One Pound of Flesh  One Pound of Flesh by Shinz Wong "Ah, Ray. You're
early." "Yeah, the faster we get it over with the better. Have I told you
I hate Shakespeare?" "Seven times, Ray." Benton Fraser buttoned up the
collar of his red tunic, flipped his Stetson over a couple of times and
looked up at his friend. "I am ready. Let's go. I'll be back at eleven,
Dief." Fraser quickly grasped his friend by the elbow and maneuvered him
down the staircase of his apartment building before Ray could launch into
a full forced whine. In the Riv, Ray grumbled under his breath the whole
way to the private theater. "Tell me again why we are wasting a perfectly
good Saturday night watching a bunch of people talk funny and call each
other Socratio or Oratio?" "The manager of the theatrical troupe was sort
of a protg of my grandmother's, Ray. She lived in Inuvik as a child and
learned to read from the books in my grandparents' library. Dorcas is now
a playwright and a Shakespearean actor herself. Her company's received
very good reviews in Canada and this is her first opening night here in
the United States. She was kind enough to send me tickets a week ago for a
limited sitting." "You really want to watch a play by someone named
Dorcas?" "She didn't write the play, Ray. William Shakespeare did. It's a
production of The Merchant of Venice. As a matter of fact, Dorcas won't
even be in the play. She just manages the production." "Not going to talk
about the stock market, are they?" "No, Ray. On the contrary, it's about
the courtroom." "Oh, good. At least it's something I know. Been on the
witness stand enough times myself. So, why am I going with you?" "Because
you'd enjoy it, Ray?" "Yeah, right."
************************************************************************ [
The Merchant of Venice is a comedy by William Shakespeare. In it, the
heroine Portia disguises herself as a male lawyer to defend her husband's
best friend Antonio. Antonio is the guarantor for Portia's husband,
Bassanio, in a contract to borrow money from the villainous money lender
Shylock. The contract stipulates that Shylock can cut off one pound of
flesh next to Antonio's heart if the money is not repaid in time. Due to
unforeseen circumstances, Bassanio fails to repay within the time limit
and Antonio is bound by his contract to Shylock. Portia argues
successfully that the contract does not specify that blood can be spilled
along with the forfeited pound of flesh. Also, Shylock must sever exactly
one pound, not an ounce more or less, or he would be in breach of
contract. Of course, this is humanly impossible, Shylock loses and the
major players live happily ever after. The unconditional friendship
between Antonio and Bassanio in this play is reminiscent of the deep bond
between Fraser and Ray. ] Copyright by Billy Shakespeare.
************************************************************************
Ray was surprised to see that the "theater" was actually a small hall with
about five rows of 20 seats each. The stage was only five feet in front of
the first row. A tiny aisle that ran down the middle of the hall was the
only feature that made it look like a theater. Ray and Fraser took the
aisle seats on the second row. The hall was brightly lit and people
entered in groups intermittently. Soon, the house was full and the usher
closed the doors. Ray looked around at the audience and was surprised to
see MacKenzie King sitting in the last row talking spiritedly to a
good-looking blond man beside her. Apparently, she had already noticed him
and Fraser as she looked up and waved quickly in his direction. Ray nudged
Fraser and both of them nodded their greeting at the reporter. The play
started and before the first act was over, Ray knew he was going to enjoy
it. It certainly was not conventional Shakespeare. The actors used words,
dance, mime, acrobatics, slapstick comedy, all kinds of music, video
images, and silence to convey the plot and to move the story. The artists
cleverly utilized the most appropriate media to project the different
moods and emotions in the different acts. By the last act, the audience
had joined wholeheartedly in the uproarious comedic mood created by the
actors. Just before Portia's pound of flesh argument, the actress who
played the heroine jumped off the stage and walked down the aisle to the
third row. The lights came on in the theater. She smiled slyly and
announced to the audience. "It's time to play 'You Be The Judge' boys and
girls. How many here think that the legal profession sucks?" Half the
audience raised their hands including Ray. "So do we. We think that it's
about time we change the judicial system. Let Joe Average be his own
lawyer. Save all those attorney fees and pay off his mortgage. Save his
own butt, be his own mouthpiece." The audience applauded happily. "We all
know how this play ends, brothers and sisters. Portia wins the pound of
flesh argument. How did she do it?" Yells of "the blood", "no blood" and
"the weight" came from all over the room. "Portia" laughed gleefully.
"Right on. The blood that would be spilled along with the pound of flesh
was not included in the original contract. We know how it ends and that
would be no fun, right? Soooo, we are raising the stakes, upping the ante,
lowering the limbo bar, ladies and gents." Scattered applause responded to
her statement. "We are going to choose one of you, yes, you to play
Portia. Become lawyer of the day so to speak. Except, we change the
dialogue and the plot. Now, the blood and pain and bones or whatever are
all included in the contract. We even have a digital scale here to weigh
the pound of flesh. And the whole audience is the judge and jury. All of
you decide if Portia is convincing enough to get her friend off the hook.
A real test of wits, people. Now we choose the lucky person who gets to be
Portia." Hands were raised all over the room as people volunteered
noisily. The actress put her hands up palms forward. "Now, let's not be
too hasty, okay? Don't volunteer if you are unwilling to put up a good
fight and forget it if you're a woman. Yes, yes, we only want a man. Why?
We all know that Portia's one smart lady so we want to see if any man can
outshine her tonight? Come on, people, let's make it a war of the sexes!"
