THE SWITCH A VERY SHORT ONE ACT PLAY Script written by Geilmann Adapted from a script by Paul Anderson TIME: No one knows SCENE: A single bare room with no windows and one door. A table is in the middle of the room with a chair by it. On the table is a double knife switch of the type usually associated with electric chairs. The switch is open and the wires connecting run off the table and through a small hole in the floor. Under the table is a small low box the same color as the table. The switch is open and an old man is sitting on the chair. He has the appearance of having been there for a long time. After a few moments, a young man enters the room. YOUNG MAN: Hello, there, old man. OLD MAN: (Without looking up.) Hello. YOUNG MAN: What are you doing? OLD MAN: I'm watching the switch. What does it look like I'm doing? YOUNG MAN: Why are you doing that? OLD MAN: Because it needs watching--that's why. Don't ask so many stupid questions. YOUNG MAN: Well then, what does it do? What is it for? OLD MAN: How should I know what it's for? YOUNG MAN: You mean you don't know? OLD MAN: If I knew, I wouldn't be watching it so carefully. YOUNG MAN: You mean you have no idea what it is for? OLD MAN: None. YOUNG MAN: Why don't we close the switch, old man, and find out what it does? (slight pause) OLD MAN: (He looks at the young man and it is a look of fear and horror) Are you mad? Why do you think I've been sitting here watching this switch for longer than I can remember? Precisely, because some idiot might come in here and close it. At least I know that all this time I've sat here has not been wasted. My life has not been wasted. My life has not been in vain. I have guarded the switch well. YOUNG MAN: Now wait a minute. If you don't even know what it's for, how do you know it will do anything? Maybe it was meant to be closed or maybe it doesn't do anything at all. OLD MAN: Perhaps, but have you ever thought of what it might do? YOUNG MAN: Well, no, not exactly-but what could it do? After all, it's only a switch. OLD MAN: Only a switch! In this age, you say it's only a switch. Think, man, what a switch can do! Use your imagination. YOUNG MAN: (He thinks about this for a moment and then walks around the table and looks at the switch more closely. Then he examines the wires leading from the switch to the hole in the floor.) Maybe you have a point there. OLD MAN: Careful! Don't disturb these wires! You might do something-might do something. YOUNG MAN: (He steps back and thinks for a few seconds.) I have an idea! Why doesn't one of us leave the room and see where the wires lead to and then maybe we could find out what the switch does? OLD MAN: Well, I'm certainly not leaving and how do I know I could trust you? You might even close the switch after I have gone. YOUNG MAN: All right, I'll go. OLD MAN: Still won't trust you. You might not be able to find out where the wires go and you would lie to me, tell me it was nothing just so you could close this switch after I had gone. YOUNG MAN: (With sincere intent) Why, you're nothing but a crazy old man. OLD MAN: Maybe. But if it hadn't been for me, someone might have closed this switch long ago. I've got a purpose in this world. I'm doing something, even if doing nothing but watching this switch. YOUNG MAN: Who told you to watch this switch? OLD MAN: (Stunned) Well--no one-exactly, but I didn't need to be told directly, I know it needed watching. YOUNG MAN: How do you know? How did you get here in the first place? OLD MAN: (In deep thought) It was late at night and cold. I was looking for a place to get warm and in out of the rain. That door was open, so I, seeing the light and feeling the warmth, walked in. Then I saw the switch and I knew immediately that my whole life had merely been a preparation for bringing me to this room--so that I could watch the switch. This switch! (with gesture) And it's me who is to watch it-not you-so that's why I won't trust you. YOUNG MAN: But you have to trust me! What else do we have in the world if we don't have trust? OLD MAN: How should I know? YOUNG MAN: You've got to trust me if we are to survive. Maybe we're the only two humans in the world. Just you and I. Then we would have to trust each other. OLD MAN: Why? YOUNG MAN: (He stands puzzled and doesn't say anything. Finally he shrugs his shoulders.) Don't you ever get curious about what that switch might do? YOUNG MAN: And maybe this whole town is mined with explosives and this switch would set it off, blowing us all to eternal damnation. You ever think of that? Eh? (Slowly the Young Man's eyes light up and a faint smile comes to his lips as he begins to realize what he has said. Faintly-) Yeh-Think of that. Stay away, Old Man. OLD MAN: All right. You asked for it. (The Old Man reaches into his picket and pulls out a pistol.) YOUNG MAN: Now, don't get excited, old man. (The Old Man finds that the gun is unloaded and fumbles in his pocket and retreaves some bullets. Then, so that he can use both hands, he asks the Young Man to hold the pistol.) OLD MAN: Here. Hold this a minute, won't you? (Hands the gun to the Young Man.) YOUNG MAN: Now, let's be reasonable. Let's talk this over. OLD MAN: (As if an orator) Old people are never reasonable and they only talk to themselves. It wouldn't do you a bit of good to talk to me. (The Old Man finally gets the