FRANNY: She didn’t know what—?
DOLLY: In her dream. She’s that young.
(Franny nods.)
“Burn it,” he tells her. So she pours gasoline over the dog and lights a match. (Beat) And as the dog goes up in flame—it starts to howl and scream something awful. She even mimicked what it sounded like. (Tries to demonstrate) I can’t do it like she did.
(Franny now turns to Dolly, fascinated.)
So she runs inside and gets her dad’s .22, hurries out and chases around this dog that’s on fire and shoots it. Well all the neighbors are out now and watching, and everyone is horrified at what this girl’s done—set a dog on fire and then shot it. And she knows that as long as she lives in this new town, that’s what people will think of her. That’s how she’ll forever be known. (Beat) That’s it. That was her dream. Amazing? You know the essay I have to write this summer about “a real interesting character”? Well . . . (Gestures toward Sally) It’s going to write itself.
FRANNY: I think she’s pathetic.
DOLLY: She lost her baby, Franny.
FRANNY (Shrugs): So get over it.
(The hallway door opens: Grandma and Phil return from their walk. She is very tired, he holds her by the elbow. Franny and Dolly hide the drinks and cigarette.)
PHIL: Sit down. I’ll get you a glass of water.
FRANNY: What’s—? (“wrong with Grandma”)
GRANDMA: I’m fine.
DOLLY: Sit down, Grandma.
FRANNY: Sit down.
PHIL: Your grandma’s a little tired. It was a bit longer walk than she thought. And it’s been a long day.
GRANDMA: I’m just sleepy. Really. What time is it?
PHIL: Nearly eleven.
GRANDMA: I never stay up this late. Where’s—?
FRANNY: She’s gone to bed.
PHIL: Her light’s still on—
GRANDMA: Don’t bother her. (Yawns) I should just go to— (Taking the glass of water) Thank you.
(She sips. Tries to catch her breath. The others watch and say nothing. Feeling she is being watched:)
I’m not used to stairs.
SALLY (Off): Grandma! Is that you?
PHIL: We’re back!
GRANDMA: I should go and say goodnight to that beautiful wife of yours. (Goes into Sally’s bedroom)
PHIL (To Dolly): You should be getting to bed too, shouldn’t you?
DOLLY: I’m not tired.
PHIL: What’s that? (Notices the beer) Have you been—?
DOLLY: Maybe I will go to bed. Goodnight. Night. Goodnight, Franny. (Kisses her) Phil.
(He bends to kiss her, she tickles him and runs away.)
PHIL (To Franny): What about you?
(Franny shakes her head.)
Never going to bed?
(Franny smiles and shrugs as Grandma comes out of the bedroom.)
GRANDMA: Remind me to buy her a nice nightgown for Christmas. I’ll use the bathroom if that’s—
(But before she can head there, Dolly runs out of their bedroom, carrying her nightgown and hurries into the hallway to use the bathroom.)
PHIL (As Dolly runs off): Let your grandma—
GRANDMA: Maybe I’ll get ready for bed first. I’ll say my goodnights in a minute. (Tries to smile and heads off)
FRANNY: She looks exhausted.
PHIL: She was fine. Then all of a sudden about four or five blocks away, I thought she was going to fall down. We had to stop every few feet. That’s why we we’re . . .
FRANNY: Dolly put her through a lot today. (Beat) I think she thought she’d never see my mother again. And of course she has to be polite. Even—or maybe especially—when she hates someone, she has to be polite. That must be hard. (Beat) Not that I would know.
(Phil is picking up the room.)
PHIL: I don’t think a fifteen year old should be drinking beers. (Noticing the ashtray) And smoking cigarettes.
(Beat.)
FRANNY: Who cares what you think?
(He takes the beer, then turns toward his bedroom.)
PHIL (Noticing): She’s turned off her light.
FRANNY: Better go to bed then.
(He continues to pick up. She listens to the jazz.)
You want to take me to that club?
PHIL: No.
FRANNY: I’m old enough.
PHIL: I know.
FRANNY: Then why not? (Takes her beer back from him. Sips)
PHIL (Incredulous): What are you doing?
FRANNY: I didn’t finish that. I want to go there.
