From: houk@athena.cs.uga.edu (Joshua Houk)
Subject: Mark Of The Mole (1/1)
Date: 11 Nov 92 20:57:04 GMT

Just a short little thing.

Comments and criticism appreciated.

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MARK OF THE MOLE
a play in one act
by Joshua Houk

anti-copyright 1992

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[Wrong side of town. Just after dusk. Two grubby men, M and N,
sit up against a wall of a building.]

M: Hey...
N: Wha...
M: Hey - see that?
N: What?
M: Over there. That garbage can.
N: Oh. Yeah. (pause) So?
M: Look close.
N: Huh?
M: Look.
N: I'm looking.
M: Well, look then.
N: I am.
M: Good.
	(pause)
N: What am I seeing?
M: You'll see...
N: Oh... (pause)  Man - getting cold out.
M: Hmmm-mmm. Yeah.
N: Says it's s'posed to snow.
M: Yeah, just look at the can.
N: (nods) Weatherman said four to five inches. Man, that'll be nice.
   We will have to go find a place, though, you know...
M: Yeah... look at the trash for chrissakes, will ya?
N: I am, I am... Hey - ever notice that when we get snow, it always
   turns to slush within a day? I mean - all these cars and trucks comin
   round, sloshing up all the white snow...turning it grey and
   muddy...
	(M rises hastily, peers momentarily offstage towards the
	audience, and runs offstage)
N: Hey! Man! Where... where you going?
	(N's eyes follow an imaginary M crossing from where M exited
	to a position where N is looking straight into the audience)
N: Man... hey - what..? Hey - get out of that trashcan, man. That's...
   man, someone's... man someone's gonna bust you man, you gotta... get
   out, man, look... hey... hey man the garbage truck... man, the
   truck's comin man, look, man... get out... hey! Man, you gotta get...
   (N rises, and his voice has risen to a yelling intensity) Hey! Hey
   you two! Man, there's a man in that... there's a man in that
   trashcan... hey! Look, there's a... there's a guy in that... Hey!
   Drop that... hey, drop that can... there's a... a...
	(N falls silent and stares stage forward emotionless, but
	still tense. After a few seconds, he returns to his seat
	against the wall.)
N: Man, you just can't get in a trashcan, man.
	(Blackout)

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Again - comments & criticism, okay folks? I want a better last line,
though - but nothing's stuck me so far. It might be too chintzy, too.
Hmmm...

Joshua Houk
houk@athena.cs.uga.edu

As crazy... as unhappy as we think we are, the line between psychotic
and neurotic is not a thin line.
	- David Mamet "Two Conversations"
--
houk@athena.cs.uga.edu * email for indie-list info!
In the cold dark night we can hide on the fire escape while the
junkies inside worry about their next fix.
   - Crimpshrine