Act I, Scene 8

[Living room.  George is alone.]

T.V. Sound: ...stay tuned to see who will be voted off next on "So You Want to be a Supreme Court Justice."

[Enter Taylor.  George is the only one who can see Taylor.]

Taylor:     Hello, George.

George:     What?  What are you doing here?

Taylor:     It's been a long time, hasn't it?

George:     Where did you come from?  How did you get in here?

Taylor:     Doors aren't such a problem for me anymore.

George:     I thought you were...

Taylor:     Yes, George?

George:     You shouldn't be here.  My wife's just in the kitchen.

Taylor:     Oh, perhaps I should say hello.

George:     No.  (He blocks her from going into the kitchen.)

Taylor:     Hello!

George:     Quiet.  You'll ruin everything.

Taylor:     Can't have that, can we?

George:     Of course, not. 

Taylor:     Sorry, George.  Everything is already ruined.

George:     No, it's not.  Things are just fine.  We're just going through a bad spot right now.

Taylor:     A bad spot.  (laughs)  You and I need to work some things out.

George:     Can't we do this some other time?

Taylor:     This is no other time, George.  I need a few answers.

George:     Answers.  Look, next week.  We'll take a long lunch together, just you and me, and we'll work all this out.

Taylor:     You and I don't do lunch anymore.

George:     Next week.  I promise.

Taylor:     I want to know why you haven't been to see our daughter.

George:     Our daughter?

Taylor:     You remember, George.

George:     Things are complicated right now, baby.

Taylor:     Things are complicated for me, too.

George:     I know.  But now isn't the time for us to talk.  Not here.  Not right now.  You better leave.  Okay?

Taylor:     Not yet.  She doesn't have any health insurance and she bruises real easy.

George:     Things are really tight, baby.

Taylor:     She needs socks and shoes and sweaters and some attention.

George:     It will have to be later, okay?

Taylor:     You don't care, do you?

George:     Of course, I do.

Taylor:     No, you don't.  You're a weasel, always have been.

George:     I am not.

Taylor:     You're worthless, George.  You lied to me.  You lied to your wife.  You even lied to yourself.

George:     That's not fair!

Taylor:     Nothing's fair, George.  Nothing at all.

George:     Get away from me!

[Enter Carol]

Carol:      George?

George:     What!

Carol:      Are you okay?  Is someone here?  I thought I heard voices.

George:     No, no, no.  Everything's fine.  It's just, there was something disturbing on the television...

Carol:      For God's sake, George, you're not watching The Red Shoe Diaries again, are you?

George:     No.  It was the O'Reilly Factor.  They had that fat filmmaker on.  The one that drives me nuts.

Carol:      Michael Moore?

George:     Yes.  That fool.

Carol:      You shouldn't watch those shows, George.  They just make you upset.

George:     I know, dear.  Maybe I'll just turn on the Disney Channel.

Carol:      That's nice, dear.

 [Exit Carol]

Taylor:     Life hasn't been particularly fair to me, George.

George:     What?  How did you...?

Taylor:     You said you loved me.  You wanted to make a life with me.  You were going to leave your wife.

George:     Yes.  Yes.  Sure I did, baby.  But these things aren't as easy to work out as they seem.  I need time. 

Taylor:     You had all the time in the world.

George:     When the time is right, I promise.

Taylor:     You make a lot of promises.  But the time for promises is done.

George:     What are you talking about?

Taylor:     Do you love me?

George:     Of course, I do, baby.

Taylor:     Do you really mean that?  You've said it so many times, to so many people.  Do you even have a concept of what that means?  To love someone?

George:     Of course, I do.

Taylor:     You love me?

George:     Yes.

Taylor:     And our daughter?

George:     Of course.

Taylor:     Prove it.

George:     How?

Taylor:     Go right now and get her.

George:     I can't leave right now.

Taylor:     If you love us you'll leave right now, get our daughter and bring her back here.

George:     What are you saying?

