MARIGOLD: When do you think—

Pause.

MARIGOLD’s jaw drops.

Pause.

MARIGOLD: I feel like my plane crashed and I’m dead.

Pause.

MRS. MAY: I’m sorry…Were you about to ask—?

Pause.

MARIGOLD: I was about to ask when you thought you’d get here.

MRS. MAY: But I’m here.

Pause.

MARIGOLD: I know. How do you do, Mrs. May?

MRS. MAY gestures. MARIGOLD sits in the chair before the desk.

Pause.

MRS. MAY: I do smell liquor. Is it you?

MARIGOLD: No. Of course not.

Pause.

MARIGOLD: It’s probably just mouthwash.

Pause.

MARIGOLD opens her mouth to speak, changes her mind.

Pause.

MRS. MAY: Were you about to speak?

MARIGOLD: Yes.

Pause.

MRS. MAY: And…?

MARIGOLD: I thought better of it.

Pause.

MRS. MAY: Marigold?

MARIGOLD: Yes.

MRS. MAY: May I call you Marigold?

MARIGOLD: Certainly. I like my name. Please do.

MRS. MAY: Marigold…

Pause.

Would you like to begin by making a statement in your own words?

MARIGOLD: I’m sorry, no.

MRS. MAY: All right.

MARIGOLD: I’m happy to address any questions I can answer briefly. I’m completely new to this—procedure. I have no idea what the procedure is or even if this is, I mean actually, a procedure, something with a pre-set…I’ll tell you this much. I found myself on the merry-go-round where the gold ring grabs you. You just, we just, you sit around waiting for the shadow to fall on you…When I was a girl at home, we had—back in Ukiah—in California—I kept chickens. Every once in a while a hawk’ll get one. They come ramming out of the clouds full speed and knock a chicken’s head off. Dig out a few handfuls of breast and adios. I can’t see how a rambling monologue…Uh—beyond this admittedly extensive depiction of the situation…(Pause.) District Nine as the Chicken Coop of Doom…

Pause.

MRS. MAY: You’ve been with Agriculture for—five years?

MARIGOLD: And about seven months. Five years and seven months.

MRS. MAY: You’re currently Level Four. Have I got that right?

MARIGOLD: Right. Yes. Administrative and Field Coordinator, Second Class. Yes.

MRS. MAY: At the time of the Kernwood Farms investigation—that is, the second investigation, the one in which you took part—

MARIGOLD: I was Acting AFC, First Class. That was temporary. It was understood at the outset to be temporary.

MRS. MAY: All right. A general question. Happy with the work?

MARIGOLD: Uh. No. (Pause.) I mean, for the last couple of years I’ve just been waiting for this part to be over with.

MRS. MAY: And—more generally than that? Overall?

MARIGOLD: Yes. Very definitely. I travel, I meet new people…I’m always forced to confront new tasks…I’m always learning. I guess in some ways that’s because we make everything we do, you know—a little harder than it has to be.

MRS. MAY: So sometimes you’re disillusioned.

MARIGOLD: No, no. It’s just the nature of…In a bureaucracy—

MRS. MAY: You’re not disillusioned by the work. Only by its nature.

MARIGOLD: No, of course not, but I…But what do we do? We inspect food. I mean—haven’t human beings sort of—been inspecting whatever goes in their mouths since—you know—they couldn’t have invented the wheel if they couldn’t keep from killing themselves with stuff they ate…I mean in a way…we’re less developed than cave-dwellers…