Nocturnal

Juan Mayorga, David Johnston

• Publisher: Oberon Books
• Year: 2009
• Print ISBN: 9781840029239
• eBook ISBN: 9781849437271
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Media & Performing Arts
• Subtopic: British Drama

When you're alone in a big city, how far would you go to make a new friend?
Two men live in the same apartment block. One likes long walks, Greek myths and foreign langauages. The other likes making lists, fixing bikes and blackmail. One day they bump into each other in alocal café. Only this is no coincidence: one of them has been planning this moment for a very, very, very long time.
A brilliant new satire about obsession, insomnia and ships that pass in the night, this new translation of Nocturnal premiered at Gate Theatre in April 2009.

1

SHORT MAN:	Do you mind if I sit down?
TALL MAN:	I was just about to get the bill.
SHORT MAN:	Do you not recognise me? You don't know who I am?
TALL MAN:	?
SHORT MAN:	We see each other every day.
TALL MAN:	?
SHORT MAN:	Every morning. On the stairs. I'm going out just as you get in.
TALL MAN:	Of course.
SHORT MAN:	‘Morning’. Ring a bell?
TALL MAN:	It does now, yes.
SHORT MAN:	Though it sounds different at this time of the day, on a Sunday afternoon, than it does at six o'clock on a weekday morning.
TALL MAN:	I'm sorry… I didn't recognise you.
SHORT MAN:	No need to be sorry. Perfectly fine. If you don't mind, I will sit down. Perfectly fine. You get home, a shadow, and you pass another shadow on the stairs. ‘Morning’ you hear, and you say ‘Morning’ back. That's all there is to it. Two shadows passing on the stairs.
TALL MAN:	No, you're right.
SHORT MAN:	It can't be easy. Working nights, I mean. Your whole life's back to front.
TALL MAN:	You'll have to excuse me, I was in a hurry.
SHORT MAN:	I've just ordered this bottle. And two glasses. I'd like us to have a drink together.
TALL MAN:	I'm sorry, I don't drink.
SHORT MAN:	It's just that I'm celebrating… I thought you might like to keep me company.
TALL MAN:	I'm expected.
SHORT MAN:	Go on, just one.
TALL MAN:	I told you… I don't drink.
SHORT MAN:	Just a few moments of your time. It's not much fun celebrating on your own.
TALL MAN:	All right. A few moments. Seeing as you're celebrating.
SHORT MAN:	1998. I'm no connoisseur. But I wanted to get it right. I did some research.
TALL MAN:	Good news, then, eh? Something to celebrate. Lucky man.
SHORT MAN:	Isn't this great? Two shadows pass each other on the stairs every morning and for months on end the only thing they say is ‘Morning’ ‘Morning’. And now here we are, sitting at the same table, celebrating together.
TALL MAN:	Months? Have we known each other for months?
SHORT MAN:	I didn't mean anything by it. You've always been polite, always ready to say hello. You couldn't say that of all our neighbours. But until today, that's what we were, two strangers who said good morning as they went about their business. And now look at us, sitting here, celebrating, as if we had known each other all our lives.
TALL MAN:	You still haven't told me what we're celebrating.
SHORT MAN:	Have I not? All this talking and I still haven't told you…?
TALL MAN:	Not yet.
SHORT MAN:	It's just that it's strange being here with you, I mean here. Do you know what I mean? Every Sunday, after finishing in the kitchen, I go out for a walk. And I see you in here, at this table. I mean from the outside, through the glass. I must have seen you a hundred times sitting at this table. Didn't you ever notice me?
TALL MAN:	Sorry.
SHORT MAN:	No, I don't mean anything by it. I'm used to not being noticed. I'm not the sort to push himself forward. You've probably never heard any of the neighbours even mention me. I'm not the sort of neighbour who gets talked about. Mind you, I pride myself on being a good neighbour. Anyone who knocks on my door knows I'll always…
TALL MAN:	I don't want to leave without knowing what we're celebrating.
SHORT MAN:	Section 3754.
TALL MAN:	Sorry…
SHORT MAN:	You don't know what it is?
TALL MAN:	Section 3574, you said?
SHORT MAN:	3754. More commonly called the Immigration Act. That's what people call it.
TALL MAN:	I didn't realise you were…
SHORT MAN:	I'm not. I'm not a foreigner.
TALL MAN:	In that case?
SHORT MAN:	But you are. A foreigner.
TALL MAN:	Me?
SHORT MAN:	I may know very little about you. But I do know that. The basics.
TALL MAN:	Look, you really will have to excuse me. It's getting late.
SHORT MAN:	Please sit where you are. Please, sit down. Thank you. Listen, I've nothing against foreigners. Nothing at all, no matter where they're from. I don't know what it was brought you to this country. Work? Politics? A woman? Whatever it was, I don't care. And I didn't make the law. But as soon as I heard about it, I knew it was going to change my life. Well, not straight away I didn't. But I thought about it and it was only today I decided to put my idea into practice. Listen, I'm serious, I've nothing against any of you. It's nothing personal. I just thought I should concentrate on one case, and yours is the one I know best.
TALL MAN:	I'm not sure if I understand, I don't think I do. But let's be clear on one thing: I'm not foreign.
SHORT MAN:	You're not?
TALL MAN:	Of course I'm not. What made you think I am? Just because I work nights? So do a lot of people.
SHORT MAN:	You're not foreign?
TALL MAN:	No. Do I look foreign?
SHORT MAN:	No.
TALL MAN:	I've nothing against them, as long as they don't bring their problems to our door. I've known people of every hue and shade, good people. People who don't come and tell you how to live in your own country. Unfortunately, there seems to be more and more of the other sort, who…
SHORT MAN:	There's no need; that's more than enough. I've got to hand it to you. Congratulations. You're accent is better than mine, and the way you use the language…the way you gesture, the way you move… Remarkable discipline. I admire people with self-control. Don't worry, it's not that you've done anything wrong, I never suspected anything, it was just a hunch. I made some enquiries, anyone can, you just need to put a little bit of time into it. And I came up trumps. My hunch was right. You've no papers. You're an illegal immigrant.
TALL MAN:	That's not true.
SHORT MAN:	Then show them to me. Your papers.
TALL MAN:	Show them to you? Who do you think you are? I've had enough of this.
SHORT MAN:	What are you going to do? Start a row in front of everyone? Call the police? Go ahead. Relax. I haven't tried to insult you. All I said was that you're a foreigner, an illegal immigrant. No big deal, except that under Section 3754, you could be sent back home at once. Maybe it is 3475?
TALL MAN:	Have you been drinking?
SHORT MAN:...

Table of contents

• Front Cover
• Half-title Page
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Introduction
• Characters
• NOCTURNAL