Taylor:     Here.  Where you'll make a home for her.  For your daughter.  Acknowledge her and bring her home.

George:     I can't do that right now.

Taylor:     They've taken her, George.

George:     They?

Taylor:     The state.  They have taken her, given her to a foster family.

George:     Maybe that's for the best.

Taylor:     They've given her to a family that abuses their children, George.  They took her away from my grandmother because she was too old and gave her to people whose only interest is getting extra money from the state.  She's sick all the time.  She has bruises on her body.  And you don't care.

George:     Of course, I care.

Taylor:     Then go and bring her here right now.

George:     I can't!  How could I explain to Laura...?

Taylor:     I'm sorry for you, George.  I'm sorry for what is going to happen to you.

George:     What do you mean?

Taylor:     It's all your fault.  It's your fault this has happened, you spineless bastard.

George:     What are you talking about?

Taylor:     I am talking about retribution, George.  Justice.

George:     Listen.  I'll make it up to you.  Really I will.  It's just that if Laura sees you...

Taylor:     George!

George:     Yes?

Taylor:     Your wife's name is Carol, not Laura.  I'm Laura.  Remember?

[Enter Meg]

Meg:        George, can you turn down the T.V.?  I can't sleep with all the noise out here.  Is that Ren and Stimpy?  I just love Ren and Stimpy.  Oh, it's just some ad for mouthwash.  Are you alright, George?  You look like you just saw a ghost.

George:     A ghost?

Meg:        Yeah, you're all pasty and pale.  Like you just had that dream about the airplane.

George:     I'm fine.

Meg:        Maybe you have been watching too much T.V.  Cosmic rays from the Cathy ray tubes can turn your mind to mush.  You should do what I do when I want to watch T.V.  Wrap aluminum foil around your head to keep the cosmic rays from punching holes in your brain.

George:     Aluminum foil?

Meg:        And it wouldn't hurt to wrap some around, well, you know, down there.

George:     The next time I watch too much T.V.  Promise.

Meg:        You'll thank me for this some day.  Don't want your brain to turn into Swiss cheese.  Is Carol in the kitchen?

George:     Yes.  She and Eris are in there.  Playing with bat wings and dragon hearts.

Meg:        Is that some kind of new card game?

George:     Absolutely.

[Exit Meg.  George sits down to watch T.V.  Taylor tries to attract his attention.  He ignores her.]

T.V. sound: ...while the divorce will be final on Friday, spokespersons for both celebrities stated recently that the couple are still good friends and have no hard feelings over the arsons and homicide attempts.

Taylor:     You can't get rid of me that easily any more.

George:     You're not here.  You are just part of a dream I've been having.  You don't exist.

Taylor:     Really?  Well, if I didn't exist, could I do this? 

[Taylor turns off the T.V.]

George:     The T.V. is still on.  I'm just dreaming that it's off.

Taylor:     Oh, you're dreaming?  Well, dream about this. 

[Taylor knocks something onto the floor.]

George:     That didn't happen.

Taylor:     And maybe this didn't happen. 

[Taylor pokes George.]

George:     This is all just a bad dream!

Taylor:     This isn't just a bad dream, George.  It's downright naughty! 

[Taylor puts her hands on George and...]

George:     Stop that!

Taylor:     Oh, George.  You use to think that was so much fun.

George:     Stay away from me!

Taylor:     Come on, George.

George:     I don't know you.

Taylor:     Don't you remember me, George?  Or have you found yourself another little squeeze and forgotten all about your dear, precious, little Laura?

[Bush turns his back on her]

Taylor:     It's all your fault.

George:     You're not really there.  You're just a dream.

Taylor:     Are you asleep?

George:     No.

Taylor:     Then you're not dreaming, George.

George:     You are just in my head.

Taylor:     Are you sure?

George:     That's what the therapist said when I told him I would see you.  He said you were just in my head. 

Taylor:     You thought I went away.

George:     You did go away.  You've been gone for two years.

Taylor:     Longer than that.

