Wednesday

36

10.13.06

A stark room with a simple metal door. Off-center is a simple metal desk with a simple metal chair. Sitting in the chair is MAX, who reads blank transparency paper. Simple futuristic music, meant to elevate mood, plays lightly in the background. One at a time, audience members are escorted through the metal door from a cold dark room. They each face MAX alone, wearing special protective suits over their clothes. MAX does not answer questions, and does not respond to attempted audience interaction.

MAX
Hello and welcome to the resurrection project. I see here in my files that you perished on (insert date here) from (insert random ailment here) at precisely (insert performance start time here). You have now been resurrected. May I see your ticket?

MAX looks at the ticket, specifically for the ticket number.

MAX
Your new name is (insert ticket number here). It is located here on your ticket. I have judged your ticket to be non-counterfeit. You may proceed in living. Today's date is June 9th, 2984. You are currently located in Shackspeare, Angletown. We are located in the Tudor district. You speak a dialect of English which is now archaic in what, to you, is the new world. I have learned this speech phonetically in order to help your reintegration. Do not worry, all will be explained in orientation. The resurrection project is a subsidiary of BLOO-ip. Do you have any questions?

MAX interrupts the audience member.

MAX
Thank you and on behalf of BLOO-ip and the resurrection project, have a happy new life. You may proceed through the wall.

When the audience member cannot find the entrance through the wall, MAX yells at them in a series of beeps and bloops.

MAX
BLOOP! Beeeeeeeeeeeep. Bop bop bop bopbopbopbopbop EEEEEEEEEEE!

MAX then opens a hidden door in the wall that leads to another room which features dumpy flower-patterned couches and an old tv/vcr. The room is dark, except for light provided via lava lamps. When the audience member has taken their seat and MAX has again sealed the door, the next audience member is escorted into the simple room with the simple metal door. Inside the room are seated two guards, with neutralizers. When the last audience member is escorted into the room, MAX bloops to the guards and seals the door. An INSTRUCTOR enters from another hidden door. The INSTRUCTOR deliberately waves hello, and after counting everyone, turns on the tv/vcr. The video that plays is unbelievably old and worn out.

(TVVCR)
(Hello. Welcome to the 30th century! You have all died. Normally, this would be the end, but tonight, it is not! Isn't that great?)

The tv/vcr waits for a response. Somebody does, and it moves on.

(TV/VCR)
(Yes, it is, isn't it? First, a bit of explanation. Each and everyone of you died, nearly one thousand years ago! But thanks to five hundred years of the development of modern technology, you can breathe again today! Isn't that amazing?)

Again, the tv/vcr waits until someone agrees.

(TV/VCR)
(Now, as you may or may not remember, you bought a ticket to an informational meeting called “Live Forever Now!” in the days and weeks before you perished. That ticket was actually a coupon to be entered in out Eternal Youth Sweepstakes! Bad news or good news first? Bad news, bad news, of course. Unfortunately, due to the mass chaos and hysteria caused by the tragic events of [insert performance date here], the event had to be cancelled. Good news? We held the raffle anyway, and you all won! Congratulations! Isn't that just dandy?)

The tv/vcr waits. And waits and waits and waits.

(TV/VCR)
(So, a couple moments of acclimation for you before we set you loose on the future. For one thing, nobody speaks English anymore. It is a dead language, as far as many are concerned. Those of us who know it have learned it phonetically from the scholars who maintained a limited understanding of the language's workings. Now we speak a language called BLIIIIIIPIPIPIP, which is currently the only language spoken on the planet. It consists of a series of bleeps and bloops which you, the voyager from the past, will never be able to understand. Not to worry though, everyone living within one hundred miles of this location has learned enough conversational English to give you the illusion that we have any idea what you are saying. Also, we have tried to construct a replica of what the world may have looked like before you departed it. We rebuilt your homes and favorite restaurants, as well as your schools and sports arenas, all in order to create the illusion that it is [insert year of performance here]. It might be a little hard to make the adjustment, but we won't set you free without first giving you a survival kit. Your survival kit includes: 1 unit of water, 1 unit food, 1 page of translations from English into BLIIIIIIIPIPIPIP, 1 condom, 1 dry salted peanut [the currency of the future] and finally 1 length of yarn. Because you are our first group to successfully be resurrected, this is really a test of your capability to reintegrate. Future resurrections depend on your success. Make us proud!)

A team of ushers hand out the survival kits, which are housed in futuristic bags. The audience is blooped at and bleeped at until they exit the room into another, terminal room. Futuristic music is played while they are encouraged to trade their peanuts for a jello shot. They are also asked to give back their special protective suits. After all the suits are collected, the lights are shut off and a door is opened wide. The door leads to an alley, and the end of the show. The audience fends for themselves.

Friday

35

10.12.06

A figure, anonymous, stands alone onstage. Tableau.

