Nicaragua

Nicaragua

MILKMAN We are very angry

QUEEN We hope you will understand

MILKMAN Two weeks ago, I wrote a poem about the situation in Nicaragua.

QUEEN The situation there is deplorable, but we don't have time to go into that right now.

MILKMAN We hope you understand.

QUEEN Suffice it is to say, that it was a beautiful poem

MILKMAN Yes, it was.
I apologize, I don't mean to boast.

QUEEN But it really was.

MILKMAN I worked very hard on it. I thought about it for a long time.
About the situation. About my feelings.
About how I would feel if I were in that situation.
I stared at that picture for a long time.

QUEEN It was a simple picture. Of a child crying. Seven or eight years old.

MILKMAN And there was a spot of blood.

QUEEN A little spot of blood right here on her shirt.
A very simple picture.

MILKMAN I stared at it for a long time.

QUEEN I knocked on the door several times and asked him to let me into the bathroom so I could dry my hair.

MILKMAN I didn't even hear her, I was so lost in thought.
I looked at the picture, and thought about my feelings.
Then I wrote a poem.

QUEEN I thought of the title. I don't remember it exactly.

MILKMAN But it was a good title. Very appropriate.
I opened the door and showed her the poem.

QUEEN I was so touched, so moved.
I dropped my hair dryer.

MILKMAN It shattered on the floor.

QUEEN I wiped away my tears.
And asked if it had a title.

MILKMAN It did not, but she knew exactly what it should be called.

QUEEN We rushed into the den and found a typewriter.

MILKMAN I type approximately 65 words per minute.

QUEEN As soon as it was done, we rushed over to our friend.

MILKMAN What do you think, we said.

QUEEN He could not speak.

MILKMAN Our friend SEEMED very touched. He thanked us in a quiet voice.

QUEEN And asked us for a copy to put into a wooden frame for his office.

MILKMAN We were so happy that we had written something truly important, that we took it to another friend, and another.

QUEEN By the end of the day, we had shared it with half a dozen people.

MILKMAN The next morning came.

(LONG PAUSE)

QUEEN The day's headline was about Nicaragua

(LONG PAUSE)

MILKMAN I really thought they understood.

QUEEN When we read it to them, they really seemed to see how awful it was.

MILKMAN But then, the very next morning...

QUEEN We are very angry.

(LONG PAUSE)

MILKMAN We wanted to share it with you.

QUEEN We think you will understand

MILKMAN This is a poem

QUEEN It is a poem about the situation in Nicaragua.

MILKMAN It is a poem I wrote.

QUEEN "At night the air up from the sea,"

MILKMAN "At night the sound of children crying,"

QUEEN "At night..."

MILKMAN Did you hear that?

QUEEN Yes, it was a gunshot.

(They exit, disillusioned)

STATUE My eyes have been open for a very long time.

"Nicaragua" IS COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL AND MAY NOT BE DOWNLOADED, TRANSMITTED, PRINTED OR PERFORMED WITHOUT THE EXPRESS PERMISSION OF THE AUTHOR

"Nicaragua" debuted March 31, 1989, with the following cast:
Milkman Mike Wells
Queen Erin Quinn Purcell
Statue Jeff Goode

The script of "Nicaragua" was combined with the script from No Shame Players III: "somebody might hear" to become "No Shame Players III: Nicaragua" which was first performed at Best of No Shame on Saturday, April 22, 1989.

[Jeff Goode's website]

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