Medea's Ghost

From Act II, Scene 1 (Prison Visitor’s Room) (formatted for web viewing)

MARY: Well where’d you last see her?

TERESA: In Mexico. I was eight.

MARY: Wait, wait, wait. You mean she didn’t come to the United States with you?

TERESA: No.

MARY: I thought you came here illegally.

TERESA: I did.

MARY: With who? Your dad?

TERESA: No.

MARY: Then who?

TERESA: Another time.

MARY: Now! You know my story!

TERESA: I came alone.

MARY: But you said you were eight!

TERESA: I was.

MARY: So…. (Silence.) Look. I want to know. I remembered for you.

TERESA: But I— I’m here to listen to your stories, not for you to listen to mine.

MARY: Oh, yeah? Well, I listened to your story about the subway. I didn’t want to, but I listened. I think that was pretty polite of me.

TERESA: It was.

MARY: So?

TERESA: Yes?

MARY: The story.

TERESA: It’s hard, Mary. I told my father part of it. Not all of it. My aunt, God bless her, knows, and my mom, my adoptive mom, as you put it. That’s it. Not even my husband.

MARY: Well. (Pause.) I’ve told you everything.

TERESA: Dios ayúdame.

MARY: Not in Spanish.

TERESA: I know.

MARY: So?

TERESA: Okay. My mother in Mexico sent me to the United States. I had two little brothers. My older sister was 12, so she could work, and help. My mother couldn’t take care of five kids, and she felt I could make a better life for myself here. So she paid some coyotes to watch out for us and get us to Papa’s, in Phoenix.

MARY: Us?

TERESA: My sister and me.

MARY: (Confused.) Your older sister?

TERESA: My younger sister.

MARY: You said you came alone.

TERESA: Yes, except that my younger sister, Rosa, was with me.

MARY: That’s not alone.

TERESA: I was supposed to take care of her.

MARY: But you were only eight.

TERESA: And she was only seven.

From Act II, Scene 2 (Mary’s Cell) (formatted for web viewing)

MARY: (Calling out into the empty cell.) Okay. You wanted to talk. Come on out! (No response.) I have something to tell you.

(JASON enters slowly, then MEDEA.)

JASON: What is it, vile creature?

MARY: That sweet little Mexican killed her sister. Hah! What do you think of that?

MEDEA: This sounds not like truth.

MARY: Okay. Abandoned her to death. Worse than death. (To JASON.) You’re familiar with that. Right?

JASON: You disgust me. The very look of you is like a pit viper.

MARY: So! What do you think of that!

MEDEA: (To JASON.) Do not rail at her, you unjust whimpering worm of a man!

JASON: Speak not to me! I am speaking but to her, But you disgust me just as deeply.

MEDEA: You brought this on, false husband.

MARY: You once told me you were happy before we had kids. It was the kids that drove us apart. You said that all the time.

JASON: Dare not, loathsome devil, heap such blame on me. Words are just words! Deeds are deeds.

MEDEA: (To JASON.) How dare you speak of deeds as if they were evil and you were free of their dishonor? You who gained praise for wreaking havoc on the lives of others!

JASON: I never loved you.

MARY: You loved me once.

MEDEA: Said when you looked at me You crossed some unknown boundary—

MARY: Stood upon some unknown star.

JASON: (Remorsefully.) It seemed to me the gods had destined us To be good friends, not enemies.

MEDEA: You swore a traitor's oath when you swore it thus to me: That you would bear me through the discords of our peoples— Through hate and death, through battle's bloody waves!"Who'll dare to stop me?" That you asked!"Who'll dare to snatch your bosom from my breast?"

JASON: Liar! I never swore such an oath!

MARY: Uh-huh! It was in the Argonauts camp!

MEDEA: You wooed and wooed until
A dismal vortex swirled about my senses
And fierce as I was
I could resist your words no more.

MARY: (To JASON.) I memorized your words: ‘You have a true and warm heart in your breast; your clouds outside conceal a sun within.’ Hah? What about that?

JASON: I said it not!

MARY MEDEA: Yes you did! Oh false husband, you did!

JASON: Then I was the liar! (JASON appears confused. Then, to MEDEA.) Whatever I said, know this: The gods give what is neither good nor bad, It is the recipient who shapes the gift.