The Cryptogram (2 page)

And I will tell you: older people, too. Grown people.

You know what they do?

The night before a trip?

JOHN
: What do they do?

DEL
: Well, many times
they
cannot sleep.
They
will stay up that night.

JOHN
: They will?

DEL
: Oh yes.

JOHN
: Why?

DEL
: They can’t sleep. No. Why?

Because their minds, you see, are full of thoughts.

JOHN
: What are their thoughts of?

DEL
: Their thoughts are of two things.

JOHN
: Yes?

DEL
: Of what they’re
leaving
.

JOHN
: … yes?

DEL
: And what they’re going
toward
. (
Pause
.) Just like you.

JOHN
: … of what they’re leaving …

DEL
: … mmm … (
Pause
.)

JOHN
: How do you know that?

DEL
: Well, you know, they say we live and learn.

JOHN
: They do?

DEL
: That’s what they say. And I’ll tell you
another
thing …

(
A crash is heard offstage
.) (
Pause
.)

DONNY
(
offstage
): … I’m alright …

DEL
: … what?

DONNY
(
offstage
): I’m alright …

DEL
: … did …

DONNY
(
offstage
): What? Did I what?

DEL
: Are you …

DONNY
(
offstage
): What? I’ve spilt the tea.

DEL
: What?

DONNY
(
offstage
): I spilled the tea.

DEL
: Do you want help?

DONNY
(
offstage
): What?

JOHN
: Do you want help he said.

DONNY
(
offstage
): No.

DEL
: You don’t? (
To
JOHN
.)
Go help your mother.

DONNY
(
offstage
) (
simultaneous with
“mother”): … I’m alright. I’m alright. (
To self
.) Oh, hell …

DEL
: What did you do?

DONNY
(
offstage
): What?

DEL
: … what did you do …

DONNY
: I broke the pot, I broke the teapot. I’m alright. I broke the teapot. (
Pause
.)

DEL
(
to
JOHN
): Well, there you go.… a human
being
 …

JOHN
: … yes?

DEL
: … cannot conceal himself.

JOHN
: That’s an example?

DEL
: Well, hell, look at it: anything. When it is
disordered
, any, um, “Change,” do you see …?

JOHN
: What is the change?

DEL
: The trip.

JOHN
: She ain’t going.

DEL
: No of course she’s not. But
you
are. And your father is. It’s an upheaval.

JOHN
: It’s a minor one.

DEL
: Who is to say? (
Pause
.)

JOHN
: But did
you
feel that?

DEL
: Did I …?

JOHN
: Yes.

DEL
: Feel what?

JOHN
: Last week.

DEL
: Feel. Last week.

JOHN
: Thoughts on a trip.

DEL
: … Did I …?

JOHN
: When you took
your
trip.

DONNY
(
offstage
): It’s going to be a minute.

JOHN
: … when you took your trip.

DONNY
(
offstage
): … hello …?

DEL
: We’re alright.

DONNY
(
offstage
): The tea is going to be a minute.

JOHN
: We’re alright in here.

DONNY
(
entering
): I’ve put the … why aren’t you asleep.

DEL
: … did I feel “pressure”?

DONNY
: … John …?

JOHN
: Yes.

DONNY
: Why aren’t you asleep?

DEL
: Before my trip. No.

JOHN
: No. Why?

DEL
: Because, and this is important. Because people differ.

DONNY
: What are you doing down here?

DEL
: We’re talking.

JOHN
: … I came down.

DEL
(
to
DONNY
): I’m sorry. Are you alright?

DONNY
: What? I dropped the teapot. What are you
doing
down …

JOHN
: We’re talking.

DEL
: He came down, and I began a conversation.

DONNY
: Alright, if you began it.

DEL
: I did.

DONNY
(
sighs
): We’re going to have tea, and then you go upst … Where are your slippers?

JOHN
: Packed.

DONNY
: They’re packed.

JOHN
: For the trip.

DONNY
: And then you go upstairs and you go to sleep.

JOHN
: I want to wait till my father comes home.

DONNY
: Well, yes, I’m sure you do. But you need your sleep. And if you don’t get it, you’re not going on the trip.

JOHN
: Will he be home soon?

DONNY
: Yes. He will.

JOHN
: Where is he?

DONNY
: I don’t know. Yes, I do, yes. He’s at the Office. And he’ll be home soon.

JOHN
: Why is he working late?

DONNY
: I don’t know. We’ll find out when he comes home, John. Must we do this every night?

JOHN
: I only want …

DEL
: Do you know what?

JOHN
: I didn’t want to upset you, I only …

DEL
: … could I …?

JOHN
: I only …

DEL
(
simultaneous with
“only”): Could I make a suggestion? (
To
JOHN
.) Why don’t you busy yourself?

DONNY
: He has to sleep.

DEL
: … but he’s not
going
to sleep. He’s …

JOHN
: That’s right.

DONNY
: … one moment.

JOHN
: … If I had something to
do
 …

DONNY
(
simultaneous with
“do”): No. You’re absolutely right.

JOHN
: … something to do. If I had
that
 …

DONNY
: Alright.

