Xmas Weneva u Want

8/14/2019 Xmas Weneva u Want

1/76

Xmas weneva u want*

[Christmas quando quiseres]

by

Jorge Lourao Figueira

With the collaboration of Antonio Mercado

From an idea by Manuel Guerra

September/October 2002


2/76

Xmas weneva u want *

NATLIAJOO, 27, teacher

NICO, 17, ex-student

PILIM, 15, ex-student

The action takes place in a secondary school in a coastal town on the

night of the 23rd to the 24th of December, in the art room which is the

backstage area for the Christmas party.

Darkness.. The scene opens to the sound of Christmas in Hollis by

Run DMC. Lights from the street reveal chairs and drawing tables with

moveable tops and small lamps. The tables are pushed to the side of the

room opening up an area in the middle where there are some boxes of

cardboard. From outside comes light, and sporadic ships horns and

traffic noise. By the window is an dismantled Christmas tree. On the

whiteboard the words Xmas Karaoke Party! Friday December 20th is

visible. Nico opens the window with difficulty and enters carefully. He

has a canvas bag over his shoulders and a ski cap on his head, half

removed. Hes wearing jeans, a long coat and trainers. In the half dark

his sillhouette looks like that of a burglar or of Father Christmas. He

moves in slowly and puts down the bag. He looks round the space. He

turns on a torch in his hand. He shines it on the whiteboard, the boxes

and the tree. He walks amongst the objects. He rummages through the

boxes. A voice is heard singing quietly outside.

PILIM

(Bazamos ou Fikamos, by Mind da Gap.)

Amor cumqui, t tudo, ts a curtir... amor, o que que se passa, tudo

bem, ts a sentir... han han!...

2


3/76

NICO

Leave it out, man! Shut up, man!

PILIM

(Continuing.)

Han-han! Diz l, em que ponto que estamos? tou cos meus manos...

(Pilims head appears at the window. Hes wearing mirrored ski goggles

and a baseball cap) Bazamos ou fikamos? Shall we split or shall we

stay? (Pause. Starts again.) When Im nervous, man, I have to sing.

Amor cumqui, t tudo, ts a curtir... (Enters. Hes got a backpack.

Treads on the tree.) Bloody hell!

NICO

This is really bugging me. Cant you sing something else

PILIM

What, for example?

NICO

A... Christmas song!

PILIM

(Being difficult.)

But what? More ragga, more hardcore? new school hip-hop?

NICO

A carol, man.

PILIM

(Thinking about what to sing. Assumes a rapper pose. Suddenly:)

What if they hear us?

3


4/76

NICO

Who, man?...

PILIM

I dont know. Someone.

NICO

Someone? No-ones been here since yesterday, mate. Theyve all gone

on holiday. (Puts a box with the karaoke into a bag. Silence.)

PILIM

Hey man, cant we put the lights on?

NICO

No. If you want open the blinds.

PILIM

(As he opens the blinds, he does a request programme voice.)

Now to our listener, Nicolau, from South Central, wants to hear a

Christmas song? And to make a dedication too? (In rapper voice.) To all

my mates who are doing time, .. here you are?... (Chanting.) A happy

Christmas to you all....a happy Christmas to you allI wish all of you a

happy Christmas... (Thinks. Suddenly:) You sure the alarm wont go off?

NICO

If it was going to it would have by now. (Goes on looking.)

PILIM

(A bit paranoid)

Maybe it goes off directly in the police station station. Praps its already

gone off. Praps when we leave theyll all be out there waiting for us

when we leave, teachers, cops and the whole gangof them. (Peers out of

the window.)

4


5/76

NICO

All rushing to get your autograph...

PILIM

(Starting to get scared.)

Maybe theyre all out there waiting for us... (Peers out of the window.)

But you cant see anything cos of the fog... (Pause.) Theres someone

outthere... praps its a security guard!

NICO

(Irritated.)

And perhaps youre an airhead. The schools got an alarm, man, they

dont need guards.Looks outThats a bush! (Brutally shovess Pilims

head out of the window Now do you see. Youre making me jittery, man.

PILIM

(Thoughfully)

Yeah(Triumphant) But someone has to come to see that the alarms on.

