The Sunset Limited: A Novel in Dramatic Form (6 page)

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Authors: Cormac McCarthy

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He holds the bible up off the table and lays it down again.

White		Half the time I think you’re having fun with me. I dont see how you can live here. I dont see how you can feel safe.
Black		Well you got a point, Professor. About bein safe anyways.
White		Have you ever stopped any of these people from taking drugs?
Black		Not that I know of.
White		Then what is the point? I dont get it. I mean, it’s hopeless. This place is just a moral leper colony.
Black		Damn, Professor. Moral leper colony? Where my pencil at?
He pretends to rummage through the kitchen table drawer.

White		Well it is.
Black		I aint never goin to want you to leave. Put that in my book.
White		In your book?
Black		In the Moral Leper Colony. Damn, I like the sound of that.
White		You’re kidding me.
Black		You know I aint writin no book.
White		Well I still dont get it. Why not go someplace where you might be able to do some good?
Black		As opposed to someplace where good was needed.
White		Even God gives up at some point. There’s no ministry in hell. That I ever heard of.
Black		No there aint. That’s well put. Ministry is for the livin. That’s why you responsible for your brother. Once he’s quit breathin you cant help him no more. After that he’s in the hands of other parties. So you got to look after him now. You might even want to monitor his train schedule.
White		You think you are your brother’s keeper.
Black		I dont believe think quite says it.
White		And Jesus is a part of this enterprise.
Black		Is that okay with your
White		And he’s interested in coming here to this cesspool and salvaging what everybody knows is unsalvageable. Why would he do that? You said he didnt have a lot of free time. Why would he come here? What would be the difference to him between a building that was morally and spiritually vacant and one that was just plain empty?
Black		Mm. Professor you a theologian here and I didnt even know it.
White		You’re being facetious.
Black		I dont know that word. Dont be afraid to talk down to me. You aint goin to hurt my feelins.
White		It means. I guess it means that you’re not being sincere. That you dont mean what you’re saying. In a cynical sort of way.
Black		Mm. You think I dont mean what I’m sayin.
White		Sometimes. I think you say things for effect.
Black		Mm. Well, let me say this for effect.
White		Go ahead.
Black		Suppose I was to tell you that if you could bring yourself to unlatch your hands from around your brother’s throat you could have life everlastin?
White		There’s no such thing. Everybody dies.
Black		That aint what he said. He said you could have life everlastin. Life. Have it today. Hold it in your hand. That you could see it. It gives off a light. It’s got a little weight to it. Not much. Warm to the touch. Just a little. And it’s forever. And you can have it. Now. Today. But you dont want it. You dont want it cause to get it you got to let you brother off the hook. You got to actually take him and hold him in your arms and it dont make no difference what color he is or what he smells like or even if he dont want to be held. And the reason you wont do it is because he dont deserve it. And about that there aint no argument. He dont deserve it. (He leans forward, slow and deliberate.) You wont do it because it aint just. Aint that so?
Silence.

Black		Aint it?
White		I dont believe in those sorts of things.
Black		Just answer the question Professor.
White		I dont think in those terms.
Black		I know you dont. Answer the question.
White		I suppose there’s some truth in what you say.
Black		But that’s all I’m goin to get.
White		Yes.
Black		Well. That’s all right. I’ll take it. Some is a lot. We down to breadcrumbs here.
White		I really have to go.
Black		Just stay. Just a little. We can talk bout somethin else. You like baseball? Tell you what. Why dont I fix us somethin to eat?
White		I’m not hungry.
Black		How about some coffee then?
White		All right. But then I’ve got to go.
Black		(Rising) All right. The man says all right.
He runs water in the kettle at the sink and pours the water into the percolator.

Black		You see I wouldnt be this rude under normal circumstances. Man come in my house and set at my table and me not offer him nothin? But with you I figure I got to strategize. Got to play my cards right. Keep you from slippin off into the night.
He spoons coffee from a can into the percolator and plugs the percolator in.

White		It’s not night.
Black		Depends on what kind of night we talkin bout.
He comes back to the table and sits.

Black		Let me ask you kindly a personal question.
White		This will be good.
Black		What do you think is wrong with you that has finally narrowed all your choices down to the Sunset Limited?
White		I dont think there’s anything wrong with me. I think I’ve just been driven to finally face the truth. If I’m different it doesnt mean I’m crazy.
Black		Different.
White		Yes.
Black		Different from who?
White		From anybody.
Black		What about them other folks tryin to off theyselves?
White		What about them?
Black		Well, maybe them is the folks that you is like. Maybe them folks is your natural kin. Only you all just dont get together all that much.
White		I dont think so.
Black		Dont think so.
White		No. I’ve been in group therapy with those people. I never found anyone there that I felt any kinship with.
Black		What about them other professors? They aint no kinship there?
White		(Disgustedly) Good god.
Black		I’m goin to take that for a no.
White		I loathe them and they loathe me.
Black		Well now wait a minute. Just cause you dont like em dont mean you aint like em. What was that word? Loathe?
White		Loathe.
Black		That’s a pretty powerful word, aint it?
White		Not powerful enough, I’m afraid.
Black		So how come you be loathin these other professors?
White		I know what you’re thinking.
Black		What am I thinkin?
White		You’re thinking that I loathe them because I’m like them and I loathe myself.
Black		(Sitting back in his chair) Damn, Professor. If I had your brains aint no tellin what all I might of done. I’d of been a drug king or somethin. Ride round in a Rolls Royce.
White		You’re being facetious again.
Black		No I aint. I wasnt the first time. Let me ask you this.
White		All right.
Black		Is you on any kind of medication?
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.

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