GOAT SONG AT A PUBLIC SCHOOL ____________________________ A Play in One Act by Zachary Brewster-Geisz Zachary F. Brewster-Geisz Copyright (c) 1996 3402 Dean Drive, Apt. 102 by Zachary Brewster-Geisz Hyattsville, MD 20782 SS#: 042-84-6995 E-mail: KayAndZee@aol.com Cast of Characters TARIN, a high school senior KEN, another high school senior RUSS, another high school senior, TARIN's boyfriend Setting A back room in a suburban public high school. Time The present time. Acknowledgments My heartfelt thanks to Crawford J. Strunk, who translated and transliterated the relevant passages from Aristophanes' Lysistrata. Any ancient Greek errors that made it into this play are my fault, not his. Setting: A storage area in a suburban public high school. Fairly sparse. Desks and chairs, maybe crates of books. Dim. At Rise: KEN sits in a corner, working on homework. Three books sit beside him, plus his notebook. He is working intently in one of the books. TARIN, standing near him, picks up one of the other books and reads the back cover. TARIN What does "Attic Greek" mean? KEN What? TARIN "Attic Greek." What does it mean? KEN It's a school of authors. The "Attic Greek" authors. TARIN Okay. But what did they do, write their stuff and then throw it in the attic? KEN No, no. "Attic" means Athenian. They were from Athens. TARIN Well, then, why don't they say Athenian authors? KEN I don't know. Give me my book back, will you? TARIN (Pause.) You like Greek a lot. KEN Why? TARIN How would I know? KEN No, I mean, why do you say that? TARIN Well, you're here, right? And you're working on Greek, right? KEN This is due tomorrow. TARIN What is it? KEN A translation. TARIN Are you spending a lot of time on it? KEN It's a big translation. TARIN What is it a translation of? KEN Homer. TARIN Is he Attic Greek? KEN No, he's Homeric Greek. TARIN Homer gets his own school, huh? (Pause.) You know, it's different in French class. (Pause.) We don't translate anything. They ask us questions in French, and we respond in French. We don't translate, we communicate. (Pause.) Do you do that in Greek at all? KEN It's a dead language. TARIN Well, that's a big honkin' "no," huh? KEN There's no point. Nobody even really knows how ancient Greek was pronounced. TARIN Well, what's the point of learning it? KEN Because, they--look, cut it out, huh? (Pause.) TARIN I like French, a lot. KEN You do? TARIN Yeah. KEN Then why aren't you working on French? TARIN (Proudly.) I got rid of my books at the courtyard. (Long pause.) KEN I thought you liked French. TARIN I do. That's not what this is about. KEN Well, what's it, what's it, what's it-- RUSS (Enters, excited.) You should see it out there! TARIN Hi, Russ! RUSS Hi, hi. You should see it out there! TARIN What's going on? RUSS You should see it out there! KEN You said that. RUSS Yeah, but you should! It's all, it's all, it's like Kent State in the 60s! KEN Kent State? RUSS You don't know about Kent State? I thought you'd know. TARIN He's too busy with Homer. RUSS Homer who? You should see it out there! KEN Oh, fuck... (He digs deeper into his homework.) TARIN What's up? RUSS There's signs, and sitting, and, well, you know the courtyard and all. And the TV people are around, I think. TARIN TV? Oh my God! I left my makeup in my locker. RUSS You look fine. TARIN Could you get it for me? Please? You know the combination and it'll only take a second. KEN The TV isn't gonna come here! (Slight pause.) TARIN You're right. Never mind the makeup, it doesn't matter. KEN No, I mean, they're not gonna come here, so why don't you both just go? Then you can be on TV. TARIN It's so much quieter here. I like it. (KEN groans.) RUSS Come on, baby. Let's get your makeup and we'll be on TV! TARIN I'm tired, Russ. Please get it for me? RUSS I'm not gonna get your-- TARIN Please? RUSS Well--I'm gonna go see the TV, and if I happen... I... I'll be back. (He exits.) KEN Why did you-- TARIN What? KEN Why did you give him your locker combination? TARIN Why not? KEN People do--I mean, the--what if you don't want him-- TARIN