(He looks at her, sipping her beer, a flirty pout on her face. He approaches her, and suddenly dives at her and tickles her. She tickles back. Dolly enters from the hallway, now in her nightgown, sees what is happening and runs to join in: “Get him! Get him! Not me, him!” “Stop! Stop!” Then as Phil is pushed off the sofa onto the floor:)
PHIL: I give up! I give up!
SALLY (Off): Phil? Philip?
(Pause. They stop and listen.)
Phil?
(He gets up and goes into their bedroom. Muffled voices from the bedroom: “What are you doing out there?” “Nothing.” “Aren’t you coming to bed?” “In a few minutes.”)
DOLLY (To Franny): Don’t forget the letter.
(Phil comes out of the bedroom, stopping at the doorway.)
PHIL (To Sally in the bedroom): Would you like the door closed?
(We don’t hear the answer, but Phil doesn’t close the door. Turning back to the girls:)
(To Dolly, pointing) You—to bed.
DOLLY: Night. What about—?
FRANNY: I’m coming. Let Grandma use the bathroom first.
PHIL: Goodnight.
(Dolly goes off to her bedroom. Pause. Jazz plays.)
FRANNY: So you don’t wear anything to sleep in?
PHIL: What??
(He looks at her. She smiles. Then she turns and looks out the window.)
FRANNY: They just turned their lights off.
PHIL: What are you talking about?
(She stares at him.)
(Finally) What hasn’t my wife told you about?
(Dolly comes back out.)
DOLLY: Grandma’s asleep. She hasn’t used the bathroom. Should I wake—?
PHIL: Let her sleep.
FRANNY: Is she still in her clothes—?
DOLLY: No, she changed.
FRANNY: Good.
(Dolly starts to go back, stops.)
DOLLY: Franny, you can use the—
FRANNY: Thanks. I know. Goodnight.
(Dolly goes into the bedroom. Phil sips from Franny’s beer.)
PHIL: “Franny.” I think that’s really neat, by the way. I’ve been meaning to say that.
FRANNY: What?
PHIL: Changing your name. Because of the Salinger story. I think it’s an incredible story.
FRANNY: Me, too.
PHIL: Obviously or you wouldn’t have—
FRANNY: Do you think she’s pregnant or having a nervous breakdown? In the story. (Beat) Franny.
PHIL: I know. I—maybe it’s both.
FRANNY: That’s good. I hadn’t thought of that.
PHIL: That’s—what a lot of people think now. Anyway, it’s a neat thing to do. If only my name were Zachary, then I could—
FRANNY and PHIL: —be called Zooey!
(They laugh. Short pause. Phil looks toward his bedroom, then:)
PHIL: You’ve read “Zooey”?
FRANNY: In the town library. The school library doesn’t get the New Yorker—
PHIL: I wouldn’t think—
FRANNY: And Dad forgot to get it in Poughkeepsie, when he went . . .
PHIL: I have a copy. But it’s the only one—
FRANNY: No, no I—
PHIL: And it sold out in like— (Snaps his fingers)
FRANNY: I heard. Though not in Poughkeepsie.
(He smiles. An awkward pause.)
PHIL (Finally): Lying in your bathtub, smoking cigarettes, talking to your mot
her, who’s sitting there, smoking cigarettes. And she’s a vaudevillian. To me—that’s New York. That became New York. You try and think, so what is the difference between Ann Arbor and New York? I think of Zooey in the bathtub. I don’t know why really. (Smiles at her) It seems so—I don’t know. Sometimes this place can seem so scary. New York. (Franny nods) And sometimes it’s like it just sort of wraps its arms around you. The sounds, people . . . (Drifts off in thought, then) You think you’ll come here to go to school?
(Franny shrugs.)
What does your boyfriend say?
FRANNY: He’s—begging me to come.
PHIL: I’m sure.
(Another pause. The jazz plays. Franny plays with the letter.)
(Noticing the letter): What’s—?
FRANNY: From my mother. I haven’t read it yet. (Short pause) What do you think he’s going to write next? Salinger. (Phil shrugs) Could be a million things. There’s so much we don’t know about—the twins. Waker? In the conscientious objectors’ camp? What’s that about? I think what Salinger’s got to do is start putting things together. Show how the Glass family fits together. Right now it’s just—bits, fragments—
PHIL: Fantastic bits—
FRANNY: True. But I think he’s only begun something . . . Something that is going to define our time.
