Man-In-Sea

LINK

I didn’t tell him he was too young, not like in Greece.

CLAY

I’m not!

MARION

Clayton, what do you even know about this girl?

CLAY

I know all I need to know. I want to stay here in Greece and marry Aphrodite.

MARION

Clayton, this girl seems very nice, but you’re only 18 years old, I’m not going to let you just drop everything and stay in a foreign country.

ED

Haven’t you learned anything? The Greek police would probably have you locked away for plundering their treasures!

CLAY

Dad, it’s...

LINK

That’s when we heard the commotion upstairs. I muttered, “What now?” and turned back to browbeating my son. John the Greek was yelling, “Mr. Link! Mr. Link!” I tried to ignore it. Where do these people get off telling me what to do on my ship?

ED

Don’t go thinking you’ve ducked the ax here, I’m not done.

LINK

Then I went topside to see what everyone was yelling about.

MARION

Clayton, Didy is a wonderful girl, it was nice having her over for dinner, and I’m glad you met her, but you’ve known her a week. You can’t run off and get married to someone so soon. She barely even speaks English, and you don’t know a word of Greek.

CLAY

I can learn! I’m telling you, Mom, she’s perfect! I love her, we were meant to be together!

MARION

Then stay in touch with her. After what we’ve brought up on this expedition, the Greek government is going to be begging your father to come back. If you were meant to be together, it will work out.

CLAY

This is right, Mom. I know it’s right, and I wish you would support me.

MARION

Your father and I do support you, we support everything you do, but... well... You’re like your father, Clay. Sometimes he’s so focused on his projects that he can’t see all the details. Sometimes he needs someone to point them out for him. Most of the time he figures out a way around it, but sometimes he has to admit that he just can’t top it and give up. And you know how much your father likes to give up.

CLAY

Yeah, but Mom... You don’t know. This is special.

MARION

I’ve been married for 30 years, Clayton. Maybe you’re right. Maybe it is special. When I met your father, I knew he was the one. I had you and your brother planned out by the end of the afternoon... what your names were going to be, where you were going to school, what you would be after you got out of college. When it’s right, it’s right. Sometimes it’s not though, and you’ve got to be prepared for that. Bill ended up being a boy, the house is a lot bigger and harder to keep clean than I expected, and I couldn’t tell you the last time I went shopping in Times Square, but you learn to roll with the punches. You’ve turned out pretty much how I hoped, so at least I’ve got that.

ED

It’s the police. They’re placing me under arrest.

MAN-IN-SEA

Cast of Characters:

LINK

An inventor. Also, Ed’s father.

ED

As Link remembers himself.

MARION

Ed’s wife.

CLAY

Ed and Marion’s second son.