DOM is gone. ALMA lies on the table with the steaks stacked under her head, and OTTO gently strokes her hair as the lights rise. PHYLLIS is still standing with the stun gun.
PHYLLIS
Is she dead?
ALMA
Not yet.
OTTO
Don’t move. The medics are on their way.
ALMA
I don’t want any medics. What happened?
PHYLLIS
You stopped breathing.
ALMA
I stopped breathing?
OTTO
Momentarily.
PHYLLIS
I gave you another shock with this and you started again.
ALMA
Where’s your partner?
OTTO
He went to call the medics.
PHYLLIS
I need to get out of here.
OTTO
The manager is on his way down.
ALMA
Get lost, Phyllis.
PHYLLIS
What about the other guy?
OTTO
Make your way through the frozen section. He doesn’t like it over there.
PHYLLIS heads for the door. She stops.
PHYLLIS
Before I go, I have something to say.
ALMA
She has something to say.
PHYLLIS
You were my best and only friend, Alma.
ALMA
I still am.
PHYLLIS
You get me into situations I never want to be in, in the first place. You try to talk me into all kinds of stuff and you won’t ever just let me be myself. Why is that?
ALMA
Because you have a life that you’re only half living.
PHYLLIS
But it’s mine.
OTTO
You better get going.
PHYLLIS
And by the way, when you dropped the steak, I shouted, “I don’t know this woman” as loud as I possibly could on purpose.
ALMA
You’re telling me you wanted to get caught.
PHYLLIS
I’m already satisfied with what I have, Alma.
ALMA
You’re satisfied with nothing?
PHYLLIS
Not nothing, a little something. And I would also like to say, I would just like to say, to whatever entity is out there listening, I truly apologize for what I did.
ALMA
There’s no entity.
OTTO
I’m listening. Apology accepted. Go.
She goes.
PHYLLIS
Sorry!
ALMA
I shouldn’t have drawn her into this; she hasn’t got the moral character for shoplifting.
OTTO
Listen, you’re going to end up in jail, you keep doing this. I don’t want that.
ALMA
I know you don’t. I’ve known for a long time.
OTTO
Is that right?
ALMA
Where do you think I got that breezy confidence to waltz in and out of here? You think I didn’t notice you watching me? At first, I thought, “Hey, for whatever reason, I don’t care, if this guy is going to stand idly by and let me abscond with this merchandise, then so be it.” Then I started to wonder. What kind of security guard lets a person get away with stealing? That must be quite a story that crosses such vast ethical boundaries.
OTTO
You really think I was standing idly by?
ALMA
No?
OTTO
They’ve changed all the camera positions and they’ve added new ones.
ALMA
Is that so?
OTTO
These days, even the surveillance is under surveillance. Do you have any idea how hard it is for me to steer you away from these new angles, to hide you from view?
ALMA
Oh?
OTTO
Call it customer appreciation.
ALMA
What are you trying to do, take away my one little victory in life?
OTTO
You could empty every single shelf in here and they would still win.
ALMA
Won’t stop me.
OTTO
We could do this together. I know these places inside and out.
ALMA
Your job is watching over the merchandise.
OTTO
I told you. I’m finished here.
ALMA
You’re not finished.
OTTO
Even if I wasn’t, I live in a world that doesn’t exist anymore, if it ever did.
ALMA
Don’t say that.
OTTO
So what about us?
Beat. DOM rushes in.
DOM
Ambulance is on its way.
OTTO
Good boy.
DOM
Where did she go? Where’s Phyllis?
ALMA
You think she was going to stick around? There’s a lot you need to learn about shoplifters. They don’t stick around.
DOM
No?
ALMA
Not if they can help it. You want to be a security guard? Let me give you some free advice. If a person steals something, try to show just a little appreciation. If it wasn’t for shoplifters, you wouldn’t have a job.
DOM
And let me give you some advice. Thou. Shalt. Not. Steal.
She gets up.
ALMA
People take things, kid. You can stop one; you can stop two; but you can’t stop people.
DOM
We stopped you.
ALMA
Me, you apprehended. There’s only one thing that – stops me. And these here are mine.
DOM
No they’re not.
OTTO
Go find out what’s taking the medics so long.
DOM turns to go.
OTTO
And wait. Here.
DOM stops. OTTO digs into his wallet.
OTTO
She gave me this earlier. Here.
He stuffs some bills into DOM’s hand.
DOM
What? What’s this?
ALMA
What’s that?
OTTO
For the steaks, take it.
DOM
What?
OTTO
She meant to pay, she just forgot.
DOM
She can’t do this. You can’t do this.
ALMA
I didn’t forget. He’s lying.
DOM
She can’t pay for it now.
He collars DOM roughly, shoving the money into his chest.
OTTO
Here!
ALMA
Forget it.
She gets up.
DOM
This isn’t right.
OTTO
You think you know what’s right?
DOM
Instead of stealing something, now she pays for it?
OTTO
It’s called a purchase.
DOM
What am I supposed to do with this?
ALMA
Give it back to him. I don’t pay for things.
OTTO
Give it to the manager and tell him that it’s for the two sixteen-ounce rib-eyes. Tell him there’s been a misunderstanding.
ALMA
I’m not paying for any steaks.
DOM
You can’t do this.
OTTO
You’d be surprised what you can do when nobody’s looking.
ALMA grabs the money.
ALMA
Give me that.
She turns on OTTO.
ALMA
Take your money.
She thrusts the money at him and turns to grab the steaks off the table. They watch her in disbelief.
This here is my stolen property!
She falters again, leaning against the table. Closing her eyes, she sighs heavily, cradling the steaks.
OTTO
Go find out what’s taking the ambulance so goddamn long.
DOM
Should I call security?
He hurries off. OTTO sits beside ALMA. She clutches the steaks in her arms, and he tries to gently pry them loose.
OTTO
Why won’t you let me pay for those? Alma.
They struggle, both with tears in their eyes.
OTTO
Let go.
ALMA
Ask me to let go of my life.
OTTO
Your life is worth more than two fucking steaks.
ALMA
Is it?
OTTO
Not even steaks; it’s just a bar code to them.
ALMA
Otto –
OTTO
Why won’t you let me just pay for these?
ALMA
Because. You. Are. A. Security. Guard. And I’m a shoplifter.
OTTO
And that’s it?
ALMA
I didn’t make up the game. I’m just playing it.
OTTO
What game?
ALMA
Some chase – some run.
They look at each other, sorrowfully. She touches his face. Blackout.