CHARACTERS BESSIE, 40 years DOGTOR WALLY RUTH, Beste’ aunt, 70 years ‘BOB, Dr, Wal’ brother and receptionist, LEE, Bea's ster, late $05 DOGTOR CHARLOTTE, THANK, Lee's 17yearold son (CHARLIE, Hank's younger brother RETIREMENT HOME DIRECTOR MARVIN, Bese’ father TIME “The present. PLACE, ‘Various locations in Florida and a meatal insttion in Ohio. MARVIN’S ROOM ACT ONE A doctor's examining rom. Baia, « woman of 40 yar, ‘i, Dr Waly 8 sealed nest to her He holds a syringe BESSIE. 1 suppote I should tell you needles bother me a Tide DR. WALLY. Ob, (He shudder) I know what you mean. All ‘ight Augustins, ould you give me your am plese? Do you rind if {call you Augustina? DBESSIE, ‘Wel, my name is Bese DR: WALLY. Beste. Of course, I'm sory. Things have been 2 bit hectic around here. De. Serat Is away on vacation and {his morning our receptionit quit. Usually Nurse Abrams ‘would dew the blow for any blood tests But = where'd T put the whatchamacallt? ‘The uh, do you see 1 BESSIE, Wha? DR. WALLY. You know, that um, um, Te it around your lam to make your veins pop out. BESSE, Tourniquet? DR. WALLY. Yeu that's it Oh, 'm siting on it, How'd that happen? Okay, give me your arm please BESSIE, Janine que’ DR. WALLY. Untiuh, Did you know her? BBESSIE, Only from here. 1 bring my father Marvin and ny ‘Aunt Rath io quite 4 Bit to see De Serat Why did she uit?she gtting marred? DR WALLY. "No no. Unbeknownst to any of us she wat harboring a deepstated phobia about cockroaches. She sid the jus couldn't work here any longer. It made her itch. BESSIE, (Laar around) On? DR. WALLY. I think I have seen you out front Is your f ‘her ily thin? TBESSIF. Dad's a bone. You could snap him like @ ig. DR. WALLY. He's somewhat pale? BESSE, He's as white at a bedsheet unless he's choking ‘Then he gets «lle color DR WALLY. He has twouble breathing? BESSIE, No. He likes to put things in his mouth. 1" walk into hs bedroom and hel be Ing there all blue in the face wih the Yahtzee dice stuck down hir throat. Do you know that game? DR WALLY. Yer BESSIE, Ics fun game, n't i? DR WALLY. Yeu. BESSIE- Except Dad sucked all the ik off the dice so its hard to tll what you're rolling. DRL WALLY. And your aunt now this s odd, but T remem ber she hept staring at my shoes. DBESSIE. Ruth has dhe collapwed vercbrae inher back, DR. WALLY, Oh, I'm sory BESSIE, I'ma alvays logging one of dhem in here for some. thing or other DRWALLY. T hope they aze both all ight forthe moment. BESSIE. Oh, theyre fine. Dad's ding but he's been dying fr about sweaty yeu: He's doing it real slow ao T don’ mis Sything, And Dre Serat has worked a miracle with Rath ‘Shes had constant pain from her back since she was bor, nd now the doctor had her get an electron aneshetizer, fou noe, they put the wires tight into the beain and when {he has'a bad pala she jure taens her dial. Tt really is a tniracle DR WALLY. That's wonderful BESSIE- If she uses it in the Kitchen our automatic garage door goet wp. Bat that's a seal price to pay, don't you dor oe wp rice to pay, dont DDRUWALLY. (te bine ie th tit om er arm) ‘amazing what they can do. BESSIES "When docs Dr Seat get back om his wipe DR WALLY. Notte endef the month TH have thie 2 new reception ides Han ESSE What wil you do about the bogs? DR: WALLY. Bagh Oh'no, we don't have any bogs That {Re thing. Ie must hie all bon i ber sind. She tow Bogs srerwhor. Grated there ae ugh ever in Foi Bt Someta hee oes (ie stp toms al) BESSIE "Ave thw al for me DR: WALLY. Thee hee, T have few in my poke, and ae tarp ps soul ma ot oe af SESE That seems tke alt of bod DRL WALLY. Well Jes it scoms like & fot of Hood, thats hea te SO our fling nae Decne wee ravings eof Sood ou soul. So, wha youve frig perc ora. Sess "Sewe DR WALLY Tm sry? BESS. My mame i Beni DR WALLY” "Did Teal you Augustin? BESGIE, You called me Janes DR WALLY Fa BESTE You've confusing me with your other ptens. DRWALLY No Tmnotn BESS "You called me June DR WALLY. Jone th mune of my dog. So why don't we fe hie over wh: Where ae them the ah Besse Wnae BRE WALA a a taf i al He hy we is ales Gee ail sees (le ‘with Ais teeth) Ha eee BESTE. "How many dye ave It in hit month? Maybe 1 thoald waitDR. WALLY. Well let me find may um, my ui, date thing. BESSIE, Calendar? DR. WALLY. —Twentyelght days BESET think TH wate Ie just avai defclency, right? DR WALLY. T aid it might be a vitamin deficiency. That it one, and the most probable, explanation for your fatigue hd cay bruising, But we must rule out the other posites tener not dong our job. And T wouldn'c vane Dr. Serat to ‘Bink Tin neglecting his patente whe he's away. Now ths wi foniy take a second, (Baie exends her arm. He postions the etl) ‘BESSIE, 1 might pase out DR WALLY. "Would you rather lie down? BESSIE, No. Now that I maid it out loud f should be fine give Dad hots all dhe time. (She pulls say again) DE WALLY You Know, when I vas young and my doctor had to give me an otc of some sort, he would tell me to Took atthe pater othe finoleu floor, squint my eyes, and tell him what pictares could make out of i. The ovch war ‘over before 1 knew it BESSIE. ‘Thats real cute DRL WALLY. Why don't you ty if BESSIE. I don't have your imagination. DR: WALLY. (Reaches bond er to gt the nal from the cot) [Jus look at the floor and tell me what you sce. (Bete ses Tika hei up to and he tures her haad Bak ut front) Jost 100 {i the floor and tell me what you see BESSIE, sce a bg fat cockroach DR. WALLY. Where? ESSE, There (Dr Waly is sep om i Mises Tr agin (Gras 6 magasne and eit under the a) DR WAIL. That wasn't «cockroach, ESSIE, | What wari? DR WALLY. From the way it burt, Td say some sort of boodsucker DBESSIE. I think I would ke to Iie down, DR. WALLY. Tl see if the room is fee. (sis. Besse sit Cle ore moment. She then rae her abt fo examine a dep a rus on er thigh Rae) Nurse Abrams is sill in there with patent. TBESSIE. Let’ jst get i over with, VOICE OF NURSE. " Doctor DR. WALLY. Excuse me. Would you lke a magasine? Mle ifs her the agin that he Rill the bug wh) BESSIE, I'm fine. (Doctor exc) DR. WALLY. (Rarlom) Well. (Pause) The room is free RESSIE, That's allright 1 sit. Bla) Scone 2 Basis home Marcin Wis in a bed upstage, barely visible Laugh a wal of glans brick Buh, a woman of 70 years sth ght Iachioc slaps im a hr Bene ene ath gc, Hr arm ai fom te Deer aes ESSIE, Aunt Ruth? Ruth? RUTH. Hommmm. BESSIE. Ruth, you're not supposed to sleep siting in a ‘hair, Boney. puts too ich presse on Jour lower pine BUTI. You're home, Pe BESSIE. Do you want to go tie down? RUTH. Don't you look prey DBESSIE. ‘Do you sant tole down? RUTH. No, no. Don't you bother about me, ne, Van jut FESSIE. You're sleping in the chi. ROTH. tam IBESSIE. "You were, when I came in. That's not good for you. RUTH. Oh stupid me, You tell me right away when I'm seeping because T don't alvays know. BESSIE: jure got home, I couldn’ tell you soonerRUTHL Look, this control box palled ry sweater. I'm going fo ine a hole there. T's my own fat. TBESSIE, How's Dag? RUTH. What did the doctor say? BESSIE. Oh, he made a big todo +0 woul’ fel like he veas overcharging RUTH He's s sive man, ig't he. He has very handsome hands SBESSIE. It youn Dr, erat RUTH, Beste. ob, what happened to your arms? ESSE. They took a litle blood RUTH. It looks tender. Should you see a doctor? BESSIE- I juet came from the doctor, RUTH. Dil you show him your arm? DESSIE. "Yes he just had some touble finding my veins. RUTH. That sounds seriour, BESSIE T have a wamin deficiency, Ruth, thas all RUTH. 1s because you don’t make stinky often enough. BESSIE. I do so RUTH. Sény b poison. You have wo get ri off That's shy when you're constipated you have a headache. BESSIE. (She pick up Mand’ pila) Did you give Dad his five o'dock? RUTH, What did do? What die isi now? BESSIE, Five aventpive. RUTH. No, but | was going 1. TESSIE, Honey, I asked you to do one thing. RUTH. Tm 20 stupid. I'm uselos, I know. BESSIE You are not RUTH. W's oy care, I think, 1s because I ave these wires in my brain. BESSIE, 1’ not your cure. You blame your cure for every thing. RUTH, Tecan fel them. They ingle when I bathe BBESSIE. "You used to blame your pain, now you blame your RUTH, Ics goten so I'm afraid to get in the wb. BESSIE, You've alvaye been afraid co get in the tb, 10 UTIL Ob nnn. ne en ld ot in ESSE. You make me come ia and towel do the lo. RUVHL ‘Ths bun Pm ual get ot of he tb The floor get so we Do you temumber Sin, Sages fend the plor ding cached her ead wide open, Ne one found i Sou ber ly came di for Thanagh. 20d cen then ot wl te hr BESS, Tremnber RUTH. Shed nl be there A they hadn't ram ot of tow Sein he guest bath ness Fino RUTH, 1 don't wan tobe hing on thee ithe Bly TEST. You won't RUTH. Tmeam, my goon 3% ont jo Jone Be, ' Pipe emencd to ghe Bad i foe ROTH. On, sop me EESSIE, “Rid he ie sopposed to et hi ilk at the me five erry dy RODE ow bat — ESSE. "You never fxgt to wach your progam, do you? ‘You never forget wht ne your show comes of RUTH You sua ge Marin hi pl ESSE, "Today [eked yout (Bago ilo Main rom te ge in hs pis while Rath srs to he kite to pt hr ‘2 Bom erin som) eben running af oer ay, ou yon qu bogging te ed Ie down Hee ‘The these how. Weve tie off hed tay: Have you Sen pllng a your theca? Megat them a tel. at (hotkey como What dot that ne ean ee oven How show tome tomate soup? And some et Wa thle Whit Jace: amin) He confine. He doce Xow miy he's geting his four oCleck fe hy RUTH. (hk pile) Do you nant ake ne of mine for your deen? UDSsI Ti get some sal mio aterRUTHL These are rel. Theyre just eater to sallow Be- ane don’t The to svaliow things. Do you want Pebbles oF Sumpam? BESS. Ruch. RUTH. Dino came out, BESSIE. Dino's fine. RUTH. Ghew it up good. We have to take cre of you, ton, {Stig pose) That ext came around tay. BESSH Toney ie jn Te kit. Ie won't bother you. RUTH. It came right up to dhe house and stared in at me. Tesat there Tike it was sone BESSIE, Ubu RUTH. What do you think it want? BESSIE, 1 don’t think t wants anything, RUTH, Snow you have things you have to do and i ard