Back of The Throat

by
Yussef El Guindi

Leah Hamos,
Gersh Agency
41 Madison Ave, 33rd Floor
New York, NY 10010
212.634.8153
lhamos@gershny.com

Yussef El Guindi,
325 Summit Avenue, East,
Apt. 15,
Seattle, WA 98102
206-841-0101
yelg@mindspring.com
 Cast

Khaled

Bartlett

Carl

Asfoor

Shelly

Beth

Jean

(Note: One actor can play the parts of Shelly, Beth and Jean)
 Khaled’s studio. Futon on floor.
Assorted objects, furniture. BARTLETT
stands opposite KHALED. CARL is flipping
through a book. He will continue to
methodically inspect other books,
papers, as well as clothes.

BARTLETT
We appreciate this.

KHALED
Whatever you need, please.

BARTLETT
This is informal, so - .

KHALED
I understand.

BARTLETT
Casual. As casual as a visit like this can be.

KHALED
Either way. Make it formal if you want. I want to help. I’ve
been looking for a way to help.

BARTLETT
Thanks.

KHALED
Horrible.

BARTLETT
Yes.

KHALED
Horrible.

BARTLETT
Nice space.

KHALED
Yes. - A little claustrophobic. But it’s cheap.

BARTLETT
Live simply they say.

KHALED
I’d live extravagantly if I could afford it.

BARTLETT
What’s this say?
 2.

(Bartlett picks up a picture frame from

a table.)

KHALED
A present from my mother....It says, er, “God”.

BARTLETT
“God”?

KHALED
Yes.

BARTLETT
It’s pretty.

KHALED
It is....I’m not religious myself.

BARTLETT
I’ve always been impressed with this...(makes a motion over the
writing with his finger.)

KHALED
Calligraphy?

BARTLETT
Very artistic. Why the emphasis on - calligraphy? I see it all
the time.

KHALED
Well - frankly - I’m not sure its - . I know in general that,
the religion tends to favor abstraction to, er, human
representation. The idea being to avoid worship, or, too much
distraction with the, um, human form....In truth I don’t know a
whole lot about it.

BARTLETT
No television?

KHALED
No. Too addictive. It’s easier to remove the temptation.

BARTLETT
(picking up a book)
You didn’t see the images?

KHALED
Oh yes. God, yes. How could I not. I wish I hadn’t.

(The tinkling of a tune is heard. Khaled

and Bartlett turn in the direction of
Carl, who is standing holding a music
box.)
 3.

(A beat as they all stand and listen to

the tune.)

CARL
“Oklahoma”?

KHALED
I’ve never been able to identify the tune.

BARTLETT
(referring to the book)
And what’s this about?

(Carl closes the music box and places it

next to another object he’s selected. He
resumes his search.)

KHALED
It’s the, um - Koran.

BARTLETT
Huh. So this is it.

KHALED
Another present from my mother. Her idea of a subtle hint.

BARTLETT
(flips through book)
You’re not religious, you say?

KHALED
No. She is.

BARTLETT
Didn’t rub off.

KHALED
Unfortunately not.

BARTLETT
Why “unfortunately”?

KHALED
Well - because I hear it’s a comfort.

BARTLETT
And if you had to sum up the message of this book in a couple of
lines.

KHALED
Er. The usual. Be good. Or else.

BARTLETT
Sounds like good advice to me. How come you’re not religious?
 4.

(Khaled looks over at what Carl is

rifling through.)

KHALED
I was never comfortable with the “or else” part.

BARTLETT
Nobody likes the punishment part.

KHALED
I’d like to think God isn’t as small-minded as we are.

BARTLETT
I guess the point is there are consequences for our actions.
Funny, huh. How a book can have such an impact.

KHALED
Yes. I was just reading about Martin Luther and the Reformation
and how the whole -

BARTLETT
(interrupting)
Am I pronouncing that correctly? “Kaled”?

KHALED
Close enough. (To Carl) Is there anything in particular you’re
looking for?

BARTLETT
Don’t mind him. He’s just going to do his thing.

KHALED
But if there’s anything -

BARTLETT
(interrupting)
With your permission, if we still have that.

KHALED
Go ahead, but if there’s something -

BARTLETT
(interrupting)
“Kaled”?

KHALED
Er, Khaled.

BARTLETT
“Haled”?

KHALED
More Khaled.
 5.

BARTLETT
“Kaled”.

KHALED
That’s good.

BARTLETT
But not exactly.

KHALED
It doesn’t matter.

CARL
Khaled.

KHALED
That’s it.

BARTLETT
It’s that back of the throat thing.

KHALED
Right.

BARTLETT
Carl spent some time in the Mid-East.

KHALED
Oh yes?

BARTLETT
So how do you stay informed then? with no tv. Newspapers? the
internet?

KHALED
Both.

BARTLETT
And when you want to kick back, you...?

KHALED
(not getting what he means)
When I...?

BARTLETT
How do you relax?

KHALED
Well...

BARTLETT
How do you spend your free time?
 6.

KHALED
Really? - That’s relevant?
(Bartlett stares at him)
Er, sure, okay. I read, mostly.

BARTLETT
Uh-huh.

KHALED
That’s my big thing, reading.

BARTLETT
And when you want to amuse yourself, you do what?

KHALED
(referring to the books)
Actually I find that stuff amusing.

BARTLETT
(holding up a periodical)
This stuff?

KHALED
Some of it.

BARTLETT
(reading the cover)
“Wheat Production and the Politics of Hunger.”?

KHALED
A real page turner.

BARTLETT
(pointing to the computer)
Can we look at that, by the way?

KHALED
It’s kind of private.
(slight beat)
It’s - kind of private.
(Carl and Bartlett are
looking at Khaled)
Will you be taking it away?

BARTLETT
I doubt we’ll need to look at it.

KHALED
If you want to.

BARTLETT
I’m actually more curious about how you kick back. What you do
when you want to relax. Break your routine. Spice things up.
 7.

KHALED
Can I ask how that helps you? Knowing how I amuse myself?

BARTLETT
The questions will seem a little intrusive, unfortunately.
There’s no avoiding that.

KHALED
I understand. I just don’t have that exciting a life. Did I
mention I’m a citizen, by the way. I can show you my -

(Carl holds up Khaled’s passport.)

Right. Just so you know.

(Carl puts it among two or three other

items. This pile will gradually grow.)

BARTLETT
Here’s the thing. We know you’re bending over backwards and I
sense we’re going to be out of your way shortly.

CARL
Be done in five.

BARTLETT
And we know you didn’t have to let us do this.

KHALED
Are you looking for anything in particular? Maybe I can just
point you to it.

BARTLETT
He’s just going to poke around. It’s a random thing.

KHALED
Are you sure? The strange thing is I was going to call you. A
friend of mine said he would, which made me think I should too.

BARTLETT
Who?

KHALED
Er - a friend?

BARTLETT
Right; and that friend’s name?

KHALED
(hesitates)
Hisham. He wouldn’t mind me telling you.

BARTLETT
Hisham what?
 8.

KHALED
Darmush. He was thinking of calling you too.

BARTLETT
I look forward to hearing from him.

KHALED
I thought maybe I should just to let you know I’m - here, you
know. I am who I am and - just so you’re not wondering - in case
my name comes across your desk which it obviously has. I wish
you’d tell me who gave you my name.

BARTLETT
Also know that anything you say here will be held in strict
confidence.

KHALED
(continuing)
Because then maybe I could address the concerns head on; so you
don’t waste your time. I imagine you’re getting a lot of calls.
People with scores to settle. Or skittish neighbors. Was it
George? He seems a little too curious about where I’m from. He
doesn’t seem to understand my connections with my country of
birth are long gone. Was it - Beth? We had a falling out. It’s
very strange not being able to address whatever accusations have
been made against me. It’s like battling ghosts.

BARTLETT
I didn’t say anything about accusations.

KHALED
There haven’t been?
(Bartlett stares at him;
slight beat)
Er, amuse myself? Let’s see, I go to movies, I read. I like
eating out; I sit in cafes. I like to go for long walks. I feel
like I’m writing a personals ad. I wish there was more to tell.
You’ll leave here thinking, gee, what a lame life this guy
leads.

BARTLETT
That’s the other thing: If you have nothing to worry about than
you have nothing to worry about. I know a visit from us can be
unsettling. It’s an awkward part of this job that when we come
around people aren’t necessarily happy to see us. We’ve held
meetings to see if we can’t fix that, but I guess there’s no
avoiding the fact that this is what it is. I’m a government
official, uninvited, and you’ve been yanked out of your routine.

KHALED
You’re more than welcome, I assure you.

BARTLETT
And we appreciate that.
 9.

KHALED
I’ve wanted to help.

BARTLETT
What I’m saying is we know we’ve put you on the spot.

KHALED
Well - .

BARTLETT
(continuing)
It would be natural to be ill at ease, regardless of whether you
want us here or not.

KHALED
Sure.

BARTLETT
(continuing)
Don’t waste time trying to appear innocent if you are. If you’re
innocent you’re innocent. You don’t have to work at it.

CARL
(turning around, to Khaled)
“Karafa”.

KHALED
What?

BARTLETT
So relax.

KHALED
I’m trying.

BARTLETT
We’re not here to get you for jay-walking. Don’t worry about us
finding small stuff. We all have small stuff we’d rather not
have people see.

KHALED
Not even that. That’s what I’m saying, I’m not even hiding any
interesting, non-political stuff.

BARTLETT
Stuff like this.

(From under a pile of magazines, he

picks out a porn magazine.)

Don’t worry about this stuff.

KHALED
Okay. That.
 10.

BARTLETT
It’s not a big deal.

KHALED
It’s - sure.

BARTLETT
(flipping through magazine)
Not a huge one anyway.

KHALED
It’s legal.

BARTLETT
It’s porn. Not good. But it’s still okay.

KHALED
They haven’t outlawed it yet.

BARTLETT
No, but that doesn’t make it all right.

KHALED
It’s - it’s a debate, but sure.

BARTLETT
A debate?

KHALED
Er, yeah.

BARTLETT
A debate how?

KHALED
About - you know - the place of erotica in society.

BARTLETT
Uh-huh....You think this is healthy?
(shows Khaled a picture)
With cows?

KHALED
I don’t much care for the farm theme, no.

BARTLETT
You think this should have a place in society?

KHALED
It already does have a place in society.

