Truth and Consequences

Parts I & II

By

Clinton A. Johnston

 

Characters

 

John – a man in his late sixties, fought in the Vietnam War, married to Madeline

Madeline – a woman in her sixties, married to John

Cassie – a teenaged girl, granddaughter of John and Madeline

 

Setting

 

The living room of John and Madeline’s home.

 

[John sits SL reading a newspaper.  Madeline sits SR reading a woman’s magazine.]

 

[SR=stage right; SL=stage left; an ellipsis (…) indicates a pause; an m-dash (—) right next to a word indicates the line is cut off by the following line.]

 

 

Madeline

 

[Calling to someone offstage.]

Whatcha’ doin’ Cassie?

 

Cassie

 

[From offstage.]

I’m drawin’.

 

Madeline

 

What are you drawing?

 

Cassie

 

[Still from offstage.]

Fruit bowl.

 

Madeline

 

Why don’t you bring it here so we can see it, dear?

 

Cassie

 

[offstage]

It’s not finished yet.

 

Madeline

 

It doesn’t matter.  Your grandfather wants to see it.

 

Cassie

 

[offstage]

Okay.

 

Madeline

 

[Maybe a bit exasperated]

I swear that girl will do anything for you.  And it’s only because you spoil her to death.

 

John

 

[Not looking up from his paper.]

It is a grandfatherly privilege that I enjoy exercising.

 

Madeline

 

I bet you she comes in here and runs straight to you.

 

John

 

Jealous?

 

Madeline

 

Wouldn’t you just love—

 

[Enter Cassie SR.  She passes by Madeline and goes straight to John and shows him her drawing.]

 

Cassie

 

Grandpa, take a look.

 

John

 

Well, that’s nice.  Bowl.  Window.  Fruit.  You’re getting very good with your perspective.

 

Cassie

 

You see?  I’m starting to do the shadows?

 

John

 

I see.   That’s very impressive.

 

Cassie

 

Thank you.  Look, Grandma.  [Takes drawing over to Madeline.]

 

Madeline

 

Well, look at that.  I can’t wait to see it finished. 

 

Cassie

 

Grandpa says a work of art is never finished.

 

Madeline

 

I guess that makes my new dresser a work of art.

 

John

 

[Going back to his paper.]

Cassie, I think it’s time you went back to the kitchen.

 

Cassie

 

Okay.

 

John

 

Let me know when you’re hungry, we’ll go out to dinner.

 

Cassie

 

Pizza?

 

John

 

Whatever you want.

 

Cassie

 

Cool.  [Goes over and kisses him.]  Thank you, Grandpa.

 

[Cassie goes back and kisses Madeline and exits SR.]

 

Madeline

 

Now, where is the man who used to sing, “Money can’t buy me love”?

 

John

 

Money’s always been able to buy the attentions of a young girl.

 

Madeline

 

Oh really?

 

John

 

Mmm-hmm.  How do you think I caught you?

 

[Madeline, zinged for the moment, goes back to her magazine, but comes back after a Pause.]

 

Madeline

 

What are you doing?

 

John

 

[Again, not looking up from paper.]

I’m working on your dresser.

 

[Pause]

 

Madeline

 

Well, would you like to know what I’m doing?

 

John

 

No, thank you.

 

Madeline

 

I’m reading an interesting quiz.

 

John

 

I wish you wouldn’t read those quizzes.

 

Madeline

 

They’re fun.

 

John

 

All they do is get me in trouble.

 

Madeline

 

Don’t be silly.  You get yourself in trouble.  Now this quiz—

 

John

 

Maddie—

 

Madeline

 

Now, this quiz is very interesting.  It’s supposed to measure trust in your relationship.  It’s designed for a couple to take it together.  Doesn’t that sound fun?

 

John

 

Don’t they ever design quizzes that you take on your own?

 

Madeline

 

Oh, you don’t want me to take those.  They really get you in to trouble.  Now, first question, what was the last lie you told your partner? … John? … John!

 

John

 

What?

 

Madeline

 

What was the last lie you told me?

 

John

 

A few minutes ago …

 

Madeline

 

Yes?

 

John

 

I wasn’t working on your dresser.

 

Madeline

 

That doesn’t count.

 

John

 

I’m sorry my dear.  That was my most recent lie, and I’m sticking to it.  What’s yours?

 

Madeline

 

[Miffed]

Never mind mine.  Let’s move on.  What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done but never told me?

 

John

 

[Thinks for a moment.]

When Cassie and I bought your birthday present, we had money left over, and rather than spend it on another present, we spent it all on banana splits.

 

Madeline

 

John!

 

John

 

They were really big banana splits.

 

Madeline

 

John!

 

John

 

I’m a man with a past, Madeline.

 

Madeline

 

I can see it’s pointless trying to talk to you—

 

John

 

Maddie, these quizzes are designed hundreds of miles away, by kid-interns, in between morning coffees.  They’re meant to fill space around the ads.  You’re not supposed to take them seriously.