George:     It's been two years since I saw someone on the street and thought it was you.  I haven't seen you since then.  So why have you come back now?  What have I done to bring you back?

Taylor:     It's what you haven't done, George.

George:     Your daughter.

Taylor:     Our daughter.

George:     Our daughter.  She was doing just fine.  She doesn't need me.

Taylor:     She needs her daddy, George.

George:     Listen, I'd be shit at trying to take care of her.  We never had any children.  I wouldn't know what to do.

Taylor:     You're making excuses again.

George:     I'm just trying to do what's right.

Taylor:     I can't come by and see you tonight, baby.  I have an appointment with my insurance agent.

George:     She's better off where she is.

Taylor:     It's her mother's birthday and Carol will be angry if I don't go.

George:     What can I do?

Taylor:     I just couldn't tell her last night, baby.  Her father went into the hospital.  It'll be a while longer.

George:     You're not listening to me.

Taylor:     After we close this big deal.  Until then I just couldn't handle Carol's hysterics.

George:     You're being unfair.

Taylor:     Right after Christmas, baby.  I promise.

George:     Stop it.

Taylor:     I know it's Michelle's birthday, but the boss insists.

George:     Stop it!

Taylor:     I'm going to be in late today, baby.  We'll talk after lunch, I swear.

George:     Stop it!

Taylor:     But you never came in that day, did you, George?  By the time you got there the building was gone.  Wasn't it?  Everything was gone!

George:     Stop it!

Taylor:     They flew an airplane into our building and everybody died.  Everybody!  Except you!

George:     Stop it.

Taylor:     Everybody's dead except for the philandering boss who didn't want to face his mistress after blowing her off the night before. 

George:     (crying) Stop it.

Taylor:     Is that why I had to die, George?  Because you couldn't deal with our relationship?  So you wouldn't have to confront your wife with your girlfriend?  Is that why the plane flew into our building?  Because you and I had an affair?  Is that why I am dead?

George:     No.  No.  No.  If I had been there...

Taylor:     If you had been there, what?  You'd be dead, too?  You wouldn't have to deal with the aftermath of your indiscretion if you were dead.  Is that what you are thinking?

George:     No.

Taylor:     Or maybe you think you could have saved us.  You could have saved me.  Run up those stairs with a smoke jacket.  Or a parachute.  We could have jumped off the top of the World Trade Center, in each other's arms, and floated down 110 stories to the street, kissing and laughing all the way, as we cheated death out of his prize.  Is that what you're thinking, George?

George:     I don't know what I'm thinking.

Taylor:     That's always been your problem.  You don't think.  Not with your brain, anyway.  You can't get rid of your guilt that easy.  I won't let you.  You think you've had it tough these past three nights.

George:     What are you talking about?

Taylor:     I'm talking about your little problem sleeping.

George:     You're responsible for my dreams?

Taylor:     I'm responsible for seeing that you get what you deserve.

[Enter Carol]

George:     Why are you doing this to me?  Why can't you just leave me alone?

Carol:      George?

George:     Laura!

Carol:      Laura?

George:     I mean, Carol.

Carol:      Laura!  Who's Laura?

George:     Nobody.

Carol:      That was that bitch's name, wasn't it?

George:     No.  I mean, yes, but...

Carol:      You're seeing her again?

George:     No!

Carol:      Yes, you are!

George:     No, I'm not.  She's dead!

Carol:      You're fucking a dead woman?

George:     No!  It's my dream.  She's in my dream.

 [Enter Eris and Meg]

Eris:       What's going on?

Carol:      George is fucking a dead woman!

Meg:        What?

George:     No!  She was killed in the World Trade Center!

Eris:       You're fucking a woman who was killed in the World Trade Center?  George, I can't even begin to tell you how sick that sounds.

George:     She's not real.  She's in my head!

Carol:      You better get her the fuck out of there!

George:     No.  No.  I'm not fucking anyone.  It's just these dreams. 

