Thazel Hoffstetter Lives Here

The living room of the Hoffstetter home.The sparse furnishings are worn and out-of-date. Books and magazines are scattered about. MRS. HOFFSTETTER busies herself cleaning, straightening, etc. SHE wears a flowered house-dress.

MRS. HOFFSTETTER   Thazel - Thazel - come down here.

THAZEL   (Off.) I'll be right there, Mama.

MRS. HOFFSTETTER   We've got a lot a' work to do. You know what today is

THAZEL enters from upstairs. She is a woman of twenty-four who has the appearance of someone much younger. Her hair is long and straight, held back from her face with a headband. She wears a blue jumper over a turtleneck shirt.

THAZEL   I know, Mama.

MRS. HOFFSTETTER   What were ya' doin' up there, Thazel?

THAZEL   Oh, Mama.

MRS. HOFSTETTER   You're not workin' up to Handi-Mart tonight - are ya'?

THAZEL   No, Mama, 'course not. I took the night off. I'd never work on  

MRS. HOFFSTETTER   Let's get movin' then. This house looks a' sight. An' we still gotta think about supper.

THAZEL   What should we fix for him this year?

MRS. HOFFSTETTER   I was thinkin' a chicken fried steak. That always was his favorite meal.

THAZEL   An' string bean casserole.

MRS. HOFFSTETTER   Maybe I'll fix some biscuits to go with it.

THAZEL   And I'll make him a cake. How 'bout chocolate with mint icing?

MRS. HOFFSTETTER   We'll put some vanilla ice cream on the side.

THAZEL   (After a beat.) Max is thirty-two years old today.

MRS. HOFFSTETTER   I know, Thazel. I was there when he was born.

THAZEL   Wasn't daddy thirty-two when he died?

MRS. HOFFSTETTER   Yes, he was

THAZEL   What if Max has an attack like daddy did? What if he's all alone an' there ain't nobody there to save him?

MRS. HOFFSTETTER   There's nothin' we can do for Max. We don't know where he's at or how to find him.

THAZEL   I know he's coming back. He told me he would  he promised.

MRS. HOFFSTETTER   He's been gone a long time, Thazel.

THAZEL   We have to hurry up an' get everythin' together. I don't want Max comin' home an' us not be ready. It's his birthday  he'd expect us to have a party for him. We got candles  don't we?

MRS. HOFFSTETTER   We got candles.

THAZEL   I want everythin' to be perfect.

MRS. HOFFSTETTER   It always is, Thazel  every year  we make a special party for Max.

THAZEL   But this year's different, Mama. I know Max'll be here.

MRS. HOFFSTETTER   I just don't want ya' to be disappointed.

THAZEL   When I was little  right after Daddy died  I'd cry myself to sleep every night. I was afraid that  that  you was gonna die like Daddy did an' Max an' me would be all alone. One night Max heard me cryin'. He came into my room an' he sat down on the edge a' my bed. He told me not to be afraid. He said that he would always be there to protect me. He said, "If anythin' ever happens to mama  don't ya' worry little girl, 'cause I'll always be there. I won't ever leave ya'." He promised.

MRS. HOFFSTETTER   It's been sixteen years he's been gone. I'm not sure Max is ever comin' back.

THAZEL   How can ya' say that, Mama? Ya' know he's comin' back. That's why we make a party for him every year. That's why we clean his room an' fix a special supper an' a birthday cake. Isn't it? Isn't it?

MRS. HOFFSTETTER   Sixteen years is a long time.

THAZEL   (Covers her ears.) Stop! Why are ya' sayin' this? Why are ya' doin' this to me? I know he's comin' back  I know it!

MRS. HOFFSTETTER   It's all right, Thazel. We'll have a party for Max. Let's us go in the kitchen an' start on that cake.

THAZEL   Chocolate cake with mint icing

MRS. HOFFSTETTER   With a scoop a' vanilla on the side.

LIGHTS: SHORT FADE. When the lights come up, THAZEL is sitting in the living room.

THAZEL   (Yelling.) Come on, Mama. Let's have the cake out here.

MRS. HOFFSTETTER   (Enters from kitchen wiping her hands on a dish towel.) I could sure use a hand with them dishes.

