Frank's Home

by Richard Nelson

  SULLIVAN: Lloyd!

  LLOYD: Father will stop paying for the hotel! But I’m sure he’ll pay for a one-way train ticket anytime!

  CATHERINE: I agree!

  SULLIVAN (Over this, to Miriam): Are you all right? Are you going to be sick?

  (Short pause. She shakes her head no.)

  MIRIAM (Looking off toward Residence B): He’s at the window.

  (All turn and look off. Catherine smiles a big smile and waves wildly, trying to get her father to wave back.)

  CATHERINE: Wave back! Wave back! (As she waves and smiles; to Miriam, without looking at her) Get out of here.

  WILLIAM: Come on, Miriam. Come on. (Trying to help her, ease her off) Watch your step. Careful.

  SULLIVAN (To Miriam): Hold his arm.

  (Miriam takes William’s arm, and they go off.

  Pause.

  Catherine stops waving. Neither she nor Lloyd can believe what just happened; they breathe heavily.

  Off, we hear the children playing.)

  CATHERINE: I can’t watch.

  LLOYD (Looking off): They’re getting into her car. She’s letting him. She’s not resisting. (Short pause) They’re going. (Watches)

  (Sullivan gets up.)

  SULLIVAN (To himself, as he goes): Now I need more coffee. (He takes his coffee cup with him and goes inside)

  (After another pause:)

  LLOYD: That was incredible, what you said.

  CATHERINE (Confused): What did I say?

  LLOYD: You told her to get out.

  CATHERINE: I did? I don’t remember. It happened so fast. It did happen, right?

  (Lloyd nods.)

  She is gone? And she’s not coming back?

  LLOYD: How could she, after that. Father didn’t even come outside—

  CATHERINE: I know, I know. I have to sit down. (She sits)

  LLOYD: And he sent William to take her back . . . Did you see her face?

  CATHERINE: Didn’t she look pathetic? (She stands up again)

  LLOYD: And drunk.

  CATHERINE: You think?

  LLOYD: And something. Those were the same clothes she wore yesterday.

  CATHERINE (Looking off at the houses): I love the houses that Father makes. I love everything he does. How does he think them up, Lloyd? Helen gave me a tour of Hollyhock House yesterday.

  LLOYD: It leaks.

  CATHERINE: Who cares? He creates—worlds. That’s what I finally realized. You walk into Hollyhock House—I love that name—and you are taken some place special. Yesterday—I hadn’t been in one of Father’s . . . I don’t know in how many years. But yesterday, walking through, I felt so jealous: why were strangers living in Father’s homes and not us. But now—she’s gone.

  (She turns to Lloyd who is brushing his coffee-stained shirt.)

  Are you all right?

  LLOYD: It wasn’t hot.

  CATHERINE: It’ll stain.

  (Lloyd shrugs. Pause. Off, we hear the children play.)

  I didn’t chase her away. You weren’t saying that?

  LLOYD: No.

  CATHERINE: It had to be Father. Otherwise—

  LLOYD: She’s not coming back, Catherine. Father doesn’t want her back.

  (Short pause. Off, we hear the children play.)

  Maybe we should all do something today. Together. Celebrate.

  CATHERINE: Don’t you have to work?

  LLOYD: I’ve taken the day off. We were going to drive around. Look at houses. You can come with us. Show him things. He’s going to live here, Catherine.

  CATHERINE: She’s not coming back?

  LLOYD: How can she? We could go back to the beach. He might like that. The three of us. When have we ever done that?

  CATHERINE: We haven’t.

  LLOYD: I know.

  CATHERINE (Over this): Kenneth’s going to come by at lunchtime.

  LLOYD: He can come to the beach, too—

  CATHERINE (Over this): He only gets an hour off from the bank—

  LLOYD: Then it’ll be just us three.

  (Short pause.)

  CATHERINE (Looking off at the houses): I wanted Kenneth to see these two houses for himself, so he’ll know how to talk to the possible clients. (She turns to Lloyd) He says he knows some possible clients for Father. Through the bank, he knows them.

  LLOYD: That’s good news. You hadn’t said—

  CATHERINE: They’re society people, here in Los Angeles. Father will like that, won’t he? He’ll recognize the type of person when he sees them. He’ll understand that he’ll have to behave himself, won’t he? He can’t just say anything.

  LLOYD: I think Father can do that.

