FOOLS FORUM

Brandon Thompson

May 17, 2000

Edited June 22, 2000

Re-edited Dec. 18, 2000

To all my Love;

To those who's glances passed my way

To her who gave me my first kiss

And to those who I gave theirs.

To all those who've ever blushed and giggled.

To those whose love was boldly shown,

And to those who's love was not.

To those who've trusted me.

To all those who I've held against my breast

And to those who I've loved from afar.

To those who made it hard at night.

To those who gave me their first love,

But especially,

To she who gave me her last.

ACT ONE

As to be expected, the curtains open to begin the play, and the lights slowly rise with them. On the stage, in tableau, are a MAN and a WOMAN. They are posing as though they were mannequins in a window. They are not aware of each other and perhaps they are not even aware of their own existence.

At both SR and SL there is a small mound. Two large rocks, to be more precise. For now, this is all the set that there is.

Another person walks on in full flowing robes, looking very much like a sage or something to that effect. Not really above the NORM, anyways. He wanders over, inspecting the two frozen entities. He is Wandering SOUL.

Soul- What is man, you ask? That may be the oldest and hardest question ever asked. You're Capable of so much, or so I've seen. Laughter and tears, often in the same moment. Such kindness and hope you show, if only you could get over the little things. Of course, I'm referring to you're selves. Maybe then they could get to their true meanings. You don't know what that is, perhaps? Well, love, of course. Every stem of everything they ever felt is love. Even if merely the love to hate.

I'm sorry, how rude I am. I have not introduced myself. I am... Well, I'm... Just a wandering soul, I suppose. Not much of a scholar, really. I just know what I see and I've been wandering close to the lot of you for quite sometime now.

You don't believe me then? I could show you if need be.

(Wandering SOUL walks over and touches MAN on his shoulder. MAN awakens and begins to inspect himself)

Soul- You, friend, are Man. Hopeful and strong. You have been given a mighty mind and arm. Your kind has been responsible for bringing light to darkness, carrying voices millions of miles to land softly in the ear of another. For centuries you have built shelters, established order and put food on the table for those you mean to protect and love. But you will need your wits about you, for you are the hunter.

(Wandering SOUL walks towards WOMAN and places a hand on her shoulder. She also awakens to inspect herself.)

Soul- You are woman. Full of caring and strength. You have been given a heart of pure gold and wisdom beyond your years. You have been the foundation that every great feat has stood. Behind every great deed there is a greater woman for whom the deed was done. Every man, woman and child must answer to you, for you are the true lover, you are the real gift to your race. You are mother, wife, sister and friend. You will cry, but do not cry for long for you will need a sensitive but strong heart, you are the lover.

Man- I do not understand.

Soul- Perhaps you were not meant to.

Woman- What are we to do?

Soul- That is the question that will plague you for the rest of your lives. If you would like, I could save you the trouble of learning one minute to late what you are to do on this earth.

Man- Is it some great secret? Is it to be of some importance to us in life?

Soul- More then you may know.

Man- Then why are we not to learn it until the final moments of our life.

Soul- You are born knowing it, it is only that you spend your whole lives denying it.

Woman- Please tell us this secret.

Soul- I don't know that I should. Perhaps life is best learned, not answered.

Woman- We would learn faster if we knew what it was we were to learn.

Soul- I'm sorry, but do I think you need to learn it, yourselves.

Man- If you will not tell us, at least point us in the right direction.

Soul- Very well. Look at each other. What do you see?

Woman- I see Man. Security, food and protection.

Man- And I see woman. Care, support and compassion.

Soul- You have a long way to go, still.

Man- Is that not what you said she was?

Soul- Must you look with my eyes? You were given eyes of your own, some of which you may never discover, due to thinking like that. Learn to look with those eyes. I must leave you now. My place is not here, there is much yet to see and I have only scathed the surface of the plane I must travel today. Good luck to you in life.

Man- Wait, there is so much yet to ask.

Soul- Then there is so much you need to learn.

Woman- And you will not tell us?

Soul- Not while you have so much left to live.

Woman- What are we to do?

Soul- You have each other.

Man- Without you, what are we to do?

Soul- I will be there. Be assured by this.

Woman- And are there no more answers you can give us.

Soul- I will never run dry of answers, and so neither will you.

Man- Where will we find these answers?

Soul- Perhaps then, that is the first question you need to ask. I must away.

Woman- Why are you leaving us.

Soul- Please understand, it is fare-well to you, never good bye.

(Wandering SOUL exits the scene. MAN and WOMAN are now alone with their surroundings, they are not aware of the audience as SOUL was. As far as they are concerned, there is only them)

Man- Who was that?

Woman- I can't say I've ever met him before.

Man- Nor can I. Though, I can't really say that I've ever met you before either.

Woman- No, that's true. I certainly seem to be meeting a lot of new faces.

Man- So do I, but since I've never actually met anyone before, it's understandable.

Woman- That makes sense. It's no real wonder, though, this place seems very barren. I wonder where we are.

Man- Well, I suppose it's where we're supposed to be.