BARTLETT
So does murder. Doesn’t make it okay.
 11.

KHALED
I’m not sure I’d equate that with murder.

BARTLETT
You go for this stuff? On the kinky side?

KHALED
What’s kinky? She’s draped over a cow. It’s actually meant to be
an anti-leather kind of thing. If you read the blurb. A cow
wearing a human. A reverse sort of - vegetarian’s point of view
of sex and fashion. It’s a stretch. But someone in that magazine
is obviously an animal rights person. Or is pretending to be for
the sake of something different.

BARTLETT
The woman doesn’t seem to fare too well.

KHALED
No, but - . What does this have to do with anything? It’s one
magazine?

(Carl holds up four or five more porn

magazines.)

Yes. I’m allowed.

BARTLETT
Careful there. You don’t want to get caught in little lies over
nothing.

KHALED
What lie? I thought you didn’t care about the small stuff.

BARTLETT
I don’t. It’s just a pet issue I have.

CARL
(to Khaled)
“Hany-hany.”

KHALED
I’m sorry: am I supposed to understand that?

BARTLETT
You don’t speak Arabic?

KHALED
No. That’s why I didn’t call. I knew you were looking for Arabic
speakers.

(Carl holds up two books in Arabic.)

Yes. I keep telling myself I should learn it. Look, I hope

you’re not going to pick apart every little thing because I’m
(MORE)
 12.

KHALED (cont'd)
sure you could come to all sorts of conclusions by what I have.
As you would with anyone’s home. Come to a bunch of false
conclusions by what someone has. Which may mean nothing more
than, you know, like a Rorschach test. Without taking anything
away from your training; but still: a porn magazine; Arabic
books? So what?

BARTLETT
Uh-huh.

KHALED
It’s my business. - I don’t have to apologize for it. Do I?

BARTLETT
No, you don’t. Or any of these titles.
(Carl hands him a few of the
books he selected)
“Getting Your Government’s Attention Through Unconventional
Means”, “A Manual for the Oppressed”, “Theater of the
Oppressed”, “Covering Islam”, “Militant Islam”. (Holds up a
little red book:) “Quotations From Chairman Mao Tsetung”?

KHALED
I’d heard so much about it.

BARTLETT
Do you feel that oppressed?

KHALED
I was a lit major; I read everything.

BARTLETT
And so on.
(he throws the rest of the
titles on the futon)
It’s not what we care about.

KHALED
Good because on the face of it I know -

BARTLETT
(interrupting)
On the other hand a person is reflected by what he owns. It’d be
silly to deny that. If you walked into my home, or Carl’s, you’d
find us. In what we did and didn’t have. Just as you are here in
all this.

KHALED
But - context is everything. Otherwise, yes, some of this I know
looks suspicious. I’ve played this game myself: walked into my
studio and wondered what it might say about me; seeing if
something would make me out to be something I’m not.
 13.

BARTLETT
You’re surrounded by the things that interest you.

KHALED
I have a book on assassins, what does that mean? I bet you’ve
seen it and a red flag’s gone up.

BARTLETT
What does it mean?

KHALED
Nothing. If I found that book in your home, what would that
mean?

BARTLETT
It would mean in my line of work it would make sense to study
the topic. What does it mean for you?

KHALED
I’m a writer; I read lots of things, for just in case - in case
a plot line requires an assassin. I have a book on guns which
I’m sure you’ve selected. (Seeing it) Yes you have. I actually
hate guns but finding that you might think gee, okay, here we
go.

BARTLETT
Why do you have a book on guns?

KHALED
I told you, I’m a writer. I need any number of reference books
on different subjects. That’s the context.

BARTLETT
Okay. Now we know. That’s why we have to ask. We have no way of
knowing unless we ask. Which means throwing our net pretty wide.
Please try not to get worked up in the process.

KHALED
I’m not.

BARTLETT
We’re not here to unravel your personal life beyond what we need
to know.

KHALED
It just feels this isn’t as casual as you make it out to be.
You’re here for something specific, obviously, something brought
you to my door. My name came across your desk and I wish you’d
tell me why? If you allowed me to clear that up, maybe you could
get on with finding the people you really want.
(Bartlett and Carl stare at
him)
I mean I appreciate the effort you’re making but I just sense
something’s being left unsaid and I would really like to address
(MORE)
 14.

KHALED (cont'd)
whatever that is. It’s like this itch you’ve brought in that I
wish I could just scratch, for all our sakes.

BARTLETT
Huh. Itch.

CARL
(removes his jacket)
Can I use your bathroom?

KHALED
It’s right through there.

CARL
“Shukran.”

(Carl exits.)

BARTLETT
No, right, it’s probably not as casual as I’d like it to be.
Though we have begun training sessions on that very subject,
strangely, even for old timers like me. “How to put people at
ease.” I didn’t do too bad at it.

KHALED
No, you’re - I am at ease.

BARTLETT
Thank you. In fact:
(takes out a form from his
pocket)
If I can have you fill this out at the end of this, I’d
appreciate it. It’s an evaluation form. And then just mail it
in. We’re trying to get direct feedback from the public.
Especially from our target audience.

KHALED
I’d be happy to.

BARTLETT
And if you could use a number 2 pencil.

KHALED
Sure.

BARTLETT
So yes, we try, but at the end of the day, there’s no getting
around the intrusiveness of all this: What am I doing here? A
government official, in your home, going through your stuff and
asking you questions.

KHALED
I’d love to know that myself.
 15.

BARTLETT
And that’s what we’ll find out. But in the meantime there’s no
avoiding the fact that that’s who I am. Engaged in trying to
find out who you are.

KHALED
I wish there was a way of showing you that I’m nobody
interesting enough to have you waste your time.

BARTLETT
And you might not be.

KHALED
I’m not; how can I show you that?

BARTLETT
Well that’s the thing. How can you show me that?

KHALED
Is there anything in particular you want to know?

BARTLETT
Is there anything you’d like to tell me?

KHALED
If you told me what brought you here -

BARTLETT
(interrupting)
How about the computer? Anything I might want to see?

KHALED
No. Unless you want to look at a bunch of half-finished stories.

BARTLETT
Half-finished?

KHALED
Most of them.

BARTLETT
Why?

KHALED
“Why?”

BARTLETT
Writer’s block?

KHALED
Sometimes.

BARTLETT
How come?
 16.

KHALED
It’s an occupational hazard. It happens.

BARTLETT
Something going on to make you lose focus?

KHALED
Apart from the world going to hell?

BARTLETT
That inspires some people.

KHALED
Not me.

BARTLETT
It inspires me to do the best I can.

KHALED
Well, good.

BARTLETT
What inspires you, if I can ask?

KHALED
I never know ahead of time, that’s why it’s an inspiration.

BARTLETT
We know some of your interests, right, politics, sex.

KHALED
Not even that. But then, doesn’t that cover most people’s
interests?

BARTLETT
I wouldn’t say that. No. You wouldn’t find these books in my
house.

KHALED
Still, they’re pretty basic, whether you have a direct interest
in them or not.

BARTLETT
They’re basic if you consider them important, otherwise they’re
not.

KHALED
To be an active, informed citizen? And to have a healthy
interest in, in - sex; that’s not normal?

BARTLETT
No. No, this isn’t normal. I have to tell you, Khaled, none of
this is normal. Right about now I would place you a few feet
outside of that category.
(MORE)
 17.

BARTLETT (cont'd)
(Khaled looks dumbfounded)
To be honest, you are shaping up to be a very unnormal
individual. I am frankly amazed at just how abnormal everything
is in your apartment. I have actually been growing quite alarmed
by what we’ve been finding. More: I’m getting that uncomfortable
feeling that there’s more to you than meets the eye and not in a
good way. I wouldn’t be surprised if we were to turn on that
computer and find plans for tunneling under the White House. Or
if Carl was to walk out that door having found something very
incriminating indeed.

KHALED
You’re - joking.

BARTLETT
I try not to joke before drawing a conclusion. It takes away
from the gravity of the impression I’m trying to make.
(The toilet flushes.)
Carl. Are you done in there?

CARL
Just washing my hands.

BARTLETT
Can you hurry up, please.

CARL
I’ll be right out.

KHALED
What happened to being casual?

BARTLETT
Oh, we’re done with that. Could you turn on your computer,
please.

KHALED
I - I think I’d like to, er...speak to a lawyer.

BARTLETT
Ah. Uh-huh.

KHALED
I - don’t know what’s going on anymore.

BARTLETT
I think you do is my hunch.

KHALED
Yuh. Okay. I think I’d like to speak to a lawyer if you don’t
mind.

BARTLETT
I do mind.
 18.

KHALED
I have the right.

BARTLETT
Not necessarily.

KHALED
Yes, I believe do.

BARTLETT
I’d have to disagree.

KHALED
I know my rights.

BARTLETT
What you do have is the right to cooperate with your
intelligence and do the right thing and asking for a lawyer is a
dumb move because it alerts me to a guilt you may be trying to
hide. Which further suggests that I need to switch gears and
become more forthright in my questioning; which usually means I
become unpleasant. Which further irritates me because I’m a
sensitive enough guy who doesn’t like putting the screws on
people and that makes me start to build up a resentment towards
you for making me behave in ways I don’t like....I am perhaps
saying more than I should, but you should know where this is
heading.

KHALED
(taken aback)
I’d...I’d like you to leave, please.

BARTLETT
I’m sorry you feel that way.

KHALED
I’m sorry too, but I - I think that’s advisable. If there’s
something specific you want me to address, then fine. But. And
in that case I would like to have a lawyer present. But I no
longer wish to be subjected to this - whatever is going on here,
so please. (He gestures towards the door) I’d appreciate it if
you - and than if you want me to come in, I’ll do so willingly
with a lawyer.

BARTLETT
Er, Khaled, you can’t have a lawyer.

KHALED
Yes, I can, I know my rights.

BARTLETT
No you don’t, you’ve been misinformed. Could you switch on your
computer please?
 19.

KHALED
I don’t have to do that.

BARTLETT
Yes you do because I’m asking nicely.

KHALED
(moves towards the phone)
I’m - I’m calling a lawyer.

BARTLETT
Is it smut you’re trying to hide?

KHALED
No.

BARTLETT
Weird fantasies? Child porn?

KHALED
No!

BARTLETT
Child porn with domestic pets involved?

KHALED
What?

