modern times

("the innocent" or "that long hot day")

by

alessandro trigona occhipinti

translated by

carol coller

characters

Tullio 35/45 years old

Giuliana 30/40 years old

Teresa 25/40 years old

Filippo 30 years old

Consuelo 25/45 years old

 

 

Epilogue (any day)

 

An ordinary day, busy, hot, even hazy, full of work activities, which take precedence over everything - even life: modern times. Living room in middle class home. On the left: the entrance, near a television. On the right: a door that gives onto the other rooms, beside a bar. On the sofa at the center of the scene, a man, Tullio, who appears grief stricken, head in hands. Behind him, Giuliana, his wife. The man appears submerged in his own desperation while the woman rimproves him, presses him - nasty.

 

Giuliana: Well?

Tullio: I don’t know... how it could have happened!

Giuliana: How can you not know? I mean how?

Tullio: Everything was so confused, so fast that I... my mind, thoughts, all day in front of that damned...

Giuliana: ...that damned...?

Tullio: ...nothing...

Giuliana: ...nothing...?

Tullio: I....

Giuliana: You? (Tullio, not looking at her, nods) And him?

Tullio: He was there. He watched me. It was as if he were watching me. God! His eyes open, still open. Staring at me and instead... (pause) ... he looked at me as if he were still... and instead... "dried up"!

 

Long pause. Giuliana goes out. Tullio remains in his grief.

 

 

Many days before.

 

The lights begin to pulse, while strange sounds seem to tickle the air, almost imperceptible, like gears that move, grind, almost imperceptible, almost. Tullio seems to shake himself as if he is throwing off his mood. Its as though time has rewound: his attitude, his way of being is mutated, transformed: he appears a strong man, dynamic, sure of himself and master of his time - master of his time... modern times. He’s busy, he studies papers, burying himself in them. He grabs the cell phone, starts to dial, nothing, he curses. He opens his laptop computer; he works. He’s a decisive man, committed, perhaps appearing tired from the beginning, but still projected within the context of extreme professional capacity. Giuliana appears behind him. The woman has lost her inquisitory tone. She immediately shows herself, dominating her time. A woman who wants to affirm her mastery of the times, of her times: "modern times". With her, Teresa, her sister. Tullio nods barely turning.

 

Giuliana: Still working? With this heat?

Tullio: I have lots of things to do. For that course, so...

Teresa: You’re moving on it.

Tullio: I’m moving on it. And you, weren’t you supposed to go to the gym? Today is Saturday and...

Giuliana: My mother felt sick and I had to look after the baby.

Tullio: After effects of her operation?

Teresa: (serving herself a drink) A drop in her blood pressure. No big deal.

Giuliana: I certainly couldn’t expect mamma to take him to the doctor.

Tullio: Heaven’s no.

Giuliana: He’s our son, after all. And we have to take care of him now and then.

Tullio: Seems right.

Giuliana: (correcting him) proper.

Tullio: (correcting himself) "Proper."

Giuliana: She takes the baby, she takes him to the doctor, home, to play, she feeds him, puts him to sleep.

Tullio: Without a doubt.

Giuliana: We can’t always depend on her. Now and then we too have to... (She stops)

Tullio: It goes without saying, poor woman.

Giuliana: Tullio, sometimes you assume an attitude that I don’t like. You’re the last person who has a right to say something.

Tullio: Of course.

Giuliana: You’re never around.

Teresa: You don’t want to argue, do you? In my presence?

Tullio: Giuliana, I’m working hard. I’m organizing a course, developing a project and...

Giuliana: You’re advancing your career.

Tullio: I’m advancing my career it’s true. And all this has a price, a price that... we knew.

Giuliana: That, however, doesn’t authorize you to speak like that.

Teresa: Giuliana, Tullio was joking.

Tullio: I was joking.

Giuliana: Oh, really?

Tullio: It was just a joke.

Teresa: A joke.

Giuliana: An idiotic one.

Teresa: An idiotic one.

Tullio: I certainly didn’t want to offend your mother.

Teresa: (to Giuliana) See?

Giuliana: Sometimes he uses that tone.

Tullio: Mea culpa.

Teresa: Come on, Giuliana, nothing’s happened. (Articulating) no-thing.

Giuliana: With all that mamma does for us...

Tullio: Damned ungrateful.

Giuliana: Exactly: ungrateful.

Teresa: He certainly didn’t want to offend her.

Giuliana: And today has been an awful day.

Tullio: Tell me about it.

Giuliana: All day in court and then... my mother.

Tullio: By the way, where is the baby?

Giuliana: He’s sleeping.

Teresa: Consuelo put him right to bed.

Tullio: What does the doctor say?

Giuliana: Gastritis.

Tullio: Gastritis? He’s just a year old and he already has...

Giuliana: Being shuffled left and right, it seems that it...

Tullio: Gastritis, incredible!

Teresa: This century’s illness.

Tullio: And I thought it was cancer.

Giuliana: What?

Tullio: And instead, gastritis.

Teresa: You learn something new every day.

Tullio: Yeah!

Consuelo: (offstage) Senora...? Senora?

Tullio: Consuelo. She’s calling you.

Giuliana: Consuelo. Calling me. The baby must need me. (exits)

Tullio: mommy.

 

Tullio and Teresa left alone, regard each other with embarrassment.

 

Tullio: How are you?

Teresa: As you left me the other evening.

Tullio: The meeting finished late and so...

Teresa: You could have called...

Tullio: I would have liked to but...

Teresa: Work.

Tullio: Work, the meeting, my head not working. And this heat.

Teresa: Giuliana was worried too.

Tullio: She’s always worried.

Teresa: She doesn’t live in the present.

Tullio: While you?

Teresa: Almost too much so.

Tullio: Choices.

Teresa: Choices. Opportune, reasoned, meditated. Isn’t that what they say?

Tullio: Yes, that’s what they say.

Teresa: All in good time, engineer. All in good time. And then, let me know when your "present" arrives. Who knows, we may run into each other somewhere.

Tullio: Maybe tomorrow.

Teresa: (moving towards the door) Be careful, man, that your future hasn’t already become past.

Tullio: What do you mean?

Teresa: The other evening was one time, today is another, tomorrow still another. (exits)

Tullio: ?

Teresa: (peeking back in the door) Don’t trouble yourself. There’s no need, I knows the way out.

Tullio: (getting up and going to her) Forgive me, Teresa. I’m confused so...

Teresa: (pushing Tullio back) That happens a little too often lately.

Tullio: What?

Teresa: Your being confused.

Tullio: It’s just...

Teresa: The job, the stress, the heat. Go on back to work and be good otherwise who knows what Giuliana might think.

Tullio: The truth?

Teresa: If the truth... exists... (exits)

 

Tullio remaining perplexed for a moment, returns to his work.

 

Giuliana: Teresa?

Tullio: She’s left. She said bye.

Giuliana: I needed to speak to her.

Tullio: About the studio?

Giuliana: Some information.

Tullio: Problems?

Giuliana: Big problems. Using my maternity leave as an excuse, Filippo has taken the situation in hand.

Tullio: He’s managing the studio?

Giuliana: He’s filled in the gap that I...

Tullio: The baby.

Giuliana: ...created with my maternity leave.

Tullio: He took advantage of that.

Giuliana: He filled in my space.

Tullio: A fine way to thank you. After all you’ve done... that you’ve all done for him.

Giuliana: He did what anyone would do. Even in a legal office there are certain rules and when someone is missing, there’s always someone who...

Tullio: Furthers their career.

Giuliana: Furthers their career.

Tullio: So?

Giuliana: I’ll have to move...

Tullio: A conference?

Giuliana: To come to an understanding, a way to work together.

Tullio: Yalta?

Giuliana: (laughs) Yeah, Yalta.

Tullio: Roosevelt and Stalin dividing up the spoils of the third "Reich": the "Di Scordio and Daughters" Law Office. Good thing you’re one of the "daughters", if not...

Giuliana: I’d already be out.

Tullio: Yeah.

Giuliana: Anyway my father adores Filippo.

Tullio: He’s a great guy.

Giuliana: An excellent lawyer. He’s only twenty-eight but he’s already somebody. My father says he’ll go far.

Tullio: At your expense.

Giuliana: Apart from that. He’s someone who eats law for breakfast, who plays with it the way you play with your computer. The fact that I’m the boss’s daughter doesn’t mean anything. Sure, no one can push me out but I still have to be careful.

Tullio: So, a conference.

Giuliana: I’ve invited him to dinner, here, next Saturday.

Tullio: Saturday?

Giuliana: Have you got some commitment?

Tullio: There’s the game, Saturday.

Giuliana: So?

Tullio: I wanted to see it.

Giuliana: You want to know what I think about the game?

Tullio: It’s the nationals.

Giuliana: It’s my profession.

Tullio: I understand but...

Giuliana: When you force me into your week-ends with the department managers.

Tullio: O.K.

Giuliana: The bonus trips with your colleges.

Tullio: I give up. What time is he coming.

Giuliana: They are coming. There’s Teresa too.

Tullio: Your sister?

Giuliana: I couldn’t exclude her.

Tullio: A real Yalta!

Giuliana: Thatcher was at Yalta too, the English Prime Minister, wasn’t she?

Tullio: Thatcher came forty years later. Churchill was at Yalta.

Giuliana: Churchill? Thatcher? Who cares?

Tullio: Nobody.

Giuliana: My point. So let’s stop quibbling and think about Saturday.

Tullio: O.K. Saturday. What time are they coming?

Giuliana: Don’t worry. Filippo will want to see the game too.

Tullio: Good thing.

Giuliana: Him too, so...

Tullio: Will Filippo be coming alone? Besides Teresa?

Giuliana: Alone.

Tullio: And the woman he was with?

Giuliana: Gone.

Tullio: This one too.

Giuliana: Filippo will remain an unrepentant bachelor.

Tullio: Like your sister!

Giuliana: The profession’s important for them.

Tullio: The money.

Giuliana: It’s the same.

Tullio: No room for children, ties or other things: just distractions. So, that way he’s free to… (he gestures)

Giuliana: What?

Tullio: You know.

Giuliana: What?

Tullio: Not being limited.

Giuliana: What are you referring too?

Tullio: He can wander at large.

Giuliana: Are you trying to say that…?

Tullio: I’ve noticed how he looks at you.

Giuliana: Don’t be jealous.

Tullio: I’m not jealous.

Giuliana: It sounds as though you are.

Tullio: I only wanted to say...

Giuliana: Filippo’s always been perfectly correct with me.

Tullio: He’s always been after you.

Giuliana: He’s never tried to…

Tullio: Sure.

Giuliana: He’s always respected me.

Tullio: Of course: you’re the daughter of the owner of the "Di Scordio and Daughters" Law Office, therefore...

Giuliana: He would have respected me anyway.

Tullio: Oh he has... just look at the present situation.

Giuliana: I can’t stand you when you do this.

