Saturday, December 27, 2003

Back to the HOMEPAGE


I am presenting here the English language text of the play Pod Kablukom.
To view the Russian/Belarusian version, press “HERE

You can E-mail me at beinghad_mail@yahoo.com

And now, please enjoy “Pod Kablukom”



Pod Kablukom (UNDER THE HEEL)
A play in two acts by Adam Goodman


Cast in order of appearance:

Mama (Irene)- In her mid-forties.
Marina- About 15.
Papa (Alexei)- About ten years older than Mama.
Brother (Andre)- 23 years old.
Edward- Nadia’s boyfriend, 23 years old.
Baba- In her late sixties.
Nadia, 20 years of age and simply a beautiful perfect girl.
Robert- The American; about 27.


Pod Kablukom is a two act play about a Belarussian family at a time of great decisions. It seems as though Nadia, the middle child and a most beautiful and perfect girl has met on the train home from the university, a handsome American named Robert who has come to visit Belarus, his families historical home. Their attraction to each other is great, but unfortunately, there are problems because Nadia has been with Edward, a seller of shoes, for two years. The troubles with this love triangle and the associated economic issues have become of great interest to Nadia’s Family. There is a division in the house over which is the correct course for Nadia to take: Her Papa, and Mama are in favor of the romance with the American because of the stifling economic problems of Belarus. Her Brother though believes she should not betray her country or her Boyfriend. Her sister Marina and her Baba, wish only for her happiness. The action of this play takes place on the evening when Robert is invited for the first time to Nadia’s home to meet the Family.

Pod Kablukom is a single set, real time play performed in two acts with an intermission. The set and dress are described below. The play is really about a clash of wildly different cultures at a time of great change. I think that the actors should not be afraid to show a general sense of fear throughout, while at the same time, they should never forget that this family unit is an absolute, and that Robert is not the «winner» here, but indeed, simply the guest who has come to dinner. In the Russian language version, only Robert and Nadia speak in English, and she is bilingual and translating. The rest of the cast speaks in Russian but for Baba who speaks Belarussian. In this script, spoken English is represented in italics and the Russian, in regular type. The time of this play is about two and a half hours.

Copywrite 2002
Pod Kablukom by Adam Goodman
All rights reserved


Act one.
Scene:
(In the cabinet of Nadia’s family home. As the curtain rises, we see Mama trying, with some sense of desperation to get the house in order and Marina to help, as they wait for Robert, Nadia’s new American friend’s arrival at the house. We see to the left the front door of the apartment, which leads into a short hallway. Jest to the right we see the cabinet room which takes up the bulk of the stage. There are two couches and a comfortable chair. A few scattered pictures on the walls and a TV tucked into a corner. There is also, at center a table and chairs tucked under the window. This table that opens to a much larger one, and is used for the banquet table during this play. It is early June, and the weather is warm and mild with all of the actors dressing accordingly. This scene takes place about four days after Nadia and Robert’s initial meeting. At this time, that there is some competition going on for Nadia between Robert and Edward has become apparent to everybody. As the curtain rises, we see Mama busily wiping and dusting to the right, and Marina sitting on the couch at left, putting make-up on.)

Mama
Marina! Marina, won’t you please help to clean the house.

Marina
I am helping, I am helping.

Mama
I do not see this; I only see that you are looking in mirror at your face.

Marina
Why shouldn’t I look in the mirror? I like to look at beautiful things…

Mama
Marina, do not play with me. I need your help.

Marina
I am helping, I am helping.

Mama
What time is it?

Marina
It is ten minutes to five o’clock.

Mama
Marina please, we only have one hour and ten minutes left.

Marina
One hour and nine minutes…

Mama
Marina please, why don’t you work? We must make everything perfect for our guest.

Marina
Maybe we shouldn’t care what our guest thinks of our home. Maybe there are other things that he might like to see.

Mama
Marina!

Marina
Maybe it is not a good idea to be perfect for this American. Maybe he doesn’t care about such things. Maybe it is better if it is not so…clean.

Mama
My God! Where do you get such crazy ideas? If this American doesn’t care about such things I don’t think I want him in my home! I want this American to think that Nadia comes from a good home and from good people.

Marina
Maybe it would be better if he thought that Nadia was a little bit bad. We don’t know what these Americans are. Maybe it is not so good to be so…square. Maybe we should show that that we are «hippies».

Mama
Marina please, won’t you help me to clean the floor? We have only an hour and nine minutes remaining until he comes…

Marina
One hour and seven minutes. I don’t know why this is so important. If the American gets what he wants, he won’t be staying here with us anyway. And neither will Nadia. She will be gone away and never to return.

Mama
Marina please, won’t you work? It is always important for the house to be clean.

Marina
And when Nadia is in America, I will be the beautiful girl of the house. I will be the perfect girl then.

Papa
(From offstage) Where is my green shirt?

Mama
Marina, go and help your father.

Marina
(Yelling back,) What do you need?

Mama
I said go and help him. My God, you are lazy!

Papa
I cannot find my green shirt.

Mama
It is out on the line.

Papa
(Entering from the right wearing pants with suspenders and no shirt) Ah, clean clothes. Is there a finer feeling in the world then clean cloths?

Marina
Shall I get you your shirt papa?

Papa
My Marinechka, you are a treasure. (He kisses her forehead and Marina runs off to get the shirt) I don’t know hat I would do without her.

Mama
I don’t know what we can do with her. She is too lazy.

Papa
Nonsense, Marina is beauty itself.

Mama
This is what you say about every woman.

Papa
And it is always the truth (He snuggles up behind Mama): A beautiful woman is always a treasure.

Mama
My God! Alexei Michielovich, are you ever serious?

Papa
Serious? Serious? On such a day as this could I be more serious?

Mama
Alexei, please, I must make the soup. Won’t you please help me to clean the house?

Papa
How can I help with something that needs not to be done! A house with such a woman as you is so clean, the dirt is afraid to even come to the door.

Marina
(Reentering with a green shirt) Here you are papa!

Papa
Thank you my little flower. What would I do without you! (He kisses her again on the forehead. She smiles and sits down again on the couch.) Oh! And on such a day as this! My God such a day as we have never seen in all the years since we have been asked to live in this way that we do…

Mama
Only you live in this way that you live. Some of us still work here.

Papa
Work, work…what is the nature of work? We are all free men now. We are free to choose. This is the new democracy!

Marina
We are free now, right Papa?

Papa
Yes my beauty, we are free. Free to live and to be as we like. And it is not like the old days when we were at the mercy of the pigs. Now life is better as you can see, and we are all as happy as we can be!

Mama
Yes, and I am free to do the work for both of us here in the house and out. I am free to do both your work and mine. Some freedom.

Papa
And who asked you to do this my dove?

Mama
And if I do not, who will pay for the potatoes? Who will feed us?

Papa
Potatoes? Irene, my most lovely, the potatoes are from God and from here (He slaps his hip,) as they have always been.

Irene
Bezbodgnick!

Papa
True, true, and none other then this. And I thank this same Lord I am most happily without, for my powers of reason to discern the truth.

Mama
Alosha, won’t you please help me to clean the house?

Papa
Help? Help we shall and to do none other, won’t me my beauty?

Marina
Yes, papa we will help.

Papa
And this is the truth. Because today is such a day as we may never in our natural lives come to see again. On this day our prayers have been answered and God has seen fit to deliver unto us a savior the likes of which we have never known. Today, the Americans will come and take from us the burdens that we carry on our backs. This is indeed a great day.

Marina
What are these burdens father?

Papa
Burdens? Why my love, the very task of doing the things we have done for all the lives of all the lives as far as we have known. Such a burden as doing the act of living has become too mundane a thing for us to bother with. This is the word of the American’s who translate directly from God himself…

Mama
My God, must I listen to this?

Papa
They have told us so many things that we have done wrong. And now, an actual member of this most omnipotent class of being will come to our very home and take from us the burden of actually living our lives. And I thank God for this, because the troubles of living have become too great for any of us, apparently. I say this American’s arrival comes none too soon!

Mama
And what such work have you done lately?

Papa
My dear, the work of life has no clear definition. Only the results are what count!

Mama
And so what are the results of your work? Poverty is all I see.

Papa
Work, work, work: Such a word as work! How can you speak of the banal at such a time? I say to you that the Americans have come. There is no more need of this word. It must be stricken from the lexicon. It has become an unmentionable along with all the other bad words we must never say?

Marina
Can we say some bad words now papa, like the Americans?

Papa
Oh yes, oh yes! In the future, we will not only have no work, but we may be free to say any word to any man and be free to do so without any fear. Ah, to be free of the burden of our friends too: Such a glory, such a relief!

Mama
Fine! If you will not help me do work, I will do the work myself. Marina, will you clean the glasses from the cabinet, and Alexei will you please set the table up so we can sit and eat like proper people? (Exits)

Marina
Yes, Mama.

Papa
I will help you with the cabinet my dear! (He reaches for the bottle of vodka there.)

Mama
(From off stage) And if you touch that bottle before the American comes, you will not only be without God, but without me!

Papa
You see Marina, she is such a great woman she learned to see through walls! (To mama) I only help to put the bottle on the table where it belongs… (He hold’s up the bottle) Only a paper seal, but the paper is not yet broken. Such are the subtleties of our lives. (They begin to set up the table.)

Marina
Will Nadia be going to America papa?

Papa
This we do not know.

Marina
I would miss her if she would go.

Papa
So would we all. But, our sorrows would be soothed with the addition of some American money into our now so incredibly difficult lives. (Telephone rings)

Mama
Hello. No. No. No. Yes, she is with the American. Yes, she will be here in an hour. Goodbye.

Papa
Who was it?

Mama
Edward.

Papa
Such a man as this! Oh! I tremble when I think of his situation.

Mama
Be calm. Don’t touch him. He’s not a bad boy.

Papa
Of course; he’s a wonderful guy but, (He laughs,) I cannot be calm.

Mama
Oh my God, oh my God!

Papa
Has ever such a small goat made such great horns?

Marina
Papichka, what do you want from him? At first he has no money and now he must have horns.

Mama
Stop. The two of you are just the same: You only talk and you never work.

Papa
For two years she was the boss and he was the worker. And now there is new business but he has no work.

Marina
He is only a poor boy.

Papa
He is such a poor boy whose mother has run away. (Cries to the heavens) Mama Nadia, Mama Nadia, come back, please, come back!

Mama
Enough is enough. I won’t listen to more. Alosha, Make the table. Marina, go clean the glasses. We have less then one hour and I want everything to be perfect.

Papa.
Good. Be calm my dear. (To Marina,) She is the teacher and he is the student but now the school has a holiday! (Doorbell rings.)

Marina
Why must I work on a holiday?

Papa
(Goes to answer the door,) We only work on the holidays. We
We never work at work. (Brother is at the door and this is something Papa doesn’t much like.) Mama, your son is here.

Brother
Are you preparing?

Papa
We prepare, we prepare. We are always preparing.

Mama
(Runs to Brother, kissing him on the cheek and leading him past papa and into the house.) Help! Quickly, quickly, quickly…

Brother
What you need every time?

Mama
It is not beautiful to ask what I need; I need so much but I have so little help.

Brother
Ok, I am helping I am helping. What must I do?

Mama
Go to the store.

Brother
I am only just here! What do you need?

Mama
We need something to drink.

Papa
Yes. We need I think, three more bottles of vodka. Blue eyed. Brestkaya.

Brother
I know which one is the normal vodka.

Marina
I hear they like Stolichnaya vodka in America. Or Absolute.

Mama
Marina, why do you know such interesting things?

Marina
Mama, in what time do you live?

Mama
We don’t need any more vodka! Enough of vodka!

Papa
Why? We always need more vodka.

Mama
No! Only Coca-cola; we have enough vodka. He is American; he must like to drink Coca-cola.

Marina
Mama, why you are so stupid?

Mama
Why stupid? We must drink something.

Papa
Of course Coca-cola is good. We give them our daughters and they give us Coca-cola. It is a good trade.

Mama
This is a good business for you! And now I say that you work. This house is terrible!

Papa
(To Brother) Your mother is crazy with fear that this American will think our Nadia comes from a bad home.

Brother
I don’t care.

Papa
We care, we care. It is good business to care.

Brother
Nadia’s life is good business for you.

