Hotel lobby. Later that afternoon. MR. and MRS. SING sit on a bench.
MRS. SING: It seemed like they might be our friends, the Oddis, the way they came over to our table this morning and then gave us the sugar. I really could see it, I thought—yes! In her face was something of the brutal woman. I do like brutal women. I have all along, since I was a girl! Oh, think of it. I would just admire her… sit and admire her and stare. And she would admire me, too! And we’d just talk about all the little things in the world…
MR. SING: You snubbed her. She was being perfectly friendly and you were rude.
MRS. SING: I don’t even remember.
MR. SING: You are always rude.
MRS. SING: Perhaps I was brought up that way…
MR. SING: You cannot blame your mother and father who are twenty years dead!
(Pause.)
MRS. SING: But it was almost a betrayal, wasn’t it? For them to go like that? I thought they might turn around and come back to us as soon as they stepped out that door. I kept watching the door… like a little animal.
MR. SING: They wanted to see the sights.
MRS. SING: Yes! Like us! We wanted to see the sights, too!
MR. SING: We’ll see the sights next time!
MRS. SING: All I wanted was to spend one day in the shops, but I didn’t want to tell you. I had it in mind to buy a nice dress, only one, but which I could bring back and tell Mrs. Lau: This is from Paris. This is a Paris original!
MR. SING: I don’t know why you are always trying to make Mrs. Lau jealous. She is an illiterate cleaning-woman. You have never had any ambition!
MRS. SING: No, it’s true. I don’t know why I thought it would be a good idea.
MR. SING: What you want is always nothing but trouble, that’s what I think.
MRS. SING: I should just throw myself into the river. With my ribbons and my robes.
MR. SING: Don’t talk nonsense.
MRS. SING: I’m nothing but a burden to you.
MR. SING: You say it but you don’t mean it. (pause) You don’t have ribbons and you only have one robe.
(THE ODDIS enter, exhausted after a long day.)
MRS. SING: (whispering) Look, it’s the Oddis! Sit up!
(THE ODDIS approach but JENNY runs ahead.)
JENNY: Have they found Daniel yet?
MR. SING: No, Jenny, they have not.
MR. ODDI: We’re so sorry.
MS. ODDI: Yes, yes, so sorry.
MR. SING: Yes…
MRS. SING: And how did you spend your day?
MR. ODDI: We looked for Daniel all over.
JENNY: (desperate) No, we did not. They wouldn’t let me go to the park. I told them I wanted to feed the birds—but it wasn’t true! I thought we’d see Daniel there! I know he loves birds, and I thought maybe he would follow the little pigeons in…
MS. ODDI: She’s confused. We kept our eye out for him all day.
MRS. SING: (touching the arm of MS. ODDI’s blouse) Ms. Oddi, may I speak with you confidentially?
MS. ODDI: I… don’t think so.
MS. ODDI: Whatever you want to say to me, you can say before my husband, and Jenny.
(MRS. SING sits silent.)
MRS. SING: Please, we won’t go far. Just… over there… by the tree.
MS. ODDI: (glances at it) All right.
(They go over to stand by the plastic tree.)
MRS. SING: (giggling, then bringing her hand up to her mouth) I don’t know what’s come over me! I don’t know what’s wrong with me! (bursts into tears) Oh, it’s just been such a terrible day! You have never lost a child, have you, Ms. Oddi?
MS. ODDI: Never.
MRS. SING: It’s not like you imagine it. You find that even oranges look menacing to you. The whole world turns inside-out, and you see nothing but the maggots! The midgets and the maggots!
MS. ODDI: I wouldn’t know about that, Mrs. Sing. I have always tried to look on the bright side of things.
MRS. SING: Me too, me too. Not the midgets. Oh, Ms. Oddi, I have a feeling we could understand each other!
MS. ODDI: No, I’m sorry, Mrs. Sing. You have the wrong idea about me. I don’t know how I ever gave you that idea, but I like the comforts of my family, and the few friends I have are enough for me.
MRS. SING: But you are a passionate woman… in some ways?
(MS. ODDI notices JENNY playing with the leaves of a hotel plant.)
MS. ODDI: Jenny! Stop that! Jenny’s up to no good again. Please excuse me, Mrs. Sing. I hope they find Daniel.
(She steps away, pulling JENNY with her.)
MRS. SING: Please don’t misunderstand me!