This Is The Hour

The ENGINEER, in peasant clothes, is brought back to the city from a re-education camp

by THUY'S soldiers. THUY instructs him to find KIM in exchange for its freedom. The

ENGINEER tracks down KIM and leads THUY to her. Once more, she rejects his love,

declaring that she's sworn herself to CHRIS. The enraged THUY, now the people's

commissar, orders his soldiers to attack. They wreck the room and beat up the ENGINEER.)

ENGINEER

are you waiting for them to kill me?

did you not get what he said?

there's a big screw loose inside you

I will rip it out of your head

that's a mad dog on the rampage

if you think he'll change, save your breath

just say "yes", I don't care if you love him

Princess, life has it all over death!

KIM

I have a husband I love

real as the sun in the sky

I cannot live with a lie

THUY

do you see now who has the power?

do you still think crazy things?

KIM

Chris will come to me like the Phoenix

and he'll take me off on his wings

THUY

you're a traitor to your country

KIM

if I am, then let it be

KIM, THUY and the ENGINEER

I am talking of life or death now

I am talking of staying free

ENGINEER

so there it is now, it's time to move on

if you don't need me, I'd rather be gone

two kids in love don't need strangers around

THUY

you just get out!

ENGINEER

right! I won't make a sound

(grabs his sack and exits)

THUY

and as for you, come with me

KIM

no!

there is a secret

that you don't know

there is a force here

I never show

you say it's treason

to keep my vow

season after season

I survived somehow

if you want the reason

I will show you now

(KIM pulls back the curtain and out runs a scared two-year old boy. KIM hugs him.)

look, Thuy, this is my son

he has kept me alive

now you see why

I must tell you "no"

THUY

no one must ever see

this thing you're showing me

that bastard fouls our name

KIM

my baby's not to blame

for what I've done

THUY

you must decide upon

which side you're really on

you whored to make this kid

KIM

that isn't what I did

don't touch my son

THUY

you must seem how it is when you're my wife

having that child of his brands us for life

no alternative! This child cannot live!

(THUY pulls a knife, threatening the boy.)

KIM

no!

you will not touch him

don't touch my boy

he's what I live for

he's my only joy

KIM

you will not touch him

THUY

he is my enemy

it's he turns you from me

KIM

don't touch my boy

THUY

erase him from your life

even your memory

KIM

he's what I live for

THUY

he's one drop in a flood left here to taint our blood

KIM

he's my only joy

THUY

our marriage bond was sworn

forget that he was born

(KIM pulls out a gun)

KIM

THUY

of course you have a gun

KIM

don't touch my little boy

THUY

and now you'll shoot your cousin'

and it's a U.S. gun

KIM

and do not test my will

THUY

a gun that lost the war

you're the corrupted one

KIM

I'm warning you, for him I'll kill

THUY

go on and shoot! Don't wait

to save your bastard son

you must not hesitate

KIM

the earth moves where I stand

I feel the turning of a wheel

I feel nothing in my hand

not even the feel of steel

you will not take my child...

THUY

you don't know how to kill

KIM

I have no other choice

what I must do I will

(she shoots THUY and, at the same moment, the street pageant continues in the street

outside.)

CROWD

this is the hour

this is our land

we found the power

in our brother's hand

and from a storm

pierced with life

fierce and white

the lightning came

a bright'ning flame

to end the night

(a gigantic statue of Ho Chi Minh is raised in the square outside.)

one man to heed us

each girl, each boy

one voice to lead us

in a song of joy

this is the hour

this is the land

(in the room, KIM stares at THUY'S body.)

(KIM puts the gun, her family shrine and a few valuables in a sack and, taking TAM by the

hand, escapes