Papa
Somebody’s life should be good business. Better business then your life.

Brother
What do you know about my life?

Papa
What life? There is nothing to know?

Brother
You don’t know anything!

Papa
What you know now I have forgotten long ago!

Mama
Why do you stay? Go and buy. Do you have money?

Brother
Money is not a problem. I can get money.

Papa
Where do you get so much money and you don’t work?

Brother
Why is it so interesting for you? I have no work for you.

Papa
Me? Work for you? What a nightmare! Here, take some money.

Brother
With pleasure!

Papa
Ira, look at your son! He says he takes my money with pleasure. With pleasure! I say he is not my son he is only your son.

Brother
And it is your daughter who makes all of these problems for everyone.

Papa
She is always my daughter and everybody sees that I am a proud father.

Brother
Maybe she makes a fool of you like she makes a fool of Edward.

Marina
Edward is not a fool, he is just unlucky.

Papa
Maybe no one is as lucky as you? You don’t work, you don’t need money, but you take money with pleasure. Maybe you are still lucky when
we see you in prison.

Brother
Maybe we all are unlucky.

Mama
Stop! How can you go on like this? Do you never tire? I need help, Andre, When do you go?

Brother
Good, I’m going.

Mama
And only Coca-cola!

Brother
I understand. I understand. (Brother winks at papa, clicks his neck with his fingers and then holds up two fingers. Papa winks back, holds up three fingers. Brother winks, makes an ok sign, and exits.)

Papa
Maybe that is a good bad boy.

Mama
Is the table ready yet?

Papa
Almost… Such a world we live in: If you don’t work, you get no money. But he never works and has more money then if he does work. I think it must be better work not to work. This is not normal.

Mama
It is normal. You don’t work and you have no money. I must work for the both of us.

Papa
But this is not true after this American takes our Nadegda away. After this we will all live like rich and decadent classes. There will be no need for such inconsequential chores such as work. All of our needs will be met and all with no extra effort necessary.

Marina
What does this American do for work?

Mama
We don’t know. Nadia doesn’t say.

Papa
All we know is that he works for $50,000 a year in his business.

Marina
So much money. And Nadia says that he is very handsome.

Mama
And Nadia also says that he drives a car that costs $40,000 but has no roof!

Papa
It is called a «Mustang convertible».

Mama
Yes, this is so.

Marina
He makes so much money. And Edjick is so poor.

Papa
It is true. God has said so that some are rich and some are poor. It is in the bible according to the Americans.

Mama
Bezbodgnick! It is not God’s fault we are poor. If you worked five days instead of two days a week…

Papa
We would have an extra twenty dollars! Some riches!

Mama
But I won’t listen to you blame God for our problems.

Papa
True! It was the Americans fault. But at least this time we will get something from them when we make a deal. This time we become rich, and all we must do is to give them our daughters! (Doorbell rings)

Mama
(Answering,) Enough is enough. You will behave!

Papa
I’ll behave, I’ll behave. (It is Edward and he has brought a bouquet of flowers.)

Mama
Edward! Hello. Please come in.

Edward
Hello.

Papa
Edward, how are you?

Edward
Normal.

Papa
Everything… I’m glad.

Edward
Is Nadia here?

Mama
No. Not yet.

Edward
And where is she?

Papa
Edward, Edward: Where is Nadia, where is Nadia? Please Edward, you must listen to yourself!

Mama
Stay with us Edward. Everyone is here within in hour.

Papa
Look Mama, Such beautiful flowers!

Mama
Very beautiful. I will put them in water.

Edward
They are for Nadia.

Papa
Of course they are for Nadia! And she will see them happy in water… when she returns with the American. (Papa takes the flowers and gives them to mama who takes them to the kitchen.)

Edward
I’m happy.

Marina
Hello, Edward.

Edward
Hello, Marina.

Marina
Edjick, you are looking terrible.

Papa
Don’t say that he looks terrible. Edward is a very handsome boy.

Marina
I don’t say that he is not handsome. He is very beautiful. I only say he looks terrible.

Edward
Thank you. It is a compliment.

Papa
Edward, Edward, come and sit. Sit. Oh, such a world we live in.

Mama
Edward, how are you? How is your business?

Edward
I don’ want to speak about this. Always ok. Normal.

Papa
Everything… Edward let’s… (Papa taps his neck indicating he wants to drink a little vodka)

Mama
(Re-entering with Edwards flowers,) How much must I say? What can I do?

Papa
Oh, Edjick, come with me. Keep me company. Listen to me: You must think only good thoughts when you want to have a wife. But, see what happens to them after. Let’s drink to this.

Edward
We drink for what?

Papa
That in the future you might find a good wife!

Edward
Your Mother!

Papa
Edward, what has happened?

Edward
What can I say? What can I do? All we can say anymore in our country is, only: The situation is terrible but what can I do? But for me this is the truth! My situation is terrible. What can I do?

Papa
Ok! Then let’s drink to the father of our country.

Edward
(Surrenders and sits) Fuck me!

Papa
Fine. To health!

Edward
To health.

Papa.
And truth. Oh! And what about the Olympic hockey? Such a situation…

Edward
(Laughs) Seriously, what can I do?

Papa
Seriously, what can you do?

Edward
I don’t know…

Papa
Edward, you are not a dog who will follow her. You are not under the heel: You are a man.

Marina
You must beat her!

Mama
Marina!

Edward
I cannot do this.

Papa
It’s the truth: You cannot . Good.

Edward
For two years we’ve been together. It was not always easy, but it was so. But if I follow her, I follow her because…

Papa
Because why?

Edward
Because she is so beautiful. Because…

Papa
I know.

Edward
And she is a good future. And she needs…

Papa
She needs…

Marina
She needs you to beat her! You can’t let her do this! You can’t let her have everything she wants. She can’t always have everything!

Mama
Marina, please, what is your relationship to your older sister?

Papa
Marina, you are not right in this.

Marina
Edward is a good boy. He doesn’t deserve this.

Edward
Thank you.

Marina
Edward, I can help… (She runs to him)

Papa
(Pulling her away) Marina, please be calm! Only one problem today.

Edward
Maybe… I know we are not the same. I don’t like to study and I make my business. And she learns languages at the university so she can go anywhere. Maybe I have always known that she didn’t want to stay here. Maybe this is the truth.

Mama
She doesn’t study to be a translator; she studies to be a teacher.

Edward
I don’t see any difference.

Papa
But she learned Belarussian too. I don’t think she makes plans.

Edward
This is the truth. You are right, she is not to blame. Everybody knew this was going to happen. This is the truth.

Mama
Edjick, nobody knows anything. Nobody is to blame. It is our fate to know nothing and to do everything.

Edward
This is terrible.

Papa
Fate itself is terrible!

Edward
Is our fate ever good?

Papa
Maybe all fate is bad, but it is ours, and it is all we have.

Edward
Maybe…

Papa
Good. We drink to this. To fate: For this we wait, because we can do nothing else!

Edward
This is the truth.

Papa
Health. (They drink and sit.)

Edward
Thank you. I feel much better.

Papa
Edward you’re a good boy. This situation is terrible, but there is no one that is to blame. Sometimes these things happen.

Edward
You are right.

Papa
And if this American can come and take our Nadia to America and make her a rich girl and all of us rich as well, who is really hurt by this?

Edward
What are you talking about? I am hurt by this. She is mine! I don’t sell her to the Americans!

Papa
Edward, in Belarus, we do not sell our children. However, if this is true love and if this American insists on sending us money…

Edward
(Stands) You are not my friend! For two years I eat with you, I drink with you and I think you are my friend. And now, in only a few days, you throw me away as if I am garbage and you do this only for a handful of rubles you may never see!

Papa
Edward, do not say such things! We will see the rubles!

Edward
Look who you are? Your daughter has broken my heart and it means nothing to her. And now I see that this means even less to you! Truly, now I see that the apple does not fall far from the tree!

Papa
Edward, apples, trees… we are not farmers. Who knows of such things? I only know that my daughter seems to be in love…

Edward
She is not in love! He has only been here five days?

Papa
Mama, has it only been five days? I had no idea that the American’s love was so strong!

Edward
Don’t fuck my mind!

Papa
Edward, be calm. Sit, sit. I do not say these things to hurt you. Truly, I love you as if you would have been my son. But these things are a matter of life, and life is as mysterious as the heart of a woman. And we cannot change what we cannot understand.

Edward
I have nothing to live for now. Why do I live? Why do I work?

Mama
You are so young…

Edward
I give her everything, and in one day it all goes away.

Mama
I understand. I see you these two years. I know your family. I know you are very good. (The doorbell rings. Mama answers it. It is Brother.)

Edward
(Stands,) Nadia?!

Brother
No, you are not so fortunate; it is only Andre, Nadia’s brother.

Mama
Do you have the coca-cola?

Brother
Not even a hello from the goat. Yes Mama: We have coca-cola, and we have vodka. We have everything but Nadia, right Edward?

Edward
My life is finished. (Doorbell rings. Brother answers.)

Brother
Oh Baba! (He kisses her.)

Baba
Now you kiss me but you walk past me like you cannot see me!

Brother
Why?

Baba
You don’t see me downstairs holding all of the potatoes and the cucumbers?

Brother
Baba, I always help you… (He takes the vegetables and takes them to the kitchen.)

Baba
I don’t know. I don’t know…

Mama
Mama, how are you? Come, sit down.

Baba
Irene, why you don’t come to me? I wait for you at the dacha. The weather is so hot and nobody helps to water the cucumbers. There are terrible ladybugs on the potatoes and I must work alone and bent over all the day.

Mama
Mama, we have so many problems now. Our Nadia…tsk, tsk, tsk…

Baba
What has happened with Nadia? Something with Edjick? Or with her studies? What has happened?

Marina
Baba! What you bring for us? (She kisses Baba.)

Baba
(Looking at the house being readied for a party) Who are you waiting for? I think that it is not me.

Papa
Mama, how are you?

Baba
And how are you? I see how you are.

Papa
My God, without end…

Mama
Mama, we are waiting for a guest.

Baba
Edgick? What has happened? You are not the guest? (Edward rubs his face with his hands.) Who do we wait for? Where is Nadia?

Marina
Where is Nadia, where is Nadia? Everybody asks only this.

Brother
Marina, where is Marina? Nobody knows where Marina is.

Mama
Stop it.

Baba
Irene, tell me: what has happened with Nadia in this house? (There is a pause…)

Papa
We must say something. (Another pause,) and who…

Baba
What has happened? Somebody has died? Edjick…

Edward
I need to smoke. (Exits)

Mama
Mama, sit, sit. It is not as terrible as you see. We only wait for a friend who is coming to our house to eat with us.

Baba
But I see that this is not a friend but an enemy.

Brother
Finally someone says the truth.

Baba
Irene, speak to me, who is this problem you have to supper?

Mama
It is not a problem. Only, our Nadia invite to our house her new friend from America.

Baba
Ok. What is her name? Where does Nadia know her from? From school?

Marina
Baba, he cannot be a girlfriend because she is a he.

Baba
He? Who is he? And he is from America?

Mama
Yes, his name is Robert. He is an American. We have never seen him, but Nadia says he is…a friend.

Baba
A friend? A friend from America? And Edjick… (Papa puts his hands on his head with two fingers pointing up, imitating horns. He wiggles his
fingers.) Oh, my God…

Mama
Yes, what has happened?

Baba
Oh, poor Edjick. What does he do?

Papa
And what can he do?

Mama
Mama, it is not so bad: It is only that our Nadia was returning from the university by train and Robert was on the train as well. He paid some attention to her, and she enjoyed this… and I think it is a good and practical thing.

Baba
And what about Edjick?

Papa
He was waiting for them at the station holding flowers.

Baba
Oh, my God… Marina, clean some cucumbers and put them on the table. Irene, did you prepare potatoes?

Mama
Not yet.

Baba
Do you think the American will like new potatoes?

Marina
No, he likes only coca-cola!

Brother
Not only coca-cola!

Baba
When do they come?

Mama
Very soon.

Baba
Quickly, and what we do now?

Mama
Alosha, Andre, Finish the table! Marina, come. (The women exit right to the kitchen. The men finally start to set up the table.)

Papa
Hold that side. (They open the table.)

Brother
You really want this?

