rachel: I’m not a slut.
khalil: I don’t have AIDS; I never . . .
rachel: Quit following me. You’re worse than the locals.
khalil: Please put that stick away.
rachel: Leave me alone. Get away, you creep. Stop. Don’t.
khalil: Why are you doing this? I’m not dirty. Please.
rachel: Don’t you have a mother?
khalil: Please. Not there.
khalil is forced to bend over for a brutal rectal examination. He screams in agony. rachel is sexually assaulted in an alley by the tourist.
rachel: I won’t cry for you.
Pause.
Skin.
khalil: Flying.
rachel: Peeling.
khalil: Soaring.
rachel: Scraping.
khalil: Wings.
rachel: Shedding.
khalil: Feathers.
rachel: Red.
khalil: Softly.
rachel: Raw.
khalil: Landing. Where am I?
Beat.
Nana?
rachel: (feels for her locket) My locket.
khalil: Does anyone know where I am?
rachel: Por favor. I need to phone Canada right now.
khalil: I need to call my grandmother.
rachel: (to phone) Pick up, please, come on.
khalil: I need a doctor.
george: Hello? Sheila?
rachel: Dad?
Beat.
I need to talk to you.
george: Who’s there?
rachel: It’s me, Rachel.
george: Hello? Who is this?
rachel: Can’t you hear me? Dad!
george: I can’t hear you.
rachel: But I can hear you. Talk to me, Dad. I still have my locket.
george: Is this a prank call?
rachel: It’s not a prank. Wait. Keep talking. Dad. How’s Mom and Pooks?
george: Goodbye.
rachel: No, don’t hang up.
george retreats.
Scrape it clean.
khalil: I can’t.
wally enters. He’s at home with Lucky.
wally: Come here, buddy. Lucky! There’s my boy. You want a little scratch? Sure you do. Oh, that feels good. Kisses for Daddy. Look at your corkscrew tail wagging, like a windup toy. Just like when I found you behind the dumpster. Soaking wet, trembling like a poplar leaf, your ribs sticking out. You still had enough in ya to wag that tail, didn’t ya? I rescued you. Yes, I did. You like that story, don’t ya?
Beat.
We’re gonna be okay.
Beat.
What’s that? You want to sit in my lap? Come on then. That’s my little guy.
rachel: Read me a bedtime story, okay? The bear of little brain.
george: Winnie-the-Pooh.
khalil hears the sounds of prison.
khalil: Stop the sound echoes. Wind. Leg irons. Boots. Men and boys rattling thin wire cages. Puking. Crying. Screaming. Find a way out. Find it now. Lizards. Hedgehogs. Snakes.
rachel opens her locket. She examines it, then holds the locket to her heart. She puts it away.
I found it. Okay, we’re going through the portal arch. Let’s go.
khalil leads rachel into a childhood flashback. She holds a shoebox.
What are you doing?
rachel: I’m catching snakes.
khalil: Why?
rachel: To scare people, obviously. Open the box for me.
He hesitates.
It’s a garter snake. It won’t bite.
He opens the box.
Who are you?
khalil: Khalil.
rachel: I’m Rachel. Let’s go make somebody old pee their pants.
They play a game, revealing the snake in the box to frighten each other, then exchanging roles. They are playful, free, and full of laughter.
khalil: Maybe we’re scaring him. Nana—my grandma—says “be kind to all creatures.”
rachel: We’ll build Snake World to make him safe and happy.
khalil: Okay. Blades of grass.
rachel: Moss.
khalil: Leaves.
rachel: Tons of places to play and sleep.
khalil: And dream.
rachel and khalil become adults again. rachel packs her belongings to leave Central America.
rachel: (exiting) Adios.
Those Bushes Are High
george jogs. wally walks Lucky. They meet suddenly. wally is startled.
wally: Doctor Stevenson!
george: Wally.
wally: I didn’t see you coming. Those bushes are high.
george: Just popped around the corner. Try a new route.
wally: I didn’t expect to see you here.
george: Bit of a jog. Exercise. Breathing. Hello there. This must be Lucky.
wally: We’re doing an extra loop of the park.
george: Are you chasing squirrels?
wally: Runs like a bullet. When I found him he was starving, now look at him.
george: Healthy little guy. Full of piss and vinegar. So you’re a squirrel guy, are you? Pooks liked fetching. Even near the end she’d try her best . . .
Beat.
Oh there’s a Steller’s jay in the cedar.
wally: Did you get me in with the ear doctor?
george: Two of them . . . What?
wally: The ear specialist guy.
george: Oh, working on it. Hang tough.
wally: I can’t hang tough. I told you.
george: Don’t worry, things will look up.
george jogs away.
Inside the Barn
khalil: It’s even colder inside.
Wind blasts through blown-out windows boarded up with rusted scraps. Sheet metal walls shake, shivering like lonely men, thin wire cages battered by gusts and men’s hands, cutting our palms. Concrete everywhere, grey, cold, and breathless.