NICO

You clot! You deaf or something? (Explaining) The fucking alarm wont

go off cos Ive turned off the fucking alarm, all right? Cant you just

keep quiet.

PILIM

When?NICO

When what?

PILIM

When did you turn the alarm off?

5


6/76

NICO

(Trying to contain himself without success. Rising intonation)

Listen man, yesterday before I came in wasnt I waiting outside in the

cold waiting for you for more than half an hour? And youre only

thinking about this now? How do you think we got in and out yesterday

with all that stuff without anyone noticing?! How do you...

PILIM

( Interrupting, euphoric.)

How did you turn the alarm off? By changing the wires? Youll have bust

it completely. Theyre going to be really pissed off!..

NICO

(With an air of superiority.)

Theres no problem. I know the code.

PILIM

You know the code? How do you know the code? Why didnt you tell

me?

NICO

Cos you wouldnt be able to turn the bastard off and at the time all the

dreads of South Central would have been here chanting the code in

chorus round the Christmas tree!... Come on, lets go, get a shift on.

PILIM

(Indignant)

Its you thats dithering! And what are you actually looking for?

NICO

Thats my business.

6


7/76


8/76

A car goes by outside. Nico and Pilim start.

PILIM

Right, its them! I knew it!

NICO

Them who?

PILIM

Theyre out there! Were fucked!

NICO

(Interrupting him,harshly.)

Shut up! (Peers out of the window cautiously.)

PILIM

Whos out there? (Nico doesnt move or respond. Pilim becomes more

agitated and has to stop himself shouting.) Whos there?

NICO

It was just a car. Its passed.

PILIM

(Upset.)Ive got to go to the toilet. (Rushes out. Shouts from the corridor:) Dont

go away!

8


9/76

NICO

Dont piss yourself on the way there. (left alone he starts to look through

the boxes. He finds a pair of glasses which he tries on. He cant see

anything. Continues looking. Finds a sparkly silk scarf that he appears

to recognize. Passes it over his face, smells it and seems to get comfort

from it. Puts it round him. Looks for a mirror to see himself in. Hums

Last Christmas. Goes behind the desk and starts a dance routine using

the scarf to the sound of Last Christmas. Hugs himself. Very

sincerely:) Ill never forget Last Christmas with you. (Pilim comes in.

Nico hides the scarf in the box and puts the glasses in his pocket.)

PILIM

(Doing up his flies.)

I just dont want to be caught. You want to go back to school Colgio dos

Olivais, man? Im not. No way!

NICO

Enough of this shit. If you do everything I say nothings going to happen

to you. (Takes the karaoke system out of the bag and shows it to Pilim

with a theatrical gesture.) Have a good look at this, man! Da..daaaa!

Showtime!

PILIM

(Suspiciously.)

Is that what a karaoke systems like? You sure?

NICO

You never seen a karaoke system? (Passes the karaoke system to him.)

PILIM

I thought itd be bigger.

9


10/76

NICO

(Putting the smaller items in his bag.)

A microphone, another microphone, CDs, cables...

PILIM

You look like Father Christmas.

NICO

And you look like a reindeer with those glasses. ??? (Starts to pile stuff

in Nicos arms.) Amplifier, projector, more cables... (Puts the cables in

the bag.)

PILIM

How much do you think this gears worth. Enough to settle with the

Maltese do you reckon?

NICO

For us to settle, no. For you to settle. Itll bring enough, man, and some

to spare.

PILIM

(Hes quiet. Then suddenly:)

And the speakers, are we going to take the speakers?

NICO

You reckon we can carry them? If not well come back tomorrow.

PILIM

Not tomorrow! Ive got to meet up with my dad.

NICO

Your dads inside, Pilim.

10


11/76

PILIM

But Ive got to meet up with him all the same. At the jail. ( resentfully.)

Its Christmas in there too, dont you know nothing?

NICO

(Patiently.)

But its on Wednesday. Tomorrows only Tuesday, man, its only

Christmas Eve!

PILIM

So what? Xmas is whenever people want, man.

NICO

(Corrects Pilims pronunciation.)

Christmas! (Giving in.) Right, lets take the speakers now. (Places them

in Pilims arms.) Otherwise the Maltese will send us back ....and I want

to keep on the right side of him. Lets split.

PILIM

(Having difficulty carrying the stuff.)

