BATTERY

PAR

A Play

CHARACTERS

JOONIE

a man, 27 years old

SARAH

a woman, 41 years old

The play takes place in a one-room apartment

in Upper East Side, New York City

A small kitchen separated by a counter, which also serves as a bar.

Piano by the window, long dining table and huge comfortable furniture,
which all appear too large for the size of the place.

-oOo-

Late evening.

JOONIE, badly beaten up, sits on one end of the dining table, pressing a
bloodied towel on his head. SARAH fills a bag with ice in the kitchen.

Two glasses of wine on the counter.

Sarah sits on the other end of the table. A pause. She slides the ice-bag
towards the middle of the table.

Silence.

SARAH

Id put ice on it.

JOONIE
:
Do you want me to lie down on this table and press
my head against it?

SARAH
:
the swelling.

No. You hold it up. Against your head. Itll help with

JOONIE

Am I? Swelling?

SARAH
your towel.

Do this. (Demonstrates) Like what youre doing with

JOONIE

Hindi naman ako tanga, siyempre.

Joonie reaches for the bag and presses it against his head.

SARAH

What did you say?

JOONIE
:
Sabi ko, wala naman akong gagawin sayo, kung
iaabot mo ng maayos sa akin.

SARAH

Hey, I dont speak the language.

JOONIE

Bahay mo to. Teritoryo mo.

SARAH
you.

I told you I dont know Tagalog. I cant understand

JOONIE

(Snickers) Praning.

SARAH
:
Look, if youll keep on doing that to me, Id prefer you
go home. I guess.

A pause.

JOONIE

I was only teasing.

SARAH
that is.

Only. You might want to remember how offensive

JOONIE

I wouldnt mind it.

SARAH

You wouldnt?

JOONIE
:
I might. If there were two of you, and youre
chattering in a language I dont know. Thats dangerous. And only for
that reason, Id mind.

SARAH

Only for that reason?

JOONIE

Yes.

SARAH

(Laughs a bit) I can give you money for a cab.

JOONIE

I have money.

(A pause)

Sorry, Sarah.

Sarah stands to open a bottle of wine.

Silence.

SARAH

Who told you my name is Sarah?

JOONIE

You told them?

SARAH

And why were you listening?

JOONIE

Because were across from each other?

SARAH

Right.

(A pause)

(She fills both glasses on the counter) You know

what, thats totally unlike me. Dont find it weird. Ive had a long day.
We both have.

JOONIE

I was rude.

SARAH

No, you werent.

JOONIE

And you should learn to speak our language.

SARAH
:
Yes, I should. (Sits) Cloud and I both took classes
before, but it was just so demanding. It took us a day one entire day
learning to introduce ourselves. Anong pangalan mo? Thats all we
learned, because we quit the very next day. Anong pangalan mo? You
know that, right?

JOONIE

Whats your name.

SARAH
:
Absolutely. Anong pangalan mo? Me llamo Sarah.
Y tu? Joonie? Bien bien. One entire day, going around the class saying
that.

JOONIE

Thats Spanish.

SARAH

Joonie?

JOONIE
:
No. Me llamo blank. Y tu. And Bien. Although, I
had a teacher named Bien.

SARAH

Youre kidding?

JOONIE

No.

SARAH
:
(Laughs) See? Im hopeless. Absolutely hopeless.
Clouds hopelesser. I mean, more hopeless. Imagine, two of his staff are
from Manila, and Im sure they chatter all day in Tagalog, knowing how
immigrants act, and he still doesnt get a thing. He went through his
French classes just fine. Level five. But Tagalog? Its really really
complicated, believe me.

JOONIE
language.

Maybe you should learn Bicolano, your mothers

SARAH

Whyd I want to learn that?

JOONIE
mother?

I dont know. Maybe so you can speak to your

SARAH

Shes dead.

