Complete Works, Volume I (11 page)

GOLDBERG
. Well? (
MCCANN
does not answer
.) McCann. I asked you well.

MCCANN
(
without turning
). Well what?

GOLDBERG
. What's what? (
MCCANN
does not answer.
)

MCCANN
(
turning to look at
GOLDBERG
,
grimly
). I'm not going up there again.

GOLDBERG
. Why not?

MCCANN
. I'm not going up there again.

GOLDBERG
. What's going on now?

MCCANN
(
moving down
). He's quiet now. He stopped all that . . . talking a while ago.

PETEY
appears at the kitchen hatch, unnoticed.

GOLDBERG
. When will he be ready?

MCCANN
(
sullenly
). You can go up yourself next time.

GOLDBERG
. What's the matter with you?

MCCANN
(
quietly
). I gave him. . . .

GOLDBERG
. What?

MCCANN
. I gave him his glasses.

GOLDBERG
. Wasn't he glad to get them back?

MCCANN
. The frames are bust.

GOLDBERG
. How did that happen?

MCCANN
. He tried to fit the eyeholes into his eyes. I left him doing it.

PETEY
(
at the kitchen door
). There's some Sellotape somewhere. We can stick them together.

GOLDBERG
and
MCCANN
turn to see him. Pause.

GOLDBERG
. Sellotape? No, no, that's all right, Mr Boles. It'll keep him quiet for the time being, keep his mind off other things.

PETEY
(
moving downstage
). What about a doctor?

GOLDBERG
. It's all taken care of.

MCCANN
moves over right to the shoe-box, and takes out a brush and brushes his shoes.

PETEY
(
moves to the table
). I think he needs one.

GOLDBERG
. I agree with you. It's all taken care of. We'll give him a bit of time to settle down, and then I'll take him to Monty.

PETEY
. You're going to take him to a doctor?

GOLDBERG
(
staring at him
). Sure. Monty.

Pause,
MCCANN
brushes his shoes.

So Mrs Boles has gone out to get us something nice for lunch?

PETEY
. That's right.

GOLDBERG
. Unfortunately we may be gone by then.

PETEY
. Will you?

GOLDBERG
. By then we may be gone.

Pause.

PETEY
. Well, I think I'll see how my peas are getting on, in the meantime.

GOLDBERG
. The meantime?

PETEY
. While we're waiting.

GOLDBERG
. Waiting for what? (
PETEY
walks towards the back door.
) Aren't you going back to the beach?

PETEY
. No, not yet. Give me a call when he comes down, will you, Mr Goldberg?

GOLDBERG
(
earnestly
). You'll have a crowded beach today . . . on a day like this. They'll be lying on their backs, swimming out to sea. My life. What about the deck-chairs? Are the deck-chairs ready?

PETEY
. I put them all out this morning.

GOLDBERG
. But what about the tickets? Who's going to take the tickets?

PETEY
. That's all right. That'll be all right. Mr Goldberg. Don't you worry about that. I'll be back.

He exits
.
GOLDBERG
rises, goes to the window and looks after him
.
MCCANN
crosses to the table, left, sits, picks up the paper and begins to tear it into strips.

GOLDBERG
. Is everything ready?

MCCANN
. Sure.

GOLDBERG
walks heavily, brooding, to the table. He sits right of it noticing what
MCCANN
is doing.

GOLDBERG
. Stop doing that!

MCCANN
. What?

GOLDBERG
. Why do you do that all the time? It's childish, it's pointless. It's without a solitary point.

MCCANN
. What's the matter with you today?

GOLDBERG
. Questions, questions. Stop asking me so many questions. What do you think I am?

MCCANN
studies him. He then folds the paper, leaving the strips inside.

MCCANN
. Well?

Pause.
GOLDBERG
leans back in the chair, his eyes closed.

MCCANN
. Well?

GOLDBERG
(
with fatigue
). Well what?

MCCANN
. Do we wait or do we go and get him?

GOLDBERG
(
slowly
). You want to go and get him?

MCCANN
. I want to get it over.

GOLDBERG
. That's understandable.

MCCANN
. So do we wait or do we go and get him?

GOLDBERG
(
interrupting
). I don't know why, but I feel knocked out. I feel a bit . . . It's uncommon for me.

MCCANN
. Is that so?

GOLDBERG
. It's unusual.

MCCANN
(
rising swiftly and going behind
GOLDBERG’S
chair. Hissing
). Let's finish and go. Let's get it over and go. Get the thing done. Let's finish the bloody thing. Let's get the thing done and go!

Pause.

Will I go up?

Pause.

Nat!

GOLDBERG
sits humped.
MCCANN
slips to his side.

Simey!

GOLDBERG
(
opening his eyes, regarding
MCCANN
). What—did—you—call—me?

MCCANN
. Who?

GOLDBERG
(
murderously
). Don't call me that! (
He seizes
MCCANN
by the throat.
) NEVER CALL ME THAT!

MCCANN
(
writhing
). Nat, Nat, Nat, NAT! I called you Nat. I was asking you, Nat. Honest to God. Just a question, that's all, just a question, do you see, do you follow me?

GOLDBERG
(
jerking him away
). What question?

MCCANN
. Will I go up?

GOLDBERG
(
violently
). Up? I thought you weren't going to go up there again?

