A LIE OF THE MIND sy SAM SHEPARD DRAMATISTS PLAY SERVICE INC.ALIFE OF THE MIND CCopyighc © 1986, Sam Shepard AIL igh Reserved ‘CAUTION: Profesionas and amateur are hereby waned that performance of A LIE OF SFRIE MIND i ubjct wo pyrene of soya. Is fully proccre unde the copyright ws rae ard Sune of America, ad of ll counties covered by the International Copright ean chang the Dominion of Canada andthe rest of he British Commonwealth, and MPa coum covered by the Pan-American Coprighe Camvenuon, the Une) Goppihe Convention, te Berne Convention, and of ll counts with wich the Used ‘Sores has reciprocal copyright. relations All Taclaing, without Timicion SeiontVamatear sage gh maion pcre, reac, lssing, pbb eking aio Por custn ido or ound recoding all ore forms of mechanical, cletronic vetefgial production, vansmision and dirioucion, sch as CD, DVD, che ners wes estring ecwo, information storage and sexier sysems,phoracpying Pr eho tain inv foreign ngs stil reserved. Parcs emphani 4 et pl the mate’ of readings permision for which must be secure rom the Authors ge ia wen “The Englshlnguage stock and amateur stage perormanc igh in the Unie Sats fs Tones honesions and Canada fr A LIE OF THE MIND are contlledexhaivey by sate fers PLAY SERVICE, INC., 440 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016, Fe aclonal or nonproesionl performance of she Play may be given wihour obuaining No profes ariveapermision of DRAMATISTS PLAY SERVICE, INC. and paying the regu fee equi concerning ll ache igh sould beaded Judy Boal Ine, 307 West 38h ‘Sete 812, New York NY 10018, Arn: uly Bol SPECIAL NOTE “Anyone ceiving prmision produce A IE OF THE MIND is equired ge craic o a ee eke ad exclusive Author of the Ply on che tle page of all programs te outa in connection with performances ofthe ly and inal instance in which che a Py appa for purpose of advertising, publicizing or otherwise exploiting the ee ot ora also thet The ame ofthe Author must appear on 3 eparat inn aoe easerh name appeas media} beneath the tile and in ze frye equal 0 509% hh noc lngese most prominent leer use forthe ile ofthe Pay. No pessoa, Fim a ay reste ccd age x more prominent han tat accorded the Autor, SPECIAL NOTE ON SONGS AND RECORDINGS. econlings mentioned ia this Py. Inte be obianed. Otber son arrangement OF LIE OF THE MIND was fit 7 Stephen Graham a the Promenade Theatre, in New York City, on December 5, 1985. The production was directed by the author; the settings were by Andy Stacklin; the costumes were by Rita Ryack; the lighting was by Anne E- Mile, the makeup and hair design were by Marlies Vallant; and the pro- temued the music ofthe Red Cay Ramblers, ‘The east, ia da ees Glee eet JAKE oso. FRANKIE. SLAs Quinn BETH. Amada Plammer ew Paton LORRAINE . i see Y Kaan Yeas BAYLOR 1100000000/01/01202002020121 james Gammos MEG... : 112 annWedgeworh“Something identifies you with the one who leaves you, and it is your common power to return: thus your greatest sorrow. h “Something separates you from the one who remains you, and itis your common slavery to depart: thus your me: Dedicated to the memory of L.P.“Most were bankrupt small farmers or down-at-the-heel city proletarians, and the rest were mainly chronic nomads of the sort who, a century later, roved the country in caricatures of automobiles. If they started for Kentucky or Ohio, they were presently moving on to Indiana or Illinois, and after that, dog- edly and irrationally, to even wilder ‘and less hospitable regions. When they halted, it was simply because they had ‘become exhausted.” HLL. Mencken ‘The American Language MUSIC NOTES In the original New York production, which I directed, I had the good fortune to encounter a bluegrass group called: The Red Clay Ramblers, out of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Their ‘musical sensibilities, musicianship and great repertoire of tra- ditional and original tunes fit the play like a glove. It would be stretching the limitations of this publication to include all the lyrics and music notations that were such an integral part of ‘that production, But, having worked intimately with these ‘musicians, structuring bridges between scenes, underscoring certain monologues, and developing musical “themes” to open and close the acts, left me no doubt that this play needs music. Live music. Music with an American backbone. Since every director must develop his own personal sense of the material he's working on, I will leave the choice of music up to him, A Task is that there be music and that the music serves to support the emotional values discovered by the actors in the ‘course of rehearsal. T would also like to thank the Red Clay Ramblers for their tremendous contribution to our original production of this play. Sam ShepardSET DESCRIPTION Proscenium oriented but with space played out in front of arch Deep, wide, dark space with a four foot wide ramp Extreme Upstage, suspended about twelve feet high, stretching {rom Stage Right to Stage Left. When unlit, the ramp should disap: pear, Extreme Downstage Right, (From Actor's POV), is a Fratform, set about a fot off the floor, wide enough to accom: Pibdate the actors and furniture. The platform continues Upatage to about the middle of the stage then abruptly stops Canter Stage is wide open, bare, and left at floor level. The im- pression should be of infinite space, going off to nowhere. Ex: Pre Stage Left is another platform, slightly larger than the Stage Right one and elevated about three feet off oor leve ‘This entire construction of ramp, platforms and i fixed and dark in color. In the First Act there are no walls to Aofine locations—only furniture and props and light in the bare Space. In the Second and Third Acts alls are brought in to ‘SPihncate the rooms on either side of the stage. Only two walls ‘on each platform with no ceilings. Inthe case of the Stage Right platform, wall with a window, Extreme Stage Right, Another Ral tying into it, Upstage Right running perpendicular to it hd with a door in the Stage Left side of it. The Downstage and Stage Left sides ofthe platform are left open. On the Stage Left platform, two more walls set the same way but leaving she ownatage and Stage Right sides ofthe platform wide open. An old style, swinging kitchen door is set in the Stage Right side of the Upstage wal. A window in the Stage Left wall A LIE OF THE MIND ACTI Scene 1 Frankie, behind audience holding a telephone, talking i sling igh ly ng co oof Jl Lauies Lah einai Beaters, suitcase beside him, standing at a blue payphone on highway, talking into it. Pale lis fol moon Erma Upsingy Right Cv. Inpeion of ge decks end dees btomnheonchrces ei ‘ach one isolated in their own pool of light. Their voices are Sean fin itch Mack. Ths mown ces up ny efi at ir conversation continues in fed deme dawien a FRANKIE. (Jn dark.) Jake. Jake? Now, look—Jake? Listen Just listen to me a second. (Sound of Jake smashing receiver down on feytione) Jake! Dont do that! Youre gonna disconnect us ain. Listen to me. Gimme the nurnber where you are, okay? ‘Just gimme the number. ere von aaa JAKE. (Jn dark.) There's no number! INKIE. There must be a number. |AKE. I can’t read it TRANKIE. Just gimme the nur BE NKIE. Jn ine she number ao Tea ally bac fe JAKE. There's no number! Its dark! I can Whadya' thik 1am, an oul or somethin Me ark IE. Okay, okay. Take it easy. Where 2 BRIE, Otay, chy. it easy. Where are you then? Ha INKIE, What sate? . Some state. I don't know. They're all the same ae Ty sin pete Slee weer T don't need to think! I know! (Pause : Me fae, Pranic. You soutty en FRANKIE. Beth?JAKE, I never even seznit comin should’ known. Why ‘int sce comin been oot fo 0 long PRANICEE js ry otto ak about for ght now, Jae Ota? Just ay toa go ofthe hough of SARE ts ot «tought, Dnt gimme that Zen it FRANKIE. Te pure en. Whatever TARE. sot a picture either Tee he. Tce ber She ight fare with men FRANKIE, She there? JAKE. Sick hr! Shes sight here FRANKIE tls hc iho Jim do we Pol of ih op now nb of on. aol) Jk! Stop Sing that, il ya Just take i easy. Jake? You xl there? Puke) Joke! Dont hang up one (Pau) JAKE, Snes not gonna ull outa his one, Prank. She’ not se Tan he ace twas be ti ne Real ad FRANKIE, What