A Serious Talk

A Serious Talk
Scene 1: Burt Arrives
(The camera is in Burt's car, as he drives up to the gate. Burt leans forward looking for cars. There are none but Vera's. Burt pulls into the drive, and the camera turns to see something on the floor. It is a pie, from the night before. Burt rubs his eyes under his glasses and sighs as a flashback begins.)
(Shimmering effect as the scene changes to Flashback.)
Scene 2: Flashback
(Burt walks up to the house, and pauses outside the door.)
Burt: (Muttering under his breath) Out by six O'clock on Christmas day… …unbelievable!
(Burt walks inside, and his two children greet him with a hug, but his ex-wife merely stands there, and gives him a nod. They move on into the sitting room, and sit down. They all open his gifts to them. The children solemnly open their presents from him. Then Vera opens hers. She lifts up the cashmere sweater.)
Vera: It's nice… Thank you. (The awkward tension between them is obvious.)
Rose: Try it on, mum.
James: Put it on.
(Burt gives his son a grateful look for backing him up. Vera goes into the bedroom for a few seconds then comes out with it on.)
Vera: It's nice.
Burt: It's nice on you.
(Burt then opens his presents from them, thanking each of them after opening their presents. He hugs his children then looks half gratefully half awkwardly towards Vera.)
Vera: Why don't I go get some drinks?
(After a short pause with no answer she goes into the kitchen and gets the drinks. She comes out after a while, and they all sit down and look at the tree.)
Rose: The drinks are nice mum…(Trying to break the ice.)
(A nod of approval from everyone is the only reaction. After a bit, Rose goes off to set the table, and James goes to his room. Burt and Vera remain a while, then Vera goes off to the kitchen. Burt watches Rose walk past a few times, then gets up. He puts the rest of the logs on the fire, then turns to leave. On the way out he notices six pies, lined up on the window sill. He stacks them up in his arm, and leaves. In the dark driveway, he drops one as he fumbles with the car door.)
Scene 3: About Last Night
(Burt goes around to the patio and knocks on the window. Vera, in her bathrobe, looks out ad frowns. She opens the door a little.)
Burt: I want to apologize to you for last night. To the kids as well.
Vera: They're not here.
(Burt pulls at some lint on his sleeve.)
Vera: I can't take it anymore. You tried to burn the house down.
Burt: I did not.
Vera: You did. Everybody here was a witness.
Burt: Could I come in and talk about it?
(Vera pulls her bathrobe tight and lets him in.)
Vera: I have to be somewhere in an hour.
(Burt gives no sign of acknowledgement, but looks around at the living room. The trees lights are constantly blinking on and off. At one end of the sofa there is a shoebox, filled with coloured tissue paper. Looking through into the dining room, he can see a turkey carcass, in a bed of parsley. A cone of ash fills the fireplace. There are some soda cans in there as well. A black trail of smoke stains rises up to the mantle, and the wood that stopped them is scorched black. He turns around and goes into the kitchen.)
Burt: What time did your friend leave last night?
Vera: If you're starting that, you can leave right now. I'm not over what you did last night.
(Burt pulls out a chair and sits down. He looks outside at the messy exterior of the house. A bicycle with one wheel leans against the redwood fence, entangled by weeds.)
Vera: Do you remember Thanksgiving? I said then and there that it was the last holiday you were going to ruin for us. Bacon and eggs instead of turkey at ten O'clock at night.
(She gives an angry huff.)
Burt: I know, and I'm sorry, but-
Vera: Sorry isn't good enough.
(Vera is trying to get the gas going under a pot of boiling water.)
Burt: Don't burn yourself. Don't catch yourself on fire.
Vera: Now why would you care about that, seeing as you tried to burn the house down last night?
Burt: C'mon Vera. Do you have anything to drink? I could really use a drink.
Vera: There's some vodka in the freezer.
Burt: Since when do you keep vodka in the freezer?
Vera: Don't ask.
Burt: (Under his breath) Bit late to say that.
(He pours some vodka into a cup on the counter.)
Vera: Are you just going to drink it like that, in a cup? Jesus Burt. What'd you want to talk about anyway? I have to go to a flute lesson at one o'clock.
Burt: Are you still taking flute?
Vera: What do you think, seeing as I just told you? Tell me what you came here to say, then I have to go.
Burt: I just wanted to say I'm sorry.
Vera: I think you've done that already.
Burt: Do you have any juice? I could mix that with the vodka.
(She opens the fridge and looks around.)
Vera: I have some cranapple juice.
Burt: That'll do.
Vera: I'm going to the bathroom.
Burt: Great.
(Vera gives him a funny look, then goes to the bathroom. Burt takes one of her cigarettes, then gets the ashtray. It's still full, so he tips it out under the sink, washes it, dries it, and stubs out his one. The water on the stove begins to bubble just as the phone rings.)
Vera: Can you get that? I'm getting into the shower.
(Burt goes and picks up the phone. An unfamiliar voice speaks.)
Phone: Is Charlie there?
Burt: No.
Phone: Okay.
(While Burt is making a coffee the phone rings again.)
Phone: Charlie?
Burt: Not here.
(He leaves the receiver off the hook this time. Vera comes through, in jeans and a sweater.)
Vera: Who was it?
Burt: Someone wanting Charlie.
Vera: What?
Burt: Charlie. Someone wants him.
Vera: Who's Char- Oh, never mind, I'll take this call in the bedroom, so hang up after I say so.
(Burt picks up the receiver, while Vera runs upstairs. He hears a man clear his throat. Vera picks up at her end, and he puts the receiver down. He looks over at the sink, and walks over, rummaging through it. Finally he takes out a knife, and wipes the blade clean. He doubles the phone wire over, and slits it. Vera comes in.)
Vera: The phone went dead. Did you do anything? Sometimes it- (She sees the cord cut.) Son of a bitch! Out! Get out! That's it, I'm getting a restraining order! (She slams the phone down and it dings.) I'm going next door to call the police if you don't leave now!
(Burt picks up the ashtray and poses as if about to throw a discus. As he looks at Vera, he grins and changes his mind. He takes it and walks out of the patio door.)
Burt: We're going to have a talk soon Vera. A serious talk.
(Burt gets in his car, a content but serious look on his face. As he is about to start driving, Vera's voice can be heard.)
Vera: Son of a-!
END