I Am the Wind Read online

breaks off

  THE ONE

  Yeah

  THE OTHER

  And on the sea

  on the ocean

  this big wide ocean

  you might have to be there

  on the boat

  for days

  for weeks

  THE ONE

  Yeah

  Short pause

  THE OTHER

  And you’d like that

  THE ONE

  Yes

  THE OTHER

  Always

  THE ONE

  No not always

  Pause

  THE OTHER

  When don’t you like it

  THE ONE

  When I’m on my own

  THE OTHER

  You don’t like being on your own in the boat

  THE ONE

  No

  THE OTHER

  Why not

  THE ONE

  No

  short pause

  it’s nothing

  THE OTHER

  Say it

  THE ONE

  No

  THE OTHER

  Do you get frightened

  THE ONE

  Yes

  no

  quite short pause

  no not frightened exactly

  but

  breaks off

  THE OTHER

  What are you frightened of

  THE ONE

  Of

  breaks off

  THE OTHER

  Say it

  THE ONE

  I get frightened that I’ll jump

  THE OTHER

  Jump into the sea

  THE ONE

  Yes

  Pause

  THE OTHER

  Do you think about that a lot

  THE ONE

  All the time

  THE OTHER

  You think about it all the time

  when you’re on your own in the boat

  THE ONE

  Yes

  quite short pause

  well not exactly think

  but

  breaks off

  THE OTHER

  You’re on your own a lot

  in the boat

  THE ONE

  Yes

  THE OTHER

  And it’s always there

  THE ONE

  Always

  Short pause

  THE OTHER

  As a thought

  THE ONE

  Not exactly as a thought

  quite short pause

  or maybe as a thought

  quite short pause

  but

  short pause

  yes as a thought as well

  quite short pause

  but

  I think mostly as a fear

  quite short pause

  no that’s wrong

  THE OTHER

  That’s just words

  THE ONE

  Yes

  THE OTHER

  But it’s something that’s close

  It’s there

  quite short pause

  not quite as a thought

  not quite as a fear

  but as something close

  THE ONE

  Yes

  quite short pause

  yeah maybe

  THE OTHER

  Do you ever forget it

  THE ONE

  Yes

  quite short pause

  that happens

  quite short pause

  no

  Pause

  THE OTHER

  It’s close to you all the time

  THE ONE

  Pretty much

  THE OTHER

  But you don’t think about it

  when you’re not alone

  in the boat

  THE ONE

  No

  quite short pause

  no then

  then it goes

  Pause

  THE OTHER

  There’s

  breaks off

  THE ONE

  There’s not much I can say about it

  THE ONE wants to refill THE OTHER’s glass, but he holds up his hand

  THE OTHER

  No thanks

  not for me

  THE ONE fills his own glass

  It was nice

  but

  breaks off

  THE ONE

  Yeah

  THE OTHER

  It calms you down

  a drink does calm you down

  THE ONE

  It does

  Pause

  THE OTHER

  So

  quite short pause

  so here we are

  in the boat

  short pause

  and

  short pause

  THE ONE

  Shall I get us something to eat

  Just something simple

  THE OTHER

  That’d be nice

  that

  THE ONE

  Or we can set sail

  THE OTHER

  And then what

  THE ONE

  Then we sail

  THE OTHER

  And then what

  THE ONE

  And then we could find ourselves another cove

  where we could cast anchor

  THE OTHER

  pause

  Is that all

  THE ONE

  Yes

  Short pause

  I think so

  Pause

  THE OTHER

  Perhaps we could head off for a bit

  THE ONE

  Course we could

  THE OTHER

  I wonder if it is safe here

  I’m just thinking about tonight

  The wind could pick up

  And the ocean

  quite short pause

  the ocean’s just there

  The fog’s settled out there

  It’s foggy out on the ocean

  And out there

  between us and the open sea

  all there is is that little island

  the grey rock

  THE ONE

  I know

  Quite short pause

  But I don’t think the wind will pick up

  Quite short pause

  The ocean’s still

  The sky’s clear

  THE OTHER

  It might not

  Quite short pause

  THE ONE

  I’ll get us something to eat

  THE OTHER

  That’d be nice

  THE ONE goes and lights the stove, places a pan on it, opens a tin and pours the content in the pot

