THE MEAL PAUL NEVER CAME TO

CHARLES, MONIQUE, KARINE and MARIE 1 are seated at the table, which is not necessarily present. This scene is not realistic. In fact, the actors could be preparing PAUL’s grave as it goes on. We are in split time.

CHARLES

He’ll be here.

MONIQUE

He’s late.

CHARLES

He’ll be here.

MONIQUE

He’s still late though.

KARINE

Don’t worry. You’re always worrying.

MONIQUE

He usually calls when he’s late, that’s all.

MARIE 1

When’s Paul getting here?

CHARLES

Soon, sweetie.

MONIQUE

It’ll be cold.

CHARLES

Okay, let’s start without him. Bon appétit.

MONIQUE

It’s already cold.

MARIE 1

Do I have to eat it all?

CHARLES

Not everything, but a bit of everything at least.

MARIE 1

Ahhhh.

KARINE

Hey, Marie, I’m gonna steal your mushrooms!

MARIE 1

YAY!

CHARLES

(to MONIQUE) You’re not eating?

MONIQUE

It’s already too cold.

KARINE

(to MARIE) Mmmm… boy, these mushrooms are good…

CHARLES

There’s no point waiting for him. Dig in.

MONIQUE

He’s a whole two hours late. I don’t understand.

MARIE 1

You wanna steal some more of my mushrooms, Karine?

CHARLES

No, Marie. That’s enough. You eat your vegetables now.

(to MONIQUE) Stop waiting for him. He’ll be here…

MARIE 1

Mushrooms aren’t vegetables. They’re just sort of fungus.

KARINE bursts out laughing.

KARINE

Mmmm… good old fungus…

CHARLES

Okay, okay now.

MONIQUE

I can’t understand what he’s doing.

CHARLES

Too bad for him. He’ll never know what he’s missing. There, that’s very good, sweetheart.

MONIQUE

He knew. He knew we were seeing Karine off tonight.

KARINE

Oh, it doesn’t matter.

CHARLES

(angry) Well, no, of course not! Doing this to his mother doesn’t matter at all!

KARINE

Relax, Papa.

CHARLES

Of course.

KARINE

You can all come to the housewarming instead. How’s that?

MARIE 1

Didn’t they use to hang up something?

KARINE

The hook for holding a pot.

MARIE 1

They hang it from that?

PAUL arrives.

PAUL

Sorry about that.

MARIE 1

Paul!

PAUL

I’m really sorry.

CHARLES

The meal’s ruined.

PAUL

I couldn’t help it.

CHARLES

Your mother went to the trouble of preparing a lovely meal, and you never even showed up.

PAUL

Thanks, Mama.

CHARLES

A really nice one.

MONIQUE

It’s gone cold…

PAUL

I know. I’m really sorry.

MONIQUE

I was so worried! Why didn’t you at least call?

PAUL

I… didn’t have anything to say.

MONIQUE

No? Well, I certainly did, let me tell you!

MARIE 1

What’s a hanging?

KARINE

I don’t want to talk about it anymore, Marie.

CHARLES

Did you at least write a letter?

PAUL

No, Papa, I didn’t write any letter.

CHARLES

Well, do something. You don’t come. You never will anymore, and you couldn’t write to let us know?

PAUL

I didn’t know what to write.

CHARLES

You really are thoughtless about the ones that love you. Really.

KARINE

It’s not his fault.

CHARLES

Oh right, not his fault… must be ours.

KARINE

That’s not how it works, Papa.

CHARLES

Well, gee, then someone’s just going to have to explain to me how it does work, because I don’t know anymore. I really don’t. All I do know is it doesn’t. It just doesn’t, that’s all. One small letter, that’s all I’m asking; not even a letter—a note, just a note. You wouldn’t happen to have one of those anywhere in your pocket, would you by any chance?

PAUL

No.

CHARLES

Not even the tiniest one hidden around the house somewhere?

PAUL

No.

CHARLES

You know, the rest of my life I’m going to be searching for a note, a letter, some explanation. You know that, don’t you?

MONIQUE

I’ll be asking myself, “Why didn’t he call?”

KARINE

Well I’m going to have a son and name him Paul.

MARIE 1

And I’m going to write a thesis.