JOONIE

Oh

SARAH
:
I know, I know. I was chattering about her too much
earlier, hard to get that shes long dead. I guess its what you end up
talking about, really, when youre with another Filipino. How you ended
up stateside. In real life, like yourself. Or eventually, after a longwinding sob story, when its somebody else who happened to take you.

(A pause)

You have to bear with me. Been here so long, I never

ever get the chance to that this too often. Really.

JOONIE

How young were you when your family migrated?

SARAH
four.

Not my family, just my mom. She said when I was

JOONIE

Thats too young to remember. Four.

SARAH
:
Not entirely. I remember taking a long train ride.
Like a really loooong one.

JOONIE

Thats fair.

A pause.

SARAH
:
Writing about that gave me a perfect grade in creative
writing class. In college.

JOONIE

I know a whole lot of people who do that.

SARAH

They liked it. Memories.

JOONIE

I dont. But I really dont mind.

(A pause)

I have a question.

SARAH

In English.

JOONIE
mine?

You poured two glasses of wine. Is the other one

SARAH

It can be.

JOONIE

What?

SARAH

It can be if you want it to be.

JOONIE

So is it or isnt it?

SARAH

(A pause) Of course, its yours.

Sarah stands to hand Joonie his glass of wine. Joonie stands to meet
her.

SARAH

Are you alright?

JOONIE

I guess so.

(A pause)

(Sips) Back home, you know when someones an ass

when he pretends to know wine.

SARAH

Here too.

JOONIE

Im a beer drinker myself.

SARAH

It shows.

JOONIE

How? Im not fat.

SARAH

You just look like one.

JOONIE

Is your husband a beer drinker?

SARAH
:
No. Hes all wine. And scotch. Or anything above two
hundred dollars.

JOONIE

This is two hundred dollars a bottle?

SARAH

Three-fifty.

JOONIE

Wow.

SARAH

Its European.

JOONIE

Thats a big category.

SARAH

I dont know wine.

JOONIE

Your husband?

SARAH

He does.

JOONIE

How would you know if he does if you dont?

(Sarah does not answer, sits on the couch)

Of course, Im joking.

SARAH

I realize that.

JOONIE
job.

(Looking around the house) Im sure he has a good

SARAH

He does.

JOONIE

Thats why youre fashionable.

SARAH
:
I really just am although, Ill tell you, youre the
very first one who ever said that of me.

JOONIE

What does he say about you?

SARAH

Who?

JOONIE

Cloud. Cloud is the name of your husband, right?

SARAH
:
I dont exactly remember. Anymore. I mean, I you
may not have realized, but Im not as young as you are.

JOONIE

My mother remembers every little detail of your life.

SARAH
:
Im not even talking about my memory. Im thinking
of the time its been, since we I actually cared about frivolities like
that.

JOONIE

I know a lot about time.

SARAH

Im sure you do.

JOONIE

I know that it couldnt have been that long.

SARAH
:
Youre assuming. Of course you dont realize that
youve been living in New York for nearly twenty years, getting there
after being married, and it was the middle of the 80s, and your both hip
and sassy with your large hair and larger shoulder pads.

JOONIE

Fair enough.

(Sits across Sarah)

As a matter of fact, its hard to really tell that.

SARAH

Let me tell you another matter of fact. I get that a lot.

(A pause)

Is your friend a beer drinker too?

JOONIE

I dont know.

SARAH

So you just live together?

JOONIE

I suppose.

SARAH

You suppose? And what does he suppose?

JOONIE

Youre always kidding. Youre funny.

SARAH

Yeah, a bundle of joy.

JOONIE

I generally just crash.

SARAH

Hes kind.

JOONIE
want to.

Not that. Its not charity. I dont need to crash. I just

SARAH

Howd you meet him?

JOONIE

In Central Station.

SARAH

He works there?

JOONIE

No. He was just in from Tulane.

SARAH

Hes a student?

JOONIE

Hes not. Looks like one, though.

