Necessary political disclaimer: At the moment,
I have no definite candidate in mind for the primaries. I was hoping for Clark; we all know that didn't happen. I'd be happy if Gore would run, but I really don't think that's going to happen. While reading the various threads continuing to speculate, hope, and dream of a Gore candidacy again, the title of this Beckett play came to my mind. I spent a semester in college reading absurdist dramas, and this association dropped into my head yesterday, and it wouldn't let go of me until I robbed Samuel Beckett and put this down.
NOTE: No slur on any Gore supporter, real or imaginary, is intended by this.
Waiting for Go(RE)dot.
An absurdist political drama in two condensed parts.
A country road. A tree.
Evening.
Estragon, sitting on a low mound, is trying to take off his boot. He pulls at it with both hands, panting. He gives up, exhausted, rests, tries again. As before.
Enter Vladimir.
ESTRAGON: (giving up again) Nothing to be done.
VLADIMIR: I'm beginning to come round to that opinion.
VLADIMIR: Pah!
ESTRAGON: Charming spot. Inspiring prospects. (He turns to Vladimir.) Let's go.
VLADIMIR: We can't.
ESTRAGON: Why not?
VLADIMIR: We're waiting for Go(RE)dot.
ESTRAGON: (despairingly). Ah! (Pause) You're sure it was here?
VLADIMIR: What?
ESTRAGON: That we were to wait.
VLADIMIR: He said by the tree. (They look at the tree.) Do you see any others?
ESTRAGON: What is it?
VLADIMIR: I don't know. A willow.
ESTRAGON: Where are the leaves?
VLADIMIR: It must be dead.
ESTRAGON: No more weeping.
VLADIMIR: Or perhaps it's not the season.
ESTRAGON: Looks to me more like a bush.
VLADIMIR: A shrub.
ESTRAGON: A bush.
VLADIMIR: A—. What are you insinuating? That we've come to the wrong place?
ESTRAGON: He should be here.
VLADIMIR: He didn't say for sure he'd run.
ESTRAGON: And if he doesn't run?
VLADIMIR: The point is—
ESTRAGON: Until he runs.
VLADIMIR: Let's wait and see what he says.
ESTRAGON: Who?
VLADIMIR: Go(RE)dot.
ESTRAGON: Good idea.
VLADIMIR: I'm curious to hear what he has to offer. Then we'll take it or leave it.
ESTRAGON: What exactly did we ask him for?
VLADIMIR: Were you not there?
ESTRAGON: I can't have been listening.
VLADIMIR: Oh . . . Nothing very definite.
ESTRAGON: A kind of prayer.
VLADIMIR: Precisely.
ESTRAGON: A vague supplication.
VLADIMIR: Exactly.
ESTRAGON: And what did he reply?
VLADIMIR: That he'd see.
ESTRAGON: That he couldn't promise anything.
VLADIMIR: That he'd have to think it over.
VLADIMIR: Before taking a decision.
ESTRAGON: It's the normal thing.
VLADIMIR: Is it not?
ESTRAGON: I think it is.
VLADIMIR: I think so too.
Silence
VLADIMIR: Listen!
They listen, grotesquely rigid.
ESTRAGON: I hear nothing.
VLADIMIR: Hsst!
They listen. Estragon loses his balance, almost falls. He clutches the arm of Vladimir, who totters. They listen, huddled together.
VLADIMIR: Nor I.
ESTRAGON: You gave me a fright.
VLADIMIR: I thought it was he.
ESTRAGON: Who?
VLADIMIR: Go(RE)dot.
ESTRAGON: Simply wait.
VLADIMIR: We're used to it.
He picks up his hat, peers inside it, shakes it, puts it on.
ESTRAGON: What do we do now?
VLADIMIR: I don't know.
ESTRAGON: Let's go.
VLADIMIR: We can't.
ESTRAGON: Why not?
VLADIMIR: We're waiting for Go(RE)dot.
ESTRAGON: (despairingly). Ah!
Pause
BOY: Off. Mister!
Estragon halts. Both look towards the voice.
VLADIMIR: Approach, my child.
VLADIMIR: What is it?
BOY: Mr. Go(RE)dot . . .
VLADIMIR: You have a message from Mr. Go(RE)dot?
BOY: Yes Sir.
VLADIMIR: Well, what is it?
BOY: (in a rush). Mr. Go(RE)dot told me to tell you he won't run this evening but surely tomorrow.
Silence
VLADIMIR: Is that all?
BOY: Yes Sir.
Silence
VLADIMIR: Tomorrow everything will be better.
ESTRAGON: How do you make that out?
VLADIMIR: Did you not hear what the child said?
ESTRAGON: No.
VLADIMIR: He said that Go(RE)dot was sure to run tomorrow. (Pause.) What do you say to that?
ESTRAGON: Then all we have to do is to wait on here.
VLADIMIR: (without anger) It's not certain.
ESTRAGON: No, nothing is certain.
ESTRAGON: Well, shall we go?
VLADIMIR: Yes, let's go.
They do not move.
Curtain
Next day. Same time. Same place.
Estragon's boots front center, heels together, toes splayed.
Lucky's hat at same place.
The tree has four or five leaves.
Enter Vladimir
ESTRAGON: Another day done with.
VLADIMIR: Not yet.
VLADIMIR: Say, I am happy.
ESTRAGON: I am happy.
VLADIMIR: So am I.
ESTRAGON: So am I.
VLADIMIR: We are happy.
ESTRAGON: We are happy. (Silence) What do we do now, now that we are happy?
VLADIMIR: Wait for Go(RE)dot. (Estragon groans. Silence) Things have changed here since yesterday.
ESTRAGON: And if he doesn't run?
VLADIMIR: (after a moment of bewilderment) We'll see when the time comes. (Pause) I was saying that things have changed here since yesterday.
ESTRAGON: What do we do now?
VLADIMIR: Wait for Go(RE)dot.
ESTRAGON: Well?
VLADIMIR: What was I saying, we could go on from there.
ESTRAGON: I'm tired! (Pause) Let's go.
VLADIMIR: We can't.
ESTRAGON: Why not?
VLADIMIR: We're waiting for Go(RE)dot.
ESTRAGON: Ah! (Pause) (despairing) What'll we do, what'll we do!
VLADIMIR: There's nothing we can do.
ESTRAGON: But I can't go on like this!
ESTRAGON: Let's go.
VLADIMIR: We can't.
ESTRAGON: Why not?
VLADIMIR: We're waiting for Go(RE)dot.
ESTRAGON: What do we do now?
VLADIMIR: While waiting.
ESTRAGON: While waiting.
Silence
BOY: Yes Sir.
Silence
VLADIMIR: You have a message from Mr. Go(RE)dot.
BOY: Yes Sir.
VLADIMIR: He won't run this evening.
BOY: No Sir.
VLADIMIR: But he'll run tomorrow.
BOY: Yes Sir.
VLADIMIR: Without fail.
BOY: Yes Sir.
ESTRAGON: Oh yes, let's go far away from here.
VLADIMIR: We can't.
ESTRAGON: Why not?
VLADIMIR: We have to come back tomorrow.
ESTRAGON: What for?
VLADIMIR: To wait for Go(RE)dot.
ESTRAGON: Ah! (Silence) He didn't run?
VLADIMIR: No.
ESTRAGON: And now it's too late.
VLADIMIR: Yes, now it's night.
ESTRAGON: You say we have to come back tomorrow?
VLADIMIR: Yes.
Silence
ESTRAGON: I can't go on like this.
VLADIMIR: That's what you think.
ESTRAGON: Yes, let's go.
They do not move.
Curtain.