Papa
What we want and what we get can never be the same thing.

Brother
But the truth: what do you want? You want Nadia to go away to America? Do you know what will happen to her there?

Papa
What do you know about this?

Brother
You think America is only money and television. You don’t know what is there.

Papa
Just be calm and help with the table. (Edward re-enters. Brother waves him over to help with the table, which Edward does.)

Brother
Wake up! (Brother lights a cigarette.)

Edward
Don't smoke in the house.

Brother
It's not your business!

Edward
You are looking like an idiot!

Brother
Piss off!

Edward
I can't, because I am good boy.

Brother
You are unlucky. I don't talk to unlucky.

Edward
I'll not tolerate unlucky.

Brother
Don't mess with my mind. I feel like I kicking you in the head.

Edward
Maybe I am leaving.

Brother
Don't forget to take the sister!

Edward
Certainly.

The Brother
Horns are growing up on your head.

Edward
Yes?

Brother
Yes, yes.

Edward
I can't tolerate Americans. The situation is not good. They are rich and greedy and they worry only about themselves. But what can I do?

Brother
I ask myself about this every day.

Edward
And what you think about all of this?

Brother
You must do something. But, whatever you do, you cannot do nothing.

Edward
I feel like everything I have worked for two years has just disappeared. I don’t know what I am supposed to do about this. I feel like I want to
hit this man or to find a gun and shoot him, but then I lose Nadia anyway. But if I let her do as she likes, she just goes away from me as if I was nothing. But if he was not here, she would still be with me and things would be the same. She doesn’t want anybody but me…

Brother
But him.

Edward
Yes. No. Maybe. But maybe no. But how can I fight so much money? What can I do for her that he cannot do faster and easier? I work for years just to have a car and it takes all my money just to take care of it. But he can buy my car twenty times and still feel nothing. If I thought that she wanted to go to America, I would try and to help, but I would work for months, maybe years to make this possible. And he just rides in on the train and takes over everything. What must I do?

Brother
You must make him know you.

Edward
He knows me. I have talked to him. He is not stupid. He doesn’t know our ways, but…even that doesn’t seem to bother him. And he didn’t do
this to me. He is not a bad man; he does not play with me. He just…doesn’t understand anything. He thinks she is in love with him.

Brother
Maybe she is.

Edward
Maybe she is not! Maybe she is just waiting to find out what he says? Maybe she just wants to see what happens with him. Maybe we are too normal and he is…exotic?

Brother
Maybe, maybe, maybe…maybe you should see a doctor about those horns?

Edward
Ok, smart guy, what would you do about this?

Brother
Well I wouldn’t let her be alone with him all day. Do you know what they do?

Edward
They don’t do anything. (Father laughs.) They don’t do anything!

Brother
How do you know?

Edward
I know… I know! I feel this…

Brother
So what do they do?

Edward
He likes her. She speaks English with him. He finds out about his family at the archives. She helps him with the language and…

Brother
And what?

Edward
And he loves her but he sees that she is with me, so he doesn’t do anything.

Brother
And you believe this?

Edward
I believe this because this is what she tells me.

Brother
Except that he is in love with her and she is falling in love with him. You see this too, yes? (The women enter from the kitchen with plates of
food.)

Mama
What has happened? If I am not here, you all do nothing? Why don’t you fix the table?

Brother
We’re helping, we are helping…

Mama
I cannot listen to this anymore! (The women put down the food and put the table together in about one minute while the men stand and watch.)

Papa
The truth: I love when she does this!

Mama
What time is it? (The doorbell rings.)

Papa
It is time.

Marina
What must we do?

Baba
Answer the door.

Marina
Why is it me?

Brother
I’ll open the door.

Papa
Not you?

Brother
Why not me?

Mama
I’ll get the door. It is my job, every time. (She opens the door. Nadia is there alone.)

Mama
Nadia.

Nadia
Hello.

Mama
Why are you alone? What has happened? Where is America?

Papa
Have you lost the American?

Edward
What has he done?

Brother
There may be hope for you, Edward.

Nadia
No, no. He had to make a phone call. He went to the hotel to call. He’ll come in a few minutes.

Papa
Edward, you have no hope.

Nadia
Oh Baba, you have come from the dacha. And look at all you have made; it is beautiful.

Baba
I wanted to see America.

Nadia
Oh, it is all wonderful.

Edward
(Intimately) How are you?

Nadia
What do you see?

Edward
I am not happy.

Nadia
Edward, what do you want from me?

Edward
Nothing, I don’t want anything.

Papa
Without end!

Nadia
Do you want to stay with us now for dinner?

Edward
Do you want that I go?

Nadia
No Edward, I want you to stay.

Edward
Thank you. I am glad.

Nadia
You are welcome. (Edward try’s to kiss her on the lips but she turns her head offering only her cheek. A moment seen by all.)

Edward
What are you trying to do to me?

Nadia
I don’t do anything. What have you been drinking?

Edward
And what am I supposed to do?

Nadia
Do what you want. (He try’s to kiss her again, but she pushes him away,) Don’t touch me…

Papa
So! What is there still to do?

Mama
Nothing. That’s all. Everything is ready.

Brother
When are you leaving?

Nadia
I am ready. I am always ready. Are you glad?

Brother
You don’t know what you are doing.

Nadia
Please Andre, it is not beautiful.

Brother
How much money does he have?

Papa
Nadegda, you look beautiful. You always look beautiful.

Nadia
Thank you papa

Papa
Sit. Sit with me. Where did you go today?

Nadia
We went to the archives. He wanted to find his grandmother. It is important for him.

Baba
His grandmother was a Pinchanka?

Nadia
Yes.

Baba
And where was he born?

Nadia
New York. He was born in Brooklyn I think.

Papa
Brooklyn? He lives in Brooklyn? Does he know Sergei?

Marina
Papichka, how many people live in Brooklyn?

Papa
No, Sergei lives in Brooklyn for eight years now I think. I never think of Sergei anymore.

Nadia
No. He was born in Brooklyn. Now he lives in Phoenix, Arizona.

Mama
«Feenik»? Feenik state of Arizona?

Marina
How many «feenik» does he have?

Nadia
What is the joke? It is a good state.

Brother
Phoenix, Arizona is in the desert.

Papa
The desert?

Brother
Is he a cowboy? Where is his horse?

Papa
If this is the desert we must think about this.

Brother
Where is your cowboy? Where have you lost your cowboy?

Marina
Maybe he lost his horse.

Brother
Maybe you are his new horse?

Papa
I don’t think I want you to go in the desert.

Nadia
Papa. Nobody goes anywhere! And, it is not «feenik», it is Phoenix. This is a bird that comes out of the ashes of a fire to fly again.

Mama
This is beautiful…

Edward
Maybe you are his bird?

Nadia
Maybe we are this bird?

Brother
You still think «We»? You are not yet (in English) «riding on ze range» with your cowboy? (He slaps hands with Edward. Edward throws the
hand away.)

Nadia
Perhaps. He says it is very nice there.

Mama
What does the American do for work?

Papa
Yes, what can he do to make $50,000?

Nadia
He works for a company.

Papa
And what?

Nadia
I don’t really understand. He says he works for a company there, whose business is to run other businesses.

Baba
Who can understand this?

Nadia
He says that he is a «consultant».

Mama
I don’t understand.

Marina
Speak Russian. We are not as educated as you.

Nadia
«Consultant»! (She looks in the dictionary,) It is so simple. He is consultant, it is the same word. He is «sovetnick»!

Baba
He is sovetnick? He is a lawyer?

Nadia
No, only for business. I don’t really understand.

Papa
Does he work here?

Nadia
No, no. It is not this.

Mama
So why is he here?

Edward
Why is he here?

Brother
For you! He comes all the way from “feenick” just for you?

Papa
Stop!

Nadia
I don’t know what to say to you.

Edward
What does he want from you?

Nadia
He doesn’t know what he wants. No! I don’t know what he wants. I only know that he wants to meet with my family. Please, you can meet with
him.

Papa
He speaks Russian?

Nadia
No, he is terrible. But I can translate for us and for you everything. Don’t worry.

Papa
Who is worried?

Nadia
Please, all questions only for him.

Edward
Do you think that I can worry?

Mama
Edward, be calm.

Nadia
What do you want me to do? Do you think I need to speak to you now? There are so many people here…

Edward
Good. I understand. (Brother makes a sound like a goat baying.)

Papa
Everything! Good. So we wait for the American. Baba, how are things at the dacha? (She is asleep on the couch.) Maybe she was tired?

Mama
We don’t help with the potatoes; she must do everything by herself.

Papa
Andre, tomorrow in the morning we go to the dacha to help.

Brother
I can’t.

Papa
When can you? Never!

Brother
Ok, we go.

Papa
Good. It is good to work at the dacha. It is good for health: the fresh air, the exercise…

Brother
And Baba likes to drink a little vodka with you there.

Papa
I agree. I don’t see any bad in this. If we do the work we can drink a little.

Mama
You work a little and do the drinking.

Baba
(Waking up suddenly) Nadia!

Nadia
What grandmother?

Baba
I am sorry, I fell asleep. Are we in America yet?

Marina
Not yet, Baba.

Baba
Oh good, I thought I missed something.

Edward
And what are you going to do about me?

Nadia
And what, Edward? What do you want me to do?

Edward
Do you want to be with this American, or do you want to be with me?

Nadia
Please, Edward, why do you insult me?

Edward
Why do you insult me?

Mama
Nobody insults anybody! Edjick, what do you think? Do you think you just yell and scream and you get what you want? What do you think
she has done that is so bad? She has done nothing!

Brother
Then why you all make jokes about him all day?

Papa
You too make jokes.

Nadia
What jokes do they make?

Edward
They say that you give me horns with this American. They say you go with him because you love him and not me, even after two years.

Nadia
Is this true? Who says this?

Edward
Everyone says this.

Nadia
What is this that you are thinking? That because I go with Robert to help him when he visits our town that I am going to run away with him? What have I done to make you think this?

Edward
Do you say to me that there is nothing between you? You feel nothing for him, and you only do this to help him? I don’t believe this.

Nadia
Please Edward, why do you talk to me in front of all my family? What will they think of us?

Edward
What do they think of me that you can go and do whatever you want with this American?

Nadia
Edward, please, I cannot do this with you now. You must go home and I will speak with you later.

Edward
You cannot tell me to go home. I stay here and I see what is between you and this American for my self.

Nadia
Do as you like.

Papa
Is this true Nadia? You do not love this American?

Nadia
What love, Papa? He is only here five days…

Mama
But he is handsome, yes?

Nadia
Please, everybody! What do you want from me?

Baba
Only that you be happy, my beauty.

Brother
And that you don’t do something stupid.

Edward
And that you stay where you belong…

Nadia
With you?

Edward
With me!

Nadia
My God, what you all must think of me!

Brother
I tell you what I think of you: I tell you that everyone thinks that you already go to America. We all think that you throw away Edward like he is nothing only because the American is rich and you think you can have everything that you want. But I tell you that if you go with this American that you better go all the way to America, because if you stay here, no one will ever see you again as you think you are. Do you understand? If you go, you stay gone and do not come back.

Nadia
Why do you speak to me in this way? What have I done?

Brother
(Grabs Edward and holds him in front of her,) This is what you have done!

Papa
Oh, enough! We have had enough of this. Nobody knows anything! Be we have a guest who comes here soon and I will not have such a scandal in my house.

Mama
Papa is right, we must all be calm. Edward, you sit down. Andre, you leave us alone: This is not the time for such nonsense.

Baba
Nadia, Nadia, come here. Sit by me.

Nadia
What grandmother?

Baba
Does the American make you happy?

Nadia
Grandma, please!(Doorbell rings,)

Papa
Who goes to open the door?

Nadia
Papa, please, without jokes or fighting.

Papa
Everything’s good. Everybody be calm. (She answers the door.)

Robert
Hey.

Nadia
Hello.

Robert
Ztraz…ztraz…

Nadia
Zdrazvichi! Come on in.

Robert
Thanks. I had a hell of a time getting through. Your phone system sucks. Also, I think I went to the wrong apartment. Some guy answered the door and started to gab at me in Russian. I really didn’t have a clue what to say, so I just said your name. Luckily, he knew you and he just kind of pointed this way and I got the idea. How are you? How’s it going?

