The Other Shore (26 page)

You say your eyes are not blind, but—. (
Thinking to himself.
) You understand perfectly but you can’t say it out, once you tell the truth, you’re through.

Tramp:

So you gonna walk or not?

Sleepwalker:

You say right away, but you’re trying to think of a place to go…You don’t know where you should go.

Tramp:

Just follow the street and go straight. If something hits your nose, make a turn!

(
Sleepwalker cautiously explores the road with his feet. Tramp retires into the cardboard box
.)

Sleepwalker:

(
Goes to the middle of the road.
) Everybody wants to control you, everybody wants to be God. (
Stops.
) You only wanted to take a leisurely stroll, without purpose and without destination; what fun is there if you’re told where to go? People are always telling you to do this, to do that and then when troubles comes it’syou who have to bear the brunt. It’s like the so-called “purpose.” If they let a rabbit go and tell you to chase after it, what are you going to do when the rabbit runs away? (
He turns his head but cannot find Tramp. He shouts.
) You have no purpose, no direction. Just walk on and live with it!

(
Sleepwalker turns in a circle, casually points to a direction and walks away.

The roar of an engine approaches then stops. Sleepwalker looks up, and sees a flyover hanging high at the back of the stage.
)

Sleepwalker:

Last train?

(
The engine starts again and moves away.
)

Sleepwalker:

Yes, it’s probably past midnight.

(
Ruffian enters. Sleepwalker stops. Ruffian walks to him, stops, and checks him out.

Sleepwalker hesitates. When he takes one step to the left, Ruffian follows with one step. When Sleepwalker goes to the right, Ruffian follows with another step to the right. The two eventually collide.
)

Sleepwalker:

Oh, sorry!

Ruffian:

Christ, don’t you know how to walk?

Sleepwalker:

You say you already said sorry. You didn’t do it on purpose.

Ruffian:

A bastard with eyes that can’t see.

Sleepwalker:

You say why are you cursing people for no reason?

Ruffian:

‘Cause you crashed into yours sincerely.

Sleepwalker:

You say you have eyes too, why did you crash right into you when the street was practically empty?

Ruffian:

You want trouble?

Sleepwalker:

You say you waited until the wee hours to come out for a walk just to avoid trouble. You never expected to crash into anyone.

Ruffian:

You were in my way!

Sleepwalker:

You say you heard the footsteps and you were going to step aside. But you suddenly stopped…

Ruffian:

You said it. You heard me coming, right? Why didn’t you listen more carefully when I stopped?

Sleepwalker:

You say you’ve come out to take a walk, not to listen to anybody, or for that matter, for anyone’s footsteps. You don’t have to listen to anybody! You ask him to go away, then each will go his separate way. All you want is just some peace and quiet.

Ruffian:

I’m really dying to know what it is that you really want! But I’m gonna smash your stinking dog face in first—. (
Raises his hand.
)

(
The tapping of high-heel shoes. Prostitute enters, wearing a super-mini skirt and holding an opened umbrella. Ruffian turns and walks away at once.
)

Prostitute:

Hi there!

Sleepwalker:

Good evening.

Prostitute:

(
Raises the umbrella and approaches him for a close inspection.
) How’s it going?

Sleepwalker:

Nothing much, just living, that’s all.

(
Prostitute circles him, lowers the umbrella and walks away. Ruffian comes up at once, walks by her side and whistles. Prostitute turns away.
)

Ruffian:

The weather, is it hot enough for you?

Prostitute:

(
Lowers the umbrella.
) You like it hot?

Ruffian:

The broad, she’s really something!

Prostitute:

Wanna buy me a drink?

Ruffian:

Sure, your place?

Prostitute:

The pub!

Ruffian:

Where? They’re all closed for the night.

Prostitute:

Some are still open.

Ruffian:

Don’t you have a pad close by?

Prostitute:

How about your place?

Ruffian:

Too far, broad.

Prostitute:

Doesn’t matter. It’s only a cab ride away.

Ruffian:

Why don’t we just pick a quiet corner, eh? Saves a lot of trouble. That guy, you with him?

Prostitute:

You want a threesome?

Ruffian:

Don’t make me sick, babe. Just you will do.

Prostitute:

Got any dough?

Ruffian:

Can’t do without. (
Takes out a cigarette and lights up to inspect her.
) Mm, not bad.

Prostitute:

As long as you like it. Alright, where?

Ruffian:

(
Lights the cigarette.
) Sweetie! (
Embraces her.
)

Prostitute:

How much are you willing to pay? How much, huh?

(
Ruffian stretches out his hand towards her.
)

Prostitute:

Don’t rush it—Hold on a sec!

Ruffian:

I’ll pay you.

Prostitute:

Well, pay first.

Ruffian:

A fresh one, still not quite used up.

Prostitute:

Don’t touch! Don’t you know the rules!

Ruffian:

You want me to teach you something first? (
Cups her chin with his hand.
)

Prostitute:

(
Pushes his hand away
.) What an asshole!

Ruffian:

Look at you. Don’t be so uptight. That’s no way to treat a customer. (
Forcibly raises her chin with his fingers.
) Yeah, that’s more like it. (
Takes the cigarette from his mouth and stuffs it into hers.
) Fun, isn’t it? You’ve gotta learn.

