Floating
A miniature. Last edited April 1st, 2024.
Dining room in a mansion with very high ceilings. The large dinner table takes up much of the sparsely decorated room. There are a couple of photographs, very generic family scenes, and a few small sculptures. They show neither great nor poor taste, and everything in the house feels sterile.
A man and a woman sit at the dinner table. He is wearing a tailor-made suit; she is wearing an uncomfortably tight dress that looks slightly out of fashion. There is a man suspended in the air just below the ceiling in the center of the stage. A large couch and coffee table are on the other side of the room. The wealth is not so much ostentatious as it is palpable.
The stage is dimly lit. Tchaikovsky’s “Douce Reverie” is playing. The sound swells and moves against the piece’s soft movement; the music becomes more and more distorted and ends in an abrupt and loud crescendo with a quick flash of bright light before going back to a dull light. The suspended body is backlit, giving it a ghostly shine.
MAN: Who put him there?
WOMAN looking into the distance: I don’t know. He’s been there for a few days now.
MAN: Do you like it?
WOMAN shrugs: I don’t mind it. Something to look at.
MAN: I don’t think I like it much.
WOMAN shrugs again, lightly.
MAN: Has he moved?
WOMAN: I haven’t seen it.
MAN looks at the body inquisitively: He’s not moving now.
WOMAN still staring off into the distance, unmoved. MAN: I wonder how he stays so still.
WOMAN slowly turns her gaze towards the body.
MAN continues: He must get hungry.
A SERVANT enters the room with two plates of food and sets them in front of the pair. They don’t pay it any mind. They pick up the utensils and start eating, utensils scratching the plates.
WOMAN: Have you spoken to the accountant?
MAN: Not yet. I will do it tomorrow.
WOMAN: It’s important that you speak to him soon.
MAN: I will do it tomorrow.
WOMAN frowns, continues eating.
MAN: If you think it’s urgent, you can call him today.
WOMAN: Tomorrow is fine.
They eat.
WOMAN: Have you seen the cat?
MAN: No.
WOMAN: I haven’t seen him in a few days.
MAN: Do you want me to look for him?
WOMAN: No.
MAN: I’m sure he’s fine. Gestures vaguely towards the door the servant came in through. They feed him well.
WOMAN: He likes them better than us.
MAN: They feed him well.
WOMAN: He’s our cat. They eat. The man presses a button on the table. The door opens, and in comes the SERVANT with one glass of wine. He replaces the MAN’s glass with a new one and exits.
WOMAN takes a sip of wine: You drink too much.
MAN nods, pauses, takes a sip, pensively: I think too much.
WOMAN frowns, takes another sip.
MAN: Have you heard from the kids?
WOMAN: Not for a while.
MAN: That’s a good sign.
WOMAN: Not always.
MAN: It’s usually a good sign.
WOMAN nods: Usually.
The SERVANT returns and refills their glasses. They pay him no mind. He picks up their plates and heads towards the door.
WOMAN: Wait.
SERVANT stops.
WOMAN: Do you want dessert?
MAN lost in thought, staring into the distance while twirling his wine glass.
WOMAN: Do you want dessert?
MAN, barely paying attention makes a dismissive gesture.
WOMAN towards the SERVANT without addressing him: No dessert.
SERVANT nods, bows, leaves.
WOMAN: You aren’t hungry?
MAN: I haven’t been hungry for a long time.
Pause. They take a sip of wine. WOMAN: I never wanted children.
MAN: I know.
WOMAN: You wanted three boys.
MAN: I still do.
WOMAN: I’m too old now.
MAN: I know.
WOMAN: Bearing children; I found it degrading.
MAN: It’s natural. Women bear children.
WOMAN: I find it degrading.
MAN: We got through it.
WOMAN: I got through it; you were barely even at home.
MAN: You were well taken care of.
WOMAN: I didn’t want you to be home.
MAN: I was busy with work.
WOMAN: The way your body expands. She shudders slightly and fixes her dress. Inhabited by a nameless stranger.
MAN: Your child.
WOMAN: Not being able to go to my yoga classes was hard on me. They do me well. The teacher always used me as an example for the more advanced poses before I became pregnant.
Pause.
WOMAN: He always used to say: “Now this is what I call form.” She pauses, briefly. I had great form.
She takes a larger sip of wine and is in the middle of putting down the glass when she stops the motion abruptly, once again becoming aware of the suspended body in the room. She glances over suspiciously. WOMAN a little quieter: Do you think he can hear us?
MAN staring into the distance, absent-mindedly: Who?
WOMAN slightly irritated, gestures towards the body.
