ACT 1
Int. An office with two desks, two chairs, two men.
BIRD and BURTON sit behind a desk each. Their jackets are off and hang on the backs of their chairs. The sleeves of their white shirts are rolled up. Their ties hand loose around their necks. They are doing their best not to notice each other. An uneasy silence prevails.
BURTON
(suddenly, jovially)
Beautiful morning!
BIRD
(tiredly)
Is it?
BURTON
(less enthusiastically)
I thought so. Do you disagree? If you do, please say so.
BIRD
I can't say. The morning has escaped me. Or perhaps I escaped the morning. Either way, I didn't see it. But I'll take your word for it, that it was good.
BURTON
Thank you.
(pauses to pluck up the courage to speak)
Have you been here long?
BIRD
Not so long. I've been here longer.
You?
BURTON
Not so long as you. Long enough though. I could have been elsewhere you know. I was invited elsewhere, but I didn't go.
BIRD
(interested)
Where could you have gone?
BURTON
Anywhere. I could have gone anywhere. I don't have to be here. If I wanted, I could leave. Just like that.
(fails to click his fingers)
Couldn't you?
BIRD
I suppose so, if I felt inclined.
BURTON
And you don't?
BIRD
(sadly, wistfully)
No, not any more.
BURTON
But you used to?
BIRD
Oh, yes, many years ago. I had many inclinations then. Too many, I fear. I inclined to this and to that. You know how it is.
BURTON
Yes, of course.
(emphatically)
I know.
BIRD
Where will you go?
BURTON
When?
BIRD
When you go from here.
BURTON
(panicked)
I didn't say I would! Did you hear me say I would? I merely said I could. If I wanted to, I could. See? You didn't listen. If you had listened...
BIRD
I did listen! I did! I just...misunderstood. Don't you want to leave?
BURTON
I do, but not yet. I'm not quite ready yet.
BIRD
What would you do?
BURTON
I would paint.
BIRD
(enthusiastically)
You can paint?
BURTON
No. But I would learn.
BIRD
What would you paint?
BURTON
Oh, people, trees, animals, landscapes that stretch for empty mile upon empty mile, endless miles. Or I could write a book.
BIRD
Yes, that's it. You could write a book. How exciting! A book! What would you write about?
BURTON
About? Oh, dear. That's a question! What should it be about? I've no idea. Ideas are not my forte. I'm more of a doing man. Do you understand? More of a doing man. Perhaps I could sing.
BIRD
Write, paint, sing! You're a talented man! You can do all those things and you're still here?
BURTON
(defensively)
So are you! I'm not alone, you know! You're here! You've been here longer than me.
(uneasy silence)
What's that on your arm? On your arm.
(leans over and points at BIRD's arm)
There. Tattoos? Are they tattoos? I'm sure they are. What do they say?
BIRD
Does it matter? Does it matter to you?
BURTON
I don't know. How can I know if they matter if I don't know what they say? They might matter if I knew what they were. They might be very important. They might change everything. That's what happens you know, when things change. Something happens that you don't know about, something important. I wouldn't want to miss it, really. It would be such a disappointment if I missed it. Such a waste, after all this time.
BIRD
Why make such a fuss? It could have passed you by. You would never have known and it wouldn't have mattered. But you had to make it so important, so relevant. It would never have been so if you had looked the other way. It would have been easier, for both of us. Now, if it turns out that it is important, we will have to change everything. We will have to adjust. Are you ready to adjust? To change? And if it's not important, think of the disappointment, the let down.
It would be a step back...
BURTON
But we have to try. It's our duty. We can't let it slip by. It wouldn't be right. Will you tell me?
BIRD
Yes. But only if you're ready. Are you ready?
BURTON Yes, I think so.
BIRD
Are you sure?
BURTON
Yes, I'm sure.
BIRD
Here we go then.
BURTON Here we go!
BIRD
(turns his arm to BURTON)
These are names.
BURTON
Names? Of what?
BIRD
Of people.
BURTON
Ah. Which people? Come on. I'm on the edge of my seat. Can't you feel my excitement? Please. Go on. Go on.
BIRD
What do you want from me?
BURTON
A chance. That's all. Just a chance.
BIRD
Alright! But don't blame me if it doesn't work.
BURTON
I won't blame you. How could I? It wouldn't be your fault. Continue. Please.
BIRD
They are the names of people that I once knew. They are long since gone. They have... moved on.
BURTON
From here? Moved on from here? How? They must have been very clever. Could they paint or sing or write? What did they do? How many were there?
(BURTON goes to BIRD and grab's his arm)
Let me count. One, two, three, four, five. Five? Five names! So what did they do? How did they get out?
BIRD
They are...
(whispers)
...demised.
BURTON
(he shrinks away)
A little drastic. All of them?
BIRD
Yes. They were not from here. BURTON
I'm relieved.
BIRD
So were they. Do you want more?