Oleanna: A Play (5 page)

CAROL
: … wait …

JOHN
: Yes. I want to hear it.

CAROL
: … the …

JOHN
: Yes. Tell me frankly.

CAROL
: … my position …

JOHN
: I want to hear it. In your own words. What you want. And what you feel.

CAROL
: … I …

JOHN
: … yes …

CAROL
: My Group.

JOHN
: Your “Group” …? (
Pause
)

CAROL
: The people I’ve been talking to …

JOHN
: There’s no shame in that. Everybody needs advisers. Everyone needs to expose themselves. To various points of view. It’s not wrong. It’s essential. Good. Good. Now: You and I … (
The phone rings.
)
You and I …
(
He hesitates for a moment, and then picks it up.
) (
Into phone
) Hello. (
Pause
) Um … no, I know they do. (
Pause
) I know she does. Tell her that I … can I call you back? … Then tell her that I think it’s going to be fine. (
Pause
) Tell her just, just hold on, I’ll … can I get back to you? … Well … no, no, no, we’re
taking
the house … we’re … no, no, nn … no, she will nnn, it’s not a
question
of refunding the dep … no … it’s not a
question
of the deposit … will you call Jerry? Babe, baby, will you just call Jerry? Tell him, nnn … tell him they, well, they’re to keep the deposit, because the deal, be … because the deal is going to go
through
 … because I know … be … will you please? Just
trust
me. Be … well, I’m dealing with the complaint. Yes. Right
Now
. Which is why I … yes, no, no, it’s really, I can’t
talk
about it now. Call Jerry, and I can’t talk now. Ff … fine. Gg … good-bye. (
Hangs up.
) (
Pause
) I’m sorry we were interrupted.

CAROL
: N
O …

JOHN
: I … I was saying:

CAROL
: You said that we should agree to talk about my complaint.

JOHN
: That’s correct.

CAROL
: But we
are
talking about it.

JOHN
: Well, that’s correct too. You see? This is the
gist
of education.

CAROL
: No, no. I mean, we’re talking about it at the Tenure Committee Hearing. (
Pause
)

JOHN
: Yes, but I’m saying: we can talk about it
now
, as easily as …

CAROL
: No. I think that we should stick to the process …

JOHN
: … wait a …

CAROL
: … the “conventional” process. As you said. (
She gets up.
) And you’re right, I’m sorry if I was, um, if I was “discourteous” to you. You’re right.

JOHN
: Wait, wait a …

CAROL
: I really should go.

JOHN
: Now, look, granted. I have an interest. In the status quo. All right? Everyone does. But what I’m saying is that the
committee …

CAROL
: Professor, you’re right. Just don’t impinge on me. We’ll take our differences, and …

JOHN
: You’re going to make a … look, look, look, you’re going to …

CAROL
: I shouldn’t have come here. They told me …

JOHN
: One moment. No. No. There are
norms
, here, and there’s no reason. Look: I’m trying to
save
you …

CAROL
: No one
asked
you to … you’re trying to save
me?
Do me the courtesy to …

JOHN
: I
am
doing you the courtesy. I’m talking
straight
to you. We can settle this
now
. And I want you to sit
down
and …

CAROL
: You must excuse me … (
She starts to leave the room.
)

JOHN
: Sit down, it seems we each have a.… Wait one moment. Wait one moment … just do me the courtesy to … (
He restrains her from leaving.
)

CAROL
: LET ME GO.

JOHN
: I have no desire to
hold
you, I just want to
talk
to you …

CAROL
: LET ME GO. LET ME GO. WOULD SOMEBODY
HELP
ME? WOULD SOMEBODY
HELP
ME PLEASE …?

JOHN
: I have asked you here. (
Pause
) I have asked you here against, against my …

CAROL
: I was most surprised you asked me.

JOHN
: … against my better
judgment
, against …

CAROL
: I was most surprised …

JOHN
: … against the … yes. I’m sure.

CAROL
: … If you would like me to leave, I’ll leave. I’ll go right now … (
She rises.
)

JOHN
: Let us begin
correctly
, may we? I feel …

CAROL
: That is what I wished to do. That’s why I came here, but now …

JOHN
: … I feel …

CAROL
: But now perhaps you’d like me to leave …

JOHN
: I don’t want you to leave. I asked you to come …

CAROL
: I didn’t have to come here.

JOHN
: No. (
Pause
) Thank you.

CAROL
: All right. (
Pause
) (
She sits down.
)

JOHN
: Although I feel that it
profits
, it would
profit
you something, to …

CAROL
: … what I …

JOHN
: If you would hear me out, if you would hear me out.

CAROL
: I came here to, the court officers told me not to come.

JOHN
: … the “court” officers …?

CAROL
: I was shocked that you asked.

JOHN
: … wait …

CAROL
: Yes. But I did
not
come here to hear what it “profits” me.

