俺: first person pronoun in Northern rural dialects. 

抬杠: arguing for the sake of arguing, intentionally being confrontational, being difficult, being hysterical, being melodramatic, unconstructive criticism, sophistry, being glib, criticizing without a clear sense of purpose. 

CHARACTERS

ANTIGONE: Stout country lady from Northern China in her sixties, dressed in traditional landlord’s clothes 

BROTHER: Either dressed in traditional funeral clothings, or Red Guard uniform

HUSBAND: Lean old man from Southern China in his seventies, dressed in peasant’s clothes

SISTER: A smaller build than Antigone with softer features, in her late fifties

KID: around ten, dressed in colorful cartoonish T-shirts and pants, looks annoying AF

The inside of a traditional Northern Chinese mansion with white plaster walls and wooden furniture. The door to the mourning hall is right in the center. BROTHER walks out from the mourning hall, with a bloodstained piece of cloth over his eyes in the same style as Oedipus, carrying a black-and-white photo of himself. He lays it down onto a dimly lit table inside of the mourning hall, and starts throwing funeral paper money into the air. 

 

BROTHER: 

To be, or to have been, that is the question.

Whether ’tis crueler for the being to suffer

The waves and currents of unending time;

Or to rebel against those past unseen troubles,

And by believing find them, to live, awake.

What’s more… that by awake to say we bear

That heartache, and the countless man-made shocks 

Unjustifiable. ’Tis a malediction 

Taboo to be spoken of, to live, awake.

Awake, perchance alive, aye that’s where it starts.

For only in that wakeful life can actions come,

When we have lifted up the veil of time,

Must redeem the now—there’s the prospect

That grants a glimpse beyond OUR history.

We’d meekly accept the whips and scorns of life! 

The father’s wrongs, the first born’s contumely,

The pangs of represséd love, our births’ relay, 

The silence of the mother, and the Gods

– Our ancestors, whom we pay our tributes to,

When one doesn’t have the food to feed himself.

Hammer and sickle! I would not these fardels bear,

To serve, obey that good Confucian life,

Illusioned by the joy from afterlife

—the Western land of Elysium, from whose born

The non-existent savior… I’ve lost my tongue

My speech is not in Mandarin, I speak

Some foreign language that I know not of…

Thus labor does make angels of us all!!!

And thus the native hue of revolution

Is blazened with the bright red cast of thought;

And every man, woman, from past and present 

In this future the masses reunite 

And gain the name of freedom. 

 

O Chairman, in thine infinite wisdom,

May class struggle be remembered.

 

BROTHER walks back into the mourning hall. 

Lights up. 

ANTIGONE stands outside of BROTHER’s mourning hall, with HUSBAND next to her. There might be a few wooden chairs around but they don’t sit for most of the conversations. 

HUSBAND

媳妇儿，别抬杠了。

Honey, stop being so difficult…

 

ANTIGONE

俺抬杠？恁娘！俺抬杠！这货活了一辈子就没干过一件好事儿！

Oh I am being difficult? This son of a bitch didn’t do one single good thing in his entire life 

 

HUSBAND

可这毕竟还是你哥啊… 

But he’s your brother after all…

 

ANTIGONE 

俺可不认他这哥。六十年了，他没一天让俺好好活过的。小时候家里几个子儿，全供他给读书去了。结果到了学校，啥都没学会，反而跟那帮红卫兵混一起去了。恁没看那时候他有多风光啊，戴着把书卖了换来的小徽章，系着红肩带，回来抄家批林批孔，把族谱都给烧了… 

He’s no brother to me! For sixty years, I didn’t spend one single day of my life peacefully with this fucker around. When we were young, our family spent all our savings just to get him into school. And what did he learn there? Absolutely nothing. He was prancing around with all the red guards, and he sold all his books to collect the Mao badges, and you know what he did next? He came back and burnt all the family books…

 

HUSBAND (Reaching his arm to try to calm ANTIGONE)

小点声儿，媳妇儿，人家都在里面… 

Shhh, you’re being too loud, all our relatives are inside…

 

ANTIGONE

你还让俺小声，你想把俺也气死？

Don’t you shush me! (Throwing off his arm) Are you trying to give me a heart attack too? 