An identical figure enters with what appears to be an enormous erection. The first figure looks at the second. They both look down.
They both look up at each other. Tableau.

The second figure reaches into a trouser pocket, revealing that the offending sight was a banana all along. Tableau.

Wednesday

34

10.11.06

Three, in bland one-piece uniform, with worn furniture.

135
It’s like waiting for the guillotine, being here…

721
Entertainment. What we need is entertainment.

502
Yes, it’s positively glum here, isn’t it?

721
Yes, glum is the word I was looking for.

502
Humdrum would work as well.

721
Yes. Humdrum!

502
Humdrum…glum…entertainment. Yeah! Well, I have an idea in the old noggin! Let’s have a posh tea party to celebrate the arriving hour? Shall we?

721
Oh yes! Lets!

135
You must be positively daft.

502
Nonsense. Not at all. Here, come set the table while I put the kettle on!

721
Ooh! How lovely! Look at this wonderful lace tablecloth I had hanging in the master closet! This should do nicely! Go purloin the silver from Ragobond’s cupboard, will you?

135
Who is Ragobond?

721
Why our butler, silly. Wouldn’t want to wake him, its nearly ten to midnight! We’ll just place the settings ourselves. Oh! Here comes mum with the crumpets!

502
Crumpets, both cinnamon and raspberry. Also brought salmon cakes, deviled eggs and little salted wieners in cream sauce for my saucy young boys! In the kitchen I’ve made sweets you couldn’t even imagine. Things shaped like mythical creatures and frosted in colors not found in the rainbow. Absolutely delicious. Tea’s on the way!

721
Thanks mum. A wonderful treat after such a long dreary day. Work was an atrocious bore, what with all the nonsense and the hubbub. Crunching numbers, flipping pages, so on, so forth. Though I was at the opera house for a matinee to escape the rain. The story was even drearier, I would say. Music was phenomenal, though. Don Giovanni, by Mozart. Dead before his time… Say, son, what did you do with your day?

135
I’m not…I don’t…

502
Didn’t you paint a picture today, son?

721
Well go on, tell us about it…

135
I…Yes. I painted a picture.

721
Wonderful, well, let’s have a look at it!

135
Here it is, here is my picture. It is surrounded by a frame.

502
I can see that, boy, how wonderful! Simply marvelous! All the fine detail and the color! You’ve a bright future ahead of you, you know!

135
No I haven’t…

721
Nonsense, son. I’ve worked hard all my life so that you, my heir, could have the opportunity to follow your dreams. If you wish to become an artist, well then, I will make sure that every obstacle between you and success are laid waste. You have a bright future ahead of you now, don’t you…?

135
Yes. A bright future indeed…

721
I’m afraid I’ve misplaced my spectacles. Might you describe this painting for me?

502
Tea’s ready. Everyone hold up your cup!

721
Aren’t you going to hold up your cup, son?

135
Yes. Please. Tea.

502
Any lumps?

135
Seven.

502
Sweat tea for my sweet pea! 1…2…3…4…5…6…7. 7 lumps!

721
None for me, thanks. Now, boy. Why don’t you go ahead and describe what to me is only a faint blur. Perhaps my imagination will fill it in.

135
It’s a picture.

721
Yes…of what?

135
It’s a picture of a birdie.

502
Yes, I see that now. What species of avia do you presume?

135
It’s a big birdie.

721
Ah! A Rrrraptor then. Perhaps an eagle?

135
Yes. It’s a picture of an eagle.

502
And what’s it doing?

135
It’s flying.

721
Soaring! Soaring majestically I would say.

135
No. No it isn’t.

502
Then what’s it doing?

135
It’s diving. For the kill.

721
Ah, I see. It must be hungry.

135
Yes, that’s right. It hasn’t eaten for days…

502
It’s got that look in its eye.

135
No, there’s no look. It’s too hungry to look anymore. It’s too tired and weak to keep thinking. This eagle, right here it is, dives completely on instinct. It knows there’s a fish in the water. Right here. The water bubbles on this side of the painting, because we’re behind the eagle’s back, looking down. And we can’t see the fish, but it’s there. We know it’s there. In our mind’s eye we see that fish. We’re falling with the eagle, falling fast, hard, our last chance for a meal before we starve. It’s desperate, it’s so desperate, but it’s free. We’ve never been so free. Moments before the kill.

502
Good work, m’boy, have a crumpet, while I hang this masterpiece on the wall!

135
Yes…Yes, I suppose I will! Mmm, it’s warm!

721
Just pulled fresh from the oven, you know. Before we had a cook, your mum was quite the culinary expert! Try the salmon cakes, eagle-boy.

