TRAPPER OFFERS HIS BOOKS
[Trapper comes carrying a woodpile. Dog is next to him]
Trapper: why hello there! Whatcha need?
Zia: oh, just hiking around, trying to keep myself as busy as my mind.
Trapper: mind’s idlin’?
Z: yeah.
Trapper: Ah. In that case, in that case, I want to show you somethin’. [goes in the house]
scene in interior of house. Z’s staring at his bookshelf, impressed.
Trapper: do you like my books?
Z: yeah, that’s an amazing collection there.
Trapper: something money can’t buy. [Z looks surprised] Z: they don’t sell them anymore?
Trapper: no. Most of these are out-of-print they call it, or banned by the government. Got them from traders and every vagabond I can think of. If I should call them that. These are priceless, that’s why we read them.
Z: Who taught you how to read?
Trapper: my grandmother taught me. She taught herself.
Z: I was going to say, most people your age don’t know how to unless they got a license or were educated in the government schools.
Trapper: well, we wanted to avoid that. They only teach you certain books ya know, or only parts of them. My mom got permission and everything for me to go, but I kept asking them for books they didn’t have, and requesting the librarian—so I was too much trouble.
Z: If you don’t want to get in trouble, then why are you showing me this?
Trapper: Cuz I trust ya. [Z smiles wearily] Actually, I don’t really care. I want you to read them.
Z: me?
Trapper: well you said you was too busy you didn’t know what to do.
Z: oh, thank you. I don’t know how to thank you.[Z looks like she’s going to cry]
Trapper: Just make sure you keep safe and change the world.
Z: [laughs awkwardly] That’s a little difficult, don’t you think?
Trapper: well, possibly. Guess I did more of the keepin’ safe part. [shrugs:] So you can change the world. [smiles]
Jubilation 