Connected

By
Rogerio Correa

Rogerio Correa
Flat 14 Brandrams Wharf
127 Rotherhithe St.
London SE16 4NF
Tel: 07790572770
rogerionormand@gmail.com
 GRINDING
Two muscular good-looking men - MARIO AVATAR,
(30s), white, and FANTUSI AVATAR (20s), black -
with confident and sultry expressions, face each
other with attitude, sitting on opposite sides of
a table.
Mario Avatar wears fashionable sexy gay clothes: a
tight shirt, tight jeans and Fantusi Avatar wears
hip hop clothes and a cap, worn backwards.

MARIO AVATAR
And what are you looking for, Africanking?
FANTUSI AVATAR
What are YOU looking for, Sexyfucker?

MARIO AVATAR
I really liked your profile. Is that really you in the
photos?
FANTUSI AVATAR
Of course it is.
The sides of the stage are lit and reveal MARIO
(40s), short and chubby, wearing jeans and
T-shirt, sitting in front of his computer, keying.

On the other side of the stage, FANTUSI (19),

wiry, wearing his Nigerian Muslim clothes, keying
away on his old cheap-looking smartphone.
Each Avatar repeats what Mario and Fantusi say,
but with completely different intonations: more
streetwise and sexy.
FANTUSI
I don’t lie.

FANTUSI AVATAR
I don’t lie.
MARIO
I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that. What do you like to do?
In bed?

Mario winks.
MARIO AVATAR
I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that. What do you like to do?
In bed? semi colon hifen close brackets.
 2.

FANTUSI
What? In bed what?
FANTUSI AVATAR
What? In bed what?

MARIO AND MARIO AVATAR

Wink. Oh, never mind.
Fantusi and Mario stop keying and talk to each
other.

FANTUSI
I like fucking.
FANTUSI AVATAR
I like fucking.

MARIO
I would love to see you naked. Do you have a big dick?
MARIO AVATAR
I would love to see you naked. Do you have a big duck?

FANTUSI
Duck?
FANTUSI AVATAR
Duck?

MARIO AND MARIO AVATAR

Dick. Dick. Do you have a big one?
FANTUSI
You don’t have any photos.

FANTUSI AVATAR
You don’t have any photos.
MARIO
Do you have a boyfriend?
MARIO AVATAR
Do you have a boyfriend?
FANTUSI
No. Of course not. I wouldn’t be here if I had one.
FANTUSI AVATAR
No. Of course not. I wouldn’t be here if I had one.
 3.

MARIO
Oh. I don’t know.
MARIO AVATAR
Oh. I don’t know.

Mario laughs.
MARIO
Laugh Out Loud.

MARIO AVATAR
LOL
FANTUSI AND FANTUSI AVATAR
LOL?

MARIO AND MARIO AVATAR

Laugh Out Loud.
FANTUSI
Why are you laughing?

FANTUSI AVATAR
Why are you laughing?
MARIO AND MARIO AVATAR
(laughing)
Nothing. Forget it.

FANTUSI
You don’t have any photos.
FANTUSI AVATAR
You don’t have any photos.

MARIO AND MARIO AVATAR

No. I don’t like photos.
FANTUSI AND FANTUSI AVATAR
Sorry, no photo, no talk.

MARIO
OK. OK. I’m older, you know. I am 45. I could be your
Dad. You can go if you want. I don’t mind.

FANTUSI AND FANTUSI AVATAR

A Dad who would tell me what to do.
MARIO
(surprised)
Yes.
 4.

MARIO AVATAR
(sexy)
Yes.
Fantusi takes the place of his Avatar at the table
and the Avatar leaves. Fantusi now speaks directly
to Mario Avatar, without typing.
FANTUSI
To show me the ways of the world.

Mario also stops typing and sits next to his

Avatar, talking directly to Fantusi across the
table, as if an invisible screen separated them.
MARIO
How old are you?

FANTUSI
I’m 19.
MARIO AVATAR
Do you go out a lot? Clubbing, dancing?

FANTUSI
No. I’m at University.
MARIO
Do you have other gay friends?

