Dziadza and Red Squirrel

by
John Biggs
Dziadza is pronounced phonetically "d-ja-d-ja", with the same accents as
ZsaZsa. It translates to 'grandpa'. The other olish words in the dialogue
will be in phonetics in italics.
!ast o" !haracters
#ash $ablowns%i - & red haired, "airly large girl o" '(. )er "ull name is
#asia *#&+)-&,.
-inda $ablowns%i - The mother o" #ash and !harles. & rather thin woman with
dar% hair and "eatures. +he is ./, though stress has made her loo% much
older. 0other to #ash and !harles. )er accent is mild.
!harles $ablowns%i - & thin wai" with dar% hair. )e is '1 and trying
desperately too loo% older. )e s%ul%s in leather and a spi%e hair cut but
-inda will not allow him to loo% any "worse" than that i.e. no earrings or
tattoos.
Dziadza - &n old man. )is red brown hair is strea%ed with gray. )e is
almost ne2er lucid, though his eyes are 2ery e3pressi2e and say what his
mouth cannot. )e su""ers "rom senility bordering on &lzheimers. )e sits in
the dining room "rom (&0 to ''45/0, then sleeps. )is accent is thic% and
real. )e o"ten mi3es languages, saying "bess" and "bessout" o"ten, "bes"
meaning without.
6ero - !harles' "riend. )e is e2erything !harles is not allowed to be. )is
personality swings "rom raucous and wild to mild and philosophical. )e is
7uite older mentally than physically. )e is eighteen.
&ct ', +cene '
The play is set in a olish dining room in a city li%e ittsburgh or
!incinnati. It is "airly small, about '8 "eet on it's longest side. It is
papered in a dar% red pattern, "loral with 2ertical lines. 9n the wall
"acing the audience is a large picture window with a settee about a "oot in
width. It is co2ered in a long, tan "ringed cotton rug. The window "aces
out into some trees. It is light at the opening o" the play, an Indian
summer dar%, and the lights outside dar%en as the scenes progress. 9n the
le"t side o" the window, about head high on the wall, is a picture o" the
ope. 6e3t to the portrait is a cabinet o" plain, dar% wood, "illed with
crystal glasses and bowls, loo%ing li%e both a planned collection and a set
o" "good" sil2erware and place settings. 6one o" it loo%s terribly
e3pensi2e.
To the right o" the window is a boo%case. The bottom two shel2es are "illed
with %nic%%nac%s with a distinct +la2ic tone to them. & pair o" dancers in
costume "lan% a large, rough statue o" $esus or a particularly sad loo%ing
man. The rest may be curios "rom any +la2ic area. The top two shel2es
contain small thin boo%s as well as many larger tomes, loo%ing li%e college
1
te3tboo%s. 9ne large boo% is a :ible.
In the center o" the room is a large, oblong dinner table surrounded by
three simple chairs. There is a "ireplace on the "ar right wall with a "ew
blac% and white and color portraits suspended on the wall o2er it. The
most important article in the room is a high bac%ed, well cushioned chair
with a small table ne3t to it. 9n the table is a cloc%, a pile o" neatly
stac%ed newspapers, and a water glass. The chair is le"t o" the window and
"aces outside at an angle, so the audience will be able to see anyone
seated in it "airly well. Detail can be sparse around the chair, but the
chair itsel" must loo% old and well-used. The chair is to be well lit, the
best lit object in the entire room.
There are entrances on opposites sides o" the set, one ne3t the "ireplace
and on in the center o" the le"t wall. The right e3it leades to the %itchen
and outside while the le"t leads to the other rooms o" the house and to the
basement.
It is ( 0 when the play opens.
*;nter Dziadza holding a newspaper. )e loo%s contented, a hal" smile on his
"ace. )e wal%s to the chair and sits, placing the newspaper onto the neat
pile on the table. Two minutes pass. Dziadza alternately loo%s out the
window, chec%s his pulse with the cloc%, or straightens the newspaper.
;nter #ash, winded, who drops a boo%bag on the center table and loo%s at
the window, e2idently at her re"lection.,
Dziadza4 <ou are not going somewhere, now, #asia, are you=
#ash4 6o, Dziadza, I'm staying right here.
Dziadza4 :ecause you run around too much. <ou are young, yet. +tay to home
"or now.
#ash4 I %now, Dziadza.
*#ash turns sideways, e2idently loo%ing at her bust or stomach,
Dziadza*distantly,4 >here is 0ama=... #asia= >here is 0ama. It is time "or
the pills... #asia=
#ash4 090? There, she's coming, Dziadza.