Yeah. Well. OK. But... listen... if were going to split now...wouldnt it be

better to go down to the bar first.

NICO

You want everything, you do. Were not going round the back there withall this junk. Just check and see theres nothing left in the boxes.

PILIM

Im going to put the light on.

NICO

Wait. (Closes the shutters.)

11


12/76

PILIM

Why?

NICO

Now you can. (Pilim puts the light on.)

PILIM

(Starts looking. Grumbling)

It was this fucking thing I bumped into. (Gives the Christmas tree a kick)

NICO

Hey! Its not the trees fault!

PILIM

They might have left some chocolates on the tree. (Looks through the

boxes and throws them aside.)

NICO

Look man, in a bit well get the karaoke system to the Maltese and hell

give us enough dough to pay off your debt and therell be enough left

over to buy as many chocolates as you want... and everythingll be real

cool. Itll be chocolates all the way!

PILIM

And in Lisbon well buy some more!

NICO

And when we get to Faro, well buy a whole crate of chocolates...

PILIM

Theyve eaten everything... (Hes about to throw a box on the floor. Nico

tops him.)

12


13/76

NICO

Nativity scene! The box says nativity scene, mate! Cant you read?

(Puts the box down and they open it and they start to take the figures out,

all very carefully. They start to set up the nativity scene.)

PILIM

(Takes a figure of the baby Jesus from the box.)

If only this was made of chocolate...

NICO

You really think anyone would make a baby Jesus out of chocolate?

PILIM

Whats wrong with that? They make Father Christmases... (He only finds

sheep, which he passes to Nico.) Sheep.

NICO

But the only ones made of chocolate are the Three Kings.

PILIM

The Three Kings?

NICO

One of them was black.

PILIM

More sheep. Are they cool, these three kings?

NICO

Yeah. I dig them. They were these guys who got right on the road to see

what was going on. They werent stupid old duffers..

13


14/76


15/76

PILIM

(Continues.)

Nothing but sheep.

NICO

Cant you see that the sheep are the nerds of 9 F!? Hey, look here. (Faz-

se surpreendido. Picks up a figure but hides it from Pilim.) Man, this

ones your splitting image.

PILIM

(Very enthusiastic.)

Which one? One of the Kings? Show!

NICO

The donkey, Pilim!! Lets hear you braying. Hee-haw, hee-haw. ..

PILIM

(Taking the cow out of the box.)

And youre the cow! Moooo!

NICO

Im what?

PILIM

A great big cow! Youre always running away with your horns down!Come on lets see you! (Jumps on top of him. Some of the figures fall.

They roll around on the floor. They upset boxes. Nico finally dominates

Pilim and someone can be heard knocking at the door.)

PILIM

Theyre here! Its them! (Throws Nico off and hides.)

15


16/76

NICO

Shut up. Listen. (turns off the lights.) Wait here while I go and see.

(Covers his face with the cap and leaves.)

PILIM

(Desperate)

Dont leave me here alone! (Pilims alone. Starts to croon Bazamos ou

Fikamos by Mind Da Gap quietly.) At ficas plido, com o seu rosto

esqulido...

Another noise from the door. Pilim is frightened and sings faster and

faster. After a bit Nico comes in.

NICO

Youre so stupid, you really are mentally retarded. You left the door open

when you went to the toilet. It was the wind blowing it. (Puts on the

lights.)

PILIM

(Relieved.)

Fuck! Itd be cooler to sell dope and it wouldnt be such hard work

NICO

Thats all very well, but if you dont pay the dealer...

PILIM

And that was my fault? They screwed me. It was dark. There were three

of them.

NICO

Youre a real sucker. I bet the guys who stole the dope from you are the

same ones who sold it to you. A big fuck-up. (Pilim goes back to

16


17/76


18/76

PILIM

(Finding three sets of coloured cards.)

Hey!... Presenters cribs... there were three of the bastards this year...

Fonix. (Reading.) And these are Miss Natalias cards... (Ironic.)

Excellent!!...

NICO

Natlias? Give here.

PILIM

(Doesnt give him the cards.)

Your cute little friend the English teacher...

NICO

(Taking the cards from him.)

She is my friend, true... but it was your house she went to when she heard

that wed quit school.

PILIM

(Resentful.)