Carol:      I thought this was all over.  I can't believe this is happening again. 

George:     I'm so confused.  I keep seeing her over and over in my dreams.  I fell asleep in front of the T.V. and I dreamt she was here.

Eris:       The TV is not on, George.

George:     (screams) I don't know!  I need to get this dream out of my head.

Eris:       (pause)   What do you mean she was here?

George:     That woman.  She was here.  In this room.

Eris:       Here with you?

George:     Yes.

Eris:       And she is dead?

George:     Yes. 

Eris:       What does she want?

George:     She wants me get her daughter.

Carol:      Her daughter?  She has a child?

George:     Yes.

Meg:        Why should you get her daughter?

George:     She wants me to bring her here.

Carol:      For God's sake, why?

George:     Because she's in foster care, bounced from home to home.  The one she's in now...  isn't the best.  A stable family would be better.  And she claims the girl is my daughter.

Eris:       You had a daughter with this woman?

George:     Of course, not.  She's not real.  She's just an illusion. 

Carol:      Laura Taylor wasn't real?  She sure as hell was real when you had that affair with her.  She sure as hell was real when we went to the lawyers and the marriage counselor.  And if the two of you had a child...

Meg:        Oooo.  Just like Jerry Springer!

Carol:      Shut the fuck up, Meg!

George:     No.  No.  No.  There is no child.

Taylor:     Liar.

George:     She's just a dream.

Eris:       You said she's being brought up in a foster home.

George:     I know. 

Eris:       And the foster family is abusing her.

George:     Yes.

Eris:       How do you know this if she isn't real?

Taylor:     You tell him, sister.

George:     Laura had a daughter, but I swear, I didn't know it was mine.  I mean...  I don't know what I mean.

Carol:      What are you going to do about this, George?

George:     I don't know.  I can't think.  I don't even know who I am or where I am.

Carol:      You're going to have to take care of this.  This little problem isn't going away by itself.  It's going to grow up and become a big problem. 

Taylor:     I'll say.

Carol:      You're going to have to do something.

George:     Like what?

Carol:      If the girl is being abused, something bad will happen.  That means investigations, courts, reporters.  Eventually someone will remember the rumors about your affair.

George:     I suppose I could work something out, get her adopted.

Carol:      Well, you better hurry up before someone asks for a paternity test.  There's no way in hell anybody is going to find out you had a child with that woman.

Taylor:     Oh, for God's sake. 

[Taylor tips over something that crashes to the floor.  Meg screams.  Everyone else jumps.]

Meg:        What the hell was that? 

Eris:       George.  You said in your dream Laura Taylor was in the room.  Is she still here?

George:     Yes.

Carol:      I don't see anyone.

Eris:       Where is she, George?

George:     Standing over there. 

[George points.  Taylor waves.]

Meg:        Over where?  I don't see anyone.

Eris:       She pushed that over, didn't she?

George:     Yes.

Carol:      Dreams don't push things over.

Eris:       No, but ghosts can.

Meg:        Ghosts!  We don't believe in ghosts!  Do we, Carol?

Eris:       It doesn't matter if you believe, Meg.  It only matters if the ghost believes.  Laura, can you hear me?

[Taylor rolls her eyes.]

George:     She can hear you.

Eris:       Laura.  I know that things are confusing for you, honey.  It seems like you need to hold onto this world.  There are things you've left undone.  But you're going to have to let go.

Taylor:     Oh, isn't this cute?  The little witch is going to perform an exorcism.

Eris:       You need to move on, Laura.

Taylor:     Tell the bitch I'm not finished yet.

George:     She says she isn't finished yet.

Eris:       Whatever is holding you to this plane of existence, you need to let it go.  You need to move on to the next plane.  You don't belong here anymore.

Taylor:     Oh, I belong here alright.  You people owe me and I'm going to collect.

George:     She says she's going to collect what she's owed.

Eris:       The living don't owe anything to the dead except respect.  This is no longer your world.

