MISSING MARISA Wher the lights come up, we divcover neo men, Terry and Bl ‘Torey sits at coffee counter on a high stool in Elis kitchen, He has a cap of fe. Hel abou 35. Hes flushed with drink, though bes nos. as alldruak Heb handomeand maybe a lite di le Hie clothes are nd casual and fe wears them wel ted, His hand chaecali EI seating lever and slightly more Down Front, at metal chair. He also ha: a cup of coe. Heia litle He worace« sornerlits nenpled bu end of dag Some di wight, some roilight, Both ofthese gs Gl aRRY! Ne. ur Tes good eo sce you, Tes “Tunas F's good to see you, Fi EU: How's the cole? anne: Black ut: How's Marisa? ARR: T sopped swhere she is No cake, sing her, She stopped seeing me. Shes gone. I don't know just bought some land, TiRex: Up in the Hudson River Vall. tt: The Mesopotamia of New York Stat Tena: Yes, 13 acres. fut; 13! The number of guests at che Last Supper! reRev: Well actualy is 12.86 acres. Fit: Good, That destroys the negative sign ringy: There's a sveam down the middle the propery: Hemlock recs 242 JOHN PATRICK SHANLEY ut: Hemlock! tas what the realty gay cold me, but den’ take it to hear. ke i internally, thet the point. ‘TERRY: I planted tulip bulbs T hough at a state i T 0 while wandering upstare, looking fora life thac makes sense to me. Ett: Are you alight? very: WHAT DOB! me for coffee, ha T MEAN?! (Sidence.) Tm grat meee me for coffee, have coffee with me, ss Tes fun for me, 26. TERRY: Any kind of contact is hard now, T mean any kind of contact is hard now. Do you think Tm wrong? rey: ut: No. ‘THRRY: The coffees enjoyable, Iés good. Its serviceable, being able to tell somebody it's good. And its almost gone. fel like the depth of your..Youte speaking from a diferent ead than I'm a. 1 betes wn you get this hend? coffee’ weak a de be str: Should we spesleof something abviows? Obviously, we in commen, vrerey: What tis Matiss sein: We wwe both loved her, now we've both lost her. Lost her irrevocably: Terry: [took her av cady had Marisa in common, xt nove we have her more deeply in commion, Por now, aot tt: Understendably, Tery, thats how you've aluays sen it. Bur you diet rake ‘Marisa away from me rearv: Then whet happened? tt: Did she leave you for sornchody else? TERRY: No. she with someone elie? eu Why? sey: Because she has the clap. (Pause) MISSING MARISA AND KISSING CHRISTINE 243“Tanna: Yes, Bur You dot rei Yes, I've got ie alight So she gor ic from you? ‘rena: No, she gave it co me, ut Youte sure? ren Yes Where'd she get it? aRRy: Well that’s where ic gets tricky. su: She wont say? “renne: Oh, shelll say bur what she says is, shessyt ids nor the clap. But there on the other hand is my doctor. And my doctor would beg to differ. My doc- clap. He saya me and her, wele applause. tor says it is most defi You haven’ gor the clap, have y Eu: No, na Tm hungry ut: Do you want me to gct you something? rane: Thatd be very kind of you. ut: What do you wan: "TERRY: IF] knew that | wouldn't be SO FUCKING HUNGRY! tt: Ma p off you for somebody? “Tana: Not so my knowledge Bu: And you didnt give her the clap? ‘TuRRY: She gave itt me! tt: Then where she ger is from? {URRY: She says she doesn’t have it. tt: But she docs. “veray: How the Fuck do you know? tut: Because you told me. “TeRay: She's gor i. tl: Then who gave it to her and how do you know she didnit go 10 that guy? ‘renay: Outta what, graticude? : tt: Outta just. you know, the inevible anew: Everything outta the inevitable, sts Alrighe, Passe.) a didnt ju hr, have your caveats. Then outta her hunger: 244 JouN Parnick SHANLEY ‘ena: My goa is tobe empty and say a prayer that something comes. Buc every 58 draws nigh, I get clawed open by this like Bengal ‘Tiger— foot of some stone Madonna. The desperate nian shuns the quiet, Fl, Suns she quiet like Dracula shusmed the sun. Life wat death to