GO FIND RUBY IN THE STREETS

"GO FIND RUBY IN THE STREETS"

A ONE WOMAN PLAY
BY
BINA SHARIF

copyright:binasharif 2020

(THE PLAY IS ABOUT THE HOMELESS WOMAN AND HER FAMILY,

AT THE TIME OF CORONA VIRUS, COVID 19 CRISIS IN NEW YORK CITY.

REASERCH ABOUT HOMELESSNESS FOR THE PROJECT, "GO FIND RUBY IN THE
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STREETS."
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70, 000 HOMELESS.

450 NYC SHELTERS

HOMELESS IN SHELTERS:
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HAVE ASTHAMA,

RESPRITORY CONDITIONS

IN MOST OF THE SHELTERS THEY HAVE NO COOKING FASCILITIES

IN SOME THEY ONLY HAVE ONE MICROWAVE... SHARED BY 70 PEOPLE

AND 55 CHILDREN

FASCILITY PEOPLE AT THE TIME OF CORONA VIRUS ARE WORKING FROM HOME

99 HOMELESS INFECTED WITH COVID 19 IN ONE SHELTER ALONE

63.000 ARE IN SHELTERS RIGHT NOW.

POLICY OF LEADERS IS FEEBLE

"MANY OF THE HOMELES PREFER TO SLEEP IN THE STREETS OR ON THE TRAINS

THEY SAY, " HOMES FOR THE HOMELESS ARE NOT HOMES, IT'S NO PLACE FOR

SOCIAL DISTANCIING."

"PEOPLE ARE PACKED TOGETHER LIKE SARDINES."

"THOUSANDS NEED TO BE ISOLATED."

"HOMELESS WOMEN ARE FIGHTING WITH EACH OTHER, TWENTY IN ONE ROOM,

HAVE INCREDIBLE FEAR AND VOLATILE EMOTIONS."

"THEY ARE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SOCIAL BARREL."

"UNSANITARY, INHUMAN CONDITIONS."

"NO HOT WATER, LACK OF TOILET PAPERS, NO SOAP, BROKEN SINKS

NO THERMOMETERS, NO CLEANING."

"COUGH BEGETS COUGH"

"LETS GIVE EACH OTHER A GOOD DOZE OF SNEEZING AND COLD, RUNNING NOSES

WHILE WE ARE HUDDELED IN BEDS, VERY, VERY CLOSE TO EACH OTHER IN

THESE SO CALLED, "SHELTERS."

"UNDER FUNDED"

"UNDER PROTECTED."

UNDER ALL ADMINSTRATIONS

"THEY ARE LIKE ANIMALS IN THE ZOO."

"THERE IS INEVIBILITY OF SPREAD OF THE VIRUS. A POSITIVE SYMPTOM

OF NEGLECT OF HUMANS WHO ARE UN-FUNDED FOR DECADES.

"SANITATION TOTALLY ZERO."

"POLICE HARASSMENT IF WE SLEEP IN THE STREETS--BUT BETTER TO BE

THERE THAN IN A SHELTER."

EMCAMPMENTS SEEMS LIKE EUROPEAN PALACES COMPARED TO ALL THE

HOMELESS SHELTERS IN THE CITY."

"IT'S A GREAT SIGN OF THE BIGGEST DISASTER."

"THE VIRUS FROM SHELTERS WILL SPREAD LIKE A WILD FIRE WORSE THAT ALL

FIRES LIKE ca FIRS WHICH BURNS MULTI MILLION DOLLAR HOMES OF THE RICH AND

 FAMOUS."

"THERE IS DEATH INSIDE AND DEATH OUTSIDE THE HOMELESS SHELTER FOR

HOMELESS PEOPLE."
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"GO FIND RUBY IN THE STREETS."
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A NEW PLAY

BY

BINA SHARIF

copyright:binasharif 2020

CHARACTER:

"RUBY"  (A HOMELESS WOMAN IN NYC AT THE TIME OF COVID 19
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"AUTHORS NOTE:
-------------------------

"RUBY IS EXPECTING TO DIE ANY DAY NOW AFTER YEARS OF

LIVING INSIDE THE HOMELESS SHELTERS AND OUTSIDE IN EMCAPMENTS ON THE

STREETS."