 

HUSBAND

我就是说… 

I’m just trying to say…

 

ANTIGONE

你说说说，你早说啥去了，他作的时候你咋不说他抬杠呢？

Where were you earlier, huh? What did you say when he was being difficult? 

 

HUSBAND

我不是这个…

That’s not what I mean…

 

ANTIGONE 

这孬种他娘的还有脸回来，跟咱二哥抢房子。

This fucker had the audacity to come back and claim the house is his against our brother…

 

SISTER comes out of the mourning hall. 

She tried to slip away but she sees ANTIGONE eyeing her fiercely and stays. 

HUSBAND

媳妇儿，媳妇儿，我知道是他不对，我知道他是个乌龟儿子王八蛋。但俗话说的好，死者为大。你看他死都死了，你和活人过不去，但你别和死人过不去啊。

Honey, honey, I know it’s all his fault, I know how much of a jerk he’s been his whole life. But you know how the saying goes, “Honor the dead.” I mean you could take the problems up to us, but don’t hold a grudge against the dead…

 

ANTIGONE

他活着的时候就一横着走的活祖宗，他妈的死了还得供着他。他一死人凭啥还让我一活人不舒服? 

He acted like he had the authority of one of our ancestors while he was living already, and we still have to keep on serving him after he’s dead. Why do I have to prioritize the dead over the living?

 

HUSBAND

哎呀，我就是说，你就进去一趟，走一圈就够了，给大家个面子，大家也都好说话。

What I’m trying to say is that, all you have to do is to go in there and walk around the room, and that’s it, so that no one loses any faces…

 

ANTIGONE

俺还没给他们面子？！

Have I not shown him enough favors? Have I not shown both of them enough favors?!

 

SISTER

姐…

Sis…

 

ANTIGONE

来，来，来，你跟他说… 

Come, tell him.

 

SISTER 

姐，你别… 

Sis, please don’t…

 

ANTIGONE

这个房子是不是咱兄弟姐妹四个人一起个长大的？

Didn’t all four of us siblings grow up in this house?

 

SISTER remains silent. She eyes HUSBAND for support but he also looks away.

 

ANTIGONE 

俺问你话呢，是不是? 

I’m asking you a question. Yes or no.

 

SISTER 

是 

(Whispers) Yes.

 

ANTIGONE 

他们吵着分房子十几年有问过咱没？

Did they mention us at all all these years when they were fighting over the ownership of the house?

 

SISTER 

没

No.

 

ANTIGONE

现在这俩老东西气死了，房子归谁管? 

Now that these two old fucks died fighting, who does the house belong to?

 

HUSBAND

哎呀，媳妇儿咱别在这儿…

Ann, let’s not do this here.

 

ANTIGONE

归谁管？

Who does it belong to?

 

HUSBAND sighs and sits down on a chair.

 

SISTER 

归咱。 

To us. 

 

ANTIGONE

俺是不是念着咱是一家人的份上，还让他们在这儿办葬礼了? 

Have I not shown them favors in allowing them to hold their funerals here, since we were born together as siblings?

 

SISTER

姐也我知道这些年你不容易。

I understand how hard it has been for you all these years. 

 

ANTIGONE

你知道俺不容易就别跟俺对着唱嘞！

Then don’t stand against me! 

 

SISTER

我也不是跟你对着唱啊，没人跟你对着唱！但就是…

I’m not standing against you, no one is standing against you! It’s just…

 

SISTER hesitates and peers into the mourning hall. 

 

ANTIGONE

但啥？

Just what?

 

SISTER

你说你只去二哥葬礼，不去大哥的这什么道理啊？

You can’t just go to one of our brother’s funerals and not go to the other one.

 

ANTIGONE

咋就不是这个理啊？

What do you mean I can’t?

 

SISTER

但就这事儿不是这么个理啊。

You just can’t, it just doesn’t work like that.

 

ANTIGONE

他俩对俺一样吗，那俺要对他俩一样吗？

Did both of them treat me the same way? Then why should I treat both of them the same way?!

