Woods, Lakeboat, Edmond
Page 13
PREACHER: Will no one come forth?
EDMOND: I . . . I . . . I . . . have to go into the church.
POLICEMAN: Could I see some identification please?
EDMOND: Please, officer, I haven't time. I . . . I . . . it's been a long . . . I don't have my wallet on me. My name's Gregory Brock. I live at 428 Twenty-second Street, I own the building. I . . . I have to go inside the church.
POLICEMAN: You want to show me some ID?
EDMOND: I don't have any. I told you.
POLICEMAN: You're going to have to come with me.
EDMOND: I . . . please . . . Yes. In one minute.
Not . . . not now, I have to preach. . . .
POLICEMAN: Come on.
EDMOND: You're, you're, you're making a . . .
EDMOND: Please. Let me go. And I'll come with you afterward.
I swear that I will. I swear it on my life.
There's been a mistake. I'm an elder in this church.
Come with me if you will.
I have to go and speak.
POLICEMAN: Look. (Conciliatorily, he puts an arm on EDMOND. He feels something. He pulls back.) What's that?
EDMOND: It's nothing. (The POLICEMAN pulls out the survival knife.) It's a knife. It's there for self-protection.
(The POLICEMAN throws EDMOND to the ground and handcuffs him.)
Scene 18
The Interrogation
EDMOND and an INTERROGATOR at the police station.
INTERROGATOR: What was the knife for?
EDMOND: For protection.
INTERROGATOR: From whom?
EDMOND: Everyone.
INTERROGATOR: You know that it's illegal?
EDMOND: No.
INTERROGATOR: It is.
EDMOND (pause): I'm sorry.
INTERROGATOR: Speaking to that woman in the way you did is construed as assault.
EDMOND: I never spoke to her.
INTERROGATOR: She identified you as the man who accosted her last evening on the subway.
EDMOND: She is seriously mistaken.
INTERROGATOR: If she presses charges you'll be arraigned for assault.
EDMOND: For speaking to her?
INTERROGATOR: You admit that you were speaking to her?
EDMOND (pause): I want to ask you something. (Pause.)
INTERROGATOR: Alright.
EDMOND: Did you ever kick a dog?
(Pause.)
Well, that's what I did. Man to man. That's what I did. I made a simple, harmless comment to her, she responded like a fucking bitch.
INTERROGATOR: You trying to pick her up?
EDMOND: Why should I try to pick her up?
INTERROGATOR: She was an attractive woman.
EDMOND: She was not an attractive woman.
INTERROGATOR: You gay?
EDMOND: What business is that of yours?
INTERROGATOR: Are you?
EDMOND: No.
INTERROGATOR: You married?
EDMOND: Yes. In fact. I was going back to my wife.
INTERROGATOR: You were going back to your wife?
EDMOND: I was going home to her.
INTERROGATOR: You said you were going back to her, what did you mean?
EDMOND: I'd left my wife, alright?
INTERROGATOR: You left your wife.
EDMOND: Yes.
INTERROGATOR: Why?
EDMOND: I was bored. Didn't that ever happen to you?
INTERROGATOR: And why did you lie to the officer?
EDMOND: What officer?
INTERROGATOR: Who picked you up. There's no Gregory Brock at the address you gave. You didn't give him your right name.
EDMOND: I was embarrassed.
INTERROGATOR: Why?
EDMOND: I didn't have my wallet.
INTERROGATOR: Why?
EDMOND: I'd left it at home.
INTERROGATOR: And why did that embarrass you?
EDMOND: I don't know. I have had no sleep. I just want to go home. I am a solid . . . look: My name is Edmond Burke, I live at 485 West Seventy-ninth Street. I work at Stearns and Harrington. I had a tiff with my wife. I went out on the town. I've learned my lesson. Believe me. I just want to go home. Whatever I've done I'll make right. (Pause.) Alright? (Pause.) Alright? These things happen and then they're done. When he stopped me I was going to church. I've been unwell. I'll confess to you that I've been confused, but, but . . . I've learned my lesson and I'm ready to go home.
INTERROGATOR: Why did you kill that girl?
EDMOND: What girl?
INTERROGATOR: That girl you killed.
Scene 19
Jail
EDMOND WIFE is visiting him. They sit across from each other in silence for a while.
EDMOND: How's everything?
