Baby Doll & Tiger Tail (17 page)

AUNT ROSE
: Oh! Shoo, Fussy, shoo! You pesky critter!

[
She flaps her skirt at her and chases her into the back room of kitchen
.]

—Well, I reckon I better be on my way to the hospital now.

SILVA
: —Is the hospital far? For you to go on foot?

AUNT ROSE
: Not too far to make it. Always make it. . . . The poor chile. . . had such a long, tiring night, Archie Lee out so late and the—fire. . .

SILVA
: The fire.

AUNT ROSE
: I’ll be just a while.

SILVA
: Oh, take your time, don’t hurry.

AUNT ROSE
: I know that you’ll watch out for Baby Doll.

SILVA
: That was my intention, Miss Rose Comfort, you can depend on that.

AUNT ROSE
: Please, excuse me.

[
Aunt Rose Comfort exits to the rear of the house. Silva returns to the porch. He slams the door startling Baby Doll
.]

BABY DOLL
: Aw. You here still?

SILVA
: You didn’t hear your Aunt’s instructions to me, Mrs. Meighan?

BABY DOLL
: I’m out-done with Aunt Rose Comfort. I think it was out-
ray
-jus of her to leave me here alone with a strange man here and not a word of warning. I tell you, I sure was relieved to see her come back. That’s how nervous you’d made me with all those crazy suspicions about the fire. Well. Now she’s back, I s’pose I better see she gits supper started. Archie Lee gets awful cross with her when she serves it late. He’s anxious to get rid of her befo’ she takes sick, wants me to pack her off to some other relations but they all got excuses not to take her in. Archie Lee says if she takes sick on him here, he won’t pay the cost of a
doctor, he says he’ll let her die, he’ll just burn her up and put her ashes in a Coca-Cola bottle and throw it in Tiger Tail Bayou.

SILVA
: Mr. Meighan is a man without much sentiment for the old and—homeless. . .

BABY DOLL
: I’d never let her leave. I need her to be around with Archie Lee tryin’ to fo’ce me to have—well, you know— If that man laid a hand on me, if he tried to, Aunt Rose would proteck me from him, like she would from you if you got too familiar. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

SILVA
: Don’t have a pipe, don’t smoke.

[
His hand steals about her and tightens
.]

BABY DOLL
: YOU STOP THAT! —AUNT ROSE! AUNT ROSE?

[
Aunt Rose comes out of the house all dressed up
.]

BABY DOLL
: Aunt Rose Comfort.

[
Aunt Rose rushes past her
.]

Aunt Rose Comfort!! Where are you going?

AUNT ROSE
: I have to see a sick friend at the county hospital.

BABY DOLL
: You might as well shout at the moon as that old woman.

SILVA
: YOU didn’t want her to go??

BABY DOLL
: She’s got no business leaving me here alone.

SILVA
: It makes you uneasy to be alone here with me.

BABY DOLL
: She just pretended not to hear me! This is just awful. I’ll tell you something. Aunt Rose don’t go to the hospital to call on sickly friends, she just goes there to eat up their choc’late candy! She’s got a passion for choc’late candy, she’ll just go there and stuff herself fulla choc’late-covered-cherries. —How far down the road’s she gotten? I’m gonna call her back. . .

[
She crosses unsteadily into the yard: she shades her eyes to peer down the dirt road
.]

Aunt Rose! Aunt Rose Comfort! Come back, come back, I’m— scared. . .

[
She falls sobbing into the road. Archie Lee appears—flustered, sweating. Something is wrong
.]

ARCHIE
: What’re you doin’ down there, have you gone crazy?

BABY DOLL
: I want to tell you something! You big slob.

[
This is more than the desperate, harassed Archie Lee can hear. He smacks her good and hard!
]

ARCHIE
: I told you never, never, never, to talk to me like that—specially around—

[
Rock and a few mill hands come up behind Archie Lee into the scene
.]

—our guests.

BABY DOLL
[
sobbing
]: You left me. . . you know what you left me with. . .

[
Archie’s eye wanders over to Silva
.]

SILVA
: How’s progress, Mr. Meighan?

ARCHIE
: Fine! Great!

SILVA
: Personally, I can’t hear the gin at all.

BABY DOLL
[
full of disgust
]: Big Shot!

[
And she pulls away to the old car chassis
.]

SILVA
: What’s holding up?

ARCHIE
: Why, nothing. . .

SILVA
: Rock!

ROCK
: His saw-cylinder is busted.

SILVA
: It figures. I inspected your equipment, Meighan, before I put in my own, and I put up my own cotton gin because your equipment was rotten, and still is rotten. Now it’s almost mid-day and if you can’t move my wagons any faster. . .

ARCHIE
: Now don’t go into any hysterics. You Eye-talians are prone to get too excited. . .

