Persons in the Play. A Man, a few years older, dressed in a charcoal grey pinstriped suit, red tie, white dress shirt, black polished shoes, the works. Set. Woman sits at the table. Some moments pass, Man enters, limping slightly. Woman looks up. Man meets her gaze. Brief silence. ******** MAN: What is it? WOMAN: How did it go? MAN: It was all right. WOMAN: What did they ask? MAN: Only the usual. WOMAN: What did you tell them? MAN: Only the usual. WOMAN: Tell me more. MAN: They wanted to know would I do it, and for how much. WOMAN: What did you tell them? MAN: I told them I would do it ... WOMAN: But ... MAN: I wouldn’t say for how much. WOMAN: You wouldn’t say for how much? MAN: No. WOMAN: Why? MAN: Sometimes it is very difficult to say for how much. WOMAN: Were they all right? MAN: I wouldn’t say they were all right. WOMAN: Were they not all right? MAN: It didn’t show. WOMAN: One way or the other? MAN: One way or the other. WOMAN: Why do you think they wanted you to do it? MAN: They didn’t want me to do it–or–it’s uncertain–at least I’m not confident that they wanted me to do it–or not me specifically. Any one of dozens of others would surely have served as well. Or better. Hundreds, I suppose. WOMAN: Do you think so? MAN: O yes, most definitely, I do think so. If not thousands. WOMAN: Would you do it if they said yes? MAN: Yes. I believe I would - if they said yes. Plainly they wanted to be assured that someone would do it. WOMAN: But you said you would not. MAN: Yes–and I also said I would. WOMAN: Apparently we are of two minds. MAN: Yes. Most definitely. We are indeed of two minds. WOMAN: You are always of two minds. MAN: Yes. WOMAN: Yes. MAN: One for you and one for me. As well me as any other. WOMAN: Did they ask if you will say yes if they ask? MAN: I believe that that in the end would be up to an individual man. WOMAN: What individual man? MAN: It’s not certain. WOMAN: You mean you’re not confidant. MAN: No. I mean it–the matter–not the man–is not certain. WOMAN: Did the man ask if you will say yes if he asks? MAN: Which man? WOMAN: The man talking the questions–the man with the voice. MAN: O yes. He did ask. WOMAN: What did you say? MAN: Yes. I would. WOMAN: If he asked. MAN: Yes. If he asked. WOMAN: And did he ask? MAN: No. He did not ask. WOMAN: But you would have said yes if he had asked? MAN: Yes. I said yes. WOMAN: And did you say yes? MAN: I might as well have said yes. WOMAN: What do you mean? MAN: I mean that everyone says yes–sooner or later. Whether yes is in me in the end, or in some other, does not, in the end, very much matter. I think. WOMAN: And that other was the man, the man who asked I mean, who it was up to in the end? MAN: It’s uncertain. WOMAN: What do you mean? MAN: I don’t know. WOMAN: [A silence.] Do you know that I wish you would sit down? MAN: No. [Man, who has been standing, tries to sit but has difficulty moving into the chair, gives it up, grips the back of the chair for a few seconds, and continues standing.] Perhaps it’s best for now that I do not sit down. WOMAN: Are you in pain? MAN: A curious thing, pain. WOMAN: How curious? MAN: I hear the dead have no pain. WOMAN: Do you want some tea? MAN: No–thanks. WOMAN: I could make you some green tea. MAN: No - thanks. That’s all right–t’s not exactly what I need. WOMAN: Are you not thirsty? I know you like green tea. MAN: No–you’re right–I should be thirsty, but I’m not. WOMAN: Do you think he will call? MAN: Yes. Most definitely he will call. [Both look at the phone–nothing happens.] Sooner or later he most definitely will call. Or one of them will call. In the end they always call. It’s only a matter of time. WOMAN: Perhaps it would be best if you did not say yes. MAN: Yes. You’re right. As so often. It would surely be best. But ... WOMAN: But what? MAN: I can’t sleep. WOMAN: I didn’t know. Why? MAN: My stomach hurts. And my knees. WOMAN: You are in pain ... MAN: I wouldn’t call it that, exactly. WOMAN: Do they know? MAN: I don’t know. WOMAN: Does he know? MAN: I don’t know. WOMAN: Perhaps you should relax. [He tries again to sit, and succeeds, though with difficulty.] MAN: Not if he asks–if I can’t stomach this–if I will stomach this. WOMAN: You can–it’s just a question of whether you will–or not. I don’t mind. MAN: No. He said I would be given the works if I said no. They all said I would be given the works if I said no. WOMAN: Is that why you’re not thirsty? |