He starts to go .)
VERONICA : Hogan.
( He stops .)
Thank you. For the girl.
HOGAN : Anytime.
( Beat .)
VERONICA : Can I ask you something?
HOGAN : Sure.
VERONICA : Why canât you bring your daughter up here?
( Beat .)
HOGAN : I sent her an e-mail back in May.
     âGuess what? Iâm finally building that diving platform. Itâll be ready this summer. You can come up and visit.â This is before I even knew sheâd be going to school an hour away.
     âYou can swim. The cabinâs still here. The lakeâs the same as it ever was. Everythingâs the same.â
     It bounced back. She changed her e-mail. I called her mother to get the new one. She said, in this voice, this very precise voice, she said she was asked, by our daughter, not to give it to me; and she felt she should respect our daughterâs preference. ( Shrugs .) Well, thatâs her preference.
( He exits .)
Fade .
Â
SCENE 4
Night . VERONICA is bagging surplus groceries . She starts to fold a pile of kidsâ clothes . She stops for a moment, listening to the night . Itâs quiet .
Beat .
The sound of a truck . Headlights in the window . Motor turns off . Truck door opens and closes . Lights stay on .
VERONICA : Hogan?
HOGAN : ( Off .) Yep.
VERONICA : Turn those lights off.
HOGAN : Oh.
( The lights go off . HOGAN enters . A bottle of Old Grand-Dad . He looks a little unsteady .)
Told you Iâd stay away.
VERONICA : Uh-huh.
( Beat .)
HOGAN : Getting ready to go?
VERONICA : Yes.
HOGAN : Tomorrow morning.
VERONICA : Yep.
HOGAN : How were your last days? Was I right about the weather or what?
VERONICA : They were real nice.
( Beat .)
HOGAN : Just thought Iâd check to see if you needed anything else before you go.
VERONICA : No, I think weâre okay, thanks.
     Oh. One of my kids broke a cereal bowl. You tell me how much it costs and Iâll pay for it.
HOGAN : Thatâs all right.
VERONICA : No, take it out of the damage deposit. I donât want toâ
HOGAN : Itâs just a bowl. Forget it.
( Beat .)
Did we end up doing the damage deposit?
VERONICA : Yeah, in the first two payments, remember?
HOGAN : Right, yes.
     Ohâbut the third payment neverâ
VERONICA : We said weâd forget about all that.
HOGAN : Right, right, right right right.
VERONICA : Letâs not go through this again, please. Iâve had a real nice couple daysâ
HOGAN : Of course. No.
( Beat .)
VERONICA : So you still have to return my damage deposit.
HOGAN : Yes. Absolutely. Iâll do a quick walk-through tomorrow, then send it off first thing.
( Beat .)
VERONICA : Oh, I dropped a coffee mug, too. I tried to glue it but it wouldnât glue so I threw it out.
HOGAN : Donât worry about it.
     Unless it was my 1980 Lake Placid Miracle on Ice mug.
VERONICA : I think it was, yeah.
HOGAN : Shit.
VERONICA : Iâll pay for it.
HOGAN : That was a collectorâs item. Thereâs no way you can afford to replace it. If you could even find a replacement.
VERONICA : Well, you shouldnât have left it here if it was so valuable.
HOGAN : I didnât think youâd use it.
VERONICA : Why wouldnât I use it? Itâs a coffee mug.
HOGAN : Itâs clearly a collectorâs item.
VERONICA : Then you shouldnât have left it on the shelf with the other cups.
     If itâs so important to youâ
HOGAN : Never mind, just forget it.
VERONICA : Iâll pay for it.
HOGAN : Forget it, I said.
VERONICA : Iâm sorry.
( Beat .)
HOGAN : So I brought you something. Little farewell gift.
( He gives her a wrapped present .)
Just to sort of say no hard feelings kind of thing.
VERONICA : Oh. Well, thank you.
HOGAN : Open it.
( She does . Itâs a book .)
VERONICA : A Childâs First Book of Birds.
HOGAN : See, I