GENERAL: For Peace and Justice and Humanity. Isn't that what all revolutions are for? Now, quick, throw the switch! REVOLUTIONARY: What will the switch do? GENERAL: Man, quit stalling! (The General passes the revolutionary.) But this is the wrong switch! Quick, man, the revolution is at stake.! (Motions for the revolutionary to leave with him; they exit.) (There is a knock at the door.) YOUNG MAN: Come in. (A small man in a dark suit, soiled, knit, dusty. He has a thin mustache. Enters the room carrying a small briefcase.) OFFICIAL: Messy, messy. Bodies lying around all over the place. Most untidy. (Sees the Young Man.) Oh, excuse me, sir, I YOUNG MAN: (With a look of horror) Oh, my God! (The Young Man steps back.) OFFICIAL: What's the matter, boy? Did I frighten you? YOUNG MAN: Why, yes. I thought you were the ghost of a man that sat here. (Motion.) OFFICIAL: I might very well be. Think of what science can do these days. Imagine what this switch could do... It may be wired up to 2,000 tons of TNT in some cathedral; and again it could cause water to flow, but don't take a chance. YOUNG MAN: Oh, don't worry; I won't. OFFICIAL: I don't wish to bother you, but do you have a permit for that switch? YOUNG MAN: I didn't know that you needed one. OFFICIAL: And may I remind you, sir, according to the code, you are required a close permit to close that switch? YOUNG MAN: But I don't want to close it. Think of the damage it might do. OFFICIAL: Well-then-(pause), leaving a switch of this nature open is a violation of the GL-70 rule, and you are subject to the severest penalties of the law. YOUNG MAN: Then, give me a permit to close it. OFFICIAL: I'm sorry, but that is impossible since any violation of the GL-70 rule makes the violator ineligible for a close permit. YOUNG MAN: Then, what should I do? OFFICIAL: I'm sorry, but I'm not permitted to divulge any information. This matter is top secret! (Exit) YOUNG MAN: I can't stand this any longer. I think I'm going crazy. (Suddenly a spectator runs on the stage from the audience.) SPECTATOR: And I can't stand it any longer, either. Please-close the switch and get it over with. YOUNG MAN: But I can't. Think of the damage it might do. (Pause) Hey! (As though stepping out of character) Hey-hey-you can't just run up here like this. This is a serious matter. (Points to the switch.) SPECTATOR: I'm sorry, but I can't stand it any longer! If you won't close the switch, I will. YOUNG MAN: I am sort of curious, myself, to see what the thing does. SPECTATOR: You mean, you don't know? YOUNG MAN: Why should I? It's not supposed to be closed anyway. SPECTATOR: How do you know? YOUNG MAN: It just wouldn't be right. SPECTATOR: Let's close it and see what it does. YOUNG MAN: (With the same look of horror) Are you crazy? Think of the damage it might do. And then, it might be for the betterment of mankind to see what the thing really is. (pause) Okay! Let's close the switch and see. SPECTATOR: (The Spectator leans on the table and the minute he closes the switch, all of the lights go out.) Now, see, I'll close the switch and absolutely nothing will happen...(lights out) What happened? YOUNG MAN: I think the lights went out. SPECTATOR: What will we do? YOUNG MAN: How should I know? Look, there's light. (A janitor enters carrying a flashlight, hiding himself behind the glare.) SPECTATOR: It's Eternal Damnation coming to take us away. You were right. The switch has a purpose in the world. JANITOR: Is anything wrong? (The stage lights come up as the janitor enters, dimly) YOUNG MAN: Why, it's only the janitor. JANITOR: Who in the hell did you think I was? Eternal Damnation coming to carry you off? (Janitor laughs) SPECTATOR: What happened to the lights? JANITOR: They went out. They're all out. I blew a fuse fixing the toaster. YOUNG MAN: You mean, we had nothing to do with it? JANITOR: I don't see how you could. (He replaces the fuse and the stage lights come up brighter). SPECTATOR: But what about this switch here? JANITOR: Oh, that turned on the fan on the top of the building. It was disconnected and put on a time clock 20 years ago. I guess nobody ever bothered to throw it away. (He tears if off the table and exits carrying the switch) YOUNG MAN: (with amusement) It's funny how someone can be afraid of nothing. It's funny how someone can be afraid of something they know nothing about. (The young man sits) YOUNG MAN: (after a long pause) What a fool I've been, accepting the old man's superstitions. How stupid we've been! SPECTATOR: (trips over the small low box) Never noticed this before. What is it? (This box was left by the Official after his entrance) YOUNG MAN: It looks like a box. Put it on a table. SPECTATOR: What's in it? YOUNG MAN: It's a switch! (He opens the box and pulls out an electronic doorbell button with a danger sign attached. As the lights fade...) Stand back! Think of the damage it might do.