PROF. DEVANE: What, dear?
MS. BOWLBY: [Hugs self, shakes head]
PROF. DEVANE: Do you have any further comment, Mr. Muscadine?
MR. MUSCADINE: Just that this is rather Kafkaesque.
PROF. DEVANE: In what way, sir?
MR. MUSCADINE: In the sense of being cast under suspicion with no justification and no warning. Tessa, if what happened somehow hurt you, I’m truly sorry. But you’re dealing with your feelings the wrong way. You may have changed your mind, now, but what happened then was clearly what we both wanted—you never indicated otherwise.
MS. BOWLBY: I asked you to stop!
MR. MUSCADINE: No, you really didn’t, Tessa.
MS. BOWLBY: I asked you! I asked you!
MR. MUSCADINE: We’ve already been back and forth on this, Tessa. You feel you objected, I know I heard nothing that was even close to objection. If I had, obviously, I would have stopped.
PROF. DEVANE: Why is it obvious?
MR. MUSCADINE: Because I don’t force women to be with me. Apart from being repugnant, it’s unnecessary.
PROF. DEVANE: Why’s that?
MR. MUSCADINE: Because I’m able to get women without forcing them.
PROF. DEVANE: Get women?
MR. MUSCADINE: Pardon the clumsy usage, I’m a little shaken up by all this. Women and I relate well. I’m able to obtain companionship without the use of coercion. That’s why this whole thing is—
MR. LOCKING: You’re a theater arts major, right?
MR. MUSCADINE: Yes.
MR. LOCKING: What speciality?
MR. MUSCADINE: Acting.
MR. LOCKING: So you’re pretty good at disguising your feelings.
MR. MUSCADINE: What’s that supposed to mean?
MR. LOCKING: What does it mean to you?
MR. MUSCADINE: You know, I came in here determined to be calm and rational, but I’m finding it a bit difficult with things getting this personal.
PROF. DEVANE: This is a personal issue.
MR. MUSCADINE: I know, but I already told you—
MR. LOCKING: Do you have a temper-control problem?
MR. MUSCADINE: No. Never. Why?
MR. LOCKING: You sound angry.
MR. MUSCADINE: [Laughs] No, I’m fine—maybe a little baffled.
MR. LOCKING: By what?
MR. MUSCADINE: This process. Being here. Am I a little angry? Sure. Wouldn’t you be? And that’s really all I have to say.
PROF. DEVANE: The intercourse. Did it proceed to climax?
MR. MUSCADINE: It did for me. And I thought you enjoyed it, too, Tessa.
MS. BOWLBY: [Crying]
MR. MUSCADINE: Obviously, I was wrong.
PROF. DEVANE: Did you wear a condom, sir?
MR. MUSCADINE: No. It was kind of—the whole thing was spontaneous. Impetuous. We really hit it off—or at least I thought we had. Nothing was planned, it just happened.
PROF. DEVANE: Have you ever been tested for HIV?
MR. MUSCADINE: No. But I’m sure I’m—
PROF. DEVANE: Would you be willing to be tested?
MR. MUSCADINE: Why?
PROF. DEVANE: For Tessa’s peace of mind. And yours.
MR. MUSCADINE: Oh, c’mon—
PROF. DEVANE: You relate well to women. You’ve gotten many, many women.
MR. MUSCADINE: That’s not the point.
PROF. DEVANE: What is, sir?
MR. MUSCADINE: It’s intrusive.
PROF. DEVANE: So is rape.
MR. MUSCADINE: I never raped anyone.
PROF. DEVANE: Then why all of the anxiety about a simple blood test?
MR. MUSCADINE: I—I’d have to think about it.
PROF. DEVANE: Is there some fundamental problem with it,
sir?
MR. MUSCADINE: No, but . . .
PROF. DEVANE: But what, sir?
MR. MUSCADINE: I don’t know.
PROF. DEVANE: These are the facts: You had unprotected sex with a woman who claims you raped her. The very least you can do is to—
MR. MUSCADINE: It just seems kind of . . . drastic. Have sex and prove yourself healthy? I’ve slept with lots of other women and it never came up.
PROF. DEVANE: That’s the point, sir. In effect, Ms. Bowlby has now slept with every one of those other women. The precise details of what occurred that night may never be proven, but it’s obvious that Ms. Bowlby is experiencing some real trauma.
MR. MUSCADINE: Not because of me.
MS. BOWLBY: You raped me!
MR. MUSCADINE: Tessa, I didn’t. I’m sorry. You’ve twisted this—
MS. BOWLBY: Stop! Please! [Cries]
MR. MUSCADINE: Tessa, if there was some way to undo it, believe me, I would. We didn’t need to make love, we could have just—