  CATHERINE (Another thought as her mind races): You know that Father and Kenneth have never met?

  LLOYD: I know, I know.

  CATHERINE (Over this): Think of it: my husband and my father haven’t met. What that woman has done to us, Lloyd. It makes me sick just to—

  LLOYD: She’s gone. She’s gone, Catherine!

  CATHERINE: Sh-sh! (She suddenly turns toward the sound of the children) I thought I heard Ann crying.

  (She listens. Sullivan enters with his coffee.)

  Sh-sh.

  (Sullivan walks more quietly.)

  No. That’s not her. (To Lloyd) Kenneth was going to come with me this morning. But we thought that might be too much for Ann. Too much to separate from, I mean.

  LLOYD: Sure.

  CATHERINE: She’s already made friends.

  LLOYD: You said. (He is wiping his shirt again)

  CATHERINE: Use the water.

  (He takes a napkin and dips it into a glass of water, but before he can begin to clean, Catherine sings:)

  For I am a Pirate King!

  And it is, it is a glorious thing

  To be a Pirate King!

  (She bursts out laughing.)

  LLOYD: What are you doing?

  CATHERINE: Don’t you remember?

  LLOYD: Of course I do. (To Sullivan) At holidays we’d sing—

  CATHERINE: Father’d sing when we were children.

  LLOYD: We’d have parties.

  CATHERINE: Each year Father’d pick a different show—

  LLOYD (Sings):

  Oh, better far to live and die

  Under the brave black flag I fly . . .

  CATHERINE: After Father left—

  LLOYD: Mother would sing to us.

  CATHERINE (Sings):

  Than play a sanctimonious part,

  CATHERINE AND LLOYD (Sing):

  With a Pirate head and a Pirate heart . . .

  (They stop, the emotion of the memory is hard to contain.)

  CATHERINE (Finally): Why don’t you change that. (“his shirt”) I hate looking at it. Maybe Father—he probably has a shirt. I’ll bet you’d like to wear one of his shirts.

  LLOYD: I would. I really would. I’ll go and find one.

  (He stands to go.)

  CATHERINE: And while you’re in there, tell Father we’re taking him away for the rest of the day! And not to look at houses! He’s not allowed to do any work! And we won’t take no for an answer. Don’t tell him where. Let’s surprise him.

  LLOYD: And if he resists, I’ll kidnap him.

  CATHERINE (Suddenly laughs): Just like we used to!

  LLOYD: Just like we used to!

  CATHERINE (To Sullivan): I’d forgotten about that.

  LLOYD (Same time, to Sullivan): When we were kids we’d pretend to kidnap him, and make him eat lunch with us . . . (To Catherine) You remember that?

  CATHERINE: I remember everything.

  (Lloyd starts to go.)

  SULLIVAN: He won’t go.

  (Lloyd stops.)

  He can’t.

  LLOYD: What?

  CATHERINE (Same time): Why?

  SULLIVAN: The earthquake in Tokyo. He just heard on the telephone. His hotel—collapsed . . .

  SCENE 2B

  The same. Around two P.M.

  Kenneth Baxter, thirty, in a business
suit, with Catherine and Lloyd.

  KENNETH: I can’t stay.

  CATHERINE (To Lloyd): How long are they going to . . .? (“talk”)

  (They see Sullivan approaching from Residence B.)

  Is my father still in there with the reporter?

  SULLIVAN (Nods, then): I couldn’t listen anymore. Buildings fall down every day. You’d think Frank had blown it up.

  LLOYD: It probably doesn’t help that he boasted to anyone who’d listen that—

  CATHERINE: Lloyd—

  LLOYD (Over this): —“it can withstand any earthquake God can throw at it.” The man was so damn arrogant.

  CATHERINE: Lloyd. (Short pause) I feel for Father. (Then) Mister Sullivan, I don’t think you’ve met my husband, Kenneth.

  KENNETH: How do you do?

  (They shake.)

  SULLIVAN: How do you do? You’re the banker.

  KENNETH (Nods, smiles): Everyone likes a banker.

  SULLIVAN: I’m not sure if that’s—

  CATHERINE: Mister Sullivan is also an architect, Kenneth. Or was?

  LLOYD: Is.

  KENNETH (To Catherine): I can’t help him, too, Catherine—

  CATHERINE: I wasn’t saying . . . Sh-sh.

