Two traitors in a jail cell. You know it can't end well...
(The lights rise on stage. We see KARL lying on one of two cots in a jail cell. He glares at GEORGE who stands next to the other cot holding a newspaper.)
Open the play [+/-]
GEORGE: Did ya see the paper, Karl? I made th' front page! Not quite sure what to make o' this picture of me, though? Looks kind o’ weird. Like my head’s bigger `n my body `n I’m wearin’ curlers in my hair? Why would they put curlers in my hair, Karl? They insinuatin’ somethin’? Hell! That’s defacamation- `r defamicatin’ `r somethin’ `r other… Ain’t it, Karl? (GEORGE saunters around the cell.) Looky here? They got my whole speech to my country on page two. Wow. Who’d a thunk it? My speech. The only one I wrote and it gets published. I knew I could do it, knew I had the talent `n all, but they always told me I should let the writers do it for me. You even told me that, Karl. A lot... I guess I never thought about it. Ya know? Not `til I seen it in print. Gives me gooseybumpers, Karl. See it?
(KARL continues to glare. GEORGE now begins to recite his speech facing out toward the audience.)
GEORGE: Good evenin' my fellow Americans. I come here today at great risk to myself and to those few standin' next to me tonight in my bleakness of hour. You are the guardian of your own sovereignessity, your own freedom land. We can no longer be the mechanics that gives you peace. You must ascertainment its beauty on your own. You- you the people must march in the streets and demand it! Your voices must not ring hollow. They must be the catalytic converter of change. You must break the dominatrix of tyranny. You must not be afraid or even scared, for there is nothin' to fear but fear and scaredyness. Let the bombs be your jamboree as you step forward and open a can of whoopee on the insurgent Democrats, Independents, and Greens and the many disloyal Republicans. Terrorists. Appeasers. Rat bastards!
(KARL puts his pillow over his head in disgust.)
My fellow Americans, I know ya blame me for what's happened to my country, for the uncivil chaosness, but let’s not forget 9-11 happened on my watch, and let’s not forget the lessons of 9-11. Lessons is important. Right? Lessons is important for our children. We were- We are vulnerable to attack and we will attack again back! Oh! Make no doubt about it! (Beat.) I’m a straight shooter. A war president and I'm keepin’ ya safer whether ya think it or not. Ain't no nukular bomb gone off in a whole week! That's not bad. Hey... There are things worse than civil war. `Course there is! You betcha! Like for instance, it could be a national conflict! A battle that divides us and pits the Christian good guys against the liberal evil that has infilterated our schools and our women and children. Godless fags and lesbians and gynecologists practicin’ their devil’s love all across this country. God told me they was godless and He should know Himself from the godless, right? Heh heh heh. (KARL screams under his pillow.) The time for finger pointin' was over when Pat Robertson lost both his arms when he went hunting with the vice president. Yip. Finger pointin' is bad. There’s plenty blame to go `round without blamin' anyone.
(KARL throws the pillow to the floor and crosses toward GEORGE with his hands out to choke him, thinks, then turns around and again he moves toward GEORGE to choke him, then thinks again. This several times as GEORGE continues to speak.)
GEORGE: It’s been a year, people; three-hundred and sixty some days and sleepless nights of bombin'. You are the key. You alone are the locksmiths of your own terror. My troops can no longer stand up. Heh heh heh... Can no longer sustain the onslaughting of terror upon you. We’re standin' down so you might stand up. We can work together for democracy. See? For the love of God! Grab hold of your destiny! Pull yourself up by the bootstraps! If you screw this up you’ll slip into unimaginable civil war. Let us not do that. We ain’t had civil war since Davy Crockett fought The Battle of Gettysburg! And if history teaches us anything it is to not repeat what I just said. Ever! ...This is a great country! A great one! She used to stand for things like country… and honorable… and freedom `n stuff! The land of the free and the bravery, remember? Freedom `n stuff! Remember? So, America, I say stand up and be counted! Freedom’s waiting! Freedom’s patient and kind and great! ...God bless America... again!