Tullio: And I enjoy making you angry.

Giuliana: I’m not angry.

Tullio: As soon as I touch on the subject of the studio you...

Giuliana: I have my dignity as a woman.

Tullio: You roll up like a porcupine.

Giuliana: I won’t allow anyone to question my work, my professionality.

Tullio: You’re a strong woman.

Giuliana: I have my pride.

Tullio: That’s why I married you.

Giuliana: Only for that?

Tullio: Also for that?

Giuliana: Also.

Tullio: (hugging her) Also.

Giuliana: No, Tullio. Not now. Let me go there, to the baby. I wouldn’t want...

Tullio: The gastritis?

Giuliana: Poor baby!

Tullio: (disconsolate) Poor baby.

 

Tullio remains alone. The cell phone rings, he answers.

 

 

 

Tullio: What? Who? Maria? Good. Good. Great. Fantastic. Excellent. (he hangs up) Shit!

Giuliana: (entering) Who was it?

Tullio: Maria.

Giuliana: Your secretary?

Tullio: Her.

Giuliana: Problems?

Tullio: The director called her. He says the project has taken off.

Giuliana: What project?

Tullio: That one for the new computerization of the railways.

Giuliana: That’s good, isn’t it?

Tullio: They’re involving me more and more.

Giuliana: Great!

Tullio: They’ll give me a ton of money.

Giuliana: Fantastic! That way we can buy...

Tullio: It’s just that I don’t know if I can do it.

Giuliana: (frowning) Why?

Tullio: There are those professional courses in July. The ones financed by the European Union.

Giuliana: Those? They were so important to you!

Tullio: I’m worried about the relative dates. There’s the risk I’ll end up drowning in work.

Giuliana: When does the project start?

Tullio: In September.

Giuliana: Well, then you could...

Tullio: I have to study several things, follow the course, prepare the assistants.

Giuliana: A mess!

Tullio: I’ll have to take a week’s vacation. To organize everything! That way I can concentrate in peace on the railways.

Giuliana: That’s an idea.

Tullio: It’s just that I burn a week’s vacation.

Giuliana: Optimize the time.

Tullio: Sure. It’s just that I’m really tired. Then with this heat I ought to have a real week of peace and quiet.

Giuliana: August is coming up.

Tullio: That’s what’s going to save me.

Giuliana: You’ll rest.

Tullio: We’ll see if I arrive.

Giuliana: Don’t exaggerate. O.K. you’re stressed but it’s not that bad.

Tullio: If you knew.

Giuliana: We’ll have some vacation time to rest.

Tullio: With your parents?

Giuliana: We’ll go to their place, by the sea. It’s good for the baby.

Tullio: Yeah, the baby! Good-bye tropical vacation!

Giuliana: A child changes your life. Besides, we knew that.

Tullio: Sure, we knew it. Sometimes I think... maybe it would have been better to wait.

Giuliana: To wait? I’m thirty-six years old and you... we might have ended up not being able to have them. Have you seen the Galiffa’s?

Tullio: No. Of course. You’re right. We couldn’t wait anymore. It was time. It’s just that with all the work we have, you the studio, me the company, it seems as though...

Giuliana: Regrets?

Tullio: I’d like to be more relaxed, to manage my time better and be able to dedicate some to the baby.

Giuliana: I know you’re a softy.

Tullio: Let’s say I’d like to be one.

Giuliana: You will be.

Tullio: You’re leaving me alone?

Giuliana: You... you have to work. The railways... the course...

Tullio: How I’d rather...

Giuliana: (exiting) The railways... the course...

Tullio: The railways... the course... shit!

 

Tullio buries himself in his work. The cell phone rings. Tullio answers.

 

Tullio: Oh, it’s you? Yes, now, now I’m alone. Yes. Like you? Not really. Yes. Giuliana is there. With the baby. Yes me too. To make love with you. Work permitting.

 

Tullio exits. Lights change. The gears, mechanically, return to "tickle" the air: the atmosphere.

 

 

Another day

 

Enter Giuliana and Teresa.

 

Teresa: Well, for when have you organized the dinner?

Giuliana: For Saturday. there’ll be you, me, Tullio and Filippo.

Teresa: Tullio?

Giuliana: Him.

Teresa: Work permitting

Giuliana: He’s so caught up in it lately. Lots of, too much work. A series of concentrated commitments. Great thing but... too many!

Teresa. And then with this heat

Giuliana: Poor Tullio

Teresa: Poor us (serving herself a drink)

Giuliana: By the way, I was forgetting (loudly towards the other room) Consuelo? Consuelo?

Consuelo: (enters) Yes, Senora?

Giuliana: Consuelo, how many times do I have tell to you I want you to call me "Ma’am"?

Consuelo: Yes Ma’am; Excuse me Ma’am, as you wish Ma’am.

Giuliana: Listen Consuelo, feed the baby, then put him to bed Do the vacuuming, waxing, wash the dishes, prepare dinner and tidy up my room. OK?

Consuelo: As you wish Ma’am (exits)

Teresa: Aren’t you forgetting something?

Giuliana: You’re right. Consuelo?

Consuelo: (re-entering) As you wish... Ma’am.

Giuliana: The most important thing: prepare my bath, a nice hot bath. I feel like I need one.

Consuelo: As You wish Ma’am Senora (starts to leave)

Giuliana: Consuelo, excuse me, my husband?

Consuelo: He telephoned. he said he’d return late this evening.

Giuliana: As I supposed.

Consuelo: A meeting. You shouldn’t wait for him for dinner. Then he said he can’t wait to come back that he loves you and "smack" (Exits).

Teresa: Smack?

Giuliana: His job is increasingly demanding. It doesn’t allow him to have a life.

Teresa: Smack?

Giuliana: What?

Teresa: Oh yeah that! It’s an affectionate way of saying ‘kiss’.

Teresa. Affectionate?

Giuliana: Like the comics

Teresa: (as though betraying herself) he never did that with me.

Giuliana: Who?

Teresa: (catching herself) No, nothing (lying) I said that noone has ever said ‘smack’ to me.

Giuliana: It’s just an affectionate expression.

Teresa: I’ve always received compliments, "avances", various signs of appreciation, even heavy, vulgar things but…

Giuliana: An affectionate word

Teresa: ...."smack" never, from anyone

Giuliana: That’s because you’ve never been with anyone as sweet as Tullio.

Teresa: That’s what you think..

Giuliana: You mean that you too...?

Teresa: I have a "nice", affectionate one too

Giuliana: And who is it? If it’s legit...

Teresa: You don’t know him

Giuliana: Don’t tell me it’s the one with the Porsche’

Teresa: Not him

Giuliana: The one with the villa in the Canary Islands.

Teresa: Yeah sure, a hick

Giuliana: So?

Teresa: A new one

Giuliana: Does he love you?

Teresa: There’s passion, yes

Giuliana: It’s important

Teresa: It’s everything. You know how I think

Giuliana: Is he rich?

Teresa: He’s getting there

Giuliana: Well, then, he’s the right one!

Teresa: You must be joking

Giuliana: Don’t tell me he’s…

Teresa: married

Giuliana: a pain

Teresa: Not that much of one

Giuliana: he can always get a divorce

Teresa: It wouldn’t be easy

Giuliana: Has he got children?

Teresa: Yes (she changes her mind and then, lying shamelessly) No, I mean, no he hasn’t

Giuliana: Well?

Teresa. His wife... (inverting) Yes, his wife is ill, very ill.

Giuliana: Will she die?

Teresa: Maybe. Maybe yes, or rather, certainly

Giuliana: Poor thing!

Teresa: But then, it’s better like this

Giuliana: What?

Teresa: You know how I feel about marriage

Giuliana: Goodbye freedom.

Teresa: The wedding March and then you find yourself home alone in the evening like (or alternatively "with") a warmed up bowl of soup . With him coming home tired, brutalized and throwing up all his frustrations on you, his neurosis.

Giuliana: And he’s like that? Boring, frustrated...

Teresa. Not for now. The moment he is, it’ll mean I’ve already left him. Long before. I’m not a masochist

Giuliana: But if you like him

Teresa: Him?

Giuliana: You can put up with some venting, some badmoods. it’s normal.

Teresa: And you take that from Tullio?

Giuliana: Barely

Teresa: So?

Giuliana. What’s he like?

Teresa: "Nice", affectionate" (Thinks about it and changes tone) ....sensual, exciting...

Giuliana: It’s not the fact that he’s married that..

Teresa. excites me?

Giuliana: The love of intrigue

Teresa: I still have to figure it out. When I find out you’ll be the first to know. In the meantime I’ll enjoy life

Giuliana: Maybe you’re missing something

Teresa: "Smack"?

Giuliana: "Smack"

Teresa: Maybe. But anyway, consider the advantages: I have sex when and how I want. With the men that come along, the ones I want; And I don’t find myself come evening with someone who drools his anxieties all over me. My own are enough

Giuliana: And you drink

Teresa: Just enough to make me cheerful

Giuliana: Available

Teresa. Just enough to get through

Giuliana: To drown

Teresa: Certainly not in boredom or depression

Giuliana: That’s what you say

Teresa: I don’t see anyone else who can afford to do it

Giuliana: You cynicism is disarming sometimes.

Teresa: Why? (nasty) You think you’re that different from me

 

The two women regard each other as if challenging each other

 

Giuliana: That different, maybe not. but I think, I believe I to have set myself some limits.

Teresa: Hypocrisy?

Giuliana: You think I’m a hypocrite?

Teresa. Not my job to decide on morality, it doesn’t interest me either

Giuliana: So?

Teresa. Nowadays limits don’t exist. It’s a problem if you have them

Giuliana. You’re that convinced

Teresa: I do whatever I want. I’m beautiful, rich

Giuliana: A modern woman!

Teresa: A woman who manages her time, her own life.

Giuliana: Modern times?

Teresa: You’re a modern woman too, mistress of your own time

Giuliana: It’s just that I’ve respected the limits

Teresa: Principles?

Giuliana: those

Teresa: if you have any, I haven’t noticed them

Giuliana: You can’t say that. I’m a woman, a lawyer, an esteemed, admired lawyer who applies the law, the rights..

Teresa: It’s just a question of professionality. To not prejudice certain interests, or more rightly. to affirm them

Giuliana: That’s complete madness!

Teresa: And you know if the client is satisfied, he pays and e pays well. Otherwise...

Giuliana: No justice?

Teresa: It’s only a technical error

Giuliana: I never thought that you, one day, could say, I think certain things. About me, about us.

Teresa: And then if you’re talking about marriage..

Giuliana: That...

Teresa: Marriage, you know, doesn’t last long, as long as the mass.

Giuliana: Tullio?

Teresa: That’s his name? I hadn’t noticed

Giuliana: And the baby? How does the baby fit in?

Teresa: There you go: that. that is your limit, your real limit

Giuliana: Him?

