8. ROOM 317
(A hotel room)
KIM
Good evening, ma’am
ELLEN
Don’t turn the bed yet
KIM
I’m not the maid
ELLEN
What do you want then?
KIM
They must have written the room number wrong
I am looking for someone named Christopher Scott
Three-seventeen, oh I’m sorry… unless
Well, you must be, of course, you’re John’s wife, are you not?
ELLEN
Oh God, I see
It had to happen
You must be Kim
Chris went to find you
Please come inside
No one will hurt you
I’m Chris’s wife
My name is Ellen
(KIM doesn’t move)
ELLEN
In a way, I am glad I am meeting you first
Understand, you were only a name till tonight
I don’t know how I’d feel if our roles were reversed
Please won’t you sit down
KIM
Tell me you are lying
ELLEN
We’ve been married a year, I am sorry, it’s true
KIM
He said he’d come to get me
ELLEN
He says he tried to reach you, but what could he do?
KIM
Please tell me you’re not married
You don’t know, you can’t know what I’ve done to be here
ELLEN
You don’t know how he needed a new start
KIM
I feel walls in my heart
Closing in
I can’t breathe
I can’t win
ELLEN
As for the child
You say it’s Chris’s
KIM
Oh yes, Madame
My son is Chris’s
I had a dream for my son to belong
And not live his life in the streets like a rat
ELLEN
We aren’t rich, but we’ll shoulder our load
Chris and I are totally together on that
KIM
Then you must take Tam with you
ELLEN
Take a child from his mother, impossible Kim
KIM
You will take Tam with you
Then he’ll get what I wanted for him
ELLEN
But Kim, your child needs you
Chris is married to me, we want kids of our own
KIM
Tam’s chance lies with you now, not with me
BOTH
No!
Can’t you see
It won’t work
It can’t be
KIM
If you’re saying that because you’ve made him change his mind
Chris must go away and leave me and his son behind
If you’re saying that because my husband has another wife
My child has no future, like the dust of life
He must come tonight to my place
Tell me so to my face
(KIM exits)
ELLEN
I don’t want this
I didn’t come here
To meet a girl
Who loves my husband
I came here to help, but what do I do?
Now, after this, what do I …
9. NOW THAT I’VE SEEN HER
It’s alright
It’s alright when you can just imagine
There’s no face, she’s not real
And you can tell yourself it’s all okay
But she’s here
And my heart cries this isn’t happening
But the truth is cold and real
And I know this storm won’t go away
Now that I’ve seen her
There’s no way to hide
She is not some fling
From long ago
Now that I’ve seen her
I know why he lied
And I think it was better when I didn’t know
In her eyes, in her voice
In the heat that filled the air
Part of him still lingers there
I know what pain her life today must be
But if it all comes down to her or me
I don’t care, I swear, I’ll fight
Now that I’ve seen her
She’s more than a name
I don’t hate this girl even so
Now that I’ve seen her
I can’t stay the same
Who’s this man that I always trusted?
Now I have to know
10. THE CONFRONTATION
(CHRIS and JOHN return)
CHRIS
We could not find her anywhere
Honey, what’s wrong?
ELLEN
Kim was here
The one who had to tell her was me
JOHN
Oh, my God, it’s my fault
CHRIS
I knew we were gone too long!
ELLEN
No, I think it’s exactly what I had to see
You said you lived with her, that’s all you were
Only one thing you left out is that you loved her
CHRIS
It was just two weeks, that was years ago
JOHN
Nothing’s changed for her
ELLEN
Don’t explain
There’s nothing you can say
It’s like she’s gone insane
She tried to give away
Her own child
JOHN
She wants your son to be an American boy
ELLEN
Don’t you see, she still thinks she’s married to you
You must tell her she’s not, she must hear it and soon
‘Course that only depends if it’s true
CHRIS
Please don’t doubt me Ellen: you’re my wife
Lots of guys came back and had no life
I had you
ELLEN
You can say what you want but she’s borne you a son
In your nightmares the name that you shouted was hers
You’ve been with me two years and not shared things you’ve done
Don’t hold back
Let me see
Is it her now
Or me?
CHRIS
Let me tell you the way it was
Back when I was a different man
Back when I didn’t have a clue who I am
The feelings locked behind a dam
That kept me there in Vietnam
There in the shambles of a war
I found what I was looking for
Saigon was crazed, but she was real
And for one moment, I could feel
I saw a world I never knew
And through her eyes I suffered too
In spite of all the things that were
I started to believe in her
So I wanted to save her, protect her
Christ, I’m American, how could I fail to do good?
All I made was a mess, just like everyone else
In a place full of mystery that I never once understood!
I wanted back a world I knew
The story of my life began again
With you
|
ELLEN |
CHRIS |
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It’s all right now, that’s all through |
Oh Ellen, I should have told you |
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We’ll get past this, start anew |
Will you ever trust me again? |
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All I want |
All I have |
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In my life |
In my life now |
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Is you |
Is you |
JOHN
Now listen guys
It’s not so easy
There is this kid
Who looks just like you
Hey, I think it’s great
You have each other
But he exists
You have to face it
I run a camp that is filled with bui-doi
Looking for the fathers that they may never find
You don’t have a complicated choice with this boy
Do you want to take him out or leave him behind?