'RUBY:
---------

" TO DIE IN THE STREETS IS FAR BETTER THAN DYING INSIDE A MASS KILLING

SHELTER."  RUBY CONFESSES.  "AT LEAST I CAN LOOK AT SOME TREES BLSSOMING

AND PEOPLE IN THEIR MASKS, GLOVES, SUN GLASSES STILL PASSING BY TO

PROTECT THEMSELVES SHOWING SIGNS OF HOPE AND A BRIGHTER FUTURE

WHICH WE NEVER HAVE.  TO SEE THAT KIND OF COURAGE, FEARLESSNESS AND

HOPE IS A SIGN OF LIFE WHICH WAS NEVER PROMISED TO US...AND I WONDER WHY

NOT?  WAS I NOT AN AMERICAN?

WAS I NOT A HUMAN BEING?

WHY NO ONE THOUGHT OF MY PROTECTION AND MY SAFETY?

WHY DIDN'T I HAVE ANY PRIVILAGE TO GO TO A DOCTOR?

WHY DID I NOT EAT ORGANIC FOOD?

WHY DID i NOT GO TO A PARTY?

WHY DID I NOT HAVE A TERRACE?

WHY MUST I BE THE LOSER IN LIFE LIKE THOUSAND OTHERS/

WHY WAS I NOT PART OF THOSE THOUSANDS WHO HAVE YACHTS, AND

VILLAS AND TRAVELS, AND INFLUENEC?

WHY WAS I BORN TO BE A PERMANENT HOMELESS PERSON?

"WHY WAS I NOT BORN INA MULTI MILLION DOLLAR MANSION?

WHY AM  I HERE ONTHE FOOTPATH OF THE MOST POWERFUL COUNTRY

IN THE WORLD?

"IS IT THE MOST POWERFUL COUNTRY?THE GARBAGE?


MY COUNTRY?TLE WINE AND EATING FILLET MIGNON

THAT'S WHAT THEY SAY...

THAT'S WHAT THEY KEEP SAYING...

AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT I HAVE BEEN HEARING ALL MY LIFE..

HOW COULD THEY BE POWERFUL WTTH THEIRE CITIZENS EATING FROM

HOW CAN IT BE THE MOST POWERFUL COUNTRY IN THE WORLD WHILE

THEIR CITIZENS ARE PICKING FOOD FROM THE GARBAGE OUTSIDE THE FANCY

MICHILIN STAR RESTURANTS WHER THE POWERFUL DRINKING $1000

PER BOTTLE OF WINE AND EATING LOBSTERS COSTING THEM ANOTHE $4000?

YES, OF COURSE IT'S THE MOST POWERFUL PLACE, NOT THE COUNTRY BUT THE

RESTUARANT WHERE POWERFUL DRESSED TO KILL ARE LAUGHING AND KISSING

AND HUGGING THEIR POWERFULLY THIN, FASHION CLAD LOVERS.

OF COURSE IT'S THE POWER OF THE POWER OF DIAMONDS AND SAPHIRES AND

RUBIES...

OH! I FORGOT...I ALWAYS FORGET... HOW POWERFUL I AM...

MY NAME IS RUBY...

MY PARENTS GAVE ME A RICHPOWERFUL NAME

R BABY RUBY.FOR THEM I WAS VERY POWERFUL

I WAS THEIR FIRST BORN

I WAS THEIR BABY

I WAS THEIR BABY RUBY...

RICH PEOPLE WILL BE LOOKING FOR ME.

RICH PEOPLE LOVE PRECIOUS STONES

I AM ALSO A PRECIOUS STONE

I AM RUBY

MY NAME IS RUBY

I AM PRECIOUS

WHO HAS TURNED INTO A PRECIOUS STONE

AND I AM OUTSIDE THIS PRECIOUS MICHLIN STAR RESTAURANT

WHERE THE MOST PRECIOUS PEOPLE WEARING THEIR DIAMONDS

AND RUBIES ARE HVING THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES

ME TOO...