Consuelo: (off stage) Senora’

Teresa. Your only true limit

Consuelo: (off stage) Senora? (coughing) Ma’am? Senora ma’am come. The baby doesn’t want to eat. he wants you Ma’am.

Giuliana: A limit (exits as though beaten)

Teresa: Don’t forget to give him your bill. (Teresa, haply with herself, looks around drinking something) "Smack" How ridiculous "Smack"! (exits)

 

 

some days later

 

Play of lights and sounds. Tullio enters appearing very busy; glancing at papers, consulting manuals, taking notes. He opens his lap-top computer. The telephone rings. Tullio doesn’t answer, he seems not to realize that the telephone is ringing.

 

Giuliana: (off stage) Tullio? Tullio? Aren’t you going to answer?

 

Tullio seems to hear nothing.

 

Giuliana: (entering and going to answer) Hello? Yes? (handing the telephone to Tullio) It’s for you. It’s Maria.

 

Tullio look at her, surprised.

 

Tullio: Maria?

Giuliana: Maria

Tullio: Maria?

Giuliana: Maria

Tullio: What does she wants?

Giuliana: You.

Tullio: Maria?

Giuliana: Maria

 

Tullio answers the phone while Giuliana exits

 

Tullio: (on the phone) Maria? Tullio. What...? What...? But why....

 

Tullio hangs up and begins to think. Then, frenetically he makes several telephone calls. Every time someone at the other and answers, we only hear Tullio saying: hello?. The rest of the phone calls are covered by noises, sounds or even music. Distressed, Tullio sits. Enter Giuliana

 

Giuliana: What did Maria want?

Tullio: Professor Tàlice, for the course, he can’t come anymore.

 

Frozen

 

Giuliana: Professor Tàlice? But you focused the entire course on him.

Tullio: and he can’t come

Giuliana: Why?

Tullio: They’re invited him to New York, to a Conference on World Hunger.

Giuliana: A computer science teacher for a ... on World Hunger?

Tullio: Professor Tàlice is a big name

Giuliana: I know he’s a big name but to call him for a conference on World hunger doesn’t seem logical to me.

Tullio: Nothing’s logical about it. Maria told me they had asked for Benigni.

Giuliana: The actor?

Tullio: Him.

Giuliana: To the conference?

Tullio: He’s making a movie and couldn’t go, so the Ministry suggested professor Tàlice and he said yes

Giuliana: But where does he come in?

Tullio: The Professor is famous. he fits in with everyone, so they’re sending him there, and fuck competency

Giuliana: And they’ve screwed you.

Tullio: And they’ve screwed me.

Giuliana: So What’ll you do now?

Tullio: I’ll have to suspend the course.

Giuliana: Suspend the course? That’s crazy!

Tullio: Everything was centered on Professor Tàlice, without him, it doesn’t make sense.

Giuliana: But has the European Union already allocated the funds?

Tullio: The O.K. arrived just yesterday

Giuliana: Christ, all that money!

Tullio: Christ, all that money!

Giuliana: And you can’t…?

Tullio: Substitute him?

Giuliana: There must be someone.

Tullio: A comic actor?

Giuliana: You could always try. If they can call a computer-science teacher to New York for a conference on World Hunger, you could call in a comedian for a computer course, right?

Tullio: Don’t be ridiculous.

Giuliana: I’m just trying to be practical

Tullio: Practical?

Giuliana: Call that "good for nothing" Maria and tell her to telephone...

Tullio: I already did

Giuliana: Well?

Tullio: Maria told me that it’s Saturday

Giuliana: And so?

Tullio: She’s at home

Giuliana: She can go to the office and...

Tullio: She says to wait until Monday.

Giuliana: Until Monday? Don’t you think... that she should go to the office and call Deputy Arborio right way?

Tullio: She said she’d resign. She can’t work this way anymore. She says the I ‘m stressing out her life and that... she can’t take it anymore

Giuliana: Fire her.

Tullio: Her husband’s unemployed

Giuliana: Fire her!

Tullio: She’s got a three year old girl.

Giuliana: Fire her

Tullio: I already did.

 

They look in each other’s eyes.

 

Giuliana: Good. (she goes in the other room)

Tullio: Good my ass!

 

Tullio, left alone glues himself to the cell phone. Lights change. Sounds , creaking, something that clicks. Nerves.

 

 

That Saturday evening.

 

Enter Giuliana. Tullio is still buried in work.

 

Giuliana: (enters form other room) Tullio?

Tullio: (distracted) Yes?

Giuliana: Tullio, listen...Tullio? Still in the books

Tullio: (distracted) I’ll finish this report and...

Giuliana: (getting angry) I still have to prepare everything. The baby has to be picked up at my mother’s and you....

Tullio: (distracted) Just a second.

Giuliana: Tullio!

Tullio: (getting angry) Listen, honey, I’m... I’m killing myself with work for that course, the Professor abandons me just now and…

Giuliana: I understand but...I have things to do too and...

Tullio: You can’t expect me to neglects my work? Just now.

Giuliana: No, of course not.

Tullio: Well, then leave me alone please… ‘darling’.

Giuliana: I had hoped you could go and get the "baby"

Tullio: Giuliana!

Giuliana: Yeah! Sure! you work

Tullio: Not, now, Giuliana, Let’s not get into this argument right now. You’ll see that soon everything will work out and I won’t create anymore problems. But now leave me alone, please.

Giuliana: Sure, sure. Forget it. God, it’s so hot today. (exits)

 

Music. Enter Consuelo who neatens the scene while Tullio speaking on the cell phone goes out. Consuelo disappears from the scene.

 

 

Evening

 

Doorbell rings. Giuliana crosses the scene to open the door. She returns with Teresa and Filippo. Tullio enters from the other rooms. They exchange pleasantries. Then Teresa and Giuliana disappear into the other room while Tullio and Filippo sit on the sofa in front of the audience and stare as if they were watching a television. Behind them projected on the background, one sees images from a soccer match.

 

Filippo: Look what a game!

Tullio: If it this keeps up we’ll be out of Europe

Filippo: Well, by now we’re in Europe. We just need to see if the dollar massacres the Euro

Tullio: Sounds like you’re hoping it does

Filippo: I have a certain amount of "liquid" in dollars. And if the Euro goes down.

Tullio: You gain

Filippo: Just to have a little fun

Tullio: Anyway, I was talking about football

Filippo: And I about finance

Tullio: Don’t you ever get tired?

Filippo: It’s my thing. When the work as attorney ends, I become a Broker.

Tullio: You like it, huh

Filippo: Just some spare change to amuse myself

Tullio: An amusement with how many zeros?

Filippo: What’s this? Working for the tax Department now?

Tullio: I was joking

Filippo: It’s better not to about certain things. I think they nabbed one of my clients with his hand in the till

Tullio: Robbery

Filippo: I wish

Tullio: Kick-back

Filippo: He would have been lucky

Tullio: Tax evasion

Filippo: Total. In fifteen years he never paid a cent in taxes. A total tax evader: something like fifty million Euro.

Tullio: Shit!

Filippo: Now he’s in trouble. I think if he’d cut his father’s throat and raped his mother he’d be risking less.

Tullio: So what can he do?

Filippo: Go abroad

Tullio: Is he thinking about it?

Filippo: I’m thinking about it

Tullio: You mean...

Filippo: I mean that if he says yes I put one hundred thousand tax-free Euros in my pocket. What do you say?

Tullio: Shit!

Tullio: A score

Filippo: I think you know him

Tullio: Who is it?

Filippo: It’s...

Tullio: (loud but without enthusiasm) Goal!

 

Enter Giuliana with Teresa and they begin to watch the game too

 

Filippo: Do you know him?

Tullio: Who?

Giuliana: So boys, how’s the game going?

Teresa: Who scored? Italy?

Tullio: I think so

Filippo: He told me he knows you

Giuliana: So are we winning?

Tullio: I think so

Filippo: And still, he says he does

Tullio: It’s just the beginning

Giuliana: Are they stronger than us?

Filippo: He told me that you’re like bread and butter

Tullio: I’m afraid that it’ll finish badly

Teresa: We’ll lose?

Filippo: If I can’t manage to take him abroad, yes

Tullio: Out of Europe

Teresa: What a shame. And I do like the National’s game so much

Filippo: Bahamas

Tullio: Let’s hope it all work out

Giuliana: Will we win the Championship?

Filippo: A real fortune - fifty million Euros

Tullio: Well, let’s hope it works out

Filippo: Yeah!

Giuliana + Teresa: Let’s hope so. ‘Forza Italia! (it means "Go Italy" and it’s a way to exult during the sport competition but it’s the name of Berlusconi party too).

 

Play of lights. A telephone rings, a doorbell, a voice calls.

 

Filippo: What?

Tullio: Where

Giuliana: For who?

Teresa: What?

Filippo: It’s hot today

Tullio: It’s hotter and hotter

Giuliana: How hot?

Filippo: As hot as ice

Teresa: Then it passes

Filippo: If it wants

Tullio: Then

Teresa: Inevitably....

Tullio: Inevitably?

Giuliana: Inevitably!

 

The game is over. The actors are distributed differently in the scene

 

Tullio: So how’s the studio going?

Filippo: It’s great!

Tullio: And my wife? Is my wife applying herself?

Filippo: You want to know if she studies?

Tullio: Is she diligent?

Giuliana: Tullio what kind of question is that?

Filippo: More than diligent. She’s the one that manages everything

Giuliana: Who do you take me for, a school girl?

Filippo: It was just a joke.

Giuliana: That’s a nice way to...

Tullio: Giuliana, I didn’t want to offend you. I just said it like that, to say it.

Giuliana: To say it badly.

Teresa: Giuliana, forget it. Tullio was joking.

Giuliana: This sure isn’t the way to joke around, about my profession

Filippo: Just a manner of speaking.

Teresa: The wrong words after a hard day of work.

Filippo: Of course

Giuliana: ...As if we, at the studio.

Tullio: One after another...

Giuliana: We never stop...

Tullio: ...to explode

Giuliana: ...too many things

Tullio: ...soon I’ll have to dedicate myself to the computerization of the railways and then I won’t have any time for...

Filippo: Giuliana told me that this course is important.

Teresa: Tullio is one who’s showing his worth. This is his moment.

Tullio: Right, my moment.

Giuliana: Us too in our way, right, Filippo? (Filippo nods) Speaking of that, it’s just this that I wanted to speak to you about... (indicating Teresa) ... that we wanted to speak to you about.

Filippo: I’m all ears, (to Teresa) "We’re" all ears.

Giuliana: I’ve noticed that lately, given my absence...

Tullio: Your maternity leave.

Giuliana: (annoyed) Yes, right my maternity leave. You’ve taken in hand the...

Filippo: I certainly couldn’t leave the studio without an administrator.

Giuliana: Of course, of course.

Filippo: Your father (to Teresa) "your" father is always travelling for representation. For this I allowed myself to... it doesn’t seem to me that I committed who knows what.