geting someone te come im but T wish you woulda’ fee me at home alone. BESSIE. Honey, you do fine RUTH. But Pm go welese, What if Marvin were to choke on thing again> What if he get bold of the Yahiee dice or {ees to hil himself withthe Parchees! men? SESE. Dr. Sora explained this t you. He puts things in his mouth because it gives him pleasure. He thes the way it felts You know how much he Mies it when you bounce the ght off your compact mirror? This is another thing he likes Hes not ying to choke hums RUMI. What fhe dies while you're ovt of the house? BESSIE, “Then you'll cl me and I'l come home. (Pewe) Youve got your cure now, There's no reason you can't help Sue around eve, I don" ask you to do much. RUTH Do you vant me to make the tomato up? BESSIE, Nor You'd take 2 mess of ie (Sh slots lo make the soup) RUTH, Tll go bounce the light around Marvin's room. BESSIE, Tha’ a good ideas Why don't you do that. And Tater we'll watch some TV. Allright? RUTH Aight (She ge ilo Marin’ rom) BESSIE, “(Pouring «ca of sup io a meal pan.) Do you re 12 member all the foods Dad uted to ike. Rapjachs and bacon tnd eggs — (Rah mows Bar minor alooe Marcin's bad and the Tig sts dancing om the woofs Too) — and grits and bi cit and roast beet and green beans and masied potatoes Sd apple pie and ice cream he churned himelf. (Ligh fade {Wack The bouncing ight im Mara’ om isthe Lat go out) Scene 8 The doctors ofce Basie sits alone DR WALLY. (nto ah a bce whl) I'm sory to have BEE Yor = “i tst be very ba. DR,WALLY.” Bu I could ind pace to lock my Bike BESSIE, Oh, ae ba DR. WALLY.” Wel, how are we today? BESSIE. You tll ae. DR, WALLY. Thats prety deem you're weaing. It new SESE, is hea nel sia ear ines DR. WALLY. Well I can sce why. BESSIE, "I sspone i can't be god newt or ou WOuld have [iit tld me ore the pone DDR WALLY, "Your umn your sm BESSIE, Blood tet DR. WALLY, et our policy nt to give any tet revue over the phone. a eee = BESTE, "On, Because I realy got mpi worked up. 1 wat (Bipking all sorts of horrible thoughts. 2 WALL cern dn'e mean 1 wory you. Bt T did thnk i would be good en forme to ee Jou agin. BESSIE."" OW? (The Phone ing) DR WALLE (a De, Way ning, Yn ko ave someone waiting im ny ofc. 1 ata in ty oc. That's light Clon) BESSIE, Ie there » problem’?DR WALLY. No, He's just new: Hell get the hang of 1 BESSIE I meant with sty blood test Dit i get low o nrne- tg DR'WALLY. No, no. Ic didn't get lost But 1 would ike to fun some other tat. BESSIE. Oh, you would? Dit WALLY. "Simply to rule out certain posites BISSIE.” Uns DR WALLY. "We could tke the mimple ow if you ave the ESSE, What are the poses? DR WALLY. There afe » number of pousbiliies 1 would Tie to rule out ESTE, Ave you sill thinking T have a vitamin deficiency? DR: WALLY. {think we may have ruled out that posibily. BESGIE. Do you think we should? Should we rule that out DR WALLY. Why don't we take this sample and then wo havea better iden of what we're talking about. (Paws) BESSIE, left Aunt Roth in charge of Ded I should't be trove ng BR WALLY, Thicwon'e uke long (Pause Bese pts Re rm fut) That wos't be neces. BESSIE Oh. I think Tim too nervous to pee into a cop. DR WALLY. There's no reason to be nervous. What am song to do thin Tam going to ge you 4 leal anesthetic Sod then Tm going to remove s litle hone marow from Your i, BESSIE. What DR WALLY. You won't really fet it. Maybe a sight pinch ing. Now it wil make a litle noise so don’ et that bother yo BESSIE, You're going to take bone marrow out of my hip? DR WALLY. Just litle. There will be a erunching neise. If you've ever had your wivdom teeth pulled you know the found. And you aia know that it sounds worse than i BESSIE,. Ive never had my wisdom teeth out DR WALLY. Really, Hmmm. Maybe you should see some “ BESSIE. Ive never had a problem with them. DR. WALLY. "Good teeth are a Bleing. Te never had a Tm no dentist bot a you get oler cates, aren't so much the problem. It’s gum eee Lathes ESSE. T'haye manage ty goin and T Hrush my tongue DRWALLY. "Do jou fens ESSE Notation aT shoud DDR. WALLY. "Who doc? Could you bike up your des BESS. 1 don't mean to be noy, but could you tell me ‘hy you're going to take one marrow ot of my hip? BR WALLY. "Fheret nt nt of eth on the ip BESSIE. But wine he teu fos? DR WALL "Wy do ou Tet me do the wong for BESSUE. am prob thinking fs something much worse than it actually is. af ca Toe DR. WALLY.” T would ware your time thinking anything a eet the tat renal backs : : terion ke a taint DR. WALLY. No, no. ee BESstE. Ms? Da WALLY No BESSIE. Cancer? (eu) Cancer? DR. WALLY. (Pid up the pone) Hold my cals pease (ong uy) Besie (The pone tinge Heaven) De Waly ‘pening Yes tat ws me fn then Dig you tecogeine my ‘ele? You can te by which lie Tight Hinks on your phone ‘hats all gh long wp) Thats wat 1 ger for hy ov brother: Beat, fat sould eaphin your blood tate Dre wanty. “io hae omething on your shoulder. BESSIE. I do? See eee DR. WALLY. "Tes a baton BESSIE ie chat bat DR: WALLY, "Nort part of your dress I thought it was a 15bg. Bete oF not we ae having something of «problem 5 them ser ll im not og ts wey wel BESSIE." shoud i be worse? DRL WALLY. "No. Would you Uke « cup of coe? BESSIE, love one BR WALLY, Pld ap As phone) Thi sD. Waly wpeakng. Pee bing a cp of eae to my office. ens) Bese Gout ic have to fo mth whether or Bot 1 po0 ae BE'WALLY. wee want to look at everthing, But your od wes shows abnormal Tow fvels of Fed cei aes tnd tare we cele ESTE T have fel a tad ate 1 haven Set UR WALLY. Thats god. Now, your spleen and your Te, fn your lt vis taht enlarged. BESGtE, Te at ba De WALLY, "Well ene ofthe poses hat 1am hoping tovole out feukeria (Pause) BESSIE.” Uns (The poe ings) Dk WALLY. don't have to anower it BISSTE, Pick it up DR WALLY, (nts pont) Tis Dr. Wally seating. (He Oe maa ksi» Bee) Do you ake cream? Bessie. Yen BR WALLY Ye. And dons call me anjmore, Hobs I mean ie Canes wh) BEM Cas are ies leukemia, igh? DR'WALLY. Odds don't mean anybing. T could tll you Te yor Hid your pnptome and your blood werk the odds Pe Teudemily ut tat docat mean anything. You're an {nuiideal not a satis DESSIE, But they do? DR, WALLY. This why T war reluctant to — You a srovied now and yo may not have ext 10 be DESSIE “Waa doce i stean i leukemia? DR: WALLY. What do ou mean? BISSIE, ei wll tal been nearly as 6 DR. WALLY. What do you mean? BESSIE Tsay dons atl os? DR: WALLY" memento tee ate wate of ke tominand a acy of ween, Radaion hemp cua ‘Seng. Bocemato tata vc ew ye age were ‘onde experimental, feta her trl Spon, do ieee fh? BESS Dad and Rud De WALLY No oer BESS Na DIE WALLY Ave you sue? ISSEY BIL WALLY.” 1 ought your le mentioned iter BESS, Oh Ys hve w ster. Lees Die WAU.” We se ig tel of anes tye. No-one ald you ta lesion ttt prematre tak of teament options ine BESSE. "So you thnk ovetenciog? Die WALLY "T underand your reset, DR WALLY" ‘Tino. BESSIE You kaw DR: WALLY.” Vy don't we ake this simple and you an eons weer Ree aad yer Eis Ai'rghe (sous 0B. cote BESS, Gh, thankyou. (Sh tks te ef Bb it De Waly mins da dam a that te ih he Of Se wate Yo can dik your ct. (ei, nd {ay spr the tt cof fom Be whe soem exp. The Ban, ‘un nu Nna wc. The Ngee och as patel sn)Seene 4 ‘The esting rom of & menial nstitaton in Ohio. Te ae ‘Bowe ein, De Chalet st ion. Lat 0 women in er late 30 ss im anor. LEE. Do you mind ifT smoke? DR CHARLOTTE. Yes Thank you for asking. LEE. Hoe "bout I blow it this way? DR CHARLOTTE. I'm afiaid there's no smoking anywhere ‘on this oor. TEE IM be yery quiet then. (She lights wp. Pause She licks 1a har wach) I should have called sigh? Bee CHARLOTTE. They're getting him. He's in occupa oval therapy which i in another building on the grounds DR CHARLOTTE, Its good to see you ere, Lee. May T LEE Sare: DR CHARLOTTE, We've minted you on other days, £0 has Hank, TEED T know. I wish F could visit more But well You DR CHARLOTTE. Mmmm. TEE. Now, you're not an order are you? Da CHARLOTTE. Tm a poychiaust LEE. Are you who Hank talks to? DR CHARLOTTE. I'm in charge of his therapy. Me ails to sme and others on sa. “you Know he Hes Tm just eling you that, 1 ‘iceruse I think he's been saying bad things about The, but Fm sute he hae boen. T mean Tim sure he has been Bat you should know he es to help you with his therapy. DR. CHARLOTTE. Minh. TEE. For nance he tld his guidance counselor at schoo! fiat beat Be 18 DR. GHARLOTTE. _Maxchmm. LEE. $0 you sce what T mean, DR. GHARLOTTE. Matin. LEE Ob, ee now, you'te thinking, ob, I wonder if she does DR. CHARLOTTE. 1s dhat what you think T think? LEE, Don’t your DR. CHARLOTTE. Do you want me to think that? LEE, What do you mean? DR. CHARLOTTE. | What do you think I mean? LEE, What do you mean, what do T think you mean? DR CHARLOTTE, What do you think T mean by what do you think I mean? (Pause) TEE. "You woulda’t ave an ashtray, would you? (Dr, Charate {aha a glass airy out ond cre hr) Do You want a drag? (Pause) DR CHARLOTTE, No. Here, (She hands the ashy to Le) Weld like to have you become more involved in Hank's therapy, We'd like you to come more oRten for vss TEE, "Doctor, can I be honest with you? What is your frst DR. CHARLOTTE. Ghavlote. LEE. Oh, my youngest boy's a Chat DR. GHARLOTTE. "Yes. LEE. Charloue. I've forced myself through school and T'm about ta get my degree. I'm very picky now about the kind of tman Fl go wid I keep —1 weed to keep a very clan howe, Hank makes fun of my degree in coumtlogy He terrorzes any man I'm interested in This last one, Lawrence, Hank fmade fun of he being on parole, made fun of the way he held hie iquor, made fun of his Pinto. The point is, Hank Cost ie a potentially good relationship. And as for sy hhowe.s Hank isnot something I can control so what is the point of my vsing? DR CHARLOTTE: He says he mies you. (Hank entos, He fe hig T7yerold conrad with moter grease) HANK Rey. LEE. Look at you, You took ike pig 19HANK Pm wring ona ei TEE Dont they lt you shower rae ula‘ you were ere and Ta apposed © tome bere Sa eax ow, Hank (ts) You get the eae a yp pu) Are you Being oul Seam “Sire not senping me doom armor. LAS uanon' abuse tht rege. You wane 4% Tigo some in my pane : TiS Where's Crs? He did't come? EES cnr dw in geometry. Ux yt easy he rome geomety. BANK Malco ssn remade geomet. (T° ABE at) Canes ot dang 100 wel in 09 Se Griantorte, "Mein. aay is teeute he rea too mach: Do you want o oner HE) oe Aamorre. No, thank you Pee are you beh oul? Has. °F tld you yes TEE Al ight Ti jt aig Hin. sohow come you're ssing? TRO ie doyou mca don't ave 1 Bae Fest to Toc Then now come you've never vite tle? TANS neler bat you mere wacom Herc Tic gece count ae Ive How can be 2 wt TE rch you weve here! : A ier to 2 cpl fr when youre comcout ot Leeceaos I can ony ake the efor DE CHARLOTTE. Mmmm. : ; eae eA gr iT knew you wate going to Be como LEE Mots fat mare fan: De You have vrs 1° of sEfeaue Toul ake wth me? see LOTTE Your son off be Thorne now: You Sel ft im et or 2 sal Ee een ng surg are jo out te Lee ee Pail ng he eet he CH ~ becuse of our howe, and on Saturday I help the nuns since they took us in T feel I should do something around the place. BR CHARLOTTE, Mmtmm. EEE, On Saturdays the mune roll out sheet of dough and with this shot gl they cut out the, what do you call the Tod-of-Chrst thing they wse for their Communion. Now I'm rt allowed to actully ouch the dowgh because 'm not @ Catholir but T make sure there's Ite of four spread ott on the table so the body-ofChriet thing doesn’t sick because i's hell fo lean up. You end up baving to trape it with your fail And I keep count of how many bodieraChrist things theyee made DR. CHARLOTTE, Communion Hoss, LEE, ‘Thats right. Ws very relaxing ll the ges get talk ings (Hanh one to lave. Dr Charles ham and ts Bie dn) DR" CHARLOTTE, Do you think the nuns would under: and if you told them you needed to come vist your son? LEE. I'm here today, aren't DR. CHARLOTTE. Yes : LEE. (Ofjring Hank an MEM) T did come up here to tell, you something — (She pul Ais meuth) your hands are too fressy — though I was planning on coming today anyway. HANK What LEE.” Well now, its not good news but your doctor thinks is all ight to tell you beesuse, partial, Tve got no chotee. HANK. What LEE. You Inow your Aunt Beuie down in Florida. Wel she's got leukemia and I guess she's not doing too well and there's posiiliy she might die HANK. Woe LEE, "Your Aunt Bese. HANK. Tlde't know I had an Aunt Bese LEE, "Sure you did. My ster. Your aunt She lives down in Florida HANK. This i the Gest I've heard of her LEE,” She's been to the howe aHANK When? LEE Right ater your dad and 1 got maid TASK. wasn't bom yee TAD on, Tigucs you event Wall! Row ve mentoned ter, She's ny iter HANK 1 didnt Know you had a ster TEE sow know how af Chris 1 bes sy, looks the abies sends cad his year eer. TANK Oh yeah TEE Thats your Aant Donic, my sites Han. "Obey LEE, And she's ding. Hin Otaye Ave the any more MANS? TES sore Ute pts oe Br oul) Since we're her nea Arce ey want wr fo ge eed 10 ice i our bone tar “Gwe compaatie becuse they could maybe sive er He if Ihty doa Poneto toot HANK Yea TEE they wanted ws to fy to lvida bat we cant ford that So wee going to arange te tess yp here and send them down. O17 HANK "ny don't we goto ida? TES neente we dnt have any money, Hank. 12 sealy plete they my, And It not supposed to hurt mich. HANK Wha fT don't want to 0 Tite what do you mean? inv Ton’ Eaow bee. Why sould Tet tess do aye TEE aR in my ster we are ting about And maybe 1 tae mendoned her w you befre bt that doen ean Uae ht om my mind fot and we are not ging 1 st TENSSaE teense you want fo fe ane of your moods. Do es Sidersand® Now they ey they can do Your tes up here YOUN har ted nay ond rea Mt Book) Wel ave te goriUe good tose you, Hank Taste vbw coming net week? TAD 1 ditt tnont fe Feat ofthe Atension. It gets Kind thu. DR. CHARLOTTE, Hank, is there anything you want to sy to your mother? LEE. Willi ake long, because 1 am already late? HANK. No, just — wel, I'm really sory 1 burt the howe on. LEE.” Is that i “use 1 am really lat? Olay, Hank Well you be good now. I'd leave you theve bat theyre Charlie's 1 jst took thein with me for the drive. Here, I'll leave you tome here, Then when you get cleaned up you can come DDack for them. (She pours out some MEMS on the Sat of the air) Olay, well, we'll see You, and Besie's doctor should be calling you DR CHARLOTTE. We'll be waiting. (Lt ext.) Well (She ahs out «garb, Highs it and toes & dep drag) Good session. See 5 esi es in her apa led, wearing & wig and eating Inch. Ruths a chair Bese er RUTH, Being confined to your bed is nothing to be afraid of BESSIE, I'm not confined to my bed. I'm just tile tired today. RUTH. I was confined to my bed most of my lie, You find things to dor TBESSIE. Like what? RUTH. Oh my, well, you ean sleep or you can lay dhere sake BESSIE. Do you want any of thi? RUTH. No, no. Thats all for you. You eat that and be sHrong. Have you made a ainky today? ESSE. "Yen RUTH. Tha rice pudding? TBESSIE. Do you want 12 00d, Thats important. Do you want yourRUTH, Not if you were going to have it TBESSIE, You cam have it RUTH, I dida't really have tine fora hunch. BESSIE. This is to fr for you to come, Ruth T don’t think you should visit me again. RUTH, You visted me ever day when Iwas in for my ce "nce for me #0 Ws You. BESSIE, Is to hard on you. RUTH. Tes auch 2 lovely walk. BESSIE, Besides, you're needed at home now. RUTH. I'wish we could do something about that garage ‘door I fel like the whe erect knows ty Busnes. BESSIE. How s Dad? RUTH, Oh, he's fine BESSIE. Docs he miss me? RUTH. Well {havent actually tld him you'se gone, BESSIE, What? RUTH, 1 dida't know what to sy. BESSIE, ‘Docent he wonder where fam? RUTH. When he asks Tsay you're jost ia the other room tnsy with something. Then he falls sslep for # while and when he makes up I iay he just mised you BESSIE. Ruch. RUTH, Te would upset him. BESSIE, "Who docs he think that nurse is living with you? RUTH. Well I pretend not to notice her. BESSIE, What do you mean? RUTH. Irshe comes in the room while 'm there I pretend he's not rea. That she doesn't exist ESE, Then what does Dad think? ROTH. 1 think he thinks he's hallucinating. ESSE. What ROTH, I never tld him he wat hallucinating. He came up vith that hill. [dnt know what to do. U vas going to ey 1b tell htm you were in the hospital and — and she walked in before T'was ready #0 1 didn't — 1 — 1 pretended she BBESGIE, You have to tl him a RUTH. But he's wed to it now. The only time it seems to other him ie when she caries him to the bath. And I suy ch, look Marvin, you're fying. Bese will want to see thle, ‘And Igo into the other rooen to get you. ‘RESSIEY ‘He mut think he's losing hiv mind RUTH. But its beter han teling him. You don't know. He would ine s0 upset. He's sill your father. What am T supposed {0 tell him? That his tile gil is — ? How can 1 tll him? ‘Then hell really chink he's losing hie mind. He'll be «0 yp- set Te would be 10 upectting to him. He's your father BESGIE, AUD right. Allright RUTH. I wouldn't know what to ay. DBESSIE, Tell him that I'm going to be fine and 1'l be home soon and there's no rnaom to be upect. RUTH. You want me to tll him? BESSIE, “Yes. Because there is no reaion to be upset I'm going to be fine, Ruth. 1 aow Tam. RUTH. Nothing happens that God doctn't have reason BESSIE, I'm sure He does, RUTH. He wies to teach us things. He tries to reach down, and shake us out of our ignorance: BESSIE, Im sure that's it RUTH. I know He made me crippled for a reaton, He wants fae to learn something. It may be paience or it may be Eexbearance or i may be Bow to dest without standing up, He doce’ tell you what iti, you just have to Tear it BESSIE. 1 don't think it's how to dress RUTH. Oh, it wouldn't spre me. 1 often ask Him why Frm crippled. T also ask Him why he let Marin buy dis house flown here to take care of me then struck Marvin with 3 stroke. Why? And dhen have him lose his colon to cancer. Why And then foe the ight in one eye and the ure of one idney and yet keep a Tull head of hair. Why? BESSIE. “I don't know. RUTH. But God know. He has His rentons. And I'm not upset. BESSIE, Then tell Dad his nurse + not hallucination and 2sthat I am notin the other room. RUTH, Think he's starting to enjoy ting. BESSIE, And T don’t want you to Wit me again. I's 100 hard on you (Paws) I almone time for your show, Don’t you want to watch? RUTH. Tiga’ think you would want to. BESSIE, I Kind of want to see if Lance proposes to Gora RUTH. Have you been watching? BESSIE, Ive seen it since T've Been in here. ROTH. (St onthe ad ath Bei) Tanti wonderful? ¥ think shel say yen They realy do love each other. ESSE,” "But now, rhe the same guy who raped her at one point RUTH. Ob, chat was months ago. He's relly 2 nice boy (esi lihs om the TV withthe one The bth lok tothe eo bur of the rom wha the TV wold be The soepepera theme mu Siesta the ge fe) Scene 6 exe's home, Basie i x Marin’ rom ESSIE, Okay, Dad. Roll dhat way. Let me get the sheet ‘Oh, c'mon you Can help me out » ie bi. (Dao rings Lat ‘rsh ses) Rath! Dad, now [need to get that side of the sheet too 40 would you roll toward me now. Just a litle. LEE." Hallo? BESSIE, Lec? LEE, Besse? BESSIE, Til be right out. (To Manin.) Now you'l be okay for » sowent, I've Jur got to put these to Soak. (hie car ‘ping ballep sh) Lee! TEE “Besse. Tang the bell DDESSIE. Didn't Ruth Jet you in? LEE. No, she — TBESGIE. Well, T don’t know where she got to She's probe 6 aby infront of the TV somewhere, I told her to keep an eye fut for you, TEE. (Oueripping.) That's all right. She probably just dida't bear the bell Tat let mpl i. T hope you don’t mind BESSIE. Not at all Look at you. LEE. What TBESSIE, Look at you. Are you that oli? How old does that smake me, then? LEE. Why, do I look old? BESSIE. Wel, you're a fot older. LEE. You look good though, Besse. You really do. I fke your hair. ‘BESSIE. "This is a wig. Is from my chemo. LEE. Oh, (Sight pause) I know isa wig, T don't know why T pretended T didn't. Not that i looks like = ig DBESSIE. Thanks. LEE, Tm