Cormac McCarthy: The Sunset Limited

White: You try to understand God.

Black: No I dont. I just try and understand what he wants from me.

White: And that is everything you need.

Black: If God aint everthing you need you in a world of trouble. And if what you sayin is that my view of the world is a narrow one I dont disagree with that. Of course I could point out that I aint down on the platform in my leapin costume.

White: You could.

Black: A lot of things is beyond my understandin. I know that. I say it again. If it aint in this book then they’s a good chance that I dont know it. Before I started readin the bible I was pretty much in that primacy thing myself.

White: Primacy thing.

Black: Yeah. Not as bad as you. But pretty bad. I was pretty dumb, but I wasnt dumb enough to believe that what had got me nowheres in forty years was all of a sudden goin to get me somewheres. I was dumb, but I wasnt that dumb. I seen what was there for the askin, and I decided to ask. And that’s all I done. And it was hard. I’ll tell you right now, Professor, it was hard. I was layin there all cut up and chained to that hospital bed and I was cryin I hurt so bad and I thought they’d kill me if I did live and I tried to say it and tried to say it and after a while I just quit. I put all of that away from me. And I just said it. I said: Please help me. And he did.

They sit.

Black: Long silence.

White: It’s just a silence.

Black: Well. That’s my story, Professor. It’s easy told. I dont make a move without Jesus. When I get up in the mornin I just try to get ahold of his belt. Oh, ever once in a while I’ll catch myself slippin into manual override. But I catch myself. I catch myself.

White: Manual overrider.

Black: You like that?

White: It’s okay.

Black: I thought it was pretty good.

White: So you come to the end of your rope and you admit defeat and you are in despair and in this state you seize upon this whatever it is that has neither substance nor sense and you grab hold of it and hang on for dear life. Is that a fair portrayal?

Black: Well, that could be one way to say it.

White: It doesnt make any sense.

Black: Well, I thought when we was talkin earlier I heard you to say they wasnt none of it made no sense. Talkin bout the history of the world and all such as that.

White: It doesnt. On a larger scale. But what you’re telling me isnt a view of things. It’s a view of one thing. And I find it nonsensical.

Black: What would you do if Jesus was to speak to you?

White: Why? Do you imagine that he might?

Black: No. I dont. But I dont know.

White: I’m not virtuous enough.

Black: No, Professor, it aint nothin like that. You dont have to be virtuous. You just has to be quiet. I cant speak for the Lord but the experience I’ve had leads me to believe that he’ll speak to anybody that’ll listen. You damn sure aint got to be virtuous.

White: Well if I heard God talking to me, then I’d be ready for you to take me up to Bellevue. As you suggested.

Black: What if what he said made sense?

White: It wouldnt make any difference. Craziness is craziness.

Black: Dont make no difference if it makes sense.

White: No.

Black: Mm. Well, that’s about as bad a case of the primacy as I ever heard.

White: Well. I’ve always gone my own way. Ich kann nicht anders.

Black: What is that you talkin?

White: It’s german.

Black: You talk german?

White: Not really. A little. It’s a quotation.

Black: Didnt do them Germans much good though, did it?

White: I dont know. The Germans contributed a great deal to civilization. (Pause) Before Hitler.

Black: And then they contributed Hitler.

White: If you like.

Black: Wasnt none of my doin.

White: I gather it to be your belief that culture tends to contribute to human misery. That the more one knows the more unhappy one is likely to be.

Black: As in the case of certain parties known to us.

White: As in the case.

Black: I dont believe I said that. In fact, I think maybe you said it.

White: I never said it.

Black: Mm. But do you believe it?

White: No.

Black: No?

White: I dont know. It could be true.

Black: Well why is that? It dont seem right, does it?

White: It’s the first thing in that book there. The Garden of Eden. Knowledge as destructive to the spirit. Destructive to goodness.

Black: I thought you aint read this book?

White: Everyone knows that story. It’s probably the most famous story in there.

Black: So why do you think that is?

White: I suppose from the God point of view all knowledge is vanity. Or maybe it gives people the unhealthy illusion that they can outwit the devil.

Black: Damn, Professor. Where was you when I needed you?

White: You’d better be careful. You see where it’s gotten me.

Black: I do see. It’s the subject at hand.

White: The darker picture is always the correct one. When you read the history of the world you are reading a saga of bloodshed and greed and folly the import of which is impossible to ignore. And yet we imagine that the future will somehow be different. I’ve no idea why we are even still here but in all probability we will not be here much longer.

Black: Them is some pretty powerful words, Professor. That’s what’s in your heart, aint it?

White: Yes.

Black: Well I can relate to them thoughts.

White: You can?

Black: Yes I can.

White: That surprises me. What, you’re going to think about them?

Black: I done have thought about em. I’ve thought about em for a long time. Not as good as you said it. But pretty close.

White: Well you surprise me. And you’ve come to what conclusions?

Black: I aint. I’m still thinkin.

White: Yes. Well, I’m not.

Black: Things can change.

White: No they cant.

Black: You could be wrong.

White: I dont think so.

Black: But that aint somethin you have a lot of in your life.

White: What isnt?

Black: Bein wrong.

White: I admit it when I’m wrong.

Black: I dont think so.

White: Well, you’re entitled to your opinion.

The black leans back and regards the professor. He reaches and picks up the newspaper from the table and leans back again and adjusts his glasses.

Black: Let’s see here. Story on page three.

He folds the paper elaborately.

Black: Yeah. Here it is. Friends report that the man had ignored all advice and had stated that he intended to pursue his own course.

He adjusts his glasses.

Black: A close confidant stated (he looks up) —and this here is a quotation—said: You couldnt tell the son of a bitch nothin. (He looks up again) Can you say that in the papers? Son of a bitch? Meanwhile, bloodspattered spectators at the hundred and fifty-fifth street station—continued on page four.

He wets his thumb and laboriously turns the page and refolds the paper.

Black: —who were interviewed at the scene all reported that the man’s last words as he hurtled toward the oncomin commuter train were: I am right.

He lays down the paper and adjusts his spectacles and peers over the top of them at the professor.

White: Very funny.

The black takes off his glasses and lowers his head and pinches the bridge of his nose and shakes his head.

Black: Oh Professor. Mm. You an amazin man.

White: I’m glad you find me entertaining.

Black: Well, you pretty special.

White: I dont think I’m special.

Black: You dont.

White: No. I dont.

Black: You dont think you might view them other commuters from a certain height?

White: I view those other commuters as fellow occupants of the same abyssal pit in which I find myself. If they see it as something else I dont know how that makes me special.