I AM HAVING THE TIME OF MY DEATH

RIGHT OUTSIDE ON THE SIDE WALK...

TIME OF MY DEATH...

MAYBE AFTER MY DEATH WHICH IS COMING SOON

I AM POSITIVE TOO...

I WASN'T TESTED FOR COVID 19

BUT I KNOW I AM POSITIVE

I KNOW

BECAUSE I AM A PERCEPTIVE PERSON

AN IMAGINATIVE PERSON

I KNOW

WHAT KIND OF COUGH I HAVE

I KNOW WHAT KIND OF FEVER I HAVE

I KNOW WHAT KIND OF CHILLS I HAVE

I KNOW HOW FATIGUED I HAVE BEEN...

I KNOW I SHIVER AT NIGHT WITHOUT A WARM BED

I DON'T HAVE GOOSE FEATHER DUVET...

I SHIVER...

WHEN I SHIVER I THINK OF MY FUTURE

THEN I LAUGH...

AT THE THOUGHT OF THE WORD, "FUTURE"

WHAT A LAUGH...

I STILL HAVE MY SENSE OF HUMOR

ACTUALLY I NEVER LOST MY SENSE OF HUMOR

WHAT A NICE LITTLE SENTENCE...

"SENSE OF HUMOR"

"TWO BEAUTIFUL WORDS...

"SENSE."  AND "HUMOR"

ONE CAN STAY ALIVE FOR THE REST OF THE THEIR LIVES THINKING

AND ABSORBING AND LIVING WITHESE TWO WORDS...

IT SUSTAINED ME FOR SO LONG

I WOULD LAUGH ABOUT THE IRONY OF MY LIFE...

NO ONE AND I EMPHSIZE, NO ONE WAS BORN TO LIVE ON THE STREETS...

I DON'T CARE WHAT OUR LEADERS SAY...

rEAGAN, REMEBER REAGAN, OUR PRESIDENT A WHILE AGO...

HE SAID, "IT'S OUR CHOICE TO BE HOMELESS AND SINCE IT'S A FREE COUNTRY WITH

DEMOCRACY AND ALL...HE RESPECTS OUR CHOICE."

HE SAID SOMETHING LIKE THAT...

OUR CHOICE?

WHAT A LAUGH...

IT WAS HIS CHOICE TO BE IN THE WHITE HOUSE AND MINE BE NOT EVEN

INSIDE THIS FANCY RESTAURANT BUT OUTSIDE OF IT...

OUTSIDE, ON THE SIDE WALK, IN THE SNOW AND THE RAIN...

SOME DAYS IT'S NICE AND SUNNY

AND THE BLOSSOMS BLOOM

AND RUBY SHINES IN THE SUNSHINE...

I GO AND SIT IN THE PARK AND FEEL IMPORTANT

LIKE A GEM...

RUBY IS MY FAVORITE STONE

BECAUSE THAT IS ME...

I SIT IN THE PARK AND THINK OF ALL THE GREAT WRITERS I USED TO READ

WHEN I HAD A HOME...

A LITTLE HOME...

BUT A HOME...

MY FAVORITE PLACE WAS THE SMALL KITCHEN...

NO, I NEVER COOKED

I WASN'T INTO IT...

I WAS INTO RAEDING GREAT BOOKS OF POETRY, LITERATURE

PHILOSOPHY...

MY LOVE OF BOOKS CAME IN HANDY IN THE STREETS...

I WANTED TO FORGET THAT i WAS IN THE STREET WHEN I WAS IN THE PARK

ESPECIALLY WHEN THE BLOSSOMS OF SPRING WERE BLOSSOMING LIKE RIGHT NOW

AND THE AIR WAS LITTL CRISP, COOL AND FRESH...

AT THOSE MOMENTS I WOULD THINK OF THE GREAT POETS AND WHISHED

I STILL HAD THOSE BOOKS WITH ME...

WHEN THEY KICKED ME OUT OF THE APT

THEY MUST HAVE THROWN OUT ALL MY BEAUTIFUL BOOKS OF LITERATURE

AND ART...

