Li and Zhou: A Panda Revisited
LI
Mmh. [Pronoucing slowly.] Sass-see Pan-dee-zuh. Or is it Pan-duh-ez?
ZHOU
A panda?
LI
No, this is no panda.
ZHOU
What?
LI
Sassy Pan-duh-ez. Come look at this.
[ZHOU comes over to LI‘s desk and looks at a picture of Sassy Pandez.]
ZHOU
Mmh. Sass-see Panda.
LI
Pan-duh-ez.
ZHOU
Whatever. Oh, Miss Panda.
LI
Your lip is quivering.
ZHOU
It is, isn’t it?
LI
Yeah.
ZHOU
Well…
[ZHOU sighs.]
LI
Yeah. Tell them to cut it from the magazine. Inappropriate sexual content, right?
[ZHOU fails to respond.]
LI
Zhou?
ZHOU
Yeah. Cut it. [Walks back to his desk, muttering] Mmh. Sass-see.
LI
Hey, Zhou.
ZHOU
Yeah?
LI
Would ever marry a Western girl? I mean, if you could live your life again?
ZHOU
That’s a strange question, Li.
LI
I know. I just wonder what it would be like. If it would be different.
ZHOU
Of course it would be different. I was close to one once.
LI
What? Like Sassy close?
ZHOU
Mmh.
LI
But how? When you were at school?
ZHOU
At school.
LI
So. Was it different?
ZHOU
Yes, it was different.
LI
How?
ZHOU
[Reflects for a moment, and then begins.]
Like looking across in the distance at an island off shore. It’s the most beautiful island you’ve ever seen. Perfectly lush and green. Pristine beaches. A low mountain cresting out of the jungle, curving seductively across the horizon. You want to go out there and walk on it. And though the waters are harsh to get there, you do. You touch the green trees for yourself; you feel the sand between your feet. And when you’ve had your fill, you feel like there is something that makes you want to leave. You just can’t stay. This can’t be your home. And so you go back. Feeling like it’s better to hold it at a distance.
LI
So that’s what is wrong with Sassy.
ZHOU
What’s that?
LI
She breaks down the distance.
ZHOU
It’s funny you say that. I’d say that she makes the distance farther.