The Iceman Cometh (24 page)

Come on, Honey. Let’s get started before he comes down.

CHUCK

Sullenly
.

Sure, anyting yuh say, Baby.

CORA

Turns on him truculently
.

Yeah? Well, I say we stop at de foist reg’lar dump and yuh gotta blow me to a sherry flip—or four or five, if I want ’em!—or all bets is off!

CHUCK

Aw, yuh got a fine bun on now!

CORA

Cheap skate! I know what’s eatin’ you, Tightwad! Well, use my dough, den, if yuh’re so stingy. Yuh’ll grab it all, anyway, right after de ceremony. I know you!

She hikes her skirt up and reaches inside the top of her stocking
. Here, yuh big tramp!

CHUCK

Knocks her hand away
—
angrily
.

Keep your lousy dough! And don’t show off your legs to dese bums

when yuh’re goin’ to be married, if yuh don’t want a sock in de puss!

CORA

Pleased
—
meekly
.

Aw right, Honey.

Looking around with a foolish laugh
.

Say, why don’t all you barflies come to de weddin’?

But they are all sunk in their own apprehensions and ignore her. She hesitates, miserably uncertain
.

Well, we’re goin’, guys.

There is no comment. Her eyes fasten on
ROCKY
—
desperately
.

Say, Rocky, yuh gone deef? I said me and Chuck was goin’ now.

ROCKY

Wiping the bar
—
with elaborate indifference
.

Well, good-bye. Give my love to Joisey.

CORA

Tearfully indignant
.

Ain’t yuh goin’ to wish us happiness, yuh doity little Ginny?

ROCKY

Sure. Here’s hopin’ yuh don’t moider each odder before next week.

CHUCK

Angrily
.

Aw, Baby, what d’ we care for dat pimp?

ROCKY
turns on him threateningly, but
chuck
hears someone upstairs

in the hall and grabs
CORA
’
s arm
.

Here’s Hickey comin’! Let’s get outa here!

They hurry into the hall. The street door is heard s
la
mming behind them
.

ROCKY

Gloomily pronounces an obituary
.

One regular guy and one all-right tart gone to hell!

Fiercely
.

Dat louse Hickey oughta be croaked!

There is a muttered growl of assent from most of the gathering. Then
HARRY HOPE
enters from the hall, followed by
JIMMY TOMORROW
,
with
HICKEY
on his heels
.
HOPE
and
JIMMY
are both putting up a front of self assurance, but
CORA
’
s description of them was apt. There is a desperate bluff in their manner as they walk in, which suggests the last march of the condemned
.
HOPE
is
dressed in an old black Sunday suit, black tie, shoes, socks, which give him the appearance of being in mourning
.
JIMMY
’s
clothes are pressed, his shoes shined, his white linen immacu
la
te. He has a hangover and his gently appealing dog’s eyes have a boiled look.
HICKEY
’s
face is a bit drawn from
la
ck of sleep and his voice is hoarse from continual talking, but his bustling energy appears nervously intensified, and his beaming expression is one of triumphant accomplishment
.

HICKEY

Well, here we are! We’ve got this far, at least!

He pats
JIMMY
on
the back
.

Good work, Jimmy. I told you you weren’t half as sick as you pretended. No excuse whatever for postponing—

JIMMY

I’ll thank you to keep your hands off me! I merely mentioned I would feel more fit tomorrow. But it might as well be today, I suppose.

HICKEY

Finish it now, so it’ll be dead forever, and you can be free!

He passes him to clap
HOPE
encouragingly on the shoulder
.

Cheer up, Harry. You found your rheumatism didn’t bother you coming downstairs, didn’t you? I told you it wouldn’t.

He winks around at the others. With the exception of
HUGO
and
PARRITT
,
all their eyes are fixed on him with bitter animosity. He gives

HOPE
a
playful nudge in the ribs
.

You’re the damnedest one for alibis, Governor! As bad as Jimmy!

HOPE

Putting on his deaf manner
.

Eh? I can’t hear—

Defiantly
.

You’re a liar! I’ve had rheumatism on and off for twenty years. Ever since Bessie died. Everybody knows that.

HICKEY

Yes, we know it’s the kind of rheumatism you turn on and off! We’re on to you, you old faker!

He claps him on the shoulder again, chuckling
.

HOPE

Looks humiliated and guilty
—
by way of escape he glares around at the others
.

Bejees, what are all you bums hanging round staring at me for?

Think you was watching a circus! Why don’t you get the hell out of here and ’tend to your own business, like Hickey’s told you?

They look at him reproachfully, their eyes hurt. They fidget as if trying to move
.

HICKEY

Yes, Harry, I certainly thought they’d have had the guts to be gone by this time.

He grins
.

Or maybe I did have my doubts.

Abruptly he becomes sincerely sympathetic and earnest
.

Because I know exactly what you’re up against, boys. I know how damned yellow a man can be when it comes to making himself face the truth. I’ve been through the mill, and I had to face a worse bastard in myself than any of you will have to in yourselves. I know you become such a coward you’ll grab at any lousy excuse to get out of killing your pipe dreams. And yet, as I’ve told you over and over, it’s exactly those damned tomorrow dreams which keep you from making peace with yourself. So you’ve got to kill them like I did mine.