wearing 2 Gl to’t chat something. Tve always loved his length bat I've never had the patience for it T just ‘wear it when I want 10 look nice. ESSE” "Why don’t you st down. Ie got to put these to soak. Dad had hiewel's litle acident LEE. Ob, How is he? BESSIE. He's tlt with os LEE, Let me help. BESGIE, "No, no. You sit down. This wil only ke a second. (ts) LEE. (Sande by te enrana to Marvin's rom) Dad? Its me, Tree All dhe way down from Ohio. We came after all (Pause) ‘The muns had a big bake sale for ws to pay for our way down hnere. Can T come’ In? (She goes én) HH, Daddy. (She rent, slighly ups) BESSIE.” (Renting) 1 let them soak and worry about them later. Oh, Lee T-don't know if you should smoke in the howe. LEE. Oh I'm ESSIE. No, you could smoke in the garage if you LEE, No, no. BESSIE. Dad's oxygen tks 2LEE 1 underwand BESSIE, "Or you could smote in the yard. LEE T don’t have to smoke, BBESSIE. | Where'e your bop? Couldnt you get Hank out of the mental institution? LEE. Bese, we don’t lke to call it the mental institution, [BESSIE. “What do you call 2 LEE, We call it the loony bin or the nut house to show Jeeve got sense of humor about it [BESSIE, ‘Well where is he? Where's Charlie? Ive got myelt ‘wo grown nephews Te never seen. TEE. Now f invited you up for both their chrstenings, DESSIE, “Te got my hands fll down bere LEE, “Who stayed while you were in the hospital? BESSIE We had + nurse come i LEE. That must have been expensive, I want to write you @ check BESSIE. Oh no. That’ allright. LEE. Don’t wom. Ie not going to be much. (Whiting dick) DBESSIE, "Thats olay, Lee. We've gotten by this longr We'te fd you're here now Lee,”"‘OF course Tm here. You're my sister BESSIE_ Where are your boys? LEE They're siting out in the cas BESSIE, ‘The car? Why don't they come in? LEE. You have to ask Hank that BESSIE. "Do they need help with their stl? LEE, "He's jose doing tis to make me mad. ESSE, "Should we — LEE Don't worry about i 1 know how to handle Hank, He ‘won't use you a problem while he's here. BESSIE, You probably want to see Dad. Its been such a Tong time. LEE, Sure BESSIE. Well let me get him dressed and cleaned up a litle. He would’ want you to sce lm lke he i. LEE. You sure I can't help? DBESSIE, "TVe been doing it this long. (Basie ges into Marin’ 8 om, Ruth entre) TEE Aunt Rath? RUTH. "Oh, look who ital And isn't she prety LEE. "Aunt Roth? RUTH. "You remember an old thing lke me? LEE. "You're up and shout. RUTH. “Oh, Ie got my cute. Pm part machine. I hope you don't think I'm rade but T'm watching my show and 1 just hate to mse st L knew you'd come right when i starts, LEE. ‘Oh no, you watch your program. RUTH. Are you going to give me a hug? (Lae hugy Ruth) (Give me a real ge 1 won’t break. (La hugs ud hard Th Inars Ruth) Oh Jesus Oh seeet Jess. Ob Jena. (Buh ts her ia ad the geage deo it awed going ip) LEE, Ob, Vim sony. I'm sorry. Here sit DBESSIE. (ami) T heard the garage door RUTH. Lee hurt my back. LEE. ‘I didn'e mean to BESSIE. "T'm sure she didn't mean to RUTH. 1 know she didn't mean to, She's a eneet gd LEE. "I brought some cookies leftover from the bake sie RUTH. n't that thoughiful. But I'm not allowed sugar. LEE. “Bot you'l Ike them, Bese. Sevemiajer cookies BESSIE, "Thanks, Lee, but I'm tying to say avay from that Stull now too LEE," Does Dad stl have & ancet tooth? BESSIE, You bet LEE. ‘That's good. DBESSIE. "Which makes his diabetes all the more frustrating, LEE. Disbetes™ RUTH, But it's lovely canister, i BESSIE. Do you want to sce Dad? LEE. Sure, RUTH. Who are thote two boys siting in the car in the driveway? LEE.” That's Hank and Charie. This ie something I need to tell you both RUTH. think the commer fal break must be over, Could 2you tell me Ice? EEE." Oh, sure. (Ruh nits) Besie, Hank wil do things like this to get attention. They say Tjust have to hqnore it Or give ‘ime an ulatur, BESSIE. ‘What about Charice LEE, He just goes along with Hank Or he might be read- ing. DBESSIE, What s¢1 ak them in? LEE. No. Ifwe ask them in I have to be prepared to make him come in. T don’ feel up to ie BESSIE. Of now, LEE, "He just wants the atention. He hasn't agreed to be tested for the tranephnt yet beeause he knows he'l be the ‘enter of atention. You have to ignore him, BESSIE. ‘Te has’? LEE. “Oh, but don’t worry, Hle wi BESGIE. We can't have him do anything he doen't want to, LEE, "No. He wil TM) make isn if Ihave to, DBESSIE. “How are you going to make him, Lee? You can’t ‘make him come in from the drive. (Paws. Lee ote, Base set ek id of She pte hack ed ae ak om eos, RUTH, nie) I keep missing the show and only catch the BESSIE. You're supposed to watch. You're supposed to tll me what happens. TEE. (Reewirs) Can I use your phone? BESSIE,. Sure. LEE. Do you have the number for the police? DBESSIE. "Why? What happened? RUTH. (Simullznosty) Oh my! LEE, "Nothing's happened. I had to gle Hank an ultima tum. That's what his doctor told me I'm supposed to do, ‘Clearly define the rules so Hank knows what the consequences BESSIE, Couldn't you tl him no more TV? LEE. He burned the TV. RUTH. Are they smoking drugs out there? 0 LEE,_Do you have the number? ESE. i acom cxreme. IEE. Jou ge me be mumber Bess. esa! "Heres i of emergency mombers 1 ght dere Ser chien dale TEE Thank your Tm sory shout thi (She das) ROTH. "Gort tid Sm the gong to mary Lance ESSE. “Tel me ty thy 59 Hon end Gute Chere i me in a) tae” Og. HESS. "Wab ook who's her. TEE. Thank yo fr coming, Hank, TANK. "We wore coming bt Mom They were doing top tem counthor and we wanted to her member Se ens dr yu ty a HANK." don't ow, You were doting and vein. 1 jim Site's te the ie Tee Youte uyng to make me look bad in font of our nts a they se Sight trough j BESS Wen'you'te here And fim your Aunt Benie who You hive never hid eer on but I don't eave i you ae all Frown op, opt sg tg Else i Bae) RUTIL ‘Yn Rut (en hugs Ruth) On Jess. OF meet Jes Ob Jus uh tor hr tend th grag dor koe, ASI Wha 1 do? Wha 1s? sry — Whats at BUTE es oat damn guage. Deving me na ESSE, St dows Rute Run, Ym fre ESSE. "And you mut be Chase, Do you have «hg for Your Aunt Beas chr rr) EUTiL And Tn Rhy your great aun. (Oe inde Ne fend ts ht) Thank ou Which one of ou hand bays inthe mental aan? ESSE" She name the Joy bi, HAN Thavt me aBESSIE. Do you all want to go in and sce Dad? HANK. Sore RUTH. Marvin! Company's coming! Company’ coming! BESSIE. I know he's excited about meeting ll of yo. (Dhey 1 in. Morin is hosed muting) Dad is Lee, your daughter, nd these are her boys, your grandkids. No, don't be scared, ‘They're teal. They're real. Maybe this is too much right now. (They lowe the room. Rath Lye inside) RUTH. (From Marcin’ mom) Don't be vared of your own sgandkids BESSIE, "I's jost too much excitement. LEE, “Should you be taking Hea? BESS, Tm fine. I seem to be im reminion, which isthe best Sine fora tranapant. T want to tank you all for coming ‘down here and for helping me out Its a lotto ack of tome: fone to donate their bone marrow (CHARLIE. I think i sounds neat. BESSIE. But I could undersand if comeone were to be re: Ictant, HANK. T'm thinking about it that’s all. BESSIE. Lee, your appointment is today at three. I hope you don't feel rushed. Tee. "No. BESSIE. "The odds are better that your mother will be & ‘match so she'll get tested fist and then maybe you His won't Ihave to bother CHARLIE. Disppinta) Realy? (Hank picks up potato chip tut ofa bowl) LEE. “Hank, did Bessie ofer you a chip yet? BESSIE. "Oh, that's what they're there for LEE. He has to wall to be asked, Besde. Put the chip back Hank. Pruse) Put ie back (Powe) Put back the chip. (Pause Lae rumbles the chip i Hank's hand) BESSIE. Lee, 1 put them out for the kids LEE, You fave to understand, he has to wait to be ashed. BESSIF. "Hank, would you ke » chip? HANK No, dhank you, Aunt Bene. Not right now. LEE, "Your aunt offered you a chip, the polite thing to do 8 ‘would be to take it HANK. T'don'e want one right now. LEE. Eat a chip or no Disney World 1 could ge a fuck about Disney Word LEE, "That's i. Get out of my sight. don’t care where. Just 0 Tean't see you. (Hank oct the house. Pause) BESSIE. Chari, would you lke a chip? (Chel looks at his nom) TEE Go ahead hong) if you want one. DBESSIE. “Take a bunch. (Charie abs « handful) LEE. "Not too many. You'll spoil your lunch. (Char pus them all back bl one. Hei aout to bite it) Don't make crumbs fom your aunt’ nice lor. (Ghar euck on the chp. Pause) CHARLIE. "Can T go watch Grandpa breathe? LEE. Gharlic, don't word things that way. [BESSIE, Sore you can. (Charlee lo Marin’ room) RUTH. (From Maran room) Look who iti, Maren. Ie Charlie. No, he's real. Here Charlie. Do this, (Ruth goer Care her vor. He stats the ight Bouncing om Marvin's wall) LEE. Beate, I'm sorry about all this You should have quiet and Y'm — Tm sorry. Bat this is what the doctor has asked te to do, Pm at the end of my rope. (Sarthe check) You tre up my check? BESSIE, "Lee, I'm glad you're here but we've been getting along fine by cursehes for slong time and not because we've wanted to, That wat your choice. Please, I's glad to see You ‘m very grateful, but we're doing okay. (Pause) LEE.” (he looks out the windea,) Hank, Tan see yout! Somme 7 Late at night ine bacyard. Hank is examining tls in fn old tabox. Boe eta th a xp of ef [BESSIE, Hank?... Hank is that you? HANK. Yesh.BESSIE. What are you doing out here? HANK Nothing BESGIE, It's Lind of late to be up doing nothing HANK What are you doing? BESSIE. T'm having some coffe. Can't you sleep? HANK 1 don't need much seep. BESSIE. Growing boys need thelr sleep. HANK Tm done growing BESSIE. Do you want a sip of my colle then? HANK. No. BESSIE. You gave me a scare Hank. I'm not wed to find- ing someone ese back here HANK You want me to go inside? BESSIF. No, Unles... Are you not wpposed to be out here? ‘Will your mom care? HANK. She's asleep. [BESSIE, T don't see any harm in it But don't tell your Aunt Rath that I wander away from the hone at night Te might HANK. She's not my aunt. RESSIE, Sure she HANK