Duet – tender, asymmetrical, emotionally off-balan

[woman – rapid, suspicious] Who’s there I hear you I know you’re hiding Mark if that’s you I swear I’m not kidding [man – from bushes] Greetings, Earthling [woman] Oh very funny Show your face Before I throw The other shoe [man] Ow Okay Please don’t do that Clare I promise I won’t hurt you [woman – machine-gun questions] How do you know my name Who told you that Why are you spying Why are you crouched Why are you lying Why won’t you come out What’s wrong with your legs [man] Nothing’s wrong with my legs I just don’t have pants [woman] You don’t have pants [man] I don’t have anything [woman] That is suspicious [man] That is physics [woman] That makes no sense [man] It does in the future tense ⸻ [woman] Future [man] Future [woman] You’re crazy [man] Possibly [woman] Prove it [man – rapid fire] Clare Abshire May twenty-four Nineteen seventy-one Phillip Lucille Mark Alicia Big white house Edge of the woods You hide here When things get loud [woman – thrown but covering] So you know stuff Big deal That doesn’t mean Time is real [man] Stay and see I’ll disappear Pop like air Then reappear Next Tuesday Four o’clock Bring me clothes And thicker socks [woman] You’re not real [man] I am [woman] You’re a streaker [man] Technically I’m a temporal seeker ⸻ [woman – sudden, vulnerable, quick] Am I pretty [man – immediate] Yes [woman – trying not to smile] You answered fast [man] That one’s easy ⸻ [voice – distant] Clare [woman – panicked whisper] That’s my mom [man – urgent patter] Secret secret Don’t repeat it Shake my hand Now complete it [woman] If you vanish I will scream [man] Count to three [both – quick overlapping rhythm] One Two— [man – softer] See you Tuesday [woman – breathless] Four o’clock