135
MMMmmm, they melt in my mouth!

502
I’m glad you like them. But there’s a secret recipe you know…

721
Ah, yes, the family secret recipe for salmon cakes…

135
What’s the secret?

502
They’re magical.

135
Really!

721
Yes, yes, if you eat three, you fly!

502
You don’t just fly, you become a bird! An eagle, just like in this painting!

135
How wonderful! Lets all of us eat three together!

(Mouths full)

721
One…

502
Mmm, two…

135
Three!

(Pause)

135
I feel it! I’m an eagle!

502
Yes, we’re all eagles! Look at us fly!

721
Now let’s fly our asses out of this place!

135
No, wait! Look down there! Fish!

502
Delicious fish!

(They go for the kill)

721
I’ve got one! A trout! I’m not sharing!

135
Me too! A new kind of fish! Never before discovered!

502
Oh, I bet it’s delicious!

721
Who cares! I’m hungry!

502
I’m starving!

135
I’ve never felt so free!

Harsh light and rusty chains burst in. The three cover their eyes as they are addressed by an OFFSTAGE VOICE.

OFFSTAGE VOICE
Alright you three. Hands on your heads. Stand forward and be counted.

721 stands forward.

721
Prisoner 721 present and accounted for, sir!

721 stands back. 502 stands forward.

502
Prisoner 502 present and accounted for, sir!

502 stands back. 135 reluctantly stands forward.

135
135 present, sir.

OFFSTAGE VOICE
I COULDN’T HERE THAT, RODENT. WHAT DID YOU SAY?

135
I said prisoner 135 present and accounted for, sir!

OFFSTAGE VOICE
That’s better. Now. It’s three minutes to midnight. There has been no interference from the party office, which means things will continue as planned. The preacher couldn’t make it, his school bus ran over a land mine. Don’t worry, he’s alright. He said you should say your prayers quietly to yourself…well get on with it!

The three begin to pray in separate languages.

OFFSTAGE VOICE
Quieter! And line up with your backs facing us. We’ll be leading you out soon.

The three pray quietly as they face upstage.

OFFSTAGE VOICE
Poor loony bastards. Alright, company, on my mark. FIRE!

Blackout in a hail of gunfire.

33

10.10.06
NOTE: Italics should be played through a speaker, or vice versa.

WALLFLOWER, in a plaid jumper, at an invisible mixer.

WALLFLOWER
Wish mom would come back and pick me up. I don’t feel right at parties like these.
Hey Becky! Hey Tommy! How about Ms. Stankowski’s geography class, huh?
Asses…They all have pubic hair I bet. I bet they’re all itching with it. I bet.
I bet they’re doing it already. Their love is not as thick and pure as mine. I would never dream of having sex until I was married to the right woman.
Hey Margie, nice new bands on the braces! Are they school colors? Go Eagles!
Margie, how I love you! You’ll never know how I yearn for your touch, like an oreo yearns to be twisted in half and licked ‘til the chocolate cookie crackers are bone dry!
Who, me? No I’m not staring at you, Margie. I’m admiring the wallpaper behind you!
Look away! Look away! Don’t let her know! She must never know!
Ugh… Dwight Olbermeier. Pit stains and yellow teeth. I sincerely hope he isn’t coming this way thinking he can cop a feel during the next Celine Dion song. God, that mustache looks like someone wiped their butt on his upper lip! I bet he’d like that…
Hello Dwight.
Oh god, he’s actually asking me to dance. Crap.
No, Dwight, I actually don’t feel like dancing, thank you though…
I just don’t feel like dancing with you. Next time Jewel comes up on the stereo I’m going to grab Margie’s hands, take her to the middle of this crowded gymnasium and hold her tight until Jewel sings the words that are written in our hearts.
You were meant for me, and I was meant for you…
I only want to dance with Margie…Margie…
Margie…
Why is everybody looking at me?
What? No, I didn’t say your name. Really, no. I was just telling Dwight to go bother someone else, seriously, that kid is gross…
Raising deflector shields…!
Yeah, I know. He just asked me to dance with him to the “Titanic” theme, and I said “no way. Dwight. Brush your teeth and start playing some basketball, then we’ll talk.”
She’s laughing! She’s laughing! Maybe I’ve won her over!
Brad Ginsley? Yeah, I know him.
He’s that jerk who ran against me for home room rep last year.
You made out with him?
Ugh! Margie, how could you? Now your mouth is tainted with his student government germs! Belch! Blech times a million! Wait! She wants to have a sleep over?
Yeah, you can stay over night at my house. That’s no, wait you what?
Why would she only want to say that she’s sleeping over?
Why would you only want to say that you were sleeping over?
Oh.
Oh.
That. Sucks.
No, that’s fine.
You horrible assbitch.
Yeah, no, Brad’s hot, you should totally go for it. Slow dance with him next time Jewel comes on, then he’ll totally want to make out with you.
Did I just say that? Why did I just say that? What the crap-ass is wrong with me?
Whatever you want, Margie. Yes…I. Like. Totally love you too. No, you’re the best.
This is the worst moment of my life. Get me out of here. Get me out of here right now. Oh, ass, here comes Dwight again…
What is it Dwight?
Get me out of here get me out of here get me out of here.
You requested what? Jewel? For me? That’s sweet!
That’s disgusting, the most important song of my life has now been turned into butt-flakes by this horrible mixer.
No Dwight. I don’t like dancing, really. I guess I’m just not ready for boys yet.
And I never will be, god willing, so long as they all look like you or act like Brad.
Dwight, I don’t want to be mean to you, but you have a bit of a BO problem.
I’m so pissed at you for no reason right now Dwight.
Actually, you smell horrible, and your teeth are the color of Cheetos. And when you talk, Cheeto bits go everywhere. Last week, when Mr. Fleuriani had us correct each other’s quizzes, yours was speckled with greasy orange Cheeto dots. It was disgusting!
This feels really good. I’m on a roll. Wait a minute, he’s crying.
What are you, crying? You’re a boy! Boys aren’t supposed to cry! Boys are supposed to be men! What are you, some kind of sissy?
Thank god, he’s running away.
Aw shit, here comes Brad.
Hi Brad, Margie was looking for you. Yeah, Dwight's such a dweeb. You thought it was funny?
Crapsniffingassheadbuttmuncher.
Sure we can talk. Margie really likes you, and…
Don’t interrupt me, why are you interrupting me you crapsniffingassheadbuttmuncher?
Oh, Brad, that’s flattering, but-