MCCANN
. What do you mean? Why not?

GOLDBERG
. You said so!

MCCANN
. I never said that!

GOLDBERG
. No?

MCCANN
(
from the floor, to the room at large
). Who said that? I never said that! I'll go up now!

He jumps up and rushes to the door, left.

GOLDBERG
. Wait!

He stretches his arms to the arms of the chair.

Come here.

MCCANN
approaches him very slowly.

I want your opinion. Have a look in my mouth.

He opens his mouth wide.

Take a good look.

MCCANN
looks.

You know what I mean?

MCCANN
peers.

You know what? I've never lost a tooth. Not since the day I was born. Nothing's changed. (
He gets up.
) That's why I've reached my position, McCann. Because I've always been as fit as a fiddle. All my life I've said the same. Play up, play up, and play the game. Honour thy father and thy mother. All along the line. Follow the line, the line, McCann, and you can't go wrong. What do you think, I'm a self-made man? No! I sat where I was told to sit. I kept my eye on the ball. School? Don't talk to me about school. Top in all subjects. And for why? Because I'm telling you, I'm telling you, follow my line? Follow my mental? Learn by heart. Never write down a thing. And don't go too near the water.
And you'll find—that what I say is true.

Because I believe that the world . . . (
Vacant.
).
. . .

Because I believe that the world . . . (
Desperate
)
. . . .

BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT THE WORLD
. . . (
Lost.
). . . .

He sits in chair.

Sit down, McCann, sit here where I can look at you.

MCCANN
kneels in front of the table.

(
Intensely, with growing certainty.
) My father said to me, Benny, Benny, he said, come here. He was dying. I knelt down. By him day and night. Who else was there? Forgive, Benny, he said, and let live. Yes, Dad. Go home to your wife. I will, Dad. Keep an eye open for low-lives, for schnorrers and for layabouts. He didn't mention names. I lost my life in the service of others, he said, I'm not ashamed. Do your duty and keep your observations. Always bid good morning to the neighbours. Never, never forget your family, for they are the rock, the constitution and the core! If you're ever in any difficulties Uncle Barney will see you in the clear. I knelt down. (
He kneels, facing
MCCANN
.) I swore on the good book. And I knew the word I had to remember—Respect! Because McCann— (
Gently.
) Seamus—who came before your father? His father. And who came before him? Before him? . . . (
Vacant—triumphant.
) Who came before your father's father but your father's father's mother! Your great-gran-granny.

Silence. He slowly rises.

And that's why I've reached my position, McCann. Because I've always been as fit as a fiddle. My motto. Work hard and play hard. Not a day's illness.

GOLDBERG
sits.

GOLDBERG
. All the same, give me a blow. (
Pause.
) Blow in my mouth.

MCCANN
stands, puts his hands on his knees, bends, and blows in
GOLDBERG’S
mouth.

One for the road.

MCCANN
blows again in his mouth.
GOLDBERG
breathes deeply, smiles.

GOLDBERG
. Right!

Enter
LULU.
MCCANN
looks at them, and goes to the door.

MCCANN
(
at the door
). I'll give you five minutes. (
He exits.
)

GOLDBERG
. Come over here.

LULU
. What's going to happen?

GOLDBERG
. Come over here.

LULU
. No, thank you.

GOLDBERG
. What's the matter? You got the needle to Uncle Natey?

LULU
. I'm going.

GOLDBERG
. Have a game of pontoon first, for old time's sake.

LULU
. I've had enough games.

GOLDBERG
. A girl like you, at your age, at your time of health, and you don't take to games?

LULU
. You're very smart

GOLDBERG
. Anyway, who says you don't take to them?

LULU
. Do you think I'm like all the other girls?

GOLDBERG
. Are all the other girls like that, too?

LULU
. I don't know about any other girls.

GOLDBERG
. Nor me. I've never touched another woman.

LULU
(
distressed
). What would my father say, if he knew? And what would Eddie say?

GOLDBERG
. Eddie?

LULU
. He was my first love, Eddie was. And whatever happened, it was pure. With him! He didn't come into my room at night with a briefcase!

GOLDBERG
. Who opened the briefcase, me or you? Lulu, schmulu, let bygones be bygones, do me a turn. Kiss and make up.

LULU
. I wouldn't touch you.

GOLDBERG
. And today I'm leaving.

LULU
. You're leaving?

GOLDBERG
. Today.

LULU
(
with growing anger
). You used me for a night. A passing fancy.

GOLDBERG
. Who used who?

LULU
. You made use of me by cunning when my defences were down.

GOLDBERG
. Who took them down?

LULU
. That's what you did. You quenched your ugly thirst. You taught me things a girl shouldn't know before she's been married at least three times!

GOLDBERG
. Now you're a jump ahead! What are you complaining about?

Enter
MCCANN
quickly.

LULU
. You didn't appreciate me for myself. You took all those liberties only to satisfy your appetite. Oh Nat, why did you do it?

GOLDBERG
. You wanted me to do it, Lulula, so I did it.

MCCANN
. That's fair enough. (
Advancing.
) You had a long sleep, Miss.

LULU
(
backing upstage left
). Me?

MCCANN
. Your sort, you spend too much time in bed.

LULU
. What do you mean?