You havent got a home, you live out of your old bag. Do you want her to

guess where you live?... (Malicious) But she asked about you straight off,

she did.

NICO

What did she say? Tell!

PILIM

She was all worried... (Imitating, falsetto) And wheres Nicolau, whats

he up to? Is he OK? Ive told you this about ten times... (Ironic.)

Perhaps you dont remember... (Provocative.) Didnt she send you a card

this year? . Theres still time... I miss you!... Merry Xmas

18


19/76

NICO

(Correcting.)

Christmas! Give that here!

PILIM

(Imitating Nico.)

Miss, how do you say Sumol in English?

NICO

Shut your face!...

PILIM

You should have said Can I stay at your place tonight?!

NICO

I warn you, man! (Grabs him by the head and wrenches the cards away;

some fall on the floor.)

PILIM

(Through clenched teeth.)

I miss you.

NICO

(Reading the programme. False disdain.)

What a drag. Always the same old Christmas songs.

PILIM

(Reading with Nico.)

They even begin with the same one. (Sings Last Christmas by Wham)

Last Christmas I gave you my heart... but the very next mo you gi-i-i-ve

it away...

NICO

19


20/76

(Joins in. Pop star pose.)

This year to save me from tears, Ill give it to someone special

PILIMandNICO

Special...

Pause.

NICO

Thats the one she likes best... but why, man, why should that be?...

PILIM

Her and all the school oldies! What a bunch. (Procura mais coisas nas

caixas.)

NICO

But the way Natlia sings... I dont know man... it gives me goose

bumps, know what I mean?...

PILIM

With that number? Give it here... (Checking the list.) Right, its just

boring numbers this Christmas. Last year we at least did a rap number,

remember? (Imitating) Your attention... ladies and gentlemen... (Gets

an idea. Gets the mikes out of the bag. Nico helps him and passes over

some cards. Pilim gets up on a table. Nico puts on some lamps focussingone on Pilim and turns off the lights of the room. Pilim, to an imaginary

audience:) A very good evening to all of you: parents, teachers, staff

and students of Sebastio Alba School!

They alternate in the parts of presenter, reading the cards and singer

using the mikes. They complete whats on the cards with their own

inventions.

20


21/76

NICO

(Gets up on a chair.)

Were here to announce this Christmass stars.

PILIM

After our usual opening with Whams Last Christmas performed like

shit by 9F, therell be...

NICO

A dramatic reading by second year primary class: The Kidnap of Father

Christmas! (Nico grabs Pilim by the shoulder, pulls him off the table

and drags him across the floor.)

PILIM

Ho-Ho-Ho He-ee-ee-lp!

NICO

(Lets Pilim go and gets up on the table.)

Everyone wants to get a load of presents from Father Christmas, innit.

Right, Ctia, David, Joana Alves and Joana Mendes are going to sing A

Christmas Present... for us!

NICOand PILIM

(To the tune ofJingle Bells.)

There aint no presents for Santa this year / some blokes stolen hisreindeers and done real bad things! ( Pilim gets up on the table.

Rapping.) To get more dough cos they pay real bad / a thirteenth part its

really sad... The spirit of capitalisms where its at / and Rudolph the

Reindeers a union cat... Yo!

21


22/76


23/76

PILIM

Ah! Why XPTO?

NICO

Its really cool. Theyre Baby Jesuss initials in Greek!

PILIM

Ah. Right, yeah, cool. Right, lets take it away. One, two, three and.

PILIMandNICO

(We Wish you a Happy Christmas, hip-hop version.)

Christmas morning and the bells are ringing and theres great joy -

where? in the air... They rush through the house barefoot and in slippers

to find their presents so beautiful... On this Christmas morning there

are loads of kids in every country happy... If this was true for all the

kids its be good to hear the bells - sing.. WE WISH YOU A MERRY

CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR! (They do stage-diving

from the table top. They end up on the floor, exhausted.)

PILIM

If we had a band we could go and play in prisons and things. Itd go

down really well!

NICO

Yeah And where are our fans. Your dad, your uncles, all your cousins...

PILIM

My dad would think its real cool. Seeing the two of us up there...

NICO

Only if you were braying and I was mooing... ???

23


24/76


25/76

Wait.

NICO

What?

PILIM

Where are you going to stay tonight?