She's my great aunt You're my sunt. Marvin's my grandfather. I got a whole new fal BESSIE. I guess you do. Mat scem kind of strange HANK No stranger than anything cle, ESSE, We've all glad you're here HANK. Yeah, we should do it agsin in another seventeen years. (Pause) BESSIE. Do you ike Florida so fr? HANK. Haven't seen much. BESSIE. Nights like this are nice. You wed to be able to sec just a pateh of the Gulf right through there HANK. Where? BESSIE. You can't anymore. They built that elementary School. I don't know where they thooght the kde would come from, You can sill ell the water though. HANK Tat BESSIE. You can't? Maybe I just remember smelling i, ™ (ause) Your mom and I haven't aay gotten along. That's why I haven't been in touch 50 much HANK. Ubshuh. BESSIE, You sure did a lot of hard work around here this sakermoon. HANK. I was bored. BESSIE, 1 knew Dad's respirator shouldn't ratle Tike that. HANK. You jist had to get thowe monopoly hotels that were crammed in there lose BESSIE, I wish you could have really known your grand ther, He'd a lked having = boy around HANK. He was kind of jabbering at me when T was in there. RESSIE, That's hi way of talking wo you HANK. Kind of gave me the creeps TRESSIE, Wel, he's beem sick for a very long time. HANK. Don't you ever wish he would ust dle? FBESGIE. Hank" Don't ask that. HANK Why no BESSIE. ICs rude. HANK. [haven't made up my mind about geting tested = [BESSIE, Hopefully your mom wil be @ match, HANK. Even if se ie’, just BBESSIE. Ie that what you were doing? Siting ut here think ing about i? HANK. No. BESSIE. "Oh. What were you thinking about? (Paws) You don't have to tell me, of course. (Pause) What are you doing vith the tool HANK. I'm just looking at them. 1 was going to put them back BESSIE, I did't think you were stealing them, Hank. You ‘an have them if you want HANK Realy? BESSIE. Sure HANK You're giving them to me? BESSIE, SureHANK You're Just ging dhem to me? ESSE. ‘Sire, why not? HANK. These are really cool tools RESSIE. Are they? HANK Yeah, they're ancient BESSIE. That wed to be your grandfather's toolbox. T think he'd ike you to have it. HANK. They won't let me keep these, though. HANK. The hospital BESSIE. Wel, you won't be in there forever HANK. When T go back they're moving me to a place for sul, RESSIE, Why? HANK. 1 turn eighteen in three weeks. BESSIE. Oh. Heppy birthday. HANK. Thanks If the fire hada’t spread up the street it ‘would’t be euch a big desl BESSIE. Ube HANK Or if melting plas didn't give off noxious foes Now they want to be sure 'm not a Uheat BBESSIE, You're nota threat. I'm sire theyll ce that. You're probably the best one there. HANK.” “There's this one dude on my Qoor held a razor blade under his tongue for five hours. Talked to the ordrles and ate ‘and everything. ESSE, "Why on earth would he do that? HANK. He was trying to break my record, BESS. Hank What do you want to be when you grow up? HANK. Tam grown up. [BESSIE. When Took at you I see a lost litle boy HANK. Then get your eyes checked. (Pause) So Marvin liked to fix stat BESSIE. Maybe that's where you get It from. He used t0 rake your mom s0 mad. He'd leave the radio ying in pees. ‘She liked to tum it up and dance wild sound the house. HANK.” Mom kod to dance? BBESSIE. You bet HANK. (Taking phot from tlio) Hey, who is this? BESSIE, ‘Let meee. (They lock af Polo lg) That's your grandmother. HANK. Looks kind of tke Mom. ESSE. ‘She takes ater her. Your grandfather used to have this ped above his workbench. HANK. She's young BESSIE, She wa young. (O/ laa) Do you want this too? HANK. I don't care DBESSIE. ‘Then Ill Keep it HANK. Did you know my dad? BESSIE, “I met him once, Doesn't your mom talk about him? HANK. 1 know he had a motoroyle DESSIE. Dia he? HANK. Yeah, BESSIE, I know your mom was muts about him. HANK. Did you meet him atthe wedding? BESSIE, Nor It was when 1 prety much knew that 1 w fing to be down here with Dad and Rath for longer than thought. So T went back home to Selloff the rest of my sul HANK. They have you orer for dinner or something? BESSIE, Nor | just sot of stopped by. T was curious to see thie guy who covld tke up abvolutly all of your mother's times Te wasn't much of a vst. He was asleep on the couch ce didn't want to wake him up and abe had just mopped the litchen Boor so we stood in the halay and walked for a while. When left he wat ail asleep. HANK. How'd he seem? ESSIE. He weemed nice enough. HANK 1 don't think I'l get the test. What do you think bout tha? BESSIE. Can Task wty? HANK No reason. (Pause) Being outide here i different than being outside at the hospital BESSIE. "How? HANK. Seems bigger TBESSIE, Maybe your mom wouldn't want you out this late. PaHANK. Oly. BESSIE. Did Ruth thank you for fixing the garage door? HANK. Yeah. BESSIE. That was very nice of you. HANK. Nobody ever does anything to be nice. That's what any therapist ay BESSIE. He does? HANK. People don’ just do things They get something for BESSIE. He says ha HANK. Yeah. [BESSIE. And you believe him? HANK. Yeah TBESSIE. Why have I spent the lat orenty years of my fe down here. Because I enjoyed 12 Because 1 got something HANK. Yeah, or you wouldn't do it BESSIE. No, lank, na. Sometimes T can barely. no HANK. First time I hear from you is when you need some- ‘hing. BESSIE, Hank — HANK Maybe you did it because maybe you thought you'd never Tand a husfand. Or maybe you jst wanted t0 hide out When you're mot around, a nurdng home will do 8 for the cash, BESSIE. Your mom wouldn't lee them HANK Why not She doesn LEE. (Off) Hank! Hank! HANK. © (Of tole) Where do you want me to put these? BESSIE. They're yours HANK hay. (1 starts to go) BESSIE. Hank. You're my nephew and I love you no mat. ter what you've decided, Powe. HANK, Okay, (He eit, Baie sands aloe asthe lights foe to Hack) to 2 home, ACT TWO Scene 1 A ranoment home sie and Lee wail in « comaling room A Bol of candy seem the tale BESSIE. What's the ne? LEE. You jut aed me. BESSIE. "What iv 7 LEE. Four twele. (Pause) Are you tired? BBESSIE, "No. (Sigh pouse) Why? Do T look ted? LEE. You look good. BESSIE. ‘Then why did you ask me? LEE. We've been waiing, I thought maybe you were red of waiting: BBESSIE. I am tre of waiting LEE. “That's all Tmeant. (Pause) Why? Do you fel red? ESSE. I feel fine. LEE. You look great BESSIE. I feel good. (The Ratrment Home Diseior exes and {ins Bese and Le) DIRECTOR.” Let me ty to explain it agin LEE understood what you were sing. DIRECTOR. Then for your sisters benelit: BESSIE. You're saying I could’t afford to put Dad and Ruth in this nursing home even if I wanted 16. DIRECTOR. That's not what len saying. LEE. Tes not DIRECTOR. No, LEE, What are you saying? DIRECTOR. Let me sy this, what does it matter what I'm ying if you have no interes in thie instation? TEE 1 didn't say thatLEE. She didn't mean it DBESSIE, I think I i LEE, Where do_you want them to end up, Bessie? At CGoung? For recreation they push he wheelchairs into the ball tnd let you watch the medicine carte rol by. Here they have ‘computer games, They have nest basketball, DIRECTOR. "We have 1 video library. Singalongs. Date igh BESSIE. Who is Dad going to date? DIRECTOR. You'd be murprced. Women outnumber the ‘men five to one, TEE, "This i the best place we've seen TBESSIE, ‘We can't afford it s0 why are we talking? DIRECTOR. T never said that RESSIE, What did you sy? DIRECTOR. Let me get tomething that might help. (Exits) LEE, I know thi is bard. There's no reason to be depresied bout my text results because I know Charlie is bound 10 ‘natch. So none of this meane anything anyway because you're fing to be fine SBESSIE, I don’t lke you pressuring Hank. LEE, What I'd ke to do i take a tick to him. (Peuse ESSIE, "I have to tke Charlie to Dr. Walls and sill get to the pharmacy before it closes LEE” ‘Tike Charlie, We've got time, You've got more en: ergy than Ido. The way you handle Daddy and Ruth. 1 wouldn't bt a week. DBESSIE, Ie not hard LEE. You've done amazing things, Bese BESSIF, "I haven't done 20 much, TEE. You should be proud. [RESSIE, "I just did what anybody would do. LEE 1 get my degree next quater RESGIE. “You thould be proud of tt, LEE, I already had one freelance job doing hair for a TV commercial. Te was Just local but guess how much they paid for one day BESSIE. I don’t fee ike guesing. LEE. “Guess. BESSIE, "Three hundred dolar LEE. “That's right. Three hundred dollars. Why did you (gues that? BESSIE. It jut popped into ny head LEE. “Most people would have gueme lower. BESSIE, ‘Three hundred dollar is lot of money. LEE, Ws a fot for one day. I feet like my Ie ie fnally sar ing BESSIE. Who would tke cate of them here? LEE. “Doctors Did you see they have a pool? They have a mirror ball In the cafeteria for disco night. This ba nice place. Te even smells nice, Do you want 2 candy? BESSIE, No. LEE, T should take them all She's kept us waiting so long. Serve her right. T could give them to the boys. BESSIE. Don't steal dhem. She'll notice theyre gone, LEE. "She's not going wo accute us, She'd be too emba raed. (She dumps fe candi info het purse) ESSE. Lee! LEE. Relat of she'll think you took them, BESSIE. Put them back, LEE, “T can't Theyre all rolling around in my purse DIRECTOR." (Raeners with Xeoner) All right. (Gies thm aes) If you turn to page four, you'll se a chart of the various sate and national nancial-ad programs for this ina fution. De you ee that? Page four BESSIE. “Ihave the lowimpact aerobic schedule. LEE. $0 do 1 DIRECTOR.” Here. (Tales Nowus and eit) DBESSIE. Ts the woman at the front desk a nurse? LEE. She was wearing white BESSIE, "They do that so you'l think there are more nurses around than tere are. Did you touch her hands? LEE. Why would T touch her bands? TBESSIE. ‘Theyre ice. She has no circulation. 