FRANK
: Yes! On the road, out front. What’s the matter with you? That’s what cars do. They go up and down on the road, out front. Where else would they go?
EMMA
: Well, so they could’ve just been plain old ordinary everyday cars then, couldn’t they? Just passersby
FRANK
: As opposed to what?
EMMA
: Government cars.
FRANK
: Government cars?
EMMA
: Dark cars. Suspicious. Tinted windows. Unmarked Chevys. Black antennas bowed over. That kind of thing.
FRANK
: Where do you get this stuff?
EMMA
: I know, Frank. I’m not uninformed. I know about this stuff.
FRANK
: I was feeding my heifers. I didn’t notice what cars they were or if their antennas were bowed over.
EMMA
: Did you catch their license plates?
FRANK
: When I’m feeding the heifers, time stands still for me. Nothing else exists.
(HAYNES, their guest, is suddenly standing at the top of the basement stair landing in a plaid bathrobe, rubbing the morning crust out of his eyes.)
HAYNES
: Morning—
(EMMA jumps slightly, turns toward him.)
FRANK
: Get enough sleep?
HAYNES
: Was somebody ringing a bell up here?
(EMMA crosses to HAYNES, enthusiastically.)
EMMA
: Oh, yes, that was me. We have a bell—Frank’s told me so much about you. I was asleep when you came in last night. I’m so sorry I didn’t stay up to meet you.
HAYNES
: Oh, that’s all right.
EMMA
: I’m Emma—
(As EMMA gets closer to HAYNES, he backs up slightly, holding his hand out timidly, and as soon as EMMA touches his hand to shake it, a bright blue flash of light emanates from HAYNES’s fingers. EMMA screams and jumps back. HAYNES shakes his hand violently as though it were severely burned.)
What was that! (to FRANK) Did you see that? What the heck was that?
HAYNES
: Static shock. I’m sorry. I apologize. I never know quite how to explain this.
EMMA
: Static shock?
HAYNES
: Yes. That’s what it is. It gets worse and worse each year. Especially in the winter. Maybe it’s the ozone or something.
EMMA
: Ozone?
HAYNES
: I don’t know. I’m very sorry.