A kiss between WALLFLOWER and invisible Brad.

WALLFLOWER
That meant absolutely nothing to me. I mean it meant something, but it didn’t. Was that just my first kiss? I think it was. My first kiss meant absolutely nothing to me…
Shit.
Is that Jewel playing in the background? Why is Brad pulling on my hand? Oh, crap, there’s Margie. Margie! Margie I love you! I want to hug you for hours! Margie! Why are you crying? Brad, quit pulling my arm off!
Brad, you’re pulling my arm off!
I don’t want to dance with you!
I don’t want to dance. I’m fine on my own!
Margie is leaving!
Margie! Wait! I can explain!
Goddamn you Brad!
Will you knock it off! I don’t like boys! You people are gropey disgusting animals and you broke poor Margie’s heart! Now leave me alone while I go try to explain, you manslut!

The WALLFLOWER runs off the stage.

32

10.9.06
For Di, in honor of her "opposite day" experiment, one of my own.

DW
Today I was in line at Starbucks, you know, not the one that’s always empty, the good one, that everybody goes to. Well, anyway I was at Starbucks, and I was waiting in line to order my grande triple soy mocha with no whip, when the assmunch ahead of me orders the last drop of soy they have in the store. Starbucks ran out of soy, can you believe it? All because some jerkmeister orders fifty bazillion soy mochas ahead of me. When it was my turn in line I froze. I didn’t know what to do. It was the worst thing that ever happened to me, I swear. Worse than having to retake the MCATs. I stood there, silent, seriously hitting rock bottom. I’ve never felt so low. But then it hit me: let go. Stop caring. It doesn’t matter. Order a whole milk mocha, with whip and caramel sauce. And a muffin. Order what you want, stop caring. So I did. I stopped caring at all. I stopped giving to charity, I don’t even bother washing my hands before surgery anymore. Tonight I’m having an affair with my neighbor, who happens to be married. Do I care? No. Best thing that ever happened to me. That’s why I don’t care about anything anymore. I just don’t care. And I don’t care about anyone either. I don’t care about my friends, I don’t care about you, and I certainly don’t care about myself anymore. Mind if I smoke?

GRIFFITH
But, wait a second-

DW
I don’t care.

DW lights a cigarette.

GRIFFITH
You’re repeating yourself.

DW
I don’t caaa-aaare.

GRIFFITH
How’s work treating you?

DW
I don’t, what?

GRIFFITH
Work.

DW
What do you mean, work?

GRIFFITH
Work. How’s going at work?

DW
I quit.

GRIFFITH
You quit?!

DW
I quit.

DW lights another cigarette, juggling two.

GRIFFITH
But what about your patients? Your rotation? What about your student loans? …you don’t care do you? Well. How enlightened you’ve become.

DW
I’m telling you, it’s a whole new way of life. Not giving a shit has changed my whole aura, it’s really brightened my days. You know how much I used to worry about poverty around the world, or idiots running the country, or, for fucks sake, being politically correct? Is there anything more lame than being politically correct? Countless hours I used to waste caring about shit, I can now spend doing literally nothing. I’m drinking beer at ten in the morning. I stopped reading the papers, now I just watch TV all afternoon. I haven’t felt this free since the year I graduated from college. I’m thinking about taking up smoking pot again. Say, do you know where I could buy some pot?

GRIFFITH
Absolutely not!

DW
Absolutely not?

GRIFFITH
I don’t smoke pot!

