Read Online Lost Lake by David Auburn - Free Book Online Page B

of.
    HOGAN : Well, that sounds good.
    ( Beat .)
    So, right—if you need to stay in touch with your office or hospital or whatever—
    VERONICA : Hospital.
    HOGAN :  —just give them this number the week you’re here. We did say a week, didn’t we?
    VERONICA : The third week in August.
    HOGAN : The last week’s available too. Stay till Labor Day.
    VERONICA : I have to work.
    HOGAN : You only get one week of vacation?
    VERONICA : That’s all I’ve been able to arrange.
    HOGAN : Then you really should get those kids swimming before they get up here.
    VERONICA : Maybe. We’ll see.
    HOGAN : They’ll spend the whole week watching other kids dive off the dock.
    VERONICA : We’ll manage.
    HOGAN : Well, if you change your mind the rest of August is available.
    VERONICA : Thank you, but I don’t think we’ll be able to do that.
    ( Beat. She looks at an old hockey stick propped against the wall .)
    HOGAN : I’ll get all that stuff out of here before you come, naturally, pack up my clothes and so forth, the drawers will be free. When are you heading back to the city?
    VERONICA : ( Takes out a bus schedule .) I think I can make the three-thirty bus.
    HOGAN : Today.
    VERONICA : Yes. If you could drop me back in front of the movie theater.
    HOGAN : Didn’t you just come up this morning?
    VERONICA : I wanted to make sure I saw the place before—
    HOGAN : No, that’s wise. Picking something off the Internet, who the hell knows what you’re going to get? If the pictures they put up are even real. Or the descriptions. The way people exaggerate, you do have to watch out.
    VERONICA : Well, you certainly didn’t exaggerate.
    HOGAN : I said “rustic.” That’s what you’re looking for, isn’t it?
    VERONICA : Yes.
    HOGAN : I’ll fix that shutter before you come up. And the dock will be done like I said. And I don’t know if you looked in the shower but I’ll get that section of ceiling patched and the wall repainted, I’ve been meaning to borrow some paint from my brother—he has a beautiful robin’s-egg blue from when he did his bathrooms. I just need a free weekend.
    VERONICA : I definitely would appreciate any …
    HOGAN : Little improvements—
    VERONICA : Yes—you plan to do. The kitchen seems fine.
    HOGAN : Don’t use the two front burners on the stove, they only work on high and then they smoke. Those I doubt I’ll be able to get to—
    VERONICA : Did you say you’ll be moving your clothes out of here?
    HOGAN : Oh, sure. I’ll get all the drawers clear for you.
    VERONICA : You live here now.
    HOGAN : Yes. But I’ll get everything cleared out.
     What?
    VERONICA : Nothing. Sorry. I suppose I thought this was just a summer place.
    HOGAN : It is but lately I’ve been a full-timer. A couple space heaters and you can get through a winter if it stays mild like it has this year. It’s not so bad.
     The lake used to freeze over sometimes, believe it or not. We played hockey out there when we were kids. That doesn’t happen hardly ever anymore, the winters are so mild now. That’s a collector’s item. Big hockey fan. You?
    VERONICA : Where will you go when we’re renting?
    HOGAN : My brother’s. He’s only about forty-five minutes away. So I can be here quickly if anything comes up.
    VERONICA : I hate to kick you out of your own house.
    HOGAN : Are you kidding? You’re doing me a favor. I wish you’d do me a bigger favor and rent all summer.
    VERONICA : Your brother’d take you for the whole summer?
    HOGAN : That’s a good point.
    ( Beat .)
    VERONICA : Well, Mr.… Hogan?
    HOGAN : Yes. Terry.
    VERONICA : Let me get you that deposit.
    ( She writes a check. She gives it to him .)
    HOGAN : Thank you. ( Looks at it .) Veronica.
    VERONICA : Okay.
    ( They shake hands. Beat. )
    I’d better get to that bus