His Way
(fragment)
by Ivan Provisoire

NARRATOR
It is the end of a long week. Ivan is sitting around a little bonfire with friends, ready to relax. The night is cool and the sky is dark, but the flames cast a warm spell on the people around. Someone starts singing a song.

LITTLE MEPHISTO
And nooooow, the end is near,
and so he faces the final curtain
My friend, he’ll say it clear
he’ll state his case, of which he’s certain

FRIEND
Oh my god stop it, I hate that song. You know what I see when I hear that? An old white man who is SO satisfied with himself, he did everything right even though he was probably an asshole but now, because he’s soon gonna die, everybody glorifies him as he glorifies himself. HIS way. Amen.

IVAN
Yes, and you know what? It’s the standard song at my family’s funerals – only for the men though. It puts them on a throne: see how this heroic warrior lived a life that’s full, how he travelled each and every highway – at the cost of what, at the cost of whom! – I want to shout.

LITTLE MEPHISTO
Well, regrets, he had a few…

IVAN
But then again, too few to mention… You know, maybe it would have been helpful if he had put some more attention into THOSE, instead of just swiping them under the carpet…

FRIEND
I’m wondering who you are talking about. Do you have a concrete example in mind?

IVAN
Well yeah, my granddad. I got a letter from him last week and it has been bothering me ever since. I haven’t replied yet.