Tea and Sympathy (7 page)

 

 

(TOM lies on the bed listening to the music.)

 

 

 

 

BILL

 

 

So you're going to leave him in?

 

 

 

 

HERB

 

 

Of course. Let him stick it out. It'll be a good lesson.

 

 

 

 

LAURA

 

 

Mightn't it be more than just a lesson, Mr. Lee?

 

 

 

 

HERB

 

 

Oh, he'll take some kidding. He'll have to work extra hard to prove
to them he's . . . well, manly. It may be the thing that brings him to
his senses.

 

 

 

 

LAURA

 

 

Mr. Lee, Tom's a very sensitive boy. He's a very lonely boy.

 

 

 

 

HERB

 

 

Why should he be lonely? I've always seen to it that he's been with
people . . . at camps, at boarding schools.

 

 

 

 

BILL

 

 

He's certainly an off-horse, Herb.

 

 

 

 

HERB

 

 

That's a good way of putting it, Bill. An off-horse. Well, he's going to
have to learn to run with the other horses. Well, I'd better be going up.

 

 

 

 

LAURA

 

 

Mr. Lee, this may sound terribly naive of me, and perhaps a trifle
indelicate, but I don't believe your son knows what this is all about.
Why Mr. Harris was fired, why the boys will kid him.

 

 

 

 

HERB

 

 

You mean . . .

 

 

(Stops.)

 

 

 

 

LAURA

 

 

I'm only guessing. But I think when it comes to these boys, we often
take too much knowledge for granted. And I think it's going to come as
a terrible shock when he finds out what they're talking about. Not just
a lesson, a shock.

 

 

 

 

HERB

 

 

I don't believe he's as naive as all that. I just don't. Well . . .

 

 

(He starts for the door.)

 

 

 

 

BILL
(Takes HERB'S arm and they go into the hall)

 

 

I'm going over to the Dean's for supper, Herb. If you're through with
Tom come by here and I'll walk you part way to the station.

 

 

 

 

HERB

 

 

All right.

 

 

(Stops on the stairs)

 

 

How do you talk to the boys, Bill?

 

 

 

 

BILL

 

 

I don't know. I just talk to them.

 

 

 

 

HERB

 

 

They're not your sons. I only talked with Tom, I mean, really talked
with him, once before. It was after a Sunday dinner and I made up my
mind it was time we sat in a room together and talked about important
things. He got sick to his stomach. That's a terrible effect to have on
your boy . . . Well, I'll drop down.

 

 

(He takes a roll of money from his pocket and looks at it, then starts
up the stairs.)

 

 

 

 

BILL
(Coming into his study)

 

 

Laura, you shouldn't try to tell him about his own son. After all,
if he doesn't know the boy, who does?

 

 

 

 

LAURA

 

 

I'm sorry.

 

 

(BILL exits into the other part of the house, pulling off his tie. HERB
has gone up the stairs. Knocks on the study door. LAURA settles down in
her chair and eventually goes on with her sewing.)

 

 

 

 

AL
(Inside, calls)

 

 

Come in.

 

 

(HERB goes in and shuts the door.)

 

 

 

 

HERB
(Opens TOM'S bedroom door and sticks his head in)

 

 

Hello, there.

 

 

 

 

TOM
(Looks up from the bed, surprised)

 

 

Oh . . . Hi . . .

 

 

 

 

HERB

 

 

I got held up at the Dean's.

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

Oh.

 

 

(He has risen, and attempts to kiss his father on the cheek. But his
father holds him off with a firm handshake.)

 

 

 

 

HERB

 

 

How's everything? You look bushed.

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

I'm okay.

 

 

 

 

HERB
(Looking at him closely)

 

 

You sure?

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

Sure.

 

 

 

 

HERB
(Looking around room)

 

 

This room looks smaller than I remember.

 

 

(He throws on light switch)

 

 

I used to have the bed over here. Used to rain in some nights.

 

 

(Comes across phonograph)

 

 

This the one I gave you for Christmas?

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

Yeah. It works fine.

 

 

 

 

HERB
(Turns phonograph off)

 

 

You're nearer than I was. My vest was always behind the radiator,
or somewhere.

 

 

(Sees part of dress costume)

 

 

What's this?

 

 

 

 

TOM
(Hesitates for a moment. Then)

 

 

A costume Mrs. Reynolds made for me. I'm in the play.

 

 

 

 

HERB

 

 

You didn't write about it.

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

I know.

 

 

 

 

HERB

 

 

What are you playing?