Woman- Why are we to be here? There seems to be nothing for us to be here for. Just those rock things.

Man- Maybe we're here to answer our questions. It seems we have no distractions or worries here, so we have time to think.

Woman- That seems logical enough.

Man- Well, what questions should we answer, while we are here?

Woman- It seems we've answered one already. We're here to answer questions, the enigma, of course, being the purpose of our placement.

Man- So in short, this is definitely the place where we'll find answers.

Woman- Wasn't that the first question?

Man- Pardon?

Woman- Didn't that man say that the first question we should ask is where to find our answers.

Man- I suppose he did, yes.

Woman- Then the hardest of the riddles has been solved. There we've solved two question. This place has told us that it will provide us answers, which was the original question, and at the same time, that tells us what we're here for.

Man- Then maybe this place will tell us who we are.

Woman- It might. That makes sense.

Man- Oh! Perhaps we're mighty warriors! Tried and true. Battling for our lives in death struggles.

Woman- Battling for our lives?

Man- We're allowed to have quiet days I'm sure. I have an idea. Why don't you be the damsel in distress and I shall rescue you.

Woman- I can't be the damsel in distress!

Man- And why not? Do you not want to be saved by me? Did you have someone else in mind?

Woman- No, it's not that, I just have no idea how to be a damsel in distress.

Man- Simple. You stand there and act helpless and look as thought you have no hope of escape without me. Then I shall burst in with my sword unsheathed and scream "Foul villains! release this poor princess at once!" And then I shall battle monsters and guards to the death, until finally I find you. I shall then come to your rescue, sword in hand! I would then cut the ropes that bind you and sweep you off of your feet, to victory.

Woman- Why can't you be the damsel in distress.

Man- Boys can never be damsels in distress. It's a rule.

Woman- And why not? it seems to me you need as much saving as I do, perhaps more, and you look more harmless then I do. Besides, there are no monsters to fight, anyways.

Man- No, only ourselves to fight, I suppose.

Woman- We cannot be warriors then. We are not even armed.

Man- Ah ha! And there you are wrong. Armed we are and armed forever we will be for we were given arms to fight with.

Woman- No, silly boy. We have no weapons.

Man- Why do we need weapons? Animals do not need weapons and what difference is there between us and them? With merely my bare hands I could kill the strongest wolf, I'm sure!

Woman- I do not doubt it, but why, pray tell, would you want to do that?

Man- A test of strength and bravery, mine against theirs. Skill on skill. A duel to the finish, where the best of the two will go home triumphant, not to mention well fed.

Woman- And the other? What will become of him?

Man- Well, perhaps wolves were a little much. I am sure I could fare against one, but just as well against a raccoon or something of lesser size. I can't imagine what I would do with so much meat, anyhow. Well, if we are not warriors, then what?

Woman- Perhaps we are great thinkers! Born of higher power and strength then the bodies we are doomed to.

Man- Aren't you being a slight eccentric? I don't think we're doomed to these frames. I think their really quite attractive.

Woman- As do I, but think of it. Our minds being on a different plane. Stronger then the things we do and see.

Man- But, where does that help us? It just creates more questions, doesn't it?

Woman- And as great minds, we can answer them.

Man- I suppose so, but we've answered nothing so far, have we?

Woman- Indeed we have! We've solved the greatest riddle posed ever to date. We have learned that this is the place that harbors our answers.

Man- What if we are wrong? I mean, if that wrong, then everything we think we know is wrong too, and in the case of that, Well, the question still lingers on. Then we could not be great minds, that's for sure.

Woman- Let us test this thought of yours. It may take some thinking to solve the greatest riddle in existence. So much, perhaps, that even great minds may stumble upon it. We should ask each other questions of a lesser nature. If we are great minds, then we will be able to answer them, easily.

Man- Fair enough. Who between us should start?

Woman- I think, since it was on my suggestion that we be great minds, you should start.

Man- I agree, since you were the one to suggest it, you may be a greater mind then I, and so who better to test it on. Let me see... Where do you suppose the One Who Woke Us went?

Woman- That is a good question. Abroad I suppose.

Man- Abroad where? If there is a place beyond this that we see, what do you suppose it is?

Woman- I don't know. Where he lives I suppose. Everyone needs a place to live.

Man- I guess they do, but that really doesn't answer the question.

Woman- No, I guess it doesn't. Maybe it's the place we came from.

Man- That doesn't make sense. If we came from there, and he brought us here, why go back? I mean, if the place is good enough to go back to, why did he leave and, if it's better there, why did he bring us here?

Woman- Maybe it's not better there.

Man- If that were the case, then why would he go back? Why not just move here?

Woman- Maybe it was so we could answer questions like this.

Man- But if that's not true, then we're not even great thinkers! Which would bring us back to the question of why we're here.

Woman- Just maybe it was so we could answer questions, like this.

Man- Do you think that we couldn't answer things this way there? If that's where the One Who Woke Us lives and he knows everything, surely, if we stayed there, wouldn't we eventually know everything too?

Woman- Your questions are very good. It seems I cannot answer them.

