Question

ELI, mid-20s
JOSIE, mid-20s, ELI's wife
OLD MAN in a dark suit with a trench coat and fedora
YOUNG MAN, mid-20s, in a jogging suit with headphones on



SETTING: A simple stage with a door, upstage right; a couch, center; and a park bench, downstage left.

There is a knock at the door. ELI is sitting on the floor with his back to the door and his head resting on his knees. The knocking continues, and ELI closes his eyes in an attempt to silence the noise. Then, there are multiple knocks at the door. It sounds as if a group of people are pounding on the door. JOSIE, ELI's wife, enters to answer the door, but stops when she sees ELI.



JOSIE: Eli? The door. Someone is at the door.

ELI: (Still sitting with his head on his knees as the knocking continues.) Yes. Yes, I've noticed the knocking.

JOSIE: Are you going to answer it?

ELI: No, I don't think that I'm going to.

JOSIE: Are you serious?

ELI: Maybe. Yes. Or, no. I don't know.

JOSIE: You're acting very bizarre. Now please get out of the way so that I can open the door. (Tries to step around ELI, but he throws his body against the door. The knocking becomes more frantic.)

ELI: Oh! I just wish they would go away! (The knocking abruptly stops. ELI stands and puts his ear against the door.) Listen. It stopped. It actually stopped!

JOSIE: That's usually what happens when someone knocks on a door, and no one answers it. (ELI carefully opens the door slightly.)

ELI: It's real! The wishes are real! They come true!

JOSIE: Eli, you're starting to scare me.

ELI: (Takes JOSIE's hand and leads her to the couch, where they sit.) I was in the park today having my usual lunch—

JOSIE: Ahh. Did you eat that old leftover potato salad? (Aside) Maybe that explains it . . .

ELI: No! I had a ham sandwich, like I do every day. But never mind that, you need to listen to me. (ELI gets up, crosses into his own story, and sits down at the park bench. He pantomimes taking a sandwich out of his briefcase and putting it on his lap.) I was sitting on the park bench, enjoying the sunshine, when an old man who looked as if he was something right out of a black-and-white movie sat down next to me.

OLD MAN: (Gesturing at the seat next to ELI.) Is this seat taken?

ELI: Ah, no. Not at all. Go right ahead.

OLD MAN: Thank you. (Sits down very close to ELI and stares intently at him. ELI smiles and takes a bite of his sandwich.) Three wishes you will have if you wish to wish a wish to come true.

ELI: (Nodding and beginning to pack up his lunch.) Right. I think it's time for me to get back to work.

OLD MAN: (Putting a hand on ELI's arm to stop him, smiling broadly.) Three wishes you will have if you wish to wish a wish to come true.

ELI: Thank you, but I really do need to get to work—

OLD MAN: (Moving his face close to ELI's, still smiling.) Three wishes you will have if you wish to wish a wish to come true. (Repeats the same phrase over and over until ELI finally explodes in frustration.)

ELI: Okay! Okay! I'll make a wish if it will make you stop! I wish to become famous! There you go! That's a perfect little wish for you.

OLD MAN: (Suddenly stops.) Very well. If it is fame you seek, then it is fame you will receive.

ELI: (ELI jumps in surprise as if seeing something startling as the OLD MAN exits.) Then, just like that, the old man disappeared. He was gone. I stood up from the bench, and I tried to find him; but when I turned around, this guy came running up to me with such a wild look in his eyes that I was in fear for my life.

YOUNG MAN: (Running toward ELI and jumping up and down excitedly.) Eli? Is it really you?

ELI: Excuse me, do I know you?

YOUNG MAN: No, but I know you! I've finally found you! Hey everyone! (Motioning toward the audience to join him.) I've found Eli! I've finally found him. Over here! (ELI runs back to JOSIE, pantomiming fending off a crowd of people. YOUNG MAN exits.)

ELI: Everywhere I went, I was suddenly being pursued by strangers who screamed and yelled my name.



Why is the young man's reaction to Eli humorous?


Because the young man is part of a company of actors.


Because Eli does not realize his wish caused the reaction.


Because the young man is the old man in disguise.


Because Eli tries especially hard to avoid him.

Answer 1

Because Eli does not realize his wish caused the reaction.

The humor comes from the irony: the young man's over-the-top, fan-like excitement is exactly the fame Eli wished for, but Eli is bewildered and doesn't connect the two.