CADAVER BY ALBERTO S.

FLORENTINO (SCRIPT) Characters: Torio, Marina, Carding Time: Afternoon Scene: The interior of a squalid dwelling located on the edge of a cemetery in Manila. The walls and roofmade of empty fruit boxes, tarpaulin, bamboo, and cardboard patched together threaten to collapse any minute. A door, upstage left, leads to the outside and another, right, to the kitchen. Upstage center is a small window. At right corner is a cot placed diagonally across the room. Two fruit boxes, standing on their sides, serves as seats, and another, flat on ground, serves as a table where an oil lamp gives off the only light in the semi-darkness. (Torio is lying on the cot, a manta blanket covering him to the waist. He is around 28 years old, with a square jaw and well-developed body. He is sick, his eyes being closed as if in sleep.) (Carding, a frail-bodied, slow-moving man, in dirty pants and T-shirt, enters. He crosses to taps him in the shoulder.) ______________________________________________ Carding: (as Torio seems to wake up) Were you asleep, Torio? Torio: No, Carding, I was not..sit down. Carding: (still standing) So youve been sick. I didnt know it until Marina told me. Torio: Where did you see her? Carding: She passed by the house just a while ago. Torio: Damn that woman! So she insisted on seeing you. I told her not to bother you! Carding: Oh.it isnt any bother at all, Torio. I was even chiding her for not letting me know right away. (Takes a seat at foot of cot) She was so excited when she showed up, at first I thought you were dead or dying! Torio: Dont you let that woman alarm you again! Theres not a time when she doesnt worry about something. Sometimes, I even think she worries about what will worry her next! tries to laugh but end up coughing) Carding: But she has reason to be worried. You look very sick. Torio: Im a just a bit feverish, thats all.

Carding: (leans forward and feels Torios temperature) Your whole body is on fire! How did you get that fever? Torio: I dont know. I guess its the tiny wound on my foot. (exposes his right foot, bandaged in dirty rags) Carding: Maybe you didnt go to the dispensary as I told you. Its nothing serious. (pulls his foot under the blanket) Carding: Nothing serious! If it can put a man of your size and strength to bed, it is something serious! But you need not worry. I sent Marina to the dispensary. Torio: What for? Carding: I told her to ask the doctor to come and look you over. She should have thought that before. Torio: Are you dreaming? Do you think the doctor will come when we have no money to pay him? Carding: But you dont have to pay him anything. Hes the public doctor. Hell treat you for free. Torio: Maybe if I got there. But do you think hell take the trouble of coming to me? What do you think I am, a congressman? Carding: He must come. Hes paid to take care of the sickwherever they are. Torio: But will he come? Hell, no! (Mumbles to himself) Nobody comes to me no body. Not even those firementhey did not come Carding: What firemen are you talking about? Torio: (with bitterness) do you remember the house we had before this that was burned to the ground? Carding: I remember. I even helped you built this one. Torio: When it was burning, did the firemen come to put the fire out? No! Oh, yes, the came but only up to there! (points through the window) When they found out it was only my house burning, they drove away, pretending it was only a grass fire they sawNow, why would they do that? Dont I deserve to be treated like any other citizen? Carding: (jocosely) maybe they found out that you never once brought a cedula! (Laughs; rises

