Released about 2 years ago

	A tragicomedy . *************************** Act One A small boat in a still ocean. GRENFELL is asleep, scrunched up awkwardly in a foetal position and BURTON is staring out into the ocean vacantly. BURTON (to himself, loudly) aha! I see a ripple. GRENFELL awakes with a startle. GRENFELL: what?! BURTON: a rather peculiar ripple i see. GRENFELL: elaborate. BURTON: bigger than all the ripples we have seen today. Follow my eyes and you will see its aftermath. GRENFELL: stay still. Let me stand behind you. BURTON: I’d rather you not. GRENFELL: and why not? BURTON: You will tip the boat. GRENFELL: ok. BURTON: do you trust my perception at this time? GRENFELL: only 50% BURTON: explain this please. GRENFELL: well, when we were on land, with food in our bellies and some terra under our feet, i would trust your perceptions 100%. But now, since we are at sea and ever so quite delirious, my trust of your perceptions has been reduced somewhat. BURTON: by half? GRENFELL: yes, i would say so. BURTON: should i be offended? GRENFELL: not at all. BURTON: well, i feel offended. GRENFELL: hmm. BURTON: yes. A long pause as BURTON and GRENFELL gaze miserably out into the ocean. GRENFELL: can you still see the ripple? BURTON (using his two hands as binoculars) uh, i cannot see the ripple! GRENFELL: not even a slight one? BURTON: not even a bubble! GRENFELL: oh dear. Can you not adjust the lens? BURTON (looking at his hands) no. GRENFELL: Can i go back to sleep now? BURTON: it’ll be your turn on ripple watch soon enough, so don’t get too comfortable. GRENFELL: comfortable certainly is not the word i would use to describe any mini second of our current existence. BURTON: i concur. And i am close to tears. GRENFELL: be strong my friend, remember the story of Moby Dick? BURTON: no. GRENFELL: damn it, nor do i know much of this story, but what i do remember is that there was a giant sea monster. BURTON: I am scared. GRENFELL: of the sea monster? BURTON: yes. GRENFELL: it does not exist but on a page. BURTON: but what if that ripple i saw was the aftermath of an underwater breath from a giant sea creature? GRENFELL: you mean, from a gill? BURTON: oh yes. GRENFELL: It’s possible. It could be a sea bass. BURTON: let’s hope so. GRENFELL: what else could it be? Long pause. BURTON: a tear from God? GRENFELL: hmmm BURTON: no, that is a silly notion. GRENFELL: implausible, but poetic. BURTON: the ripple is either a result from below or above. GRENFELL: yes, more than likely from below though. BURTON: i concur. GRENFELL: how did we get here? BURTON: well, i don’t know. GRENFELL: and we have no oars either. BURTON: do we have any food or drink? GRENFELL: well, we have plenty of drink (gesturing to the sea) BURTON: are we not delirious enough? We cannot drink the sea. GRENFELL: i am not a big fan of salt. BURTON: it is good with certain fish. GRENFELL: hmm BURTON: i cannot swim. GRENFELL: i can a little. With the help of a buoy. BURTON: we have no boys around here. Why a boy? GRENFELL: they are strong enough to keep a human afloat. BURTON: i do not understand, you are a man, you are heavier than any boy. GRENFELL: but a man does not float like a buoy does. BURTON: and what about a girl? GRENFELL: oh dear. BURTON: what? GRENFELL: never mind. BURTON gets a pebble from his coat pocket and throws it into the sea, creating a ripple. CURTAIN