BARTLETT
So then it must be something to do with, what? dicey politics?
military info.? blueprints? communiques with the wrong people?

KHALED
(overlapping)
No. What are you - ? None of that. No; that’s - .

BARTLETT
I mean we’ve already established you’re a left-leaning
subversive with Maoist tendencies who has a thing for bestiality
and militant Islam. Throw in your research on guns and assassins
and I could have you inside a jail cell reading about yourself
on the front page of every newspaper before the week is out.

KHALED
Is this - ? What - ? Are you trying to intimidate me?
(Bartlett stares at him)
No. - Look, I - No.
(goes to the phone and
starts dialing)
I don’t know if this - if you’re kidding me or - but. This
isn’t -

BARTLETT
Khaled.
 20.

KHALED
I don’t know what’s going on anymore. Something isn’t...

BARTLETT
Put the phone down.

KHALED
I don’t even know now if you’re who you say you are. You could
be a couple of con-artists who walked off the street for all I
know.

BARTLETT
Would you like to call our office instead?

KHALED
I would like you to leave.

BARTLETT
Okay but put the phone down first.

KHALED
I’m going to call my friend who’ll know who I should -

BARTLETT
(interrupting)
PUT THE PHONE DOWN!

(Khaled puts the phone down. Slight

beat.)

KHALED
(quiet)
I have rights.
(slight beat)
I do have rights. This is still - ....
I don’t have to show you anything if I don’t want to unless you
have a - ....Which doesn’t mean I’m trying to hide anything, it
just means I care enough about what makes this country - you
know - to exercise the right to say no. There is nothing on that
computer that would interest you, I promise you. And even if
there were, I still have the right to -....
(Bartlett continues to stare
at him)
They’re stories, okay, I told you. Still in progress. I’d rather
not have people go poking around something that’s still very
private. It would be like opening a dark room while the photos
are still developing. It would be a horrible violation for me.
That may be -

BARTLETT
(interrupting, holds up his
finger)
Sorry: Khaled? Hold that thought.
(goes to bathroom door)
(MORE)
 21.

BARTLETT (cont'd)
Carl. Could you stop whatever it is you’re doing and come out
please.

(The door opens and Carl emerges wearing

a fatigue jacket and a baseball cap)
Ah. Ah-ha.

CARL
I was searching the pipes.

BARTLETT
(re: the clothes)
Well. There we go.

CARL
(re: the clothes)
In the laundry basket, at the bottom.

BARTLETT
Really. Oh, well.

CARL
(holds up bottom of jacket)
Evidence of nasty right here.

BARTLETT
(feels bottom of jacket)
Yuck.

CARL
Smell it.

BARTLETT
I’ll take your word for it.

CARL
Also: (Takes out a swizzle stick)

BARTLETT
A swizzle stick.

CARL
And: (Take out a small piece of paper)

BARTLETT
A receipt. From. (Reads it)

CARL
Guess where.

BARTLETT
Oh; wow.
 22.

CARL
Look at the date.

(Bartlett looks)
Same date.

BARTLETT
Wow.

CARL
Proof positive.

BARTLETT
Looks like it.

CARL
He’s our man.

BARTLETT
Uh-oh.

KHALED
What?

BARTLETT
Uh-oh.

KHALED
Why are you wearing that?

BARTLETT
You were where you shouldn’t have been, Khaled; in a place you
shouldn’t have gone to. Bad news. Very bad news.

KHALED
What is - ? What does that - (re: the receipt?) I don’t even
remember what that is?

(Khaled moves to look at it, but

Bartlett gives the receipt to Carl, who
pockets it.)

BARTLETT
As we shift a little here (he takes off his jacket) I want to
assure you of a few things: we will not over step certain lines.
We will not violate you or your boundaries in any way. Though we
might appear pissed off, you are not to take it personally or
feel this is directed at you per se. And though we may resort to
slurs and swear words, the aggression is not focused on you so
much as it an attempt to create an atmosphere where you might
feel more willing to offer up information.

(Over the above speech, Carl has taken a

chair and placed it in various spots -
 23.

as if to see where they might best place

Khaled.)

CARL
Here?

BARTLETT
Anywhere. (Back to Khaled)

KHALED
What are you doing?

BARTLETT
One more thing: at no time should you think this is an ethnic
thing. Your ethnicity has nothing to do with it other than the
fact that your background happens to be the place where most of
this crap is coming from. So naturally the focus is going to be
on you. It’s not profiling, it’s deduction. You’re a Muslim and
an Arab. Those are the bad asses currently making life a living
hell and so we’ll gravitate towards you and your ilk until other
bad asses from other races make a nuisance of themselves. Right?
Yesterday the Irish and the Poles, today it’s you. Tomorrow it
might be the Dutch.

KHALED
Okay. - Okay, look, look: You need to tell me what the hell is
going on.

BARTLETT
We’ll get to that. We’re doing this as efficiently as we can.

KHALED
Because. I think. Actually, you know.
(moves to the door)
You need to leave. I’m sorry, but - er. I don’t have to do this.
And I, er, yeah. You need to go. (Opens door)

BARTLETT
Khaled.

KHALED
You need to go.

BARTLETT
Don’t be a party pooper.

KHALED
I would be happy do this with a lawyer.

BARTLETT
Close the door.

(Carl moves towards Khaled and the

door.)
 24.

KHALED
You know what? I need to see your badges again because I’m not
even sure anymore.

(Carl takes hold of the door and closes

it.)

Can I see your badges again please? Because. Whatever this is,
this doesn’t feel like it’s, er, procedure. This is more like,
you know, I mean, you’re acting like a couple of, er, thugs,
frankly. And I realize intimidation is part of the process, but
this is - (a nervous laugh perhaps) speaking of boundaries.

BARTLETT
Anything you don’t like, you write it down on the evaluation
form.

CARL
You gave that to him already? (Searches his pockets for his
form)

BARTLETT
I understand your getting nervous. I don’t care for this part
myself. We’re switching from being civil and congenial to being
hard-nosed and focused. It will have the effect of taking away
from your humanity and it doesn’t do much for ours. Plus we’re
trying new approaches. It’s all new territory for us. Which is
why we’re handing out these forms.

CARL
Here we go.
(hands form to Khaled)

BARTLETT
You don’t like something, write it down. Even if we haul you
into permanent lock-up, we’re still going to pay attention to
your feedback. We might get things wrong in the short term,
overdo things, with the interrogation, etc., but our image,
honestly, how we come across, that can’t be our main priority
right now.

KHALED
Interrogate me about what?

BARTLETT
Our image can’t be more important than questions of safety.

CARL
We don’t give a rat’s ass.

BARTLETT
We do give a rat’s ass. But is it more important?
 25.

CARL
(half to himself)
No, obviously we give a rat’s ass.

BARTLETT
You care about this country? yes? You want it safe?

KHALED
But I haven’t done anything and you’re acting like I have, what
have I done?

BARTLETT
What is more important: inconveniencing you with accusations of
having broken the law or insuring the safety of everyone.

KHALED
But how am I a threat to that, I haven’t broken the law!

BARTLETT
I’m speaking about in principle.

KHALED
Even in principle!

BARTLETT
I’m trying to be clear about this. I want the process to be
transparent.

KHALED
I’m more confused than ever.

CARL
(to Khaled)
You look like you need to sit down. You’re beginning to wobble.

KHALED
What?

BARTLETT
Would you like a glass of water before we start?

KHALED
Am I under arrest?
(neither of them answer)
Am I under arrest? Because if I’m not and you’re not taking me
in, than you need to - this is over.

BARTLETT
Khaled.

KHALED
You need to go. (Goes to door) I know my rights. This is over.
(Opens door)
 26.

BARTLETT
Khaled.

KHALED
You bet I’ll fill in those forms. This is - this is way over the
line. Acting like some - cut-out pair of thugs playing tag to
try and intimidate me. This is my country too, you know. This is
my country! It’s my fucking country!

BARTLETT
Khaled, the neighbors.

KHALED
I don’t care if they hear it, let them hear it!

CARL
Not if you’re guilty.

KHALED
I’m not guilty!

CARL
Then sit down and tell us about it.

KHALED
Tell you what? You haven’t told me what I’ve been accused of!

CARL
Shut the door and we’ll tell you.

KHALED
I’m not going to tell you anything until I have a lawyer
present! This is still America and I will not be treated this
way!

(Bartlett quickly walks over to Khaled,

grabs him by the arm and drags him into
a corner of the room - away from the
door, which Carl shuts. Bartlett pushes
Khaled into a corner and stands inches
from him. While being dragged to the
corner, Khaled says:)

What - ? What are you doing? Let go of me. Let go of me.

BARTLETT
First thing: Shut up.

KHALED
No I -

BARTLETT
(interrupting)
Second thing, shut up.
 27.

KHALED
No, I won’t, I -

BARTLETT
(interrupting)
If I have to tell you what the third thing is, I will shut you
up myself.
(Khaled opens his mouth but
is interrupted)
I will shut you up myself.

CARL
(walks over to them)
Listen to the man.

BARTLETT
And if I hear you say “this is still America” one more time I am
going to throw up. I will open your mouth and hurl a projectile
of my burger down your scrawny traitorous throat. Do you
understand me?

KHALED
I’m not a traitor.

BARTLETT
Do you understand me?

CARL
Come on, man. Be cooperative.

BARTLETT
(to Khaled)
If I hear another immigrant spew back to me shit about rights, I
will fucking vomit....You come here with shit, from shit
countries, knowing nothing about anything and you have the nerve
to quote the fucking law at me? Come at me with something you
know nothing about?

CARL
(to Bartlett)
Easy, man.

BARTLETT
It pisses me off!...“It’s my country.” This is your fucking
country. Right here, right now, in this room with us. You left
the U.S. when you crossed the line, you piece of shit.

CARL
(to Bartlett, quiet)
Hey, hey.

BARTLETT
America is out there and it wants nothing to do with you.
 28.

CARL
Hey, Bart.

BARTLETT
It’s galling. - Sticks in my craw. To hear these people who got
here two hours ago quote back to me Thomas Jefferson and the
founding fathers. They’re not his fucking fathers.

CARL
They become his fathers. That’s what makes this country special,
man.

BARTLETT
I understand; but it’s like they wave it at you like they’re
giving you the finger. (sing-song:) “You can’t touch me, I have
the constitution”

CARL
They do have the constitution.

