Play # 26: Life of Pu





The play is set in a canoe, adrift on the bosom of the Pacific Ocean.  There are two characters, both of them in the canoe: one is a Bear of Very Little Brain named Pu, and the other is a morose donkey named Robert Taylor. 

Pu [glancing at his wrist, where a watch would have been if he had owned a watch]: Well, it’s 11:30!  Time for a little smackerel of something!

Robert Taylor:  Go ahead, I’m not hungry.

Pu: I’m happy to hear it, you’re being a fierce donkey and all!

RT: I couldn’t eat anything. I’m stuffed.

Pu: Considering you’re a stuffed animal, that’s a terrible joke.

RT: What are you going to eat?

Pu: Oh that’s right, there’s nothing, is there?

RT:  Do you think we’ll ever reach land?

Pu: Why shouldn’t we?  There used to be land all around this ocean—on every side!

RT:  I’m afraid.

Pu:  No, you mustn’t be.  “Fear is life’s only true opponent.  Only fear can defeat life.  It’s a clever, treacherous adversary.”

RT:  Where did you hear that?

Pu:  Some book.

RT: I didn’t know you could read.

Pu:  I can’t.  But there are a few books that are bigger than their readers.  Here’s more: “I had no means of controlling where I was going—no rudder, no sails, no motor, some oars but insufficient brawn.”


RT:  Sounds a lot like us.

Pu:  It does, but that isn’t really much help or much comfort, is it?

RT:  No, it’s not.  [sadly] I guess we’d better just go on drifting.

Pu:  Yes, let’s do that.

[curtain]