and paces about) Oh, Torio.try to forget that. Thinking about it will not make you feel any better. Torio: Could you forget it if everything you had in the world went up in flames? I cant forget that. Ill remember that to my dying day. Carding: (pauses at the door, looks out, and turns around) Toriowhy dont you move out of this cemetery? Maybe its the place that brings you bad luck. Why dont you out up a house somewhere else? Anywhere but here You live all alone here.. among all these dead Torio: (continues to mumble to himself) Maybe, just because we live here with the dead, people think were as good as dead Carding: (walks to foot of cot: tires to divert his thoughts..) If the doctor does not come, Torio, well move you to the hospital. Torio: To the hospital! To the free ward? Oh no! Carding: So what if its a free ward? You know very well we cannot afford to be choosy. Torio: I was there once. Do you know how they treat you there? They will neglect you until youre on the brink of death. Then they send young doctors to practice on you . Not for anything in the world would I go there again. Carding: (sits down and leans forward) Look, dont you want some pretty nurses hovering about you like butterflies? Oh, how I wish I would get sick just to be bear them. I would hate to get well. Torio: Dont try that kind of talk to me; I wont fall for it. I wont let those nurses or anybody else touch meIf Ill die, Ill die in spite of all the doctors and pretty nurses in the world. Carding: (rises and walks a little) My God, you should be in the hospital nowand not here, arguing with me. Torio: Youve got a chickens heart. Youre just like my wife. I get a tiny wound and a little feverand she thinks Im dying. Can you imagine me dying of a tiny wound like this (puts out his foot)at this age and with this body? During the Japanese Occupation I had a bayonet wound that deep. (demonstrates with his fingers) Does it look as if I died of it? Is this a dead mans ghost youre talking to?

Carding: (looking out the window) Were never sure of our fate, Torio. Strange things happen to us when we least expect them. Torio: Ill bet you, in a few days Ill be well and strong. Then we will continue our work. Well make up for the time we lost since I got sick. You havent tried doing it alone have you? Carding: (turns to him) No, I Torio: Its all right. I know you couldnt do it. Not alone. You need meBut dont get impatient. Ill get well sooner than you expect. Carding: You dont get what I mean, Torio.Im giving it up. Torio: (surprised) What? Youre giving it up? Youre joking! Carding: Im not joking, Torio. Torio: But why? Have you found an easier way of making a living? Carding: Im frightened, Torio. See what happened to you. Suppose it happened to me? Im not even half as healthy as you are. Torio: Oh! So this little wound had you really scared huh? Why, its only a scratch! It did not even bleed a drop. Carding: You know what old folks say about those accidents! Torio: What do they say? Carding: They sayif one gets woundedor even only scratchedby the bones of the dead.he will die. Torio: And you believe that? Carding: Of course! Torio: (laughs) Youre just a child. Besides, it was an accident! A corpse did not rise from his tomb to plunge one of his ribs into my foot! Nothing like that happened.so theres nothing to be scared of! Carding: Even then. You got that wound in a cemetery(leans toward him) Torio. Lets not offend the dead any more. Its so frightening. Youll never know what theyll do to punish us. Torio: What can they do except haunt us? And who is scared of ghosts?

Carding: (straightens up)Id rather offend living people Torio: And if they catch you, what do they do? They throw you in jail. The dead are more kind Carding. Carding: I havent had a good nights sleep since we started that thing. Its seems so mean and uglyjust like stealing candy from an innocent baby. Torio: Carding, if you start being sentimental in this world, youll starve to death. Carding: Ohhere comes Marina. (Marina enters, a plain woman of 25 or 26, sloppily dressed in a formless, tunic-like gray dress.) Carding: Where is the doctor Marina? (looks outside) Marina: Hes not with me. Torio: (with a cynical triumph) See! I told you so I would have died in surprise if he came! Carding: (to Marina) Why couldnt he come? Was he busy? Marina: No, he was not. (feels Torios temperature) Your temperature is still rising. Carding: (to Marina) What did he say? Marina: He wants us to take Torio to the dispensary. Carding: How? He couldnt even sit up. Torio: Who says I cant even sit up? I can! (tries to sit up as Marina cries out: Dont! but he fails.) I know I can if I really try. Carding: That doctor must be crazy. Torio: The doctors afraid that, instead of paying him, I would beg from him. If he came, I would have really begged from him. (laughs) Carding: Are you sure you tried to make him come? Marina: Of course I did! Now, what shall we do? Torio: Youre both afraid I might die. For all you know, I might outlive both of you. (smiles and starts murmuring to himself)