An exchange of glances. A staring contest ensues.

GRIFFITH
But my nephew might know where you could get some.

DW
Well call him! Call him right now!

GRIFFITH
You’re acting like a child…

DW
I just got this sudden urge to smoke. I’m only operating on urges now. Gut reactions.

GRIFFITH
I’ll see you later…

DW
Callhimcallhimcallhimcallhim!

GRIFFITH
NO! God. You’re being so goddamn annoying. I’m not calling my nephew to get you drugs! I have to see his parents on holidays! Jesus god, you are being so selfish right now! What the fuck is wrong with you, you want to smoke pot! You want to smoke pot, go find a fucking dealer and smoke some fucking pot! GOD!

DW lights another cigarette.

DW
But I want to smoke…

GRIFFITH
I don’t fucking care!

DW
Welcome to my club!

Another exchange of glances. GRIFFITH dials.

GRIFFITH
Alright, gimme a cigarette.

DW
Are you gonna call him?

GRIFFITH
You’re buying, asshole.

DW
Don’t you have to go to work?

GRIFFITH
I’ll call in sick.

DW
Can you do that in the state legislature?

GRIFFITH
I can do whatever I want. Dewey! It’s your uncle Griff. Howyadoin’ bud? Freshman year treating you well? Yeah? No, no, they don’t get any easier. Listen, bud, I was calling because I need a favor. A friend of mine wanted to know where he could purchase some marijuana cigarettes. No not tobacco cigarettes, marijuana…yes. No this isn’t a setup. No, I’m not joking. You seriously don’t know anyone? But everyone in high school smokes pot! You really don’t? Listen, Dewey, if you do this, I’ll get you a letter of recommendation from the governor for any college you want. Yeah, I work for him. No, really. Didn’t your parents ever tell you that? OK. Listen bud. I can get you into any state school. I don’t care. Yeah, that’s why. OK. Call me back.

GRIFFITH hangs up.

DW
What did he say?

GRIFFITH
He said he’d never smoked pot before.

DW
I don’t believe him!

GRIFFITH
He said he knows some of the stoner kids though. He’ll call back.

DW
Sweet! What do we do until then?

Lengthy pause.

DW
Know where we could get some porn?

GRIFFITH
I’m not watching porn with you!

DW
Why not? I don’t care if you’re in the room when…

GRIFFITH
Whatever…

DW
Listen man, you need to care a little less about your stupid boundaries, alright? We could be potentially having a carefree good time right now, but instead you just shoot down my ideas. You got any ideas? I’m getting bored now…

GRIFFITH
Not caring sucks. I feel so non-productive. Hey, if we’re gonna get stoned, maybe we should go get some food, incase we get those crunchies, you know?

DW
You mean the “munchies?”

GRIFFITH
Yeah, that’s it.

DW
You have never smoked pot before, have you?

GRIFFITH
Sure I have!

DW
When?

GRIFFITH
In college.

DW
Weren’t you in the young republicans?

GRIFFITH
Yeah, but we were still in college.

GRIFFITH’S phone rings.

GRIFFITH
Hello? Yes, this is Griffith O’Reilly. Who is this? The dean’s office? Well why are you calling me? My nephew what? Pot? Deweywho?Idon’thaveanephewgoodbye!

GRIFFITH hangs up.

DW
What happened?

GRIFFITH
That was the dean of his school. Dewey got busted in school for possession. How am I going to explain this to his parents?

DW
How’s his dumb ass going to make it through college, he cant even buy weed!

GRIFFITH
He’s fourteen! Give him a break!

DW
How are we going to get stoned? Call up the dean, say you’ll pick Dewey up and take his pot a way for them.

GRIFFITH
I’ve got MTV at home. Maybe they might have some ideas…

DW
Have you even watched television since 1990? MTV is for toddlers now! I’ve got a better idea, let’s just go down to liquor store, get a whole bunch of vodka and some redi-whip.

GRIFFITH
What’s the redi-whip for?

DW
Whippets.

GRIFFITH
What’s a whippet?

DW
It’s where you inhale the propellant in a whip-cream dispenser. Gets you buzzed for like, ten minutes. Twenty bottles should do us for a couple hours.

GRIFFITH
Won’t they know we’re trying to get high on whipped cream?

DW
We’ll say we’re baking a cake. Oh! We could get stoned and bake something!

GRIFFITH
I’m starting to think this not caring shit isn’t as cool as I’d hoped.

DW
Quit being a buzzkill!

GRIFFITH
What’s a buzzkill?

DW
Someone who kills a buzz.

DW lights a third cigarette.

GRIFFITH
Listen, if you want to sit around being an unlikable character and do nothing but look for pot all day, that’s one thing. But I just got my nephew busted, and I’m thinking, what good am I? Not caring is one thing, but huffing household cooking ingredients sounds like, well, just stupid. I’d rather sit around and not care at work, where at least I’d get paid for turning a blind eye to important shit. I’m leaving.