happened? JAKE, All sed and back so bl. PRANKIE! Oh Jake God. What you do? JARE. never cten saw icomin, Franc: [ever did. How tome that? How came? FRANKIE, Whereis de now? JAKE, She deat (Pose) FRANKIE. What? STARE. Shes deal! Jae pt rie dom ty ond hangs dis tine) FRANKIE, Jae! Jake! Goddamnit! (Pnkie ams his ner Sen. Blo tint fal) Scune 2 Bat’ voice is heard in blackout almost overlapping Frank's last line. Lights up fast on Beh Downstage Left as she sits up siraght witha jek as though awakened by a nightmare. She is in awhile hesptal bed covered witha sheet. She wears a blue hospital smack, Her head is wrapped in bandages. Her face badly braised, ees Black and blue. Her brother, Mike, stands behind her Upstage of bed, arm around her shoulder, stroking her back. She tries to speak but no words come, just short punc- tuated sounds atthe end of her rapid xhales 10 WETH, Saah—thah—Jaah—thuh—saah—saah—saah—saah (Continues under.) MIKE, (String her back.) Don't talk, Beth. You don't have to tall, Hes all right, honey. (She discovers bandage on her head and Marts to rip it off. UE starts to come apart in long streamers of gauze. Mike Wes te stop her but she continues tering the bandage of.) RTH: (4s she rips off bandage. ) Ghaah —ghaah—khaah—Khaah Kkhaah—khaah— (Continues. ) MIKE, No, leave that on. Leave it, Beth. You're supposed to leave it on for a while. Don't take that off BATH. (Sil pulling bandage off.) Am I a mummy now? Am Ta mummy? Am I? Am I now? MIKE. Its just a bandage. BETH. (Ropid speech, it gushes out of her.) You tell them, 'm not dead. You go tell them. Tell them now. Go tell them. Dig me ‘up. Tell them dig me up now. P'm not in here. ‘They can't wait for me now. MIKE, Beth, it's all right. BETH. Are they above us now? How deep are we in here? How MIKE, It’s okay. BETH, They leave you here to bring me back? Did they leave you? MIKE. It's a hospital, Beth. BETH. Iza tomb! Iza tomb! You tell them 'm not dead! Go tell them! MIKE. Beth, it’s okay. You got hurt but you're gonna’ be all right now. BETH. Did they bury me in a tree? A tribe? Did they? (Mike holds her firmly by the shoulders. Pause. She fel her head.) Whaaza plase where I fell? Who fell me? MIKE. (Holding her.) You're okay. (Both her arms shoo straight up above her head. She holds them thee stiff.) BETH, (Screams, holds her arms up.) WHO FELL ME!!! MIKE. (Trying to bring her arms down to her sides.) Beth. Pm with you now. I'l ake care of you. Do you recognize me? You know who I am? (She stares at him, slowly relaxes her arms, brings them back down to her sides. Mike stakes her back sofly.) BETH. Yore the dog. Yore the dog they send. MIKE. I'm Mike. P'm your brother. imBETH. Mike the dog. (She spits in his face. Pause.) MIKE. T'm gonna stay with you now. BETH. You gant take in me. You gant take me back. MIKE. T'm not going to take you anywhere, Welll stay right here until you're all better. BETH. Who fell me here? MIKE. Don't worry about that. BETH. Who fell me? Tza—Iea name? Iza name to come. Itz—Itz—Inza man. Inza—name. Aall—aall—all—a love. A love. MIKE, Dont try to talk, Beth. You just need some rest now BETH. (Soft.) Hees with you? MIKE. No. BETH. Heer— MIKE. He’s gone now. He's not around. Don't worry about him. He's nowhere near here BETH. Don’ leeve me. MIKE. I won't, honey. I promise. I'l stay right here with you. Passe.) SIETH (sifu) Whaae he gone? MIKE. He's far away. He won't hurt you now. BETH. Hees— MIKE. Just try to get some sleep now, honey. Try to get some sleep. BETH. Heez gone. (Lights fade. Moon stays full but turns pale green.) Scene 3 Soft orange light up on Stage Right platform, revealing small rp maul oh ih fo tants Ma ft source emanating from lamp. A wooden chair opposite couch Jake's suitcase on floor with clothes spiled out oft. Jake sits in ‘middle of couch, legs apart, slouched forward, holding his head in his hands. Franke stands behind couch witha plastic bag fall of ice, trying to apply itt the back of Jake's neck. Jake ‘eeps pushing the ice away. 12 JAKE. (Shoving ice away.) I don't want any goddamn ice! It’s ‘old! FRANKIE. I thoughe it might help. JAKE. Well, it don't. It’s cold. FRANKIE. I know it’s cold. It’s ice. It’s supposed to be cold. (Pause. Frankie goes to chair. Sits. Silence between them for a while.) You didn't actually kill her, did ya’, Jake? (Jake stays seated. Starts slow, low, deliberate.) JAKE. She was goin’ to these goddamn rehearsals every day. Every day. Every single day. Hardly ever see her. [saw enough though. Believe you me. Saw enough to know somethin’ was goin’ on. FRANKIE. But you didn’t really kill her, did ya’? JAKE. (Builds.) Pm no dumby. Doesn't take much to put it together. Woman starts dressin’ more and more skimpy every {ime she goes out. Starts puttin’ on more and more smells. Oils. She was always 0 i: Smell would wake me up. Coconut or Butterscotch or some goddamn thing, Sweet stufl. Youda’ thought she was an ice- cream sundae. 4 watch her oiling herself while I pretended to be asleep. She was in a dream, the way she did it. Like she was imagining someone else touching her. Not me. Never me. Someone else FRANKIE, Who? JAKE. (Stands, moves around space, gains momentum. ) Some guy. 1 don’t know, Some actor-jerk. I knew she was gettin’ herself ready for him. Teould tell. Got worse and worse. When I finally called her on it she denied it flat. I knew she was lying too. Could tell it right away. The way she took it so light, Tried to cast it off like it was nothin’. Then she starts tellin’ me it’s all in ‘my head. Some imaginary deal I'd cooked up in my head. Had nothin’ to do with her, she said. Made me try to believe T was crazy. She's all innocent and I'm crazy. So I told her—T told hher—I laid it on the line to her. Square business. I says—no ‘more high heels! No more wearin’ them high spikey high heels torehearsals, No more a’ that shit. And she laughs. Right to my face. She laughs, Kept puttin’ ‘em on. Every mornin’. Puttin’ “em back on. She says it's right for the part. Made her fee like 13the character she says. Then I told her she had to wear a bra and she paid no attention to that either. You could see right through her damn blouse. Right clean through it. And she never wore underpants either. That’s what really got me. No underpants. You could see everything. FRANKIE. Well, she never wore underpants anyway, did she? (Jake stops, tums to Frankie. Frankie says in chair. Pause.) JAKE, How do you know? FRANKIE. No, I mean—I think you told me once. JAKE. (Moving slowly toward Frankie.) 1 never told you that. I ‘never woulda’ told you a thing like that. That's personal. FRANKIE. (Backing up.) No, I think you did once—when you were drunk or somethin’ JAKE. (Close to Frankie.) T never woulda’ told you that! FRANKIE. All right. (Paws. ) JAKE. I never talked about her that way to anybody. FRANKIE. Okay. Forget it. Just forget it JAKE. You always liked her, didn't you, Frankie? Don't think I ‘overlooked that. FRANKIE. Are you gonna’ finish tellin’ me what happened? ‘Cause if you're not I'm gonna’ take a walk right outa’ here. (Pause Jake considers, then launches back into the sor.) JAKE. (Returns to speed, mover.) Okay. Then she starts readin’ the lines with me, at night. In bed. Readin’ the lines. Tm helpin’ her out, right? Helpin’ her memorize the damn lines so she can run off every morning and say’em to some other guy. Day after day. Same lines. And these lines are all about how she's bound land determined to get this guy back in the sack with her afer all these years he’s been ignoring her. How she still Ioves him even though he hates her. How she’s saving her body up for him and. him only. FRANKIE. Well, it was just a play, wasn't it? JAKE. Yeah, a play. That’ right. Just a play. “Pretend.” That's “what she said. “Just pretend.” I know what they were doing! know damn weil what they were doin’ I know what that acting shi is all about. They try to “believe” they're the person. Right? ‘Try to believe so hard they're the person that they actually think they become the person. So you know what that means don't ya? FRANKIE. What? 4 JAKE. They start doin’ all the same stuff the person does! FRANKIE. What person? JAKE. The person! The—whaeya’ call