Nadia
It’s ok. It is all normal. Please, Robert I would like you to meet my family. Robert, may I present my family.

Robert
Hello.

Papa
Hello.

Nadia
Robert, this is my papa. Papa, this is Robert, my friend from America.

Robert
Hello sir, it is a pleasure to meet you.

Nadia
He says he is happy to meet you, Papa.

Papa
Everything’s good. I am Alexei Michealovich. (They shake hands.)

Robert
What did he say?

Nadia
His name in Alexei Michealovich. It is what we call his imya ochistva, we have two names here, and the second is the name of his father. You
can call him Alexei.

Robert
Alexei.

Papa
Robert. (They shake again.)

Nadia
He didn’t understand when you said your name.

Papa
I understand. He really doesn’t understand.

Nadia
Yes.

Edward
That’s the Truth!

Brother
That’s the Truth!

Robert
That means the truth, right?

Nadia
Yes. I tell them you understand this word. He says he understands a little, so you must be a little careful. Please.

Papa
We understand. Robert, please come in, come in. Let me introduce my family to you.

Nadia
He says you should come in and meet everyone.

Robert
Sounds good.

Nadia
He agrees.

Papa.
Good. This is my wife, Nadia’s mama, Irena Pavlovna.

Nadia
This is my mother, Irene.

Mama
Hello.

Robert
Ztras…ztraz…

Mama
Zdrazvichi! But…»Hello», Robert.

Robert
Thank you. Hello Irene.

Papa
And this is our grandmother, Maria Feoderovna.

Nadia
And this is my Baba, my grandmother.

Robert
Baba? Hello, Baba.

Baba
Oh! Hello, I am glad to meet America.

Nadia
She says she is glad to meet America.

Robert
That’s wonderful. Tell her, America is glad to meet her too.

Nadia
He says that America is happy to meet you too.

Papa
And this is my son Andre.

Robert
Andre, right? (He offers his hand.)

Andre
Ok! Big Arizona cowboy! (They shake)

Robert
Do you speak English?

Brother
No!

Robert
Ok, no problem.

Papa
Ok. And this is my younger daughter, Marina.

Nadia
This is my younger sister, Marina.

Robert
Hello, Marina.

Marina.
«Hello», Robert. I wait for you.

Robert
What?

Nadia
(To Marina) He doesn’t understand you.

Marina
He doesn’t understand you!

Robert
What are you saying?

Nadia
She says she is happy to meet you and that she waits for you.

Robert
Oh really? (He smiles) And Edward I know. How’s it going, Edward?

Edward
Zdraz…I don’t need to talk to you.

Robert
What did he say?

Nadia
Edward, be calm! I don’t need you to insult my guest.

Edward
Why is he your guest?

Papa
Edward, he is our guest, so be still or go away. Robert is welcome in my house.

Robert
Nadia, listen. What is the problem here?

Nadia
It is not a problem. Edward is simply a little jealous of our time together. I tell him you are only a little jealous and that it is not a problem, yes? This is the truth, yes?

Edward
I don’t care, do what you want!

Robert
What did he say?

Nadia
He says he is sorry and hat he agrees he was wrong. I tell him you say you are sorry and that I cannot understand you because you have been drinking.

Edward
What can I do?!

Nadia
He says it is ok.

Robert
Good. No problem. Whatever…

Nadia
I am agreed, He says we have no problems and that he is happy to be with us.

Robert
Actually Nadia, if you don’t mind, I would really like to say something to all of you, if I could?

Nadia
He says he wants to say something to us.

Papa
Please, speak. We do nothing but wait for such words!

Nadia
Papa says they are listening. What did you want to say?

Robert
Well, I guess what I really want to say is that it has really been something special for me to be here… (To Nadia) go ahead…

Nadia
He says that it has been a special time for him here in our country.

Robert
My family is from here originally, and, I don’t really know how to say this, but, to be here with all of you just seems so…I don’t know, maybe familiar is the word. Maybe it is a behavior thing, I don’t know…um, please…

Nadia
He says that because his family was originally from here, that we seem very familiar to him and that he feels comfortable with us.

Robert
I know I am making a difficult situation for everyone. I know I have been monopolizing Nadia’s time, and I know that this has made things difficult on her and on Edward, and probably on all of you…

Nadia
He says he is sorry for…making…for…

Papa
What did he say?

Nadia
He said that he knows that I have a relationship with Edward and that he is sorry he has taken so much of my time…and…that he has made things difficult.

Robert
…and that I really mean no harm to anyone, and I really don’t know what’s going on here. I am just really happy to have met someone as wonderful and beautiful as Nadia, and that I have respect for everyone and I am…I guess I am just happy to be here.

Nadia
And that’s all?

Robert
Yea, that’s it.

Nadia
He says that he is a bit confused with the situation, but that he has respect for us all and that he is simply happy to be welcome here.

Papa
That’s all he said?

Nadia
And he thinks I am beautiful.

Brother
It’s over, Edward!

Nadia
No, he didn’t say anything like this, he only says…

Papa
Everything. Nadegda, everyone sees that you are beautiful. This only proves that he is human. Please, everyone, let us sit at the table and
drink to our new friend Robert from America!

Marina
Did he say anything about taking you to America?

Mama
Marina, silence!

Papa
Please, everybody, sit, sit.

Mama
Robert, please come sit here.

Robert
She wants me to sit here?

Nadia
Yes, it’s ok.

Robert
Oh! Please, just a minute, I almost forgot. I hope you don’t mind, but I took the liberty of picking up a couple of bottles of vodka at one of the liquor stores. It wasn’t easy but, I guess vodka is vodka. I saw the label for some «Stoli», and so I bought a couple of bottles? I can’t believe how cheap it is here. But, please, accept this as a house warming gift.

Nadia
He brought us some vodka.

Marina
I told you they like to drink Stolichnaya.

Nadia
He says it is a gift to warm our house.

Papa
It is wonderful.

Brother
There is so little translation: This is all you can say?

Nadia
He also says that this vodka is very cheap here.

Papa
Ok! At first we drink Stolichnaya. I don’t see any difference here.

Brother
Anyone can see the difference!

Papa
(Pours out the glasses giving just a little to Marina and Nadia.) Everything, let’s drink to our new American friend, Robert.

Nadia
He we should drink to our new friend, Robert…

Papa
…who visits us here in our home…

Nadia
…who comes to see our home…

Papa
…and may this union be a strong and profitable one for all of us!

Nadia
And that we…Papa, he is only here for diner!

Papa
I don’t see the difference!

Marina
Are we going into business with the Americans?

Brother
Yes, we are selling Nadia for a good price.

Robert
What are they saying?

Nadia
They are happy to see you in our house. It is very interesting for them.

Papa
What do you say?

Nadia
I told him it is interesting for you to have him in this house. I told him all was ok.

Papa
Good! So, for health!

Everybody
For health! (They drink. Robert only sips his glass while looking at Nadia.)

Papa
No, no, no, Robert, this is not right.

Robert
What did I do?

Papa
Only to the bottom!

Robert
What is he saying?

Nadia
He says that you must only drink to the bottom of the glass. It is our tradition.

Robert
Oh! Ok, sorry… Dosterovia! (He finishes his glass.)

Papa
Not bad…he listens, he learns: Could be good.

Robert
Whoo damn! Strait vodka takes some getting used to.

Nadia
It is not normal for him to drink only vodka.

Mama
Oh! I forgot the coca-cola! (She runs to the kitchen.)

Brother
What do you mean the vodka is cheap?

Nadia
He asked you why you say that the vodka was cheap.

Robert
Stolichnaya? Well, I think I paid only three dollars for this bottle. I think in a club, a shot of Stoli is like, six or eight dollars.

Nadia
He says that in the discos, a glass of can cost six or eight dollars.

Baba
Six or eight dollars a glass?! Very expensive.

Robert
And to buy a bottle at the store is, maybe, thirty or fifty dollars. And in an expensive club, maybe as much as a hundred bucks a bottle.

Nadia
And he says that he can pay maybe thirty or fifty dollars for a bottle in the store and as much a hundred at the disco!

Baba
One hundred dollars for vodka?

Papa
My God! This is a simple criminal situation!

Brother
This is a criminal situation!

Papa
You are a criminal situation.

Robert
I don’t understand.

Nadia
They say that this is criminal to pay so much for vodka.

Robert
I agree. I’d rather do what you do any day.

Nadia
He says he agrees with us.

Edward
(Stands) I would like to say something.

Nadia
Please Edward, do not make a fool of your self!

Edward
I do not make a fool of me; you make a fool of me!

Mama
Edward, please be calm! Don’t make a scandal.

Edward
No, I wish to talk!

Papa
So talk, talk. Everybody can talk if he wants.

Nadia
I agree.

Brother
Please Edward, speak. We all wait for your words of wisdom.

Edward
I want to know what you have been doing with my girlfriend!

Nadia
Edward, please, you have been drinking and have become an embarrassment.

Edward
I am not! I am not a drinker, never!

Papa
This we can see.

Edward
Good! Then maybe it is true that I am a drinker today because during this time when you are with America, you make me a fool!

Mama
Edward, Edward, what has happened with you? I know you for two years and I have never seen this with you!

Marina
Mama, what does Edward do that is so bad?

Mama
He makes a scandal in my house! I have never seen this before!

Marina
But he is only unhappy because Nadia has left him!

Edward
What do you say? No one has left anyone!

Robert
What is happening?

Nadia
Nothing, it’s ok.

Edward
Look at your daughter: She always says «OK», but not to me!

Papa
Do we want a scandal or not? Do we need this here?

Robert
Hey! Listen! Edward, I think I know what is going on here, but please, just chill out! Nobody is doing anything wrong, ok?

Edward
What does he say to me?

Nadia
He says you should be relaxed because he and I have done nothing bad.

Edward
This is all bad: Do you love him or do you love me?

Robert
What did he say?

Nadia
He asks me…oh, Edward, why do you put me in this situation? And all you say is: Why do I do this? Why has she done this to me? For you it
is always the fault of the women!

Mama
You speak the truth!

Robert
What is this?

Papa
I think we should agree that we cannot agree. However, Robert is our guest, and we should be a good host to our guest!

Baba
This is the truth!

Mama
We must say something for Robert.

Papa
What can we say?

Mama
My God, Nadia, say something!

Nadia
What can I say? That Edward is angry and jealous of him for something that has not happened?

Baba
You must say!

Robert
Please Nadia, what is going on? I am sorry, but I simply don’t speak Russian!

Nadia
It is better for you that you do not speak Russian!

Robert
What?

Nadia
Robert, Edward is jealous, yes? But it is so unimportant…we must...

Robert
Nadia-

Nadia
What?

Robert
Listen; It’s all good! It’s ok. It’s cool. I understand, ok? Listen; is it ok if I make a toast?

Nadia
Of course you can. (To everybody,)

Papa
What is he saying?

Nadia
Robert wants to make a toast.

Papa
Please, we listen.

Mama
I think he is a good boy!

Papa
Nadia, translate, please.

Brother
Americans like to make speeches. He’s just like Bill Clinton, maybe!

Nadia
Go ahead, stand up and talk. We are listening to you.

Robert
Ok, (Stands,) In America, we say that the individual comes first.

Nadia
In America, he says, everybody is individual.

Robert
We are raised to think that nothing else is important except for what matters to us ourselves.

Nadia
Only what…a single person wants for themselves is important.

Robert
But we can get very lonely sometimes. Probably because of how we live as much as anything.

Nadia
Because of this, they are lonely. They have no one.

Robert
I know that I am making problems here. And not only for Edward but for everybody.

Nadia
He knows that he makes problems.

Robert
And I don’t want to hurt anybody, but if I had had someone like Nadia… (He waits for the translation, but she says nothing,)

Edward
What did he say?

Nadia
I cannot say this. I cannot say this.

Robert
Nadia, please it is only a compliment.

Papa
Nadegda, we are your family, you may speak to us.

Nadia
He says that if he…if we were together…

Papa
If you are together?

Edward
I will not listen to this!

Robert
Edward, please stop. It’s ok! Just listen, listen…

Edward
What is this «listen, listen»…

Nadia
Listen! He asks you only to listen!

Edward
Please Nadia, why?

Nadia
Only listen!

