Mr. Burns and Other Plays. Anne Washburn

B: Because what it is you’ve got this sheath of muscle right? Right on the bone.

      PERSON C (Lightly sarcastic): Cool. Thank you Dr. _______.

      PT: Me and some of the guys would go down to the quarry in the morning, just at sunrise, the sky’s just turning pink, and the water down below you is black; we stripped down, our nuts were all shriveled up

      PERSON B: Dr. _______. That’s right. Dr. _______ to you. Thank you Dr. . . . . . . Dr. Bedhead.

      EMILY: They said “shoe your feet, your bare torn feet, here are sandals put them on” but I said no

      PT: It’s freezing cold. You dive in a coward, and you break out of the water raging.

      EMILY: They said here, “your throat is dry, here is water, drink, drink the water, quench your—”

      RUTHIE: But I said no,

      PERSON A (On cell phone): Oh, okay

      PERSON D (Simultaneous): It takes a certain person / certain people

      PERSON A (On cell phone): Where are you?

      RUTHIE: I must be shoeless, thirsty, heedless—

      PERSON E: The Lord hath opened His armory and brought forth the weapons of His indignation.

      THE NON-PROPHET (Sharp. Urgent): Make bright the arrows; gather the shields.

      PERSON F (Also urgent, but in a different way): Mom? I can hold my breath for twenty-eight seconds. That’s my highest maximum.

      PERSON G (Compelled): One post shall run to meet another, and one messenger to meet another.

       Revealed:

       The Whore of Babylon. She takes up her song in earnest. The Scarlet Beast is near.

       And, The Non-Prophet is doing a flamenco dance.

      THE WHORE OF BABYLON (Sings):

       Thy soul ached for me and

       you cried out for me

       I did not answer thee

       but laughed from the dark hillside

       there are lions in the forests

       and wolves in the evenings

       You were in longing for me

       and I did not repent thee

       You were an astonishment

       a desolation

       I ran in the wilderness

       I was an exhilaration

       a leopard has found the city gate

       and pushed it open with her maw

      CHAPTER 15

       Still raining, but slowed to a soft patter. The middle of the night.

       Ruthie crosses the dark living room for a drink of water.

       Jeremiah stirs, and half raises himself.

      RUTHIE: You’re awake.

      JEREMIAH: I am. I remember where I am.

      RUTHIE: Do you want . . . water? I was just getting water. Or something to eat?

      JEREMIAH: I want water.

       She goes offstage, gets a glass of water, brings it to him. He drinks it in one go.

      RUTHIE: You were thirsty. Do you want more?

      JEREMIAH: Please. And I think I need food also.

       She goes. Returns with the glass of water refilled, and a hunk of bread on a plate.

       Thank you.

       He drinks half the glass of water. Sits up and holds the plate of bread on his lap. Picks up the bread.

       This is a—

       This is a miracle. If I walk into a field. If I walk. This is a. If I walk into a field of wheat I can’t eat it. I can’t eat the wheat. This. This.

       (To Ruthie) I’m sorry, I’m trying to. I’m trying to, uh

       I can’t.

      RUTHIE: You know, if you’re not hungry . . .

      JEREMIAH: No, I’m hungry. I’m very hungry.

       I’ll just. I’ll just eat it.

       He eats it.

      RUTHIE: Do you want more?

      JEREMIAH: No, thank you. You’re kind.

      RUTHIE: Not especially.

      JEREMIAH: No? Maybe not. You’re kind to me.

      RUTHIE: I don’t know you.

      JEREMIAH: You’re his wife aren’t you.

      RUTHIE: I’m. Yes. I am his wife.

      JEREMIAH: Of course. I didn’t, I couldn’t have one. It wasn’t—I couldn’t.

      RUTHIE: You couldn’t—

      JEREMIAH: I couldn’t have a wife. So I don’t know anything about all of that.

      RUTHIE: Why couldn’t you have a wife?

      JEREMIAH: Because it was forbidden unto me. I didn’t mind. I didn’t think I minded. Now I think—

       Wife.

       He can hold your hand? Just like this?

       He picks up her hand, he holds it, he spreads her fingers apart, he intertwines them with his own.

      RUTHIE: Yes.

      JEREMIAH: He can touch you, like this.

       He touches her neck, the side of her face . . .

      RUTHIE: Yes. When I’m not angry at him.

       Her mouth . . .

      JEREMIAH: Are you angry at me?

      RUTHIE: No, but I’m not your wife.

      JEREMIAH: Aren’t you? When I’m touching you like this.

       She steps up. She steps back.

      HANANIAH: Ruthie?

       Hananiah steps into the room.

      RUTHIE: He’s awake.

      HANANIAH: I thought you were gone.

      RUTHIE: I’m still here.

      HANANIAH: I heard his voice. I thought she’s left me, and I’m alone in the dark with a man who thinks he’s talking to God. Come back to bed

      CHAPTER 16

      BARUCH:

       A day like this is splendor and confusion:

       wind and brilliance and no season: gusts

       of red leaf and gold, torrents of

       blossom, the air thick with birds. Cries.

       It’s daylight, morning. Hananiah stands as before.

       Jeremiah stands in the center of the room, an explosives vest over his jeans and T-shirt; his robes are slung over his back.

       The Non-Prophet is slowly threading nails in among the explosives with wires. A bag of bright nails at his feet spills out onto the floor.

       Emily stands and PT slumps on the couch.

       A little cacophony of surreal birdsong dies out. The scene is saturated with light.

       They are exhausted.

      THE NON-PROPHET: Someone open the window. It’s a gorgeous