CONNOR- Frank’s unlucky, isolated 17 year old God Son. He is along for the ride in his life, but is very perceptive. He hasn’t quite grown into himself yet, so it is even more shocking when something profound comes out of his mouth. He is not super tall, good looking but not hot.
FRANK- Connor’s God Father who is afraid to face reality so he has isolated himself in the gas station. He rebuilt Matilda after she was assaulted by her boyfriend in hopes that she would fall in love with him out of debt and gratefulness. He has never been attached to another human, not even Connor who has just recently fallen into his lap. He has no idea how to parent and has decided that the best place to start is make himself a clear authority figure. Frank is scruffy, probably wearing a baseball cap and a tattered shirt. Under the grunge he is attractive.
MATILDA- Was recently assaulted by her boyfriend. Frank found her and repaired her when she was left on the verge of death, but she is by no means a damsel in distress. She sustained an injury to her occipital lobe, that has rendered her blind- something Frank chooses not to fix. She has also done her best to block any visual memories out because they are the most painful. She is dainty, attractive and spritely. She wears really cool sunglasses for the duration of the play.
Set: A rural gas station in Southern Kentucky. There are two gas pumps, rusty antiques. The pumps are downstage near the side of the road. They are always out of gas. The store itself is sparse. There is a rusty tin overhand and a faded open sign. Two wooden benches and a cracked side walk. Inside the store there are poorly stocked shelves. But the necessities are there- cigarettes, Twinkies, Ho Ho’s, Buggles, sun flower seeds, ancient donuts, tampons, some gum and motor oil. Behind the desk are some old dirty magazines and a red swiveling office chair. The gas pump on the side of the stage should be portable, so that the outside of the gas station can be converted to the basement of the gas station. Downstage should be painted with the yellow road dashes. The basement is off limits for Connor. The lighting in the basement is always dimmer than the lighting outside.


