THE AMERICAN PLAN was fist produced by Manhatan ‘Theatre Clb Suge If (Lynne Meadow, Arise Director, Bary Grows, Managing Director) on January 23, 1990, in New York iy. Te was directed by Evan Wonouls the seene design was by James Yourans; the contume design was by Jess Coldstan: {he lghting design war by Donald Holder; orginal music and round wat by Thomas Cabaniss, and dhe production stage ‘manager wat Richard Hester. The cat wat at follows LIU ADLER : Rebeces Miler NICK LOCKRIDGE. Tate Donovan OLIVIA SHAW. comma iearice Winde EVA ADLER. Joan Copeland GIL HARBISON. Ese Stolz ‘THE AMERIGAN PLAN was moved to the mainstage of the ‘Manhattan Theatre Cub on December 4, 1990, The cast was 1 fellows LIUADLER.... Wendy Makken [NICK LOCKRIDGE. DLW. Moffett OLIVIA SHAW vans III ewe Hawkine EVAADLER, Joan Copeland GGL HARBISON Jonathan Walker THE AMERICAN PLAN Acr i Scene 1 {La test hammock, ring & bok Mik nie bah fing tren, fom a atm. He Wits loud rom the gras ats dying hima of, Sever Lie NICK. Ob .. bi ULL. Hi NICK. T jst took 3 sim LLL. 1 can tee NICK What pleasure! — I didn’t notice you here before. TILL. 1 jut came out to read a book NICK. won't disturb you, then LILL. Pleme do. It's 2 horibh tedious book. NICK My name's Nicky Lockridge NICK. Pleased to meet you ULL Yer 1 been hoping to NICK. What LILL Tye seen you... I've sees you around. NICK. Ob ILL Is thatthe wrong sort of thing to sy? NICK. "Not at al ILL I sometimes sy the wrong sorts of things — NICK Not this time LIL. Thank you, NICK. Have you been here long? ILL Forever. Moa, I say this of the lke.‘THE AMERICAN PLAN was fet produced by Mana Theare Club Stage If (Lynne Meadow, Artiste Director: Bary Grove, Managing Director) on January 28, 1900, in New York Gy. Te was directed by Evan Wonouls: the seene design was by fmes Yournan; the comme design was by Jess Coldtin ‘he ighting design war by Donald Holder, orginal music and oust was by Thomas Cabaniss, and the producion stage ‘manager wae Richard Hester. The cart wat at fellows LIL ADLER, : Rebecca Miller [NICK LOCKRIDGE. tate Donowan ‘OLIVA SHAW = ieatrice Winde EVA ADLER. Joan Copeland GIL HARBISON. Evie Stoltz ‘THE AMERICAN PLAN was moved to the mainstage of the Manhattan Theatre Club on December 4, 1900. ‘The cast wat a fellows LILI ADLER, a nn Wendy Mabon NICK LOCKRIDGE. DAW. Moffett OLIVIA SHAW wanasvomnsnsnnnnonnnnconen vet Hawkins EVA ADLER, — ‘Joan Copeland GIL HARBISON. ‘Jonathan Walker THE AMERICAN PLAN Acr 1 Scene 1 1 tes hammock, ring & bok Nid nt ba fing tre, fom a aim. He its lead from the gras, ats dying hime of, cer Lie NICK. Ob «bi ULL Hi NICK. I just took 2 sim, LLL, 1 can see NICK What pleasure! — 1 didn’t notice you here before LILI. 1 jt came out to read a book NICK {won't disturb you, then. LILL. Pleme do, It's a howiby tedious book. NICK. "My name's Nicky Lockridge NICK. Pleased to meet you LILL. Yer» I been hoping 4. NICK. What? LILL Tye seen you. I've seen you around. NICK. Oh ILL, Is that che wrong sort o thing to say? NICK. Not at al ILL I sometimes sy the wrong sorts of things — NIGK. Not thi time LIL. Thank yo NICK. Have you been here long? TILL Forever, Most, stay on this side of the lake.[MICK 1 can understand the temptation ILL .. Wit do you mean? ick. “things get lite, well,» ttle Rec, huh, on the ctr side? UL. ‘Ar md, seldom go. NICK. "OF course You dide Wonderful mrmming in this ak, ‘hough. 1 don't know why people don't te I. Everybodys sho hopping int he pn a the ote, tise Car ies intent ick. Wha ILL With snakes, water mocasns. Nick ‘Funny enough, 1 mised them, LIL No, of coume fm making i up So what brings you to the Catia oe a NIGK Is my vcadon. I'm here with some fends UL Wine GK." Tes someplace dierent LL, Yes fin And wht do ou do? Nick Um — LIL. For work. NICK Oh I'm planning to be an architect. ULL” Well cienone has pipedream. "What do you do at preen? RICKI morconle wie, (Beit) Vn moreorlest a magatine swt «a present LLL ‘Be you morcorias write for any moreorfes specie petodea™ oe RICK. Yes 1 waite fr the Waly Cllr! Epiphany. ILL Never heard of NIGK,"Mony me Sot sends and ne maserpices, hat TILL The Waly Cull Epiphony — I've never — NICS. Tite for Time LILL Oh (Wik meat) Ob! (tet) You know, Ive never in my Iie known aoyone scly to nad Tone Nick. Well — But everyone I mest these dae seems to writ fori NICK. Thats — LILL. Ive begun to believe that Time magatine doce exit, [isin fet thir vast conspiracy designed t0 lend credibility to the unemployed — NICK That may well — LILI. 1 sce these men on the sreet — drunk — sleeping — Defouled— 1 think, "Oh, look they work for Tima? — NICK. Well — LILL. No, eal, Pm sure i's a very worthwhile jo, NICK Team ature you it't And what do you do? LIL, — well — 1 (Bat) I'm preoccupations NICK Are you a student? NICK. “Where? LIL. I attended Sarah Lawrence College. NICK. “Oh. (ith comprenson ) OM ILL You're thinking, “Thats why she’ erry.” NICK. ‘Not a all ILL Anyoay, I didn’ stay long. NICK. Why wat that TILL. (Quinly) Anothe® day, another day... Anyway, fel ee to make yourself at home here. NICK. (Pused) T do LLL Ite relaxing, don’t you fd? NIGK. Ob, yee Especial after, you know ~. over there. LILL, Are you geting red of things? NICK. Well, the American Plan — hat Americans live ike thie? What Americans sat Uke thi? The breakfasts and the inches and the dinners and the coffes and he teas and the smacks and the hardipanyexercs: in-between TILL” And are you geting teed a ll of Mind? (Beat) NICK. They your ar mm» Exe me? ILL, You're with Mindy Kahlaten, aren't you? NICK. Well ILL ve seen you together NICK. We — TILL. She hangs onto you lke you're, I don't know, a Blue Chip sock or something —So oo Leg eagle me, eee een Pee speed gel eer ae eet eget rir epeen = ee Ae Eat ie a acta Fah eed agregar tealr ape gm =o ie ea eee a ee aoe ao it ee a en eee eras cae Se eee eee co oe es ee Sen hae tees nin rn ld er 1CK. I'm sure not ILL. Why — what do you knew? NICK "Well she were 40 dreadful is unlikely she'd have feared such a charming -- aad mercurial daughter. (Bea) TILL. Protea NICK. “Guily as charged. (Lake act lake) Ob my God, {hey're playing more Simon Say: What = nightmare. ILL. Simon Saye A widest anscen despot who derives his suthority from God-knowewher instructs you to deform your felf in trly revolting ways and if you dare, even accidentally to act without his permission, you're exierminated. My mother ‘hinks is a great game for Jew NICK I'm sony — bucT don" Ona tat funny ILE But my mothers «Jew — NICK All the same. (Beat) ULL (Vulneabh) Tn sory NICK. "You don’t have to spolgise — ULL do NICK. There's nothing to apologise f— ILL, Pleste don’t lose respec for me 20 s00n— (Beet He lok at her — Kindly and pal) So — Mindy’ an edveation sar, isn't she? NICK. Yer, think so ILL, Yer Thore git are. How did you come to know hee? NICK. ‘She goer #9 NYU. We met at Washington Square Park Or the Automat A museum, © forget New York one big ILL. Her father, I belive, peered broadloom in Cental New Jere. NICK. Something lke that TILL, But do you find her dal? NICK. She's — TILL. Because I've known Mindy for many summers, and, in ty experience, [don’t believe Tve ever heard anyone describe NICK. In my experienc, 1 don't believe I've ever heard any cone describe anyon as drollLIL, Touché NICK. “She's avery nice gi I ke her aot LIL, She's extremely rich, (Beat) NICK. And who tye 'm not? (eat) LIL, Then why do you work? NICK What do you mean? LIL, You hate your job. Why don't you quit? NICK. Because you have to work LIL.” Not if you have money, you don’t NICK. Yes, you do. LIL Why? NICK. Because, LiL Why? NIGK_ Is not a thing to question. Why do you even quer Won i? (eat) Why are you looking at me like That? ILL like the way you look NIGK I'm tatered TILL, Like nothing eter happened to you. NICK. T don’t know if thats sch a good thing LIL 15 very good thing, believe me, a sey good thing. So, 2 it ue that Mindy’s a nymphomaniac? NICK (Pauses, bm, shoded, amaaed ol href, a) Yes LILL Rally. A big one? s& They only come in one size LIL ts that. Well hat fon? NICK. Te depends — LLL On what —? NICK The time of day, the — oh, look, this isn't something Fm really comfortable aking about — LIL (Quit) I'm sory — NICE. ‘Maybe 1 should jst go back — LILL No no — absolutely not — NICK. No, it's been very pleasant king with you — LILL (A dope staying aac) Where do you lve? (Best) NICK. |Where do I Ine? ILL Your Nev York residence? n New York? 10 NICK In the Vilage. For nou This litle place in the Vilage “Where do you lve? LILL The river Syx, (Bat) This place on Conteal Park West Where the rooms are heavy with dark damask and filled with 2 sabbath ight — NICK. Ubshuh — LILL Which isnot light tall, but merely darknes visible — NIGK. You live in New You's only Mitonte coop — LULL. You recognized. NICK. “I went to good school LILL. Anyway, i a horrible place, and sort of digraces ws Ts the doctors and the Intellectuals who got to lve on Park ‘Avenue. My fathers proeason didn’t Tate NICK. Oh, what did he do? ILL Before my mother murdered him, he was an inventor NICK. That's not tue — ILL Ob, yes, he invented — wel, I've never actualy been sce, but it very Icratve — NICK.” Your mother did not murder your father. ILL.” Oh, yes With small doses of cyanide administered in hie farina. Cyanide was Mavores 10 — NICK Cyanide tastes ike almonds — ILL. Oh you've dabbled? NICK Tee's wellknown... Dabbled!. I's a welbknown I read mysterin, TILL. "She hilled ie, but bribed the law upand.down «she has the seraich for it .. and now she's hokling me captive bere NICK. Yes. And why is dha LILL She's teritiy disappointed in men. She'd abvays hoped for an attractive daughter, She thinks Iwas some sort of Be NICK That ean't be it — KILL, But ie i NICK No one could ever fest shortchanged by your loks (eat)Lut, (th) Thank you. at) Or your: You ook he — Nick ‘Sbehing rer happened to me, ew — MI 12 yo art! Rhy Teles, ae what cll rat RICK. Plee don't ME Wes good mame! NICK "Tse wong nae Ti dont oink Nici ro me oo MI Guy) don't sk so, (Pou Tho a ech Opies facet wale mail “ha. Eat») Oh Col Le ELL, He Sh come back Nick So MISE going wo send Ola forme now, Or come er Jal hel tbe me back tthe howe Sitch howe ULL Yen Overt Nick “ui tat oun Ut Yee OF cue NICK "Where wear now — i tis your propery? TI ver eM lo, st foging rh as) Nick. God soy fm wey sory’ had no en ML Nene its ne — Nick MET nd Taowo 8 never ave Jost spraled out ee te i LIL Don't go — ICE. Its just that house doesn’t even Took like a house, Feally, 1 thought it wat n» I don't know ~ » boathouse or omuhing »- and it certainly doesn’t seem to go along with (his land ad ao I —T'm very, ter sorry — TILL Stop. Please = stop. (He dred by ns he stops, ks tt hr) Lock —~ Pease — would you pleae — come sce me Sometimes? There's no one ~ 1 don't speak to anyone — and theyre they're very ster with me and — oh, pease, would you would you please ~ come see me? Mice Li ie LILL Just while you're here, Just sometimes. (Olivia eer, stands a hte ay fom then.) OLIVIA. (Geni) Lit. (Lt locke at ar, Take back at Nick Then she gosto Mich toes his fue i her hands, and hss him ‘They pert and she was off with Ota. Nick tends thee) Fade Out. Ed of Scene, Scene 2 en and a ebbing mute EVA. .- And, then, we all epared to the dub where the most rmysiffing entertainer held forth. only I could remember Fis namel.s He was »- how do you sy it. aosadeyd with vast jowls and this idiot, juvenile voice, and, of course, his language was quite improper, and what he sid was simply ‘onsense, yet those around me howl, as though these were the pearl Of Oncar Wilde being dhrowm before tern, Unuters by facinating I wanted you to be there, Lili to ature me 1 fad not let my ind LLL Ubhwh, TEVA. Everyone asked after you at dinner — aren't you une ty, why aren't you eating? Olkia has prepared for usa lovely Doridge. (Lil fer « bie) Thats good. At any rate, I had 2 penal with me, my Hide gold penel, and T recorded my in resions of the ewent on & codall maplin, lest T forget them ‘What an extraordinary evening, Ye, not at all. untypial fr the region, Vewery strange OLIVIA. Would you tke me & make something ee, Lit? LILI. No. EVA. ‘That darling Mindy Kablatein was there. A moss! pe colar girl One of thote Amerizan gre who can’t seem to get ted to their bowoms, To show or not to show. To slump oF Mand erect. You feel these are her sole concerns. She asked ter youOLIVA. Would you like milk instead of coffee, LU? 1 get you some. ILL Coffe’ ine EVA. And, of cours, I spent time with Libby Kahatcin — ‘womin who ifsc, but not, tink, intellectually robust ZAnd, once again, she dingraced herself at able, Why, when I fell you what she ate, and in what quanGesl The slad — ferved atthe beginning — barbaric anyway, but Libby tore into lke a savage woman. And the Rusian dresing — not Jurt a dollop, either, but adler — Cobulez? .