Cole Craft

English 3
Mini Project 2
The Gentleman Caller


15 years have passed since Tom left Amanda and Laura. They are still living in the same
apartment building in St. Louis. Both of them had to get jobs in order to keep their apartment
when Tom left. Its still in bad condition, but it has come to be a nice home. Laura is still single
and Amanda is growing older every day. However, they have both found happiness in their
independence. Amanda has risen to a managerial position at a local bank and Laura has
become a nurse. Amanda started working at the bank a few weeks after Tom left and has been
very diligent in her work. After a while, she saved up enough for Laura to go back to school.
Empowered by Jims advice, Laura overcame her fears and finished medical schooling.
Scene I
Laura is sitting at the table reading the newspaper while Amanda is cooking. Amanda
begins to hum a song from the radio. Laura finishes the newspaper, walks to the couch and lays
down, smiling.
Laura- Mama you wont believe what happened today at work!
Amanda- With all the contraptions around now, Ill believe anything.
Laura- This is different mama. Something special happened today.
(After a long silence) Amanda- Well are you going to tell me or not?
(Hesitantly) Laura- WellI dont want to get your hopes up, but one of our short term patients
left today.
Amanda- Doesnt sound too special to me.
Laura- Oh but it was! He was getting over a bad case of food poisoning. Doctor says he might
have croaked if he didnt come in sooner. Over the past few days, weve been talking a whole
Cole Craft
English 3
Mini Project 2
lot. I had few patients to tend to lately, so I spent a lot of time with him. He hardly let me leave
the room! Every time Id walked out, hed call me right back in. I believe we got to be pretty
good friends. And was he handsome too!
Amanda- Well you should have asked him to come over!
Laura- You didnt let me finish. Once he was done signing release papers, he came to me and
told me that he would treat me to dinner! He said it was the least he could do since I had taken
such great care of him. He wanted to return the favor.
(completely shocked)Amanda- Well Ill be(she starts to cry)
(worried)Laura- Whats wrong mama?
(through big sobs)Amanda- Its justIm so proud of you. It wasnt too long ago that things
were looking bleak for us. I knew how nervous you were, but youve grown up so much! You
were grown in body, but you always seemed to act like a little child. Youve become a very nice
woman Laura.
(moved by her words, but slightly hurt)Laura-Well mama, I just want so bad to meet a man and
get out of your hair. Youve took care of me for too long.
(drying her tears)Amanda- As long as you are my child, I will always take care of you.

Scene II
That Friday night, Laura went on a date with the man from the hospital named
Sam Oht. They were eating by candle light at a nice Italian themed restaurant. They were
giggling and laughing so much that others around them were starting to get annoyed.
Sam- My you look beautiful tonight.
Laura- What about the rest of the nights, Mr. Oat?
Cole Craft
English 3
Mini Project 2

(slightly laughing) Sam- Pick at the Oht name all you want, but Im proud of it. Its unique.
No matter where I go, I never hear another like it.
(slightly nervous)Laura- So what did you think about the meal? Was it to your liking? I hope I
picked a nice enough place for a traveler such as yourself.
Sam- One of the finest meals I have eaten in a very long time. I would grow large if I lived
near this place.
Laura- So when do you plan to leave town?
Sam- Probably within the next week. Unless you can convince me to stay that is.
(blushing)Laura- If you come over after church Sunday then I might be able to come up with
something.
(smiling)Sam- Then I will arrive promptly at 1pm
(absolutely giddy)Laura- Its a date!