MAN: Oh. Thinks. No.
Silence.
MAN: I wonder who put him there.
WOMAN: It’s starting to bother me.
MAN shrugs: Something to look at.
WOMAN gets up: I’m going to look for the cat.
MAN: I’m sure he’s fine.
WOMAN: I’m going to look for him.
She walks past the couch, glancing suspiciously at the floating body while she passes it. The MAN finishes his glass of wine and examines the man in mid-air. He makes an ambiguous “Hm” sound, then picks up the WOMAN’s wine glass and finishes it.
MAN gets up and walks towards the floating man. He stands below it for a while, examining the body. The body remains completely motionless.
MAN: Makes you wonder. He walks around him, carefully watching out for any changes to the body’s state. Pensively: Makes you wonder.
He slowly walks towards the same door the WOMAN has taken, exits. A few seconds after he is gone, the SERVANT enters through another door. He takes the remaining dishes off the table and starts toward the door. Before exiting, he briefly stops and looks back at the floating man, incredulously.
Black out. Aphex Twin’s “I” starts playing. The lights slowly come back on. The WOMAN sits on the sofa, wearing a more comfortable silk dress, reading a magazine. She seems uneasy and looks up at the man above her from time to time. When the track is over, the MAN enters the room. He is wearing the same clothes as before. WOMAN: I couldn’t find him.
MAN: Who?
He looks up at the FLOATING MAN.
WOMAN: The cat.
MAN: Oh.
WOMAN: I looked for him in the garden, too.
MAN: He doesn’t go outside much.
WOMAN: This house is too big.
MAN: You liked this house. That’s why we bought it.
WOMAN looking up at the enormous ceilings and the FLOATING MAN: It’s too big.
MAN: I’m sure he’s fine.
WOMAN: Who?
MAN: They feed him well. He must be somewhere in the house.
The woman is still looking at the body, temporarily lost in thought.
WOMAN: I guess. He likes them better than he likes us. Because they feed him. Food. That’s all he cares about. Pause. Have you spoken to the accountant?
MAN: Not yet. I will call her after lunch.
WOMAN suddenly pleased: Good.
MAN sits down next to her and picks up a newspaper from the coffee table. He presses a small button, and the door opens quietly. The SERVANT bring him a cup of coffee. He takes a sip. They read. The WOMAN turns a page, looks up for a moment, looks at the MAN, continues reading for a few seconds.
WOMAN while reading: Anything new? MAN: The usual.
They read.
WOMAN: I wish you had more to say.
MAN continues reading. WOMAN looks up from her book, at the suspended body, then again at the MAN.
WOMAN: He must be terribly bored.
MAN reading.
WOMAN: He must be terribly bored, don’t you think?
MAN: Who?
WOMAN nods towards the floating body.
MAN: Oh.
WOMAN: Wouldn’t you be bored?
MAN: Hm. He reads.
WOMAN: I think he’s terribly bored.
MAN shrugs: I wonder if he’s hungry.
WOMAN: It doesn’t seem so. He’s not moving.
MAN looks up from newspaper, questioning.
WOMAN shrugs: If he were hungry, he would move. Suddenly preoccupied again. I wonder where the cat is. He must be hungry.
MAN: They feed him well; he’s fine.
WOMAN: If the cat is hungry, we will see him soon. Food is all he cares about.
MAN nods in approval, goes back to reading the newspaper.
WOMAN gets up rather quickly, the book still in her hand, and starts pacing the room.
WOMAN: I don’t like the accountant much. MAN slightly irritated: He is the best accountant we have had.
WOMAN: He is so… thorough.
MAN: He is the best accountant we have ever had.
WOMAN: There’s always something with him. You should speak to him soon.
MAN: I will speak to him after lunch.
WOMAN sits down and goes back to reading.
MAN to himself as much as to her: There is a concert in the evening.
WOMAN: We have not been out in a long time.
MAN: Something modern.
WOMAN: We should leave the house more.
MAN: We could go to a restaurant.
WOMAN: I wish the food was better at restaurants.
MAN: They feed us well here.
WOMAN: We need to make sure the cat is fine.
MAN: Have you heard from the kids?
WOMAN: Nothing.
MAN: That’s good news.
WOMAN: Usually.
Pause. They both look at the suspended body.
MAN: He’s growing on me.
WOMAN: I don’t like it much.
The SERVANT comes in with another cup of coffee and leaves again. MAN: Do you think he’s listening to us?
WOMAN: I don’t think so.
MAN: Why not?
WOMAN: He’s not moving.
MAN: Would you move if you heard us?
They are quiet for a moment, pensive.