SARAH

Howd you meet?

JOONIE
:
I was paying for a book. Dropped my wallet and
scattered some bills. He helped me.

SARAH
with him?

Then you gave up your apartment and went home

JOONIE

I didnt have an apartment.

SARAH

Oh (A pause) Does he know how to speak Tagalog?

JOONIE

No. Just like you.

SARAH

In what way?

JOONIE

In many ways.

SARAH

What made you trust him?

JOONIE

Hes good looking I guess.

SARAH

Handsome?

JOONIE
:
looking friends.

You could say that. Clean looking. I prefer clean

SARAH

Thats nice and romantic.

JOONIE

Nothing like that. Im not

SARAH

Youre not gay?

JOONIE

No, not at all. Im just

SARAH

Open minded?

JOONIE

No. Curious.

SARAH

Oh

(A pause) I didnt think so. Definitely didnt.

JOONIE

(Looks at the piano) He plays the piano. Really good.

SARAH

We should have him here. Nobody plays that.

JOONIE

Not even Cloud?

SARAH

No.

JOONIE

Cloud is the name of your husband, isnt it?

SARAH
that?

Yes. Again. You know how many times youve asked

JOONIE

Nice name.

SARAH

Hes a hard-working man.

JOONIE

What?

SARAH

Hes a hard-working man.

JOONIE

Sure. You do know how many times youve said that?

SARAH

(Laughs) Youre right.

A pause.

Sarah pours herself another glass of wine.

JOONIE

I can be sent home now, you know.

SARAH

No.

JOONIE
something.

Im holding you up. You should be reading a book or

SARAH

You have to meet him.

JOONIE

Am I in trouble?

SARAH

What?

JOONIE

Shit. In shit?

SARAH

Why should you be?

JOONIE

I dont have an idea.

SARAH

Youre not.

JOONIE

Fair enough.

A pause.

Joonie looks at photos on the wall. Sarah stares at him. Silence.

Sarah looks at the time.

You know what, Im sorry. I guess youre dying. (Goes

into the kitchen) I never asked, but did you have the chance to grab
lunch? I feel guilty, because I did. Of course, things got to my nerves.
My hands tremble. They do. Whenever Im excited. I wasnt, but Im
sure you get what Im trying to say. Me, little miss butter fingers. I ate
three donuts. Three. Thats all you can get. Its funny you know, how
they live up to their stereotype. Those uniformed pigs. Just in a manner
of speaking, though. Theyre not really pigs. Theyre quite alright. Not
like action-movie or NYPD Blue alright, but ok.
SARAH

What time did I tell you Cloud was going home?

JOONIE

You said six.

SARAH
:
Three hours isnt the end of the world, I guess, but its
enough for us to go ahead and eat.

(Rummages through the fridge) Now, I asked him to

get us all a formal dinner. Something cooked. By someone. Dont you
just hate those meals they deliver? They taste too good. Not that Im

paranoid or such, but when something tastes too good, youre a hundred
percent sure its chemically flavored. Thats what they do now. They
have powdered steak flavoring, powdered pizza flavoring, powdered
whatever.

(Drops food on the counter) Now, wed have to

contend with all of those, because I have nothing real left. Youd want
a little bit of pizza, because these are not Pizza Hut. I keep them.
Microwavable for three days. At most. This is Chinese. Nice
dumplings. Microwavable for four days. But thats pushing it. Dont
eat the rice. Lets wait for Cloud, and real food. Hes just in a party.
Maybe. Now these nice croissants are heaven. I get them in the
Broadway. Not joking. I go there for this. Theyre so good. You know
who told me about them? I have this friend, whos interning in UN.
Shes not a dike but women like her. I think Im mistaken. Shes not
interning in the UN, she actually works there. I mean, a real employee.
I call her foodie pussy. Because shes a foodie and people think she likes
pussies. So she takes me all around. Dirty little glutton secrets. And
this croissant stop is one. I buy there. You should try this.

