Girl from the North Country
Page 3
SCOTT. I’ll sleep anywhere. A chair is fine for me, sir.
NICK. No, you can stretch on out there. I’ll charge you a half-dollar. And let’s say a dollar fifty for the room in back for yourself.
MARLOWE. A dollar fifty?
NICK. That’s right. It’s normally two dollars. But considering it’s three thirty in the morning I’ll give you a discount. And a half a dollar for the settle here.
NICK stands in front of SCOTT waiting to be paid. SCOTT reaches into his pockets, he counts coins, small pieces of change, into NICK’s hand. NICK stands there mercilessly waiting for every penny. He counts it. Satisfied, he turns to MARLOWE who hands him two dollars. NICK instantly sticks MARLOWE with all of SCOTT’s change.
And there’s your change. Now what do you say you gents have a glass of whiskey?
MARLOWE. Well that would be a godsend.
SCOTT. Thank you, sir.
NICK goes to pour them a drink.
NICK. You can hang those wet coats up yonder.
SCOTT. Yes, sir.
NICK. So, no room at the inn over at The Spalding, huh?
MARLOWE. That’s correct.
NICK (dubious). Mmm.
MARLOWE. The eleven o’clock from St Paul was delayed.
NICK. You boys travelling together?
MARLOWE. No, sir. We are thrown together by circumstance. Decided to walk on up here together.
NICK. You say you’re a reverend?
MARLOWE. That is correct, sir.
NICK. You planning to preach the word?
MARLOWE. I don’t preach the word, sir. I sell it. A devil pursues me and his name is commerce.
NICK. You’re a Bible salesman?
MARLOWE. In its most basic terms, yes.
NICK. You selling much?
MARLOWE. If I sell two Bibles a day, three, I can live.
NICK. Mind if you don’t go selling ’em in here?
MARLOWE. Beneath your roof the word is free.
NICK. That’s two bits for the whiskey. You’ll find it’s the highest quality.
MARLOWE. As the price suggests.
NICK. What’s the most you ever owed anybody?
MARLOWE. Excuse me?
NICK pours himself a big slug of whiskey.
NICK. What’s the most money you ever had to pay back to someone? Twenty thousand dollars?
MARLOWE. Well no, not that kind of…
NICK. You try walking round with that kind of money hanging over you, my friend. You try it for a day. See what it’s like. You try it for a lifetime. Never ever invest in the fairground business. Those people are… (Stops himself. To SCOTT.) How about you?
SCOTT. Sir?
NICK. What’s your business?
SCOTT. I have an appointment here.
NICK, realising that’s as much as he’ll get, desists.
NICK. Well alright, there’s blankets in there.
NICK opens a door in the dresser to show SCOTT the blankets.
Come on, Reverend, I’ll show you. Goodnight.
SCOTT. Goodnight, sir.
MARLOWE. Goodnight, Mr Scott.
SCOTT. Goodnight, Reverend.
NICK takes MARLOWE out the back. Alone in the room, SCOTT takes a blanket and throws it on the settle. He takes off his outer garments.
We see NICK going off up to bed. SCOTT settles himself, putting his things away in his bag, etc. The room is dark, only a little light on somewhere. All is quiet.
Suddenly there’s a crash out in the kitchen. SCOTT turns round, startled.
GENE (from the kitchen, in pain). Mother-fucker!
SCOTT. Who’s there?
GENE (coming through to the dining room). What?
SCOTT. Who’s there?
GENE (drunkenly). Who am I?
SCOTT. Are you alright?
GENE. Who is that?
SCOTT. Joseph P. Scott, sir.
GENE. You asking me who I am? Who are you, boy?
SCOTT. Joseph Scott, sir.
GENE. Uh-huh.
SCOTT. Easy, my man.
GENE. What are you doing in here, boy?
SCOTT. Just stayin’ the night. The boss man admitted me himself.
GENE. Oh did he, did he, did he? You tryna start something?
SCOTT. No, sir, I just want a night’s sleep. I paid for it.
GENE. You think something is funny?
SCOTT. No, sir.
GENE. You had some schooling?
SCOTT. Yes, sir.
GENE. Where? Harvard?
SCOTT. No, sir, Miss Hemming’s schoolhouse, sir. 219 Washington St in Brainerd.
GENE. You taking a run at me, boy?
SCOTT. No, sir.
GENE. You come on and hit me now.
SCOTT. Sir?
GENE. Hit me. I said hit me.
SCOTT. No, sir.
GENE. You get your black ass up outta that bed and you stand up and you hit me now. You get up and you hit me.
GENE pulls at SCOTT. SCOTT stands up wearily.
Come on.
SCOTT. I ain’t gonna hit you.
GENE. It’s alright. You can do it.
