Episode 7: Cassandra
SFX: Ignition. A van engine rumbles. The god radio hisses as someone turns the dial to tune into a station. The opening theme plays, at first distorted before clearing up.
THEME: (sings)
If there’s a stranger all alone
Set her back to walk the stone
TITLE:
Hearthbound
Episode 7
Cassandra
THEME: (sings)
Will she find her way back home?
SFX: Odessa gets dressed. A mourning dove coos. Odessa picks up her pack and guitar, leaves the room, walks the length of the hallway, and stomps down the stairs. The lodge bustles sleepily with morning activity. Odessa knocks on the concierge counter as she heads out the door.
ODESSA: Good morning, Medea.
MEDEA: Sure.
ODESSA: Hey Cal, we leave in five!
CAL: (from the other room) I’m still eating breakfast!
ODESSA: Grab it and go!
SFX: Odessa leaves the lodge and trudges over to her van. A red-winged blackbird trills. Odessa slides the van door open. Mack yips.
ODESSA: Hey, buddy. Good morning. We’re going home today. How does that sound, huh?
SFX: Cal approaches.
CAL: You need to eat something.
ODESSA: No time. If we leave now, we’ll make it to the coast by nightfall.
CAL: I mean it. Catch.
SFX: Odessa doesn’t.
ODESSA: Ow.
SFX: The apple patters to the ground.
CAL: God, just eat the damn apple.
SFX: Odessa picks up the apple and crunches.
ODESSA: (mouth full) Thanks. Let’s go.
SFX: They climb into the van. Odessa closes the van door, and they both settle into their seats. They sit for a moment too long. The lake laps gently in the distance. Mack yawns.
CAL: Um. You good?
ODESSA: Yeah. Just give me a second.
CAL: Okay.
SFX: The silence stretches. The red-winged blackbird calls. Mack scratches an itch. Odessa lets out the breath she was holding.
ODESSA: Okay.
SFX: She turns the key in the ignition. The car coughs.
ODESSA: Fuck.
SFX: She turns again. And again. No dice.
CAL: Uh. Everything good?
ODESSA: Nope. Everything’s not good. Fuck. Fuck, FUCK.
CAL: Let me go check the engine. Just… sit tight, okay?
SFX: Cal leaves the van. Odessa thuds her head against the steering wheel. Cal walks to the front and opens up the engine. Something hisses.
CAL: Oh shit.
ODESSA: (from inside the van) How bad is it?
SFX: Cal closes the engine compartment.
CAL: Pretty bad.
ODESSA: FUCK.
SFX: Cal trudges back and gets in the van.
ODESSA: Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
CAL: Do you think it was those two boneheads last night?
ODESSA: I don’t know. Maybe. Or maybe Alby’s just given out.
CAL: Now what?
ODESSA: I don’t know.
SFX: Footsteps approach.
CIRCE: Engine trouble?
ODESSA: Yeah.
CIRCE: Now I can take a look for ya.
SFX: Circe walks to the front and checks the engine herself.
CIRCE: (whistles) You’ve run this girl ragged. First of all, she’s got sand all up in her nice, greasy bits. Second, you need a new radiator hose, and your valve cover is cracked to all hell. Third, from the look of things, this old lady’s basically taped together with third-rate parts and a prayer.
SFX: Circe closes the engine, brushes off her hands, and goes to the driver's window.
CIRCE: She isn’t gonna be going anywhere fast in this condition.
ODESSA: I just want to go home.
CIRCE: (sighs) You said you’re willing to work?
ODESSA: Yeah.
CIRCE: Alright. Get inside, clean yourself up, and go find Dee in the kitchen. I’ll see what parts I have or can get my hands on for you. In the meantime, I’ll give the three of you a room and three square meals a day, and you work the cost off for your stay and your van. Sound good?
ODESSA: You can fix her?
CIRCE: No promises. And it’ll take me a while. If I don’t have the pieces, I gotta see who I can call in to trade for it. And that’ll cost you more time in my kitchen.
ODESSA: I’ll work.
CAL: Me too.