JOHN
: The “court” officers …

CAROL
: … no, no, perhaps I should leave … (
She gets up.
)

JOHN
: Wait.

CAROL
: No. I shouldn’t have …

JOHN
: … wait. Wait. Wait a moment.

CAROL
: Yes? What is it you want? (
Pause
) What is it you want?

JOHN
: I’d like you to stay.

CAROL
: You want me to stay.

JOHN
: Yes.

CAROL
: You do.

JOHN
: Yes. (
Pause
) Yes. I would like to have you hear me out. If you would. (
Pause
) Would you please? If you would do that I would be in your debt. (
Pause
) (
She sits.
) Thank You. (
Pause
)

CAROL
: What is it you wish to tell me?

JOHN
: All right. I cannot … (
Pause
) I cannot help but feel you are owed an apology. (
Pause
) (
Of papers in his hands
) I have read. (
Pause
) And reread these accusations.

CAROL
: What “accusations”?

JOHN
: The, the tenure comm … what other accusations …?

CAROL
: The tenure committee …?

JOHN
: Yes.

CAROL
: Excuse me, but those are not accusations. They have been
proved
. They are facts.

JOHN
: … I …

CAROL
: No. Those are not “accusations.”

JOHN
: … those?

CAROL
: … the committee (
The phone starts to ring.
) the committee has …

JOHN
: … All right …

CAROL
: … those are not accusations. The Tenure Committee.

JOHN
: ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. (
He picks up the phone.
) Hello. Yes. No. I’m here. Tell Mister … No, I can’t talk to him now … I’m sure he has, but I’m fff … I know … No, I have no time t … tell Mister … tell Mist … tell Jerry that I’m
fine
and that I’ll call
him right aw … (
Pause
) My wife … Yes. I’m sure she has. Yes, thank you. Yes, I’ll call her too. I cannot talk to you now. (
He hangs up.
) (
Pause
) All right. It was good of you to come. Thank you. I have studied. I have spent some time studying the indictment.

CAROL
: You will have to explain that word to me.

JOHN
: An “indictment” …

CAROL
: Yes.

JOHN
: Is a “bill of particulars.” A …

CAROL
: All right. Yes.

JOHN
: In which is alleged …

CAROL
: No. I cannot allow that. I cannot allow that. Nothing is alleged. Everything is proved …

JOHN
: Please, wait a sec …

CAROL
: I cannot
come
to allow …

JOHN
: If I may … If I may, from whatever you feel is “established,” by …

CAROL
: The issue here is not what I “feel.” It is not my “feelings,” but the feelings of women. And men. Your superiors, who’ve been “polled,” do
you see? To whom
evidence
has been presented, who have
ruled
, do you see? Who have weighed the testimony and the evidence, and have
ruled
, do you see? That you are
negligent
. That you are
guilty
, that you are found
wanting
, and in
error;
and are
not
, for the reasons so-told, to be given tenure. That you are to be disciplined. For facts. For
facts
. Not “alleged,” what is the word? But
proved
. Do you see?
By your own actions
.
That is what the tenure committee has said. That is what my lawyer said. For what you did in class. For what you did
in this office
.

JOHN
: They’re going to discharge me.

CAROL
: As full well they should. You don’t understand? You’re angry? What has
led
you to this place? Not your sex. Not your race. Not your class. YOUR OWN ACTIONS. And you’re
angry
. You
ask
me here. What
do
you want? You want to “charm” me. You want to “convince” me. You want me to recant. I will
not
recant. Why should I …? What I say is right. You tell me, you are going to tell me that you have a wife and child. You are going to say that you have a career and that you’ve worked for twenty years for this. Do you know what you’ve
worked
for?
Power
. For
power
. Do you understand? And you sit there, and you tell me
stories
. About your
house
, about all the private
schools
, and about
privilege
, and how you are entitled. To
buy
, to
spend
, to
mock
, to
summon
. All your stories. All your silly weak
guilt
, it’s all about
privilege;
and you won’t know it. Don’t you see? You worked twenty years for the right to
insult
me. And you feel entitled to be
paid
for it. Your Home. Your Wife … Your sweet “deposit” on your house …

JOHN
: Don’t you have feelings?

CAROL
: That’s my point. You see? Don’t you have feelings? Your final argument. What is it that has no feelings.
Animals
. I don’t take your side, you question if I’m Human.

JOHN
: Don’t you have feelings?

CAROL
: I have a responsibility. I …

JOHN
: … to …?

CAROL
: To? This institution. To the
students
. To my
group
.

JOHN
: … your “group.” …

CAROL
: Because I speak, yes, not for myself. But for the group; for those who suffer what I suffer. On behalf of whom, even if I, were, inclined, to what, forgive? Forget? What? Overlook your …

JOHN
: … my behavior?

CAROL
: … it would be wrong.