CHRIS
He’s my son
I won’t abandon him
Except that, Jesus Christ, John
There is also Kim
What of her?
ELLEN
If it was only Tam
I’d take him now
He is your son
We’d make it work somehow
But Chris, she still loves you
How can I have her near?
CHRIS
There’s no choice
I think the answer’s clear
They’ll have to stay in Bangkok
We’ll support them here
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ELLEN |
JOHN |
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I think this is the answer |
Listen, you didn’t see what’s |
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CHRIS AND ELLEN |
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for now this is the answer |
I hope you are both proud of what you’ve just said |
ELLEN
It’s done
CHRIS
It’s done
CHRIS AND ELLEN
It’s planned
The girl is smart
She’ll understand
KIM
(Walking around the streets of Bangkok)
You must take Tam with you
CHRIS AND ELLEN
In Bangkok, he will go to American schools
KIM
I won’t break my promise to my son
CHRIS AND ELLEN
They will start a new life
KIM
You will take Tam with you
CHRIS AND ELLEN
We’ll provide for their needs
JOHN
You are talking like fools!
KIM
You won’t forget Tam is a part of you
CHRIS, ELLEN, JOHN
We will (you should) do what is right
Right for him
Right for us
Right for Kim
KIM
I still taste your kisses
Your voice sings in my ear
You can betray what we were yesterday
But you’ll come back tonight for him
(KIM returns to the bar. THE ENGINEER comes out with TAM.)
ENGINEER
Come on, come on, your recitation
Describe your reconciliation
I hope before his stimulation
He bought our little group vacation
KIM
In all his dreams he saw our baby
And he’s teaching him to fly
Paper dragons in the sky
ENGINEER
Yes, papers, what’s the situation?
We’ll need our cards for immigration
No tricks, I’ve got my reputation
Don’t want no phony complications
KIM
No, no
He’s coming to us tonight
Pack your things
Get yourself arranged
While I change for my last performance
ENGINEER
Me, Chris and you
What a menage!
Bangkok can screw!
Bon voyage!
11. THE AMERICAN DREAM
ENGINEER
My father was a tattoo artist in Haiphong
But his designs on mother didn’t last too long
My mother sold her body, high on Betel nuts
My job was bringing red-faced monsieurs to our huts
Selling your mom is a wrench
Perfume can cover a stench
That’s what I learned from the French
Then it all changed with Dien Bien Phu
The frogs went home. Who came? Guess who?
Are you surprised we went insane
With dollars pouring down like rain?
Businessmen never rob banks
You can sell shit and get thanks
That’s what I learned from the Yanks
I’m fed up with small-time hustles
I’m too good to waste my talent for greed
I need room to flex my muscles
In an ocean where the big sharks feed
Make me Yankee, they’re my fam’ly
They’re selling what people need
What’s that I smell in the air
The American dream
Sweet as a new millionaire
The American dream
Pre-packed, ready-to-wear
The American dream
Fat, like a chocolate eclair
As you suck out the cream
Luck by the tail
How can you fail?
And best of all, it’s for sale
The American dream
Greasy chinks make life so sleazy
In the States I’ll have a club that’s four-starred
Men like me there have things easy
They have a lawyer and a body-guard
To the Johns there I’ll sell blondes there
That they can charge on a card
What’s that I smell in the air?
The American dream
Sweet as a suite in Bel-air
The American dream
Girls can buy tits by the pair
The American dream
Bald people think they’ll grow hair
The American dream
Call girls are lining time square
The American dream
Bums there have money to spare
The American dream
Cars that have bars take you there
The American dream
On stage each night: Fred Astaire
The American dream
Shlitz down the drain!
Pop the Champagne!
It’s time we all entertain
My American dream!
ENGINEER and CROWD
Come ev’ryone, come and share
The American dream
Name what you want and it’s there
The American dream
Spend and have money to spare
The American dream
Live like you haven’t a care
The American dream
What other place can compare
The American dream
Come and get more than your share
The American dream
ENGINEER
There I will crown
Miss Chinatown
All yours for ten percent down
ALL
The American dream!
(CHRIS, JOHN and ELLEN enter.
THE ENGINEER takes them to see KIM and TAM.)
12. FINALE
(In KIM’S room she has dressed TAM in his best clothes.)
KIM
Now Tam, my brave boy
Our long wait has ended
Smile Tam
For you have a father at last
He has come to take you home
All I dreamed for you he’ll do
You’re still mine
But I can’t go along
Don’t be sad
Though I’m far away
I’ll be watching you
This is the hour
I swore I’d see
I alone can tell now
What the end will be
They think they’ll decide your life
No, it will be me
Look at me one last time
Don’t forget what you see
One more kiss
And then say goodbye
(THE ENGINEER comes in and takes TAM to CHRIS. KIM prays before the shrine of her parents, blows out the candles and disappears
behind the bed curtain. A gunshot. KIM’s body falls to the floor.)
CHRIS
Kim! Kim!
(CHRIS picks up KIM and cradles her in his arms.)
CHRIS
What have you done, Kim? Why?
KIM
The gods have guided you to your son
CHRIS
Please don’t die
KIM
Hold me one more time
(CHRIS holds her)
KIM
How in one night have we come… so far
(KIM’S embrace becomes lifeless. CHRIS sobs, holding her.)
THE CURTAIN FALLS