CIRCE: Good. Alright. Get. I’ll take care of this. You can let your dog run round. We like animals here.
ODESSA: Thank you.
CIRCE: Don’t thank me, it’s only fair trade.
SFX: Odessa gets out of the van and slides the side door open. Mack barks happily and jumps out.
CIRCE: Now go.
SFX: Cal and Odessa head back into the lodge. Cal stops Odessa with a hand on her shoulder.
CAL: You okay?
ODESSA: Yeah.
CAL: Okay.
SFX: Odessa and Cal enter the back of the dining room to where the kitchen is. The fridge hums. Medea butchers a pig.
CAL: Whoa.
ODESSA: Hey. We’re here to work.
SFX: The cleaver thunks into the table.
MEDEA: You ever processed a pig before?
ODESSA: No.
CAL: (At the same time) What a what?
MEDEA: Take your gear off. You’re gonna have to put your elbows into this.
SFX: Odessa sets her guitar down in a corner by the door. Cal also drops her pack. They both shuck out of their jackets.
MEDEA: We’re just dressing yesterday’s kills. Here, catch.
SFX: Medea slides down a couple of whole pigs hung up on a track under the ceiling.
MEDEA: Here are a couple of bins to catch the organs.
SFX: Medea slides over a couple of plastic bins.
MEDEA: Watch me. Take your knife and start cutting down the belly, slowly and shallowly, until you break through to the cavity. Got it?
SFX: Butchering intensifies.
ODESSA: Yeah…
CAL: (At the same time) Sure…
MEDEA: Ok chucklefucks, I’ll go slow. Copy my cuts.
SFX: Butchering continues, methodically.
ODESSA: You raise your own hogs?
MEDEA: Nope. This is feral pig. Dumped on us by dumbasses who wanted to hunt for sport. After they left, new dumbasses came through and killed all the bears who actually ate the pigs. Now they barrel around, rooting up anything they can find. So we hunt them. Gives things a chance to grow.
CAL: You kill enough to feed the whole lodge?
MEDEA: They’re everywhere. Tie off the back of the intestines there. You don’t want that to leak.
ODESSA: Like the fallow deer back home. They have these beautiful white coats, and people new to our parts love them. But they spread wasting disease and rip through entire forests. When their herds pass through, things die.
CAL: What did you do?
MEDEA: Get in there. All the way in. Start slowly, cutting through the connective stuff to the spine. Let gravity help you pull the rest of it out, and let it drop into the bin. We’re gonna use every part.
SFX: Guts and organs plop into the bin.
ODESSA: We hunt them, too. Their white coats make them easy to track.
CAL: I’ve never hunted before.
MEDEA: You’re here to work, right? You’re gonna.
SFX: Slops on slops.
ODESSA: What did you do with that rifle of yours then?
CAL: It was my mom’s. I’d never used it before.
ODESSA: Ooh boy, glad I didn’t know that when you were aiming it at me.
CAL: I was aiming near you.
ODESSA: I don’t feel better!
CAL: Sometimes I wish I did take off your head.
ODESSA: You take my head off all the time.
CAL: Only when you deserve it.
ODESSA: What if I told you that you just punctured the gallbladder? It’s leaking.
SFX: The gallbladder leaks.
CAL: Ah fuck.
MEDEA: Yeah you screwed that up real good. Here. Hose it down.
SFX: Medea unwinds the hose and Cal waters down the fucked-up pig.
ODESSA: You might make cleaner cuts if you used your rifle.
CAL: Oh, you bitch!
SFX: Cal’s knife glints.
ODESSA: (laughing) She’s got a knife!
SFX: Cal chases Odessa.
MEDEA: No running with knives in the kitchen.
CAL: Yes, chef.
ODESSA: (same time) Yes, chef.
MEDEA: Kidding. I don’t care. The hoses work on blood, too.
SFX: The kitchen door opens. Footsteps approach.
CIRCE: You kiddos lose a finger yet?
MEDEA: Yeah, I lost four.