SCENE 1
(LIGHTS UP in Store)
FRANK
What are you doing?
CONNOR
Taking inventory
FRANK
Why would you do that?
CONNOR
We are out of Ho ho’s, Snowballs, souvenir Kentucky Key chains, Red Bull, Buggles,-
FRANK
Hey, hey enough
CONNOR
There is nothing in this store
FRANK
I know you’re new at this, but honestly, I’m paying you to sit on your a**, so please- just sit on your a** (gestures to the rolling chair behind the desk)
CONNOR
You aren’t paying me. (FRANK furrows his brow and shrugs)Oh, and the basement door is jammed
FRANK
I’ll take care of it
CONNOR
If you just get me some WD 40 or-
FRANK
It’s going to take a lot more than some spray to undo that door. You need a job? Here, I’ll give you a job.
(hands him a sign that says $15 per gallon gas)
CONNOR
There is no one on that road
FRANK
Take the sign
CONNOR
You’re gas station is plastered with Obama signs. (No reaction from Frank) We’re in southern Kentucky! (No reaction from Frank) It’s raining!
FRANK
What, are you worried about your hair? Get the sign.
(Connor puts on the $15 gallon gas sign)
CONNOR
And what useful thing could you possibly be doing?
FRANK
(crosses legs on the desk) Managing
CONNOR
Of course
FRANK
was that back talk?
CONNOR
Yeah
FRANK
You wanna try that again boy?
CONNOR
You’re lazy
FRANK
Oh yeah?
CONNOR
Selfish
FRANK
Hit me again
CONNOR
B******
FRANK
Legal Guardian
CONNOR
seventeen
FRANK
Rent Payment
CONNOR
Allowance
FRANK
Bad attitude
CONNOR
So?
FRANK
No allowance
CONNOR
You spent it?
FRANK
ha
CONNOR
Really unbelievable
FRANK
To buy this palace? (Sarcastically, gestures to the gas station)
Pause
CONNOR
Not a dime?
FRANK
(Shakes his head) Cigarette?
CONNOR
Seventeen (gestures to himself)
FRANK
Cigarette? (pulls a Marlboro box off the shelf)
CONNOR
Yeah
(smokes, he’s done this before)
Frank, I heard something in the basement.
FRANK
We call those boilers
CONNOR
And there isn’t even any gas in the pumps
FRANK
It congeals in this heat
CONNOR
I heard a woman’s voice coming from the basement.
FRANK
Somebody’s not used to the heat
CONNOR
She sounded like she was in pain.
FRANK
Maybe there’s a raccoon trapped down there. The door is jammed, you said it yourself.
CONNOR
She was wailing.
FRANK
That’s enough Connor.
CONNOR
What are you keeping down there?
FRANK
(Sighs) Connor, there are some things every employer has to keep from his, er employee. But I have a feeling that you’re the persistent sort. And clearly telling you that the door is jammed won’t satisfy. So here it is, I dropped out of medical school. Downstairs are a bunch of failed projects the government wouldn’t exactly whole heartedly endorse. And it’s one of those discoveries that could prove detrimental to your health. And being your legal guardian and all, that is now my concern.
(Beat)
CONNOR
Starting by encouraging my nicotine addiction? (Gesturing with his cigarette)
FRANK
Now you’re catching on.
CONNOR
I should get outside (FRANK nods. CONNOR walks to stage left, the dark side of the stage, he is suspicious of Frank outside.)
SCENE 2
(FRANK glances nervously behind him before unlocking the basement door. Lights dim on FRANK and he freezes with the key in the doorknob as MATILDA delivers her monologue to the audience. She is lying on the cot and waits a few breaths before beginning the monologue. At some point in the monologue she sits up, stands and begins wandering towards the edge of the stage.)
MATILDA
It must suck to start dating someone when everything is good. I mean I feel bad for those people. Like, of course she’s chipper and affectionate and spontaneous when her world is perfectly centered on its axis. You’ve got to look for the guy who loves you when you’re abandoned on the side of the road. You may not love him because he’s twice your age, a hermit, whatever, but he loves you so you trust him when you open your eyes and see nothing.
FRANK
(He walks down the stairs. He finds MATILDA wandering off the edge of the stage.)
Hey, hey, careful there (grabs her shoulders, steering her away from the edge of the stage, or a table full of hazardous medical supplies)
MATILDA
I want to go out.
FRANK
Wrong way. Have you eaten yet?
MATILDA
This house smells like bleach
FRANK
I’m running laundry. Food.
MATILDA
Air.
FRANK
Hello to you too
MATILDA
Sorry. But please?
FRANK
Outside’s really not that exciting. Sit down.
(MATILDA sighs and does)
FRANK
Okay, you feel this? (hands her a glass)
MATILDA
(sighs) This is glass
FRANK
(Fills it with iced tea) Good. Now?
MATILDA
It is wet. Wet is probably water, maybe soda (she goes to drink it)
FRANK
Nuh uh uh, What if that’s anthrax?
MATILDA
Since you keep anthrax lying around your basement
FRANK
Process of elimination without taste
MATILDA
(She sniffs it)
Okay it smells sweet. So that means soda. And you only drink Pepsi. So it’s Pepsi!
(She goes to drink it again)
FRANK
Don’t be so quick
MATILDA
(frustrated now, she plunges her hand into the cup, she pauses for a moment slightly surprised by what she feels)
No bubbles, but…(she rubs her fingers together, and sniffs it again) it’s sticky which means it’s sweet. Sweet tea. (she drinks it) Ha! I’m leaving. Now. (She stands) You can come if you’d like (She turns to leave and runs into something) S***
FRANK
(Hands her the cane) Ok, now huff off.
MATILDA
Screw You
(Starts walking away, pauses and turns back is his direction, she is still standing at an awkward angle when she begins to talk, not quite facing him)
Why don’t you let me out? See how I fare on my own?
FRANK
It’s only been a month.
MATILDA
You should be pleased with my recovery
FRANK
I said no
(he walks over and turns her so she’s facing him correctly and drops his arms, this does not slow the momentum of their conversation)
MATILDA
Or what?
FRANK
You can’t handle it out there.
MATILDA
I’ll be the judge-
FRANK
Your skin is too transparent for sun. Your hair is too loose for water and you lungs are too fine for smog and ash.
MATILDA
I’ll take my chances- (walking)
FRANK
(Stands in front of her so she runs into him)
MATILDA
Get off (They lock arms, but she isn’t quite strong enough so she backs away) Jesus
FRANK
You can’t even walk across the room without smacking into a table full of scalpels
MATILDA
Well I would hate to destroy all your hard work
FRANK
Matilda you’re blind
MATILDA
(Sarcastically) Tell me something Frank, how is it you could sew my arms back on and repair my eardrums but for some reason you just couldn’t find the time in this packed schedule of yours to give me eyes?
(BEAT)
FRANK
Sight is horrible.
MATILDA
This is not your choice.
FRANK
When you see yourself, you can critique yourself and be upset with the way your nose appears or your body.
MATILDA
But I like my body.
FRANK
Exactly
MATILDA
I want to see it.
FRANK
It’s time for me to go.
(He starts to exit)
MATILDA
Why didn’t you give me sight?
FRANK
There was too much damage to your occipital lobe. And it really wasn’t worth the pain of recovery or the results for that matter or-
MATILDA
Bulls*** Frank
FRANK
You saw things you didn’t like about yourself, you were- self conscious- and that’s why it was so easy for you to fall into his trap. I didn’t want you to know that pain again.
MATILDA
If I could understand pain, maybe I could understand this ridiculous love of yours!
FRANK
I need to go check on Connor.
MATILDA
(yelling after him, not necessarily in the right direction)
You can’t keep this up forever!
FRANK
Goodbye Matilda
MATILDA
You gave me a physical mode of transportation for my thoughts and hoped I would sit with you on a slow work day and shoot the bull!
FRANK
Well clearly you aren’t very good for that.
MATILDA
But it’s not only to me that you are insignificant, you don’t matter to the world!
FRANK
Of course
MATILDA
No one cares that you sit here all day. No one cares that you invent double chin reducing balm or a cure for sweaty palms. Wait, I take that back, it’s not that they don’t care, because they did. They just thought you were crazy and you couldn’t take it so you holed up in here so you could play God in your controlled little world!
(She throws the glass with surprisingly good aim at his head, the glass shatters on the stage)
FRANK
Just stop!
MATILDA
Here, ladies and gentleman, we have an emotion!
FRANK
If you go outside, you will never come back. You will like the danger and the attention of it. But let me tell you, people are going to forget you. You are going to pour your heart out to people and in the moment they will be sympathetic and in total agreement with you and the next day they are going to be throwing themselves at some better opportunity. But if you’ll excuse me, my newly acquired child is upstairs and needs raising.
(FRANK exits)
MATILDA
I think people will remember this story for at least a couple months.
(FRANK exits, he walks upstairs into the gas station. Lights fade to black on FRANK as he settles, frustrated, into the desk chair. MATILDA pushes at a window with her cane and climbs out. This is not the first time she’s done this. She exits through the window.)