  (Awkward pause.)

  KENNETH: I should have been back at the office by . . . (Looks at his watch)

  CATHERINE: Another minute. (Looks at Lloyd) Lloyd, you look pale. Are you all right?

  (Sullivan pours from his flask into his coffee. Kenneth watches.)

  KENNETH (To Catherine, about the whiskey): It’s two in the afternoon.

  CATHERINE: Kenneth said he heard about it on the radio. The earthquake.

  SULLIVAN (To Kenneth): You look like you’d like a drink.

  KENNETH: No. Thank you.

  SULLIVAN: Anyone else?

  LLOYD (Over this): Did they mention Father’s hotel?

  KENNETH: No.

  CATHERINE: So . . . And it’s not his fault anyway. Is it, Lloyd?

  LLOYD: I don’t know.

  SULLIVAN: That reporter says he’s been told that the Imperial was one of the first buildings to collapse. Engulfed in flames, sparking fireballs which careen across Tokyo. He asked your father if he thought anyone now would even hire him to design a chicken coop. (Drinks) That’s when I left.

  (Kenneth looks at Catherine.)

  CATHERINE: One more minute.

  KENNETH: I really have to—

  CATHERINE: I know, I know. Oh here he comes!

  (Frank enters, coming from the house.

  They somberly greet him: “Father,” “Frank.” Then wait for him to say something.)

  FRANK: What happened to lunch? I thought we were having lunch.

  LLOYD: No one was hungry.

  CATHERINE: I’ll get you something from the—

  FRANK (Looking at Kenneth): Is this the . . .?

  CATHERINE: Kenneth. Father, this is Kenneth.

  (They shake hands.)

  FRANK: So we meet.

  KENNETH: I’m embarrassed that it’s taken us so long—

  FRANK: How do you do.

  KENNETH: I have to—

  CATHERINE: Kenneth has to get back to the bank, Father.

  FRANK: Nice to meet you.

  KENNETH: I can stay for a few minutes more.

  FRANK: Good for you.

  (Short awkward pause.)

  KENNETH: I am terribly sorry about . . .

  FRANK: Should we sit down? Or don’t you have that much time?

  (They sit.)

  CATHERINE: I’ll get another chair. (She hurries off)

  (Another awkward moment, broken by:)

  KENNETH: You have a wonderful daughter.

  FRANK: Thank you.

  KENNETH: It has been hard on her—not seeing you.

  FRANK: She could have seen me.

  (Lloyd turns away.)

  What do you want to say, Lloyd?

  KENNETH: I think you know what I mean, sir.

  (Catherine returns with the chair, all smiles.)

  FRANK (To Sullivan): We’ve never met.

  SULLIVAN: I know.

  FRANK: Lloyd, if you have something to say . . .

  CATHERINE: Father, Kenneth has some business to talk about with you.

  KENNETH (To Catherine): Is this the right—?

  CATHERINE: It’s fine.

  FRANK: What business?

  CATHERINE: It’s a surprise. Kenneth?

  KENNETH (To Catherine): I really don’t know if this is—

  CATHERINE: Please. Father’s listening.

  (Frank gestures: “Go ahead.”)

  KENNETH: I think Catherine has told you—I know some people, some potential “clients”—from the bank. They’re interested in—building their dream houses. Whatever that means. (Smiles, then) I’d be happy to introduce you to them.

  FRANK (To Catherine): Is this the surprise?

  KENNETH: They’ve heard of you.

  FRANK: Have they?

  KENNETH: I was surprised by that, too. I mentioned your name—I can set up meetings . . .

  (Catherine smiles a big smile.)

  Of course this Japan news won’t help.

  (Catherine stops smiling.)

  (To Catherine) I had to say that.

  (She nods.)

  (To Frank) And you’ll probably have to be a little more, what’s the word—“flexible” than you may be used to. I’m not sure what that means, Catherine said I should say it. That you’d understand. (No response) One—potential client—a very nice couple—good income—family people—said: (He smiles) “I certainly wouldn’t want anything—‘Mayan.’” I didn’t understand what they meant, then when I saw— (Gestures toward Hollyhock House) I told them I’m sure you’d listen to what they want. After all, they’re the ones who are going to be living in it. So—just as a little warning—for them—“Mayan” is not the way to head.

  FRANK: Thank you. That’s good to know.