CIRCE: After all I’ve done for you. Cassandra’s come by again. I’m bringing her back here for some lunch on the house. Behave.
SFX: Circe leaves.
CAL: Who’s Cassandra?
MEDEA: Our neighbor. Crazy old bag.
ODESSA: I didn’t see any other homes nearby.
MEDEA: They live across the lake. They motor over every now and then in their big stinking fish boat. Aunt Circe likes them.
ODESSA: And you?
MEDEA: I just work here.
SFX: Circe re-enters with Cassandra.
CASSANDRA: —and I says to her I says–
CIRCE: Watch your step, Cass!
CASSANDRA: “It’s tough meat when you can’t chew your gravy!”
CIRCE: That sounds fair and reasonable. Dee, serve up some brisket on a bun here, will you? Odessa, Cal, this is Cassandra. Cassandra, Odessa, Cal. You want a pickle to go with that, Cass?
CASSANDRA: Leave the jar. A body’s gotta pick their own.
CIRCE: Alright. Holler if you need anything or if my girls be giving you any lip, you hear? I’ll be back.
SFX: Medea places the pickles in front of Cassandra. Cassandra fishes around the jar.
CASSANDRA: Mmm, yeah, that’s a good-looking pickle right there.
SFX: Cassandra horks down a pickle.
CASSANDRA: Deeeelicious. You got my brisket, Deedee?
SFX: Medea drops a plate on the table.
MEDEA: Good girl.
SFX: Cassandra eats noisily.
ODESSA: It’s nice to meet you.
CASSANDRA: Oh yeah, where are my manners? Lovely to meetcha there, dear. I’m Cassandra. I’m an old friend of the family. Circe serves up good slop, but I bet you knew that already.
CAL: Yeah. You’re really loving that pickle.
CASSANDRA: Best pickle in town. Or at least what’s left of it. Now it’s all old cooters like me or tramps like you. Or DeeDee here, who won’t leave even though she packs a bag every week.
SFX: Cassandra continues crunching.
MEDEA: Gimme the pickles, that’s already half the jar.
CASSANDRA: What about you, girlie?
ODESSA: Odessa.
CASSANDRA: You sticking around long?
ODESSA: We’ll be leaving once we’ve paid off our debt and our van is fixed up.
CASSANDRA: Now that ain’t true. You got the look of someone who’s in no hurry to go where you’re headed. That’s just fear, darling. It’s okay to let it ride with you as long as you don’t let it drive.
ODESSA: Another pickle?
SFX: Odessa slides the jar back to Cassandra.
CASSANDRA: Don’t mind if I do. And you.
CAL: Me?
CASSANDRA: When are you going to tell her?
CAL: Tell who what?
CASSANDRA: Oh! My bad. You don’t know yet. Sometimes this here noggin forgets we’re now. You’ll catch up.
CAL: Oookaay. I’m gonna go ask Circe if she needs help up front. You good?
ODESSA: Yeah, I’ll stay.
MEDEA: I’m not. Lunch rush… gotta go… take orders.
SFX: Cal and Medea scurry out.
ODESSA: You sure know how to clear a room.
SFX: Odessa washes her hands and the knives, pours a cup of water, then pulls up a chair to sit with Cassandra.
CASSANDRA: (cackles) But you’re a steady one, aren’t you? I’m losing my touch. Medea usually leaves after my first pickle.
ODESSA: Circe likes you.
CASSANDRA: And she likes you. She don’t usually take many people up on credit. She’s seen too many promises broken.
ODESSA: Then I’m afraid she’s made a mistake. I’ve broken my fair share of promises.
CASSANDRA: Not yet. But you’ve seen the Echoman, haven’t you?
ODESSA: The Echoman?
CASSANDRA: Raggedy fella. Leg made of spare parts. Comes and goes as he pleases. I knew it. You’ve got that look in your eye.
ODESSA: Who is he?
CASSANDRA: A ghost. A sorrow.
ODESSA: You’ve seen him, too?
CASSANDRA: Child, he greets me every morning when I open my eyes. And when I come by here, I see him warming by Circe’s fire. So many souls passing through. He feels at home. I’ve told Circe, but she don’t believe me. Nobody believes me.