Giuliana: Nothing. Certainly.

Filippo: Besides, Teresa (to Teresa), I hope you won’t be offended (to Giuliana) for certain things, the management of a Studio, isn’t really prepared to handle the situation.

Teresa: It bores me to death.

Filippo: And so...!

Giuliana: And given the trust that my father, "our" father has in you...

Filippo: I’ve only tried to do my duty.

Giuliana: That seems just to me.

Filippo: I don’t believe I’ve taken advantage.

Teresa: Of course not!

Giuliana: It’s just that now.

Filippo: You’ve returned. And you want your role back.

Giuliana: I only want to be able to take control of the situation again.

 

The two scrutinize each other.

 

Filippo: Do you want me to go?

Teresa: Leave? You can’t want that.

Tullio: Giuliana, really you...

Filippo: You know if you ask me to I’m ready to...

Teresa: Do you want his head?

 

Filippo stares into Giuliana’s eyes, she remains impassive.

 

Filippo: Tomorrow I’ll speak to your father and I’ll explain the situation. I’ll tell him it’s better that I...

Teresa: That’s crazy!

Tullio: Giuliana, what you’re asking is absurd!

Giuliana: Filippo, you won’t speak with my father.

Filippo: Do you want to do it? Personally?

Giuliana: Perhaps I haven’t explained myself well.

Filippo: Well?

Giuliana: It’s only necessary that you and I reach an accord.

Filippo: I don’t ask for anything else. Where should I sign?

Giuliana: Don’t you even want to hear the terms of the agreement?

Filippo: Giuliana, you know how things stand. I came to your father’s studio, one of the best in town, when I had just graduated. Your father weaned me. "You" baptized me and thought me all that there still was to learn, you set me on the road and allowed me to further my career. I won’t go against the "Di Scordio & Daughters" Law Studio. I’d rather leave.

Giuliana: Leave? To go where? To Egano’s Law Office?

Filippo: I see you’re informed.

Giuliana: Of course, I’m informed. Certain rumors, at court, get around quickly.

Teresa: Filippo, you are going to...?

Filippo: That way you can easily retake control of the situation. Without ulterior problems.

Giuliana: They’ll give you fifty Euros a year more than we give you.

Filippo: You know this too?

Giuliana: This too.

Filippo: (smiling) It’s a little suspect.

Giuliana: Filippo, the fact that I’ve become a "mom" doesn’t mean that I’ve become brain-dead. O.K., feedings, baby bottles and dirty diapers. But not to that point.

Filippo: You surprise me.

Tullio: Giuliana has always known what she was doing.

Filippo: On this point I have no doubts.

Giuliana: Well? Will you accept?

Filippo: That depends...

Giuliana: On what?

Filippo: On you! (pause) And what you want me to do. It was you - right? - who inspired Egano?

Teresa: What?

Giuliana: Let’s just say I gave the counselor a suggestion.

Teresa: And why?

Filippo: Simple, to get me out of the way.

Giuliana: So will you accept?

Filippo: What do you want me to do?

Giuliana: It’s your problem.

 

Enter Consuelo.

 

Consuelo: Señora... Ma’am... your son’s crying.

Giuliana: As you can see, at the moment, I have other problems to deal with.

Filippo: Feedings, baby bottles, dirty diapers.

Giuliana: Exactly. (exits)

Filippo: And the "Di Scordio & Daughters" Law Studio.

 

Long pause. Filippo turns and gives Teresa a burning look.

 

Teresa: I didn’t know anything about it. You know my sister has always handled these things. I limit myself to some counciling and some representation.

Filippo: Lucrative counciling and expensive representation.

 

Teresa shrugs. She goes to fix herself a drink.

 

Tullio: There are advantages to being a daughter of "Di Scordio & Daughters" Law Studio.

Filippo: Sure... "Di Scordio & Daughters" (he scrutinizes Tullio)

Tullio: And don’t look at me because these are things that... you know? I don’t even want to get involved. I have my job.

Filippo: Your computers.

Tullio: My computers which drain my life away. So...

 

Long embarrassed pause. Then Giuliana enters.

 

Tullio: The "baby"?

Giuliana: The usual caprices.

Filippo: The usual caprices?

Tullio: Gastritis!

Teresa: That bodes well!

Filippo: That bodes what times are.

Teresa: Modern times.

Filippo: Of course. Modern times.

Giuliana: Well? Where were we?

Teresa: ...talking about Filippo.

Filippo: ...talking about me.

Giuliana: Talking about you. Well?

Filippo: I don’t believe I have a big choice, right?

Giuliana: No, you don’t.

Filippo: Tomorrow I’ll call your father and... (gets up to leave)

Giuliana: Fifteen thousand!

Filippo: (stopping in his tracks) What?

Teresa: What did you say?

Giuliana: Fifteen thousand! I said fifteen thousand Euro’s.

Filippo: I don’t understand.

Giuliana: To stay with us, with "Di Scordio & Daughters Law Studio.

Teresa: Are you crazy?

Filippo: Giuliana, are you kidding? First you do your best to get rid of me, then... fifty thousand Euro’s!

Giuliana: Well?

Filippo: I don’t get it, I don’t understand you, what’s going through your mind. (he looks at Tullio)

Teresa: What are you getting at?

Giuliana: Filippo, I was the one who insisted that Egano make you that offer.

Filippo: This I figured out, but now the meaning of your offer escapes me.

Giuliana: If you stay with us, it has to be clear, it’s because I want it on the condition that...

Filippo: You’re ordering.

Giuliana: I’m proposing. For no other reason. If you stay with us it’s only and exclusively because I say so.

Filippo: How can we put it - you buy me.

Giuliana: It’s the logic of the market, as they say today, isn’t it?

Tullio: Linguistically impeccable.

Teresa: Giuliana, you are unpredictable.

Filippo: (fascinated) ... extraordinary.

Giuliana: I’m a woman

Filippo: And what a woman!

Tullio: After five years of marriage you still surprise me

Giuliana: Well? Do You accept?

Filippo: My blood is here. Where do I sign?

Giuliana: (smiling) Good

Teresa: Good. Since we’ve reached an agreement maybe it’s better

Tullio: That I leave you alone to discuss the terms

Teresa: No, not, just you. "We’ll" leave them alone

Tullio: You’re not staying to establish your relative "spheres" of influence?

Teresa: Those things bore me so… everything’s fine with me

Filippo: But I think you can both stay. After all, there’s nothing secret about it, or no?

Teresa; I can’t stand the sight of blood.

Filippo: Are we at that point?

Teresa: The agreement gets signed with blood so…

Filippo: If that’s what it’s about I’ll leave too

Teresa: You have to stay

Filippo: I’ll bow down

Teresa: (directing her remark toward Giuliana) Good. Then Tullio can show me that collection of butterflies he told me about the other day.

Tullio: Butterflies?

Teresa: Or stamps. I don’t remember. Anyway what difference does it make. For the rest-smack

Filippo: Smack?

Giuliana: (looking angrily at her sister). It’s better not to joke around about some things.

Teresa: But I wasn’t joking. I wasn’t joking at all, "smack" (exits with Tullio).

Filippo: (perplexed) Smack?

Giuliana: It’s just a game, Filippo. A stupid game we’ve carried on from when we were little.

Filippo: You and Teresa, children. I can’t imagine.

Giuliana: There you go, don’t imagine, let’s get back to us

Filippo: I couldn’t ask for more

Giuliana: Let’s define our accord and…

Filippo: At my house? Tomorrow?

Giuliana: That’s not a good idea

Filippo: It’s just to demonstrate my gratitude

Giuliana: Is that what you call it?

Filippo: Obviously I’m not just grateful. (He comes closer, Giuliana evades him) It’s something more. Something better!

Giuliana: "Esteem"

Filippo: "Admiration". Yes, there, let’s call it "admiration"

Giuliana: Forget it

Filippo: It’s just a way to…

Giuliana: It’s not the first time you…

Filippo: And it won’t be the last

Giuliana: (Peremptory) I believe already made myself clear about this

Filippo: Clear but not definitive

Giuliana: I think I was

Filippo: No you weren’t

Giuliana: No?

Filippo: I’ve wanted a woman like you since I was a boy

Giuliana: Yeah sure

Filippo: A woman who Knew how to speak, what to say. What needs to be done.

Giuliana: In the end I really will send you away

Filippo: I’d like to make you love with you, now

Giuliana: We’re at my house

Filippo: That’s even more exciting

Giuliana: My husband, my sister are just there

Filippo: Because if they weren’t?

Giuliana: It would be the same

Filippo: I don’t think so, I don’t believe it anymore

Giuliana: We’re sealing a pact. It’s not a declaration of love

Filippo: who said anything about love? I was talking about something else, about you and me.

Giuliana: Filippo you’re a real asshole

Filippo: Smack!

Giuliana: A real asshole

Filippo: Me yes. I’m an asshole, and you?

Giuliana: what me?

Filippo: Do you still make love with him?

Giuliana: As far as the administration of the Studio goes. I think that…

Filippo: He doesn’t have another woman does he?

Giuliana: For the cases, on the other hand, we should..

Filippo: In my opinion, he neglects you

Giuliana: The more important ones…

Filippo: I would never neglect you, ever

Giuliana: .. we could divide the more succulent clients between us…

Filippo: Certainly. Succulent

Giuliana: And some cases, we’ll follow together

Filippo: More than before "together".

Giuliana: You’re good.

Filippo: You don’t know how good

Giuliana: You know what to do

Filippo: There are women who still cry over me

Giuliana: You know law like the pockets on your pants

Filippo: I can do without those

Giuliana: Filippo!

Filippo: … my pockets, my pants, everything. I’d dress myself just with you

Giuliana: Filippo! You want to listen to me?

Filippo: That’s what I’m doing, listening to you

Giuliana: If you continue with this…

Filippo: courtship?

Giuliana: ..pretense, you’re out. Out of here. And out of Di Scordio & Daughters Studio.

Filippo: Is that a threat?

Giuliana: A certainty

Filippo: I thought that you, that you wanted something more too.

Giuliana: With you?

Filippo: with me. I thought you liked me..

Giuliana: Well, there you are… think, go ahead and think about what I’ve said, about the offer I’ve made you. Draw you own conclusions. Then tell me what’s more profitable to you: take my advice or… (stops)

Filippo: Where do I sign?

Giuliana: Well done

 

Enter Tullio. He appears tried, particularly tired.

 

Tullio: What’s good?

Filippo: Our agreement. We were talking about our agreement. Just that

Tullio: And is it a good agreement?

Filippo: The best. Anyway now I think that…

Giuliana: It’s late

Teresa: What?

Giuliana: Late

Teresa: you’re sending us off?

Giuliana: It’s midnight

Teresa: Eleven thirty

Tullio: Actually Giuliana

Filippo: Another drink?

