The People in the Basement (Stageplay)

(P 37)

[…]
BOGGI
There's a man here asking for Klara.
Bardi is there, in his underwear, with
a beer in his hand. Klara goes to him.
Svenni follows her.
BARDI
Klara...
KLARA
What?
BARDI
Am I interrupting your tidy life?
KLARA
What do you want?
BARDI
I have to talk to you.
KLARA
You don't have to apologize - my sister has probably
forgotten all about you now.
BARDI
I'm not apologizing.
KLARA
Then what do you want?
SVENNI
Yes, what?
BARDI
You're making too much noise.
Svenni laughs exaggeratedly.
SVENNI
This is too much really, this - this is ridiculous. Are you
really complaining about the noise? A man who...
KLARA
Yes, he's complaining... I'm sorry Bardi.
BaRDI
Sure - but you have to turn down the music and stop yelling.
Nanna/Embla steps out of the kitchen.
NANNA/EMBLA
Is it your cat in the garden?
BARDI
The bloody cat owns itself.
KLARA
No need to answer the child so harshly.
BARDI
Harshly? You should know how my mother talked to me. Sweetie,
the little cute cat lost its mommy...
KLARA
That's enough, we'll turn it down - but try to loosen up.
We've only got two guests for dinner.
BARDI
You could have a hundred guests for all I care. But you have
to turn down the music and stop yelling.
SVENNI
Hang on a minute. For months we couldn't sleep because of
your drinking, screaming and yelling and now when we have
friends over for dinner and a little music, you come and
start complaining.
KLARA
Svenni! We'll turn down the music.
BARDI
Thank you Klara.
Bardi leaves. Svenni stares at Klara.
She goes back into the kitchen with
Nanna.
KLARA
Should we draw some more?
NANNA/EMBLA
Sure.
KLARA
We can write a play about the raven.
NANNA/EMBLA
How?
KLARA
Have him say something, I'll show you. “Crow crow, good
morning” says the raven. “What's so good about it?” says the
horse. Go ahead, try.
NANNA/EMBLA
“Crow crow says the Raven. I want a mouse for dinner, that
makes the day good for me... but not for the mouse.”
Fjola laughs.
Fjola
It was good to live on a farm. Remember the freedom? And all
the kids asked “Why do you live on a farm if you have no
sheep?”
KLARA
Because it's fun.
FJOLA
Fun? They didn't get it. Remember? We had the whole world all
to ourselves.
The Mother interjects.
MOTHER
Then we moved into that damned apartment block.
FATHER
And they legalized beer.
FJOLA
And you went interrailing and I was a single mom, changing
diapers and scrubbing floors at night. Making swap deals with
my girlfriends to get out to party occasionally. Remember
when I ran into you in a bar when you got back home, and you
pretended you didn't recognize me?
KLARA
I didn't recognize you. I was drunk, and with some people.
FJOLA
You were happy, free. Didn't recognize me. Fjola, your old
friend.
KLARA
No. I didn't recognize you.
NANNA/EMBLA
Klara.
KLARA
Yes?
NANNA/EMBLA
Is someone going to get - you know, now?
KLARA
Don't worry, there's never any trouble here.
NANNA/EMBLA
But you've got guests and they drink wine.
KLARA
They're not like that - you know.
[…]