From “Mary Courage & Her Children”
The freshmen senators, who will decide on whether the Senate should continue to fund the war against the Arabs, meet a Middle East refugee, with translation provided by defense lobbyist Mary Courage’s mute daughter, Catherine.
MARY COURAGE
Gentlemen, this bill isn’t about war. It’s about peace. What is the price tag that we put on peace, the price tag that we put on human life — whether it’s American or Arab? I want you to meet someone. Girls!
(In the same manner a prisoner would be brought before a judge, a few members of the CHORUS bring a small Middle Eastern woman, who looks like she’s been in a dungeon, to meet the senators. She is a bit jittery.)
Senator Green, Senator Seasaw, Senator Dove: I’d like you to meet Ms. Mathpa Alejid.
(The Senators reach their hands out to her, and she recoils in terror into the CHORUS.)
It appears she’s still trying to recover from the atrocities of the insurgents. Oh, you poor thing. You’re safe. It’s OK. You’re in America. You have nothing to fear from anyone, small, brown, Middle Eastern woman wearing Muslim garb. Catherine, come translate for us.
(CATHERINE shakes her head no.)
Oh Catherine. Please?
(CATHERINE sighs and relents.)
Mathpa, do you have anything to say?
(They all stare at ALEJID, who has no idea what’s going on. MARY COURAGE makes a motion to indicate “speak.” Finally, ALEJID begins to speak, more of a mumble, in some unintelligible language. CATHERINE begins the translation by signing, “I don’t know what I’m doing here or where I am. One day I was playing with my children and the next thing I know I am in some strange room.”)
Thank you to all the Americans who helped me escape the terrors of my country.
(CATHERINE gives MARY COURAGE a stern look, but continues translating. “It is so cold here and everyone smells of chemicals. Can you tell me when I can go home?”)
Here, I can begin a new life and attempt to put the horrors of crimes committed by my own people behind me.
(CATHERINE is now outraged, although this is a normal occurrence between her and MARY COURAGE. CATHERINE steps in front of ALEJID, who stops speaking, and frantically signs to MARY COURAGE, “How can you just stand there and lie like this?”)
And they tried to chop off our heads!
(“You will burn in hell for this.”)
They cut off our clothes and felt our boobies!
(“I can’t even argue with you anymore!”)
And played drums on our heads!
(CATHERINE raises her hands, makes sort of a muted screaming sound.)
Aaarrrghh!!!
(CATHERINE exits out the back door.)
And it’s too traumatic to talk about. She needs to leave. You can take her back girls.
(ALEJID faintly tries to resist being taken back to her dungeon but is escorted away, looking back as she’s walked through the curtain.)
