The Curse of #35

  

Originally Published Dec. 2012

The Curse of #35

Narrator	This play takes place in a beach resort in San Juan, Puerto Rico.  Mary and Norm’s adult daughter, Rebecca, has joined them for a few days at their rented villa so she can combine a business meeting with a client and enjoy some time in the sun.   Act 1, Scene 1:  A parking lot next to the hotel’s pools. Time:  6:00 PM
Norm	So you see, Rebecca, we just park in one of these visitor slots and we can enjoy any one of the pools here at the resort.   That way, we don’t have to pay for parking in the garage.
Mary	Oh, wait.  There aren’t any visitor slots open.  You just parked in slot #35.  We can’t park there.  That spot belongs to someone!
Norm	Oh, don’t worry.  There are plenty of spots around.
Narrator	Act 1, Scene 2:  Parking slot #35.   Time:  7:00 PM.  It’s now dark out.  Norm, Mary, and Rebecca walk to the car.  Norm decides to take a shortcut and walks between the bushes in front of the car.  He trips over a pipe sticking out of the ground and falls flat on his face.
Rebecca	Dad!  Dad!  Oh my gosh….. mom!  Help me get him up!  Oh no, he’s bleeding all over and look!  His nose looks broken – it’s already swelling up.  And, his fingers are bent all wrong.  His knees are bleeding, too.  Dad?  Dad?  Are you okay?  Help me get him on his feet, mom.
Norm	I’m okay, I’m okay.  Get in the car and we’ll go back home.
Mary	Well, I’m driving.  No arguments.  Hmmmm.  Your dad must really be hurt for him to let me drive.
Narrator	Act 1, Scene 3:  The next evening.  They just drove out of the guard’s gate to go to dinner in Luquillo.
Rebecca	Hey, dad.  What’s that noise and vibration?  Hey, I think we have a flat!  Pull over. I’ll check.  Yep, sure enough.  It’s flat.  Now what do we do?
Mary	Well, I have the paperwork here from Enterprise.  Looks like we have to call an 800 number for emergency service.  But, I can’t get a signal on my phone.  How about yours, Rebecca?
Rebecca	Ya, I have a couple of bars.  What’s the number?

 

Norm	Forget calling.  I’ll just change it.  Or, I can walk back to the guard and see if he can help us.
Rebecca	Oh, no, dad.  You are not walking in the dark alone.  I’m going with you.  Besides, you can’t change the tire with your broken hand and your bad knees.
Mary	Wait a minute – you can’t leave me alone in the car. What about me?  It’s dark and it’s scary out here.  I’ll just call Enterprise and we’ll get help.
Narrator	Act 1, Scene 4:  Several minutes later – after being told that Pablo’s Towing Service will be there in 45 minutes and after Rebecca and Norm talk Freddy, the guard, into trying to change the tire for them.  Before he can help them, Pablo shows up and changes the tire.
Mary	Okay, I think I know what happened.  You know – yesterday, we parked in someone else’s parking spot – Number 35.  I think, Number 35 got mad at us for taking his spot and stabbed our tire so it would have a slow leak and go flat the next day.  You see?  He put a curse on us – how else would you explain Norm falling and breaking his nose and hand. And now, we get a flat tire!  Number 35 put a curse on us!
Narrator	Act 1, Scene 5:  The next evening – dinner at La Parilla Restaurant.  Mary’s enjoying her grouper when all of a sudden……
Mary	Oh, oh.  I’m not feeling very well.  I’ll be right back.
Narrator	Well, let’s just say that instead of Montezuma’s Revenge, Mary named what happened to her “Number 35’s revenge.”  Just more ammunition to add to a broken nose, a broken hand, and a flat tire.   Act 1, Scene 6:  The last day of Rebecca’s visit.  Norm and Mary are listening to a voice mail message Rebecca left them as she got on the plane to go back to Minneapolis.
Rebecca	“Hi Mom and Dad.  Thanks for the great time – it sure was fun and I can’t wait to get all my pictures developed so I can show everyone what a wonderful time you are having in Puerto Rico!  I’m still in Atlanta.  I missed my flight because of a mechanical problem in San Juan.  Now, I won’t get home until 1:00 in the morning!  Oh well.     Oh!  Gotta go.  My flight is now boarding.  I’ll email you tomorrow.  Love ya!”
Narrator	As Rebecca hung up her phone, one could hear the announcement over the PA system:  “Last boarding call for Atlanta to Minneapolis on Delta Flight Number Thirty Five.”  All aboard!