Dave Malloy
The Camera Shop
[BRENT]
Side 1, Track 2. “The Camera Shop.”
[BRITTAIN (Rose)]
Excuse me?
[GELSEY (Pearl)]
Can I help you?
[BRITTAIN]
I hope so.
I lost my camera.
[GELSEY]
Did someone steal it?
[BRITTAIN]
No. It got smashed.
[GELSEY]
Maybe we can repair it?
[BRITTAIN]
It got smashed and lost. The pieces are lost.
[GELSEY]
I’m sorry.
Here, have some whiskey.
[BRITTAIN]
Thank you.
[GELSEY]
It was a real camera? Not a phone?
[BRITTAIN]
Not a phone. I do not like phones.
[GELSEY]
Me neither.
Well, we’ll get you all set up with a new camera.
But sit first, and drink a bit. You need to take care of yourself.
[BRITTAIN]
Thank you.
(pause)
[GELSEY]
Are you traveling?
[BRITTAIN]
Yes, from Portland.
[GELSEY]
Oh, I’ve been there once. They have that cool library.
[BRITTAIN]
That’s Seattle.
[GELSEY]
Oh.
I get them mixed up.
(pause)
Did you grow up there?
[BRITTAIN]
Yes, when I was a kid.
[GELSEY]
That’s nice. It’s nice to have roots.
[BRITTAIN]
What about you, have you been here long?
[GELSEY]
THIS STORE HAS BEEN IN MY FAMILY FOR FOUR GENERATIONS
[BRITTAIN]
Wow.
[GELSEY]
SEE THAT FIDDLE ON THE WALL?
IT BELONGED TO MY GREAT-GRANDMOTHER
HER NAME WAS ROSE
[BRITTAIN]
Well, that’s my name!
[GELSEY]
It’s a beautiful name.
OLD-FASHIONED, YOU DON’T HEAR IT A LOT ANYMORE
[BRITTAIN]
THE COLOR IS SO LIGHT…WHAT’S IT MADE OF?
[GELSEY]
AN OLD BREASTBONE
[BRITTAIN]
CREEPY
[GELSEY]
IT WAS THE BREASTBONE OF HER SISTER
HER NAME WAS PEARL
I’LL TELL YOU THE STORY:
_________
[GELSEY (Pearl White)]
ROSE AND PEARL LIVED BY THE SEA
GATHERING SALT BY THE MOONLIGHT
[GELSEY & BRITTAIN (Pearl White & Rose Red)]
AND ROSE LOVED A MAN WHO LIVED IN THE TREES
ROSE CRIED TO PEARL, “HOLD ME TIGHT, HOLD ME TIGHT”
[GELSEY]
ROSE WENT TO HIS TREEHOUSE
AND LOOKED AT THE STARS THROUGH HIS TELESCOPE
[GELSEY & BRITTAIN]
SHE WANTED TO HOLD HIS HAND
SO SHE WROTE HIM A POEM
SIGNED IT AND SEALED IT
[GELSEY]
IN A RICE PAPER ENVELOPE
[BRITTAIN]
WITH A LILY FOR A STAMP
[GELSEY]
BUT THE MAN STOLE HER WORK
HE WAS THE EDITOR OF A PRESTIGIOUS ASTRONOMY JOURNAL
HE WROTE DOWN ALL SHE SAW
AND PUBLISHED IT IN HIS NAME
AND ROSE GREW TO HATE HIM
AND THEN PEARL CAUGHT HIS EYE
_________
[BRITTAIN (Rose)]
I’M A LITTLE CONFUSED
AND MORE THAN A LITTLE FRIGHTENED
[GELSEY (Pearl)]
IT’S OK MY DEAR
THIS IS A CIRCULAR STORY
_________
[GELSEY (Pearl White)]
AND SO ROSE RAN INTO THE FOREST
AND ASKED A GREAT BEAR TO MAUL THE ASTRONOMER
AND TO TURN THE CRUEL SISTER INTO A BLACK CROW
AND PUT THE CROW AND THE CORPSE IN A CAVE
UNTIL THE CROW STARTED TO STARVE
AND SHE’D HAVE NO CHOICE
BUT TO PECK OUT THE EYES OF HER LOVER AND EAT THEM
_________
[BRITTAIN (Rose)]
I DON’T BELIEVE ANY OF THIS
[GELSEY (Pearl)]
DON’T YOU REMEMBER?
THE BEAR NAMED HIS PRICE:
_________
[BRENT (Bear)]
ONE POT OF HONEY
ONE PIECE OF STARDUST
ONE SECRET BAPTISM
AND A PHOTO OF A GHOST
[ALL]
ONE POT OF HONEY
ONE PIECE OF STARDUST
ONE SECRET BAPTISM
AND A PHOTO OF A GHOST
[GELSEY]
ROSE STOLE THE HONEY FROM A SOLDIER
[GELSEY & BRITTAIN (Pearl White & Rose Red)]
SHE PRETENDED TO LOVE
[GELSEY]
STOLE THE STARDUST FROM AN ANCIENT
[GELSEY & BRITTAIN]
SHE PRETENDED TO CARE
[GELSEY]
AND FOR THE BAPTISM
SHE STOLE A BABY
FROM ITS MOTHER
A FRIGHTENED TEENAGER IN A MANSION
[GELSEY & BRITTAIN]
AND TOOK THE CHILD INTO THE SEA
AND THE CHILD WAS BLESSED