Edward
Please!

Nadia
He says he will listen.

Robert
Thank you. Please, if we were together…

Nadia
If we are together…

Robert
To have such a girl as Nadia…

Nadia
Because I am a good girl…

Robert
…I think I would never be lonely again.

Nadia
He would never again be lonely.

Papa
I like this American!

Marina
I love him!

Robert
But because she is with you, and has been with you, I will always be jealous of you for the rest of my life!

Nadia
And he says that because we are together for two years, he is jealous of you, Edward. (Edward is stunned and sits.) This is all.

Edward
What can I say to this?

Papa
You can say that we drink to this!

Mama
We always say we drink to this!

Baba
It our custom. It is a good custom!

Nadia
They say that they agree and that they want to drink to this.

Robert
They agree?

Nadia
It is our custom. We always drink together, and before we drink, we must agree. (In Russian,) I tell him that it is our custom to always drink
together, but that we must also agree before we drink. Everything, (In English) So, now we can drink.(Robert makes a motion as if he is pouring glass at papa, so to indicate that he is asking if it is time to drink. Papa shakes his head firmly, «no», but then makes a motion to flick his neck with his finger, as if to say like this.)

Robert
What does that mean?

Nadia
(English) This is how we say this. (She flicks her neck) He doesn’t know what this means. (Robert flicks his neck, and Papa agrees.)

Papa
This he doesn’t understand? Oh Mama, he has so much to learn!

All
For health! (They drink.)

Papa
Everything, good! Please, everyone, let’s eat!

Nadia
Now we eat.

Robert
Spacebo!

Papa
You are welcome and you are welcome. You don’t know where you are or what you are doing, but you are rich so you are welcome!

Brother
«Hey American»… Nadia, ask him if after we eat, he would like to go and play billiards?

Mama
No, no, stay here. We are all together!

Brother
Shush Mama, he has been only with women all week. We play only for one hour. Maybe he likes it? Nadia, ask him…

Nadia
My Brother wants to ask if you would like to play billiards after we eat.

Robert
Are we all going?

Nadia
He ask if we all go play.

Brother
No, no, no; we let the women clean and we play a little.

Nadia
He says only with the men.

Robert
Is it ok with you?

Nadia
It’s ok. It’s normal.

Brother
I think he just asked her for permission. Edward, you have no hope!

Nadia
Just be quiet and go play your game!

Brother
I will, and I think I will take some of his American money from him when we play.

Nadia
He says that he wants to play for money.

Robert
Tell him: Good luck.

Nadia
Good luck.

Brother
He wishes me good luck?

Nadia
He said: Good luck.

Papa
Well certainly this is something that we all need. Everything good! Let’s eat!

Mama
Would you like some Coca-cola, Robert?

Robert
Coke? No please, I never drink Coke. It’s really terrible for you.

Mama
No coca-cola?

Nadia
He says it is not healthy.

Mama
No coca-cola…

Papa
Now they tell us it isn’t healthy! Please, have some soup…


Curtain
End of act one.



Pod Kablukom
Act two
Scene:
(As the curtain comes up, we see Nadia, sitting alone at the table, staring out into space with a half smile on her face. Mama, Baba, Papa and Marina are all helping to clean up from the dinner and make a table for desert and coffee, Brother, Robert and Edward having gone to play billiards. There is a mild chatter from the family as they do their best to pretend that all is well. Nadia seems lost in her own world.)

Papa
Mama, why do you always overcook the soup? Our people and the potatoes have a great relationship; why must you always cook them so that they have no hope?

Mama
My God! What do you want from me?

Baba
He doesn’t like the soup? Why? The soup was fine.

Mama
He always says this. He thinks the potatoes should not be so soft.

Papa
This is the truth! Why must you cook the potatoes until they are desperate? This is simply un-necessary!

Mama
Baba, I don’t like this!

Baba
Your father was just the same: He didn’t like anything!

Papa
This is not true; there are many things I find interesting. But why can’t a potato have even a little life left in it? Do you really think this would hurt the soup?

Mama
Nadia, what are you thinking?

Nadia
I don’t know. But I don’t need to hear about potatoes now.

Papa
You don’t want to hear about potatoes but we should hear all day about your millionaire American and your goat friend. (Nadia starts to cry.)

Marina
Papa, please stop. Don’t touch her.

Papa
(He sits with her.) No, no, Nadegda, my daughter. Don’t cry. I don’t like this when you cry.

Nadia
Papa, I don’t know what to do.

Papa
What must you do? You have your family, you have your home; everything is good.

Nadia
I know I feel something, but I don’t know what I feel. It is very difficult for me.

Papa
This is the truth. But I am always with you, do you understand this?

Nadia
I hear. And what?

Papa
Oh! I think how difficult this all is!

Nadia
Please papa, tell me what it is that I must do! (She cries,)

Papa
Oh, Nadegda! The truth is that all I want for you is your happiness. In these days since the American has come, it’s the truth, I think only of money. I think I would be happy if my Nadia would not know want. Only for you. But now I find that I think that there are no children here. Where are your children? And this is selfish and only for me but we have no grandchildren. Now, I love your Brother, but I don’t see a good family from him. And your sister…Oh! (He laughs,) But you are my beautiful daughter, and maybe I see your beautiful babies bouncing on my knees. But, maybe I think that if these children are in America, I will never see them. Everything, what can I do? I want only for you to have a good family and to be happy. But maybe I also want for you to not be so far away. So, this now is our problem. But Nadegda, my beautiful girl, whatever will happen I will always be your father. And whatever you choose, I will always be with you and we will always be together. Ok?

Nadia
Thank you, papa.

Papa
Everything will be fine.(He kisses her again and gets up from the table.) Oh mama! I feel the potatoes!

Marina
(Comes and sits at the table,)Nadia…

Nadia
What?

Marina
What does he like?

Nadia
Who?

Marina
Why? What do you think? What is the American like?

Nadia
Marina, what are you asking me about?

Marina
Have you…seen him?

Nadia
What do you mean «seen» him?

Marina
Have you… been with him yet?

Nadia
Oh! Have I been with him? No, nothing interesting. And what is interesting in this for you?

Marina
He’s done nothing? Maybe he can’t?

Nadia
Oh!(Laughs) Now, I understand everything. I think that he can.

Marina
Because?

Nadia
Because…

Marina
Because, because, because… because why?

Nadia
Because I slept with him in his hotel yesterday.

Marina
Oh! You sleep with him!

Nadia
Shush, you speak too loud!

Marina
(Using her hands for a measurement) And how much?

Nadia
No, no, no! We only slept together. We didn’t do anything.

Marina
It is possible? What a situation! But I don’t understand: He doesn’t do anything?

Nadia
No, he kisses me. A lot. It is wonderful. I like this.

Marina
But he doesn’t want to?

Nadia
He wanted to!

Marina
But, he didn’t do anything? Maybe he is sick?

Nadia
He wanted to, do you understand? He wanted to.

Marina
But, how do you know?

Nadia
I know because we are together in his room and I can see!

Marina
Oh, you saw. What did you see? (With the hands) And how much?

Nadia
Enough, ok? Enough!

Marina
Oh! And is he… pissing boiling water for you? (Is he hot for you?)

Nadia
I think so.

Marina
Oh, Nadia… But you didn’t do anything? Why?

Nadia
Marina, what do you think of me, that I do this with everybody the first time?

Marina
Ok, these are your problems! But…

Nadia
Yes, I think so, too.

Marina
How much?

Nadia
Marina, I don’t want to speak with you about this!

Marina
Ok…But, you’re pissing boiling water for him (hot for him)but you don’t do anything. These are your problems. (She stands,)

Nadia
Who is? You are! Oh my God! (Marina returns to the kitchen as Baba enters with a plate of cherries in heavy syrup.)

Marina
He’s not Edjick! He won’t wait for you forever.

Baba
Nadia, Nadia, Nadia. My Nadia. You are always my Nadia. Such a problem you have. Oh! I see, at first that you have a good boy who loves you very much. At second, I see you have a new boy who will also love you very much as well. At third, I know that Edjick will always be there for you. But also, we have such problems here that I don’t think that Edward will never have money… But this American? Oh ho, ho! Of this kind of wealth we may never dream! Perhaps if Edjick would be in America, he would have such money as well. But Edjick will not go to America. He only wants to stay and to be with you. But, think about this American: Would he give up his job and fancy car for five dollars a day at the factory? I don’t think so. Our own people no longer wish to stay here, so why should he? Other then you, what else could we offer him? And so if you would choose this American, you would certainly go with him to America. And America? We all dream of America. Even I dream of America and I am old! Nadia, you are so young, you have a good future always before you! Perhaps here, there is no future for you, but maybe there is, and we only experience difficult times… Oh! There is so much to think of. But one thing I do know: At first, if you choose Edjick, you will have someone who will be with you always. But at second, I think that this rich American thinks you are wonderful, and if you choose him, there may be more money then you can ever have here with us. Difficult, but true, you have a problem. Your situation is that two handsome boys are in love with you and you don’t know what to do, yes? Perhaps, Nadegda, what I think, is that your situation is not as terrible as you think. You say you have two boys love you? Maybe tomorrow, if you’re lucky, you will still have this problem. Perhaps it is possible to enjoy the situation a little? And after tomorrow as well, (She stands,) I, myself would not be so fast to solve such a problem. Don’t worry, you will choose the right road. Wait from the sea the weather. This is always a good idea. Irene, come. Talk to your daughter! (Baba exits as Mama enters,)

Nadia
Mama!

Mama
Nadia, what do I do? You are always such a little girl! My perfect girl!

Nadia
Mama, I don’t…I feel something! I don’t know…I feel so much!

Mama
Nadia, you do not think right!

Nadia
And how, Mama?

Mama
You must think seriously! You must not waste your time! You go to America!

Nadia
Nobody has invited me.

Mama
My God! If I had married a man with brains none of this would have happened!

Nadia
Mama, what are you talking about?

Mama
Oh, my God! What is wrong with you? If you go to America, for a small percent of what you can make there, you can feed all of us every month! We live, all of us, for less then two hundred dollars! Your Brother doesn’t help. Your sister, God help her, may never help. And your father? Oh Nadia, it is not his fault. He is a good man, and he has always been here for us. But he is not happy now. He believed in the old system and he was proud to be one of us! There was a time when Belarusian’s were seen as the best of all the people! He is Russian, but he said to me the day we are married that he is proud to be accepted by a Bellarussian wife. But now, God help us, he does what he does. And we have worse men then him! Ah, he is still a good man, to all of us… everything. Nadia, listen to me: Edward is also a good man, and I think he deserves to have the best. But you go to America! Edjick is a good man, and there will always be a good woman for a good man. You must not think for a moment that this is not true. But you go to America! And if you find that you do not love this American, or that you cannot love him, then you make him your job! And then you do this job every day with all of your heart! Because the truth is Nadia, you will never find such a job here. Never! So, you go with him, and you don’t be afraid of anything! Do you understand me? You go, and you don’t be afraid of anything! And we will always be your family, no matter what. (Mama gets up and leaves the table. The doorbell rings,)

Nadia
What can I do?

Papa
At first you can answer the door.

Nadia
Very funny! (We see Robert and Brother carrying a very drunk Edward between them.)

Nadia
Edward! Andre, what has happened?

Brother
He died!

Edward
Ba-a-a-a-a…

Nadia
Oh, my God!

Robert
He wouldn’t stop drinking at the club.

Nadia
Andre, why didn’t you stop him?

Brother
And what? He’s a man; he can do what he wants.

Mama
Edward, you snort like a pig!

Papa
Bring him in and let him sleep on the couch.

Nadia
Take him to the couch.

Robert
Ok, come on Edward, here we go, here we go…

Edward
No, no, no! I am not going to America!

Brother
He has been saying that.

Edward
I don’t want to, but if you go…I go…

Nadia
Robert, why didn’t you do anything?

Robert
What do you want me to do? (They put him on the couch. Mama brings him a pillow.)

Mama
This I have never seen!

Papa
Why not? He went with your son! It’s normal.

Brother
He made four balls in a row, missed once, and never stopped drinking after.

Papa
The truth; it is a difficult game. Nadia, what did you friend think of our game?

Nadia
Papa asks if you have enjoyed your game of billiards.