Dziadza4 I cut out all the comedies you li%e. I told 0ama to put them on
your bed "or me. I cut out this @ar"ield and eanuts, li%e you li%e them.
#ash*gently,4 <ou didn't ha2e to. I can just read them out o" the paper.
&nd I stopped reading "unnies two years ago.
Dziadza4 <ou are a girl, yet. <ou can still read comedies, I thin%.
*#ash crosses to the table and sits down, pulling boo%s out o" her bag.
-inda enters "rom le"t, wiping hands on a dish towel.,
-inda4 Don't yell "or me, #ash. ;specially with Dziadza in the room. It
hurts his ears. <es, apa=
2
Dziadza4 I thin% it is time "or the pill. +i3 'o cloc% the doctor says, no=
I need to get a new doctor. I thin% he is bad at surgery...
-inda4 <es, it's time "or your pills. *Aeaches under the table and brings
out a metal canister and a pill bottle. +he sha%es out one o" the pills and
hands it to Dziadza,
Dziadza4 &nd the -udens= This is "or my heart=
-inda4 <es, the pill is "or your heart.
Dziadza4 The -udens= I need the -udens, too.
-inda4 6o, apa, you don't need these.
#ash *under her breath,4 @i2e him the damn cough drops.
Dziadza *distantly,4 &sha ga2e me cough drops... where is &sha= >here is
she=
-inda*"razzled,4 <oung lady, do not use that language around me or Dziadza.
Don't gi2e me that loo%. <ou %now he doesn't need the -udens. It's just
more sugar...
#ash4 &sha is dead, Dziadza.
Dziadza4 >hat's that, #asia= I couldn't hear you, darling...
-inda*To &sha,4 @et out o" this room.
#ash4 I'm doing my homewor%...
-inda4 <ou get the hell out o" here right now. @et out o" this room. *;3it
#ash, le"t,
Dziadza4 >hat did she say, 0ama=
#ash4 6othing, Dziadza. )ere's your -udens.
Dziadza4 @ood. I need. I can't breathe besout it.
*!ontinued acti2ity in the room. ;2entually -inda lea2es le"t, lea2ing
Dziadza alone. )e sits, reads the paper, loo%s out the window, and will
occasionally mutter something to himsel", presumably in olish. )e is an
animated "i3ture in the room, a piece o" "urniture that just belongs there.
This acti2ity occurs whene2er he is alone in the room. #asha enters le"t,
2isibly upset.,
Dziadza4 Binish all your studies=
#ash4 <es, Dziadza, all "inished. &ll done. &nd I'm not going anywhere
tonight and I'll read the comics when I go upstairs. &nd...
Dziadza4 <ou loo% li%e :abcia*:&:-!)&,, you loo% li%e &sha. &nd one time we
too% to you when you was 2ery little to see where I wor%ed with the big
trains. &nd there they always as%ed :abcia i" you was her little daughter.
<our mother was sic%, then, so you stayed 2ery much with us. <ou remember=
3
#ash*distractedly, trying to concentrate on her boo%s,4 I don't thin% I do.
Dziadza4 <ou were 2ery little. <ou stayed in the apartment with us, be"ore
we bought this house. &nd your apa always said that i" you e2er caused any
trouble just to lea2e you "or the gypsies "or your 0ama could not ta%e care
o" you. &nd I laughed at this, and apa laughed, his big 2oice li%e a train
going through the little apartment.
#ash*loudly,4 I don't remember that, Dziadza.
*+lamming o" doors o"" stage. ;nter !harles and 6ero, le"t,
!harles4 :itch? :itch... $esus !hrist, 0om is on the rag or something.
Dziadza4 )ello, !harles. )ello, 6ero. It is early and you are here=
#ash4 )ey, !huc%. 6ero...
6ero4 )ello, 0r. $ablowns%i. >e came by "or a little while to listen to
music. Downstairs.
Dziadza4 That's nice. It's good you ha2e "riends, !harles. >atch out "or
this other bad boys. &nd on these streets when you cross...
*!harles crosses to Dziadza. 6ero loo%s at #ash, who loo%s away, down at
her boo%s, her eyes red and pleading.,
!harles4 )ello, Dziadza. Did you ta%e your pills=
Dziadza4 <es, my heart medication and my -udens, right= This is what doctor
said=
!harles4 <es, Dziadza.
6ero4 -et's hit it, !huc%.
*6ero loo%s one last time at #ash and e3its right. -ights down.,
+cene C
*>hen lights go bac% up, Dziadza's chair is empty but still lit. #ash still
sits in the same spot, trying to concentrate. +he is less sha%en now, but
stress is still 2isible. &"ter a minute, enter 6ero, right.,
6ero4 )ey, #ash. 9%=
#ash4 <eah, real good. $ust "ine.
