‘orpse, (pause, stops runsmaging) Hey Jerry. + you should take it easy do you mean? that maybe, you're getting a little rolved. ig down to these cemeteries, and talking to las, and finding out what's happening at and level ...Sure, go down there. Get all sweaty and. hit chat abit, wayang? a bit, But after we them there. Come back here, write port, formulate your policy. At the end lay, they're just part of your job scope, chave as though, gh what? gh he’s pare of your family. He's not. t nothing to do with you, He's just some dy whose family can't even be bothered ‘him. I'm telling you, Jerty...its not developing a relationship with an ified corpse enters, annoyed. ou are! he hell have you been? I've got Minister hone chasing me about this bloody PQ Ml pstend since eight this morning, and you have the nerve to saunter in now! yexewian I'm sorry, ma’am, bitecron Get in my office now. : setemian Um...no, binzcron What? sexta I...’ sorry, but I really need to attend to something urgent now, pinecrox What could be more urgent than Minister? © sewmiant Tes that case you asked me to follow up on, the misidentified grave. I think I've finally located his family. pmuctor What are you talking about? senemiant The corpse! I think I can help him. * Why would I wane you to help a corpse for? How on earth does helping corpses fall within your job scope as deputy director? yexewan I'm serving the public. The people. rm trying to help someone. » Pixrcton I don't believe this. Parliament convenes in less than a week, Minister is asking for an urgent update, and here you are talking about... People? We have priorities, Jeremiah! Jenemian Well...s0 do I, Director. Fa pmscron I don like this attitude, Jery. im going to bring this up with management, Jeera And just what exactly is wrong with my attitude? T mean, just because I care about what happens £0 somebody other than myself, even ifit’s just rotten old corpse...Why does that make mescrewed up? Now if you'll please have a site visit to make, to leave. As he does, Colleague cals e ut the letter. He smiles, » leave. e PQ? ———— SCENE 12. BOON BREAKS THE BAD NEWs TO MOTHER Boon comes in with a leer, noon Thm sorry, Ma. We've got to leave, MorHER Why? noon They've got the majority, That's all they need, Nomen But I never sign, Leave for what? How ean they chase me out? BOON It’s legal, MoTutx Rubbish. I don't take their money lah, toon’ Ma, you don’t have a choice. Morten Where got don't have choice, 'l tear up their cheque. toon Then you'll really have nothing left Momus’ That's what you want, right? Novy you can have Your new house, new life, new everything. Hoon’ TS not that straightforward, okay? I miean, leven beat up 03-01 because of you. But I tell you, the developers are going to come in here and theyre going to tear everything down, Movuen They want to tear down, can tear down around ‘me. Want to build, can build around me oon Don't be ridiculous, Ma, [ne thet come with their tanksi Tin aot afaidt toon’ They don't have tanks, Ma, They got bulldosers Nomen Even better. You think I'm scared, isi? Boon You can’t fight bulldozers, Momien Why not?Nobody can fight bulldozers. atch, ly..-too much, [can’t talk to you. leave you going? You're going to ran away . ur father like that, Little bit problem ray. allshit. [am not like that bastard at all 1 here. With you...all these years... i piece of shit who left us alone and ming back 1 Juan gong’ luan luan gong"? Remember the night e night he chained me to the tree, ou...what kind of man would chain old boy to a tree overnight? 't have cared if I died. rue, ‘strue! How can you defend a monster that, okay? fou going to open your eyes, Ma? he believed that we would live r after without him? You think he ¢ those loan sharks would come : abandoned both of us to die, Ma! n’t even bother to come back, ume back! Because I told him not to! You what? told him not to come back. He wouldn't let me take you down from the tree. No matter how hard I begged or screamed or cried. Until I was so fed up, [told him I would rather die before Het him touch you again. So I told him to go. Get out of my house. And he did Boon doesn’t reply, as he struggles to digest this information. Boon, Afier a long pause, Boon finally speaks ‘Then why... mean, why on earth...why do you think he'll ever come back? Because I'm still here. Boon looks at her for a moment as if to say something Then he wrenches the door open violently. A caching sound from the ceiling, Chalk faling from the ceiling, and then, an entte dnp of plaster. Boon glares at Mother, who stares defiantly back at him. What? Boon storms out. eM13 R's DREAM fs atthe plaster. Alone, she recounts her dream. cam the other night. I wasiin the kitchen, s onions with my eyes closed, I heard y push the grille open, very loud. and like Ah Boy, he always slide open ne, So I listened, and I thought I heard across the floor. Then I heard the cough. liar rumbling. Like he got a lot of ks in his throat like that. And I knew. was him, Even though my eyes were rew he was leaning against the kitchen s shoulders hunched like that, hands ito the pocket, like some naughty boy something wrong. Like he knew I was scold him, Of course I tried to ignore 1 only cut my finger open with the iy lip so I wouldn't cry out, but then lod on my tongue. Shit. Why are you we asked. And I said, I'm not crying, sions, can’t you see? It’s because of ons, and the knife, and the blood. 