Cormac McCarthy: The Sunset Limited

White: No.

Black: They aint got no medication for pilgrims waitin to take the Sunset?

White: For suicidal depression.

Black: Yeah.

White: Yes. They do. I’ve tried them.

Black: And what happened?

White: Nothing happened.

Black: You didnt get no relief.

White: No. I think the coffee’s percolated.

Black: I know. Does these drugs work for most folks?

White: Yes. For most.

Black: But not for you.

White: Not for me. No.

Black: (Rising) And what do you make of that?

White: I dont know. What am I supposed to make of it?

Black: (Crossing to kitchen counter) I dont know, Professor. I just tryin to find you some constituents out there somewheres.

White: Constituents?

Black: (Unplugging percolator and getting down cups) Yeah. You like that?

White: Is that a word they use on the streets?

Black: Naw. I learned that word in the jailhouse. You pick up stuff from these jailhouse lawyers and then it gets used around. Be talkin bout your constituents. Some other cat’s constituents. Your wife’s constituents. You use cream and sugar?

White: No. Just black.

Black: Just black.

White: Why do I have to have constituents?

Black: I aint said you got to. I just wondered if maybe you do and we just aint looked hard enough.

He brings the percolator and the cups to the table and pours.

Black: They could be out there. Maybe they’s some other drugproof terminal commuters out there that could be your friends.

White: Terminal commuters?

Black: Got a nice sound to it, aint it?

White: It’s all right.

Black: (Sitting) Nobody.

White: Nobody. No.

Black: Hm.

White: I’m not a member. I never wanted to be. I never was.

Black: Not a member.

White: No.

Black: Well. Sometimes people dont know what they want till they get it.

White: Maybe. But I think they know what they dont want.

Black: I dont know, Professor. I try and go by what I see. The simplest things has got more to em than you can ever understand. Bunch of people standin around on a train platform of a mornin. Waitin to go to work. Been there a hundred times. A thousand maybe. It’s just a train platform. Aint nothin else much you can say about it. But they might be one commuter waitin there on the edge of that platform that for him it’s somethin else. It might even be the edge of the world. The edge of the universe. He’s starin at the end of all tomorrows and he’s drawin a shade over ever yesterday that ever was. So he’s a different kind of commuter. He’s worlds away from them everday travelers. Nothin to do with them at all. Well. Is that right?

White: I dont know.

Black: I know you dont. Bless your heart. I know you dont.

They sip their coffee.

Black: You ride that subway ever day, Professor?

White: Yes.

Black: What do you think about them people?

White: On the subway?

Black: On the subway.

White: I try not to think about them at all.

Black: You ever speak to any of em?

White: Speak to them?

Black: Yeah.

White: About what?

Black: About anything.

White: No. God no.

Black: God no?

White: Yes. God no.

Black: You ever curse em?

White: Curse them?

Black: Yeah.

White: Why would I do that?

Black: I dont know. Do you?

White: No. Of course not.

Black: I mean where they cant hear it.

White: What do you mean?

Black: Maybe just under your breath. In your heart. To yourself.

White: Because?

Black: I dont know. Maybe they just in your way. Or you dont like the way they look. The way they smell. What they doin.

White: And I would mutter something ugly under my breath.

Black: Yeah.

White: I suppose.

Black: And how often do you reckon you might do that?

White: You really dont get to interrogate me, you know.

Black: I know. How often?

White: I dont know. With some frequency. Probably.

Black: Give me a number.

White: A number?

Black: Yeah. Say just on a average day.

White: I’ve no idea.

Black: Sure you do.

White: A number.

Black: I’m a number man.

White: Two or three times a day, I would guess. Something like that. Maybe.

Black: Could be more.

White: Oh yes.

Black: Could be five?

White: Probably.

Black: Ten?

White: That might be a bit high.

Black: But we can go with five. That’s safe.

White: Yes.

Black: That’s eighteen twenty-five. Can we round that off to two grand?

White: What’s that, per year?

Black: Yeah.

White: Two thousand? That’s a lot.

Black: Yes it is. But is it accurate?

White: I suppose. So?

Black: So. I aint goin to guess your age but let me put you on the low side and say times twenty years of commutin and now we got forty thousand curses heaped on the heads of folks you dont even know.

White: So where is this going?

Black: I just wondered if you ever thought about that. If it might have anything to do with the shape you has managed to get yourself in.

White: It’s just symptomatic of the larger issues. I dont like people.

Black: But you wouldnt hurt them people.

White: No. Of course not.

Black: You sure.

White: Of course I’m sure. Why would I hurt them?

Black: I dont know. Why would you hurt yourself?

White: It’s not the same thing.

Black: You sure about that?

White: I’m not them and they’re not me. I think I know the difference.

Black: Mm.

White: More mm’s.

Black: You sure you aint hungry?

White: No.

Black: You aint eat nothin.

White: That’s all right.

Black: I see you eyein the door. I got to strategize, you know.

White: I’m really not hungry.

Black: Active morning like you had you aint worked up no appetite?

White: No.

Black: I see you lookin around. Everthing in here is clean. No, dont say nothin. It’s all right.

The black pushes back his chair and rises.

Black: I could eat a bite and I think you could too.

The black goes to the refrigerator and takes out some pots. He turns on the stove. He washes his hands and dries them with a towel.

Black: You break bread with a man you have moved on to another level of friendship. I heard somewheres that that’s true the world over.

White: Probably.

Black: I like probably. Probably from you is worth a couple of damn rights anywheres else.

White: Why? Because I dont believe in anything?

The black has put the pots on the stove to warm and he brings napkins and silverware to the table and sets them out. He sits down.

Black: Well. I dont think that’s the problem. I think it’s what you do believe that is carryin you off, not what you dont. Let me ask you this.

White: Go ahead.

Black: You ever think about Jesus?

White: Here we go.

Black: Do you?

White: What makes you think I’m not Jewish?

Black: What, jews aint allowed to think about Jesus?

White: No, but they might think about him differently.

Black: Is you Jewish?

White: No. As it happens. I’m not.

Black: Whew. You had me worried there for a minute.

White: What, you dont like jews?

Black: (Shaking his head, almost laughing) Pullin your chain, Professor. Pullin your chain. I dont know why I love to mess with you. But I do. You need to listen. Or you need to believe what you hearin. The whole point of where this is goin—which you wanted to know—is that they aint no jews. Aint no whites. Aint no niggers. People of color. Aint none of that. At the deep bottom of the mine where the gold is at there aint none of that. There’s just the pure ore. That forever thing. That you dont think is there. That thing that helps to keep folks nailed down to the platform when the Sunset Limited comes through. Even when they think they might want to get aboard. That thing that makes it possible to ladle out benediction upon the heads of strangers instead of curses. It’s all the same thing. And it aint but one thing. Just one.