- — lobule “Then the consomme, then the derma, smoshered in gray and ‘onions, then the filet mignon — a teak the size and shape Stra ackboot sso smothered in gray. With avast baked por fat into which Libby Kahkstin scooped not merely sour ream and chives butte pus of bute. Pas asparagus with hollndase. Pus infinite numbers of butered rol, with seeds rpping everywhere. Phu sherbet berwen coures. Ph, barrels ‘Sf ream soda, Ps, coffe with hear cream and para Then a thn — after the meal was over, and there was ite der ‘torr dancing — out came ths enormous Viennese Table [And Libty Kahlstein — using every ounce of energy available to he amply to transport her laden bulk — helped herself not ‘onc not toe de ines. To Napoleon, Sacher Torts, and Tiage pate of litle cookies Incroat But my dating wy Scent you eating your breakfaa? LILL Tdon't know EVA. You miu = you must keep up your suength, Next ime, you will come with me. twill plese me to have you by may Tide, just for your humorous way of looking a thing LILE, T don’t want wo OLIVIA, Til make you some dry oar. ILL Tim perfectly ll ight Pease lente me alone. (Bet) EVA. Now, Lili we are only ying our best — COLMA. Ws all right EVA. — our very bet to help you, my dating — OLIVIA, Nobody ever died froor ming breakfast EVA. And it we minspak oursches sometimes, thats — “ LULL. 1 don’t need anything. Thank you. And I'd rather not be atked. (Beat) EVA. Wel, then, my daring, you shan't be. (Beat) LILL Thank you. (They si quay « ment Boa and Ole ‘evume cating) EVA. Bot = you must Lil you must come outa bit — LLL Why? EVA. For your heath LILL My health is fie. EVA. For your selling. (Bet) It is something all the doc tors have agreed upon. All ve are here for — all We Want — Olivia and — is for our gle w be happy again. EVA. Yew. LILL (Salle) Drank with it (Bat) EVA. Well at any rate Iam pleased that you have not en tiely confined your cre of aquaintances tout two old ly dies — LILL What do you mean? EVA. Nothing, nothing — LILL What do you mean? EVA. . Merely that Olin informs me she has seen you — fon more than one occasion, I believe — in the company of « ‘most auracive Young man from across the lake LLL. “Oliia should be shot between the ye. EVA. Lili! (Oto starts laughing.) What a thing to sy! All meant was I'am terribly plaid TILL And then her corpse should be thrown to sharks — EVA. My daring, nol OLIMA.’ she doesn't mean it LILL Every word. (Pause Lil sor ball at Ota; Olive licks Back her govt humor gine wy. Eva sighs) EVA. Another one of thee breskasts, (Beet) My dasling, my sweetheart. (To Oia) My maid. (Beat) 1 shall leave you t0 Sort yourselves out. Now I must go and iie in the bathtub 12 teak Yor two hours in salted wer. The price I must pay for the sine of = cormupt and sporting youth. (ve exe Olin andLi ee lft lon, separate ond sullen. After along sent, Lil goes, ‘veo Ola and enbros her) OLIVIA. (Vieldng graf) Ob, sure, sure, yes, now you want to be fiends TILL 1 don't really think your corpte should be thrown to dhe shar OLIVIA. Generous of you. Why do you teat your mother Ike you der TILL, How do 1 treat her? OLIVIA. Like you do. ILL She wed to sng, “The Nasi havent found us, but dar ling theyre around ue Iwas in my crib OLIVIA” You were bor dificul A ei LIL Tm breete OLIVA. Hono! TILL Whao OLIVIA. You wed to run away — LLL Twas a child — OLIVIA.” We'd find you in the basement with the mailmat Song eters We'd find you on Broadway in a coffee shop, ‘rining coffe black — ILL Ttked the way tate my stomach out — ‘OLIMIA. Or we'd find you not a all, you'd jon show up LILLT came back to you — I mised your lap »T used to ‘hink you were Buddha OLIVIA. Hush. LIL 1 chant, shanth, shan, shanth, I want to diet OLIAA. Enough of tat hind of talk TILL Apa isthe erutlest month =” OLIVIA. This i July. A balmy Joy ILL. This was them — when I was child COLTIIA. You were no piene LLL Wasn't I's pienie> ‘OLIIA. Your mother was « woman alone. She gave you nice things. Good schools She made her oy. That Was not eas, not Egy at all CHL Te she stl ick Zou shes cnbing her ou tn tt be beer tite kind OLIVA She ne she doc’ want you to bother — she eye you're young — TILL (Chuckting imi) The witch OuMA. Lit LLL. Olivia, how old are you when it's to late to start being happy? OLIVIA. Thirytve LIL Oh, T have dine OLIVIA. (Noting hr dirt) Who are you boing for? LIL. No one. OLIVIA, Tat Boye LILL He's a man, he ha x eximinal record OLIVIA. He wha LIL I made that up OLTA. Why? ULL Ie came to me. OLIVIA. “You shouldn't speak off te top of your head, LILL The the top of my heat OLIVIA. I wil get you into touble someday. LILI. T hope so: Did you hase a ravenous sex hfe we know thing abou? LILI. Td respect you fori I woulda’t cll you a sut OuMA. Lit ILL “Ave you a virgin? OuvA tik TILL. You could be ether ofthese things I don't know you seal OLIVIA. Being known is not part of my job TILL. Otivia, does your knting ever become anything? Or do you unravel ever night? Are you sling unl your husband ‘Comes ack from the wars? ‘OLIVIA. Tm going into town later to buy food. I here any thing special you want for diner? LILL ‘What did my father die of (Beat)OLNIA. Pneumonia ILL T dhoughe it was malaria, OLIVIA. Well, maybe it was. LILL. Wat he in Panama or something? Who dice of malaria fon Central Park West? OLNA. You ask and ask and ask, What are you planning to {do with all hese anowers if you get them? ILL. Make them into bel OLIVIA. Difhcule A difficul gel. (Lacking cut) There's hat young man Tin Where? OLIVIA. Over there with dhat gh TILL. On. (eat) Thats» agate OLIVIA. ‘Do you even know him. LLL, His name & Nicky Lockridge LIA. Ob, Nicky Lockridge ILL And he's a Prince . fom the east LILL Yes. A bedtime story. (She crs up by Olivia’ legs.) On his piebald stced — 1 Hike that word, plebald — OLIVIA. Its a good word — LILL He charges the fields of Greenwich and Davin, His ite ina round of jouts and tourneys and tennis matcher and e's 2 mean man with 2 La Crowe nick. His ful’ heraldic crest is centuries old, and yet this young prince is sore at heart — ‘OLIVIA. Sore at heart — ILL, Yer, sore at heart. For to whom can he dedicate hie jousu and tourney? To what fal maiden can he offer the bull's car? — He's a matador, to. OLIVIA Right right — om sesh, LILL So he's plunged himself into a journey of matrimonial intert. Fearless, he's waled the mighty Catal. Fearlesly, The's met the natives of darkest Kiamesha, and he hat com ‘quered. He has conquered. The pennants shiver in the wind the maypole drops it steamers. For Nicky has met his match (Oftng Boa begs to ham the hla, “Nich i de lack. Lit rats fo amon hugh ply sien, She daar er ot aed shat Mindy ge cre beat ds abendy ‘Who is