  (Another big smile from Catherine who is pleased with how this is going. Kenneth starts taking out photographs from a magazine; Catherine encourages him.)

  KENNETH: Catherine had these photographs. I’d never seen them—of some of your houses in Chicago.

  FRANK: Really?

  CATHERINE: Mother sent them. They were in a magazine . . .

  FRANK: Oh.

  KENNETH: And—I hope you don’t think this was too forward, but since the reaction was so—to the “Mayan”—well, I showed one possible client these, and he and his wife, they got very excited. This one in particular. (Shows him which one) They said they’d like something like this. But with a slanted roof, I think he said. I’m sure you’ll want to talk to him and get his thoughts. Pick his brain. See what he wants. (Points to the photograph) That one. Something like it. It’s nice.

  (Catherine continues to be very pleased with this conversation.)

  FRANK (Looking at the other photographs): Not this one? (Holds up a photograph)

  KENNETH: He didn’t like it as much, I think.

  FRANK: And not this one? (Holds up another)

  KENNETH (Shrugs, then): Everyone has their own tastes. But you know that.

  (Frank holds up the photo of the house the couple liked and shows it to the others, especially to Sullivan.)

  FRANK: This—is the one. So—when do we meet? Obviously these “clients” are busy people, but maybe they can fit me in sometime.

  KENNETH (Big smile): I can arrange that. Then you will meet with them? Good. Catherine wasn’t so sure.

  CATHERINE: Kenneth—

  KENNETH: I said: the man is a professional. He needs work. He’ll do what he has to do. I also have to warn you that each of these clients has heard the same thing about— (Gestures off) And there’s another house in South Pasadena?

  FRANK: The Millards’ house. (To Sullivan) That’s a house I want to show you. (To Kenneth) I wasn’t here during most of its construction either. I was in Japan.

  LLOYD: Building an indestructible hotel.
<
br />   FRANK: That’s right.

  LLOYD: That has fallen down.

  FRANK: Falling down happens. (Then) Lloyd helped on the Millard House. That explains the problems.

  KENNETH: There’s a question of contractors. They’d all insist on selecting their own. That was their biggest point, actually. They’d heard about—

  FRANK: About what?

  KENNETH: Costs. Escalating, I think. Problems. Heard stories. It’s a small town, Los Angeles. Leaks, for one.

  (Lloyd smiles to himself.)

  I told them how seriously you take these concerns and you’d do everything to make sure such problems didn’t occur with their houses.

  FRANK: You told them that? Without ever having met me?

  KENNETH: I felt I knew what you’d say. You’re a responsible man wishing to do responsible work.

  (Frank turns to Sullivan.)

  FRANK: Mister Millard called me one day. Fit to be tied. You could feel the steam coming through the telephone. “There’s a leak right over my desk! It’s leaking on my desk!” You know what I said to Mister Millard? (Turns to Kenneth) Move the desk.

  (Frank smiles, Sullivan tries not to. Kenneth looks to Catherine confused.)

  LLOYD: I never thought that was funny. Leaking roofs aren’t funny for the people who live under them. And they certainly aren’t funny now. With a collapsed hotel in Tokyo, and god knows how many people dead. (Pause) But my father doesn’t care about this. Look at him, is that a remorseful man?

  FRANK: Lloyd was in charge of oversight; he was here while the Millard house was being built.

  LLOYD: It wasn’t the construction.

  (William enters from Residence B.)

  FRANK: What is it now, William. Another of my buildings has fallen down?

  WILLIAM: Aline Barnsdall has stopped work on the school.

  (William holds out a cable; Frank doesn’t take it.)

  FRANK: Why?

  WILLIAM: That’s all her cable says: “Stop work on school.”

  LLOYD: She’s obviously heard about—

  FRANK: At certain times, we find out who our friends are and who are our enemies.

  LLOYD: He is always turning his clients into enemies.

  KENNETH: Is that true? Why would you do that?

  FRANK: I don’t think I do that.

  KENNETH: You know you can’t do that here. These clients are customers of the bank. Good customers—

  FRANK: I don’t do that! Don’t listen to my son. (He takes the cable from William and reads:) He’s a bitter jealous little failure, who doesn’t have the guts or talent to find a profession of his own, so he has hooked onto mine. He’s like a leach. Or parasite. (Folding up the cable) And Aline Barnsdall is a fickle little woman with some cash. May she rot in hell.