Hunting Cockroaches Flashcards
Lights up
what time is it?
now its 4 in the morning
you are screaming again… lately you scream in your sleep all the time
do i?
you sit up in the bed and scream (scream)
wake up everybody
then you go back to sleep immediately
immediately
immediately but then i can’t fall asleep
alr lets go to sleep; oh my god!
what are you dreaming about
not dreaming about anything
you weren’t dreaming about anything
i wasn’t even asleep
but why do you start screaming
i felt like it
maybe you were dreaming that we were back in Poland
no
or that somebody broke into the apartment through the window
no one can get through those bars
no harm checking (shake bars) no, with those bars there, it would be impossible for anyone to get through that window. your dreams are absolutely moronic
it ran under the floorboard
cut it out. that old bag under us will call the super. he’s been waiting for a chance to get rid of us. do you know how much he’d get for an apartment like this? nowadays, in neighborhood like this? on the lower east side?
no ac bc fuses will be blown
we can’t afford an air conditioner
muggers, rapers
it’s a neighborhood for artists
for cockroaches
What do you have against cockroaches? New York is full of cockroaches. They’re everywhere. Even in millionaires’ houses.
been in a millionaires house
Cockroaches don’t spread infection and they eat only garbage. Remember Gregor?
gregor who?
The hero of Kafka’s Metamorphosis. The one who was transformed into a cockroach. His sister used to bring him fresh rolls, cheese and milk … he wouldn’t even spit on it. The only thing he’d touch was garbage.
seen them touch our caviar
Even if they did, how much food could a cockroach eat?
rats eat up our food
The mice
the rats
They’re big mice. Anyhow, the mice eat the cockroaches.
how do yk?
I watched them
rats eat children
We don’t have any children
aha
For God’s sake, don’t start that about having a baby. That’s all we’d need. A baby. I want to know where we’d put it?
over there
And what about us?
over here
And what about me? Where’d I do my writing?
not doing any writing
I have nothing to write about.
nursery rhymes
Enough about baby
wouldn’t have any other way out
I’d always have one way out. Through the window.
those iron bars?
Let’s go to sleep
lets
What time is it?
ten past 4
Who could be calling at this time of night?
no idea
Burglars? Maybe they’re checking to see if we’re in?
you’re so curious
Maybe it’s the super. I told you not to pound on the floor. Maybe it’s (whistle)
stop whistling; maybe its who?
KGB?
KGB?
to scare me
why would they want to scare you?
Because they know I hate them. Because I’m a writer, an emigré writer and I could write something.
not writing anything
But I could start writing at any time
then start
But I don’t have anything to write about
immigration office?
what for?
squealed on us
squealed about what?
that our visas expired
but they promised we’d get green cards
another interrogation
It’s not an interrogation, it’s an interview. The fact that we got the notice to go means that everything’s fine. Millions of people in New York are just waiting for that.
for an interrogation?
to go for an interview
what time in europe?
what time is it here?
quarter past 4
Then in europe it must be
in the morning?
yes
someone from europe
Andrzej is in France. Maybe he’s calling. But just what do you think he wants from us? Oh, I know, of course. He is jealous
of what?
What do you mean of what? He emigrated only to Paris, and I am in New York, and I made it here
didn’t make it
But he doesn’t know it. Maybe we should answer the phone.
maybe we should
(reach for the phone then it stops ringing) Damn it, why did you tell me not to answer it? Now it’s too late.
