An Almost Perfect Thing by Nicole Moeller
Authors: Nicole Moeller
Tags: thriller, Literature & Fiction, Mystery, Literature, truth, Kidnapping, story, Celebrity, World Literature, Journalism, Humanities, media, Ownership, Nicole Moeller, Public and Private
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didn't what?
CHLOE
I just mean⦠entertain him. Keep him happy. Get what I want.
GREG
Right.
To audience.
CHLOE
Each time I see Greg he's more obsessed with Mathew.
GREG
Each time I see her, I ask more about him.
CHLOE
His likes, his dislikes.
GREG
His hobbies. Everything. The more she thinks I'm interested in him, the more she thinks I sympathize with him. The more she thinks I sympathize with him, the more she trusts me.
CHLOE
The more information I give him, the more he understands.
GREG
The more she trusts me, the more she tells me. The more she tells me, the more clues I get.
CHLOE
The more he understands, the more he gets the readers to understand.
GREG
The more clues I get, the closer I get to finding him. Even though I know it's crazy⦠I start hunting.
CHLOE
(to GREG)
What's going to happen after this?
GREG
(to CHLOE)
What do you mean?
(to audience)
I spend hours driving around to used bookstores. Every single one in the city.
CHLOE
Like, when the articles are done?
GREG
I don't know. Maybe you'll go to university. Is that what you want?
(to audience)
I question the cashiers about their regular customers. I look into the eyes of every man in every bookstore, wondering if it's him.
CHLOE
I mean, like, are we gonna keep working together?
GREG
What would we do?
(to audience)
I even followed one guy home.
CHLOE
Maybe we could write a book together. Like you talked about before. In the beginning.
GREG
Sure. Whatever.
(to audience)
I can't stop myself. I go into new bookstores, I spend hours in libraries.
CHLOE
Really?
GREG
(to audience)
What is he doing without her? Has he left town? Is he still alive?
(to CHLOE)
If the articles are good enough. If you give me enough details.
CHLOE
I will. I promise.
GREG
(to audience)
All she cares about is prolonging the project. She says she'll give me details, but she won't.
Beat.
Unless I change my tactics.
(to CHLOE)
We've been asked to go on this talk show.
CHLOE
(to audience)
He wants to go on this talk show.
GREG
(to CHLOE)
It'll be exciting.
(to audience)
It'll be terrifying.
CHLOE
(to GREG)
You'd have to give them the questions.
GREG
(to CHLOE)
Definitely.
(to audience)
The talk show will prove to her how angry people are getting at her. At her silence. And it'll push her closer to me.
The rest of the scene is to the audience.
CHLOE
The talk show will make him feel important.
GREG
It'll make her realize how scary it is "out there."
CHLOE
The more important he feels because he has meâ
GREG
The scarier she thinks it is out thereâ
CHLOE
The more he'll need me.
GREG
The more she'll need me.
CHLOE
And the more he needs me, the longer he stays with me.
GREG
The more she needs me, the more she does what I want. Gives me what I need. And besidesâ¦
CHLOE
I'll get to sit beside him. Our legs and arms touching.
GREG
I've never been on TV before. I've always wanted to be on TV.
SCENE FIVE
Shift. GREG and CHLOE speak to the audience unless otherwise indicated.
CHLOE
(imitating host)
"Ladies and gentleman, please join me in welcoming our very special guestsâMs. Chloe Evans and Mr. Greg Kalowitz."
GREG
It's a short flight. Just for the day.
CHLOE
It starts offâ
GREG
Fine.
CHLOE
Weird.
GREG
(imitating the host)
"We've all got one very important question on our minds, Ms. Evans. Who did your hair? Because you look fabulous."
CHLOE
Thanks.
GREG
(imitating the host)
"So, when you're not with this guy, what've you been up to? Going to school? Any special young man in your life? Who's gonna play you in the movie? Or maybe you could play you. Do you want to be an actress? What do you want to do?"
CHLOE
I don'tâ
GREG
(imitating the host)
"You've sure got the look for the big screen."
