The Invitation
It arrived as it usually would. Through a letter box, placing itself promptly on the doormat.
Nothing unusual about it. Obviously hand written. Making it personal and intriguing.
Dear Invited,
We would like for you to join us for
dinner. It is a celebratory feast.
Celebration of obscure and surreal
dreams, intention with wit and aim
In colour.
13/03/2015 8pm
Your journey to (destination) will
determine the kind of person we
are dealing with.
Section of script from the invitation. Scene one-In the car
Host: “But maybe that’s why I invited her” pause as she indicates, looks left and swiftly turns the car in the same direction. “As a distraction (pause) that’s the one thing you can rely on having her around. She’s distracting.”
There are three characters in the car. The Host, a female around 30 years old in the driving seat. A child situated in a carrier in the passenger seat around 16 months old and one of the invited. A female around the same age as the host, situated in the back seat behind the driver.
Host: “I mean for example (pauses, has small think and laughs a little) take the time by the swimming pool. She sat there, pool side squashing ancient red berries between her fingers for hours. It was weirdly distracting. I couldn’t help but keep looking over. Her hand glowed pink as if embarrassed and so it should have been the mess she left at the side of my pool. Went bloody everywhere.”
The child interrupts with a whimper and then a sudden cry. The cry continues as the Host drives on and is non-responsive to the child.
The invited fidgets in the back peering at the child. The invited is in thought of how to calm the child. The invited fumbles around in her bag. She pulls out a square sheet of paper with an abstract painting in water colour of figures doing yoga/Pilates. The invited attaches the painting to the car seat so that the child has it in view. The child starts to calm and it’s eyes focus on the painting. The child is quiet and starring gormlessly at the painting.
Invited: “Maybe that’s why you invited me”
Host: “What’s that?”
Invited: “As a distraction.”