Scene III
Amanda and Laura have been hard at work since Friday night preparing the apartment
for Sams visit. There is a nice chicken dinner being cooked as they wait for Sam to arrive. Both
of them skipped church to make sure the apartment was spotless.
(Annoyed)Amanda- Its already ten minutes past one. Where could that boy be? You dont
think he skipped out on you?
(A little worried)Laura- Im sure hell be here in a minute. If he went to dinner with me then
hell definitely want to come overright?
Amanda- Well if he doesnt then you know that hes good for nothing.
Cole Craft
English 3
Mini Project 2
There is a knock at the door. Lauras face brightens up and a big smile comes upon her face as
she skips to the door. When she opens it, Sam is there smiling in a goofy way.
Sam- Sorry if Im a little late. I had to stop by the store to get something.
(Flinching from the overwhelming scent of cigarettes)Laura- Thats alright. Come in! Have a
seat on the couch over there. We are almost done cooking lunch. Hope youre hungry! Me and
mama made a big spread.
Sam- You bet Im hungry! Im sure you ladies have made a delicious meal.
Amanda walks in and stops to stare at the man for a minute before she smiles at him. As they
embrace, Amanda feels something odd. She too smells the cigarettes on him and slightly frowns.
(despite her disapproval of his beard, wrinkled hair, and almost greasy face)Amanda- My my
you sure are a handsome young man!
Sam- Im not too young anymore, but I didnt know Laura lived with her sister.
(slightly caught up by the comment)Amanda- And a smooth tongue too! Come on and sit at the
table. I believe everything is ready.
Amanda and Laura prepare the table as Sam looks around. Laura notices how he stares at her
glass collection. She becomes slightly nervous for a second and her stomach begins to churn.
With great willpower, she forces it back down and puts on a big smile.
Sam- Everything looks and smells delicious!
Amanda- Well, lets not sit here and talk about it. Lets eat!
While they are eating, Laura sees that Sam really was hungry. He eats in a polite way, but it
seems that he cant get enough. She smiles thinking that she may be a good housewife after all.
After they are done, Amanda goes into the kitchen to get a pie ready and to leave the two alone.
Laura and Sam are sitting on the couch listening to the radio.
Cole Craft
English 3
Mini Project 2
Sam- Do you own a TV?
Laura- Weve been thinking about buying one. We just dont want to go into debt over it.
Those things are pretty costly.
Sam- But Boy are they worth it. I watch em all the time when I travel. Almost every place has
one in the window or on a table somewhere. I still like the radio better though.
Laura- Ive always preferred listening to the radio instead of watching shows like at the
movies.
Sam- I bet you can clean that glass good when you get to the groove of a good song.
Laura gets slightly nervous as Sam walks over to her glass collection. Feeling her stomach start
to twist, she gets up to use the bathroom.
(Quietly)Laura- Excuse me for a moment.
Amanda walks in and sees Sam at the glass. She frowns as she realizes that Laura is not in the
room.
Amanda- Come and get a slice of this pie Mr. Oht. It may not be the best, but Im sure it wont
kill you.
Sam- It looks delicious to me. (After taking a bite) Mmmhm. Now this right here is some good
pie. It even beats out some of the best sweets in Paris!
(Surprised)Amanda- Youve been to Paris?
Sam- Yes maam I have. Ive been many places. New York, Paris, London, DC. Im a
traveling business man.
(Frowning from remembering her husband)Amanda- You think you might ever settle down?
Have a family? Get a stable job?

Cole Craft
English 3
Mini Project 2
(Overwhelmed by all the questions)Sam- All in due time Mrs. Wingfield. I got to find a reason
to stick somewhere first.
Laura enters the room and sits down to eat a piece of pie. They continue to talk to and laugh for
a couple hours.
Sam- Well its about time I head back to my place.
Laura- You have a place in St. Louis?
Sam- Im going to call on a friend of mine for a place to bed. Then in few days Ill be heading
out.
(Sadly)Laura- So, youre not staying?
(Catching the hurt in her voice)Sam- WellI might stick around for a little while. Im sure
there is some business I can take care of around here.
(Happily)Amanda- Well dont be a stranger! Just let us know before you come over.
Sam- Will do Mrs. Wingfield. Now I really must be heading out. Ill call on you one day
Laura!
(Joyfully)Laura- Alright! See you later!
Sam walks out the door and pauses on the fire escape. He then proceeds to walk down the street.
Amanda- I think that went pretty well!






Cole Craft
English 3
Mini Project 2
Scene IV
Later that evening, Sam is standing on the roof of a building. A storm quickly came that
afternoon and is beating down on the city hard. Sam stands there in the rain staring off into the
distance. There is no emotion on his face. He walks to the edge of the roof.
Sam- I dont think you can receive calls from Hell.
Sam disappears over the edge.

Scene V
That night, Laura is happily cleaning her glass to the sound of the radio. As she picks up one of
the animals, she notices a slip of paper under it. She pulls it out and opens it up.
Im proud of you both. Turns out you didnt need me after all. I was only holding you
back from becoming something great. Farewell, sweet Laura. Make sure you take care of
yourself and mama as much as you do your collection.
There is a loud smash of glass.
Love, thO maS








Cole Craft
English 3
Mini Project 2
Summary
Do not read before the play

Amanda and Laura have done well for the past few years after Tom left. Laura meets a man at
the hospital named Sam Oht who is actually Tom, but she doesnt recognize him. Laura hits it
off with Sam and eventually they go on a date. He comes back to the house to meet Amanda.
Amanda recognizes that he looks almost familiar, but Toms raggedness keeps her from getting
the picture. Laura is only slightly nervous around Sam. The reason Laura liked him so well, was
because she subconsciously knew him. It was Tom and she knew how to talk to him and relate
to him even though she didnt recognize him. She has really taken Jims advice and has come
out of her shell. After he leaves, Tom kills himself. He did no travelling; it was all lies. He was
a homeless man that did odd jobs and scammed people for a few dollars. Tom wanted to check
up on them and see how they were doing. He was going to come back, but once he saw how
well they did for themselves, he realized he had no place in the world.