to avoid the cold winters. [smart people if you ask me]. These are the type of mobile homes that hook onto the back of a car and off-road driver. Nothing stays in the park permanently except a few havens built for afternoon relaxation, like outdoor screened patios, which of course ward off one of those infamous packs of man-eating mosquitoes, and Minnesota has its share.
There are many wooded areas in the vicinity, and a medium sized pool in the park, along with neighbors walking back and forth on the black asphalt paved paths that surround the park, which is also used for cars so that they can go park their trailers in your lot [although cars are not permitted to abuse this right of driving on the grass if need be to part their trailer; –again this privilege is just for parking and visiting [–no Sunday morning driving around].
The sun is out and the park is sparkling clean, some dogs are running loose, chasing each other, along with squirrels and birds chirping. A perfect day, except that Lee keeps rubbing his chest, as if it’s causing him some discomfort. He has been out of the hospital for a week, he was in the hospital for about three weeks and he doesn’t want to go back in. His heart was beating normally when he left, and everything seems fine and dandy.
Like I said, everything is perfect, almost: Eva comments to Lee, “Isn’t it beautiful, honey?” He replies, as sweetly as he can, “Well, maybe, sort of, I mean, I seem to mean, yes and no. My chest hurts a little.” Kind of like a racing heart again… it’s actually beating like I’m in combat in a war, like I’ve been dodging rockets, about an hour like I did in wartime, like… tic-kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk , something similar to that, a clock running fast!
Eva says: “Look! It’s my parents’ old friends coming…” and adds, rudely, “There’s Glen, Harry!”. Eva is waving like a person lost long ago on a stranded island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean; they own several apartment buildings, she tells Lee as she waves. [Harry has an umbrella in his hands.]
Harry politely greets Eva.
Canada [sternly and abrupt]. Good afternoon Eva, where is your mother and father?
Leeward [looks over slowly at them with calculating eyes, pulls Eva slightly, so he can whisper to her]. I’m not feeling well, do you have to invite them, I mean seriously?
Eve [hopefully]. Honey, you’re so rude sometimes, of course I have to, what would they think of me if I didn’t? [Lee doesn’t answer just gives Eva a disgusting look].
Harry [apologetically]. Sorry we had to shout it out, you know the cheers [Lee is putting on the best smile he can, but it looks more similar to a grin]
Eve [a chatter box]. This is my husband to be Lee [everyone shakes hands. Within a few seconds, everyone starts talking a mile a minute, everyone but Lee that is, and nothing is distinguishable within the conversations going on].
Leeward [abstractedly rude]. Do you ever stop with that Eva mouth, put a lid on it; My head hurts and I don’t feel well.
Eve [offended]. She’s a little grumpy today, she just got out of the hospital, she’s got a heart attack and a stroke, that sort of thing.
Canada [concerned]. Maybe we should talk to your parents later, when they’re done visiting you, you know, I had a friend with heart problems, and I guess sometimes you just need a little reassurance. [Glen smiling at Lee; Lee smiling back as if to say, at least she understands].
Eve [appalled at the thought]. Oh, no, no, no, noooo… I will hear no such thing. Come see my parents. [They are now walking from the edge of the roadway, over to the trailer]
Now everyone is standing around the picnic table, Eva’s two parents, Holly and Bruce, along with their friends, Glen and Harry, and of course, Eva and Lee. Lee’s head is spinning and his chest seems to be bothering him a little more than before; – he feels anxious in most of it. He rubs his chest. Then, suddenly, he walks away from the group and heads toward the paved road that leads to the gate. Eva discovers that Lee is on the road, about fifty feet away; and she sees him as if he is walking aimlessly and apparently talking to himself.
Eve [hastily, trying to catch up with Lee]. Wait, wait, Lee, where are you going? [She catches up] I can’t believe this: –you just get up and walk away.
She tries to grab his hand but Lee pushes her away, the gate guard is now looking at them, so Eva asks if he can feel her chest.
Eve [now moving her hand after getting permission to do her testing, by putting her hand on his chest]; My God, Lee, your heart beats faster than a mad hatter, my God, faster than a train. [She can’t help it, and adds] “…but you know, that’s no excuse to be so horrible back there– Lee!
Leeward [shaking his head]. I could be dying, I mean really dying, and you’d be worried about the label. My God woman, where is your sense of reality? [?]
Eve [warning emphasis]. If you continue like this, I won’t be able to deal with you, I mean, I’ve always been kind of… kind of a domineering person, I guess, I know, but that doesn’t mean I won’t. no matter how you are
Leeward [bewildered]. I didn’t say all that, that you didn’t care, and yes, we have priorities, but I don’t feel good. As you can see, and see, I am very tired.
Eve [calmly]. Yes, I insist right after the picnic, I’ll take you to the hospital, and you can spend the night and get checked out again. Something is happening again. That heartbeat is too fast.
Leeward [uneasy]. Hospital, I just hate going back, I love these sunny days; I really missed them while I was in the hospital. [Then in thought, he knew his mother would be devastated again to see him go back to the hospital, they had lived together 15-years, not to include the years before high school, which was another 17-years, making it 32-years out of his 55-years on earth. He tells Eva, “Let my mother know, but simply imply it is for a check up, no more.” She agrees.
Eva [looking at Lee jokingly says]. You’ll get a nice medical tax when we get married. [Slowly Lee turns his head away from her, thinking, it’s a low sort of joke, but says nothing, only mumbles to his unconscious, ‘were not married yet’.]
A dumbfounded look falls on Lee, he really doesn’t want to go back to the hospital or join the others at the picnic, but he’s hungry and the hospital makes sense. When they return to go to the picnic, Eva places her hand a second time on her chest, as if to double check that this is real. Then all of a sudden they stop right in front of the picnic tables, her parents watch, like they’re putting on a show, she confirms, “Yeah, you have to go back to the hospital, your heat is too fast!” and she grabs her hand and sits down to eat.