WIFE: Fine. (Pause.)
EDMOND: I ‘m alright, too.
WIFE: Good. (Pause.)
EDMOND: You want to tell me you're mad at me or something?
WIFE: Did you kill that girl in her apartment?
EDMOND: Yes, but I want to tell you something. . . . I didn't mean to. But do you want to hear something funny? . . . (Now, don't laugh. . . .) I think I'd just had too much coffee. (Pause.)
I'll tell you something else: I think there are just too many people in the world. I think that's why we kill each other (Pause.) I . . . I . . . I suppose you're mad at me for leaving you. (Pause.) I don't suppose you're, uh, inclined (or, nor do I think you should be) to stand by me. I understand that. (Pause.) I'm sure that there are marriages where the wife would. Or the husband if it would go that way. (Pause.) But I know ours is not one of that type.
(Pause.) I know that you wished at one point it would be.
I wished that too.
At one point. (Pause.)
I know at certain times we wished we could be . . . closer to each other. I can say that now. I'm sure this is the way you feel when someone near you dies. You never said the things you wanted desperately to say. It would have been so simple to say them. (Pause.) But you never did.
WIFE: You got the papers?
EDMOND: Yes.
WIFE: Good.
EDMOND: Oh, yes. I got them.
WIFE: Anything you need?
EDMOND: No. Can't think of a thing.
(The WIFE stands up, starts gathering her things together.)
You take care, now!
Scene 20
The New Cell
EDMOND is put in his new cell. His cellmate is a large, black PRISONER. EDMOND sits on his new bunk in silence awhile.
EDMOND: You know, you know, you know, you know we can't distinguish between anxiety and fear. Do you know what I mean? I don't mean fear. I mean, I do mean “fear,” I, I don't mean anxiety. (Pause.)
We . . . when we fear things I think that we wish for them. (Pause.) Death. Or “burglars.” (Pause.) Don't you think? We mean we wish they would come. Every fear hides a wish. Don't you think?
(Pause.)
I always knew that I would end up here. (Pause.)
(To himself:) Every fear hides a wish.
I think I'm going to like it here.
PRISONER: You do?
EDMOND: Yes, I do. Do you know why? It's simple. That's why I think that I am. You know, I always thought that white people should be in prison. I know it's the black race we keep there. But I thought we should be there.
You know why?
PRISONER: Why?
EDMOND: To be with black people. (Pause.) Does that sound too simple to you? (Pause.)
PRISONER: No.
EDMOND: Because we're lonely. (Pause.)
But what I know . . . (Pause.) What I know I think that all this fear, this fucking fear we feel must hide a wish. ‘Cause I don't feel it since I'm here. I don't think the first time in my life. (Pause.) In my whole adult life I don't feel fearful since I came in here.
I think we are like birds. I think that humans are like birds. We suspect when there's going to be an earthquake. Birds know. They leave three days
earlier. Something in their soul responds.
PRISONER: The birds leave when there's going to be an earthquake?
EDMOND: Yes. And I think, in our soul, we, we feel, we sense there is going to be . . .
PRISONER: . . . Uh-huh . . .
EDMOND: . . . a catacylsm. But we cannot flee. We're fearful. All the time. Because we can't trust what we know. That ringing. (Pause.)
I think we feel. Something tells us, “Get out of here.” (Pause.)
White people feel that. Do you feel that? (Pause.) Well. But I don't feel it since I'm here. (Pause.) I don't feel it since I'm here. I think I've settled. So, so, so I must be somewhere safe. Isn't that funny?
PRISONER: No.
EDMOND: You think it's not?
PRISONER: Yes.
EDMOND: Thank you.
PRISONER: Thass alright.
EDMOND: Huh. (Pause.)
Prisoner: You want a cigarette?
EDMOND: No, thank you. Not just now.
PRISONER: Thass alright.
EDMOND: Maybe later.
PRISONER: Sure. Now you know what?
EDMOND: What?
PRISONER: I think you should just get on my body.
EDMOND: I, yes. What do you mean?
PRISONER: You should get on my body now.
EDMOND: I don't know what that means.
PRISONER: It means to suck my dick. (Pause.) Now don't you want to do that?
EDMOND: No.
PRISONER: Well, you jes’ do it anyway.
EDMOND: You're joking.