BARTLETT
I know that, Carl. I’m just saying it’s galling to hear it from
people who don’t give a shit about it.

KHALED
I do give a shit about it.

BARTLETT
No you don’t.

KHALED
I do, very much.

BARTLETT
Don’t lie to me.

KHALED
It’s why I became a citizen.

BARTLETT
You became a citizen so you could indulge in your perverted
little fantasies, you sick little prick. Come here, wrap the
flag around you and whack off. (He picks up a porn magazine)
Well I don’t particularly want your cum over everything I hold
dear!

CARL
Hey, Bart. (Takes Bartlett aside)

BARTLETT
(to Carl)
I don’t!
 29.

CARL
I know, it’s okay.

BARTLETT
Jesus. God damn it.

CARL
I know.

BARTLETT
It’s plain to see and we dance around it. We tip-toe and we
apologize and we have to kiss their asses.

CARL
Don’t blow it.

BARTLETT
I’m not; but sometimes it has to be said.

CARL
Okay, but let’s stay on topic.

BARTLETT
This is the topic.

CARL
The point of the topic.

BARTLETT
(beat; to Khaled)
And I have nothing against immigrants. Let me make that clear.

CARL
(takes porn mag from him)
Hear hear.

BARTLETT
The more the merrier. God bless immigrants. My great grandfather
was an immigrant.

CARL
Mine too. Both sides.

(Carl will start leafing through the

porn magazine.)

BARTLETT
This country wouldn’t be anything without them. God bless every
fucking one of them. My family worked damn hard to make this
country the place it is. And if you came here to do the same I
will personally roll out the red carpet for you. But if you’ve
come here to piss on us. To take from us. Pick all the good
things this country has to offer and give nothing back and then
(MORE)
 30.

BARTLETT (cont'd)
dump on us?...then I don’t think you’re making a contribution,
not at all.

KHALED
I am making a contribution.

BARTLETT
You’re unemployed. You’re on welfare.

KHALED
I have grants

BARTLETT
That’s taking.

KHALED
It’s a prize.

BARTLETT
For what?

KHALED
For my stories.

BARTLETT
You haven’t finished one.

KHALED
For past stories.

BARTLETT
You’re blocked, you aren’t writing, that means all you’re doing
is taking from the system.

CARL
(still leafing through the
magazine)
Leeching.

KHALED
I am writing, I’m just stressed out.

BARTLETT
You’re involved in something you shouldn’t be, that’s why you’re
blocked. It’s hard being creative when all you’re thinking about
is plotting destruction.

KHALED
I’m not, why are you saying that? what are you accusing me of?

CARL
The point is he doesn’t have anything against immigrants. Let’s
be clear about that.
 31.

BARTLETT
(to Khaled)
I’m dating an immigrant.

CARL
She gave you her number?

BARTLETT
(to Khaled)
This is not why I’m pressing down on you. Apart from the
reservations I just spoke about, the best thing going for you
now is that you are fresh off the boat.

CARL
(re: the girlfriend)
You lucky bastard.

BARTLETT
If it turns out you’re not involved in any of this shit, I will
personally apologize and invite you out somewhere. In the
meantime, why don’t you show Khaled why he’s neck deep in doo-
doo.

CARL
Love to.

KHALED
What?

CARL
(searches his pockets; to
Bartlett)
Hey, you know I met Miss September.
(referring to the porn
magazine)

BARTLETT
Who?

CARL
When I was helping the guys out on vice. Miss September. Just
the nicest person. Devastated the attacks came on her month and
ruined what could have been her big breakthrough. Was ready to
quit until some guys wrote in saying how her body helped them
through their darkest hours.

BARTLETT
(not amused)
Great.

CARL
(reaches for his jacket)
Now she only does spreads for special occasions. Usually to do
with law enforcement.
 32.

BARTLETT
I don’t really need to hear this.

CARL
(searches his jacket pocket)
I’m just saying, funny, huh? You never know what gets some
people through the night. For some it’s like, you know, the
Church. For others -
(finds what he’s looking
for)
it’s a place like this.
(he shows Khaled a photo)
Ever been to this strip club?
(Khaled tries to focus on
the photo)
Well we know you did because here you are in this photo.
(shows him another photo)
Hidden in this hat and jacket I’m wearing, but: now that I’m
wearing it we can pretty much say it’s you. You can make out
your jaw under the hat, and the earlobe is always a
distinguishing feature. It’s you, right?

(Khaled looks but doesn’t answer)

BARTLETT
Khaled.

CARL
Plus we have your receipt from the club and a bunch of other
stuff that places you there.

KHALED
Why are you - ? Why was this - ?

CARL
So it is you.
(Khaled hesitates)
I would acknowledge the obvious so you can quickly move ahead
and establish your innocence, if that’s the case. Which is not
obvious.

BARTLETT
It’s far from obvious.

CARL
I’d use this opportunity to clear up your name, if I was you.
(Khaled is about to speak
but is interrupted; sotto
voce:)
And look, man, don’t be embarrassed about going to these joints.
I’ve frequented these places myself. I’m not as hung up about
this as Bart here is.
 33.

BARTLETT
I’m not hung up about them.

CARL
What I’m saying is someone in this room understands.

BARTLETT
I understand. It was the cow that put me off.

CARL
Personally, you can whack off all you want. You can take your
johnson and do what you want with it, as long as it’s legal.
We’re not here to judge you for what you do with your dick.
What’s that expression in Arabic they use? About a fool and his
schlong? Anyway. If you’re just embarrassed to admit you go to
strip joints, don’t be. I love a good lap dance myself. That ass
waving in your face. The thighs working up a sweat.
(shows him the photo again)
You, right?

KHALED
Look I...I don’t know where you’re heading with this. I’m not
going to incriminate myself when I don’t even know what I’m
being accused of. You asked if you had my permission to come in
here and everything, well, you don’t anymore, I’m sorry.

BARTLETT
We’re so past that, my friend. Right now you’re standing on our
permission not to be disappeared into little atom-sized pieces
of nothingness; and then shoved up the crack of the fat ass
you’ll be sharing a cell with. The best thing you can do for
yourself is to identify yourself right now, and I mean right
now.

(Carl sticks the photo in front of

Khaled’s face.)

KHALED
You can’t tell anything. It’s too dark. It’s a silhouette for
chrissakes.

BARTLETT
Then maybe we shed some light. Would that be helpful?

CARL
Shedding light is always a good idea.

BARTLETT
(to Khaled)
This is going to be like pulling teeth, isn’t it. Carl.

CARL
I’m ahead of you.
 34.

(Carl goes over to the closet doors as

he takes off the baseball hat and
jacket.)

BARTLETT
Exhibit number one:
(shows Khaled another photo)
Have you seen this guy?

(Carl slides open one of the doors,

revealing ASFOOR: erect, still. Perhaps
a spotlight from within the closet is
shone on him. Also helpful if a sound
effect of some sort accompanies the
opening of the door.)

Of course you have, he’s been in all the papers. “Terribilis

Carnifex”, bringer of chaos, exemplar of horror and ghoulish
behavior and very committed. And dead of course. Dying at the
conclusion of his mad little goal. As a writer do you often
wonder what might have been going through his mind at that
instant he knew he’d accomplished his goal? Do you? I do. I
wonder what he saw - just before he stopped seeing. What he
thought, before he accomplished seizing everyone’s mind and
focusing it on him and his odious little ways. I admire him, you
know. If I was an evil little shit, I’d want to be him. That’s
commitment for you. Dedication.
(to Asfoor)
What did you see, by the way?

ASFOOR
Nothing.

BARTLETT
What did you think?

ASFOOR
Nothing.

BARTLETT
Unfortunately, I can’t get into his mind. But he did do a lot of
typing.

(Asfoor goes over to Khaled’s computer.

He will start typing.)
Quite the wordsmith. If a little cryptic. We’ve been able to
trace most of his e-mails. Worked out of a library not too far
from here. The librarian remembered him. Said he was like a dark
cloud that changed the mood the moment he walked in. But said
she felt sorry for him nonetheless. Reminded her of Pigpen, she
said.
 35.

(Carl slides open the other closet

panel revealing SHELLY, wearing
glasses.)

SHELLY
Like in “Peanuts”.

BARTLETT
Ah.

SHELLY
(enters studio)
You know, the way he always had this cloud of dirt around him.

BARTLETT
I see.

SHELLY
That way. I thought it might be sadness at first, and felt the
urge to say something to him. Cheer him up.
(to Asfoor)
It’s a wonderful day. We haven’t had this much sun in weeks.
(Asfoor turns to her without
saying anything)
Have a nice day.
(to Bartlett)
Didn’t say much in return. No, I can’t say he did. Barely
smiled. His eyes were so...(can’t find the words)

BARTLETT
Yes?

SHELLY
Piercingly nondescript. As if I was looking at a description of
a pair of eyes, and not the eyes themselves. Of course all these
impressions may be hindsight.

BARTLETT
What do you mean?

SHELLY
You know, how new information about a person suddenly makes you
see that person in a different light. I’m sure if you’d told me
he’d saved the lives of a family from a burning house I’d be
remembering him differently. - Though probably not.

BARTLETT
Anything else?

SHELLY
Well...
(hesitates)
He may have misread my attempts to be nice. Because one day he
followed me into the room where we archive rare maps. And, well,
(MORE)
 36.

SHELLY (cont'd)
made a pass at me. Didn’t know he was there until I felt his
hands. I screamed, of course. Pushed him away. I even had to use
one of the rolled up maps to ward him off. I kept thinking, I
hope it doesn’t come to anything violent because this is the
only existing map of a county in eighteenth century
Pennsylvania.

BARTLETT
Why didn’t you report the assault?

SHELLY
I don’t know why I didn’t. - I didn’t want to give it -
importance. Perhaps if I had you would’ve caught him and none
of this would have happened. I’m sorry. How do you recognize
evil?

BARTLETT
We appreciate the information you’re giving now.

SHELLY
All I saw was an awful sadness. I had no idea his hurt had no
end.

BARTLETT
Thank you, Ms. Shelly. If we have any follow-up questions we’ll
contact you.

