Flat Recordings CD 02 04

Tape 02 – 04
NEW YEARS EVE 93
31 December 1993

The text below is taken from recordings made at the FLAT Gallery in December 1993. Well-situated opposite the Natal Technikon, the FLAT became a site of frequent visitation and interaction. One, such visitor was Moonlight (his surname not known to me), a grounds-keeper at the Natal Technikon, who befriended Thomas Barry (or visa versa). The recordings on this particular evening captured what was quite common dialogue under these (drunken) circumstances. We four men (Vaughn, Moonlight, Thomas and myself) were talking about 'women'; and Moonlight at some point, through 'questionable' persuasion revealed some thoughts on prostitution. Moonlight, who was about our age, earned a salary of about R 2000 a month, working for the Technikon. A salary which I might add was significantly higher than our (Vaughn, Thomas and myself) combined earnings

Tape 2 Side B
MOONLIGHT

Vaughn: Everything you say now, its going on tape, Moonlight, do you want to say anything to it?

Moonlight: Ja.

Vaughn: Do you want to say something to the people in the future?

[PAUSE]

Thomas: Ah no, don't be so shy.

Vaughn: But don't use your hands, use your mouth.

Moonlight: I like it that music.

Vaughn: You like this music. Is there anything else you want to say? Say something to the people in the future.

Thomas: Don't be so shy.

Vaughn: Comon, Moonlighting, I want you to do something for me now. I want you to speak into this machine. No, no, don't hold it just speak into it/ Say something to it.

Moonlight: er… Something?

Vaughn: Give a message. Say something to the people in the future.

Moonlight: A message?

Vaughn: Ja .

Moonlight: All the time, on my picture, just take you time. Do not say you write ta good tings withutsa money, Lady.

Vaughn: Ja, what else?

Moonlight: I'm finished after that .

Vaughn: Finished.

Moonlight: I haven’t got no words.

Vaughn: No words.

Moonlight: Do not say you write the good things without tha money. Must be rish first before you talking about the money.

Thomas: Hey, absolutely!

Moonlight: I want to trace on da radio. OK can I talk still?

Vaughn: Ja, carry on man.

Moonlight: Please, I don't want to see all those childrens… they following me the prostitutes ladies because they gat something they done them wrong in this worldofrustration. I'm right, I'm wrong, guys?

Siemon: You right, you wrong.

Vaughn: When you right you right.

[CLAPPING IN BEAT]

Moonlight: Waaa… l'm right, I'm wrong?

Siemon: You're right, you wrong.

Moonlight: Don't say I'm right, I'm wrong. Just give me answer, one thing. I'm right, I'm wrong.

Siemon: You right, you wrong.

[STILL CLAPPING]

Moonlight: Don't say I'm right, I'm wrong. Talk da truth Please, Siemon. Co’mon Siemon! Co’mon Siemon!

[LAUGHTER]

Vaughn: Hari Krishna, Hari Krishna.

[LAUGHTER]

Vaughn: What do you think about politics?

Moonlight: I'm not there. I don't like it the politics.

Vaughn: Oh ja.

Moonlight: I'm talking about the money… dis watup situation.

Vaughn: What about women?

[LAUGHTER]

Moonlight: er…ar… My womans… I don’t like the womans. Da womans… Yes, I know dat de womans is a part of life. But I can't do nothing with dem. I like to stay alone.

Vaughn: And what about alcohol?

Moonlight: Alcohol?

Vaughn: What do you say about alcohol?

Moonlight: Alcohol is make me like a man.

Thomas: Ja, sure.

Moonlight: Without da woman… I don't like a girls… I like alcohol and dagga and food… that’s all.

Vaughn: And sex?

Moonlight: Ja, I can't talk anything about.

[LAUGHTER]

Moonlight: Because womans they just doubt what they adth

Vaughn: Oh, ya.

Moonlight: Yes.

Thomas: Don't you think that's a bit harsh?

Moonlight: I'm not tink more about the womans… because they let the men doubt what they adt. Da womans york by the food… they don't like it.

Vaughn: Well, that s cleared up a lot for me.