6ero4 <our 0om again=
#ash4 >here's !harles=
6ero4 Downstairs. >ant to tal% about it=
*#ash stands and loo%s around. >al%s to Dziadza's chair and tests it's
seat. Then loo%s out the window.,
4
#ash4 +o much tension in this house. +ince Dad died, and @randma... since
they died Dziadza has been worse and 0om's been bitching so damn much, and
she's been tal%ing in olish a lot, sometimes to hersel", and... I just
want out o" this house.
6ero4 >ant to go "or a wal%= I can tell !huc% we're going "or pop or cigs
or something.
#ash4 I want to be alone, right here, in this house. &lone without Dziadza
babbling or 0om screaming or those goddamn pictures o" Dad and @randma
loo%ing down at me "rom the mantle and the walls o" e2ery room in this
house... it's so sic%, the way she put them up, ma%ing some damn shrine in
e2ery room.
6ero4 Ta%e them down. It's been a year.
#ash4 It won't wor%. 6othing e2er wor%s, here. &ll o" 0om and Dad's plans4
to mo2e out o" here and into a real house, all my college plans, the plan
to mo2e @randma into a home when Dziadza died... they're shot. It's li%e we
ne2er e2en thought about them, now. I just want to be alone, so I can
"igure stu"" out by mysel".
6ero4 I'll go.
#ash4 >hate2er. I still won't be alone. Dziadza's coming bac% "rom the
bathroom or the bac% porch or where2er he went. 6othing matter, in here at
least.
*;3it 6ero, right. ;nter Dziadza and -inda, le"t,
-inda4 Didn't you hear him calling= )e almost "ell in the bathroom. I came
in and he was holding onto the towel bar.
Dziadza4 Don't yell to her. +he was doing her wor%. I'm o%, nothing harmed,
honey.
-inda4 +he needs to start ta%ing on a little more responsibility in this
house. &ll she does is go out until all hours and comes home smelling o"
smo%e and beer and she's a...
Dziadza4 Duiet, &sha. +he is girl yet. Don't yell to her so much.
#ash4 That's not &sha, Dziadza. That's your daughter-in-law.
*Dziadza is led to his chair,
-inda4 <oung lady, that was entirely uncalled "or. I tell you to do things
around here to help out and all you end up doing is hurting e2eryone. >here
did you get these habits=
#ash4 <ou=
-inda4 <ou're not going anywhere tonight. &nd you're not going anywhere
tomorrow night. 6owhere, the whole month. <ou are a... little brat. I" your
"ather were...
5
#ash4 I" Daddy were what=... -ea2e me alone.
*-inda stops, as i" to say something, then e3its, le"t. Time passes.
Dziadza pulls out a pair o" small school scissors and cuts some comics out
o" some newspapers.,
Dziadza4 <ou %now, #asia, you are my little red s7uirrel.
#ash4 >hat=
Dziadza4 I ha2e a little s7uirrel, outside, who I "eed bread through the
window. &nd he is so small and gentle and he ne2er loo%s through the
window...
*#ash wal%s to window,
#ash4 There's no bread out there. I don't see any bread anywhere out there.
Dziadza4 )e eats with his little hands out there, but is always a"raid to
loo% in window because he will see me in there, and I thin% he wants to
thin% he "ound this bread alone. In ols%a, you ne2er see s7uirrels with
other s7uirrels, because they %now that i" they are with other s7uirrels
there will be a "ight when they "ind "ood. +o they li%e to thin% that the
"ood they "ind is only theirs, so they ne2er loo% around. &nd you are my
little red s7uirrel, no= +o small and gentle and %ind.
#ash*@i2ing the old man a pec% on the chee%,4 I might be, Dziadza.
Dziadza4 Don't be so bad to mother. +he has troubles, li%e all o" us.
#ash4 I %now, Dziadza. I %now... I'm going downstairs now. Do you need
anything=
Dziadza4 6othing, please. <ou are good girl, #asia.
*;3it #ash, right. Dziadza busies himsel". )e loo%s up "or a moment and
puts his hand on his chest, then loo%s down, as i" he had "orgotten
something. !harles enters, right,
Dziadza4 !harles... did I get my medicine= :o *:9&, I thin% I did not get
them. I am cold.
!harles4 I thin% you too% them. I can as% mother...
Dziadza4 6o, no. I thin% so, too. Is cold, though, I thin% is the window.
Do you ha2e -udens=
!harles4 They're in the little bo3 under your table. )ere they are.