Giuliana: Tomorrow, Tullio has to get up early…

Filippo: But it’s Sunday!

Tullio: Until August Sundays don’t exist for me

Giuliana: And for that course

Teresa: That one for the European Union?

Tullio: that one!

Filippo: If you need a good lawyer I can recommend one

Giuliana: (looking sharply at him) I’m a good lawyer!

Filippo: (with half a bitter smile) It was just you I was thinking of.

Teresa: (cutting them short) You’ll see that everything goes well

Tullio: I hope so. It would be a big boost for my career.

Giuliana: Today the only thing one speaks about is careers. It makes you think

Teresa: It’s an integral part of your lies

Filippo: It is our lives

Tullio: Slaves to the system

Teresa: Let’s not start in on politics

Filippo: No. No Politics

Teresa: Communist arguments

Giuliana: Yeah! like communists..

Teresa: Filippo will you accompany me?

Filippo: Did you doubt I would?

Teresa: No, of course no. I asked to be polite

Filippo: O.K. well Giuliana, thank you for the magnificent evening

Giuliana: Right. Magnificent

Tullio: Well it’s not every evening that you’re invited to dinner and then find yourself with fifteen thousand Euros more in your pocket

Filippo: we’ll have to have dinners like this more often

Giuliana: Don’t count too much on my warm heart

Filippo: I’ll count on something else (almost scanning her) On something else.

 

Tullio gives him a sharp look

 

Teresa: (in Giuliana ear) later you can tell me about that "something else"

Filippo: And now, out

Teresa: Yes Sir, general.

 

Everyone exits. After a bit Tullio re-enters looking enraged.

 

Teresa: (voice offstage) My purse! I forgot my purse!

 

Teresa re-enters. Tullio is seated, tired, on the sofa. Teresa picks up her purse and starts to go, but suddenly, as if remembering something, returns to Tullio and kisses him on the mouth.

 

Tullio: Teresa?

Teresa: (touching his genitals) About what happened earlier, in the bathroom … (kissing his lips) … it doesn’t matter. It happens. You’ll do it again tomorrow. At least I hope so.

 

Teresa kisses him again and leaves. Pause. Enter Giuliana.

 

Giuliana: Tullio, what is it? You seems upset

Tullio: No, it’s nothing

Giuliana: I wouldn’t say that seeing your face

Tullio: It’s just fatigue. Too much work

Giuliana: Stress?

Tullio: And then with this heat

Giuliana: You look like you’ve been run over by a truck

Tullio: a truck no.

Giuliana: My sister?

Tullio: What’s your sister got to do with it?

Giuliana: No, I was only saying it to say it.

Tullio: I’m tired. And It’s hot, awful hot.

Giuliana: Yes of course. Awful hot

Tullio: It would seem that the evening went well. You should be satisfied

Giuliana: I have to say I am. I Thought Filippo would be a harder nut to crack

Tullio: What do you think he meant?

Giuliana: When?

Tullio: At the end, when he was leaving

Giuliana: Oh nothing, nonsense, just…

Tullio: He’s so allusive!

Giuliana: He’s a handsome man, capable. He knows he is so..

Tullio: He’s a jerk

Giuliana: Quite right

Tullio: I can’t stand him, I really can’t stand him

Giuliana: Tell me about it

Tullio: If your father weren’t so crazy about him…

Giuliana: I’d have kicked him out, with great pleasure

Tullio: Insufferable

Giuliana: What was he telling you about earlier? During the game?

Tullio: About his passion

Giuliana: For horses?

Tullio: For the stock market

Tullio: About the stock market

Giuliana: (starting to go out) By the way: how’s it going?

Tullio: Up?

Giuliana: Up?

Tullio: Olivetti most of all

Giuliana: Olivetti?

Tullio: Olivetti

Giuliana: So will Tronchetti Provera manage to do it?

Tullio: the conquest of Telecom? (she nods happily) So it would seem

Giuliana: Good. Filippo was right. You’ll see we’ll make some money off this operation. It’ll pay our pension!

Tullio: What pensions: we’ll buy the whole ranch!

Giuliana: Exaggeration!

Tullio: Do the sums

Giuliana: Good. We’ll change the boat (exits)

Tullio: Of course, the boat

 

Tullio exits also. Play of light (or change of light). One hears music (Rachmaninov n. 3) and the sound of gears grinding.

 

 

Some days later

 

Enter Tullio who appears immersed and concentrated on several papers which he has in hand and visibly tried, tired. He Wanders around the scene then turns-on the lap-top computer. The cellular phone rings.

 

Tullio: What? Who? Natalia? Natalia who? Oh, the new secretary? Good. What? He’s there? Professor Tàlice? Well tell him to go to... oh it’s your Professor? I thought that you... Yes. When, when you’d like. (He hangs up) Damn him! (he buries himself in his papers). Damned bastard! This is the time I change jobs

 

Enter Giuliana

 

Giuliana: What are you doing?

Tullio: What?

Giuliana: I said, what are you doing?

Tullio: Changing jobs

Giuliana: Don’t create problems

Tullio: I’m not creating problems. It’s just that....

Giuliana: Now because of that idiot of a professor...

Tullio: Just think, he wanted Bill Gates with him too!

Giuliana: (ironic) That’s to say?

Tullio: Like saying...

Giuliana: ... an idiot!

Tullio: ... the best!

Giuliana: The best is what you want the best to be

Tullio: What do you mean?

Giuliana: Don’t waste time on useless things.

Tullio: I don’t waste time on useless things.

Tullio: So? What’s the problem? You dumped your secretary do it with the distinguished Professor Tàlice too.

Tullio: That was him on the phone

Giuliana: Ah! And what did the distinguished Professor want?

Tullio: He wants to see me. To apologize. And to speak to me

Giuliana: Send him to hell!

Tullio: He’s heard about the railways

Giuliana: Good

Tullio: He’ll look for some worthy to substitute him for the course on the condition that...

Giuliana: The railways?

Tullio: the railways!

Giuliana: You need a conference

Tullio: a Yalta?

Giuliana: A Yalta. We bent Filippo

Tullio: We’ll also bend

Giuliana: ... the distinguished Professor Tàlice! We’ll invite him here, to dinner, one evening

Tullio: Of course. One of those unforgettable dinners

Giuliana: Then if we need to press our point... I’ll have Teresa come.

Tullio: Your sister?

Giuliana: She’s always had a passion for brains

Tullio: They say the Professor has certain tendencies.

Giuliana: (after having thought) Then we’ll invite Filippo. Who knows if...

Tullio: ... you never know?

Giuliana: Filippo’s a handsome man, he’s smart, he knows how to handle things. Perhaps the Professor will soften seeing him! And then..... who knows, from one thing to another (she laughs) Some hidden tendency, who knows! (start to leave)

Tullio: Where are you going?

Giuliana: It’s Saturday. It’s hot. To die from. I’m going to the hairdresser. I don’t suppose that, for once, you’d like to take the baby to my mother’s? (Tullio holds out his arms to demonstrate the impossibility of this) O.K. O.K. I didn’t ask. You have your work....

Tullio: You see the state I’m in?

Giuliana: You see the state I’m in?

Giuliana: Your commitments, the course, the railways, and you can’t take care of the baby.

Tullio: You know, Giuliana, it’s not that I don’t want to, but...

Giuliana: Of course, of course. Your career!

Tullio: Let me close here, this round, and then you’ll see that I’ll have time to dedicate to the baby too.

Giuliana: It’s months you’ve been saying that.

Tullio: Forgive me!

Giuliana: Sure. Forgive me, and in the mean time I find myself wrestling between feedings, diapers, and you, I don’t know what else to do.

Tullio: You don’t need to go over it again

Giuliana: Just don’t tire yourself out too much. Teresa told me she found you tired

Tullio: Teresa?

Giuliana: After dinner the other night, she told me she found you particularly stressed

Tullio: Maybe she’s right

Giuliana: Take your time. And forget about Professor Tàlice. Well. Fix him

Tullio: A little dinner here

Giuliana: (stopping before going out) Oh! I almost forgot, Consuelo is coming with me

Tullio: Consuelo?

Giuliana: I’m leaving Consuelo and the baby with my mom and I’m going to the seaside. After her operation, it’s better if I don’t leave her alone with the baby

Tullio: Right!

Giuliana: You’re alone

Tullio: Good! With an avalanche of work

Giuliana: A normal work week end (exits)

Tullio: Yeah!

 

Alone, Tullio buries himself in his work. The doorbell rings. Tullio doesn’t hear it. It rings again. Again Tullio doesn’t hear it. Now the telephone rings. Tullio answers.

 

Tullio: (to the phone) What? Come open the door or you’ll rape the postman? Teresa? What are you saying? At the door? (He turns towards the door) You’re at the door, you rang and I didn’t even hear it. (the doorbell rings again) Fuck… (He gets up and goes to open the door) Who’s not bad? The postman?

 

He exits and returns, embraced and kissed by Teresa

 

Tullio: I didn’t expect you

Teresa: You should have guessed: So why would I have suggested that Giuliana bring Consuelo with her?

Tullio: Teresa you’re nuts!

Teresa: Yes a little. Just a little

Tullio: It’s certainly a surprise

Teresa: A nice one I hope?

Tullio: Sure, sure. It’s just that I was working

Teresa: (inciting him). Sure, working. And I want you. I wanted sex an so - either you or the postman?- Fortunately you opened the door, if not...

Tullio: This course is killing me...

Teresa: (pushing him and jumping on him the sofa). Giuliana told me

Tullio: I’m afraid I won’t be able to do it

Teresa: You’ll do it, you’d do it. It’s just that now let’s take a break Tullio: Too many things

Teresa: Where’ll we do it?

Tullio: (not understanding) What?

Teresa: Make love!

Tullio What? Where?

Teresa: Do you want to it here, or shall we go there?

Tullio: Christ, Teresa I don’t know...

Teresa: Forget the work and...

Tullio: I want it too, but…

Teresa: You want me to regret leaving the postman?

Tullio: The postman? No. What’s the postman got to do with it?

Teresa: (increasingly persistent) He seemed quite vigorous

Tullio: (freeing himself from Teresa’s tight grip and standing up) Teresa, Christ, wait!

Teresa: Tullio!

Tullio: Tullio, my ass!

 

Teresa appears disappointed. She adjusts her dress, and starts to leave.

 

Tullio: Teresa, no wait! What are you doing?

Teresa: Can’t you see. I‘m going. I’m leaving. As you wish

Tullio: I didn’t say that

Teresa: No, you didn’t say that but you gave me to understand that

Tullio: I only said...

Teresa: If you don’t feel like making love with me, you an always tell me

Tullio: don’t misunderstand me

Teresa: If you want, we can break off our relationship. After all I’m your wife’s sister and I have some scruples too..

Tullio: It’s not that

Teresa: (reflecting) or excitement?

Tullio: What?

