EDDIE 我需要聯絡⼀個⼈。我求下你呀,我知我無資格叫你幫我,但係我哋兩個都係廣州來的,就等 於係⼀家⼈㗎啦係咪啊?求下你 – ngo sui yiu lun lok yut gor yun. ngo kao ha nei ah, ngo zi ngo mo zi gak giu nei bong ngo, dan hei ngo dei leugn gor dou hei guong zao lei ga, zao deng yu hei yut ga yen ge la hei mei ah? kao ha nei – Speak English.
MISSIONARY EDDIE
求下你。 kau haa nei. We speak English here.
MISSIONARY EDDIE
Okay, Auntie MISSIONARY I am not your Auntie. And I am not from Guangzhou. We have nothing in common, you and I. The only reason I'm here is to turn you toward God's light. Turn to God, now. Repent your sins. Before it's too late. It's already too late Not if we pray. bow your head
EDDIE MISSIONARY
EDDIE The baby's father Please I am a sinner, true But he is a good man. could you deliver a message? no
MISSIONARY EDDIE
求下你吖。佢永遠唔會知我發⽣咗乜事， 唔會知道我地嘅蘇蝦 kau ha nei ah. kui wing yun ng wui zi dou ngo fat sung zho meh si, ng wui zi dou ngo dei ge sou ha.
MISSIONARY
English
EDDIE
The baby Your baby will be fine in one of our orphanages we have several
MISSIONARY
EDDIE
She is not an orphan she will be when she's born in here
MISSIONARY
EDDIE 我求吓你啊，阿姨，我求吓你啊 – 唔好拎⾛佢啊 – ngo kau ha nei ah, ah yi, ngo kau ha nei ah – ng hou ling jau keui ahMISSIONARY slaps EDDIE English!
MISSIONARY
EDDIE, shocked, for one moment In the next moment She slaps the MISSIONARY right back MISSIONARY You Harlot. MISSIONARY stands She's not a young woman, but she is strong She towers over EDDIE a moment then spits in her face. EDDIE grabs for MISSIONARY then not a forceful or threatening grab the grab of someone clinging to a plank on the ocean Let go of me.
MISSIONARY EDDIE
Please.
Let go of me!
MISSIONARY EDDIE
Auntie! I am no Auntie of yours. You have abandoned God. He will abandon you. Repent! I say/ Repent!
MISSIONARY
EDDIE Modesto- his name is Modesto, and he is on the Parker farm-! The MISSIONARY extracts herself from EDDIE's grasp using whatever means necessary EDDIE lets go of MISSIONARY and falls. MISSIONARY quickly exitsas she leaves: MISSIONARY "Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God." -NEXTEDDIE sits on the floor, rocking herself A tray of food next to her, uneaten. EDDIE my child my child my child my child MY CHILD my child my child Her eye falls on the food. She prepares the ritual: She takes a scrap of cloth and smoothes it on the floor and lays the food out lovingly. Then, she kowtows three times. -NEXTEDDIE LOI now floats above the bed (don't worry, don't worry - if necessary EDDIE can just stand on the bed. It's the sense of it that matters.) The lights in the room have changed. There are colors. Patterns. Sounds - unearthly - dragons and foxes and the sound of the sun And all too common - storms in a forest, wind, water and bending, breaking, broken steel.
Mother.
EDDIE
thunderclap dragon roar A Mother has arrived EDDIE You have felt the weight of this. How did you endure? the sounds and lights say: MOTHER like you I had no other choice EDDIE
Sister. thunderclap dragon roar A Sister has arrived
EDDIE You have felt this heartbreak How did you overcome? the sounds and lights say: SISTER Friendship. No woman can do it alone. Grandfather!
EDDIE
thunderclap dragon roar A Grandfather has arrived EDDIE You have been imprisoned. How did you break free? the sounds and lights say: GRANDFATHER your escape is not our will
What do you mean your will?
EDDIE
the sounds and lights say: SISTER the baby MOTHER your baby GRANDFATHER She is not to be stopped I can't have a baby in a place like this
EDDIE
the sounds and lights say: THE ANCESTORS she is of this land She? But what about me?
EDDIE
the sounds and lights say: ALL ANCESTORS be brave EDDIE What do you mean? What will happen to me? the sounds and lights say: ALL ANCESTORS we are sorry Are you saying I'm going to die? the sounds and lights say: ALL ANCESTORS she is of this
EDDIE
land EDDIE no no she isn't the sounds and lights say: ALL ANCESTORS SHE WILL BE THIS LAND EDDIE NO SHE WON'T!!! a man's voice - from offstageCan you please shut the fuck up?
DETAINEE
-NEXTEDDIE watching TATA and GUARD pass by EDDIE Hey! You! they stop I want to send a message Does this look like a post office? it is important This is Angel Island nothing here is important GUARD exits
EDDIE GUARD EDDIE GUARD
TATA lingers EDDIE Oye Por favor Hermana sabes contactar uh uh alguien Hermana me dirá uh es ¿es mi español no bueno? Okay. Gracias. Okay. TATA exits -NEXTEDDIE stands her face alive with hope maybe joy Could it be? A young plum tree grows up from the center of the cell And MODESTO arrives She is caught up in the memory. MODESTO holds long pieces of fabric and stands near a young plum tree that grows in the center of the cell. Sí, gracias. Those will be perfect.
EDDIE MODESTO
A lot of fuss for a weed. It's a plum tree.
EDDIE MODESTO
If it were a plum tree, it would have plums.
EDDIE
I think it's just a little too cold at night. With this, it'll warm up and bear fruit in no time. I'll help you.
MODESTO EDDIE
Oh No I'll do it. She attempts to wrap the tree MODESTO Your hand. It's nothing.
EDDIE MODESTO
You hurt it? I was cutting the belly? of the pig?
EDDIE
MODESTO
Si. And the knife slipped. Let me see.
EDDIE MODESTO
MODESTO grabs EDDIES hand and unwraps it EDDIE It looks worse than it is. It will heal. Tienes las manos bien pequeñas
MODESTO
EDDIE raises an eyebrow. Small hands.
MODESTO
There's a moment. A spark between them. EDDIE No. They're not. She snatches her hand back MODESTO
Little fingers They are a cook's hands.
EDDIE MODESTO
They are small. Thank you Modesto for the rags. I'll take it from here. To survive the frost It cannot be too loose or too tight. I know that. It is a young tree. I know that too. Please. You're hurt. I would like to do it for you. Is that okay? EDDIE finally nods She rewraps her hand while MODESTO wraps the tree.
EDDIE
MODESTO
EDDIE MODESTO EDDIE MODESTO
Mr. Parker has hired many cooks whose hands were bigger than yours.
MODESTO
EDDIE But was their cooking half as delicate as mine? MODESTO No. Pull it up there, on the side.
EDDIE
MODESTO And they were not half as attentive to this tree. EDDIE When harvest comes and I make Eddie Loi's famous plum cake you won't be sorry. MODESTO finishes wrapping the tree Eddie Loi. is not what he seems. Pero no te preocupes. Modesto can keep a secret.
MODESTO