Lost Scene From the Diary of Anne Frank

[Mr. Van Daan and Dussel sit in the living room discussing how uncomfortable their living quarters are. The lights are dim. Everyone else is asleep. Dussel begins to complain about Peter’s cat while Mr. Van Daan is in the kitchen stealing food.]

MR. VAN DAAN:  Where is the bread? [Looking around the kitchen for bread and any other scraps of food he can find]

DUSSEL: I hate that cat of Peter’s! What is his name, Mouschi? [Scratching his forehead and looking puzzled] That cat is the reason I am always sick, that cat is the reason I am always irritated.

MR. VAN DAAN: [Mumbling under his breath] I thought you were always like that.

DUSSEL: What was that you said?

MR. VAN DAAN: Let’s get rid of him. Let’s get rid of that cat! The cat is getting bigger and bigger everyday, while we’re starving. I detest the day I ever brought that cat home for Peter. I knew it would always come back and bite me in the…

DUSSEL: Watch your tongue Mr. Van Daan. If any of the children were to wake up and here what you said…

MR. VAN DAAN: I don’t care about the children! Let’s get rid of the cat. You’re the one always complaining about your allergies, and having to take your medicine every thirty minutes, and you always tend to make everything dramatic. Like that little cough you have every now and then.

DUSSEL: I’ll pardon your unkind words for now Mr. Van Daan, but how would we get rid of Mouschi, and cover it up.

MR. VAN DAAN: We could cut him up into little pieces and burn what’s left, or we could throw him out the window, or…

DUSSEL: Let’s just throw the cat out of the window and let that be it. Not that garbage of an idea like chopping him up and then burning him.


MR. VAN DAAN: Ok. When the others awake for breakfast and begin to ask if anyone has seen that ugly hairball, just pretend you haven’t. When everyone starts to look for the cat, we will not exchange looks with each other. That Anne is too curious.

DUSSEL: [Looking under that table and behind the sofa] Where is Mouschi by the way?

MR. VAN DAAN: [Looking outraged] Uhhhh!!! Why didn’t I think of that before? That dim-witted cat is in Peter’s room.

DUSSEL: Do you have a plan to get him out?

MR. VAN DAAN: Here’s what we do. You will call Peter out of his room to talk to him about our living circumstances. Even if he looks exhausted keep talking. I’ll be hiding in the w.c while you lure Peter out. Make he is facing you so he doesn’t see what I am doing. I’ll sneak into his room, grab that revolting thing, and return to the w.c. Once I am in there, let him go and then our plan will continue from there.

DUSSEL: What a wonderful plan.

MR. VAN DAAN: Ok, I am ready.

[While Mr. Van Daan is in the w.c, Dussel calls Peter out of his room. They begin to talk about simple things while Mr. Van Daan sneaks into Peter’s room, without making a sound. He soon disappears from Peters’ room with Mouschi and back into the w.c. Dussel lets Peter go and Peter re-enters his room. Mr. Van Daan comes out of the room holding Mouschi like a prize he had just won.]

MR. VAN DAAN: I’ve got him! I’ve got the beastly thing!

DUSSEL: I see that. And don’t be so loud. Do you want everyone to hear?

MR. VAN DAAN: Shush up Dussel! Don’t get your panties in a bunch!

DUSSEL: [Looks both surprised and disturbed] Well I never…

MR. VAN DAAN: [Seeming quite angered now] Come over here and help me finish the deed! I’ve got him, now all you have to do is pick up the other side and help me swing him out the window.

[Dussel picks up one side of Mouschi while Mr. Van Daan has the other. As they take one more look at the cat, they toss him out of the window. We here a meow and a loud thump]


DUSSEL: [Has a surprised expression on his face] I can’t believe it! Mouschi is still alive!

MR. VAN DAAN: [Shucks his teeth and looks out of the window] At least he can’t get back up here.

ANNE’S VOICE: When we woke up for breakfast this morning Mouschi was no where to be found. We looked in all the rooms, and checked behind the sofa, but still, no Mouschi. Pim asked everyone if they had seen that cat, but everyone responded no. For some reason, I have a feeling that the cat-napper, is right under our noses…