it? The— FRANKIE. Character? JAKE. Yeah. The character. That's right. They start acting ‘that way in real life. Just like the character. Walkin’ around — talkin’ that way. You shoulda’ seen the way she started to walk and talk. [couldn't believe it. Changed her hair and everything. Put a wig on. Changed her clothes. Everything changed. She was unrecognizable. I didn’t even know who T was with any- more. I told her. I told her, look—"I don't know who you think you are now but I'd just as soon you come on back to the real world here.” And you know what she tells me? FRANKIE. What? JAKE. She tells me this is the real world, This acting shit is ‘more real than the real world to her. Can you believe that? And she was tryin’ to convince me that J was crazy? ( Pause.) FRANKIE. So you think she was sleeping with this guy just because she was playing a part in a play? JAKE. Yeah. She was real dedicated. FRANKIE. Are you sure? I mean when would she have time to do that in rehearsals? JAKE. On her lunch break, FRANKIE. (Stands.) Oh, come on, Jake. JAKE. Sit down! Sit back down. I got more to tell you FRANKIE. No! F'm not gonna’ sit down! I came to try to help you out and all you're tellin’ me is a bunch of bullshit about Beth screwing around with some other guy on her lunch break? JAKE. She was! It’s easy to tell when a woman gets obsessed ‘with somethin’ else, When she moves away from you. They don’t hide it as easy as men, FRANKIE. She was just trying to do a good job. JAKE. That's no job! I've had jobs before. I know what a job is, 'A job is where you work. A job is where you don't have fun. You don't dick around tryin’ to pretend you're somebody else. You ‘work, Work is work! FRANKIE, Its a different kind of a job. JAKE. It's an excuse to fool around! That's was it is. That's why ‘she wanted to become an actress in the first place. So she could get away from me. 15FRANKIE. You can't jump to that kind of conclusion just be- ‘cause she was— JAKE. I didn’t jump to nothing’ I knew what she was up to ‘even if she didnt FRANKIE. So, you mean you're accusing her of somethin’ she ‘wasn't even aware of? JAKE. She was aware all right, She was tryin’ to hide it from me but she wasn’t that good an actress. (Pause.) FRANKIE. So you beat her up again. Boy, I'm tellin’ you JAKE. [killed her. (Pause) FRANKIE. You killed her. JAKE. That's right. FRANKIE. She stopped breathing? JAKE. Everything stopped. FRANKIE. You checked? JAKE. I didn't have to check. FRANKIE. She might've just been unconscious or something. JAKE. No, FRANKIE. Well, whatd you do? Did you tell the police? JAKE. Why would I do that? She was already dead. What ‘ould they do about it? FRANKIE, That's what you're supposed to do when somebody dies. You report it to the police. JAKE. Even when you kill em? FRANKIE. Yeah! Even when you kill them, Especially when you kill them! JAKE. I never heard a’ that (Pause.) FRANKIE, Well, somebody should check up on it, I mean this, is pretty serious stuff, Jake JAKE. I done my time for her. I already done my time. FRANKIE, She had nothin’ to do with that. She never did. JAKE. She got me in trouble more’n once. She did it on pur pose too. Always flirtin’ around. Always carryin’ on. FRANKIE, She had nothin’ to do with i! You lost your temper. JAKE. She provoked FRANKIE. You've always lost your temper and blamed it on somebody else. Even when you were a kid you blamed it on somebody else. One time you even blamed it on a goat, I re- member that. (Pause. Jake stops.) 16 JAKE. What goat? FRANKIE. That milk goat we had. JAKE. What was her name? FRANKIE. 1 forget JAKE. What was that goat’s name? FRANKIE. You remember that goat? JAKE. Yeah, I remember that goat. I loved that goat FRANKIE. Well you kicked the shit out ofthat goat you loved so much when she stepped on your bare feet while you were tryin’ to milk her. You remember that? Broke her ribs JAKE. I never kicked that goat! FRANKIE. Oh, you don't remember that huh? You broke your damn foot you kicked her so hard JAKE. What was that goat's name? (Jake suddenly als tothe flor, “allases. Fronkic goes to him. Tries to help hi.) Get away from mel FRANKIE. What happened? JAKE. Just get away! FRANRIE, You all right? JAKE. Somethin’s wrong. My head's funny. FRANKIE. ( Toying to help Jake up.) Come on, le's get you back ‘on the couch, JAKE. (Pushing Frankie away, crews on knees toward couch.) don't hneed any help FRANKIE. You feel dizzy or something? JAKE. (Craling fo couch.) Yeah. All of sudden. Everything’s— FRANKIE. You want me to get you something? JAKE, (Climbing up on couch and lying on his bell.) No. 1 don't ‘need nothin’ FRANKIE. You want me to get a doctor for you? JAKE. T'm gonna’ die without her. I know Tm gonna’ dle. (Pause) FRANKIE. I could go to her folks’ place. They know what hhappened to her JAKE. No! You stay away from there! Don't go anywhere near there. 'm through chasin’ after her. FRANKIE. Somebody's gotta’ find out, Jake. Sooner or later (Pause. Jake speaks in a whisper, almost to himself. His whole tone changes Vey vulnerable, as though questioning a ghost.) JAKE. Now. Why now? Why am I missing her now, Frankie? ‘Why not then? When she was there? Why am I afraid 'm gonnat 17Jose her when she's already gone? And this fear—this fear swarms through me—floods my whole body ‘tl there’s nothing left. Nothing left of me. And then it curns—TIe turns to a fear for iy whole life. Like my whole life is lost from losing her. Gone. ‘That I'l die like this. Lost. Just lost. FRANKIE. It's okay, Jake. JAKE. You liked her too, didn’t you, Frankie? FRANKIE. Yeah, I liked her. (Pause) JAKE. My back's like ice. How come my back’s so cold? FRANKIE, (Moves x.) I'll get you a blanket. JAKE. No! Don't leave. FRANKIE. (Stops) All right. (Pause. ) You okay? JAKE. Yeah. Just sit with me for a while. Stay here. FRANKIE. (Goes to chair, pulls it near couch. ) Okay. ( Frankie sits in chair nex to couch. fake stays on his belly, arm hanging limply ove the side of couch, hand touching the floor.) JAKE. Don't leave. FRANKIE. I won't. (Lights dim to black.) Scene + Lights up Extreme Left on Mike trying to help Beth walk. Her ‘arm is around his neck. His arm around her waist and the other hand holding her hand. Her legs are very weak and keep going ‘ut fom under her periodically. Sometimes he reaches down and smoves one of her legs forward when she appears too weak to move. She stops now and then, breathing hard from the efor. ‘She watches her bare fe the whole time, then once in awhile her ead jerks up and starsat the ceiling, then back down to hr ft ‘again similar tothe head movements of a blind person. The ‘wo oftham kee staging to aalk in circles like this as they speak, Btls voice now is very childlike and smal BETH. (As she walks.) You won! hurd him, Mige. Yera kineness. Alla kineness. In for nah to me. Fine I kim it MIKE, (Helping her walk.) Just try to keep moving, That's it. You're doing great. BETH. Yera kineness, Mige. I'm onah too. Fo fo nahchoo Inah laan tobit. In a lean, 18 MIKE. Try to pay attention to walking, honey. Just walking. You don’t have to talk now. Doctor said that would come later. Slow, You don't have to worry about that now. BETH. Jess walk. No makin’ fan tat. Sant, Sant. (She giggles.) MIKE. ‘That's right. BETH. Jess step. Ah kahn tah. MIKE, Take it slow. BETH. You won’ hurd them. You won’. Nah can't a chile. A. chile. Ab chile. (Like “hild.") You can hurd him, Mige. Hee a chile. Both. MIKE. Don't think about him now. We'll worry about him later. Right now you just have to get strong. You have to learn how to walk first BETH. Heez nah weak. He bash me. (Ske giggles.) Bash me oot. MIKE, (Hard.) DON'T THINK ABOUT HIM! (She stops, clasps her arms across her chest and folds completely forward. Her head drops. She saris to weep. Hugging her, trying to straighten her up.) Beth, I'm sorry. Pm sorry. I—I just want you to concentrate so you can get better. That's all. Okay? I'm sorry. I want you to walk so we can take you home. You understand? Mom and Dad want to see you. Don't you want to get better? (She shakes ter head defiantly, stays folded yp.) Don't you want to get back hhome? (Suddenly she pulls away from Mike, takes a few steps on her ‘ow and falls. Mike goes to her fast and picks her back up on hr fet.) BETH. (Seoage.) NO! DON’ TUSH ME! MIKE. (Holding her up as she stragles.) T have to hold you up, Beth, or you'l fall over. BETH. DON TUSH ME! I won’ fall! I won’. MIKE, All right. Ifyou want to stand on your own, that’s great. BETH. I won’. MIKE. Okay. (Mike cautiously lets go of her and stands back «couple of steps, ready to catch her if she topples. Beth just stands thre for awhile staring at her fe. She sways slightly from side to side.) BETH. (Quietly, staring at her fee.) Tm above my feet. Way above. Inah—I cah— MIKE. Can you take a step? BETH. How high me? How high—up? MIKE. Try to take a step, Beth. BETH. How high? Did they bury me in a tree? 19MIKE. Try taking a step. BETH, (Abrupt, jerks hr head toward Mike.) You! You ztep. (Pause) MIKE. You want me to take a step? BETH. (Saying inthe same plac.) You 2tep. MIKE. If Take a step, will you take one? BETH, You! MIKE. All right. (He takes a step. She laughs, Stays in place.) What's so funny? BETH. You ztep, Fan tak, You. MIKE, You want to try? BETH. No! You. MIKE. [just took one. Now is your turn BETH. (Clery age.) 1M NOT A BABY! 