(Stops) Now, young man, you pick.

JOONIE

Thanks. Im not hungry.

SARAH
:
You should be. Weve been in the police station all
afternoon. Besides, youre, um, rather in bad shape.

JOONIE

Im not.

SARAH

You are.

JOONIE

Sorry.

SARAH

You are. Please say you are.

JOONIE

Or what?

SARAH

Or I beg.

JOONIE

For me to eat?

SARAH

Yes.

JOONIE

For real?

SARAH

If necessary.

A pause.

JOONIE

Do you like begging?

SARAH

Depends.

JOONIE

Feed me.

SARAH

Come here.

A pause.

JOONIE
:
Be the saint you want to be. Come here, go on your
knees, and feed me.

SARAH

Thats not happening.

JOONIE

How do you beg?

SARAH

By telling you to come here.

JOONIE

And you expect me to?

SARAH

Yes.

Silence.

Joonie proudly goes to Sarah and opens his mouth.

She tears a piece of pizza, puts it in Joonies mouth.

He eats it and smiles. Opens his mouth again.
She bites off the pizza. Chews it a bit. Spits it and puts it in Joonies
mouth. Joonie eats. Opens his mouth yet again, defiantly.

A pause.

Sarah grabs Joonie by the chin. He initially resists, but stops.

She forces him to open his mouth. She tears a piece of croissant. Makes
him eat it. Pauses. Tears another piece. Puts it in. She tears half of the
croissant, shoves it in, and grabs his collar to push his mouth closed.

Joonie punches the wall but does not really struggle. She is amused.

A pause.

She lets him go.

He hurls whats left in his mouth on the dining table and catches his
breath. She sits by the piano and lights a cigarette.

Silence.

SARAH

Did you have fun?

JOONIE

Sure.

SARAH

Sorry?

JOONIE

You fucker.

SARAH

I think I hurt you.

I dont.

A pause.

JOONIE

SARAH

You dont what? I just figured we can have fun.

JOONIE

Hurt. Easily.

SARAH

While waiting for Cloud.

JOONIE

Who must like lots of fun.

SARAH

A whole ton of fun. Id like to beg your forgiveness.

(Joonie is still catching his breath. Sarah gives him

her glass of wine. He drinks. She watches him.

She gives him her cigarette. Sits across him. She

picks up some of the croissant he threw up. Eats it)

This is me begging for forgiveness.

JOONIE

Seriously, you dont need to do that.

SARAH

I like doing it.

JOONIE

I dont want you to.

SARAH

But I really do. I do.

JOONIE

Is it any good?

SARAH

In its own way.

JOONIE

Thats enough.

A pause.

SARAH
:
No. Even if you say so. (Stops) I bet youre poor in
Manila and you do this a lot. Cloud and I, we have these games. They
are so engaging. Its seldom that we meet somebody from home. I
mean, you know its not our real home but it matters, right? Wed like to
have fun. Not necessarily with them.

JOONIE

This is fun?

SARAH

I would like to think so.

(A pause. Joonie stubs his cigarette on the food left on

the table.)

I was going to eat that.

JOONIE

Go eat it.

SARAH

Im sentimental, not a pig.

JOONIE

Thats pretty much the same.

SARAH

Cloud must be here soon.

JOONIE

Hes taking his time.

SARAH

He must be getting in just about now.

A pause.

JOONIE

He works late.

SARAH

All of them at the embassy do.

JOONIE

I dont think so.

SARAH
:
Well, yes. Not all of them. Only the diplomats. They
need to socialize.

JOONIE

I imagine.

SARAH

I dont. Thank god.

JOONIE

I know.

SARAH
:
Battery Park.

The most social I get is when I smile at strangers in

JOONIE

Why do you like going there?

SARAH

I dont.

JOONIE

I see you there every day.

SARAH

I like to watch boats.