1 see that, you idiot, you stupid fool, hiless bastard, you rubbish piece of dog, i lang cau! He didn'e say anything fora it knew he was biting his thumb, ae always did when he didn’t want to ‘ing, But I waited. All | wanted was to i you eh flow hear him say my name. Just once, To hear my name in that voice of his, all choked up with ‘mud and rocks. So at last I asked him. [asked him, how did you know I would be here? Where else would you be? he said. Where else would I be?B14 LATIONS. h knocks on the door noisily, out) Who is it? ry, are you (reads from his file)... Madam Ong foi? \untie, My name is Jeremiah Chong. m the Ministry. A civil servant. whose servant? vant...you know...like from the nent, >vernment,..what you want, Mr. vernment, all me Jerry. Actually, you wrote to my tent two weeks ago. in time. They want to take my house, ver sign anything. Where got people one? wally. .because this estate is strata titled hat? er and continues) So as long as they get an -nt majority. 2 you talking about? ou can try appealing to the Strata Board, "s not much point. “cannot, That also cannot. Then you we for what? it’s about your tree Jereenan seesian JEREMIAH JERESAAH JeReMian semeserany JEREMIAH sever JEREMIAH Tree? In your garden, It isa fig tree? So? Hello, people want o take my house, you come and ask question about my tree Just bear with me, You said your husband planted this tree over 30 years ago, So what? Are they going to take my tree too? Well, technically it's their tree. Because its planted on their land...but that’s not the issue. I actually wanted to find out more about your husband. Talk about him for what? Your husband planted this tree for you Thirty years ago. Ifyou don't mind me asking, Madam Ong, your husband...15 years ago...did he... did anything... Fifteen years ago...how did you...you mean... you know where he is? Yes, actually. I think we've located your husband. Boon enters, What? What are you talking about? Wah lau', not another one, What? Eh, Boon ah...he say...he, he. You all got majority already, why still come and disturb my mother? Disturb her? No, no, he’s not...he’s government man, Government man? My name's Jeremiah Chong. Land Ministry, ‘a ha [i excnntory rmnd him. may have located your father. Shu Kang, iat? He is...Actually, he was buried there, you mean, buried? bs at hiv Blank. e ry stare at each other. Suddenly, ly at Jeremiah, ry choy! for? you? Come here and say such things. nusband, id...you confirmed. id is a bastard. He is a stupid idiot ten scum, a piece of dog shit. ota corpse! cpse “corpse. That body is not my husband. t proof do you have? How do tthe fig tree? orien That's nota fig tree Jexewiatl But you just said...the wu hua guo’ Monin Wat hua guo, your head. That's not a fig tree noon Ma? seneaian Don't joke with me, Madam Ong, Motuex I'm not joking, genes You don’t understand. Ifyou don't claim him, the body will be exhumed, cremated and scattered into the sea Moriier So? sexemian But he doesn’t want to be eremated. noow How do you know? Jeresuant — Tjust know, okay. motuex What kind offdiots do you think we are? You get ‘out of my house, boon Ma, don’t you want to hear what he has to say? Monin Just because you're a government man, doing your job seseona You think thisis part of my job? You think I want to be here? I don't have to do this, you know... Tm just trying to help him. Trying to help you people! mornex You think you're helping me? Do you look like you're actually helping me? Don’t bluff yourself, government than! You can’t help me. Nobody can help me! senenian If you'd just listen to me... mornen Get out of my house! venetian Oil Stop that! noon Ma! What are you doing? canny rema | Go! Go! SCENE 15 y? ACCEPTING THE TRUTH y) Le gah wah zao! Le zao' lah! y) P'm going! sand slams the door. Le 2 [in you g a Co! Mother is still agitated, and shouting through the _grille fier Jeremiah Le zao!! Le zao! Zeng hu lang’! Only know how to talk rubbish! Ma! Stop it! “Mother ignores hi. T said stop it, Ma! He's gone! ‘Mother finally stops. He's gone. Are you happy no What? “Why do you always...Don't you want to hear what he has to say? What for? He’s a lousy liar Ishe? moruen Of course he is. Only know how to talk rubbish! He's a civil servant! Civil servants where got talk rubbish? Why must you believe him? (pause) Because it’s true, You know it’s true don't you? He's a liar, But ies true. Otherwis Otherwise what? Otherwise he would have come back. Right of not? You know he would have come back for you. No. Enough is enough. We go. V've wasted enough time already. le 20 [Uhl you gos ene lang in permeou talking about? reason to stay. We've got to move on, ng anywhere, to you any more, Ma, here, This is my house. My walls, s, my floors, my windows, my doors, jobs, okay? And