JOHN
: Even if you were inclined to “forgive” me.

CAROL
: It would be wrong.

JOHN
: And what would transpire.

CAROL
: Transpire?

JOHN
: Yes.

CAROL
: “Happen?”

JOHN
: Yes.

CAROL
: Then
say
it. For Christ’s sake. Who the
hell
do you think that you are? You want a post. You want unlimited power. To do and to say what you want. As it pleases you—Testing, Questioning, Flirting …

JOHN
: I never …

CAROL
: Excuse me, one moment, will you?
 (
She reads from her notes.
)
   The twelfth: “Have a good day, dear.”
   The fifteenth: “Now, don’t
you
look fetching …”
   April seventeenth: “If you girls would come over here …” I saw you. I saw you, Professor. For two semesters sit there, stand there and exploit
our, as you thought, “paternal prerogative,” and what is that but rape; I swear to God. You asked me in here to explain something to me, as a child, that I did not understand. But I came to explain something to you. You Are Not God. You ask me why I came? I came here to instruct you.
   (
She produces his book.
)
   And your book? You think you’re going to show me some “light”? You
“maverick.”
Outside of tradition. No, no, (
She reads from the book’s liner notes.
)
“of
that fine tradition of
inquiry
. Of Polite
skepticism” …
and you say you believe in free intellectual discourse. YOU BELIEVE IN NOTHING. YOU BELIEVE IN NOTHING AT ALL.

JOHN
: I believe in freedom of thought.

CAROL
: Isn’t that fine.
Do
you?

JOHN
: Yes. I do.

CAROL
: Then why do you question, for one moment, the committee’s decision refusing your tenure? Why do you question your suspension? You believe in what
you call
freedom of thought. Then, fine.
You
believe in freedom-of-thought
and
a home, and,
and
prerogatives for your kid,
and
tenure. And I’m going to tell you. You believe
not
in “freedom of thought,” but in an elitist, in, in a protected hierarchy which rewards
you. And for whom you are the clown. And you mock and exploit the system which pays your rent. You’re wrong. I’m not wrong. You’re wrong. You think that I’m full of hatred. I know what you think I am.

JOHN
: Do you?

CAROL
: You think I’m a, of course I do. You think I am a frightened, repressed, confused, I don’t know, abandoned young thing of some doubtful sexuality, who wants, power and revenge. (
Pause
)
Don’t
you? (
Pause
)

JOHN
: Yes. I do. (
Pause
)

CAROL
: Isn’t that better? And I feel that that is the first moment which you’ve treated me with respect. For you told me the truth. (
Pause
) I did not come here, as you are assured, to gloat. Why would I want to gloat? I’ve profited nothing from your, your, as you say, your “misfortune.” I came here, as you did me the honor to
ask
me here, I came here to
tell
you something.

(
Pause
) That I think … that I think you’ve been wrong. That I think you’ve been terribly wrong. Do you hate me now? (
Pause
)

JOHN
: Yes.

CAROL
: Why do you hate me? Because you think me wrong? No. Because I have, you think,
power
over you. Listen to me. Listen to me, Professor. (
Pause
) It is the power that you hate. So deeply that, that any atmosphere of free discussion is impossible. It’s not “unlikely.” It’s
impossible
. Isn’t it?

JOHN
: Yes.

CAROL
:
Isn’t
it …?

JOHN
: Yes. I suppose.

CAROL
: Now. The thing which you find so cruel is the selfsame process of selection I, and my group, go through
every day of our lives
. In admittance to school. In our tests, in our class rankings.… Is it unfair? I can’t tell you. But, if it is fair. Or even if it is “unfortunate but necessary” for us, then, by God, so must it be for you. (
Pause
) You write of your “responsibility to the young.” Treat us with respect, and that will
show
you your responsibility. You write that education is just hazing. (
Pause
) But we worked to get to this school. (
Pause
) And some of us. (
Pause
) Overcame prejudices. Economic, sexual, you cannot begin to imagine. And endured humiliations I
pray
that you and those you love never will encounter. (
Pause
) To gain admittance here. To pursue that same dream of security
you
pursue. We, who, who are, at any moment, in danger of being deprived of it. By …

JOHN
: … by …?

CAROL
: By the administration. By the teachers. By
you
. By, say, one low grade, that keeps us out of graduate school; by one, say, one capricious or inventive answer on our parts, which, perhaps, you don’t find amusing. Now you
know
, do you see? What it is to be subject to that power. (
Pause
)

JOHN
: I don’t understand. (
Pause
)

CAROL
: My charges are not trivial. You see that in the haste, I think, with which they were accepted. A
joke
you have told, with a sexist tinge. The language you use, a verbal or physical caress, yes, yes, I know, you say that it is meaningless. I understand. I differ from you. To lay a hand on someone’s shoulder.

JOHN
: It was devoid of sexual content.