Anatoly and Svetlana: All or Nothing

Minsk

1986

Anatoly Sergievsky paused from his chess practice in order to answer a knock at his door.

"Comrade Sergievsky," said the bellhop.

"Yes, what is it?" asked Anatoly.

"There's a call for you at the front desk," said the bellhop. "It's your wife."

Anatoly groaned.

"Is something wrong, comrade?" asked the bellhop.

"No," said Anatoly. "I'll be down shortly."

"Svetlana," greeted Anatoly a few minutes later as he picked up the phone.

"Hello, my dear," greeted his wife. "I was beginning to think you were avoiding me."

"Nothing like that," lied Anatoly. "I've just been very busy."

"Yes, I imagine these propaganda tours must be very taxing," said Svetlana.

"More than you can imagine," said Anatoly.

"I'm glad you'll be home soon," said Svetlana. "The children miss you terribly."

"I miss them too," said Anatoly. "And I miss you. But I'm afraid I have some bad news on that subject. Molokov wants me to open an amusement park outside of Kiev."

Svetlana sighed. "Of course he does!"

"I'm truly sorry, my dear."

"Could you not, just this once, tell him no?" begged Svetlana.

"I'm not really in a position to do that."

"And just whose fault is that?" argued Svetlana.

"Mine," confessed Anatoly. "And mine alone. But I cannot change what I've done in the past."

"Yes, what you've done in the past," said Svetlana. "It makes me wonder if this has anything at all to do with Molokov."

"What is that supposed to mean?" demanded Anatoly.

"You know exactly what it means," said Svetlana.

"You believe I'm consorting with another woman," surmised Anatoly.

"You have been known to do that," observed Svetlana.

"I wish we could just put all of that behind us," said Anatoly.

"I do, too," said Svetlana, "But I fear nothing has really changed between us."

Anatoly:

I know we we've been on your mind

That distant look is in your eyes

I thought with time you'd realize

It's over, over

It's not the way I'd chose to live

But something, somewhere's got to give

As sharing this relationship

Gets older, older

Svetlana:

You know I'd fight for you

But how can I fight someone

Who isn't even there

I've had the rest of you

Now I want the best of you

I don't care if that's not fair

'Cause I want it all

Or nothing at all

There's nowhere left to fall

When you reach the bottom

It's now...or never

Is it all?

Or are we just friends?

Is this how it ends?

With a simple telephone call

You leave me here

With nothing at all

Anatoly:

There are times it seems to me

I'm sharing you in memories

I feel it in my heart but I

Don't show it, show it

Svetlana:

And then there's times you look at me

As though I'm all that you can see

Those times I don't believe it's right

I know it, know it

Anatoly and Svetlana:

Don't make my promises

Baby, you never did

Know how to keep them well

I've had the rest of you

Now I want the best of you

It's time to show and tell

'Cause I want it all

Or nothing at all

There's nowhere left to fall

When you reach the bottom

It's now...or never

Is it all?

Anatoly:

Or are we just friends?

Svetlana:

Is this how it ends?

Anatoly and Svetlana:

With a simple telephone call

You leave me here

With nothing...

Svetlana:

'Cause you...and I

Could lose it all

If you've got no more room

No room...inside

Anatoly:

For you in my life

Svetlana:

'Cause I want it all

Or nothing at all

There's nowhere left to fall

It's now or never

(Anatoly and Svetlana twice more through the chorus)

"I have to go, dear," said Anatoly. "I promise, we'll sort all of this out when I get home."

"I really hope so," said Svetlana. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

End of Scene #2

Song Credit:

"All or Nothing"

Written by Clive Davis & Steve Mac

Originally performed by O-Town

From the album O-Town (2001)