he? sens, mations, Olivia comes bkind her and holds her. Thay say ‘is way wl Boa fnher) Oli, I'm geting marvied. Nickyt taked me to many hi, OuMA. Lit ILL Don't breathe a word (She exits sharp) Fade Out. End of Scene, Scene 3 1s er sm the hammock lstning fo Boy Darn sng, "Beyond the Sra" om hr transi radi. chen. LILL Bobby Dasin, LILL, Tam not the proving sort but iT were — I would leave this hammock and genulect to Bobby Darin. I wat all ater: ‘oon for Bobby Darin to come on the radio, NICK. He's good singer HILL. Are you the prying ort NIGK. No, can't say that | am, not very mul off aniston rao) EILLS6, Nick, long time no se. What brings you here? NICK You told Mindy Thad ap. (Beet) LILL. No, she got it wrong. What I said was, when T see you pas, you're such a sterling figure, I'makes me sant to cap Te got lest i tandaton. Prom English to Mindy NICK. "Tes like a goddamn whispering gallery over there. Suddenly Tim geting the most incredible looks. ILL Thave no idea what you'e talking about. NICK Ido not appreciate beng asocated with a venereal disease, 1¢s not anmhing 1 can capitalize on LIL T have no idea what you'e talking abovt NICK, Lill (eat Ste lke ahi) Stop ying» Please, plese 0, (Li flicks +See Specal Note on copyright page 8stop ving. (Beat) LILI. Why aid you stop coming around? NICK. T got .. bur. ILL Oh, yes? Time dapatched you to Southeatt Asa, did NICK. Busy here LLL, There i no such thing as busy here — NICK. There war 2 HILL, Wie NICK. Shufleboard tournament COU. Ant NICK 1 won. LIL, TWonly adds more ser, (Beat) : NICK. I ‘have obligations, you know- Other . obligations. To the people I'm here with, They bought me here ULI so? NICK. So is «is incumbent upon me to spend te with her LLL why? NICK, Why? Why do you keep asking me why? I's practically ppremoral of you Ett Premoral — docs that come by way of Mindy, the Prychology Major? NICK. Education. LILL Education, yes, I forgot NICK. No. it doet't come by way of Mindy. I's . just, the code, LILI Tl go acrom the lake for you now, Nicky. I'l go and apologize fo Mindy, and tell her i was alla ghasty mistake. ‘One of my eapriciour jokes. They ll think Pn crazy, anyway. Nick She's gone UL... Not NICK. “The whole family — LLL. When? NIGK. About an hour ago. LLL. Wye NICK. "Mr. Rablatein heard the rumor. (Beat) LILL I'm sorry NICK. It seem you're a very persuasive storyteller. It seems 2% Mindy returned to their cabans in tears ULL, Oh God, no. NICK. Mrs. Kablaten asked her why she was crying — LILL, She didn't — NICK. She's not at circumepet as other girls Tve known — LILL, She's a cow — NICK. Please don't I am inched, you know that. ILL Yes, I'm sory, again, I sory — NICK. Mis. Kahistein tuned out to be more pragmatic than Yd andpated. She said “Well darting, men can be that way. {A least you found out in tine LLL. Oh, no NICK © Wel “Ze dat, Mindy cried even harder and Mis. Kahkscin sd, “Mindy — if tis & wue — it doesn't alfect you does i" LLL. She told the truth? NICK She sul "Yes, mother it does. We've sept together. (Over and over and over again! TILL. "The fool — NICK. Mr. Kabkstein apparendy purpled at this and avore he'd have my scalp — TOLL, TH tell them, call 1 alert the Coast Guard — NIGK. He seid, something ike, "That." gondif LLL. Gonsiff — it means thiet — NICK Yes, wel, he sid, “That gonni TU see him dead for ‘aking my daughter's virtue and giving her a disease ILL He could do i too. New Jerey is lousy with Cosa Now NICK.” But then, Mindy — who was not at her beat — sid, "Daddy, don’t be ridiculous, He didn’ take my virtue. I've sept with hundreds of men. I'm afraid [gave itt him” LILL “Bven I gave her more ciedit than — NICK. Welle didn’t know ohal to do when he heard this, to he punched the wall, yelled at his wife, and ended up gi ing me a cigar. Would you Bke i0 Its Havana. Before the revolution. Which, I think, must make it more a souvenie than a amoke TILL Tn ei 2NICK. You're . effective. LILL, Well, what should I do, Nick? Should I write letter? NICK Oh, who’ know? T don't understand how anyone's tmind works any wore. For all I Know, everyting willbe fine in the morning, and we'll ill be engaged. LILI. (Stared) Engaged? NIG. Yeu LILI. You never told me that part. NICK. ‘Tes new. Its not afc, ts understood LLL (Set) You never told me. NIGK.“T know. LILI. We walked together. Well, then, why are you here? ULL. mised you NICK And thsi the simplest way you could think of to deal ‘wth that problem? TILL. My'mind docan’t run to sample ways How iit you've been here so long, anyway? Don't jou havea jb to do? Time ‘magieine must be incredibly eral with iu vacations. They (ugh to call i, "Fee Tie.” ~ NICK Li — ILL Mindy has gone: why aren't you going too? NICK. ‘The room sul belongs to me and — LIL. Thats nota reson — NICK T'want 1 se you ULL... Why? NICK”. T don't know anyone like you ILL Mind's lke me, Minds exactly Hike me. Except stupid and 3 com NICK She isnt anything lke you HOLL — snd a raving, four nymphomaniac, NICK. Granted LILL 1M! be a raving, famous nymphomaniac, maybe, some oy NICK That's not an ambition LILL Did any mother give you money to stop seeing me? (Beat) NICK. You shouldn't have sid that 2 LIL T'm sorry 'm sonry — but its something she'd try — NICK. The last time T saw yeu, you ran in the other direc: Hom Because you were with her. LILL, “You can't meet her NICK. God! Why can't you jut relax? TOLL. Niky rich all by nell Next year I get all tit ‘money iy father left me. Ard there's nothing she can do about it NICK "Money couldn't have let to do with anything LIL. Because sex is the oaly curency that matters when you're my age NICK ‘T'm sore, but you're litle warped. where some things are conceToed, LILE" $011 have been repeatedly told, (Reet) Ob, you know to much about me. Why can't we tak about you Once in 8 wile instead. Tell me something NICK. ike wha? LILL Anything treble. (Beet NICK... You already sid nothing ever happened to me, LILI, T'rid thas what you Teok ike, NICK. Maybe f HILL But l want itt be te. T want you to have been spared uenthing (Pause He is bought up she bythe inceiy ofthis) NICK (A concasion} T sopped secing you beesixe Mindy ‘hed me to Cu, =. Why? NICK. “Becaus: you're beaut ILL. That cant be por = NICK Accept it. (Pause) LIL. Oh my God, I can’t believe what Iss to her. Ave fa, jet a NICK Yeu ILL. Tes jane that you're sich a surprise... There was no preparing for youn Td hal a year er twoy I might have ben ready (at) NICK. Oh “Took vw ULL. Wha NICK. Lets swim. Les just mit up and evim, Okay? And