Teresa: Perhaps you’ve already replaced me

Tullio: What are you saying?

Teresa: Maybe with that idiot secretary

Tullio: Right, her!

Teresa: Fire her!

Tullio: I already have.

Teresa: Well, do you do it with the new one?

Tullio: Natalia? That’s all I need

Teresa: so you do it with Consuelo

Tullio: Horrors!

Teresa: What do I know about your tastes

Tullio: I only like you

Tullio: At one time

Tullio: Now, right away, now!

Teresa: Smack?

Tullio: Smack?

Teresa: Smack

Tullio: Smack

Teresa: That’s how I like you

 

Music. Teresa takes off her slip and leaves in on the sofa. They exit. Sounds of electronic games that follow them. Light that "breathe". And now the sound of gear grinding. The cell phone rings. Tullio re-appears. he is increasingly stressed. his shirt is open, his trousers partially buttoned. His hair is mussed. he answer.

 

Tullio: Who? Ah yes? What? The engineer! How, how are you? Yes? Anticipate the schedule for the railways? To when? June? But that’s mad! What? Come to you when? Tomorrow? But tomorrow is Sunday!. yes, yes. I don’t care if it’s Sunday either. yes, fine. Till tomorrow.

 

Tullio hangs up the telephone. he sits, disconsolate, in the sofa.

 

Tullio: I’m fucked

 

Enter Teresa

 

Teresa: What’s the matter?

Tullio: I can’t seem to keep up with this. With all this thing

Teresa: (getting annoyed) Work?

Tullio: Work

Teresa: Good

Tullio: It was the engineer

Teresa: Who?

Tullio: The structural technics head for the railways. He says that there are problems regarding the project

Teresa: For that too?

Tullio: It’s as though everything, in this moment is going against me, shit!

 

Teresa reluctantly massages his temples.

 

Teresa: Catch your breath, try to catch your breath

Tullio: That’s what I need to do

Teresa: Here, like that, relax

Tullio: easy to say!

Teresa: You can’t go on under pressure, you’ll explode

Tullio: That’s all I need

Teresa: Go at your own pace.

Tullio: As you wish, commander

Teresa: And you’ll see that everything will work out

Tullio: How did he come up with that idea: anticipate the schedule!

Teresa: Don’t think about it.

Tullio: That’s easy for you to say standing there with your hands...

Teresa: (impatient, raising her hands as if t she wants to show them...) In the shit

Tullio: Right, in the shit!

Teresa: Try to calm down

Tullio: Calm? But I am calm, extremely calm. Can’t you see?

Teresa: Fuck you!

Tullio: What does that mean?

Teresa: You don’t know? It means fu..ck..you..

Tullio: I didn’t say that, I meant...

 

Teresa starts to leave

 

Tullio: Teresa, Teresa, wait!

Teresa: What? For you to continue to keep me here as an ordinary doormat

Tullio: What are you saying?

Teresa: I don’t go to bed with a married man to be treated worse than a wife

Tullio: I don’t understand what...

Teresa: You’re with me and you’re tired, stressed, impatient in a rotten mood, losing your hair, peeing in your pants, complaining. you don’t fuck and...

Tullio: Are you raving?

Teresa: ... if it’s going to be like this, then I might as well find a husband and have him mistreat me

Tullio: Teresa, I didn’t want to...

Teresa: I come here. I risk blowing things with Giuliana. And You? What do you do? You act like the annoyed husband. Well. if it’s like this I, I’m not interested (she goes out followed by Tullio)

Tullio: Teresa?

 

Tullio follows Teresa in the other room.

A short time later. A long pause. Play of lights and sounds. the sound of gears. The doorbell rings. Tullio crosses the scene to open the door. He returns with Filippo.

 

Tullio: Excuse me Filippo, but I was… working

Filippo: On Saturday? With this heat?

Tullio: On Saturday . With this heat

Filippo: Well, Don’t worry about it! Anyway I was just passing by

Tullio: Giuliana’s not here. She’s spending the weekend

Filippo: At the sea, with her mother, Consuelo and the baby. At least she’s cooling off.

Tullio: Yeah

Filippo: I just had to give her this. It’s a verdict. Tomorrow I’m going to Milan and she needed this urgently, so I passed by in person to bring it to her

Tullio: The errand boy?

Filippo: Every so often I do this too

Tullio: Every so often

Filippo: When the master calls

Tullio: His master’s voice

Filippo: That!

Tullio: Forgive me Filippo, if I don’t invite you in but..

Filippo: ... you were working

Tullio: That course is killing me

Filippo: Still that story with Professor Tàlice?

Tullio: Giuliana told you

Filippo: Yes. It’s a real shame that..

Tullio: If I don’t find a solution, I’m really screwed

Filippo: Don’t exaggerate

Tullio: I’ll compromise my credibility, my career

Filippo: You could always offer the railways to the Professor in exchange for his participation on the course.

 

Tullio looks at Filippo with suspicion

 

Tullio: I see that Giuliana hasn’t left out any details

Filippo: After all, it’s only a Conference on world hunger!

Tullio: You know this too

Filippo: For that you’d need a comic actor, not a...

Tullio: ...computer science teacher

Filippo: Certainly if he would give up the Conference, you could always involve him on the project…

Tullio: ... for the railways...

Filippo: You just have to avoid blowing the course. Right?

Tullio: Right

Filippo: you need a Conference

 

Tullio looks at Filippo with suspicion

 

Tullio: Yeah. A Conference

Filippo: And what does it take. Just a dinner!

Tullio: Sure

Filippo: A Yalta

Tullio: Sure a Yalta. Giuliana told you that too?

Filippo: It’s only a dinner and that’s what we’re here for

Tullio: Anyway now I

Filippo: You have to leave me: for work

Tullio: work! Sure!

Filippo: And…. (simulating embarrassment) …give my regards to Teresa

Tullio: (surprised) Teresa?

Filippo: (indicating the slip on the sofa). Her

Tullio: (embarrassed) Oh yes that… you know…, the mess, Giuliana is always a little distracted, making a mess.

Filippo: I gave that slip to Teresa. It’s silk. Pure silk. Come to think of it, it cost me quite a bit.

Tullio: Giuliana borrowed it from her and still has to give it back. That’s why she left it here.

Filippo: I have to say it fit really well. How I loved to see her take it off. Does she do a strip tease for you too?

Tullio: Are you kidding?

Filippo: Nine and a half weeks? Only Teresa is better!

Tullio: You’re making a mistake, mixing up…

Filippo: She’s better than, what was her name?

Tullio: Maybe it’s something

Filippo: Kim Basinger

Tullio: Similar

Filippo: her, it was her

Tullio: Sure

Filippo: Anyway here’s the verdict Giuliana was looking for. When she gets back from the seaside, tell her… tell her… (He turns to leave) bye. Oh Teresa, I’ll see you tomorrow, at the Studio (exits)

Tullio: Fuck!

Teresa: (entering in a robe or something else). Did he understand?

 

Tullio points to the slip on the sofa.

 

Teresa: Oh well, it’s true That it looks good on me. You like it too when I…

Tullio: Fuck it! I’m in the shit!

Teresa: "We’re" in the shit

 

They sit disconsolate on the sofa

 

Teresa: Do you think he’ll tell...

Tullio: If I were him, I’d have no doubts

Teresa: You’d do it?

Tullio: After the way Giuliana treated him that evening, it would be a great way to

Teresa: ... get even.

 

Teresa gets up and start to go into the other room

 

Tullio: Are you going?

Teresa: I’m going to look for two ropes, to hang ourselves with

Tullio: Two

Teresa: I don’t feel like doing it alone

 

Teresa goes into the other room. Tullio remains alone. A predictable change of light, perhaps changing while the sounds of gears move, click, almost imperceptible, almost...Tullio seems "consumed" by his mood.

 

Tullio: I could involve him... the dinner...that dinner and then... Professor Tàlice.... the light, then the fog that thickens, in Sicily. And...as if everything is falling on top of me to cut me...inside. (He has convulsion, like nervous tick) betrayal of the useless. Undefinable the essence. Globalization of everything (pause) The baby…!? (softly) The baby won’t find me pleased with this and... he’ll watch me again, always (pause) "The justice of men doesn’t touch me. No court on earth would be able to judge me. No one!"

 

 

The next day

 

In the twilight, Tullio waits, seated on the sofa. Enter Giuliana

 

Giuliana: God, what heat! It’s suffocating in here! Consuelo? Consuelo put the baby to bed!. Please, because, I… (she notices Tullio) Tullio? Tullio, what are you doing?

Tullio: (coldly) I was waiting

Giuliana: For what?

Tullio: for time to move on

Giuliana: Oh Tullio, what are you saying… (light, Giuliana notices Tullio’s dejected state) …you, you aren’t well!

Tullio: (coldly) I just need to rest

Giuliana: You seem upset

Tullio: (coldly) Something’s happened… but… but… I can’t remember what.

Giuliana: You need…

Consuelo: (entering) Ma’am... the baby’s crying

Giuliana: Don’t worry it’s his gastritis. He’ll need to be taken to the doctor

Tullio: (standing up but still cold) Do you want me to take care of it

Giuliana: With this face? Don’t make me laugh!

Tullio: I’m not laughing

Giuliana: you look like you’ve been run over by a truck

Tullio: Maybe it was that

Giuliana: Where are you going now?

Tullio: To work. At the Office

Giuliana: This Saturday too? With this heat?

Tullio: I have a meeting. At eleven. I don’t know if I’ll be back for dinner

Giuliana: At eleven? And you don’t know if you’ll be back

Tullio: It’s for the railways. There’s a delay on the project, a drawback and I....

Giuliana: ... have a fix everything

Tullio: Exactly (exits)

Giuliana: This man has me worried, I’m quite worried (she shrugs? Consuelo?

Consuelo: (entering) Did you call me Ma’am?

Giuliana: Consuelo, listen... look what there is here. Put things in order. The engineer, the engineer has left some stuff around. Put things in order, go ahead and put things in order then and don’t throw out anything though, I wouldn’t want... (Consuelo begins to bend over) ... good, like that

 

The telephone rings

 

Giuliana: (Answering) Mamma? Yes Mamma....What? Tullio? He’s gone to the Office. Yes today too. Because of the course and that project. Yes I know, I know. the baby? I put him to bed. Tomorrow at your house? Who do you want to bring him? Me? No as always. Tullio? No, it’s not the case now. He’s too busy, too wrapped up in his work to take care of the baby. Yes I’ll handle it, me. Teresa? (Consuelo has put the living room in order and left) No, I haven’t... oh she’s there. She wants to speak to me? Pass her. Teresa? Tell me. Filippo? No, He’s still in Milan for that transaction. No, I haven’t heard from him. yes, he was supposed to pass. For a verdict. No. I don’t know anything about it. But why are you looking for Filippo? Oh, you’re not looking for him. O.K. Bye (perplexed, she hangs up). Consuelo! (exits).