bullets out of the carton.) Hah. Give me that. (The Young Man hands the gun to the Old Man.) No one can stop me now! (The Old Man stumbles and the gun goes off, killing the Old Man. Before the Old Man dies, he has his last speech.) Oh! Damn! Oh, well, I guess it wasn't important anyway. (The Old Man dies.) YOUNG MAN: What have I done? I've killed him. I've got to get him out of this room. I've got to get rid of him! What if he should start to decompose and stink? I might get sick! (The Young Man picks up the body and drags it Out of the door and then returns.) It really wasn't my fault. I I didn't really do anything to him, so how can I be responsible? It was an accident! Anyway, he was an old man and would have died soon in any case. How can I be responsible for some old man who doesn't even know how to handle a gun? If only he hadn't made such an issue of the switch in the first place. Anyway, I'm not going to get involved over this switch. It's caused enough trouble already today. (There is a sound of gunfire outside the door. The door opens and in rushes a man dressed in a torn uniform.) REVOLUTIONARY: Quick, man, throw the switch. YOUNG MAN: What switch? REVOLUTIONARY: For Gods sake, don t hesitate. The revolution is at stake! YOUNG MAN: What revolution? REVOLUTIONARY: What do you mean, "What revolution?" It's THE revolution! YOUNG MAN: But what is the revolution for? REVOLUTIONARY: For Peace and Justice and Humanity. Isn't that what all revolutions are for? Now, quick, where is the switch? YOUNG MAN: What will the switch do? REVOLUTIONARY: We have it wired up to 2000 pounds of TNT in the crypt of the cathedral-where the government forces have their headquarters. YOUNG MAN: But what about all the refugees and women who are in the cathedral? Think of the children! REVOLUTIONARY: All revolutions must have martyrs. They will go down in history as heroes for the cause, when bodies will stand as monuments to the brutality and inhumanity of the old order. YOUNG MAN: How do you figure that? REVOLUTIONARY: Simple. The government leaders deliberately are cowering behind women and children thinking that we wouldn't set off the TNT, but we will show them. Then we can blame the government for being there in the first place. Man-quit stalling!: Humanity is hanging in the balance. Where is the switch? YOUNG MAN: I'm not sure that I should. REVOLUTIONARY: You must decide. YOUNG MAN: (Both getting carried away with excitement.) I don't know. What should I do? REVOLUTIONARY: The decision rests with you. Fate has chosen you to arbitrate between the old order and the new. (The Young Man is silent) Man, quit stalling. (As the Young Man is enveloped in deep thought, the revolutionary steps aside and sees the switch) Why, this is the wrong switch! (The General enters.) GENERAL: Quick, man, throw the switch! REVOLUTIONARY: Huh? GENERAL: For God's sake, don't hesitate. The revolution is at stake! REVOLUTIONARY: What revolution? GENERAL: What do you mean-"What revolution?" It's THE revolution! REVOLUTIONARY: But what's the revolution for? OLD MAN: No. Why should I? YOUNG MAN: (As if an orator) Maybe the switch turns on the fountain in the square outside. It has been dry and crumbling for years and maybe this switch would turn it on again and it would once again give forth its cool spray and old men could soak their tired and dusty feet. Maybe. And again it would give forth its bubbling waters where children could play and women would come to fill their water jars and make small gossip during the noon heat of the day. Think of it, old man. Think of the joy you could cause by merely closing the switch. OLD MAN: And maybe this whole town is mined with explosives and this switch would set it off, blowing all of us to eternal damnation. You ever think of that? Eh? (Slowly the old man's eyes light up and a faint smile comes to his lips as he begins to realize what he has just said. Faintly-) Yeh-think of that. YOUNG MAN: What's wrong, old man? What are you thinking? OLD MAN: (Off in a daze) Yes-it might blow up the whole town. What a difference it would make. I've been dying for a long time now and I can't possibly last much longer and when I'm gone, someone will close the switch anyway. Yes-what a fool I've been all this time. (The Old Man starts to move quietly toward the table.) YOUNG MAN: Wait a minute. What are you going to do, old man? OLD MAN: Get out of my way. YOUNG MAN: (Young Man puts himself between the switch and the old man.) Now just you wait a munute, old man. What do you think you're going to do? OLD MAN: I'm going to close this switch! YOUNG MAN: You can't do that! I won't let you! OLD MAN: Why not, you stupid fool? YOUNG MAN: don't know-I'm not sure, but it wouldn't be right. Think of the damage it might do. (Young Man just realizing what he has said.) OLD MAN: Maybe the switch turns off the fountain in the square outside. It had been dry and crumbling for years and maybe this switch would turn it on again and it would once again give forth its cool spray and old men could soak their tired and dusty feet. Maybe. And again it would give forth its bubbling waters where children could play and women would come to fill their water jars and make small gossip during the noon heat of the day. Think of it, Young Man. Think of the joy you could cause by merely closing the switch.