Scene 4

Tuco’s Lament: A Spaghetti Western Morality Play

Draft: 06/04/07

Scene 4: Death Meets Everyman

Setting The Scene:

We are now with EM and Death in the desert campfire scene. They are faced off and talking about God’s request that he come with a reckoning. EM tries and convinces Death to give him one more day to try to get some company and get his accounts in order.

Unedited Text:

Death:

Everyman stand still, where are you going?

Have you your Maker forgot?

Everyman:

Who are you?

Death:

Sir, I have come

In great haste, sent to you

From God out of his great majesty.

Everyman:

What, sent to me?

Death:

Yes, certainly.

Though you have forgotten him here,

He thinks on you in the heavenly sphere,

As we depart, I will tell you why.

Everyman:

What does God want of me, stranger?

Death:

That shall I show you

A reckoning he will need have

Without any longer respite.

Everyman:

A reckoning?

Hold on partner, a longer leisure I crave

This blind matter troubles my wit.

Death:

Everyman, you must take this long journey

And your book of accounting with you bring

For to turn back there is no way

For before God you shall answer for

Your many bad deeds and good but few

How you have spent your life and in what wise ways

Before the chief lord of paradise.

Everyman:

Full unready I am for such a reckoning to give

And I know you not stranger: what kind of messenger are you anyway?

Death:

I am Death, that all men dread

For every man I rest and no man spare

For it is God’s commandment

That all to me shall be obedient.

Everyman:

Tarnation Death,

You come and disturb my sleep, now as I awake

But my good will I give you, if you will be so kind

To take these thousand greenbacks

And defer this matter till another day.

Death:

Everyman, it may not be this way

I am not influenced by gold, silver or worldly riches

No by priest, sheriff, mayor nor senator

For if I chose, I would receive gifts great

All the world I might get

But my custom is clean and contrary

I will give you no respite: come hence, and not tarry.

Everyman:

Alas, Death, shall you give me no longer respite?

I may say Death gives no warning:

But ponder it partner, it makes my heart sick

Not to mention, but the fact is that

My book of reckoning is all unready

Give me twelve years and I might have abiding

My accounting book I would make so clear

Then this here reckoning I should not need to fear.

Wherefore, Death, I pray thee, for tarnation sake

Spare me till I provided the remedy.

Death:

Everyman, don’t cry, weep, and pray

Take it like a man

Come along and be gone on the journey

The tide abides no man,

And in the world each living creature

Must die of nature.

Everyman:

Death, but if I should this pilgrimage take,

And my reckoning surely make,

Show me, for saint charity,

Should I not return again shortly?

Death:

No, Everyman; and you be once there

You may never more come here

Trust me on this.

Everyman:

Dang it Death

Have mercy on me in my most need

Shall I have no company from this earth

Can I at least have some company?

Death:

Well, yes, if any be so hardy

That would go with you and bear your company

Knowing that you were going to God’s magnificence

And a reckoning to give before his presence.

But I doubt that your friends in this worldly life

Would accompany you so

Everyman:

Well, I would like to give it a try

Death:

Nay, nay, it is just stalling

For as soon as you go

Soon after I shall have your life anyway

Everyman, you are mad

And more time on earth will not amend your life

Let us go.

Everyman:

Oh Death, I wish I could flee

That I might escape this constant sorrow

Now, gentle Death

Spare me till tomorrow at high noon

That I may amend myself

Death:

Well alright, I will consent

But at high noon tomorrow, in Samarra

To the heart suddenly I shall smite you

Without any warning

And now out of thy sight I with you

Make yourself ready

For you may say this is your last day

And that no man living may escape away.