(GEORGE bows to his imaginary audience.)
GEORGE: How was that, Karl? Ya like it?
KARL: Not bad for a man standing behind steel bars.
GEORGE: Ya think? Cuz I could’ve done it better. Want me to do it again, Karl.
KARL: No! No! For God’s sake! No!
GEORGE: Okay. Want me to do it for your sake?
KARL: Oh! Just shut the fuck up, George! Shut up! Blow it out your ass! We had the world at our fingertips, George! Right where we wanted them! If it wasn’t for your damned stupidity! Damn it! After the Democrats took control of the House and Senate did ya have to say, “Bring `em on”? Huh? Did you have to you stupid shit!
GEORGE: It sounded reasonable at the time. Heh heh heh
KARL: Reasonable? Reasonable? A complete Republican controlled government was the only reasonable thing standing between us and a noose you fucking jerkwad!
GEORGE: But the people, Karl. What about them? They still love me. Poll after poll shows a country divided, but a majority would still like to drink a beer with me. They like me, Karl! They like me!
KARL: That was last year! The latest poll of this year has you in the zeroes! Zero approval rating! Do you have any idea what you have to do to rate zero in a damn Zogby poll?
GEORGE: No.
KARL: Die, George! You have to be dead!
GEORGE: Well I’m not doing that just for a damn poll, Karl!
KARL: Did you happen to notice the crowd in the lobby of the West Wing when we did our frog march?
GEORGE: Hop. Frogs hop, Karl. I told ya that.
KARL: Did you notice the large crowd in the lobby!?
GEORGE: Supporters there to wish me luck. They love me, Karl.
KARL: No, George.
GEORGE: Then why was they there?
KARL: Let’s put it this way, they weren’t there to sing “Hail to the chief”.
GEORGE: Then why, Karl? Why?
KARL: For Christ’s sake! You’re dumber than a sock drawer full of dirt!
GEORGE: I ain’t dumber `n no sock drawer, Karl!
KARL: You’re right. Sorry, George. You are as dumb as a sock full of dirt.
GEORGE: Thank you.
KARL: Sure, George. Sure.
(GEORGE, exhausted, now sits facing the audience near the front of the cell where the door would be.)
GEORGE: Tell me how we’re gonna get out o' this mess, Karl? Tell me what we’re gonna do? Tell me how it’s gonna be.
(KARL stands looking at GEORGE with pity and disgust.)
KARL: Sure thing, George. Close your eyes now and imagine a beautiful world. A beautiful world with you as its king, George.
GEORGE: With a crown and stuff, Karl?
KARL: A crown and a queen and servants and a big ranch in Texas with a truck and a dog.
(KARL has taken his belt off and begins to approach GEORGE from behind.)
GEORGE: Go on, Karl? I like this story. How’s it gonna be? How’s it gonna be, Karl?
KARL: You’ll have servants and guards and cattle and horses and chickens and pigs and you’ll go to church in The Church of George of the Last Days of Saints and everyone will worship you and call you king and master.
GEORGE: Oh. I like this story, Karl. Go on! Go on! Won’t you be there?
KARL: Yes. I’m there and Laura and Daddy George and Barb and the kids and Condi and Rummy and Tony Blair and Frist and Hastert and Chertoff. Everybody, George. Oil will flow to your ranch and you set the price for the world, George. There will be no terror. Just peace on earth and King George.
(GEORGE begins to look back at KARL.)
KARL: No, George! Keep your eyes closed and dream of the great time and the beautiful world.
GEORGE: Okay, Karl. I like this story a lot! Heh heh heh... Go on, Karl! Go on! Let’s go to the ranch, Karl! Let’s go there now!
KARL: Okay, George. Okay. Right now.
(KARL brings the belt over the top of GEORGE’S head! Black out!)