Marina: (crosses to Carding downstage; speaks low) Listen to him. Im afraid the fever has touched his brain. Carding: Lets take him to the hospital. Marina: Its not as easy as that Carding. He hates hospitals. Carding: Well drag him to itif we have to. Marina: We cant make him do anything that he hates. Carding: (touches his arm) But we just cant leave him alone, Marina. Hes really more sick than he appears to be. It is only his will to live that keeps him going. Hell break down soon and it may be too late then. Torio: (notices them conversing) Hey! What are you two doing therewhispering like two lovebirds? Carding: (loud enough for Torio to hear) Youd better go down to the street and get a jeep. Marina: We havent even a centavo to pay for the driver. Carding: Ill take care of that. Torio: What do you want a jeep for? (sarcastic) Are you two eloping? Cant you wait till Im dead? Carding: Torio, were taking you to the hospital. Torio: Youre not taking me anywhere! Carding: Torio, we dont have to ask you. Torio: Oh, no? You speak as if you own my body! Carding: Because I know its for your own good. Torio: But I dont want it, I dont need it! Dont tell me I cant refuse anything for myself. Carding: Torio, listen to me. Be reasonable. Youre sick. If you refuse to go, well drag you if we have to. Torio: Just try, Carding.just try! Ill fight you with my last strength! Carding: Torio Torio: Carding: youre my friend. Dont do anything I hate. And dont worry, Im in my right senses.

Carding: (irked) All right, all right, I wont insist! (Sits down) Marina: Torio please.listen to us.. Torio: Why are you so worried about me? Marina: What a silly question! Torio: Thats not a silly question! Why should you worry that I might die? Havent you always wanted me to die? Marina: Torio! Torio: You were never really happy with me, were you? I know youve grown tired of me. Marina; No, Torio! Torio: Dont be ashamed to admit it. I wouldnt mind. I confess I also get bored sometimes. But where I could always seek change, you cannot. I can imagine how you must feel inside Marina: Torio, whatever gave you those ideas? Torio: So if you think Im going to die, dont take this all trouble of pretending you dont want it to happen. Just let me alone to die. This could be your chance to get rid of me and take another man. Carding, for instance Marina: Torio! Torio: Carding hasnt taken a wife yet. And hes quite a man too. Even before Im dead and gone, he has started to lay his hands on you Marina: Torio! Hes our only friend and you dare speak of him like that! (to Carding) Carding, you must forgive him. He doesnt know what hes saying. Carding: Dont worry. I understand very well. Torio: See? Im not yet dead and you have taken his side against me! Marina: Torio Torio: Do you think he can take care of you as I have been doing? He cannot even earn enough money to support himself. He cannot take over our business when I get sick Marina: What business? Torio: how much more if he had you take care of? Hed starve you to death. Marina: What business does he mean Carding?

Carding: Dont mind him. Hes gone mad! Torio: So Im mad huh? (to Marina) Ill tell you what kind of business we have. Carding; Torio! Torio: Its a business that requires no capital. All you need is a good, strong stomach Carding: (shaking him) Torio, stop it! Torio: (pushing him off) Why? Are you ashamed to let others know that the dead have been supporting you all along? Marina: What does he mean, Carding? Carding: Dont listen to him. Hes out of his mind. Torio: really? (to Marina) Do you want to know where the money I bought home came from? Do you believe I really earned it by breaking my back at the waterfront? Ive fooled you so well you never suspected, did you? Marina: What did you do? Torio: To put it plainly Carding: Torio! Dont Torio: I robbed the dead people around us (Carding, exasperated, sites at doorway and looks out) Marina: (shocked) What! You mean Torio: I was one of those who force open the graves in the cemetery. Marina: (hardly able to speak) And you stole from them? And yousold what you found? Torio: Yes! Why not? Rich people are always being buried with something valuable on them. Rings, earrings, necklaceseven gold teeth! Why let such treasures rot under the groundwhile above that ground people like us are starving! Marina: Torioyou didnt do that! Torio: But I did! You can ask Carding. He was with me all the time. At first he was scared to death.He would tremble and perspirebut later on Carding: (turns to them) I didnt want to