NICO

(Stops. Ironic:)

At the Estrela Hotel! What do you think?

PILIM

Praps we could stay here.. There must be food in the bar. And

chocolates!

NICO

Arent you scared any more about someone coming?

PILIM

Oh, theyre all on holiday. Whod be coming here?

NICO

And the Maltese?

PILIM

Its too late now. Lets stay here and do karaoke all night and then take it

away tomorrow. Just think....a karaoke just for us... And well make our

own sort of nativity scene....and a tree with lights!...

NICO

Ill sleep next to the nativity scene!

25


26/76


27/76

Nico! Come and look!

NICO

Turn this thing off, man!

PILIM

(Offstage.)

Listen man, youve got to see this, theyve got some really wicked

chocolates in the bar!

A door can be heard opening and closing in the school, the sound of an

alarm being turned on and off. Silence. A voice.

NATLIA

(From the corridor.)

Is there someone in there?

Silence.

PILIM

(Offstage. Afraid. Whispering to Nico.)

Hey man! What shall we do?

NICO

Just hide and shut up! (Listening.)

Footsteps in the corridor. An approaching voice hums Last Christmas.

Nico hides but goes back to fetch and hide the karaoke system. A mobile

phone rings. Natlia answers it, still in the corridor.

NATLIA

Hello? Gabriel! Thanks! You too... No, I was talking to the hospital.

Maria Joss come out of her coma. You cant imagine what a shock it

27


28/76


29/76

Nico tries to hide again but stops when they enter. Natlia enters holding

Pilim by an arm. Shes got her mobile in her hand. Pilim gets free.

Natlias mobile falls to the floor. All three hesitate, in silence, for a

moment. Natlias between them.

NATLIA

(Ironic)

Hey, just look here, a miracle, the stars of South Central have come back

to school! Im so happy... Now I know why I never see you: youve

enrolled in night classes!

PILIM

Right. We like these classes better.

NICO

Theyre more practical. You learn more.

NATLIA

And in the meantime you decided to take the karaoke system without

telling anyone.

PILIM

Its Christmas innit?... It was under the tree, we thought it was a present

for us...

NATLIA

(Searching among the boxes.)

Where are the video and the other stuff.?

NICO

There are lots of orders at this time of year. A word in someones ear is

cheaper than going to the shopping centre.

29


30/76

PILIM

And we even wrapped our presents... (Picks up the bags and makes to

leave.)

NATLIA

Its you too who are going to be really wrapped up, Pilim! Do you know

what could happen to you if the police caught you with all this stuff?

(Nico puts his canvas bag down on the floor.)

NICO

(Cynically.)

Its not such a big deal...were just borrowing it. For a little

neighbourhood Christmas party.

NATLIA

Ah, a little party... And how much were you thinking of making with this

loan??

PILIM

In euros?

NATLIA

Do you want to spend another Christmas inside, Pilim?...

NICO

Wed get undred and fifty euros for the system. But thats not enough. We

need more.

NATLIA

You need more for what?

PILIM

30


31/76


32/76


33/76


34/76


35/76


36/76


37/76


38/76


39/76


40/76


41/76


42/76


43/76


44/76

NATLIA

(Natlia senses their problem. Exasperated:)

But why did you actually quit school. You could have stayed till the ninth

year, so you could get your driving licence, and find some work

PILIM

School again?... You buy your licence, Miss

NICO

(Irritated.)

What difference does it make to have the seventh or the ninth year? Do

you know how much a little packet of heroin like this costs, do you

know? Twenty five euros. And you can sell it for thousands. You dont

have to be able to read and write, just to add up. Im not involved in this

stuff but whoever does can make a whole load of money.

NATLIA

(With irony.)

Ah, well then, its clear that you could be a drug baron... The big guys

dont come from South Central, Nicolau, dont be so naive. Do you want

to live in hiding, like a rat in a hole, for the rest of your life, on the run

from the cops and the dealers. (Gets ready to leave.)

NICO

Im used to it. Ive spent my life on the run from things. Me and Pilimand all the rest of us will always be the kids from South Central...

Someone smashed your windscreen? South Central. Someone attacked a

girl on the train? South Central. Someones farted in the lift? ....South

Central! The bills always made out in our name.

