Act 1 Scene 2 Stadthaus, late afternoon. EDISON plays with LEGO at a table in the playroom while GWYNETH and NATE converse quietly nearby. EDISON Hey, wanna hear a joke!? GWYNETH Sure, dude. EDISON: What starts with P-O and is four letters long and you ride on it!? NATE and GYWNETH look at one another, baffled. EDISON A PONY! Get it? It's a joke! Well... It's more of a riddle, really. I guess it's not very good. I read it in a German joke book. Most of the jokes aren't very funny. NATE and GYWNETH walk to the stairwell, NATE heading upstairs and GYWNETH toward the nearby master suite. (Talking over one another, very quietly) NATE What's four letters long and ends in C-K and you ride mine? GWYNETH What has four letters, ends with C-K, and I ride yours? EDISON (calling from another room) I know!! It's a BIKE! GWYNETH ...thaaaaat's right! A bike! Good job guessing! GWYNETH returns to the playroom, shooting NATE a playfully accusatory glare as he
Act One Scene 1 Stadthaus entryway and mudroom, Munich, Friday Afternoon. EDISON, an exuberant 7-year-old, has just arrived home from school. His father, NATE, follows a few seconds behind him as they remove their shoes and coats. GWYNETH meets them there. EDISON (shrugs off coat, backpack, shoes, and puts on his Hausschue) "HEY, MOM! It's a good news/bad news situation. I've got FIVE WEEKS off from school!!! But I've got a LOT of homework." GWYNETH (opening her arms to offer Edison a hug) WOW! How do you feel about that? EDISON (hugs GWYNETH briefly) Pretty good. Can I start on my homework tomorrow morning and play videogames tonight? GWYNETH Sure, dude. Sounds like a plan. Go wash your hands now, ok? EDISON (runs to small bathroom) OK! Thanks, Mom! GWYNETH (turning to embrace and kiss NATE as he removed his jacket) Hello, you. NATE (slides his hands over GWYNETH'S Lululemon-covered ass and gives a PG-13 squeeze) Hello, darling. NATE lea