JOONIE

You were there all day in the winter.

SARAH

I guess I was.

JOONIE

There arent as many boats in the winter.

SARAH
see them?

Of course there are. Youre there. How could you not

JOONIE

I dont watch.

SARAH

You watch me.

JOONIE

Not the boats. Obviously. I just like seeing you

A pause.

SARAH

How hard is it too find me among all the tourists?

JOONIE

Although Ive said that again and again.

SARAH

The first time I saw you was in the middle of winter.

(A pause)

Where were you before that? Before you were

watching me?

JOONIE

In school.

SARAH

So youve finished school?

JOONIE

Yes.

SARAH
:
Thats cool. Ive heard in Manila not too many people
get to go to college.

JOONIE

I have a PhD.

SARAH

You told me you were 27?

JOONIE

I am.

SARAH

Thats young. I should call you Doctor.

JOONIE
:
You dont typically do that here. At home, yes, they
do. Theyll call me Doctor.

SARAH

How come you know they dont do that here?

JOONIE

Not really dont. Typically. Just typically, they dont.

SARAH

Alright. What did you study?

JOONIE

History.

SARAH

Thats a little bit boring.

JOONIE

Depends.

SARAH

On what?

JOONIE

Whether youre bright enough.

SARAH

Thank you.

JOONIE
:
Its true, though. If youre bright enough to realize
that youre part of history unfolding, you shouldnt be bored by history.
What do historians do? They interpret what makes up our past. You
know why thats complicated? Because were big red assholes, who shit
perpetually. Were all full of shit. Were blind to being full of shit. We
dont even realize that were all the same kind of shit. Historians in
time myself included map out how we have taken a crap over and
over again, so we can understand that someday, when utopia or the lord
comes choose according to your religion you will know how to
make a beautiful thing out of the shit that you are.

SARAH

Thats great. To hear.

(A pause)

Never really finished college myself so I dont know

much about graduate school.

Joonie stands, feels around his pocket. Stops.

JOONIE

Tell me.

SARAH

Tell you what?

JOONIE

Two things. First, do you have a cigarette.

SARAH

I have lots.

JOONIE

Reds.

SARAH

I have reds.

JOONIE

I want one.

SARAH

Do you still want to make a game out of it?

JOONIE

No. I really just want one.

Sarah gets a cigarette from the drawer, lights one for Joonie and for
herself.

SARAH

Youre boring.

JOONIE

Not all the time.

SARAH

Im kidding, of course.

JOONIE

The second thing I wanted to tell you is

SARAH

So you remember?

JOONIE

I remember what?

SARAH

That you had a second thing to tell me.

JOONIE

Yes, of course, I do.

SARAH

Youre good.

JOONIE
:
I am. What I wanted to tell you is this. Do I need to
apologize for following you around?

SARAH

Youre not telling me, youre asking me.

JOONIE
:
The thoughts the same. When you say it in Tagalog,
telling and asking is the same.

SARAH

Youre lying.

JOONIE

Im not.

SARAH

You obviously are.

JOONIE

Ok. So I am.

SARAH

Thats good. Honesty.

JOONIE

You wouldnt have a way of knowing anyway.

SARAH
:
Honesty. Thats good. And no, you dont have to
apologize. Thats stupid. Thats terribly stupid.

A pause.

JOONIE

Anyway, I didnt follow you around.

SARAH

I know.

JOONIE

I never left the park.

SARAH

Of course.

JOONIE

Did you ever wonder why?

SARAH

Yes, I wondered.

JOONIE

What did you imagine?

SARAH

That you had a job.

JOONIE

Yes, I had a job.

SARAH

What kind of job could you possibly have in a park?

JOONIE

I sold balloons.

SARAH

You cant sell balloons in the Battery.

JOONIE

But I did.

SARAH
them.

You werent selling them. You were only holding

(A pause)

You know what they made you look?

JOONIE

What?

