William Gaddis - A Folic Of His Own

SOLDIER

(STANDING OUT IN THOMAS' PATH, HIS HAND ON THOMAS' ARM)

Sir…?

(AS THOMAS STARTS, STEPPING BACK IN ALARM, CONFRONTS HIM)

If you've a moment? You'll understand. You… you look like you've seen it yourself…

THOMAS

(RECOVERING, BRUSQUELY)

What's the meaning of this?

SOLDIER

(HANDING OVER PAPERS)

I'm not begging. Here, I'm an honourable man. I want nothing for nothing.

THOMAS

(BEWILDERED)

What's this?

SOLDIER

Four months' soldier's pay's what it is. It's yours for the price of three. With clothing benefits there at three fifty a. month that's sixty six dollars all told for fifty, yours for fifty dollars gold.

(AS THOMAS STEPS BACK LOOKING AT HIM ALARMED, CONFUSED)

Or paper, then. Gold or paper then, damn it!

THOMAS

No, but… why mine? What do you mean?

SOLDIER

(BECOMING BELLIGERENT)

I mean you may cash it and I may never, that's what I mean! There's been no pay master, that's what I mean, and they told us it was over, that the whole damn bloody thing would be finished, and now I'm called back to my company. Can my children eat them papers? Can I leave them here without a penny and the chance I'll never come back at all? They're used to food and clothing, that's my mistake, and I'll leave them money before I go… if you'll… buy it?

THOMAS

(HORRIFIED, THRUSTING PAPERS AT HIM)

But… by heaven! You ask me to… would that be just? Do you think I could… buy your pay? What do I look like?

SOLDIER

(ANGRILY, GRABBING PAPERS FROM HIM)

Don't get high and mighty with me, by God! and… to tell me what's just! When I've seen your damned justice swallowed up in more suffering pain and fire… With a pound of grape shot in my leg, and does that make you the better man? What do you look like in your damn fine boots? Yes, I'd like to see you taking my place in the line now, going back in…!

(WITH HEAVY LIMP, STARTING TO THRUST THOMAS ASIDE)

Make way then, Christ! Make way!

THOMAS

(SEIZING HIS SHOULDER, FORCING COINS ON HIM)

Hear me out…

SOLDIER

(STANDS BACK, STARES AT COINS IN HIS HAND)

Twelve dollars?

(WITH SCATHING CONTEMPT)

You… funny fellow!

(FLINGS COINS DOWN)

Four months of a man's life, and war… you'd buy that for twelve dollars!

THOMAS

(KNEELING, SEARCHING FOR THE COINS, IN DESPERATE TONE OF APPEAL)

Wait! No, I don't want your pay… This, it's all I have with me, take it…

SOLDIER

(STOPS, EMBARRASSED, TAKES COINS SLOWLY AND REACHES FOR THOMAS' ARM TO HELP HIM UP)

I… your pardon, sir…

THOMAS

(REMAINING RIGIDLY ON ONE KNEE, COVERING EYES)

Take it and go!

(AS THE SOLDIER PERSISTS IN APOLOGETIC ATTENTIONS, THOMAS SHOUTS)

And go!

Withdrawing his hand, the SOLDIER stares a moment longer in consternation, then hurries offstage right. THOMAS remains rigidly kneeling, then draws a hand over his face and starts to rise as a cry and shout offstage left bring him slowly to his feet, still unaware that a YOUNG MAN has emerged from darkness left, running as though pursued, and now seeing him circles behind him and leaps upon him like an animal. Almost to his feet, THOMAS casts him off, and confronts him: the YOUNG MAN, in torn and soiled working clothes, is simply brute force incarnate.

YOUNG MAN

(BACKED UP AGAINST THE WALL)

You!

THOMAS

You know me?

(ADVANCING UPON HIM)

You know who I am?

(SEIZES THE YOUNG MAN BY SHOULDER MUSCLES, SHAKES HIM)

What's the meaning of this then? I demand it!

(FLINGS HIM BACK)

YOUNG MAN

(COWERING, DEFIANT)

There's none!

THOMAS

None!

(ADVANCING UPON HIM AGAIN)

I'll have it, do you hear? I'll have… order here!