SCENE 3
(Lights come up on CONNOR standing outside the gas station. FRANK walks up the stairs, through the store and outside to meet him.)
FRANK
Hey kid! (CONNOR stares blankly at the street) You hoo (FRANK waves his hands) Connor!
CONNOR
(leaping back to consciousness) Whoa, What-
FRANK
Er, how’s it goin’ out here? Any questions about the, uh job?
CONNOR
I might have questions if we actually had customers. (under his breath) God this place is such a joke-
FRANK
Watch your mouth
CONNOR
Oh sorry, wouldn’t want to offend the clients.
FRANK
Now I see why your parents sent you here.
CONNOR
For once Frank, can we not make this about my flawed character?
FRANK
Well what else shall we discuss? This balmy weather? Personally, I find you attitude much more compelling-
CONNOR
You know what I think we should talk about? Why the hell you go out of your way to deter customers?
FRANK
In case you haven’t noticed, we are in the middle of nowhere (motions to the surrounding area)
CONNOR
Well even people road tripping through the middle of nowhere need gas, and we don’t exactly have competition (mimicking Frank’s motion)
FRANK
(BEAT) You want to know why I don’t throw open the shutters and dust off the welcome mat? It’s because I have no interest in dealing with people. This gas station doesn’t cost me a dime because the county doesn’t care enough to drive all the way out here to drop off the bill. People have given me nothing but a pain in my a**.
CONNOR
Now a normal business owner would put up with the pain in the a** in exchange for, gee I duno, money?
FRANK
People really aren’t worth putting up with.
CONNOR
And my parent’s sent me to you for an attitude adjustment, why?
FRANK
(BEAT) Did you not feel abandoned when your parent’s told you they were sending you to me? Given up on, perhaps?
CONNOR
It’s nothing out of the ordinary.
FRANK
That’s how all people are, Connor. One day you’re their beacon of hope and the next day, when they’ve gotten what they needed, they move on. People always move on and forget about the people who made them what they are.
CONNOR
They’re my parents Frank.
FRANK
They still gave up on you, don’t you see it?
CONNOR
No Frank, I don’t. I still don’t understand why you won’t let anyone in.
FRANK
Because there’s no one worth letting in.
CONNOR
Oh yeah? How about whatever’s in the basement?
FRANK
(BEAT) That’s enough talk for one day.
(He exits back through the store)