There's nothing in there I don't want him to see. (Pause. KEN goes back to work.) Still translating? KEN Yes. TARIN You must like Greek a lot. KEN I'm working on it. It's tough. That doesn't mean I like it. TARIN Yes it does. If you're working on it now, it must-- (KEN flexes his hand, groaning.) Hurt your hand? KEN Yes. TARIN Do you think anyone else is going to come here? KEN I don't know. TARIN I bet they won't. Nobody knows about this. KEN Knows about what? TARIN This room. KEN I know about this room. TARIN Well, of course, you know. And now I do. But I didn't, before I saw you go in. Why did you come in here? KEN Because it's quieter. It was quieter. TARIN You must really like Greek. KEN You keep saying that. Why do you keep saying that? TARIN Well, you're here. I mean here, instead of out there. Why aren't you out there? KEN Because I'm here. TARIN Why are you here? KEN Because I'm working on Greek. TARIN You must really like Greek. KEN Look, will you just shut up? Shut up! (Pause.) TARIN So, you don't like Greek. Why are you working on it? KEN It's due tomorrow. TARIN Ken, you're such a brain, why aren't you smart enough to listen to what I'm asking you? (Pause.) I mean, why are you working on Greek in here instead of participating out there? KEN (Pause.) Because I don't have a car. TARIN What? KEN If I had a car, I would be at home, not here. TARIN (Aghast.) You'd be at home? KEN Yes. TARIN Why? KEN Because this is bullshit. TARIN Bullshit? KEN Yes. TARIN This is bullshit? KEN It is. TARIN You think this is bullshit? KEN This is bullshit! TARIN Ken, you are so damn conservative! KEN No, I'm not! TARIN You'd go home? Why would you go home? KEN Because I don't want anything to do with this. It's bullshit, it's wrong, and I don't agree with it. TARIN No. No. You don't agree with it, okay. But that doesn't mean it's bullshit and wrong. KEN It is! TARIN You're more arrogant than Rush Limbaugh, Ken! KEN Oh, shut up, just go chase the TV cameras, will you? Will you leave me alone and let me do Greek? (Pause.) TARIN I don't really want to be on TV, actually. Russ does. He'll do anything to be on TV. But I don't want-- (Pause.) I don't think it's about the TV. (Pause.) I don't think it's bullshit, either. (Pause.) I think it's about time we woke this town up. We're the citizens of tomorrow and we should provide for tomorrow. Even if the citizens of today don't want to. If they're too selfish about their pocketbooks they should at least learn the results of their selfishness. (Pause.) Russ' father votes in every election to raise his education taxes. KEN Of course he does, he's a teacher. TARIN In the college, not the high school. KEN But he has a kid who goes to high school. TARIN He voted that way before Russ was born. (Pause.) Besides, it's good to vote for education. This used to be one of the best public schools in the country. And it's our duty to make sure it is again some day. To make sure good teachers are here for the next generation of students. KEN Are you going to be here next year? TARIN Of course not. I'm going to be at Smith. KEN Exactly! So why on earth are you decided to go to Smith? TARIN Yeah. But go on with what you were saying. KEN That's an all-girls school. TARIN All-women. KEN I thought you were going to UNH. TARIN I didn't want to go to a big school. KEN Oh. TARIN I didn't even apply to UNH. KEN Uh huh. TARIN Who told you I was going to UNH? Where are you going? KEN No one--I don't know yet. TARIN No? KEN I haven't decided. TARIN Go to Colby. KEN It's between that and Syracuse. And UCONN. TARIN Syracuse and UCONN are too big. KEN Yeah, but UCONN at least is cheap, cheap, cheap. Colby has the best classics department but my folks can't really afford it. TARIN You can get financial aid. KEN In this town? TARIN Most financial aids are blind to where you live and who you are. Some are blind to where your parents live. Some are blind to how much money you have! (Pause.) KEN Do you know what you just said? TARIN ... I read it somewhere. KEN Tarin, you can't-- TARIN It's great to