He pauses. They g
la
re at him with fear and hatred. They seem about to curse him, to spring at him. But they remain silent and motionless. His manner changes and he becomes kindly bullying
. Come on, boys! Get moving! Who’ll start the ball rolling? You, Captain, and you, General. You’re nearest the door. And besides, you’re old war heroes! You ought to lead the forlorn
HOPE
! Come on, now, show us a little of that good old battle of Modder River spirit we’ve heard so much about! You can’t hang around all day looking as if you were scared the street outside would bite you!

LEWIS

Turns with humiliated rage
—
with an attempt at jaunty casualness
. Right you are, Mister Bloody Nosey Parker! Time I pushed off. Was only waiting to say good-bye to you, Harry, old chum.

HOPE

Dejectedly
.

Good-bye, Captain. Hope you have luck.

LEWIS

Oh, I’m bound to, Old Chap, and the same to you.

He pushes the swinging doors open and makes a brave exit, turning to his right and marching off outside the window at right of door
.

WETJOEN

Py Gott, if dot Limey can, I can!

He pushes the door open and lumbers through it like a bull charging an obstacle. He turns left and disappears off rear, outside the farthest window
.

HICKEY

Exhortingly
.

Next? Come on, Ed. It’s a fine summer’s day and the call of the old circus lot must be in your blood!

MOSHER
glares at him, then goes to the door
.
MCGLOIN
jumps up from his chair and starts moving toward the door
.
HICKEY
claps him on the back as he passes
.

That’s the stuff, Mac.

MOSHER

Good-bye, Harry.

He goes out, turning right outside
.

MCGLOIN

Glowering after him
.

If that crooked grifter has the guts—

He goes out, turning left outside
.
HICKEY
glances
atwillie
who, before he can speak, jumps from his chair
.

WILLIE

Good-bye, Harry, and thanks for all your kindness.

HICKEY

Claps him on the back
.

That’s the way, Willie! The D.A.’s a busy man. He can’t wait all day for you, you know.

WILLIE
hurries to the door
.

HOPE

Dully
.

Good luck, Willie.

WILLIE
goes out and turns right outside. While he is doing so
,
JIMMY
,
in a sick panic, sneaks to the bar and furtively reaches for
larry’s
glass of whiskey
.

HICKEY

And now it’s your turn, Jimmy, old pal.

He sees what
JIMMY
is at and grabs his arm just as he is about to down the drink
.

Now, now, Jimmy! You can’t do that to yourself. One drink on top of your hangover and an empty stomach and you’ll be oreyeyed.

Then you’ll tell yourself you wouldn’t stand a chance if you went up soused to get your old job back.

JIMMY

Pleads abjectly
.

Tomorrow! I will tomorrow! I’ll be in good shape tomorrow!
Abruptly getting control of himself—with shaken firmness
. All right. I’m going. Take your hands off me.

HICKEY

That’s the ticket! You’ll thank me when it’s all over.

JIMMY

In a burst of futile fury
.

You dirty swine!

He tries to throw the drink in
HICKEY
’s
face, but his aim is poor and it lands on hicke
y’s
coat
.
JIMMY
turns and dashes through the door
,
disappearing outside the window at right of door
.

HICKEY

Brushing the whiskey off his coat
—
humorously
.

All set for an alcohol rub! But no hard feelings. I know how he feels.

I wrote the book. I’ve seen the day when if anyone forced me to face the truth about my pipe dreams, I’d have shot them dead.

He turns to
HOPE
—
encouragingly
.

Well, Governor, Jimmy made the grade. It’s up to you. If he’s got the guts to go through with the test, then certainly you—

LARRY

Bursts out
.

Leave Harry alone, damn you!

HICKEY

Grins at him
.

I’d make up my mind about myself if I was you, Larry, and not bother over Harry. He’ll come through all right. I’ve promised him that. He doesn’t need anyone’s bum pity. Do you, Governor?

HOPE

With a pathetic attempt at his old fuming assertiveness
.

No, bejees! Keep your nose out of this, Larry. What’s Hickey got to do with it? I’ve always been going to take this walk, ain’t I? Bejees, you bums want to keep me locked up in here ’s if I was in jail! I’ve stood it long enough! I’m free, white and twenty-one, and I’ll do as I damned please, bejees! You keep your nose out, too, Hickey! You’d think you was boss of this dump, not me. Sure, I’m all right! Why shouldn’t I be? What the hell’s to be scared of, just taking a stroll around my own ward?

As he talks he has been moving toward the door. Now he reaches it
. What’s the weather like outside, Rocky?

ROCKY

Fine day, Boss.

HOPE

What’s that? Can’t hear you. Don’t look fine to me. Looks ’s if it’d pour down cats and dogs any minute. My rheumatism—

He catches himself
.

No, must be my eyes. Half blind, bejees. Makes things look black. I see now it’s a fine day. Too damned hot for a walk, though, if you ask me. Well, do me good to sweat the booze out of me. But I’ll have to watch out for the damned automobiles. Wasn’t none of them around the last time, twenty years ago. From what I’ve seen of ’em through the window, they’d run over you as soon as look at you. Not that I’m scared of ’em. I can take care of myself.

He puts a reluctant hand on the swinging door
.