Torio: But he had tobecause he had to eat even from a dead mans hand. When he tries to rob the living, he always get caught. Hes too slow for them. But with the dead, once he got used to it, it was so easy. The dead do not report to the police, they dont fight back, they dont even scream! Marina: Stop it! How horrible! I cant stand it! (sits down) Ohthe poor sacred dead Torio: What so sacred about them? Theyre dead! Marina: (almost crying) Toriowe had nowhere to go, we moved into their place. We erected this house on their land. They did not complain, they did not call us squatters, they did not drive us away. And what did you do in return, what! Torio: I hate them! Thats why I robbed them! I hate them! Marina: Hate them? What did they do to you? Did they ever try to harm you? Torio: (pointing through the window) Look at them! Doesnt that sight infuriate you? Look! Nothing worries them. They lie there day and night, sleeping like babies, mocking our sufferings Carding: (at doorway) Marina, stop listening to himif you want to keep sane. He used to tell me that over and over again. Maybe thats why he made me do what he did. Torio: One night, as I was coming home, A strong rain overtook me. I ran for shelter to the nearest tomb, that one near the road, belonging to a dead millionaire. It was so beautiful. It looked more like a palace than a place for a dead. It had thick marble walls and a roof and festive lights. Inside it was a dead body in a coffin. It was dry in the rain and comfortable even in death. Why should that dead merchant have marble walls and a roof to protect him from the rain, while I was outside, soaked to the bone and shivering, waiting to go home, to a dark, dank place, with a cardboard roof that leaks even in the lightest rain! Why? Hes dead and Im alive! I have more right to the things wasted on him, dont you think so? Dont you think we need thick walls more than the dead? Marina: He must have seen you Torio: Who couldve seen us? We used to work after midnightwhen everyone was asleep.

Marina: it was God who saw you Torio. He keeps eternal watch over the dead. Torio: Why should God keep watch over the dead? Why not you and me who are still alive? Marina: Ohwhat you did is a horrible sacrilege! If you die, heaven will surely not receive your soulYes, if you die, even hell would refuse your damned soul! Torio: (mad) Why do you always say if you die if you die? Do you really want me to die? Marina: No, why should I? Torio: (vehemently) You really want to get rid of me, dont you? (Marina, throughout, tries to interruptin vain) Now I see that you two have been waiting for me to die so you could live together! Maybe a little wound like this can put me into bed. Youre prayingpraying that I will die. But Ill disappoint you both! I will live on and on if only to punish you by denying you the chance to live together! Im still young! I have hundred years before me! Not all the dead in the world can drag me to the grave! (his raving rises in pitch) I dare them! Yes, I dare all the dead whom I offended to take me! (raving mad, shouts through the window) Take me if you can! I despise all of you! Oh, that you were all alive now and suffering in life! (suddenly collapses). Marina: (rushing to him) Torio! What happened? Carding! Carding: (at Torios side) Torio! (to Marina) Get some water quick! (Marina gets water as Carding tries to revive him. Then makes him drink.) Marina: Torioare you all right? Torio: (he comes to, sees Marina and speaks between gasps) Im all rightThey cannot take meIm not willing to go yet. (looks around blindly) Wheres Carding? Has he gone? Carding: (comes to his view) Im still here. Torio: I thought. you had left You are not mad at meare you? Carding: No, Im not, Torio. Torio: I didnt mean itwhat I said about you. I had a drunken feelingI just said anything, Carding: You dont have to explain. I understand very well. Try not to talkyou need rest.

Torio: Yes, I feel tiredYou two talk togetherIll take a short nap (to Marina) Wake me up when hes ready to leave, Marina Marina: Yes, Torio. (Torio closes his eyes; suddenly his head and his arm fall over the edge of the cot) Marina: (screams, shaking him) Torio! Wake up, Torio! Wake up! (flings her body on him and cries over the body for a time; later, Carding pulls her away and covers the body as Marina, now calmed, watches.) -CURTAIN-