Spirits Willing by David Mauriello
Scene 1: Night, Early Summer. Julio and Violet's bedroom/
living room.
Julio stands at the window looking out. Even when immobile he conveys
a sense of activity, like a bomb about to explode. Heholds a mug of
beer. Violet sits at her dresser, her calm, slow movements the exact
opposite of Julio's demeanor. She brushes her hair, lost in her own
world. Julio fidgets, drainsthe mug, blows the foam from around his
lips, wipes his mouth with the sleeve of his shirt. He paces, hoping
to arouse some sympathetic response from Violet but she is oblivious
to him.
JULIO
(gestures at something he sees outside the window)
Madonna Mio, Madre Di Dio!!
(clenches hands in prayer)
Che Sta? Che Sta Succedento?. Hey? You tell me! When
she goin' to die, you tell me!
(lifts face to heaven)
Madre Di Dio.
He turns to Violet. She is slowly undoing her bodice and begins to
gently massage one of her breasts. Julio stares
for a moment.
JULIO
Ahhh, Madre Di Dio.
Violet noticing Julio's attention smiles, preening, and she
calls to him in a singsongy voice.
VIOLET
Juliooooooo.
JULIO
(hand to head as if his head aches)
Again?
VIOLET
Si. (she purrs like a cat) My big, biga, man.
JULIO
I have work tomorrow. The inn does not open itself.
There are floors to be scrubbed, dishes to be washed
and casks of ale to be brought up from the cellar.
Violet touches her lips with a drop of perfume, rises, turns
to Julio, drops dress slightly from shoulder.
JULIO
Madre Di Dio!
VIOLET
Come away from the window, big man.
JULIO
Huh?
VIOLET
You hear fine.
JULIO
Big-a-man?
VIOLET
Just like my brother tells me, when he goes fishing with you. He say,
"That Julio, the innkeeper, twice my
age, and twice my..everything.
(she touches her stomach)
I hear that and I feel a pain.
JULIO
He has a biga mouth, this college brother.
VIOLET
Attorney.
JULIO
Attorney! Who knows? I settle in this town, thirty
years from the old country, work, work, suddenly a
attorney from the city asks me to go fishing
VIOLET
For me. You know.
JULIO
What I know?
VIOLET
I was visiting, and saw you, huh, and you saw me,
remember?
JULIO
Dio Mio.
VIOLET
I come to sing on the common for St. Christopher Day.
You bring me cold beer.
JULIO
You, Si. Not your brother.
VIOLET
I say to Nicola, I must have him, must!"
JULIO
(melting) My dove, little squab. (kisses
her fingers) Mmmmmm. As tender as the babies in
the nest, without feathers, and the little hearts
thumpa, thumpa, thumpa.
VIOLET
And then, when my brother tells me about you..
JULIO
He has a big mouth!
VIOLET
..when he tells me about you, I think, and I get a
pain (she lunges at him, embracing him), a pain in
my belly. (she hugs him fiercely, wanting a response)
Scene 2. Some weeks later. Mother's kitchen. Morning
Mother is at her table kneading dough. She is dressed in black. A
black cross hangs from her neck. She moves with strong, agile motions.
She hums in a tiny, old voice, and as
she punches the dough, she cackles at some private joke.
There is a knocking at the door.
MOTHER
Vieni dentro. Vieni dentro.
Julio opens the door a crack and peeks in.
JULIO
Buon Giorno Madre.
MOTHER
Buon giorno figlio mio.
JULIO
Come stai?
MOTHER
Io sto bene grazie. (seeing he is still peeking
in) Che stai facendo? La porta e aperta. Perche
stai li all'impieti come un latro. You are not
a thief are you?
JULIO
Grrrrr.
MOTHER
Che stai facendo?
JULIO
Grrrrr.
MOTHER
Ah, Quido. Quido is in the cellar.
JULIO
Ah, good.
He enters. He is dressed in his Sunday best. He waves in Violet who is
also prettily dressed. Nicola follows. He
is a handsome young man, properly dressed in dark suit.
He carries a leather case.
VIOLET
Buon giorno madre, come stai?
MOTHER
Ah, Ciao giovane ragazza. Bacio madre.
Violet kisses Mother.
MOTHER
Ah, how nice you smell and so pretty you look.
They kiss again.
MOTHR
The stove is hot and there is dough. If you like to
fry, the fat is boiling.
They kiss again.
Julio and Violet respond at the same time.
JULIO
Ah no, grazie.
VIOLET
Si, bene.
They look at each other and laugh awkwardly. Then again.
JULIO
Si, bene.
VIOLETNO, grazie.
There is silence. Then all four laugh politely, then stop as
if on cue. There is another awkward silence.
VIOLET
Mama. (Mother kneads the dough) I have the honor to
introduce to you my brother, Nicola Puzzo.
MOTHER
(sniffing the air)
Che odore?
VIOLET
No. Signore Puzzo. My brother, attorney at law.
MOTHER
Ah, PUZZO. Signor. Bienventuo. Ahh. (inspecting
him) A healthy young man.
NICK
Grazie. It is a pleasure for me. I have heard so
much of the Mother. Such a wonderful kitchen. So
clean, so bright. AND your property. Such a fine
piece of land, flat and rich.
JULIO
I say Mother.
MOTHER
Well, what is it?
JULIO
You are quite sure that you do not wish to sell your
land to me?
MOTHER
I was a born here and here I mean to die.
JULIO
But mother.
NICK
As it should be.
JULIO
What?
NICK
As it should be. This land in hers and she is the
land.
Mother stops kneading to listen
NICK
Any observant soul can see that. She and the land
are twins, strong, enduring.
JULIO
Are you an attorney or a preacher?
VIOLET
Shhh. My brother is thinking.
JULIO
Of me?
NICK
Of course you. And the mother
VIOLET
He has a plan that will suit you and my husband very
well dear mother.
MOTHER
A plan? What is it?
NICK
(stands proudly) Here you are. You shall sell your
land , AND, keep it all the same.
Mother stares at him
NICK
Every month he will come and bring you ten dollars.
AND, it will not make the slightest difference in your
life, not the very slightest. You will have your own
home just as you have now. You will not trouble
yourself about my dear sister's husband. And will owe
him nothing. All you will have to do, will be to take
his money. Will that arrangement suit you?
Mother stares at Nick, then at Julio, then at Violet, then back to
Nick.
JULIO
Does it suit me, I wonder.
VIOLET
Patience.
MOTHER
It seems alright.
NICK
Ahh.
VIOLET
See.
MOTHER
It seems alright as far as I am concerned.
NICK
Yes
MOTHER
But it will not give him the land.
JULIO
No it will not. And ten dollars a month is, is
$120 a year.
MOTHER
(a gasp)
How much?
Julio is up, pacing.
NICK
You will keep everything during your life.
MOTHER
Everything. The land, the house, the chickens, the
dog, the well and the copper pump, the sty, the
backahouse, everything?