Dziadza4 $ust one. &nd some water, please, !harles. This would be 2ery
nice.
!harles4 >ater's right here ne3t to your cloc%. &re you o%, Dziadza=
Dziadza4 This is 2ery hard "or you, all o" this li"e, huh !harles= #asia
cries, I see her. )ow are you doing=
6
!harles*pauses, loo%ing at Dziadza. Dziadza is distant,4 I miss Dad and
:abcia, but I'm doing "ine. I ha2e you and 0om and #ash. &nd 6ero, he's a
good "riend. &nd sometimes I thin% I hear Dad or :abcia's 2oice at night,
sometimes. :ut...
Dziadza4 <ou are holding on good, then= I too% medicine=
!harles4 <es, Dziadza. <ou too% your medicine. ;2erything's "ine. &re you
sure you're alright=
Dziadza4 <es, darling. I am "ine. I'm just a little cold, but this is "rom
thin blood. )ow you get old you will see how nice it was to ha2e thic%
blood. <ou are good, just li%e your sister. I thin% e2erything will be o%.
!harles4 <es, Dziadza. I thin% so.
*!harles stands loo%ing at Dziadza who pic%s up his cup and slowly drin%s.
Dziadza mumbles something, something sounding li%e "@ood boy" or "Dobry
)ope% *DE:-A;; )>)9&-;!#, !harles stays "or a moment and then e3its right.
-ights go down,
&ct C, +cene '
*In this scene the room is a cage. Dziadza is present, but seemingly
in2isible to the others in the room. The tension builds, but wanes as soon
as one o" the characters loo%s at the silent old man. The room is 2ery dar%
e3cept "or Dziadza's seat. It is about F or '/ at night. >hen the lights go
up, #ash is seated at the table and -inda paces the room, a caged animal.,
-inda4 >hy can't you understand what I'm trying to say to you= I as%ed you
to do a simple thing. I as%ed you to wash the dishes. I as%ed you to call
!harles up, you couldn't do either o" those things. <ou just couldn't. >hy
not= &ll you ga2e me was argument, and...
#ash *with hostility. +he stands.,4 I don't %now, 0om...
-inda4 I wor%, and I pay bills, and I ta%e care o" you. >ithout Bather and
:abcia around, I just can't manage.
#ash4 >hat do you mean without them 'around.' They're not on 2acation.
They're...
-inda4 Don't start with me. I understand per"ectly what has happened. I
thin% a little more per"ectly than you. >ith them gone, it is ten times
harder around here. I understand all o" this, and you don't understand
anything about what I'm trying to do.
#ash4 Then why are their pictures up. +o e2ery time I wal% by, I remember
them, and the night they went out, and the call, and the hospital...
-inda4 I didn't put them up to bring bac% bad memories. I put them up to
remember them.
#ash4 To remember them in e2ery room= To remember e2erything= &ll the time.
I just want to be alone, sometimes. &nd with them staring down at me...
7
-inda *ausing,4 Does it bother you that much.
#ash4 <es.
-inda4 I does bother you, doesn't it. To see them. I just wanted to
remember... I didn't get to see your "ather that whole day be"ore he too%
&sha to the hospital. The only time I saw him... no, I didn't e2en really
see him. I glanced and closed my eyes. &nd had a closed cas%et... and I
closed e2erything... &nd sometimes I wish I could ha2e seen them. $ust that
moment be"ore e2erything happened, and your Bather and &sha were calm and
happy, their "aces. &nd I just didn't want to see that rainy street and the
car... I thought i" I couldn't see them... &nd all I want you to do is
understand what I'm "eeling. &nd how hard it is, "or all o" us.
#ash4 I %now how it is...
-inda4 I lo2ed them.
#ash4 I did, too. :ut I want to remember them mysel", alone. >ithout them
all o2er the place.
*Dziadza tries to stand suddenly, clutching the arms o" the chair "or
support. There is a silence as #ash and -inda both turn to loo%. Dziadza
loo%s at them pleadingly.,
Dziadza4 0y -udens, &sha. lease...
#ash4 )e loo%s bad, mom. )e loo%s real bad. The phone...=
-inda*+he loo%s around, unsure o" what to do. +he loo%s as con"used and
child-li%e as #ash. +he yells right.,4 !harles, come up here. Dziadza needs
help. !harles. !harles?
Dziadza*-oo%ing around hysterically, sha%ing but slowly rela3ing,4 It's
raining, &sha. -et the dogs inside. &sha...
*;nter !harles and 6ero. !harles rushes to Dziadza's side, helping him down
into the chair.,
!harles4 >hat did you do to him=
#ash4 >hat=
!harles4 >hat did you guys do. I heard you yelling. )e doesn't ha2e a heart
that can handle you guys arguing in the same room. $esus !hrist. Dziadza...