ODESSA: I do.
CASSANDRA: That’s true. Would you like me to read your fortune?
ODESSA: Yes.
CASSANDRA: Hm. Alright then.
SFX: Cassandra takes out a small hand grinder and a bag of coffee beans. They begin to grind the beans.
ODESSA: Coffee!
CASSANDRA: Qirāʾat al-finjān. Like my grandmother taught me. You drink, and I read what’s left in your cup.
SFX: They continue to chat as Cassandra finishes grinding. They then tap the finely ground coffee into a cezve. They pour water in and set it to boil on the stove.
ODESSA: How did you even get your hands on coffee beans? No trader carries them anymore.
CASSANDRA: My nephew grows them in his garden in the foothills by the sea. Every day, he brings water to his trees from a spring behind his house. He brings me a small bag when he visits in the winter.
ODESSA: We did that in the summer months. Carried water up from the streams in the middle of the night. It gave the crops time to drink before the sun rose.
CASSANDRA: We?
ODESSA: My wife, our community. There weren’t that many of us. And people came and went. But Penelope, she was born there, so I think she felt… stubborn about making sure the trees grew. She grew up with them.
SFX: Cassandra pours the coffee into a cup and places it in front of Odessa.
CASSANDRA: Drink. Slowly.
ODESSA: Smells like cardamom.
SFX: Odessa sips.
ODESSA: It’s bitter.
CASSANDRA: And hot. Drink.
SFX: Odessa continues to sip.
CASSANDRA: Leave a little left. Before your last sip, focus on the question you wish to ask.
ODESSA: Okay.
CASSANDRA: Place this saucer on top.
SFX: The saucer clinks against the cup.
CASSANDRA: Gently make a circle in front of your chest. Clockwise. Three times. Now turn it over. Good. Give it to me. Are you holding your question in your mind?
ODESSA: Yes.
CASSANDRA: We start at the very bottom of the cup. The past. A crown. There is honor in what you have built. It took a long time, but it could outlive you. An anchor here. Comfort, stability. But its chain rises to the center line of the cup and beyond. Here we are in the present. There is an axe by the chain. And a ship above it. You have a choice to make. A surprising choice, maybe. Only then will you know how your journey will end. Or if it even does.
ODESSA: What else?
CASSANDRA: Two long ears… a hare. Skittish creatures. A challenge to be brave. A moon beside it. A love symbol. Waxing? Or waning?
ODESSA: Penelope?
CASSANDRA: Perhaps.
ODESSA: How is she? Is she safe? Is she happy?
CASSANDRA: Your cup cannot tell you someone else’s future, silly. The thoughts we read are your own.
ODESSA: Please. I need to know.
CASSANDRA: The moon is rising to the top of the cup. Here is where the future lies.
ODESSA: But what about Penelope?
CASSANDRA: The moon rises from a fire in a hearth. Her work is steady, her labor endless.
ODESSA: I left her.
CASSANDRA: Aha, here. The hare faces a locked gate. The path is barred, but it can be opened. There is more to see and a way forward, but you must free yourself. Get that through your thick skull. Here. A line of ivy between the hare and the gate. Those who are drawn to your light desire to have you. But you cannot serve them all. Now place your thumb here in the middle of the cup. Press and twist gently, with the clock.
ODESSA: What is this for?
CASSANDRA: Ah. Feathers. Inconstancy. Which way will they fall, I wonder?
ODESSA: I’m afraid.
CASSANDRA: Afraid of what? Name it.
ODESSA: I can’t.
CASSANDRA: Yes, you can. What do you want?
ODESSA: What?
CASSANDRA: What do you want?
ODESSA: I don’t know!
CASSANDRA: Aha! Avoidance!
SFX: Cassandra shakes their finger at Odessa accusingly.
ODESSA: I know!
CASSANDRA: Avoiding reality.
ODESSA: Yes, I know!
CASSANDRA: Avoiding yourself.
