Boxes

There are up to twenty large cardboard boxes scattered onstage. Not yet decided whether they are in uniform rows or not. Every box is decorated based on what each person want's the others to think or see of them. They all surround a large gong, with about three feet clear around the gong on any side. There are no boxes in front of the gong. A tall man walks out onstage, easily navigating through the crowd of boxes, to the gong. He has a backpack on his shoulders and whistling, sits down on the ground and empties it out.He has large noise blocking headphones, a bedazzled stick, sunglasses, and an equal amount of barbie dolls to each box. He separates everything into their own piles, in front of himself. He pulls out two more dolls, but they're action figures and holds them out in front of them as if they were conversing. One Figure is dressed as a doctor and the other as a monk.

MASTER

I am not a preacher. Never have been. But sometimes I feel like people aren't getting treated 'right',that they will never ever reach their potential, and it just makes me overwhelmingly sad.

Two people walk out from either side, dressed as each action figure according to which hand they are closer to.

DOCTOR

Well whose fault is that?

MONK

It isn't his.

MASTER

Well then, whose is it?

DOCTOR

The Monk's.

MONK

Your father's.

MASTER

What does my father have to do with anything, anything at all. He's not here. I'm not asking for the world's opinion, I'm asking for one of yours. No one else matters.

MONK

Everyone matters.

DOCTOR

I suppose, in some way. But that is simply not the point.

MONK

Whose point is it?

DOCTOR

Master's.

MONK

Master is a piece of the world.

MASTER

Master doesn't want to hear this.

MONK

You don't want to hear a lot of things. But you do want to be told. You want to be told everything.

DOCTOR

It seems you don't really want to be helped. Do you even enjoy the mere concept of help?

MASTER

Of course I do, why would I be asking?

DOCTOR

Because you aren't sure. You don't know if you like it, you only know it's there. You don't actually want to be the one being helped, the one helping people. You'd rather just watch.

MASTER

I'd rather just watch.

MONK

You'd rather just watch.

MASTER

But I could help people!

MONK

But do you?

MASTER

That's none of your business.

After this point, every time the Monk or the Doctor talk, they edge marginally closer.

DOCTOR

You just don't want to tell us.

MONK

No, it's not that.

DOCTOR

He doesn't want to say it out loud?

MONK

You're warmer.

DOCTOR

He doesn't want to tell himself?

MONK

Isn't that an obvious answer? Yes, but even further.

DOCTOR

He's afraid.

MONK

You're a genius.

MASTER starts to take each of the barbie dolls and surrounds himself with them like a barrier. He then puts the headphones on and uses the stick to ring the gong. A few people run out on stage yelling and arguing while a few people peek out of the larger boxes on stage. The angry mob that has entered the stage turns on MONK and DOCTOR until they retreat to their original positions. MASTER rings the gong again, and the mob retreats backstage. MASTER takes off the headphones and sets the stick down.

MASTER

I am not afraid.

MONK

That's why you're not the genius.

MASTER

And that's why you aren't the Master.

DOCTOR

Why would either of us want to be? All you do is whine and moan about how people can't get along and yet you can't take the tiniest hint of criticism. You're like a goddamn politician!

MASTER

And you're a physician, trying to fix everyone's problems no matter how minor or embarrassing they might be.

DOCTOR

Doesn't make them any less true.

MASTER

You aren't my father.

DOCTOR

He's back! Wonderful! How do you feel about your father?

MASTER

You remind me of him.

DOCTOR

That isn't an answer.

MASTER

It's an answer, just not the one you wanted.

DOCTOR

And you're just like the son I've never wanted.

MASTER tosses the doctor action figure to DOCTOR. DOCTOR exits with a shocked but smirking expression.