him Lift is death to me. Tha’ the hunger sha sucks my own blood and makes sie weak and weaker as I fed he left us both. Ive been offered a jah HRY: So what? Well thacé a big ates atona of TERRY eu: How TERA Are you goa ut: Don't you want co know what i ‘Tera: A job is what you rake it 1t: Danie yous want so know what 1 anake i eR: No, i: Jump back! Do yous have any interest in me? ‘reRy: Tdorit know. ft: Can you really see me? Do y nav: Alnighe, whaeé the job? rome. is even know I'm here? ELI: A teacher for musically gifed people who've been overlooked by the school systcin of Sauhera New England. y dependent on the performance of students who you would subse- eR Is that job open? ti: The recruitment person job? ‘rena: Yea. sui Ate you looking fora job? TERRY: Iam noticing oppartunites. I ajo}, I would know that you were 211: Do you have any experience TERR It would be guile help. H crnRv: The goodness of Judas rt Tim sure Me, Iscariot had his points ou got me a jb, f you winted to ger me Marisa leaving me. I mean, I've been (9 your apartment, Terry. You dosit have a piano. MISSING MARISA AND KISSING CHRISTINE 245“ToRRs I would know that you gave Marisa the clap. So I would know that you gave me the lap, Did you give me the dag? Eu No, ARs Have No. “rons Have you recently been cited of the clap? Eu: No, But you say Matsa says she doesnt have the clap? ay: Buc she gave i utr Youle sure youtve got “Tanna I've been diagnosed! I got the clap? eu tuse,) Not ree under reaement ut: For che clap? ‘Not recently. So youive had the clap? Eut: Uh-huh, (The phone ring.) rata: Aront you going to get that I Thave a service 1aRy: But youlte he: ut: Pins talking #0 you, ‘eRR I've been here when you've answered the phone. Your service isit pick: ing wp. Fu: They will. creng: Do you know who’ « Eu: Whats your point “remy: Could ice Marisa? EU: Why would it be her? cranny: Why would ie? Unles i it (Tory gar the phone. reRRy Hello? (Lisens,) Hang up. 1 Thave a proposition for you. cera: What? wy phone again and Il p ost direct thing you've ever said to me.I stole your wife and ich you righe in the mouth. that dieect ti: Nobody steals anybody's wile. era: [stole yours 246 JOHN PATRICK SHANLEY us She left me, She dich ore than ie was about you. ‘renay; Oh, it was about me, She ur: Wele just egomaniacs. She was hhor train's windows, Scenery, You think too much of yourself. [used to do ing. eam: And now? insignificance has found its voice. I's like Galileo testifying, saying very softly but ficmlys i's not you, chump, i the sun. We had ie wrong for 30 Tong. Tall the Pope. Ie the reRny: You tell che Pope! Whats this got to do with Marisa? There ate stars governing Marisa no debe, but they'e nor our ven leave me, It wasn't about me ing her life. We were like ‘wo t#8e8 ou the s 11 Not mel wn We can make oursel dlo or say isabout this person who isn't hers and doesn’t give ¢ dima about stars, Were on our us. or we can face up. [fs just you and me, buddy. And about the one thing youite right. In effet, IFT ever gave Marisa the clap and she turned around and gave ie ro you. And now she's gone and its just you and me, Then for et Marisa, She was just the telephone we ralked through. I gave you the clap ‘enix: You di No, no. Man! Iam just so Ficcing bored with you! You'e like forcing me to live ina shoebox and talk in the lint and dust about some tuane shoe Cracks in the ceiling, What do they remind you of Did you stat off this TERRY: Now wait 8 ut: Evetything boils down to something you call Marisa, Matise? What is Marisa? reRnY: Not Who is Marisa! tu: No! What iz Marsal Because you uie this name to reduce all experience between us co like the squeakings of mice! raxny: There fit much bewicen us anyway. {haves Eu: How could you, buddy? You never bothered ‘TERRY: I know you as wel as [want to. tut: That’ not saying much, I've always had this problem with enthusiasm and force. Did you krow that? Ive always had this problem, witen I iked some body, that Td geab their hand and run them down the street. But in cof having connected with someone, f tuo fist, nd they would falland [woulda stop fast enough. and this per son of whorn I had become enthused would get bloody. Would GET VERY BLOODY, And loo} fa shock, What had I done? And my ceac- Ke got any fcling, Noe wall. ak who Tam. 3d someone, I would always run AND KISSING CHRISTINE 2:tion was always this homocidal kind of embarrassment whete [just wane ‘ed to beat this person to desth. UNTO DEATH! And live thereafter alone in the woods and know no one, Forget my identity. 5 oI honestly wish. that I had never met another person. That 1 was raceles, nameless, that | had no rap sheet with anybody, chat I did noc have this blood on my hands! TERRY: What blood? Wait a minute! What... Have you done something ut; CHEESE AND RICE! WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?! TERRY? | guess not. Fut This has nothing to do with your precious Marisa! ‘Tenn: [just wanted t9 make sure. ut: Ifyou did't know me at all IT wasa stranger and I stepped up t0 you and slapped your face, and didn't answer you when you asked me why, we would be farther along then we are having known exch other slept with the same woman, etc. ‘ena; There's something sore infanile about tha fantasy ut: Sophomorie, maybe. Not infantile “TeRR But Its wore if hey’ “rerey: What But If accidentally injure someone who's fat, thats worse, ‘Tenn: Just extely how many people have you injured? at: T dont know, That’ like, How many women have you slept with? TERK No, its not. kur Sonnet 1s I wi Its unmodern Well then, how many? senny: Thats... zur: Do you know? ‘rane: Bxacly? ut Ye. nov No, ut: Youive never sit down and Agured ir out? TERRY: No. ‘Bi: Well then, why should I know how many people Five accidentally njured? I remember a few vivid scenes. Bloody knees, Bloody hands, bloody lips on astonished faces. A few sounds I'll never forger but... Knowing the exact number I've injured? That'd be kind of creepy. ‘Fenav; Actually, I do know the exact number of women I've slepe with. et: You do? TERRY: Yesh: 248 JOHN PATRICK SHANLEY it So did I, Spore, bur i's none of your business. Chat? Is theta lot or a lite? ext: Compared to what? Zeus? “tern: Compared t you, ut My mothe ld me Iwas going be at whe I grew up. ehh why ts Te Like savaging n and I remember looking into her knee thinking: Look at that self, I sliced this ft : ‘Am I gong t0 wear a bloody thick white coatofft like that? Like some kindof andy mat tres pid? Or for me willbe some ether kind of ex insanity? Wi that be aay unshuckable aepect of ws ce Matisa? Where all sent: Masials Bu Shes fet! TERRY: You sound like hen ot Maxi 1s how dissatistied I am wit ion you could ust ax discarisfled as you ste with me, ¢ you, I ber thars like a general equ between eve baa Unless of course throat ifyou had the sh do if you tusted m throat-cut.thing. Think of the ather nine alternatives. ‘ean: You think of them. tir O.K. The hand elasp. Contact. 1Fyo% ‘Tran. That's a ere one, 11 Oh, youte counting, Advice good, advice bad, ‘ea: A paluy these, 11 Count silently I might make you take yourself fess seriowsy. .. Only one in ton would be the sated me, ke me more seriously. I might educate you cbout a chi parry ‘enna: Who? 1: Never ind who! sean: You coulda’ tell me anything abou 111 Leouild accuse you of something. MISSING MARISA AND Kisst Ristine 249enn: What st: Forgive vou. TERRY: Forgive ne att: Thar mine alternatives to cutting your throat, Tet anv: Thats eight. su: Tha’ ‘Tenty: What enuld you forgive me. Biz su: The fact that, potentially you could block my reading light. But lets stop these oblique thrusts and