SCOTT. I ain’t gonna do it.
GENE. Now I said you come and you hit me now or I’m gonna take this poker and I’m gonna stick it through your goddamn eye.
SCOTT. And I said I ain’t gonna hit you.
GENE. I say you do as you are told, boy, or you give me one good reason why I don’t make you do it.
SCOTT. ’Cause if I hit you, I’ll likely kill you.
Pause.
GENE. What you say?
SCOTT. You heard me.
GENE. Well you done it now.
GENE goes to SCOTT. SCOTT easily knocks GENE down with a blow, sending him reeling back across the room. GENE is dazed for a moment, but then sees red, rallies, and charges at SCOTT. SCOTT boxes GENE into a corner, GENE collapses, crumpled to the floor.
Alright! Alright! Okay! Okay…
SCOTT. You want me to hit you?
GENE. No.
SCOTT. You want me to hit you some more, boy?
GENE. No.
SCOTT. Huh?
GENE. No.
SCOTT. No what?
GENE. No, sir.
SCOTT. No what?
GENE. No I don’t want you to hit me any more.
MARLOWE comes in wearing his waistcoat and shirt.
MARLOWE. Now there’s a man looks like he could use a Bible.
SCOTT moves away from GENE. MARLOWE goes and gets himself a drink from NICK’s whiskey bottle. GENE picks himself up.
James Marlowe. Reverend Jim they call me.
GENE. Right.
MARLOWE. You live here?
GENE barely responds. His nose is bleeding. He rubs at it, seeing blood on his hand.
SCOTT. Where’s the convenience?
GENE indicates where the bathroom is, SCOTT goes out, stopping at GENE on the way.
Goddamn, man, what the hell?
GENE just looks away as SCOTT goes.
MARLOWE. I just saw you stroke a cat out there on your way in through the backyard. Cat rubbed its fur round your legs like he’s the only friend you got in the world. And you know what I thought to myself? What are you gonna do when that cat dies? Have you thought about it? Have you considered death?
GENE gets himself a drink. Percussive rhythm begins for ‘Slow Train’.
GENE. What you say? You’re a reverend, huh?
GENE is not interested. He gets himself another drink.
MARLOWE. Yes, sir. The word of God, sir, cloth-bound, gold-embossed, extra-fine print for a mere two dollars. Jesus makes his lifetime of light eminently affordable. Big storm’s coming, my boy. Here. Europe. Everywhere. You ever wonder what woulda happened if the Jews met the Vikings? Huh? The Vikings! You know what they woulda done to the Jews?
GENE. I ain’t got two dollars.
SCOTT comes back. He gives GENE a handkerchief to clean himself up. GENE dabs at the blood on his face.
MARLOWE. A fine young man like you? Something’s wrong somewhere when a fine man like you ain’t got two damn dollars – dontcha feel it? Keep it.
MARLOWE pours some whiskey in GENE’s glass as music starts. MARLOWE and SCOTT sing.
Slow Train
Sometimes I feel so low-down and disgusted
Can’t help but wonder what’s happenin’ to my companions
Are they lost or are they found
Have they counted the cost it’ll take to bring down
All their earthly principles they’re gonna have to abandon?
There’s a slow, slow train comin’ up around the bend
I had a woman down in Alabama
She was a backwoods girl, but she sure was realistic
She said, ‘Boy, without a doubt
Have to quit your mess and straighten out
You could die down here, be just another accident statistic’
There’s a slow, slow train comin’ up around the bend
…
Man’s ego is inflated, his laws are outdated, they don’t apply no more
You can’t rely no more to be standin’ around waitin’
In the home of the brave
Jefferson turnin’ over in his grave
Fools glorifying themselves, trying to manipulate Satan
And there’s a slow, slow train comin’ up around the bend
…
Well, my baby went to Illinois with some bad-talkin’ boy she could destroy
A real suicide case, but there was nothin’ I could do to stop it
I don’t care about economy
I don’t care about astronomy
But it sure do bother me to see my loved ones turning into puppets
There’s a slow, slow train comin’ up around the bend
Segue to ‘License To Kill’. MRS NEILSEN, MARIANNE, KATE and company sing.
License To Kill
…
Now, there’s a woman on my block
She just sit there as the night grows still
She say who gonna take away his license to kill?
Now, they take him and they teach him and they groom him for life
And they set him on a path where he’s bound to get ill
Then they bury him with stars
Sell his body like they do used cars
Now, there’s a woman on my block
She just sit there facin’ the hill
She say who gonna take away his license to kill?
They segue back to ‘Slow Train’.
During the last verse, GENE and MARLOWE have retired to their rooms, SCOTT has lain on the settle. The light changes, bringing us to morning. MARIANNE comes through the kitchen, carrying breakfast things to the table. ELIZABETH comes in with her. SCOTT turns over. MARIANNE halts.