DW
Fine! Go! See if I care!

DW smokes three cigarettes, at once, down to the filter.

31 - Imaginary Ping-Pong Play

10.8.06
This performance is free. There is no charge. The audience members, who all had to do at least something to attend the performance, are ushered into a room filled with card chairs. When they have all taken their seats, the ushers hand them all ping-pong balls, in various colors. With the ping-pong balls, the audience members are also given sharpie markers. They are told to draw little faces on their ping-pong balls. When they are done, they are instructed to stand and place the ping-pong balls in their seats, facing the stage. When everyone is standing, the ushers escort them out of the room, and close the door. The ushers invite the audience to approach the door, to which they have their ears firmly pressed. Light sounds of drama and comedy are just barely audible from the doors. Nothing specific. The ushers tell the audience members to be quiet, they are trying to listen. They hope the ping-pong balls are enjoying the show. They ask the audience what they think the play is about. All of this is closely monitored. The audience collectively tells a story, the story they are missing right now because they’ve been locked out. If anyone, agitated or otherwise, asks to be allowed in to see the show, they are told they are not allowed, and are escorted out of the house entirely. What do they care? They didn’t pay for it!

CODA: ENTIRELY OPTIONAL

The audience at this time is either asked to leave, or asked to enter the performance space again. If they do enter the space, they are only allowed to interact with anyone using solely their ping-pong ball. They can tap the balls, or pretend to speak as the balls in a tiny high-pitched voice. When they have all taken their seats, a troupe of ACTORS with GIANT PING-PONG SMILEY HEADS re-enacts the play that the audience had previously imagined, complete with music and sound effects.

30

10.7.06

An older man in a nice suit approaches a desk with the day’s paper on it. He sits and makes himself comfortable.

ANCHOR
Are we ready? You ready? I’m ready. OK.

Somewhere from the back we hear a voice count down from five. The voice does not say two or one. The lights become brighter.

ANCHOR
Good evening…

The ANCHOR reads the headlining article of the day aloud to the audience. When he finishes, he takes a breath.

ANCHOR
We’ll be right back after a message from tonight’s sponsor.

The lights dim, and the ANCHOR silently stretches his jowls. From all around we are bombarded with the spirited and bubbly sounds of SUPER HAPPY FLAKES!. We are never sure what SUPER HAPPY FLAKES! are. Frequently during the ad, we hear a cow groaning as if it is being slaughtered. The commercial might be in another language. In any case, it goes something like this:

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SING ALONG!:
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SPEND WHATEVER YOU MAKE ON SUPER HAPPY FLAKES!!

The lights brighten up again. Synthetic artificial trumpet and timpani fanfare now introduces the ANCHOR. The ANCHOR is now younger, more chiseled. Sitting next to him is an ANCHORWOMAN, early 30’s, rather attractive, who does not say a word. The ANCHOR picks up the paper.

ANCHOR
This just in…

The ANCHOR re-reads the same article, but now he injects the phrase “SUPER HAPPY FLAKES!” into every sentence. At first it is simply to cast a positive light on SUPER HAPPY FLAKES!. Soon, it is anywhere in the sentence where it might make at least a modicum of sense. After a while, the SUPER HAPPY FLAKES! intrusions become nonsensical and obscene. Eventually, the ANCHOR says nothing but SUPER HAPPY FLAKES!, though still in his anchorperson monotony.

ANCHOR
Alright, everybody. That’s FLAKES! for tonight. Wishing you all a SUPER HAPPY FLAKES! from SUPER HAPPY studios in SUPER HAPPY FLAKES!, I’m SUPER.

ANCHORWOMAN
And I’m FLAKES!

ANCHOR
Be HAPPY. Goodnight.

29

10.6.06

JO and a flatdaddy.

JO
This is stupid.
This is the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen.
Why did mom give me this?
What, she thinks this is some replacement?
I’m supposed to pretend this is dad?
Does she expect me to talk to this thing?
I’m not gonna talk to this thing.
I’d rather talk to my dad.
In person.
Here.
Cheap piece of crap flatdaddy.
I want my three dimensional daddy.
3D and in the flesh.
You’re just a stupid piece of cardboard.

JO lights a cigarette.

JO
What are you looking at?
You gonna ground me?
Yeah, that’s what I thought.
Mom’s not home, flatdaddy.
Neither of you are gonna bust me.

JO takes a few drags.

JO
You want one?
No?
It’s probably bad for you anyway.
Might singe the cardboard.

Moments. Music. JO, cigarette in mouth, begins to dress up the flatdaddy. She puts lipstick and blush on it. She places a wig on its head and necklaces about its neck. She puts out her cigarette and hangs the flatdaddy on her wall. She kisses it, and the flatdaddy kisses her back on the cheek. Moments. Music stops.