WOMAN: While you talk to the accountant, I will speak to the kids. We haven’t heard from them in a while.
MAN: Good idea. They will be happy to hear from you.
WOMAN skeptical: Yes.
MAN: You’re their mother.
WOMAN: Yes.
Silence.
WOMAN: You know you could call them too sometimes.
MAN: You’re their mother.
WOMAN: You’re their father.
MAN: Yes. I think they like me more than they like me.
WOMAN: You were not home much.
MAN: I was working.
WOMAN: You should call them when you get off the phone with the accountant. I will look for the cat while you speak to her.
MAN: I’m sure the cat is fine.
WOMAN: You should call him now.
MAN: Who? WOMAN: The accountant.
MAN: I will do it when I finish the coffee.
WOMAN: You are always so busy. Either working or drinking coffee.
The MAN drinks coffee. The WOMAN goes back to reading her book. After a few moments, the man puts away the newspaper and finishes his coffee.
MAN getting up, vaguely looking towards the FLOATING MAN: I’m going to call him now.
WOMAN: Who?
MAN: The accountant.
WOMAN: Good. I will look for the cat while you speak to him.
MAN: You should call the kids.
WOMAN: I will do it after I find the cat.
MAN crosses the room and exits.
WOMAN closes the book and stares at it for a moment. She gazes up at the FLOATING MAN, incredulously. After another moment, she pulls herself away and starts looking around the room, making noises to attract an animal. She works her way around the room, exits.
Lights out. Aphex Twin’s “I” plays again. Halfway through the track, the lights come on. The MAN and the WOMAN are sitting at the dining table with a glass of wine. He is wearing the same suit; she is wearing an elegant dress. The music stops.
WOMAN: What did he say?
MAN: Who?
WOMAN: The accountant.
MAN: He needs more documents.
WOMAN scoffs: He always needs more documents. MAN: He’s thorough. Pause. Did you call them?
WOMAN: Who?
MAN: The kids.
WOMAN lost in thought for a moment: I couldn’t find him.
MAN: Who?
WOMAN: The cat.
MAN: Oh.
WOMAN: I was going to call the kids after I found the cat. But I cannot find him.
MAN: It’s a big house. I’m sure he’s fine.
WOMAN: We can’t go to the concert before we find the cat. Her gaze wanders towards the FLOATING MAN.
MAN: I thought you didn’t want to go to the concert.
WOMAN still looking at the FLOATING MAN: We can’t go to a restaurant either. We can’t go to the concert or go to a restaurant before we find the cat.
MAN: I’m sure the cat is fine. They must have been feeding him. They would have let us know if there was a problem. He finishes his glass of wine and pushes a button. The SERVANT appears and refills his glass. He exists again.
MAN continues: Ever since we got him, he has been in and out. He’s always been fine. I remember that not so long ago, we did not see him for a few days, and then he…
WOMAN jerks her head towards the MAN and interrupts, looking him dead in the eye: I love him.
MAN: Who?
WOMAN turns her head towards the FLOATING MAN again.
MAN: I’m sure we will see him again soon. That is the thing about cats. All they care about is food. The only time they seek company is to breed. WOMAN still fixated on the body: I love him.
MAN: He’ll be back.
WOMAN: He’s… different. He doesn’t waste words.
MAN follows her gaze: Who?
WOMAN: Can you imagine what it must be like?
MAN slowly: No.
WOMAN: He must be lonely.
MAN: I will go look for the cat.
WOMAN: We can’t go to a restaurant if you don’t find him.
MAN: I will go look for him now.
He crosses the room, avoiding looking at the FLOATING MAN. At the door, he turns and looks back at the WOMAN who is still staring at the body.
When the MAN has disappeared, the WOMAN slowly rises and walks towards the FLOATING MAN, without interrupting her gaze. Aphex Twin’s “aisatsana [102]” starts playing. She stands just below the body and stretches out her hand towards him, trying to touch him. His body is far out of reach. She looks at it longingly. She sways, vaguely in sync with the music. The door swings open, interrupting her dancing. The music stops. The MAN stands in the door holding a fat CAT.
MAN holds up the CAT: I found him.
WOMAN gazes over, disinterested: Who?
MAN: The cat.
WOMAN disaffected: Oh, good.
MAN: I told the driver we would be outside in five minutes.
WOMAN: I should call the kids. MAN: You can call them after the restaurant. He exits with the CAT.
WOMAN looks at the body, once again reaching for it. She exits, slowly.
The SERVANT enters the room, clears the table, and exits.