PRISONER: Not at all.
EDMOND: I don't think I could do that.
PRISONER: Well, you going to try or you going to die.
Les’ get this out the way. (Pause.)
I'm not going to repeat myself.
EDMOND: I'll scream.
PRISONER: You scream, and you offend me. You are going to die. Look at me now and say I'm foolin’. (Pause.)
EDMOND: I . . . I . . . I . . . I . . . I can't, I can't do, I . . . I . . .
PRISONER: The motherfuck you can't. Right now, missy.
(The PRISONER slaps EDMOND viciously several times.)
Right now, Jim. An’ you bes’ be nice.
Scene 21
The Chaplain
EDMOND is sitting across from the PRISON CHAPLAIN.
CHAPLAIN: You don't have to talk.
EDMOND: I don't want to talk. (Pause.)
CHAPLAIN: Are you getting accustomed to life here?
EDMOND: Do you know what happened to me?
CHAPLAIN: No. (Pause.)
EDMOND: I was sodomized.
CHAPLAIN: Did you report it?
EDMOND: Yes.
CHAPLAIN: What did they say?
EDMOND: “That happens.” (Pause.)
CHAPLAIN: I'm sorry it happened to you. (Pause.)
EDMOND: Thank you.
CHAPLAIN (pause): Are you lonely?
EDMOND: Yes. (Pause.) Yes. (Pause.) I feel so alone. . . .
CHAPLAIN: Shhhh . . .
EDMOND: I'm so empty. . . .
CHAPLAIN: Maybe you are ready to be filled.
EDMOND: That's bullshit, that's bullshit. That's pious bullshit.
CHAPLAIN: Is it?
EDMOND: Yes.
CHAPLAIN: That you are ready to be filled? Is it impossible?
EDMOND: Yes. Yes. I don't know what's impossible.
CHAPLAIN: Nothing is impossible.
EDMOND: Oh. Nothing is impossible. Not to “ God,” is that what you're saying?
CHAPLAIN: Yes.
EDMOND: Well, then, you're full of shit. You understand that. If nothing's impossible to God, then let him let me walk out of here and be free. Let him cause a new day. In a perfect land full of life. And air. Where people are kind to each other, and there's work to do. Where we grow up in love, and in security we're wanted.
(Pause.)
Let him do that.
Let him.
Tell him to do that. (Pause.) You asshole—if nothing's impossible . . . I think that must be easy. . . . Not: “Let me fly, ” or, “If there is a God make him to make the sun come out at night.” Go on. Please. Please. Please. I'm begging you. If you're so smart. Let him do that: Let him do that. (Pause.) Please. (Pause.) Please. I'm begging you.
CHAPLAIN: Are you sorry that you killed that girl?
(Pause.)
Edmond?
EDMOND: Yes. (Pause.)
CHAPLAIN: Are you sorry that you killed that girl?
EDMOND: I'm sorry about everything.
CHAPLAIN: But are you sorry that you killed? (Pause.)
EDMOND: Yes. (Pause.) Yes, I am. (Pause.) Yes.
CHAPLAIN: Why did you kill that girl?
EDMOND: I . . . (Pause.) I . . . (Pause.) I don't . . . I . . . I don't . . . (Pause.) I . . . (Pause.) I don't . . . (Pause.) I don't . . . (Pause.) I don't think . . . (Pause.) I . . . (Pause.)
(The CHAPLAIN helps EDMOND up and leads him to the door.)
Scene 22
Alone in the Cell
EDMOND, alone in his cell, writes:
EDMOND: Dear Mrs. Brown. You don't remember me. Perhaps you do. Do you remember Eddie Burke who lived on Euclid? Maybe you do. I took Debbie to the prom. I know that she never found me attractive, and I think, perhaps she was coerced in some way to go with me—though I can't think in what way. It also strikes me as I write that maybe she went of her own free will and I found it important to think that she went unwillingly. (Pause.) I don't think, however, this is true. (Pause.) She was a lovely girl. I'm sure if you remember me you will recall how taken I was with her then.
(A GUARD enters EDMOND‘s cell.)
GUARD: You have a visitor.
EDMOND: Please tell them that I'm ill.
(GUARD exits. EDMOND gets up. Stretches. Goes to the window. Looks out.)
