An Almost Perfect Thing Read Online Free PDF Page A
Author: Nicole Moeller
don't buy you new books, I don't give you vegetables.
CHLOE
I didn't mean thatâ
MATHEW
I'm stupid, stupid, so stupid!
CHLOE
I don't need vegetablesâ
MATHEW
I fail at everything! That's what you think.
CHLOE
Noâ
MATHEW
I'm a terrible dad!
CHLOE
That's not trueâ
MATHEW
We're not having supper. I'm going to bed and I'm not going to get up for three days. We're not going to eat for three days. And it's all your fault.
MATHEW goes to leave.
CHLOE
Waitâwill you tuck me in first? Please? I love it when you do.
Beat.
I don't have the nightmares anymore. Since you taught me. That was so smart of you. You're the best, Mathew. And you don't have to have me much longer. I'll be so good for the rest of the time. I swear. Will you sing to me? Please?
He goes to her.
MATHEW
Hush little baby, don't say a word. Mama's gonna buy you a mockingbird.
MAT/CHLOE
And if that mockingbird don't sing, Mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring.
CHLOE
Thank you.
MATHEW
I'll go make your supper now. I'll try to make some vegetables.
CHLOE
Whatever you want.
SCENE EIGHTEEN
Shift. To the audience.
GREG
That morning.
CHLOE
The third article comes out.
MATHEW
They're doing a series on the missing little girl.
CHLOE
It's all about me.
GREG
There's nothing in it. Nothing substantial. Nothing worthwhile.
CHLOE
My routines, my books, my assignments. How I taught myself all of it.
GREG
I see them reading it.
CHLOE
Hear them talking about it.
GREG
On the train, at the coffee shop.
CHLOE
On the radioâ
MATHEW
âand the
TV
.
GREG
They wantâ
MATHEW
Her.
CHLOE
Me.
GREG
More.
MATHEW
And I have her. The missing little girl. They want her. And I haveâ
GREG
A responsibility. To them.
MATHEW
I haveâ
CHLOE
To go shopping.
GREG
To a meeting.
MATHEW
To see her.
GREG
Summoned by my editor.
CHLOE
(imitating sales clerk)
"Colour. You'd look great in reds, purples, greens."
I try on a sweater. Feel it against my skin. Open the change-room door andâ
MATHEW
There she is.
GREG
There they are. My editors. Lined up in a row.
CHLOE
All these women. Just standing there.
GREG
Like a firing squad.
(imitating editors)
"If it bleeds it leads, Greggy, if it bleeds it leads."
MATHEW
She looksâ
CHLOE
(imitating sales clerk)
"Beautiful!"
MATHEW
âlike an angel. When she sleeps. When she's awake it's tantrums and questions and playing and crying. But when she sleepsâ
GREG
(imitating editors)
"Where's the violence? Where's the sex? Where's the truth? This isn't the truth."
MATHEW
I watch her chest rise and fall. So perfect.
CHLOE
(imitating sales clerk)
"So skinny!"
Someone hands me another sweater and then another.
GREG
(imitating editors)
"People are starting to question."
CHLOE
(imitating sales clerk)
"Say cheese!"
GREG
I want to be the one to finish her story. Give her a voice. Get the details that lead to catching the monster who did this. But nowâ
MATHEW
I notice the calendar above her desk. Tuesday, May 24. There's a star in the corner. She's keeping track.
GREG
If she won't actually tell me that there was a person, admit how they interacted with her⦠be honest about what they did to her⦠Thenâ
MATHEW
What am I supposed to do? I can't let her go now. Her dad will never take care of her like I do. I still have so much to teach her.
CHLOE
I turn from the camera and see these girls. They're talking and laughing. Falling into each other's arms. They're best friends. I wish I could go over there. I wish so badâ
GREG
It's not fair. What she's doing.
MATHEW
She'll be okay when I tell her. She'll understand that it's for her own good.
CHLOE
Across the store are a boyfriend and girlfriend holding hands. The girl holds up a shirt to the guy and he laughs. He pulls her in and kisses her on the forehead. They seem happy.