Man- Then we cannot be great minds.

Woman- If your questions best my answers, then perhaps you are the great mind.

Man- I do admit, my questions have been very hard. I suppose you could try to ask. Perhaps I will do better.

Woman- What do you think we're here for, if not to answer questions.

Man- Perhaps to confuse us. Maybe there is no reason for us to be here, which, all in all, a reason, even if it isn't.

Woman- But if the reason is that there is not reason, then we might as well be somewhere else. That means there must be a reason. There's a reason for everything, isn't there?

Man- Then maybe we're here because we don't belong anywhere else.

Woman- That seems more like an answer to something you asked. I wish I had thought of it when you put the question to me.

Man- You don't think, then, that it answers your question?

Woman- Oh, yes, it answers my question fine. I just think it suits one of yours better.

Man- I see. I'll answer again. So, why are we here? Well, there is you and there is I. Two of us. I suppose that this is the place that were staying. I guess that we live here, although, we could live anywhere, so that doesn't answer the question, either. There is a mound to this side and mound to that side. We are standing between them... Above us is nothing and below us there is something. Beyond the rocks there is more of this nothing and something. Therefore, we are here and so are they.

Woman- But, what does that mean?

Man- Well, after carefully weighing it all out, the answer to that is... I haven't the faintest clue.

Woman- That doesn't answer the question very well, then, does it?

Man- Not really. Maybe we're here so we can learn. It might be that The One Who Woke Us was here once too, but he learned enough o go there.

Woman- You must be the great mind. That's a very good thought.

Man- Thank you, I had it myself.

Woman- But, what determines whether you know enough yet, or not?

Man- There must be someone who decides.

Woman- And how did he get to be better then the other ones?

Man- Maybe he knows more stuff then they do.

Woman- Then he must have been here longer.

Man- Either that or you still have to learn when you get where ever we go after this.

Woman- Then theoretically, there is no better then here.

Man- Maybe it's nicer there.

Woman- That doesn't seem fair. What if we get everything wrong, or, never learn enough stuff... Or learn the wrong stuff, even. Then we'll be here for an eternity.

Man- We must stop sooner or later. I mean, we can't just keep going forever, can we?

Woman- If we're not careful about it, we will.

Man- If we take care of ourselves maybe we'll be alright, then?

Woman- Sure, why not? Hey! Perhaps we're here to care for each other. Lets try that! I will care for you in what ever way I know how, if you take care of me in what ever way you know how.

Man- I suppose we could try it. How can you care for me?

Woman- I don't know. What do you need?

Man- I need someone... to... help me figure out what I need.

Woman- Well, I'm afraid I can't do that for you. This doesn't seem to be working out very well.

Man- That really is unfortunate. It was a very good idea.

Woman- Let's try it again, then. This time, think harder. What do you need?

Man- I will need someone to cook the animals I catch, right?

Woman- And I need someone to catch the animals. What else do you need.

Man- I will need someone to mother to my children.

Woman- And I will need someone to father them. This seems to be working out better second time around.

Man- It certainly appears to be. But, why here? We could take care of each other where the One Who Woke Us is, couldn't we?

Woman- I guess we could. So that really doesn't answer that old question very well. I'm glad we're not being great thinkers any more. If we we're, I doubt we'd ever get a break.

Man- It certainly doesn't seem that this place has any answers for us. Every thing we come up seems to have a wrong side to it. I can never tell whether we've come up with the answer or not. So, maybe we're wrong in thinking that this place has anything to offer us.

Woman- Then I guess we will have to do the best with what we have. I've heard they call that improvising. If this place has nothing to offer us, then we will have to find out what we have to offer us. After all, we're the only thing we have left.

Man- True. We've already decided that we can help each other out with the food, and being parents... At least the basic part of it. What else?

Woman- I don't know. Maybe I can help you help me.

Man- But then, if I'm helping you help me, then who's going to help you?

Woman- Why, You, of course.

Man- We're not really helping each other at all, by those terms. I mean, what if we both need help. The who's going to take care of us?

Woman- Maybe we shouldn't question the unknown so much. It might get angry at us.

Man- What do you suppose the unknown might do to us if we annoy it?

Woman- Not sure. Perhaps why they call it the unknown.

Man- What do you suppose the unknown is, exactly?

Woman- I hadn't really thought about it, but I'm guessing since that we're not supposed to know, hence the name.

Man- Maybe it's this place.

Woman- Oh, definitely not. we know what this place is.

Man- Oh?

Woman- Yes, it's Here, of course.

Man- It can't be the unknown if we know what it is, can it?

Woman- Not really. Did we established that it hasn't got anything to offer us?

Man- That was why we were trying to figure out what good we are to ourselves, wasn't it?

Woman- Oh, that's right. As I recall, we didn't come up with a lot for that either, did we?

Man- Just that we can't always take care of each other. That kind of defeats the purpose, doesn't it?

Woman- Maybe we can just take care of different things, that way, if we work together, everything will be taken care of.

Man- That's right. I'm supposed to catch food and build shelters and protect you.

