Isobel and Emile by Alan Reed Page B

the ceiling.
    Her hair is glued to the top of her head. Under her hair her head is made of wood.
    He says: ‘I don’t know.’
    The streetcar has gone. It is late. There are no more sounds coming in through the window.
    Emile puts his hands down. There are strings tangled around his fingers. He untangles the strings from his fingers. His body is hunched over. He raises his hands over his head. He stretches his body so that his back straightens.
    His body does not straighten all the way. Emile’s shoulders are always a bit hunched over. He is kneeling near his bed.
    He stands up. He walks over to the corner of the room. There is a camera there. It is on a tripod. He turns it off. It had been making a clicking sound. It stops. He turns the lamp on the dresser off. He goes out of his room.
    He goes to where his jacket is hanging. It is by the door that goes out of the apartment. He takes his tobacco out of the pocket.
    He sits at the table. There are four chairs at the table. He makes a cigarette.
    He stands in the doorway to his room. There is light coming in through the window. It is not very much light. It is still dark in his room.
    He lights his cigarette. He stands in the doorway to his room. He looks at the two puppets on the floor.He smokes his cigarette.
    He goes into the kitchen. There is an ashtray on the table there. He puts his cigarette out in the ashtray.
    He sits at the table.
    It is quiet in the apartment. It is too quiet in the apartment. He does not want to sit at the table.
    He stands up. He goes to the door. He puts his jacket on and then he puts his shoes on. He puts his cap on his head.
    He leaves the apartment.
    He goes out the door. He locks it behind him. He goes down the stairs. He goes out the door that goes to the street. He closes the door behind him. He goes to where the streetcar stops. He stands there until a streetcar comes.
    It is the middle of the night. It is cold. He does not have his gloves. They are in the apartment. He did not bring them with him.
    He puts his hands into the pockets of his coat.
    A streetcar comes. Emile gets on the streetcar. He pays his fare. The driver gives him a ticket. Emile finds a place to sit. The streetcar moves. It stops and then it moves again. It stops and then Emile gets off the streetcar.
    He walks down the street. There is no one walking on the street. There is a homeless man lying in a doorway. He has blankets and newspapers on him. He is asleep.
    Emile is in front of the bar. He stops. He tries to open the door. It does not open. It is locked.
    He looks in the window. Nicolas is inside the bar. Emile knocks on the glass. Nicolas looks at the window. He sees Emile standing outside the bar.
    Nicolas opens the door.
    Nicolas says: ‘Emile.’ He says: ‘What’re you doing out?’
    Emile says: ‘Can I come in?’
    Nicolas says: ‘Of course.’
    He holds the door open for Emile. Emile goes into the bar.
    Nicolas had been mopping the floor. There is a bucket in the middle of the floor with a mop standing in it.
    Emile and Nicolas walk to the bar. All of the stools are upside down on top of the bar. Nicolas takes two stools down. He puts them on the floor.
    Emile sits down on one of the stools. He sits so that his back is to the bar. He looks out into the room.
    There is no one else in the bar. There is no one walking past on the street outside. It is too late for that.
    Nicolas goes behind the bar. He gets two glasses. He pours gin and tonic into them. He comes out from behind the bar. He is carrying the two glasses.
    Nicolas sits down next to Emile. He gives Emile one of the glasses.
    Nicolas says: ‘Were you working?’
    Emile takes a sip from his glass. He nods his head.
    Nicolas say: ‘How is it going?’
    Emile does not say anything. He drinks from his glass. He looks into the empty room. He does not say anything. Nicolas does not say anything. He looks at Emile. He waits.
    Emile says: ‘I am