Arabian Nights

Norman Flora Interpreter (At right, a freestanding, open doorway with a multicolored bead curtain. At center, a small, plain wooden table with a white cloth and a sign that says SALE. On the table: a picture frame, a stone, a gold ring, and a figure of a frog. At lights up, Flora very ordinary is at the table, dusting the four objects with a featherduster. Through the bead curtain comes Norman utterly normal who carries a well-traveled suitcase. Immediately, the Interpreter appears and leads Norman in. The Interpreter wears loose, colorful robes and sandals.) Interpreter: Right this way, sir, this way. The most beautiful shop in the world. All the wonders of the kingdom. For nothing! Nothing! Norman: (to Flora, tongue-tied) Ehhhhh Interpreter: EhhhhhI will interpret for you. Norman: Hello. Interpreter: Hail, fair maid! Says he. Flora: (to Norman, putting the featherduster away) Good morning. Interpreter: All praise to the highest, says she. Norman: Do youumspeak any English? Interpreter: Do youumspeak any English? Flora: (She speaks perfect, unaccented English.) Yes, I speak some English. Interpreter: Indeed, sir, I can stammer out a broken song of pitiful, insufficient words. Norman: Ah-ha. Interpreter: Ah-ha.

Norman: Well Interpreter: A deep hole in the ground. Norman: I Interpreter: (points to her eye) The organ of vision. Norman: Ummm Interpreter: Ummm Norman: Listen. Interpreter: Do you hear something? (They all listen for something.) Norman: Im sorry to rush in so late like this. Interpreter: Im sorry to rush in so late like this. Flora: No, please. Norman: But you see Interpreter: (points to her butt) But (points to Flora) you (does binoculars with her hands) see Norman: (looks at his watch) Darn it, its late Interpreter: How swiftly flow the sands of time! Norman: I know this sounds crazy Interpreter: Am I insane? Give me an opinion. Norman: I only have about ten minutes. Interpreter: Soon the shining orb of heaven will cleave the house of the hedgehog. Norman: I have to catch a plane. Interpreter: I must clamber upon the flying corporate carpet and flap away from your kingdom. Norman: Anyway, I want to find Interpreter: Anyway, I want to find Flora: Yes? Interpreter: Yes? Norman: I guess youd call it Interpreter: Something unparalleled! Something sublime! Norman: A souvenir. Interpreter: (confused) A souvenir?!

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Norman: Something to take with me. Interpreter: A treasure! Flora: Any particular kind of thing? Interpreter: Can the funicular hide the spring? Norman: Excuse me? Interpreter: Accuse me? Flora: How much did you want to spend? Interpreter: How much did you want to spend? Norman: It doesnt matter. Interpreter: Lets haggle. Im loaded! Flora: Is this for yourself? Interpreter: Have you a mistress, a wife, a harem? Norman: No, this is for me. Interpreter: Alas and alack, a lad alone in all the world am I. La la la! Flora: Well Interpreter: A deep hole in the ground. Flora: I think I can help you. Interpreter: Solitary sir, the maiden says, I look in your eyes and I see your soul shining there like a golden carp in an azure pool. Norman: Really? Interpreter: Really. Now, in this brief moment, in the midst of this mirage called life, here on this tiny square of soil on the whirling earth, I feel the two of us joined by a crystal thread, your soul to my soul to yours. Norman: You do? Interpreter: You do? Flora: I do. Interpreter: She does. Norman: You know, Ive been up and down this street every day Interpreter: Day and night have I shlepped through the kasbah

Norman: I sure wish Id seen this shop sooner. Interpreter:only so that I might glimpse you. Flora: Ive noticed you walking by. Interpreter: How I pined for you to enter as you passed. Norman: You did? Interpreter: She did. She asks your name. Norman: My name is Norman. Interpreter: My name is Sinbad! Norman: Im here on business. Interpreter: I am the merchant son of a great prince, exiled from my land. Flora: Is that so. Interpreter: Her name is Izthatso. Norman: Is that so? Flora: People call me Flora. Interpreter: But, people call me Flora. Flora: With an F. Interpreter: With an F. Of course. Norman: I Interpreter: The organ of vision. Norman: (looks at his watch) Darn it Interpreter: (looks at Normans watch) Darn it Norman: Yknow, Flora Interpreter: Yknow, Flora Norman: You shop and you shop Interpreter: We live our brief and miserable lives Norman: you never seem to find that special thing youre shopping for. Interpreter: each day awaiting the donut of happiness. Flora: Thats so true. Interpreter: Thats so true. Norman: Maybe what Im looking for is right here. Interpreter: Perhaps today my donut has dawned. Flora: Shhh!