'M NOT! (Pawe.) MIKE, I know you're not, Beth. just want you to ty take @ step. That’ all BETH, NO! (Pause ar she stands thr, rote tothe sot, but sill sauaying slighty.) MIKE, Well, what're you gonna’ do, just stand there? BETH. (Fast, cry clear, mimicking him cacy.) Well, whatre you gonna do, just stand there? MIKE. (Moving coer ther) Beth BETH. (Seams.) DON’ TUSH ME! (Mie tps. Stands of fom her. She stays stil, swaying, string down athe fe. Pause.) MIKE, I'm jus trying to help you out. (Pause. Her head rks up ‘She stares at ceiling and says.) BETH. Hee killed us both. MIKE. (Moves tmward her, then stops.) You're not dead, Beth, You're going to be all right. BETH. (Fie, jerks her head toward Mike.) YM DEAD! DEAD! DAAAAH! HEEZ TOO. MIKE. You gotta forget about him for now! You gotta’ just forget about him! BETH. NAAH! You gan’ stop my head. Nobody! Nobody stop ry head. My head is me. Hees in me. You gan stop him in me. Nobody gan stop him in me MIKE, This guy tried to kill you! How can you still want aman who tried to kill you! What’ the matter with you He's the one who did this to you! 20 BETH. HEEZ MY HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAART!!! (Blackout. Moon stays green and full.) Scene 5 Lights up fat Down Right. Same props as Scene 3. Couch and lamp, suitcase, clothes, ete. But now more ofthe area is lit in front and tothe sides ofthe couch with the couch remaining in very dim light. Just able to make out the shape of Jake laying telly down still, with his face tured away from audience, ‘covered with blanket, arm still dangling oui over the side Frankie, his sister, Sally, and their mother, Lorraine, enter fast from Upitage Right of platform and cross Down Center into ‘middle neutral territory. Scene is played out Down Centr for a while. FRANKIE. (On the move, entering fiom vn.) Just try t0 keep your voice down, Mom. This isthe first time he's slept since F've seen him, LORRAINE. Don't be so damn bossy. FRANKIE. Well, he hasn't slept. LORRAINE, I just wanna’ take a look at him is all. SALLY. Mom— FRANKIE, He’s not lookin’ too good right now, Mom, LORRAINE. Whatsa’ matter with him? FRANKIE. He's lost a whole bunch of weight. LORRAINE. Well Til make him up a batch a’ that cream of broccoli soup. That'll put the weight back on him. That's his favorite FRANKIE. He wont eat LORRAINE. Whad'ya’ mean he won't eat. That boy eat the paint off a plate if you let him. Whad'ya’ been feedin’ him? FRANKIE. He's in big trouble, Mom. LORRAINE. So what's new? Name a day he wasn't in trouble. He was trouble from day one. Fell on his damn head the second he was born. Slipped right through the doctor’ fingers. That's all started. Back there. Had nothin’ to do with his up- aSALLY. Mom, justlsten to Frankie a second. He's tryin’ to tell you somethin’ LORRAINE. I am listenin’ but Um not hearin’ no revelations! What's the story here? My boy's sick. I'l make him some soup. Weill take him out to the Drive-In. Everything's gonna’ be fine. What's the big deal here? SALLY. Mom! Jake might've killed Beth! That’s what’s goin’ fon, All right? ( Pause.) LORRAINE, Who's Beth? ( Pause.) SALLY. Oh, my God. Jake’s wife. Beth. You remember her? Beth? Little, skinny Beth? LORRAINE. Never heard a! her. SALLY. Mom=Mom, you don't remember Beth? LORRAINE. No. Why should I? I don't keep track of his bim- bos. SALLY. Great FRANKIE. We're not really sure about it yet, Mom. I mean — he’s pretty emotional about the whole thing. LORRAINE, He's an emotional boy. Always has been. SALLY. He's not a boy. He's a big grown-up man and he ‘might have killed his wife! LORRAINE. He wasnt fit to live with anybody to begin with! I don't know why he ever tried it. Woman who lives with a man like that deserves to be killed. She deserves it. FRANKIE. All right, knock it off! Both a’ you! We gotta’ think about this thing now. Jake's the one who's in trouble here, ‘okay? He's in bad shape. You understand that? He's in real bad shape. Every day he’s gettin’ worse SALLY. He's not gonna’ die or anything — LORRAINE. My boy ain't gonna’ die. I'm goin’ in there right rnow and nobody’s gonna’ stop me, (Lorraine moves directly onto 8 platform toward the couch and Jake, pushing past Frankie, who makes no ‘attempt to stop her. Lights rise on couch now, equal tothe rest of area. She stops beside couch and swats Jake hard on the rump. Jake doesnt move. Frankie and Sally follow her onto platform.) Jake? Jake, it’s your ‘mother. Sit up, boy. Sit up and lemme take a look at your tongue. Come on, now. Sit up and face me. (Jake ralls over slowly, _focing out toward audience now. His face is pale whit, eyes sunken and dark, radically changed from the las time he was seen. Lomaine steps back, Frankie and Sally move into couch area with Loraine. To Frankie.) 2 What in the hell's he got? He looks like death warmed over. SALLY. Jake? (Jake just stares at them.) LORRAINE. (To Jee.) Your brother here's been tryin’ to tell that you're gonna’ pass on us. Now quit the shenanigans and sit up. Are you hearin’ me? SALLY. Just leave him be, Mom. LORRAINE. He's just play-acting. Used to do this all the time when he didn’t get his own way. Mope around for days like a Gocker Spaniel. Got so bad sometime I finally had to take a bucket a ice cold rain water and throw it right in his damn face. ‘That worked every time, Maybe that’s what we oughta’ do right now. (To Frankie.) You got a bucket? FRANKIE. [ don’t think rain water's gonna’ do it, Mom. He's had the chills for three days now. He just shakes all through the night. Talks to himself and shakes. LORRAINE. It’s all pretend. He just wants some attention, that’s all. (Sally moves closer to Jake. Ee smiles at her.) SALLY. Jake? You feelin’ any better? JAKE, (Soft, loving.) Howd you ever get to be so beautiful? ‘SALLY. (Short augh.) You never used to think that when we ‘were kids, Least you never admitted it. You always called me the Crayfish. You remember? JAKE. (Slow, slured.) We were never gonna’ be apart. SALLY. Jake, you know who I am, don't ya"? JAKE. We were gonna’ be tied together. (Laughs. ) You re- ‘member when I tied you to me. That one night. You tried sneakin’ off on me. In my sleep. Couldn't do it, could ya’? Couldn't. Had you tied LORRAINE, (Moving to Frankie, taking him aside so Jake can't ‘ear. To Frankie.) Has he been drinkin’ or somethin’? FRANKIE. No, [ wouldn't buy him a bottle. Are you kidding? LORRAINE, Well don't. Not unless you want someone else killed. FRANKIE, I'm not gonna’. LORRAINE. Every time he gets near liquor he thinks it’s his God given duty to keep pace with his old man. FRANKIE. [ know that LORRAINE, Don't you dare buy him a bottle. FRANKIE, I won't! (Jake reaches out suddenly ond grabs Sally by the wrist She pulls back but his grip is powerful. ) 23SALLY. Jake, come on! LORRAINE. (Moving back to Jake. To Jake.) You let go a’ yer ister! JAKE, (To Sally, keeping ahold of her wrist.) Iwas sure—I was $0 ‘damn sure we both had the same idea. I was sure a’ that SALLY. (Pulling back slightly but caught.) Yr Sally, Jake. Your sister. Sally. Now