Welcome to the second post in SpiralWoman’s newly purposed blog. This installment is chronologically in approximately 1983, about 11 years before the Pick Up and Drop Off I last posted. It is the first part of a longer chapter that is written in script form. It came to me to write the scene this way, and I tried it. Thus far, reviews are mixed. Two people have read it. One was not sure and the other gave a thumbs up. Wait until the second installment next week before deciding what you think. For now, part 1, The Passport Office.
THE PASSPORT OFFICE part 1
Scene I
The living room, early morning.
Vanessa enters, rubbing her eyes, and passes through to the kitchen. When she comes back in, her mother is emerging from the room she calls “The Study.”
LEE
There is something important we have to do today. Get dressed. I need you to go with me to DC. If you drive, I can run into the Passport Office and not have to worry about parking.
VANESSA
Why are you going to the Passport Office? (Gulps hot coffee. Spits it back into cup.)
LEE
I need an expedited passport. I had not realized that mine expired. Okay, time is short. Let’s go! (Stalks elegantly out of the room, towards the hallway leading to bedrooms.)
VANESSA stands still in her red and white striped PJs gazing after her mother.
LEE
(calling from offstage)
TIME IS SHORT.
VANESSA follows the sound of LEE’s voice.
Scene II
Northbound on 29 towards Washington DC.
VANESSA is driving her mother’s Honda.
LEE
(half turned toward her daughter)
I believe you know a little bit about the communication channel that has opened up in my brain. The last few weeks I’ve been receiving truly life altering, loving, and inspiring messages from the King of Burma. It seems he is a compassionate forward-thinking ruler who needs a strong, loving woman by his side to rule. He has chosen me.
VANESSA
(trying to quell rising panic)
Is this real?
LEE
(face animated with shock)
Darling, of course it’s real! I would never lie to you! What do you mean is it real?
VANESSA
You realize most people do not have direct brain-to-brain channels of communication. Why doesn’t he call you? Or write a letter?
LEE
(looking patient as she tries to explain)
Of course, most people don’t. But these last years I’ve been evolving to a higher plane, as I thought you knew and understood. We have not spoken directly about it much because I sense it upsets you. And you are busy with work, and DAN, and still getting healthy… (Takes a skinny brown cigarette out of her bag and lights up.)
VANESSA
Window please, Mother.
LEE
(opens window, blows out a plume of smoke)
And he can’t call or write. Security reasons. There’s danger if the wrong people get wind of the plan. That’s why we have to be so careful. Why we can’t tell a soul. He’s sending emissaries to pick me up this evening at the Boar’s Head Inn. When you get back to the house after, you may find press there. He warned me that might happen, though we hope not.
VANESSA
You didn’t pack anything.
LEE
I’m not to worry about any of that. Everything I need will be waiting for me when we land.
LEE gazes at the scenery, mostly more lanes of highway and the occasional massive building behind soundproofed walls. VANESSA drives, her mind gradually shutting down. She thinks about her boyfriend, DAN, and how she had to cancel their plans for the day. She thinks what an absurd way to spend her day off. She’d rather be sitting by a lake with DAN and a cooler.
Scene III
Honda Accord, VANESSA behind the wheel, LEE gone
VANESSA is driving in circles around the Washington DC neighborhood of the Passport Agency. It’s a chilly day in late March, too early for the cherry blossoms.
STEREO
(blasting song from Talking Heads “Speaking in Tongues” cassette)
Hold tight, wait till the party’s over
Hold tight, we’re in for nasty weather…
VANESSA tries to turn onto 19th St. NW and three cars converge at the intersection, blocking her. Horns blare. She circles the block again and tries again, making it this time. Leans toward the windshield to check if her mother is standing out on the steps as arranged.
VANESSA
(singing along)
Burning down the house! (drums fingers on steering wheel in time to the music as she pulls away to circle again)
Scene IV
VANESSA pulls up in front of the Passport Agency and double parks.
STEREO
Ha! Takes over slowly
But doesn’t last very long
Ha ha ha ha no need to worry
Everything’s under control
LEE descends the steps of the Passport Agency, already a queen, moving only her legs, upper body motionless. She could carry a book on her head and it would not budge. A car honks somewhere behind VANESSA, and another passing to her left.
VANESSA
(to herself)
Mother, is hurrying not an option now that you are the queen on deck?
LEE
(opens passenger door and flows into the seat like molten gold)
We need to be back at 1:00. (Checks her bracelet watch.)
VANESSA
What now?
LEE
Let’s find a park.
VANESSA
The Mall is nearby if we can find parking. I hope it’s not as jammed as this neighborhood.
All practicality now, LEE opens a map from her glove box and directs VANESSA. As if already a monarch with power over things not yet imagined, LEE manifests a parking place one block from the Mall.
VANESSA
(laughing as she parallel parks)
I drive around for an hour and a half and you get in the car and find a parking place in five minutes.
LEE
(grinning)
What can I say?
VANESSA
(laughing)
Take a bow.
LEE gestures broadly with her arms, accepting the imaginary applause of her audience, then laughs with genuine mirth. VANESSA spontaneously leans over and kisses her mother’s temple. They get out of the car and start walking.
Scene V
LEE and VANESSA approach an empty bench facing the reflecting pool. Each of them holds a paper-wrapped hot dog and a bottle of water. VANESSA sits. LEE puts her water bottle on the bench and eats standing up, leaning out at a 45-degree angle.
VANESSA
(biting her hotdog)
I never came to DC till I was in college.
LEE
You know better than talk with your mouth full.
VANESSA
(Grinning, mouth still full)
Sure do.
LEE
I wish we had come down here when you were a child. We could have taken the train and spent a weekend. I don’t know why we never did things like that.
VANESSA
You were working all the time.
LEE
Yes. My career was very important to me. And it will be again—when I’ve cleared my name.
VANESSA
What about the King of Burma? I thought queen was your next career.
LEE
Oh well that’s true. (Looks down at the top of VANESSA’s head.) I’ll miss you, you know. In time I hope we can arrange for you to come for a nice long visit.
VANESSA
(silent for several beats then…)
Mother, I shouldn’t have brought it up. Let’s just sit here and enjoy the fresh air. I’ll take you back to the passport office. You can do your thing. Then we’ll go home.
LEE
(Tosses her wrapper into a bin and wets her napkin from the water bottle. Wipes her mouth delicately and then her fingers.)
Whatever you want, Darling. I know this is hard. It’s a lot to take in.
To be continued …