Prostitute:

(
Spits out the cigarette.
) Get lost!

(
Ruffian laughs. Prostitute turns to walk away.
)

Ruffian:

(
Follows her
.) Sweetie, where do you think you’re goin’?

Prostitute:

Get away from me, you’re sick—(
Forces him away.
)

Ruffian:

You slut! Don’t you like it when men do it to you?

Prostitute:

Bastard! (
Walks faster, exits.
)

Ruffian:

All right! (
Takes a glance at Sleepwalker and stamps his foot on the cigarette she threw away. Chases after her in big strides. Exits
.)

(
The tapping of Prostitute’s high heels moves further away. It becomes faster and faster, then suddenly stops. Silence
.)

Sleepwalker:

(
Screaming.
) Son of a bitch—!

Tramp:

(
Stretching his neck out from the other side of the cardboard box.
) What are you doing?

Sleepwalker:

You say you’re not doing anything.

Tramp:

(
Crawling out of the box.
) Then why are you making such a racket at this God-forsaken hour?

Sleepwalker:

You say over there—(
Silence.
)

Tramp:

That’s also a profession.

Sleepwalker:

You say maybe she’s being raped.

Tramp:

Well, if you’re in the business, it’s bound to happen, isn’t it?

Sleepwalker:

Don’t you have any compassion, just a little bit of compassion?

Tramp:

Oh yeah? You’re saying that you do, right? But what’s the use?

Sleepwalker:

You say you’re pissed off!

Tramp:

Why don’t you go and rescue her then?

Sleepwalker:

You say you know you can’t save her. Even if you gave up your life to save her once, you wouldn’t be able to save her the second time around.

Tramp:

That’s the whole point, isn’t it?

Sleepwalker:

You say that’s why you screamed!

Tramp:

If you want to scream, go home, close the door and scream your heart out. Don’t do it here and make a pest of yourself!

Sleepwalker:

You…How should you put it? You have no heart, no feeling! You say you’re telling you.

Tramp:

And you…how about you? You wanna save the world? You’re preaching to an old man like me?

Sleepwalker:

You say, you have nothing to say to you.

Tramp:

Don’t say it then.

Sleepwalker:

You say you go back to your sleep, and you’ll go back to your street.

(
Tramp crawls back into the cardboard box.
)

Sleepwalker:

(
After a while.
) You’re not going to say anything any more, not even a word. You’re not even going to make any sound. You’ll only immerse yourself in your own world, you won’t make friends with anybody! You can’t stand anybody, everything in this world stifles you! You’re still alive, you still act like a human being, but only because you’re still thinking, more or less. (
Stands up motionless like a statue.
)

(
Faint music is wafted along with the wind.
)

Sleepwalker:

(
Changes his posture.
) You’re all by yourself, you’re talking to yourself. What are you thinking about? It doesn’t matter. What’s important is that you’re still thinking, that you still have your own thoughts. Never mind if they seem totally worthless in other people’s eyes.

(
Changes into another posture.
) Other people are nothing to you. They’re their own business; you are you, and only you. You are a human being, or maybe a worm, a butterfly, or an ant. Why should you worry about what you look like in other people’s eyes? Happiness is only when you’re contemplating things by yourself.

(
Changes into yet another posture.
) You contemplate and you wander without any worries, between heaven and earth, in your own private world, and in this way you acquire supreme freedom—

(
He makes a turn towards the inside and comes to a black doorway opposite to the street, which is littered with piles of cardboard boxes. Suddenly an arm appears and takes a firm hold of his throat. Unable to move, he is dragged into the shadow of the doorway.
)

Thug:

(
In a low voice.
) Freeze! Make a sound and you’re history! Pose for me! Keep dancing like you were! Yeah, that’s it. You know what’s poking you in your back, right? (
Lets go his hand.
) Take one step forward and wait at that bright spot over there. Change your pose, marvellous. Where are you from? Who sent you? C’mon talk to me, I’m asking you a question!

Sleepwalker:

No…nobody. You say you’re…only taking a walk by yourself…

Thug:

Don’t get smart with me! You’re playing with your life!

Sleepwalker:

It’s true, you say no…nobody sent you. Really, nobody did. You just felt like it all of a sudden, it just came to you out of the blue, it wasn’t planned. You can’t help it if you don’t believe it. Do what you want, guns haven’t got eyes anyway. Whoever gets hit will certainly go down. You can’t do anything if it’s in your fate.

Thug:

What the hell were you doing, waiting here all night long? I’m tellin’ ya, I’ve had my eyes on you for more than an hour!

Sleepwalker:

You say you either lost your sense of direction, or you didn’t want to go in any particular direction, so you just decided to take a turn every now and then. You say you probably don’t understand it, not that you don’t want to understand, but you still might not understand even if you tried to explain it. If you put yourself in your shoes and imagine yourself in the same situation, of course it’s quite impossible, but if you did you’d still find it hard to understand why you kept on turning around and around on the same spot.

Thug:

Either you’re a moron or you’re an asshole!

Sleepwalker:

Maybe, maybe both. You say you don’t know which is which and why you’ve become so stupid.

Thug:

Enough. I haven’t got all day to chew the fat with you. You son of a bitch, you wanna play, right? You’re gonna play for a long long time!