The Cryptogram (3 page)

DONNY
: Up there?

JOHN
: Yes.

DEL
: I think so.

DONNY
: I’m sure that you do.

JOHN
: You think so?

DEL
: They’d be in your bureau.

JOHN
: And, the fishing stuff. Is it there?

DONNY
: The fishing stuff. They brought back. Last week, John. It’s all …

JOHN
: … they brought it back.

DONNY
: Yes. It’s up in the attic …

JOHN
(simultaneous with “attic”): You should have left it at the Cabin.

DONNY
: It’s in the attic. You’ll see it up there.

DEL
: … we were afraid …

DONNY
: … they didn’t want it to Get Stolen.

JOHN
: And the fishing line. Do we have that good line?

DEL
(
simultaneous with
“line”): … we were afraid it would get taken.

JOHN
: … that good heavy line …?

DONNY
: … I’m sorry, John …?

JOHN
: The fishing line.

DONNY
: I’m sure you. Yes. Fishing line. In the same box.

JOHN
: Green? The green one?

DONNY
: … I …

JOHN
: The green line? In the Tackle Box? Because if not, we have to stop on the way, and …

DONNY
: … I’m …

JOHN
: Dad said that the Green line …

DEL
: What’s special about it?

DONNY
: Open the box.

JOHN
: … because if not …

DONNY
: Find the box.

DEL
: What’s special about it?

JOHN
: It’s very strong.

DONNY
: Find the box, open it, and check it out.

JOHN
: Because that’s how we’ll know.

DONNY
: That’s what I’m telling you. (
JOHN
exits, up the stairs
.)

DEL
: Port out, starboard home.

DONNY
: And put some clothing on. (
Pause
.)

DEL
(
of photo
): … when was this taken?

DONNY
: I swear. He’s …

DEL
: What? Well, he’s having difficulty sleeping.

DONNY
: It’s all such a mystery.

DEL
: Do you think?

DONNY
: Yes. All our good intentions …

DEL
: Big thing. Going in the Woods. Your Father …

DONNY
: … mmm.

DEL
: … big thing.

DONNY
: Is it?

DEL
: Hope to tell you.

DONNY
: (
Pause.
) It goes so quickly.

DEL
: Certain things remain.

DONNY
: Yes?

DEL
: (
Pause
.)
Friendship … (Pause.)
Certain habits.

DONNY
: It goes so quickly … (
Pause
.)

DEL
: Does it?

DONNY
: Sometimes I wish I was a Monk.

DEL
: Mmm … what’s that?

DONNY
: I wish I were a monk.

DEL
: How would that go?

DONNY
: An old man for example …

DEL
: … mmm …

DONNY
: (
Pause
.) … and all his sons are gone.

DEL
: … an Oriental Fantasy.

DONNY
: That’s right.

DEL
: “Mist” … “Mountains” … So on.

DONNY
: … mmm …

DEL
: And what does this man do?

DONNY
: The monk.

DEL
: Yes.

DONNY
: Nothing. (
Pause
.) He sits; and gazes out at his …

DEL
: Mm. Well, that’s a form of meditation …

DONNY
: Gazes out at his domain.

DEL
: Well, I’m sure you’d be very good at it.

DONNY
: You’re very kind.

DEL
: What? I’m very kind, yes. (
Pause
.) For
it’s
. A
form
. Of meditation. (
Pause
.) As are they all.

DONNY
: Mm.

DEL
: The thing about photography is that it is very seductive.

DONNY
: Because sometimes it seems the older I get, the less that I know.

DEL
: Well, it’s a mystery. The whole goddamned thing.

DONNY
: Isn’t it …?

DEL
: I think so. (
Pause
.) Goes fast. Goes quickly.

DONNY
: Mmm.

DEL
: … and then it is gone. (
Pause
.)

DONNY
: No, I need a rest.

DEL
(
of photograph
): Well, if we look here we see that the
tree
is gone. When would that have been?

DONNY
(
to herself
): A fantasy of rest … (
Pause
.)

DEL
: … Oh, oh, oh what are you doing this weekend …?

DONNY
: This weekend?

DEL
: Yes.

DONNY
: Well. I don’t know.

DEL
: You don’t know what you’re doing this weekend.

DONNY
: I’m going to sit.

DEL
: To sit here.

DONNY
: Yes.

DEL
: Do you want company?

(
JOHN
reenters, wrapped in a plaid blanket
.)

DONNY
: No. That’s not clothing.

JOHN
: … I …

DONNY
: You put some clothing on right now. (
Pause
.) What? (
Pause
.)

JOHN
: I tore it.

DONNY
: You tore what?

JOHN
: I tore the blanket. I’m sorry.

DONNY
: You tore it?

JOHN
(
simultaneous with
“tore”): I was opening the box. I think there was a nail sticking out. I heard something rip …

(
He shows the tear
.)

DONNY
: You’re saying you tore
that
blanket?

JOHN
: I heard some …

DONNY
: John …

JOHN
: I was doing it too quickly. I know I heard.

DONNY
(
simultaneous with
“heard”): John, that was torn so long ago.