SCENE 4
MATILDA
(enters outside, she has just climbed out the basement window and is taking in her new surroundings)
It’s not quite like I remember. Where is the wind? (licks her finger and holds it up)
CONNOR
Whoa
MATILDA
Hello?
CONNOR
Where di-
MATILDA
Hi, I know this might be a little weird, but could you come over here?
CONNOR
Sure. (Pause) I think you’re our first customer.
MATILDA
What?
CONNOR
I mean this is my first day and so far there haven’t been any customers here, I mean it’s not like there’s any competition but-
MATILDA
Ok, Sorry again, where is here?
CONNOR
What?
MATILDA
Blind.
CONNOR
Oh, I see
(Pause)
CONNOR
Well, this is a gas station.
MATILDA
Huh
CONNOR
With no gas or food or customer service, my God Father owns it and he hates people and Republicans and buying gas.
MATILDA
(trying to sound casual)
What’s his name?
CONNOR
Frank. Would you like to meet him?
MATILDA
No, thank you. What’s your name?
CONNOR
Connor
MATILDA
I’m Matilda. (She lifts her hand to shake hands, realizing she can’t find his hand, drops hers, Connor catches it impulsively and shakes it.)
Can you tell me what you look like, Connor?
CONNOR
(Glances down at his stubby frame and decides to take advantage of the situation) I’m about 6 foot, maybe 6’1” give or take. Tall enough to play basketball, and er wrestle.
MATILDA
A Wrestler, eh?
CONNOR
I have brown hair and brown eyes. Oh, and I haven’t er shaved in a few days so I’ve got a bit of a beard.
MATILDA
(Touches his hairless face, beat) Nope. Sorry. (He blushes) It’s okay. (She drops her hand) I always make up how I look. Like today I think I’m blond with freckles and really full lips. Oh, and today I have really big boobs.
CONNOR
(laughs) I just figured, since you were-[blind]
MATILDA
You know, I really couldn’t care less. It’s just nice to talk to someone new.
CONNOR
New?
MATILDA
I live…alone.
CONNOR
I wish I lived alone
MATILDA
Well why don’t you?
CONNOR
I live with Frank. Frank who hates other human company, including mine. (Beat) My parents got tired of my antics and sent me to him.
MATILDA
What’d you do?
CONNOR
(quickly and well rehearsed)
Pushed the boundaries, back talked, lacked respect, took no responsibility in that house hold, had an attitude, was inconsiderate-
MATILDA
You scared them?
CONNOR
Yeah. But I like the breathing room you know?
MATILDA
Yeah but it gets lonely. You will miss them.
CONNOR
Sometimes. Are you lonely?
MATILDA
I was. Like, I would go to sleep with makeup on. Not because I didn’t want to take it off, but because I really didn’t want to look at the morning person. Like I wanted to make sure I was the same person in the morning that I was the night before. The same person he smiled at and whose hand he held. Or maybe it’s because I didn’t like the idea of starting completely over, with a clean slate. Either way, we always know more by the end of the day and sometimes I think it would just be nice to stop right there. Stop when your assumptions and hopes can’t be proven wrong. That’s the way I wanted to die. I wanted to die not lonely in a fantasy that never had time to be proven untrue.
CONNOR
You could see?
MATILDA
Once, but it’s not worth the nostalgia. And if I don’t let my mind wander I can remember everything just as well with my four other senses.
CONNOR
Well, I won’t tell you how you look if you’d like to keep imagining it, and because I don’t know if the colors would make sense to you, but the real you looks very pretty.
(He sits down next to her, she finds his hand and rests hers on top of it, lights fade to black)