let go a’ me all right? LORRAINE. He knows who you are. Don't you believe for ‘one minute that he don't know who you are. (Approaching Jake.) You know who she is, now let go of her! Let go of her right now. JAKE. You never did see me, did ya’, Beth? Just had a big wild hhotion about some dream life up ahead. Somebody who was gonna’ save yer ass. (Jake starts to bear down on Saly’s wrist now and drags her closer to him. SALLY. (Scared, strugeling o get fee.) Vm not Beth, Jake! Let go a me. Let go a’ me! You're hurtin’ me! LORRAINE. Let go a’ your sister! (Loraine takes off one of her shoes, charges Jake and starts belting him over the head with i Joke keeps ahold of Sally’ wrist. Frankie moves in and pulls Lorraine away from Jake fom behind. She starts to beat Franke with the shoe now. JAKE. (To Sally.) Pm gonna’ let go a’ you! I'm gonna let go a? you once and for all! (Jake drops Saly’s wrist. Sally backs avay fast, rubbing her tevst. Jakes arm falls limply to the floor again. His eyes clase, He goes unconscious. Lorraine stops beating Frankie withthe shoe Frankie lets go of her. They all stare at Jake.) LORRAINE. That boy's a maniac, Always has been. (Pause. ) What's he doin’ now? FRANKIE. He's out again. He goes in and out like that. All through the day. I don't know what's goin’ on with him. SALLY. He's crazy. He's just plain crazy. LORRAINE, We gotta’ get him outa’ here. He's just go seed in this dump. It’ this place that’s doin’ it to him, SALLY. We can’t keep him at home, Mom. LORRAINE. Why not? That’s where he belongs. He belongs home. SALLY. He's dangerous! ‘That's why! LORRAINE. He's dyin’ here to SALLY. He needs a doctor. LORRAINE. He needs us is what he needs FRANKIE. If you could take him for a couple days, Mom. 1 4 could get back and find out what happened with Beth. You think you could do that? I just need a couple a’ days. I gotta’ find out for sure what's goin’ on. LORRAINE. I'm gonna’ take him on a permanent basis. I'm not even gonna’ let him outa’ his room for a solid year. Maybe ‘haell teach him, SALLY. What if he hurts somebody? He's liable to do anything in the state he’s in LORRAINE. He's not gonna’ hurt us, We're related. Look at him, He's just a big baby. That’ all he is. He's not gonna’ hurt us. Strangers hell hurt. Strange women. Outsiders he'll hurt. ‘That's guaranteed. But not us. He knows us. SALLY. Mom, if you bring him in that house—TI'm leavin’. LORRAINE. Then leave, girl. This is my boy here ( Blackout.) Scene 6 Lights up Left. Beth's bed Upstage in very dim light, just able to make out her form lying with her face turned auvay from au- dence, almost the identical position and attitude of sleep as Jake in previous scene. A small, fold-out hospital screen in front of ted that can be seen through. The perimeters ofthe area are more fully lit, revealing Mike, his mother, Meg, and his father, Baplor, Downsiage. BAYLOR. What do ya’ mean, “brain damage"? How can they prove somethin’ like that? MIKE, She had an X-ray, Dad. They're not sure how bad it is yet. She's having a lot of trouble talking, BAYLOR. She gone crazy, or what? MIKE. No. She's had an injury to the brain. You understand? Doesn't mean it’s permanent. Doesn't mean she’s crazy either. BAYLOR. Well, what the hell does it mean then? “Injury to the brain’ sounds like a permanent situation to me. MEG. Oh my goodness. How in the world could a thing like this ever happen? MIKE. I told you, Mom, Jake beat her up. He beat the shit out of her. 25BAYLOR. Watch your language, MEG. Who's Jake? MIKE. Her husband, Mom. Jake. MEG. Oh, MIKE. You remember Jake, don’t ya’? MEG. Wasn't he the son of those people we don’t talk to any- MIKE. Yeah, That's right. BAYLOR, Bunch a’ Oakies. Don't surprise me one bit MEG. I think I do remember him, MIKE. You were there at the wedding. MEG. I was? BAYLOR. I wasn't. MIKE, (To Baylor.) No, you stayed aay. You made a point a BAYLOR. I was fishin’, MEG. I think I do remember that. There was cars all over the place. Lots of cars. I kept wondering how come they had to park on the lawn, Why'd they have to do that? MIKE. I don't know, Mom. MEG. Wasn't there a parking lot or anything? BAYLOR. Well, when're we gonna’ be able to see her? MIKE. She's sleeping right now. BAYLOR. Well, wake her up. We drove all the way down here from Billings just to see her. Now wake her up. MIKE. I wish you'd have called me or something before you came down, BAYLOR. Why should I call you? MIKE. She's having a kind of a rough time right now, Dad. She needs a lot of rest. BAYLOR. Listen, I got two mules settin’ out there in the parkin’ lot I gotta’ deliver by midnight. Tm supposed to be at the sale by six tomorrow mornin’ and those mules have to be in the stalls by midnight tonight. MIKE. You brought mules down here? BAYLOR. Yeah. Why not? Might as well do a little business long as I'm gonna’ be down in this country anyway, That all right by you? MEG. They made so much noise. I was so embarrassed once we hit the city. Felt like such a hick. There we are pulling mules 26 {ivan open trailer and everyone's staring at us like we made a wrong turn or something. BAYLOR. Looks like we did make a wrong turn if we can’t feyen see our own daughter. What's the story here anyway? "They got her locked up or something? MIKE. This is a hospital, Dad. They don't lock you up in a hospital BAYLOR. Oh, they don't huh. MEG. ‘They locked me up once, didn't they, Dad? BAYLOR. That wasn't you. That was your mother. MEG. Oh BAYLOR. That was a long time ago, anyhow. MEG. It wasn't me? MIKE. Maybe we could go down to the cafeteria and have some coffee or something. She might be awake by the time we get back BAYLOR. I ain't gonna drink any a’ that damn hospital coffee. ‘And I'm not talkin’ to no doctors either. I wanna’ see my daugh- ter! MIKE. You don't have to talk to any doctors. BAYLOR. I didn't come all the way down here to be made a fool of in front of a bunch a’ college boys. MIKE. Nobody’s interested in making a fool out of you, Dad. Beth's sick. She needs attention. And everybody here is doing the best they can for her. BAYLOR. Well, that sounds like ya’ don't need us then, Sounds like you got all the bases covered here. Come on, Meg, let’s hhead back home then. (Baylor takes Meg by the elbow. ) MEG. Well, we just got here, didn’t we? BAYLOR. I gotta’ get those mules out to the fairgrounds, Now lets go. We're wastin’ our time here. MIKE. Dad, wait a second. There's no reason to get offended BAYLOR. I'm not offended! What the hell, I'm just a dumb rancher. What do I know? I don't know the first damn thing about “brain damage.” They got specialists for that. Ain't that right? They got boys back there with diplomas tall as a man, What am I supposed to know about it? MIKE, If you can just wait—if you can just stay for an hour or BAYLOR. I can’t wait. I got stock to feed. Now let’s go, Meg. 7MIKE. Well then let Mom stay with me, Beth needs to see her. Til bring her back home in a few days MEG. That would be nice. (Pause) BAYLOR. Where's she supposed to stay? MIKE. She can stay with me BAYLOR. (To Mike.) How're you gonna’ watch out for her and your sister both. That's more’a one man can handle. More'n two men can handle MIKE. Te’ not that big a problem. They've got nurses here BAYLOR. You're gonna’ drive all the way back North with hher? You're gonna’ wanna’ do that? Bring her all the way back up North? MIKE, Just let me worry about it, okay? BAYLOR. Wel, what am T supposed to do, talk to myself all the way back home? That's a five hundred mile trip. MEG. They got good radio between here and Billings, Dad. BAYLOR. Good radio? All they got is that Eddie Jackrabbit You call that music. MEG. 1 liked it BAYLOR. All right. Allright. (To Meg.) You wanna’ stay? MEG. T' like to. BAYLOR. All right. (To Mike.) How many days you think il be? MIKE. Two oF three. MEG. Til be fine, Baylor BAYLOR. Youll be fine. You'll be fine, Sure. All right. Il go out and get your jacket out of the truck. Be right back. MBG. I won't need it BAYLOR. (4s he exis.) You'll need it. You always need it. (Baylor exits. Meg tums and smiles at Mike.) MEG. He's right. (Beth suddenly ols over acing audience. Spotlight an her face. The rest of her body in di