 

SISTER

姐，咱都几十岁的人了…啥事儿都挨过了，你走进去转悠圈儿多大点事儿啊，别杠了… 

Sis, look at us, we’re old. We’ve been through so much, and it’s really not that big of a deal to just walk in there…Don’t make such a big fuss over…

 

ANTIGONE

又是俺在杠？！几十岁的人，他跟俺杠了几十年! 他这么一躺下，啥事儿就都没了; 俺这一大活人，啥事儿都没做错，你们就像催命鬼一样跟着俺…

Oh, it’s me being difficult again! We’re decades old now, and the shit he’s given me has weighed on me for decades. And now he can just lay down there like nothing ever happened; while me, the living, is haunted by all you vengeful fucking spirits.

 

SISTER 

那我这不也一样过来了吗？

I’ve been through just as much and you know it. 

 

A beat. 

 

HUSBAND

咱也没让你真的为他哀悼啥的，咱也没一个喜欢他的。咱就是说，你进去了，这事儿就过去了，谁也不说了。你不进去，这事儿就像个石头一样就一直压在咱所有人心里头。

We don’t actually need you to mourn for him or anything, none of us like him anyway. We’re just saying, once you go in there, this whole event will be over. Period. No one will bring it up anymore. If you don’t go in there, it’ll keep weighing on all of us like a rock.

 

ANTIGONE

这石头也没压在俺心里头啊，俺也没拦着你们 

His death isn’t weighing on my heart for sure, and I’m not stopping y’all from going in there.

 

SISTER

但你想里面大叔他家里那边儿一个个亲戚啥的，能好受吗？逢年过节的来咱家，能让你好受嘛，能让咱好受吗？就他内俩熊孩子就够你喝一壶的了。

But think about all the people on his side of the family, how would it make them feel? And when they come to our house every year for all the holidays and festivals, how would they make you feel huh? How would they make us all feel? Just his kids alone can start a pandemonium.

 

ANTIGONE

那俩死孩子。

Oh gosh, those fucking twins. 

 

HUSBAND

是吧? 

Right?

 

ANTIGONE

你闭嘴。

You shush. 

 

SISTER

你看我这不进去出来一趟，身上也没少块肉啊。

See I just went in there, took a spin, and came out, and I’m not missing a limb…

 

ANTIGONE

你个缺心眼儿的本来遭了罪也不知道。

Your nerves are so thick you won’t even notice if someone whacks you in the head. 

 

SISTER

已经遭了就遭了，你还想再拖到下一代去啊？

So what? You really want to hold onto all this crap and bleed onto the next generation? 

 

HUSBAND

哎哟，要是真把咱闺女掺和进以前这点破事儿来，里面不得再加顶棺材。

Trust me, if our daughter gets caught up in all this, they’re going to need more than one coffin in there.

 

ANTIGONE smacks HUSBAND on the shoulder, stifling a smile, and her husband gently catches her hand.

 

HUSBAND: 

所以不是咱不是说吗：大事化小，小事化了。

Which is why they say “turn major issues into minor ones, and turn smaller ones into non-existent ones.” 

 

ANTIGONE

行了行了，就你懂的最多。

Oh please, you and all your sayings.

The mood softens a bit, as the sister, and the husband chuckle softly along. ANTIGONE tries to stifle a grin on her face.

ANTIGONE 

行，知道了，知道了，俺去。但说好了，俺光进去，别指望俺还说啥好话…

Fine, fine, I’ll go in there, but don’t expect me to say anything nice…

 

ANTIGONE speaks as she gets up from the chair. Suddenly, KID runs out from the mourning hall, bawling, and runs into ANTIGONE’s leg. He falls to the floor while ANTIGONE stands unharmed. SISTER bends down to lift up KID, who points at ANTIGONE’s face while sobbing.

 

KID

就是你害死了我爹。

You killed my dad. 

 

HUSBAND

别，别… 

No, no.

 

ANTIGONE

你说啥？

What did you say?

 

KID

我说就是你害死我爹！

I said it was you who killed my dad!