SCENE 5
FRANK
(comes outside to find MATILDA sitting cross legged outside in the middle of the street, he is out of breath. It is now nighttime and lighting is dim and cool. CONNOR has exited. )
Matilda! Matilda what the hell are you doing out here? (she ignores him) But you didn’t leave. You didn’t leave… And what the hell are you doing in the middle of the street?
MATILDA
There are never any cars here anyway.
FRANK
How would you know?
MATILDA
Well I haven’t been hit yet.
FRANK
Just get out of the road
MATILDA
(She sprawls luxuriously in the middle of the road)
Why won’t you let me out here?
FRANK
Because I knew you would do some bone head thing like, I don’t know, lie in the middle of the road!
MATILDA
There’s never anyone here.
FRANK
How-
MATILDA
Oh don’t play dumb. You know I can get out the window and you know there is no one here to find me. You knew I would be rebellious, but this is a controlled environment. Besides, Connor told me. He seems like a great kid. Can’t imagine he has many friends out here-
FRANK
Connor is absolutely none of your business.
MATILDA
Just like my sitting in the middle of the road is none of yours.
FRANK
His parents needed a break. I’m doing my best to keep him out of the riff raff.
MATILDA
(The sound of a car approaching)
So you plan to trap us in an overpriced gas station until the world clears up its riff raff?
FRANK
Matilda you need to get out of the road.
MATILDA
Is that it Frank? You’re just going to keep us here because you can’t handle it?
(The car is getting louder)
FRANK
Please Matilda, just move.
MATILDA
Why are we trapped here?
FRANK
You’re not- just move!
(Lights are getting brighter across the stage. Frank should be closer to the light than Matilda.)
MATILDA
(Sits up, but does not move)
FRANK
(yelling over the sound of the car)
Because no one knows you’re alive.
MATILDA
Well then won’t they be pleasantly surprised?
FRANK
He wanted you dead. He left you on the side of the rode to die!
(A horn blares and MATILDA stands up and lets Frank pull her to the side of the road as the car whizzes by)