Dziadza4 I'm 9#, !harles. Is o%. ;2erything was hard to breath "or a moment
but is o% now.
!harles4 !all the ambulance. >hat were you arguing about now=
*6ero begins to head le"t but Dziadza stops him.,
Dziadza4 Is o%, 6ero. Is o%. Don't worry. Is o%...
-inda4 >hat were we arguing about= !harles, you %now damn well what we were
8
arguing about. >hy are you always downstairs, or upstairs, or gone when we
need to tal%. >e need to ta%e care o" Dziadza and you're ne2er here...
!harles4 Don't e2en gi2e me that shit, 0om. Don't e2en. I'm probably the
only one here who gi2es a damn about Dziadza. &nd you two %now it.
#ash4 !harles... don't start it up again...
!harles4 Don't start it up. Dziadza's condition is getting worse while
you're sitting here yelling at each other. Don't start it up again... <ou
%now his heart is bad. Aeal bad. The doctor said that. )e can't be e3cited
or surprised, and I thin% that's e3actly what you did, you... bitches.
-inda*+tartled, in a position o" punishment. !harles shrin%s into a
de"ensi2e posture.,4 <ou little... <ou little... pun%. <ou ha2e the ner2e.
I" "ather... @et out o" here.
!harles4 >hat= <ou get out, you withered old bitch.
-inda4 @et out.
*#asha collapses into a wooden chair. 6ero stands and watches, silent. )e
almost mo2es to #asha's side.,
!harles4 To hell with you all... you too, 6ero. +tay with your girl"riend.
*;3it !harles, right. -inda collapses into a chair and 6ero lea2es a"ter
!harles. -ights go down.,
+cene C
*>hen the lights go up, Dziadza is alone in the room. )e busies himsel",
occasionally loo%ing up and out the window. )e loo%s "ine, though "or a "ew
moments his gaze is un"ocused and 2ague. )is light is low, almost as low as
the surrounding lights. #ash enters and sits, running her hands through her
hair and loo%ing agitated.,
Dziadza4 #asia. There is nothing to worry about.
#ash4 <eah. I want to be alone, Dziadza. $ust alone. lease=
*Dziadza turns, hurt. )e loo%s out the window. There is something di""erent
in his eyes, "ear. )e loo%s li%e someone else entirely. ;nter 6ero, right.,
6ero4 #ash= #ash, we'2e got to go out and loo% "or him. <our mother's out
there already. <ou %now how he gets.
#ash4 ;motional... yeah. I %now. The whole damn "amily was and is li%e
that. !ome here.
6ero4 >hat=
#ash4 !ome here.
*6ero wal%s o2er to her and she stands. They %iss. 6ero is limp and
con"used while #ash is passionate, li%e a woman loo%ing desperately "or
some support be"ore drowning or "alling. +he then pushes him away.,
9
#ash4 It's not the same anymore. 6othing is the same anymore...
Dziadza*+tands suddenly. <ells wildly,4 0ama? 0ama? #asia and $ezey
*<;-Z;;, %zee%a *#+);;#&,. #uri ne bendze zrobic jaje%?*#E-A;; 6<;
:;6D-Z;;-& Z-A9:-I!) <&<;#,
6ero4 >hat did he say=
#ash4 )e said '#asia and $ezey are screaming. The chic%ens won't lay eggs.'
6ero4 >hat= >ho's $ezey=
#ash4 That's his name. Dziadza? &re you alright. Dziadza.
*Dziadza sha%es and "alls bac% into his chair. )e loo%s into the distance
and is silently. ;nter -inda, le"t, with haste.,
-inda *Ergently,4 @et out here, #asia. <our brother's gone crazy. I swear
to @od he's gone crazy. )e's two streets down brea%ing windows with roc%s.
I can't tal% to him. >e ha2e to get him home. >e ha2e to get him...
6ero, come on, you %now how to tal% to him. !ome on...
#ash4 :ut Dziadza...
-inda4 !ome on? $esus... !ome on?
*;3it -inda, #asia, and 6ero, le"t. & minute passes on a 7uiet stage.
Dziadza loo%s around, as i" searching "or something. )e reaches "or his
newspapers and decides against it. )e realizes he is alone. &nd, 2ery
slowly, he begins to loo% puzzled. )is stage light goes down as he begins
to smile. &nd "inally, when his head "alls to his chest, his eyes open, his
light goes out completely. Then, a"ter a "ew moments, the surrounding
lights "all.,
;6D
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