Scene Ten
Olvera Street plaza and shop, Tuesday mid-morning
Carmen and Anita are talking in the shop.
CARMEN
Ah, it must be Tuesday. The girls are safely stashed out of the way, you are dressed in your sexiest casual wear, and I am stuck minding the store. Where’s lover boy?
ANITA
I’m sure he’ll be here any minute. Do you really think Jeff will like me in this outfit?
CARMEN
Relax, Anita, you look great. He’ll like the outfit. He’ll like it even better on the floor beside his bed.
ANITA
Carmen!
CARMEN
You’re wearing your best lingerie, aren’t you? I can tell by the way you stand, the way you move. It makes you feel prettier and more confident. What about Jeff? What kind of underwear does he wear?
ANITA
A lady wouldn’t answer a question like that.
CARMEN
I’m not asking a lady. I’m asking you.
ANITA
Oh! Well, he doesn’t wear a thong, if that’s what you mean.
CARMEN
The sexiest underwear a man can have is a money belt. I don’t suppose God’s-gift-to-tourism wears one of those.
ANITA
Would you stop it?
CARMEN
I still think you’re too good for him, Anita. You need to start looking for someone else, ...and I need to smoke a cigarette. Maybe by the time I’m done, your white knight will have swept you away on his charger, or whatever he calls that car of his.
Carmen goes out into the plaza, sits next to a trellis, and starts smoking. Jeff and Marcy enter the plaza from offstage.
JEFF
I’m glad you’re feeling better. I hate to see you miss Disneyland. As soon as Angel drops us off at the hotel, I can get you transportation back to the park.
MARCY
Oh, no, I think I’ll get a rental car and see a few of the local sights.
JEFF
Do you want me to have a car ready at the hotel?
MARCY
Yes, I’d like that.
JEFF
Will you excuse me a minute? I’ve got to pick up Anita.
MARCY
Sure, I need to make a phone call anyway.
Marcy steps back to the other side of the trellis so that she doesn’t know Carmen is near. Marcy dials her cell phone. Jeff enters the shop and crosses to Anita.
JEFF
Anita, sorry I’m late. One of the guests was ill. We’re taking her back to the hotel. I tried to call, but your phone is turned off.
ANITA
I turn it off on Tuesday so we won’t be interrupted.
Anita kisses Jeff.
JEFF
Mmm, good thinking. Give me a second to arrange a car for this woman, and you will have my undivided attention.
Jeff makes a call on his cell phone. Lighting changes to focus attention back on Marcy. She is talking on the phone.
MARCY
[on the phone] Hey, Lynn, this is Marcy. I’ve hit pay dirt, and "dirt" is the operative word. There’s no doubt that Jeff Carson is some kind of drug lord. The weird thing is: there’s a whole bunch of senior citizens on this tour, and every one of them seems to be involved in his drug ring -- either as dealers or users or both.... [listens]
It was obvious. Last month, when we busted that sleazebag Baldwin with a whole supermarket of nasty drugs, he had just come back from L.A. and a week on Glama Tours. Dope dealers don't take bus tours of L.A., but they do need to connect with their suppliers. Glama Tours takes trips into Mexico all the time. They can put dope in the tourists' luggage. No one would ever check.... [listens]
I got the idea from a Robin Cook novel. And stop calling it a cookbook. It’s a Robin Cook novel. It doesn’t matter where I got the idea. Everything fits, and I’m going to bring Jeff Carson to justice. [cough, cough] It must be really smoggy today.
Carmen extinguishes her cigarette. Jeff finishes his call.
MARCY (continues)
[on the phone] Oh, here he comes now. I’ve got to go. Bye, Lynn.
Jeff and Anita leave the shop and enter the plaza. Marcy ends her call and walks up to them.
JEFF
Anita, this is Marcy Blackburn. Marcy, this is Anita Morales.
MARCY
We met yesterday, sort of.
ANITA
I’m sorry you missed Disneyland.
Carmen tries to get Anita’s attention without being seen by the others. Anita waves to Carmen who dives behind the trellis as Jeff and Marcy turn to see what Anita is looking at. Jeff and Marcy see no one. They look back at Anita.
ANITA (continues)
[confused] Uh, I thought I saw someone I knew. Shall we go?
JEFF
[to Marcy] You should have a car waiting at the hotel.
MARCY
Thank you.
Jeff, Anita, and Marcy exit. Carmen comes out into the open plaza. She dials her cell phone, but the line isn’t connected. She talks to herself.
CARMEN
Oh, no, Anita, why do you have to turn off your phone on Tuesdays. Please hurry back, Chiquita. I have some very important news for you.
Blackout. Curtain. End of Act I.
Continue to Act II
Copyright © 2003 William Armstrong
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