MATHEW
A radio. She's wanted one since she got here. That'll make her
CHLOE
I didn't mean thatâ
MATHEW
I'm stupid, stupid, so stupid!
CHLOE
I don't need vegetablesâ
MATHEW
I fail at everything! That's what you think.
CHLOE
Noâ
MATHEW
I'm a terrible dad!
CHLOE
That's not trueâ
MATHEW
We're not having supper. I'm going to bed and I'm not going to get up for three days. We're not going to eat for three days. And it's all your fault.
MATHEW goes to leave.
CHLOE
Waitâwill you tuck me in first? Please? I love it when you do.
Beat.
I don't have the nightmares anymore. Since you taught me. That was so smart of you. You're the best, Mathew. And you don't have to have me much longer. I'll be so good for the rest of the time. I swear. Will you sing to me? Please?
He goes to her.
MATHEW
Hush little baby, don't say a word. Mama's gonna buy you a mockingbird.
MAT/CHLOE
And if that mockingbird don't sing, Mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring.
CHLOE
Thank you.
MATHEW
I'll go make your supper now. I'll try to make some vegetables.
CHLOE
Whatever you want.
SCENE EIGHTEEN
Shift. To the audience.
GREG
That morning.
CHLOE
The third article comes out.
MATHEW
They're doing a series on the missing little girl.
CHLOE
It's all about me.
GREG
There's nothing in it. Nothing substantial. Nothing worthwhile.
CHLOE
My routines, my books, my assignments. How I taught myself all of it.
GREG
I see them reading it.
CHLOE
Hear them talking about it.
GREG
On the train, at the coffee shop.
CHLOE
On the radioâ
MATHEW
âand the
TV
.
GREG
They wantâ
MATHEW
Her.
CHLOE
Me.
GREG
More.
MATHEW
And I have her. The missing little girl. They want her. And I haveâ
GREG
A responsibility. To them.
MATHEW
I haveâ
CHLOE
To go shopping.
GREG
To a meeting.
MATHEW
To see her.
GREG
Summoned by my editor.
CHLOE
(imitating sales clerk)
"Colour. You'd look great in reds, purples, greens."
I try on a sweater. Feel it against my skin. Open the change-room door andâ
MATHEW
There she is.
GREG
There they are. My editors. Lined up in a row.
CHLOE
All these women. Just standing there.
GREG
Like a firing squad.
(imitating editors)
"If it bleeds it leads, Greggy, if it bleeds it leads."
MATHEW
She looksâ
CHLOE
(imitating sales clerk)
"Beautiful!"
MATHEW
âlike an angel. When she sleeps. When she's awake it's tantrums and questions and playing and crying. But when she sleepsâ
GREG
(imitating editors)
"Where's the violence? Where's the sex? Where's the truth? This isn't the truth."
MATHEW
I watch her chest rise and fall. So perfect.
CHLOE
(imitating sales clerk)
"So skinny!"
Someone hands me another sweater and then another.
GREG
(imitating editors)
"People are starting to question."
CHLOE
(imitating sales clerk)
"Say cheese!"
GREG
I want to be the one to finish her story. Give her a voice. Get the details that lead to catching the monster who did this. But nowâ
MATHEW
I notice the calendar above her desk. Tuesday, May 24. There's a star in the corner. She's keeping track.
GREG
If she won't actually tell me that there was a person, admit how they interacted with her⦠be honest about what they did to her⦠Thenâ
MATHEW
What am I supposed to do? I can't let her go now. Her dad will never take care of her like I do. I still have so much to teach her.
CHLOE
I turn from the camera and see these girls. They're talking and laughing. Falling into each other's arms. They're best friends. I wish I could go over there. I wish so badâ
GREG
It's not fair. What she's doing.
MATHEW
She'll be okay when I tell her. She'll understand that it's for her own good.
CHLOE
Across the store are a boyfriend and girlfriend holding hands. The girl holds up a shirt to the guy and he laughs. He pulls her in and kisses her on the forehead. They seem happy.
MATHEW
A radio. She's wanted one since she got here. That'll make her
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