Annalise Cain
Golden Hour
CHARACTERS
AMANDA A nervous woman in her 30s.
MS. THOMAS A calm woman in her 60s.
SETTING
The waiting room outside a child psychologist’s office.
TIME
Early evening. Golden hour.
AMANDA waits. She checks the time.
The sun is coming through the windows.
AMANDA goes to the essential oil diffuser and wafts it into her face.
She approaches the door cautiously, and tries to listen in.
She tries to open the door. She starts to pick the lock.
MS. THOMAS
From within
Hello?
MS. THOMAS enters.
AMANDA
Hi, sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb—
MS. THOMAS
Can I help you?
The sound of windchimes.
AMANDA
I—I’d like to register my child for an appointment.
MS. THOMAS
Oh. I’m about to head out for the day. You can email me on my website—
AMANDA
Right, yes, that would make sense, I just—you must hear this a lot, it’s hard for me to condense down, in email, it’s a lot easier for me, to talk to a person? If you have the time now, I mean.
MS. THOMAS
Ummm, yes, we could get acquainted now, if you like.
AMANDA
I’m sorry about the—I wasn’t sure if you were seeing any clients, and I didn’t want to—
MS. THOMAS
Oh, you’d be able to hear them if there were.
Pause.
MS. THOMAS (con’t)
Not enough to understand, but some pleasant babble. (She speaks in gibberish). Sometimes not so pleasant babble, but unintelligible nonetheless.
AMANDA
And you’re sure now is a good time?
MS. THOMAS
Now is a good time. What is your name?
AMANDA
Amanda, Serkis. Like Andy Serkis.
MS. THOMAS
Oh—are you related?
AMANDA
No I just—for the spelling.
MS. THOMAS
I don’t really know who Andy Serkis is.
AMANDA
Oh—I think he’s an actor? Or a politician? I just know his name. It’s spelled S-E-R-K-I-S.
MS. THOMAS
I’m not very big on pop culture.
AMANDA
Well it’s always changing. It’s hard to stay very big on top of it. I mean, it’s hard to stay on top of it.
MS. THOMAS
What is your child’s / name?
AMANDA
Could we speak inside your office?
MS. THOMAS
I don’t really like to have parents inside without the children. For me, it’s a child’s space.
AMANDA
Ah. Right.
MS. THOMAS
Everyone’s gone after five.
AMANDA
Ok.
MS. THOMAS
Your child’s name?
AMANDA
Noah. Serkis.
MS. THOMAS
And his age?
AMANDA
8.
MS. THOMAS
And what are your concerns?
AMANDA
He just isn’t himself lately.
MS. THOMAS
And how does he show that?
AMANDA
Well, he doesn’t.
MS. THOMAS
Ah. How does he hide it?
AMANDA
I used to find him plucking out his eyelashes—he’s stopped that. Sometimes he’ll steal food from his friends’ houses when they’re having a playdate. But not as much anymore. He eats plenty at home.
MS. THOMAS
Tell me about the rest of Noah’s immediate family.
AMANDA
Oh, it’s just us and his dad.
MS. THOMAS
And what do you both do?
AMANDA
He’s an electrician, and I’m an accountant.
MS. THOMAS
Who are the other important people in his life?
AMANDA
Umm—I don’t mean to offend you, but I like to be the sort of person, who has the integrity, to be straightforward, and—you have something in your teeth.
MS. THOMAS
Do I?
AMANDA
Between—no, between these—almost—no—maybe you should go to the restroom?
MS. THOMAS
That’s alright. I drive home anyway. Thank you though. I do like to surround myself with that sort of person.
AMANDA
I’m sorry to keep you late—
MS. THOMAS
Not at all—you’re helping me miss traffic. What does Noah / like to do—
AMANDA
Do you have any toys in there?
MS. THOMAS
Yes, we have toys, games—a lot of boys like Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza.
AMANDA
What’s Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza?
MS. THOMAS
It’s sort of like Egyptian Rat Screw.
AMANDA
What’s Egyptian Rat Screw?
MS. THOMAS
There’s just a lot of slapping. Boys tend to like it.
AMANDA
I think that’s a little, gendered.
MS. THOMAS
It is. But it helps them to open up in a way that doesn’t ask them to ‘renounce’ their masculinity. I try to meet clients where they’re comfortable first.
AMANDA
Do you have a dollhouse in there?
MS. THOMAS
Yes. Does your son like dolls?
AMANDA
Not really. Not that he doesn’t like them—I just think play can, reveal so much. Like, do you find that children, need it to look like their own home? Like, can the poor kids situate themselves in a Barbie mansion?
MS. THOMAS
It’s helpful for some children, less helpful for others.
AMANDA
So is it more of a Barbie Mansion? Or an old-fashioned town house?
MS. THOMAS
It’s just a standard model. But you know what’s funny? No bathrooms. Can’t go pee anywhere. I’d probably learn more about their relationship to the toilet. If it’d been included in the design.