Woman- And I'm supposed to stand behind you and cook and take care of the kids and b sensitive when you need me to be.

Man- But, then, who will be sensitive when you need some one to be?

Woman- And who will protect you when you need it? I think we're back to square one.

Man- Then I guess nothing can offer us anything. That's depressing.

Woman- We've made that point well enough, but what if this place does have something to offer us?

Man- Then we should know it. Only a great fool does not know that he is a fool, correct?

Woman- So, in theory, only a wrong person wouldn't know if they were right or not. I understand that part, but what does the rest mean?

Man- Well, since we don't know that we're right we must not be.

Woman- Which must mean that we're fools.

Man- That makes sense. Since we don't know that we're fools, we must be.

Woman- I guess that's true. So, what do we now that we're fools?

Man- I'm not sure. I heard somewhere once that a fool jests.

Woman- I heard that once too... But there is no one here but us. Who do we jest to?

Man- Ourselves perhaps. It seems that there is only ourselves to fool.

Woman- So, since we're fools, I suppose we should do our best to fool ourselves, shouldn't we?

Man- I don't really know. It doesn't seem to make sense. Why would we want to fool ourselves?

Woman- Because it seems that there is no one else to fool. What did you say a fool does again?

Man- From what I remember, a fool jests. truth is, I've actually never heard of a fool fooling.

Woman- I guess we should jest then. Where do we start?

Man- I guess I will entertain you and you will entertain me.

Woman- That does sound a lot more fun then the other things we did.

Man- Most definitely.

Woman- How do we start?

Man- I don't know. I've never been entertaining before. Maybe you should sit on that rock thingy, there. That way you can watch me.

Woman- And then what?

Man- Like I said, I'm not sure. I'm not very experienced. What do you think I should do?

Woman- I definitely think you should do something. if you don't, you run the risk of being boring.

Man- Oh dear! That doesn't really suit my purposes does it?

Woman- Not if you hope to entertain me, no. Can you dance?

Man- I don't think so. Can you?

Woman- Maybe if I had some music I could. Do you know how to make music?

Man- Oh, yes, I imagine I could, if I had some kind of instrument to play, which I don't.

Woman- That really is a shame. If you did, you could play it and I could dance. That would be fun.

Man- Oh yes, I'm sure it would be. How do you suppose I could go about getting an instrument of some kind.

Woman- I would think you'd have to make one on your own. Carve it out of wood or something. Hollow it out, put some holes in it and hit it with some sticks. That would make music, then I could dance and we could have some fun.

Man- Having fun seems to be a lot work. Do you think we'll have time for it? I mean, between having babies and hunting and stuff?

Woman- I think we'll have to find some time for it. I don't think I'd be very happy doing nothing but things that aren't fun.

Man- What if we spent only a little time making fun. Do you think that would still make you happy? We can do all the things that we don't want to the rest of the time.

Woman- If we have to. If we can't make fun all the time because nothing else would get done, it sounds like a good plan. After all, I can't imagine making babies and hunting is very fun.

Man- It might be. Besides, why would we have to something that we didn't want to do? That doesn't make much sense.

Woman- Then, do you think that we're here to be happy?

Man- Why not? It doesn't sound like a bad reason to be some where.

Woman- Not really. But, at the same time does that mean that we wouldn't be happy where the One Who Woke Us is?

Man- Not sure. Did he look happy? I can't remember.

Woman- I couldn't really tell whether he was happy or not. He didn't seem sad.

Man- Well, if he wasn't sad, then he must have been happy.

Woman- Well, maybe knowing everything wouldn't make us happy.

Man- I can't see why not.

Woman- But as long as we're fools, we can't no everything. If we did, we wouldn't be fools anymore. So, the question is, are we happy being fools?

Man- I can't really say. We already seem to know all the questions. Do you think we learned to much before we became fools?

Woman- Probably. Should we stop learning now?

Man How would we do that?

Woman- Well, we would have to be blind so we couldn't see anything. We'd have to be numb so we couldn't feel anything. We'd have to cut our tongues out so we couldn't taste anything. Then we'd have to stop talking, so we couldn't question anything, but in case we did, silently, we'd have to be deaf so that we couldn't hear the answers. Do you think we could do that?

(No answer from MAN)

Woman- I said, do you think we could do that?

(No answer, again, from MAN)

Woman- We haven't started yet?

Man- Haven't we?

Woman- No. We haven't decided whether we could that yet or not.

Man- I just did, didn't I?

Woman- I guess. What was it like?

Man- Not very nice. I don't think it would make us happy.

Woman- No? Then, maybe we could just stop questioning things. that way we wouldn't learn so much.

Man- But we've already learned that we're fools.

Woman- And now that we know that we're fools, we can't be. That is what you said, isn't it? So what does that make us?

Man- Well, if we're not fools or great thinkers, what can we be?

Woman- We can't be warriors. We established that already.

Man- If we can't fight and we can't think and we don't jest, we must be kings.

Woman- Well, if we're kings what do we rule?

Man- Everything I guess.

Woman- Together?

Man- Why not?

Woman- Because, if there is only us, what can we command?

