Interception
A play about intermingling loyalties and unignorable attractions.
ACT ONE
Scene One
[
CARLA plays with a magazine, flipping through it without really seeing it. She sits SR on the floor next to a table (further R) flanked by 2 chairs. There are letters covering the table and chairs, mostly junk mail. There is a door with a peephole USC in the back wall, which extends in both directions with no windows. A few feet from the back on SL there is a countertop with a sink. One lamp hangs from the ceiling.
Carla tosses the magazine aside after a few moments. She rummages through the items on the chair but selects none. She sighs and uses the chair to pull herself to her feet. Looking either tipsy or exhausted, she crosses to the counter to lay her upper body and head on it, otherwise remaining upright. Her face is visible.
Out of nowhere, we hear a key turning in the lock. Carla jumps and turns, relaxing and leaning back against the SR edge of the counter. She crosses her arms.
ALEX enters tiredly, looking as though he’s just returned from a typical business trip. He shoves his briefcase under his arm and fumbles with the lock, having shut the door. He does not see Carla, as the door opens the direction facing SR.]
CARLA: It’s broken.
[
Alex jumps. He drops his briefcase and stoops to retrieve it.]
ALEX: Piece of shit. Oh well. I don’t much feel like dealing with it right now.
CARLA: I meant to call it in last night, but I couldn’t bring myself to pick up the phone.
[
Alex sets his briefcase on the counter and takes off his travel coat. Carla goes to clear the chairs.]
ALEX: Looks like you couldn’t bring yourself to pick up much of anything.
CARLA: It’s not my junk. And you don’t like it when I throw out your things.
ALEX: I guess you’re right.
[
Carla takes the SR chair.]
CARLA: Come sit. You must be exhausted. It’s after one.
ALEX [
taking the other chair]: That hasn’t deterred you from waiting up.
CARLA: Yes, well, thanks to your work habits, I’m gradually becoming nocturnal.
ALEX: Carla, you only sleep because the rest of us consider it normal. If you had your own way, you’d sit up all night, sketching, or sculpting weird skeletons.
CARLA [
Laughs quietly]: Skeletons! I remember when I used to draw those…
[
Alex reaches for her hand carefully as she chuckles.]
ALEX: I wish you could have come with me, Carla. My client had a private collection you would have killed to see… and there was a small statue of Apollo with such intricate detail… it was the sort of masterpiece you could contemplate for hours.
CARLA: It sure sounds special, Alex.
[
Alex stands a little to lean across the table and kiss her softly. We sense a spark in the connection, despite the tiredness of his movements.]
ALEX [
Sitting again]: It’s a shame the client rejected the proposal. Now I have no excuse to visit again.
CARLA [
interested]: Rejected? Really?
ALEX: Yeah. I was more surprised than you. I showed him the proposal and he showed me out.
CARLA: That is odd. [
Carla shifts in her seat.] Well, where did he live? We could break in when he’s a way and steal his Apollo.
[
Alex laughs and crosses to the counter.]
ALEX: That would be fun. Unfortunately, I couldn’t tell you the exact location. The German countryside all looks the same to me after a few visits.
CARLA: Right. And where’s your suitcase?
ALEX: Airplane lost it. It should show up in the next couple of days.
[
Carla yawns.]
Please, go to bed. Whatever you might think, sleep is important.
CARLA: I know.
[
She saunters off SL, blowing a kiss as she goes. Alex watches her go with a smile; however, the moment he hears a door close offstage, he picks up the telephone on the counter and speedily dials. He stares off L unceasingly.]
ALEX: Just checking in. I knew you would wait until I called.
[
pause]
He tried to be difficult. Really, it was like I thought—he tried to negotiate, said you weren’t bringing enough to the table—
[
pause]
No, I didn’t wait for things to deteriorate. I delivered the proposal, and when he started to get uppity, I left.
[
pause]
He knew exactly what he was doing. He didn’t try to stop me from going. That should tell you something.
[
pause]
No, I just meant—
[
pause]
Sorry. I’m not trying to run my own operation. I’m just saying I found it noteworthy that he knowingly snubbed you. It’s like he’s forgotten you don’t take crap from anyone.
[
pause]
[
offand] Oh yeah. Suitcase dead dropped as planned.
[
pause]
It was easy. They didn’t notice a thing. I literally found a coat closet and set the remote activator. Then—
[
Sounds offstage]
Hold it—Carla’s awake, she stayed up for me—
[
He puts the phone against his shoulder and peers offstage. He looks unruffled.]
Look, I’d better go. Get back to me when you’ve made up your mind what to do next, will you? [
a little indignant] Bye.
[
He hangs up. Carla enters a second later, I sleeping clothes.]
CARLA: Were you on the phone?
ALEX: Just making sure the airline knows I want my luggage back.
CARLA: Poor you. Hope you didn’t bring you lucky underwear to Germany.
ALEX: Ha ha. Well, I’m going to bed.
CARLA: I’ll be in momentarily. I just want a glass of water.
[
Alex kisses her shoulder as he goes past, exciting the same way she did.]
Well!
[
She waits until she hears the door close. She grabs the phone and dials, eyes trained on the SL wings.]
It’s me. Alex just got in.
[
pause]
Yes, he made one call. I only heard so much. Damn ventilation in the bedroom makes a ton of noise. Needs fixing.
[
pause]
He left his suitcase, I heard. And I’m almost certain it’s got something other than clothes in it—
[
pause]
Like I said, he wasn’t too detailed. Just said he stashed it in a closet, I think. I would alert our client, though. It could have anything in it.
[
pause]
He’s in the bedroom.
[
pause]
Oh, one thing—he said something to me earlier, when he came home… something about a fantastic statue of Apollo. He may have been near the private collection when he stashed the bag.
[
pause]
Just a thought. Well, I’d better go.
[
pause]
I’ll wait for instructions. Good night.
[
She hangs up and gets a cup. As she approaches the sink, Alex enters.]
I was just about to get a second cupful. Reading all those cooking magazines made me thirsty.
ALEX: I see. I think I’ll write myself a note to call a lock specialist.
CARLA: I’ll remember for you. You can take care of tomorrow. [
She sets the cup down.]
ALEX: Yes, all right.
[
Carla crosses to him and puts her arms around him. He responds to her touch.]
CARLA: To bed?
[
He kisses her, lingering.]
ALEX: Yes.
[
They kiss again. She pulls away and leads him loosely by the hand into the bedroom. He closes the door quietly.
Lights down.]
TO BE CONTINUED...
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