  I am

  I am a bit hungry actually

  THE ONE

  Food always tastes better at sea

  THE OTHER

  I could do with something to eat

  THE ONE

  Yeah

  Long pause

  But you

  THE OTHER

  What

  THE ONE

  Food always tastes better at sea

  Okay

  but I thought

  breaks off, quite short pause. THE ONE stirs the pot

  THE OTHER

  What

  THE ONE

  No nothing

  Quite short pause

  I’ll lay the table

  Short pause. THE ONE fetches plates and cutlery, lays the table

  THE OTHER

  Would you like a glass of wine with your food

  Have you got any wine

  THE ONE

  Yes

  yes I have

  Short pause

  I’ll open a bottle of wine

  THE ONE goes to get a bottle of wine, opens it, pours one glass for THE OTHER and one for himself

  THE OTHER

  I’m really hungry now

  It must be true

  that you get hungry
<
br />   being out at sea

  THE ONE

  Yes

  THE OTHER

  It must be the sea air

  quite short pause

  well it must be something

  THE ONE

  It must be

  THE ONE lifts his glass

  Cheers

  THE OTHER lifts his glass

  THE OTHER

  Cheers

  They drink. Pause

  THE OTHER

  But well

  quite short pause

  life

  right it’s not all that bad

  It’s not always

  breaks off

  THE ONE

  No

  THE OTHER

  Sometimes its good

  to be alive

  THE ONE

  Yes

  THE OTHER

  It’s only every so often that you

  well

  how did you put it

  that you’re a rock

  or something

  THE ONE

  Yes

  quite short pause

  yes a lot of the time I’m not

  THE OTHER

  No

  Pause

  THE ONE

  But

  quite short pause

  do you know

  I think the food might be ready

  It just needed warming up

  It’s quite a simple meal

  You know

  THE OTHER

  I know that

  THE ONE

  Simple but good

  I hope

  THE ONE puts his glass down, goes and fetches the pot

  It’s food anyway

  And I hope

  you’ll enjoy it

  THE ONE serves THE OTHER

  Here you go

  THE OTHER

  Thank you

  THE ONE serves food to himself and puts the pot away and THE OTHER starts to eat

  Mmm

  Lovely

  This is delicious

  THE ONE

  Yeah I can’t wait for mine

  THE ONE starts to eat. Pause

  THE OTHER

  Yeah

  Short pause

  Life’s not all that bad

  is it

  quite short pause

  there’s good food

  quite short pause

  this is really good

  good simple food

  it’s lovely

  quite short pause

  and the wine

  there’s good wine

  too

  quite short pause

  and it’s good to talk to people

  quite short pause

  to be together

  quite short pause

  and even if

  right

  yeah even if you have those thoughts

  quite short pause

  you know that thing about jumping

  you still like being in the boat

  don’t you

  THE ONE

  Well

  quite short pause

  yes that’s true

  quite short pause

  it’s just every so often

  that I

  breaks off

  THE OTHER

  That you kind of

  quite short pause

  can’t move

  quite short pause

  that you’re a rock

  sort of

  THE ONE

  Yes

  Short pause

  THE OTHER

  And then

  short pause

  it helps

  to have a drink

  a wee dram

  quite short pause

  a glass of wine

  doesn’t it

  THE ONE

  Yes

  THE OTHER

  And to imagine things

  short pause

  what I mean

  what I’m trying to say is

  quite short pause

  that that helps

  too

  THE ONE

  And in a way

  even being on the water

  is something you imagine

  kind of

  quite short pause

  isn’t it I mean

  even if you are there

  THE OTHER

  For sure

  Short pause

  Everything is

  imagined

  somehow

  created

  somehow

  made up

  isn’t it

  quite short pause

  even if it actually happens

  it’s still imagined

  quite short pause

  it exists somewhere else too

  in a way

  quite short pause

  it happens anyway

  doesn’t it

  in words

  or

  breaks off, short pause

  I mean

  breaks off

  THE ONE

  Yeah

  Long pause

  THE OTHER

  The food was lovely

  THE OTHER lifts his glass

  Cheers

  then

  THE ONE lifts his glass

  THE ONE

  Yeah cheers

  They clink glasses

  But

  THE OTHER

  What

  THE ONE

  But right

  short pause