ELIZABETH. Hey!
MARIANNE. Oh I’m sorry.
SCOTT. No, ma’am.
MARIANNE. I’ll let you get up.
SCOTT. That’s alright. I’m dressed.
SCOTT gets up, still wearing his clothes.
MARIANNE. Would you like some breakfast?
SCOTT. Yes thank you.
MARIANNE. The guests like oatmeal. You like it?
SCOTT. Yes, ma’am.
MARIANNE. Coffee is on the way.
SCOTT. What’s your name?
MARIANNE. Marianne Laine.
SCOTT. Joseph Scott.
She comes and shakes his hand. He goes to ELIZABETH.
Joseph Scott, ma’am.
ELIZABETH just gives him a vague smile.
MARIANNE. This is my mama. She might say something. She mightn’t. She’s… [not herself.]
SCOTT. Pleased to meet you, ma’am.
MARIANNE. You in Duluth for long?
SCOTT. No. Couple days, then I head down to Chicago.
MARIANNE. Chicago huh?
SCOTT. You been there?
MARIANNE. No.
SCOTT. Well you should go some day. It’s worth seeing.
MARIANNE. I will.
Down the hall, NICK admits DR WALKER to the house.
DR WALKER. Morning, Nick, How are you?
NICK (holds out his arms). You tell me, right?
DR WALKER. You’re okay.
NICK. Look who it is, Elizabeth. Doc coming by to see you.
ELIZABETH embraces DR WALKER.
DR WALKER. Well there’s a welcome you don’t get every day.
NICK. She can still spot a good ’un. Breakfast?
DR WALKER. No thank you.
NICK. Come on down for coffee.
DR WALKER. No – just wanted to drop in Elizabeth’s prescription.
NICK. I’d a come by to get it, you didn’t need to do that. Come in, have a coffee.
DR WALKER. Well alright.
They meet MR and MRS BURKE arriving down for breakfast with their son, ELIAS.
ELIAS is in his thirties but has the mental age of a four-year-old child. MRS BURKE is a wiry strong woman and her husband is a balding rotund man. She carries an air of determination. He carries one of defeat, but he doesn’t know that.
MR BURKE. Morning, Doc.
DR WALKER. Folks.
MARIANNE turns on the wireless. A 1930s style arrangement of ‘Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here With You’ is playing.
MR BURKE. Good morning.
SCOTT. Good morning, sir.
MR BURKE. Frank Burke, this is my wife Laura, my son, Elias.
SCOTT. Joe Scott. Pleased to meet you.
MR BURKE. Dr Walker.
SCOTT. Sir.
MR BURKE. Mrs Neilsen.
SCOTT. Ma’am.
ELIAS. Mommy, my scarecrow – (Searching for a word.) ah, ah, ah, ah… My scarecrow, ah, ah, ah, my scarecrow wears a hat.
ELIZABETH. What the fuck is wrong with you?
MRS BURKE. Mrs Neilsen.
NICK passes through, carrying tools, doing some maintenance work.
NICK. Marianne, get some coffee for Dr Walker.
MRS NEILSEN. Now, Mr Laine. Did you hear that? Elias’s scarecrow wears a hat, no less.
NICK. I did hear that. Yes, and I saw your scarecrow this morning, Elias. He’s looking fine and hardy. Those are some nice twigs you stuck in his… in his head.
MRS BURKE brings ELIAS to the table. Breakfast is underway, with MARIANNE bringing things in and out and everyone helping themselves. During the following, NICK is hammering nails in a shutter somewhere. Sometimes people have to shout over the din.
MARIANNE brings DR WALKER some coffee. But she doesn’t make eye contact with him.
MR BURKE. Please correct me if I’m wrong. Haven’t I seen you fight, sir?
SCOTT. Oh?
MR BURKE. Saw you knock out Frazier Fitch in Hubertsville May 1928, am I right?
SCOTT. That’s right, sir.
MR BURKE. You’re quite a talent. I lost a lot of money that night.
MRS BURKE. Now, Francis, that’s your own fault.
MR BURKE. I’m paying him a compliment, my dear.
SCOTT. Thank you, sir.
MR BURKE. You been fighting much?
SCOTT. Well not so much.
MARLOWE comes in, dressed.
MARLOWE. Good morning, all. Good morning. James Marlowe.
MR BURKE. Frank Burke. My wife, Laura, Elias. Mrs Laine over there, Mrs Neilsen.
MARLOWE. Pleased to meet you.
MR BURKE. This young man is Jungle Joe Scott. You know who he is?
MARLOWE. Why yes! We’ve been acquainted since last night.
MR BURKE. So you know – very talented young man.