Lost Lake (2 page)

HOGAN
:
It's pretty standard.

VERONICA
:
I'm just wondering if maybe—half plus the five hundred now seems like a lot.

HOGAN
:
Uh-huh.

VERONICA
:
I mean I could do half and half, but then maybe I'd ask you to waive the damage deposit, given that everything around here already looks pretty … broken in.

HOGAN
:
I just thought if something got damaged, I don't even know what—

VERONICA
:
Uh-huh.

HOGAN
:
It'd be easier if it's already dealt with, so to speak, rather than negotiate it later—

VERONICA
:
No, I understand, but maybe then a better way to do the rent would be a third now, a third I can send you let's say in June, and then a third when we come up.

HOGAN
:
And we'd still do the damage deposit.

VERONICA
:
Yes. But maybe spread out over the first two payments.

HOGAN
:
Two fifty, two fifty.

VERONICA
:
Yes.

HOGAN
:
Third payment when you get here.

VERONICA
:
Yes.

(
Beat
.)

HOGAN
:
Deal!

VERONICA
:
Okay. Thank you.

HOGAN
:
Thank you. You're a real wily negotiator, huh?

VERONICA
:
I don't know about that.

HOGAN
:
No, I like it! So all right. Any other questions?

VERONICA
:
Do you have Internet?

HOGAN
:
No. That would require a dish and it's just not worth it to me. If I need to check my e-mail I drive into town to the library. Cell phone service is spotty. If you stand by the window and kind of elevate yourself a little bit and hold your phone out at about a forty-five-degree angle sometimes a signal can be had—I don't even bother usually, I use the landline for calls at the house and the library for Internet, like I said.

VERONICA
:
I will need to get online a few times for work. How far is the library?

HOGAN
:
Ten minutes. It's only open three days a week but you don't even have to go in. When it's closed you can park outside with your laptop. People do it all the time. Oh—you'll need a car. I mean once you get up here. But you saw that.

VERONICA
:
I'll rent a car for the week.

HOGAN
:
You got that budgeted in.

VERONICA
:
Yes.

HOGAN
:
Well, great, so everything is settled. What sort of work do you do, you don't mind my asking?

VERONICA
:
I'm a nurse practitioner.

HOGAN
:
A nurse, huh?

VERONICA
:
Practitioner, yes.

HOGAN
:
Which means what?

VERONICA
:
I can prescribe certain medications, perform certain procedures.

HOGAN
:
Turn your head and cough, that sort of thing?

VERONICA
:
I'm sorry?

HOGAN
:
Sort of halfway to a doctor in other words.

VERONICA
:
Sort of.

HOGAN
:
Well, that sounds good.

(
Beat
.)

So, right—if you need to stay in touch with your office or hospital or whatever—

VERONICA
:
Hospital.

HOGAN
: 
—just give them this number the week you're here. We did say a week, didn't we?

VERONICA
:
The third week in August.

HOGAN
:
The last week's available too. Stay till Labor Day.

VERONICA
:
I have to work.

HOGAN
:
You only get one week of vacation?

VERONICA
:
That's all I've been able to arrange.

HOGAN
:
Then you really should get those kids swimming before they get up here.

VERONICA
:
Maybe. We'll see.

HOGAN
:
They'll spend the whole week watching other kids dive off the dock.

VERONICA
:
We'll manage.

HOGAN
:
Well, if you change your mind the rest of August is available.

VERONICA
:
Thank you, but I don't think we'll be able to do that.

(
Beat. She looks at an old hockey stick propped against the wall
.)

HOGAN
:
I'll get all that stuff out of here before you come, naturally, pack up my clothes and so forth, the drawers will be free. When are you heading back to the city?

VERONICA
:
(
Takes out a bus schedule
.) I think I can make the three-thirty bus.

HOGAN
:
Today.

VERONICA
:
Yes. If you could drop me back in front of the movie theater.

HOGAN
:
Didn't you just come up this morning?

VERONICA
:
I wanted to make sure I saw the place before—

HOGAN
:
No, that's wise. Picking something off the Internet, who the hell knows what you're going to get? If the pictures they put up are even real. Or the descriptions. The way people exaggerate, you do have to watch out.

VERONICA
:
Well, you certainly didn't exaggerate.

HOGAN
:
I said “rustic.” That's what you're looking for, isn't it?

VERONICA
:
Yes.

HOGAN
:
I'll fix that shutter before you come up. And the dock will be done like I said. And I don't know if you looked in the shower but I'll get that section of ceiling patched and the wall repainted, I've been meaning to borrow some paint from my brother—he has a beautiful robin's-egg blue from when he did his bathrooms. I just need a free weekend.

VERONICA
:
I definitely would appreciate any …

HOGAN
:
Little improvements—

VERONICA
:
Yes—you plan to do. The kitchen seems fine.

