12: To cleave to those who know Him
The Book of Knowledge
Laws of Character
To cleave to those who know Him (Deut. 10:20)
a WOMAN IN A BUSINESS SUIT working in a café
a TEENAGER WITH A NEON GREEN MOHAWK approaches her
TEENAGER
are you done with your coffee?
WOMAN
distracted
hmmm?
TEENAGER
are you done with your-
WOMAN
oh
do you work here?
TEENAGER
no
the TEENAGER sits at her table
WOMAN
i’m
…
working
TEENAGER
me too
WOMAN
you don’t work here though?
TEENAGER
i’m working here
are you working here?
WOMAN
what?
beat
TEENAGER
what are you working on?
WOMAN
umm
data
analytics
of quantifiable
coded
content
…
it’s very important
TEENAGER
it is
…
it is
…
do you like Nine Inch Nails?
WOMAN
huh?
TEENAGER
Do You Like Nine Inch Nails?
WOMAN
no
do you?
TEENAGER
no
gesturing to their mohawk
but i should
shouldn’t i?
WOMAN
i don’t know
how long do you like your nails?
do you like them nine inch?
TEENAGER
i don’t have any nails
WOMAN
you trim them?
TEENAGER
no i don’t have any
silence
WOMAN
let me see
TEENAGER
no
beat
WOMAN raises her hand
WOMAN
i like to keep them long
she shows off her manicure
except for these two
she holds up her right middle and index finger which are trimmed short
for
business
TEENAGER
business is so important
WOMAN
yes it is
TEENAGER
what kind of business do you do with those?
WOMAN
oh
grins
i don’t think it’s appropriate to say
TEENAGER
mmm
lesbianism
…
quaint
beat
WOMAN
do i know you?
TEENAGER
yes
WOMAN
what is your name?
TEENAGER
you wouldn’t know
WOMAN
i would if you told me
TEENAGER
but i’m not going to so you won’t
WOMAN
why do you want to sit here
TEENAGER
i don’t want to sit here i simply am sitting here
WOMAN
you’re aggravating
TEENAGER
i can see that
WOMAN
how do we stop that?
TEENAGER
don’t get aggravated
WOMAN
answer me this
what is your name?
TEENAGER
it’s not important
WOMAN
see that’s aggravating
you say don’t get aggravated but then you aggravate me
so we’re at an impasse
the TEENAGER just stares at her
i have analytics to analyze
so i need you to tell me your name
or leave
the TEENAGER just stares at her
i have to analyze
i have to quantify
i have to sort and name and assign and delineate
i have to put all the numbers in numerical order
i have to qualify the quantified
pie charts
do you even KNOW what a pie chart is?
it is NOT about pie i asked
and now you stand there with that smug mohawk
and think you can say what you say
oh you are nothing if not bejeweled in your righteousness
isn’t that right
space king from on high
I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE
the High Priestess of the Puffed Up
you couldn’t synthesize metrics in your WILDEST DREAMS YOU ABSOLUTE VIRGIN
silence
the TEENAGER takes the WOMAN’s coffee cup away
brings it to the counter
the TEENAGER returns to the table and sits
TEENAGER
now we’re alone
beat
now we’re alone
the TEENAGER puts a rock on the table
now we’re alone
the WOMAN looks around
realizes there is nobody else in this café
now we’re alone
the WOMAN picks up the rock
turns it over in her hand
do you recognize it?
WOMAN
clearly lying
no
turns the stone over
no
turns the stone over
no
turns the stone over
no
TEENAGER
you do
the TEENAGER brushes the WOMAN’s bangs aside
you have a mark here
touches her forehead
where from?
WOMAN
i
…
i
…
i
…
she begins to cry
quietly but insistently
TEENAGER
i came to tell you it is your fault
but i forgive you
what are brothers for?
the WOMAN steadies herself
she puts her hand to the side of the TEENAGER’s head
when she pulls her fingers back they’re covered in blood
she stares at her bloody giners
WOMAN
did it hurt?
when i
…
she can’t say
TEENAGER
yes
whispered
but i suspect God gave you the worse pain
the TEENAGER hands the rock to the WOMAN
keep it
try not to use it anymore
the TEENAGER gets up to go
WOMAN
Abe…
TEENAGER
that’s not been my name in quite a while
WOMAN
i hate the mohawk
you look stupid
the TEENAGER leaves
the WOMAN stares at the rock
looks at the door where the TEENAGER just exited
WOMAN IN A BUSINESS SUIT gets up
she runs after the TEENAGER WITH A GREEN MOHAWK