INTRODUCTION
Salt
INTRODUCTION
A man goes into a grocery store and buys a lot of salt. At first the other people in the store can't understand why. Then they hear his story, and they all want to buy salt too.
CHARACTERS IN THE PLAY
Shopkeeper, a person who owns a small grocery store
Manra, a truck driver
PERFORMANCE NOTES
Scene 1: In a small grocery store.
Scene 2: In a street, some hours later.
You will need ten bags of salt, and a small cart on wheels. You will need the noise of a truck stopping suddenly, but we do not see the truck.
SCENE 1
No more salt
In a small grocery store, Groot is asking the shopkeeper for something. The others are waiting behind him.
GROOT
I'd like ten bags of salt, please.
SHOPKEEPER
Ten? Of course. That's ten dollars, please.
GROOT
Here you are.
SHOPKEEPER
Can I help you with all that?
GROOT
No, thanks. I have this cart.
SHOPKEEPER
Ten bags. That's a lot of salt.
GROOT
Yes. Salt is very important, you know.
SHOPKEEPER
It is. But why do you need ten bags?
GROOT
Soon there isn't going to be enough salt in the world. I saw it on television.
SHOPKEEPER
Not enough salt? Really?
GROOT
It's true. So I'm buying some now. Goodbye!
He goes out with his cart.
NELLO
Did you hear that?
Did you hear that?'
DURG
Yeah, there isn't enough salt in the world.
SPRATLY
Not enough salt? That isn't true.
NELLO
But he saw it on television. Soon there isn't going to be any in the stores.
SPRATLY
Really? That's bad – I need salt.
DURG
Me too. I can't live without it!
NELLO
(To the shopkeeper) Give me some salt, please, ten bags – no, make that twenty bags.
SPRATLY
And me. I'd like thirty bags.
DURG
Me first! I've got a big family. We need salt.
SHOPKEEPER
Be quiet, all of you! You must wait.
NELLO
But we want our salt.
DURG
And we want it now.
SHOPKEEPER
But that man bought my last ten bags.
SPRATLY
Then it's true! He was right – there isn't enough salt in the world. What are we going to do?
SHOPKEEPER
That's your problem. It's six o'clock – time to close the store. I'm going home.
NELLO
But what about our salt?
SHOPKEEPER
Look, there's a lot of salt in the world – enough for everybody. Goodbye!
They all go out.
SCENE 2
We want salt!
Spratly finds Groot standing in a street with his cart.
SPRATLY
Excuse me, I want to buy some salt.
GROOT
Sorry? What did you say?
SPRATLY
I know about the problem.
GROOT
What problem? What are you talking about?
SPRATLY
Soon there isn't going to be enough salt.
GROOT
Oh, you heard about that?
SPRATLY
Yes, and I want some salt.
GROOT
Then go to a grocery store and buy some.
SPRATLY
I can't find any. Every time I ask, the shopkeeper says, 'Sorry, no more salt.'
GROOT
Oh dear!
SPRATLY
But you have some. You bought ten large bags – I saw you.
But you have some.'
GROOT
I'm sorry, but I'm not selling my salt.
SPRATLY
But I'll give you ten dollars a bag.
GROOT
(Laughing) No, I want fifty dollars a bag! It's more expensive every day. Soon there isn't going to be enough.
SPRATLY
All right, all right, fifty dollars a bag! Give me five bags. Here's the money.
GROOT
Good man! You're doing the right thing.
Spratly goes out. Durg comes in.
DURG
Excuse me, I saw you buy some salt.
GROOT
Ah!
DURG
What's happening? I can't find any. The shopkeepers all say, 'Sorry. No more salt!'
GROOT
There's a problem.
DURG
I know. It was on television. Everybody is talking about it. Listen, I must have some salt.
GROOT
Sorry, I can't help you.
DURG
But I need it for my family. Please!
GROOT
All right, all right, but it's... er... a hundred dollars a bag.
DURG
Oh no!
GROOT
I told you – everybody wants salt. Well?
DURG
Oh, all right, then. Give me four bags.
GROOT
Four? Good! You understand the world, my friend. I see it in your face.
DURG
Here's the money.
GROOT
And here's your salt! Goodbye.
Durg goes out. Nello comes in.
NELLO
Hey, you, stop!
GROOT
Are you talking to me?
NELLO
Yes, you were in the grocery store—
GROOT
Was I? Perhaps. I go into a lot of grocery stores.
NELLO
You bought all the salt in the store!
GROOT
Well, there's a problem, you know.