SILVA
: Nevermind about we Italians! You better get yourself a new saw-cylinder and get your gin running again. And if you can’t get one in Clarksdale, you better go to Tunica, and if you can’t get one in Tunica, you better go on to Memphis, and if you can’t get one in Memphis, keep going to St. Louis. Now get on your horse.

ARCHIE
: Now listen to me, Silva—

SILVA
[
snapping his whip
]: One more crack out of you, I’m going to haul across the river. I said get on your horse.

[
Meighan hesitates—but there’s nothing else for him to do under the circumstances. He exits and his old Chevy is heard pulling off at breakneck speed
.

[
Silva continues, laughing
.]

SILVA
[
sotto voce
] : I got a saw-cylinder in our commissary. Go get it and bring Hank over to help you put it in. Get that junk heap of his running. He ain’t gonna get one in Clarksdale or Tunica and if he goes on to Memphis—

[
Everyone laughs
.]

—don’t wait for him.

ROCK
: Right, Boss.

[
They all exit
.

[
Silva stands proudly on porch slapping his whip on the palm of his hand
.]

BABY DOLL
[
whimpering
]: Archie Lee.

SILVA
: You know, Mrs. Meighan, your husband sweats more than any man I know—

[
He slaps whip in a constant beat
.]

—and now I understand why!!!

[
The sound of the whip continues as the curtain falls
.]

SLOW CURTAIN

As the intermission and house lights fade, we again hear the snap, snap, snap of Vacarro’s whip. Lights up reveal our two actors in the same places as the close of Act I—Silva on the porch, Baby Doll cowering by the abandoned automobile. For a moment everything is frozen except the ominous whip
.

Then Baby Doll desperately runs toward the front door. As she lunges past Silva, he grabs her by the arm, jerks her close, and whispers in her ear. She gasps
.

BABY DOLL
: What a
disgustin
’ remark! I did not understand a word of it! I am going into the house and lock the door—after such a remark which I didn’t understand even. . .

[
There is a pause. Then with a sudden access of energy she enters the house, slams the screen door in his face and latches it
.]

There now! You wait out here! You just wait out here!

SILVA
: Yes, ma’am. I’ll wait.

[
Baby Doll stumbles into the kitchen. Vacarro jerks out a pocket knife and rips a hole in the screen
.]

BABY DOLL
: What’s that?!

[
Silva whistles loudly as he slips his fingers through the hole and lifts the latch
.]

BABY DOLL
[
noticing kettle of greens on the stove
]: Stupid old thing—forgot to light the stove.

[
She hears the creaking screen door. . .
]

Archie Lee! Is that you?

[
She hears a sharp, slapping sound. Whimpering under her breath she moves anxiously into another room, out of sight of the audience. Suddenly, we hear her scream—followed by the equally startled SQUAWK! of Fussy. Silva, chuckling, hides behind the stairs
.]

BABY DOLL
[
creeping into the hallway
]: Mr. Vacarro? Have you gone away, Mr. Vacarro?

[
She spots the screen door ajar
.]

Ohhhh-h-h.

[
Vacarro—out of sight—gives a soft wolf-whistle
.]

Who’s that? Who’s in here?

[
She climbs the stairs into the nursery
.]

Hey! What’s goin’ on?

[
Whip slap and soft mocking laughter, barely audible
.]

Mr. Vacarro! Are you in this house?!

[
She moves about the nursery fearfully. Stops. Cocks head and listens. Nothing. She moves into next room. Vacarro slips out of hiding and crosses into the nursery. He sees the hobby horse, lashes its rump with the whip, and slips just outside the nursery door. Baby Doll reappears to see the rocking, swaying hobby horse. She
is
frightened now
.]

BABY DOLL
: Now, YOU! Git outta my house! You got no right to come in! Where are you?

[
Silva leaps down the stairs and hides in the kitchen. She hears a low moan from the kitchen
.]

I know it’s you! You’re making me very nervous! Mr. Vacarro!!! Mr. Vacarro. . . Mr. Vacarro. . .

[
With each call she creeps forward a few steps until she is back in the hallway at the foot of the stairs. All of a sudden
—]

SILVA
[
springing from tbe kitchen
]: SQUAWK! SQUAWK!

[
She screams and runs into locked screen door and back into his arms. He grabs her viciously and rips off her skirt. She retreats as a terrified little animal from a remorselessly advancing predator. He snaps the whip and laughs
.]

BABY DOLL
: No! No! Go away. Go away. . .

[
She rushes into the attic, slams the door, leans against it and listens. She hears the sound of a rusty bolt being shut. She suddenly realizes the full import of her situation, gasps, and pushes at the bolted door. Terrified, she realizes she’s alone with the ghosts
.]

I’ve. . . I’ve quit. Do you hear me, Mr. Vacarro? The game is over and I’ve quit.

[
Silence
.]

Mr. Vacarro, will you please unlock this door and go back downstairs so I can come out. . . it is dark in here! Mr. Vacarro! I have
NEVER
been up here before! [
Whimpering
.] Oh, Mr. Vacarro, Pul-lease!

