The Jigsaw Jungle Page 10
Luis zooms in on the piece so it fills the frame.
CLAUDIA
One, two, three.
She flips it over.
PUZZLE
EMAIL
From: Claudia Dalton
Date: Monday, July 13, 2015 5:23 PM EST
To: Kate Anderson
Subject: All the clues so far . . .
Dear Kate,
See attached. I’ve organized all the clues for you.
Claudia
Piece (Front)
Piece (Back)
Letter
Puzzle
Place
Gold—C-3PO’s head
Find the time capsule
[none]
Star Wars
??
Black/white dots—stars in the sky
Entrance to Skylab
R
Orbiting Earth
Air and Space Museum
Blue—background behind dinosaur
Horns on Uncle Beazley
I
The Gentle Giant
Natural History Museum
Red—flag
Bobs on the pendulum
B
The Star-Spangled Banner
American History Museum
Green—??
Horses in a row
A
??
??
TEXT MESSAGE
Claudia Dalton’s Cell Phone | Monday, July 13, 2015, 6:05 p.m.
KATE
Did you get the spreadsheet?
Yeah, thanks
What does the latest clue mean?
Don’t know
Maybe another museum?
An art museum?
Maybe. There are lots of paintings of horses
What do the letters mean?
R, I, B, A
No clue
Rib, bar, air, bair
Bair is not a word
You never were very good at Boggle
Ha ha
Be nice
I am nice!
I bought you a present
You did?!
Well, actually it’s for your little brother
No fair!
It’s so cute
You’re gonna love it
And I have some advice for you too
What?
It’s from Luis
He said go to the hospital
when the baby is born
Why?
Boring
Hours of waiting around
Bring a book
Bring a tablet to watch movies
It’s summer
You’re gonna do the same things at home
So why go?
Be part of it
I don’t want to see . . .
Not that!
But Luis held his sister when
she was less than an hour old
Said it made him feel like part of the family
Hmm
Maybe
Luis knows what he’s talking about
He changes a mean diaper
Haha
Did he take a class?
Nope
Can he swaddle?
I don’t think so
Ha! I’m an expert swaddler
Kate, you’re gonna be a great big sister
I hope so
NOTE TO READER
WHILE WE ATE dinner, Papa and I talked about all the places we might find “horses in a row.” It had to be another museum, but we’d already visited Air and Space, Natural History, and American History. Maybe this time it was an art museum? The National Gallery of Art. The Hirshhorn. The National Portrait Gallery. We had so much fun talking about it, looking up directions on my phone, it wasn’t until I was doing the dishes that I realized we hadn’t had an awkward pause at all.
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
INT. WEST BUILDING OF NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART—DAY
Claudia and Papa stand in front of Renoir’s Girl with a Watering Can. They each pretend to hold a watering can.
* * *
—————
INT. WEST BUILDING—LATER
Claudia and Luis stare at Monet’s Japanese Footbridge.
LUIS
If you were a frog, do you think you could hop on all those lily pads?
CLAUDIA
Ribbit.
The camera shakes as Papa laughs.
* * *
—————
INT. EAST BUILDING OF NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART—DAY
Papa and Luis stare at a modern art painting, paint spattered on a canvas.
CLAUDIA (O.S.)
It’s so neat how the colors join together.
PAPA
I could paint that.
Claudia and Luis laugh.
* * *
—————
INT. EAST BUILDING—LATER
The camera points up at the ceiling. Huge Alexander Calder mobiles sway in the air.
LUIS (O.S.)
I thought mobiles were for babies.
Claudia giggles.
* * *
—————
INT. EAST BUILDING—LATER
The camera focuses on a statue of a nude woman.
PAPA
Look! Another naked lady.
Everyone starts laughing, so hard, Claudia’s clutching her stomach.
PAPA (CONT’D)
(fakely stern)
Stop it, you two! That guard’s giving us a dirty look.
Luis turns the camera to face the guard.
The guard is doing his best not to smile.
* * *
—————
EXT. NATIONAL MALL—DAY
Papa is filming now. Claudia and Luis sit on a bench, each licking a red, white, and blue Popsicle.
LUIS
Mmm. Artificial colors.