Man- Why, each other of course.

Woman- So, I will command you and you will command me?

Man- I guess.

Woman- But, if I tell you what to do, and you tell me what to do, then we must be able to tell each other that we can do what we want.

Man- I hadn't thought of that before. That is confusing.

Woman- Yes, it is. In theory, if I tell you that I want to think for myself and you don't want me to, then you can tell me that I can't, and if I tell you that you can't say that, then you could just as easily say that I can't say that. That could go to you saying that I'm not allowed to tell you what to do and I could do the same, so by ruling each other, we actually have no control over what the other does.

Man- So, by controlling one another, we really have no control at all.

Woman- It would certainly seem that way.

Man- Well, now what do we do?

Woman- To fix the problem, one of us has to have rule over the other.

Man- And how do we pick who has the power between us?

Woman- Let's have a vote.

Man- That sounds fair. Alright, all of you who want me to be in charge, raise your hand.

(MAN raises his hand)

Woman- Okay, and all of you who want me to be in charge, raise your hand.

(WOMAN raises her hand)

Woman- The vote seems to be one to one. We've tied. And even if we try it the other way around, which is asking the same question, only reversing our answers it will still be one to one, only the results will seem much kinder.

Man- Would you like to try it that way?

Woman- It would be nice for the vote to seem less selfish on my part, but I don't think there would be much of a point, would there?

Man- I suppose not, since we already know that the results would be the same.

Woman- Then we are still stuck with this dilemma. One of has to be better then the other. I propose that we tell each other what makes us better leaders. We will tell what we know about ourselves and then we will tell what we know about each other and weigh it all out and pick the best one to fit the job.

Man- That sounds fair. I will start. The One Who Woke Us said that I am stronger, that means if anyone were to invade us, I could defend better then you.

Woman- That is true. What else?

Man- I was also told that I can build shelters and things. Wouldn't that be useful if we ever needed to get out of the open air? I could build lots of them and we could fill all of them will children. Then we would have something to rule.

Woman- That is also true, but do keep going.

Man- Then I was told that I could establish order. That means that I could organize everybody into groups and shelters and make other leaders and things like that.

Woman- You certainly seem to be able to do a lot. Can you think of anything else?

Man- Well, yes, actually, because after all of that he told me that I was able to bring food to our tables. That means I can feed everyone. Certainly that is premise for me to be a leader, isn't it? But, before we decide, I think it is only fair for you to get a turn. What can you do?

Woman- Well, I was told that I have wisdom beyond my years. I would guess that that would be a good thing, because then we wouldn't make so many mistakes all the time. Then, instead of fighting all of the defenders off, maybe we could make friends with them, instead, then we could get more help and have even more to rule.

Man- I suppose that's true, but how would you do that?

Woman- Well, the One Who Woke Us also told me that I am caring, so that must mean that, since I am caring, I would be trusted. That way I could reason with everybody and stop the fights before they started.

Man- That would be a very good thing, because then there would peace. But you can't be everywhere at once. What would happen if a fight broke out before you could get there to stop it?

Woman- I don't know. I was also told that I am supportive.

Man- So if your caring and supportive you could nurse the hurt people back to health and they would have learned there lesson.

Woman- That's right. And after all of those other things I was told that I was sensitive and so I would be able to talk to everyone and they would listen, out of kindness and politeness of course, and then we wouldn't need to fight anymore.

Man- I suppose, then, that you would be a better leader then I would be.

Woman- But if I was leader, then who would build the shelters and catch the food?

Man- I don't know. That is a good question. I suppose that I could do all of that any ways. And besides the One Who Woke Us did say that behind every great man there would be a greater woman. Doesn't that mean that you would be a better leader then I?

Woman- Well, if I were to be leader, then there would be no great man for me to be behind, and so I would be out of my element.

Man- Then, if you would be the better leader then I because I am the leader, then we must be at an impasse.

Woman- Then we should lead together.

Man- But that will just cause us to fight. I would want things to be strong and you would want things to be kind and so we could never agree.

Woman- Then I guess we could not be kings. But if we do not rule, then who else will?

Man- Maybe no one. Maybe we're here to have our free will.

Woman- So we don't have to have leaders?

Man- That way, we won't have to worry about who is leading us. I guess so. I guess that means that we're free.

Man- We can do what we want.

Woman- And what do we want?

Man- That is a very good question. I suppose if we're free we must have wanted that.

Woman- Now that we have what we want, what can we do?

Man- I don't know. I guess if we wanted freedom, and we have it, we must not want anything anymore.

Woman- That seems to make some sense, but if we don't want anything, then we must be free.

Man- That was simple. We must be free.

Woman- I'm afraid that being free is awfully boring.

Man- Does that mean were not happy?

Woman- I don't know. Are we still supposed to be here to be happy, or has that changed?

Man- I think it hasn't. It wouldn't be a bad reason.

Woman- Well then, I think that being free is boring. And since the word "boring" in no way describes anything to do with the word "happy", it must not make me happy.

Man- Well, if we're not happy then we must want something else.

Woman- Didn't we establish that when we we're being fools.