 

ANTIGONE

你个死小孩儿再说一遍！

I dare you to say that again to me, you fucking kid!

 

ANTIGONE tries to grab KID, SISTER pulls KID to the side while HUSBAND tries to block her. KID sits on the floor and starts crying again. 

 

SISTER

好啦好啦… 

Alright, let’s all calm down here…

 

HUSBAND

哎他就一孩子… 

(turning to ANTIGONE) Hon, he’s just a kid…

 

ANTIGONE

就一孩子咋了？！跟他内王八蛋老爹一个德性，生下来就霍霍人! 

So what, he’s just a kid?! He’s born in the same nature as his father, born to destroy other peoples’ lives!

 

SISTER

哎呀，他能咋霍霍人啊，这不不懂事嘛瞎说的。

How would he destroy other peoples’ lives, he doesn’t even understand what he’s saying…

 

KID

我没在瞎说，我妈跟我讲得清清楚楚的。你和二婶都知道这房子应该是我爸的，但就是装糊涂，故意要等我爸跟二叔耗死，这样子你们渔翁得利，黄雀在后…

I’m not making this up, my mom told me everything clearly. You and auntie both knew that this house should’ve belonged to my dad, but you didn’t say anything, you just had to wait till they drag each other down so that you could take the house by yourselves!.

 

HUSBAND

行了娃儿你少说几句吧…
Kid, just stop talking.

 

SISTER

你别跟这孩子也杠上…

Don’t start anything with the kid.

 

KID

我爹都死了你这个老巫婆还在外面笑。

My dad is dead and you, evil old witch, are still laughing outside.

 

ANTIGONE

你看俺今天不削你… 

I’m going to beat the shit out of you today!

 

ANTIGONE pushes everyone aside and whacks KID in the face. SISTER and HUSBAND quickly pull them apart again. 

 

SISTER

姐…别这样… 

Sis, please don’t do this…

 

HUSBAND 

童言无忌哈，童言无忌… 

Children speak without reservation, honey.

 

KID

我妈都说了，你自己心里有鬼，才不敢进去见我爹的。

My mom said you won’t see my dad because of your own guilt. 

 

HUSBAND

你快闭嘴…

Just shut up!

 

ANTIGONE

俺今天特么把你跟你爸一块儿送走！

I’m going to fucking send you to hell along with your dad!

 

ANTIGONE grabs the wooden chair that she was just sitting on, raises it and tries to chuck it at KID, while HUSBAND and SISTER go to pull on her. 

 

KID

你个死老太！疯婆娘！

You crazy old bitch!

 

KID runs off stage. ANTIGONE stares at the running KID, then drops the chair to the floor and collapses, frozen.

 

SISTER

姐，他就一孩子，别太计较… 

Sis, he’s just a kid, don’t take it so hard.

 

ANTIGONE 

滚，都给俺滚。

Go away, both of you.

 

HUSBAND

哎他爸也死了，大家都不容易… 

His father just died too, we’re all having a hard time here.

 

ANTIGONE

滚！

I said fuck off!

 

SISTER eyes HUSBAND. She then points toward the mourning hall and mouths the words: “孩子他妈” the kid’s mother. HUSBAND nods, takes one long glance at ANTIGONE and slowly walks into the room again, while SISTER stays,  uprights the toppled chair, and sits on it panting. She sees that ANTIGONE is shaking, and walks over to check that she is alright. Right before she touches ANTIGONE’s arm, she pauses and sits on the ground next to her. 

 

SISTER

姐。

Sis.

 

Pause. ANTIGONE doesn’t respond. 

 

SISTER

你还记不记得那年爸回来了，咱在村儿里打雪仗。

Do you remember that year when dad came back, and we were snow fighting in the village?

 

ANTIGONE remains silent. 