light.) BETH. Mom? ( Blackout.) Scene 7 Lights up Upstage Right. Jake, propped up with pillows, fae- ing audience ina single bed that’s now to short for him, Efe: in 28 boxer underwear and a sleveess T-shirt now and covered with ‘an old Mexican blanket. Face even whiter than before, sunken ye, hair slcked back like he's just had a shower. Plastic model airplane covered in dust and cobwebs of World War Two “fighters and bombers hang from the ceiling directly above the ‘bed. Lorraine sits beside him on a chair Siage Left of bed, spoonfeeding him from a bowl of her cream of broccoli soup. Soke refuses to at LORRAINE. (Holding spoon of soup at his mouth.) Here now, tome on Jus ey aig Fats in aki” ua n shop sp Tm not askin’ for the whole bowl. Well work up to that slow. Just a lite tiny old sip for now. Jake? (Harder ) Sit up here and rink this soup! I'm sick of babyin’ you. This is your favorite. Cream of Brea made it special in he Bender. (Pa, ol is soup.) I don't know why in the world you insist on gett Sword ap over a worn, Look a you, have never ey life seen you lookin’ so let down. You musta’ lost a good thirty, forty pounds. A woman ain't worth that kind of a loss. Believe you me. There's more pretty girls than one in this world. Not that she was such a looker. can't even remember what she looked like to tell you the truth, but she couldn't a! been all that gyeat. Youll find someone cic toone orate. Youre strong strappin’ man yet. Got a litte age on you now but that don’ Imater when you got a strong frame. Your Daddy was stil lookin’ good at the age of sixty, even though the bottle had walked across his face a few times over. His face was a mess, Ill admit that. Fl be the first to admit that. But he still had that big stout frame on him, just like you got. Still managed to twirl my ticket, Tl tell ya’ that much. Somebody's bound to come along, just dyin’ to be encircled by them big boney arms. Don't you ‘worry about that one bit. Now, come on, just try this soup. Just dome a litte favor, allright? Do you want me to play helicopter with it like we used t0? (She raises the shoo of soup over his head and starts making helicopter sounds as Jake watches the spoon from below. In «pinched cartoon woice.) Man overboard! Man overboard! Looks like he could be drownin! Better lower down the life-support. ‘Take it slow, we don’t wanna’ lose him now. (Jake suddenly knocks the spoon out of her hand and sends it flying. He rips the blanket and shet off himself, grabs the bowl out of her hand, stands on the bed, holds the 29Sou! high above his aad and snd trashing down onthe mares. Tie he lgins stomp on te sup, jpn aloe tebe, xing oud andgrenting ka bf, Loan bk ef fst end stands oe watching him. Jae finaly eed al his ny and ut stander limply on the ed, Bent fra at th was ans dangling and gpg Jory. Awe from hi, hing her dence.) Whattin the nate 6 ‘da’ Piet isthe mater with you, boy: pent houre ma! that stuf Tlaved over the blender tra to gett eeamy ard smooth, just how you like i! Look what you've done ta that Soup! (Jake os doom at hte coven sup Hest tars ts Jet) Look what you've done to your bed. (She moses tart bet) JAKE, (Siping on bed.) STAY AWAY FROM MY BED! (Ler rane sop. Pate Thy sara eah aber LORRAINE. You got everybody buflaled, don ya? Every- bodys worried sick that youve gone of yer cae, but you dont folie one You seared your ster so damn bad she qui the ous, JAKE. Sally? Where she go? LORRAINE. Shelf don't know where. Just packed up and left Probably just a wel JAKE. (Sil! stanaing on id.) She shouldnt a left me! Shell vegtet that, LORRAINE. Who wants to be around you, the way you act Your brothers run off to God-kaow-where, yi hunt ap that dingbat woman yours: ate ges of bl fas, mow ay Sram cress tae a hgh gg meen thes ps JAKE, Frankie? Where'd he go? Where is Franke? I knew that ‘would happen! Soon asm outa’ the picture, (amin go¥ bed tnd starts ripping te het and kt of i, elantng pe a ake move arund te spec, st LORRAINE. He went back to wherever in the hel she's from Montana or somethin. Weren't they orignal from Montara? I dont know. T eat keep track of anymore. JAKE. Told him not to go back there! LORRAINE, What diference does it make? JAKE, She's dead I told him that already. She's dead! LORRAINE. Just col your britches down. JAKE, He's got no business foln' around in this thing! This 30 strictly between me and her. Where's my pants? (He starts to for his pants.) IRRAINE. You're not goin’ anywhere. You're si JAKE, Where's my goddamn pants! He's sneakin’ behind my k. I gotta’ go catch him before he gets there. RRAINE. You can't go outside in your condition. You wudnt last a day. JAKE. I need my pants now! I NEED MY PANTS! (Jake sts ly agai, gasping for breath. He looks around the space, not seem ing to recognise where he is. He stares atthe model irplanes. Pause.) LORRAINE. Look at ya’. You haven't got any wind to speak , How’re you gonna’ go out in the world like that? |AKE. I can't stay here. IRRAINE, Why not? You never shoulda’ left in the first ‘This was the first room you ever had to yourself JAKE. Where were we before? RRAINE. You mean, before here? JAKE. Yeah. Before. Where were we before? IRRAINE. You-Name-It-U.S.A. Those were the days we [chased your Daddy from one air base to the next. Always tryin’ lo catch up with the next “Secret Mission.” Some secret. He was flways cookin’ up some weird code on the phone. Tryin’ to make a big drama outa’ things. Thought it was romantic T Worst of ie was I fell for it. Jake wanders around space, tn to recognize it.) E. What code? RRAINE. Oh, I can't remember them now. There was ots fof'em. It was so many years ago. He'd make ’em all up. JAKE. Why'd he use a code? )RRAINE. He said it was because they didn’t want him to teveal his location, JAKE. Did you believe him? )RRAINE. Yeah. Why shouldnt I of? JAKE. Maybe he was lyin’. RRAINE. Why would he do that? BBE Se you woud know what he wa up to. Tha wy do you think men lie to women? LORRAINE. That was back when we were in love. JAKE. Oh, 31LORRAINE. That was back before things went to pieces. JAKE. (Still moving around space.) But we finally tracked hit ‘down, huh? LORRAINE. Yeah. ‘Course we tracked him down, Turned 0 not to be worth the trip, but we found him all right. JAKE, Where? LORRAINE. Different places. You were pretty litle then. JAKE. Little. LORRAINE. Just a spit of a thing. I used to pack you to sl in a dresser drawer. You were that tiny. JAKE. You didn't close the drawer, did ya’? LORRAINE. No, ‘Course not. (Jake stops and stares at Pause.) JAKE. Where's that box? LORRAINE. What? JAKE. That box they put him in. You said you'd save that be Tor me. That little leather box. LORRAINE. Oh—The ashes? JAKE. Yeah. LORRAINE, Now, how can you remember somethin’ like thi and not remember this room? JAKE. Some things stick in your mind. Where's the box! LORRAINE. It’s here. It’s right under the bed, there. You sai save it, $0 T saved it JAKE. I wanna’ see the box! LORRAINE. All right. Don’t get so excited. It’s right und here, unless the mice have gotten to it. I never looked at it agai once I stuck it under here. (She goes to bed, knels down on flora reaches under it. She digs around through various items under the bed. JAKE. How come you kept it under the bed? LORRAINE. Couldn't figure out where else to put it. Coulda’ stand lookin’ at this stuff anymore and I was afraid to throw JAKE, How come? LORRAINE. I don't know. Superstition I guess, (She pulls out dusty American flag, folded in a triangle military style. She hands it him. Jake takes it and stares at it.) Here's the flag they gave you the service. You remember that? Some government guy in dad lasses said a prayer over him and then he gave you that ‘lagi (She goes back to searching under the bed forthe box as Jake stares at the Pg, He wipes the dust off it.) JAKE. Dusty. DRRAINE. (As she searches under bed.) Yeah, well, like I said, 1 haven't touched a thing under here for years. JAKE. You coulda’ dusted it off RRAINE. Here it is. (She pulls out a small leather box covered with dust. She blows the dust ofthe top and wipes it clean with the hem her dress. She stands and hands the ox to fake.) I told ya’ Vd save ‘Case you ever wanted