The Other Shore (22 page)

You’re a silly girl.

Girl:

A silly woman.

Man:

And a silly child.

Girl:

Do you deserve to have a child?

(
Man is silent. He just holds her head and looks at it closely.
)

Girl:

You must be thinking of something. Don’t look at me like that! (
Pushes him away.
)

Man:

What’s wrong with that?

Girl:

You know exactly what’s wrong.

Man:

(
Letting her go
.) I don’t understand you, I just don’t understand what goes on in your mind.

Girl:

Is that important?

Man:

(
Somewhat troubled.
) I can’t decide whether or not I should love you.

Girl:

It’s the same here.

Man:

You mean you love me?

Girl:

Don’t take it too seriously. (
Sincerely.
) At least, I like you.

Man:

You’ve set my mind at ease. I like you too, really.

Girl:

Since when?

Man:

In the pub, when I caught sight of you right away. Remember that corner with the light hanging on the wall? You were sitting there, your face towards the entrance.

Girl:

(
Smiling.
) And you came over to me just like that, without even asking, right?

Man:

The light was shining on your neck…in the shadow, I couldn’t quite see your eyes.

Girl:

It’s not nice to look at other people’s eyes.

Man:

Tell me, what should I look at then?

Girl:

Anyway, you shouldn’t look without asking, it’s very rude.

Man:

I was only looking at a shadow, that soft shadow in between your breasts. And then the old black guy on the stage was singing some jazz song, it was so melancholy. When I sat down in the chair opposite you, you didn’t say anything, did you?

Girl:

For a girl you didn’t know, you really shouldn’t have looked at her that way.

Man:

But you didn’t exactly refuse me at the time. You didn’t have a date, you were only waiting, waiting for that someone, until he sat down opposite you, weren’t you?

Girl:

Remember, you just said something very pleasing to the ear.

Man:

Good, then I’ll keep my mouth shut.

Girl:

You know,…today is my birthday.

Man:

Why didn’t you tell me earlier? Let’s celebrate!

Girl:

We did already. (
Silence. Then softly.
) Just now.

Man:

That was your birthday celebration?

Girl:

Yes, my twenty sixth birthday. I was born at midnight, what time is it?

Man:

I know now, you just wanted to prove that you’re still young, still attractive to men.

Girl:

There’s no need to prove anything. All women at my age are still attractive. I just wanted…

Man:

What?

Girl:

To wait for a miracle.

(
Girl does not say anything. Man walks away.
)

Man:

I didn’t know. At first I thought…

Girl:

I’m exactly what you thought I was, don’t you see? (
Pulls up her dress
.)

Man:

(
Begging
.) Fine, fine. Stop flirting, please…

Girl:

Who’s flirting? Tell me, how much were you prepared to pay me?

Man:

Really, you devil you!

Girl:

No, not a devil, but a cock-teasing goddess! Your idol, your whore. (
Opens her arms to him.
)

Man:

Don’t abuse yourself.

Girl:

You did already. Stop acting like you’re a gentleman.

Man:

All right then. You want a cheque or something? A ring? Or a necklace?

Girl:

Things that’ve been thrown away by other women, right?

Man:

Then how much? Give it to me straight, don’t give me the run-around!

Girl:

I want you to make up for my birthday, I want you to spend the night with me before I turn into a totally incurable slut. You think I’m still sexy, don’t you?

Man:

Wait, wait, calm down. Listen, you’re still young, you can start all over again, there’s no need to destroy yourself like that.

Girl:

(
Laughs loudly.
) You’re more honest when you’re not preaching. Hypocrite, an out-and-out hypocrite!

Man

What is it that you really want? Tell me!

Girl:

(
Looking at the knife on the floor.
) I want your head.

Man:

That’d be kind of hard. Have you had too much to drink? Are you on drugs or something?

Girl:

This isn’t India.

Man:

Will you stop making up stories? You just can’t quit playing your game, can you?

Girl:

Isn’t making love like playing a game? Either you’re playing with me or I’m playing with you. What are you going to say to that?

Man:

I really should have killed you!

Girl:

I know. You’re only wishing, you wouldn’t dare. I’ve already seen through you ever since I first caught sight of you. You know, the look in your eyes actually gave you away. I’m telling you, you’re a piece of crap.

Man:

(
Becoming very angry
.) Why did you come here then? You stinking whore!

Girl:

(
Calmly.
) I just wanted to prove something.

Man:

That you also put yourself up for sale?

Girl:

All women do, there’s no need to prove that.

Man:

(
Puzzled
.) Then what were you trying to prove?

Girl:

(
Pauses. Laughs
.)…Do you want to play one last game with me?

Man:

What more is there to play?

Girl:

Play with death, a game of death.

Man:

That’s not a bad idea. How do we play?

Girl:

Let’s borrow your head for the time being.

Man:

Do you really want my head?

Girl:

(
Giggles
.) I said borrow.

Man:

(
Thinks for a moment. Goes over to her and lowers his head.
) All right, take it.