NELLO
Yes, there is – and it's all because of you!
GROOT
That's not true!
NELLO
I met Spratly just now. He tried to sell me a bag of salt for five hundred dollars!
GROOT
That's too much.
NELLO
Of course it is – I know your plan! You go from store to store. You buy all the salt, and sell it for a lot more money!
GROOT
OK, it's true – I buy and sell salt – that's not wrong.
NELLO
Then sell some to me.
GROOT
No, I don't want to.
NELLO
(Holding him, angrily) Listen, I'm going to buy, and you're going to sell. (Shouting) Do you understand?
GROOT
But I've only got one bag left.
NELLO
(Angrily) Give it to me, then!
GROOT
It's two hundred dollars. Well, OK, you can have it for a hundred and fifty. But let me go!
NELLO
(Shouting) Give it to me!
GROOT
No, give me the money first. Now let me go! Oh, help! Help!
Groot runs out. We hear a truck stop suddenly, and Groot cries out. The driver, Manra, comes in, helping Groot to walk.
MANRA
He ran in front of my truck. I didn't see—
He ran in front of my truck.'
NELLO
You didn't do anything wrong. It was an accident.
MANRA
But why did he run across the street without looking?
NELLO
I was angry with him. So he ran away.
MANRA
(To Groot) how do you feel?
GROOT
(Holding his leg) Oh, my leg! My leg hurts. I think it's—
NELLO
He's OK, I think.
MANRA
Wait a minute, what's this in the street?
NELLO
It's salt. He had a bag of salt and I wanted it.
MANRA
Salt? Well, that's interesting! I'm carrying salt on my truck – bags and bags of it!
NELLO
Salt? Oh no! (He laughs.)
MANRA
Why are you laughing?
NELLO
It doesn't matter. I can't tell you now.
MANRA
Then you can tell that policeman. Look, he's coming across the street now. He saw the accident, I think!
重点词汇
grocery store a building where people buy food and other small things for the home 食品杂货店
shopkeeper n. someone who owns or is in charge of a small shop 店主
television n. a piece of electronic equipment shaped like a box with a screen, on which you can watch programmes 电视
expensive adj. costing a lot of money 昂贵的
accident n. a situation in which someone is injured or something is damaged without anyone intending them to be 意外事件；事故
policeman n. a male police officer （男）警察
中文
盐
内容简介
一个男人走进食品杂货店买了很多盐。一开始商店里的其他人不明白为什么。接着他们听到了他的说法，于是他们也都想买盐。