44


45/76


46/76


47/76

But you can read and write. Tell me, who was the last girl who paid any

attention to you? You sleep down on the docks. Youre alone, man.

NICO

And you? Who are you with? With your girlfriend, the one whos come

out of the coma? Youve got the qualifications but youre alone and in a

spot just like me and Pilim. In the same shit. No-one would take you.

NATLIA

(Acknowledging the blow. A tense silence. She tries not to lose control.)

That was a low blow, Nico. What do you know about my life? Youre

nothing but a brat, cowardly and alone, got up like a screen hero. Thanks

but no thanks, Ive seen that movie.

NICO

Seeing the film isnt the same thing.

NATLIA

And Ive even been in it myself, for Gods sake. Do you think that I dont

know the score? I was born here, I knew the alleys of South Central

inside out while you were still wetting your knickers. I thought it was fun

to act tough...you didnt know this did you? And I also spent lots of

Christmases on my own just like you two. Fetching parcels for my dad.

At the beginning I just shrugged and looked on. He was the only person I

had. The man of my life... the blokes who used to come to our place,different ones every day. My dad doing drugs, dealing to friends so he

could buy more, and being put out in the street and me going out to buy

more and more H, taking him to hospital where he stayed shouting and

gradually falling to pieces. One night I was holding him in my arms and

that was it.. , me and my despair with the injustice of the world, my

disgust with this bitch of a life. (Pause.) I couldnt do anything. I was

only twelve. But now, here I know I can make a difference.

47


48/76

Silence. Nico and Pilim are completely amazed.. Nico answers, so as not

to seem defeated. In a quiet voice, bitterly.

NICO

(Thoughtfully at first but rising to a crescendo.)

You do make a difference you really do. Like last year when you left us

and went away. Now always scratching away for a job, giving classes for

three months praying that the bastard whos off sick doesnt come back,

thats if the teacher off sick isnt just trying it on, and then off you go to

another school and while were left sucking our thumbs and sticking

them in our mouths. You make a big difference, you do

NATLIA

Youre right. Sometimes I think Im an idiot. Waiting half a year for a job

in a school Then I do my job, and other peoples jobs and thats a real

drag..... Its all a big rip-off . Youre right. ( Pause. With complete

sincerity.) But despite everything I do like what I do. It was a life that I

chose, I feel good about the little that I do, even when its almost nothing,

even when no-one gives a toss, like you two. I just feel bad when I lose

students to the competition, and the competition in this case is either

prison or the undertakers, cant you see? (Silence. Nico undoes the ties

on his bag, Pilim moves the nativity figures and hums the Mind da Gap

theme.) What Id really like is if a few years from now, when you pass

through the neighbourhood, everyone pointed you out saying Look over

there, its Nico and Pilim from the band, who did the Christmas songs...and not as two suckers who sell H at the gates of the school... (Pause.

Nico and Pilim dont know what to say.) I need to go outside.

NICO

Now?

NATLIA

To the bathroom.

48


49/76


50/76


51/76


52/76


53/76


54/76

NATLIA

(To Pilim,gently:)

If not itll be too late, Pilim. Where are you going to be next Christmas, a

year from now? Now your free, you can go and visit your father. But a

year from now? Will he be visiting you?

Pilim, tense, doesnt answer. He keeps the knife in his hand. Continues

sobbing quietly and starts humming in a compulsive manner.

NICO

(Taking Pilims side.)

And Miss, where are you going to be a year from now? Wrapping

presents in the supermarket? Or do you think theyre going to open a

teaching job specially for you here in the school? Youre such a sucker,

Miss... Where do you think youre going to be next year?

NATLIA

(Taking her cue. Its her last chance.)

This is a bet, is it? Is that what it is? All right, I accept. Lets wait for next

Christmas, a year from now, and lets see whos still here. You or me.

One year to come back to the game.

NICO

(Furiously.)

No, a year is too long. Six months. Six months is enough to see whereeach of us ends up.

PILIM

Nico!

54


55/76

NICO

Quiet. Six months from now, here at the school, in this room. I want to

see if you still have the key or if you have to get in through the window

like us.

PILIM

But thatll be during the summer holidays.

NICO

Christmas in the summer, with the sun and the beach. Christmas

whenever you want. (A look of approval.) That sounds good.