that, (points outside) ree. Lswear to you, I'm not going to that tree stays, I stay too, SCENE 16 BOON TALKS TO THE TREE Boon sits staring at the tree, an axe in his hand, ‘trying to steel himself. Finally he speaks to the tree. You're just a tree, Justa stupid tree. He swings the axe17 1 DUTS DOWN TREE EMIAH TALKS TO CORPSE ckground, we can hear the sound of ting down the tree. Softy at frst, but then 5 | gradually gets louder and louder and it wasn'ta fig tree. Said it was a mistake. tree that made me go back. « now what else to do, Where else to go. bian' lah. So scared of what I had done And so scared of what was going to 0 us, to the house. But if stayed. » cared of what else I would end up him, Or to her. So what to do? I just worn-out brieféase to myself on that bus. Inside, can hear my passport ng, bong, bong, bong...like my own wt like that. Jing dua sia’, Traffic was Everywhere cars honking, engines z- So I looked out of the window, and en I saw it, One ordinary tree, on the minding its own business. = id tree, And that was it. [had to go back *e, the house. To her. I pushed my way 1e bus, everybody curse and sweat at me. eached the door, I banged on it until » even the driver also curse and sweat, So wh, to do? Curse back lah, Until someone said, “Oi, Uncle! Can move already.” And he press the accelerator. That's when it happened. The bus lurehes, and people are falling into people Suddenly, we're spinning, the sound, the smell, of burning rubber and breaking glass. A burst at of heat. So hot. Someone falls across my face. T can't see. Someone screaming. How come so hot? My skin. Burning, blistering. So much Pain. Even my bones, burning. (the sound of the sxe reaches a fever pitch) But then I see her. In the flames I see her face, Almost reach her, but the flames, the fire. (screams) Ah Moi! There is a huge rash as the tee comes downB18 IER AND BOON rerash as Mother flings a statue at Boon, From offtage. are you? How could I have raised a lousy, or-nothing (throws a staiue)...heartless, gtubbing (throws another)...bastard ! pitt we cell me what to do! bs his mother, to keep her from destroying xiao ah? ter throws another statue, carried away by op that! vuld [listen to you? You...murderer! wre what you call me, Ma. I should have ears ago. e you? chs up another statue to throw, ta! Or you'll have nothing left, 5 mid-throw, his is the only way to get you out of \ that’s what I gor to do. ng anywhere, me to drag you kicking and screaming +s out for Mother, but she flinch. on me you cy ti ates st fou don't touch me! I don’t net don’t need anybody, Just my h What? You think that if [left your tree alone, everything will be okay, is it? You think the developers will build a little fence leave it in the middle can save that tree, Ma Td want to go. I want to die here, with Because I won'tlet you, Ma. There's nothing left Nothing. ed you, okay? of their condo? Nobody He's gone. The house is gone. ‘The tree is gone. You only got me, okay? "Come on, Ma Bhat upd meso oe yan important than me? she speaks, (quietly) You say...1, Mother refss to answer. Boon gives up Fine. Then take it with you. I don't care, Drag ‘along with you, stuf iin your cupboard, under your bed. But we got to go, Ma, Pause as Mother strygetes to accept the truth inally can take the tree? Boon nods So big... How to take? noon What to do? Hire lorry, lor. Slowly, Mother nods. Boon squats down to pick up {he broken fgments, He holds outa piece, "oon So how? Malacca 19743 Mother shrugs. Boon looks at th oh le sors tin € broken statue for a ie then goes and gets something from the drawer Le zor si mi? wht yon doing [Tf house...iny tree! around it andtape. shakes her head, resigned. what? on squats down and starts taping the broken ether Jing pai kua’ leh wat on the floor, picking up the pieces. moves ofitage, but Boon remains, picking up in sry wy a now SCENE 19. MOTHER DREAMS OF BECOMING A MYNAH Lights up om Mother, in the old house, She is sting om the corpse of the tre, fingering its branches. She is Aisprited at frst, resigned, but gradually she becomes ‘more passionate as the speech progresses. (dispirited) We found a place. Not too far away from here. About 20 minutes by car. Boon likes it. It’s quite new. Two bedrooms and a study area. Got all the facilities, swimming pool, tennis court, gym...even got foot reflexology path for old folks like me. I tried once, but walked until my feet also very pain. These People really think of everything. He keep asking, do you like it, do you like it? I know he's trying. I know he’s trying very hard, Still No trees here. But from my window, from my window, I can see. I have a beautiful view. of...of...the carpark. I can see all the cars, ined Uup next to each other. Got Mercedes lah, BMW lah, Volvo lah. Everything also got, All shiny and lovingly handwashed by their overworked maids at 6am every morning, (anger starts 10 build) When 1 look at that, all that, I wish, (starts to crack) I wish I was a bird, like a pigeon, ora mynah, with a whole lot of bird shit stuck inside me. And then I would swoop out of the window, fly out and go shit