SHELLY
I wish...
(to Asfoor)
I wish you hadn’t done that. I wish there had been a way to get
to you earlier, before things turned; before your mind went
away. Because it has to go away to do that, doesn’t it? Become
so narrowed that nothing else matters. - I wish I could talk to
you. - I would even let you...touch me, again. If it would open
you up. If I could talk to you one more time; and find out more
about you. Everyday I walk into a building filled with more
knowledge than I could ever hope to digest. But none of the
books can explain to me why you did what you did or who you
are....I wonder if you’d even be able to tell me?

BARTLETT
Thank you, Ms. Shelley. Carl will show you out.

(With one last look at Asfoor, Shelly

heads for the front door. Carl opens the
door and exits with her.)

BARTLETT
I don’t suppose you’ve ever seen this man up close?

(Bartlett briefly picks up a library

book.)
 37.

KHALED
Because we used the same library?

BARTLETT
Locked eyes across a library table?

KHALED
That’s the connection? It’s the only library for miles, everyone
uses it.

BARTLETT
(continuing)
Rubbed shoulders in the book shelves. Shared books? e-mails?

KHALED
(overlapping)
That’s what brought you here? You don’t think I wouldn’t have
come forward if I’d seen him, if I’d have had any information
about him.

BARTLETT
Perhaps you did and didn’t know it; look at him again.

(He’s shown the photo. At this point, if

not before, Asfoor is up on his feet.)

KHALED
I know what he looks like. I would’ve remembered.

BARTLETT
Look at him again.

ASFOOR
Khaled.

KHALED
You’re not going to pin this on me just because I went into the
same building.

ASFOOR
I’m bleeding into you and there’s nothing you can do about it.

BARTLETT
Pin what?

KHALED
Jesus Christ, I’ve been wanting to help.

BARTLETT
(overlapping)
Pin what? You may have seen him, that’s all.

KHALED
I wept for this country.
 38.

ASFOOR
So did I.

BARTLETT
I’m trying to jog your memory, you may have forgotten something,
seen him at the computer.

KHALED
I know what you’re doing and I’m not going to be screwed by
something this flimsy. I will not be dragged in by association
of having used the same space!

BARTLETT
Khaled: calm down; you aren’t being accused of anything yet.

ASFOOR
We’re all in this together.

BARTLETT
Perhaps you have some insight into this e-mail he sent; it’s
translated:

ASFOOR/BARTLETT
“Nothing the matter today. On Wednesday, I cut myself opening a
can of tuna. Don’t worry about that. Do you know Luxor? It’s
worth seeing.”

BARTLETT
Or:

ASFOOR
“Tattoos, yes. Do it where the skin folds so you can hide it if
you change your mind.”

ASFOOR/BARTLETT
“I have a list for you.”

BARTLETT
Is “Luxor” part of your e-mail address or how you sign off?

KHALED
No. “Luxor”?
(pointing to the computer)
Check it. This is like twenty degrees of separation. Then
everyone in that library is a suspect. I use books, for
chrissakes, I’m a writer.

BARTLETT
So you keep telling me.

ASFOOR
You’re blocked, I can help.
 39.

BARTLETT
Ms. Shelly can’t be definite she saw you two together, all the
same she did say -

KHALED
(interrupting)
How would she know who I am?

(Asfoor picks up a book.)

BARTLETT
I showed her your photo.

KHALED
Where’d you get that?

BARTLETT
Your ex-girlfriend.

KHALED
(digests the information)
How many people have you talked to exactly? What did Beth say?

BARTLETT
(consulting his notebook)
But Ms. Shelly does think she saw him nearby when you came to
ask for a book one time.

ASFOOR
(reads title of book)
“Caravans of God and Commerce.”

BARTLETT
Remembers it because you kicked up a fuss when they didn’t have
it.

ASFOOR
(reading from book)
“The road to Mecca was perilous, and not only because of the
dangers of the desert.”

BARTLETT
Says he stood a few feet away until you had finished and then
followed you out.

ASFOOR
(reading from the book)
“But also because of those who hid in them.”

KHALED
What?
 40.

ASFOOR
(accent, to Khaled)
Excuse me, sir.

KHALED
No.

BARTLETT
Said there may have been an exchange between you.

ASFOOR
(to Khaled)
I know book you want. I help you find it.

KHALED
That never happened. You don’t think I would have remembered
that? I’m a terrible liar. It would be obvious if was lying.

(Asfoor has put down the book; Bartlett

picks it up.)

BARTLETT
I believe you. But you did find the book.

KHALED
In a book shop, I bought it.

BARTLETT
He never followed you out? Told you where you could find it?

KHALED
No.

BARTLETT
Perhaps the librarian did remember it wrong but if we speculated
on this encounter that never took place, what might have
happened?

KHALED
What kind of sense is that?

BARTLETT
He followed you out and:

KHALED
What am I supposed to speculate on?

BARTLETT
You’re the writer, you tell me.

ASFOOR
Assalam alaykum.
 41.

KHALED
(disoriented)
I can’t remember what never happened.

ASFOOR
Assalam alaykum.

KHALED
(awkwardly)
Alaykum salaam.

ASFOOR
(in Arabic)
I know that book you want.

KHALED
I don’t speak Arabic.

ASFOOR
(in Arabic)
No?

KHALED
I’m sorry, I’m in a hurry.

ASFOOR
Please. A moment. I would like - my name is Gamal. Gamal Asfoor.
Hello.

KHALED
Sorry but I have to go.

ASFOOR
I like to learn English. With you.

KHALED
I - no, I’m sorry.

ASFOOR
You teach me. I pay.

KHALED
I can’t. I’m really busy right now.

ASFOOR
(hands him a piece of paper)
My number here. I teach you Arabic. You Arab, yes? I watch you.
I watch you in the library.

KHALED
No thanks. Thank you, no, goodbye.

ASFOOR
I know book you want. I get it for you.
 42.

KHALED
Really, I can’t.
(to Bartlett)
That’s ridiculous. There was no encounter. You’re making stuff
up.

BARTLETT
Well of course I am. You of all people should appreciate the
importance of doing that. How that might lead you, stumbling, to
a truth or two. Facts aren’t the only game in town. Perhaps it
never happened, then again, here are the Arabic books. In this
story we’re making up, maybe he gave them to you.

KHALED
What kind of deductive leap is that? That’s worse than guessing.

(Asfoor goes to sit at the computer)

BARTLETT
From his letters we know he shared similar interests with you:
writing, poetry, Middle-Eastern stuff, politics, radical books,
porn, didn’t much like women. Said some nasty things about women
in his letters.

ASFOOR
(at the computer)
“Unclean.”

BARTLETT
God knows what his childhood must have been like.

ASFOOR
“They corrupt. They diminish you. When I die, do not let them
touch me.”

KHALED
What on earth does that have to do with me?

BARTLETT
Well, Khaled, not knowing you; not really knowing much about
you; just from meeting you and casual observance I would have to
say your relation to the opposite sex seems to have a kink or
two in it.
(Khaled looks at him
dumbfounded)
Maybe you two commiserated and found solace in the same twisted
images and depictions.

KHALED
I don’t know who you’re talking about anymore; it’s not me.

BARTLETT
I’m just saying.
 43.

KHALED
(overlapping)
This is beyond making stuff up, this is Alice in Wonderland.

BARTLETT
Your girlfriend had a lot to say on the matter.

(A knock on the door.)

KHALED
I knew it. She started this whole ball rolling, didn’t she.

BARTLETT
I didn’t say that, but she was helpful.

KHALED
She’s the one who called you.

BARTLETT
The word “betrayal” came up a lot.

KHALED
(continuing)
Something completely personal gets blown up because an ex holds
a grudge. Great.

(There’s another knock on the door.)

BETH
(off-stage)
I’m coming.

(BETH enters from the bathroom in a

bathrobe. She is drying her hair with a
towel. Overlapping with this:)

KHALED
You’re going to take the word of someone who’s pissed off with
me?

(Beth has opened the door to Carl.)

CARL
(shows her his badge)
Goodmorning. Ms. Granger?

KHALED
(overlapping)
For something completely unrelated?

CARL
I wonder if we could talk with you a moment.
 44.

BETH
What is this about?

KHALED
Jesus, talk about the personal being political; now she gets to
drive home that point and nail me with it.

BARTLETT
(looking at his notebook)
She said some interesting things right off the bat.

BETH
So he was involved after all.

CARL
What makes you say that?

BETH
Was he like one of those cells that get activated?

KHALED
She said that?

BARTLETT
Why don’t you let me finish first.

BETH
That would make sense. His whole life seemed to be one big lie.
I don’t think he has an honest bone in his body. What did he do
exactly?

CARL
We’re just trying to get a better idea of who he is at this
point.

BETH
When you find out let me know. Because I sure as hell didn’t.
You spend two years with someone thinking you have a pretty good
idea of who you’re shacking up with, then boom, he pulls some
shit that makes you wonder who you’re sleeping with.

CARL
Like what exactly?

BETH
And I like to think of myself as an intelligent person.

CARL
What in particular made you -

BETH
(interrupting)
Just everything. He never seemed to come clean about anything.
Always keeping things close to his chest, like he had another
(MORE)
 45.

BETH (cont'd)
life going on. It wouldn’t surprise me if he was involved.
Though I can’t imagine he was high up in whatever structure they
have. I could admire him if he was. But he’s too weak for that.
More like a wannabe. Like someone who would be quite willing to
take instructions, if you know what I mean.

CARL
I don’t; can you explain that?

BETH
Like he knew his life was for shit and something like this would
give it meaning. He had that writerly thing of never feeling
solid enough about anything. Of being woozy about most things.
Of course when you imagine you’re in love with someone, all
their faults feel like unique traits that give them character.
It’s disgusting how love can dumb you down. Anyway, what else do
you want to know? So like I said, it would just make sense. He
never would tell me what he was working on or what he did when
he went out. He just shut me out after a while. Could you turn
around, please.

(Beth has finished drying her hair and

now selects a dress from the closet. She
will proceed to put it on. Carl turns
around.)

BETH
And then there was that quarrel we had soon after the attacks.

CARL
What quarrel would that be?

BETH
I almost flipped out because I thought he was actually gloating.

KHALED
That’s enough, stop, stop, this is bullshit.

BARTLETT
(consulting notebook)
That’s the word she used: “Gloating.”

KHALED
I never “gloated”, that’s insane.

BARTLETT
(consulting notebook)
She went on to say that she felt you were almost -

BARTLETT/BETH
Defending them.

BETH
Praising them even.
 46.

KHALED
That’s a lie.

CARL
Are you sure about that?