AMANDA
I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have come, I’m wasting your time—
MS. THOMAS
No, no, that’s alright. Entering these kind of spaces for the first time can be, overwhelming—why don’t you just give me your contact information and we can pick up another time?
AMANDA
You don’t have to—this isn’t new to me, this—
MS. THOMAS
You should work at your own pace. But Noah’s pace is a part of the overall rhythm, yes? Parents are always trying to find a time signature that accommodates them and the child. Hopefully.
Windchimes.
AMANDA goes in for a hug, but MS. THOMAS moves herself out of the way.
AMANDA
I’m sorry. It’s just—I didn’t know how to contact you.
Pause.
MS. THOMAS
I have a taser very close by.
AMANDA
You won’t need a taser—I’m sorry—
MS. THOMAS
I think you should leave.
AMANDA
Don’t you remember me? Amanda?
MS. THOMAS
It’s very close by.
AMANDA
I’m Amanda Cellars. Amanda Cellars—from Rockford Elementary—I plucked out my eyelashes?! I wet the bed on my 8th birthday party.
MS. THOMAS
That really wouldn’t be a stand out.
AMANDA
How can you not remember me?
MS. THOMAS
I’m going to count to five. 1. 2.
AMANDA
I pulled out teeth for attention!
MS. THOMAS
3.
AMANDA
Leslie Cellars—do you remember Leslie Cellars?
MS. THOMAS
You’re Leslie Cellars’ daughter?
AMANDA
Yeah.
MS. THOMAS
That restraining order is still in effect—
AMANDA
She’s dead. So it’s not. I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to bring up all this—
MS. THOMAS
What are you doing here?
AMANDA
I was—it’s not important, it’s not only not important, it’s stupid—my son is real, I need you to know that, I didn’t make him up, he’s not going see you, but I didn’t make him up—how could you not remember me?
MS. THOMAS
I don’t remember you, but I remember her. God. You understand I had to move offices because of her?
AMANDA
I figured something like that had happened.
MS. THOMAS
Because of a pen. Because you were taking Latuda, and I wrote with a Latuda pen. And that meant I was promoting the drug to you. Your mother hounded me for months—I had to leave the school board because of her.
AMANDA
She—she was awful.
MS. THOMAS
She was. You, I’m sorry, you have a responsibility to understand that now.
AMANDA
I do.
MS. THOMAS
I’m sorry for her passing.
AMANDA
Thank you. I’m not going. To the funeral. I—I really, I shouldn’t have come. You—I’m sorry. It, it’s been a weird week—year.
MS. THOMAS
I’m familiar with the week-years. What can I help you with, Amanda?
AMANDA
I think I may have left something in the dollhouse?
MS. THOMAS
Amanda, it’s been through several moves.
AMANDA
I know.
MS. THOMAS
What do you think you may have lost?
AMANDA
Her necklace. I know it’s a long shot, but I just—I had a feeling.
MS. THOMAS
And that’s what you came for?
AMANDA
Yeah. Could you just look? Please?
MS. THOMAS exits.
MS. THOMAS (off)
I’m not seeing it.
AMANDA
Look under the kitchen sink.
Beat. MS. THOMAS enters with the necklace.
AMANDA
I dream a lot about it. Or my dreams take place there, a lot.
MS. THOMAS
That’s a nice little dream layout.
AMANDA
A week ago, I dreamed of her digging out of her own grave, and clutching at her collarbone. “Where’s my necklace? Where’s my necklace?” I haven’t been sleeping. I won’t go to the funeral, but I thought I could leave it in an envelope? Maybe, then the dreams will stop?
MS. THOMAS
I would’ve stolen it too. Theft is the only language a parent like that speaks.
AMANDA
It was her favorite.
MS. THOMAS
Good.
AMANDA
You should have it.
MS. THOMAS
That shit’s tacky.
AMANDA
Pawn it.
MS. THOMAS
No. ‘The vibes are off.’ But if you feel you need someone to take it off your hands—
AMANDA
It feels lighter than I remember.
MS. THOMAS
That’s good. That feels like a good sign.
AMANDA
Did you really not remember me?
MS. THOMAS
Amanda, you scared the shit out of me. I wasn’t about to remember a kid from 25 years ago.
AMANDA
You couldn’t have seen me for more than a few months.
MS. THOMAS
Yeah, that sounds right.
AMANDA
She was threatened by you.
MS. THOMAS
Clearly.
AMANDA
Not because of that—because she could sense me changing. She could tell you were getting through. And that scared her.
Windchimes.
AMANDA (con’t)
You still have those?
MS. THOMAS
They’ve survived every move.
AMANDA
They make the best sound. Whenever she pissed me off, I would fill my whole body with the sound of chimes, and let it pass through. She got mad that she couldn’t make me mad. Does that work with a lot of kids?
MS. THOMAS
I don’t know. I hope so.
AMANDA feels the necklace in her hand.
MS. THOMAS (con’t)
I can’t believe no one found it before you.
AMANDA
It holds secrets well. Even from you.
MS. THOMAS
That’s its job. To house them until they’re ready to share.
They hug like an estranged mother and child.
Scene.