be talking to you again. KEN What? TARIN I was getting tired of asking all the questions. KEN You weren't asking all the questions. TARIN Oh, please. "What's up, Ken?" "grumble, grumble, working on Greek." KEN I am working on Greek. TARIN You must really like Greek. (KEN sighs. A crowd-like roar begins, off in the distance.) KEN It's okay. TARIN Well, you're working on it. KEN Haven't we done this already? TARIN I wanna know, Ken! KEN Know what? TARIN Why you're in here instead of out there! KEN I told you. TARIN (Pause. The roar is gradually approaching.) You know, they're going to cut Greek. KEN How do you know? TARIN Russ went to the Board of Ed meeting with his Dad last week. He told me. KEN (Pause.) It doesn't matter. I'm not gonna be here. TARIN But other people are! What about the other people who want to take Greek? KEN They can take Latin. TARIN Ken! KEN Look, that's not what it's about! It's, it's, do you think that-- I don't think--do you think that half the people even, even-- (The roar is deafening, an angry mob of disorganized students just outside.) What the hell is going on? RUSS (Rushes in.) You should see it out there! Oh. (Hands TARIN her makeup, a little embarrassed.) TARIN Thanks. KEN Russ, do you know what's going on? RUSS What's going on? KEN What's this protest about? RUSS You mean nobody told you? Jeez, I'm sorry-- KEN No, no, no, no, no, no, no! I know what's going on. Do you? Tell me-- tell me in your own words. RUSS (Pause. To TARIN.) Is he serious? TARIN He's just being stupid. RUSS (To KEN.) They're cutting the budget. You know that. KEN Okay. Why? RUSS Why? To lower the taxes. And they're gonna cut the programs and lay off the teachers, and we gotta stop it. KEN (Uncertain.) Okay... TARIN See, Kenny? People do know what's going on. KEN No, no, no, wait, wait, wait! You know what's going on 'cause your father brings you to the AA meetings-- RUSS --huh? KEN Board of Ed meetings, Board of Ed meetings! So of course you know what's going on-- TARIN Ken, quiet down! KEN But nobody else does. How can I be quiet with--what the hell's going on out there? TARIN You don't know? Hmm, maybe you're right. RUSS We're all going through the hallways. We're going from class to class and getting people to join us. We're taking 'em out of class. KEN Oh, Christ, this isn't a protest, it's a fucking skip day! RUSS You're half right. This isn't a protest. It's a riot! KEN A riot. Do you even know what a riot is? RUSS I heard a rumor the cops are coming, even. KEN People get hurt at riots. RUSS The cops--what next, the National Guard! Yes! KEN Don't you remember that L.A. thing? RUSS Yep. I remember L.A. I remember Watts and Berkeley, too. And Kent State. My dad told me all about them. And I saw Do The Right Thing. People get hurt and die and things get burned and people get arrested. And it's about time that happened here! KEN That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. RUSS You're the one that's being dumb. KEN Shut up, Russ! TARIN I think you're both being dumb. (The roar has moved on down the hall.) RUSS Fuck, they're all gone. I never shoulda come back here! (To TARIN.) Are you coming? TARIN No, I--my feet hurt. KEN (Softly.) Your what? RUSS Oh, whatever, just... I'm gonna catch up with them. (He leaves.) KEN Your feet hurt? TARIN Well... (Pause.) You've been acting weird around him. KEN Me? TARIN Yeah. Why did you yell at him? KEN I was trying to make a point. TARIN What point? KEN That no one knows what's going on. TARIN You were wrong. KEN I was--no, no, no, maybe he knows, but you--you ask anyone, anyone who's yelling down the, the, the halls--do they know why they're doing it? TARIN I think they do. KEN I don't. TARIN I do. KEN And I don't, what is this, Looney Tunes? TARIN (Laughs.) You're a lot more fun when you're pissed, Ken. KEN They wouldn't know. Go ahead and ask someone. TARIN Why don't we both go? KEN No, I don't want to. TARIN Why not? KEN I have to do Greek. TARIN Well, come on, and take it with you-- (She grabs one of his books.) KEN (Explodes.) DON'T