God you’re a lunatic.
MATILDA
(She lets him hold her on the curb)
We got in an argument. Just an argument-
FRANK
You didn’t see the night you died. You didn’t see any of it coming. You followed him blindly hand in hand.
I don’t remember the sounds, the smells, the weather, all I remember are the movements. This really isn’t something you need to remember.
MATILDA
I remember how our arms were tight. I couldn’t see where we were going- it was foggy I guess. I don’t even know what we argued about…
FRANK
There was no argument. You were hugging, and he turned away while you were still holding on. And he let you drop. You fell to the street. Like he had finished with you. Like he was taking out the trash. The way he walked away and wiped his hands on his pants like something unpleasant had leaked on them before speeding off. And I was the only one who saw you. I sat in the car and watched. I watched like I always did because I was the only one in the world who had ever seen you.
MATILDA
(Pauses long enough to sigh)
I’m glad you saw.
(She leans on his shoulder and closes her eyes)
(Lights come up. FRANK is asleep on the side of the road. MATILDA has exited. CONNOR is in the store with his clipboard, taking inventory.)
SCENE 6
CONNOR
A wrestler? (whacks himself upside the head) Hi I’m Connor and I’m a wrestler. (Kicks one of the stands, it wobbles over, he panics and catches it) Blind Matilda was the most exceptional thing to happen to me, and she didn’t even happen to me! She just took an interest! Because she’s probably some loony widow whose stop gets forgotten by the mail man! She wouldn’t get forgotten by the mail man. Who could ever forget her? Do we even get mail here? I mean, clearly he (motions to FRANK’S sleeping body outside) isn’t about to take an interest in me. I would think being his new kid would entitle me to some kind of brief novelty status. But No! Not with Frank, he threw me a mop and a sign and a cigarette. Thanks Frank. But seriously, am I supposed to wait for someone to burst through this door and start my life? And even then, who would want to sweep away the gas station boy who talks to himself while taking inventory of an empty store?
(He pounds his fist on the basement door in frustration, and to his surprise it swings wide open, he glances over his shoulder and FRANK is still asleep. He walks down the steps)
(Matilda is lying on the cot in the basement)
CONNOR
Explain this

MATILDA
How?

CONNOR
I deserve an explanation

MATILDA
I’m sure you’ve already come up with one

CONNOR
But I want your explanation. I deserve an explanation.

MATILDA
No you don’t.

CONNOR
After every-

MATILDA
You were mildly curious about the noise coming from the basement

CONNOR
And legitimately concerned

MATILDA
There is a difference between curiosity and concern.

CONNOR
Thank you.

MATILDA
You were curious, bordering on paranoid, but never concerned.

CONNOR
Unfair

MATILDA
You knew Frank was harmless. There was no reason to be concerned.

CONNOR
Well clearly I was wrong.

MATILDA
Come on, were you ever really frightened by Frank?

CONNOR
Frank is terrifying

MATILDA
Frank is afraid of the world.

CONNOR
Or he’s just a kidnapper!

MATILDA
I’m a kid?

CONNOR
A person-napper! You need to get out of here. Wait, you can get out of here, why-

MATILDA
I had no good reason to leave.

CONNOR
Except that you’re trapped here!

MATILDA
You were perfectly capable of stealing Frank’s key and getting down here but you never did.

CONNOR
If I’d known you were down here-

MATILDA
You knew something was down here but you just didn’t want to open the door. I can crawl out that window but I couldn’t ever leave permanently. I wasn’t ready to risk it all and neither were you.

CONNOR
At least I had an excuse! Frank made it impossible to get down here. And if I did manage to steal the key out of the stomach of his three headed dog, then maybe, yes, I still might not have gone down here. But I had no idea what I would find!

MATILDA
It’s exactly the same! You were afraid of not being able to handle whatever it was that was down here and so you left the door shut and continued taking inventory. Even though you knew full well that Frank isn’t capable of horrific things. Frank isn’t even capable of talking to customers!

CONNOR
Coming from someone who is afraid of leaving sidewalk of the gas station!

MATILDA
There are worse things outside this gas station than anything Frank could have trapped in it.

CONNOR
So you’re just going to stay here?

MATILDA
I never-

CONNOR
You’re afraid

MATILDA
That’s not fair-

CONNOR
Frank would never tell you to leave. And maybe it’s because of some sick love predator th-

MATILDA
It’s not! How many time-

CONNOR
Fine, Frank likes having you here because you’re just like him. Because it makes hiding himself behind Obama signs okay because someone else is doing it to.