Robert
Yes, it was ok. It was interesting. Bigger balls, smaller pockets. You can shoot at anything but you can’t make any shots. I had the idea that
this was some plot devised by Stalin to keep the proletariat down. We tried to play for a little money, but it didn’t turn out so good. But other than Edward telling everyone he had become a goat, it was alright.

Nadia
I see. He say the balls are big and the holes are small, you can never do anything to win and that he thinks the game was invented by Stalin to
hurt us.

Papa
Might be true. I have often thought this same thing myself.

Nadia
He also said to me that Edward had told everyone that he has become a goat, and that you play for money but it was not good. This is true?

Brother
Everything is true. It was bad.

Papa
Normal!

Nadia
(To Edward,) Why do you do this to me? Do you hate me for something I have done?

Edward
(Sings,) Oh, say can you see…

Nadia
Oh God…

Brother
Your friend knows the American game. He played well.

Papa
And where’s the money? Are we rich yet?

Brother
Not tonight.

Nadia
Who won the game, Robert?

Robert
He did. He beat me fair and square. I made a few shots though, so I am happy. It is a weird game. You can shoot at anything, but you can’t make any shots…We played for ten bucks. No big deal.

Nadia
You won ten dollars but he is happy that he made some shots. He thinks the game is strange because it is impossible to make the balls go in
the pockets.

Brother
This is true. Everything is true.

Papa
Only ten dollars?

Brother
Yes.

Nadia
What is wrong, Andre? You do not look happy?

Andre
He beat me; that’s all.

Papa
How did he beat you? You have ten dollars?

Andre
Because there was nothing to do! I couldn’t beat him. He has more money then I’ll see in my life. I would work for two days in the factory for this money, but when I win the game, he gives me this money as if it was a gift! It was a gift. He’s lost nothing because he feels no pain. I wanted to play but I had nothing to play with. That’s all.

Papa
This is the truth. You win a little but you lose everything. This is our lives.

Mama
That’s all for the games! Robert, come and sit, we are having coffee.

Nadia
Please, sit down for the coffee. What are you thinking about?

Robert
I don’t know. A lot of things I guess. I drank a lot tonight.

Nadia
He says he is a little drunk but that he thinks many things.

Brother
He listens to every word that you say. I think he’s waiting for you.

Edward
I brought you flowers!

Mama
Poor Edward is not having a good night.

Nadia
I am ashamed of him.

Papa
Why ashamed? He feels his heart is broken. This is the truth. He feels pain for the situation. This is all.

Brother
Your friend is here only two hours and already two of us are dead.

Robert
What are we saying?

Nadia
Nothing interesting.

Robert
Oh. (He touches Nadia’s cheek.)

Papa
So Robert…

Marina
Be careful, Papa.

Papa
Quiet! Robert, why have you come to Belarus? What can our little country have that is so interesting for you?

Nadia
He asks: Why you have come to our country?

Robert
Well, for Nadia, I think.

Papa
What did he say?

Nadia
He said he thinks he came only for me.

Edward
He doesn’t listen! I won’t go to America!

Nadia
Edward, please be calm…

Edward
He doesn’t listen!

Papa
So, you think there is something a little special about our Nadia?

Mama
You say this like you sell shoes with Edward at the bazaar!

Papa
I want to know!

Nadia
Papa, no! I won’t say this.

Papa
Why won’t you say this? Your job is to translate! So translate.

Marina
I thought she studied to be a teacher?

Papa
I don’t see any difference!

Robert
What’s happening?

Nadia
Nothing.

Papa
«Nothing»? «Nothing» means nothing, right?

Nadia
Yes.

Papa
Why don’t you say to him what I say?

Nadia
Why papa, why? Why must I say these things?

Papa
How else will we know?

Robert
What is he saying?

Nadia
He asks; what do you want from me?

Robert
Oh.

Nadia
I tell him and he says «oh». Ok, papa?

Papa
Ok…

Baba
What does «oh» mean in English?

Marina
«Oh» means «oh» Baba…

Baba
Oh!

Mama
What does he mean by «oh’?

Nadia
What do you mean by «oh»?

Robert
Oh? Um…

Marina
And «um» is «um», right?

Mama
Sit quietly!

Marina
I only want to help.

Baba
Please Robert, you are with friends. We only wish to listen.

Nadia
Baba says that you are with friends, and so you can be free to talk about what you like.

Robert
I see. Um…I mean it’s cool and all, but we don’t talk like this in America. I mean, this stuff is kind of personal. Don’t you think?

Nadia
He says that these things are private and not your business. It is not normal for him to speak of such things.

Papa
They don’t talk? This isn’t right.

Robert
No, Nadia, I was just speaking to you.

Nadia
No Nadia, I was only speaking to you…

Robert
Stop!

Nadia
Stop.

Baba
Stop is stop? This is good to know.

Nadia
She says it is good to know when to stop. I tell him it is good to know when to stop.

Mama
I agree! Now, we stop. Robert, please try some cherry jam.

Robert
Thank you. Is this homemade?

Nadia
We make everything here, ourselves. He asked if we made the jam here at home.

Baba
Where else would we make it?

Papa
Baba made this jam, yes Baba?

Baba
Yes, I think so. Let me taste it. (She tastes some,) No, this is Irene’s, not mine. I use more sugar.

Mama
This isn’t mine. I have not made cherry, only apricot.

Nadia
I made the jam…I made this. Me.

Robert
Oh. (He smiles and tastes the jam again, this time a bit more slowly.)

Baba
Oh…

Papa
Again we say «oh»?

Robert
I didn’t know you knew how to make jam…

Nadia
He says that he didn’t know I could do this.

Papa
Is nothing normal in America?

Edward
Of course, she made the jam! I picked the cherries!

Mama
Go back to sleep!

Edward
I’m not going to America!

Papa
Nobody is asking you!

Brother
Robert, how come a rich man like you has no girlfriend?

Nadia
I won’t ask him this question…

Baba
I have wondered this too.

Mama
He only wants to make the best choice…

Brother
Ask him!

Nadia
No!

Robert
Nadia, what does he want to know?

Nadia
It is not important.

Brother
(In English) Why you no have woman in America?

Papa
You speak English?

Brother
No!

Robert
Well, that’s an honest enough question, I guess…

Nadia
You don’t have to say anything…

Robert,
No. It’s ok… it’s a fair question. Let’s see; how do I say this? Um, I was with a girl for about four years. This was during college and after…

Nadia
He was with another girl for four years.

Robert
And I don’t know what to tell you about this. I guess we talked about marriage, but we never seemed to find that place together where doing something…permanent like that made sense. And then after a while, we just sort of…didn’t want it any more…

Nadia
And he says that…they thought of marriage, but after some time…the love stopped.

Mama
What does this mean, the love stops?

Baba
Love doesn’t stop.

Brother
He became bored with her.

Papa
Not so fast: Why did the love stop?

Nadia
They don’t understand this. Why did you stop…did she become boring to you?

Robert
No, no…that’s not what happened. Actually, it was just the opposite…

Nadia
It was the opposite of this…

Robert
Actually, if anything, it was too exciting…

Nadia
He says it was too exciting…

Edward
She doesn’t listen!

Papa
Edward, be silent! What does this mean?

Nadia
They listen…

Robert
Ok…maybe what I am trying to say is that it is very difficult in my country to…do love.

Nadia
Do love?

Robert
To just, you know, do the things you need to do… to be in love. You know? I mean we, and not just my ex and I, but all of us in America, we fight for everything all the time. We fight for everything even if it doesn’t matter. It’s like being at war all the time.

Nadia
He says in America they must fight each other for everything, no matter what it is. And it doesn’t matter
right or wrong. And because of this, it never seems to be a good situation for love. I say that the situation is not good for love to be because you must fight so much.

Robert
Exactly. And in America, if we find something that even seems to have any value, we feel we must grab for
it and use it as fast as we can. No matter if it is bad or good, or even if it helps or not. We just know need. So my girl and I, I don’t know, maybe we just didn’t have time to really know one another. There just was never any time or peace for anything to grow or develop. It’s just like being at war al the time. And after a while, it seemed nothing like we just had nothing to look forward to but more fighting. So we quit. That’s all.

Nadia
This is terrible.

Papa
What did he say?

Nadia
It’s difficult. He said that the culture in America is to try and take everything as fast as you can. He says it
is like being at war all of the time, without end. And he says there is no time for love, or for peace, and so people don’t… know each other. Not well, not as they should. And that they all become alone, with no hope… except to make more fighting, more business, I think. Only for business, yes Robert?

Robert
Exactly.

Nadia
Yes, only for business. So he left his woman because they never had time to learn to love each other.

Papa
This is the truth everywhere.

Baba
No, it was not always so. We always had time…

Mama
We tried to make time.

Baba
This is the truth.

Nadia
They say this is true everywhere, not only in America. But that we used to try to be better at this, but now, not so much.

Baba
His grandmother was a Pinchnka! He is here to find a wife from Pinsk!

Papa
Your friend is looking for a wife. This is why he is here, yes?

Nadia
Papa…

Mama
Nadia, you must translate everything.

Nadia
Didn’t you listen to him? You push too fast!

Robert
Are you ok?

Baba
He loves her…

Nadia
Baba, please…

Mama
You must translate everything. We must know only the truth.

Papa
This is right. Robert must know only the truth.

Nadia
Ok…they say that, everyday you…everyday…everyday you are here, you only want to find a wife from Pinsk because your grandmother is from here.

Robert
Wow…

Marina
«Wow» means wow…

Nadia
And they say that all that matters is the truth. So. I tell him that all that matters is the truth, ok?

Robert
I don’t know what to say…

Nadia
He doesn’t know what to say to you.

Robert
Um…I mean your right. This is what I was thinking. I guess I was hoping to meet someone who was more, maybe, like me, you know? You guys are really putting me on the spot. In America, we normally talk to the family after you get together, not before. I mean, Nadia and I, are not…I mean…I mean we just…

Nadia
It’s ok. I’ll try and translate for you. He says that you are right about this, but that in America, they do not ask the family what they think, they must do everything alone and only after, do they meet with the family.

Brother
He says it is none of our business what they do.

Marina
Who and whom, do we ask? In our country we do the same!

Nadia
This is not what he said, he only said….

Brother
I heard what he said. He said that he doesn’t have to think of your family, Nadia. He says it is not normal to care!

Mama
Andre, you are making problems…

Papa
Or he tells the truth. Tell the American what your Brother says.

Nadia
Papa, I can’t do this!

Mama
What can’t you do? You are tired of speaking the truth.

Nadia
I am tired of speaking your truth!

Robert
Nadia, come on. Take it easy.

Brother
Tell him what we say!

Nadia
Say it yourself!

Robert
Nadia, Nadia…please, take it easy, take it easy. Everything’s cool…what is the problem?

Nadia
Nothing…

Robert
Nadia…

Papa
Ok, what’s your business is your business. Nadia, we trust you. Everything.

Nadia?
Robert, They want to know what you want from me, and I don’t want to ask you this, because you just told them that you wanted to have some peace and all they want to do is to…what are you doing to me? Why can’t you leave me alone!

Papa
You want to be alone?

Robert
Come on, please stop. It is ok, it’s ok…

Edward
He doesn’t listen!

Nadia
I don’t understand why I must do these things!

Papa
Everything’s good, be calm, be calm. Let’s have a drink together.

Mama
We have drunk enough!

Baba
No, this is true, we must be calm. Let’s drink.

Mama
My God!

Robert
What’s happening now?

Nadia
They want to drink with you again.

Robert
Maybe, maybe it’s a good idea?

Nadia
He says maybe…

Papa
Good, Robert, let me teach you something. Nadia, can you translate something simple for me?

Nadia
Yes, papa. Papa wants to teach you something.

Robert
Ok, no problem, you got me.

Nadia
He listens.

Papa
So, everything you say is the truth.

Nadia
All what you say is true.

Papa
But peace is created not found!

Nadia
But peace is created, and not found.

Papa
And maintaining peace takes much time and work, both of the heart and the head.

Nadia
And maintaining peace, takes much work of the heart and the head.

Papa
And, it is something that must be wanted and practiced by everyone together, and not selfishly!

Nadia
And this is something we must all do together, not for ourselves only.

Papa
Do you understand this?

Nadia
You understand?