patties sas That fine with me, ur [es exhausting ‘ov I wast doing it Te was'e me, Fry bl Terry, give or take. you erated me and blurt, ly step forwat ui Lets talk about Marisa if Marists what you want total about ‘venmv: Idont necd co tale about hex, ts Lets just tlk abour her sill there's nothing left of her. could talk about something else. he had great big eyes ‘nary: Yes, she did. She had great big eyes: They wore like hubcaps. And they were red. ‘Tenn: The hubcaps were ted tut She had great energy. TEAR: Yes, she did, Lots of energy. Hut And a certain ability to bust your ball. rear: Well, she was a bitch. 11x She hail a bitchy side, ‘TERRY: She was a ho tt got along with hee thou sreans: [never did Fit | have this ability to abandon my point of view which worked pretty well though. Sometimes. When the mood was on her. Like a voluptuous slinky. ave this bil sary, on occasion, with Macis sax: You know [take it back, [ake iall back, She wast a bite Tiss her rit Thath human, and by that I mesn, chaotie and ewvisted 0 absndon my bed, too, if necessary. And ie was neces 250 JOHN PATRICK SHANLEY ‘eaty: When [told her dha I bad the la, it wasa very emotional scene, Thee “rea: She denied that sheld given it to me, She accused mel Bu there wae no to stick, Ihad the bottom line fat of monegamous cet- sing hen way that was tain. She burst into tears. I found myself cr fen What man basa’ been that ido TERRY: Then the whole thing turned a comet. She finned open those thighs. 1 morikey secing aluminum fol for the rst time. From that point oon, ofcourse, she could thae is buts Did sher any: No, She sill said she didnt have ie ut: Well thats... ‘Then youe...obtusel terry: She had chis position, tas this position, wherever the hell she sy and she wworte give few tt: She thinks the € ‘Team: She should have road signs leading to her saying this ser dows net go throug x1 Wall, The chicken must be ren “Tear: The chicken? What chicken? tut I've been bakinga chicken, Lets take a look at ic. (Eli opens the even and tabs ent baked chicken) “rea: I smelled it, bt [though it was coming in the window. nai wasllike: that | gaveit to her. The cl his axis goes right up her dress and pops out the top of its my chicken, anys Les big. tt: Not that big. EAR: Ie a roaster. Big enough for three anyway. tt Tro. “TEAR: Buc I thought we were jast har fur We are, Thais for ‘any: Afer | go. ng.coffee | read this book, Bartletet Quotations, cieany: Dinner for wo. bur This gny Rartlere had an incredible mind, “TERI: Shes coming here, ink sher Eu; And hic ad a tremendous se length. Just 4 little something, pithy, and moves on. tivigy to attention span. Never goes on ataay MISSING MARISA AND KISSING CHRISTINE 251‘rears Thae was heron the phone. She heard me and hung up. It was her, wasnt eu: Now Terry, what i was? enn: Was ie? BU: Ist she my niki: Hasne the divorce gone through? ul: Wouldrit it be alight for her to call me? TERRY: No. ur And even if I wanted to malee her dinner, Wouldn't that be alright, given spouse? rane So the divorce has gone Eu And even if we sept together, and I had previously consoled myself with a thae she was once my gil of such loose habits that contracting the clap, or worse, was not out of ble? the question. Woul ‘vere: I can understand ir. ul: And human? And forgivable? Terry snuggles wit wena: Is that what you wan ul: Have we never been friends? renew: You were martied. Bul vreRRY! By.co Tim justan aging eternal boy. My quality, what was beau tiful and natural abour my quality the way: Between us. years have made grotesqus, That will always be Make a wi 1» Tey, ‘runay: Iwieh I was alone and likes Make another wish, THRAY: I wish J was with somebody and liked ie be: I see you're at home with contradiction ‘Tenxy: Berter than being home bt: Tha’s two wishes. Make it chtes. That's