NATLIA

Agreed, then? Shall we leave it there?

NICO

Done. Meeting arranged for the 23rd of June, 2003.

PILIM

I dont know if Ill be able to come. I dont know if Ill be here.

NICO

You will, you will. (To Natlia:) And dont worry about the equipment.

In a few days, after New Years, well bring it back. Even if we have to

go singing from door- to- door.

NATLIA

All right Now its all in your hands. I trust you. (Picks up the K7 video

and gets ready to go.)

NICO

(Cynically.)

55


56/76

Arent you forgetting something? (Nico takes her glasses out of his

pocket.) If youd taken them perhaps your friend would never.. (Natlia

looks at him, but doesnt answer. Takes the glasses and leaves.)

PILIM

Shes going to get the pigs. Lets split man! Lets nick a car and get a

long way away from here.

NICO

Calm down. We cant do that now. We made an agreement with her.

Weve got to return the equipment.

PILIM

What you mean return, man?! You must be joking!

NICO

Listen: grab the karaoke system and lets split to the Algarve. Weve got

over a week. ( Picks up the karaoke.) We can make money with the

karaoke in the bars and on the street. Well pay off your debt and there

you are.

PILIM

And then?

NICO

Then what?

PILIM

Then, what do we do? Go back to school?

NICO

Then well see. Now lets split. Its almost midnight.

56


57/76

PILIM

Right now? But my foots hurting. You just hit me...

NICO

So what?

PILIM

I cant put my foot on the floor. How can I carry all this gear? Just wait a

minute to see if it gets better.

NICO

(Slowly and affectionately he wipes out the message on the board,

following the form of the letters with the erasor.)

All right.... But weve got to get the seven oclock train.

PILIM

All right. (Pause.) Do you think Natlias having an affair with that other

woman?

NICO

Youre stupid. You just talk rubbish. (Nico uses the bag as a pillow and

lies down with a book in his hand.)

PILIM

What are you doing?

NICO

Im chilling out. Im fed up with listening to you.

PILIM

What about me?

NICO

Havent you got a bad foot? You have a rest too.

57


58/76

PILIM

But she might come back!

NICO

The fuck shes coming back. She was giving us a break, dont you see?

Shell only come back tomorrow to see if weve kept out word. Shes

cool, she is..

PILIM

(Preparing himself a bed.)

Well have to wake up early then.

NICO

Aaargh!...

PILIM

In time for me to see my dad. (Lies down. Long pause. Nico tries to

concentrate on reading.)Whatre you reading?

NICO

Mind your own business.

PILIM

(Rolls over towards Nico. Looks at the book.)How to Make and Serve Cocktails. Where did you get that from?

NICO

From some rich kids car.

PILIM

And youre reading it...?! Why?

58


59/76


60/76


61/76

PILIM

Look over there.

NICO

What?

PILIM

Which did you prefer; setting up the nativity scene or decorating the

tree?

NICO

I cant remember. I think I preferred the nativity scene. The shepherds ,

the three kings (Aluding to Pilim.) a braying donkey...

PILIM

(returning it.)

A great big cow....

NICO andPILIM

And a load of sheep... (Imitating sheep:) Baaa! Baaaa! (They laugh. The

lights fade, and the sound of ships horns is overtaken by New Years

Day,by U2.)

Just dawn light returns and leaves the room almost dark. Crickets can be

heard outside. A car is heard approaching. The headlights illuminate the

room briefly. The car stops, the door opens and closes, the car starts up

and goes away. Silence. After a few moments a figure can be seen forcing

the window open and entering with difficulty.You can just make out a

61


62/76

slim figure in jeans, a long coat and espadrilles and carrying a small

bag.

The figure enters the room, which seems to be as it was at the end of the

last scene. Goes to the little box set into the wall and turns off the alarm.

We hear it being turned off. The figure looks around as if looking for

someone or something. A distant bell chimes midnight.

The figure goes to the window and looks out as if expecting someone.

Returning to the room puts on one of the desk lamps and catches sight of

the board on which is written: XPTO forever. Pause. The ringing of a

mobile. Theres a message. The figure reads it puzzled. Thinks. Goes over

to the revolving tables, turns them round one by one and turns the lights

over them on. On the reverse of each table theres a hand-written

message:

Spending XMAS without you is 1 temporary fog. XPTO

Am still waiting 4 u. R u coming?