BETH
It sure sounded like that to me.

KHALED
She’s twisting everything.

BETH
(to Carl)
I don’t think that would be an exaggeration.

KHALED
(to Beth)
That’s not what I meant.

BETH
(to Khaled)
That’s how it sounded.

(If light changes have been accompanying

the transitions of time/new characters,
a light change would also signal the
shift here.)

KHALED
I’m just saying we have to look for the “why”? Why did they do
this?

BETH
Because they’re evil assholes. Are you justifying this?

KHALED
Why are you so frightened of trying to figure this out?

BETH
Because if you go down that road then you’re saying somewhere
down the line there’s a coherent argument for what they did. A
legitimate reason. And there are some things that simply do not
deserve the benefit of an explanation and being “enlightened” on
an act like this would just be so fucking offensive. I don’t
want to know why they did this? I don’t care.

KHALED
Don’t you want to make sure it doesn’t happen again?

(At some point, Khaled moves to help

Beth zip up her dress, but she refuses
his help. The exchange continues over
this.)
 47.

BETH
Next you’ll tell me this is all our fault.

KHALED
Do you or do you not want to make sure this doesn’t happen
again?

BETH
And your solution is what, we should flagellate ourselves? It’s
not enough they fucked us over, now you want us to finish the
job by beating ourselves up? Paralyze ourselves by examining our
conscience?

KHALED
Our policies.

BETH
That’s your idea of defence?

KHALED
We’ll finish the job they started if we don’t. You’ve always
been able to see the bigger picture, why can’t you see it now?

BETH
(to Carl)
It was more than what he was saying. It was an attitude. The way
he looked. And I used to think we shared the same politics.

KHALED
(to Bartlett)
That is a complete - I wasn’t justifying anything.
I was saying let’s get at the root causes so we can stop it once
and for all. Where do you get “praising them” from that?

BETH
(to Carl)
There was almost like a gleam in his eye. Like he was saying
“it’s just what you people deserve.”

KHALED
(to Beth)
No.

BETH
(to Khaled)
You all but said it.

KHALED
Why aren’t you hearing what I’m saying?

BETH
It was a rape, Khaled. It was a rape multiplied by a thousand.
You don’t go up to the woman who just got raped and say, you
know what, I think you probably deserved that because you go
(MORE)
 48.

BETH (cont'd)
around flaunting your ass so what do you expect. And if you want
to make sure it doesn’t happen again, then maybe you should go
around in a fucking burqa.

KHALED
(disbelief, then:)
The United States of America is not a woman who just got raped.
The United States of America is the biggest, strongest eight
hundred pound gorilla on the block.
(Beth heads for the door)
You can’t rape an eight hundred pound gorilla, even if you
wanted to. Where are you going?
(she doesn’t answer)
Beth.

(She starts to open the door but he

shuts it.)

KHALED
Where are you going?

BETH
You have a nerve. Like you tell me.

KHALED
I just want to know.

BETH
Why? Are you afraid I might say something to someone?

KHALED
What are you talking about? - Beth: speak to me, you’re freaking
me out.

BETH
I followed you, you know.

KHALED
What?

BETH
Those times. When you went out. When you thought I was at work.
(to Carl)
I should also tell you that I thought he was having an affair.
I’m still not sure he wasn’t. I think he was doing personals, or
a chat room or something. Or that’s what I thought. He certainly
was at the computer a lot. It must have been something steamy
because every time I approached him he would do something to
hide the screen.

(Beth approaches Asfoor at the computer.

Asfoor blocks the screen by turning
around to face her. He smiles.)
Or he would turn it off. I became convinced he’d hooked up with
(MORE)
 49.

BETH (cont'd)
someone. Met someone on line. Our sex life...well never mind
that. He denied it of course. We had blow ups about it. So...one
day, I followed him. I wanted an answer once and for all. So I
followed him. To the park, where he met up with this woman....It
was strange. It didn’t last long. He talked. She gave him
something, then left. When I asked later what he’d done he said
he’d been in all day working. The second time I followed him was
the day I was to leave on a business trip. Only this time the
person he met was a guy.

(Asfoor stands, goes to the closet,

grabs a different hat and jacket, puts
them on and waits at another point in
the room.)
Again, it only lasted minutes. And it kind of weirded me out.
Later I thought that was because I was thinking, oh no, Khaled’s
bi and we’ve been living a bigger lie than I thought. But it
didn’t have that vibe. Khaled looked almost - frightened. Once
again it was quick. Khaled left first, then the guy.

(Asfoor exits through the front door.)

I left for my trip and told myself I’d deal with it later. Then
the attacks happened and none of that mattered for a while. But
when I confronted him he freaked out.

KHALED
(to Beth)
You’ve been what?

BETH
(to Khaled)
I called. You were never at home when you said you were supposed
to be.

KHALED
You followed me? How dare you?

BETH
Don’t turn this around, I’m fucking supporting you while you’re
supposed to be writing.

KHALED
That doesn’t mean you own me.

BETH
Who were they, Khaled?

KHALED
Fuck you, no, it’s none of your business.

BETH
I thought you were having an affair; but now I’m not so sure.
Now I’m actually worried. With the things you’ve said in the
(MORE)
 50.

BETH (cont'd)
past, and now, and these meetings, and your secrecy. Yes, I know
you don’t like to talk about what you’re working on, only you’ve
been working on it for as long as I’ve known you and you have
nothing to show for it. Are you having an affair? Either you’re
having an affair or you’re up to something you shouldn’t be.
Either one makes you a slimy little shit. So which is it? Tell
me or I swear to God I will tell someone what I’m thinking.

KHALED
You can’t be serious.

BETH
I am, I’m really wondering.

KHALED
Beth. It’s me.

BETH
Great, now tell me who that is.

KHALED
We’re all freaked out by what’s happened. Don’t flip out on me.

BETH
Why couldn’t you be up to something. Why not? I’m not sure I
even know you.

KHALED
Okay, stop.

BETH
I’m not sure I’ve ever known you.

KHALED
You’re flipping out, stop it.

BETH
No, tell me. You don’t talk about your self or what you do. Your
past is a fog. Suddenly you have material on subjects I had no
idea you’re interested in.

KHALED
What are you doing? This is like some 50’s B movie, “I married a
communist”.

BETH
Are you fucking around on me?

KHALED
No!
 51.

BETH
Then you must be up to something you shouldn’t be and I’m really
starting to freak out.

KHALED
(grabbing her)
Would you just shut up. You can’t talk like that. Not now. Not
even for a joke, people take this shit very seriously.
(Beth just looks at him)
Beth, Jesus Christ, wake up. I’m not a stranger.

BETH
(to Carl, looking at Khaled)
It’s funny how people change on you. I mean normally, when you
don’t think you might be staring at a murderer. How you can be
so fascinated and in love with someone and then find all that
fall away. And the person stands there naked and butt ugly and
you get angry at yourself for ever having wanted this man. I
really hope these attacks haven’t permanently spoilt my views on
love.

KHALED
(to Bartlett)
It was a literary group.

BETH
(to Carl)
Imagine; that’s what he said.

KHALED
For writers; to exchange ideas.

BETH
It was like watching a man hide himself in one box after
another; like those Russian dolls.

KHALED
(still to Bartlett)
I’m not joking, that’s what it was.

BETH
I gave up after that. A few days later I asked him to move out.

CARL
Would you still have a picture of him?

BETH
I don’t know; I can check.

CARL
I'd appreciate that.

(She exits. Carl makes notes.)

 52.

KHALED
Jesus. No wonder you beat a path to my door. For God’s sake. She
has an ax to grind. It was a list-serve for writers. We actually
discussed plot-lines and books. And yes there was some flirting
going on, so what; my moral behavior is not on trial here. And
the guy was a jerk because he passed himself off as a woman on
line, and - he was just an asshole and I left. That’s it. The
sum total of my secrets. You could frame anything with enough
menace and make it seem more than it is.

(Slight beat)

CARL
Bart.

BARTLETT
Yes, Carl.

CARL
Can I talk to you?

(Bartlett and Carl move off to talk in

private. Carl speaks sotto voce
throughout this next exchange.)

BARTLETT
What?

CARL
Look: I’m thinking something.

BARTLETT
Go for it.

CARL
I don’t think what we’re doing now is getting us anywhere.

BARTLETT
Really? I feel like we’re making head way.

CARL
Not - no.

BARTLETT
I think we’ve loosened his bowels and he’s going to shit any
second.

CARL
No, he’s going to hold off because he’s fixated on some idea of
procedure. He thinks there’s some script we’re supposed to
follow and that will protect him. He’ll keep us a few facts shy
of the truth and piss us off. The photo is too dark. And the
clothes are generic. Important, but.
 53.

BARTLETT
The receipt is pretty damning.

CARL
We need him to spill his guts.

BARTLETT
What are you suggesting?

CARL
There’s an imbalance of authority right now and we need to
correct that.

BARTLETT
I tried that already and you pulled me off.

CARL
Yes. But with all due respect, I think I know these people a
little better. I’ve been there. I know how they think. There’s
some dark shit you have to know how to access.

BARTLETT
Carl - we’re not allowed to do that.

CARL
(gets out a small guidebook)
Actually, if we don’t hit any vital organs, we can.

BARTLETT
No, I don’t think so.

CARL
(reading)
“Section eight, paragraph two. Wilful damage is not permitted
but a relaxed, consistent pressure on parts of the body that may
be deemed sensitive is allowed. As long as the suspect remains
conscious and doesn’t scream longer than ten seconds at any one
time. Some bruising is allowed.”

BARTLETT
(looks at the guidebook)
Huh. I need to re-read this. I completely missed that.

CARL
It has surprisingly useful tips. Especially on how to use simple
appliances like microwaves to help you interrogate better.

BARTLETT
You’re suggesting what?

CARL
To bring the full weight of our authority to bear on him. With
the aim of making him adjust his expectations as to what options
are available to him.
 54.

(Slight beat)

BARTLETT
Fine....But gently.

CARL
Thanks.

(They turn to look at Khaled.)

KHALED
What?

BARTLETT
(to Carl)
I’m going to use the john.

CARL
Take your time.

BARTLETT
(to Khaled)
Can I use your bathroom? - Thanks.

(Bartlett exits into the bathroom. Carl

stares at Khaled.)

KHALED
What’s going on?