 

Pause.

The telephone rings again. Giuliana appears and answers.

 

Giuliana: Hello? Ah Tullio, but you just left and you’re calling me already tell me. Filippo? What’s he got to do. .If I’ve heard from him? No, I haven’t heard from him. Why? He stopped by.... he had to stop by? Yes, a thing from the studio: a verdict. Well I don’t know....I haven’t heard from him , no? Why is it lately everyone’s looking for... (she moves the receiver) …Filippo? He hung up.

 

Perplexed she looks at the receiver before hanging up. She looks around and then smiles a nasty luminous smile like someone who has-perhaps understood.

 

Giuliana: Perhaps it’s time it snowed. It’s too hot here (exits)

Pause. Play of lights, sounds. The "gears" continue to grind, to "pulse", to "live".

 

 

Some time later

 

The doorbell rings. Giuliana crosses the scene and goes to open. She’s dressed differently. Passing, she sees Tullio’s cell phone. She picks it up.

 

Giuliana: It’s Tullio. He’s forgotten this too. At this rate who knows what he’ll forget next. I can understand he’s working but… (exits) Yes? (off stage) Filippo? You? (Giuliana and Filippo re-enter) What are you doing here?

Filippo: The verdict. The one you were waiting for.

Giuliana: Oh yes. that one!

Filippo: I brought you it. I don’t know if Tullio...

 

Filippo assumes a secure attitude of one who feels in command of the situation.

 

Giuliana: Tullio? No, he didn’t tell me

Filippo: Nevertheless I was here, last Saturday. I left it with him I even told him not to forget.

Giuliana: Tullio is tired lately. He can’t manage things anymore, keep up.

Filippo: Too wrapped up?

Giuliana: Too wrapped up

Filippo: So he does e neglect you

Giuliana: Not this story again!

Filippo: I’d be sorry if he did. You’re such a beautiful woman

Giuliana: Filippo, I wouldn’t want...

Filippo: (he begins to press in on her physically as well) I say it’s time we better establish the clauses of our accord

Giuliana: I thought we’d cleared that up the other evening at dinner

Filippo: The other evening

Giuliana: So?

Filippo: So then days, time goes by and things happen

Giuliana: Things?

Filippo: They seem trivial. In the beginning they may well be. And instead, thinking about them, reflecting on them, seeing them under the right light they appear as they really are – different and more than ever, universally. Important.

Giuliana: Important?

Filippo: Universally important

Giuliana: And what would be "universally important"?

Filippo: First I need to tell, to explain to you and then you too can note that…

Giuliana: (nearing the bar) Do you want something to drink?

Filippo: (he closes in from behind, she talks her) Is that a proposition?

Giuliana: (she allows him) That depends

Filippo: (he kisses her on the neck) On what?

Giuliana: On you (She turns and offers a glass)

Filippo: (He takes the glass and stares at her) Is this a way of offering yourself?

Giuliana: It’s a way of understanding, of understanding where you’re aiming.

Filippo: At you?

Giuliana: Only at me?

Filippo: It’s what interests me. Always.

Giuliana: Always?

Filippo: That’s all! (He sets down the glass, embraces Giuliana, kisses her. She lets him) You’re splendid

Giuliana: What?

Filippo: Splendid

Giuliana: Really?

Filippo: Like nobody else

Giuliana: Nobody... (detaching herself from him) And then?

Filippo: Then what?

Giuliana: And after me, what else?

Filippo: Nothing! After you nothing!

Giuliana: The studio?

Filippo: You aren’t telling me that I .... for the Studio?

Giuliana: Why shouldn’t you? After all the "Di Scordio & Daughters" Studio hasn’t got direct heirs. And so

Filippo: Giuliana are you crazy? There’s you...

Giuliana. I have the baby: and many, too many distractions

Filippo: ...Your sister?

Giuliana: You’ve already gone to bed with her, right? (Filippo doesn’t answer. He smiles, drinking) She doesn’t ask for much. It’s enough to pass her some fat representation –and the game is won, given that managing the Studio "bores her to death"

Filippo: …your father?

Giuliana: My father has had it up to his balls

Filippo: …!

Giuliana: I think you and I should go over the terms of our accord again

Filippo: What do you mean?

Giuliana: You should ponder on the proposal Egano made you, some more

Filippo: Are you throwing me out?

Giuliana: Let’s say that we had mapped out the terms of our agreement and I’m sorry....

Filippo: Giuliana, I....

Giuliana: I believe we’ve said all there is to say, haven’t we?

Filippo: Have we?

Giuliana: What?

Filippo: What happened. The other day

 

Long cold pause. Giuliana scrutinizes him. He looks at her sardonically.

 

Giuliana: The door is there

Filippo: The other time the door was there too. and it was hot then too

Giuliana: ?

Filippo: Still hot. But the situation was different. let’s say it was the other day yesterday or another, any day (as though mimicking) "Oh Filippo, you here? Why are you here? Oh, me, no. I’m alone I was working

Giuliana: Tullio?

Filippo: You know the course, the railways, Professor Tàlice. How do they say: A mess!

Giuliana: (not yet understanding but perhaps amused) A mess?

Filippo: Oh! The verdict! The one Giuliana ... No Giuliana’s not here. She’s at the sea at her mother’s, with this heat, and I, I’m alone, I’m alone right Teresa?"

Giuliana: (still trying to understand what Filippo’s getting at) Teresa was here? With him?

Filippo: "Good evening Teresa, how ‘s it going? Well? Me too..."

Giuliana: You too...?

Filippo: "you were just passing by too? Good. if you’d like we can leave together! If you get dressed again I can always give you a lift"

Giuliana (beginning to understand) Get dressed?

Filippo: Very pretty, that slip Teresa. I imagine that Tullio likes it very much too, doesn’t he?

Giuliana: Is this the little story?

Filippo: Cute no?

Giuliana: (After having thought for a long time) What do you want Filippo? My gratitude for having revealed who knows what?

Filippo: I don’t know what to do with your gratitude. I just want you

Giuliana: Just me?

Filippo: (he tries to embrace her) I like you I like you a lot...

Giuliana: About Teresa and Tullio, I’ve known for some time.

Filippo: What?

Giuliana: Yes, I knew. What did you think, that maternity has... no. Filippo, You’re wrong. It’s not like that. I knew about Teresa. And Tullio. I preferred to ignore it, to pretend nothing was wrong. Because... (uncertain and avoiding) ...because Teresa kept him happy for me. While I... the baby. Better her than who knows who else.- perhaps a secretary?

Filippo: Maria?

Giuliana: Maria’s gone. Perhaps another

Filippo: Another? Natalia!

Giuliana: There are a lot of women ready to pant after someone...after someone who’s moving up, in hopes that they’ll move up too. There are many who’d do something crazy for someone like Tullio, many! If he wanted it.

Filippo: And who says that...

Giuliana: Teresa! As long as she’s there...I don’t run any risk

Filippo: But do you love him?

Giuliana: He’s father of my child. The man with whom I had a child.

Filippo: And this is enough for you?

Giuliana: For now it’s something, it’s already something. for now

Filippo: (offering himself) For now

Giuliana: You, on the other hand, are a bastard Filippo. A poor bastard

Filippo: What are you saying?

Giuliana: And you’ve made the biggest mistake of your life: to come here, breathing on my neck, thinking you had more aces up your sleeve

Filippo: More aces?

Giuliana: More aces (brief pause) I liked you, Filippo. I like you

Filippo: Well, then, why not let yourself go? To me?

Giuliana: If you had come here for me, without anything else in mind Teresa! Well maybe yes, probably I... but you made a mistake. You’ve confused everything, you forgot yourself and ended up offending me

Filippo: Offending you?

Giuliana: You’re an idiot Filippo, just a poor idiot

Filippo: I don’t have a chance anymore, do I?

Giuliana: Now no

Filippo: O.K.

Giuliana: That proposal from the lawyer.... you’d do better to reconsider it. On the contrary no. Do something out of the city, it’s a small city, too small a city for you. You need space, lots of space to show your worth to it’s best advantage

Filippo: Are you saying...

Giuliana: Change towns. You’d do better

 

The scrutinize each other. Then Filippo exits

 

Giuliana: Poor idiot!

 

Giuliana start to leave. The cell phone rings: Tullio’s. After a moment of doubt, Giuliana answers

 

Giuliana: Hello? Who? Oh it’s Professor Tàlice? Who Tullio? No he’s not here. I believe he’s... (she thinks) ...at the office? Not at the office. No. I tried earlier too, but no, he wasn’t there. Yes the cell phone is his. He forgot it. It’s a while that he, yes, he forgets everything, really everything...even the cell phone. No, certainly. Don’t worry If I hear from him, I’ll tell him, yes, that you called. I’ll have him call you even if… (she reflects, one hears some mechanical devices clicking) ...even if, I think, he told me that... he already found someone else... for the course (she looks at the phone, mockingly). He hung up.

 

Pleased with herself, mockingly, she looks at herself in the mirror. The cell phone rings.

 

Giuliana: Tullio, is it you? Yes at home. Did you think you’d lost it? To have left it who knows where? No. It’s here. At home. With me. Good. Are you still in the office? You’ll come back home after midnight? But it’s Saturday! The meeting’s going on? The course? The railways? You’re destroyed. You can tell. No (thinking) No one’s called. Professor Tàlice? No he hasn’t called, he hasn’t called at all. (smiling nastily she looks at the phone). He hung up.

 

Before leaving the room, she looks in the mirror again, mockingly pleased with herself, now with an evil smile painted on her lips.

 

Giuliana: Yes, Filippo’s right. I’m still beautiful. Maybe even more so! (exiting). God, it’s hot!

 

The lights swarm in the half-light

 

 

That day, very soon after

 

Silence and still in the half light Tullio enters. He’s exhausted. Without turning on the light, he removes his jacket and flops on the sofa. He turns on the TV The light from the screen hits him, irritates him too. Sound of gears that, with effort, difficulty click mechanically. The light in the other room turn on Giuliana emerges.

 

Giuliana: You’re here?

Tullio: I’m here

Giuliana: It’s three. Aren’t you coming to bed?

Tullio: I don’t know if I can

Giuliana: You’ve been at work up to now. You should be so tired you could sleep for a whole month.

Tullio: If only I could (a lost gaze) I have a commotion in my head-all day in front of that damned monitor -all those numbers. I don’t think I’ll manage to sleep. I need to distract myself.

Giuliana: Teresa?

Tullio: (with a start) What do you mean?

Giuliana: (after having thought) She called. She was looking for you.

Tullio: (looking suspicious) Me?

Giuliana: You

Tullio: And what did she want?

Giuliana: How do I know! I’m not your (after having thought) secretary.

Tullio: I thought she would have told you.

Giuliana: They’re things that don’t regard me… anymore!

Tullio: You’re using a tone of voice

Giuliana: It’s three o’ clock Saturday morning. What tone of voice should I have?