(
Girl circles to Man’s back. Suddenly she seizes the knife and raises it up high. Immediately the lights on the stage darken. Two loud and clear drum beats. Man falls down
.

Monk enters, bareback and with a piece of red cloth tied around his waist. He is holding an axe in one hand and a wooden stick in the other, his head lowered
.

Girl picks up the black overcoat and quietly covers Man’s body with it. Monk bends down to look for a spot. He finally finds it at the other corner of the stage. He supports the wooden stick with one hand and softly bangs on it with the axe
.

Man walks to the back of Girl. He is wrapped in the black overcoat with its collar pulled up. His face is cold and grey
.)

Girl:

(
Without turning her head
.) You…you’re not dead yet?

Man:

(
In a low voice
.) An eye for an eye? It’s only fair. (
Raises the knife.
)

(
Monk succeeds in making the wooden stick stand up. He raises the axe with both hands and hammers it down. The stick is nailed onto the floor. Monk is stupefied
.

In the dark, both Man and Girl fall down quietly at the same time
.

Monk picks up an egg from the floor and exits
.)

Second Half

(
The stage has been cleaned and tidied up. It is empty except for two heads under the beaming light, one male and the other female.

Man and Girl are lying down and resting in the dark. Sound of a tinkling bell.
)

Girl:

The place is so quiet…as if it would break once you touched it…

Man:

What?

Girl:

Listen, how can it be so quiet, like there’s absolutely nothing here, nothing has happened…

Man:

What’s happening?

Girl:

Hush! Don’t say a word—

(
Girl gets to her feet and listens. The ringing disappears.
)

Girl:

Someone’s coming!

Man:

No one would come at this hour.

Girl:

Listen! Listen carefully—

Man:

(
Lifts his head.
) You’re too sensitive. (
Lies down again
.)

(
Crystal clear sound of bell ringing as if it’s unreal
.)

Girl:

Someone’s at the door!

Man:

It’s impossible.

Girl:

There’s a knock on the door, I heard it. Someone’s right there at the door.

Man:

Yeah, you heard it, so? Nobody can possibly come in here.

Girl:

Didn’t you give someone the key?

Man:

That was a long time ago…

Girl:

How long ago?

Man:

I can’t remember. It must have been years ago.

Girl:

Why didn’t you ask for the key back?

Man:

I didn’t bother. Anyway, it was ancient history, why mention it now?

Girl:

But if that someone suddenly remembered?

Man:

Who are you talking about? Who remembered?

Girl:

The one you gave the key to.

Man:

Remembered what?

Girl:

Remembered you. That person can come here any time, right?

Man:

Apart from you, is there anyone else who’d be thinking of me right now?

Girl:

You’re so screwy.

Man:

(
Sits up and looks at her
.) Don’t worry, no one’s going to come any more. There’s only you and me. Besides, we’re dead already. Who’d think of visiting the dead? Don’t be daft.

Girl:

Listen, listen, it’s right above us. (
Looks up
.)

Man:

(
Listening.
) I don’t hear anything. Besides, the place is so big, even if there were dead bodies rotting in here our neighbours wouldn’t know anything about it, and they won’t come knocking at the door unless the corridor smells.

Girl:

But we’re both dead already, aren’t we?

(
Man and Girl lower their heads, silently gathering their thoughts
.)

Man:

It looks like it. (
Looking at the two heads.
) Only you and me, nobody else knows. Besides, you can’t tell, I can’t tell, and it’s impossible, absolutely impossible for anybody to tell the outside world!

Girl:

Are we going to be locked up here for ever?

Man:

It wouldn’t be too bad if this were a desert island, isolated from the rest of the world and without any sign of human habitation. But there’s no blue sky to look at, and no beautiful sea to behold. If only we could hear the sound of surging waves from the sea…

Girl:

And you can’t tell if it’s day or night.

Man:

There’s no sound, there’s no movement, we’re left in oblivion and stuck in a forgotten corner, no, an enclosed black box. It’s not a coffin, it’s not anything. We don’t even know the time, is there time any more? Ah, time is no more than a notion, if you think there’s time, then there’s time. And death, it isn’t such a horrible thing, is it?

Girl:

What’s so scary is that you can’t die quickly, this fear…

Man:

Nonsense! What’s there to be scared of any more? You and I are already dead.

Girl:

I don’t know, am I…?

Man:

Are you what? Now you want to change your mind?

Girl:

I don’t know, I don’t know anything, is death better than living? I really can’t say, everything is so confusing, so elusive…Please, please don’t ask me any more questions.

Man:

(
Delightedly, like a child.
) You and I can’t go back any more! Whether you like it or not, ha ha, we are stuck together for ever like a man and his shadow. You and I, we’re each other’s shadow.

Girl:

Why are you still gloating now that you’ve turned into a shadow, a slave at the feet of a woman? I don’t get you.

Man:

It doesn’t matter, you and I are in the same boat, nobody can leave anybody. It makes no difference if you’re my shadow or if I’m your shadow.