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approach in understanding your father's truly cosmic
destiny?
BRIAN
( Waking suddenly with anger) Will you shut up, all of
you! You know nothing! Fawcett freaks! They flock to
Daddy's story like pigeons to Trafalgar Square. You find
them in the library of the Royal Geographical Society,
in dark corners, practically masturbating over Daddy's
surviving letters. Can't they get a life? You find them
lumbering raucously into the jungle in yellow designer
jeeps heading for Dead Horse Camp. Terrifying the
Indians and the wildlife. We passed some a few days
ago. Americans of course. Self-appointed experts on
Fawcett who know nothing about Daddy and concoct
insane fantasies. Jumping on Daddy's bandwagon like
blood lusting leaches. Ugh. Well, there is a curse on
those people….as "M" says and I believe her.
I've run out of European standard bog paper. They
were charging five pounds a roll in Cuiaba and I was
foolish enough to only purchase one. I now have
severe regrets about my frugality. "Bowel block" is the
answer. "Bowel block" ( He takes a tablet).
Now. To find the messiah with the squint. Strangely
enough I can't shake off a kind of indifference about
Jack. It shocks me, because I'd like to be so hot with
enthusiasm in the quest of him, that risks and
obstacles would be ignored. Unhappily, this is not the
case. I feel in my secret heart that if Jack is still
surviving, he'd have made his life in accordance with
his environment, and that it is his business to live it so.
After all these years, the call of blood to blood is dim.
And besides…it's extremely hot…
He starts to doze off.
"M" leads JACK onto the stage by the wrist and places him near BRIAN
and leaves. JACK speaks with a slow calm voice. Very different from the
earlier scenes..
JACK
Brian….Brian…
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BRIAN looks up wearily not quite knowing where he is.
JACK
D'you recognize me by any chance?
BRIAN
Jack? I know that squint. Is it really Jack?…
JACK
Yes.
BRIAN breaks into sobs and sobs so violently that he can't stand up. At
last JACK helps him to his feet. JACK , wears a dirty long Indian smock,
has long grey hair and beard like a beachcomber.
BRIAN
God, you look so young. Still a boy! Arcadia certainly
agrees with you. Sorry…sorry to intrude on your idyllic
existence. But we were getting rather anxious back
home. We needed so badly to know what had
happened. Don't tell me! You don't need to tell me
right away. Let's just savour this for a moment…Your
hands are wet. You've got malaria. Oh dear, I'm sorry.
Is your health alright otherwise? I've got some
medicines with me. Diarrhoea tablets, athletes' foot
cream. If you need anything. Can you still speak
English? Over forty years in the wilderness. You've
beaten Moses' record. No one speaks English in this
God forsaken country. Oh God, have you forgotten how
to speak it?
JACK
(Singing quietly) "Fascinating rhythm,
You've got me on the go.
Fascinating rhythm
The neighbours wanna know
Why I'm always shaking…
BRIAN
That's American, old boy. I think you've confused….
83
JACK
They never stopped playing it on the liner to Rio. It’s
the last tune I remember. Since then nothing but
occasional Indian chant and the odd passing gold
prospector portable wireless.
BRIAN
…….You heard about World War II?
JACK
I heard something about a world war. From defeated
Germans who came here in submarines. They still live
in the forest out there. They said some man called
Hitler was going to join them and start a new colony.
BRIAN
Well. Talking of colonies, Jack. What happened? What
happened to the colony Daddy was going to start? Full
of evolved Europeans who couldn't stand the mad
capitalism that was taking over The West?
JACK
Nobody arrived. Not one customer. Remember Major
Mien, the South African landowner, who promised
money for the foundation? Harold Large?
BRIAN
Daddy's best friend. Harold Large.
JACK
When it came to the crunch…We waited and waited.
BRIAN
Nobody knew where you were.
JACK
Large knew exactly where we were. Daddy had given
him the co-ordinates for the rendezvous point.
BRIAN
Nobody believed Large. Rescue parties went careering
east looking for you when in fact you had gone west to
the Tapajos.
84
JACK
We didn’t want rescuing.
BRIAN
A hundred people have died looking for you, Jack.
JACK
They just wanted to get away from their boring lives
and used our "rescue" as an excuse. It was probably a
fashionable alternative to joining the foreign legion.
"Disappointed in love? Well then go and 'Look for
Facet." I'm not sorry for any of them. Daddy left a
distinct last message. "Don't come looking for us!" We
had a perfect right to disappear without being sought
out by amateur adventurers who know nothing of our
aims.
BRIAN
There are no stone cities, either, are there?…And no
sign of "Z"? So, another dream goes on the scrap
heap. It makes me laugh really. Thinking back on
Daddy's optimism. The big house he'd buy in
Sylvestre, overlooking Rio. Where all of us would
foregather each Xmas. Possibly from the ends of the
earth. Together with children and grand children. Of
course with the presumed millions in the Fawcett
coffers, travelling expenses would be no obstacle. And
there was a two hundred ton ocean going yacht in the
background of his family dreams. But what he didn't
evoke in those sweet pictures is the inevitable
corollary to vast wealth, duodenal ulcers. Maybe they
weren't invented back in those dreamy times. We've
both been duped Jack and cheated of our lives…
JACK
No.
BRIAN
Yes. You more than anyone. The child messiah that Buddhist
sages worshipped? The evolved being that was to be presented
to the Earth Guardians as Daddy's own proof of his final and
supreme communion with the gods? Well, just look at you now,
Jack. You look like a vagrant.
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