1 can't believe they let her touch patients aLEE. she's probaly js a reepionit BESSIE So the 9 fake TEE she's nots fake She's x rel recepont dened in vite BISSIE, Dad would have never done this TEE Wel ESGIE. Do you remember ow he aed fr Mo LEE. I yes litle, Mom wae just thir tague presence in 2 Sv room atthe end of the hl Bessle, "Yremember TEE. We're doing the matre thing, We've sexing what ou ESSE, "Wy cant you ike Dad and Rut? LEE. The mune wold love tat. BESSIE. "You could move down here, You could have the TEE 1 dont tink 50 BESSIE. “Why 100 LEE. Te got Hank to think abou BESGIE. "He's very unhappy thee. TEE of cours he witappy thee. If he were happy be woulda’ be there BUSSIE, You could nd a nie place for him here, Le. ‘You'd have the whole howe. The sushine. You could ind vor dow Ree Tee Ne, BESSIE” "Gite me one goad reason. LE just no. Bessie. way? LEE. Because I don't want to. (Pause) I made tis decision fnce already. When Daddy had his ft wooke, {made this ecion then U mn' going fo waste ny Ue BESSIE, "You Wink Ive wasted ny Me? TEE Of coune not BESSIE.”| cart imagine a beter vay to have spent my If LEE. "Then we both made the right decion, BESSIE. "You ar the mot LEE. Sey i You've been saying i millon diferent ways 2 since I got down here BESSIE! I have not 1 have bent over backwards to avoid Dhaving this conversation with you, LEE.” What conversation? (Peuse Bete opens her use and puts about a dlr ix chang iv the candy bead) What are you ‘ing? BESSIE. I'm paying her for them, LEE. Pat that back ESSE, "T'm not going to steal them. I LEE. Tes not wrong BESSIE. Wrong is wrong. LEE. “Tes your money. DIRECTOR." (Reenlor ith Xowaet) Turn to page four, You'l see a chart of the various nancialaid programs svallabl, LEE and BESSIE. (Teper) Ubi DIRECTOR. And you'll see that you don't qualify for any of ‘hem. BESSIE. So you're wasting our time, DIRECTOR. "No. le means you have to drop into a lower income bracket. BESSIE. "Lower? DIRECTOR. "You need to deplete your savings on nowasset scquisions Including your home equity DBESSIE, "Lower? DIRECTOR. "Let me exphin it again LEE T understand DIRECTOR. Then for your sister's benefit. You need to spend your suvings and your home equity on something that thas no resle ylue and’ cannot be considered an aict Sew fenty percent of our residents have done this to. qualify for LEE. "What do they buy? DIRECTOR. | Most buy very elaborate tombatones, Ie perfect financial scltion. (Pause) BESSIE. "I'm going to waitin the car. (She ei Powse) LEE. Do you have something I could take with me? (The inet reaches to fick up a bocare off he tbl, the mony in (te emdy bland lacks at Les) — 4sSenne 2 The dad's wing rom. Hank and Care si i chai or eachother Dr Wally fats tem. Bob sands by DR. WALLY, Ik everyone clear on the procedure we are bout to do? Are there any querions? BOB. How long does the anesthetic tke to work? DR. WALLY. Is not so important at you understand the procedure, Bob. BOB. (T» Hank and Charlie) Could I have your medical hi tony card, plese? (Hank and Charlie ite them 10 him) DR. WALLY. Who is going to be the brave one and go fia CHARLIE. I yant to go frst Can IP HANK. I don't care (Dr. Welly end Char start out) DR. WALLY. What grade are you in now, Hank? CHARLIE, I'm Chat DR WALLY. Tm Dr. Wally. (The eit) BOS. Hank, am I reading your medial eard correct? Are you correnty on lithium? HANK Yean.| BOB. ea great dg, isn't i HANK. “Uh, ROB. Can i'ask you something? Did you find you put on ot of weight since? HANK. "No. BOB. No? Hramm. (He ets) ESGIE, (Ener) Hank. I thought you'd be at home. HANK” No, Tm here. ESSE. Where's your mom? HANK. She went oer to the mall BESSIE, Where's Chatie? HANK. He's in back already DBESSIE. Are you here to be with Charlie? HANK 1 probably get tested to. “ BESSIE. Nervous? HANK No. BESSIE, These are new offices for thet, Their old one be: came infested with buge HANK. Bugs don't oder me, BESSIE. No? HANK. They cravl out of the drain in the boy’ shower. ‘They hide in the Tuber in the wood shop. They Hoat in the seap basins on the sinks You get ued to them, BESSIE. I wouldn't HANK. One dude in my room. There's eee of us in this room and this one dude catches bugs and pus them on a leat. BESSIE. A testh? HANK A tule lash. He pulls outa strand of his hair and ties it around the bug and the other end he tacks down te der his bunk. He had thi whole 200 of bugs walking in Hide sires under his bed, DBESSIE. Hank HANK. Til this other dude smathed dein all with the back cf this cafeteria tray. Te was funny. BESSIE. Sounds fanny HANK. 10 not lke anybody ate off the tay, It was an old leay, We wse ito side down the mad fill behind the sciure ward BESSIE. Ubsbu HANK. You get going real fast Thit one dude's old man used to clock pitches for the National League East. He locked me with his radar gun going fy BESSIE, "That's fat HANK. And iy tray shot out from underneath me and ‘roe this dude's windpipe. We had to perform an emergency tracheotomy with sharp piece of batk and 3 Bie pet BESSIE, Hmm HANK Man, it was something. You vant « candy? (Offs her «candy fom th ravement home} [BESSIE. No. Why do you make up these sories? HANK. What?BESSIE, These stories, Razors under the tongue, trcheoto- HANK, 1m not mating soyhng ESSE, "Why aid you pretend pom weren't gong get teed? Wy id you put ne chroogh ta HANEY oul wa eat 0 ese BUssté. ‘Why do you tl so many be TANK’ I hivent ld you shit Now don't know anphing owt iat pace Besa Phen tet me TANK You don't kno ESSE. “Tellme, (Lng poe) HANK You don't nos ESSE. “T'was te hope 1¢ wa boring. Iwas scared tnd i ws borg TAM There thi one dude — BESSIE. “Trois i anomer el ale Tm not interned. (Se ap mages) Fane Ladle secm ep en) rdnnepane Argh th Ling pte) Ma, wt agen: BRM a ae the to nd ers pe) That 8 Bo tman hear. (baie ppt How no anton) That sidney Ihacs'a ing, Tate s bes hace the eye Thats in (Pou) paged ina pool tournament iy ward Did Nom tell you? ESSE, No. HANK. Teame in fourth. It’s tre. She doesn’t think its a ig deal BESSIE. That's great (Sight ruse) HANK. got my toe broken in there, BESSIE, “How? TANK” Guy thew «garbage can at me and it lined on ny foot. HESSIE. Why'd he do hat HANK. No reason T know of Broken toes never heal BESSIE. Does i hure HANK Sometimes (Sigl paws) A fot of drugs Boat eround in there BESSIE, Do you take them? HANK” Mout of the Ume T keep to myself: Most of the time in my room, Tre got a roommate but mort of the time he's got his face to the wall Mott ofthe time I think about not being there. I think what would it be lke to be someone elie. Someone { see on the TV or in a magazine, or even, walking free on the grounds. They can keep ie a8 long at they want Tes not like » prison term. I've already been there longer thin most A Tot of the tne I think about geting ths house with allthis land around it And T'd get a bunch of dogs, no litle ones you might sep on but tig dogs tke Ihorse, and T' let them run wild. They'd never know a leash And I'd build a goart track on my property. Charge people tw race around on ie Those places pull in the bucks, 1d be raking it in. And nobody would know where Twas, Pd be gone. Most ofthe time T just want to be romeplace ce BESSIE, Why aren' you? HANK. Hub? BESSIE. Why aren't you someplace ele? HANK What do you mean? BBESSIE. Do you want to be in there? HANK. No way. BESSIE, Then why are you? HANK. Ive got no ehote. DBESSIE. You're the one who told me people only do what they want. HANK. Yeah. BESSIE. So you must want to be there, HANK. No. No way BESSIE. Then show them you don’t need to be in dere. HANK. Tes not ea lke that People stat thinking of you 1 certain Way and prety soon you're that way. ESSE. "So there's nothing you can do? HANK 1s hard, thas all BESSIE, T don’t want you wasting your life in there. HANK. Neliher do. BESSIE, Then why are you sill there? HANK They put me there. ”[BESSIE. Why'd they put you there? HANK. ‘Cavte I burned down the house BESSIE, Why'd you bura down the house? (Sigh pause) DR. WALLY.” (nur) Hank, do you want to come on back? ‘We can get you started while we'e waiting for the anesthe to start working om lithe Saray HANK. "Chari DR. WALLY. Tm sorry. Did I call you Hank? Its these new ‘ilfces. Do you want to come back? (Ex) HANK. Would you come back with me? BESSIE, ‘Sure T'would. (Thy exe) Seone 3 Best's home. Night. Charlie and Hank on the floor in sping bag. CHARLIE. (ifr & moment) Hank? TAM Ye CGIARLIE Do you cer think aboot actly ig? (Ps) Hae Nebo ss GIARLIE "No ote) Hank, what do you vant for your Sedo? HANI” 1 don't are GHARIIE! “Twinn ner bad 0 go Home. (Hep the ‘lping ag wf osha) Tin Gal you treatne bbe tha? Giianises Wh, (hum) Ha Nant veh EHARLIES Ave you oxi (rou) HES vat, Ace your CGUARLIE, ea, (ps fade om Chr nd Hank a Bi sri tino Bs ps het fh y tt om te pa i es eo tn ‘fr eh Ee nih Se rs ee ig Bae 14 about Walt Disney World? 