CARL
Khaled.
(walks up to him)
There’s no easy way to segue into this. So I’m not going to try.

(Carl kicks Khaled in the groin. Khaled

gasps, grabs his testicles, and
collapses onto his knees)
First off: that has been coming since we got here, because of
repeated references to an innocence that is not yours to claim.
If you were innocent, why would I have kicked you? Something
you’ve done has given me good cause to assume the worst. The
responsibility for that kick lies with your unwillingness to
assume responsibility for the part we know you played. We need
to know what that was. It might have been a bit part, but never
think that makes you a bit player.
(Khaled doubles over and
lets out a strangled cry)
Khaled. - Khaled.
(Khaled topples over as he
lets out a more sustained
cry)
Don’t overdo it. I didn’t hit you that hard. - That’s not pain
you’re feeling, it’s shock. You’re overwhelmed by the notion of
(MORE)
 55.

CARL (cont'd)
pain - that more might follow - not what I actually did.
(Khaled expresses more of
his pain)
Enough with the dramatics or I’ll give you something to really
scream about.

(Bartlett opens the bathroom door,

looking concerned)
It’s nothing. We’re good.

BARTLETT
What happened?

CARL
He’s faking it.

KHALED
(strangled)
No.

CARL
It’s shock. I was abrupt.

BARTLETT
Over ten seconds.

CARL
But he’s conscious and it wasn’t a sustained cry.

KHALED
What are you doing?

BARTLETT
(worried)
Carl.

CARL
It’s under control. Go finish what you were doing.

BARTLETT
Absolutely no bones.

CARL
One more kick and I’m done.

BARTLETT
This has to lead to something.

CARL
The info is in the bag.

KHALED
(winded; to neighbors)
Help.
 56.

(Bartlett gives Carl a worried look

before going back into the bathroom.
Khaled starts crawling towards the door)

Help me.

CARL
If you’d’ve kept your nose clean, then you wouldn’t be here,
would you, crawling on the ground, trying to get away from the
next hit that’s sure to come if you don’t tell us what you and
Gamal got up to.

KHALED
Please.

CARL
We know you talked with him.

KHALED
No.

CARL
You met up. In the strip joint.

KHALED
I’m not hiding anything. I swear to you.

CARL
We have the receipt. It’s as good as a photo.

KHALED
I don’t know what you’re talking about.

CARL
You really give a bad name to immigrants, you know that. Because
of you we have to pass tougher laws that stop people who might
actually be good for us.

KHALED
I haven’t done anything wrong!

(Carl either kneels on Khaled’s chest or

else grabs him around the neck.)

CARL
God: I know your type, so well. The smiling little Semite who
gives you one face while trying to stab you with the other.
You’re pathetic, you know that. If you hate us, then just hate
us. But you don’t have the balls to do even that. You bitch and
you moan and complain how overrun you are by us and all the time
you can’t wait to get here. You’d kill for a visa. That pisses
me off. That’s hypocrisy. Why not just come clean and own up
that you hate everything this country stands for.
 57.

KHALED
(winded/strangled)
No.

CARL
No, that’s right, because you’re too busy envying us.

KHALED
(winded/strangled)
Get off me.

CARL
I could snap your neck just for that. What’s the expression for
“fuck-face” in Arabic? “Hitit khara?” “Sharmoot?”

KHALED
(winded/strangled)
You’re crushing me.

CARL
Just how crushed do you feel, Khaled?
(slight beat, then:)
Alright, I’m done.
(he lets go and stands up.
Beat)
Now do you want to tell me what you and Asfoor got up to in the
strip club? Were you passing a message on to him? Were you the
internet guy? The guy to help him get around? A carrier for
something? What? What? Tell me, or I’ll -

(Carl pulls his foot back as if to kick

him.)

KHALED
(flinching at threatened
kick)
No!

CARL
(continuing)
I will. I’ll exercise my drop kick on your testicle sack and
make you sing an Arabic song in a very unnatural key.

KHALED
I’m going to be sick.

CARL
You’re going to be sick. I’m the one who’s throwing up. Only I
have the decency to do it quietly, inside, and not make a public
spectacle of myself.
(perhaps grabbing Khaled by
his lapels)
What did he want from you? What did he want? What fucked-up part
did you play in all of this? What happened with you in there?
(MORE)
 58.

CARL (cont'd)
What happened when you met up with Asfoor? What did he want?
(Khaled opens his mouth as
if he’s about to vomit.
Carl lets go as Khaled dry
heaves. Slight beat)
You know what I really resent?...What you force us to become. To
protect ourselves. We are a decent bunch and do not want to be
dragged down to your level. But no, you just have to drag us
down, don’t you. You have to gross us out with your level of
crap. I personally hate this, you know that. I hate it when I
have to beat the shit out of someone because then by an act of
willful horror, whose effect on my soul I can only imagine, I
have to shut out everything good about me to do my job to defend
and protect. Here I am quickly devolving into a set of cliches I
can barely stomach and you have the nerve to think you can
vomit. No, it is I who am throwing up, sir, and if I see one
scrap of food leave your mouth I will shove it back so far down
your throat you’ll be shitting it before you even know what
you’ve swallowed again.

(Beth enters dressed in a coat now. She

carries a photo.)

BETH
I found this.

(Carl steps away from Khaled.)

It’s pretty crumpled, but. I threw most of them out.

CARL
Thank you. (He looks at photo) This will help.

BETH
Look - I...I just want to say....I have no idea if he was
involved in anything. I know I’ve said things to suggest he
might’ve been. But I’m just telling you what I thought at the
time, when we were all upset. Being a major disappointment and a
shit doesn’t make you a criminal.

CARL
Understood.

BETH
Okay. - Good. - Just so I don’t feel I’m - you know. - This
isn’t about revenge.

CARL
Believe it or not, safeguarding the innocent is as important
apprehending the bad guys.

BETH
Good. Okay. Well....Bye.
 59.

CARL
Thank you.

(She exits. As soon as the front door

closes, the bathroom door opens and
Bartlett enters. He walks over to
Khaled, who is still prostrate on the
ground.)

BARTLETT
Anything?

CARL
He has a better idea of what’s at stake.

BARTLETT
Anything solid?

CARL
Authority has been reestablished. That was important.

BARTLETT
Facts?

CARL
On the verge.

BARTLETT
Verge is where I left him.

CARL
Oh I think he’s ready to talk. I think he knows we’re not
looking for sequential sentences that add up to poop; but
details that fit in nicely with what we know happened at the
club. Where you went to get a hard-on while plotting death and
destruction.

BARTLETT
Can we get him off the floor. It looks bad.

(Bartlett gets the chair as Carl moves

to pick him up.)

CARL
He’s such a drama queen.

BARTLETT
(helps Carl pick up Khaled)
The last piece of the puzzle fits, my friend. You were there. We
had surveillance cameras. It wasn’t your girlfriend who gave you
away. It was your pecker.
(they sit him down)
You should have followed your religion’s advice and avoided all
depictions of the human form because that’s what did you in.
 60.

CARL
Time for exhibit number four, I think.

BARTLETT
If we absolutely must.

CARL
You completely overlook her patriotism, you really do.

BARTLETT
I must have missed it. (To Khaled) We’ll tell you what happened
and you just stop us if we have it wrong, okay?

(Throughout this next section, Khaled

remains dazed, in shock. Carl will slide
open both closet doors.)

On a Tuesday night, August 21st, at around 10:05, you went to

the “EyeFull Tower Club”; where a Ms. Jean Sommers, aka, Kelly
Cupid, “Dancer Extraordinaire and Stripper Artiste”, as she
calls herself, was performing.

(With the doors opened, a dancing pole is

revealed. Light change in the closet to
simulate club lighting. Perhaps a disco
ball effect and a couple of spot lights.
JEAN SOMMERS is already at the pole. She
is dressed for the act: elements of a
cowboy outfit, including two pistols slung
on each hip. She might also be wearing a
wig.)

The date on your receipt proves it and so does Ms. Sommers.

JEAN
I do. Anyway I can help, gentlemen.

CARL
Much appreciated.

JEAN
Will you want to see my act now?

BARTLETT
Is it relevant?

CARL
It might be. Clearly they met here for a reason. Your act may
have been a signal of sorts. A series of unintended semaphores
that spelt out a message to commence something. Why don’t we
have a look just to cover our bases.
 61.

JEAN
So you do want to see it?

CARL
You bet.

JEAN
You got it. Music.

(Appropriate music starts and she

performs her act. More burlesque and
pole dancing than strip-tease. After it
ends, slight beat.)

BARTLETT
I don’t see how they could have passed messages through that.

CARL
Maybe not, but it doesn’t hurt to check.

JEAN
That was the shortened version.

BARTLETT
When did you first notice him?

JEAN
The first time he came or the second?

CARL
Are we talking dates, or?

JEAN
(smiling)
Yeah, dates.

BARTLETT
The first.

JEAN
Hardly at all. Except he was nervous and sweaty. Which isn’t
unusual when I come on. And he had a couple of books. I thought
maybe he was a college grad trying to cram for an exam.

BARTLETT
Hardly a place to study.

JEAN
You’d be surprised. I see more and more people with lap-tops.
We’ve begun to offer plug outlets in our lap-dance area.

BARTLETT
Anything else, that first time?
 62.

JEAN
Not really. I give full attention to my act. I believe in giving
your best regardless of what you’re doing.

CARL
It shows.

JEAN
Others leave their body when they do this, I don’t. To me my
body is a celebration of who I am and I give it to others as a
revelation. I try to be your average Joe’s desire incarnate.
With a little extra thrown in for the more discerning. Nobody
leaves my act feeling short-changed.

CARL
Kudos.

JEAN
Thanks.

BARTLETT
Anything else at first glance?

JEAN
No, he was just a set of eyes. It was later. When he asked for a
lap-dance that I had more time to observe him.

CARL
(showing her Khaled’s photo)
And you’re sure it was this guy.

JEAN
Yeah, kinda. It was dark and he was wearing a baseball cap. But
I’m pretty sure. And he was wearing this fatigue jacket.

(Bartlett picks up the baseball cap and

fatigue jacket to show to Khaled.)

BARTLETT
Any chance you remember the book titles?

JEAN
Yes, as a matter of fact. I’m always curious what other people
are reading so I looked. One was on tatoos, and the other had
something something in the title - ending with God, which I
thought was an odd combo. I plan on going back to college you
know.