 

 

(Looks at dress.)

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

You know
The School For Scandal
. I'm playing Lady Teazle.

 

 

 

 

HERB

 

 

Tom, I want to talk to you. Last time we tried to talk, it didn't work
out so well.

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

What's up?

 

 

 

 

HERB

 

 

Tom, I'd like to be your friend. I guess there's something between fathers
and sons that keeps them from being friends, but I'd like to try.

 

 

 

 

TOM
(Embarrassed)
Sure, Dad.

 

 

(He sits on the bed.)

 

 

 

 

HERB

 

 

Now when you came here, I told you to make friends slowly. I told you
to make sure they were the right kind of friends. You're known by the
company you keep. Remember I said that?

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

Yes.

 

 

 

 

HERB

 

 

And I told you if you didn't want to go but for sports like football,
hockey . . . that was all right with me. But you'd get in with the right
kind of fellow if you managed these teams. They're usually pretty good
guys. You remember.

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

Yes.

 

 

 

 

HERB

 

 

Didn't you believe me?

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

Yes, I believed you.

 

 

 

 

HERB

 

 

Okay, then let's say you believed me, but you decided to go your own
way. That's all right too, only you see what it's led to.

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

What?

 

 

 

 

HERB

 

 

You made friends with people like this Harris guy who got himself fired.

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

Why is he getting fired?

 

 

 

 

HERB

 

 

He's being fired because he was seen in the dunes with you.

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

Look, I don't --

 

 

 

 

HERB

 

 

Naked.

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

You too?

 

 

 

 

HERB

 

 

So you how what I'm talking about?

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

No, I don't.

 

 

 

 

HERB

 

 

You do too know. I heard my sister tell you once. She warned you about
a janitor in the building down the street.

 

 

 

 

TOM
(Incredulous)

 

 

Mr. Harris . . . ?

 

 

 

 

HERB

 

 

Yes. He's being fired because he's been doing a lot of suspicious things
around apparently, and this finished it. All right, I'll say it plain,
Tom. He's a fairy. A homosexual.

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

Who says so?

 

 

 

 

HERB

 

 

Now, Tom --

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

And seeing us on the beach . . .

 

 

 

 

HERB

 

 

Yes.

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

And what does that make me?

 

 

 

 

HERB

 

 

Listen, I know you're all right.

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

Thanks.

 

 

 

 

HERB

 

 

Now wait a minute.

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

Look, we were just swimming.

 

 

 

 

HERB

 

 

All right, all right. So perhaps you didn't know.

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

What do you mean perhaps?

 

 

 

 

HERB

 

 

It's the school's fault for having a guy like that around. But it's your
fault for being a damned fool in picking your friends.

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

So that's what the guys meant.

 

 

 

 

HERB

 

 

You're going to get a ribbing for a while, but you're going to be a man
about it and you're going to take it and you're going to come through
much more careful how you make your friends.

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

He's kicked out because he was seen with me on the beach, and I'm telling
you that nothing, absolutely nothing . . . Look, I'm going to the Dean
and tell him that Harris did nothing, that --

 

 

 

 

HERB
(Stopping him)

 

 

Look, don't be a fool. It's going to be hard enough for you without
sticking your neck out, asking for it.

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

But, Dad!

 

 

 

 

HERB

 

 

He's not going to be reappointed next year. Nothing you can say is going
to change anyone's mind. You got to think about yourself. Now, first of
all, get your hair cut.

 

 

(TOM looks at father, disgusted)

 

 

Look, this isn't easy for me. Stop thinking about yourself, and give me
a break.

 

 

(TOM looks up at this appeal)

 

 

I suppose you think it's going to be fun for
me
to have to live this
down back home. It'll get around, and it'll affect me, too. So we've got
to see this thing through together. You've got to do your part. Get your
hair cut. And then . . . No, the first thing I want you to do is call
whoever is putting on this play, and tell them you're not playing this
lady whatever her name is.

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

Why shouldn't I play it? It's the best part in the play, and I was chosen
to play it.

 

 

 

 

HERB

 

 

I should think you'd have the sense to see why you shouldn't.

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

Wait a minute. You mean . . . do you mean, you think I'm . . . whatever
you call it? Do you, Dad?

 

 

 

 

HERB

 

 

I told you "no."

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

But the fellows are going to think that I'm . . . and Mrs. Reynolds?

 

 

 

 

HERB

 

 

Yes. You're going to have to fight their thinking it. Yes.