Tea and Sympathy (13 page)

Yes. I went into the place where she works . . . the soda shop . . .

 

 

 

 

LILLY

 

 

You!

 

 

 

 

LAURA

 

 

Yes . . . uh . . . for a package of cigarettes.

 

 

(After a moment she says with some sadness)

 

 

She's not even pretty, is she?

 

 

 

 

LILLY
(Turns from admiring herself at the tone in LAURA'S voice)

 

 

Well, honey, don't sound so sad. What difference should it make to you
if she's pretty or not?

 

 

 

 

LAURA

 

 

I don't know. It just seems so . . . they're so young.

 

 

 

 

LILLY

 

 

If they're stupid enough to go to Ellie Martin, they deserve whatever
happens to them. Anyway, Laura, the boys
talk
more about Ellie than
anything else. So don't fret about it.

 

 

 

 

LAURA
(Arranges chair for TOM facing fireplace. Notices LILLY primping)

 

 

You look lovely, Lilly.

 

 

 

 

LILLY

 

 

Maybe I'd better wear that corsage the dance committee sent, after all
. . . right here.

 

 

(She indicates low point in dress)

 

 

I was going to carry it -- or rather Harry was going to help me carry
it. You know, it's like one of those things people put on Civil War
monuments on Decoration Day.

 

 

 

 

LAURA

 

 

Yes, I've seen them.

 

 

 

 

LILLY
(Indicating the flower LAUnA iS wearing)

 

 

Now that's tasteful. Where'd you get that?

 

 

 

 

LAURA

 

 

Uh . . . I bought it for myself.

 

 

 

 

LILLY

 

 

Oh, now.

 

 

 

 

LAURA

 

 

It's always been a favorite of mine and I saw it in the florist's window.

 

 

 

 

LILLY

 

 

Well, Harry will be waiting for me to tie his bow tie.

 

 

(Starts towards door)

 

 

Will you be up when we get back?

 

 

 

 

LAURA
(Giving LILLY her raincoat)

 

 

Probably not.

 

 

 

 

LILLY

 

 

If there's a light on, I'll drop in and tell you how many I had to slap
down . . . Night-night.

 

 

(She leaves. LAURA stands at the closed door until she hears the outside
door close. Then she opens her door a bit. She takes her cup of coffee
and stands in front of the fireplace and listens.)

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

(As LILLY goes, he returns to his room, dressed in a blue suit. He stands
there deliberating a moment, then reaches under his pillow and brings out
a pint bottle of whisky. He takes a short swig. It gags him. He corks it
and puts it back under the pillow)

 

 

Christ, I'll never make it.

 

 

(He reaches in his closet and pulls out a raincoat, then turns and snaps
out the room light, and goes out. A moment later, he appears on the
stairs. He sees LAURA'S door partly open, and while he is putting on
his raincoat, he walks warily past it.)

 

 

 

 

LAURA

 

 

(When she hears TOM's door close, she stands still and listens more
intently. She hears him pass her door and go to the front door. She puts
down the cup of coffee, and goes to the study door. She calls)

 

 

Tom?

 

 

(After some moments, TOM appears in the door, and she opens it wide)

 

 

I've been expecting you.

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

I . . . I . . .

 

 

 

 

LAURA
(Opening the door wide)

 

 

Are you going to the dance, after all?

 

 

 

 

TOM
(Comes in the door)

 

 

No . . . You can report me if you want. Out after hours. Or . . .

 

 

(He looks up at her finally)

 

 

Or you can give me permission. Can I have permission to go out?

 

 

 

 

LAURA
(Moving into the room, says pleasantly)

 

 

I think I'd better get you some coffee.

 

 

 

 

TOM
(At her back, truculent)

 

 

You can tell them that, too . . . that I've been drinking. There'll be
lots to tell before --

 

 

(He stops)

 

 

I didn't drink much. But I didn't eat much either.

 

 

 

 

LAURA

 

 

Let me get you something to eat.

 

 

 

 

TOM
(As though convincing himself)

 

 

No. I can't stay!

 

 

 

 

LAURA

 

 

All right. But I'm glad you dropped in. I was counting on it.

 

 

 

 

TOM
(Chip on shoulder)

 

 

I said I might not. When you invited me.

 

 

 

 

LAURA

 

 

I know.

 

 

(She looks at him a moment. He is to her a heartbreaking sight . . .
all dressed up as though he were going to a prom, but instead he's going
to Ellie . . . the innocence and the desperation touch her deeply . . .
and this shows in her face as she circles behind him to the door)

 

 

It's a nasty night out, isn't it?

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

Yes.

 

 

 

 

LAURA

 

 

I'm just as glad I'm not going to the dance.