PHIL: Huh.
FRANNY: I can’t wait.
PHIL: Me, too. (Beat) I’m going to bed when I finish this.
FRANNY: Don’t drink too fast.
PHIL: I won’t.
FRANNY: Sip and you’ll remain standing. Father’s advice.
(Phil sighs, wipes the sweat off his forehead.)
Earlier this summer I was in a show at home. I was a flapper. In the chorus. In my high school gym. Something to keep the kids out of trouble. (Smiles) God was it hot in that gym. My dress stuck to my backside. (Looks down at her backside) Kept having to pull it off. In the middle of a dance. (Not thinking about what she is saying) I don’t know if I want to be in theatre or not. Dolly wants to, but . . . I like books. I think I’m pretty enough though.
PHIL: You are.
FRANNY: How’s Sally doing with her acting? She doesn’t seem to be doing much work right . . . now . . . (Realizes this is the wrong thing to bring up) I should go to bed. Goodnight.
(She stands. Looks at Phil, then leans over and kisses him on the cheek. As she does, he turns to her. And they kiss on the mouth. She sits next to him, and they look at each other. She touches his face. He looks her over. He suddenly gets up and closes his bedroom door and turns off the lamp. He comes up behind her, touches her on the shoulder. She looks up at him, and as she watches him she reaches under her skirt and takes off her underpants. She puts her head against his hand. He kisses the top of her head. She suddenly turns and they kiss passionately. She rubs her hand across his chest and unhooks his pants belt. Still kissing, she unzips his fly. Her hand is in his crotch, his hands are up her skirt, under her blouse. When at the height of this heavy petting, Phil suddenly breaks away.)
PHIL: No. I can’t. Franny, this isn’t right. This is wrong.
(He tries to get ahold of himself, breathes deeply. She watches him. He zips up his pants, hands her her underpants. She watches. He then takes her hand and squeezes it, and goes into his bedroom, closing the door. Franny cries. She tries to get ahold of herself. She turns on the lamp, notices the letter from her mother. This makes her sob. She hides the letter under magazines and continues to cry.
Lights fade. Music fades.
Immediately lights come up and new, wilder jazz music plays from the club on Bleecker. It is two hours later. Franny is still on the sofa. She is awake and listening. She is crying, and can’t sit still, can’t settle.
From Phil and Sally’s bedroom: the sounds of the couple making love. As they approach climax, the noises/sounds/cries become more and more violent, animal-like, and profound, as if something deep, painful, uncontrollable is being touched and released. Franny listens, then stands and goes into her bedroom and closes the door.)
SCENE 7
The next morning. Street noise is heard out of the window. Dolly is packing in the bedroom.
In Phil and Sally’s bedroom doorway, Sally, still in her robe, is finishing up Hernando’s Hideaway on the guitar for Phil and Grandma, who is at the sink cleaning up. Phil is getting dressed.
SALLY (Singing):
At the Golden Finger Bowl or any place you go,
You’ll meet your Uncle Max and everyone you know.
But if you go to the spot that I am thinking of
You will be free
To gaze at me
And talk of love!
(Franny enters from the hallway and goes into her bedroom to finish packing.)
Just knock three times and whisper low
That you and I were sent by Joe.
(Dolly enters with her suitcase.)
Then strike a match and you will know
You’re in Hernando’s Hideaway
Olé!
(Appreciative reaction from Phil and Grandma.)
He’s a fantastic teacher. I think he’ll take me.
GRANDMA: Of course he will . . .
SALLY (To Phil): What do you think?
PHIL: I think you’re good. I always have. He’d be a fool not to take you.
GRANDMA: I can’t believe she hasn’t played that for you, Phil.
(Franny comes out with her suitcase.)
SALLY: I didn’t think he wanted to hear it.
GRANDMA: Of course he did. Phil loves to hear you sing. Did you hear what he said? What time is it?
SALLY: Oh God, the time!
PHIL: We’re fine. There’s—
SALLY: What time’s their train?
GRANDMA: I better strip the bed.
(Grandma heads for her bedroom.)
SALLY: You don’t have to do that. Phil?