FUCKING TOUCH THAT BOOK! (He grabs the book back, hurting his injured hand again. Pause.) TARIN ... okay. (Pause. Quite a long one, really.) KEN (Rubs his hand, frustrated.) ... and stop grabbing at me. Just let me work, will you? Fuckin' want to work, that's all. Why are you bothering me? TARIN Because I like you. I think you're cool. KEN Terrific. TARIN And I still can't believe you don't want to be out there. KEN You can't? TARIN No. I don't understand it. I want to be out there. KEN Then why aren't you? TARIN Because I want you out there, too. KEN How touching. What is this, a bad episode of 90210? TARIN Enough with the TV metaphors, Ken. It doesn't suit you. KEN It suits you just fine. I was being polite. (He goes back to translation.) TARIN (Pause.) What are you translating? KEN Homer. TARIN You said that before. KEN You asked me before. TARIN Which one, the Odyssey or-- KEN The Iliad. TARIN What's it about? KEN A war. The Trojan war. TARIN Like the horse? I know about that--they all jump into a horse and take the Trojans by surprise. Right? KEN Well--yeah. TARIN We read the Odyssey in freshman English. That's the sequel, right? I didn't like Ulysses, though. KEN Odysseus. TARIN What? KEN The Greeks called him Odysseus. TARIN He cheated on his wife to get home. I thought that was a shitty thing to do. KEN Two thousand years ago, people did that all the time. TARIN Yeah, right. KEN He did it for a reason--he had to save himself and all his men. TARIN Uh huh... so it's okay to do something bad if it's for a higher good? KEN Yeah. TARIN Smart guy, Homer. (Pause.) I don't know. If he hadn't cheated on his wife-- KEN Are they really cutting Greek? TARIN I think so. That's what Russ said. (Pause.) He said they were cutting Greek and he bet you would be angry. (Pause.) I said I doubted it. I said you don't get angry about anything. Guess I was wrong, huh? KEN I'm not angry. TARIN You got angry when I touched your book. KEN ... I'm sorry I yelled. I guess. I don't know. Jesus, Tarin, what are you doing here? TARIN Why did you yell at me, Ken? KEN I don't know. I said I was sorry, isn't that enough? I'm trying to do homework. TARIN That's the answer to your question. KEN What? TARIN I'm here 'cause you're trying to do homework. Now answer mine? Huh? KEN I yelled at you because you're here. TARIN Oooh, a logic problem! I loved that in Algebra 2. I'm here because you're doing homework. You yelled because I'm here. Therefore, you yelled because you're doing homework. So stop doing homework and you won't yell at me anymore! Let's go! (They do not move.) I'm gonna be a math major at Smith, I just decided. KEN Great. TARIN What are you gonna major in? KEN I don't know. TARIN Greek? KEN I don't know. You don't major in Greek. It's called "classics." TARIN Why's it called "classics"? KEN Because it's old. TARIN My grandma is old. She's not a classic, she's in a nursing home. KEN It's not--why are you acting like this? You only act like this around Russ, usually. TARIN Like what? KEN Silly. (Pause.) TARIN Well, I'm sorry. From now on, I'll be just as serious as you. So seriously, Ken, why did you yell at me? (Pause.) Was it just the book? (Pause.) What book is it? (She examines the book.) "Plays by Aristophanes." (She pronounces it "Arist-o-fanes.") KEN (Correcting her.) Aristophanes. TARIN Oh. Are you translating this, too? KEN No. Well, not for class. That's just... on my own. TARIN On your own? How... serious. (She picks up the book, slowly this time.) I didn't know the Greeks wrote plays. KEN They invented plays. And they're good. TARIN Really? KEN Some of their stuff is more powerful and violent than-- TARIN It's violent? KEN Uh huh. But you don't see it--they have a messenger come in and report it, and then you see people come in with their eyes stabbed out or mutilated from the wars or-- TARIN You don't see it happen? KEN No. But the descriptions are so good, you just have to imagine. TARIN Are there any of those in here? KEN Well... sort of. TARIN (She opens the book.) Which one are you reading? KEN I'm