Christine: I got a pass under the Humane Act for prisoners. At least there’s some sense left in this world.
Phineas: Christine! I can’t believe they—(suddenly stops) How timely that the Academia of Bureaucracy should see fit your visitation
Christine: Finney, what are you talking about?
Phineas: You expect me to believe you just filled out a form and someone waved their magic wand and you get visitation?
Christine: Finney? What’s gotten into you? Of course it wasn’t that easy, I’ve been waiting for months to get clearance. I had to engage an Advocate of my own just to cut through all the red tape. You’re not an easy person to get access to, Phineas Galen.
Phineas: My point exactly!
Christine: Finney! This is your wife! You can be paranoid about everyone else, and with good reason I suspect, But you’ll not train a suspicious eye on me, Phineas Galen. Not after what I’ve gone through to get here. I thought you’d be happy to see me, but this is not the sort of reception I was expecting for all my efforts.
Phineas: Christine…I’m, I’m sorry. Forgive me. That was, unforgivable.
Christine: What have they done to you, Finney?
Phineas: I’m not at liberty to talk about proceedings, for your sake, honey. But… I just had a “visitation” from Walt.
Christine: Walter Darby?
Phineas: Yes, poor soul.
Christine: What happened to Walter?
Phineas: He’s just a victim of circumstance and his own bad judgment, that’s all. He signed on to work for the Court, and pretended to talk to me as a “dear old friend”
Christine: Walter? That weasel!
Phineas: He feels bad enough about it, honey. I sniffed him out when I first laid eyes on him. He’s a terrible snitch. Maybe he could justify it in his conscience because he KNEW he’d do so poorly at it. Or maybe that’s WHY he did so poorly at it, for conscience, and friendship sake. Don’t judge him too harshly.
Christine: I suppose you’re right. I guess you’ve had more opportunity to think about it.
Phineas: Thinking is the ONLY thing I can do hin here that isn’t possibly hazardous to my well being. And it won’t be long until what I THINK will become evidence, too, I should suspect.
Christine: No wonder you thought I—
Phineas: I only thought that because I’ve had time enough to think about worst case scenarios and nothing else. My wife abandoning me, my four and five year old kids disowning me, my wife working for the Court just to spite me for all I’ve done to her. It’s all I can do to keep from wrapping a noose around my own neck.
Christine: Oh, Finney.
Phineas; (pause) I don’t suppose your Humane Act allows you to be on the other side of this wall?
Christine: No, I’m afraid not.
Phineas: (bitterly) It’s hardly “humane”, then. But at least I get to see you and hear you. That’s something, I guess.
Christine: It’ll have to do for now. Well, if you can’t tell me what’s going on with you, at least I can let you know about what’s going on out here. Belinda and Justinne are doing just fine, though they miss their daddy very much.
Phineas: What did you tell them?
Christine: I told them the truth, Phineas, as much as they can understand. Daddy has to answer to some very important people about something extraordinary that happened to him, though for our protection, daddy can’t tell us exactly what it was that happened to him, though I don’t know why he can’t tell his own wife from which he never kept a secret before, and what could be so important that a whole Court of strangers can hear about but I can’t!
Phineas: (pause) You, uh, you’ve been holding on to that for some time, haven’t you?
Christine. Yes. I’m sorry, but it’s hard Finney.
Phineas: I’m sorry, too, Christine. If there were any other way that I could make sure you and especially the kids weren’t dragged into this, I would.
Christine: Can’t I be used as a character witness to help clear your name? Something? Isn’t there anything I can do?
Phineas: Christine, the moment you are used to defend me, is the moment they can use you against me. And you’ll hate yourself for the things you’d have to say. I’ve seen the Inquirer at work, honey. Truth as you and I see it take on a whole new face when it’s in the hands of these experts at manipulating words and meanings. I have to use all of my wits just to make sure they don’t make it look like was planning all along to use my career as a soapbox to spread misinformation and cloud the Accepted Models. I simply acknowledg my name in Court and I get chills that I’ve given them something to use against me. My nerves are… I get so tired… one slip and I’ve lost you and the girls forever…
Christine: Finney, is it that serious?
Phineas: They want to put me away, Christine. I can feel it. It’s like they’ve hand picked the Academia seated at the Court of Trials to reside over this specific Inquiry, just for me. It may only be my paranoia, but nothing about these proceedings seem at all like it appears to be. Even my Advocate—
Christine: Best you not say anything more, then. For while I’m not wired for sound, you know these walls have ears, and they just may want to use me so that you will let your guard down.
Phineas: (chuckles) Now who’s being paranoid?
Christine: I just want my husband back in one piece so we can live our life the way we always have, again.
Phineas: (sighs) I fear those days are long over, Chris. I don’t think we’ll ever be the same again.
Christine: Then we’ll take stock of our situation, gather ourselves up, and move forward, Phineas Galen. You, me and our kids.
Phineas: You’re a rock, Christine. No, seeing you doesn’t make my guard come down. It only strengthens my resolve to get through this, because I’ve got a life waiting for me when it is all done and over with. I think that’s why they sent Walt. I don’t think they could’ve held up your visit any longer, and so they tried a last ditch effort to catch me at my lowest before sending in the cavalry. I can live again now. I’ve got a renewed perspective -- I’m a husband and a father, not just a Subject of some crazy, sordid Inquiry.
Christine: We miss you , Finn. The girls. Me too.
Phineas: And all this time its been tearing me up inside wondering how you’ve been, the girls, and I can’t be there, and what I would trade to get out of here—
Christine: Seeing you has helped me, too Finney. But be careful when you start thinking of bargaining. I won’t have my husband back at the cost of his soul, or his integrity. That’s what I love about you. You were brave enough to speak your mind, not to deny what you went through, whatever it was, and I’ll not stand by and have you trade all that just because you’ve been unfairly sequestered for this Inquiry. Do you hear me, Phineas Galen?
Phineas: (laughs) Yes, dear. Whatever you say, dear.
Christine: That’s the Phineas Galen I know. Stubborn, obstinate, forthright, and submissive all at once.
Phineas: “Yes, dear. Whatever you say, dear.” How I LOVE saying that after so many months of “I cannot say, Inquirer” or “To the best of my knowledge, Academia”. “Yes, dear, WHATEVER you say, dear…”
Christine: Hmm. I might have to get you into Inquiries more often, then.
Phineas: Don’t you even jest! I’d tickle you if not for this invisible wall.
Christine: I know—
(enter OFFICER)
Officer: Visitation time has been cancelled.
Christine: What? We’ve only just started! I have a writ that allows—
Officer: All activity has been cancelled pending the arrival of the High Academia of Theology.
Christine: The High Academia? I protest in the strongest possible--
Officer: You may file for another extension through the registrars office and your Advocate, but my orders are to clear the Subject for the High Academia of Theology.
Phineas: More scheduling maneuvers, I’m sure.
Christine: One more minute, then. Please!
Officer: My orders are firm. You are to vacate now or face action against yourself.
Phineas: Go, Chris! Don’t mess with these people.
Christine: But Finney!
Phineas: My love to the kids. Go! Now!
Christine: You come back in one piece, Phineas Galen, promise me.
Phineas: I promise.
Officer: This way, please, ma’am.
Christine: And I’ll come back to see you,
Finney. That I promise. Next time with the kids or someone will pay--
Officer: Now, Mrs. Galen.
Christine: Finney!
Phineas: CHRISTINE!!
(exit OFFICER & CHRISTINE)
Phineas: (quietly) Christine.
Read more articles by David Ian or search for articles on the same topic or others.
