Li and Zhou: The Club Gets Closed Down
[It’s morning. Li is typing at his desk. Zhou arrives, looking very disheveled and somewhat distraught.]
Li
Good morning, Zhou.
Zhou
Good morning.
Li
Did you get the newest previews for Shanghai lately?
Zhou
[glances at his desk]
Yeah, they’re here.
Li
We’ve got to be extra careful. What with the Expo and all…
Zhou
Yeah. We’ve got to be careful.
[They work in silence for a moment, their backs to each other. Li speaks:]
Li
Everything okay?
Zhou
I’m fine. Just fine.
Li
You aren’t still sad about having to give Roy back for the Expo?
Zhou
No. I’m not.
Li
Oh, were you out late for some reason last night?
Zhou
I was up late. I got in a fight with my son.
Li
Oh. I’m sorry. Look, I didn’t mean to pry. It’s really none of my business.
Zhou
No. It’s okay. He was just playing his guitar too much, and we had an argument. I didn’t sleep well because of it.
Li
Oh.
Zhou
The place where he plays his guitar got shut down. For the Expo, I guess. It’s happening all over Shanghai. It’s not surprising it’s happened here, too. Makes sense. We need unity at this time, and they would just get in the way, right?
Li
Right.
[They sit in silence for a moment, fidgeting with their papers, although neither of them is really working. Zhou starts again:]
Zhou
My son was so angry he just kept playing his guitar even when I told him to stop. He was just angry, and I was just angry. We started yelling, and he left the house. I couldn’t sleep until he came back…
Li
How late was he out?
Zhou
It was late. Almost morning.
Li
Oh.
Zhou
The worst part was that I couldn’t stay mad at him.
Li
Well, he’s your son.
Zhou
No, that wasn’t it. It’s because part of me understood.