Jane Bowles - My Sister's Hand in Mine - The Collected Works of Jane Bowles

( She shakes a whole tray of glasses in the sink, which make a terrific racket. )

MOLLY It’s not a comic book. It’s a letter from my mother.

INEZ What’s new?

MOLLY It came last week.

INEZ What are you doing reading it now?

MOLLY She’s coming back today. She’s coming back from Mexico.

INEZ Maybe she’ll pep things up a little. I hear she’s got more personality than you. ( Shifts some oysters ) You didn’t model yourself after her, did you?

MOLLY No.

INEZ Ever try modeling yourself after anyone?

MOLLY No.

INEZ Well, if you don’t feel like you’ve got much personality yourself, it’s an easy way to do. You just pick the right model and you watch how they act. I never modeled myself after anyone, but there were two or three who modeled after me. And they weren’t even relatives — just ordinary girls. It’s an easy way to do. ( Shifts some oysters ) Anyway, I don’t see poring over comic books. I’d rather have someone tell me a good joke any day. What’s really nice is to go out — eight or nine — to an Italian dinner, and sit around afterwards listening to the different jokes. You get a better selection that way! Ever try that?

MOLLY I don’t like big bunches of people.

INEZ You could at least live in a regular home if you don’t like crowds, and do cooking for your husband. You don’t even have a hot plate in your room! ( Crash of stool to floor, followed by some high giggles ) There goes Mrs. Constable again. You’d think she’d drink home, at her hotel, where no one could see her. She’s got a whole suite to herself there. It’s been over a year since her daughter’s accident, so I could say her drinking permit had expired. I think she’s just on a plain drunk now. Right? (MOLLY nods ) You sure are a button lip. As long as you’re sitting there you might as well talk. It don’t cost extra. ( She frowns and looks rather mean for a moment. There is more offstage racket ) I think Mrs. Constable is heading this way. I hope to God she don’t get started on Death. Not that I blame her for thinking about it after what happened, but I don’t like that topic.

( Enter MRS. CONSTABLE.)

MRS. CONSTABLE ( She has been drinking ) How is everyone, this afternoon?

MOLLY My mother’s coming back today.

INEZ I’m kind of rushing, Mrs. Constable. I’ve got to have three hundred oyster cocktails ready by tonight and I haven’t even prepared the hot sauce yet.

MRS. CONSTABLE Rushing? I didn’t know that people still rushed …

INEZ Here we go, boys!

MRS. CONSTABLE Then you must be one of the fortunate ones who has not yet stood on the edge of the black pit. There is no rushing after that, only waiting. It seems hardly worthwhile even keeping oneself clean after one has stood on the edge of the black pit.

INEZ If you’re clean by nature, you’re clean.

MRS. CONSTABLE Oh, really? How very interesting!

INEZ Some people would rather be clean than eat or sleep.

MRS. CONSTABLE How very interesting! How nice that they are all so terribly interested in keeping clean! Cleanliness is so important really, such a deep deep thing. Those people who are so interested in keeping clean must have very deep souls. They must think a lot about life and death, that is when they’re not too busy washing, but I guess washing takes up most of their time. How right they are! Hoorah for them!

( She flourishes her glass. )

INEZ ( With a set face determined to ignore her taunts ) The tide’s pretty far out today. Did you take a look at the …

MRS. CONSTABLE They say that people can’t live unless they can fill their lives with petty details. That’s people’s way of avoiding the black pit. I’m just a weak, ordinary, very ordinary woman in her middle years, but I’ve been able to wipe all the petty details from my life … all of them. I never rush or get excited about anything. I’ve dumped my entire life out the window … like that!

( She tips her whisky glass and pours a little on the floor. )

INEZ ( Flaring up ) Listen here, Mrs. Constable, I haven’t got time to go wiping up slops. I’ve got to prepare three hundred oyster cocktails. That means toothpicks and three hundred little hookers of hot sauce. I haven’t got time to talk so I certainly haven’t got time to wipe up slops.

MRS. CONSTABLE I know … toothpicks and hot sauce and hookers. Very interesting! How many oysters do you serve to a customer? Please tell me.

INEZ ( Only half listening to MRS. CONSTABLE, automatically ) Five.

MRS. CONSTABLE ( Smirking as much as she can ) Five! How fascinating! Really and truly, I can’t believe it!

INEZ Balls! Now you get out and don’t come back here until I finish my work. Not if you know what’s good for you. I can feel myself getting ready to blow up! ( Shifts some more oysters ) I’m going upstairs now and I’m going to put a cold towel on my head. Then, I’m coming down to finish my oyster cocktails, and when I do I want peace and quiet. I’ve got to have peace and quiet when I’m doing my oyster cocktails. If I don’t I just get too nervous. That’s all.

MRS. CONSTABLE I’m going … whether you’re getting ready to blow up or not. ( She walks unsteadily toward exit. Then from the doorway ) I happen to be a very independent woman … But you are just plain bossy, Mrs. Oyster Cocktail Sauce.

( Exit MRS. CONSTABLE.)

INEZ Independent! I could make her into a slave if I cared to. I could walk all over her if I cared to, but I don’t. I don’t like to walk all over anyone. Most women do … they love it. They like to take some other man or woman and make him or her into a slave, but I don’t. I don’t like slaves. I like everybody to be going his own independent way. Hello. Good-bye. You go your way and I’ll go my way, but no slaves. I’ll bet you wouldn’t find ten men in this town as democratic as I am. ( Shifts some oysters ) Well, here I go. I guess I’ll give myself a fresh apron while I’m up there. Then I’ll be ready when they come for their oysters. ( Vaguely touching her head ) I don’t like to eat oysters any more. I suppose I’ve seen too much of them, like everything else in life.

( She pulls the chain on the big light behind the bar so that the scene darkens. There is a little light playing on MOLLY’S booth and on the paper flowers and leaves. MOLLY puts her book of comics down, sits dreaming for a moment. There is summer house music to indicate a more lyrical mood. She pulls a letter out of her pocket and reads it. Enter LIONEL.)

LIONEL Hey.

MOLLY Where were you?

LIONEL I was walking along the beach thinking about something. Molly, listen. I got a wire this morning!

MOLLY A wire?

LIONEL Yes, from my brother.

MOLLY The one in St. Louis? The one who wants us to come …

LIONEL Yes, Molly. He has a place for me in his business now. He sells barbecue equipment to people.

MOLLY To people?

LIONEL Yes, to people. For their back yards, and he wants my help.

MOLLY But … but you’re going to be a religious leader.

LIONEL I didn’t say I wouldn’t be, or I may end up religious without leading anybody at all. But wherever I end up, I’m getting out of here. I’ve made up my mind. This place is a fake.

MOLLY These oyster shells are real and so is the turtle. He just hasn’t got his own head and feet. They’re wooden.

LIONEL To me this place is a fake. I chose it for protection, and it doesn’t work out.

MOLLY It doesn’t work out?

LIONEL Molly, you know that. I’ve been saying it to you in a thousand different ways. You know it’s not easy for me to leave. Places that don’t work out are ten times tougher to leave than any other places in the world.