4 4 sanding thre wihout her wig, ften for & moment like @ rae bit cough inthe hradighis) LEE. On BESS. "I was just going to bed. (is. Lee pours juice and dla: Renters wearing wig) Forgot ny coffe. RE,” “Why are you drinking coffee so late? BESSIE, fke {t Why are you up? LEE. T gues Twas thee BESSIE. "Did you find everything you need? LEE. Yeu. Think you BESSIE, You're welcome. The boy didn't eat much at dine LEE, No. You have # way with Hank 1 don’. LEE You do. You have a way with hin, BESSIE. "He's a good boy LEE Te he? BESSIE. Sure he i LEE. “T wish I knew your secret BESSIE. "T just tlk him LEE. “Are you saying T don't (Sigh pow) [BESSIE. "(Stans toe) Tm Sred and we've got Disney World LEE, “You knew, I could fx your wig for you. BESSIE. "Fie i LEE. T could spe it for you. 1 know how. BESSIE. “Does i look bad? LEE, "No, but if you've got a wig you should have fan with 1k Try diferent look, BESSIE.Unuh, LEE. Something sporty or = tophisucated outon-thetown ‘rening thing. BESSIE, "TJost brush i out'now and then, LEE. Te got a whole makeup kit down here to, BESSIE. “I'don’t bother with that auch, LEE. “You should. T mean because Know when you might meet someone BESSIE. Meet someone?LEE. Sure, BESGIE. A man? LEE. Yes, a'man. [BESSIE. T haven's thought about a man in years LEE. You're hing BESSIE, "Tm sony we haven't been seeing eye 0 eye: LEE, When? TBESSIE, At the nursing home. LEE. T don’t remember anything about i. BESSIE, I don’t want us to Bight LEE. T don't think we have been, ESSIE, “I want us to get along LEE. We do get along. ‘BESSIE. I-don't want us to jut get along. T don’t want us 1p be polite LEE. "Te never had e problem with that, TBESSIE, “I want as to I want (Pause) Not much seems important to me nov LEE, We're sisters ESSIE, The past x — LEE, We're atters BESSIE. “T want you to know — LEE. I do Know. (Marais his rom) Should we? BESSIE, ~ Just sit quit for s moment’ He scares himself sometimes. He'l go back t sleep. (Thee qui) TEE. Do you remember when Daddy wed to drive us down to Miami for vacations? BESSIE, Sure Ido. The two of us asleep in the back seat LEE. How'd we fi LBESSIE, Tuna sandwiches sliding acrost the dat. LEE. Daddy had the ak radio on real low. DESSIE, Ted be so cold outide LEE. The gman would ran out from hi arm office and pump our gis without bothering wih a coat Walteses would Fi ie light a a feather over someone's head and plop me own in the back of « booth Eveyone seemed so strong to sme then. TBESSIE. We were td, 0 LEE Soom like sch along tip. ESSE. “Foreer Mant sag Th av quit « monn) ‘Are you seeing anybody now? te Una BESSIE. "hope you have wmone rel in your fe LEE,“ doa't have mach toute wi that DESSIE. “Tin not ikng about “hat” LEE. "You should be. There's no eaton you haven't had love in your ite, BESS Think 1ve — LEE Men. There's no reson, You're not ugly, Bes, BESSIE. Thank you. He LIRE "Youre not T hnow lt of bye yer intrested in yu, they ju though you mere suck up BESSIE. "Thank you. LEE, “Well iyo ad given them any encouragement BESSIE. ‘I ad’s ue love Le You dt? Besse. "Ye. TEE Did he know? Esa Yeu LEE Yon mean you had a boyiend? BESSIE. "Yen, {had a boyend, Whyte that such new? LEE. How could not have hc sat 1 BESSIE. Te wun anyone you knew TEE Bar Maric BESS. "No. Why do you say Bart Maik? EET remember you tne to sre at hi out ofthe side ‘yor ee HEIST, "Not don't cemember tht. Well maybe 1 would stare at him Because he had that ay Se bat Hab ever Shing roman Tae no then? BES Yow don't know him LEE You can tell ne Bes Tes not Uke T'm going to tll ybody BESS, Garence Jame. LEE Who? stBESSIE. I told you you dida’t know him. LEE How could T not know him? DDESGIE, He wat only around in the summers. (Pause) LEE. (Cotsking om) You went with a camny worker. [BESSIE,. He was 9 very nice person LEE. 1 didn’t my anyhing BESSIE, This ir why T kept Ita secret LEE, | did't axy anything. Daddy would have killed you. DESSIE,. ‘Well he's never going Know. LEE. ‘There were some cite ones. DBESSIE, "He was cote LEE. Which one was he? [BESSIE, He monty ran the ferris wheel LEE, Unhuh. BESSIE. {knew he liked me because he always gave me an TEE, “That's weet BESSIE, "Once he Kept my ear svaying at the top wntl 1 LEE He wae a Ot ESSE, Te had these big ears LEE. I remember him. He was cute. BBESSIE. He alviye sd he probably came from England ‘beens of his maine, Clarence James He'd make a big deal fut of his manners, He had the funniest laugh. He'd) open his mouth real wide and no sound would come out LEE. He was oniy there about three summer BESSIE, Four summers, LEE. Then he sopped coming. DESSIE, "Thats right. (Pewe) LEE. What happened? [BESSIE, Nothing tke you think. LEE. What happened? BESSIE, They ahvays have a lst picnie down by the eves ‘This year there was kind of a cold map 20° lot of people swore bundled up. But Clarence, hell deny it, but he Hikes to be the center of attention. Clarence goes swimming anyway. [And he knows everbody is watching him. Everybody is there, 82 his family, is fiends, me. And he bobs up out of the water and he's laughing, making that monkey hee, which gets al of ‘laughing, and he dunks under again and_ pops up some: where elie laughing cven harder which gets us laughing even harder. And he dives under agen and then he doesn't come up and he doesn’ come wp and he doesn't come up. Laughe ing and choking looked the same on Clarence. He drowned "ght in front of us. Everytime he came up for ae, there we were chuckling and pointing. What could he have thought? TEE. "Bessie you should have tld me, ESSE, If 1 couldn't tell people [had a carny boytiend, 1 couldn't tell people my cary boyfriend drowned. LEE. You should have tid me anyeay. BESSIE, "We were never that cote LEE, Weren't we? BESSIE, No. (Powe) LEE Do you want me to do something with that wig? ‘BESTE, Wha? LEE. I don't know. Let me Took at it. (Basle tur her head, {Geing her lok) No, you have to ake it of BESSIE.” Oh. LEE, "T won't hurt it (Bese i mutant gi Lar the wig) This isa hice wig, Bese. ICs nicely ventilated. We can do something with ths Do you want me ta? BESSIE, "Sure. (Basie thas of hr a amd Ronde ilo La A long pause as La ahr Sn the effets of Bes'schomtherapy) LEE. (Enis) Besse? Bes? [BESSIE. Rulh? (Shes sf oer her head.) RUTH. I went by your room. You weren’ there. BESSIE. I'm here RUTH. Te was empyy. BESSIE. Tim here. (Ruth huge Bee Rant) Ob, honey, I'm sll here. Honeybunch. (Lae sands and watcher Bone and Ruth ‘eniraca)Scene 4 Wale Dimey Word. Hank sts ame on bench. La ios ‘uth Cos She ge one fo Hank and joins hi om Ihe bch Thy drinks Lan, Thee are expense TANK. "Thies the Dice LEE te Wo (Phy seh dink They dink) That Sri Fase Uy Rotiaon wee howe i he HAN T gue LEE, We Sw that move. Do you remember? 1 took you f took you bath, That when Is il eng the Pymouh Do you remember Hate “don't remember. LEE 1 wok you bath to thst move HANK. | Tremember Da took tu © The lant of th Ape LEE.” No, he didnt HANK ie dine LEE tock you to dat but you wee oder then, (Pause) HAN ‘Thame 8 good move LEE. The one wih the par? HAN. "Uke TEE. Oh good. Von glad you Uhed i Are you having a ne? TIN Whers Ctr Aeon LEE. Theyre probably il at dhe Hall of Presidents You {ht want ee tat Fe poe yo Hak, geting ted {or Bene THANK Are we going to st here all day? TEE. Were supposed to mect them hee. Maybe wel eat Or we'l see tat toi Gat wre around you ANIC “Gh sad I want to go t Space Nouns LEE. Well do that HANK. We sant to go off by oursehes TEE No. Uh. Toe already gone tack on my ulimatom 54 {is lewing you come. I think you're doing really well this tp. 1 think everyone is going to hear how well you did. 1 think ic will mean a Tot w hem. For the moet part your behavior down here has made me very happy, but no. (Pause) That Submarine ride. Now, da's » move too, HANK. Did we see that one? LEE. "Did you? (She tis hand lo romania) I don't think s, 1 don’t remember HANK. "With Dad? LEE. "No, no, no, not wth your dad. De you like apes? Do you lke animals? (Hank stands and huts hit Coke ofitage He fis) Wank! You're not geting another one. Panse) De you want to know something about your dad? On Saturday worked and your dad took care of you, HANK. “He did LEE. "Yeah. And sometimes on Saturdays you'd get hurt ‘And'| know jou roughhoused too much. And T'd yell at you for roughhousing too much, bat you'd sll get hurt. And T started leaving my job early 0 T could get Nome, and Td yell at you and ye at you and beg you to plea sop hure ing youre ecase he was my utand, and T loved him and what was 1 supposed to do? Then Charlie ame and I jst (Pause) My fetlings for you, Hank, are Bte » big bow of fi hooks can’t just pick them up one ata tne. I pick vp one, they all come, So 1 tend to leave them alone. (Charis pues ‘Ruth on in a what. Clare wering @ “Gos” exp and Rath ‘em fat) RUTH.” Ohl There you are Its lke a piece of heaven fll from the sly. Isn't i So many handsome young men and ‘women. Everyone is so nice. Mickey Mouse pushed my chair fora lle wile. Didn't he Chath? CHARLIE. "He did LEE. “Is he stil round? 1 want to get « picture RUTH. | T'don't know where he went, He's probably very ‘buy. LEE. Where's Rene? RUTH. She's geting Cokes for everyone. LEE. She iRUTH, You should have come with us, You don’t know ‘what you mised TEE.” Did you lke dhe Hall of President? RUTH. It was ao nice to see FDR. again, LEE. “Are you hungry, Chari? CHARLIE. "(Har sonal reading 2 bok) Not yet LEE. Charlie, please don't read. You're at Disney World Look around. RUTH. Do you want me to hold your book on my lp? CHARLIE, "No. LEE, Read your book if you want It doesn't matter, (Basie fener with tay of Cok. Her nag has boon bled It Tks ery ice) BESSIE. Here we are. hope everyone thingy. Hank. (She foe him @ Cole) Lee TRE. T sircady have one BESSIE, We have an extra then. Hank you look extra hiray. (She ger hi a sean one) Ruth RUTH. It fools nice and cold. ESSE. Chae ant ita beatifol day? I fel like I haven been outside in years EE. "Did you lke the Hall of President? BESSIE, Ie was kind of fun to sce JK. agin RUTH. (Stas waving frantically) Lee, ahere’s one of those Cartoon characters if yo want to get pictre TEE. Who ie dha? Pluto? RUTH. "It looks more like a gopher than a dog. BESSIE, Those aren't gopher ears LEE le Pluto a dog? CGHARLIE. "(Looks up from his book) Yes BESSIE. “They look like horse ear LEE,» Lev get our picture taken with i, HANK. “I don't want my picture aken with some mutant BESGIE, Should we vai for someone more Disney? RUTH. Like Daisy Duck? LEE, "Cimon Hank, BESSIE, This you can probably sce at Sox Flys LEE, "Bot we're all together now. I'm going to ask him to 56 ‘ome over (he exits) HANK,” Charlie les go to Space Mountain, GHARLIE. Otay, BESSIE, I don HANK. BESS, HANK, BESSIE ‘bik your mom wants you to go ff alone She doesnt care eee 1 tink she docs Well be nig bck Hank ay here. HANK. Wel only be gone a second BESSIE. "Hank plone TANK Oty. LEE (ents) That was the cules cartoon character Ive vet met He hn dam well wat war sting his, but he jist kept bobbing his head and waving hs hous at me he tome du animal RUTH. Homer LEE. "Hoon paws. Wat I suppoted to tp hin? GHARLIE. "No. rr tr IEE. Well we'll jst hive to get someone ele, What id You want to neat Rath sce ty Small Word?” RUTH. If eeryone ewe does TEE. sur, why don't we? BESSIE. "You all go ahead. I want to st here abit LEE We can ait longer [BESSE, No i fie st want to tin the an. 14 catch tp 1 you. TE "Where? TANK, "How about Space Mountain? BESSIE. "Space Mountain in an hour? LE Oty. RUTH, "Why don't you come Bese? ESSIE. Gels goo to stn the sun. And fT come some: body nil oe ie ems ll sce you in font of Space Mountain in an hour. Righc where te hin wee a SEE Ta ee E. Charlie, do you want me to push your aunt for while? bu ie * 8CHARLIE. 