Instinct
written by Gerald Di Pego
Dr, Ethan Powell: I was wrong about you, juha.
('Juha,' we learn later, is a Rwandan word meaning 'idiot.' 'Tabibu' is a word meaning 'doctor.')
Dr. Theo Caulder: Explain that.
Ethan: Tell them to open this door. You're not the one, juha.
Theo: I'm not the one?
Ethan: No.
Theo: I'm not the one who cut your medication? I'm not the one to say you're competent for a hearing, a chance to get out of here? I'm the one, Ethan.
Ethan: Are you?
Theo: I'm the one.
Ethan: The one in control, huh?
Theo: Yes.
(Ethan violently grabs Theo by his jacket and throws him to his back on the table. They wrestle, Theo struggling)
Ethan: WHO'S IN CONTROL?
(They continue to wrestle, but Theo is clearly overpowered. Ethan gets behind Theo, trapping his arms, putting duct tape over Theo's mouth. His arms are around Theo's neck; he could easily break it. He speaks right into his ear throughout the monologue.)
Ethan: So who's in control, huh? Are you? Am I? The guards outside? The warden in his office? Yeah? Who's in control? (picks up the cassette recorder) Testing, testing, testing, 1, 2, 3, 4. Dr. Ethan Powell interviewing Dr. Theo Caulder. Now, this will be a very simple test, pass or fail, life or death. Now you write on this paper what I have taken from you. What have you lost? (violently) Write it! WRITE IT! (Theo starts to write 'control,' Ethan tears the paper away) WRONG! You never had control, you only thought you had it! An illusion, tabibu juhu! And what do you control - for sure, huh? The volume on your stereo? The air conditioning in your car? What else? WHAT ELSE? ... Alright. Another chance. You were nervous. Too much presure. Try again. What have you lost? What did I take? Write it. Write it! (Theo starts to write 'my freedom,' again Ethan tears the paper away) You're a fool, juha! Ha! Did you think you were free? Where were you going at 2:00 today? Into the gym, right? In the morning, your wake up call. In the middle of the night, when you wake up sweating with your heart pounding. What is it that has you all tied up, juha? Is it ambition? Yeah... You're no mystery to me, boy. (whispering) I used to be you. Okay. One last chance. You think I won't do it? Ha. What's one psychiatrist less to the world. I'm already deep in the pit. So what else can they do to me? Last try. Get it right. What have you lost? What did I take from you? Write it.
(Theo is crying. He writes 'my illusions.')
Yeah. Congratulations. (he releases Theo, kissing him on the cheek, taking off the duct tape) You're a student, after all. And you're lost nothing but your illusions... and a little bit of skin.
(Theo glares. Ethan winks.)