ODESSA: Yeah, no, I heard you the first time.
CASSANDRA: (cackling) You’re avoiding your wife.
ODESSA: No, I’m not!
CASSANDRA: Name it.
ODESSA: Name what?
CASSANDRA: Your fear.
ODESSA: I can’t.
CASSANDRA: You can. What are you scared of, little hare?
ODESSA: To go home.
CASSANDRA: Why?
ODESSA: Because what if I can’t? What if it’s gone? I think about Penelope, and I remember her as I loved her five years ago. But how can I ask her to be who she was then? How can I ask her to love who I have become since? I miss her. I miss her so much. But I’m so afraid to see her again and see a stranger.
CASSANDRA: A forked line.
ODESSA: What does it mean?
CASSANDRA: You still have to choose.
ODESSA: And if I don’t?
CASSANDRA: That would still be making a choice, dearie. And you will have to live with what comes of it.
ODESSA: I… I need some air.
SFX: Odessa gets up and leaves, the door slamming shut behind her. Cassandra eats a pickle. The door opens again.
CAL: Where’s Odessa?
CASSANDRA: Choosing.
CAL: Okay…
CASSANDRA: When will you tell her?
CAL: What?
CASSANDRA: That you love her.
CAL: What? I’m not… No, I’m–
CASSANDRA: You’re not?
CAL: It doesn’t matter, does it?
CASSANDRA: You can love someone without wanting anything in return.
CAL: I… I gotta go.
SFX: Cal runs out. The door slams. Water drips from the hose. Cassandra hums cheerfully. The god radio hisses, then clicks off.
THEME: (sings)
If there’s a stranger all alone
CREDITS:
Hearthbound
Episode 7
Cassandra
Features the voices of
Jo Chiang as Odessa
Manami Maxted as Cal
Liba Vaynberg as Medea
Arielle Yoder as Circe
Niki Afsar as Cassandra
Odessa’s Guitar by Pete Lanctot
Hearthbound is created, written, and produced by Jo Chiang
Directed by Jack Towhey Calk
Music directed by Ginger Dolden
Sound design and editing by Levi Sharpe
Additional dialogue editing by Anna Kelly Rodriguez and Amador L. Rodriguez
Music production, additional engineering, and mixing by Pete Lanctot
Production managed by Charlotte Muth & Neaco Fox
Special thanks to Multitude Studio and our illustrator, Anya Boz
Stay in touch with us on hearthboundpod.com
You get home safe now, you hear?
THEME: (sings)
Set her back to walk the stone
You may wonder, but never know
Will she find her way back home
JO: Hi! Jo here! Many thanks to Tania Khouri, who shared her coffee reading practice with me a few years ago. The attentiveness, intention, and intuition of her reading helped shape our Cassandra’s reading of Odessa’s cup. Any errors in interpretation are my own. Tania has been working on a coffee reading project within the Lebanese and Arab diaspora in Sydney, Australia, fostering a space of reciprocal care where people can share their passed-down rituals and remedies for healing, and collecting those stories in a multimedia oral history archive. You can learn more about Tania’s work at taniakhouri.com or follow her on Instagram at @iamtaniakhouri.
In this episode, Odessa tells the story of the white fallow deer that ravaged the place she called home. Her story is based on the real impact invasive species such as the fallow deer have on the peninsula of Point Reyes, California. A fantastic podcast, Whose Point Reyes, written and reported by Sam Anderson, is a great entryway to learning more about how the legacy of colonialism shapes the fate of public land in the US.
And in these trying times, may I offer you a little satirical art as a treat? The San Francisco Mime Troupe, a socialist theater collective, provided an extremely formative summer work study for me over a decade ago now. Whereas Odessa and Cal butcher pigs in exchange for salvage, I peeled mountains of potatoes in exchange for a crash course in commedia dell’arte, melodrama, and clowning. Lately, the Mime Troupe has been producing political musical comedies in the original radio serial format. You can check out their anthology show, Tales of the Resistance, at sfmt.org.
That’s all for now! Ever always, thank you for listening to Hearthbound.
