Demands of the Dead: Executions, Storytelling, and Activism in the United States

Life by Asphyxiation

181 Life by Asphyxiation Kia corthron caSt oF chaRacteRS (in order of appearance) JoJo, a black man, 54 cRazy hoRSe, a Native American man, 35 Nat tuRNeR, a black man, 31 aNDy, a white man, 50s KatIe, a white girl, 15 lucy, a black woman, 50s PaRameDIc (may double with Crazy Horse or Nat Turner) Death Row, the present. Three adjacent cells. They are divided by walls but these need not be represented literally so long as they are clearly defined. Cell doors, or bars, should be invisible so as not to hinder sight lines. Andy’s chuckle is soft, not a snicker, and often more to himself than to the others. He is good natured, and while his laughing habit may at times seem inappropriate, there is never any intention of cruelty. SceNe 1 [JoJo sleeps. Suddenly his eyes open.] JoJo Hey! I got company. [He taps on the wall between the cells] I’m Jojo. Grew up with Isaiah, he says “Let’s go on a adventure ride.” Seen them hitchhikers, one in jean shorts frayed one in black pants, their car stalled. They ask for a lift to the gas station, we took ’em the other direction. Raped ’em, strangled ’em. One was fifteen, one was seventeen. I was twenty-two. I’m fifty-four. cRazy hoRSe I’m thirty-five. All rests on the decoys, the timing, when to let them see us, when to move. They think they’re trapping us, if they suspect otherwise, it’s over. I was the decoy leader. Winter battle, they followed like clockwork like clay we molded the 182 kia corthron outcome Fetterman’s Soldiers we led them to their deaths a hundred! And Stanley’s soldiers under Long Hair Custer, and later, later when I feared all was lost came the Rosebud. I charge, and behind a few fall in, then twice that many behind them, twice that many behind them mighty triangle we form spirit not broken! Nat tuRNeR Crazy Horse! [JoJo rushes to the other side of his cell. cRazy hoRSe smiles: recognition.] JoJo Somebody else! [No answer] Hey! Jojo. Rape-murder. Fifty-four. Nat tuRNeR Thirty-one. I drew blood only once, one battle, a woman. Beat her to death. Rest of the war I was the general, organizer, the hands-off orchestrator. The enemy was everything white: “Do not spare age nor sex,” I commanded. Men, women, down came the ax, throng of schoolchildren we tossed their headless bodies in a pile, and that’s just the abridged version of what we did to them. What they did to us was worse. Nat Turner. [aNDy enters and, as he speaks, continues crossing the stage to the other side.] aNDy [Chuckles to himself] I remember Nat Turner. [Sings] “Unforgettable. . .” [Exits.] JoJo Fellas way down the corridor, but nobody this corner but me, nine years I been monasteryin’. ’Til now. Welcome to the neighborhood. life by asphyxiation 183 SceNe 2 [The sound of a clock ticking, second by second. cRazy hoRSe has removed his shirt, socks and shoes. He stands bare-chested, barefoot. JoJo rubs his forearms, cold. Nat does calisthenics to keep warm.] JoJo Stud! [aNDy enters] aNDy I ain’t gettin’ in the game. In Vegas, dealer’s the one in charge. [Chuckles] JoJo “How the hell you play poker on death row?” you’re thinkin’. “The excitement’s in the bettin’, what we got to bet?” Minutes. One hour every twenty-four we let outa our cells, outside. These sixty minutes is now up for grabs, for every minute you lose you stay inside, tell the C.O., “Sorry, needta crap, gotta stay in my cell ’til I’m done. C.O. say, “Your time, your loss.” That you already knew. aNDy Hey, Jojo, ain’t this a thrill? Other hands beside mine and yours? [Chuckles.] Nat Card playing not on my mind, late November chill out. When they turn on the heat? JoJo Card playin’ somethin’ keep your brain off the chill. [No reply. JoJo shrugs.] Kills time. Nat Kill that clock! When’d it start? JoJo Somethin’ in the mechanism went outa whack years ago, dead, who cares? Clock watchin’ hardly a popular death row sport. But every few months, no rhyme or reason, suddenly it resurrect: Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. 184 kia corthron aNDy [Deals to Nat first.] Crazy got the button. One with the button’s the...