Robert
I think so.

Nadia
Yes, papa.

Papa
Good! Robert, that you have brought us vodka was very good. But, you brought the wrong vodka, and for
this, you were foolish.

Nadia
He says thank you for the vodka, but you brought the wrong vodka, and so he says you were foolish.

Robert
Foolish? I don’t understand what difference does it make?

Nadia
He asks why he is foolish.

Papa
Because you do but you don’t think! You come here four days and you think you know everything?
Anyone from here would tell you which vodka we drink.

Nadia
He said you should have asked someone what was the correct vodka in Pinsk. And because you didn’t ask, it was foolish.

Robert
You’ve got to be kidding, right?

Nadia
He thinks you make a joke…

Papa
I never would do this! Where is the joke? (He takes a bottle of vodka from the cabinet) American, look here, you see what this says?

Nadia
He says you should look at the bottle.

Robert
What am I looking at?

Papa
Here, here…Brestkaiya Vodka! Brest Region vodka. This is our vodka. It is from here. You understand? We drink this, because we make this here, you see?

Nadia
He says this is the vodka from our region. It is Brestkaiya Vodka. We drink it because we make it here.

Robert
Brestkaiya…

Papa
Oh! And this, look! Only this vodka makes your eyes blue!

Nadia
He says it is the vodka to give you blue eyes.

Robert
Blue eyes…

Papa
Everything. (He pours out glasses for Robert, Baba, Brother and himself, Nadia and Mama declining) This, you see? The women may decline, but not the men, you understand?

Nadia
He says that the women can say no, but not the men.

Robert
I can’t say no?

Nadia
He can’t say no?

Papa
What no? You won’t drink with me?

Nadia
You won’t drink with me?

Robert
No…I mean, yea. Of course. I mean…yea…

Papa
Good. Now, we only drink together, you understand? Only together.

Nadia
We only drink only together. It is important to know this.

Robert
Only together…

Nadia
He understands.

Papa
Good! And only to the bottom, yes?

Nadia
And only all the glass.

Robert
Charashow!

Papa
Oh! Very good! And only when we agree for what we talk of, Yes?

Nadia
And only after we agree to what we are speaking of?

Robert
I understand.

Papa
And only the truth!

Nadia
And only the truth.

Robert
I hear you! Only the truth.

Nadia
He agrees.

Papa
He agrees. All! We drink to Nadia’s happiness. Does anyone here not want this?

Nadia
He says that you drink to my happiness and he asks if anyone disagrees.

Papa
It’s all?

Robert
Of course…

Nadia
Of course…

Papa
Good! To health!

All
To health. (They drink. Robert sits and contemplates the vodka’s effect. It is calm at first, with a strong kick after about ten seconds.)

Robert
Oh…God!

Papa
That’s Brestkaiya! (To Andre) And you! Only ten dollars? You know nothing!

Brother
You are the king, papa.

Papa
It’s all!

Robert
This is strong!

Nadia
He says the vodka is strong.

Papa
If you don’t know how to cross, don’t go in the swamp!

Nadia
Papa said that if you don’t know to cross, you should not go on the bog!

Robert
What?

Nadia
It is an old expression.

Robert
If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen.

Nadia
They say there that if you do not like that the kitchen is too warm, do not be there?

Baba
He says this?

Nadia
It is an American expression…

Papa
And Edward doesn’t know how to cook.

Robert
Yep, that’s what we say: If you are not good enough…well, frankly…you know? (Makes a hand gesture raising his middle finger.) I mean, that’s what we do. It’s our gift to the world.

Nadia
He says that this is who Americans are. If you are not so good, then…

Edward
Piss off!

Brother
And this is what has happened to his other girl, Nadia? She wasn’t able to cook in his kitchen?

Baba
Is this how America feels about us, that we are helpless in our kitchen?

Nadia
Do you want to say that we are helpless in our kitchen?

Robert
I don't understand.

Nadia
He doesn’t understand.

Brother
We shall never recruit an American cook in our kitchen!

Robert
What did he say?

Nadia
He said we shall not allow you to "comment" here.

Robert
What do you mean comment? I am commenting…

Nadia
No, no. Not "comment", "command…command". (Translates into Russian,) There are two words, "comment" which means to have ones say, and "command" which is to tell people what to do. They are similar, but not the same (all agree) He says you are not allowed to command here. You are not the boss.

Robert
This may be what you think Americans want, but this not me. It’s not what I want…. I am just saying what I see!

Nadia
He says he does not want to command, and that he only says what he sees.

Brother
Anyway, I feel you want to be the owner of everything in this world.

Nadia
He says he thinks you want to own everything.

Robert
Well. That is the normal way of saying this. Everyone feels that was about Americans. But I personally do not think I want this for myself. And actually, all I personally want, if you can understand this, is to be equal to you. I don't want to look up at you or down at you. I just want to be with you. Do you understand?

Nadia
He says that this is what everyone says about Americans. But he says that for him personally, all he wants is to be our friend. He doesn’t want anything.

Brother
This, what he says is not true! He wants you and you only. We mean nothing to him.

Nadia
He says this is not true because you want…something.

Robert
Yes, he’s right; I want to be with you. (He kisses her on the cheek.)

Brother
There’s the truth!

Papa
A pleasant truth to face, I think.

Marina
You know, this is real life. We are just sitting here in our home talking about things. We are not ministers or officials, we don’t have to be important, we are just real people, sitting here talking about these things. This is very good. (All agree.)

Nadia
She says that this is real life. We are not so important, but that we are just real people, sitting here talking about these things. She thinks this is very good thing.

Robert
I think so too. And also I see that, you all have each other. I can see this. This is more of a family than I’ve ever had. You all are really together…I mean, nothing works, and you got no money, but you really seem to have each other…

Nadia
He says that he sees that we are together. He says that even if nothing is working well, and we are poor, we still have each other.

Papa
Tell him he sees only shadows. There is nothing left of what we once made…

Nadia
Papa says that what you see here now are only shadows of what we once were.

Robert
I don’t understand.

Nadia
What do you mean by this, Papa?

Papa
(Pours out the glasses again,) I mean that this was a great country once. We had everything. It was a great culture: We had technology, we had great factories. Everybody worked for the country and for themselves. We were never afraid of the future…

Mama
We were always a little afraid.

Baba
Never! We were never afraid!

Papa
And always, everybody was together. Nadia, please translate for me.

Nadia
I’ll try…papa says this was a great country once. We had a great culture. It was different from yours, but it was very good. He said we had everything we needed. We tried to be all together, and to work together, and we made many things…for our country and for our selves…and we felt we had a future…Please…

Baba
And we knew that one day every month there would be money. It wasn’t a lot, but it was enough for our lives.

Nadia
And we knew that every month there would be a little money. Not much, but enough for us…

Papa
And we always had hope that in the future our children would live better then ourselves. But now, nobody sees a future, and we no longer are together.

Nadia
And we always had hope for our children…to be better then we are. But now we do not see a future, and we are no longer together.

Mama
Our state gave us a good education, and good hospitals and medicine, but now…we must pay for everything, and we don’t see such good results from the education and the medicine as in the old days.

Nadia
We had hospitals and education before, and it was very good. But now we must pay, and the results are not as good.

Baba
And this is true for culture too.

Nadia
And this is true for our culture as well…

Papa
And I don’t like what we are now. We forget everything. We are no longer the best. And when we began to forget, since these last few years, when we forgot each other, we lost everything. So now, we really have nothing. We have forgotten everything. We no longer do…anything…everything.

Nadia
He says now we have nothing because we have forgotten how to live as we used to. We forget everything…and we don’t do anything anymore.

Baba
We used to live. But now we survive. I remember we used to have music. We don’t seem to have music any more.

Nadia
She says we used to live, but now we only survive. And she says that we don’t have music any more.

Robert
I don’t understand.

Nadia
He doesn’t understand.

Mama
We were civilized. Our culture was the center of our lives. For all of us. We saw ourselves as a great society. And it was. We had art, and theatre, and ballet and symphony. We had cinema and literature. We had everything that everyone had everywhere, except that here, it was for everybody.

Nadia
We were civilized people. There were many cultural events that we could go see…

Robert
She talked about ballet and symphony and theatre, right?

Nadia
He understood when you spoke some of your words.

Mama
Thank you.

Robert
Padgalts.

Baba
Oh! He is learning!

Nadia
She says you are learning.

Robert
I don’t think there’s anybody in America who could make that speech. You really love your country. We like to wave flags and all, but, really we just live there, you know?

Nadia
He says that Americans do not speak this way about their country. He says that Americans don’t love their country…no, he says…I don’t know how to say this.

Mama
You do not love your motherland?

Nadia
You don’t love your motherland?

Robert
No! It’s just different. We never call it that. Maybe it’s because we all come from somewhere else.

Nadia
He says perhaps it is because Americans all come from somewhere else.

Baba
And you come from here.

Nadia
And you are from here.

Robert
Yea, I guess.

Mama
I understand.

Papa
Then we drink to this.

Robert
Absolutely!

Nadia
Absolutely!

Papa
No! Brestkaiya!

Marina
He understands papa!

All
For health.

Robert
(After fighting the kick,) And you know, I think a lot about ecology and resources. We act as if the earth can just keep feeding us forever and ever no matter what we do to it. I come from the desert, and really, it can be so beautiful out there sometimes. But Phoenix is really dirty. And the air has gotten so bad. And sometimes I am just so sad for what we have done…but maybe we do this because we do not see America as our motherland. Because we don’t have this connection…

Nadia
He says that he is an ecologist. And that he agrees that Americans are greedy. He says that his town can be very beautiful, but that there is very much pollution and that it makes him sad to see it. But he says that it is perhaps it is like this because they don’t see America in this way. As a motherland.

Mama
I think this is true, but we have terrible problems with ecology here as well.

Nadia
We have problems here too.

Mama
Do you remember Chernobyl?

Nadia
She speaks of Chernobyl.

Robert
Yea, Chernobyl…how far is Chernobyl from here?

Nadia
How many kilometers from Pinsk is Chernobyl?

Brother
Only maybe three hundred.

Nadia
Maybe three hundred kilometers.

Papa
Oh, the children… everyone was sick after Chernobyl…

Nadia
That was not good…we all we sick after that.

Robert
(He thinks a moment, and looks hard at Nadia’s face for a long time.) What did your Papa mean when he said that you were shadows?

Nadia
He wants to know what you meant when you said you were shadows, papa.

Papa
I meant that once, we were the best people in the world. When I was a boy in Russia, they used to tell us: Be like the Belarusian’s! They are the best people! We used to have a country, and a culture. We used to all be friends and we made our world! Together. The best! And now…

Nadia
He says that Belarusian’s were once seen as the best of the people here. They used to say «be like the Belarusian’s!» because we were so strong. He says that we used to work together to make our world. Papa is a patriot. I tell him papa is a patriot.

Baba
Papa is a patriot? He is Russian, not Belarusian. I don’t think he can be a patriot.

Mama
Baba, why can you not say this? He lives here and he works here and he makes a family here. Why can he not be a patriot?

Baba
Well maybe?

Marina
But papa loves our country, he always say this. I say he can be a patriot!

Papa
I do love our country, this is the truth. I only do not like what I see has happened to us.

Robert
What do they say?

Nadia
They are arguing about weather or not papa can be a patriot. They say that because he was born Russian, that he cannot be a patriot.

Robert
What’s the difference?

Nadia
Papa is not Belarussian, only Mama and Baba. But he loves our country. I tell him what you say and he asks what the difference is?

Baba
This is America!

Nadia
You are American.

Robert
This is true. But we all come from somewhere else, but we all think of ourselves as American. I am from here, I guess. But also, I am not. I am from there, but maybe I don’t agree. Maybe it is because we are all different, it is why we are so fast to go and kill and make problems in the world. Maybe it is only money. Who know? I’m getting drunk, it’s hard to say.

Nadia
He says that Americans all come from elsewhere, but they are free to be Americans if they want. And he says that Americans fight as though they were patriots, but this is really not so. Also, he says that he feels he is from here, but also from there, and it is confusing for him.

Papa
Everything…so, Robert, what can we say? What can we do? This is what we say here now. Do you understand what I say?

Nadia
He says…what can I say, what can we do? This is our new national slogan. Do you understand?

