copyright © 2002 Clinton A. Johnston
Hosanna in the Highest
By
Clinton A. Johnston
Characters
Doctor — subdued, not necessarily jaded or cynical, but certainly someone who’s been doing this work awhile
Resident — younger than the doctor, quick to emote
Patient — going through severe withdrawal symptoms, barely aware of what’s going on around
[Note: any gender can play any of these characters. Just switch the pronouns.]
The Scene
[Darkness]
[Short, labored panting. Sounds of someone in pain.]
[Lights up (medium-low light) on a person curled in a corner of a room, clearly in pain. There’s a clipboard on the wall.]
[Enter a doctor followed by a resident.]
Doctor
Let’s see how this one’s doing.
Resident
[On seeing the patient]
Jesus.
Doctor
[Not monotone, but subdued.]
Yep.
Resident
How many of these are there?
Doctor
How much time you got?
[Doctor takes down the clipboard and looks at it.]Resident
I can’t believe this.
Doctor
[Reading from clipboard]
A significant amount of time after exposure and the severity of the symptoms has not abated; last check was two months ago; it’s estimated the subject received the minimum dosage …
Resident
Do we have to call them "subjects"?
[Pause. Doc turns and looks at Resident. Beat.]
Doctor
Forgive my bluntness, but I want to be clear on this. I have looked at enough cases like these to fill up an umpteen number of wings in the largest hospital that either you or I can imagine. And when I look ahead, I see three, four hundred times that many still waiting for me. What I’ve learned … you can get upset or you can do the work. And the two are mutually exclusive.
[Turns and kneels down to examine the patient.] Now you can vent or you can help. Decide.Resident
It’s just … they’re people, you know?
Doctor
They were.
[As in "They’re not now."] Subject evidences fugue state with accompanying spasms. Elevated pulse and temperature; [to herself] he’s burning up.Resident
I just don’t get how they can do this to people.
Doctor
That’s why they’re where they are and you’re where you are. [To Patient] Mr. Samuels? Mr. Samuels, can you understand me?
[Patient connects with Doctor. Doctor is pleased.] Hello, Mr. Samuels. Sir, do you know what happened? Do you know where you are? [Patient wanders] No, no, stay with me, Mr. Samuels. It’s very important that you try as much as possible to focus on me right now.Patient
Light …
Doctor
No, don’t think about the light right now, sir. Come back to me. Mr. Samuels, do you know where you are?
Patient
His brow …
Doctor
No, no. Right here. Stay with me.
[Patient reconnects.] That’s it. Hello again. Can you hear me? Can you focus on me? How many fingers do you see? Do you know your full name? Do you know where you are?Resident
Can you tell us what you remember, Mr. Samuels?
Doctor
No! Don’t try to remember, Mr. Samuels. Just listen to me. This is very important. You died, Mr. Samuels.
[Patient becomes agitated.] Yes, yes you did. You died, Mr. Samuels. You died. You were resurrected, and you were judged. Mr. Samuels … Mr. Samuels do you know where you are?Patient
What have you done to me?
Resident
We haven’t done anything.
Doctor
We’ve been trying to help you, Mr. Samuels. Now, listen. You stood outside the Eternal Shining City. You’ve been in the presence of His Divine Celestial Majesty and you have been cast out. What you are now experiencing are extreme symptoms of withdrawal after exposure to Paradise. Everyone goes through this …
[Patient starts to get agitated.] No, stay with me, Mr. Samuels … Mr. Samuels, your symptoms will persist as long as you keep thinking about [Patient starts to flail and scream next line, reaching up, ever up] … Shit! Help me out![Doctor and Resident struggle to hold Patient down. Resident gives Doctor a hypodermic and holds Patient down while Doctor injects him. During the struggle, the patient screams this line repeating "Hosanna!" as often as necessary.]
Patient
THE LIGHT ON HIS BROW! HIS EYES THE CRYSTAL TOWERS! THE FLAMES IN HIS VOICE! DIAMOND SHARP GOLDEN EAGLE’S WINGS! THEY CUT! BURNING IN HIS GLORY! HOSANNA! HOSANNA!
[They sedate him. Pause as Doctor and Patient catch their breath.]
Doctor
Well, at least we were able to reach him. That’s progress.
Resident
How long has it been since exposure?
Doctor
Well, let’s see.
[Looks at clipboard.] Fifty years. [Starts to write notes on clipboard.]Resident
Fifty years? How many more until he’s recovered?
[Patient is back to panting, and is murmering.]
Doctor
Hundreds. Thousands. Hard to say. Anyway … no one ever fully recovers. [Puts clipboard back.] Come on. Many more to see.
[Both start to exit. Resident stops. Looks at patient and then exits.]
Patient
[Rocking back and forth, muttering to himself]
God … God … God …
[Blackout]
"Hosanna in the Highest" IS COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL AND MAY NOT BE DOWNLOADED, TRANSMITTED, PRINTED OR PERFORMED WITHOUT THE EXPRESS PERMISSION OF THE AUTHOR
"Hosanna in the Highest" debuted May 3, 2002, performed by Annaliese Moyer, Lee Moyer and Clinton Johnston.
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