I'm running out of patience.

Salesman: If you want one I can just give you one, OK?

Malu: Not OK. Why would you give me one for free? I don't even know who you

are? Didn't you insist on coming in here? Didn't you insist on selling

toothbrushes? I'll buy one, but first I want to know how much one is?

Salesman: We are conducting a customer appreciationЎK

Malu: Don't start with that again! I just want to know how much one is!

(The salesman bursts out crying)

Salesman: Brother, I've made a mistake. I've got 80 year-old parents at

home.

Malu: What are you crying about! It was you who wanted to come in here and

sell toothbrushes. I just want to know how much one is.

Daxian: Forget about it.

Malu: No. Wasn't it you, who just today clearly said, "Don't think just do?"

Salesman: I made a mistake.

Malu: What mistake? What mistake did you make?

Salesman: I'll give you all the toothbrushes. Just let me go.

Malu: You want to go. It's not that easy!

Salesman: I made a mistake. I'll never come again.

Malu: Where did you make a mistake? You didn't make a mistake! I just want

to know how much for one toothbrush! One toothbrush!

Daxian and Heizi pretend to restrain to enervated Malu. The salesman's face

Is drawn. He goes in front of the table and fishes out toothbrushes from his

bag.

Daxian: Malu, forget about it!

Malu: No!

Daxian: Toothbrush! (calls toward the salesman) I'm talking to you. Sit

down!

Daxian pushes Malu into a chair. The salesman sits down obediently.

Daxian: Heizi, deal the cards.

The four people sit in a circle. Heizi deals the cards.

Heizi: Take your cards, Toothbrush. (From now on they call the salesman

Toothbrush)

Toothbrush: Brother, please!

Daxian: Taaaaake them!

Toothbrush: Ah . . . what are we playing?

Heizi: Pinochle.

Toothbrush: How much are we playing for?

Heizi: How much have you got?

Toothbrush: I don't have any money, only toothbrushes.

Daxian: Fine, we'll use toothbrushes. Take the cards!

Toothbrush gradually regains his composure.

Act III

The rhinoceros enclosure.

Malu: A ton and a half of hay. Food intake has dropped a little. Defecated

five times. Colour: Blackish yellow, normal. Trotted around outside for four

hours. Tula, are you unhappy? You're like a poet, always unhappy. What have

you got to worry about? You're a black rhino. You're not even on the

endangered list. I really don't know what's going on in that big brain of

yours. You don't get along with the white rhino, and you don't have a good

relationship with the hippo. There are no oxpeckers to help you to eat the

ticks. Don't I give you a shower every day? You probably don't even know

about oxpeckers do you? You were too young when they took you from the wild.

You've forgotten how terrifying the savannah can be. If I tell you about it,

would it make you happy? The new rhino enclosure is almost finished. The zoo

has set aside some money. They're preparing to buy another rhino! Maybe it

will be a pretty one, a sexy African female rhino! She won't be like that

white rhino Tana. It will be a real black rhino!

May 16, 1999: Tula. Two tons of hay, one kilo of apples. Exercised outdoors,

came back at seven o'clock and went to bed.

May 17: Eight a.m. Went to work, wore a light purple skirt and jacket. Six

p.m. Came home, looked very happy, bought a lot of food. Seven p.m. A man

came to visit (he has the key), and stayed the whole night.

May 18: An early morning argument; the man left; M followed him downstairs,

cried again, the third time that weekЎK

May 19: Two tons of hay. Cleaned the animal's tongue. Tula has a bit of

diarrhea. The white rhino, Nicholas is in heat again. The female, Tana,