it back some day. BEIGE (ing Sexo of fa.) This inhi? IRRAINE. Whats left of him. JAKE. (Feeling weight of box.) He's kinda’ heavy. RRAINE. Well, he's a lot lighter than he was. (Lorraine picks the shets and blanket back up off the floor.) JAKE. Is this all tha’s left? IRRAINE. Naw, there's a box a’ medals and a leather fly Jacket under there. More stuff in the garage. You can have it all, Take the whole kaboodle. I don’t want it. Never did. T only haved it for you. (Jake moves to bed and sts the flag and bax down on Athen he keels down beside bed, reaches under and pulls outa cardboard saron full of Air Force medals and a leather flying jacket with small red lhombs scratched into one ofthe sleeves. He sts the carton up on bed then tik beside it and starts digging through the medal, holding them up tothe light. Lorraine watches him with her arms full of shes.) Jake, you can Alay here as long as ya’ want to. I don't mind, really. I'm still your mother. You can just live inthis room again. Just like you lused to, Til bring ya’ stuff. We can have conversations. Tell ‘each other stories. You don't ever have to go outa’ this room tagain if you don't want to. (fake stares up at the model airplanes, then down atthe leather jacket, He puts the jacket on. He seratches atthe red bombs on the sleeve. Pause.) JAKE. How was it he died? (Pause. They stare at each other.) LORRAINE. Jake, you remember all that JAKE. No. I don't remember. I don't remember it at all. LORRAINE. Jake— JAKE. JUST TELL ME! (Pause.) LORRAINE. He burned up. JAKE. His plane crashed?LORRAINE. No. He was no hero. Got hit by a truck. Dru as a snake out in the middle of the highway. Truck blew up he went with it. You already know that. Jake laps to his fet stays by the bed.) JAKE. DON'T TELL ME I ALREADY KNOW SOMI THIN I DON'T KNOW! DON'T TELL ME THAT! HO! COULD I KNOW SOMETHIN THAT I DONT KNO' (Pause. hay stare at each other.) LORRAINE. (Quiey.) Because you were there, Jake. Ye were right there with him when it happened. (Jake just stay Saring at her. Loraine pulls the shets up into a tight bundle, clove her.) You just try and get some rest now, okay? I gotta’ go. this laundry. Tl be right out on the back porch if you need You just holler. Best thing you can do now is rest. Don't thi about a thing, Jake, Just rest. Don’t think about nothin’. ( raine ext ou of the light, carping the shes. Jake stays in place, ing out across to . Very softy light begins to come up on Bath’ ho Bed, now made up with blue satin shes. Beth is alone, siting on the side ofthe bed with hr back to Jake. Seis naked from the wast up 4: blue silk des pulled down around her waist and Blue high heels Stockings. Shei uninjured now —no bandage, her hair soft and beaut ‘She is oiling her shoulders and chest from a smal bt beside her. J Just stares across athe as the Light very slowly rises on her. She contin ‘iling hers slooly and seduciely, unaware of Jake. She is simply tision. The light on her is continuously rising bul remains very lo. Si nly Jake makes a move toward er and th ight on her Blacks out sappears. He stops short. Staves into the blackness then turns and at hs Bed. AU thers of the lights black ou except fora tight sptight ‘is father’s box of ashes. Jake roses back to the ox, picks i up, opens and stares int it fora second. He blows lightly into the box sending a uf of ashes up into the beam of spotlight. Spotlight fades slowly Black.) END ACT I ACT II Scene 1 Lights up, Stoge Left set. Living oom in Baths parents’ house. ‘Same black platform as Act I but now two walls are flown in, Stage Left and Upstage. The Upstage wall has a swinging Kitchen door mounted to Stage Right and an open hallway en- trance to Stage Left, with no door, that leads Off to an upstairs bedroom. The space visible through open hallway entrance is ‘Black and void. Same with space seen through kitchen door when it swings open. A small porch landing with three steps and a handrail is added onto the Down Right corner of platform. A window with curtains, dead center of Stage Left wall, with black void again seen through window. A well-worn sofa sits under the window, Stage Let, angled slightly toward audience. A stuffed armchair Upsiage of sof, facing audience, An old fashioned stand-up reading lamp between armchair and sofa ‘An val rag rug an floor in front of sof. A wooden gun rack center of Upstage wall. Nothing else. The impression should be tery simple ond stark yet maintain a sense of realism. If wallpaper is used, it should be subdued and very faded. Beth is sitting on edge of sofa dressed in one of Baylor’ faded red laid shirts, way to big for he. It hangs outside her jeans, to the Anees. Bare fet. No bandage now. Short hair. Her bruises last healed up. Meg approaches he, entering through kitchen door, with a pair of fuzzy slippers in one hand and a pair of eax work boots in ihe other. Before lights rise, the sound ofa dog defending his territory is heard in the distance off Right Treo distant voices of men arguing. The words unintllgbe MEG. Here we go, honey. I've got slippers or boots. Warm, fuzzy slippers. How "bout these? They're very kind to the skin Like having litte lambs wrapped around your toes. BETH, (Distracted by outdoor sounds.) No, my feet are fine. {like them fine. Naked. They can move, MEG. But the floor’s so cold. This time a’ year the floor’s cold as ice. T used to even put socks on the dogs when they came in ‘Then your father put a stop to that, of course. 35BETH. (Standing, loks toward direction of voices.) Where—Whe ‘out there? MEG. Outside? I don't know, honey. Mike wouldn't tell me BETH. Mike? Heez out there? MEG. Yes. He’s been out there all morning talking to BETH. (Moving p. to porch, looking out.) What man? MEG, Some man. I don't know. He just showed up, BETH. Whatz his voice? ‘MEG. What, honey? BETH. Whatz his voice? Someone I know. Iz voice I know, MEG. I couldn't see him from the front door. Mike wouldn't him come up to the house. BETH. ( Turns fast fo Meg.) Who'ze—who'ze? MEG. Don't you wanna’ try these slippers, honey? They’d ke you nice and cozy. BETH. Tha’s a voice of someone. Before, Someone with voice before. Someone ~I know. MEG. I'm not sure who it is. Mike doesn’t like him, that’s sure. I just wish he'd go away so the dog would quit. BETH. (Moving back toward sofa.) Someone with Jake. Jak voice. Iza man with hiz voice. Same. Heez come to see Haz he come to see me? (The sounds outside stop.) MEG. Honey, I can't ask Mike. You know how he gets gets just like your father. There's no point in asking, BETH. I—I—can I go? Can I go out to see? I want to Can I? MEG. No, honey. It's freezing out there. The ground’s sol BETH. He can't go. He cant. Don' let him go. I want to MEG. Honey, it's nothing but a man. A stranger. stranger. (Mike enters fast from v.c. space, moves D. to stairs centers from porch. He's ina heauy jacket, gloves, wool cap, shotgun, twith snow on thm, He unloads shotgun and sets it on gun rack v. ‘stomps his boots and takes his gloves and jacket off.) Oh, we were j now talking about you, Mike. T thought you were down by road. MIKE. Son of a bitch wanted to come right up to the god: house. Can you believe that? Walk right up to the house like: 36 ‘neighbor or somethin’. I can't believe it. Who do these guys think they are, anyway? MEG, Don't swear in the house, Mike. Ive told you that since were a little boy. Keep the language outdoors, ITH. (To Mike.) Who'ze he? Who'ze he? MIKE. Nobody. just—Just a guy. I don’t know. WETH, Jake? MIKE, (Turning on Beth.) No!! I's not Jake! All right? He's got Aothin’ to do with Jake. Just some guy. When're you gonna’ sop thinkin’ about Jake for Chhrist’s sake! WETH. You lie to me! You lie like I'm dead. I'm not dead. MIKE. Oh, so now you're not dead. Today you're not dead. Yesterday you were dead but today you're not. I gotta’ keep rack a this. Makes a big difference who you're talkin’ to—a corpse or alive person. MEG. Please don’t yell in the house. The walls can't take it. WETH. I'm not the one who's dead, MIKE. (To Beh. ) You just settle down, allright! You just settle down now. I've about had it with you. I've been out there all ‘hight long in zero cold tryin’ to protect you! BETH. You're not the guard of me! MIKE. Well, who is then? Who's gonna’ protect you? T'm the ‘only one left around here MIG. There is no reason to scream. Screaming is not the thing We're born for. (Pause) WETH. Haz he gone now? MIKE. Yeah. Yeah, he’s gone. (Pause. ) BETH. (To Mike.) You—you. You don’ let me come back. Why don’ you let me come back? MIKE. (Moves toward her.) Beth: ETH. (Stiffens, sands back. ) No! You make—you make a war. You make a war. You make an enemy. In me. In me! An ‘enemy. You. You. You think me. You think you know. You think. You have a big idea. MIKE, I'm just trying to keep you out of trouble. Can't you get that in your head? I'm tired of going through this with you. METH. You—You have a feeling. You hav Vim not you! This! (Points to her head.) This you. This! This. This thought. You don't know this thought. 