Ruined

Scene 1 introduces the characters of Christian, a traveling salesman who writes poetry, and Mama Nadi, the proprietor of the bar and brothel in which the play takes place. While they banter with each other about various items Christian has neglected to bring Mama Nadi, Christian alludes to “this damn chaos” (6), which has prevented him from delivering everything he promised. After Christian changes the subject to give Mama Nadi a lipstick and to offer Mama Nadi a romantic poem he has written “in lieu of the kiss you won’t allow me” (7), he acknowledges that he hasn’t “had a drop of liquor in four years” (8). His attention shifts to a gray parrot in a cage that Mama Nadi acquired when “Old Papa Batunga passed” (8), and then shifts back again to Mama Nadi, whom he instructs to “[t]ake a peek in the truck” (9). Her glance reveals two young women, Salima and Sophie; though Mama Nadi expresses reluctance because they both look “used” (9), she gives Christian “fifteen” (10) for both girls. She asks Josephine, another one of her girls, to show the girls where they can clean themselves.