halfway through the second one. TARIN Liss-- KEN Lysistrata. TARIN What's it about? KEN A war. TARIN Another war? KEN A different one, this time. A war between Athens and Sparta. TARIN Did the Greeks only write about wars? KEN No. This is different. It's a comedy. TARIN How serious. KEN The war was really long and pointless and brutal, so while it was happening, Aristophanes wrote this play making fun of it. TARIN What happens? KEN In the war? TARIN No, in the play. KEN Oh. Well, a bunch of women, whose husbands are in the war, get fed up, so they decide to protest the war, by... by... TARIN What? KEN They refuse their husbands sex. TARIN They what? KEN They, you know... TARIN They stop having sex? KEN Uh huh. TARIN Hmm. KEN Yeah. TARIN Does it work? KEN Yeah. TARIN I'm not surprised. KEN Yeah, same here... I mean... what? TARIN That's a good idea. I'm surprised no one ever tried it again. (Pause. She flips through the book.) This is in English, too. KEN Yeah, but I, um, I use a card to cover up the page in English, unless I'm totally stumped. Like this. And that's how I learn it. TARIN It looks like scribbles. KEN It's not that hard once you get started. It's almost easier than English. TARIN Really? (Pause.) Teach it to me. KEN What? TARIN Teach me some Greek. (Pause.) KEN Well, okay... (He reaches for the Homer book.) TARIN No, no. Teach me this. Teach me Lysistrata. KEN I'm not as good at Attic Greek-- TARIN This guy is from the attic? Then I've gotta learn! KEN Well, okay. TARIN Here. (She shoves the book at him.) KEN Okay, umm... (He takes the book with his bad hand.) Ow, dammit... TARIN Well, here, I'll take it if your hand hurts. Read over my shoulder. Here. (Points at a random page.) Tell me what that says. KEN (Sheepishly.) Well, I'll try... (Sits next to her, looking over her shoulder. He consults his Greek-English dictionary often throughout this, manufacturing a clumsy word-for-word translation.) Hos day kaloon-- TARIN Hos day kloon-- KEN No, ka-loon. Hos day kaloon to chr-eema titthiohn echeis. TARIN Okay, what does it mean? KEN Well, Lysistrata is examining one of the women from Sparta, and she says, um, "You have a fine pair of large, round, bouncy--" (He stops, embarrassed.) Let's find a different passage, huh? (Flips through the book.) T'isi gunai-xin, um, sullech-te-isais, poi gar kai chrayn anamh- inai-- TARIN Poi gar kai--Slow down. What's that word? KEN It means-- TARIN No, no, what is it? I want to say it. KEN Well, it's--that word is "chrayn." TARIN Poi gar kai chrayn anamhinai. KEN --anamhinai. Yeah. That's a question, so you-- TARIN (With an upward inflection.) "Anamhinai?" KEN Right! (Pause.) You're good at this. TARIN Thank you. It's fun. Poi gar kai chrayn anamhinai... ? KEN Um, ayn oun hay-moon chraysta legou-soon ethel-ysayt'antakro- sthai. TARIN Yow. Ayn oun hay-moon christa-- KEN Chraysta legou-soon-- TARIN Ethel-ysayt'antakro-thai. KEN Sthai. With an S in front. TARIN Ss-thai, sorry. Okay. Poi gar kai chrayn anamhinai? Ayn oun hay-moon christa ethel antakro-sthai. KEN Almost. TARIN Is it supposed to rhyme like that? KEN Yeah, isn't that cool? That's what you get when you read it in Greek, because it doesn't rhyme in English! I just wish--man, I had no idea you were interested. You know, we should get together and I can try to teach you some more, it's really easy when you work at it. TARIN What does it mean? "Anamhinai" is a question, and what else? KEN Well, yeah, I--I can pronounce it, but I'm not good at translating. TARIN Try. (Pause.) KEN Lysistrata's talking to a man. A judge or something. I think. And she says... (Haltingly.) Looking at us, our husbands say, "Be silent, and return to your sewing. War is a business for men." And um... After this-- after these things, it seemed good for us to save Greece--save Greece ourselves. For why delay now? Therefore, just as we were once silent, now you be so, and let war be a business for women. (Pause.) TARIN She's defending herself. KEN Yes. TARIN She's saying that the men have failed Greece, so she's taking the