I-1-1

(A blue, concentrated light, blue like the light of an operating room, reveals the Chorus, which is composed of surgeons with white robes, rubber gloves, caps, and some of the incidental paraphenalia of their profession. Except the Chorus Leader, who is free to move about, they are inside of a little raised, and railed-in, enclosure, with seats--somewhat like the cross section of the benches in an operating theatre. The surgeons are always present during the play, interested spectators of all events, commenting, conferring together, agitated or complacent as the occasion dictates. The box of the Chorus is situated at the right of the stage, and forward, the position retained throughout the play. It is placed at an angle that permits the members of the Chorus to watch the events of the play and to turn toward the audience at will.

Now the members of the Chorus have their attention fixed on a man who is facing the audience, on a little circular platform, stage right. The man wears the natty uniform of a highway patrolman, black leather boots, goggles over eyes, cap set jauntily back, revolver at hip. He has his hands on the control-grips of a motorcycle. His position is rigid, while the Chorus Leader moves about him inspecting him, like a specimen, occasionally referring to a card in his hand.)

**CHORUS LEADER:** (Turning to the Chorus) Yes, gentlemen, a very fine specimen. A very fine specimen of that delicate and beautiful mechanism, the human being. Our only concern is, of course, with how this marvelous mechanism works, but sometimes we are all human enough to wonder *why* this mechanism works and to wonder -

**PATROLMAN:** (Speaking with body unmoving, eyes fixed out over audience.)
What hand flings the white road before me?
What hand over hills and the swamplands,
Over the highlands and damplands,
Gulley and bayou? And flings me
Fast as the slug from the gun-mouth,
Hard as the word from his own mouth --
I was nameless, but he has now named me.
And aimless, but he has now aimed me,
And flung me, and flings me -- Oh, errand
Blind with the glittering blindness of light!

**CHORUS LEADER:** (Continuing his examination of the specimen, referring to his filing card.)
Yes, yes, homo sapiens. But for non-scientific purposes known as -- as -- (Consulting card) -- as Al Suggs; sex, male; race, white --