JOHN
: I heard it rip.

DONNY
: No, it was torn years ago.

JOHN
(
simultaneous with
“ago”): I didn’t tear it?

DONNY
: No.

JOHN
: I heard it rip.

DEL
: You may have heard it in your mind …

JOHN
: … but …

DONNY
: No we tore that long ago.

DEL
: I think your mind is racing.

DONNY
: It’s alright, John. It’s alright. Go upstairs. And you put on some clothing … (
Pause
.)

JOHN
: It’s tied with twine.

DONNY
: I don’t understand you.

JOHN
: The
Tackle
box.

DONNY
: Box …

JOHN
: … with the fishing line …

DONNY
: … well,
untie
it. And …

JOHN
: I can’t untie it. That’s what I’m saying. I tried to pull the twine off, but …

DEL
(
Takes out knife. Of knife
.): This’ll do it.

john: I can’t …

DEL
: … is it alright …?

DONNY
: … If you don’t get some rest, before …

DEL
(
to
DONNY
): Is it alright?

DONNY
: What?

DEL
: Can he have the knife?

DONNY
: … to have the knife …

DEL
: … to use. To cut the twine …

DONNY
(
simultaneous with
“twine”): What would your father say?

JOHN
: It’s alright.

DONNY
: He would?

JOHN
: Yes.

DONNY
: It’s alright for you …

JOHN
: … yes. Oh, yes.

DONNY
: … to have the knife.

JOHN
: Yes.

DONNY
(
simultaneous with
“Yes”): I hardly think so.

JOHN
: No he
would
.

DEL
: Then there you go. (
Hands
JOHN
the knife
.)

JOHN
: Where did you get the knife, though?

DONNY
: Good
Lord
, John … calm
down
tonight.

JOHN
: No.

DONNY
: What?

JOHN
: I can’t.

DONNY
: … why not?

JOHN
: The Tea, the Blanket …?

DONNY
: I don’t understand.

JOHN
: I’m
waiting
for it.

DEL
: You’re waiting for what?

JOHN
: “The Third Misfortune.”

DEL
: “The Third Misfortune.”

DONNY
: Third …?

JOHN
: I’m waiting to see “What is the Third Misfortune?” (
Pause
.)

DONNY
: What does he mean?

JOHN
: It’s in the book.

DEL
: Misfortunes come in threes.

DONNY
: Where
is
that book, by the way?

JOHN
: Misfortunes come in threes.

DONNY
: The third misfortune. I remember. Yes.

JOHN
: It’s in the book.

DONNY
: Wait. How long since we’ve seen that book?

JOHN
: A long time.

DONNY
: Ha. And you remembered it?

JOHN
: Of course I remember it.

DONNY
: Isn’t that odd?

JOHN
: “When we think of sickness, sickness is approaching,” said the Wizard.

DEL
: … That’s what the Wizard said.

DONNY
: Where
is
that book?

DEL
: It will turn up someday.

DONNY
: No, did we leave it at the lake?

JOHN
: Misfortunes come in threes.

DONNY
: Alright, what are the three misfortunes?

JOHN
: The Lance, and the Chalice; The Lance was broken by the Lord of Night, the Chalice was burnt …

DONNY
: Yes. No. Not in the book, here.

JOHN
: What are the others here?

DONNY
: The Three Misfortunes.

JOHN
:
Here
.

DONNY
: Yes.

JOHN
: Alright. One: The Pot, The Teapot broke.

DONNY
: That’s one, yes. And?

JOHN
: The blanket.

DEL
: … the blanket.

DONNY
: What about it?

JOHN
: … torn …

DONNY
: No, but it
wasn’t
torn. That happened long ago.

JOHN
: I
thought
I tore it now.

(
Sound of teakettle
,
DONNY
exits
.)

DONNY
(
offstage
): It was torn long ago. You can absolve yourself.

JOHN
: … I
thought
that I tore it.

DEL
: But, you see, in reality, things unfold … independent of our fears of them.

JOHN
: I don’t know what you mean.

DEL
: Because we
think
a thing is one way does not mean that this is the way that this thing must be.

JOHN
: The blanket was torn long ago?

DEL
: That’s what your mother said.

JOHN
: How?

DEL
: Well …

JOHN
: Did you see my hat?

DEL
: … did?

JOHN
: At the Cabin?

DEL
: Which hat is that?

JOHN
: The grey cap.

DEL
: Like mine, except grey?

JOHN
: Yes.

DEL
: I don’t remember.

JOHN
: Not like yours, actually, it’s …

DEL
: I don’t remember.

JOHN
: No, it’s not actually like yours, it’s …

DEL
: How is it different?

JOHN
: It’s. I steered you wrong. It’s not like yours at all.

DEL
: Then I don’t know which one you mean.

JOHN
: My
Grey
hat. It was on the peg.

DEL
: The peg …

JOHN
: … Near the door. At the cabin.

DEL
: I don’t remember.

JOHN
: You don’t? Why?

DEL
: Because I wasn’t looking for it. (
Pause
.) Do you know. I’m going to tell you a game.