I HAD NO PLACE TO GO TO SO I LEFT MY BOOKS BEHIND...

I DIDN'T WANT MY BOOKS TO BECOME HOMELESS AS WELL WITH RUBY...

I WISHED MAY BE A BOOK LOVER WILL TAKE OVER MY APT AND CHERISH

THOSE COLLECTIONS...

OH! HOW I LOVED, DUMEIR, VAN GOGH, PICASSO, INGRES, MATISSE...

ALL THOSE BEAUTIFUL PICTURES PAINTED BY THEM...

I WOULD SIT AT MY WINDOW WITH SOME RAYS OF SUN COMING IN

AND WHISPERING IN MY EAR, "RUBY, YOU DON'T KNOW HOW FORTUNATE

YOU ARE..I PUT THE LOVE OF BOOKS IN YOU...WHEN YOU READ AND ADMIRE

PICTURES PAINTED BY THE GREAT YOU FORGET YOUR PRESENT, YOUR PAST AND

YOUR FUTURE...YOU JUST FEEL SUBLIME THINKING OF THOSE MASTERS AND

FORGETTING ABOUT YOURSELF...

IT IS SO WONDERFUL AND SOOTHING TO NOT THINK OF YURSELF...

DEAD WRITERS BECOME YOUR FRIENDS AS WELL.

YOU FEEL SO BLESSED TO HAVE SUCH FRIENDS

FRIENDS WITHE THE SENSE OF BEAUTY, EMPATHY, COMAPSSION AND

LOVE OF LIFE WHICH IS A GIFT LIKE NONE OTHER...

AND THE COMPANIONSHIP OF BOOKS AND THE PAINTERS, YOUR FRIENDS

IS SUCH SOLACE IN NYC WHICH CAN BE THE MOST LONELY CITY ON THIS PLANET

BECAUS EMOST OF THE SO CALLED CULTUED PEOPLE LIVE IN THIS CITY

AND WHEN THEY LOOK AT YOU, TEY SEE SOME COLOR..IN YOU..OH NO,

NOT THE COMPLIMEMRY CLOR OF YOUR SOUL, THE MEGENTAS AND GOLDS AND

LILAC AND BURGUNDY, THE HAPPY COLORS, THE COLORS OF THE FLOWERS AND

THE COLORS OF LIFE'S FRAGRANCE BUT THE BROWN COLOR ON YOUR FACE AND

YOUR BLACK HAIR AND THEY GIVE YOU A NEW NAME...

THEY CALL YOU, "A WOMAN OF COLOR."  AND THAT IS OT A COMPLIMENT...

THEY FORGET THAT YOUR NAME IS RUBY...NAME OF A PRECIOUS GEM WHICH

CIRCLES THEIR NECKS AND THEIR EARS...BUT THEY CAN'T IMAGINE THAT YOU ARE

A,"RUBY" TOO...

I CAN ENCIRCLE THEIR NECKS AND CAN CHOKE THEM, STRANGLE THEM

FOR THEM TO GIVE ME A NEW NAME, :A WOMAN OF COLOR." SO THEY CAN HATE

ME...BUT I CAN HATE THEM TOO...BUT I DON'T BOTHER...BECAUSE I HAVE READ

POETRY OF THE GREAT POETS IN THE WORLD, POETS LIKE, BAUDELAIE, AND

RIMBAUD, AND YEATS, AND KEATS, WORDSWORTH...AND POE...

THEY DON'T KNOW THEM...THEY ARE NOT READERS OF POETRY

THATS WHY THEY HAVE NO SENSE OF POETRY, THATS WHY THEY HAVE NO VALU

OTHER THEN THEMSELVES...

THAT'S WHY THEY HAVEN'T NOTICED A PRECIOUS, "RUBY". RIGHT OUTSIDE THAT

 WINDOW WHERE THEY ARE DRUNK WITH CHAMPAGNE...

I AM MORE BLESSED THAN THEM...YES, I AM...I KNOW BAUDELAIRE AND THE REST...