CHLOE
(imitating the host)
"And how are you doing, Mr. Kalowitz? Must be feeling pretty good. Is it true last week you were voted your city's most eligible bachelor?"
GREG
I'm
CHLOE
I just mean⦠entertain him. Keep him happy. Get what I want.
GREG
Right.
To audience.
CHLOE
Each time I see Greg he's more obsessed with Mathew.
GREG
Each time I see her, I ask more about him.
CHLOE
His likes, his dislikes.
GREG
His hobbies. Everything. The more she thinks I'm interested in him, the more she thinks I sympathize with him. The more she thinks I sympathize with him, the more she trusts me.
CHLOE
The more information I give him, the more he understands.
GREG
The more she trusts me, the more she tells me. The more she tells me, the more clues I get.
CHLOE
The more he understands, the more he gets the readers to understand.
GREG
The more clues I get, the closer I get to finding him. Even though I know it's crazy⦠I start hunting.
CHLOE
(to GREG)
What's going to happen after this?
GREG
(to CHLOE)
What do you mean?
(to audience)
I spend hours driving around to used bookstores. Every single one in the city.
CHLOE
Like, when the articles are done?
GREG
I don't know. Maybe you'll go to university. Is that what you want?
(to audience)
I question the cashiers about their regular customers. I look into the eyes of every man in every bookstore, wondering if it's him.
CHLOE
I mean, like, are we gonna keep working together?
GREG
What would we do?
(to audience)
I even followed one guy home.
CHLOE
Maybe we could write a book together. Like you talked about before. In the beginning.
GREG
Sure. Whatever.
(to audience)
I can't stop myself. I go into new bookstores, I spend hours in libraries.
CHLOE
Really?
GREG
(to audience)
What is he doing without her? Has he left town? Is he still alive?
(to CHLOE)
If the articles are good enough. If you give me enough details.
CHLOE
I will. I promise.
GREG
(to audience)
All she cares about is prolonging the project. She says she'll give me details, but she won't.
Beat.
Unless I change my tactics.
(to CHLOE)
We've been asked to go on this talk show.
CHLOE
(to audience)
He wants to go on this talk show.
GREG
(to CHLOE)
It'll be exciting.
(to audience)
It'll be terrifying.
CHLOE
(to GREG)
You'd have to give them the questions.
GREG
(to CHLOE)
Definitely.
(to audience)
The talk show will prove to her how angry people are getting at her. At her silence. And it'll push her closer to me.
The rest of the scene is to the audience.
CHLOE
The talk show will make him feel important.
GREG
It'll make her realize how scary it is "out there."
CHLOE
The more important he feels because he has meâ
GREG
The scarier she thinks it is out thereâ
CHLOE
The more he'll need me.
GREG
The more she'll need me.
CHLOE
And the more he needs me, the longer he stays with me.
GREG
The more she needs me, the more she does what I want. Gives me what I need. And besidesâ¦
CHLOE
I'll get to sit beside him. Our legs and arms touching.
GREG
I've never been on TV before. I've always wanted to be on TV.
SCENE FIVE
Shift. GREG and CHLOE speak to the audience unless otherwise indicated.
CHLOE
(imitating host)
"Ladies and gentleman, please join me in welcoming our very special guestsâMs. Chloe Evans and Mr. Greg Kalowitz."
GREG
It's a short flight. Just for the day.
CHLOE
It starts offâ
GREG
Fine.
CHLOE
Weird.
GREG
(imitating the host)
"We've all got one very important question on our minds, Ms. Evans. Who did your hair? Because you look fabulous."
CHLOE
Thanks.
GREG
(imitating the host)
"So, when you're not with this guy, what've you been up to? Going to school? Any special young man in your life? Who's gonna play you in the movie? Or maybe you could play you. Do you want to be an actress? What do you want to do?"
CHLOE
I don'tâ
GREG
(imitating the host)
"You've sure got the look for the big screen."
CHLOE
(imitating the host)
"And how are you doing, Mr. Kalowitz? Must be feeling pretty good. Is it true last week you were voted your city's most eligible bachelor?"
GREG
I'm
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