The End
Of Mice and Men
Copyright © 2006 mrp / thepoetryman
(The lights rise on stage. We see KARL lying on one of two cots in a jail cell. He glares at GEORGE who stands next to the other cot holding a newspaper.)
Open the play [+/-]
GEORGE: Did ya see the paper, Karl? I made th' front page! Not quite sure what to make o' this picture of me, though? Looks kind o’ weird. Like my head’s bigger `n my body `n I’m wearin’ curlers in my hair? Why would they put curlers in my hair, Karl? They insinuatin’ somethin’? Hell! That’s defacamation- `r defamicatin’ `r somethin’ `r other… Ain’t it, Karl? (GEORGE saunters around the cell.) Looky here? They got my whole speech to my country on page two. Wow. Who’d a thunk it? My speech. The only one I wrote and it gets published. I knew I could do it, knew I had the talent `n all, but they always told me I should let the writers do it for me. You even told me that, Karl. A lot... I guess I never thought about it. Ya know? Not `til I seen it in print. Gives me gooseybumpers, Karl. See it?
(KARL continues to glare. GEORGE now begins to recite his speech facing out toward the audience.)
GEORGE: Good evenin' my fellow Americans. I come here today at great risk to myself and to those few standin' next to me tonight in my bleakness of hour. You are the guardian of your own sovereignessity, your own freedom land. We can no longer be the mechanics that gives you peace. You must ascertainment its beauty on your own. You- you the people must march in the streets and demand it! Your voices must not ring hollow. They must be the catalytic converter of change. You must break the dominatrix of tyranny. You must not be afraid or even scared, for there is nothin' to fear but fear and scaredyness. Let the bombs be your jamboree as you step forward and open a can of whoopee on the insurgent Democrats, Independents, and Greens and the many disloyal Republicans. Terrorists. Appeasers. Rat bastards!
(KARL puts his pillow over his head in disgust.)
My fellow Americans, I know ya blame me for what's happened to my country, for the uncivil chaosness, but let’s not forget 9-11 happened on my watch, and let’s not forget the lessons of 9-11. Lessons is important. Right? Lessons is important for our children. We were- We are vulnerable to attack and we will attack again back! Oh! Make no doubt about it! (Beat.) I’m a straight shooter. A war president and I'm keepin’ ya safer whether ya think it or not. Ain't no nukular bomb gone off in a whole week! That's not bad. Hey... There are things worse than civil war. `Course there is! You betcha! Like for instance, it could be a national conflict! A battle that divides us and pits the Christian good guys against the liberal evil that has infilterated our schools and our women and children. Godless fags and lesbians and gynecologists practicin’ their devil’s love all across this country. God told me they was godless and He should know Himself from the godless, right? Heh heh heh. (KARL screams under his pillow.) The time for finger pointin' was over when Pat Robertson lost both his arms when he went hunting with the vice president. Yip. Finger pointin' is bad. There’s plenty blame to go `round without blamin' anyone.
(KARL throws the pillow to the floor and crosses toward GEORGE with his hands out to choke him, thinks, then turns around and again he moves toward GEORGE to choke him, then thinks again. This several times as GEORGE continues to speak.)
GEORGE: It’s been a year, people; three-hundred and sixty some days and sleepless nights of bombin'. You are the key. You alone are the locksmiths of your own terror. My troops can no longer stand up. Heh heh heh... Can no longer sustain the onslaughting of terror upon you. We’re standin' down so you might stand up. We can work together for democracy. See? For the love of God! Grab hold of your destiny! Pull yourself up by the bootstraps! If you screw this up you’ll slip into unimaginable civil war. Let us not do that. We ain’t had civil war since Davy Crockett fought The Battle of Gettysburg! And if history teaches us anything it is to not repeat what I just said. Ever! ...This is a great country! A great one! She used to stand for things like country… and honorable… and freedom `n stuff! The land of the free and the bravery, remember? Freedom `n stuff! Remember? So, America, I say stand up and be counted! Freedom’s waiting! Freedom’s patient and kind and great! ...God bless America... again!