FANTUSI
No.
MARIO AVATAR
Are you gay at all?
Mario despairs at Mario Avatar.
FANTUSI
I might be bisexual.

MARIO
Have you ever been with a man before?
FANTUSI
Yes. A 37 year-old.

MARIO AVATAR
Was it good?
MARIO
Did you like him?
 5.

Fantusi Avatar comes to stand next to Fantusi. He

has now become his FORMER BOYFRIEND. Fantusi
caresses the Former Boyfriend affectionately, as
he speaks.
FANTUSI
I liked him.
But the FORMER BOYFRIEND responds in a very cold
and purely sexual way, grabbing his dick and his
bum. Fantusi tries to kiss him, but he refuses.
FANTUSI
But he is gone now. He was married.

The FORMER BOYFRIEND pushes Fantusi away.

MARIO
Was he the only one?
FANTUSI
Yes.
MARIO AVATAR
I would love to see you naked.
FANTUSI
Is that what you want, Dad?
MARIO AVATAR
Yes. Can I see your chest? Your nipples?
Fantusi stands, takes his shirt off, makes a sexy
pose and takes a picture with his smart phone. He
stands frozen in the pose in front of Mario and
Mario Avatar, holding a frame around his chest. He
is the photo now.

MARIO AVATAR
Wow! Can I see your cock?
Mario looks at his Avatar, shocked, and hits him
on the head, scalding.

MARIO
You are beautiful.
FANTUSI
It’s your turn now.

Mario Avatar makes a shirtless sexy pose in front

of Fantusi, holding a frame around his naked
torso. Fantusi observes it with suspicion.
 6.

FANTUSI
This is not you, is it? I want to see you.
Mario Avatar is crestfallen. Mario, shyly, takes
his shirt off and makes an awkward pose, in front
Fantusi. He takes the frame from his Avatar and
frames his chest. Fantusi sees him, enchanted.
FANTUSI
You are handsome, Dad.

MARIO
Thanks.
Mario laughs.
MARIO AVATAR
Laugh Out Loud. Can I see your cock now?
Mario, annoyed, hits his Avatar again.
Fantusi takes his clothes off. No pose this time.
Only a naked boy. He shows himself to Mario,
facing him across the table.
MARIO
Oh, you are so beautiful!
MARIO AVATAR
(wanking)
Let’s wank together. Send me more photos. Show me your
black dick. I want to see you hard.
Mario Avatar masturbates strongly, whilst Mario
ignores him and observes Fantusi, enchanted, as if
he had seen an angel.
MARIO AVATAR
Oh, I’m coming, I’m coming.

Mario Avatar orgasms noisily, falling on the

floor, exhausted. reg also reaches a (quiet)
orgasm.
MARIO
Did you come too?

FANTUSI
No. I am strong. I take a long time to come.
MARIO
Where are you, son?
 7.

FANTUSI
In Nigeria. Ilorin. At University. I’ve been here for 6
months. My family is in Lagos. I visit them on my
holidays.

MARIO AVATAR
This was great!
MARIO
I hope you’re not too lonely. I want to speak to you
again soon.

FANTUSI
Me too, Dad. It is lonely. I was alone.
Black Out.

OPENING
As the lights come on again, Fantusi and Mario sit
at the table, facing each other. Mario Avatar sits
behind Mario. They talk without typing.

MARIO
Is it complicated? Being Muslim and gay?
FANTUSI
I am bisexual.

MARIO
Do you have gay friends there, at Uni?
FANTUSI
No.

MARIO
Isn’t it dangerous? If they find out?
FANTUSI
What I do is nobody’s business.

MARIO
You should be careful.
FANTUSI
I keep my phone by my side. Nobody looks at my
messages.

MARIO
Be careful anyway. I don’t want to cause any problems.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 8.

FANTUSI
I know what I’m doing.
MARIO
Do you have a girlfriend?

FANTUSI
No. Not anymore. She’s back home.
MARIO AVATAR
Did you have sex with your girlfriend?

