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Writing Samples > Scriptwriting

Warsaw – page 4

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ESTHER
It’s not true.

SASHA
Oh, no.

SAMMY
(to Myer)
Are you happy? You got what you wanted. Your wish come true. Tell me, Poppa, where was that God of yours when I needed him?

ESTHER
Oh, Sammy.

FELIX
I am so sorry.

SASHA
What about your children?

SAMMY
They’re OK. They’re with Rose’s aunt.

ESTHER
What happened? When did this happen?

SAMMY
A year ago, in Krakow. Last spring. It was a beautiful day. Flowers everywhere. I had that feeling, you know, that all’s well, even with everything. We were at the river. Some soldiers came by, young, maybe sixteen or seventeen. (to Sasha) Children. Rose had been ill. She wasn’t yet strong. She was moving slowly. These boys, they—

SASHA
Please. I don’t want to know.

SAMMY
I tried to fight. There were four of them. They ripped off her clothes.

SASHA
Stop, please.

SAMMY
She fought. My Rose. There was nothing I could do. I had to watch. Each one on top of her.  They beat me. I was weak, I could hardly see, but I knew what was happening. When they were done, one of them said to her, “You don’t look like a Jew.” Rose looked over at me. I couldn’t move, I was a bloody heap, one eye was still working. Maybe she thought I was dead. She stood up and she said, “I’m the proudest Jew that ever lived.” She spit in his face. He pointed his gun and shot her in the face.

Esther goes to Sammy. He pushes away from her.

ESTHER
Oh, Sammy.

SAMMY
Hmm.

Myer walks to the wall and stares in silence.

MYER
I don’t know what to say. I’m ashamed.

SAMMY
(scoffs)
You are ashamed?

MYER
I’m a stubborn old man, a fool. I know it. I always have to be “right.” I don’t know why that is. What good does it do? Well, I feel no certainty now.

He looks at a framed photo hanging on the wall.

MYER
Look at this. Who are these children? Esther, what is this?

ESTHER
It was here when we came.

MYER
The hope on their faces. They want to swallow up the whole world in a single gulp. What they don’t know, what they’ll learn, it’s a lot. Sammy, your wife, Rose. I am sorry. I know these words mean nothing now. I can’t take back what I said, as you have pointed out.

ESTHER
Poppa, come, sit.

MYER
Before all this … It seems so long ago, already I was losing my grip. I’d be walking to the store or the market and I’d feel the weight of things, what was to come, what was already happening. The things I was so sure about — simple things — I began to see with doubt. Maybe this is what it is to come to the end. It was like the ground beneath my feet had turned to water and I had to find a way to move upon it—

SAMMY
It’s strange, this thought that comes to me.

MYER
What? What is it? Tell me.

SAMMY
Acknowledgement. It’s all I ever wanted from you. To hear that what I think, what I say, what I do, is all right with you.

MYER
I give it to you! I acknowledge you, from the front to the back and inside and out.

SAMMY
It’s too late.

MYER
We raised you — both of you — the only way we knew. I did as my father did, as his father did, one generation to the next, the passing on of a way of life. Sammy, you were different. We didn’t understand you. We didn’t know what to do. Can you forgive me? Ever? You don’t have to prove yourself to me anymore.

SAMMY
That’s right! That’s exactly what I was doing. But not to the real you. I was proving myself to the little Myer who lived in my head, the one who never rested, never slept, who ordered me to do this and that, day and night, on and on and on. You never saw any of it. If you knew what I did for you. (he points to Myer, speaks to Esther) There’s your dybbuk, Ma. He’s the one. He’s wormed his way into all our minds.

MYER
I don’t know what it is you’re talking. Samuel. Stay with us. Please. You’ll tell me about your life. There’s so much I don’t know. We’ll discuss the Talmud, like we used to.

SAMMY
Those weren’t discussions, they were arguments.

MYER
OK. We’ll have a real debate.

SAMMY
Stop. Stop it. You’re doing the same thing. Don’t you see it? You actually think I can stay here?

MYER
If you decide it, it’s so.

ESTHER
What’s more important than family?

SAMMY
Thousands of families.

ESTHER
Please, I’m afraid for you.

MYER
No, Momma. He must do what his heart tells him. What happens after that, we leave to Ha-Shem.

Sammy goes to the door.

ESTHER
Sammy, please! My son! Don’t go! Not yet.

She embraces him.

MYER
Momma, leave him. His life he holds in his hands.