 

SISTER

那天起来，我还觉得那是我这辈子最开心的一天。舒舒服服地睡到大中午，起来就是玩儿，玩儿完吃个饭下午还接着玩儿。你打小就结实，那年你比大哥还高半个头，咱就三个打你一个。咱们人多，但你仗着有爸的军大袄，就扛着揍，冲到咱那儿给咱碉堡一个个给踹烂了。

That day when I woke up, I thought it was the happiest day of my life. I slept all the way till noon, and then we got up and we went out and played. We played till we went back to eat, and then we went out playing again. You were strong ever since you were a child, you were even half a foot taller than our big brother, so it was the three of us against you. We had the numbers, but you had dad’s army jacket, and so you ran all the way to our side and kicked over all of our fortresses. 

 

A beat.

 

SISTER

是我扔的石头。

I threw the rock at you. 

 

ANTIGONE stops shaking.

 

Sister: 

我扔的石头，不是咱大哥。

It was me who threw the rock, not our big brother.

 

ANTIGONE stares into the distance. 

 

SISTER

我那时候就看着你头发乌黑乌黑的，尤其是过年，扎着俩小辫儿，跑起来一晃一晃的，老可爱了，就像年画上那女娃娃似的。也不记得当时是觉得好玩儿，还是妒忌，就想看你哭。我就琢磨着，得想个法子把你弄哭，还不能让你知道是我干的，就乘着打雪仗的时候在球里塞了块儿石头。

Your hair was so lush and dark, especially when it was New Years, when you tie it into two pigtails. The way they dangle around made you look just like that girl in the festive paintings. I don’t even remember if I was jealous, or if I found it entertaining, I just wanted to see you cry. And so I had to make a plan to make you cry, without letting you know that I did it, so I snuck a rock inside one of the snowballs. 

 

(A Beat) 

 

可我当时扔完就后悔了，看着你哭我真的比自己被砸了还难受。但我又不敢告诉你，怕你记恨我，原本在家里也就和你说的上话。

But I regretted it right after I tossed it, watching you cry felt so much worse than being hit myself. But I couldn’t tell you about it, I was so afraid that you were going to hate me, you were the only person I could talk to in the family. 

 

ANTIGONE

牛没了。

The cow was gone. 

 

SISTER

是，你回家跟爸哭去了，结果咱就都忘了把牛棚给关了。我那天晚上真的老内疚了，我半夜爬起来… 

Right, you went back crying to dad, and so we all forgot to close the gate to the cowshed. I felt so guilty that night, and so I got up…

 

ANTIGONE

俺知道，你一出去找牛找了一宿。

I know, you got up and went out looking for the cow the whole night.

 

SISTER

是，但我不是一个人去的。

I did, but I didn’t go out alone. 

 

ANTIGONE looks at SISTER. 

 

SISTER

我原本是打算自个儿去找的，但我看大哥在被子里翻来翻去也没睡，我就想把他也叫起来帮忙。黑灯瞎火的咱也没找到帽子手套，裹了爸的军大衣就走了。咱走了没多远，才过了牛棚一里不到，就冻得受不了了。咱就缩进那牛棚的稻草堆里去了，他跟我说手冷，我就让他把手伸进来，他跟我说耳朵冷，我就让他把头也伸进来，然后他就把我给上了。

I was going to go look for it on my own, but then I saw big brother tossing and turning in his bed and so I got him to come and help. It was too dark inside, and we couldn’t find our gloves or hat, so we grabbed dad’s army jacket and just went out. We got less than a mile away from the cowshed, and we felt like we were going to freeze to death. And so we got into the cowshed and cuddled between the hay stacks. He told me his hands were cold, and so I let him put them under my garments; he told me his ears are cold, and so I let him put his head under my garments, and so he took me there.

 

(Pause)

 

那时我真的觉得挺奇怪的。大冬天的都挨得那么近了应该很暖和才是，但我感觉好像更冷了，脚趾头到头发尖儿都凉飕飕地。但我心里却是那么舒坦，我在想这几分钟熬过去了，姐就能原谅我了。他完事了，问我要不要回去。我摇了摇头，他就走了。

It was a very weird feeling that I had. It should’ve been warm, that we’re so close together, but somehow I felt colder in the haystacks than out there, I got the chills from my toes to the tip of my hair. But in my heart, I was so relieved. I thought to myself, once these few minutes pass, sis will definitely forgive me. And afterwards he asked if I wanted to go back. I said no, and so he left. I waited till the sun came up the next morning, but the cow didn’t come back. 