Tullio: I thought you were Mad at me.

Giuliana: And why should I be mad at you? Just because you’re never here? Just because you give all of yourself to your job and... (she stops)

Tullio: You have your studio too!

Giuliana: Exactly! I have my studio too

Tullio: Are we doing things wrong?

Giuliana: Inevitably

Tullio: Inevitably?

Giuliana: Inevitably (starts to go)

Tullio: I don’t suppose anyone called...

Giuliana: No one!

Tullio: ...Professor Tàlice?

Giuliana: No one (starts to leave) Oh, by the way, now I remember.

Tullio: What?

Giuliana: Why Teresa was looking for you... about Filippo.

Tullio: (startled) Filippo?

Giuliana: Filippo. She says she has to tell you something regarding him.

Tullio: What?

Giuliana: I don’t know. Maybe something’s about stock market or maybe about that friend who has to go abroad.

Tullio: Yes, maybe it’s that.

Giuliana: She didn’t tell me. Besides....they’re things that don’t regard me anymore.... really!

 

Giuliana exits. Tullio, agitated, watches her go and continues to watch the door until he sees the lights go out. Then he thinks and rushes to her cell phone and calls. In the half-light behind the door the silhouette of Giuliana is visible.

 

Tullio: Hello, Teresa? What? What time is it? Three. If I’m calling you at this hour it’s to know why you called me? What do you mean when? Before. Giuliana (his agitated tone grows faint) told me. Yes. Earlier. She told me that you were looking for me... to tell me something… about Filippo. Isn’t that right? You weren’t looking for me? (He hangs up) A trap?

 

Giuliana’s silhouette disappears. Tullio remain staring at nothing. He’s upset. He passes his hand over his head and his face repeatedly. He chatters something. Then he sits down, nervously on the sofa and, with difficulty, in the light of the screen, sleeps. A change and play of light.

 

 

The morning of that day

 

 

From the other room Giuliana enters, nearing she turns off the television. She regards Tullio contemptuously.

 

Giuliana: Human misery has no bounds

Tullio: (awaking) What?

Giuliana: I’ve got what I gave!

Tullio: Giuliana, you!? But Where?

Giuliana: You slept there, on the sofa... all night

Tullio: On the sofa?

Giuliana: Like a dog

Tullio: I was working and so...

Giuliana: (not without contempt) Yes, You were working

Tullio: My God, I’m ...destroyed. What time is it?

Giuliana: Eight-thirty

Tullio: Eight-thirty! In an hour I have a meeting and...

Giuliana: You’re taking the baby to my mother’s

Tullio: (still sleepy) Yes, of course. The baby

Giuliana: He doesn’t seem to even be your son, for all the attention you give him

Tullio: The baby?

Giuliana: Him

Tullio: What’s he got to do with it. I... I have a ton to do-work the course, the Professor...

Giuliana: last night he cried continuously - gastritis

Tullio: You could have called me

Giuliana: You didn’t even notice

Tullio: I worked late and...

Giuliana: You didn’t even hear him

Tullio: Giuliana, you’re right but I...

Giuliana: Yes, I know. you have your damned job, the course etc. etc. And the baby? An me? What about it?

Tullio: Giuliana, if I kill myself with work it’s because... (he stops)

Giuliana: There - this is what you have to tell me- why?

Tullio: I… I…?

Giuliana: Begin to ask yourself, you have you whole life to answer

 

The telephone rings

 

Giuliana: (on the phone) Who?... Teresa? What? Filippo? He got you out of bed? Are you at studio? What does he want...to get his things? He’s furious? I’m coming. Tell him... I’m coming. Immediately

 

She hangs up and goes into the other room. Tullio remains perplexed, seated on the sofa, looking at his shoes. Then he turns towards the other room.

 

Tullio: Giuliana?

 

Enter Giuliana starting to leave

 

Tullio: Giuliana, and the baby?

Giuliana: I have to go to the studio… Filippo’s leaving

Tullio: …leaving…?

Giuliana: He’s leaving the studio. Now I wouldn’t want him to take, who knows, some documents, some dossiers...do you understand?

Tullio: Of course, of course. But the baby?

Giuliana: You take care of the baby. For once

Tullio: Me?

Giuliana: You just have to take him to my mother’s

Tullio: To your mother’s? Me?

Giuliana: Yes, you. Aren’t you still his father?

Tullio: Still?

Giuliana: Still? You handle it, him, for a change

Tullio: But I have to go to the office. I have a meeting. For the course. With the Professor...

Giuliana: Bullshit!

Tullio: ... the one who’s maybe substituting Professor Tàlice

Giuliana: I’m not interested in your problems, your job, your courses. They don’t interest me anymore. I have my problems to solve, my professionality to defend.

Tullio: And the baby?

Giuliana: Take him to my mother’s-he’ll be fine there.

Tullio: And Consuelo?

Giuliana: She is in the hospital. her cousin broken a leg and so she had to go

Tullio: The baby?

Giuliana: Remember - to my mother’s. And not... (nastily) …to my sister’s (exits)

Tullio: To my sister’s?

 

The cell telephone rings

 

Tullio: (answering) Who? Teresa? Yes, Giuliana’s left. What? You’re at the studio? What? (the telephone rings) Teresa, hold on. I have another call (on the other phone) Who? Natalia? What do you want? The Professor’s already there? How come? But if the meeting is for.... (puts down the cell phone where Teresa is still holding and looks at his watch) Nine-thirty! I’m coming Natalia, immediately. I’ll change my shirt and.... the baby? (he begins to undress while still speaking on the phone) No, Natalia, I’m not talking to you. I only said... (hangs up) to myself...the baby! (he runs towards the other room but then remembers) Teresa! (runs to get the cell phone) Teresa? Teresa are you still there? No I didn’t forget. I’m sorry, I was just (continuing to undress) ... he meeting. I’m late. What? Filippo’s asked you for money.... (he stops) ... to not say anything to... And you? You told him you have to think about it? But look like this? you seem to be... weak! (long pause) Giuliana, is coming to the studio. yes, tell him, tell him we’ll give him the money… whatever he wants… (hangs up, He’s beside himself with anger) The meeting! (exits)

 

The scene remains deserted. The sound of gears and play of light beyond the door of the other room. Then Tullio appears and furiously, exits. With him a bundle - the baby

 

Tullio: (leaving) Just today, the baby, the meeting. Filippo, Shit

 

Tullio exits panting. the scene remains deserted. Sound of gears grow louder. the light are ever ore intense to blind to burn". In the moment of greatest intensity one hears the sound of gears that jam.

 

 

 

 

 

EPILOGUE (ANY DAY)

 

Tullio enters the scene downcast, destroyed, he sits on the sofa. The lights return to normal. Behind him, Giuliana. Tullio is buried in his own desperation while the woman presses him for answers nasty.

 

Giuliana: Well?

Tullio: I don’t know

Giuliana: What?

Tullio: How it could have happened!

Giuliana: How can you not know? I mean how...?

Tullio: Everything was so confused, so fast that I... my mind, thoughts. all day in front of that damned...!

Giuliana: ..that damned..?

Tullio: ...nothing...

Giuliana: ...nothing?

Tullio: ...I

Giuliana: you? (Tullio, not looking at her, nods) And him?

Tullio: He was there. He watched me. It was as if he were watching at me. God! His eyes open, still open. Starting at me and instead… (pause) he looked at me as if he were still... and instead... dried up!

Giuliana: Dried up? (Tullio nods burying his head in his hands) It’s this then?

Tullio: It’s this

Giuliana: Our son... dried up?

Tullio: Inside the car!

Giuliana: (wailing desperately) But I ask you, how? How could you? Our son. A year old Only a year old (whispering) ...dried up

Tullio: I… I took him, I had him in the car, in back, like you do, in his... his car seat...

Giuliana: ...dried up..

Tullio: ...then the traffic... it’s Sunday... people go to the sea... I was in a hurry...

Giuliana: In a hurry?

Tullio: …the job - I had a meeting at nine thirty…

Giuliana: At nine thirty?

Tullio: ….yes, at nine thirty. The traffic. The cars. The meeting. the cell phone that rang and rang Natalia: the Professor is serious, he’s waiting, the others are waiting too. for me! And I?

Giuliana: Was late...

Tullio: I told her, I did -let them, wait...

Giuliana: Late...

Tullio: ...but they pushed me - the job the meeting, the course, Natalia, Maria, Maria or whatever the hell the new secretary’s name is Natalia. Teresa.

Giuliana: Teresa, no absolutely not!

Tullio: ... an then the traffic, the jam, the accident. my head splitting and still...

Giuliana: The heat?

Tullio: Yes, of course, the heat!

Giuliana: Even more?

Tullio: More. The haze. The air condition doesn’t seem to be enough, never enough. And the horn honking, the siren, the accident, the traffic piling up, growing, rising, going mad and blocking… (murmuring) …the heat..

Giuliana: The heat?

Tullio: Like my head, my head that’s as heavy as lead, with those damned worries that pile up, grow, rise, go mad and block...

Giuliana: (emptied) Sure - they block...

Tullio: I… I seem to go mad in that box of flesh, human flesh. I don’t know what to do anymore, what to say, where to go, why to go. What’s the reason then... all this. The cell phone rings and I don’t answer, I don’t answer anymore. A horn sounds and I pretend it doesn’t. The radio stops working. A siren wails. the baby cries yes cries and I pretend not to hear anything, anything. I close myself in and regulate the flow... the flow of my thoughts, organize the course, the developments, the course of the events. To understand the meaning, to give priorities, to follow the time and choose what to do, where to go. I arrive at the office. It’s late. But, incredibly, now I feel calm, master of myself, my time. All is silent, all. I find a parking space In the sun It’s hot, hazy. Doesn’t matter. I stop the car, get out. I close the door. I set out for the meeting. I set out calm. controlled, tranquil. Now I know what to do, what to say. Now yes, I’m right, I know I’m right and I obtain it. They’re all with me. They’re convinced. The operation is mine, in my hands. And I, yes, I am the master of it… (suddenly astonished) Natalia, instead, doesn’t understand, she calls me, "Sir, your wife. She wants to know why you haven’t taken the baby her mother’s... The baby! the baby!! In the car... in the sun... under the haze... since ten o’clock. And now...now it’s one!! One o’clock! (pause) I get up, I move, jump. I leave the meeting, go out of the office. I run! The baby! The baby’ll be hot, hazy, he’ll be crying, still. In that car - closed in, to suffocate from the heat. haze! Closed in that box, in that box of human flesh. In the car! The baby will be thirsty, desperate, hungry, thirsty, sweating, furious, poor baby... (dragging it out) …dried up!

Giuliana: ...dried up...

Tullio: I found him like that, dead, dried up. From the heat, the haze. in that box...

Giuliana: ....of human flesh...

Tullio: I got what I gave.

 

 

 

CURTAIN