ESTHER
My Sammy.

Sammy pauses, turns to Myer.

SAMMY
Happy Birthday, Poppa.

MYER
That’s right. It is my birthday.

SAMMY
(to Felix)
Has he offered up his eye teeth for the Cognac?

FELIX
Of course.

Sammy reaches out to Felix and Sasha.

SAMMY
I’ll see you again.

ESTHER
Sammy, stay.

Sammy embraces Esther.

SAMMY
Next time you’ll make me your chicken soup. The real one.

ESTHER
With matzo balls you’ll feel (pats her stomach) right here till tomorrow.

SAMMY
I look forward to that.

Sammy goes to Myer.

SAMMY (cont’d)
Pop, we’ll discuss the Talmud.

MYER
Yes. We’ll do that. (he squeezes Sammy’s shoulder) Goodbye, son.

Sammy exits. Myer touches the mezuzah on the door frame and kisses his fingertips.

ESTHER
Poppa, are you all right?

MYER
I don’t know if I’m coming or going.

ESTHER
You’re coming and going!

FELIX
Sit down, both of you.

MYER
I have two sons. Two sons!

ESTHER
(to the heavens)
Thank you, Ha-shem.

MYER
Don’t worry, I plan to do exactly that.

Esther goes to a drawer and takes out a box. She sits at the table and places it before her.

ESTHER
Come, I want to show you something.

Everyone sits. She pulls photos from the box and spreads them over the tabletop. Each person picks one up.

MYER
Look at this! Felix when he was a boy.

SASHA
Our wedding!

MYER
Sammy’s Bar Mitzvah! And I have just the frame for it. Gordi and Max can live elsewhere.

Knocking at the front door. They all freeze. Esther goes to the door.

ESTHER
Yes? Who is that?

JOSEPH (O.S.)
It’s Joseph.

Esther opens the door. Myer comes over, stands beside her.

ESTHER
What do you want?

JOSEPH
Is Sammy here?

ESTHER
Why? What do you want with him?

JOSEPH
(looks around)
Sammy?

ESTHER
He had something to do. What is it, what do you want?

JOSEPH
Sammy’s a hero, Mrs. Leibowitz.

ESTHER
(confused)
What?

JOSEPH
He’s killed Germans. Lots of them! He’s a captain in the resistance.

MYER
What’s he saying, Esther?

ESTHER
Oh, God. No.

JOSEPH
You should be proud.

Esther slams the door in Joseph’s face. She hobbles with Myer to the couch.

ESTHER
Oy vey.

SASHA
I don’t believe that. Joseph is a liar. He was expelled from school for mischief.

ESTHER
But Sammy said—

FELIX
Sammy said he would not “fight.” He makes trains go off the tracks. Remember? They must do it at night, it must be, nobody knows about it.

ESTHER
Why would that boy say—

SASHA
Esther. Felix is right.

ESTHER
Do you think so? (beat) OK, OK. Maybe.

Esther gets up and starts toward the bedroom.

ESTHER (cont’d)
Come, Poppa, I’m tired. You need to lay down. Sasha, please get the dishes.

Gunshots blast outside, close by. Esther runs to the front door but Myer grabs her.

ESTHER
Sammy! My Sammy!

MYER
Momma, please!

ESTHER
They’re shooting my Sammy!

MYER
No, no, no. He’s far away by now.

ESTHER
It’s him. I know it’s him.

FELIX
There are thousands of people on the streets. It’s not him.

Felix moves to get his coat.

ESTHER
Where are you going? No, Felix.

FELIX
I’ll come right back. I just want to see.

ESTHER
Just a few steps. Come back right away.

Felix exits.

ESTHER (cont’d)
Come, Poppa.

Myer and Esther exit to the bedroom. Sasha, now alone, starts washing the dishes at the kitchen sink. The Ghost enters.

SASHA
Hello? Hello? You’re here. Aren’t you?

Sasha tries to see the Ghost. She reaches her hand out.

SASHA (cont’d)
You think you have problems.

The Ghost approaches Sasha, who’s resumed her dish washing. The Ghost kneels and gently touches Sasha’s belly.

GHOST
It’s a boy, Sasha.

Sasha stares at the Ghost without seeing her.

GHOST (cont’d)
You will call him Avram.

Sammy enters, breathless from running. He speaks to the Ghost.

SAMMY
(excited, laughing)
Rose! Rose. Are you trying to wear me out? If you are, you’re doing a good job. How can you move like that? I’ve never even seen you run.