 

ANTIGONE walks to the entrance of the mourning hall, with her back against the audience, standing there like a vengeful ghost. （催命鬼）

 

ANTIGONE

俺也琢磨出来了。

I figured out most of it. 

 

SISTER (turns to look at ANTIGONE, surprised)

你知道？

You knew？

 

ANTIGONE

俺知道发生了些啥，你和大哥，但不知道是哪一天。从小被子都是俺洗的。

I knew something happened, between you and big brother, but I didn’t know it was that day. I always washed the sheets. 

 

SISTER nodded. 

 

ANTIGONE

你之前咋不和姐说呢？

Why didn’t you tell me any of this earlier?

 

SISTER

害，这有啥好说的。村里边儿，就那样儿。我等到太阳出来了，也没等到牛回来。我跑回家，跑到你炕前，看到你黑油油的头发下面还鼓着个包。我看你睡得香，就拿手戳了戳。你也不嫌疼，挠了挠翻个身接着睡。我就琢磨着，人生也就这样。也不知咋的就被石头砸了，你也找不出是谁；再难受的事儿，睡过去就好了，就让他们在梦里戳你；要真找个为什么，就是自己当初手欠，先扔的石头。

There’s not much to tell you about. That’s how it is, in the village, it just happens like that. I waited till the sun came out, and the cow didn’t come back. So I ran home, I ran to your bed, and I saw that bump beneath your luscious dark hair. You were still sound asleep so I kinda poked it with my finger. It didn’t hurt you or anything, you just scratched it gently, and turned to sleep on the other side. And so I figured, that’s how it is with life. Sometimes you just get hit by a rock randomly, and you can’t really find out  from whom; no matter how bad it is, just sleep over it, and let them poke you while you’re dreaming; if there ever was a reason, it’s my fault, for throwing out that rock in the first place. 

 

ANTIGONE turns around, with tears in her eyes. 

 

ANTIGONE

这不是这么个理啊… 这不是这么个理啊 

But that’s not how it’s supposed to go, that is not at all how it’s supposed to go…

 

SISTER

姐, 别杠了, 真的… 

Sis, stop arguing, really.

 

ANTIGONE

你们一个个都说俺在杠，俺这是为了谁在杠，姐不杠咱能有今天吗？

Y’all are always saying that I’m too confrontational, that I fight too much, but if I wasn’t like this, where would we be today?

 

SISTER

姐… 

Sis…

 

ANTIGONE

咱小时候吃饭的时候，不都是和那俩白眼儿狼杠着才吃得到肉嘛；这房子咱不杠着，不就被那没良心的小姨子给抢走了。

When we were young, we had to fight those two bastards to get the meat on the table; if we hadn’t fought for it, the house would have been taken by that ruthless bitch!

 

SISTER

姐，咱别吵了，好不好…

Let’s not fight anymore please…

 

ANTIGONE

姐不是在和你吵，姐是在和你说理。姐没读过书，不像俺闺女那样知道什么天文地理的，一件件事儿都能捋明白。俺就一粗人，俺就记得住一条理。生活不是老天爷赏的，全是靠自己杠出来的。俺其实心底里是知道的，那天以后姐骂你你也不辨嘴了，就在那边傻呵呵的笑。你对人家笑，人家对你笑嘛？有人扔你石头，你找不出来是谁，你也找一个人出来揪着他揍， 使劲揍往死里揍。你要记住你不是好惹的，不光你得长记性，你得让他们也长记性，让他们记住你不是好惹的。你这样活，你才吃得到桌子上的肉。

I’m not arguing with you, I’m telling you the truth. I haven’t read any books, and don’t know all that philosophical stuff like my daughter, I can’t get all my logic straight. I’m a simple woman, and I hold onto one simple truth. That life is no charity, you must fight for it, you must struggle for it. That’s life. I knew, oh, deep down I knew what happened. Ever since that day whenever I tried to argue with you, you always just dodge away and just do your silly smile. Will other people out there smile back at you, huh? If someone throws a rock at you and you can’t figure out whom, just find someone and beat the crap out of him. So that you remember, and so that they will remember, that no one gets to mess with you. And that’s how you get the meat on the table.