[LAUGHTER]

Moonlight: You make da man… the man except to bring the dagga and the beer. That's all. That's the love of the man.

Vaughn: Well that puts it into focus basically.

[LAUGHTER]

Moonlight: That's the love of the man.

Thomas: How can we argue with that?

Siemon: Hello, Vaughn.

Vaughn: Hello, Siemon.

Siemon: What are you doing?

[LAUGHTER]

Vaughn: Moonlighting, what else do you have to say?

Moonlight: In this world.

Vaughn: Speak to the machine, man.

Moonlight: In this world, of our situation, I'm not just speakin… I’m not doesn't means… is what kind of person is what kind of person is sort of sayschwa. We are talking about a prostitut girls. Those girls swoselling da bodies.

Vaughn: Butthole Surfers could use this for sure.

Moonlight: Because… they planding… they blinding da boys.

Vaughn: We need visuals for this, man. Siemon draw a picture or something. Please, somebody.

[LAUGHTER]

Siemon: You talking to this box!?

[LAUGHTER]

Moonlight: Ja, they blinding tha boy. Euating da boys tda foods of da mount. But no one's whoza fool of da mouts.

Siemon: Whaatidhe say?

Moonlight: Who's a fool of da monk. We are coming to talk a truth, here… about this.

Vaughn: We should have this guy as a speaker for our linguist’s convention. He's got a unique style.

Moonlight: Now…

Vaughn: A unique logic system.

Moonlight: Now we are here in Sud Africa to talk da truth. Nobody getsuffishus. We are golling to talk our aims what dey we are concentrated…eh…
Black Ladies, just stopping to sell your body!
White Ladies, just stopping to sell your body!
Indian Ladies, just stopping to sell your body!
Eh… Coloured Ladies, just stopping to sell your body!
We are not allowed to selling dat. Accept da spirit of God! Weliketo enjoy tohelpin us because tomorrow you can't get da boy will get da AIDS disease…

Vaughn: Are you worried about AIDS?

Moonlight: I'm worried about da AIDS. I can't make it love with da girl.

Vaughn: Why don't you get a blood test?

Moonlight: Ay! I wonn, I wonn!"

Vaughn: Are you scared to get a blood test?

Moonlight: I scared!

Vaughn: You scared?

Moonlight: Yes.

Vaughn: You must only have one girlfriend and you must use condoms.

Moonlight: I caaan't make it da love with somebody

Vaughn: You must put a condom…

Moonlight: I won't do dat. I like it do dat. I want to make it love with da… truth. But I can't do anything.

Vaughn: But without a condom you get AIDS.

Moonlight: But I can't make it da love witda conclash. I can't propose anyone dis wor[l]d. Ask Siemon, he can tell us.

[LAUGHTER]

Moonlight: Tell us, Siemon.

Vaughn: Please tell us… awout Moonlighting was just saying.

[LAUGHTER]

Siemon: What about making love without condoms?

Vaughn: Ja.

Siemon: Gee… What can I say?

Moonlight: Talk anyting, Siemon. How many years I told you about dat. I can't makit da love with dose people thet using da condoms. I disagree dem.

Siemon: Ah no, why? But now tell me now, Moonlighting why? Why not?

Moonlight: Why! Because dey trans… dey transmit da disease.

Siemon: What condoms?

Moonlight: Yes!

Siemon: Why?

Moonlight: l can't makit da love with dem. Long time […] dey ask […] for dem, but you can't make da love with dem.

Siemon: They too tight, hey?

Moonlight: Yes.

[PAUSE]

Moonlight: Talk, Thomas! Take us da photos. Take us da photos. Don't be so shy.

Vaughn: Please take a photo.

Thomas: I will. Don't worry.

Vaughn: OK, we'll leave Thomas to his own devices.

Moonlight: Ya… disa sketch, hey? Excuse mepoposesaphoto, Thomas. This is going to be on TV please.

[LAUGHTER]

Thomas: Ja, we'll do that part later.

Moonlight: What later? Dis a sketsch, hey? We makitda sketsch, hey?

Siemon: Hey stash?

Moonlight: OK talk Thomas! Why Thomas is not talking?

Thomas: I am talking. Can't you hear me?