DEL
: Are you packed?

JOHN
: I’m all packed.

DEL
: … well …

JOHN
: I, I My
Father
isn’t packed, his …

DONNY
: No …

JOHN
: … I could pack
his
stuff.

DONNY
: No, no, I’ll tell you what you could do.

JOHN
: What?

DONNY
: Close up the attic.

JOHN
: … close it up?

DONNY
: Neaten it up. Yes.

JOHN
: Is it disturbed?

DONNY
: Mmm.

JOHN
: Why?

DONNY
: … after my “rummaging.”

JOHN
: Alright.

DONNY
: … and …

JOHN
: … alright.

DONNY
: See if you find any things up there.

JOHN
: Things.

DONNY
: … you might need to take.

JOHN
: … things I might need to take up.

DONNY
: Mm.

JOHN
: Or that
he
might need.

DONNY
: That’s right.

JOHN
: … or that you forgot.

DONNY
: Yes.

JOHN
: To pack.

DONNY
: Yes. Would you do that?

JOHN
: Of course.

DONNY
: Thank you, John.

DEL
: Thank you.

DONNY
: And perhaps you’d put on some clothing.

JOHN
: Good.

DONNY
: Very good. Off you go then.

JOHN
: I will.

DEL
: “My blessings on your House.”

JOHN
: That’s what the Wizard said.

DEL
: That’s right.

JOHN
: “And mine on yours.”

DEL
: “Until the whale shall speak.”

JOHN
: “Until the Moon shall Weep.” Mother?

DONNY
: I don’t remember it … (
Pause
.)

JOHN
: You don’t remember it? (
Pause
.)

DEL
: Well then, John. Alright then. Off you go to work.

JOHN
(
exiting
): I will.

DEL
: Off you go. (
Pause
.)

DONNY
: No. I don’t understand it.

DEL
: Well …

DONNY
: No.

DEL
: He has trouble sleeping.

DONNY
: Mm. No.

DEL
: That’s his nature.

DONNY
: Is it?

DEL
: Children …

DONNY
: No. You see. It’s grown into this minuet. Every night …

DEL
: Well, yes. But this is
special
, he …

DONNY
: No, No. He always has a reason. Some … every night …

DEL
: Yes. Granted. But a Trip to the Woods …

DONNY
: … he …

DEL
: … with his Dad …? It’s an
event
. I think. What do I know? But, as his
friend
 …

DONNY
: … yes …

DEL
: … as his
friend
 …

DONNY
: Yes. Yes. He Always has a Reason.

DEL
: Yes, but I’m saying, in
spite
of … 
I
don’t know. I don’t mean to intrude … but good. But
Good
. One sends him up to the Attic …

DONNY
: Oh.

DEL
: And that’s “it.” That’s the solution.

DONNY
: Oh. Oh …

DEL
: To, um … to, um, what is the word …?

DONNY
: Look what I found.

DEL
: To um … not “portray” … to um …

DONNY
: Look what I found.

DEL
: “Participate.” That’s the word. Is that the word? No. To, um …

DONNY
: Del. Shut up.

DEL
: To um …

DONNY
(
simultaneous with
“To”): Shut up. Look what I found up in the attic.

(
She goes to a side table and brings back a small framed photograph and hands it to
DEL
.)

DEL
: (
Pause
.) When was this taken …

DONNY
(
simultaneous with
“taken”): When I was packing for the trip.

DEL
(
simultaneous with
“trip”): Mmm … No. When was this taken?

DONNY
: Isn’t it funny? Though? The things you find? (
Pause
.)

DEL
: Huh …

DONNY
: What?

DEL
: I don’t understand this photograph. (
Pause
.)

DONNY
: What do you mean?

(
JOHN
comes down onto the landing
.)

JOHN
: Which coat? That’s what I forgot. To pack my coat.

DONNY
(
to
DEL
): Which coat?

JOHN
: That’s what was on my mind.

DONNY
: Which coat should he take?

DEL
(
looking up from the photograph
): Mm? When were you up there?

DONNY
: Where?

DEL
: Up in the attic?

DONNY
(
simultaneous with
“attic”): In the attic today, cleaning up.

DEL
(
of photo
) (
simultaneous with
“up”): … this is the damnedest thing …

DONNY
:
Isn’t
it …?

DEL
: When, when could this have been taken?

DONNY
: And I found that old
Lap
robe.

DEL
: The lap robe …

DONNY
: The
stadium
blanket we …

JOHN
: Which coat?

DONNY
: Which?

JOHN
: How cold is it up there yet?

DEL
: … a lap robe …

DONNY
: The
stadium
blanket.

JOHN
: How cold was it last week? Del?

DONNY
: Just bring your regular coat.

JOHN
: My blue coat?

DONNY
: The melton coat?

JOHN
: What’s melton?

DONNY
: The blue coat. Your fabric coat.

JOHN
: The
wool
one?

DONNY
(
to
DEL
): Is it too cold for that?

DEL
: No.

DONNY
: Then take it.

JOHN
: My
blue
coat.

DONNY
: Yes.

JOHN
: Do I have any sweaters left?