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Hello! (Silence). I don't hear you (Silence). ARTEMs voice in the receiver: Hello!

OLGA: (Surprised… reluctant to believe her guess) I'm listening…

ARTEM: Hello…(Silence)

ARTEM: Hello! (silence)

OLGA: (overwhelmed). Artem? (pause) You? (pause). Oh my God. Hello!

(Long silence)

ARTEM: Olya (silence)?

ARTEM: Olya?

OLGA: You?! (Long pause)… You?! (Pause)

Olya. It's me. Can you hear me?

OLGA: (pause) yes.

ARTEM: Are you busy? (Pause) Can we talk?

OLGA: I'm listening (hesitant).

ARTEM: (sensing hesitation) should I call tomorrow?

OLGA: (regrouped) its okay. We can talk. I am listening.

ARTEM: (apparently he is caught off guard) It's late. You are probably tired. Are you sure it's Lot to late?

OLGA: It is late but never mind. I can talk.

ARTEM: Do you really want to hear me?

OLGA: (pause) yes.

ARTEM: Do you want to see me too?

OLGA: Yes.

ARTEM: I haven't seen you for so long.

OLGA: Me too.

ARTEM: I want to imagine how you look now…

OLGA: Let me guess… You can't.

ARTEM: It's not that. It's not about the physical appearance. It's about the feelings.

OLGA: How is that?

ARTEM: It's simple. The feelings don't go away, they hide deep and mask but don't disappear.

OLGA: Interesting.

ARTEM: I just realized… it happens because they want to preserve themselves from our ational selves.

OLGA: I can "see" you well though.

(The screen is being pulled down in the background).

On the screen: The almost empty street of the city at night and the lonely payphone booth on the corner.

(The camera zooms on Artem a booth. He listens).

OLGA: You are on the quiet street. You can speak easy. There are almost no people. You can begin the dialog that sounds more like a monolog.

ARTEM: You are right. Payphones give you the illusion of independence but at the price of real loneliness. Olya… Invite me please, would you?

OLGA: (caught off guard) Now?

ARTEM: Yes

OLGA: Okay… (Pause) You are invited…

ARTEM: I am coming.

(Olya starts dashing around the room trying to organize things around and her own thoughts. She turns on the TV and unlocks the entrance door.)

(She hears the doorbell).

OLGA: (She turns to the door and speaks loud) Come in its open.

(Artem enters the stage with the bouquet of flowers and a cake. He beams with confidence. He is sure that he is a welcome guest).

ARTEM: Well… Hi…

OLGA: Hi again… Have a sit (subtle irony in her voice). Long times don’t see… and… Here you are.

(Artem comes to the table and opens up the box with the cake.)

ARTEM: (presumptuous and flirtatious tone of voice. He got used to be welcome. In his mind it cannot be otherwise). Madam, do you have a vase for the flowers and the tea. Tea is great it brings people closer.

OLGA: (suspiciously. She does not like the frivolous tone). Give me a minute. The tea is coming. (She goes to the kitchen)

ARTEM: (Speaks very loudly, so she can hear him in the kitchen). You know, I did not take a bus. I walked. I felt like I was going to… nowhere. No address… no purpose… nothing complete drift away from reality. (He lowers his voice and further seems to be speaking to himself) It is good to be alone sometimes… Not lonely but alone. I am not talking about the depressing loneliness but rather about the deep and significant solitude. The time when you face either the infinity or yourself. It feels so cozy and intimate. If you think about it, we are not really eager to know much. All we need are the night sky with the stars and the peace in our souls. (Suddenly he snaps out of the pensiveness and starts speaking loudly and demanding again) Olya! What's taking so long? That was enough time to boil the water twice.