©February 2015
Katrin Arefy
(From Scene I)
Another Man
(Sits up and points at the paper as he speaks.)
Have you heard the news?
MAN
(Speaks with indifference, focused on his stuff.)
What news?
Woman
(She’s busy choosing the next gloves to sew and speaks with indifference.)
What news?
Another Man
The Elbisnopser Empire was destroyed sixteen hundred years ago!
MAN
(Speaking with indifference, not even paying attention to ANOTHER MAN.)
Unbelievable.
WOMAN
(Speaks with indifference; she’s clearly not paying attention.)
Unbelievable.
MAN
The Elbisnopsers?
Another Man
Yes!
WOMAN
(Speaks without looking up from her sewing. Clearly uninterested in the news.)
Who are the Elbisnospers?
Another Man
Elbisnopsers are the largest empire of our time that existed eighteen hundred years ago.
(Looks at the paper)
No, sixteen hundred years ago.
MAN
(Poses a question to ANOTHER man.)
Sixteen hundred?
(ANOTHER MAN nods in affirmation.)
MAN
(To Woman)
Sixteen hundred years ago!
(Continues working with the wires.)
WOMAN
Oh!
Another man
They are still the most civilized and cultured people of their time.
WOMAN
Oh!
(Still involved with her sewing and not interested in the news.)
Another man
Listen! "They were attacked by their eastern neighbors the Rabrabs. The invaders burned all their libraries, deleted the Elbisnopser’s historical memory, and established a barbarian culture that persists 'til today!”
(Pointing at the newspaper)
(MAN stops working and listens,standing with the screwdriver in his hand.)
WOMAN
How could barbarians have the technology to delete their memory? Don’t believe all that you read in newspapers!
MAN
(To WOMAN)
No, darling. People in the grocery store were also talking about it today.
WOMAN
(To MAN with surprise.)
They were?
MAN
(To WOMAN)
Yes! Just this morning.
WOMAN
(With surprise to MAN)
In our grocery store?
MAN
(To WOMAN)
Yes, in our grocery store.
(WOMAN and MAN get busy with their work again. ANOTHER MAN keeps reading the paper in silence.)
Another man
This is terrible!
MAN
(To ANOTHER MAN. Curious but not too excited.)
What?
WOMAN
(To ANOTHER MAN. Curious but not too excited.)
What?
Another Man
(Reading from the newspaper.)
“As a result of this destruction, they are now one of the most barbaric people! They are violating human rights and rights and animal rights and all other kinds of rights.”
MAN
(To ANOTHER MAN, worried)
Animal rights too?
WOMAN
Animal rights? Our animals?
(The WOMAN and the MAN disengage from their tasks and show signs of worry about the news.)
Another Man
They are violating any kind of right that you can imagine.
MAN
I can imagine...(pause)...emmm...artists’ rights!
Another Man
Violated!
Man Woman
Aah! Aah!
(MAN and WOMAN are now visibly disturbed by the news.)
WOMAN
I can also imagine...
(Pauses to think)
MAN
(To WOMAN)
What can you imagine, darling?
WOMAN
The right to...to look beautiful for example!
MAN
Aaw!
Another man
Violated!
Man Woman
Aah! Aah!
MAN
That is terrible news! It is...it is the rise of barbarism!
(Speaks with excitement.)
Another Man
It is terrible news!
WOMAN
No wonder people in grocery store were talking about it!
MAN
Yep!
WOMAN
Did you say they were people in our grocery store?
MAN
Yes, darling
WOMAN
Aah!
Another Man
Here, listen. This article says scientists are testing to see if their barbarism is contagious! “There is a real threat that their barbarism can spread!”
(He stands up and starts pacing in front of the sofa)
“Secretary of Agriculture said, ‘We should either help them with the disease or wipe them off the earth!’”
(Imitates a soldier’s march)
Military action!