Feathers & Teeth (Chris) - Scene 2

[START]

Sure beats pot roast, right Dad?

ARTHUR: Christine, that’s rude. Apologize to Carol.

Sorry Carol.
But I guess no more pot means no more pot roast- In the future. Right Dad?
…sorry Carol…

CAROL: Oh that’s all right Chris.

It’s only that… well I might as well tell you that was my mother… my mother’s pot.

Well this was my mother’s house.

ARTHUR: Oh no, sweetheart. I had no idea.

Stop calling Carol sweetheart. It’s disrespectful to Mom.

CAROL: […] I suppose that’s why I’m so busted up over that pot Arthur. I’d hoped that pot would be a source of comfort for our family too.

You aren’t in our family.

CAROL: It’s all right Arthur. She’ll come around in time.

I’m sitting right here Carol. I can hear you.

ARTHUR: Carol you are a treasure.

You are just an absolute treasure.

I’m a treasure too thought right Dad?
I also am a treasure.

CAROL: Of course you are a treasure Chris. No one is saying that you’re not.

Dad?

ARTHUR: Why don’t you finish your supper Christine? Before it gets cold.

[whining]

CAROL: Chris, would you um- do you think you might stop that hon?

What?

ARTHUR: She’s right, knock it off Chris.

Dad, are we in China right now?

ARTHUR: What?

Are we in the United Soviet States of Russia?

ARTHUR: Of course not Christine. We’re in America.

Okay. Well, just checking to make sure that we do actually live in a free country with free speech instead of an oppressive Communist regime where you’re not allowed to make sounds that you feel like making at the dinner table.

CAROL: I’d just like to put it to rest. So that other animals won’t get at it.

Get at its dead body you mean?
Those other animals can dig, you know.
They can just dig it right up and eat it.

ARTHUR: Christine.

Where’d that dress come from?

My closet.

ARTHUR: Well how about you just put it in the wash and I’ll run it down to the Salvation Army after work tomorrow.

Well how about let’s not Dad.

ARTHUR: Don’t start up again over this Christine.

We both know it’s not healthy for you to be wearing Ellie’s clothes around like this.

How about you just run Ellie’s pictures and records and ashes down to the Salvation Army too while you’re at it? That’d probably be real healthy too, right Dad?

ARTHUR: JESUS CHRISTINE!

I’m doing my best.

Cut me some goddamn slack here!

I just don’t want us to forget about Ellie, Dad.

ARTHUR: […] It seems like

Your behavior has been getting more and more… bizarre lately.

Bizarre?

ARTHUR: Like with that creature in the pot.

Well, it’s just that I heard you and Carol talking about how you’d better put it down and I didn’t want to have to listen to that sound it was making anymore so I just went for it. Because the thing in the pot made me sort of think about Mom, those last three days. And how she would have been better off dead than alive those last three days. Just the same as the thing in the pot.
I just felt so sorry for it Dad. And so sad for it.

ARTHUR: There, there now Christine. Don’t you cry now.

More of Ellie is missing every day. You know that pearl necklace she always used to wear?

ARTHUR: Sude do, Chris.

Well, it’s gone.
It was on my dresser and now I can’t find it.
And those pearls were really special because she loved them, and in this whole entire world there will never be another necklace like that. She gave it to me. And I lost it. And now that necklace is just as gone as Ellie is.

ARTHUR: That necklace is going to turn up somewhere Christine. That’s a promise.

Sometimes I feel so sad about Mom, it’s like I’ve got a rock choking the life out of my heart.

ARTHUR: […] But ah, you just have to try to ah, keep-

Keep looking on the bright side. Keep on… keeping on.

I know you’ve been really busy with Carol these past two months but,
I’ve really missed you Arthur.