The Unsuccessful Puppets (english version)

Episode 4 (Act Scene 7,8)

SCENE  7 - ESCAPING, CARD GAMES AND SECRETS

A little table is occupied Mr Powell, Mrs Wheeler, and Mrs Raffery. A few feet away, Miss Miller sits with her drawing pad at another table. Mrs Raffery lights up a cigarette. Mrs Wheeler and Mr Powel play Crazy Eights.

MR POWELL

Have you ever considered escaping?

MRS RAFFERY

That is all I can think about.

MRS WHEELER

I have certainly considered escaping from this place. However.. I do not have much to come back to. My daughter does not want to talk to me. I have no contact with my remaining family members.

MRS RAFFERY

In my opinion, it is not a question of whether I get out or not. It is more of a question of when.

MR POWELL

Sometimes I think this is just a big nightmare. That I will wake up and realise that it was just a nightmare. The nightmare becomes reality after some time, and the nightmare becomes the outside world.

MRS RAFFERY

You may accept to sit here and rot. However, I promise that nothing will stand in my way of escaping.

MR POWELL

If it is so obvious to you. Why have you not already wandered out in the free world then? Or could it be that you are not as smart as you pretend to be? 

MRS RAFFERY

My intelligence does not need to be proven to you. Besides that, I have better things to do than sit here with you.

MR POWELL

Does being alone never get old to you? Or are you never getting tired of pretending to be better than us?

Mrs Raffery examines Mr Powell's cards.

MRS RAFFERY

Observing your card draws, I realize that you are always making the same mistake. You are not thinking about tactics at all. Your victory would have been long time ago if you had. You think t you can only win a card game by luck.

MR POWELL

Did Miss occupy not have something more interesting to do than talking to talk with us?

MRS RAFFERY

If you had laid route 4 rather than club 7,  you would have only one card remaining. Beyond that, I hope you will learn to not underestimate a woman a goal.

Raffery stubs out her cigarette before leaving the table confidently. 

MR POWELL

It is difficult for me to understand Mrs Raffery. She is always so formal and overly serious. I am willing to bet that even Charlie Chaplin could not make that woman smile.

MRS WHEELER

Raffery may be arrogant and unpleasant to deal with. But her drive amazes me. The woman seems to be on her way somewhere all of the time. I heard some rumors that she was high up in a criminal network.  And a rival ensured that she was caught. 

MISS MILLER

No one would want to be the reason she sits here. Perhaps Mr. Mason's experiments can give us a new chance at life. 

MR POWELL

That man is not trustworthy. He seems to have more skeletons in the closet than Mrs. Raffery, and she certainly has many. Imagine that you open a closet where skeletons are streaming out. This is probably what Mr Mason's closet looks like. 

MRS WHEELER

The same goes for me. This is not because he keeps skeletons in his closet. It is because he refuses to tell us about the experiments he wants to conduct on us. I think he has more secrets than skeletons in his closet.

Miss Miller looks up from her drawing.

MISS MILLER

I agree that Mr Mason is very special, but he is my last hope. Only he can cure me. Since we all have skeletons in our closets, we cannot judge him. If he had meant to harm us, he would have already done so a long time ago. 

MRS WHEELER

Who are we to judge him? Miss Miller is right. We are the ones who are stuck here. Mr Mason is special but seems to be gifted in his field. I wish I had the courage to take part in his experiments. Imagine if we tried a new medicine that would change the lives of the most vulnerable in our society. 

MR POWELL

I would never agree to be part of a experiment for that man. I want to get out of here in one piece. If I can get out of here. Mr Mason and Mrs Raffery do everything they can to appear clever, and better than us. However,  it is merely a facade, as we all know. It reminds me of the emperor in the emperor's new clothes. It is a game for open curtains. They wait for someone to tell them that they have no clothes on.

MRS WHEELER

Are we not all hiding behind a facade? I am not sure whether Mrs Raffery and Mr Mason put on a facade or simply do not back away from being themselves. Perhaps they just do not care what other people think. 

