Читать книгу The Apple Family - Richard Nelson - Страница 13

In the dark. A wooden table and four wooden chairs. A few flowers, with most of their stems cut off, in a small glass vase on the table. Rugs.

Suddenly, a sick dog lets out an awful, painful scream, and then begins to whimper. Underneath the whimper, a distant church bell tolls seven.

Joanna Newsom’s “Good Intentions Paving Company” begins. After a moment, Barbara enters with a chair. She is soon followed by Richard, Jane and Tim with another chair and a folded-up wooden card table. They unfold the card table and set the chairs around the room in a kind of circle. The women put tablecloths on the tables, set out glasses, etc. All this as the music continues to play.

They make a few trips back and forth, bringing out serving dishes—a chicken dish, green beans, boiled potatoes, salad; as well as glasses, a couple of bottles of wine and a pitcher of water—all for a buffet dinner. By now, Benjamin has joined them as well. Barbara has gone back to the kitchen when the music stops.