37How? How can you know this thought? In me, MEG. Beth, your brother's only trying to help you. He’s only doing what he thinks best. Now don't get so excited. You'll only get yourself all worked up again. BETH. (To Meg, softs. ) You You a love. You~ You are only that. Only. You don’ know. Only love. Good. You. Mother. You. Always love. Always. (To Mike.) But he lies to me. Like I'm gone. Not here. Lies and tellz me iz for love, Tz not for love! Iz pride! MIKE. Okay. Okay, I'll tell you exactly the truth. I'l tell you. ‘You wanna’ know? It was Jake's brother. Okay? That's who it was. Jake's litte lousy brother. BETH, Jake? MIKE. HIS BROTHER! NOT JAKE! HIS BROTHER! MEG. Mike! MIKE. (To Meg.) Well, goddamnit! She wants to know the truth, She says—“ell me the truth, you're lying to me.” Itell her the truth and she curns it into a lie. Pm sick and tired of this shit. (To Beth. What do you wanna’ know? You want me to tell you it was Jake? Okay, it was Jake. How's that? You're gonna’ believe whatever you want to anyway. What do you wanna’ believe? BETH, It was not Jake, MIKE. It was his brother! His pathetic litle brother. Sniveling up here to our doorstep, asking for forgiveness. BETH. Why’z he gone? MIKE. Whatd you expect me to do? Huh? Did you want me to invite him in for hot chocolate or something? Cookies? Pretend nothing ever happened. He's just on a friendly visit? Sometimes think you must've enjoyed getting beat up. Maybe that’s i. Maybe you get some kind of kick out of it. (Pause) MEG. You don't need to be cruel, Mike. MIKE. This whole thing is cruel. (Long pause as Bath stares at her shirt, touches the sleeves. Her whole tone shifts.) BETH. What’ this shirt? MEG. That's Baylor's, honey. You wanted that one, That's the ‘one you picked out of the closet. BETH. Smells like him. Baylor. MEG. He used to always wear that fishing, That was hi favorite shirt. He said you could have it, 38 BETH. Smells like fish. MIKE. So, now what? We're gonna’ talk about shirts now? ( To Bah. ) What is goin’ on with you? You shift streams faster than a trout in heat BETH. (Sof, to Mike.) If something breaks—broken. If some- thing broken—Parts still—stay. Parts still loat. For a while. ‘Then gone. Maybe never come—back. Together. Maybe never. (Sound of single shot rom a deer rifle in distance n. Beth’ head Jerks toward sound.) Zaat? MIKE. Dad. Hunting. MEG. He's been out there all night again. I just don't under- stand how he can take the cold like that. Sometimes I think he'd rather live out there in that hunting shack year round. He's got everything he needs out there. His magazines. His flashlight. His radio. He even eats his meals out there, anymore. I don't know when all that started, MIKE. All what? MEG. Him moving out. When did that start? MIKE. He hasn't moved out. He's hunting. Every year he hhunts. You know that. MEG. Sometimes I think he’s hiding from us. (Pause. Mike goes (0 armchair, sis, takes his bots of and stretches hs legs out — continuous 1s he speaks.) MIKE. Well, there's only one day left in the season and he hhasn’t got his buck yet MEG. I don't know if I can take another winter of venison. Last year we had venison three times a day. Venison, venison, venison, It still wasn’t gone by Spring. God, how I hate that ‘meat. Even bacon cant hide the taste MIKE. Its not that bad if you don't smell it. MEG. Funny thing is, I don’t think he likes the meat either. He never eats it. Poor excuse for killing alive thing if BETH. (Staring around at space.) This—This— Thi used to be?’ MEG. Where, honey? BETH. Here? Inside here. This room? MEG. Yes. This is our home. You recognize it, don't you? BETH. This room was—where we all were—together. MEG. Yes, That’ right, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter. We were always here 39MIKE. You'e safe here. Long as you stay with us. BETH. Whats “sale”? MIKE. Safe. Safe from injury. You won't get hurt here. BETH. I hurt all over. MEG. But it’s getting better, honey. Every day it’s getting alit- tle bit better. BETH. What is? MEG. The brain. They say the brain heals itself just like the skin, Isn't that amazing? Itjust keeps healing itself. That's what they told us at the hospital BETH. What brain? MEG. Your brain, honey. BETH. Where? In me. MIKE. In your head. The brain in your head. Inside your skull BETH. Iz hiding in there? MEG. No, I wouldn't say that exactly. The brain car’t hide. BETH. Ie in there like a turtle? Like a shell? MEG. Not really. Its—what does a brain look like, Mike? MIKE. I don't know what it looks like. It’s grey. That's about all | know about it. MEG. Yes. It’s.a grey thing, It’s kind of curled around itself MIKE. You got me. BETH. Snail. MEG. Yes. I think so. Ie’ all lumpy. I saw pictures of it once. ‘They took pictures of my mother’s brain. They showed them to me once. BETH. We can't see it? MIKE. Not when you're alive. You can't see it when you're alive BETH. Why? MIKE. Because— you'd be dead if you could see it. Ied be stick- ing out. BETH. You can see the head? The face. MIKE. Yeah. That's right. But not the brain, The brain’s in- side the head. Covered up. BETH. Where? MIKE. (Slaps his foreead.) Inside! Here! Inside! Behind the skull! (Baylorsooice heard offstage.) 0 ind of like a snail, isn it, Mike? like a big snail BAYLOR'S VOICE ( Offtage.) Just try o keep your weight off it, That's it. Don't put yer weight down on it, Hang on. Just keep ahold of my neck now. (Baylor enters from v., then up porch stairs, wearing hunters orange fiom head tote anda camouflage hinting est, rifle in one hand. He helps Frankie on stage, whois hopping on his right leg, arm around Baylors neck a hole about the sie ofa quate in ‘is lf thigh with a litle patch of Blood —nothing more. As they enter, Mike immediatly gets up and grabs his shotgun, stick the shells Back in it and snaps the barrels shut. Baylor assists Frankie over to the sof. Frankie collapses onto sofa holding hs left thigh in pain. MEG. Oh, my goodness, Baylor. What in the world happened here? We heard you shooting. BAYLOR. Aw, this yayhoo was out there in the damn woods Without a lick a! orange on him. Came crashing through that stand of Aspen like a freight train and I shot him. MEG. You shot him? Oh, my God, Baylor. BAYLOR. Nailed him clean through the thigh. Look at that. Bullet passed right on through and out the other side. Never touched the bone or nothin’. MEG. (To Frankie.) But it still must hurt. Doesnt it hurt? FRANKIE, Yeah, It hurts MEG. Ie must BAYLOR. Hurts me too. Wrecked my entire day a’ shootin’. sgot one day left to bag my limit and this bone-head comes along and scares every damn deer in four counties FRANKIE. I'm sorry. I was looking for my car. BAYLOR. Your car? Where'd you park it in the lake? MEG. Oh, my goodness. BAYLOR. Stop saying: “Oh, my goodness, Oh my God,” all the time. Think up somethin’ different for a change MIKE. (Approaching Frankie.) You were tryin’ to circle back around, weren't you? Isn't that what you were doin’? Thought you'd come up around the back side? I thought I told you to take a hike, buddy. FRANKIE, (Staring at Bah.) I just wanted to see her. That’ al. All wanna’ do is sce her. (To Bath.) My brother thinks you're dead see. I gotta’ go back and tell him now. BETH. Before— You. I know you. We— MIKE. Beth, you go on up to the bedroom now. Go on! BAYLOR. Aw, let her talk to him. Christ. What difference “