THIS IS HOW WE GOT HERE EXCERPT

LUCILLE He walked right up to me and he placed the egg at my feet. Then he ran away.

LISET Maybe he was saving it for later.

LUCILLE No, he wanted me to have it.

LISET How do you know that?

LUCILLE I just do.

LISET So let me get this straight. You’re holding an egg that was inside the mouth of a wild animal. When’s the last time you washed your hands?

LUCILLE That’s not the point.

LISET It is when you live in my house and you touch my stuff.

LUCILLE What if it’s a sign?

LISET A sign?

LUCILLE Yes . . . from Craig.

LISET Oh, don’t do that.

LUCILLE What?

LISET That. What you’re doing there, you can’t do that. The egg is just an egg. There is no meaning behind any of it, so please don’t start looking for something that isn’t there. I know you’re sad; I’m sad too, that’s why I made dinner.

LUCILLE I don’t want dinner.

LISET You know what? You’re right. Forget it. Forget that I was trying to help, forget that I just spent three hours in the kitchen making something no one wants to eat. Forget that Jim wants to stay out in the garage, and you’d rather be out here, and forget the fact that no one wants to talk to me, except for Paul of course, who shows up out of the blue and wants to see you, and I’m the one that has to say no. I know it’s the anniversary, and I know it’s hard, and I should be better about this, but I’m not. I’m pissed off, and this is not an excuse, it’s not, but I haven’t eaten all day and you know how I am when I haven’t eaten. You’re my little sister and I love you and I tried my best but it’s just not working and everything I do is just, I don’t know, give me a hug.

They hug.

LUCILLE Paul was here?

LISET Yeah. I sent him away.

LUCILLE How is he doing?

LISET Oh you know . . . he looked like a lost puppy. Last week I made Jim go over there to check in on him. I thought it would be good for the both of them but apparently it wasn’t. I’m telling you those two guys are as stubborn as their fathers were.

LUCILLE What do you mean?

LISET Well, Jim said they ended up fighting over some fruit and then he left.

LUCILLE That’s weird. Paul doesn’t even like fruit. I could barely get him to eat vegetables.

This Is How We Got Here by Keith Barker © 2017 Published by Playwrights Canada Press

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THIS IS HOW WE GOT HERE
January 26-February 16, 2020
Aki Studio