A Swim in the Laughing Soup
THIRSTY
Everybody is.
(They wait for NOJO to speak. HE says nothing.)
HUNGRY
Someplace secret maybe?
THIRSTY
Like Fort Knox?
HUNGRY
The North Pole?
GENE AUTRY
No-no-no Joe. Oz.
(SOUND: a car passing over the bridge. NOJO starts to sing and dance. While HE is busy, Mags and ?NGEL enter. ?NGEL is wearing a military coat. A ski mask covers his face. HE is carrying a nylon bag. MAGS is wearing a tatty mink coat.)
NOJO (singing)
Sun so hot I froze to death, Susannah, oh Susannah, oh, oh, Susannah why don’t you die for me…
(NOJO see Mags and ?ngel. ?NGEL tucks the nylon bag under his arm.)
MAGS
Evening, boys and girls. Nice weather for penguins.
(Nods at Nojo.)
New member of the flock?
GENE AUTRY
Nojo. Nojo of Oz.
MAGS (smiles at Nojo)
You know, they’ll give you a free coat over on Gibson Street.
NOJO
I’m new here. Not sure where all the doors are yet.
HUNGRY
He thought you were a man, Mags.
MAGS
Coat might save your life. Give you the chance to be happy someday.
NOJO
I’ve got the fire. I’m okay.
GENE AUTRY
Nojo’s okay, Joey’s dead. Broke his promise.
(Pause.)
THIRSTY
Mags, I’m glad to see you and everything, but I gotta ask. You got anything to drink?
GENE AUTRY
Joey-noey-oe was the sixth. Some got sick, couple froze, one got run over.
(Counts on his fingers.)
Dead, dead, dead, dead, dead, all dead.