A voice from the back of the room called out, "Does he have to be the
best-looking man in the audience?" Ray and Fraser both widened their eyes
at the sound of MacKenzie King's voice. "Sure. He's gonna need all his
assets to get past this one. The handsomer the merrier." The audience
laughed joyously. MacKenzie stood up and pointed to Fraser. "Then I
nominate that gentleman in the red uniform in the second row. He's also
the most obstinate and persistent man I know." Fraser muttered "Oh, dear."
under his breath as Ray started chuckling. The rest of the audience became
curious and began to peer intently at Fraser. The actress walked up to
Fraser and extended a hand to him. "Hi! Looks like you're gonna be the
sacrificial lamb tonight." Fraser got up good-naturedly and smiled at her.
The women in the audience mumbled appreciatively at the sight of him. He
followed the actress up to the stage. Fraser was asked to introduce
himself to the audience and then was asked a few questions about himself.
The audience applauded him cheerfully. Following that, another member of
the cast came forward to address the audience. "There are two more rules
to this little game, ladies and gentlemen. First, we are going to exact a
real punishment if this gentleman, our fellow Canadian, fails to convince
the jury within 10 minutes. And the one who gets punished is the person
who came with our Mounted Policeman. We are making the stakes very real
and very high. It won't be your own neck on the block here, Ben, it'll be
your friend's. The punishment will not be very harsh but it *will* be
rather uncomfortable. Who did you come with, Ben?" Ray's grin faded slowly
and disappeared completely as Fraser said, "My friend, Raymond Vecchio."
This time the audience peered intently at Ray. He could hear MacKenzie
King gurgling with laughter behind him. "Rule number two. Ben will have to
be dressed in drag." The audience howled with laughter. "It's only fair,
isn't it? Billy Shakespeare made Portia dress up as a man when she was
perfectly intelligent and entirely capable of winning as a woman. The
tables are turned here. I'm sorry, Ben but you are going to have to fight
it out as a woman." A long wig and dress was brought in. Fraser was made
to slip on the garish looking maternity gown and put on the very red wig.
When he was done, Fraser said lightly, "Actually, teal is more my color."
The audience laughed again and yelled their encouragement. The actor
clapped his hands and the lights were dimmed. "Let's begin. I am Shylock,
Ben. You have ten minutes to convince the audience not to let me claim a
pound of your friend's flesh. The contract says I have the right to cut
off a pound his flesh. Blood, gore, measurements and pain are all in the
package." The audience grew deathly quiet. Ray began to squirm
uncomfortably in his seat. Fraser cleared his throat and said, "Is there a
statute of limitations, Shylock?" "Contract says three months to the day
and today's *it*, Portia." A timekeeper yelled out, "Nine minutes." "Can I
appeal the decision?" The audience laughed and MacKenzie King shouted out,
"This is the Supreme Court, Bento!" Ray twisted around and glared at her.
"Eight minutes." Fraser folded his arms together. "As counsel for the
defense, I would like to contest the arbitrary selection of the jury. I do
not believe that they can be impartial judges." Fraser was resoundingly
booed for his effort. The audience was not amused. "Six minutes" Shylock
shook a finger at Fraser. "Come on. Use your wits, Portia. Are you going
to let your friend lose a pound of flesh because of you?" Fraser glanced
briefly at Ray and said firmly. "No, I'm not." "So, what are you going to
do? You can run but we'd rather have you fight to the end." Fraser looked
hard at "Shylock". "I'm not running. I don't run." The audience applauded
with all its might. "Three minutes to barbecue!" Fraser mused silently.
Ray began to look for routes of escape from the theater. "Two minutes.
Break out the chips, people." Tension was mounting rapidly and the
audience grew restive. Ray cracked his knuckles nervously. Another ten
seconds rushed by before Fraser looked at "Shylock" and asked. "May I use
my own experiences in my argument?" "You can say anything you want as long
as you convince the jury." "One minute, mon ami." A shiver ran through the
audience. MacKenzie chewed on her nails and Ray hung his head in defeat.
Fraser cleared his throat. "Based on the law that a person cannot be
prosecuted twice for the same crime, I argue by comparable rationale that
my friend cannot be given the same punishment he's already received."
"What do you mean?" Everyone slid to the edge of their seats. "My friend
cannot be made to part with a pound of his flesh for *my* sake because
he's already done that *and* much more. To be completely accurate, he gave
up six and a half pounds." Ooohs and aaahhs ran through the audience.
"Hush out there! Go on, Portia." "My friend took a bullet for me not too
long ago. He was shot because he was shielding me and he lost that
considerable amount of weight while convalescing in the hospital. He has
also risked his life repeatedly for me in the past one and a half years.
Ladies and gentlemen, I believe that my friend has given up much more than
one pound of his flesh for me. If the flesh has to be taken, I'm willing
to offer mine in place of his." Deathly silence came over the crowd. After
several seconds, MacKenzie King stood up, brushed the back of a hand
across her cheek and began to clap. The actors on the stage stood up one
by one and applauded too. The audience stood as one and gave Fraser a
standing ovation. Chaotic cheers and applause surrounding him, Ray slumped
down into his seat with relief and watched Fraser take off the gown and
wig. A cast member handed him his Stetson and patted him on the back.
Fraser smiled and thanked him kindly. Then he tipped his hat at the actors
and the audience before returning to his seat.
************************************************************************
The two rode silently in the Riv back to Fraser's apartment. Ray was a
little embarrassed and Fraser seemed to be lost in thought. As his friend
got out of the car, Ray said quietly. "You meant what you said, Benny?"
Fraser leaned down to look at him. "Of course, Ray." Ray's gray eyes
softened as pride and love overwhelmed him. He smiled at his best friend,
a smile that arrived directly from his heart. "Pick you up tomorrow at
seven for the Easter Mass? Father Behan's real anxious to see you." Benton
Fraser smiled. "Sure, Ray." FINIS   Return to the Due South Fiction
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