The Cryptogram by David Mamet

Author:David Mamet [Mamet, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Drama, General
ISBN: 9780307817631
Publisher: Vintage
Published: 1995-04-18T04:00:00+00:00

End of ONE

TWO

The next night.

JOHN, in his bathrobe, and DONNY.

JOHN: I thought that maybe there was nothing there. (Pause.) I thought that nothing was there. Then I was looking at my book. I thought “Maybe there’s nothing in my book.” It talked about the buildings. Maybe there’s nothing in the buildings. And … or on my globe. You know my globe? You know my globe?

DONNY: Yes.

JOHN: Maybe there’s nothing on the thing that it is of. We don’t know what’s there. We don’t know that those things are there.

DONNY: I’ve been there. To many of them.

JOHN: Or in buildings we have not been in. Or in history. In the history of things. Or thought. (Pause.) I was lying there, and maybe there is no such thing as thought. Who says there is? Or human beings. And we are a dream. Who knows we are here? No one knows we are. We are a dream. We are just dreaming. I know we are. Or else … or else … (Pause.) … and how do we know the things we know? We don’t know what’s real. And all we do is say things. (Pause.) Where do we get them from? And, or that things, go on forever. (Pause.) Or that we’re born. Or that dead people moan. Or that, or that there’s hell. And maybe we are there. Maybe there are people who’ve been there. Or, or else why should we think it? That’s what I don’t know. And maybe everything is true. Maybe it’s true that I’m sitting here …

DONNY: Johnnie.

JOHN: What …?

DONNY: I think …

JOHN: … don’t you think?

DONNY: … you have to …

JOHN: No, I don’t.

DONNY: Please, please do, though.

JOHN: I don’t want to, though. (DEL enters.) (Of DEL.) That’s what I mean. I don’t want to … didn’t you, mother. Mother …

DONNY (to DEL): Did you …

DEL (simultaneous with “you”): No.

DONNY: Did you find him?

DEL (to JOHN): How are you? (To DONNY.) No.

JOHN: I’m fine.

DONNY: Where did you look?

DEL: The Windemere, and then I stopped at Jimmy’s.

DONNY: Did you try The Eagle?

DEL: No. (Unpacking his paper bag.) How has he …

DONNY: Why not? Why not?

DEL: I’m sorry … why not what?

DONNY (simultaneous with “what”): Why didn’t you go to the …

DEL: … I thought you were going to call them.

DONNY: Why should I call them, if they’ll say he wasn’t there? Even if he is there …?

DEL (simultaneous with “there”): I thought you were going to call them.

DONNY (simultaneous with “call”): No. I never said that.

DEL: Well, then, I made a mistake. (He is preparing syrup from medicine bottle.)

DONNY: How much was it?

DEL: I told them to charge it to you. (Holding spoon.) (To JOHN.) Open your mouth.

JOHN: I don’t want to take that stuff.

DONNY: You’re going to take it and you’re going to sleep.

JOHN: No. I’m not sleepy.

DONNY: Take the medicine. Did you hear me? You’re sick, and you’re going to bed.

JOHN: I can’t sleep.

DEL: … that’s why …

JOHN: Every time I go to sleep I see things …

DONNY: You must …

DEL: That’s, that’s why you have to take the medicine, John.

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