January 5, 2008

WAITING FOR NOTHING

"Do you think I am a fool?"

"Do you think you are a fool?"

(Silence)

"Can fools think they are fools?"

"I sure think so."

"Are you thinking right now?"

"I don't know."

"Think."

"I am not Lucky and you are not Pozzo."

"Who was Pozzo?"

"Master of Lucky who asked him to 'think.'"

"That means Lucky was his slave... Then how was Lucky, lucky?"

"I don't know!"

"Lucky, Kucky, K-l-ucky, yucky, mucky." (singing)

"Enough!"

"Is it Klucky or Erky?"

"Lucky!"

"Are you sure?"

"Haven't you read Waiting for Godot?"

"Waiting for who..?"

"Godot!"

"I thought you said Lucky first."

"Yes, but Lucky was in that play."

"Was Godot in the play as well?"

"No."

"Then if it is Godot's play, why is Lucky in it?"

"Because Estragon and Vladimir are waiting for Godot, Lucky is a marginal character."

(Thinking) "So... Ass-my-gone and Lad-im-r are in the play, Lucky is in the play, but Mr. Go-dot-com is not?!?"

"Its Es-tra-gon and V-lad-imir. And Godot, pronounced as Goo-do."

(Slowly.) "Doo-do. Dodo!"

"It's Godo!

"Dodo!"

(Sighs.) "Forget it."

(Silence)

"Does Godot meet them?"

"No."

"Then why do they wait?"

"Well, because that's the play. It's about waiting. They just... pass their time."

"That's the play?"

"Yep."

"BORING!" (loudly.)

"Well, it's famous!"

"Is it?!?"

"Yep."

"Boy! People are dumb."

"U think?"

"And to think we call ourselves the fools."


"Hmm."

(Silence.)

"Well, are we waiting too?"


"For whom?"

"Dodo."

"Depends."

"On?"

"Whether you want to wait for a dodo or not. Dodos are extinct by the way, so I think we'll have to do a pretty lot of waiting."

(Sadly) "I didn't know Dodo was dead. No wonder they keep waiting."

"It's Godot!!!"

"That's exactly what I said."

"No you didn't."

"Yes I did."

"No you didn't."

"I think contrary."

"U cannot think!"

"Why?"

"Beause a fool cannot think!"

"Really?"

"Yes!"

"Prove it."

"What?"

"Ph-roooo-ve it!"

"I don't want to."

"Neither do I." (Silence.) "So, are we done waiting?"

"We weren't waiting for anyone in the first place!"

"We weren't?"

"No!"

"Then what are we waiting here for?"

"I don't know."

"Well? Shall we go?"

"Yes, let's go."

(They do not move).


*
Inspired (evidently) from the Absurdist playwright Samuel Beckett's magnificent play, Waiting For Godot.

18 comments:

Renovatio said...

Inspired eh? I get the feeling that you've actually had a conversation like that. In fact, I'm certain of it.

Oh and those two things,

1) Driving

2) Cooking :D

five_silver_rings said...

Oh boo hoo! I am sure if women put their mind to it, they will be way better than men in driving. I, for one, am getting there. Cooking? Haven't met u till now, so can't challenge u to a duel with sauce pans--though I think I would still be better ;)

And no, I have not had such an inane conversation with anybody. What can I say (she sighs), I have a 'creative' mind :P

Read my post 'With a Sparkler' (under 2007), I assure u, u might just say that I wrote that out of my own experience as well.

five_silver_rings said...

Oh, and have u read the play?

Anonymous said...

Play!! all i understood was waiting and waiting!! at the end i just realised its meant to make people look like fools..clever chic you are!
baah!! i do not have the patience to understand!!
guess luck is our slave after all!!
n of course i hvn read waiting for godot..duhhh! :)

risha; said...

I love Absurdist playwrights.
In fact, the entire movement resonates with me. I also love Waiting for Godot. On my top ten plays. <3

Renovatio said...

People are bloody ignorant apes.

Renovatio said...

That had to be alone for effect. You just name the time and place, and prepare yourself for a culinary orgasm. What does the loser have to do for the winner?

Zee said...

:) very nice!

Anonymous said...

ignorant apes!! ahan!! i hope u don think yourself to be a clever fox!

five_silver_rings said...

Butcher: Thanks :)

Persona non grata: Absurdist plays are a lil off-beat, so yeah, it was fun writing these dialogues.

renovatio: Touche!

Zee: Thanks for the appreciation

Anonymous: Err, no. I do not think myself as a 'clever fox'. Just enjoying a different style of writing. "People are ignorant apes" is a line renovatio quoted from the play to show that he has read. As innocent as that :)

five_silver_rings said...

Oh Mr. Renovatio, the loser will have to... Well, we'll see when we cross that bridge ;)

risha; said...

Off-beat? I wouldn't say so. Especially not in today's literature courses. Absurdist plays are a staple. Off-beat would still be the Beat Gen. I haven't seen a traditional literature course dealing with a BeatGen writer as yet.

Renovatio said...

Very well then, I'll be waiting. Until then, do grant us a fresh post, love.

Renovatio said...

Say, hypothetically I was to start a recipes/places-to-eat blog. Would you care to contribute? Hypothetically, of course.

five_silver_rings said...

persona non grata: True, Absurdist plays are unconventional plays written during the Second World War era--but they were written to depict the emptiness and the sheer meaningless in living. I used the term 'off-beat' to introduce the unconventional aspect of such plays: theme(s), plots, unmotivated and uninspiring protagonists and minimal settings--aspects that are inherent in such works.

renovatio: Would love to contribute to 'places-to-eat' blog... Though I might warn you, my posts are never on time, since I have tons of other things to write on (college papers and all)--if however, you are okay with that, then I shall only be delighted to contribute... Hypothetically, of course :P

Renovatio said...

You've seen first hand how little I blog. Excluding this last week. Still.

The Cat said...

baby, im sorry i cant call. terrible connection and all. will call you the moment im back.got your msg and cupcake told me. Hugs, and hang in there.

risha; said...

I love how you can summarise the entire movement like that. It's great. I honestly wish I was capable of such brevity. Are you a lit student? You certainly sound like one.

Happened upon Aaki's comment. I hope you're well; whatever it is. Strength.

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