Nothing’s changed
And everything has
Jonathan Warbel told stories
of great deception and peril
at the hands of the Civil society
Would such an alliance
simply pack up
and return to the shadows?
Randall knew
they most assuredly would not
His reassurance to Susan
was a precocious dance
between a lie and hope
that they might lose interest
After all, other than serving
in a second person capacity
to witness a mad man's testimony
exposing the Civil's agenda
what additional use
could he possibly be?
08001
Saturday in memory
In honor of Dr. Jonathan Warbel
(A well-dressed woman
Her soft voice speaks
From behind a black veil
Addressing those gathered)
My name is Lydia Carnegie
Jonathan Warbel was a friend
And colleague actually
He allowed me to intern with him
It was truly an honor
(her words fall to tears)
I’m sorry
He had his moments
His quests, his victories
And at times
His difficulties
But to know
To know him
(she pauses in silence)
I'm sorry
I can’t do this
I’m sorry
(she steps away in tears)
08002
The pastor asks
If anyone else would like
to say a few words
(Some of the staff
from Intra-Care speak
sharing kind thoughts
and memories
The pastor continues)
Jonathan Warbel
Cared about those around him
Many have told me
He watched out for them
Toward the end
He spoke of going home
His departure was sudden
It leaves us with a sense of loss
Yet just as he lived
He has gone on before us
Once again
And once again
Carrying our thoughts
And our prayers
He’s gone home
And a little bit of us
Goes home with him
08003
I have to speak with her
I must speak with her
After the ceremony
I don't think so
She was close to Warbel
She might know something
Some background
Anything
Careful there paperboy
She’s very lovely
I will kill you
And save others the trouble
(Susan smiling with just her lips)
(Trust is one thing
But girls know attraction
and Miss Lydia Carnegie
was definitely attraction
especially behind a veil
Attraction without ceremony
precedent, or time
Something about her
whispered trouble
enough to justify concern
and it wasn’t the veil)
I won’t be long
I must introduce myself
And ask for an interview
I’m telling you Randall
I will kill you
This is not fine
08004
Susan's trust of Randall
is solid
She knows
life may present challenge at times
She's confident in herself
and their life together
“It never hurts to check the reins
kick the spurs and threaten death
to keep love alive and let them know
you care” - unknown
08005
Miss Carnegie?
My name is Randall Sparks
I was a friend
Can we speak?
No
No?
(lifting her veil)
No
08006
Returning to Susan
What did she say?
She said no
No?
Yeah, just no
(shrugging as he spoke)
Hmm
(Susan replied in thought)
Did she say why?
No
08007
She refused?
Splendid!
Perhaps she needs word
From an old friend
To convince her?
Yes
From someone she trusts
Warbel?
Just a little encouragement
And a path
From someone deceased
08008
Two packages
Six weeks later
After the memorial for Dr. Warbel
A package arrives
at the home of Randall Sparks
Another at the residence
of Dr. Lydia Erin Carnegie
Both postmarked United Kingdom
from A. Phepps
Inside each package
a note in an envelope
with an address
Along with
a name, a number
and a key
Two notes
that shared one message
“Warbel is gone
It’s impossible alone
He told me
you each hold a key
to the other’s success
I made him a promise
I’ve kept it now
and I’m done
I’m sorry for everything
Allen”
Lydia’s note had an extra line
“You have to help him L”
08009
We must meet
A recorded message
on the answering machine
at the residence of Randall Sparks
Mr. Sparks
You asked to speak to me
I told you no
I’m assuming you know who this is
Meet me
At the Boston Public Garden
Enter from Arlington street
Find the Marriage Ceremony site
There’s a flat bench
Sit facing the path
If someone is sitting there
Wait until it’s empty
Saturday 2:00P.M.
Wear a winter scarf
Wait for me and don’t speak
Listen only
It's very important
Don't speak just listen
Don’t look for me
And don’t look at me
These are the rules
Break them you’re on your own
No calls no contact no names
No second chances
Saturday
08010
Boston 1821
In 1821 Mill Dam was built
separating Round Marsh
from the Charles River
Out of this ripe beginning
the first public botanic garden
in the United States
Became a reality
with quite a rich history
Winter ice skating, early Spring
swan boats on the Lagoon
late Spring flowering trees
Summer roses, to Autumn cherries
a colorful collage of turning leaves
and endless pathways
It's almost possible to forget
urban chaos emerging
from the world outside of
the Boston Public Garden
08011
Saturday
Boston Public Garden, 2:00P.M.
Randall waits
and waits
and waits
Nothing
He leaves at 4:00P.M.
08012
It was a test
A new message
on Randall’s machine
waiting when he arrives home
You know who this is
I’m sorry you had to wait
But I needed to be sure
That you could follow directions
You left after only two hours
Anyone could do that
Next time wait three
Monday
Same time same place
Same rules
08013
Monday
Boston Public Garden, 2:15P.M.
Eyes forward Mr. Sparks
Don’t look or speak
Don’t even nod
Beneath your seat is a bag
I just placed it there
Inside the bag is a recorder
We are being watched
They are listening and filming us
And they can read our lips
My scarf makes it difficult to hear
And my hand blocks my words
If you understand this
Cover your mouth with your scarf
And say yes
Yes
Good, then listen
In a moment I will leave
You will get the recorder
And the ear buds
On the left side is the on-off switch
Push on until the screen lights up
Plug the ear buds into the left side
But don’t put them on
Instead
Toss them over your left shoulder
I will return with more instructions
If you understand this say yes
Yes
Good, begin now
(Randall recovers the recorder
and ear buds from the bag
adheres to the directions given
and awaits her return)
Well done Mr. Sparks
You will feel my ear buds
Fall on your shoulder
Put them on
(Randall inserts the ear buds)
Can you hear me ok?
Yes I can hear you
I can speak to you now Mr. Sparks
It’s natural to nod
So don’t nod
Just listen
There’s a button on your recorder
Marked REC for record
Press it once
And the red light blinks
It’s in rehearsal mode
Rehearsal mode doesn’t record
If you press it again
It's on steady in record mode
We don't want to record
If the light is on steady
Press the button with a square
And start over
The square button stops it
Make sure the red light blinks
After the red light is blinking
Hold the recorder next to your mouth
Cover the recorder with your scarf
And speak softly into it
Say I understand
I understand
Good
I think you know why
But this is how it works
They can tap our phones
Read our lips
Intercept radio transmissions
And record sounds
The scarf muffles the sound
Garbles intelligibility
And blocks the view
Recorders allow us to speak softly
Into each other’s ear buds
And still hear clearly
They know we are talking
But they can’t tell what we say
Recording is a threat
Recording requires deletion
Sometimes it’s necessary
But that will come later
For now
Unless I say otherwise
Make sure it blinks
As you may guess
I’ve done this before
Jonathan came up with it
The recorder electronics
Are too low power to intercept
So we can hide what we say
Right in front of them
Jonathan took satisfaction
At the irony of it
I didn't think it was necessary
It turns out he was right
08014