law into her own hands. KEN Yes. TARIN Do you agree with her? KEN Well, in the context of the play-- TARIN No. Do you agree with her? (Pause.) KEN I know what you're going to say. But a war is not the same as an education budget! TARIN Yes it is. Because we have no say, and we're taking the law-- KEN But Lysistrata is on the side of peace! TARIN And the students are on the side of justice. Read your books, Ken! They give you reason enough. No one in this high school is going to be able to read them after this year. They won't hear what they say. And they say to get out there and fight! KEN You just don't understand, you just don't fucking-- TARIN What? I don't understand what? KEN I have a reason for being here and this protest can go to hell! TARIN What is it? KEN Fuck you! Got rid of your books at the courtyard. Fuck you! TARIN What? KEN You said you got rid of your books, and--you say you're for justice? TARIN It's symbolic. KEN There is nothing symbolic about burning books! TARIN It shows we're serious. KEN Serious? What are you, a fucking Nazi? TARIN Ken, it's only a French book-- KEN No, it's not! Everyone threw their books in the trash cans, and then they set them on fire. And people cheered, and more books went in, and some fucking asshole took THIS! (Wields Lysistrata like a weapon.) You want to know how I hurt my hand? I had to fucking hit him to get it back, that's how! I yelled at him and grabbed him, but he wouldn't-- first fucking time I've been in a fight since sixth grade! I don't care what you say, this isn't "only" a book, this is my, my, my, my... I love this book. I love this language. I, I, I, I... TARIN You really like Greek. KEN Stop it. You don't understand. You can't-- TARIN Ken, sometimes ideas are more important than books. KEN Not this book! (There is a collective scream somewhere in the distance. Pause.) What-- (The fire alarm, a loud, repetitive buzz, goes off. They jump.) TARIN Jesus! KEN What, are they starting fires inside now? (He starts to leave.) TARIN Ken, wait-- KEN What? TARIN Did you hear that? KEN Hear what? TARIN Before the alarm-- KEN I can't hear you! TARIN Did you hear that? KEN I just told you-- TARIN NO! BEFORE the ALARM--did you hear-- KEN Who cares? TARIN Ken! KEN What? TARIN SOMETHING IS HAPPENING. (KEN starts to go.) DON'T LEAVE. KEN Why not? TARIN You'll get hurt. KEN So what? TARIN I DON'T WANT YOU TO GO OUT THERE, KEN! KEN Make up your mind. TARIN I'm scared. Please. Stay here. (She grabs hold of him.) KEN I don't care if you're scared! I don't care if you burned your French book! I don't care if you want to learn Greek or if you're fucking Russ or if you want me in here or out there or where fucking ever! There's a fucking fire alarm and I'm leaving! (He wrenches out of her grip and exits.) TARIN Ken! ... what? (She stands, lost. Noise and pandemonium approaching-- screaming high school students. Pause. RUSS enters, frightened.) Russ? RUSS Where's Ken? TARIN He just went out, I, I, Russ, he-- RUSS Oh shit, oh shit. (He exits, and enters again.) TARIN (Hysterical.) Why'd you lock the door? RUSS We have to stay in here! TARIN Why? RUSS It's not safe out there! TARIN Why? Ken's out there! RUSS I know! It's too-- (KEN screams in agony offstage.) Oh, Jesus. TARIN What? What? What is it? KEN (Pounding violently on the door, off.) HELP ME! HELP! (Another agonized scream, and more noise from the crowd.) IT HURTS, MY EYES, IT HURTS! RUSS They shot tear gas at us. TARIN No! RUSS Yeah! My dad told me-- TARIN Will you shut up about your dad! KEN (Off.) Jesus CHRIST, I'm blind, I'm BLIND, OH GOD OH GOD-- (Pounds on the door.) TARIN We have to help him-- RUSS (He grabs her.) No! The whole hallway's filled with it! TARIN Let go of me! Let go, let, let me go! (He does not. She struggles.) KEN (A whimper, off.) Help me, help, I can't see, oh God... (A last weak pound on the door, as TARIN, exhausted and sobbing, collapses, taking RUSS down with her.) TARIN (Crying, as the fire alarm and screams continue.) Why'd he go out there... ? (SLOW BLACKOUT.) END OF PLAY