JO
I love you dad.

Thursday

28 - Les is More.

10.5.06
Rural Illinois. 1952.
Night time by the fire.
EUNICE and ROD, both knitting…
…and knitting…
Until:

ROD
I don’t think it’s quite sunk in yet.
Hasn’t sunk in at all.
The engagement.
Did you hear that, mum?
I said I don’t think the engagement has quite sunk in yet for me.

…more knitting…

EUNICE
I was a bit shocked, myself. Still, good news is good news.

ROD
Shocked doesn’t begin to describe. Shock was the least of my worries.

EUNICE
No worries, daddy, I’ve got the fiduciaries all in order.

ROD
That isn’t the least of it…

EUNICE
Maude will have a fine wedding, I’ll be certain of that.

…they knit some more.

EUNICE
Les will make a fine fiancée.

ROD
That’s just what worries me!

EUNICE
Nonsense. Seems like a perfectly balanced person. No physical or mental ailments. Good job. Everything going right upstairs. Seems upstanding.

ROD
I don’t know about that, mum. The whole thing seems fishy to me.

EUNICE
Now-now, let’s not poison the river before it gets dammed, shall we? Let’s keep it all blessings and no curses for now. A bit early to become those in-laws, you know.

ROD
I suppose…

…knitting, knitting, knitting…

ROD
I suppose you’re right.
Still it’s too bad…
…what with the grandbabies and all…
…too bad, too bad…

EUNICE
What’s too bad, daddy?

ROD
That we won’t be having grandbabies. At least not grandbabies of our own…

EUNICE
Now hush. Why would you be so negative. They most likely haven’t even had a chance to consummate. They aren’t even married yet! We’ll be having grandbabies, Rod, and I’ll tell you why: our daughter’s a looker. She’s a fine specimen.

ROD
I don’t think the problem is with her…

EUNICE
What, Les? The boy looks virile enough. Strapping. More so than you were at his age in any case… What makes you think he can’t pitch the old fastball?

ROD
That’s just the thing. I don’t think Leslie can pitch any fastballs.

EUNICE
You speak from experience?

ROD
No, but…

EUNICE
Then how would you know?

Knitting helps ROD ease the mounting tension. Until:

ROD
I don’t think Leslie has a penis.

EUNICE
Have you been taking your pills? All of them? On time?

ROD
Yes. Aside from the blue pill for noon on Friday, I’ve been keeping up to date.

EUNICE
Then why would you ever say such a thing? Simply uncalled for.

Knitting…

EUNICE
I have half a mind to tell the old boy you said that myself. Have a good laugh. Bond with Leslie a bit. We’ll all smoke a cigar. That’s it! I’ll wait ‘til we’re in the maternity ward, looking at the newest little cubs. Then you’ll hand the boy a cigar, tell him what you said and we’ll all have a good laugh. “Les” I’ll say “Les, to think my husband doubted you.”

ROD
I’m simply saying, that after careful examination, it would seem to me, in my limited knowledge, that Leslie is in fact a woman.

EUNICE
Nonsense. With a handshake like that?

ROD
My great auntie Louisa could crush a cantaloupe in the palm of her hand.

A resumption of knitting.

EUNICE
But he was wearing a flannel shirt, and his hair was so closely cropped. And he was hairy, on the arms and a bit on the lip. We talked about other women we dated while you two were washing dishes. He’s a man, ROD, after all, he’s engaged to our daughter.

ROD
Engaged to our daughter…

EUNICE
That’s what I said. Les is engaged to our daughter…
Les is engaged to our daughter…
Engaged…

ROD
Uh-huh. Now you see my concern.

EUNICE
It can’t be. It’s just not possible.

ROD
Oh, it’s very possible.

A cessation of knitting altogether.

EUNICE
But Maude is a fine looking gal. She’s quite the looker!

ROD
I suppose that’s what attracted Leslie in the first place.

EUNICE
She could have any man she wanted. Why if I wasn’t her mother, I’d-

ROD
Careful…

EUNICE
I’m just saying she could have any man she wanted. Why would she want Leslie?

ROD
Maybe because she’s strapping.

EUNICE
She isn’t strapping…

ROD
You said so yourself.

EUNICE
She’s not strapping! Women are incapable of being strapping!

ROD
Well…we’ve established that Leslie is a woman, and I think she’s rather strapping.

EUNICE
This doesn’t disturb you at all?

ROD
Well, no, but…

EUNICE
It doesn’t disturb you that our daughter is a sodomite?

ROD
Technically I don’t think this makes her a sodomite.

EUNICE
Technically? What would you know, technically? You work at a bank!
Technically…
I’m calling her up. I’m calling her right now!

ROD
It’s a five-hour drive back to Kentucky. They aren’t even half way there, yet.

EUNICE
Why don’t you have a problem with this?

ROD
I do! I do…and I don’t. I just want grandbabies is all.

