Four components of one personality in crisis: Male Logic, Female Logic, Male Passion, Female Passion.

Trials Of The Century.

Male Logic, Female Logic & Female Passion up right; Male Passion down center, prowling.

FL:    Can you recall that day?

MP:   The baby. The baby. The baby. One reason his father flew alone across the Atlantic.

FL:    Tell the court what happened.

MP:   The baby lay in his mother’s arms. The Cubans stole the psychiatrist’s dream files.

ML:   You are under oath.

MP:   The building’s upper floors were engulfed in flames. Demeter fled the scene, after her fingerprints were positively identified as those of the babysitter.

FL:    Your honor, what are we supposed to do with him? He’s not cooperating.

ML:   May I remind you: you have been subpoenaed to appear before this court.

MP:   We got word there was someone left on the seventh floor. We put on our breathers and bloody gloves.

ML:   If you do not respond, you will be found in contempt of court.

MP:   Me and Gabriel, we ran up to check it out, just in case. Me and my brother, I swear it was self-defense and who cares about the money?

FL:    Answer the question.

MP:   She freaked on account of the smoke or something but she, she, oh God–drowned her children and the factory owner’s son spit on her.

ML:   Are you all right, son?

MP:   There was only quiet. No noise at all. Sacco and Vanzetti still burning on some lower floor. The mother rocked her baby, she couldn’t hear me. Smoke filled the hallway. He could have become immortal in the embers but instead he learned the plow. Gabriel and me ran to her. We were only doing as we were told. Gabriel tried to take the baby, but the mother got hysterical and hit him. Gabriel took off his breather. “The baby’s dead,” he said to her, “The wire services picked it up. Uriel, take him.”

FL:    I motion we break for a short recess.

FP:    No, wait! Wait, I’ll tell you.

ML stands down center, MP assumes an heroic pose. FP crawls desperately, FL sits.

ML:   MP: FL:  FP:
total war      
acceptable losses      
collateral damage go for it    
asset    beat    
non-combatants belt tightening arms  
deterrent fan support     
human shield      
diminishing returns flag waving  eyes    people
smart weapon      
friendly fire warm body   legs     people
toe tag         
body count   worker noses people
casualties   brains  
strategic target dissident shoulders  
mutually assured destruction      
liability sacrifice fly    hearts  people
draw fire upset victory child   
warrior   end zone celebration man  
hero  team player    woman people

 

©1996 Perfectly Spherical Cow.