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A man’s life ain’t worth a hill of beans except he lives up to his own conscience. I’ve got to give Josh that chance.
– Friendly Persuasion, 1956
Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.
– Matthew 5:43-44
I had roads to travel before I would know it’s not that simple, the dope versus the person you love.
– Barbara Kingsolver, Demon Copperhead, 2022
TIME AND PLACE
2024. New England.
CHARACTERS
AARON, new homeowner in the neighborhood.
AISHA, Aaron’s wife.
JOSHUA, Aaron’s and Aisha’s son (age 8).
ROB, a neighbor.
MARY, Rob’s wife.
JOSEPH, a neighbor.
AKIKO, Joseph’s wife.
MIA, Joseph’s and Akiko’s daughter (age 8).
WOLF WORTHINGTON, a friend of neighborhoods and democracy, from Michigan.
EMILY, Mary’s unmarried cousin and a recluse. Mid 20’s.
ALEXANDER (“Ali”), Aaron’s cousin and a recluse from another neighborhood. Mid 20’s.
SCENE 1
ROB, MARY, JOSEPH, AKIKO, and their daughter, MIA, are all standing at the front door of Aaron’s and Aisha’s home. ROB rings the doorbell.
All of them have their arms full of welcoming treats.
AARON opens the front door.
ROB
Welcome, neighbor. Welcome to the neighborhood.
AARON
Whoa!
AISHA and JOSHUA join AARON, to see who’s calling.
MARY
We’re here to introduce ourselves….. Hello!
AISHA
O! My God! How wonderful!
JOSEPH
We live three doors down. Hi. I’m Joe.
This is my wife Akiko. [indicating]
And our girl, Mia. [indicating]
MARY
And I’m Mary … down at the end of the street.
And my husband, Rob. [indicating]
AISHA
Well, come in. Come in.
What a wonderful surprise!
ROB, MARY, JOSEPH, AKIKO, and MIA go through the door into Aaron’s and Aisha’s house.
There are unopened boxes all over, a couple of chairs, and one table.
AISHA
We never expected anything like this.
My name’s Aisha.
This is my husband, Aaron.
And our boy, Josh.
You can see we’re just at the beginning. Moving in.
AARON
Here. Let me help you.
AARON takes some of the gifts, and directs the group to put them down on the table and chairs in the living room.
AARON
The movers are coming tomorrow with the furniture.
Sorry. No place to sit right now.
ROB
No problem.
We’re happy to just stand.
AISHA
[to JOSHUA] Josh, take their girl …
Nina, did you say?
AKIKO
Mia.
AISHA
[to JOSHUA] Mia. Take Mia, and show her your room.
The two youngsters exit.
AARON looks at the pile of gifts.
AARON
I don’t know quite what to say…. This is all too much.
JOSEPH
The least we can do to welcome you all.
And make you feel at home here.
And whatever else you need, just ask.
AISHA
The Johnsons told us you’re extraordinary.
That this neighborhood is special.
AARON
But we didn’t expect this.
ROB
This is a very special neighborhood.
The Johnsons told you right.
AARON
They said, like you have weekly cookouts and things.
JOSEPH
Yep. Once a week.
More formal meetings once a month.
AARON
To do what? Exactly? May I ask?
ROB
Our neighborhood’s a democracy, and meeting together is a regular part of being that.
AARON
Our country’s a democracy.
ROB
Not like our neighborhood, sadly.
AARON
What do you mean?
ROB
Our country’s gotten a bit too big to fit the essential meaning of “democracy.”
But our neighborhood hasn’t.
AARON
Ut-oh.
How’s that?
ROB
“Democracy” can be when freedom of expression exists with everyone’s courtesy.
And when each competent adult has an oar in the water.
AARON
For example?
MARY
Take speeding, for instance.
We have so many youngsters in the neighborhood we felt …
JOSEPH
The mothers, especially felt …
MARY
That certain action must be taken if people seriously break our speed limits.
ROB
Which means a neighborhood fine. And not a cheap one, I might add.
Which did the trick.
AARON
Oh.
That’s a democracy?
AKIKO
Vulgar language and disrespect for others is another.
ROB
We didn’t all grow up learning the same rules of respect for one another.
But in this neighborhood we respect others as though they were our mothers, or our bosses at work. It takes a little work getting used to.
JOSEPH
Like, abuse is absolutely unacceptable.
MARY
Not nobody.
Not no how.
We don’t cotton to abuse of husbands, wives, children, or political opponents of any kind.
ROB
That’s not to say we’re softies. We’re not.
We know full well that democracy is worth fighting for.
And enduring for.
And having patience and tolerance of all sorts for.
AARON
You’re your own policemen?
JOSEPH
We obey the law. We obey good, clean common sense. And we like each other.
MARY
It works other ways, too.
We won’t sit around on our hands when anyone in the neighborhood loses a job, or has a serious injury, or somebody goes to the hospital.
ROB
Like my wife and her sisters take care of their cousin Emily….
Who lives in the neighborhood ….
Didn’t the Johnsons tell you?
AARON
What they said sounded like a neighborhood watch.
I guess I didn’t picture anything as organized as this.
It sounds sort of how I always thought the Amish live.
ROB
Like that.
But not so organized.
And definitely not religious.
Although I think our kids are just as happy.