Sunday, February 23, 2014

The Interview

Keneth Ampon

Still Untitled Play... Showing Soon...
Written and Directed by Mr. Time
Interviews are open for those who are interested...
Eleven actors are needed.
Note: The play is for the children in Ms. Life's house.
The actors will teach the children incredible acts.

There were already nine who were accepted. That leaves old and wise Mr. Time to look for two more actors.

Upon listening to the deafening silence of the unoccupied hall, he went outside the door to post the words, "Interviews will resume tomorrow."

But out of nowhere, two beings came. Mr. Time smiled.

"Who will go first?" he asked.

"I will," the man on the black cloak volunteered.

"What is your name?" he asked.

"Call me the ghost."

"And what performances can you offer?"

"I have the voices of all souls who passed your gates and entered the house of Dr. Death."

"And so?"

"Can you not remember me? It is me, your driver of the boat that leads the departed ones to the house of Dr. Death."

"And then?"

"I can bring back the souls of the departed ones to the house of Ms. Life."
"And why will you do that?"

"The departed ones are sad and forgotten."

"Interesting. But I think that returning the departed ones will simply scare the residents of Ms. Life. You cannot even do it the other way around. It violates the treaty of Ms. Life and Dr. Death."

"Then no one will pass the others' way. The residents of Ms. Life will deliver their message of remembering by using props."

"What will be the props? Or in other words, how can the residents of Ms. Life show that they remember their departed ones?"

"They will bring flowers."

"But there are already other actors who told me the same."

"White flowers then."

"Is that all?"

"And candles either on their homes or the homes of the departed ones. The departed ones will smell them and they will know how sweet it is to be remembered."

"Now, here is the problem. This is a play for the children. What do children know about remembering the departed ones? And yes, they might have some departed ones but remembering them will only make them sad."

"I already prepared myself for that problem. The children will have some costumes resembling the neighbors of those who live in Dr. Death's house. I am referring to the Beings. In this manner, if the departed ones see that the children look like their neighbors, they will know that they are remembered."

"Costumes only? And what if the children would like to stay home? The act of the children will not be promoted and remain unrecognized."

"The children will walk at night and go for every houses to ask for candies while wearing the costumes."

Mr. Time smiled then talked.

"Go to Room Number 11 then and place your things there. Your talent fee will be 30. Yes, you heard it right. You will work for 30 days."

Then Mr. Time faced the second one- a fat bearded man.

"Name?"

"Call me Nicholas."

"So Nicholas, what performances can you showcase?"

"I will bring joy to the residents of Ms. Life."

"How?"

"By giving."

"Can you further explain the act?"

"The residents of Ms. Life will exchange gifts."

"And what about those who cannot?"

"Then they will be the one to have gifts."

"And the children?"

"They will be the one to have the most number of gifts."

"Is that all? But if the role of the children is simply to become a gift-opener, is it not boring?"

"I came late here for I devised a resolution regarding that problem. The children will go at night to every house and sing. The children will learn how to work hard at the same time that they enjoy and bring happiness among every resident."

Mr. Time smiled.

"Nicholas, go to Room 12 then for your talent fee will be 31. That means you will earn for 31 days."

And so old and wise Mr. Time was about to leave when a small voice called.

"Mr. Time wait. Kindly wait Sir."

It was a small boy with white wings. It brought nothing but a bow and arrow.

"Well Son. Auditions are over. I advise that you go home."

"Oh Sir. I know it is late but please."

"But you violated my law."

"Please Sir. I am begging you. This act that I will offer you is important and interesting."

"Then first question. What made you late?"

"On my way, I met a sad man and a sad woman. They are sad. They are forgotten. They are alone. I tried to help them but I could not. They will not listen to me."

"Because you are just a kid. How could you help me then for my play? What do you have?"

"This,"and the boy raised his bow and arrow.

"A bow and arrow. But that will kill them."

Mr. Time laughed mockingly and showed his back to the boy preparing to walk.

"Not if it hits two souls."

"What?"


Then Mr. Time glued his feet on the floor filled with interest and surprise he never felt before.

"The arrow, if it hits two lonely souls, they will find comfort and happiness from each other."

"Props and costumes?"

"The act needs no props and costumes. The act is more important than the props and costumes."

"But it is nonsense. What if it hits three souls?"

"Then one soul shall suffer."

"Suffer for that act? That cannot be."

"Suffer for himself or herself but find comfort in seeing the two joyful and content for each other."

"How can it be? Is that possible?"

"It is. By the performing the act, everything becomes possible. The blinds see. The dear hears. The lame walks. The mute talks. The impoverished becomes wealthy. The act offers equality. It judges nothing. When being performed, the performer does not know or say that he or she is already performing the act. The act cannot be explained but it explains itself and everything it causes."

"Then what happens to the loser?"

"The question is wrong. No one loses in the act. It is an act. Not a game."

"Then what happens to him or her?"

"Ask yourself."

"What?"

"You are the one who knows it. With you, he or she may find me. With you, he or she may forget me. The act is an act of waiting and finding."

"Then what is your plan for the children? Children get impatient in waiting. Children get bored in finding. And children will get sad in suffering. Can they ever perform the act?"

"Not yet. They will someday. Again, it is you who knows the day and the place. You are the boss of me."

"Then what will you call your act? One calls his act the act of remembering, an act that brings happiness to the forgotten. Another one calls his act the act of giving, an act that brings happiness to the impoverished. And you?"

"It has no name yet. But I am totally sure that it is the greatest act of all. With this act, we remember. With this act, we give. With this act, we have joy."

"Well Son. I am overwhelmed with interest and delight about your act but I am too sad to tell you that you cannot work for you are still a boy."

The boy bowed his head and said.

"I am but I will grow up."


"But I cannot pay you a big sum of fee. You can only work for 28 days and well for every four years, as another law of mine states, it will be 29 days."

"It is fine with me. I am totally fine with it."

"But there is no more room for you there."

But the boy seemed sad. The old and wise Mr. Time touched his gray beard and with a comforting smile, he told the boy.

"There is no more room for you but I decided that- I will have my room with you. That is Room Number 2."

The boy was filled with joy and excitement that he captured the old and wise Mr. Time in his arms. The boy never had this feeling. He never even knew where he came from. Mr. Time had the same feeling and thoughts.
While walking, Mr. Time asked the boy the forgotten question of the interview.

"What is your name Son?"

"I got no name."

"Well, I will give you one. From now on, I will call you Love. And your act will be known as the act of Love."

And so Love went with Mr. Time. But Love is a playful boy. He enters all rooms to play. And so Mr. Time, the old and wise Mr. Time entitled his play based on what he always tell Love:

"You entered all rooms!"

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