Rambo 2039

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A One-Act Short play

By Samer Al-Saber

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Margo, an elderly white woman

Latte, a transnational curator. His parents regret naming him that.

America, 2039, after the NFT catastrophe of 2037. Margo attempts to sell her fridge to a cosmopolitan shark named Latte. Her language and demeanor are reminiscent of the good old days of General Electric and Heinz Ketchup.

MARGO

(almost begging)

But it works very well. My husband and I bought it from the builder. All the houses in the neighborhood used to have it in the 1980s, but of course they updated. We didn’t. It worked since 1989.

(Latte walks in the dirty un-functional kitchen with the confidence of an auctioneer)

LATTE

(Uninterested)

How does it run?

MARGO

It keeps beer cool. Food doesn’t go bad. It doesn’t connect to the internet if that’s what you are asking.

LATTE

(Sarcastic)

The internet?

(back to making the deal)

I am asking if it runs on Musk Solar or Bezos Wind.

MARGO

Musk and Bezos fucked us over with their space shit. They abandoned us all. Look at what they did. Fuck progress. Fuck science. They destroyed us all. Are you from the Philippines or the Arab nations?

LATTE

I am trans -

MARGO

Oh I am sorry. They cut off your...

LATTE

Trans-national Passport.

MARGO

Oh. We don’t follow the news any more. Since they banned the airwaves, the radios and TVs don’t work... Not even the websites...

LATTE

My parents were born in the settlement up the street, before the lands were taken back by the rightful owners. We were in Europe when the tribes invited us to come work here after the catastrophe. The chiefs are considering my immigration paperwork.

MARGO

We don’t talk to them. The treaty says we get to stay as long as we want. You don’t need their approval. We don’t use their services. I was born here and I will die here.

LATTE

About the refrigerator, I will trade you a video cassette recorder with the entire Rambo series so you can make your television work. Are you interested?

MARGO

The cassettes work with no glitches?

LATTE

I believe Rambo Two has one minute that is deteriorated but the whole series will work on your television.

MARGO

I was a teenager when that film came out. Remember when President Bush saved the Kuwaitis in Desert Storm?

LATTE

Do we have a deal?

MARGO

Can you stay a little longer? It’s nice to speak English.

LATTE

I only speak it for work. Do we have a deal on the fridge?

MARGO

It’s just that the radio doesn’t work anymore and since Bill died I have been alone. The Milk Foundation only brings us food once a week, so I don’t get visitors.

LATTE

I think you will enjoy Rambo, then. It has everything you like. Since the great freeze, you haven’t needed the refrigerator anyway.

MARGO

What do you need it for?

LATTE

We need it for the White Museum in Chicagoua. The city you used to call Chicago.

MARGO

The White Museum.

LATTE

You know, you could turn your home into a private museum. People would gladly pay tickets to see this strange little place.

MARGO

I see. I accept your deal. What’s your name, son?

LATTE

I have never been your son. My name is Latte.

MARGO

Remember Starbucks?

LATTE

I am glad we have a deal. Our interns will come to pick up the refrigerator and drop off your VCR and the Rambo Tapes. I will instruct them to have a five-minute conversation with you in English as part of the deal. Mme. I don’t want to remember Starbucks.

Latte walks out of the kitchen while Margo cries.

MARGO

But Starbucks was so good. I just don’t understand. I loved Starbucks. Venti, grande, tall, and short. Mocha, Latte, Cappuccino, and Frappe. I don’t understand. I don’t... I don’t understand. Venti, grande, tall, and short. I just don’t understand.

BLACK OUT

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