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Interpreter: Shhh! Flora: I thought I heard my father. Interpreter: My father may be listening! Flora: Its almost time for his tea. Interpreter: If he sees me talking to you, hell cut your throat! Norman & Interpreter: (simultaneous as they pick up the suitcase together) Maybe I should be going Flora: No Interpreter: For Gods sake! Flora: He wont bother us. Interpreter: Have mercy, good sir! Norman: I do have a plane to catch. Interpreter: Take my suitcase. (Flora takes the suitcase from him and sets it down.) Flora: We have plenty of time. Interpreter: Keep your voice low. Flora: Shhh! Interpreter: Shhh! Flora: I thought I heard him calling. Interpreter: Hes sharpening the blade. (The sound of a blade sharpening is heard) Norman: [A cry of surprise.] Interpreter: [A cry of surprise.] Flora: Hes just watching old movies. Interpreter: The old man is mad! Flora: Anyway, Im sure Ill have something youll like. Interpreter: Act as if youre buying something. Norman: What about these things right here? Interpreter: What about these things right here? Flora: Maybe youd like a picture frame? Interpreter: Can you conceive, prince, how lonely my days are? They are as empty as a silver frame awaiting a picture.

Flora: Or maybe a stone? Interpreter: My life is hard and as cheap as this stone. Flora: (gestures left) I have more in the back. Interpreter: (gestures left) He keeps me locked in a tiny cell at the back. Norman: No. No. Interpreter: Stay with me. Flora: Maybe youd like Interpreter: What I truly long for Flora: a golden ring? Interpreter: is love. The endless golden donut of love. Flora: If not a ring, maybe a figurine? Interpreter: But my father has betrothed me to a man as ugly as this frog. Flora: Does that interest you? Interpreter: Would you marry this? Norman: Not really. Interpreter: Not really. Flora: I dont know what else I can show you. Interpreter: I have nothing, sir. Nichts! Nada! Niente!

Norman: My God, youre beautiful.

Interpreter: My God, youre beautiful. Flora: Excuse me? Interpreter: Beh, beh, beh, what? Norman: Im sorry. Interpreter: Im not sorry I said it. Norman: I dont usually say things like that. Interpreter: Though I know I sound like a jerk. Norman: You know, sometimes its something so simple. Interpreter: So complicated are the ways of kismet. Norman: You walk into a shop Interpreter: I look at you Norman:and everythings suddenly different, somehow.

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Interpreter:and my heart flutters inside me like a leaf of the perfumed gum tree at the scented bounce of bedspring. Flora: Really? Interpreter: Really. Norman: Now in this brief moment Interpreter: Now in this brief moment Norman:on this tiny patch of ground on the whirling earth Interpreter:in the midst of this mirage called life Norman:I feel us joined by a crystal thread, your soul to my soul to yours. Interpreter: Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. Flora: You do? Interpreter: You do? Norman: I Interpreter: The organ of vision. Norman:do. Interpreter: He does. Norman: How can I leave, now that Ive seen you, met you, heard you? Interpreter: How can I get on a plane and eat that food? Norman: Now that fate has brought me to this bazaar? Interpreter: Its so bizarre. Norman: (looking at his watch) O cruel fate! How swiftly flow the sands of time! Interpreter: O crap, I gotta get outta here! Norman: The stars have decided we must part. (He kisses Floras hand.) But I will return, O my florid queen! Interpreter: Maybe Ill pass this way again sometime. Flora: I will wait for you, my Norman prince! Norman: O, Izthatso. Flora: It is so! I will be yours and you will be mine and we will be each others.

Interpreter: Hommina, hommina, hommina, you get the idea. Norman: Well Interpreter: A deep hole in the ground. Flora: Well Interpreter: With purest spring water at the bottom. Norman: Salaam! Interpreter: So long! Flora: Salaam! Interpreter: So long! So long! So long! (they leave.) Flora: (with a sigh) Oh well. (she dusts the items as lights fade.)

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