4.11.2007: The Furniture of Home

“All the conventions conspire / to make this fort assume / the furniture of home.”
- W. H. Auden

The Guy and the Real Estate Lady.

THE REAL ESTATE LADY
I think you might like this one.

THE GUY
I hope so.

THE REAL ESTATE LADY
It’s only been on the market for a little while. But it’s one of the nicer spaces we have listed.

THE GUY
It’s nice.

THE REAL ESTATE LADY
It’s very versatile. You can do almost anything with it.

THE GUY
I see.

THE REAL ESTATE LADY
You’re looking for a place to grow into? Or a temporary space?

THE GUY
Place to grow into.

THE REAL ESTATE LADY
Oh, then this’ll suit you wonderfully. Lots of ways to grow into a space like this. Put up some walls. Modify the lighting design. You can pretty put anything here you’d like. This can be anything you want it to be.

THE GUY
Nice.

THE REAL ESTATE LADY
So, you single? Married?

THE GUY
Single.

THE REAL ESTATE LADY
Oh.

THE GUY
I’m looking for something that can become a home.

THE REAL ESTATE LADY
Wonderful thing about a space like this. It’s always the kind of home you want it to be.

We’ve had all sorts of people take a space like this.
They fill them with all sorts of things,
some very minimal,
some of them really overblown and gaudy,
some small couples,
some singles (like you)
some huge families

but they always love it when it’s just like this.

I don’t get that, really.
I mean, come on,
it’s an empty space!

But when I show one of these places,
they always just like to stand in it, and look around
and you can just see the wheels turning,
little wheels grinding
and I always wonder what they’re thinking about
what do they see when they’re looking at an empty space.

THE GUY
It’s not an empty space.

THE REAL ESTATE LADY
That’s always what they say.

THE GUY
It’s everything at once.

THE REAL ESTATE LADY
Theatre types!

THE GUY
It’s everything at once.

Silence for a moment. They stand there. The theatrical space feels full even thought it isn’t.

THE REAL ESTATE LADY
So… you interested?

THE GUY
I’ll take it.

The Real Estate Lady begins to fumble with papers ad the lights go down.