Page 39 - Big Idea

The Big Idea – Act 2

CLOWN 1: (to CLOWN 2) I’ll take you seriously.

CLOWN 2: (to CLOWN 1) Oh, but only if you’ll take me seriously.

CLOWN 1: Your conditions are impossible!

CLOWN 2: Then I’ll have to take you seriously.

CLOWN 1: Sorry; I’m not available.

CLOWN 2: Why not?

CLOWN 1: I already take myself seriously.

CLOWN 2: What! Why, you greedy pig: you wanted to take me, as
well. That’s not fair.

CLOWN 1: Hey, don’t get angry. I was doing you a favor.

CLOWN 2: How do you reckon that?

CLOWN 1: Well, you don’t take yourself seriously, do you?

CLOWN 2: No, I don’t; that’s true.

CLOWN 1: Then if I didn’t take you seriously, you wouldn’t be
taken at all, would you?

CLOWN 2: No; so we would both get taken seriously. I see your
point. But you get to be the taker twice, and I don’t get to take at all.

CLOWN 1: Now, that is why you ought to be particularly grateful to
me. Which is harder: to take someone seriously, or be taken
seriously?

CLOWN 2: Oh, that depends upon the individual. Some people are
very gullible, so they find it very easy to take someone seriously; while
other people are very foolish, so they are not very easily taken
seriously.

CLOWN 1: Right. Now, if you don’t take yourself seriously, aren’t
you being foolish?

CLOWN 2: I suppose so.
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