Man- Kind of. We decided we want answers because we have too many questions, so we aren't happy being ignorant... and fools are always ignorant. And since we want something, we can't be free. Because wanting binds us to something, and the word "bind" doesn't seem to have any kind of connection to the word "free" and since I must use it to describe our situation, we can't possibly be free.

Woman- I guess that makes sense. So, we're not free? I don't know what that leaves us with. Though I must admit, we have been very creative, up to this point.

Man- Well, then maybe it's in our nature to be creative.

Woman- That would make us creators, wouldn't it?

Man- Yes, I suppose it would. Create, after all, is the root word of both creator and creative, so if we're one, we must be the other.

Woman- I suppose that, if we're creators, we should be creating things, then.

Man- And what should we create?

Woman- I think it would be nice to create some company. No offense to you, but I would like to have some others around to talk to. It's not that I find you boring, it's just a little tedious is all.

Man- How do you think we should go about doing that? Especially since we haven't really created anything yet.

Woman- Give us a chance, we haven't even been creators for a full five minutes yet. I would think it takes longer then that to create things.

Man- Like I'd said, I've never created something before, so I wouldn't know. Everything that's here was already here when we arrived.

Woman- I would think that we first have to come up with some idea of what we want to create before we can create it.

Man- And we've done that. You said that you wanted to create some company.

Woman- Okay. So, that's step one finished.

Man- And what's step two?

Woman- I don't know, I haven't created that yet.

Man- I have an idea. Why don't you stand on that rock there and I'll stand on this rock here and we'll see how that goes.

Woman- How will that help us create something?

Man- I don't know, but they seem to be the only commodity we have and since they've been here since we were and we're creators, maybe they are too.

Woman- We could give it try.

(They both retreat to a rock, one each, and stand there)

Man- Now I guess we could try and create something.

Woman- How do you think we should go about doing that?

Man- I don't know. I hadn't thought that far ahead. I just figured that once we got here, things would just start creating themselves. I mean, we can't be expected to do all the work.

Woman- Well, maybe if we started to say things about what we wanted they would create themselves. They can't be expected to just now what they're supposed to be yet.

Man- Why not? We're here and we don't really know what we're meant to be yet.

Woman- Well, I guess the One Who Woke Us probably told us what we're supposed to be, but I guess we forgot or something.

Man- He kind of did, I think. He told us what we were, anyways. Maybe there's something to that.

Woman- I don't know, and besides, we shouldn't try to figure it out. It's not our place.

Man- Your right. I should have thought of it back when we were great thinkers. Now that we're creators it doesn't seem like we'll have a lot of extra time for thinking.

Woman- it certainly doesn't. But doesn't that make for a bit of a problem?

Man- How so?

Woman- If we don't have time to think, how are we going to create things. After all, step one is to think of something to create.

Man- You're right. we can't rightly just go creating things without knowing what they are, can we?

Woman- I guess not. After all, how would we know that we created it if we didn't know that we created it.

Man- I guess your right. After all, the One Who Woke Us certainly seemed to know something about us.

Woman- Does that mean that he created us?

Man- I guess it would..

Woman- That would make him the creator, wouldn't it? Which means they we're probably not creators at all.

Man- Or at least, if we are, we're only second rate creators.

Woman- How did you come to that conclusion?

Man- Well, if he created us, then he must have given us the power to think.

Woman- Oh, I see! So, if he gave us the power to think then we must not know how to do anything he didn't teach us.

Man- So, I guess your right, we can't be creators.

Woman- Not if we can't even create our own thoughts.

Man- Well, that's kind of depressing. All this time, I've been thinking that I was thinking, when I really wasn't thinking at all.

Woman- I guess so, but you do know you were thinking it. That means you must have thought it.

Man- That doesn't make sense. Am I right or wrong then?

Woman- Well, if you know that you can only think what your told, then that must mean that you were told to think for yourself. Which means that your only thinking for yourself because someone thought that for you.

Man- And so, the thoughts we're thinking must have been someone else's thoughts first. I wonder if we're to think someone else's thoughts.

Woman- I don't think so.

Man- No you don't. Someone else does. You're catching on.

Woman- No, I mean, if you thought that, then someone out there must have wanted you to know that we're here only to think their thoughts. This is very confusing.

Man- Yeah, I really wish someone would think of what the reason for us to think their thoughts is.

Woman- Well, that doesn't make sense. You just questioned something. if you could question something, and not have an answer for it, then you must have had that thought on your own.

Man- Either that, or we're here to question.

Woman- That seems silly. If you can question it, then that means there must be an answer, or else there wouldn't be a question. Why would we need to question things if there's already an answer. If whoever is thinking for us knows already, then what would be the point of us questioning it.

Man- Unless the one who is making us ask the question doesn't know either.

Woman- That seems even sillier. If we can't actually think for ourselves, then what good would it be to make us ask the question.

Man- Well, perhaps who ever is thinking for me isn't the same person who's thinking for you. Maybe Mans have someone different to think for them then womans.

Woman- But who would that be?

