The patients' ward. This is a large, long room lined on both sides by beds, all alike in appearance; windows line the wall, L, all barred, overlooking the lawn several stories below. Everything is white except the metal frames of the beds and the wooden door set in the other wall, DR. The patients' names are on small plaques on the headboards of the beds. Several games and books are scattered around; an unfinished chess game sits upon HECTOR's bed. There is another fish tank, similar to the one in the group therapy room, between two of the beds, and nightstands are by each. DR. CONROY's patients sit in a circle in the middle of the floor, Indian-style; F. M. is facing the audience as their leader. All of them are behaving the way they were when he first came; evidently he is now an established part of their atmosphere. A few torn sheets of paper lie before them, which LEONARD writes upon when told to. Right now they are all looking to F. M., waiting for him to speak. It is nighttime, and only a couple nightstand lamps light the room.
F. M. Okay, guys, we've got a problem.
BILLY (Sarcastically) Is that so.
DAVE (Worried) Is it a very bad problem?
F. M. I'm afraid it is, Dave. It concerns Dr. Leviticus.
HECTOR I knew it! He's one of them, isn't he? He's the one who put those implants in the fish to spy on us! (Snorts, looking slightly amazed) So it was him all along!
F. M. No, Hector. I don't know about any of that. But he is the bad guy.
COOKIE (Frowning, shaking her hand and tapping her foot) But Dr. Leviticus seems to be such a nice person. What did he do?
F. M. It's not what he did, it's what he's about to do. He's going to shut down the institution and pack us all off to this little one downstate, and have this one demolished.
BILLY And exactly where did you get this information?
EDWIN (Gasping) So that's what the poplars were whispering about this morning!
COOKIE (With disbelief) Dr. Leviticus? He wouldn't do something that mean...(glancing uncertainly at F. M.)...would he?
F. M. I'm afraid so, Cookie. And we've got to stop him.
BILLY Hold on now! Just where did you get this information, if I may ask?
HECTOR From a very reliable source, doofus! And don't look at me that way or I'll squish you like the bug you are! [Note--"Let me squish you like the bug you are!" was a line that Mya and I sometimes used on our audiocassettes while roleplaying our characters.]
BILLY Just try it! I'm gonna die someday anyway!
HECTOR Today, if I can help it!
F. M. Come on, you guys! I'm gettin' really ticked off by this! Don't push me or I'M LIABLE TO EXPLODE!! [Note--I seem to recall that "Liable To Explode" was a potential title for a song or album by my fictional rock band, Radioactive. Never did use it that I recall, though.]
HECTOR and BILLY shut up sullenly. F. M. glowers at them--he seems to have swung back towards depression as he's very irritable and not as bouncy as he was before. [Note--remember that FM is a "rapid cycler"--he can go from depressed to manic and back again in a matter of days.] After making certain they're all done fighting, he continues.
F. M. That's better! Now, Leonard, are you getting all this?
LEONARD (Nodding) Pez.
F. M. Okay. We have to make a plan. All of you are going to have your own part. Even you, Billy.
BILLY (Surprised) Me?
F. M. Yes, you. All right. Let's all huddle and work this out. The first thing we have to do is...(All of the patients lean towards him, whispering softly)
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