MARIO
Or is that not allowed in Nigeria?
FANTUSI
Yes, we used to have sex. I am strong. It takes me a
long time to come. I don’t want to talk about her.
MARIO AVATAR
When you wank, do you think of men or women?
FANTUSI
I think of you Dad.
MARIO AVATAR
Let’s wank together.
FANTUSI
(lovingly)
I want to make love to you, Dad.
Fantusi Avatar and Mario Avatar stand in front of
the table, facing the audience and holding an
empty frame each.

FANTUSI
I want to make you happy. You are my dad and you can
tell me what to do.

MARIO AVATAR
Show me your bum. Show me your black arse.
Fantusi Avatar places the frame around his
buttocks.

FANTUSI AVATAR
I want to suck your white tits, Dad.
Mario Avatar places the frame around his chest.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 9.

MARIO
Do you get sad sometimes?
FANTUSI
Yeah. But I have you now.

FANTUSI AVATAR
Suck my cock.
Fantusi Avatar places the frame around his
genitals.

Mario Avatar places the frame around his mouth.

FANTUSI
And you? Do you get lonely?

MARIO
Yes. Sometimes. I had a partner. For 6 years. Younger.
He left.
(pause)
Is it confusing? Being a Muslim and all.

Mario looks back, as if interrupted by something.

MARIO
Sorry, I need to feed the cat. She’s meowing and
driving me crazy.

FANTUSI
OK.
MARIO AVATAR
Fucking cat!

Mario leaves the stage. Mario Avatar taps his

fingers, impatient. Fantusi Avatar freezes in a
sexy pose. Mario comes back, quickly. The Avatars
resume their sex encounter.

MARIO AVATAR AND FANTUSI AVATAR

Yes, yes.
MARIO
Sorry... Oh, yes... Is it confusing? Being a Muslim and
all. Do you think being gay is wrong?

FANTUSI
No, I don’t think so. Can I see your face?

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 10.

Mario looks at Fantusi, as if he was taking a

picture of his face, trying to smile and look
still and handsome. Fantusi traces his face with
his finger, lovingly, on his side of the invisible
screen.
MARIO AVATAR
I would love your big black cock inside me.

MARIO
(To his Avatar)
Jesus!
FANTUSI AVATAR
I’ll give it to you, Daddy.

Mario Avatar places the frame around his buttocks.

Fantusi Avatar places the frame around his
genitals.

MARIO AVATAR
Yes, yes! Good boy!
Fantusi still admires Mario’s photo/face, whilst
the Avatars carry on having their non-touching sex

FANTUSI
You look nice. You’re a nice man.
MARIO
Does your family know?

FANTUSI
No. They live far away, in Lagos. I want to leave, one
day. Away from Nigeria.
MARIO
You should. Do you get on with your father?
FANTUSI
(very angry)
Are you crazy?

The Avatars stop having their weird sex and turn

their backs to the audience, still.
MARIO
What?

FANTUSI
(offended)
Why are you saying I should get it on with my father?

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 11.

MARIO
Get on. Oh! No, no! Not get it on. Get on, be friends.
Not have sex. This would be disgusting. No. I didn’t
mean to offend you. Are you friends with your father?
FANTUSI
He’s all right. We don’t talk much.
MARIO
Sorry. English is not my language. Or yours. I speak
Portuguese?
FANTUSI
Portuguese?

MARIO
Yes. We speak Portuguese here, in Brazil. I’m in
Brazil.
FANTUSI
Oh, Brazil, football!

MARIO
Yes. Football.
They both laugh.

The Avatars turn to the audience again, mimicking

wild sex.
FANTUSI AVATAR
Open up, Dad. Let me inside you.

MARIO AVATAR
I’m going to come, son.
FANTUSI AVATAR
Take it all, Dad. Take it all.

FANTUSI
But you are the Dad I chose. You are my Dad now.
Fantusi extends his hand across the table,
touching an imaginary screen. Mario does the same
and touches Fantusi’s hand from behind the
imaginary screen. They freeze for a moment,
looking like Michelangelo’s "The Creation of
Adam".
MARIO
Thank you. I’m honoured.
Mario Avatar reaches his noisy orgasm.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 12.