SARAH

Happy.

JOONIE

Of course. Theyre balloons.

SARAH

Beautiful colors.

JOONIE

But I was really selling them.

SARAH

Nobody buys balloons in the winter.

JOONIE

I know.

SARAH

Its weird. They call too much attention.

JOONIE

Sales was bad.

SARAH

So you were really selling them?

JOONIE

YES!

SARAH

Dont be hysterical.

JOONIE

Im not.

SARAH

And Im just asking.

JOONIE

Youre not believing me.

SARAH
:
immigrants do.

I do. I just dont have a real idea of what you

JOONIE
:
We work. (A pause) Although technically, Im not
even an immigrant. Im just on an extended student visa.

SARAH

Whys that?

JOONIE
:
My department agreed that I read Baudrillard. At
least for a term. One class.

SARAH

Whats Baudrillard?

JOONIE

Hes a person. A philosopher.

SARAH

Thats cool.

Like Plato.

JOONIE

Yes and no. Baudrillards still alive.

SARAH

What does he say?

JOONIE
:
That were all shit, but we only imagine we are.
Because in reality were not even shit. Were an idea of shit.

SARAH
balloons?

So while studying our being an idea of shit, you sell

JOONIE

Among other things.

SARAH

You work legally or illegally?

JOONIE
concerned.

Im a historian. No legal or illegal, as far as Im

(Joonie goes to get wine)

Do you mind?

SARAH

That has got to be the stupidest thing youve said.

JOONIE

Most stupid.

SARAH

Right.

JOONIE
time.

(Looks at the clock) Your husband Clouds taking his

SARAH

He does so. All the time.

JOONIE

What does he look like?

SARAH

Hes alright. Just like anybody.

JOONIE

You dont have a single picture of him.

Silence.

A pause.

SARAH

He takes his pictures with him.

JOONIE

All the time?

SARAH

Yes He likes looking at himself.

JOONIE

Are we friends?

SARAH

How so?

JOONIE

In your context.

SARAH

I dont know.

JOONIE

Were not, I personally believe.

SARAH

I would conclude it like that.

Silence.

JOONIE
:
If we were, you wouldnt have called those Latinos
when I talked to you.

SARAH

I didnt call them.

JOONIE

You screamed.

SARAH

You scared me.

JOONIE

I was giving you a balloon.

SARAH

A red one.

JOONIE

Thats the color of love.

SARAH

How so?

JOONIE

Hearts.

SARAH

Also the color of blood.

JOONIE

How so?

SARAH

You must know.

JOONIE
:
You were watching me when I was walking towards
you. You were looking at me. Observing me? I dont know. You
could tell me now.

A pause.

SARAH

At least I didnt file charges.

JOONIE

Right. Theyd have thrown me back.

SARAH

For stealing my Prada.

(A pause)

Attempting to steal it, at least.

JOONIE

I know youre no monster.

SARAH

And you think you are?

JOONIE

I can be

SARAH

What will provoke you?

JOONIE

If I want to.

Sarah laughs. Silence.

SARAH

Lets think about your balloon.

JOONIE
:
I dont think so. We were talking about something
that has a bearing on both our lives. Do you not agree? Were talking
about the Battery. Why you are there all afternoon, and I keep on
watching you. I dont see you. I see an idea of you. You, in close
proximity. With your beautiful clothes. And your handbag. And your
looking at the scopes to watch the boats. And the sunset. And what I
think. Youve always seen me, Im sure. But with no value. I see you in
another way. I think youre shit, which I particularly enjoy seeing and
talking about.

SARAH

I dont watch boats, of course.

JOONIE

Thats what Battery Park is for.

SARAH
:
Not to my mother. She insist that we go there every
fucking day so we can meet tourists. There was one time just one
time that she met an old friend. She kept on saying of course she
might meet somebody she knows, from home, and its a good idea to
introduce me because its generally good for business. But of course she
wasnt thinking about business.

