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