Jonathan and Marjoram

[Alan Sondheim]

Jonathan and Marjoram


Jonathan was driving, Marjoram (yes, that's her real name), was in the 
passenger seat. They were traveling through the port of Los Angeles. They were 
would-be terrorists. "Take a left here," Marjoram said. "We don't have much 
farther to go." The refineries were close by. Jonathan reached over, signaled 
left. http://www.asondheim.org/takingleft.mov He didn't want any trouble.

Marjoram was having second doubts. She replayed, over and over again, her 
childhood dream, walking down a wooden pier of some sort, looking left and 
right into the water. http://www.asondheim.org/takingstraight.mov There were 
beautiful sea-creatures, kelp, algal mats, of all sorts; the water was alive. 
'Perhaps the world is, as it is meant to be,' she thought. 'Perhaps we're 
making an error.' She dreamed herself into a better life, waiting and walking, 
there on the pier, happy children, innocent and unaware, running just ahead.