They took my phone. I don’t have a pen or paper. I’m writing you letters in my head.
It’s just a mistake. We’ll straighten it out. Don’t worry, Nana, I’ll fix the back steps.
Coming Home
rachel enters with her worn backpack.
rachel: Mom? Dad? Pooks?
Beat.
I’m home!
george: Rachel, oh, you’re here.
rachel: Surprise!
george: You’re back early. I—we thought it was next month.
rachel: Yeah.
Beat.
Is that a problem?
george: No, no. I got your postcard. I, um, I wouldn’t mind seeing that green-breasted mango, was it?
rachel: I thought you’d like that.
george: It’s been what, four, no five months.
rachel: Is something wrong?
george: We’re fine.
Beat.
So, back safe and sound. Wore your seat belt?
rachel: And my helmet, on every chicken bus.
george: Good. That’s good.
They embrace awkwardly.
rachel: Where’s Mom?
Beat.
george: She’s out.
rachel: Where’s Pooks? (calling) Pooksy girl? Guess who’s back? Dad, where is she?
Beat.
george: She’s gone.
rachel: What do you mean?
george: She couldn’t walk. She wouldn’t eat, not even her dish of ice cream.
rachel: No.
george: I’m sorry.
rachel’s too upset to speak.
She didn’t suffer. Your mom and I took her to the vet with her bear. We scratched her ears while she
went to sleep. We told her how much we all loved her, throwing sticks with her, swimming down at Sandy Cove.
Beat.
rachel: When?
george: Three months ago. We—we didn’t want to spoil your fun.
rachel: Dammit.
george: Here, let me . . .
george tries to comfort rachel. She accepts, then pushes him away.
rachel: What else didn’t you tell me?
Beat.
george: Nothing, no.
Beat.
Your mom’s quitting smoking.
rachel: Good.
george: It’s just, she’s been irritable.
rachel: I need to unpack.
george: Have you thought about school? Often the longer the break the harder it is . . .
rachel: / I applied to three places. Mom helped with my applications.
george: Oh. Terrific, I’m sure she mentioned it. Sciences?
rachel: Arts.
george: Right.
rachel: I’m not even sure I’m going. I’m broke; I wonder if Earls will take me back waitressing.
george: I—I could use your help in the office again. Ellen likes Fridays off.
rachel: Maybe. I gotta lug this stuff into my bedroom.
george: / Hold on . . . Your mom’s using that room.
rachel: What, for sewing? That’s okay.
Beat.
george: Sewing and—assorted other things.
rachel: Mom’s what?
george: Bit of a rough patch. Temporary.
rachel: You guys are always in a rough patch. I can still use my room, right?
george: / I’m trying to jog regularly. I’m working on my personal hierarchy of needs. Safety, physical health. Esteem.
rachel: What are you talking about?
george: You remember Abraham Maslow? You’ve seen his book on the shelf. A remarkable humanist psychologist. I’m sure I’ve mentioned him and his pyramid.
rachel: Okay. Dad, I’m glad to be home but I’m bagged.
george: We’re doing spring cleaning.
rachel: That’s random.
george: It was your mother’s idea. Do you want the foosball table? The garage sale’s on Saturday.
rachel: I’m too tired to think about this.
george: You could probably sleep on the couch in the den.
rachel: Wow, thanks.
george: (exiting) Well, I’ve got to head out . . . the office and ward rounds and—I’m sorry.
rachel: Me too. Welcome home, Rachel.
She makes a phone call.
Santeeeeee!!!! Three hours ago! Yeah, I was going to check out El Salvador after you flew back but . . . just decided to come home early, not be utterly destitute . . . My mom’s sleeping in my room. They’re selling my stuff.
Beat.
And Pooks is gone.
Beat.
So where are we gonna party? Come on, Santy. Take me out tonight or I will strangle something.
It’s About My Bus Pass
khalil: Physical training? But I’ve planted hundreds of trees. I play hockey.
khalil is forced to do physical training. wally is at the social services office.
wally: I need to see my worker about my bus pass. Susan McDonald. I left four messages. My transfer’s good for another thirty-four minutes. I know she’s here. I’m eligible for the monthly pass. She’s not sick today. It says right up there on the board she’s in. I saw her red Subaru in the lot. I just know. Tell her it’s about my pass. You need to write it down. Are you writing it down? Let me see. Okay then. You tell her.
khalil’s fitness regime ends. He’s exhausted.
khalil: (to a military police officer) Private Williams. Two Ibuprofen? Thank you, sir. I won’t tell the others. I promise, sir.
Beat.
Left wing. Do you play? Street hockey’s good too, summer or winter.
khalil takes the pills.
rachel dances with abandon. And gets high.
Ear Canals
rachel becomes “Nurse rachel” for the doctor’s office. She’s on the phone. wally enters and hovers.
rachel: Mom. I am “getting my act together.” I just checked my applications online. Yesterday. At Santana’s house. I slept over. I know life is not one big party.
wally: I need my prescription refilled.
rachel: (to wally) Oh. Oops. Hi. Have a seat.