  I don’t know you

  THE OTHER

  No

  quite short pause

  maybe not

  maybe not all that well

  quite short pause

  but you know me

  quite short pause

  you know me a bit

  at least

  Pause

  THE ONE

  I want to say something to you

  quite short pause

  but I don’t know what it is

  THE OTHER

  Right

  THE ONE

  I want to tell you something

  THE OTHER

  short pause

  But you can’t get it out

  THE ONE

  No

  quite short pause

  I only know

  that I want to say something

  tell you something

  quite short pause

  because to live

  breaks off

  THE OTHER

  To live

  THE ONE

  Yes to live

  quite short pause

  it’s

  I mean

  You have to

  breaks off

  THE OTHER

  What

  THE ONE

  No it’s nothing

  Pause

  THE OTHER

  And now

  quite short pause

  now that we’ve eaten

  yes

  quite short pause

  yes what do we do now

  THE ONE

  Now we can head on our way

  THE OTHER

  Right

  Pause

  I’ll clear the table

  THE ONE

  I can do it

  THE OTHER

  No I’ll do it

  And then I’ll do the dishes

  THE ONE

  The dishes can wait

  THE OTHER

  And you can have a drink

  THE ONE

  Will you have one with me

  THE OTHER

  No thanks

  THE ONE pours himself a drink and THE OTHER clears the table, puts the dishes in the sink

  And then we’ll head on our way

  Quite short pause

  That’ll be nice

  I think maybe I’m starting to like it here

  out on the water

  Pause

  But

  quite short
pause

  right

  pause

  is there anything else you like to think about

  THE ONE

  I don’t have to think about anything any more

  THE OTHER

  Don’t you

  THE ONE

  No

  THE OTHER

  You’re feeling better now

  THE ONE

  Yes

  Pause

  THE OTHER

  That’s good

  Pause

  THE ONE

  So now

  quite short pause

  now

  quite short pause

  we’ll set sail

  quite short pause

  and first

  quite short pause

  first we’ve got to do what we did when we dropped anchor

  you’ve got to go out on the deck

  and pull the boat towards the shore

  THE OTHER

  Okay

  THE ONE

  And then you’ve got to jump ashore and

  quite short pause

  untie the rope

  pull the boat to the shore again

  jump on board

  coil up the rope

  and put it in the crate

  on the deck

  THE OTHER

  Right

  THE OTHER goes out on the deck, pulls the boat towards the shore, jumps out, slips, lays on the rock

  Fuck

  It’s bloody slippery here

  THE OTHER gets to his feet and unties the rope, pulls the boat in

  How can I get back on board

  It’s completely impossible

  THE ONE

  You’ve got to try

  You’ve just got to jump

  Just try

  THE OTHER

  I can’t

  THE ONE

  Try to pull the boat a bit closer in

  THE OTHER

  Right

  THE ONE

  Does that work

  THE OTHER

  A bit

  I’ve got it a bit closer

  THE ONE

  Can you get hold of the gunwale

  THE OTHER

  No

  THE ONE

  You can’t

  THE OTHER

  No

  THE ONE

  Pull it closer

  THE OTHER

  I can’t pull it any closer

  THE ONE

  The keel’s stuck on the bottom

  THE OTHER

  Right

  THE ONE

  Can you reach it

  THE OTHER

  I’ll try

  THE OTHER just manages to get hold of the gunwale and he jumps and crawls onto the deck, gets to his feet

  That was close

  THE ONE

  I’ll pull us out and haul anchor

  THE OTHER coils up the rope and puts it in the crate and THE ONE hauls the anchor

  I told you you could do it

  THE OTHER

  Only just

  THE ONE

  So

  THE OTHER

  Where are we going

  THE ONE

  On a little ocean journey

  I think

  THE OTHER

  The sea’s calm

  THE ONE

  Fairly calm

  But there’s a nice gentle wind

  THE OTHER

  Don’t take us too far out

  THE ONE

  I won’t

  quite short pause

  of course I won’t

  THE OTHER

  Just

  a little way out

  THE ONE

  Yes

  Pause. THE ONE stands with his hand on the tiller and THE OTHER stands next to him and looks forward

  THE OTHER

  The ocean’s terrifying

  THE ONE

  Yes it is

  THE OTHER

  It fills up everything there is

  THE ONE

  But it’s beautiful

  the ocean’s beautiful too