As they confront one another sounds of laughter and broken song come from offstage right.

(SLOWLY SEIZING HIM AGAIN BY SHOULDERS)

If… you… think…

YOUNG MAN

(AS THOMAS' HOLD TIGHTENS)

I… was made…

THOMAS

(HOARSELY, HIS HOLD APPROACHING THE YOUNG MAN'S THROAT)

Made!

YOUNG MAN

(STRUGGLING TO HOLD THOMAS' HANDS AWAY)

…for something… better!

Laughter and sounds of revelry come closer offstage right as the YOUNG MAN, held down by THOMAS standing over him with his hands on his throat, stares up with fascinated horror but speaks with simple wonder, as a brilliant burst of flame offstage right illuminates them.

You would… kill me!

They stare, in flaring illumination, transfixed with one another, THOMAS' hold loosening until the YOUNG MAN, with sudden twist away, escapes him, takes wild step toward stage right, sees figures approaching and turns and flees across stage to exit left as BAGBY enters from right with two others: a flamboyantly dressed and mannered elderly man, white-maned, pompously absurd, THE SENATOR, and a stridently caricatured TART, both somewhat drunk, and played respectively by the persons who play THE MAJOR and GIULIELMA in Act I.

BAGBY

(HURRYING ONSTAGE OFFICIOUSLY)

Ah, it's you sir! I saw it, I saw it myself! and they'll get him, have no fear… yes…

(AS THOMAS STARES AT THEM WILDLY, DRAWING A HAND DOWN HIS FACE LIKE A MAN TRYING TO SHAKE OFF NIGHTMARE)

Yes, out having a time for yourself…! Here, you must meet my friend, my close associate the Senator, yes… and this lady…

(TURNING TO THE SENATOR, WITH HIGH-HANDED CORDIALITY)

I've spoke in the past of our new owner, yes… a gentleman…

(TURNING BACK TO THOMAS)

You're all right, sir? and… there, that tear in your pants? There by the pocket?

TART

(TAKING THOMAS' ARM, PUTTING A HAND UP TO HIS CHEEK)

Here, you're hurt dear… Here? on your cheek…?

(AS HE PULLS AWAY ABRUPTLY, COVERING THE SCAR WITH HIS HAND)

I'm sorry dear, there! I didn't do it!

(TURNING TO OTHERS)

It looked like it had just happened!

BAGBY

(EXPLAINING IN AN EMBARRASSED PAUSE)

The militia draft's what's turned their heads…

As THE SENATOR speaks, the SOLDIER reappears from stage right, to engage BAGBY in transaction.

THE SENATOR

An odious necessity, the militia draft. As odious to those who have volunteered their very lives in the noble, the enduring, the steadfast and the noble service of their country… as to those souls too craven…! too craven to give, to offer, the last full measure of devotion upon the field of battle! Who? who among us? would want such a man for his comrade in arms? To share the strife, the heartaches and the glorious pains of battle!

BAGBY

(ASIDE TO THOMAS)

The Senator is a very influential man, you know.

(RETURNS HIS ATTENTION TO THE SOLDIER)

THE SENATOR

Where union and strife face one another, across the terrible abyss of war! Where only union! the Union! can unite, and only strife put asunder…

TART

(PULLING THOMAS ASIDE)

Will you come with me, dear?

(AS HE PULLS FROM HER)

You're not going to run off…?

(MOCKINGLY, REACHING FOR HIM AGAIN)

You, the only man here?

BAGBY

(JOVIALLY UPSTAGING ALL, TO THE SOLDIER)

Yes, that's a fine way to wear shoes, or did no one ever tell you what they was for? Here, you wear them on your feet, so…

(EXTENDING A FOOT BEFORE THE SOLDIER)

SOLDIER

(SULLENLY)

You do when they're made of calf leather and don't rub you raw to the bone, don't be clever with me. What do you say now, six for five.

BAGBY

You have my offer.

THOMAS

(LOOKING ABOUT HIM)

Where are we?

TART

Norwegian Street, dear. Yes, the fire? That's Mister Bagby's home, where he's always entertained us so nice…

SOLDIER

(TO BAGBY, HOLDING OUT MONEY AND LOOKING AT IT)