Etiquette and Vitriol (45 page)

NESTOR:
Where is she?!

BISHOP:
HERE!

NESTOR:
WHERE?

BISHOP:
I DON'T KNOW!

NESTOR:
Atta boy.

BISHOP
(To Phyllis)
: Help me.

PHYLLIS
and
POPO
: I'm here.

(Bishop and Phyllis embrace.)

BISHOP:
I couldn't find you.

PHYLLIS:
Don't leave me.

POPO
: I love you Bishop.

PHYLLIS:
I need you.

BISHOP:
I'm sorry.

POPO
: I love you Bishop.

PHYLLIS:
My feet hurt. I need new shoes.

POPO
: I love you Bishop.

PHYLLIS:
I need a place to sleep. I can't sleep on the beach with the clouds watching me. I need someone to protect me.

BISHOP:
I'll protect you.

PHYLLIS:
Tuck your shirt in.

POPO
: I love you Bishop!

(Bishop hears Popo for the first time and moves to her.)

BISHOP:
What?

POPO
: I think about you all the time. Dr. Nestor says I'm fixated. Dr. Nestor says I'm obsessing. Dr. Nestor says I'm off my nut!

BISHOP:
He's right.

POPO
: I dreamed about you last night.

BISHOP:
Go back to your room.

POPO
: I dreamed we were on a desert island.

PHYLLIS:
Imagine.

BISHOP:
Take a sleeping pill.

POPO
: And I looked like Brooke Shields and you looked like Christopher Atkins.

BISHOP:
Take a dozen.

NESTOR:
Do you remember killing your mother?

POPO
: And everything was idyllic.

BISHOP:
Take a long walk off a short pier.

POPO
: And the sun was very bright and our hair was blond.

NESTOR:
Bishop!

BISHOP:
Take a hike.

POPO
: And our bodies were perfect, and we went swimming.

BISHOP:
Take a rest.

POPO
: Naked.

NESTOR:
Do you?

BISHOP:
Take a leak.

POPO
: And we climbed out of the ocean, like Adam and Eve.

PHYLLIS:
What's the matter with her?

BISHOP:
She's obsessing.

POPO
: Like the birth of Venus.

PHYLLIS
(Out)
: God.

POPO
: And the water stuck to our skin, in droplets.

PHYLLIS:
Who cares?

POPO
(Calm)
: And the droplets reflected the sun and turned the rays of sunlight into prisms off our skin. And we stood on the beach, on the sand, nude with colors.

PHYLLIS:
Get rid of her.

POPO
: And we didn't speak.

PHYLLIS:
Bishop.

POPO
: Because we spoke with our arms and we spoke with our skin and we understood each other without any words. And you stood very close to me. And your breath was very
warm on my face and the wind blew my hair and the waves filled my head.

PHYLLIS:
Don't touch her.

NESTOR
(To Phyllis)
: Leave him alone!

PHYLLIS:
SHUT UP!

POPO
: And I touched you. I put my hand on your shoulder.

PHYLLIS:
Don't let her.

POPO
(She does so)
: And your skin was soft and felt like singing to my fingers.

PHYLLIS:
Bishop.

BISHOP:
Leave me alone.

POPO
(As she continues, she becomes more and more relaxed, both in body and voice)
: And the wind held my breasts and I kissed your neck.
(She does so)
And it was sweet and smelled like flowers.
(Again)
And I stopped hurting because I stopped smiling.
(Again)
And I looked into your eyes.
(Again)
And I saw my reflection.

PHYLLIS:
STOP THIS!

NESTOR:
LEAVE HIM ALONE!

PHYLLIS
(To Nestor)
: HE CANNOT DO THIS!

NESTOR:
YOU'RE DEAD!

POPO
: And you kissed me.

PHYLLIS:
NO!

POPO
: And you put your tongue in my mouth, and held my breasts, in the wind, your hands.

PHYLLIS:
STOP IT!!

POPO
: And you entered me, and the sun went behind a cloud and the shadows made dances on your chest—

PHYLLIS:
STOP!

POPO
: And it rained, on us, in the sand, on the beach, at the tide, in my arms, in your eyes, in my mouth, on my back, at your feet, by the sea, in my dream—

(Bishop and Popo embrace. Phyllis crosses to them.)

PHYLLIS:
Get rid of her Bishop!

NESTOR:
Don't hear her Bishop.

PHYLLIS:
Remember what it looks like!

NESTOR
(To Bishop)
: Let her go!

PHYLLIS:
Remember what it feels like!

POPO
: I love you Bishop!

NESTOR:
LET HER GO!

