Excerpt

Scene 9 - The priest and girl are in the pit.

Girl
Don't want to be Jewish any more.

Priest
Jesus was Jewish too.

Girl
Is that why they killed him?
 
Priest
In the beginning, our Father created... Our Father...
 
Girl
Stash, promise me He isn't a Jew.
 
The priest is silent.
 
Girl
Promise me, promise that He can laugh.
 
Priest
My child, it does not say anywhere that God created laughter.
 
Girl
So who created it?
 
Priest
Laughter is a miracle, wrought without the Creator having any part of it.
 
Girl
What is a miracle?
 
Priest
Something unusual, that never happened before.
 
Girl
Who causes miracles?
 
Priest
God. God.
 
Girl
And who is God? Who is God?
 
Priest
Our Father. Our Father.
 
Girl
And where is He?
 
Priest
In Heaven.
 
Girl
Heaven - is that above us or below us?
 
Priest
I don't know.
 
Girl
When does He make the miracle?
 
Priest
My child, God saw that it was good, and left the flawed world as it was, because whenever we laugh we remind Him up there of our presence down here and repair the damage that He Himself wrought.
 
Girl
Teach me how to laugh, Stash. Please teach me how to laugh.
 
Priest
Without our laughter, God Himself would be no more.
 
The girl opens her mouth, she tries to laugh, but her laughter refuses to come out. Instead, it looks like crying.
 
Priest (Embracing her, while speaking to God)
Do not bless me, Father, for I have sinned. Do not absolve me.
But now I am forsaking you and devoting myself to this girl.
Her agonized cries cut through me. All night long she pleaded with me not return her to her people.
I will know no peace, day or night.
Mother, Mother, Mother, why have you forsaken me!
Thus cry all of the nameless children.
 
Girl
Mama, Mama, why have you forsaken me?
 
Priest (raises his gaze up)
Forgive this girl who has no name. Embrace her and she will teach You how to laugh.
 
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