 

 

(She shuts the door gently. TOM, at the sound of the door, turns and
sees what she has done)

 

 

It'll be nice just to stay here by the fire.

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

I wasn't planning to come in.

 

 

 

 

LAURA

 

 

Then why the flower . . . and the card? "For a pleasant evening?"

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

It was for the dance. I forgot to cancel it.

 

 

 

 

LAURA

 

 

I'm glad you didn't.

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

Why?
(He stops studying the curtains and looks at her.)

 

 

 

 

LAURA
(Moving into the room again)

 

 

Well, for one thing I like to get flowers. For another thing . . .

 

 

(TOM shakes his head a little to clear it)

 

 

Let me make you some coffee.

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

No. I'm just about right.

 

 

 

 

LAURA

 

 

Or you can drink this . . . I just had a sip.

 

 

(She holds up the cup. TOM looks at the proferred coffee)

 

 

You can drink from this side.

 

 

(She indicates the other side of the cup.)

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

(Takes the cup, and looks at the side where her lips have touched and
then slowly turns it around to the other and takes a sip)

 

 

And for another thing?

 

 

 

 

LAURA

 

 

What do you mean?

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

For one thing you like to get flowers . . .

 

 

 

 

LAURA

 

 

For another it's nice to have flowers on my anniversary.

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

Anniversary?

 

 

 

 

LAURA

 

 

Yes.

 

 

 

 

TOM
(Waving the cup and saucer around)

 

 

And Mr. Beynolds on a mountain top with twenty stalwart youths, soaking
wet . . . Didn't he remember?

 

 

 

 

LAURA
(Rescues the cup and saucer)

 

 

It's not that anniversary.

 

 

(TOM looks at her wondering. Seeing that she has interested him, she
moves towards him)

 

 

Let me take your coat.

 

 

 

 

TOM
(Definitely)

 

 

I can't --

 

 

 

 

LAURA

 

 

I know. You can't stay. But . . .

 

 

(She comes up behind him and puts her hand on his shoulders to take off
his coat. He can hardly stand her touch. She gently peels his coat from
him and stands back to look at him)

 

 

How nice you look!

 

 

 

 

TOM
(Disarranging his hair or tie)

 

 

Put me in a blue suit and I look like a kid.

 

 

 

 

LAURA

 

 

How did you know I liked this flower?

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

You mentioned it.

 

 

 

 

LAURA

 

 

You're very quick to notice these things. So was he.

 

 

 

 

TOM
(After a moment, his curiosity aroused)

 

 

Who?

 

 

 

 

LAURA

 

 

My first husband. That's the anniversary.

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

I didn't know.

 

 

 

 

LAURA
(Sits in her chair)

 

 

Mr. Reynolds doesn't like me to talk about my first husband. He was,
I'd say, about your age. How old are you, Tom?

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

Eighteen . . . tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

LAURA

 

 

Tomorrow . . . We must celebrate.

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

You'd better not make any plans.

 

 

 

 

LAURA

 

 

He was just your age then.

 

 

(She looks at him again with slight wonder)

 

 

It doesn't seem possible now, looking at you . . .

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

Why, do I look like such a child?

 

 

 

 

LAURA

 

 

Why no.

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

Men are married at my age.

 

 

 

 

LAURA

 

 

Of course, they are. He was. Maybe a few months older. Such a lonely boy,
away from home for the first time . . . and . . . and going off to war.

 

 

(TOM looks up inquiringly)

 

 

Yes, he was killed.

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

I'm sorry . . . but I'm glad to hear about him.

 

 

 

 

LAURA

 

 

Glad?

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

Yes. I don't know . . . He sounds like someone you should have been
married to, not . . .

 

 

(Stops)

 

 

I'm sorry if I . . .

 

 

(Stops.)

 

 

 

 

LAURA
(After a moment)

 

 

He was killed being conspicuously brave. He had to be conspicuously brave,
you see, because something had happened in training camp . . . I don't
know what . . . and he was afraid the others thought him a coward . . .
He showed them he wasn't.

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

He had that satisfaction.

 

 

 

 

LAURA

 

 

What was it worth if it killed him?

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

I don't know. But I can understand.

 

 

 

 

LAURA

 

 

Of course you can. You're very like him.

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

Me?

 

 

 

 

LAURA

 

 

(Holding out the coffee cup)

 

 

Before I finish it all?

 

 

(TOM comes over and takes a sip from his side of the cup)

 

 

He was kind and gentle, and lonely.

 

 

(TOM turns away in embarrassment at hearing himself so described)

 

 

We knew it wouldn't last . . . We sensed it . . . But he always said,
"Why must the test of everything be its durability?"