I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO TELL THEM,

" TO GO FIND RUBY IN THE STREETS."  BUT THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD ME

THEY ARE DEAF AND BLIND BECAUSE THEY DON'T READ POETRY.

THEY NEVER READ POETRY

OR ANY OTHER BOOK FOR THAT MATTER...

THEY ARE TOO BUSY DRINKING AND THEN GOING TO SPIN CYCLE

TO KEEP FIT FOR DESIGNER CLOTHES TO GO GET THEIR AWARDS.

REAL AWARD IN LIFE IS TO BE SENSITIVE TOWARDS OTHER PEOPLE AND THEIR

CIRCUMSTANCES OF PAIN...

THE PAIN THEY DIDN'T ASK FOR BUT GIVEN IN PLENTY BY PEOPLE LIKE THEM...

PEOPLE ETING STAWBERRIES WITH FRESH CEAM RIGHT NOW...

HOW I HAVE BEEN BEGGING THEM TO GO, 'FIND RUBY IN THE STRRETS."

BUT THEY NEVER UNDERSTOOD WHAT IT MEANT...

FIRST OF ALL THEY DIDN'T HEAR ME...

THEY DIDN'T TRY TO HEAR ME

BECAUSE THEY LACKED COMAPASSION

WHICH THE POETS I RED HAD...

IF THOSE POETS AND PAINTERS WERE ALIVE TODAY THEY WOULD

FOR SURE HAD LOOKED FOR ME AND FOUND ME...

OF COURSE, YOU ONLY FIND SOMETHING WHEN YOU LOOK FOR...

I LOOKED FOR THE PHILOSOPHERS AND THE POETS AND FOUND THEM...

I EVEN BOUGHT SOME OF THOSE GREAT BOOKS FROM OTHER HOMELESS

PEOPLE ELLING TREASUERS FOR A DOLLAR A BOOK...IMAGINE..THE HOMELESS

KNEW THE VALUE OF THOSE BOOKS BUT SOLD IT FOR A DOLLAR

BECAUSE THEY KNEW RUBY NOW HAS NO MONEY...

I GOT A BOOK WHICH SAVED MY LIFE BEFORE CORONA CAME TO TAKE

MY LIFE AWAY...A BOOK CALLED, "PARIS SPLEEN."  BY MY FAVORITE POET,

BAUDELAIRE...THE HOMELESS SELLER OF THOSE BOOKS IN THE STREETS DIDN'T

EVEN CHARGE ME THAT DOLLAR, BECAUSE HE SAID TO ME, "LISTEN HONEY,

I KNOW THIS BOOK IS MEANT FOR YOU...A GIFT FROM YOUR GOD, I KNOW THAT

YOU

DON'T HAVE ANY BOOKS ANY MORE, SO HER IT IS...YOUR MOST FAVORITE POET

WHOM YOU MIGHT HAVE FORGOTTEN LIKE THE WORLD WHO HAS GORGOT YOU..

HE WANTS YOU TO READ HIM AGAIN AND REMEBER HIM BEFORE YOU GO..."

YES, THE HOMELESS MAN GAVE ME THAT BOOK WHICH I HAD READ YEARS AGO

AND ALWAYS LOVED IT...

I KNOW MY TIME HAS COME.

THIS VIRUS IS FAST AND FURIOUS

AND HAS AN ATTRACTION FOR PEOPLE'S LUNGS...