ont we sain? 2maybe have drinks ater? Vm on vacation. I was hoping for a EAL wn I don’t vim. NICK.” What? LIL I can't —T don’t know how. NICK That terrible — How do you get through the day if you can’t throw youre into water? teach you. TILL You have to learn that sort of ting young. NICK. "Listen, Ian teach you the buterdy stoke in two weeks. By the end of the month, youll be entering dving ‘Shampionships LIL T don't think P'd be able wo — NICK. I leaned pinochle with Moe Kahstein:tibfortat — TILL OF course you di. You're eay in all stuations. Because ishen you're od man ou, everyone else fels uncomfortable wis the gift of your hegemony TICK. All these words (Beal) LLILL, What ae you offering, eal? (Oia ens) OLIVIA. “Li, we're having tea. LILL. T'm with someone, Ola. LIVIA Tve set four places LLL. No OLIVIA, Your mother sy she's looking forward to meeting the youtg man, afterall his Ue, WAI you join ws, Mr. — NICK. Nick Lodtdge OLIVIA. Will you jin us, Mr. Lockridge? NICK. Tl be very happy to — HILL Bot — CK Lead the way 1 moment). TALL To lose you to er so soon. (Sh tars of afer thm.) (Cia and Nik art of. lds back Fade'Out. Had of Scene « Matinle cS % Scene 4 Bowing, Boa and Mik ot ton thle Olivia peer Lib ‘die, paces, leans the arpa. OLIVIA, More ts, Me. Lockldge? NICK. Yes, please, It's wonderfl tea. EVA. Anolter biscuit? . NICK. Thank you. [EVA. Have you spent much time in the mountains? NICK. Winters, mostly BVA. Ab, yes, winters confirmed aquatic NICK” Very moch 20 EVA. Yes, yoru, Personally, I don't ust the sea. T do not fren, if sacha thing le not umuitersly fooBsh, Tdo not ap prov of the som — ° ‘NICK (Sniing) Real? : LIL. It’s a mania — EVA. No, I fecl that illusion of limideinss .- that challenge to embark . to talk. to immerse oneref in an element for which one is not naterly, not physiologically equipped ‘These things I believe to be seduetive and subversive and eagle — NIG. Hunt EVA. In the mountain, on the other hand — the borders are Visible, tangible, and eemyubore Very trustworthy... NIGK! Tgoesr I never looked ati that way before, EVA. Its fr thie reason that we come here yar after year. ‘Though ie meane we must sufer proximity i some of (is country’s moat comical sais. But even that isa good thing leis good to sayin touch wih the lower life Forms. Ova tell me you wish to be an architect — NICK Olivia? LILL Olivia! EVA. Tove architects Has il told you yet of my alfa with ‘Mier vas der Rohe? I suspect you of being deeply andNICK. No— no, she hasn't — EVA,” She will get to it OF course, i+ & preposterous ides Duties a thing the Hiker to a5. KILL, Teeame-on the heels of her afar with Hirer EVA. (Cait) Yes, my darling, spi, spin-c- (Swale emipiaor aly at Nic) Now what kind of architect do you wish to be? NICK. Every kind EVA. Yes, I'd forgotten. There is never any need to ask an American this sort of question; one always teceves the sume Answer: And what do you with to bud? NIGK. A whole ci EVA. Do you mean, by that, that you wish to build an entre cig yoursel or tht you wah to bulld city that is technolo cally integrated, spttualy complete, and wellmaztaged? NICK.” The later LILL.”All the cities have already been bit. NIGK. Not all of them. EVA. So... As one who is interested in these things, what ie your opinion of my Ite Mik Ain MM Ahi? (Beat) NICK "Tm sorry - Ido’ understand the question. Is that of speaking. Mit Ain, MM Ahir is my litle name for our house — Because k belongs neither tothe hota nor to the litle rural outposts on thie sie of the lake But I am being foolish — dhe howe is humble and mot for criti /A whole cy — my, ml Now, tll me, where did you study architecture? Where di you get your degree? NICK T haven't actualy =. Jot EVA. You haven’? ~ But you are not so very young, are you? NICK No — not 1 very young EVA. But who am Tto tlk? Taw Methuselah in his pram hy have you net tidied yet? NICK’ "1 was going to start a couple of years ago. but {dings got inthe way = EVA. Things? [NICK Personal things — EVA. Too personal to share, I understand — NICK No,'no— EVA. Nothing is required of you — NICK. “Ob, thats relly — EVA. We make a point never & pry — NICK My father'died a while ogo and Tve been .. side tracked EVA. (Gaui) Ob my dear. How did he die? May ak NICK. Stupdly.. I wat afresh accident. He was cleaning his gun wand it went ff TIL. Nicky EVAL Tam so tery terily sory NICK Te wat tough at Bre, bu T guest Tm used to it EVA. And your mother? NICK. My mother died the ye before EVA. Oh, my dear, random things, random things NICK Yes = random. EVA. But itis the people to vhom random things happen, and who are then able 1o sure, flourish it x these people Who will see Damarcus. My huband and i were in Germany “util the Tat ponble moment, We were to ducover that the boat we tok wat the lst oat at. What would have happened we had missed the boat (Lil har bun 1 i rope) OuMA. tlt — EVA. Oh, look, Lill has decided to entertain us with «sport ing event — There, my dese, sp, sip, don't mind ws ILL Tes wonder exercise. Pine fighters dott EVA. Just think of the shock fer me, Me. Lackrkge — all my background, all my education, and T have given birth to Sonny LIL” Nicky and Lil up a wee — EVA. We are not an eccentric family, Nicky — LILL K1S-Society — EVA. Just litle giddy around the circumference — ILL First comes love/Then cemes marriage — NICK “Lint EVA. Have you discuted this scenario, ori Lil improvising? LILL Then comer Nicky with the baby carriage — 2NICK. Thats very embarrassing — EVA. My daughter i this way because her father indulged! her: he found her trestle — NICE. What was it Me. Adler di? ILL My father invented teflon — EVA Mr. Adler invented — LILI He invented Bakelite — EVA. He had the patent on — ILL He blazed the tral for macaroniand-cheese — EVA Me. Adler's work war ia — ILL. He invented the reversible condom — EVA. (Gon) Lili (Beat) TILL “(Goths chadanad) Something i lamps. He invented Something that's in lamps. something that's in lamps; excuse ime, pleat. (She exis quid) NICK. Li — (But abe gone) I should go alter her EVA No, plewe say with te, Olivia wil sce 10 hero Wi you, plese, Ola? OLIVIA. OF cour EVA. Follow sts good ditance, remember .. (lca exit) Ll thas gone through many corrections, but she retains her gen- ins for the inappropriate NIK. What upset her 99 much? EVA” Oh, my daughter, my darting daughter. Inside her thea isa sort of marked ball: you never know with whom you fre dancing.» You seem fond of Lil Nice Tam EVA, Genuinely fond... Ob, itis always so