Lights dim. Aphex Twin’s “I” plays as the lights brighten again. The scene is unchanged. When the track ends, the MAN and the WOMAN enter, both drunk. They sit down on the couch, and he presses a button. The SERVANT enters and puts down two glasses of wine in front of them.
WOMAN: We hadn’t been to a restaurant in a while.
MAN: They feed us too well here. He lets out a loud, unnatural sounding laugh.
WOMAN: They do. Smiles, pained. You know I meant it, don’t you?
MAN still grinning: What?
WOMAN: What I said. He stops grinning. I love him.
MAN: Who?
WOMAN raises her head and gestures towards the FLOATING MAN. I love him.
MAN pensively: Do you think he can hear us?
WOMAN: I don’t know.
MAN: I don’t think he can hear us.
WOMAN: He’s different.
MAN: Do you think he can feel anything?
WOMAN: He must.
MAN: He hasn’t moved.
WOMAN: Would you?
MAN: I don’t know. WOMAN: I think he feels something. Some things.
MAN: Why do you love him?
WOMAN: He’s different.
MAN: We all are.
WOMAN: I think he feels something. I think he feels things we don’t.
MAN: He hasn’t moved.
WOMAN: He’s different.
The WOMAN takes a sip of wine and gets up from the sofa. She stretches her hand towards the body. The MAN watches her, unmoved.
MAN: Do you think he would love you?
WOMAN: You never loved me. She climbs the table and reaches for the body again. She is far away, still.
MAN: You were well taken care of.
WOMAN: You should call the kids.
MAN: They like you better. You fed them.
WOMAN: You were always at work.
MAN: You wished I worked longer hours.
WOMAN: You never spoke about work.
MAN: It was always the same.
WOMAN: Were you?
MAN: Perhaps.
WOMAN: He’s different. MAN: He doesn’t move. He climbs the coffee table and stands next to the WOMAN. He tries to touch the body, but it is well out of reach.
WOMAN: What will we tell the kids?
MAN: There is nothing to say. Both discontinue their ridiculous efforts and climb back down, sit.
WOMAN: What did the accountant say?
MAN: More documents.
WOMAN: He’s very thorough.
MAN: The best accountant we have had.
WOMAN: Do you think he is happy?
MAN: Who?
WOMAN with arms outstretched towards the FLOATING MAN: I keep waiting for you to love me.
MAN: Do you think he can feel love?
WOMAN: He must.
MAN: You never loved me.
WOMAN: I carried your children.
Both have finished their wine glasses. The WOMAN presses the button. The SERVANT comes in with two full glasses of red wine and replaces the glasses in front of them. They watch his hands move without showing a reaction. The SERVANT exits and there is a brief moment of silence.
MAN: Sometimes I have strange dreams. Last night, I dreamed that the cat was hungry. I went to the kitchen to find the cat food. It was sitting out on the counter with the bowl, as if someone knew I was going to come for it. But when I tried to fill the bowl, the food kept disappearing. Every time I added more, the food disappeared, until there was no more food.
WOMAN: Have you ever fed him? MAN: Who?
WOMAN: The cat.
MAN: No.
WOMAN: He doesn’t love us.
MAN: We don’t feed him.
WOMAN: He’s our cat.
MAN: Do you think he knows that he belongs to us?
WOMAN: Who?
MAN: The cat.
WOMAN: This is his home.
MAN: It’s a big house. We barely see him.
WOMAN: You should call the kids.
MAN: I’m going to go find the cat. Takes a swig of the wine, gets up.
WOMAN: He’s like you.
MAN stops on his way towards the door and turns around: Who?
WOMAN: The cat. Looks at the FLOATING MAN. He’s different.
MAN: I’m going to find the cat. Exits.
WOMAN finishes her glass of wine. She looks at the FLOATING MAN with detached longing. She presses the button and exits. At the same time, the SERVANT enters through the other door. Aphex Twin’s “I” starts again. The SERVANT replaces the two glasses of wine and makes his way back towards the door. Before exiting, he looks at the FLOATING MAN, incredulously.
The other door opens, and the music stops. The MAN enters, carrying the CAT. They sit down on the sofa. The CAT remains motionless throughout. He takes his glass of wine and takes a sip. MAN vaguely towards the cat, staring at the FLOATING MAN: Makes you wonder, doesn’t it. I wonder if he can feel anything.
The WOMAN enters, awkwardly carrying a ladder. The MAN perks up, the CAT remains motionless. He watches her put the ladder beneath the FLOATING MAN. It’s obvious that she won’t be able to reach the body even from the top. She starts climbing it. Halfway through, she stops, glaring at the MAN in admonition.
WOMAN: You never help me.
MAN: You never want my help.
WOMAN continues her climb.
