Bliss
By: Ricardo Rodriguez
Int. A small kitchen made of old wood and delicate mosaics. Palomo is sitting at a table while Simon paces back and forth across the room on the verge of crying.
PALOMO
I’m thirsty.
SIMON
(Grabs an empty glass from the sink and fills it water)
Palomo, I’m being serious, you know.
PALOMO
I’m thirsty.
SIMON
Yeah. I know. I know.
(pause)
Just — just say my name.
PALOMO
I want a glass of water.
SIMON
I have it here. (Waves the glass of water over Palomo)
PALOMO
(Reaches for the glass but Simon snatches it away)
Give me.
SIMON
Say my name first.
PALOMO
Sir, I’m thirsty.
SIMON
I’m not your sir!
PALOMO
My throat is dry —
SIMON
Just say my name and I’ll give it to you.
PALOMO
(Silence)
Well what’s your name, sir?
SIMON
Palomo…
(pause)
You know my name.
PALOMO
Sir, I don’t know who you are.
(Pause)
Can I have some water?
SIMON
(Long silence)
Stop calling me sir. I’m your brother.
PALOMO
(20 second silence)
I’m thirsty.
(Silence)
Do I know you?
SIMON
Yes! I’m your brother… Simon.
PALOMO
(Pause)
No… I don’t have a brother.
SIMON
Yes you do.(Pulls out a stack of photos from his coat pocket and shows them to Palomo) Look, that’s you… that us (flipping through the pictures) See! See? You have to see. That’s us in the war, remember? And oh, there’s Paul — ha! that silly Paul. Poor bastard. Remember? And look, that’s you. At your wedding. Remember your wife? Maria? Oh and remember the trips at the lake? Look that’s you with a giant bass… you don’t remember? (Pause) Please remember…
PALOMO
(Pause)
Can you get off me, sir? It’s making me uncomfortable.
SIMON
Please — just remember!
PALOMO
(long pause)
Can I have a glass of water?
SIMON
There then. (Slams the glass of water on the table so that the glass breaks and the water spills everywhere) Have your damn water!
(Pause)
Have your damn water.
(Silence)
Why don’t you remember me?
PALOMO
(40 second long silence)
Do I know you?
(long silence)
I’m thirsty.
(Pause)
Could you get me a glass of water?
Blackout.