(GEORGE bows to his imaginary audience.)
GEORGE: How was that, Karl? Ya like it?
KARL: Not bad for a man standing behind steel bars.
GEORGE: Ya think? Cuz I could’ve done it better. Want me to do it again, Karl.
KARL: No! No! For God’s sake! No!
GEORGE: Okay. Want me to do it for your sake?
KARL: Oh! Just shut the fuck up, George! Shut up! Blow it out your ass! We had the world at our fingertips, George! Right where we wanted them! If it wasn’t for your damned stupidity! Damn it! After the Democrats took control of the House and Senate did ya have to say, “Bring `em on”? Huh? Did you have to you stupid shit!
GEORGE: It sounded reasonable at the time. Heh heh heh
KARL: Reasonable? Reasonable? A complete Republican controlled government was the only reasonable thing standing between us and a noose you fucking jerkwad!
GEORGE: But the people, Karl. What about them? They still love me. Poll after poll shows a country divided, but a majority would still like to drink a beer with me. They like me, Karl! They like me!
KARL: That was last year! The latest poll of this year has you in the zeroes! Zero approval rating! Do you have any idea what you have to do to rate zero in a damn Zogby poll?
GEORGE: No.
KARL: Die, George! You have to be dead!
GEORGE: Well I’m not doing that just for a damn poll, Karl!
KARL: Did you happen to notice the crowd in the lobby of the West Wing when we did our frog march?
GEORGE: Hop. Frogs hop, Karl. I told ya that.
KARL: Did you notice the large crowd in the lobby!?
GEORGE: Supporters there to wish me luck. They love me, Karl.
KARL: No, George.
GEORGE: Then why was they there?
KARL: Let’s put it this way, they weren’t there to sing “Hail to the chief”.
GEORGE: Then why, Karl? Why?
KARL: For Christ’s sake! You’re dumber than a sock drawer full of dirt!
GEORGE: I ain’t dumber `n no sock drawer, Karl!
KARL: You’re right. Sorry, George. You are as dumb as a sock full of dirt.
GEORGE: Thank you.
KARL: Sure, George. Sure.
(GEORGE, exhausted, now sits facing the audience near the front of the cell where the door would be.)
GEORGE: Tell me how we’re gonna get out o' this mess, Karl? Tell me what we’re gonna do? Tell me how it’s gonna be.
(KARL stands looking at GEORGE with pity and disgust.)
KARL: Sure thing, George. Close your eyes now and imagine a beautiful world. A beautiful world with you as its king, George.
GEORGE: With a crown and stuff, Karl?
KARL: A crown and a queen and servants and a big ranch in Texas with a truck and a dog.
(KARL has taken his belt off and begins to approach GEORGE from behind.)
GEORGE: Go on, Karl? I like this story. How’s it gonna be? How’s it gonna be, Karl?
KARL: You’ll have servants and guards and cattle and horses and chickens and pigs and you’ll go to church in The Church of George of the Last Days of Saints and everyone will worship you and call you king and master.
GEORGE: Oh. I like this story, Karl. Go on! Go on! Won’t you be there?
KARL: Yes. I’m there and Laura and Daddy George and Barb and the kids and Condi and Rummy and Tony Blair and Frist and Hastert and Chertoff. Everybody, George. Oil will flow to your ranch and you set the price for the world, George. There will be no terror. Just peace on earth and King George.
(GEORGE begins to look back at KARL.)
KARL: No, George! Keep your eyes closed and dream of the great time and the beautiful world.
GEORGE: Okay, Karl. I like this story a lot! Heh heh heh... Go on, Karl! Go on! Let’s go to the ranch, Karl! Let’s go there now!
KARL: Okay, George. Okay. Right now.
(KARL brings the belt over the top of GEORGE’S head! Black out!)
The End
Of Mice and Men
Copyright © 2006 mrp / thepoetryman
Comments
Post a Comment