BARTLETT
So what happened next? When you went one on one?

JEAN
Well...
(moves towards Khaled.
(MORE)
 63.

JEAN (cont'd)
Appropriate music for a
lap dance fades in quietly
in the background)
I began my routine. The usual. I was feeling less than on that
day. I had been groped earlier and was not feeling well-disposed
to the horny. But I do have a work ethic, like I said, and so I
danced. I always give my best.
(she starts to sketch in
some of her moves)
Even to people who turn out later to be scum who want to do us
harm. Did I tell you my father was a marine?

CARL
No.

JEAN
Highly decorated. My outfit in many ways is a salute to him.
That’s what he was before he joined up. A cowboy, out west. At
night, sometimes, he’d let me wear his medals.

BARTLETT
What can you tell us about Khaled.

JEAN
That’s his name, huh?

BARTLETT
Yes.

JEAN
(while dancing over a seated
Khaled)
If I had him again...I know what I’d do with him. Coming here to
do that to us.

BARTLETT
Well, we don’t know for sure if he’s - .

JEAN
(interrupting)
I’d say touch me, Kaled, so the bouncers can come and smash your
stupid face in. Coming here to get off on me while all the time
wanting to do shit to us. Wrapping your women in black and then
sneaking in here and getting your rocks off. I could pluck your
eyes out. I could bend your dick round and fuck you up your own
ass.

BARTLETT
Your sentiments are understandable. But if you could tell us
what happened next.

JEAN
I should have known something was up. I thought he was extra
sweaty because he was just too close to something he couldn’t
(MORE)
 64.

JEAN (cont'd)
have. But it wasn’t that. He was always looking around to check
for something. It kinda pissed me off he wasn’t giving me his
full attention. At one time I stuck my boobs in his face and he
actually moved his head, like I was blocking his view. I
thought, what the hell are you doing here then? I take pride in
what I do and expect some respect. Don’t act like you’re bored.
I decided then and there to make him come. But then this guy
shows up. Stands a few feet away and stares. Just stares. Like
he’d paid for this show as well. “Do you mind?” I say to him.

BARTLETT
(shows her Asfoor’s photo)
This guy?

JEAN
Yeah. It was dark, but yeah. Both of them were Middle-Eastern,
that I know. So I tell him to piss off but he just stands there
and this Kaled is looking at him. Suddenly his attention is full
on him. And he’s changed. Like he’s frozen or something. And
this guy just stares and he’s looking at Kaled and me. And I say
again, “do you mind?” And he looks at me and his eyes - they’re
like, I’m-going-to-get-you eyes. Only they’re smiling and it’s
creepy. And then he leaves to the rest-room. And Kaled starts to
rise like he wants to follow. Only I push him back down. I’m
really pissed off at this point, like I’ve been insulted. Like
my skills have been called into question. So I did something I
never usually do. I reached down and squeezed.
(she does so)
Just one time. And that did the trick. I finished him off. So
easy....Then he springs out of that chair and into the rest-
room.
(the music stops; she moves
away from Khaled)
And that would have been it; I would have moved on, onto the
next customer, but something about them really annoyed me. So I
looked for them to come out; to say something, like have some
manners the next time, the both of you, and don’t come back. But
fifteen minutes later, they’re still in there. And I say this to
Stewart, one of the bouncers and he says let me check, and I
say, no, let me do it. If I can embarrass these guys I will, so
I go in.
(she opens the bathroom
door)
And...
(a laugh)
Damn if I don’t see both of their legs under one of the stalls.
And - they must have heard me, because Kaled comes shooting out
and runs, just runs past me. And out saunters Mr. Creepy after
him. Calm as can be, like he’d just been holding a meeting in
his office. And I’m thinking - no, I actually say to him: “take
that shit somewhere else.” And he stares at me again, and this
time it’s scary. Real scary. Like he’s telling me he could snuff
my life out with his pinkie if he wanted to. So I get out of
(MORE)
 65.

JEAN (cont'd)
there and tell Stewart about it, only they’re both gone when he
goes round to check....And that’s my story.

BARTLETT
Did you get a sense of what they might have been doing in the
stall?

JEAN
Not a clue. Might have been sucking each other off for all I
know. Or shooting up. Who knows. At least one of them’s dead.
Have you got the other one yet?

CARL
We’re working on it.

JEAN
I wouldn’t mind getting him in that chair again. Give him a good
thwack from me if you find him, care of Kelly Cupid.

CARL
Will do.

JEAN
Anything else I can do for you?

CARL
Not at the moment.

JEAN
Well...I’d better get ready for my act then.

CARL
Maybe we’ll come back to check out the longer version.

JEAN
I’d like that. I’d hate to think my routine was being used for a
nasty purpose.

(Jean smiles at Carl, then exits. Carl

closes the closet doors.)

(Bartlett and Carl turn to Khaled.

Bartlett drags a chair and sits opposite
Khaled. Carl either sits on the edge of
the table, next to Khaled, or stands
over him.)

(Khaled looks at them.)

(Beat)

KHALED
She’s lying.
 66.

BARTLETT
Here’s where I have to pry a little more than I like to. Can we -
look at your pecker? Please? Very briefly. To clear something
up. Cause this thing about tatoos keeps coming up.

(Khaled makes to bolt out of his chair but

Carl pins him down, wrapping his arms
around his chest, immobilizing his arms.
Bartlett puts on a latex glove.)

BARTLETT
I’m sure it’s nothing. I bet it’s nothing. But it sure does make
me wonder.

(Bartlett starts to undo Khaled’s

trousers. Khaled writhes in his chair in
protest. This can be done with most of
Khaled’s back to the audience.
Alternatively, this can take place on
the futon, with the agents blocking most
of the audience’s view of Khaled.)

KHALED
No. - No.

BARTLETT
(overlapping)
What with that e-mail he sent about tatoos, and the book, and
doing it where the skin folds, where you can hide it.

KHALED
(half in tears)
Stop it. No. - No.

BARTLETT
(overlapping)
Was there like some secret mark you each showed yourselves? To
ascertain something? Membership? Commitment? What were you doing
in there for fifteen minutes? Excuse me. This is embarrassing
for me too.

(He has yanked Khaled’s pants down far

enough for him to look.)

What’s that? Is that a birthmark? Or?

(Carl also looks.)

What is that?

CARL
Liver-spot?
 67.

BARTLETT
(still looking; slight beat)
Yeah....Yeah. It’s what it looks like....That couldn’t be a
tatoo, could it?....I wish we’d bought our camera with
us....Next time.
(he continues to peer, then:
a light slap on the thigh
to indicate he’s finished)
Alright.
(he stands)
Thank you. Apologies for that. Not a part of the job that I
like.

(Carl lets go, Khaled covers himself

with his hands, and starts to pull up
his trousers but Bartlett prevents him
from doing so by placing his foot on his
trousers.)
But it still leaves us wondering what you did all that time in
the bathroom with one of the more hideous individuals we’ve come
across? Now would be the time to fess up to any deviant sexual
inclinations. It might get you off.

(Slight beat)

KHALED
(quiet)
I was never there.

BARTLETT
(slight beat)
Alright....We’re going to leave you to think about it. Come back
later, tomorrow. We’ll take a few things with us now.
(he nods to Carl to take the
lap-top)
Look them over. Assess what we have. What needs filling in. -
What might have occurred to you overnight.
(he picks up books from the
pile)
And then talk some more. You’re not taking any long-distance
trips, are you?
(looks at Khaled, then moves
to the door)
Here’re your choices, Khaled, that you can think about. Either
you’re innocent. In which case proving that might be difficult.
Or you’re guilty, in which case telling us now would score you
points because we’ll find out soon enough. Or: you’re innocent
of being guilty. You didn’t know what you were getting into.
Stumbled into it. Through deception. Other people’s. Your own
stupidity. And that would be okay too. We can work with that. We
can work with you to make that seem plausible.
(at the door now. Carl
carries the lap-top)
Think about it. And about those evaluation forms: they’re no
(MORE)
 68.

BARTLETT (cont'd)
joke. It’s your chance to respond. That’s what this is all
about. At the end of the day, we’re fighting to safeguard that
right. It sounds counter-intuitive. But that’s the struggle for
freedom for you. It’s never as straight-forward as you’d like it
to be.

(slight beat)

CARL
(to Khaled)
“Ma’salamma.”

BARTLETT
(turns to Carl)
What does that mean?

CARL
Peace be with you.

BARTLETT
I can go with that.
(to Khaled)
Peace be with you.

(They take one last look at Khaled who

remains slightly bent over, covering his
crotch. They exit and close the door
behind them.)

(Beat.)

(Khaled pulls up his trousers. Beat.)

(The closet doors slide open revealing

Asfoor. He enters the room.)

ASFOOR
You...you help me, yes? You and me, private class. I have...I
have need to - to learn. Quickly. Yes?...When first I come to
this country - I not know how to speak. How...even to say
anything. How one word best is placed with what word next. Yes?
But in my head? It is a river of beautiful speech. Like in
Arabic. Arabic is....It is the way into my heart. But
everywhere, when I open ears, first thing, everywhere now, is
English. You not get away from it. Even back home, before I
come, I hear it more and more in people who do not speak it. I
say, I must learn language that is everywhere. Language that has
fallen on our heads and made us like - like children again. What
is this power? What if I know it? I say to them, send me there
so I learn this. I want to learn. And in my heart, I say I want
to write. I want to write a book. In English. That is goal, yes?
And one day, I say...
(while accent is maintained,
the broken English
(MORE)
 69.

ASFOOR (cont'd)
gradually starts dropping)
I might even teach it....I will teach language back. I will make
them speak their own language differently. I will have them
speak words they never spoke before. I will make them like
children too, speaking words over and over to make sure they
understand it. And soon my language will also fall on their
heads. Like theirs falls on ours. Exploding in our brains till
we can’t even dream in peace.
(slight beat)
And so they sent me....They send me.
(Asfoor draws closer to
Khaled. Khaled does not
look at him)
And now...my tongue...it wants to rise. Soar. As it used to. It
wants to take off in this new language and conjure up brilliant
words. It wants to do things in English that seemed so
impossible for so long. I can help you find your voice
too....You’re stuck. I know you are. You’ve lost your way. I can
feel it. I can help. Most of all...above all else, Khaled...I
know how to inspire....I know how to inspire.

(Beat. Blackout.)