Claudia laughs. Both their mouths are bright red. There is music in the air, like from an old-fashioned organ grinder. Bits of hair that have escaped Claudia’s ponytail dance around her eyes in the light breeze.
All at once, Claudia’s eyes get really wide. Blue liquid drips down the Popsicle and onto her knee. She doesn’t notice.
CLAUDIA
Look!
She points and Papa turns the camera.
A merry-go-round is about fifty feet away. It’s brightly colored, with horses going up and down, music playing, kids squealing.
CLAUDIA (CONT’D)
Horses in a row.
LUIS
Let’s go on it!
CLAUDIA
Film us, Papa?
Papa is silent for a long moment.
PAPA (O. S.)
No, I want to come too.
Claudia grins as the scene goes black.
VOICE MEMO
Walter Dalton’s Cell Phone | Tuesday, July 14, 2015, 6:30 p.m.
[RECORDING B
EGINS]
Lily, I rode the merry-go-round today. I rode on a carousel! I don’t think I’ve done that since . . . since I was a tiny boy. It went so fast, I felt dizzy. I want to do it again. I wish you had been there too. I’ve been so sad these past few months. And then when Jeff left, I felt like a big ball of regret, knotted up with thoughts of what I could have done differently and what I had lost.
But doing this treasure hunt with Claudia, it’s like I’m slowly untangling myself, finding the joy in . . .
Ugh, I sound like a greeting card. A sappy greeting card! On the other hand, if I’m feeling better, who cares what I sound like?!
Love you, Lily.
[RECORDING ENDS]
EMAIL
From: Claudia Dalton
Date: Tuesday, July 14, 2015 8:45 PM EST
To: Jeffery Dalton
Subject: Horses in a Row
Oh, Dad, what a great day! Papa, Luis, and I goofed around at the art museum, then we had popsicles, and then I realized the “Horses in a Row” clue was referring to the merry-go-round.
We all went on it, even Papa! It was so much fun. The ride went so fast the wind blew all the hair out of my ponytail. There was an empty horse beside me, and I kept imagining you were there, riding with us.
When we got home, Luis and I found “The County Fair.” It had a big carousel on the front, just like the one on the Mall, and another videotape too. The puzzle only had 300 pieces, so we finished it in no time, with one piece left over—a white piece, with one of your clues on the back.
Papa and I are going to watch the videotape now. I like seeing you as a kid. Please come home, so you can go on the merry-go-round with us—for real this time!
Love, Claudia
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
EXT. NATIONAL MALL—DAY
It’s the kite festival. Hundreds of people stand on the lawn in front of the Washington Monument, flying kites. Dragons and butterflies, box kites, and the plain old diamond ones too.
BRIAN (O.S.)
Jeff, over here!
Jeff tilts the camera down. Brian is wearing shorts and a T-shirt. He’s standing next to a tall man wearing a tight purple T-shirt and blue jeans. The sun glints off a diamond stud in his right ear.
BRIAN
This is my uncle Gary. He’s visiting from California.
UNCLE GARY
You must be Jeff. It’s so nice to finally meet you. I brought you boys a present.
He holds up a package: it’s a dinosaur kite.
* * *
—————
EXT. NATIONAL MALL—LATER
Brian and Jeff are holding the assembled kite.
UNCLE GARY (O.S.)
Is this thing on?
JEFF
Yeah, I can see the red light.
UNCLE GARY (O.S.)
Okay, go for it!
Brian runs holding the ball of string. Jeff follows with the kite.
UNCLE GARY (O.S.) (CONT’D)
Now!
Jeff throws the kite into the air. It immediately catches the wind and sails into the sky.
All three of them cheer.
* * *
—————
EXT. NATIONAL MALL—LATER
The camera focuses on the dinosaur kite while the boys talk off-screen.
JEFF (O.S.)
You’re moving?!
BRIAN (O.S.)
Not until summer.
JEFF (O.S.)
But who will I sit with at lunch?
BRIAN (O.S.)
Very funny.
JEFF (O.S.)
I’m serious.
BRIAN (O.S.)
Lunch is serious business.
JEFF (O.S.)
I’m gonna miss you.
BRIAN (O.S.)
I might miss you too.
JEFF (O.S.)
