DANIEL DAVID MOSES
The following is a short selection from the piece originally published on pages 86-133 of Issue 26.1.
DE WINTER’S TALE
by
Daniel David Moses
CHARACTERS HE is young and First Nations–a storyteller. SHE’s pale of face, older, an actress. SETTING In the city somewhere, the reflection of a bedroom in moonlight’s broken mirror. HE sprawls asleep in the bed. Curled up in the chair in front of a vanity table, SHE’s watching him dreaming. SHE glances at the mirror, peers at her own face there in the broken light.
SHE: Once upon a time–
HE: ‘Once–once upon a time?’
SHE: Aren’t you asleep?
HE: (opening his eyes) Prob’ly. Probably.
He turns, stretching, meets her reflected gaze.
HE: Oh yeah. Yeah, must be–a dream.
SHE: ‘A dream?’
HE: Yeah, a dream. Cuz you’re in it.
SHE: You’re so–corny.
HE: Hey, Indian’s got a right to corn.
SHE: That ‘uh-maize-ing’ thing?
HE: Yes, ma’am.
SHE: Haha. Punny man.
HE: Thank you.
SHE: The lowest form of–human.
HE: Hey, what’s wrong? Mary?
SHE: I’m tired of talking ‘Once upon a time.’
HE: No. Don’t be. Hey.
SHE: ‘Hey?’
HE: Don’t laugh. This is real. No tall tale. It really happened.
SHE: Oh, Johnny! You expect me to believe–
HE: Mary, I love you.
SHE: You ‘love’ me?
HE: Yeah. Believe it.
SHE: ‘At first sight,’ yet?
HE: Betcha.
SHE: You’re so full of crap.
HE: Well, I love you too.
SHE: That is not what I said.
HE: ’S implicit.
SHE: Oh, is it?
HE: Y’only shit the one you love.
SHE: You don’t really even know me.
HE: ’Cept for biblically.
SHE: Haha. Nobody reads the Bible anymore.
HE: Come ’ere.
SHE: No. Don’t change the subject.
HE: Want me there? I’ll make you believe.
SHE: Stay put. Oh put on some clothes.
HE: Great White Lady.
SHE: No. Stop.
HE: I love you giving me orders.
SHE: Go back to bed. Go on.
HE: Coming too? Mare?
SHE: Maybe you better just go.
HE: Ah Mare–
SHE: I need sleep. I’ve got that matinee tomorrow–
HE: Yeah. Who like knows that better–?
SHE: I need my rest.
HE: Sorry if I like ‘tired’ you out.
SHE: Haha.
HE: ‘Oh my aching back!’
SHE: Haha again.
HE: Look, let me like make way for The Lady. The bed is
spread, vacated and the pillow fluffed up for her oh–
Mary? What is it?
SHE: ‘The Lady.’ ‘Great White Lady.’ That’s it, you know.
You can’t love me. You’re in love with that de Winter
bitch.
HE: Mary, that’s nuts.
SHE: It is nuts.
HE: Don‘t let like that come between us.
SHE: Too late, Tonto.
HE: Hey!
SHE: Sorry, ‘Chief.’
HE: ’S more like it.
SHE: I forgot.
HE: Would the leading lady like getting taken for the
ingenue?
SHE: Let’s not go there just now.
HE: Good. What’s so funny?
SHE: It’s–just you I guess.
HE: (kissing her cheek) Move over. What you waiting for?
Mary?
SHE: ‘Once upon a time.’
HE: Wha–?
SHE: Yeah, that’s what I’m waiting for. ‘Once upon a time.’
Tell it to me again. How you first sighted me. Tell me
the not so tall tale. Maybe I’ll believe it this time.
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