PHIL (Following Grandma): I’ll do that, Marjorie.
(Phil sees Franny.)
FRANNY: We’re packed.
GRANDMA (As she enters the other bedroom): I love Sally’s singing, don’t you, Phil?
(Grandma begins stripping the bed.)
SALLY (To the girls): Everyone slept so late. We slept so late. (Smiles to herself) There’s no time for breakfast. I’m sorry—
FRANNY: Oh we’re not hungry. Are we, Dolly?
(Dolly is hungry, but says nothing.)
She’s fine.
SALLY: There’s some bread from last night—
DOLLY: I don’t want to miss the train. Dad’s meeting the train.
SALLY (Smiles at them, then): I wish you could stay longer. I really do. It’s been really good having you here. And next time, (To Franny) we’ll have that boyfriend of yours over for dinner, too.
(Phil brings out Grandma’s suitcases.)
Phil was saying how he’d like to meet him.
(Phil hurries back into the bedroom.)
Grandma should tell you two about the house she went to see last night with Phil. He was telling me about it.
FRANNY: What house?
SALLY: It’s just a few blocks away. Where she lived.
FRANNY: Where who lived?
SALLY: Our grandma.
PHIL (Off): Sal, Marjorie’s making the bed!
SALLY (Heading for the bedroom): Grandma, I told you I’d make it!
DOLLY: In Greenwich Village? Grandma lived in Greenwich Village?
FRANNY: When was this?
(Sally has disappeared into the bedroom. Voices are heard off.)
DOLLY: I don’t understand.
FRANNY: Me, too. I don’t understand anything.
(Sally suddenly appears in the bedroom doorway.)
SALLY (Back to Grandma): You think I should? Phil? Maybe I will. Maybe I’ll come. (Heads for her bedroom) Is there time? I have to get dressed.
GRANDMA (Coming out of the bedroom; to the girls): Sally’s coming with us to the train station.
PHIL (To Grandma): She’s coming wi
th us. She’s getting dressed.
FRANNY: When did you live in Greenwich Village, Grandma?
GRANDMA: A million years ago.
FRANNY: You lived in New York City??
GRANDMA: I must have told you that. I don’t want to be one of those old ladies who is always repeating themselves.
PHIL: They don’t know. Tell them. They’re interested.
SALLY (Coming out of the bedroom, getting dressed): There’s probably a lot you don’t know about your grandma. Did you go inside? I meant to ask you that.
PHIL: I wanted to ring the bell.
GRANDMA (To the girls): I remember leaning out the second-floor window of that house and watching the soldiers march down Fifth Avenue, on their way to war.
FRANNY: What war??
GRANDMA: Us girls waving our scarves. (Winks at the confused Dolly) Accidentally letting one go. Float down past the boys, to see if they would look up. And they did. (Laughs)
(Sally, listening, laughs maybe a little too hard from the other room. She is keyed-up.)
People were screaming. My husband, your grandfather was one of them. He says he probably marched right past me. But I never picked him out. There were so many boys.
DOLLY: How long did you live in New York City, Grandma?
GRANDMA: A whole year. Maybe a little more. While Grandpa was at war.
PHIL (To Franny): The First World War.
GRANDMA: It’s all changed now. It’s all different.
(Short pause. Everyone is a little confused, then, explaining:)
The house. Where I used to live. I told you why I was sent to the city?
PHIL: You told me, Marjorie.
GRANDMA: It’s incredible now that you think about it.
SALLY (Off): I haven’t heard this—
GRANDMA (Continuing): But at the start of the war, your great-grandfather had to hire all these day workers for the farm. All these—men. There was a lot of pressure to grow things for the war effort. So he needed a lot of men? Whatever kind of men he could get. (Smiles) But he worried that maybe it wouldn’t be right for me . . . So he sent me here! Sent me to New York.
(The girls look at her, incredulous.)
FRANNY: He sent you to New York City to be safe from men????
(Grandma nods.)
Incredible.
(They burst out laughing.)
GRANDMA (Over the laughter): And it took my father a whole year to figure out what he’d done! And did I have fun!
(More laughter. Then Sally, now dressed to go out, comes out. Phil and Grandma are nearly overcome with emotion.)
Goodnight Children Everywhere and Other Plays Page 36
