coo-coo princess, look who’s here
your resurrected Engineer
don’t ask me how I tracked you down
who has the sharpest nose in town?
I’m here to throw a rope before you drownfor men, will always be men
you change the regime
the lust doesn’t stop
you and I will team up again
together we’ll reap
the cream of the crop
KIM
Engineer, I don’t want you here
I gave up that life
you must understand
ENGINEER
out that door is a big shot who waits
like a pup to come up
and eat out of your hand
Kim, the good times are back
KIM
don’t go on
it’s too late
ENGINEER
not too late for my star!
KIM
please let me hide in peace
ENGINEER
better to screw the police
enter, monsieur commissar
(THUY enters)
THUY
three years I’ve been away
I kept faith we would meet
ENGINEER
me, I found her for you
THUY
you, out in the street
(the ENGINEER and the others leave)
THUY
I knew in time faith would weave a design
tying your life and mine into one
each day I’d wait
like a soldier must wait
trusting victory to come with the sun
after the fight in the still of the night
I would picture my bride, bright as jade
you’ll be my wife
we will build a new life
and fulfill the vow our fathers made
KIM
my father’s vow I can’t honor today
and I pray in my heart he’ll forgive
what you want now are some words I can’t say
if I lied to you how can I live?
THUY
don’t say anymore!
not a word!
you can change
you can learn
look at me
don’t decide too soon
KIM
somewhere deep in my soul
shines the smallest of lights
and no wind blows it out
it burns steady and strong
through the darkest of nights
dju vui vay
yu doi my
dju vui vay
vao nyay moy
I made a promise once with these words
which neither time nor distance has changed
he will come to me, still
THUY
you must be mad, your american jack
has gone for good and he’ll never come back
they ran away with the skin they could save
the ones who stayed here are dead in a grave
(the ENGINEER re-enters)
ENGINEER
come on now, princess, get off your cloud
I’m sorry, sir, she was talking so loud
the commissar is a powerful man
a girl with brains makes a life where she can
princess remember your place
don’t make people lose face
THUY
why do you look away?
I can end all this shame
all you need say is, “yes”
(from outside, soldiers are heard marching by)
you hear those soldiers out there
they’ll do whatever I say
KIM
I cannot change how I feel!
THUY
come inside!
I think you can change before my eyes
this me-my has just been found
she hid the day we closed the bars
show her that we don’t forget
no one is cured here without scars
SOLDIER #1
you are a woman who lived without shame
SOLDIER #2
you’re an infection left over from war
SOLDIER #3
you have dishonored the national name
SOLDIER #4
re-education will cure the disease
SOLDIER #5
you must be shown what we do to a leach
SOLDIER #6
see how we teach an American’s whore
ENGINEER
I have heard hundreds of speeches like these
take it from me you don’t want to hear more
THUY
it’s time to act
my friends it’s time
SOLDIERS
her face betrays her crime
she must pay, and her partner too
THUY
get out!!
everybody out!!
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, I’ll be moving 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
Tam!
(TAM comes out from behind the curtain and runs to KIM)
look, Thuy, this is my son
he has kept me alive
now you see why
I must tell you “no”
