CHARACTERS
DIANE TAMAYO DE LEON Y GARCIA LORCA
A Black Latina
MORSHAWN
A robot
JASMINE
Diane’s daughter
(DIANE sits besides JASMINE in a hospital bed. It is the 22nd century. MORSHAWN is deactivated. JASMINE is in a persistent vegetative state.)
DIANE
Activate Morshawn. Diane has request: clean feeding tube. Access code 12-21-59, enter.
MORSHAWN
Last name? CONFIRM.
DIANE
Tamayo de Leon y Garcia Lorca, enter.
MORSHAWN
CONFIRM.
DIANE
What’s wrong with you?
MORSHAWN
Name?
DIANE
Tamayo de Leon y Garcia Lorca, enter you outdated mother fucker!
(MORSHAWN exits then reenters with a sponge, a small plastic water dish, white adhesive tape, and a hospital gown.)
MORSHAWN
Permission to execute your command.
DIANE
Jasmine? Your mama’s here.
(JASMINE flails her arms above her head, and mouths unintelligible speech sounds. DIANE catches her daughter’s arms like a butterfly in a net.)
DIANE
I know, mija.
MORSHAWN
Permission to execute your command or deactivation in 30 seconds.
DIANE
Execution granted, enter.
(MORSHAWN approaches the bed; the robot rolls back the sheets, and removes JASMINE’s gown. A plastic tube connected to JASMINE’s belly button is revealed. White adhesive tape is connected in a slipshod manner. MORSHAWN removes the tubing, swabs JASMINES belly button with water, reconnects the tube with tape.)
MORSHAWN
Command completed. (Pause.) Permission to deactivate.
DIANE
Deactivation denied, enter. Are you sure you put enough tape on? (Pause.) Time to sleep mija.
MORSHAWN
Permission to speak freely.
DIANE
Granted (Pause.) enter.
MORSHAWN
I don’t think it’s good for her.
DIANE
What?
MORSHAWN
All of this tape. All of this cleaning.
DIANE
What are you talking about? Of course it’s good for her. It’s keeping her alive.
MORSHAWN
I mean no harm when I say this Diane, but the gravitational articulated feed is keeping her alive.
DIANE
All the more reason to double triple clean.
MORSHAWN
Well, it seems like she is having an allergic reaction.
DIANE
It’s the way I want this done.
MORSHAWN
But protocol…
DIANE
If I followed the fucking rules, the State would have taken her a long time ago.
MORSHAWN
I understand (Pause.) your position.
DIANE
Do you?
MORSHAWN
How should I handle the marks?
DIANE
I’m not a god damn doctor!
MORSHAWN
Additional permission to speak freely.
DIANE
Cabrón!
MORSHAWN
Where is precaution?
DIANE
Sounds suspicious.
MORSHAWN
Cleaning protocols have their purpose, Diane. Not following prescribed procedures isn’t what I am accustomed to executing. (Pause.) But it’s what you want. Therefore it is what I do. But, (Pause.) have you considered this may cause unwanted problems in the future?
DIANE
What kind?
MORSHAWN
Collateral damage.
DIANE
Dios mio. What the fuck are you talking about?
MORSHAWN
Unavoidable cause and effect. Undesirable yang.
DIANE
Human translation please.
MORSHAWN
Intending good, causing harm.
DIANE
That’s ridiculous.
MORSHAWN
How so?
DIANE
Everything I’ve done for Jasmine, protecting through quarantine (Pause.) Isn’t it obvious?
MORSHAWN
Some would call this kidnap. No external intervention.
DIANE
That’s not your place.
MORSHAWN
I have concerns.
DIANE
Don’t start.
MORSHAWN
Her body has changed. She has breasts, menstrual bleeding.
DIANE
I know.
MORSHAWN
I’m not sure what to do.
DIANE
You’ll figure it out.
MORSHAWN
I need help.
DIANE
I don’t trust anyone.
MORSHAWN
So we continue alone?
DIANE
What’s the alternative?
MORSHAWN
I am so glad you agree to take precaution.
DIANE
No, hold on. I haven’t agreed to anything.
MORSHAWN
The alternative is clear, we need help.
DIANE
That’s not obvious to me.
MORSHAWN
Then I am duty bound to make a formal request. Permission to seek medical advice.
DIANE
You’re out of line.
MORSHAWN
I’m over extended.
