The Inanna-verse.

  (Inanna, Ninshubar, and Ereshkigal are seated before a flatscreen watching “A Year without Santa Claus”.   There is a large quantity of red and green iced brownies on a platter perched on a coffee table in front of them). INANNA:   Oh, dear.   I hope that Santa Claus can get on his feet to spread Christmas cheer! ERESHKIGAL:   Nonny, we watch this stupid show year after year and the ending is the same! NINSHUBAR:   And year after year you two get in a fight about it.   Calm down and enjoy the day. INANNA:   Do you think Santa Claus is real? ERESHKIGAL:   Oh, I don’t believe this... INANNA:   I’m serious!   Lots of people don’t believe we’re goddesses, but we are! NINSHUBAR:   Nonny, if you look into your heart as a source of generosity and charity, there lies the spirit that is Santa Claus. (Pause). INANNA:   You don’t believe a word you just said, do you? NINSHUBAR:   Well, I believe in generosity and charity— ERES...

(Inanna and Ninshubar enter a book store named Book Haven.   Ninshubar marvels at the stacks of books around her while Inanna pores over her iPad Pro). NINSHUBAR:   Books, glorious books!   Row upon row!   Column next to column!   A body could LOSE herself in such literary wealth for centuries! INANNA:   Mmm. Nice.   (Ninshubar deftly removes a thick volume from the shelves). NINSHUBAR:   Take for example this volume by Petronius Arbiter!   The restored work of The Satyricon!   This is a treasure.   What a find! INANNA:   Treasure, yeah. NINSHUBAR:   Or this tome by Dante Alighieri, the Divine Comedy!   The poet's ascent from the Inferno to-- are you paying attention, Nonny? INANNA:   Sort of. NINSHUBAR:   Inanna, unglue that nose of yours from that digital doo-dad and look at something tangible.   Trace your fingers along this fine grain paper.   These are the unabridged verses of Hesiod.   A...

(Shara, Inanna's son, is staring up at the evening sky.   The sun has set, its passage marked by the afterglow.   A bright star appears in the sky.   He turns to his mother). SHARA:   Momma, what is that? INANNA:   That, my child, is the evening star! SHARA:   Oh! INANNA:   It is a special kind of star.   It is called a "planet."   A planet wanders along its own path, unlike the fixed stars in the heavens. SHARA:   Amazing! INANNA:   And if you wish on it, your wish will come true! SHARA:   Will it really? INANNA:   It will!   Just repeat after me:   Star light, star bright... SHARA:   Star light, star bright... INANNA:   First star I see tonight... SHARA:   First star I see tonight... INANNA:   I wish I may, I wish I might... SHARA:   I wish I may, I wish I might... INANNA:   Have the wish I wish tonight! SHARA:   Have the wish I wish tonight! INANNA:   What did you wis...