Man- Do you think they don't know each other?

Woman- What?

Man- If you don't know, then... Wait, shouldn't we know who is thinking for us?

Woman- Not if they don't think it?

Man- Then they have the same problem as we do.

Woman- Then how in the great Abroad can them thinking for us be of any use. Especially if they don't know any more then they do? If they're coming up with answers, who's telling them?

Man- Maybe then, everybody has there own different person to think for them and they all have someone to think for them.

Woman- This a viscous circle. It doesn't seem to have an end at all.

Man- Everything has to have an end, sometime.

Woman- Then what's stopping it?

Man- Someone else doesn't think I was told that.

Woman- Ten there are some questions with out answers?

Man- Every question has to have an answer.

Woman- Then we don't know, which means, if we're being thought for, they don't know... Which means that, if you travel up through the people thinking for other people, nobody knows, which means that some questions don't have answers. Unfortunately that isn't possible because we can't create and so in order to have a question, we must, some how, know that there's an answer If there wasn't then the question wouldn't exist. My head hurts.

Man- So, what your saying, is that nothing can exist unless it does.

Woman- Exactly.

Man- Then, maybe we're here to learn the answers ourselves.

Woman- Well, that settles it! If that's true, no ones thinking for us. You see, to learn something we must have free will and if someone is thinking for us we must not have any free will. By those standards, who ever was thinking for us, probably wouldn't want us to think that he was thinking for us because that would mean that we wouldn't need to question because we couldn't really learn anything.

Man- So, otherwise, were probably not here to think someone else's thoughts.

Woman- I guess not. That must mean that we're thinking all our own.

Man- So, that must mean we're creators then.

Woman- But we don't seem to be able to create anything!

Man- Then I suppose the only option left for us is that we're here to learn.

Woman- I guess so, but that still doesn't tell us who we are.

Man- Sure it does. We must be students.

Woman- How can that be. It doesn't seem that we have anything to study.

Man- I guess we could always study each other.

Woman- That seems an odd notion. I don't think I would be comfortable with you studying me.

Man- No. I don't know that I would be comfortable studying you.

Woman- That only leaves ourselves to study.

Man- That, the nothing above and the something below.

Woman- The place we live, you mean.

Man- I guess. But what is there to study? It's here and we're here and what else is there?

Woman- I do wish that the One Who Woke Us would come back. I do think he could tell us more of what to study.

Man- Maybe he would have us study him.

Woman- That is certainly a lot of things to study.

Man- Then I guess, if we have a lot to study, we must be students.

Woman- If we're students, I guess we'd better start studying then.

Man- Without a teacher?

Woman- Well, no... I guess we can't be students without a teacher, can we?

Man- Not probably. I have an idea, since you seem to be the smart one, then why don't you be the teacher?

Woman- Goodness, I wouldn't know where to start.

Man- I think it would be good if I sat and you went up to that rock and started to tell me things so I could learn them.

Woman- I think that that might work.

(She goes up to the rock MAN sits. WOMAN stands there in silence)

Man- Now that I am here and you are there we can start.

Woman- I don't know at all what to teach you. what would you like to be taught?

Man- You could teach me about you.

Woman- I think I could do that. I am woman.

Man- Go on.

Woman- I... I am sensitive and, smart and caring and... and I am... thinking for myself...

Man- I know all of those things already.

Woman- I can't think of what else to say.

Man- You could say, for instance, that you have are very good at parties. Or that you are fond of cherries. You could tell me that you've always wanted to be a ballerina or a nurse or something.

Woman- But I don't know whether I'm good at parties. I don't really like cherries and I never wanted to be a ballerina, or a nurse for that matter. So, if I told you those things, even for instance, I would be lying.

Man- But that's the reason you have to teach me those things. I don't know them.

Woman- Oh, I see. You seem to be a very good teacher. Maybe you should be here instead.

Man- I wouldn't know how to teach.

Woman- Neither would I.

Man- I think you've been doing quite well. Besides you have experience now. You've been a teacher for over five minutes already.

Woman- I suppose your right. I could try to be a teacher for a little while longer. But only if you promise to help.

Man- Do you think I should teach you how to be a teacher before you start?

Woman- No, that seems silly.

Man- I guess it does. I could still teach you to be a teacher when you think you need it. After all, you can't be expected to know everything, can you?

Woman- No. You can sometimes teach me then, but, just when I ask for help though, okay?

Man- Sounds fair.

Woman- I suppose I should start again, then. I am woman. I Don't... Ummm... I don't...

Man- Don't what?

Woman- I don't know what I'm doing! You could teach me some now, if you'd like.

Man- Okay. Let me think... If you don't like cherries, what do you like?

Woman- I like strawberries, sometimes. If it's late enough into the summer. Blueberries are very nice too. Peaches are very good too, when they're ripe.

Man- When does that happen.

Woman- Summer I think.

Man- You must like summer a lot then.

Woman- I suppose I must. Spring is very nice too, though. All the pretty rain and flowers and things. I think I like the lilacs and roses the best. The lilacs make everything smell pretty and the roses colour everything so beautifully.

