Story for performance #460
webcast from Sydney at 05:52PM, 23 Sep 06

The Book of John the Peripatetic

1. The Visitor

What are you carrying with you, weary traveller? Where have you been? What have you touched? What have you heard, and perhaps believed? What have you spoken of with others? Unburden yourself. Declarations freely made will incur only a warning. You must leave behind any doubt you carry with you. Along with any fruit, vegetables, plant cuttings, products containing eggs, and other organic matter, not including children and elderly relatives, for which there are separate bins provided. We ask you to surrender your doubt because undeclared baggage may jeopardise your adherence to the Word. And the Word is Mate. And the Mate is the you who is not you. And the you who is not you will be beside you, shoulder-to-shoulder but not quite touching. And this will be the core ritual. And you will exclude others who do not stand upright with you in the light of the Word. And the Word is Mate.

2. The Entrepreneur

Welcome is he that brings the gift of liquid assets to the growth economy. With all the finest produce, tax incentives, and decreasing labour costs will he be greeted. First world educational opportunities await the fruit of his bountiful loins. We have space to accommodate his boundless ambition, land worthy of his golf courses and large swimming pools. He shall be armed with shining instruments of law to smite his enemies, those pirates who would steal his intellectual property. He need not fear the repercussions of corporate mendacity, for so long as his bottom line remains unspoiled, he will be lorded with the Word. And the Word is Mate. And the Mate is the you who is not you. And the you who is not you will be beside you, shoulder-to-shoulder but not quite touching. And this will be the core ritual. And you will exclude others who do not stand upright with you in the light of the Word. And the Word is Mate.

3. The Diplomat

She who carries the satchel we may not inspect. Her privileges shall balance the difficulties she will face. Cheap bananas versus espionage scandals. Immunity from speeding fines versus patronising meetings with the Foreign Minister. Lavish wining and dining versus skewed reportage in the media. The walled compound versus the protesters outside. The detachment of soldiers versus the death threats. But her reward is great, for she shall be part of history. And her deeds will resound across the globe. She shall be entitled to retain doubt as she crosses the border, but will pay lip service to the Word. And the Word is Mate. And the Mate is the you who is not you. And the you who is not you will be beside you, shoulder-to-shoulder but not quite touching. And this will be the core ritual. And you will exclude others who do not stand upright with you in the light of the Word. And the Word is Mate.

4. The Exile

Neither there nor here. Forever in transit, but never moving. How dare it assume that it will be received with open arms. How dare it assume that it is entitled to our taxpayer-funded services. As if a promise of death were entitlement enough! No! First it must prove itself in a test of identity, a test that has no right answers. There are no right answers because the test is given, not taken. To pass, it, the animal that it is, must be reborn in the image of the Word. And the Word is Mate. And the Mate is the you who is not you. And the you who is not you will be beside you, shoulder-to-shoulder but not quite touching. And this will be the core ritual. And you will exclude others who do not stand upright with you in the light of the Word. And the Word is Mate.

5. The Diasporic

They are born into the Word yet, do they value it? How are we to tell? How can we be sure that they have surrendered all doubt? They are among us and, seeming like us, they blend. Yet there are those who possess a memory of the time before the Word, and thus may be lured into hatred of the Word. It is they who will be monitored and put to the question. They shall be held apart from each other, for doubt can spread, and supplant the Word. And the Word is Mate. And the Mate is the you who is not you. And the you who is not you will be beside you, shoulder-to-shoulder but not quite touching. And this will be the core ritual. And you will exclude others who do not stand upright with you in the light of the Word. And the Word is Mate.

6. The Expatriate

Did you see your family? What did you say to them? Were they listening? Did you find out what is going on there? Did you bring gifts? Did they give you gifts in return? How long were you there for? Had things changed? Did you feel different? Could they tell you weren’t from there? Did they see the Word in the way you stood shoulder to shoulder? Did it feel like home? Did it make you glad to belong here with the Word. And the Word is Mate. And the Mate is the you who is not you. And the you who is not you will be beside you, shoulder-to-shoulder but not quite touching. And this will be the core ritual. And you will exclude others who do not stand upright with you in the light of the Word. And the Word is Mate.

Say after me:

Mates help each other.
Mates don’t criticise.
Mates stand up for values we all believe in.
Mates don’t ask awkward questions.
Mates don’t go running to the UN just because they’ve been ‘violated’.

Adapted for performance by Barbara Campbell from a story by Michelle Outram and Gavin Sladen.