Scene 4: The Closet

<The room now has junk spilling out of the closet.  Jamie stands in the middle of the room in a wedding gown.>

Laurie: You have a room full of her stuff.  This apartment had a bedroom.

Jamie: Hardly anything, more of a walk in closet.

Laurie: That’s one of the pre-requisites to a walk in closet, you need to be able to walk into it!

Frank: How much of her stuff did you throw out?

Jamie: I have a certain lifestyle to uphold.  I threw most of it out.

Laurie: You kept an entire bedroom of it.

Jamie: It’s a small bedroom.  

Laurie: No family member came by at all to take any of the stuff?  

Jamie: None, I wonder if they even know what happened.

Laurie: Do you feel bad for her?

Jamie: Sure I feel bad for her.  The poor woman had no one.  I threw her a small little funeral myself but I couldn’t get in touch with anyone she knew.  I put the call out to people in the building and a few people came, but they didn’t know her.  The closest thing she has to family were the people who said hi in the stairwell.

Frank: You told me her family threw her a funeral.  

Jamie: We were the closest thing she had to family.

Laurie: The wedding dress looks ridiculous on you.

Jamie: You’re right, white really isn’t my colour.  A shame, I really thought I could do something with it.  Frank, are you interested?

Frank: We can throw it out.

Jamie: Fine, fine.  

Laurie: There have been two bedrooms this whole time and Frank and I have been sleeping in the living room.

Jamie: Well I told Frank he could share the bedroom with me.

Frank: I never agreed to that.

Laurie: How many people die in the building in the course of a year?

Jamie: I don’t know a bunch.  There’s a lot of old people who live here, and it’s musty, probably not the best place for people with breathing conditions.  You know the worst part is I don’t think anyone ever wore this dress.  It’s a waste of a good dress.  You know in some countries they wear white to funerals.  

Frank: Do you go to all the funerals?

Jamie: No, that’s ridiculous.  What if I dyed it?  I’ve always been told that blue is my colour, but I prefer red.

Laurie: Jamie, why are there so many?

Jamie: <pause> Do you believe in ghosts?  

Laurie: Of course.

Frank: No.

Jamie: Of course, no.  That’s ridiculous.  I look a bit like a ghost in this dress don’t you think?  Like Mrs Havishum waiting for her husband.  

Laurie: Why do you go to so many funerals?

Jamie: I guess I sort of believe in ghosts.  I get upset when people just don’t care.  I mean, no one can be expected to have a treasure trove of stuff.  But imagine looking down from above and this necklace <picks up necklace> this necklace your father gave to you on your 18th birthday and you saved for your whole life is just being carted away.  I don’t keep it all, I have taste, but I find so many things absolutely delicious.  

Laurie: Well we’re going to need to clear it out.

Jamie: I would prefer you didn’t.  How about this: you both go out, treat yourself to a coffee <pause> My treat, and when you get back it will be ready to move in.  Unzip me. <steps out of the dress wearing some outrageous underwear>  Here, take this with you to the trash on your way out.  <hands them the wedding dress.>  See?  I’m well on my way.

Frank: You don’t want help?

Jamie: Not at all, I got myself in this situation and I can get myself out.  

Frank: That’s ridiculous.  We’ll stay to help.

Jamie: You’re the ones who broke into my private room, which I did not give you permission to look in and then proceeded to confront me and demand that we get rid of my stuff.  Give me some shred of privacy.  

Laurie: Okay, Frank, let’s go.

Jamie: <picks up a box> See?  My first load of stuff.  I’ll follow right behind to the dumpster.

Frank: You should probably put on some clothes.

Jamie: Picky picky.  Fine you go on ahead.  When you get back you’ll be amazed.

Frank: I can take that box.

Jamie: No.  I want to go through it first.  Make certain there’s not something important here for me.

Frank: Are you sure you don’t need our help?

Jamie: Of course not!  Go see something fun. <closes door behind them.>  Okay, let’s get started.  <Looks down at himself.>  First thing’s first.

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