58: Not to let them dwell in our land

The Book of Knowledge
Laws of Idolatry and Paganism
Not to let [the idolaters] dwell in our land (Ex 23:33)

            JACK and JILL at the home of TOM and JERRY

            JERRY and JILL are in the kitchen cleaning up

            JACK and TOM are in the living room which is separated by a wall

JILL
it was a lovely dinner

JERRY
thank you it’s my mother’s recipe

JILL
and your home is gorgeous

JERRY
thank you

JILL
that fireplace

JERRY
wish i could take credit

JILL
the skylight

JERRY
now that we can take credit for

JILL
here let me wash the dishes

JERRY
no please you’re our guest

JILL
and you’re the host so you deserve to rest

            JILL begins to do dishes

            JACK enters

JACK
hi honey
            kisses her on the cheek
need any help?

JILL
i got it babe you just rest

            TOM enters the kitchen

            kisses JERRY on the cheek

TOM
dinner was fab babe

JACK
it really was

JILL
thank you it’s my mother’s recipe

            beat

JERRY
you mean my mother’s

            JILL blandly laughs

JILL
no

JACK
i’m gonna turn on the fire

JILL
lovely idea

TOM
i’ll help you with it

JACK
i’m ok

TOM
the key can get finnicky

JACK
i think i know how to light a fire in my own home

TOM
you mean my home

            JACK blandly laughs

JACK
no

            silence

JERRY
how about some coffee?

JACK
/splendid

JILL
lovely
Jerry would you mind grabbing the mugs?
they’re in the cabinet above the toaster

JERRY
no they’re not they’re in-

            JERRY opens the cabinet next to the dishwasher

            there are no mugs in there

JILL
no no above the toaster

            JERRY opens the cabinet above the toaster

            there are mugs

JERRY
that’s not where we keep them

JILL
i prefer them there
less bending
my back gives me trouble

            a baby cries upstairs

TOM
what the fuck?

JACK
she’s been struggling to sleep through the night

JERRY
who?

JILL
the baby

JERRY
we don’t have a baby

JILL
well we do

TOM
you brought your baby to our home?

JACK
our home

TOM
i don’t understand

JILL
you know i know we said coffee-

JACK
but it is quite late

JILL
and the baby may need feeding

JACK
and i should walk the dog

JILL
and my mother is visiting tomorrow

JACK
and i have to clean the gutters

JILL
and i want to reorganize the craft room

JERRY
what craft room?

JACK
plus the crew will be here soon

TOM
crew?

JACK
we’re knocking down that wall
            pointing to the wall separating the kitchen from the living room
we’re going open concept

            BANG

            a wrecking ball crashes through the wall

JILL
oh good they’ve started
babe can you supervise?

JACK
after I check on the baby

JILL
of course
i’ll finish cleaning up

JACK
i love you

            JACK exits

            a few WORKERs enter

            begin working on the wall tear down

JILL
            to TOM and JERRY
you can see yourselves out?
            she exits to the living room
            from offstage we hear-
my god i love this skylight

            TOM and JERRY stand dumbfounded

            one of the WORKERs notices them

WORKER
hey
this is an active construction site
get your hard hats or get out

            the WORKERs begin working on removing the rest of the wall

            TOM and JERRY watch

            until finally they exit through the kitchen door to the porch

            and leave their home behind

            END OF PLAY