William Finn Marvin At The Psychiatrist
JASON
My father says that love
Is the most beautiful thing in the world
I think games are
I think chess is the most
Beautiful thing
Not love
WHIZZER
Marvin at the Psychiatrist, a three-part mini opera
Part One:
MENDEL
Do you love him?
MARVIN
Sorta kinda
MENDEL
Do you need him?
MARVIN
Sorta kinda
He makes me smile a lot
Especially at mealtime
It makes me feel I'm sort of smart
MENDEL
Hm
Is he special?
MARVIN
He's delightful
MENDEL
And romantic?
MARVIN
Yes, and spiteful
But yet it seems that so am I
MENDEL
Just enjoy what you can
Love the boy, not the man
MARVIN
Man
Sorta stylish
MENDEL
Kinda very
MARVIN
Mmm, very very sorta
MENDEL
And kind of hard to describe...?
MARVIN
Yes, yes, I think that's very true
MENDEL
When he's naked-
MARVIN
Yes?
MENDEL
Does he thrill you?
MARVIN
Yes!
MENDEL
Is he vicious?
MARVIN
Yes!
MENDEL
Would he kill you?
MARVIN
(thinks) Yes
I think he's sorta kinda mean
But I love him, and I need it
If he loved me, I'd concede it
MENDEL
Don't despise what you feel
Love the friend, not the heel
MARVIN
Heel
MENDEL
He's sometimes worthless
MARVIN
Sometimes evil
MENDEL
Sometimes smarmy
WHIZZER
Part Two:
MENDEL
Explore, Mr. Marvin
Your core, Mr. Marvin
Note how your wife, your ex-wife's subtle glories
Coupled with her tragic stories
Move me in unreported ways
At her very first session
She made quite an impression
Do you mind that?
She was here to speak of Jason
And I find that
I hope Jason acts out more
'Cause there's a few more things we need explored
MARVIN
Good
MENDEL
Good
You said she was withholding—
MARVIN
Right
MENDEL
Well that's not quite true
MARVIN
No?
MENDEL
Perhaps she held back love from you
MARVIN
Did she really?
MENDEL
I just know what I'm told
'Cause when I met your wife, she was anything but cold
It wasn't quite precise to say that she was ice
When I met your wife, she was very nice
Very, very, very
Was she faithful? Be objective
MARVIN
Yes
MENDEL
She was faithful
MARVIN
Yes
MENDEL
And you wanted to…
Impress her
MARVIN
Yes sir, yes sir
But impress her I did not
MENDEL
Did she sweat a lot?
MARVIN
What?
MENDEL
Was she ruthless?
MARVIN
Huh?
MENDEL
Narcissistic?
MARVIN
Who-?
MENDEL
Let me vary the mood
MARVIN
Yes, please
MENDEL
Does she sleep in the nude?
MARVIN
Nope
MENDEL
No, does not sleep nude
Okay, going on
I have questions
That should probably go unanswered
But there're questions
Like, does she wear a negligé
Could you blow and it would blow away?
Since the session's nearly through
Tell me, what is going on with you?
MARVIN
So, now you're interested in me?
MENDEL
Of course
WHIZZER
Part Three:
MARVIN
My son's distressing
JASON
My father's snide
MARVIN
I'm convalescing
JASON
He's morbid and dissatisfied
MARVIN
What should I do now?
JASON
He loves another
MARVIN
I agree
JASON
I love my mother
MARVIN
Why not me?
We go to ball games
JASON
The ball is tossed
MARVIN
The pitcher's handsome
JASON
Yeah, and our team lost
MARVIN
Is that my fault, though?
Should I be blamed for that?
JASON
Explore museums
MARVIN
Admire art
JASON
We stand together
MARVIN
But we stand there looking miles apart
How do I reach him?
What words of wisdom?
What should I do now?
JASON
My father says that love
Is the most beautiful thing in the world
I think games are
I think chess is the most
Beautiful thing
Not love
WHIZZER
Marvin at the Psychiatrist, a three-part mini opera
MENDEL
The End