EDMOND (to himself): What a day! (He goes back to his table. Sits down. Yawns. Picks up the paper.)
Scene 23
In the Prison Cell
EDMOND and the PRISONER are each lying on their bunks.
EDMOND: You can't control what you make of your life.
PRISONER: Now, thass for damn sure.
EDMOND: There is a destiny that shapes our ends. . . .
PRISONER: . . . Uh-huh . . .
EDMOND: Rough-hew them how we may.
PRISONER: How e‘er we motherfucking may.
EDMOND: And that's the truth.
PRISONER: You know that is the truth.
EDMOND: . . . And people say it's heredity, or it's environment . . . but, but I think it's something else.
PRISONER: What you think that it is?
EDMOND: I think it's something beyond that.
PRISONER: Uh-huh . . .
EDMOND: Beyond those things that we can know. (Pause.)
I think maybe in dreams we see what it is. (Pause.)
What do you think? (Pause.)
PRISONER: I don't know.
EDMOND: I don't think we can know. I think that if we knew it, we'd be dead.
PRISONER: We would be God.
EDMOND: We would be God. That's absolutely right.
PRISONER: Or, or some genius.
EDMOND: No, I don't think even genius could know what it is.
PRISONER: No, some great genius, (pause) or some philosopher . . .
EDMOND: I don't think even a genius can see what we are.
PRISONER: You don't . . . think that . . . (Pause.)
EDMOND: I think that we can't perceive it.
PRISONER: Well, something's going on, I'll tell you that. I'm saying, somewhere some poor sucker knows what's happening.
EDMOND: Do you think?
PRISONER: Shit yes. Some whacked-out sucker. Somewhere. In the Ozarks? (Pause.) Shit yes. Some guy. (Pause.) Some inbred sucker, walks around all day . . .
(Pause.)
EDMOND: You think?
PRISONER: Yeah. Maybe not him . . . but someone. (Pause.) Some fuck locked up, he's got time for reflec
tion. . . .
(Pause.)
Or some fuckin’ . . . I don't know, some kid, who's just been born. (Pause.)
EDMOND: Some kid that's just been born . . .
PRISONER: Yes. And you know, he's got no preconceptions . . .
EDMOND: Yes.
PRISONER: All he's got . . .
EDMOND: . . . That's absolutely right. . . .
PRISONER: Huh? . . .
EDMOND: Yes.
PRISONER: Is . . .
EDMOND: Maybe it's memory. . . .
PRISONER: That's what I'm saying. That it just may be. . . .
EDMOND: It could be.
PRISONER: Or . . .
EDMOND: . . . or some . . .
PRISONER: . . . some . . .
EDMOND: . . . knowledge . . .
PRISONER: . . . some . . .
EDMOND: . . . some intuition. . . .
PRISONER: Yes.
EDMOND: I don't even mean “intuition.” . . . Something . . . something . . .
PRISONER: Or some animal . . .
EDMOND: Why not? . . .
PRISONER: That all the time we're saying we'll wait for the men from space, maybe they're here. . . .
EDMOND: . . . Maybe they are. . . .
PRISONER: . . . Maybe they're animals. . . .
EDMOND: Yes.
PRISONER: That were left here . . .
EDMOND: Aeons ago.
PRISONER: Long ago . . .
EDMOND: . . . and have bred here . . .
PRISONER: Or maybe we‘re the animals. . . .
EDMOND: . . . Maybe we are. . . .
PRISONER: You know, how they, they are supreme on their . . .
EDMOND: . . . Yes.
PRISONER: On their native world . . .
EDMOND: But when you put them here.
PRISONER: We say they're only dogs, or animals, and scorn them. . . .
EDMOND: . . . Yes.
PRISONER: We scorn them in our fear. But . . . don't you think? . . .
EDMOND: . . . It very well could be. . . .
PRISONER: But on their native world . . .
EDMOND: . . . Uh-huh . . .
PRISONER: . . . they are supreme. . . .
EDMOND: I think that's very . . .
PRISONER: And what we have done is to disgrace ourselves.
EDMOND: We have.
PRISONER: Because we did not treat them with respeck.
EDMOND (pause): Maybe we were the animals.
PRISONER: Well, thass what I'm saying.
EDMOND: Maybe they're here to watch over us. Maybe that's why they're here. Or to observe us. Maybe we're here to be punished.