hard, this pare Lil is not charmingly eccentric. She tot your garden var fy acurotc, She's been hospitalised, Nick Why? EVA, Who knows who know? Ths is beter than uss NICK. ‘But how long fae she boon thi way? When didi tart EVA. Oh, it began before it ever began: Has Lil ever told ‘hat I snurdered her father? i. . No. EVA. Obviotly, that means yes. Yes. Well I think she hal ‘elnves i you Know. And who can blame her? Ate dhe hing 8 that happened to Mr. Adler, there was no consoling anyone in that house. NICK. What happened toi? EVA. Everything in the world. And nothing you could posse by understand = Iloved my husband for subdle reasons and he was snnihilated for s crude one... But that is no Kind of story for a summer night. Gh, my dear, how can you take {he tadnest sway from a gel sho learned it so eat in He? I i not pomible, Ie can't be done. Every summer we come hhere and there's someone, Seme sveet boy from across the Jake, We hope, we pray but i no good. Novhing has worked. always ends in disaster. NICK.” Are you tying to seare me ont EVA. Are you wared? NICK Not et al (Bent) EVA. Oh, 0, 20, now Thats not it at all «I simply won der what kind of effect you might have on her? To pay ater tion, to flatter her with your presence, when you have, alter Sila fe you mint return to, responsbies — NIGK. There's nothing that pressing — EVA. Oh, but surely =. they require you Back at Tine is NICK. Not for @ while, no. (at) EVA! But then, In New York and .. Darien, did you say? NICK Yer, Darien EVA. Yes, Daren ~ aren't there pofple who are mising you? NICK. "No one that Lear to see/{Bba lake a him quizcal) No ome I need to sce right sway. (Beat) EVA. Well yes then » yee Perhaps this would be jst she thing. Perhaps you are wt we ave waited for NICK. She thinks ~ I shouldn't say dis — EVA. Tell me. NICK. She thinks you wan! to Keep me away from her EVA. She thinks Tam the opposite of what Tam Wil you tel her, my deat? Will you fel her that 1 have not discour- ‘ged you? That I wish what she does? And will you be good to her? Whatever the cost? (at)NICK. The con? EVA. Do you smell ran? I must tke off my rings my joints wll ell (She ronvet herring the fall 1 Be own) Oh how humsy Tam! NICK: Here let me — (Mich hl to search fo then) EVA, No, don't bother, i+ too dark — you'l never find them. NICK. But they're diamonds! EVA. ‘They wil be there in the morning. NICK. But what if they're noe EVA. ‘Then they’te not (Shy he rns, fas her Whatever you fan da, my deat. That may not be mich. Afr all, we cant txpect mirtles (hay lok at wih oer) Fade Out. End of Scone Scene 5 Li lone. Nick ene LIL, The howptal wat hes NICK. What ILL. I wan't really sick. I war fine. She did't think so. On say Swentyfst biethday T get the money my father left me. Then Fl be well CK. Allright, (Beat) ILL So she did tel you? NICK. Yer. ILL OF course. So youl leave me NICK. She docen’t want me to leave; she aed me not to LILL, ‘That way when you do she'll em blames. ICs one of her eldest tick NICK Li — ILL Why did you tl her all those things you never told me? NICK... She draws it out ILL she has you now. NIGK. Tes not tat complicate. ea » LIL This happens all the ime. We come here every year: “Presse, Li, play.” she say. "Be happy, be fre. Pleas, Lib, Sind someone and don't frighten him sway —" T fighter NICK" You don’t fighten me — ILL, She'll do that for me — NICK No — HILL Ob, ust me — NICK Don't — LILL Why don't you just ge away now? Why don’t you just leave me alone? CK" Why are you going op Hike this? Because Tove you (Hat; simph) I know that sounds cru, but I'm not eray — know my own name — 1 don’t fe things — and T Tove you « T know I can’t ever have you, Tiknow Tbe = do afl things Ted’ ka why oI can't cexphin it =I fel ar if everthing I've ever done was rome thing that happened to me... That sounds crazy, toon» Oh (God, this isnt making you think any beter of me ~. I'm sory Thaven’t meant anything. jus go » (xt) NICK. Nothing you said sounds crtzy — No, lin. Nothing you said sounds cy, And I don't belicwe youre cer done Snything so terrible,” You have this way of seing yourselt — Think i jst comes from Ining in dark rooms wth bad air = Listen — all ths stuf abeat what you've done — even iF you have done it — Past are ~ dhey'#e nothing. Things ean be to much simpler TILL. Look — she'll probaby be here soon — It would be beter Ifyou jst — NICK." Forget herl. The hell with her. There are some people we have to pretend don't exis... We jut have to for feet about — no matter how it hurt. Some people we just Ihave to getaway from — LIL T can't do that. NICK Thnow you ean, ILL. You don’ understand NICK. Tao, LILL She's what Ihave (use) 0[MIGK “When we met ~ i wasn't the Sit tine I'd seen you Td been watching you» T came here for jou --T came itere to meet you — Tio osu — NIGK Tied ULL Bur NiGk. "Don't. And ever since then, I've been. Look, ier boca of Mindy Wat I stopped selng you. Tet fared, becaune Pd never wanted anything #0 much (Batt) TL That cat be pombe NICK. Wiy no. Becnsse you want tobe? Du ie UGK. “Then maybe your ek as changed. (eat) TILL. But wl you be on my side? Whatever happens wil You be om my de? (ie nr her) Nick —? Mc What LULL Lets ei. (They hi gun and dn “Beye he Sea™® How) Fade Out, Had of Scone ‘ ne Scene 6 ick ond Boa alone Boa is using @ came EVA, It has warmed my hear to sce the change in Li over these late weeks NICK. ‘We've been very happy She's swimming now. EVA. Swimming, my God, what a wonder you ar! NICK. Ton’ take credit. The cane EVA. Yes. NICK. Te never sen i before EVA. Ah, well — the body is weak, the body is strong, every * See Special Note on copright page. 2 thing is reversible, Where shall we hate the wedding, here do you think, or in town? NICK. T think that should be up to Lil. I think that would be best EVA. What « kind young man you are, how considerate, (Beat) Nom, let me tell you what Ihave discovered about yo NICK Excuse me? VA. Fest, you do not work for Time NICK. What are you talking about EVA. One does not find you on thei employee roster. Or on any Luce publication — or any publication at all, for tha NICK I can show you my press card EVA. Docs i hate an expiration date? NICK. No. EVA. Too bad, Defunct things should declare themscles de- func. You were fired several months agonn/You do not remon rtrate- Good. This will go amoothly, den, ot Nick T— EVA. Aba .. don't interrupt my flow, Second, you have 20 money whatsdever. I have reearched your Eunily — given a ‘certain amount of money, one does have contact, you