 

Madeline

 

I don’t care if you’re supposed to take the quiz seriously, John.  I’m asking you the quiz, and you’re supposed to take me seriously.

 

[Pause]

 

John

 

Madeline, the Truth isn’t meant to just fill time.  Some questions, you should think about before asking—

 

Madeline

 

If you’re not going to do it, don’t, but for heaven’s sake don’t get melodramatic.

 

John

 

Madeline—

 

Madeline

 

No, John.  I won’t be patron—

 

John

 

I killed a girl.

 

[Pause as that sinks in.]

 

Madeline

 

Excuse me?

 

[End of Part I]

 

[Blackout]

 

[Beginning of Part II] 

 

Madeline

 

I don’t understand.  You—

 

John

 

I killed a girl.  I killed a little girl.  It was during the war.

 

Madeline

 

Was she—?

 

John

 

It was when we were in Da-Nang in ’68.  Six months, deep in the jungle.  There was a sniper – same one that killed Charlie Gibbs.  He was picking us off one by one.  He’d already killed five of us, including Charlie.  And we couldn’t get him.  He was too good.  Day, night, high, low, in the camp, on the trail, didn’t matter.  There’d be a shot, and then you were watching someone else die.  And air support or hunting or traps didn’t help.  He’d just disappear, sometimes for days, and then bang.

 

Morale was low, my men were beyond grumbling.  They wanted to leave.  Our orders were to stay.  I promised them, I would do whatever it took to flush out that damn sniper.  But I could tell, they didn’t believe me … well one day a patrol brought in this little girl from the local village, wrists tied, her face, red with anger or fear, either or both.  She couldn’t have been any more than Cassie’s age.  She had some food with her, but the patrol had caught her going in to the jungle.  It was a safe bet, she was going to feed the sniper.  We yelled, we smiled, we threatened, we offered her chocolate and beer, whatever.  She wouldn’t say anything.  We didn’t even know if she spoke English.  And all around us were just the silent trees and the grass, watching.

 

Finally, I’d had enough.  I asked for two volunteers to go on a mission, and I said we might not come back, but if we did come back, I would have made good on my promise.  Of course, Joe Murphy and Howie stepped up.  We took the girl, and all four of us went to her village.  I made Murph and Howie round up everyone in the sort of center.  You could tell they were scared of us … but not enough.  These VC snipers … most likely he’d had the whole village terrified into helping him.  As long as they were more scared of him then us, we were gonna’ get nowhere. 

 

So I knelt the girl down in front of me, put my service revolver to her head, and screamed that unless somebody handed over the sniper, I would shoot her.  Nobody moved.  So, I asked which one of them was her mother?  Again, no one said anything, and of course I didn’t even know if they understood me.  So I picked the most upset looking woman I could see and had Howie and Murph kneel her down in front of the girl, face to face.  They were only about a foot apart.  And I said, “You’re her mother, you understand?  You’re this girl’s mother, and I’ll kill her in front of you.  Now, I’m going to count to three.  Một … Hai … Ba.”

 

[Enter Cassie from SR right after “Ba”.  Again she goes right to John to show him her drawing.]

 

Cassie

 

Grandpa, look at this.

 

John

 

That’s good.  That’s very good.  You’re getting so much better.

 

Cassie

 

Thank you.

 

Madeline

 

[Short, controlled.]

Cassie, why don’t you go upstairs?

 

Cassie

 

Are you two fighting?

 

Madeline

 

No dear.  Just go upstairs please.

 

Cassie

 

You look like you’re fighting.

 

John

 

We just need to finish talking about something, dear.  Go on.

 

Cassie

 

[She knows something’s up but doesn’t know what.]

Okay.

 

[Exit Cassie SR.]

 

[Beat]

 

Madeline

 

You don’t have to—

 

John

 

No.  I should finish. 

 

There’s a lot of blood in the head, you know, ‘cause of the brain.  It was all over me and Howie and Murph.  I think the woman got the brunt of it though.  It just covered her face.  Nothing really happened right after that.  It was all so still.  I didn’t know what to do.  [Beat]  I started looking around for another child. 

 

That’s when he took his shot.  It was open all around us, really bad terrain even for him; so when he hit Murph he revealed his position.  Howie and I both shot back.  I’m pretty sure it was Howie that killed him.  Murph; he died on the way back to camp, so I guess that’s another one … Anyway … that’s the worst thing I’ve ever done and never told you about.

 

[Pause.  John and Madeline look at each other.]

 

[Enter Cassie, going to John]

 

Cassie

 

Grandpa, I’m hungry, can we go to—

 

[Madeline out of reflex, grabs Cassie and pulls her to keep her for going to John.]

 

Cassie

 

…what?  What?

 

[Madeline gets up and shoos Cassie upstairs.  She turns back and looks at John.]

 

Madeline

 

How?

 

John

 

Some moments …You know, I’ve asked you not to read those quizes.

 

[Madeline looks at John for a moment … and then Exit Madeline, SR]

 

[Blackout]