(BEAT)

MATILDA
So what are you suggesting.
FRANK
(The focus is now on FRANK. There has been a bright light on him the entire time, though there should always be a dimmer lighting on the basement.) Matilda? Matilda?! Matilda! (Screams, jumps to his feet) S***. Matilda!
(FRANK scrambles towards the store, and finds the basement door open, panic is clear on his face.)

CONNOR
That you leave. And you leave now before Frank can change your mind.

MATILDA
I can’t-

CONNOR
If I had known it was you down here I would have stolen the key no matter what else I thought might be down here and no matter what kind of strange Bush approved torture awaited me when Frank found out. And now I am going to go stand on the other side of that curb and hope that you show up next to me.
(He exits)

MATILDA
Connor-
(MATILDA quickly packs in the basement and escapes out the basement window as CONNOR runs up the stairs and into FRANK)

CONNOR
Medicine?
FRANK
Now Connor, I need you not to jump to conclusions-
CONNOR
Matilda?
FRANK
Connor, I-
CONNOR
Locked her in the basement of your deserted gas station?
FRANK
Where is she?
(FRANK hestitates before trying to shove past CONNOR, but CONNOR is braced and shoves FRANK into the office chair and stands above him interrogatively. MATILDA is standing behind the door and hears the whole thing)
FRANK
If someone asked me to operate from their dying child, I couldn’t. I’m not Jesus. I’m not a world renowned cardiologist. The only reason I could fix this one girl, this one time is because I understood her. I understood that it was OK if her left leg was shorter than her right because she hated dancing and jogging. But a mouth, that had to be perfect. She had to be able to scream and smile. That’s how she was supposed to be.
(CONNOR remains skeptical)
I watched as he destroyed her. I watched her follow him blindly. Suddenly she was every other girl for him. She ate carrot sticks and celery. She laughed from her throat and not her stomach. She covered up her freckles and dyed her hair and he left her on the side of the road like the dog you don’t have the guts to bring to the pound because even that emotional aftermath would be too much for you.
(MATILDA walks down the stairs and escapes out the window. CONNOR backs up and glances over his shoulder to make sure MATILDA is gone. He moves aside and lets FRANK run downstairs. FRANK realizes she isn’t there. He stares at the empty cot, picks up the pillow and holds it to his chest. CONNOR exits before FRANK can turn to yell at him. FRANK sits on the cot with his head in his hands.)
FRANK
She filled up on what she’d been missing, and now she’s ready to move on.

SCENE 7
(CONNOR is standing on the curb. MATILDA enters upstage.)
MATILDA
Where are you going?
CONNOR
Wherever the next car’s going.
MATILDA
I didn’t say goodbye to Frank.
CONNOR
He knew you could never stay.
MATILDA
(Sticks her thumb out to hitch hike and take CONNOR’S hand)
CONNOR
You sure?
MATILDA
He’ll be okay. No one ever gets to start over, except me and Frank.
CONNOR
Starting over’s exhausting.
MATILDA
Well then let’s not make a habit of it. (She flags down a car, brakes are heard and the engine chugs throughout the rest of the scene.)
CONNOR
Oh wait, One thing first. My name is Connor, I am 5’11, I have brown hair and brown eyes and I’m not very tan. The only thing I’ve ever wrestled is my own conscience for lying to you.
MATILDA
I’ve seen you.
CONNOR
How-
MATILDA
(touching his face)
I’ve seen how your face folds when you worry. How sometimes you shake when you think too hard. I’ve seen how you always try to stand up a little taller and talk a little deeper when you need to get your point across.
CONNOR
I Doubt-
(MATILDA searches his face for his lips and kisses him as the lights fade)
(FRANK walks up the stairs into the store and looks at Connor’s inventory list. He opens some boxes and stalks the shelves. He flips over the sign to say $2.59 per gallon of gas. The sound of a car pulling up is heard. He pulls the OPEN sign from behind the desk and hangs it in the window. He stands by the door, hands in his pockets.)


BLACKOUT