My Four Lines

I let you cut the first line
I let you cut it
Because you said
It was unnecessary
It was frivolous
It didn't rub you the right way

So you cut it
You cut one
Of four lines
That I have
And I was okay with that

I had made peace with that

Because I was so happy to be working with you
Because I was so thrilled that I got to work
At the premiere theater in South Dakota
That I got to sit at the altar
Of Margaret McStenson
The woman who directed the first regional production
Of Paint Your Wagon

But then you cut the second line
The second of four lines
After having already cut one
Meaning my lines
Were then SPLIT in half

I let you cut that second line
Because I wanted you to be proud of me
I wanted you to say--

Wow, look at that Cara!

Look at her not care
When I shred her part to bits
Thereby making her a glorified set piece
That talks...occasionally

That girl has guts!

But you didn't say that
Instead, what you said was--

'Cut the next line too'

As if you were on a roll
And you saw no reason to stop
At the line massacre

You just chopped it
And while I held back tears
I no longer wanted
Your praise

At that point
I knew what I was in for
I was in for a war
And I intended to win

You would not break me
Miss Margaret McStenson
Not even a little bit

I would see to that!

So I took my pen
And bore it into my leg
To quell the fury
Rising through my body

But tonight
Tonight at our last tech
Tonight when I was JUST STARTING
To get over what you'd done
You did it

You cut my last line
My last line
In this horrible play

YOU CUT IT!

And no, it wasn't a funny line
And no, it wasn't a poignant line
And no, it wasn't longer than three words

But--

"Claire, he's here."

THAT'S ALL I HAD!
THAT'S ALL I HAD IN THIS WORLD!
THAT WAS IT!
AND YOU CUT IT!
YOU BITCH!
YOU HEARTLESS BITCH!

I want that line back

Do you hear me?
Do you?
Or so help me
I will paint YOUR wagon, Miss Stenson

I want that line back
And I want to be able to say it
Loud and with a pause
And I even want to do a little bow
When I leave the stage

I had four lines
And like a mother zebra
Who watches her young
Be eaten by leopards
I REFUSE to watch one more
Go down your mucus-filled gullet!

So you're going to give me back that line
Do you hear me?
DO YOU?

. . . . .

Thank you

I'm glad one of us
Is finally starting to act
Like a professional