This Is War by Hannah Moscovitch

Author:Hannah Moscovitch
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Canada, war, military, Afghanistan, post-traumatic stress disorder, soldiers, award winner, empathy, human relationships, psychology, Hannah Moscoviych, interview, drama
Publisher: Playwrights Canada Press
Published: 2013-11-27T00:00:00+00:00

Part Four—Interview With Sergeant Stephen Hughes

Hughes speaks to the interviewer.

Sgt. Stephen Hughes

Listen

We’re trying to stabilize that country

We were there to provide security

Get those people some human

Rights—why’s that funny

No

Why’s that funny

We were trying to help those people

What’re you doing with your life that anyone’s going to remember in forty-five minutes?

Beat.

The night before the joint op?

He grins.

Why do you give a shit about the night before the joint op?

You just

Trying to get me talking?

He grins. Then, very deliberately:

The

Night before the op I

Couldn’t fucking sit still

I played a little poker to try and blow off some steam.

Shift: memory.

Hughes is exiting the mess tent. He has a slight limp as he exits.

Jonny is standing outside.

There’s an unlit cigarette dangling from Jonny’s lips.

Hughes

(over his shoulder, to Tanya) Don’t forget your seventy bucks.

Beat. Hughes sees Jonny.

Private. Just lost five bucks. Tanya cleaned up. She’s in there counting her money. You good?

Jonny looks at him.

You okay?

Jonny looks at him.

You gonna smoke that? You okay?

Jonny takes the cigarette out of his mouth and moves as if to go into the tent. Hughes stops him, puts a hand on his shoulder.

Hey, hey, no: let’s just—might want to… give her a sec in there.

Hughes pats Jonny on the back.

You good, Private? You okay? You look a little…?

Jonny walks past him into the tent. As he walks past:

(calling after him) Jonny, I just said d…

Pause. Hughes hesitates, considers for a second, clicks at himself, and then turns away from the mess tent.

Shift: interview.

Sgt. Stephen Hughes

I shouldn’t have been playing poker that night it was stupid

I

I uh lost

(grins) I lost that game.

Hughes

(turning into the scene) Anders!!!

Anders is there: he reacts immediately to Hughes’s yell.

Anders

Uh!

Shift: memory.

It is nighttime: dark and hard to see. We’re at camp, a few steps away from the mess tent towards the shacks. There’s some glow coming from the mess tent fluorescents. Hughes is still limping slightly.

Uh! Uh I didn’t see you / there!

Hughes

(giggling) Sorry! Sorry—

Anders

Uh, man…!

Anders is bent almost double.

Hughes:

(giggling) I stain your pants for you, buddy? Coupl’a drops…?

Anders

Uh…! What was that?

Hughes

(giggling) Sorry, I don’t know: I was just playing some… poker. I’m sorry, buddy, I love you—

Anders

I’m gonna have a twitch tomorrow; you scared the… crap out of me!

Anders stands back up and Hughes half-hugs him or hangs off of him, leans against him, rests his forehead against him.

Hughes

Anders, you’re soft.

Anders

Yeah, screw you.

Pause.

Hughes

(regret, groaning) Uhhhh!

Anders

What is it, buddy?

Hughes

I feel sick.

Anders

Why…?

Hughes:

Mm, I’m an animal.

Anders

Well, yeah.

Hughes

The fuck’s wrong with me, Anders? The fuck are you when I get all tweaked, buddy? Uhhhh, I have a stomach ache: pit of my stomach…!

Anders

Yeah? Why? You’re thinking on… tomorrow, or what?

Hughes has his arms, loosely, around Anders’s shoulders by now.

Hughes

(giggling) I’m thinking—you know what I’m thinking? We shouldn’t let women in the military: what would you do if I just… punched you right now? Just to feel better…?

Hughes and Anders are both giggling by now, a little uncontrollably. They spar with each other during the below dialogue.

What are you doing! You just… walking around in the dark?

Anders

It’s a little… adrenalized, in the shacks, just… they’re tweaked about tomorrow.

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