(A dim street lamp reveals an empty alley way, and a metal door. Faint music can be heard. The door opens slightly. The music becomes more distinct. Punk music. As the door opens further, the silhouette of a man is framed in the doorway, and the music is now stiflingly loud. The silhouette betrays a tall, thin man with unusually broad shoulders. The most distinguishing feature of the silhouette is a magnificent mane of dread lochs which radiate from the man's head. The silhouette comes forward, giving way to an exuberant and beautiful young face of about twenty six years in age. The light reveals that his lochs are a slight red tint in color. His youthful face rests on a strong neck. Below the neck is a worn leather jacket. The man's arms are long. He has delicate wrists which are attached to unusually long and slender hands and fingers, which are partially covered by fingerless knitted gloves. These extensions of his being can be described as 'an expression of delicate-grace.' These are unmistakably the hands of an artist. The man steps out into the alley way. As the door closes behind him, the loud music grows faint. He takes out a lighter, clicks it on, and stares intently at the flame. From the darkness of the alley way, a voice: "You want a cigarette to go with that?")
Ogun:
I don't smoke. Thanks.
Mary Magdalene:
That's curious. (A puff of smoke enters the dim light, followed by a half-burned cigarette which is held by an inquiring pair of fingers.)
Ogun:
I like to stare at the flame.
Mary Magdalene:
That's apparent. Looks like you wanna be consumed by it.
Ogun:
My parents were consumed by the ocean. I figure, if I can focus on fire long enough and hard enough then I won't be consumed by the shadowy depths that swallowed my parents.
Mary Magdalene:
(Another puff of smoke) Karma's an angry little bugger isn't it?
Ogun
You wouldn't believe my story.
Mary Magdalene
Try me.
Ogun
I haven't seen my family in seven years.
Mary Magdalene
Who
has? Go on.
Ogun
My mom and dad went on a cruise. It was the one thing they did for themselves in their whole lives.
Mary Magdalene
What'd they do before then?
Ogun
Well, they wanted to fix Africa. (He and Mary laugh). I'm laughing, but I'm actually serious.
Mary Magdalene
Wasn't Africa already fixed?
Ogun
Well, yes. The colonialists did a good job of that.
Mary Magdalene
So your parents wanted to put the pieces back together, like 'Humpty Dumpty' (smiles).
Ogun
(Serious) No...not like Humpty Dumpty. Like...
Mary Magdalene
What's the matter?
Ogun
(sigh) Nothing. It's just...
Mary Magdalene
There's meaning for you there, isn't there?
Ogun
(pause) Yes.
Mary Magdalene
What's it about?
Ogun
The broken pieces. It's all supposed to come back together. It's a Yoruba tradition. North African religion. The creation story.
Mary Magdalene
It's all the same, isn't it? The broken pieces of one enitity.
Ogun
Yes.
Mary Magdalene
All these wars. All this pain. It's just the child of creation longing to reunite with it's mother.
Ogun
Yes.
Mary Magdalene
(sigh) The pains. We have to go through it either way. Adam and Eve is...life. Between the serpent and paradise is...us. But that is the only passage. There's no way to bypass the human experience. So here we are. So what happened?
Ogun
No one ever heard from them again.
Mary Magdalene
That's it?
Ogun
That's it.
Mary Magdalene
O.K. I see why you are troubled. The enigma can---
Ogun
---eat you alive.
(Ogun clicks on the lighter and stares at the flame intently)
(A light dwn stg Lft reveals Yemoja in Yoruban attire. She faces the audience)
Yemoja
(Gazing towards the audience) Sometimes I hear their spirits when I'm near the ocean (The sound of the ocean's tide is heard as Yemoja stands poised: listening)
Mary Magdalene
By the way, I enjoyed your set.
Ogun
Thankyou
Mary Magdalene
No, really. I came out here hoping I would run in to you. (Ogun looks away from his lighter towards the darkness where Mary's voice resides)
Yemoja
I hear their restless spirits calling out to the restless spirit of Ogun. They beseech him to carry the Karmic Torch and burn with Karmic Fire that will free their souls from bondage.
Mary Magdalene
'Eyes of Orishas.' Beautiful name for a band. (Ogun, attentive, gazing into the dark void which houses Mary's voice) By the way...what does your name mean?
Ogun
(Looks intensely into the dark. Stuttering) God of cre...crea..tivity.
Mary Magdalene
No. What does it
really mean?
Yemoja
Ogun, has the dormant power of healing things: of bringing things back together again.
Ogun
(Shutting his eyes) I want...I want peace (laughs). I want peace (laughs louder. Screams) I WANT PEACE!!! (Sucks air deep into his lungs. Shouts) I WANT PEACE!!! (Giggles hysterically)
(Finally, as if his mantra has summoned a spirit from darkness into light, a woman comes into view. She is dressed totally punk and owns it with authority. Her hair is an angry flame. She wears a red dress and contradicts her sensual beauty with rugged tennis shoes. She wears long, black gloves, which are the same color as the paint that accents her deep and mysterious eyes.)
(Discarding her cigarette, she grabs Ogun by the jacket with both of her fists)
Mary Magdalene
Thank you (Pulling him closer) Thank you.
Ogun
(Long pause) It's you (smiles).
Mary Magdalene
It's me (smiles)
Ogun
Mary Magdalene. Why---
Mary Magdalene
---Why not?
Ogun
I mean, your music inspired me to be a musician.
Mary Magdalene
Your music inspired me to give myself another chance.
Ogun
But, I mean, how many chances have you already taken?
Mary Magdalene
There's only one chance. It's this life. We choose to embrace it or run from it. You are part of my instantaneous journey in this eternal ride.
Ogun
Why---
Mary Magdalene
---Why? (draws close to him, gazing in his eyes)
Ogun
(breathes deeply) Mary Magdalene.
Mary Magdalene
Because she was the greatest disciple. And no one knew her worth except for God Himself. And that was the only stamp of approval she needed.
Ogun
Yes! That's so---
Mary Magdalene
(holding him)---me?
Ogun
Your music---
Mary Magdalene
Mary Magdalene. Her spirit animates my life. She motivates me to truly live.
Ogun
Yes! It's just like---
Mary Magdalene
---You and Ogun. Our lives are animated by spiritual forces. You can own the name Ogun. Because you
are Ogun. Your life is moved by his spirit. He works through you. Your life is a tribute to him. God complex? It's the most human thing you can do...to submit to the challenge of such a mighty name. It takes humility to know that
you are Adam...
and Eve. You are this flawed and fractured humanity. And yet the Creator of all the universe abides within you.
Yemoja:
'Turn thy sight unto thyself, that thou mayest find Me standing within thee, mighty, powerful and self-subsisting.'
(The alley lamp flickers on and off and then goes out. From the darkness a click is heard, followed by the glow of a small flame. Its subtle glow is just bright enough to reveal the faces of Mary and Ogun, which are nose to nose in a steady gaze.)
~ By Quddus Sinclair ~