IT JUST GOES TO THE LUNGS ESPECIALLY THE LUNGS OF PEOPLE OF COLR

AND BLACK PEOPLE BECSUSE THEY WERE THE NICEST, KIND AND BLESED PEOPLE

WHO SUFFERED A LOT IN THIS LIFE AND GOD DIDN'T WANT THAT SUFFERING

TO BE PROLONGED SO HE BROUGHT COVID 19 BECAUSE IT'S THE FASTEST WAY TO

GO AWAY FROM THIS WORLD, THIS CITY, THIS STREET, THIS CORNER, THIS FOOT

PATH WHERE PEOPLE JUST A FRACTION OF ADISTANCE DO NOT NOTICE YOU

AND KEEP ORDERING MORE DELICACIES AS IF THERE IS NO TOMORROW

BUT THERE IS A TOMORROW FOR THEM, MANY MORE TOMORROWS FOR THEM

BUT NOT FOR ME.  nO MORE TOMORROW WILL COME AND EMRACE THIS,"RUBY"<

THIS PRECIOUS ,"RUBY". WHOM YOU ABANDONED...WHOM EVERY ONE ABANDONED

EXCEPT THE POETS WHO WANDER IN MY DREAMS AND WHISPER TO ME,

"RUBY YOU HAVE BEEN ASKING, "GO FIND RUBY IN THE STREETS."

AND WE HAVE FOUND YOU.  WE LIVE IN SIDE OF YOU AND WE RECITE OUR POEMS

TO YOU, THE POEMS YOU LOVE."

YES, I DO...

I LOVE ALL THOSE POEMS YOU WROTE FOR ME BECAUSE YOU KNEW THE VALUE OF

A, "RUBY."  ME AND GAVE ME, ENDOWED ME WITH THE LOVE OF FINER

THINGS...POEMS...AND i WOULD IKE TO RECITE ONE OF YOUR POEM,

BAUDELAIRS POEM,  A PROSE POEM, HE CALLED HIS POEMS, "PROSE POEMS."  HE

GAVE A NEW NAME TO POETRY AND I WOULD LIKE TO RECITE IT TO YOU, THE

PEOPLE EATING AND DRINKING INSIDE THIS MICHLIN STAR RESTRANAT...

I AM SURE YOU WON'T HEAR IT BECAUSE YOUR EARS ARE NOT TUNED TO THE

POEMS OF GREAT GENIUSES BUT TO THE WORD, "MONEY

YES YOUR EARS ARE TUNED TO THE WORD MONEY, YOU ONLY HEAR THE WORD

MONEY WHICIS YOUR POETRY...BUT I WOULD STILL LIKE TO READ YOU A POEM

BEFORE "RUBY" IS NO MORE, BEFORE "RUBY MELTS INTO THE CLOUDS AND RAIN

AND SNOW AND SUNSHINE...RUBY ALWAYS LOVED NATURE AND POEMS AND NOW

WILL READ A FAREWELL POEM TO YOU, YOU THE ONE WHO NEVER SAW "RUBY"

WHO NEVER LOOKED FOR "RUBY EVEN AFTER MY TOUSANDS OF REQUEST TO,

"GO FIND RUBY IN THE STREETS."  BUT BEFORE TOMORROW COMES WHICH WON'T

COME, "RUBY WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE YOU WITHIS POEM WRITTEN BY THE

GREATEST POET IN THE WORLD...BAUDELAIRE...

MAYBE YOU WILL BE GREATFUL ONE DAY THAT I OFF ALL THE PEOPLE,

"RUBY OF THE STREETS WHOM YOU NEVER TRIED TO FIND INTRODUCED YOU TO

BAUDELAIRE BEFORE SHE LEFT THIS EARTH...

MAYBE YOU WON'T BE GREATFUL, I DOUBT IT, YOU ARE NOT THE ONES...

BUT NEVERTHELESS HERE IS MY FAVORITE POEM FOR YOU AND THE WORLD...

AND ACTUALLY I AM GEATFUL TO COVID 19 TO TAKE ME AWAY FROM THE IKES OF

YOU WHO APPRECIATED NOTHING BUT YOUR WEALTJH BUT I WAS ALSO WEALTHY...

I KNEW MANY POETS..THAT WAS MY WEALTH AND I WAN TO SHARE THAT WEALTH

WITH YOU WHETHER YOU APPRECIATE OR NOT...PERHAPS YOU CAN'T, YOU ARE NOT

THE TYPE...BUT STILL..MAY COMPASSION MAKES ME SHARE THINGS AND RIGHT

NOW ALL I HAVE IS THIS POEM....

RECITES THE POEM BY BAUDELAIRE

POEM:  "THE WINDOW" ???

LIGHTS DIM WHILE CLASICAL MUSIC COMES ON

THE END OF PLAY