MR POWELL

Naked emperors are nothing more than naked emperors. It does not matter how he persuades himself.

Mrs Wheeler lay her last card on the table.

MRS WHEELER

It is always a pleasure to play cards with you, Mr Powell. Since I always win.

Mr Powell looks defeated when looks down at the cards on the table.

MR POWELL

There is no way that can be right.

MRS WHEELER

Who is the Emperor in his new clothes now?

Mrs Raffery appears behind Mr Powell.

MRS RAFFERY

I bet that Mrs Wheeler won this round.

MR POWELL

Are you here to torment me?

MRS RAFFERY

I came here in order to pick up my cigarettes, which I had left behind. I consider it an added bonus that you are tormented in my presence.

Raffery picks up her cigarettes and tucks them away in her pocket.

MRS WHEELER

Do you think we could play a  round, Mrs. Raffery? Generally speaking,  Mr Powell is not a challenging opponent. 

MR POWELL

I am still here, as you two know.

MRS RAFFERY

As Mr Powell knows, the truth hurts. I have time for one round (to Mrs Wheeler).

Mr Powell goes and sits down at the same table where Miss Miller sits.

MR POWELL

Now is your chance to prove yourself Mrs Raffery. Is Mrs Raffery so intelligent that she represents herself?

MISS MILLER

It is time to let it go. I understand that she is a woman that carries herself with confidence. Young man, you have already have a wife.

MR POWELL

Ruby, you know that my wife is my true love, and you to think that there is something between me and Mrs Raffery is laughable. 

MISS MILLER

Mr. Powell, I am just joking. There is no need to take offense.

MR POWELL

Miss Miller even though my wife visited me just a few days ago. My heart already misses her.  But my debts must be paied off. Otherwise, I would never be able to live with myself.

MISS MILLER

Powell, the highest walls are the ones in your head, and as long as you believe that you should stay here, you will never be able to leave. Always keep in mind what you are fighting for.

Mr. Powell looks up at Miss Miller and down at Miss Miller's drawing.

MR POWELL

Is this a sketch of the prison? That must be the case. (spoke too loudly).

Miss Miller silenced him by holding her hand over his mouth.

MISS MILLER

Hush, please! It is not necessary for you to speak so loudly.

MR POWELL

It was such a surprise to me. Are you working on an escape plan, Miss Miller?

MISS MILLER

Yes, no, or a mapping of the prison if I were to decide to get out. My chances of ever using it are pretty slim.

MR POWELL

What exactly are you doing here?  I know you do not want to talk about why you are here, but you could not done anything worse than anyone else here.

MISS MILLER

I began sketching this prison two years ago, Mr Powell. As time goes on, I watch it become a fantasy of something that will just lead to my own undoing. 

MR POWELL

For two years, have you been keeping this from me? Miss Miller, I was under the impression we were friends.

MISS MILLER

We are friends and I should have told you. The plan has been scrapped since I decided not to go through with it. For me, it simply does not work. There is no way I can escape my actions. Acts have consequences and I deserve to be here. What I have done is unforgivable. There is no way I could ever forgive myself.

MR POWELL

Ruby, you are more than your mistakes: You are the kindest and the most understanding woman I have ever met. Regardless of what you have done.  Ruby, you deserve a second chance. It is difficult for me to understand why you are so hard on yourself.

MISS MILLER

The person who deserves a second chance is you. You have a family. Something worth battling for. I have nothing else but these walls. Since the day I arrived here, my family has turned their backs on me. I have accepted my place here.

Miss Miller folds the drawing over the prison.

MR POWELL

You do not belong here, Miss Miller. Anyone can see it. I would have come with you if I had not promised my wife to follow the rules.

The Lights go out on Miss Miller's table and go up on the table where Mrs Raffery and Mrs Wheeler play cards. They are sitting quietly and focused. Another cigarette is lit by Mrs.Raffery. Mrs. Hoffman and Miss Wagner enter the room. Miss Miller hides her drawing. 