EUNICE
Well, you certainly aren’t getting those…

ROD
Well, that’s my only concern.

A resumption of knitting by EUNICE.

ROD
I was knitting little stockings.

EUNICE
So was I.

ROD
Seems pointless now.

EUNICE
I’m turning mine into a scarf.

ROD
Mine were almost done…

Again, the knitting stops.

EUNICE
How do you suppose they…how…

ROD
I imagine they use their hands or mouths or maybe a fake penis-

EUNICE
NO! No. Don’t be disgusting! I was asking how they met!

ROD
Maude said they met in Louisville. At a baseball game. She said they struck up a conversation that lasted the whole game, and then Les walked her all the way to 3rd street and up the stairs and gave her a kiss goodnight. She said that was less than a year ago.

EUNICE
How long do you suppose they’ve been engaged?

ROD
I don’t know, Eunice, I’d like to believe Maude would tell us right away…

EUNICE
Yes, but, guilt has always dissuaded our daughter from coming right forth with the truth.

ROD
I’d like to believe Maude would tell us right away.

EUNICE
Not with a thing like that to hide. Is it even legal?

ROD
I don’t see how you could enforce a law against it.

EUNICE
I mean the marriage. The engagement. Is it legal for two women to marry?

ROD
I haven’t heard to the contrary.

EUNICE
Not yet at least.

ROD
I certainly hope not ever.

EUNICE
What about the grandbabies?

ROD
Well…I suppose I could get over the grandbabies if I knew our Maude was happy. How she lives her life is her business. And who’s to say they couldn’t adopt?

EUNICE
Now that’s just disgusting.

ROD
What’s so disgusting about it?

EUNICE
Being raised that way. I mean, no offense to you, but a child should be raised with a father. Two women in love have no business rearing a child together. If Maude wants to have a baby she’d better get a man in the house post haste.

ROD
My great auntie Louisa and my mother did a fine job of raising me. We don’t even know if they want to have children. There is a positive way of looking at this, Eunice. All we know is they’re in love. While it troubles me, yes, I feel as though it shouldn’t. I don’t think it should really pull me either way. As long as they are happy together, I think we got more than we could ask for in this world.

Sighs. EUNICE stands up.

EUNICE
Well I’m not convinced. And I don’t think you are completely either. And I’m not done being angry or frustrated with our daughter. And I’m not sure I’ll ever understand them or their “love.” What burns me up, Rod, what really burns me up, is that I don’t think it really matters how we feel. I guess our opinions are irrelevant, really. They’re gonna do it anyway, we might as well give them our blessing.

ROD
You don’t give a blessing because you’re out of options, Eunice…

EUNICE
No, you’re right. We give our blessing out of love.

27

10.4.06

Lights up on:

A TABLE.

Upon which:

OLD USED LIPSTICK

A GREEN APPLE

PRESERVED VALENTINES

A SPANISH/ENGLISH DICTIONARY

These items converse. Then:

LIPSTICK MAKES THE APPLE WEEP.

THE VALENTINES AREN’T IN SPANISH.

THE TABLE BECOMES A BED.

LIPTSTICK AND APPLE MAKE LOVE.

THE DICTIONARY EATS THE VALENTINES.

Music. The BED speaks:

BED
I’ve seen it all before.

Smoke, as:

LIPSTICK AND APPLE LIGHT CIGARETTES.

THE DICTIONARY IMMOLATES ITSELF.

THE FIRE SPREADS.

Music. The BED says its last words:

BED
I’ve (seen/had) it all before.
I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Wednesday

26

10.3.06
for ivan the terrible
A LIFE RAFT, tattered, at sea. Writing…

VOYAGEUR
Day 26. I still am lost at sea.
Without a drop of water left to drink,
I doubt that I will live much longer now.
Some sharks have started at surrounding me,
If I dive in the end comes soon I think.
If I linger longer: what good is that?

Thinking of Martha.
Thinking of George.
Thinking of gogo and didi.

Last words.

I’m not thirsty anymore.
Boredom is the greater threat.
Regret, too, is sinking in.
Chagrin at how I spent my time.

This is my last sheet of paper.

On back of all the 25 entries,
I’ve scrawled a drawing or illustration.
The first was of the ship’s large broken bow.
Perhaps after twenty-five centuries
The bottles will wash up in some nation
And tell the viewer of my sorry fate.

And hang them on a wall,
Hang 25 and all
Together.

Last words?

What should be my last drawing?

Will anyone ever even see it?

There’s great art in the pity of this end.
The fact that I will never live to be.
The heights one reaches when one falls so low!
Here I am, alone, without any friends,
And making work of finer quality
Then ever I have before. So I think.

So I sink.
Lower.
Art.

Last words…

Bosh.

Fuck this, the last words I would ever say?
“I’d trade art for food and drink any day.”

 
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