FANTUSI
I love you, Dad.
Black out
DISCONNECTED

Mario sits at the table, alone. He types,

desperately.
MARIO
Son, where are you? Son? I’ve been writing for 3 days.
Fantusi faces Mario, from accross the table.
FANTUSI
(in a neutral voice)
This profile has been canceled. No more messages will
be accepted.
MARIO
Shit! Where are you?

MARIO AVATAR
(to Mario)
I bet he found a young guy. Fit. Rich. Nearby. A real
lover. The real thing.
Fantusi embraces and snogs his own Avatar, who is
now a handsome lover.
MARIO
(to Mario Avatar)
No. You don’t understand. It’s in the papers. Nigeria.
Gay people going to jail. Being beaten up.

Fantusi Avatar becomes a policeman and the embrace

turns into a violent beating. Fantusi is beaten
into a pulp whilst Mario speaks.

MARIO AVATAR
Nonsense.
MARIO
His phone. All those messages and photos. I bet he was
caught. He wasn’t careful enough. I tried to tell him.
It’s my fault.
MARIO AVATAR
Or he found another internet daddy. Someone fitter than
you. With real photos.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 13.

Fantusi Avatar is a sugar daddy now. He gives

Fantusi money. Fantusi and Fantusi Avatar play
with frames again, as if sending sexy photos to
each other.

MARIO AVATAR (CONT)

Someone who would send him gifts, money. Someone who
promised to take him away from Nigeria. They’re all the
same, poor boys with sad stories.
Mario pushes his Avatar away and types again.

MARIO
Son, where are you? Son?
Fantusi faces Mario again.

FANTUSI
(in a neutral voice)
This profile has been canceled. No more messages will
be accepted.
MARIO
Where are you, for fuck’s sake? I don’t even know your
name, Africanking.
Fantusi Avatar faces Mario.
FANTUSI AVATAR
(in an authoritarian voice)
This profile has been canceled. No more messages will
be accepted.
FANTUSI
Because I was arrested.
FANTUSI AVATAR
(in a sneering voice)
This profile has been canceled. No more messages will
be accepted.

FANTUSI
Because I found someone else on the internet. And you
were boring.
FANTUSI AVATAR
(in a sad voice)
This profile has been canceled. No more messages will
be accepted.
FANTUSI
Because I was arrested and beaten.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 14.

FANTUSI AVATAR
(in a neutral voice)
This profile has been canceled. No more messages will
be accepted.

FANTUSI
Because I never existed. Because it wasn’t real.
FANTUSI AVATAR
(in a neutral voice)
This profile has been canceled. No more messages will
be accepted.
Fantusi and Mario place their hands on an
invisible screen, touching but not touching. They
speak simultaneously.

FANTUSI
Because I was arrested. Because I never existed.
Because I met a sugar daddy on the internet. Because it
wasn’t real. Because I was arrested and beaten and
killed. Because of you. Because I am in the USA now
with my new sugar daddy. Because I have a real Nigerian
young fit boyfriend now. Because my family found out
and forced me to marry my girlfriend back home. Because
I simply disappeared. Because you will never know what
happened to me. Because I vanished in the virtual
space. Because I never existed. Because Africanking was
a false profile, done as a joke by a bored Croatian
middle-aged housewife in Frankfurt. Because you are
only a pathetic lonely man behind a computer keyboard.
Because I was only a fake profile. Because you were
only a fake profile. Because I don’t exist. And because
neither do you.

MARIO
I miss you. I miss you. I miss you. I miss you. I miss
you. I miss you. I miss you. I love you. I love you. I
love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love
you. I love you. No. No. It was real. It was. No.

Fantusi and Fantusi Avatar freeze, in a neutral

position.
Mario Avatar stands behind Mario, placing the
frame in different erotic parts of his body.

MARIO AVATAR
Plenty more fish in the sea. Try Grinder. Dudes Naked,
perhaps. Great photos there. And videos too.
Mario carries on typing desperately and trying to
grab something beyond the invisible screen.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 15.

Black Out.
END