Man- I see. Go on.

Woman- I think I've run out of things to say about that. You'll probably have to ask me questions from now on.

Man- Okay. What did you want to be when you were little?

Woman- I kind of always wanted to be a mommy. I like kids.

Man- Why?

Woman- I don't know. They seem so happy and innocent and everything. They don't even know what questions to ask yet.

Man- It seems that we ask a lot of questions. Kids don't, you say?

Woman- No... well, I guess they do, just not important ones. Important meaning that I can't answer them, of course. They ask things like why does it rain and the answer to that is simply so that the flowers can grow.

Man- Is that why it rains?

Woman- I guess so. if it didn't rain, then how would the flowers drink? I certainly don't have time to water them all myself.

Man- No, certainly not. The problem, of course, is that the kids will grow up and their questions will get harder and harder. Like, instead of "Why does it rain?" They'll be asking 'Where does the rain come from?"

Woman- Well, that's easy. The nothing above, I guess.

Man- So, who makes it fall from the nothing above?

Woman- I don't know. I guess that would have to be the One Who Woke Us, because, as we said earlier, he's the creator. And since the rain must be created somehow, I guess he did it.

Man- You certainly are a good teacher.

Woman- And you certainly are a good student. You seem to know all of the things that I should teach you.

Man- I think I've taught you to teach pretty well.

Woman- Indeed you have. Would you like me to teach you how to teach now?

Man- I think it might be a useful thing to learn. I mean, what if one day you don't know something and I have to teach you about it. If I don't know how to teach, then you'll have to teach me how to teach first so I can teach you and by that time we might have forgotten what I was supposed to teach you to begin with and that won't be very good.

Woman- I guess your right.

Man- So, what should I teach you?

Woman- I don't know? Maybe you should teach me the same things I taught you.

Man- I guess I could. I am man. Beyond that I suppose you'll have to ask me things.

Woman- That sounds fair. Do you like cherries?

Man- I guess I like cherries okay. I'm much fonder of steak though. Well done. That might be good for you to know, then you'll know how to cook it when I get back from hunting.

Woman- You're a hunter?

Man- I guess I must be. How else would I get food?

Woman- That is a good point.

Man- I guess it is.

Woman- Did you want to be a hunter when you were growing up?

Man- I guess I kind of did, but I really wanted to be the best at it. I mean, really great!

Woman- Yeah? Why do you think that was? Wouldn't just being a hunter be good enough?

Man- You would think that, wouldn't you? But I had always dreamed of being the best. I don't know why.

Woman- Well, how do you know you're not?

Man- I don't know.

Woman- Have you ever hunted before?

Man- Actually, now that you mention it, I can't say that I have.

Woman- Would you like to try it?

Man- I think, since you asked, I would. Why, what did you have in mind?

Woman- I thought that maybe you could be a hunter and I could be a deer, or something like that.

Man- That seems silly. You don't even look like a deer.

Woman- I know. I just thought that I might be able to teach you how to be a hunter.

Man- Would you?

Woman- The best there is.

Man- I don' know how we're supposed to do that. There aren't a lot of places for you to hide.

Woman- I guess not.

Man- I will, of course, have to get us some food, sometime though. I am getting hungry, after all.

Woman- Now that you mention it, I'm hungry too. You could learn to be a hunter on your own.

Man- Could I? Then, who would be the teacher?

Woman- whatever you were hunting, I guess.

Man- That makes sense. Would you like me to go out and hunt, then?

Woman- If you would. I will figure what we should do with it, while you are away.

Man- That sounds good.

Woman- How long do you think you'll be away?

Man- I don't know. I would think that something like this would take a good hour or so, wouldn't you?

Woman- I would think so. What will you have to do?

Man- First I would have to think of an animal to find. Then I would have to wait for it, quietly. After that I might have to stalk it for a while. Then I guess I would kill it and bring it back.

Woman- That might take a few hours.

Man- Then, along that logic, it'll be at least an hour before I get back.

Woman- Okay. Do be safe and take your time, no need to rush things.

Man- Take care of yourself, also, and don't worry, I'll be back soon enough.

Woman- Good luck, then.

(MAN exits. WOMAN sits on a rock and contemplates what she is supposed to do.)

Woman- Well, I suppose that's being taken care of. But, how will I hold up my end of things? What am I to do with the thing when he brings it back? Surely we can't just stare at it. What would I do with it? Cook it, I guess. What with, I wonder? I don't think these rocks will do very good. They do get warm, but not warm enough, that is for sure. I shouldn't strain myself, though. He won't be back for some time. But what do I do, then, while he is abroad? Perhaps, I myself, should be abroad. Perhaps we're here only not to be. I should ask man that when he returns. Silly thing, this. It appears that I can't think of a thing to do. It always went that while man was here I could think of something to do, but now that he is gone... Something is missing. I can't really say that I can make sense out of it. But, I do wish he were back.

He said he would be gone for an hour. I wonder how long it takes an hour to run its course? Seconds I do believe I'm able to grasp. They never seem to last longer then a second each. Minutes are a little harder, but