(Pause) 

 

姐唯一后悔的，就是没早点开始杠。要是当时挨了你那一下，就直接追着那王八蛋揍，管他大哥二哥揪着就揍，他们就记住这教训了，牛也不会丢了，你也不置于… 

All I’m regretting now is that I didn’t start fighting earlier. Had I chased them right after you threw me that rock, either one of those bastards, just beat the crap out of them, they would’ve fucking remembered, and the cow wouldn’t have been lost, and you wouldn’t…

 

(Short pause) 

 

什么叫蹬鼻子上脸，就给了他们点好脸色看，他们就无法无天，上俺的门来指着俺的鼻子骂。俺现在就进去给他们瞧瞧什么叫不得好死，这个王八蛋以为躺下了就完事儿了

And you see how it is when you cave in? You show them some favors and they start gorging themselves at you, coming onto my doorstep and cursing me in my face. You know what? I’m going to go in there and show them what it means to not deserve a peaceful death. He thinks it’s over to just lie down in the fucking coffin? 

 

ANTIGONE goes to pick up the chair again, and prepares to barge into the mourning hall, SISTER blocks her with her body.

 

SISTER

姐，算我求你了好吗，别闹了… 

Sis, I’m begging you, don’t do this…

 

ANTIGONE

俺特么照样给他从棺材里拎出来削他，让他来世记住了，让他子子孙孙记住了…

I’m going to rip him out of there and beat the crap out of him, so that he remembers in his next life, so that all his descendants remember not to mess with…

 

KID slowly walks out of the room carrying a stack of money. He goes toward ANTIGONE, when she was still holding up the chair. 

 

KID

婶婶对不起。

I’m sorry auntie. 

 

ANTIGONE

啥？

Huh? 

 

KID

我爸要我来跟你说对不起的。

My dad told me to come apologize to you. 

 

ANTIGONE

你刚不是跑出去了吗？你啥时候又钻进去的？

I thought you ran out that way, when did you sneak back in there?

 

KID

那是我哥，他不懂事儿。

That’s my brother, he doesn’t know what he was doing.

 

He offers up the stack of money. 

 

KID

我爸说这是他欠你的。

My dad says this is what he owed you.

 

ANTIGONE slowly lowers the chair, while KID catches sight of SISTER. And he looks between the two of them, and walks over to SISTER side instead.

 

KID

婶婶对不起，刚刚搞错了。 

Sorry auntie, there was a confusion.  

 

SISTER

你对不起个啥啊？

What are you sorry for?

 

KID stuffs the stack of money into SISTER‘s hands and runs offstage. ANTIGONE and SISTER look at each other in confusion, and gather around the chair and see what KID brought out. It was black-and-white paper money that they used for the funeral. Another KID runs out from the mourning hall with another stack of money, he goes to SISTER.

 

KID

婶婶对不起。

I’m sorry Auntie. 

 

SISTER

你又对不起啥？

What are you sorry for this time?

 

KID

我妈要我来跟你说对不起。

My mom told me to come apologize to you. 

 

Sister: 

你刚不是往那边跑过去了吗？

I thought you just ran out that way?

 

KID

那是我哥，他不懂事儿。

That’s my brother, he doesn’t know what he was doing. 

 

KID looks over to ANTIGONE and then back at SISTER, and runs over to ANTIGONE’s side.

 

KID

婶婶对不起，刚刚搞错了。

Sorry auntie, there was a confusion.  

 

ANTIGONE

你又在搞啥？

What are you doing? 

 

KID

我妈说这是她欠你的。

My mom says this is what she owes you. 

 

KID stuffs the stack of paper into ANTIGONE’s hands and runs off in the opposite direction. It is a stack of real money this time. ANTIGONE and SISTER look at each other completely bewildered. ANTIGONE hands her sister the stack of real money and walks into the mourning hall. SISTER takes a beat, and tosses the stack of real money into the air and follows ANTIGONE inside.

 

END.