XMAS wenever u want. XPTO

New Year at the EPL is XPTO.

Its cool at the Colgio de Menores in Santarm. The people are cool.

The figure seems to sadden with the reading of the messages. A police

siren is heard. The figure is frightened. Freezes for a while, then moves

towards the sound equipment. Takes a K7 out of its pocket, puts it in and

waits to hear it. At a certaint moment goes to the bag it has brought,takes out a miniature collapsible Christmas tree, sets it up and decorates

it with coloured lights, while K7 continues playing.

NATLIASVOICE

(From the sound system)

Hello, Nico. Hello, Pilim. Today is Monday, the 23rd of June, 2003, just

after midnight. Im at the school, in the art room, as we arranged last

year. And, as it happens, exactly what I feared has happened: you havent

62


63/76


64/76

HOODED FIGURE 1

Stop there!

HOODED FIGURE 2

Where do you think youre going, Miss?

NATLIA

Who are you?

HOODED FIGURES

(Taking off their hoods.)

Da-daaam!

Pilim is HOODED FIGURE 1 and Nico HOODED FIGURE 2. They fall

about laughing at Natlias predicament. She is puzzled, hardly believing

her eyes. Nico turns on the lights.

NATLIA(feigning anger but unable to contain her mirth.)

Youre the same old wretches! I almost died of fright!

NICO

Sorry Miss, but when we saw you coming in through the window...

PILIM

Wed just finished writing the messages. We hot-rodded it from Coimbra!

NICO

What?! Two hours ago we were still at the Colgio dos Olivais!

NATLIA

But werent you at EPL and the Colgio in Santarm?...

64


65/76


66/76


67/76


68/76


69/76


70/76


71/76


72/76

NICO

Youre very un-elastic!

PILIM

Take this Christmas gift / But who is wrapped and not doing too bad...

NICOePILIM

Its you. / (Falsetto.) Ive wrapped up another one / Its you / Ive

wrapped up another one!

NICO

Laugh Laugh / But Christmas / in Portugal / is styrofoam! (They tear the

styrofoam box to bits in a frenzied climax.)

PILIM

Laugh laugh / But Christmas / in Portugal / is styrofoam!

NICOePILIM

Yo-yo-yo!

NATLIA

(Applauding.)

Brilliant! Fantastic!

NICO

That was great wasnt it?

A car is heard stopping in front of the school. The headlights are

reflected on the wall. The boys are scared and hide as an instinctive

reaction. Pilim starts humming quietly, in a state, the Mind da Gap tune.

The horn sounds, as if summoning someone.

72


73/76


74/76

NICO

To Salamanca. With him.

NATLIA

No, not yet. I still dont know if I want to leave here, to change my life...

I think that first I have to resolve a lot of things, getting my place in the

school, getting to know myself better... (Happy.) And then dont we have

to go to a studio a month from now to make a recording? How could I

miss that chance with XPTO? (Pause. Moved.) Goodbye, Pilim.

PILIM

Bye, Miss. Have a good time in the Algarve.

NATLIA

Dont forget to let me know well in advance. Theres a lot of rehearsing

to do. (Pause.) Goodbye, Nicolau. See you.

NICO

(Doesnt answer. Keeping his head down he takes from his pocket the

scarf that hes kept for the past six months and holds it out to Natlia.

Not looking her in the face:)

A Christmas present for you. (Raises his head. They face each other for a

long moment in silence. Natlia takes the scarf.)

NATLIA

Thank you. (She remains looking at him, then leaves through the

window.)

74


75/76


76/76

He starts singing and dancing. Goes over to Nico to make him dance

with him. Nicos tempted but doesnt want to give in, he remains

immobile. Pilim jumps onto the table and starts to do a performance,

singing and dancing as if he were on stage. After a while, Nico cant

resist and jumps up on the table too. They give a great performance of

the Wham number. In the background the XPTO is illuminated. On the

board the album cover with Natlia and the boys is projected. The front

lights dim leaving the silhouettes of the two boys, singing and dancing

like crazy with the projection on the board and the huge poster in the

background. After a few moments the lights fade.

THE END

Documents

Xmas Weneva u Want