SILVA
[
from behind the door
]: I wouldn’t dream of leaving you alone in a dark ole attic of a haunted house—no more than you’d
dream of eatin’ a nut a man had cracked in his mouth. Don’t you realize that?

BABY DOLL
[
with sudden gathering panic
]: Mr. Vacarro! I got to get out of here. Quick! Open this door!

[
Silva makes ghostly moans
.]

BABY DOLL
: MR. VACARRO!

SILVA
: Do I hear a ghost in there?

BABY DOLL
[
genuinely
]: Scared! Unlock the door. You’re scarin’ me!

SILVA
: Why you shouldn’t be scared of me, Mrs. Meighan. Do you think I might whip you? Huh? Scared I might whip you—

[
He slaps his boots regularly with the riding crop
.]

and leave red marks on your—body, on your—creamy white silk-skin? Is that why you’re scared, Mrs. Meighan?

[
She whimpers
.]

All right. Tell you what I’m gonna do. I’m gonna take my ole whip and leave you now—leave you all alone in that attic—so you won’t have to be scared of me anymore.

BABY DOLL
: No-o-o!!!
Pull
ease let me out!

SILVA
: But I thought you were scared of me?

BABY DOLL
: I am. Let me out.

SILVA
: Okay. I’ll let you out. All you have to do is sign this slip of paper with this pencil I’m slipping under the door. All I want is your signature on the paper. . .

BABY DOLL
: What paper?

SILVA
: I guess that you would call it an affadavit, legally stating that Archie Lee Meighan burned down the Syndicate Gin. . .

[
Pause
.]

Okay?

[
Pause
.]

What do you say?

BABY DOLL
: Just leave the paper, leave it right out there and when I come out I’ll sign it and send it to you, I’ll. . .

SILVA
: Mrs. Meighan, I am a Sicilian. We’re an old race of people, an ancient race, and ancient races aren’t trustful races by nature. I want the signed paper now. Otherwise I’ll leave you in the attic of this evil house until your husband comes home. . .
if
he ever comes home. Do you hear me?

BABY DOLL
: Oooh! What am I gonna do? AUNT ROSE!

SILVA
: She’s gone. . . she can’t hear you.

[
Pause
.]

Do what I tell you!

[
Silence.
]

BABY DOLL
[
whimpering, sobbing
]: O-o-o-o-oh!

SILVA
: Good-bye, Mrs. Meighan.

BABY DOLL
: All right, all right. . . Hurry! Hurry!

SILVA
: Hurry what?

BABY DOLL
: I’ll do whatever you want—only hurry!!

SILVA
: Here it comes.

[
She grabs it as it comes under the door
.]

BABY DOLL
: I cain’t see.

SILVA
: Only ghosts see in the dark.

[
She scribbles her name in frantic haste and pushes it back. We hear Vacarro’s sudden, wild laugh
.]

SILVA
: Thank you.

[
We hear the sound of a bolt sliding free
.]

You may come out now.

BABY DOLL
: Not till I hear you! Going down those stairs. . .

SILVA
: Hear me? Hear my descending footsteps on the stairs. . .

[
He slides down the banister, waits for Baby Doll’s frightened face to come into view, then salutes
—]

You’re “Home free”! And so am I! Bye-bye!

BABY DOLL
: Where are you going? Wait, please!—I want to—

[
She comes running down the stairs
.]

I want to—

[
She doesn’t complete her sentence. She looks down
.]

Was
that
all you wanted. . .?

[
He looks at her
.]

Was me to confess that Archie Lee burnt down your gin?

SILVA
: What else did you imagine?

[
The windy afternoon has tossed a cloud over the sun, now declining. She isn’t looking into his face. He gives a short quick laugh and kisses her roughly on the lips, holding her head with one hand and slapping her ample rump with the riding crop. She pulls away and gasps
.]

BABY DOLL
: Why. . . why, Mr. Vacarro!

[
He tucks the signed paper in his back pocket for safer keeping. He advances
.]

SILVA
: No more children’s games, Mrs. Meighan. . .

[
She gasps and backs upstairs into the nursery and tries to slam the door
.

[
Another soft, breathless outcry as he shoves the door open: She backs into the room containing the crib on which light has been
building, somewhere between profane and sacred, giving it the aspect of a pagan altar. Silva springs into the room, thrusting the door wide open. No longer capable of an outcry, nor almost of breathing, she backs into the side of the crib. Slow with confidence, Silva advances to her, removing his shirt. The light now concentrates on their faces and the sacramental crib. The girl is paralyzed, rigid. Silva rips open her blouse and grips her hands that clutch the crib, forcing them slowly up to an almost cruciform position, his body pressed to hers. No longer capable of an outcry, she draws quick, panting breaths. All is dimmed out, now, but the altar-place of the crib, a religiously rich light on it. His head sinks between her exposed breasts
.]

FADE OUT