know, fren againet one's will You come from one of thore fine ‘loodesiices that started to crumble virtually upon erection, ‘Afortane with perhaps a crime attached toi. Socal regs. [Neglect — sudden bankruptcy — a very American story, ¥ey boring NICK Bra, Usten — EVA, ‘Third — and most regrettably — your father did not di ina freak accident while leaning his gun — NICK. fm afraid you're wrong there — EVA, Well then he mutt have been licking it clean for the bullet discharged in hi mouth. (Beat) Ab. Tam sorry for you for this part. (Bet) After that, you lost your job and started to wander. Apparently, you fell quite of the edge ofthe uni- verte, The rumors fad i you were with distant relatives — or Finds of frends — here for a week — there for a month — However you people dsport yourselves, A mode of existence 38that must have been unsetling for you — to say nothing of fiugal. Then you discovered he gil who brought you here —. ‘This part punting... Sorey, Where's some lovey girl of your ‘own Sind xtto would hae found in you an exellent candidate Be rchercon, sn dram you beck nto the fold — ay em that seems a much more Hkely scenario than carpet heiress fand the Cat, no? Well never mind. Finally, you arrived here and met my daughter, and proceeded to tell nota single true thing sbout yourself Yes, I believe that brings us up to Gate with you. (eat) Now. I there anything you'd ike to say? NICK (Vay quit) 1 don't think so EVA. I tha perhaps you should. 1 think i's an opportuni you shouldn't pass up. (Log fuse Whow ck finaly speaks, i Tho simply mand fo cobra he difcly of what es saying.) NICK. ‘Ater my mother died, my father more-orless lost con trol of things. Not badly — it was more a hind of sip af at tention. But, apparemyy thats al i took. Things fell spar. I had something to do wth a partner, Think, or the board — Something sity — I'm not sxppresting the det here, Tost never quite learned them. Anyway, just Uke tha, it seemed, we fwere out of business. Suddenly, a you sid. And, yes, broke Tee working in New York then, T'd visit on weekends. Eeery time I did, he'd have sold off another room of furaitre and hhe'd be sing in it singing. “Tim » rambin’ wreck from Georgia Tech/And a heck of an engineer =" And he wasn't cron drinking — thet was the funny par, he was stonecold Sober ay, ‘Dad are you sore youre all righ Can T get you suything?* He'd say, "Ob, no, Tm Be, pal I'm fine, sport WNT need iva shave and a ireut — that's all need, sport Mohave and « hniteut — just a abave and a haieat — then Vil be ready.” Bet) He didn’t understand how everyting had hhappened to hin so ft. He waen’ eran, I don't think ost surprised... He sarted singing in the sucet, He'd forget to bethe The howe started looking like = juntheap- One day this group of men = five of them, T think ~ our neighbors fame to call on him. They sid to him, "Nick, we're sorry to hhave to ay this, but i dowen’t look at if you'e ever golng to be able to take contol of dings: Wouldnt i be better (0 go, st | | now, before you have ta? Wouldn't i be better just to leave?" Beat) He called me in the city alter. 1 sid, "Ob, look, they re your friends, they'll forget about i” He suid, ‘No wT stank up the street. You can do 2 lot of thiagy but you don't sink up the sueet” And he sorted to laugh. We hung up, he valked into his room =. and had the wnfortanate: ecient While cleaning his gun. (Beat) I did't tell any of tie to Lill Teemu, well it n't the sore of thing you sy sight at first. and because it was so pleasant not to, Those are the only reasons. (Beat) Wel. This has been a marvelous party, youve ben perfect hostess, and Tve had a splendid ime. (eat) 1 wish you would et me tll Lil instead of you. EVA.” Oh, but I have no intention of teling her. NICK "Then what are you going to do? EVA. After you marry, I will pay for your graduate schoo! in architecture, then give you a art in bosines, NICK... What? EVA. There — you made me give i say — that was meant to be my surprise. NICK "I can take care ofall that myselé EVA. You mean with Lil's money. No, you se, this is where you are wrong. Has Lil told you she tomes into her money fn her twentSfist birthday? Yer: tht ie a thing she sayy Ta teuth, she does come into money. On her thiryfith birthday. Uni then, i is only what she earns or what I give her. Now, tell me, what are your plane for getting through schoo! and Le? Go moment by moment. Bast) Yes, Twil pay for you lal for we wil be relate, NICK. That int right, somehow EVA.” You have a consclenee, excellent! I'l write that down. Oh, look! To deny lappinew because it looks lke something 55 not... You have told me everthing sbout yourelf-— now understand and pity you. You love my daughter — you are In condition T can remedy — what stupidity ~~ what erly = not to let me. Beat) NICK. Then 1 tll her about this, EVA. That I cannot allow NICK... What?EVA. Ifyou wil tll her she will ll me; if she wil tell me, 1 wil renege NICK Why? EVA. Do you know how this wil look to her? This le and that Ee, A few seimming Testons do not make one pajcholog cally whole, 'm sory if you thought that was the ease. We ‘don'c want to rik your ling her affection, do we? TEVA. Figure nothing ou NICK. Tron’ understand. Why don’ you just wl her every thing and be rid of me? 2B lest we can hope forthe bet. [NICK And what i the est, do you think? EVA. An inuicately unhappy life, Tm afraid, Tved out in compensatory splendor NICK T don’t believe that! eat) EVA. And why not NICK (Paling back « ale). T cause happiness: at's what do, (Beat) EVA. "How nice for you! Well — 1 beieye T must go in — crying aches. NICK. Erm —! EVA. What? NICK. I really do love her, you hnow. EVA. That is no longer ether here or there Fade Out, End At act it Scene 1 Boa ond Obi. A tablet for ox EVA. Ob, Olivia, this dampncs is terrible, every bone in my ody aches. (Oia Highs a awed) That isan awful abit CLV) Yon nee tous, i especial? OLIVIA. See for yourtelt. (Tile cake fom the tae owes hr) EVA. (Milly disdain)». Yes Well OLIVIA, You're in 2 mood. EVA. Mmmex Have 1 tld you of shnekon? And himchen? With real whipped cream? OLIVIA. Often EVA... Yen Well, I miss them, Itt to be tea, I suppose OLIVA. Always tc. EVA. T Tong for demitane. OLIMA. Tean do that EVA. But the spoons the spoons the machr spoons — They are somewhere in a basement in Cologne... How can you have dlemitane when the spoons ae elsewhere? OLIVIA. Huh! EVA. Some nights my dreanm are filed with tiny spoons and shed and rach OLIVIA. You come through a war