1 tke pushing. RUTH. You're a good driver. (Thy are of. Basie sts ber oe oud bates dap. She ol fading wel. The fling pass. She {ips hr Ce through stam ‘The av comes outs Wleody. She ute her fone im ar mouth. Move Bod. She sams at i. She fue ‘er hand to hr mouth Th bod inh mouth. Tg on hr and. She stands a if to lose A Caraen Chara ets as Bese {uints and fale tothe ground. The Cartoon Character tars nd ‘othe toward the audience waving os te igs fe) Sonne 5 Watt Disney World. The Lit Citvn' hut Bei es om (oma od. La stein & mall chal, Bee was po ley a from nightmare LEE, You're al sight BESSIE, "Hina, LEE You're all ight ESSIE, "Where am [> LEE, You're in the Lost Children's hat DBESSIE. "Where? RUTH. (Appears in the doooay) Besse? LEE. She’ obay, Ruth BESSIE, Ruth? RUTH, Bessie? BESSIE, Tm fine. RUTH. Are you all right now? [BESGIE. 1 jose got ral dred RUTH. You should rest BESSIE. Tan, RUTH, You do too much, You alge do too much BESSIE. I won't do so much anjmore. I promise. LEE, ‘She's Gne Ruth BBESSIE, "We've only paid Dad's nurse tl seven o'clock. LEE. Don't worry about that se LBESSIE. Is there a phone? RUTH. 10 ell (Si ens) LEE. "Dr. Serat and Dr. Wally are mecting us st the horpt- BESSIE. Dr. Ser? LEE He's tack. BESSIE. “T have to go back in the hospital? LEE. They want to look at you. If you feet good there's no reason you can’t come home, BESSIE. I feel good LEE, What happened? BESSIE. I finted. LEE. “From the heat DBESSIE, “There was blood in my mouth, LEE. Ts your mouth ail bleding? sesstr. 'No, Did a doctor look at me? LEE. No. He just thought you fainted so he carried you in here to le dow BESSIE. Who's he? LEE. “The gopher man, DBESSIE, “The gopher man? LEE. Yeu BESSIE. "Carried me to the Lost Children’s hut? LEE, He just thought you finted, He dida’t know you had ben bleeding. BESSIE. I couldn’t have bled that much, LEE. Maybe you were Kind of fut from not eating, too, ‘That might be alli BESSIE, I fainted because LEE You're all right BESSIE. "T war 40 scared. LEE, “Thats olay. BESSIE. "What's happening t0 me? LEE. ‘Shhh, Tean’'t sleep anymore. I never sleep. Vim afin to close my ys Tce my jes and T wont wake wp ST jerk myself awake I yank melt awake all night deck mt eae yank me ight log 1 vas scared, %0LBESSIE. I pour myself some coffee. LEE. Tes ohay BESSIE,. I jurt want to Bind place to hide. LEE, You're ofay. BESSIE. "I'm uying to be brave LEE. ‘Shh. Shh ‘BESSIE. Bu I'm scared, 'm to scared. (Thy ug) EEE. Shh. Shh You're okay. Oh, you're okay. (Comforts her ‘ily What have you got to be seared of Brerything is go ing to be ohay. You'll sce. There's sll Hank and Charl, Ave you forgeting thal You're olay BESSIE. Where are they? LEE, ‘They're siting out font BESSIE, "Wat Space Mountain fun? LEE, “Ubshoh, #seeal fu, TBESSIE. "You're leky to have those boys LEE, 1 tnow Tam BESS, ‘They're good boys, both of them LEE, Yes, they are BESSIE, "And you know? LEE. What? BESSIE, I'm chy to have Dad and Roth LEE. Mmmm. BESSIE, ve had wach love in my Ue. Took back and Te had ch love LEE.” They love you very much. ESSE, T'don't mean — I mean I love them. Tam so lucky to have been able to love someone so much, {am s0 lucky to have loved #0 much. Tam t0 lucky. IEE.” Yer, you are. You ate BESSIE, We're fooling ourselves, Lee. (Hank afar in the eareay) LEE. How? ESSIE, "Hank and Chastic aren't going to match LEE. We don'e know that BESSIE. They're my nephews, They're once removed. LEE. It could still happen TBESSIE, I don't want to pretend any longer: We have too many decisions to make before you lave, LEE. We don’t have to make them right now. HANK. Tee uve? LEE, "(ties Hank) Hank, would you find me a wheelie. HANK." Chare ie LEE, "Do you feel up to going tothe car? BESSIE. "Oh, sure. (Denies up. Chalice with «whe ‘hair and sops i att he tng chair Hanh pcs Bese pnd ‘usher inthe shedhair She lok a the tiny chain) 1 on te- Imember ever being that smal TEE, Ready? Scene 6 Might Hank ond Charlie thar sang gs HANK, Chavlie? Chartie? (Pou. He goes to Chri, stad im and shines penlight im His face) Charlie? CHARLIE." Whae? HANK. What are you doing? CHARLIE. "Sleeping. What are you doing? HANK. Can't sleep. CHARLIE, "How come? HANK. How come you do so bad in school? CHARLIE. I don't know HANK. You gotta sdy more CHARLIE. Gee off me HAN Thin is coo Your eye sink when Taine dhe ight CHARLIE. 1 cant breathe HANK, And quilting Mom buy all your clothes. You look lke a geek. CHARLIE.” You're going to make me bind. HANK. ‘And pay more attention. Okay? CHARLIE. "Oh. (Yank sts back doom. Passe) I don't think Hook ao bad 6HANK. Did you hear what I sid? CHARLIE. Yeah. HANK. Okay. Charlie, Row much money you got down here? CHARLIE, I have fiteen dollars and thirysix cents left HANK. Why'd you buy that stupid Goofy cap? CHARLIE. Ike it HANK. If ever uke anything ftom you, you know FU find Some 7 esis hme. Ruth sits in har chair. Chane stands coer hen Lats makeup ii son and spread om Rath lap. ath i deed 9p ROTH. Tey this one. (Hands him am ener) CHARLIE. Ym afraid Tl poke you i the eye : RUTH. Ob, no. T trust you. You've got 4 steady hand. Not Tike me. CHARLIE. Look up. (Appt einer) RUTH. Not to heat. CHARLIE. Olay. RUTH. 1 don't mean to tell you what to do. CHARLIE. ° No, tel me, RUTH. T haven't had reason to prety myself up since, 1 ‘can't thik when, GHARLIE, "Today's the day. RUTH. Tope nothing goes wrong. They almott got mar ‘ed once before but the church caught fre. CHARLIE. Tr Cora the same character who shot Lance's dad in the head? RUTH. Mmhm, CHARLIE, "And now theyee geting married? e RUTH. Wel, he lived. And she flt awful about it CHARLIE. “How's that RUTH. Ob, what a good job, CHARLIE, "You loo’ prety RUTH. “I do not If 1 Took anything a all is Because you're such a help. Charlie, wheres Hanke T want him to move the ‘TV from my room into Besse's room vo she can watch too. CHARLIE. Tenn do it RUTH. Are you sure? CHARLIE. "Yeah, ROTH. (As he gos) Is anfully heavy. (Chr ext) LEE. "Gner,) Let me see, Ruth. Oh, you're beautiful, RUTH.” Don't make fun of me, LEE. Tm not, RUTHL Tm a sily old woman dresing up for & TV show, LEE. You're not. fm golng to make tome snacks t0 we won't be getting up during the program. RUTH. ‘Oh, my. I's becoming such & production, Is evene body gong t watch? LEE. "T'don’t Know if Honk is T don't know where he's got RUTH. 10 find him. LEE, "Its 4 nice t have you up and around, Ruth [¢ must be wonderful tobe rid of constant palo. RUTH. Oh, yes. Though I-do sometimes mis it. (Exit. Lee ‘Puts chips n'a Boul. Chane renters reading hs bok, Uahes some ‘ips ones fo chair and bgt lo ad. Bec nies) LEE. “What are you doing up? DBESSIE. Tim going to give Dad his one o'dock. LEE. T was going to do that BESSIE, “Oh, T ean do ie LEE. “You're supposed 9 be taking it cay, BESSIE, Tam. LEE. Do you want something to snack on? BESGIE. "“Bewer Jost cut me up some fist. (Phone rings) LEE, “CAnanors) Hello? Hello De. Sorat. BESSIE. "What ie i? LEE, Tes Dr Sera. He wants to tlk to you. 6RESSIE, (Tating plone) Hello. Oh, you did. Good. Um ~ th, wht = Tice, Face, Unshu Then should 1 keep tac ing what 'm taking now? No, I understand. T'm not. Thank you doctor, Goodbye. (Hangs up.) They got Hank and ‘Ghani's test rent back and lok ike Ht did work oO. LEE." Oh, Bese. BESS, ‘That's prety much what we expected, We knew the ‘odds were against it TEE Maybe we should do them aguin. Maybe they made = mise, BESSIE. Myke but I don't. 'm supposed t continue with the therapies Tm doing now and sce what kind of luck T have LEE. That's right, Thote are good things to be doing. DESSIE. "Where's Hank? We should tel Hank T was in the middle of dome something. What was 1.2 Oh, Dad. (She ‘aches forthe lle and knock thom onto the flor The al pill ail ovr) TEE. "De you want to go le down? BESS. No. Vim fie, I just» (Shr sans picking wp he pil) TEE. I can do that, Charo. (Chane and Lee help ch wp pile) FBESSIE, 1¢s what we tought IUs not » suprise, Tes wh [Palaye had in the Back of my head. Now T don't have to ‘think about it anymore, can quit thinking about i. (Sigh of elif) Oh, I can quit inking about it We should tell Hank. TEE. Ghaste, where's your brother? CHARLIE, | He's gota be somewhere. LEE. Hank? Bui) CHARLIE. Hank ran ay. BESSIE. | What? CHARLIE, He ran aay bet night BESSIE, "Oh, Charlie, no CHARLIE, He left you thin. (He hands hr & ate, Basie rads ote o Rr) 1 ida’ ead Ie BESSIE, "(Reads note o Charlie) “Aunt Besse, gone someplace ke, Goodbye, good hick T love you, too. Hank” CHARLIE. "Fe sid he was srry he coul’t wait (They hug) os BESSIE. Oh Charl, We have to tel your mother. HARLE."tpromiscdT wou’ tl antl oat BBESSIE, “Chai, she has to kno Guaatie. “hon Bese, promt, Kw he lt hing 1 BESSIE. Do you want me to tl her? CHARLIE. "Y promaca. BESS. " Why dont you go on ouside? (Char a, ae sete nat opi She's oboe ad bins ek ok ‘Marin sin it rom) Dad What i 0 Whats wrong Tee Jus me. There's noting toe said of (Marin elas Soo) ‘There's nothing tobe afraid of (She aver the neo the evnter and gor iio Mass oom Lae ees nd sc pts oS pid tp te pl Sat he eect eer fe ‘isdn Sh es Hants ne ond ads to hel fe sf oman sh cmp the nl te i onthe snr and gn {Si fre she con ln Honk nts wth i age Te fev Lae. fe costo tech, np hs bogs ete ee ‘Marin om, stp rs baht chi el Le ‘The ao ‘el tech cher fom ae te Yom. Hank rms Bande) RUTH.” (07) Mary up, Chae The shows string, est roves ps Lat ond ef sage Uae sf the cat Ss tients bags) BESSIE. Prem Marin’ rom) Herc, let me do this fer you (asi sas long tei sowed Marin’ om, Late Te Ugh fas ep foro om Bs ved Maen. Ten te ig re sy bight i Manav room fer mower hy fate Sk oo, ‘ep or be one on Basie nd Marcin soo hard laughing. Tie he Bg a eps o) END OF PLAY