The Cryptogram Read Free

And you put on some clothing … (
Pause
.)
    JOHN : It’s tied with twine.
    DONNY : I don’t understand you.
    JOHN : The
Tackle
box.
    DONNY : Box …
    JOHN : … with the fishing line …
    DONNY : … well,
untie
it. And …
    JOHN : I can’t untie it. That’s what I’m saying. I tried to pull the twine off, but …
    DEL (
Takes out knife. Of knife
.): This’ll do it.
    john: I can’t …
    DEL : … is it alright …?
    DONNY : … If you don’t get some rest, before …
    DEL (
to
DONNY ): Is it alright?
    DONNY : What?
    DEL : Can he have the knife?
    DONNY : … to have the knife …
    DEL : … to use. To cut the twine …
    DONNY (
simultaneous with
“twine”): What would your father say?
    JOHN : It’s alright.
    DONNY : He would?
    JOHN : Yes.
    DONNY : It’s alright for you …
    JOHN : … yes. Oh, yes.
    DONNY : … to have the knife.
    JOHN : Yes.
    DONNY (
simultaneous with
“Yes”): I hardly think so.
    JOHN : No he
would
.
    DEL : Then there you go. (
Hands
JOHN
the knife
.)
    JOHN : Where did you get the knife, though?
    DONNY : Good
Lord
, John … calm
down
tonight.
    JOHN : No.
    DONNY : What?
    JOHN : I can’t.
    DONNY : … why not?
    JOHN : The Tea, the Blanket …?
    DONNY : I don’t understand.
    JOHN : I’m
waiting
for it.
    DEL : You’re waiting for what?
    JOHN : “The Third Misfortune.”
    DEL : “The Third Misfortune.”
    DONNY : Third …?
    JOHN : I’m waiting to see “What is the Third Misfortune?” (
Pause
.)
    DONNY : What does he mean?
    JOHN : It’s in the book.
    DEL : Misfortunes come in threes.
    DONNY : Where
is
that book, by the way?
    JOHN : Misfortunes come in threes.
    DONNY : The third misfortune. I remember. Yes.
    JOHN : It’s in the book.
    DONNY : Wait. How long since we’ve seen that book?
    JOHN : A long time.
    DONNY : Ha. And you remembered it?
    JOHN : Of course I remember it.
    DONNY : Isn’t that odd?
    JOHN : “When we think of sickness, sickness is approaching,” said the Wizard.
    DEL : … That’s what the Wizard said.
    DONNY : Where
is
that book?
    DEL : It will turn up someday.
    DONNY : No, did we leave it at the lake?
    JOHN : Misfortunes come in threes.
    DONNY : Alright, what are the three misfortunes?
    JOHN : The Lance, and the Chalice; The Lance was broken by the Lord of Night, the Chalice was burnt …
    DONNY : Yes. No. Not in the book, here.
    JOHN : What are the others here?
    DONNY : The Three Misfortunes.
    JOHN :
Here
.
    DONNY : Yes.
    JOHN : Alright. One: The Pot, The Teapot broke.
    DONNY : That’s one, yes. And?
    JOHN : The blanket.
    DEL : … the blanket.
    DONNY : What about it?
    JOHN : … torn …
    DONNY : No, but it
wasn’t
torn. That happened long ago.
    JOHN : I
thought
I tore it now.
    (
Sound of teakettle
, DONNY
exits
.)
    DONNY (
offstage
): It was torn long ago. You can absolve yourself.
    JOHN : … I
thought
that I tore it.
    DEL : But, you see, in reality, things unfold … independent of our fears of them.
    JOHN : I don’t know what you mean.
    DEL : Because we
think
a thing is one way does not mean that this is the way that this thing must be.
    JOHN : The blanket was torn long ago?
    DEL : That’s what your mother said.
    JOHN : How?
    DEL : Well …
    JOHN : Did you see my hat?
    DEL : … did?
    JOHN : At the Cabin?
    DEL : Which hat is that?
    JOHN : The grey cap.
    DEL : Like mine, except grey?
    JOHN : Yes.
    DEL : I don’t remember.
    JOHN : Not like yours, actually, it’s …
    DEL : I don’t remember.
    JOHN : No, it’s not actually like yours, it’s …
    DEL : How is it different?
    JOHN : It’s. I steered you wrong. It’s not like yours at all.
    DEL : Then I don’t know which one you mean.
    JOHN : My
Grey
hat. It was on the peg.
    DEL : The peg …
    JOHN : … Near the door. At the cabin.
    DEL : I don’t remember.
    JOHN : You don’t? Why?
    DEL : Because I wasn’t looking for it. (
Pause
.) Do you know. I’m going to tell you a game.
    JOHN : A game?
    DEL : A game you can play.
    You and your father. Up