THAZEL   Let's have the cake first  then we can do the dishes. It is a special day.

MRS. HOFFSTETTER   All right  I'll fix us some plates. (Exits back into the kitchen.)

THAZEL   Don't forget the vanilla ice cream.

There is a knock at the front door. THAZEL crosses to answer it.  She opens the door. MAX HOFFSTETTER stands outside. MAX is a handsome man of thirty-two. He is dressed in jeans and a pull-over sweater.

MAX   Aren't you going to let me in?

THAZEL doesn't respond.

MAX   Come on, Thazel  let me in. It's cold out here.

THAZEL   Max - Max - is it you? Is it really you?

     

THAZEL reaches her hand out to touch Max's face. Before she reaches him, Max grabs Thazel and gives her a big hug.

THAZEL   I knew you'd come back. I told Mama you'd be here.

Max   Well  you've grown into quite a beautiful young woman, Thazel.

THAZEL giggles.

MAX   (Enters into the living room.) Wow, this place looks exactly the same.

THAZEL   Ya' know how mama is.

MRS. HOFFSTETTER   (Enters from the kitchen carrying two plates of cake and ice cream.) Who was that at the door, Thazel?

MAX   (Turns toward Mrs. Hoffstetter.) Hello, Mama.

MRS. HOFFSTETTER drops the two plates of cake and ice cream on the floor. THAZEL hurries to clean up the mess.

MRS. HOFFSTETTER   Max - 

MAX   It's me, Mama.

MRS. HOFFSTETTER   (Crosses to Max.) I can't believe ya' come home.

MAX   I was hoping you still lived here.

THAZEL   We wouldn't move. We couldn't move. Otherwise ya' wouldn't be able to find us.

MAX   I've been traveling for the last year or so  on business. I was passing through town, so I thought I would see if 

MRS. HOFFSTETTER   We got a lot a' catchin' up to do, Son.

THAZEL   We made a cake for ya', Max. Chocolate with mint icing  for your birthday.

MRS. HOFFSTETTER   Hard to believe it's been sixteen years  you sure growed into a handsome young man.

MAX   Thanks, Mama.

MRS. HOFFSTETTER   So  let's us take a seat an' get to talkin'. Thazel, why don't ya' go in the kitchen an' fix us all some a' that cake?

THAZEL   Sure, Mama.

THAZEL crosses toward the kitchen. Just before she exits, she runs back to Max and gives him a big hug. She then runs off into the kitchen. There is a brief awkward silence.

MRS. HOFFSTETTER   Well  I'll get right down to it. How long you plannin' on stayin', Son?

MAX   Just for a day or two. I'm on a pretty tight schedule.

MRS. HOFFSTETTER   So, what kinda business ya' in?

MAX   I sell medical supplies  hospitals mostly, some doctors offices, nursing homes

MRS. HOFFSTETTER   Sounds like good work.

MAX   It's pretty lucrative.

MRS. HOFFSTETTER   I guess ya' finished school then. I worried `bout that  when ya' left, you was still in high school.

MAX   I finished high school and I went to college.

Mrs. Hoffstetter   College, huh?

MAX   I went to Northwestern on a scholarship.

MRS. HOFFSTETTER   I wanted Thazel to go to college but she barely made it outta high school. The girl holds down a steady job. I'm proud a' her. She's been workin' up to Handi-Mart now for `bout two years.

MAX   That's great, Mama. Thazel's grown into a beautiful young women. You should be very proud.

MRS. HOFFSTETTER   Northwestern. Hard to believe my son's a big shot college boy.

MAX   I wasn't ever really a college boy. I started at Northwestern when I was twenty-four. I worked my way through school. It took me six years. It wasn't easy  but I finished.

MRS. HOFFSTETTER   Imagine that  my son  a college boy. You settled down yet?

MAX doesn't respond.

MRS. HOFFSTETTER   You meet yourself a girl up there at Northwestern?

MAX   No  I didn't meet a girl at Northwestern, Mama. You should know that.

MRS. HOFFSTETTER   Things change with time. It's been sixteen years.

MAX   Some things don't change.

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