Robert
(Nodding,) I guess I get it.

Papa
All, (He pours out the glasses again,) so we’ll do what all Belarussian patriots must do: We will drink to
our country! Drink!

Mama
It never stops….

Nadia
Without end.

Baba
May be good. (All drink. Robert gets hit again by the kick.)

Robert
By the way, what does the word «spakoynye» mean? Some guy at the pool hall kept saying it to me all the time. What does it mean?

Nadia
He asks about the word calm. He says that they say this to him when he played billiards.

Papa
Why do they say this to you?

Brother
He says «fuck» when he misses. He misses often!

Papa
(Laughs) I understand.

Mama
Calm is what we are. It is what we wish to be. Calm means to live gently.

Baba
No, calm means normal. It is in the middle.

Marina
Fifty/fifty. It means fifty/fifty. Not wrong not right, not bad, not good…

Nadia
The word means only to be calm, but they say that it is our culture to try to be this way.

Robert
I understand. Whoo, I am losing it. Too much! Anyway, we don’t do «spakoynye» in the states.

Nadia
He says calm is not normal in America.

Brother
Why not? You have all the money and all the power. So maybe to be calm is a good idea!

Nadia
He says that America is rich and so maybe this means that being calm is a good idea.

Robert
Maybe. But we aren’t, and maybe because of this, we don’t make girls like Nadia’s there, I can tell you this
much.

Nadia
No…

Robert
Oh! Just say it already…

Nadia
My God…he says that this is true, but because…he says they don’t have any girls like me there.

Brother
Sleep calmly, Edward!

Edward
Remember the flowers…

Papa
All. (He clicks his neck,) So, what will we drink to next?

Robert
No! No more. Not me, I got to go.

Nadia
He says that he must leave.

Mama
No, stay we have coffee.

Nadia
She says you must stay and drink some coffee with them.

Robert
Thanks, but no. Please, I’m sorry. I am a little tired and a little drunk. And I really do need to get back. I have a lot of phone calls to make, you know with the time difference and all. But thanks anyway. (He gets up to go.)

Papa
Go? Where do you go?

Nadia
He says he goes back to the hotel. He has drunk too much and he is tired and he must make some phone calls for his business?

Brother
He cannot stay because he must do business.

Papa
No, stay and be with us. Nadia, tell him he must stay.

Nadia
No papa…

Papa
What? Why?

Brother
Let him go, papa?

Robert
But listen, I want to thank all of you, for a really great evening.

Nadia
He says thank you for having him here…

Robert
This has been a very special evening for me.

Nadia
He says this has been a special night for him.

Baba
It has been special for us as well.

Nadia
It has been special for us as well.

Robert
Nadia, can I talk to you, outside for a bit; in private?

Nadia
Certainly.

Robert
Anyway, Alex…

Papa
Robert. (They shake.)

Robert
Thank you. Spacebo.

Papa
You’re welcome. You are welcome here.

Robert
Irene, (He kisses her on the cheek,) Thank you.

Mama
Nadia, tell Robert that I think we have not seen him for the last time.

Nadia
She says that she thinks we will see each other again in the future.

Robert
I hope so.

Nadia
We will.

Robert
Baba… (He kisses her)

Baba
I thought I would never see America…

Robert
Thank you.

Baba
Thank you.

Robert
Marina….

Marina
What?

Robert
Dobre noch…

Marina
She loves you but she doesn’t know what to do!

Robert
Thank you, me too.

Nadia
He said thank you; and you as well…

Marina
Oh…

Papa
Everything…

Robert
Shyo!

Papa
Good, we are all speaking together very well.

Mama
Nadia, walk with Edward, no, Robert back to his hotel.

Edward
Don’t forget the flowers!

Robert
Right! Goodnight, Edward… (To all,) Good night. (He opens the door, and waits for Nadia to follow. She looks at Edward sprawled out on the couch, pauses for a moment, and the goes out the door. He follows after, and they exit. There is a moment’s pause where no one seems to know what to do.)

Papa
Everything?

Mama
And what?

Marina
Is she going with him to his hotel?

Mama
I think so.

Papa
I hope so!

Marina
Papa, you’re terrible.

Brother
Do you think you have finished this business with the American, or must we send Marina with him as well?

Papa
Who are you to stand in the way of such a great romance?

Mama
Animals!

Papa
What? This is not what you want? (Mimics) You go to America! You go to America! You are American
tourist bureau! Propaganda cinema!

Baba
What jokes? Enough is enough. We don’t need to hear propaganda films!

Papa
Good. Anyway, all is good, and now there is nothing but for life and nature to do as it will!

Brother
We don’t even know if he is really rich.

Papa
What do you know?

Brother
We never see this car. We don’t know what consultant is? My friend from Minsk says to me that sometimes Americans just like to come here because it is so cheap.

Baba
But his grandmother is from here.

Mama
Stop! You can see he has money.

Papa
What do you see? You see what you want to see.

Brother
Or maybe I see the truth. You just sent your daughter to a hotel with an American. And he may not even be as rich as he says.

Papa
He has money, he has money. You said you play with him, and he has so much, nothing hurts!

Brother
Ten dollars!

Papa
Ten dollars! Ten dollars is money!

Marina
Maybe not to an American.

Brother
There, you see? What do we know?

Mama
We know that she loves him, that’s all we need to know.

Baba
That’s right.

Brother
So because she loves him she can go 15,000 kilometers with someone we know only one day?

Papa
We know him four days…

Brother
And do you know what they will think of her at his hotel? And what they will say?

Baba
Oh my God.

Mama
This is terrible.

Baba
I think he’s right. We don’t know him.

Papa
We know him, we know him: We drank with him.

Mama
Maybe you drink enough. Maybe we all drink enough. Where is my daughter?

Baba
Where is my grand daughter?

Papa
I don’t like this!

Brother
Now you don’t like this!

Papa
I feel the wind in the house.

Marina
What can we do?

Papa
Maybe you should go after them?

Baba
Good idea!

Mama
Yes, tell her I need her right away.

Brother
I’ll go too.

Papa
No, you stay here, you’ll just make trouble.

Mama
Where is my family?

Baba
Marina, go! Go!

Marina
I go! (She opens the door, and sees that Nadia and Robert are still there in the hall. They see each other, and there is an uncomfortable moment, and then Marina slams the door and comes back inside.)

Baba
What happened?

Marina
Maybe I stay, but not for long time…maybe I don’t want to become involved with my sisters life…

Mama
Marina, what do you say?

Marina
They are still in the hall.

Papa
They haven’t left?

Baba
Why?

Mama
What are they doing?

Marina
Talking, I think.

Papa
This is not good.

Edward
Give her the flowers!

Papa
Enough, I cannot listen to him!

Brother
Marina, what do they do?

Marina
I don’t know…

Brother
Look through the peep hole!

Marina
Oh! (She looks,)

Papa
So, what do you see?

Marina
Nothing. He his talking to her. And so quickly…

Brother
What?

Baba
What does this mean?

Mama
It means nothing.

Baba
If it means nothing, it means nothing. But I think that it must mean something.

Marina
No, he is not only talking, he’s gesturing with his hands…a lot.

Papa
Ok, and what does Nadia do?

Marina
She is listening…

Papa
This is bad!

Mama
Enough already with you. This is all you’re fault!

Papa
Where is fault?

Mama
You do this to him! You make him drink until he is crazy. And now he thinks he doesn’t want her…

Papa
Two minutes ago, we send Marina to bring her back! And now it is my fault that she stays!

Baba
Both are your fault!

Papa
I don’t know what to say to this. It is all without end.

Baba
Maybe he doesn’t want her because he finds out that Alexei is Russian?

Mama
Why you say this?

Baba
If he comes here to find a Belarussian wife, but he finds that she is only half Belarussian…

Mama
Oh!

Marina
She is trying to kiss him…

Papa
What does this mean: She tries?

Marina
She tries. But she cannot ?

Mama
He doesn’t let her?

Papa
He doesn’t let her kiss him? I don’t understand, what does this mean?

Papa
Maybe he is frightened of Chernobyl?

Baba
I didn’t think about this….

Mama
It mean’s that he is finished with her.

Baba
This is terrible.

Marina
He is talking again. She doesn’t seem to…she’s not listening.

Papa
Marina, go outside, stop them.

Marina
Why papa…

Papa
Here! (Gives her money,) Tell them you must go to the store!

Marina
No papa…

Papa
Andre, go with her. Make trouble! It’s what you do best!

Mama
Be calm, Alosha…we must wait…

Papa
My God, my God, my God…

Mama
Now you ask for help!

Papa
You… (Papa makes a gesture like he will say something, but stays silent.)

Baba
This I have never seen before…

Brother
We are like this now because we did this for money, and not for Nadia. And the American knows this.

Papa
We no longer know anything.

Mama
This is the truth. What has happened to us?

Baba
This is what we have become! We now beg strangers to take away our hearts…

Edward
I told you he doesn’t listen…he doesn’t listen…

Mama
(Quietly) Shush, Edward, not now…

Brother
It’s true, we don’t know anything anymore…

Marina
Get back! She’s coming! (All spread out and try to look calm. Nadia enters alone and closes the door behind her.)

Papa
What?

Nadia
What, what papa?

Papa
Somebody should say something…

Mama
Where is Robert?

Nadia
He went back to the hotel. I think…What do you want to know?

Mama
Nadia, what happened?

Nadia
Nothing.

Marina
We saw everything. He wouldn’t let you kiss him?

Nadia
What kissing?

Baba
Nadia tell us: When you go to America?

Mama
Mama, please!

Nadia
I don’t know anything.

Papa
What does he say to you?

Nadia
He says nothing, only talking.

Mama
Nadia?

Nadia
He don’t talk, he don’t kiss, he don’t want, he don’t ask, he don’t nothing! He is only talking…

Mama
He didn’t want you?

Nadia,
No. He wants to do, but he only talks and then…

Papa
You couldn’t give him what he wants. You are a good girl!

Nadia
I don’t understand anything…

Baba
He went away alone?

Nadia
Yes.

Papa
Is he leaving?

Nadia
I don’t know, papa.

Brother
What did he say to you? Exactly!

Nadia
He said…he doesn’t understand… he thinks I don’t want him.

Papa
He thinks that you don’t want him?

Marina
He doesn’t trust her.

Baba
This is the truth.

Nadia
No, he says he doesn’t know what I do…

Papa
And what?

Nadia
Papa, I wanted to go with him, but when I say this, he asked me only to speak with him first. (There is a pause while she waits for her family to comment, and when they do dot, she continues,) He said there are many things he does not understand…He says that maybe I would never understand. And that perhaps, if we would have problems in the future, I would not have my family, and only him to speak with. And he said that he was worried that we really didn’t know how to talk to each other. And that maybe we would have great problems and that he wouldn’t know what to say to me to make things better. (She starts to cry,) And I say that maybe I love him, but he say to me, that he doesn’t believe me that I love him because I am with Edward and with him, and he thinks that if I can go with two boys so quickly, that I will do this to him someday…
And then he says to me that he doesn’t care if I do this for money or for love, only that I tell him the truth. But I ask him just to Kiss me, because if he kisses me, he will feel how I feel…But he says that he knows that when he kisses me all of the problems in the world go away, but that he needs to know that it is real…He said only wants to hear the sound of my voice saying the truth…so at least, he knows what that sounds like.

Papa
So what did you say to him?

Nadia
I didn’t know what he wanted me to say… I said nothing. (There is silence.) And then he went away…

Papa
He waits only to hear her speak, and when she does, he runs away.

Mama
Everything…

Brother
Is this finished?

Nadia
I don’t know anything.

Papa
Will you see him tomorrow?

Nadia
(Yells) I don’t know anything! Don’t you understand: I know nothing!

Edward
(Screams) Nadia! He doesn’t listen! He doesn’t know anything…

Nadia
Edward…

Edward
Nadia! Where are the flowers? I brought you flowers! (She goes to him on the couch and sits beside him, stroking his hair,)

Nadia
Edward…

Edward
All I wanted was to give you flowers…

Nadia
I’m here, Edward. All is good. I’m here, I’m here…

Curtain


Copywrite 2002
Pod Kablukom
By Adam Goodman
All rights reserved

E-mail me at beinghad_mail@yahoo.com
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