MAN sighs. He puts the cat on the sofa next to him and walks over to ladder. He holds the ladder. She reaches the top and stretches out her hands toward the body, shakily. It is still far out of reach.
WOMAN: Do you think he can hear us?
MAN squinting: He hasn’t moved.
The WOMAN sways, almost losing her balance, catches herself, and starts climbing down the ladder. The MAN holds the ladder but offers no additional help. When the woman has reached the ground, she grabs the ladder and puts it on the coffee table. It looks precarious.
WOMAN breathing a little heavy from exertion: I wonder who put him there.
MAN: I wonder if he feels anything at all.
WOMAN climbs on the coffee table. She puts her foot on the first step and stares at the MAN until he comes over to hold the ladder. She starts her climb.
MAN stating the obvious: The ladder is too short.
The WOMAN continues to climb.
WOMAN: You never help me.
MAN holding the ladder: You never want my help. WOMAN: He’s different. Reaches the top, stretches out her arms, a little closer, but still too far. She stands on her tiptoes, swaying dangerously.
MAN: The ladder is too short.
The WOMAN tries for a few more seconds before giving up, grasping the ladder, deflated.
MAN: The ladder is…
WOMAN screaming, still grasping the ladder: I KNOW!
The MAN’s facial expression remains unmoved as he continues to hold the ladder. The cat is asleep.
WOMAN a little self-conscious: Do you think he can hear us?
MAN: He hasn’t moved.
WOMAN: Would you?
MAN shrugs lightly as she climbs down the ladder, and sits back down on the sofa. She takes a sip of wine as he watches her.
MAN: You drink too much.
WOMAN stares at the FLOATING MAN: I wish you were like him. She pauses and puts the CAT on her lap. The CAT does not move. I wish you were him.
MAN: I wonder if he can feel anything.
WOMAN: He must.
MAN: Makes you wonder, doesn’t it?
WOMAN: I will go and feed the cat. She picks up the cat and gets up from the sofa. She crosses the room and exits.
The MAN gets up from the couch and looks at the FLOATING MAN. He adjusts the ladder slightly, then climbs on the coffee table and up the ladder. It is a bit shaky, but he makes it to the top and tries to touch the body. It is far out of reach.
MAN to himself: The ladder is too short. He climbs down. He grabs a glass of wine, fills the remainder of the other glass in his, and exits. A few seconds later, the SERVANT enters. He goes about cleaning the room as if there was nothing unusual about it, puts the ladder on the floor, fetches the glass, wipes down the table, and exits. “Douce Reverie” starts playing again, softly. The SERVANT returns, grabs the ladder, and exits again. The lights dim as the music continues to play and grows louder and more distorted, but gentler than at the beginning. The music ebbs again as the lights come on. The MAN and the WOMAN sit at the dinner table, two glasses of wine in front of them. He is wearing the same suit. She is wearing a tight dress, not the same as before, but very similar. The cat is lying on the coffee table. The FLOATING MAN has disappeared.
MAN: The accountant called again.
WOMAN staring at the ceiling, where the FLOATING MAN used to be: He’s thorough.
MAN: I called the kids.
WOMAN unmoved: Oh, good.
MAN following her gaze: Makes you wonder, doesn’t it?
WOMAN: What?
MAN: Who put him there.
WOMAN: I loved him.
MAN: I know.
WOMAN: He was different.
The SERVANT enters with two plates and puts them on the table. He exits.
MAN: They feed us well.
WOMAN: I wonder if he felt anything.
MAN: Makes you wonder.
They eat, the utensils are scraping the plates.
MAN: They are doing fine. WOMAN: Who?
MAN: The kids.
WOMAN: Oh, good.
They eat.
MAN: Do you miss him?
WOMAN: Who?
MAN gestures towards where the body used to be.
WOMAN: It was something to look at.
They finish their meal.
WOMAN: I wanted to feel his skin.
MAN: The ladder was too short.
WOMAN gets up, somewhat abruptly. I’m going to go and feed the cat.
MAN: Good. I’m going to call him back.
WOMAN, hesitating for a moment: Who?
MAN: The accountant. He needed more documents.
WOMAN flat: Oh, good.
The WOMAN walks over to the CAT, picks it up, and exits. The MAN watches her leave. When she’s gone, he picks up his wine glass, twirls it pensively, staring at the ceiling where the body used to be. After a few moments, he gets up from his chair and walks towards the door. He stops next to the coffee table and looks up.
MAN to himself: Makes you wonder, doesn’t it.
“I” plays again. The SERVANT enters and clears the plates, exits. The track ends. Lights out.
FIN.