No, you make friends easy. Even Dwight and Jason don’t pick on you.
BRIAN (O.S.)
Sure, I get along with people. But it’s not easy to find a good friend. One you want to keep in touch with.
JEFF (O.S.)
Me?
BRIAN (O.S.)
You might get a letter or two.
Jeff laughs. The dinosaur kite loops and circles through the air.
* * *
—————
EXT. NATIONAL MALL—LATER
The merry-go-round sparkles in the sunlight. Uncle Gary and Brian’s little sister are sitting on horses, waiting for the ride to start. Jeff films them.
JEFF (O.S.)
Your family is so cool.
BRIAN (O.S.)
No, they aren’t.
JEFF (O.S.)
Your uncle bought us a kite and is going on the merry-go-round!
Before Brian can reply, the ride dings and the horses jerk into motion. Brian’s little sister starts to scream. She’s suddenly terrified, gripping onto the pole for dear life.
The horses move so fast, we see her crying, then wailing, then the next time the horses come around, Uncle Gary has climbed off his horse and is standing beside her.
The next time, she’s shaking the reins and laughing, the wind blowing back her hair.
The ride ends. Uncle Gary helps his niece down. She puts her hand in his as they walk back to her mother, both grinning.
SISTER
I did it!
BRIAN’S MOM
That’s my brave girl.
The little sister runs off.
BRIAN’S MOM (CONT’D)
(to Uncle Gary)
You’re so good with children.
UNCLE GARY
You have awesome kids, sis.
He puts his arm around her and they walk off.
JEFF (O.S.)
(to Brian)
Is your uncle married?
Brian laughs.
BRIAN (O.S.)
Jeff, he’s gay.
JEFF (O.S.)
What?
The screen goes black.
NOTE TO READER
WHEN THE VIDEO ended, Papa muttered, “How could Jeff be so naïve?” I asked him what he meant, and he said, “It was so obvious that guy was . . . not straight.”
I turned to him and said you can’t tell if someone’s gay just because they wear an earring and a purple shirt. And then Papa said, “Maybe not today, but you could in 1987!”
And we got into kind of a fight. Arguing about stereotypes and being naïve like my father, and finally I went to my room and slammed the door.
I’d had a great day with Papa. And now to find out he was so judgmental, well, it made me feel like I didn’t really know him at all.
VOICE MEMO
Walter Dalton’s Cell Phone | Tuesday, July 14, 2015, 9:34 p.m.
[RECORDING BEGINS]
Lily, I think I messed up tonight. Claudia and I got in a huge fight after watching one of Jeff’s home movies. See, one of his old friends from school had a gay uncle, and I made some stupid comment, and she just let me have it. Apparently, she thinks I’m a homophobic jerk!
The thing is, I didn’t care if the guy in the video was gay. I was upset because Jeff seemed to admire him in a way Jeff never admired me. You know, Lily, how Jeff and I always struggled to . . . connect, I guess my therapist would say. I asked him to do stuff with me, football and baseball, but he wasn’t into those things. Watching these videos, I don’t know. I think maybe I should have tried more stuff he was interested in.
And now Claudia’s upset! We had such a fun day, working on that silly treasure hunt. She’s still working Jeff’s puzzles. Claudia’s still convinced her dad’s going to come home if she finds the prize at the end. Maybe she is as naïve as Jeff . . . but I don’t want to make the same mistakes with her.
[RECORDING ENDS]
TEXT MESSAGE
Claudia Dalton’s Cell Phone | Wednesday, July 15, 2015, 8:40 a.m.
KATE
Kate?
You up?
It’s summer. Sleeping in
I know. It’s just . . .
Another clue from my dad
“Pieces of the Awakening”
Isn’t The Awakening some book?
Is it?
I think. BRB
8:50 a.m.
Yeah, by Kate Chopin
Real happy story according to the summary I read
What does it have to do with my dad?
No clue
Hmm
Did you ask your parents about the hospital?
Yeah
And?
They said I can come
Yay!
But if I complain, I have to take the bus home
I’m gonna pack a bag today
Be ready when Mom goes into labor
Junky magazines. Couple of graphic novels. Granola bars. Charger
Cool
What you doing?
I guess I’m going to the library to check out The Awakening
Good luck