Scene 2: Winter Rye I

Byblis and Caunus are on their knees, slowly and
methodically placing dried grass on the garden
bed, upstage. If grass is impractical, string,
paper, or the like will do. They may or may not
be facing the audience.

CAUNUS
Kind of late in the season to get this started.

BYBLIS
We had a frost just last week.

CAUNUS
I know. But you should already have the seedlings
planted by now.

BYBLIS
It’s April.

CAUNUS
Exactly. And you’ve just started prepping the
bed. And store-bought seeds can be slow to germinate.

BYBLIS
Does it matter? All I want is some ornamentals. It’s
not as if . . .

CAUNUS
Right. Got it. Byblis gets all the pretty little
jack-be-littles and animal-shaped gourds.

BYBLIS
So what if I’m a girly girl when it comes to squash?

CAUNUS
And I get the he-man pumpkin to tend to.

BYBLIS
Uh-huh. So, just how big will your pumpkin get?

CAUNUS
Come October, my Atlantic Giant will be as big as a
holstein.

BYBLIS
Seriously?

CAUNUS
A half-ton and more, and that’s pretty much the weight
of your standard milking cow.

BYBLIS
That’s one hard-core gourd.

CAUNUS
Of course, you have to baby them. They can be done in
by disease, beetles, mis-timed fertilizations, bad p.h.
reads, herbicides from a neighbor’s yard. That last
problem is why I’m helping you, when you get down to
it.

BYBLIS
Used again. The story of my life.

CAUNUS
Just think of yourself as my pumpkin’s little buffer.

BYBLIS
Even more flattering.

CAUNUS
But we’ll get you started soon enough on your
ornamentals.

(A good bit of silence. They get lost in their
work.)

In a week, we can start turning your soil. Think about
planting some radishes and nasturtiums, too. They’ll
help with the squash bugs.

BYBLIS
They’ll help your Atlantic Giant, you mean.

CAUNUS
(Teasing back.)
No. I like flowers and radishes. You’re going to want
to pay me back when it’s all over.

BYBLIS
In your dreams.

CAUNUS
All I want is some of the vegetables of your labor for
payment. Or a bouquet will do.

BYBLIS
Flowers, I can do. Really, you’ve been such a sweetie
to help.

CAUNUS
Just feeding my pumpkin habit.
 

Byblis touches Caunus’s arm, and lets it turn into
an embrace. She kisses him on the cheek, over and
above his eyes, two or three times, and they
stop. They return to working the garden. A
little time passes.

BYBLIS
(These next lines may be sung, or they
may be delivered as spoken word. She is
singing this song to herself, or at
most, to the garden bed.)
The winter rye has died,
Their seeds will sow.
The winter rye has dried,
A girl will grow.
The winter rye abides,
And she shall know.
The winter rye has died,
Her love lies low.
Her love lies low.

They continue to work the garden.
Caunus surveys their work and stands up. He is
finished and is ready to leave.
 

CAUNUS
I think we’ve just about got ’er done. Don’t
you? After we turn the soil, it’ll be ready for
planting. Need to run and put some soup on.

BYBLIS
How about letting me fix you something?

CAUNUS
Really, those nasturtiums in August will be payment
enough. I’m good. See you.

Caunus exits.
 

BYBLIS
Her love lies low.
Her love lies low.

Byblis exits.