We now know: the Ghost is Rose, Sammy’s wife who was murdered.

GHOST/ROSE
Sammy, come here. Look at this.

Sammy grips his abdomen in pain.

SAMMY
Huh. Rose. What’s happening? Where am I?

ROSE
Do you remember?

SAMMY
(to himself, mostly)
I was shot.

ROSE
On the street.

SAMMY
I was running. Soldiers… They hit me. I was bleeding. I fell. Look, I’m OK. What happened? Rose? Am I—?

ROSE
Yes, you are, Sammy.

SAMMY
(looks around)
Where am I?

ROSE
You’ve passed from this world. You’re fine, aren’t you? Come, I want you to look at this.

Sammy walks over to Sasha. Rose places his hand on Sasha’s belly. He raises up his other hand as if to shield himself from bright light. Sasha continues to dry the dishes.

ROSE
It’s an old spirit that’s come to her. It’s taking matter from her right now, spinning it into cells. It’s the beginning of a new being.

SAMMY
What is this place?

Rose draws him in close.

ROSE
Breathe, Sammy. Breathe in all of this. Tell me, what do you see?

Myer wanders in from the bedroom and sits on the couch.

MYER
Sasha, can you make me some tea?

SASHA
Sit down.

Sammy runs to Myer, who cannot see him.

SAMMY
Poppa? Is that you?

MYER
(to Sasha)
I feel like a young man on his wedding night. (looks at his arms) Look at this. I think I can feel the blood flowing in my veins.

SASHA
(lightly)
I feel it, too.

MYER
You can feel that?

SASHA
How about some challah? There’s a nice piece.

SAMMY
Poppa…

MYER
There’s a draft in here, Sasha. Do you feel it?

SASHA
I don’t know how. The window doesn’t even open.

She looks at the window.

SASHA (cont’d)
Hmm. Look at this.

MYER
What?

SASHA
There’s a hole.

MYER
From what?

SASHA
Maybe a bullet.

Myer goes over to examine the window.

MYER
How do you like that? We could have been shot.

We follow Myer’s gaze, as he cranes his head and points upward.

MYER (cont’d)
Look. It went in the ceiling. Imagine that.

He sits on the couch. Sammy follows and kneels in front of him.

MYER (cont’d)
I’ll fix it.

SASHA
It’s so high up. Can you get up there?

Sammy sits on the couch beside his father.

SAMMY
Poppa. Can you forgive me? All the things I did. Everything is so clear now. Please, Poppa. I’m sorry.

MYER
Of course. Of course. Absolutely.

To whom is Myer speaking—Sasha or Sammy? Sasha glances up at the bullet hole in the ceiling.

SASHA
How can you get it? Myer, it doesn’t matter. No one will know it’s even there.

SAMMY
(to Myer)
Do you mean it?

MYER
(dreamily)
You’re my son.

SASHA
What? What did you say?

MYER
What?

SASHA
You said something. I heard you.

MYER
What are you talking? I’m sitting here minding my own business. Where’s the challah? Where’s my tea? Sasha, if it’s the dyybuk you’re hearing, I beg you, please, keep it to yourself. If Momma hears that, we’ll never hear the end of it. Dyybuks!

Rose is standing at the front door.

ROSE
Sammy, come. It’s time.

Sammy reaches out his hand, rests it on Myer’s hand. The hands touch. Both men’s faces both show wonder.

ROSE
Sammy.

SAMMY
I want to stay, just a little longer.

ROSE
No, Sammy. It’s time now.

SAMMY
Goodbye, Pop.

Sammy goes over and stands beside Rose.

SAMMY (con’t)
What happens now?

ROSE
Always needing to know. You’ll see soon enough.

SAMMY
But my father, the way he felt about you. The things he said. How can you have such compassion for him?

ROSE
Such foolishness remains here. It means as much as a breath. Here and then gone. Everything within time is the same. A single night’s dream within the One Life, soon to be forgotten. Until the next dream. And the next. And so it goes, on and on, without end.

Rose steps forward to consider Sasha and Myer.

ROSE (cont’d)
Soon, many more will follow. Millions. But not Sasha. And the boy. They will carry on your line.

Sammy and Rose exit.

Esther enters the room and sits on the couch beside Myer. Sasha sits on the other side of him. Myer wraps his arms lovingly around them both.

MYER
(wondrously)
Another day. Hmm…

Lights slowly fade.

THE END

17-Dec-18

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