3.21.2007: Repeated Once Again (Reiteration)

“There are only so many times that you can say "I like you" or "I wish I were there" before it becomes a meaningless jumble of consonants.
About 25, I'd say.” – The Fella’s livejournal, 3.21.2007

The Guy and The Fella and someone in a chair – The Automaton.

THE AUTOMATON
I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you.
I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you.
I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you.

THE GUY
(overlapping The Automaton)
What’s he doing?

THE FELLA
Testing a theory.

THE GUY
What theory?

THE FELLA
There are only so many times you can say something before it becomes a meaningless jumble of consonants.

THE GUY
Oh.

THE AUTOMATON
I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you.
I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you.
I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you.

THE FELLA
I am disappointed in the limitations of language.

THE GUY
Are you now?

THE FELLA
Upon repetition, the meaning that’s carried is… diluted. Reiteration (which would seem to produce abundance) only seems to produce… deterioration.

THE GUY
Like copies of a copy…

THE FELLA
.. of a copy. Exactly.

THE AUTOMATON
I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you.
I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you.
I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you.

THE GUY
How long does he do this?

THE FELLA
Forever, I suppose.

THE GUY
We don’t have that kind of time.

THE FELLA
No, I suppose we don’t.

THE AUTOMATON
I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you.
I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you.
I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you.

THE GUY
I’ve given up, you know.

THE FELLA
On?

THE GUY
You.

THE FELLA
I see.

THE GUY
It seems to be the smart thing to do.

So that I’m not just left
with the copy of a copy
of something I really enjoyed.

Something that had, for me,
value.

You’ve moved on.
That’s clear to me.
You’ve moved on completely.

I accept that.

I don’t want you to be something I destroyed
in the reiteration.

THE AUTOMATON
I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you.
I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you.
I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you.

THE FELLA
Isn’t it funny how the words stop sounding like the words the more you hear them?
As if they lose, in the repetition, even themselves.

The Automaton continues as the lights go down.