and grieve for the lott, ‘whipped cream — I won't figure it out EVA. And what do you mis and what do you long for (Otc smiles) You are'a Sphine, there is no geting it out of you. Aren't there nights when you are lonely and Tong to tell tomeone romething? OLIVIA. Yes. Buti I did, 1 ink I'd end up lonelier for the Information Td given avy. EVA. Hm. Yer (Baat) I am hearing him agin 2OLIVIA. Me, Adier EVA. Walking up and down the halle, hour after our «. OLIVIA. Those were bad years EVA. The years in which someone tries to die abras are. ‘They klled hin Av with a knife Asi wth a gun, OLIVIA. “So you sy [EVA What else can you calli? To do that to a genius OLIVIA. I never wnderstood all that busines; Tvnever knew why they dd that to Mr. Adler EVA. Do you remember the joke, “After dhe war the Jews were so popular they were ying t get their old noses back?” OLIVIA. Yes EVA. Ie wat joke. (Beat) Ob, they were so discret, to tact ful. They sed to him, "Yes, we will manufacture your inven on. Sign the contract and you will have everthing jn the world” "We were t0 happy, we celebrated. ‘Then = three ‘weeks? A month. They tld him, “This can be an enormous ting, a breakthrough! But we must not give way to eentimen- tal. You mrt see that Walter Johnson — (dhe partner he hid taken on who had done virally nothing) "— Walter Johnson with his smooth voice and his tmooth histry — you ‘ust se that he i the beter man for all thie — For the ‘conventions and the advertisements, for the conferences and the symposia. This a a time of pleny” they sid, "Not of ‘ad facet vith leaky eyes Oh, but why do you protest? We {ve you all dhe money inthe world and all you Bate t do is Eieppew s tle»? These men x thee men who come with their generous offers to take may everything you poses. But why do you stare at me? ‘OLIVIA T lke that boy that Nick . TEVA. Do you? And you are such a shrewd judge of charac- ter. Tel me — why do you like him? OLIVIA. “Becaute Lil docs. EVA. And do you think he loves her? OLIVIA. I have no reson to below otherwise EVA. But docs it scem tidy? OLIVIA. Anything that’s already happened is Ukely — ts 28 sy opinioa BVA. Yes Ob, but, Ola Illy agree — Iwas tating you! Have I been in anyoay dacouraging? OLIVIA.” Not yet EVA. Then relax. (Oliva hap looking at Bar) Ob, 1 am eit again please? T would appreciate i (Ola puls out her dig ‘ty, rds Beas shoulders.) Vou are wonderful nt thie 1 Tove yo dear OLIVIA. Ob, don't EVA. Then I won't Seechow amenable I am? Tt isa quality {n miyel Tam surprived is ro seldom remarked OLIVIA. 1 don't believe Te ever heard anyone mention it EVA. People miss the point, don't you think? OLIVIA. I don't know any people. (Gil mrs) GGL, Goddamn, would you look at this placet EVA, And what fe di? GIL. Oh — bi — ory — I didn't see you. I've been — tell you it’s been quite 8 time — tt thie the view and the quiet There's even furniture! This i great EVA. We like it (She leaks Otte: Who thie pono?) GEL, TM ber .. 1 ake it you're leo fleeing the circus maxi smut over there? EVA AM — you are withthe hotel, GL. er toe dye — EVA. You have my spmpathy GIL Thank you. 1s just. wel, T don’t have to tel you Gal in chach dresser — women ia mink stler in what month i thi. These foods — TEVA. We muni't speak of them! GIL. Teame here ~I thought I was going to rex —'All of a sudden, Im at these events, I'm doing the hokeypokey, Pm Winning sets of dishes in bingo games, I'm watching fies ‘ld women in chiffon dresses sing "My Lord and Master” nto ‘microphone, i's — Oh! There's this one guy, he calle him Self tumbler or something, at far a6 T can make out he's tome ype of socal diector — When I fmt got here T wat allergic to the ragweed or something, every time Tsneceed he'd say, “Sueszetert” What does that mean? 0EVA. Drop dead. GIL. Then I should stop dhanking him... This place though You can read a book, you can tke nap, diss geeat (He Ties down om the Bench or lmewher, apport idending o mle fn forthe duration) EV. And who are you, you enthuriantic and attractive young person? Gat Sony. Gl Harbison, EVA, Tam Eva Adler, and thie is Othia Shaw. GL. (To Oliia) Hom do you do? OLIVIA." Do you have a on? GIL. Excite me? OLIVIA. T mougne maybe you How do you de? GIL. Well, 'm jon great, just great now (To Boa) Hey, are you the one the gale trots the lake call dhe Czaina? EVA. Ifthere is such a one, I would guest Iam she GIL, Whats sentence — wonderfull — Americans never take {Franmar to that kind of extreme. 'm in publshing, 1 know this They sy you say on this side ofthe Take alot EVA. ‘This i my place GIL. Realy? Wait Am I wespassing? EVA. Ye Gils God —Y'm worry — I ad no idea — This doesn’ Took like the sort of place someone coms EVA. No, no, no. So tell me, i hi your vacation? Gil. Morecrlest. I was just looking fora change of scene. EVA. Wat the old scene fatiguing You? Gil, I dhought so — but tir place — wow! Your Title spot Ines, though — what an amazing ret (Noi ex sevice) Oh, God, you're having tea — Well, then, T realy should leave you ‘lone I don't want to interfere — by the ey that cake Looks wonderful OLIVIA. ‘Thank you GIL, Well, back tothe thied cece of Hell — EVA. Why don’t you say? Gil. Oh no EVA, Please — we're having a (he merrier — GIL. Thank you — that would be wonderful — OLIVIA Tl bring anodher cup — or do you take it in a las? GIL. Ist ea? OLIVIA. Tl bring 2 cup. (Bats) EVA. Olivia i very wity when she's bored. Pay no attento GIL. Whatever, EVA, Nick and Lili should be back any moment, now; then, well have our tes GL. Nick and Lik FVA. My daughter and her fnce. They've gone fora wal Gil. Oh — oh sight EVA. What The ladies by the lake told you about this, to? GIL. Well you know... Blbbetyblabbety EVA. Are you here with anyone? Cll. No came just forthe heck of it — EVA. Tee. And how did you eer choose the Catshils? GL. Well you know, ater awhile I got so bored with the Est End and Nantucket and Fisher's and the Vineyard — I wae looking for someplace I'd never been — and here it — the Caubil, EVA. Two of you in one summer GIL. beg your pardon? EVA. Nothing, nothing a ll Ob, but here they are. (Nk and 1 er) Hlow are you, my darings? Look whom have di covered — a fesh explorer LL. Hell Gil. You're Li nice t2 meet you I'm Gil Harbison LILI, Nice to meet you NICK. (Estnds his Nand) Nick Lockridge: how do you do? Gil. You look familiar have we met NICK. T don't know, its posble EVA. Gil is at the hotel toe, I asked him to have tea with TILL You ade EVA. Of course. I that so suprising? ILL Yer (Oia ener wah cp.)