PHYLLIS:
It feels like running and running Bishop—the taste of flesh in your mouth! Remember the taste! Remember the sounds! You said it Bishop! You can do it! Like gunshots in your head, better than fucking! Get rid of her!

(Bishop is holding Popo as if he might kiss her or kill her. Nestor removes his coat and becomes Howard.)

POPO
: I love you Bishop.

PHYLLIS:
Kill her!

HOWARD
(To Phyllis)
: STOP IT!

PHYLLIS:
What do you care?! You never wanted him to begin with!

HOWARD:
HE DOESN'T BELONG TO YOU!

PHYLLIS:
HE DOES!!

POPO
: I LOVE YOU!

PHYLLIS:
HE'S MINE!

HOWARD:
LOOK WHAT YOU DID!

PHYLLIS:
I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING—

POPO
: I LOVE YOU—

PHYLLIS:
YOU DID IT—

HOWARD:
HE KILLED YOU TOO—

PHYLLIS:
I LOVE HIM—

POPO
: I LOVE YOU—

BISHOP:
STOP IT!

(At this, Bishop pushes Popo off him. She removes her bathrobe, revealing Pam's costume. Nestor puts on his coat again and goes to his desk. Phyllis dishevels herself and sits where she sat before exiting at the end of Act II. Pam and Phyllis revert to their Act II personas.)

I killed her. I killed her. I did.

PAM
(After a long moment)
: I miss being alive.

PHYLLIS:
Bishop?

PAM
(Out)
: Go date married men.

BISHOP:
We ate my father through the night.

PHYLLIS:
I'm full.

PAM
(Out)
: Ick.
(She exits)

BISHOP:
And the sun came up. And we sat on the floor, the craphead and me.

PHYLLIS:
That was good. Do you want to watch TV?

BISHOP:
We have to go!

PHYLLIS:
Maybe something good is on the morning movie.

BISHOP:
We have to get out of here. You said it yourself.

PHYLLIS:
Maybe
African Queen
—

BISHOP:
Someone'll find us.

PHYLLIS:
Or
Philadelphia Story
or
Adam's Rib
—

BISHOP:
Someone will find them!

PHYLLIS
(Growing desperation)
: Or
Break of Hearts
! Or
Morning Glory
!

BISHOP:
You know we can't stay here!

PHYLLIS:
I could miss
The Lion in Winter
! Or
Christopher Strong
! Or
Woman of the Year
!

BISHOP:
We have to go back!

NESTOR:
She wouldn't cooperate?

BISHOP
(To Nestor)
: I didn't understand.

PHYLLIS:
We could play with my shoes?

BISHOP:
We can bring your shoes.

PHYLLIS:
It's a lot. I can't carry them all.

BISHOP:
I'll carry half.

PHYLLIS:
I want to see
Bringing Up Baby
!

BISHOP:
They'll find them. They'll catch us.

PHYLLIS:
Who?

BISHOP:
The police.

PHYLLIS:
I thought they were morons?

BISHOP
(Forceful)
: People are up. We have to go.

PHYLLIS:
I can't.

BISHOP:
Why not?

PHYLLIS:
I'm afraid.

BISHOP:
Of what?

PHYLLIS
(After a moment)
: You of course.

BISHOP:
I protect you.

PHYLLIS:
And . . .

BISHOP:
What?

PHYLLIS:
You kill people.

BISHOP:
But I love you.

PHYLLIS:
So?

BISHOP
(To Nestor)
: She wouldn't come.

NESTOR:
And then?

BISHOP:
Do you want to go to prison?

PHYLLIS:
No.

BISHOP:
You will. They'll lock you away and never let you out.

PHYLLIS:
But I didn't do anything wrong.

BISHOP:
They don't care. Everyone is guilty and they'll put you away.

PHYLLIS:
What's on TV?

BISHOP:
You've got to come.

PHYLLIS:
Don't make me.

BISHOP:
I won't leave you.

NESTOR:
Why not?

BISHOP:
I love her!

PHYLLIS:
You have to.

BISHOP:
I do what I want!

PHYLLIS:
You have to go.

BISHOP:
I'll stay with you.

PHYLLIS:
You'll get on my nerves.

BISHOP:
I'll be quiet.

PHYLLIS:
No. No. Bishop. You go. You go without me. You'll kill me someday, if I come.

BISHOP:
Maybe not.

PHYLLIS:
So kill me now. I'm tired.

BISHOP:
What?

PHYLLIS:
Kill me now.

NESTOR:
She asked you?

BISHOP
(To Nestor)
: SHUT UP!

PHYLLIS
(Positive; with love)
: We've done such things.

BISHOP:
I don't understand.

PHYLLIS:
I can't go on with you and don't want to without you. Please.

BISHOP:
You hate me. You wish I was dead.