NICOLAS (cont.) You’re probably just hungry. Or thirsty. Let me tell you something. I hate despair. I find it intolerable. The stink of it gets up my nose. It’s a blemish. Despair, old fruit, is a cancer. It should be castrated. Indeed I’ve often found that that works. Chop the balls off and despair goes out the window. You’re left with a happy man. Or a happy woman. Look at me.

Victor does so.

NICOLAS (cont.) Your soul shines out of your eyes.

Blackout.

LIGHTS UP. AFTERNOON.

Nicolas standing with a small boy.

NICOLAS What is your name?

NICKY Nicky.

NICOLAS Really? How odd.

Pause.

NICOLAS (cont.) Do you like cowboys and Indians?

NICKY Yes. A bit.

NICOLAS What do you really like?

NICKY I like airplanes.

NICOLAS Real ones or toy ones?

NICKY I like both kinds of ones.

NICOLAS Do you?

Pause.

NICOLAS (cont.) Why do you like airplanes?

Pause.

NICKY Well. . . because they go so fast. Through the air. The real ones do.

NICOLAS And the toy ones?

NICKY I pretend they go as fast as the real ones do.

Pause.

NICOLAS Do you like your mummy and daddy?

Pause.

NICOLAS (cont.) Do you like your mummy and daddy?

NICKY Yes.

NICOLAS Why?

Pause.

NICOLAS (cont.) Why?

Pause.

NICOLAS (cont.) Do you find that a hard question to answer?

Pause.

NICKY Where’s Mummy?

NICOLAS You don’t like your mummy and daddy?

NICKY Yes. I do.

NICOLAS Why?

Pause.

NICOLAS (cont.) Would you like to be a soldier when you grow up?

NICKY I don’t mind.

NICOLAS You don’t? Good. You like soldiers. Good. But you spat at my soldiers and you kicked them. You attacked them.

NICKY Were they your soldiers?

NICOLAS They are your country’s soldiers.

NICKY I didn’t like those soldiers.

NICOLAS They don’t like you either, my darling.

Blackout.

LIGHTS UP. NIGHT.

Nicolas sitting. GILA standing. Her clothes are torn. She is bruised.

NICOLAS When did you meet your husband?

GILA When I was eighteen.

NICOLAS Why?

GILA Why?

NICOLAS Why?

GILA I just met him.

NICOLAS Why?

GILA I didn’t plan it.

NICOLAS Why not?

GILA I didn’t know him.

NICOLAS Why not?

Pause.

NICOLAS (cont.) Why not?

GILA I didn’t know him.

NICOLAS Why not?

GILA I met him.

NICOLAS When?

GILA When I was eighteen.

NICOLAS Why?

GILA He was in the room.

NICOLAS Room?

Pause.

NICOLAS (cont.) Room?

GILA The same room.

NICOLAS As what?

GILA As I was.

NICOLAS As I was?

GILA (screaming) As I was!

Pause.

NICOLAS Room? What room?

GILA A room.

NICOLAS What room?

GILA My father’s room.

NICOLAS Your father? What’s your father got to do with it?

Pause.

NICOLAS (cont.) Your father? How dare you? Fuckpig.

Pause.