剧中人物
小食品杂货店店主
曼拉，卡车司机
场景说明
第一场：在一间小食品杂货店里。
第二场：几个小时之后，在一条大街上。
你将需要十袋盐，一辆小手推车。还需要有卡车急刹车的声音，但观众不会看到卡车。
第一场 没有盐了
在一间小食品杂货店里，格罗特正向店主买什么东西。其他人等在他身后。
格罗特：
请给我十袋盐。
店主：
十袋？当然可以。总共十美元，谢谢。
格罗特：
给您钱。
店主：
需要我帮忙拿吗？
格罗特：
不用了，谢谢。我有这辆手推车。
店主：
十袋。那可是很多盐。
格罗特：
是的。您知道，盐很重要。
店主：
是这样的。但您为什么需要十袋呢？
格罗特：
世界上的盐很快就会不够用了。这是我在电视上看到的。
店主：
盐不够用？真的吗？
格罗特：
是真的。所以我现在就赶紧买上一些。再见！
他推着手推车下场。
内洛：
你们听见他说的了吗？
杜尔格：
听见了，他说世界上的盐不够用了。
斯普拉特利：
盐不够用？那是瞎说。
内洛：
可这是他在电视上看到的。很快店里就不会再有盐卖了
斯普拉特利：
真的吗？那太糟了——我需要盐。
杜尔格：
我也是。没有盐，我的日子没法过下去！
内洛：
（对店主）请给我来些盐，十袋——不，来二十袋。
斯普拉特利：
还有我，我要三十袋。
杜尔格：
先给我！我有一大家子人，我们需要盐。
店主：
大家都安静！你们得等等。
内洛：
可是我们想要盐。
杜尔格：
我们现在就想要。
店主：
可刚才那个男人买走了我最后十袋盐。
斯普拉特利：
那是真的了！他说得对——世界上的盐不够用了。我们该怎么办呢？
店主：
那是你们的问题。现在六点了——到了店打烊的时间。我要回家了。
内洛：
可我们的盐怎么办？
店主：
听着，世界上的盐多得是——足够每个人吃的。再见！
他们一起下场。
第二场 我们想要盐！
斯普拉特利发现格罗特扶着手推车站在街上。
斯普拉特利：
打扰一下，我想买一些盐。
格罗特：
抱歉，你刚才说什么？
斯普拉特利：
我知道出问题了。
格罗特：
什么问题？你在说什么？
斯普拉特利：
很快盐就会不够用了。
格罗特：
哦，你听说这事了？
斯普拉特利：
是的，所以我想要些盐。
格罗特：
那去食品杂货店买一些呀。
斯普拉特利：
我买不到了。每次我问的时候店主都说，“对不起，没有盐了。”
格罗特：
天哪！
斯普拉特利：
但是你有盐。你买了十大袋盐——我亲眼看见的。
格罗特：
抱歉，可我不会卖的。
斯普拉特利：
那我每袋给你十美元。
格罗特：
（笑起来）不，每袋五十美元我才卖！这东西天天都在涨价。很快就会不够用了。
斯普拉特利：
好吧，好吧，一袋五十美元！给我五袋，这是你的钱。
格罗特：
你真明智！你做得对。
斯普拉特利下场，杜尔格上场。
杜尔格：
打扰一下，我看见你买了一些盐
格罗特：
啊！
杜尔格：
怎么回事？我哪里都买不到盐。店主们都说，“抱歉，没有盐了！”
格罗特：
出问题了。
杜尔格：
我知道。电视上说的。每个人都在谈论这件事。听着，我一定得买到些盐。
格罗特：
抱歉，我帮不了你。
杜尔格：
我的家人需要盐，拜托了！
格罗特：
好吧，好吧，不过这……呃……每袋要一百美元。
杜尔格：
啊，不是吧？
格罗特：
我跟你说过了——每个人都想要盐。你到底要不要？
杜尔格：
哦，那好吧。给我来四袋。
格罗特：
四袋？好的！老兄，你真是通世道。这一点我从你的脸上就能看出来。
杜尔格：
给你钱。
格罗特：
给你盐！再见。
杜尔格下场，内洛上场。
内洛：
嘿，你，站住！
格罗特：
你在和我说话吗？
内洛：
是的，你之前在食品杂货店——
格罗特：
是吗？也许吧。我去过很多食品杂货店。
内洛：
你把店里所有的盐都买走了！
格罗特：
嗯，出问题了，你知道的。
内洛：
是的，是出问题了——不过这一切都是因为你！
格罗特：
你瞎说！
内洛：
我刚才遇到斯普拉特利了。他想以五百美元的价格卖给我一袋盐！
格罗特：
那太贵了。
内洛：
当然贵了——我知道你的打算！你一家店一家店地跑。你把所有的盐都买走，然后再高价卖出去！
格罗特：
好吧，这是事实——我把盐买来又卖掉——可那并没有错。
内洛：
那卖一些给我吧。
格罗特：
不行，我不想卖给你。
内洛：
（抓住他生气地说）听着，我就要买，你就得卖。（大声喊道）你听明白了吗？
格罗特：
可我只剩一袋了。
内洛：
（生气地说）那就把这袋给我！
格罗特：
两百美元。嗯，好吧，可以一百五十美元卖给你。不过你得放开我！
内洛：
（大声喊道）把它给我！
格罗特：
不行，先给我钱。现在放开我！哦，救命啊！救命啊！
格罗特跑下场。传来一辆卡车急刹车的声音，接着格罗特大声尖叫。司机曼拉搀扶着格罗特走上场。
曼拉：
他跑到我的卡车前面，我没有看见——
内洛：
你没有做错什么。这是一个意外。
曼拉：
可他跑过大街的时候为什么不看路呢？
内洛：
我在对他发脾气，所以他跑掉了。
曼拉：
（对格罗特）你感觉怎么样？
格罗特：
（抱住自己的腿）哦，我的腿！我的腿好疼。我想是——
内洛：
他没事，我觉得。
曼拉：
等一下，街上的这个是什么东西？
内洛：
是盐。他有一袋盐，我想买过来。
曼拉：
盐？嗯，真有意思！我卡车上就装着盐呢——整袋整袋的盐！
内洛：
盐？哦，不是吧！（他笑起来。）
曼拉：
你为什么笑？
内洛：
没什么，我现在不能告诉你。
曼拉：
那你可以告诉那个警察。瞧，他这会儿正从街对面过来。我想他看到这场事故了！
