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| (Lights up to reveal Douglas sitting and Robert in the doorway.) | |
| ROBERT: | I’m home. |
| DOUGLAS: | Good, you’re home. |
| ROBERT: | According to a recent study by Canananada Immigration – |
| DOUGLAS: | Oh, for freak – ! Do we have to?! |
| ROBERT: | – Toronoronto is the most racist city in the country. |
| DOUGLAS: | You’re negative, you’re negative, can’t you hear that? Can’t you hear that in the very tones of your voice? |
| ROBERT: | Toronoronto – |
| DOUGLAS: | I heard you. |
| ROBERT: | – is – |
| DOUGLAS: | What difference does it make? |
| ROBERT: | What difference? |
| DOUGLAS: | How can you prove it? |
| ROBERT: | Some Black mice – |
| DOUGLAS: | What about ’em? |
| ROBERT: | – sometimes – |
| DOUGLAS: | Yes? |
| ROBERT: | – experience – |
| DOUGLAS: | I’m waiting. |
| ROBERT: | – the streetcar – |
| DOUGLAS: | We all experience the streetcar, unfortunately. |
| ROBERT: | – driving past without picking them up. |
| DOUGLAS: | What? |
| ROBERT: | It’s true. |
| DOUGLAS: | OUTRAGEOUS! |
| ROBERT: | Outrageous but true. |
| DOUGLAS: | This happens!? |
| ROBERT: | It happens. |
| DOUGLAS: | What the freakin’ fuck are you talkin about? |
| ROBERT: | The streetcar. |
| DOUGLAS: | Yes. |
| ROBERT: | Sometimes. |
| DOUGLAS: | Sometimes. |
| ROBERT: | Does not stop. |
| DOUGLAS: | For Black mice? That’s too much. This information makes me very uncomfortable. |
| ROBERT: | Is it too negative for you? |
| DOUGLAS: | My point exactly. It’s negative. It’s negative for freak’s sake. Why can’t we focus on all the other times the streetcar stopped; wouldn’t that be more positive? |
| ROBERT: | Positive. |
| DOUGLAS: | Positive positivity. |
| ROBERT: | Positively positive positivity? |
| DOUGLAS: | That’s what the state ordered. It’s very healthy. |
| ROBERT: | You’re in denial. |
| DOUGLAS: | I have hope! |
| ROBERT: | The hallmark of denial. |
| DOUGLAS: | It’s outrageous to fixate on the occasional racist act of the occasional streetcar driver. Things are tough all over. |
| ROBERT: | You are universalizing. |
| DOUGLAS: | I believe in the universe. |
| ROBERT: | Picture yourself. |
| DOUGLAS: | That’s easy, I like doing that. |
| ROBERT: | Boarding the streetcar. |
| DOUGLAS: | The College car? |
| ROBERT: | For example. |
| DOUGLAS: | With a transfer in my hand! |
| ROBERT: | Perfect. Do you believe there is a universal experience vis-à-vis the scrutiny of transfers? |
| DOUGLAS: | (opens eyes) Let me get this straight. |
| ROBERT: | Yes. |
| DOUGLAS: | Sometimes Black mice will be subject to both heightened scrutiny and refused ridership on the streetcar based solely on the colour of their fur? |
| ROBERT: | My point exactly. |
| DOUGLAS: | In Toronoronto. |
| ROBERT: | Ontariario. |
| DOUGLAS: | Canananada. |
| ROBERT: | Yes. |
| DOUGLAS: | I’m going to try and forget that information as soon as I can. |
| ROBERT: | And replace it with …? |
| DOUGLAS: | Oh, an image of myself sucking my thumb and … |
| ROBERT: | And? |
| DOUGLAS: | … renting a video. |
| (pause) | |
| DOUGLAS: | There. Ahhhh. (sniffs) Do I smell popcorn? |
| ROBERT: | (sniffs) No. |
| (Blackout) |