Taylor:     You don't understand.  What happened to me shouldn't have happened.  There shouldn't have been a plane.  I shouldn't be dead.

George:     What happened to her shouldn't have happened.  She shouldn't be dead.

Eris:       It's understandable that you feel that way, but what happened did happen.  This world is no longer your concern.

Taylor:     Not my concern?  It's my concern when my daughter's being abused.

George:     It's her concern when her daughter's being abused.

Taylor:     When her father won't acknowledge her.

George:     When her father...

Taylor:     You're her father!

George:     When I won't acknowledge her.

Eris:       Laura.  Bad things happen on this plane, we all know that.  But you're proof that there's another plane of existence, a better place to which we can go.

Taylor:     A better place?  A place where I can see what happens and can do nothing about it?  A place where the only thing I feel is the pain inside me?  A place where my only emotion is rage?  Where nothing is explained except by injustice?

George:     She questions your use of the words "a better place."

Eris:       I promise, Laura, we'll take care of your daughter.  We'll make sure she's looked after, in a good home, with a good family.

Meg:        Absolutely.  Better than this one even.

Taylor:     You promise?  Do you know how many promises I've been fed in my life?  Do you know how many promises have been broken?  All of them!

George:     She doesn't believe in promises.

Taylor:     It's all your fault.

George:     It's all your fault.

Eris:       My fault?  What's my fault?

Taylor:     You interfered.  If you hadn't tried to keep these two together, George would have left his bitch and married me.  We'd have been together. 

George:     You saved our marriage.

Eris:       What's wrong with that?

Taylor:     Everything was wrong!  If George had married me, we'd have left the firm, found someplace else to live.  I wouldn't have been there that day.  I wouldn't be dead.

George:     If I had left Carol for Laura, we would have left the firm.  She would still be alive.

Carol:      Is that how you feel, George?

Eris:       You don't know that, Laura.  You don't know what would have happened. 

Taylor:     I know I am dead and you are alive.

Eris:       You don't know the consequences of actions not taken. 

Carol:      What about me?  If George had left, what would have happened to me?

Taylor:     Who gives a fuck about you?

George:     She doesn't care.

Carol:      Oh, yeah?  Well, I care.  And George cares.

Taylor:     Ha!

Carol:      George and I have a marriage, something you wouldn't understand.

Taylor:     It's all your fault, isn't it?

Meg:        A real marriage. 

Taylor:     You wanted him back.

Carol:      A loving marriage.

Taylor:     He was mine.

Meg:        The kind of marriage Ken and Barbie had; until he left her and went to Massachusetts to marry G.I. Joe.

Taylor:     You're bats, you know that?

Carol:      What George and I have is real.  What you had was just a sleazy affair.  You did what all harlots do and tried to steal a man away from his wife.

Taylor:     I didn't steal anything you hadn't already lost.

Carol:      George loves me.  Not you.  It was just sex with you.

Taylor:     Damn right we had sex.

Carol:      You were just trying to use him.

Taylor:     The two of you didn't have sex, did you?

Eris:       You have to realize you have passed over.  There is nothing for you here anymore.  You have to let go.

Taylor:     Let go?  I'll show you let go.

[Taylor knocks a bunch more stuff over. Meg and Carol scream.]

George:     Stop it!  Stop it!

Taylor:     I'm not going to stop until I get what I want!

George:     I can't take this any more!

[George runs off stage.]

Taylor:     See that!  He's mine!  You can't have him back!

 [Taylor exits]

Carol:      George!

Eris:       Laura?  Are you still here?

Meg:        Carol?

[Meg faints]

Eris:       Meg?

Carol:      George!  He's driving away.  He's going back to her.

Eris:       She's dead.

Carol:      Meg?

Eris:       No, Meg just fainted.  I mean, Laura Taylor is dead.  He isn't going to her.

Carol:      Then where is he going?

Eris:       He's just upset.  He's taking a drive around the block.  Or something.  He'll be back.

Carol:      He better get his ass back here or there will be hell to pay.