Free The Glacier by Jeff Wood

your break time, exactly?
    SIMONE
    Exactly?
    MR. STEVENS
    Exactly.
    SIMONE
    Really?
    MR. STEVENS
    Simone.
    SIMONE
    I stood in some sunlight with my eyes closed.
    Stevens is blank.
    He waits for more, blinking.
    He does not get more.
    MR. STEVENS
    (puzzled)
    Where?
    SIMONE
    At a window—
    Stevens arches his fingers together in front of his face, elbows on his desk.
    SIMONE
    In the upper mezzanine.
    MR. STEVENS
    Like a kitten.
    SIMONE
    Excuse me?
    MR. STEVENS
    A baby cat. You stood in a ray of sunshine in the upper mezzanine with your eyes closed.
    SIMONE
    Yes.
    MR. STEVENS
    (relieved)
    Why that sounds delightful!
    SIMONE
    Well it did feel like something that I really needed.
    MR. STEVENS
    Of course it did.
    SIMONE
    But it’s so difficult to describe.
    MR. STEVENS
    No it’s not! It’s easy! See, we just did it!
    SIMONE
    No, I mean—the thing.
    MR. STEVENS
    What thing.
    SIMONE
    The thing that I need.
    Silence, as if some evil has entered. The corner of the room, a seam of mortar and baby blue cinder blocks. The room is sweating.
    He stares at her. She stares at her lap.
    MR. STEVENS
    And what thing is that?
    SIMONE
    Well, that’s the thing, I mean, that’s the problem, because it’s not there.
    MR. STEVENS
    I’m sorry?
    SIMONE
    It’s
like
it’s there, like it’s
something
, but it’s not.
    MR. STEVENS
    How would you describe it, then? If you were able.
    SIMONE
    I would describe it… as… being either invisible or not there at all. I would describe it as being… gone.
    MR. STEVENS
    Gone.
    SIMONE
    Yes.
    MR. STEVENS
    Invisible.
    SIMONE
    Yes.
    MR. STEVENS
    Well then I’m not really sure if—
    SIMONE
    But it does have a smell.
    MR. STEVENS
    Oh?
    SIMONE
    Yes. Definitely.
    MR. STEVENS
    That’s interesting.
    SIMONE
    I thought so too.
    MR. STEVENS
    And how would you describe the… odor?
    SIMONE
    Acrid.
    MR. STEVENS
    Acrid.
    SIMONE
    Yes, like something burning.
    MR. STEVENS
    I know what acrid means.
    SIMONE
    Yes, of course, well, that’s what it smells like.
    Like something burning.
    MR. STEVENS
    Well, Simone, that is, interesting. Burning. Is it painful?
    SIMONE
    The smell? No.
    MR. STEVENS
    Ah, no, of course not. A smell.
    SIMONE
    Yeah, I would have to say no, not really, except that then yes, sometimes it can seem very painful and then it is painful, yes.
    MR. STEVENS
    Simone—
    SIMONE
    (suddenly urgent)
    What is it?
    MR. STEVENS
    What is what?
    SIMONE
    What do you think it is?
    MR. STEVENS
    The smell?
    SIMONE
    Yes, well, the thing.
    MR. STEVENS
    I
would rather say that you’re choosing to make this quite difficult for yourself, aren’t you?
    SIMONE
    How do you mean?
    MR. STEVENS
    I would rather inquire as to what you intend to do about it as opposed to attempting to discern the nature of a thing which may or may not be invisible and therefore may or may not actually exist and/or smell, acrid, or not.
    SIMONE
    I would have to find it then, in order to know, how to answer that question, I mean.
    MR. STEVENS
    Simone—
    SIMONE
    (crying out)
    It won’t go away!
    MR. STEVENS
    (and suddenly roaring)
    Simone!
    Then low…
    MR. STEVENS
    (quietly)
    You know very well that none of this is possible.
    SIMONE
    (also quietly)
    But why? I could just quit, and leave.
    He smokes, and puts out his cigarette, all in one motion.
    MR. STEVENS
    Now you see. This is exactly what concerns me very deeply, Simone. We know very well that to change our physical circumstances is one thing but if there’s a deeper issue then we need to be honest about that, don’t we, otherwise we’re just putting a little Band-Aid on a much more serious problem.
    SIMONE
    Yes. I know. And that’s exactly what I would like to address.
    MR. STEVENS
    Good. I think that’s smart.
    SIMONE
    But it’s scary.
    MR. STEVENS
    I know it is. That’s why we have the structure to rely on. We’re all safe here.
    She nods.
    MR. STEVENS
    So why don’t you try,