(to Mom) Why do I need to apply for residence if I’m going to school here? Apartment? When?
wally: My pills ran out.
rachel: (to wally) Let’s see, you must be Wally. Excuse me.
(to mom) Mom. I have to go.
wally: You’re a new nurse. I usually talk to Ellen.
rachel: I’m working on Fridays. I’m Rachel.
wally: I never heard back from the doctor about the ear guy.
rachel: You can ask him when you see him. Why don’t you sit down?
wally: It’s both sides, not just the one.
rachel: Do you have an ear infection?
wally: The ear guy has to take a better look inside with his optic probe light, examine all the way down those tunnels. No, that’s not the right word, what do you call them?
rachel: Do you want a magazine? My dad—I mean Doctor Stevenson has Canadian Geographic.
wally: They’re extremely narrow passageways which are fragile and highly susceptible to injury. It’s common knowledge. You can’t go in far with a Q-tip cotton swab without doing permanent damage.
rachel: Eardrums?
wally: No. That’s way down at the end towards the skull and brain but along the way, they’re similar to transmitters. There’s a word for them. You’re a nurse. You have to know.
rachel: I’m sorry, Wally. I’m only a student nurse.
wally: / And when they’re severely jarred, for example, due to a large object such as a cedar log, then the frequencies are amplified. They accumulate.
rachel: Did a log fall on you?
wally: / The frequencies between the open air and the eardrum along this tunnel road can’t be switched off day or night. Is he going to be long because I need my prescription.
rachel: Not long. You can check out the bird pictures. I painted that birdhouse with my dad.
wally: / I’m not checking out cedar waxwings. I need to know what those tunnels are.
rachel: The doctor will be here any minute.
wally hears sounds assaulting his ears.
wally: Could you turn that radio down? It’s interfering.
rachel: It’s not on.
wally: My ears are highly sensitive.
rachel: There’s no radio on. Honestly.
george enters.
george: Hello, hello.
wally: When do I see the ear guy?
rachel: Wally has some questions for you.
george: Wally, sit down and the nurse will call you.
wally: / Your lips are moving. I can’t hear your words.
george: I said have a seat.
rachel: I don’t think he wants to sit right now.
wally: (agitated) / The radio’s way too loud.
rachel: Are you okay?
wally: (more agitated) / The static, it’s multiplying.
george: Wally, take a breath.
wally: / Zapping, blasting left, right, and centre.
george: Fine. Wally, get in.
(to rachel) This won’t take long.
george guides wally aside.
Look, Wally, you can’t come and disrupt things like this.
wally: You were going to call.
george: / Listen. The specialist is booked solid but I’ll get the nurse to check. They might squeeze you in on a cancellati
on. Do you understand, Wally?
wally: You’ll get the nurse to check.
george: Good stuff.
wally: Those pills ran out and I can’t sleep.
george: We’ll get you a refill.
george and wally rejoin rachel.
rachel: Canals, Wally! Canals of the inner ear.
wally: Canals. That’s it. Canals of the inner ear.
george: Okay then.
wally: (exiting) The nurse will call me.
rachel: Goodbye.
(to her father) Wow. It really seemed like he heard a radio.
george: He has a serious case of tinnitus.
rachel: I thought he was going to freak if I couldn’t remember the workings of the frigging inner ear.
george: He knows how to get attention.
rachel: I don’t think he can help it.
george: I’ve been treating guys like Wally since before you were born.
rachel: Okay, Dad.
george: / Most doctors tell them to find another GP. The practices all have waiting lists. They end up in emerge at all hours. I won’t do that to guys like Wally.
rachel: That’s good.
george: Life’s not easy for everyone.
rachel: I know, Dad. I was just in Central America.
george: Not everyone can jump through hoops the way you can.
rachel: This is about me?
george: It’s just that you’re talented, in school, your swimming.
rachel: I’m sorry I said anything.
george: You know, I had to work my way through med school.
rachel: Digging ditches and graves. Riding the ambulances.
george: Okay. Um, could you call Dr. Sidhu’s office? See if they can get Wally in sooner.
rachel: Fine.
Tough Old Bitch
wally is at the shooting range. He carefully sets up his handgun for target practice. Sounds of shots are heard periodically throughout the scene. wally speaks to a fellow shooter.
wally: Competition? No, it’s a long ride out here to the range. Personal hobby. And defence. I’ve been mugged twice out walking my dog.
That’s a fine gun. Where’d you get that? I’ve got a .357 at home, a couple of rifles since I was a kid. My dad and me would go out, you know, small town and get yourself a deer on the weekend, maybe two. If I missed a kill shot he gave me a hiding, skin me and the buck, that’s one way to learn to hit your target.
And my granddad’s old Colt M1911, I used it for parts on this A1. Gun shop on Main Street. Yeah, a lot of history with these .45s. The world wars. Korea, Nam, Desert Storm. Iraqi Freedom. Enduring Freedom. Freedom Freedom.
Paradise Page 2