HOGAN
:
Don't use the two front burners on the stove, they only work on high and then they smoke. Those I doubt I'll be able to get to—

VERONICA
:
Did you say you'll be moving your clothes out of here?

HOGAN
:
Oh, sure. I'll get all the drawers clear for you.

VERONICA
:
You live here now.

HOGAN
:
Yes. But I'll get everything cleared out.
     What?

VERONICA
:
Nothing. Sorry. I suppose I thought this was just a summer place.

HOGAN
:
It is but lately I've been a full-timer. A couple space heaters and you can get through a winter if it stays mild like it has this year. It's not so bad.
     The lake used to freeze over sometimes, believe it or not. We played hockey out there when we were kids. That doesn't happen hardly ever anymore, the winters are so mild now. That's a collector's item. Big hockey fan. You?

VERONICA
:
Where will you go when we're renting?

HOGAN
:
My brother's. He's only about forty-five minutes away. So I can be here quickly if anything comes up.

VERONICA
:
I hate to kick you out of your own house.

HOGAN
:
Are you kidding? You're doing me a favor. I wish you'd do me a bigger favor and rent all summer.

VERONICA
:
Your brother'd take you for the whole summer?

HOGAN
:
That's a good point.

(
Beat
.)

VERONICA
:
Well, Mr.… Hogan?

HOGAN
:
Yes. Terry.

VERONICA
:
Let me get you that deposit.

(
She writes a check. She gives it to him
.)

HOGAN
:
Thank you. (
Looks at it
.) Veronica.

VERONICA
:
Okay.

(
They shake hands. Beat.
)

I'd better get to that bus stop.

Fade.

 

SCENE 2

August
.
Sound of kids playing outside.
HOGAN
lets himself into the cabin. It has been straightened up. He notices a large library book. He picks it up, flips through it.

VERONICA
enters. Summer clothes.

VERONICA
:
You got my messages.

HOGAN
:
Why I'm here.

VERONICA
:
Well, good.

HOGAN
:
Sorry about the delay. My phone died and I couldn't find the charger!
     You a birder?

VERONICA
:
No.

(
He shows her the book. It's a
Field Guide to North American Birds.)

Oh. No, that's just for my son. He's into birds and wildlife right now, he's always asking their names, so.

HOGAN
:
How old is he?

VERONICA
:
Seven.

HOGAN
:
Wow. Is he some kind of genius?

VERONICA
:
No.

HOGAN
:
Pretty heavy reading for a seven-year-old, isn't it? I mean this is like a hard-core scientific text.

VERONICA
:
It's just in case he wants to look up one of the names. It's what the library had.

HOGAN
:
Oh. Okay.

(
Beat. She begins setting out lunch
.)

They're having a good time looks like. You got them some lessons?

VERONICA
:
Yes.

HOGAN
:
Where'd you get the inner tubes?

VERONICA
:
I bought them in town.

HOGAN
:
Great idea.
     You know, I taught my own kid to swim out there. She could dive like a porpoise. You should have seen her go off the springboard. Fearless. She always asked, Why isn't there a high platform? There should be a high-dive.
     She was right. That's one of the reasons I volunteered to do the dock. You think I was gonna make a profit on that? Forget it. The lumber alone …
     She's with her mom now. In Florida. But we're still real close. We e-mail …

VERONICA
:
Uh-huh. So look, if you could do something about the hot water I'd appreciate it.

HOGAN
:
I'll see what I can do.

VERONICA
:
All right then.

(
Beat
.)

HOGAN
:
You know, even if they've had a few lessons if you're gonna be in here maybe you should put some water wings on them.

VERONICA
:
I told them how far in they are allowed to go, and my children do what they're told.
     And they had ten lessons. A friend of mine who does physical therapy let us use the pool where she works after hours. I taught them myself.

HOGAN
:
Okay, great.

VERONICA
:
You said back in March that the dock would be ready for the summer.

HOGAN
:
I know.

VERONICA
:
You said it'd be painted. There'd be a diving board. There's no diving board. There's hardly any dock. Half the planks are gone.

HOGAN
:
I know it's not ideal.

VERONICA
:
It's dangerous. My daughter's friend went out the first day, she nearly put her hand through a nail sticking right out of the side. I would have had to get her a tetanus shot. I had to ban them from the dock.

HOGAN
:
The inner tubes were a good idea.

VERONICA
:
Four inner tubes from the Kmart duct-taped together are a pretty poor substitute for a swimming dock. And it's sixty dollars I didn't plan to spend.

HOGAN
:
It's nice your little girl's friend could come up at least.

VERONICA
:
Mr. Hogan. I think you should reimburse me.

(
He says nothing
.)

You said the dock would be repaired; it isn't. We've been up here three days with no hot water. You did not provide the trundle bed you promised. I've had two nine-year-olds sleeping on a twin bed. You know I saw the place, I wasn't expecting the Four Seasons, but—