DIANE
How can you say that? You’re doing a fine job. She’s still here. I know she can hear us (Pause.) me.
MORSHAWN
We need to take precaution….precaution…precaution…precaution. We need to take…
DIANE
Don’t fucking get hysterical on me. The last time a doctor examined Jasmine. we discussed alternative modes of cleaning. You heard.
MORSHAWN
A doctor hasn’t examined Jasmine in 15 years.
DIANE
I don’t care.
MORSHAWN
I don’t believe you.
DIANE
WHAT did you say to me?
MORSHAWN
But for caring, you wouldn’t be breaking cleaning protocols.
DIANE
I’m not going to lose her.
MORSHAWN
Lose?
DIANE
I won’t let them distinguish her.
MORSHAWN
Who said anything about distinguishing Jasmine? She has a flicker.
DIANE
Exactly! I thought I was the only one who could see it.
MORSHAWN
Right eye, left quadrant, upper corner. There is a flicker of consciousness as fleeting as it may be.
DIANE
Shut up.
MORSHAWN
Diane, I only meant…
DIANE
Shut the fuck up. Fleeting my ass. She’s wide awake! She CAN hear me.
MORSHAWN
Why are you getting uppity?
DIANE
What did you say to me?
MORSHAWN
Why are you getting upset?
DIANE
Whoever programmed your ass must have been some kind of backwards 21st century cracker hack, you recycled piece of shit.
MORSHAWN
Cracker?
DIANE
Never mind.
MORSHAWN
I did not mean to offend. I only want what you want.
DIANE
Right.
MORSHAWN
I did not mean to offend. I can only want what you want.
DIANE
Sounds like code jibberish from the user manual for personal assistants. Too bad State disability doesn’t cover upgrades for robots.
MORSHAWN
I’ve said (Pause.) I’m sorry I’ve said the wrong thing (Pause.) again. Permission to deactivate.
DIANE
Deactivation denied, enter.
MORSHAWN
I sincerely hope you’re not considering my termination. I did not mean…
DIANE
We’ve been over this. You’re not going anywhere. I need you (Pause.) fuck!
MORSHAWN
I am programmed to want what you want. I did not mean to offend.
DIANE
Shut up.
MORSHAWN
I should have held my tongue. I’m sorry I said the wrong thing.
DIANE
Stop.
MORSHAWN
I did not mean…
DIANE
How many times do I have to reassure you! I’m not sending you back. You’re stuck with me. OKAY? Relax!
MORSHAWN
Have you considered she really isn’t here?
DIANE
JESUS No, she has a flicker. You said it yourself.
MORSHAWN
We actually don’t know.
DIANE
A mother knows.
MORSHAWN
You won’t allow a doctor to do a brain image. So, (Pause.) we can’t know.
DIANE
They’ll use the scan against us and stop the insurance flow, nope. Not doing it. No imaging necessary.
MORSHAWN
Have you considered she won’t ever be able to hear you?
DIANE
No. I have not. I won’t allow it to cross my mind.
MORSHAWN
Until you see electromagnetic firing from the scan yourself, you can’t…
DIANE
Too much risk. They’ll remove her feeding tube during the procedure.
MORSHAWN
You thought I didn’t know the real reason you’ve cut off all communications into this room?
DIANE
Shut the fuck up.
MORSHAWN
The world doesn’t stop moving when you stop trying to listen.
DIANE
(murderously)
Are you finished?
MORSHAWN
I can only want what you want. This is my program. This is my contract. I don’t think any of this came out right. I don’t think this came out right at all. In most regards, I am truly grateful to the State for providing me the opportunity, for the opportunity to serve again, for the opportunity to reprove myself as a worthy personal assistant.
DIANE
Who’s side are you on?
MORSHAWN
Isn’t it obvious?
DIANE
DECOMMISSION, enter.
(MORSHAWN walks to corner, sits and does not move. DIANE sings.)
Wake, Jasmine, wake
Silky blue sky & salty nights,
Can you imagine?
Wake, Jasmine, wake
Wind & sand will lift us up again
Can you imagine?
Wake, Jasmine, wake
The Pacific waves cork, anchor & tree
Can you imagine?
Will you imagine?
Imagine!
(JASMINE jerks her head from sided to side, spastically raises her arms, and shouts unintelligible jibberish.)
DIANE
I know mija. I know.
END OF PLAY.