MRS HOFFMAN

Break is over. It is time to return to your work. Sitting here all day is not an option. Just get started. Miss Miller and Mrs Raffery are following me. Mr Powell and Mrs Wheeler are following Miss Wagner to badwash. 

All the characters moves on stage. Miss Wagner, Miss Miller and Mrs Raffery ends up on the opposite side to Mrs Hoffman, Mrs Wheeler and Mr Powell and then all leave the stage. 

SCENE 8 - A CALL FROM THE CIA

Mrs Thomson sits by her desk. She reads a paper from her pile of papers.  Mr. Mason knocks at her door. Mrs. Thomson fixes her pile of papers and takes a deep breath. 

MRS THOMSON

You are welcome to come in.

A short time later, Mr Mason walks in and sits down opposite Mrs Thomson. Mrs Thomson stands up next to her table.

MR MASON

I will keep it short. Next week, my medical studies will begin, so I need to speak with you. I would like you to keep my studies a secret, otherwise there is a possibility that someone will leak information to the press.

MRS THOMSON

We cannot hide your studies from our staff. They must prepare for what is coming. But you only need to tell them a little about your studies.

MR MASON

There should be no need for that. 

Suddenly, Mrs. Thomson's phone rings.

MRS THOMSON

Just one moment.

Mrs. Thomson answers the phone. Mr Mason listens in on the conversation. 

MRS THOMSON (on the phone)

You have reached Tennessee state prison and are speaking with Mrs Thomson, its director. I understand. Why do we need to shut down? I am fully aware that the prison is in a bad condition. Is this renovation going to cost us millions of dollars? You cannot expect it to be done that soon. In your opinion, who will pay for these renovations? Okay, I fully understand. You would like to speak with Mr. Mason. Please wait for a moment. 

Mason hears this but pretends not to have heard it. Mrs Thomson gestures for Mr Mason to go to the phone. The telephone is given to Mr Mason by Mrs Thomson. Mrs Thomson goes to stand a little further away and looks at Mr Mason with a scrutiny glance.

MR MASON

Yes, you are speaking with Mr Mason. Would you like to sponsor my study? Yes, of course. The offer is accepted. There is only one condition I have. It is that you pay for the renovation. The pleasure is mine. You would like to speak with Mrs Thomson again. I understand...

In an attempt to locate Mrs Thomson, Mr Mason looks around the room. He gestures for her to come to the phone. Mason sits down on the chair with a satisfied grin on his face.

MRS THOMSON

No problem. You need not worry. I will treat the information flow about the experiment with extreme caution. You have my word. I will do anything in my power to make sure this does not leak to the public. Goodbye, Mr Gottlieb.

Mrs. Thomson hangs up the phone.

MR MASON

You owe me now a favor. 

MRS THOMSON

I do not owe you anything. Mr Mason.

MR MASON

Otherwise, I will have to get in touch with the CIA and request that they find a replacement.

MRS THOMSON

Mr Mason, are you threatening me?

MR MASON

Of course not, I give you an ultimatum, Mrs Thomson.The ultimatum is to support my experiments no matter what. I would hate to see you lose your job for this reason. You should think of your family. It is also very uncommon to find a woman in a managerial position. Can you swallow your pride, or are you willing to sacrifice everything?

Mrs Thomson is silent for a while.

MRS THOMSON

You have my agreement on one condition. A staff meeting must be held to share information about your medical experiments with the prison staff. 

MR MASON

That I can accept. 

MRS THOMSON

Mr Mason, was that all you had to say?

MR MASON

That was all.

Mason stands up and leaves Mrs Thomson quickly. Mrs Thomson sits down to work on the documents again. After a while, Mrs Thomson turns to the audience.

MRS THOMSON

My only choice is to either risk my job or go against Mr Mason, the CIA, and probably the government. What difference would it make as an individual person to go against the CIA other than putting my family in danger. The pain I went through when my parents lost their jobs is not something I do not want to pass on to my children. There were times when we did not have enough food. My stomach cried out for food. My Husband works but only that salary will not give my children a future they deserve.

The lights are turned off.