THE LORAX IS COMING

Went on a long hike today, near Mt. Evans. Had a thought. What if there were tons of Loraxes? Literally an army of them, sort of a brightly colored zombie mob type of thing, and they stormed the White House and ate Trump? Wouldn't that be nice? I really am enjoying the fresh air, the clear skies, the energy I can feel off the plants and animals. One thing, among many, that I hope we retain after this is all over, is a renewed appreciation for the glory of nature.

Here's a monologue from my play Fenway: Last of the Bohemians. It's an adaptation of Uncle Vanya, and I dig it.

MOSS

I have this work space up in the attic I use when I'm really burned out - it's got a great view of the Sound. The crickets sing, and I stand at my easel and work on these maps. It's nice. (takes out a map) See this! It's what the Sound looked like around the end of World War One. The green stands for the trees, red dots for moose, the orange for elk, and the yellow for bear. Oh, and the blue are for wolves. There were all sorts of birds- ravens, eagles, hawks- and spotted tree owls. Supposedly, the birds would block out the sun at noon. Imagine that. There's Seattle, and a few little towns. Over here -I love this- on this little river, just sixty years ago, there was still a functioning water mill. (flips to the next map) Now, this is the same area, around thirty years later. Look at what we've done. Whole forests, wiped out. The wolves, bears, elk - you name it- all the animals are either dead or dying off. Still with me?

MADISON
Yes. Of course.

MOSS
Great. (flips over another map) And this is today. One
giant suburb. Most of the trees- gone. And, of course, with those great forests have gone all of its tenants. All the birds and beasts- poof- vanished. What this is, really, is a time-line of our own, self-inflicted destruction. Some people don't see it that way, say it's progress, the price we pay and all that jazz- maybe they make a peace sign, or tell me to "save the whales", and go their way. Which is just so fucking insulting that it hardly merits a reaction. It breaks my heart- it really does. I could understand, a little, if our quality of life increased with the destruction of the forests- but it doesn't. Look at any inner-city- does that look like progress to you? No- we leave the corpse of our cities to the poor and the weak- and those same people, tired of this ugly world left to them by seemingly indifferent strangers, turn to drugs to escape this madness. I don't blame them. That's Manifest Destiny- a vanished wilderness, and in it's place, a squalid, urban landscape... (takes a long look at Madison) We're doomed.

MADISON
Doomed...Right.

Here's a song. It's Gilda Radner doing Talk Dirty to the Animals.