JOONIE

You said your mother is dead.

SARAH

(Laughs) She still is. Of course.

JOONIE

Of course.

Sarah forces a snicker, stands, takes off her shoes, walks around.

A pause.

SARAH

Dont mind.

JOONIE

Sure. Be comfortable.

SARAH
home?

How do you become comfortable, when youre at

JOONIE

Here, or at home?

SARAH

Here. With your friend.

JOONIE

I sing.

SARAH

You dont take off your shoes?

JOONIE

Sure.

SARAH

Oh, I remember you say he plays the piano.

JOONIE

Yes.

SARAH

What do you like singing?

JOONIE

Standards.

SARAH

Sinatra?

JOONIE

Him. But more the songs for girls.

SARAH

Girls?

JOONIE

Fitzgerald. Doris Day. Holiday Billie Holiday.

SARAH

Why?

JOONIE

Because theyre more tender.

SARAH

And you are tender?

JOONIE

I like tenderness.

SARAH

American women will like you.

JOONIE

Im not interested in American women.

SARAH
:
Have you ever been to bed with a woman, in all the
many boring months of graduate school, studying history?

JOONIE

No.

SARAH

Thats nice.

(Opens piano, plays a few notes) I must learn this

someday.

JOONIE

Why did you buy it?

SARAH

Because Cloud says it matches the wall.

Sarah plays some of the keys, slowly leading to a tune opening of

Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered. She stops playing.

Silence.

JOONIE

I will sing for you, when you learn to play that.

SARAH

What kind of songs?

JOONIE

A tender girlie songs.

SARAH

Whats the first one youll sing?

JOONIE

Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered.

SARAH

I dont know that.

JOONIE

Im expecting you wouldnt.

(A pause)

Frankly, you give me an erection.

(A long pause)

All the time.

Silence.

SARAH

Battery Parks a nice place.

JOONIE

It is.

SARAH

I enjoy taking a walk there, after work.

JOONIE

You get off early.

SARAH

I do.

JOONIE
tourists?

Do you even recognize whos Filipino among the

SARAH

Sometimes.

(A pause)

More importantly, its a shortcut from my building.

JOONIE

You walk very slowly.

SARAH

I like watching boats.

(She takes off her underwear)

Will you tie me up?

JOONIE

Why?

SARAH

Because I asked you.

JOONIE

With what?

SARAH
:
(opens the drawer beside her) There are ropes of
different colors. Pick the red ones.

Joonie gets a rope.

JOONIE

Where?

SARAH

Anywhere.

(Joonie gently gets her arms)

Just my legs.

Sarah opens her legs. Joonie ties up one, along the ankle.

JOONIE

Where?

SARAH

Anywhere.

He finds a place to tie the other end. He uses the doorknob.

He does the same for the other leg, ties the other end on the leg of the
piano.

JOONIE

You do this a lot?

SARAH

Hardly.

JOONIE

Whyd you want to do it now?

SARAH

Im quite tired.

JOONIE

I have to tell you, Im not used to this.

SARAH

Me too.

JOONIE

Do you want me to tie up myself too?

SARAH

No. Id like you to touch me.

JOONIE

Youre making me hard.

SARAH

We cant do anything about that. You dont mind?

JOONIE

For the time being.

Silence.

SARAH

Time being. Thats a good bargain.

(Joonie kneels in front of Sarah, slowly moves his

hand up her skirt.

She grabs the vase from the side table, and hits his
hand hard with it. He writhes in pain. Sarah laughs)

I was joking. Dont touch it.

(A pause)

Id like you to do something with it though.

(A pause)

Think. Of something.

(A pause)

Lick it. Me. Lick me.

(she raises her skirt)

Lick my pussy, my little historian pet.

Silence.
Joonie thinks. He crawls slowly to lick Sarahs privates.

She moans, and the lights dim for the end of the play.

-oOo-