the formula, Whats the third wish’ ith my mother, TERRY: Serve me thing of me but shat, an I will prove my fiendship. ick, ate eaatt do chat rieav: I've been smelling unconsc it, Tm earving for chicken, There’ enough for thee. Ite a roaster Ics affected me without my knowing 52. JOHN PATRICK SHANLEY ct You'e not thinking of the repercussions. I carit serve someone a mutilated dont know. npany: Td like 10 believe it's Marisa. Fut Is noe “TERRY: Give me some Fucking chicken! ei Why did you never macry? ‘teeny: Why did you marr Ltt I wanted a home! ‘Terni Thave a home! rit wanted. ‘Tenn: I've had bastards. 11 I wanted lex sean: You wanted Maris. ux I did want Marist Ean’: Did you get love? ‘ot encnigh. A tation. A half rcion. Ww about getting by on very liste?! Tin the expert on ‘ow. If you pick a small piece of meat off the bids bot- tom—there’ lite packets of dark meat under there—if you do that, no one would ever know. Hr No, “TERRY: Pease Bk No. Hu Sone “rea: Please. Bu: No. ERI: Please, plea, please! ct: Alright, alright (Eli carefully spoons a small piece of reas fione under the bird) BRR: Be carefial to leave no trace! Lie a space. “The flea, though he cannot kill, does all th sera: What are you talking about? sus: Thats Reeder! PROV: “Nothing emboldens sin 69 much as mercy” Thet’s Shokespear. xt; No, thats Bartlet, toc. But everybody stole ftom him. Alright, blow on it Te’ hor. & MISSING MARISA AND KISSING CHREng? Or « Lmay replace you, lily «Tim an animal Just an 1 dangerous to you in the old origin ‘ery blown on it repeated rn geting dicey et The earths rotation will do that. Open and receive. TERRY: And when I eat this, and when I eat this, and when I eat this.. it because wea le, To hold off the inevitable a few more 11: Ob, woul you ea ie before the sun goes down on us! | day, Tremember when we were eels (ory ea © suse. remember when we thought we were equals What do you think? ‘renny: [remember when opt TERRI: [fs good. fut: T remember when I was optimistic about you. Bux then, then, yous were ut: You think so? truly young. “ren: reREy: What about me could possibly frighten you, old comrade? look of hope in your eyes. Your hope. terror did noc oucweigh utr That's what I was after. ‘EHR: It is good! Was this a chicken that had a good life ‘ora: Alvight, Lam filing ac fe ur Asa matter of face, chis was a chicken... Ob, he was she Richasd Corey of : fe! Dew chickens. Bur then he became despondent, went i the coop, There was ver fa . anil you are not. nu Tey, ‘ToRRY: Fi, in this brio momen: befose my guardians close ranks around me for il chey give ws gun con Ful: Everyone was shocked, Not that chicken, Nobody could believe i the remainder of my days, I forgive you. TERR Bun Why? Savage laughter from both) ‘TeREY: Forthe sake of friend ut: Oh, maybe he did! I'm glad we've got a sense of humor about it. At st read. And for the sake of the ghostly gossamer Marisa, who sof 14: Ob, I sce the humor i vation does that to a mas, I heied of you, and eased see the humor in the mittor : bus Tha Et: Youre like a skeleton! ws: Its che least can do. The chicken, the litle Lam allowed, was very, very ‘Tenny: Thats ie! Tim like a sutding around skeleton, rattling around, i good ng fnotto Fighten than atleast arnuse Bit Youre welcome Eu: Oh, you ftghten me, ‘Team: Tam weleore How y ruined youth: END OF PLAY ny squeeze-toy heart? TERRY: How much Ive stolen from you, beaten you, circumvented you. forced ‘you lato emotional perjury? tt: No, its none of thase things. my fiend, raRRy: De eu Th at that I'll take Marisa away from you again? no Marisa ney takes up a me! Wh: ness? Are you d rey’ fn ie sbour me frighten Am Lmissing my own great avfed by my grand good forsane that I canaot know? A I deaf to my own poetry, aftaid of my courage, numb to my ovin ine Fel 254 Joun Pa’ kK SHaNtEY