The Stonemason

by Cormac McCarthy

  BEN What happened to the Nighthawks?

  JEFFREY Nighthawks? Ain't no Nighthawks no more.

  BEN Your brother used to be president.

  JEFFREY So what's that make me?

  BEN You tell me.

  JEFFREY (Leaning back and looking at Ben) You don't know shit man. They ain't no more Nighthawks. Ain't no more clubs. They ain't shit. Just a bunch of freelancers out roguin and doin drugs. These young bloods are all strung out, man. You understand what I'm tellin you? Fourteen year old. Twelve. You leanin all over me bout some young dude got killed. Shit. It's just brother against brother. Shit goin down out there don't make no more sense than nothin. Try and tell these young bloods bout the Nighthawks. They look at you like you from Mars, man.

  BEN (Watching Jeffrey) How old are you, Jeffrey?

  JEFFREY Sixteen.

  BEN How old do you think I am?

  JEFFREY Man I don't know how old you are. All I know is you livin in the past. I'm livin in the past. History done swallowed you up cept you don't know it.

  BEN If history swallows everybody up, who do you think is running the world?

  JEFFREY It look to you like somebody runnin it?

  BEN When I was sixteen I looked forward to being eighteen. I looked forward to being twenty one.

  JEFFREY Yeah, well. Everbody over sixteen the same age to me. And I feel like I'm a hundred.

  SCENE IV

  Night. The kitchen. Ben sits at the table drinking tea. Lights sweep across the window from outside and a car pulls in and stops and a door opens and slams. Big Ben enters the kitchen. He takes off his hat and his camelhair overcoat. He is dressed in a suit with a sport shirt open at the neck.

  BEN Hey.

  Big Ben crosses heavily to the stove.

  BIG BEN They any coffee?

  BEN I think there is. You'll have to warm it.

  Big Ben shakes the pot and sets it on the burner and turns on the stove.

  BIG BEN Well. We got trouble.

  BEN We do?

  BIG BEN It's your company too.

  BEN Well what's the trouble.

  BIG BEN I need six thousand dollars is what the trouble is.

  BEN Oh man.

  Ben looks down. He shakes his head slowly. He looks up at Big Ben again.

  BEN Six thousand?

  Big Ben looks at Ben. He swirls the coffee pot and sets it back down again.

  BEN Can't you get it from the bank?

  BIG BEN They say I cain't.

  BEN You've borrowed money from them before.

  BIG BEN They won't let me have no more.

  BEN What do you mean no more?

  BIG BEN Mean no more. Say they ain't goin let me have no more.

  He gets a cup down from the shelf. He swirls the pot and pours coffee into the cup.

  BEN How much do you owe them?

  BIG BEN Don't make no difference bout that. The facts is that I got to have six thousand dollars come next Wednesday.

  BEN What happens if you don't? What are they going to foreclose on?

  BIG BEN Ain't a matter of foreclosure.

  BEN Well why don't you explain it to me a step at a time.

  BIG BEN Only thing needs explainin is I got to have the money.

  BEN Why don't you tell me what it is you've done.

  BIG BEN (angrily) I ain't done a damn thing. I just need the money.

  BEN Well where do you think I'm going to get six thousand dollars?

  BIG BEN You can get it. They'd let you have it.

  BEN You're talking about me mortgaging the farm.

  Big Ben doesn't answer. He stands leaning against the stove.

  BEN It's not mine to mortgage.

  BIG BEN Whose is it if it ain't yours?

  BEN It's in a trust.

  BIG BEN You ain't goin to help me.

  BEN I'm not going to mortgage that property. I couldn't if I wanted to. Can't you borrow against the house?

  BIG BEN No.

  BEN Why not?

  BIG BEN I done borrowed against it.

  There is a silence in the room.

  BEN Are you going to lose the house?

  BIG BEN No.

  BEN You are, aren't you?

  BIG BEN (Angrily) I don't get some money I'm goin to lose everthing I got.

  Silence.

  BEN (Quietly) I'll go to the bank tomorrow. I'll see what they'll let me have on an unsecured note. They'll want Maven to co—sign though. And I don't think they're going to let me have any six thousand dollars. How much does Mama know about this?

  BIG BEN She don't need to know nothin.

  BEN Well, when they put her in the street she'll know. Her and her shoes. I always wondered why she had about forty pair of shoes. She's a provident woman.

  BIG BEN Well pile it all on my head. You and Pap both just walked off and left the company. Just walked off and left it.

  BEN I give you forty hours a week. Every week. Papaw worked on the job every day till he was ninety two years old. What do you want?

  Big Ben drains his cup and puts it in the sink and crosses to the chair and gets his hat and coat.

  BIG BEN Don't make no difference what I want. I ain't goin to get it. Not even in my own house. Under my own roof. Never could and never will.

  He exits the kitchen. His steps on the stairs.

  SCENE V

  The kitchen, morning. Ben and Maven are sitting at the table. Maven is dressed for school. Mama is putting away cups and dishes out of the drain board. She finishes and comes to the table and picks up the morning paper.

  MAMA You done with this Benny?

  BEN Yes mam.

  She takes the paper and shuffles on toward the door.

  MAMA Take my bath.

  BEN Mama, do you read the paper in the bathtub?

  MAMA You don't need to be speculatin bout what I does in the bathtub.

  She goes out the door and up the stairs. Ben smiles. He looks at Maven. She smiles.

  BEN Aren't you going to be late?

  MAVEN No. Yes. Probably.

  She looks at her cup and she looks up at Ben. Ben raises his chin in a gesture that means Let's hear it.

  MAVEN I don't know. The basement's not far enough away any more.

  BEN I know.

  MAVEN I don't know what to say to Carlotta any more. I really don't.

  Ben purses his lips and nods.

  MAVEN Ben, how much money does your father owe you?

  He looks up at Maven.

  BEN I don't know. I'd have to look it up.

  MAVEN But you know more or less.

  BEN Yes. I just don't want you to worry about it.

  MAVEN I worry anyway.

  BEN Do you want me to tell you?

  MAVEN Yes.

  BEN It's around eleven thousand dollars.

  Maven sits looking at her cup.

  BEN Well?

  She shakes her head. She looks up at Ben.

  MAVEN Has business been that bad?

  BEN No.

  MAVEN Does he underbid the jobs?

  BEN All black contractors underbid the jobs. If they didn't they wouldn't get the work. But that's not it.

  MAVEN Well what does he do with the money?

  BEN I don't know.

  MAVEN If you got paid for the work you do you could hire somebody out at the farm. You mix your own mud out there.

  BEN I have no argument against you.

  MAVEN Well I don't think you should let him take advantage of you just because he's your father.

  BEN I know. Every Friday is a shoot—out. You don't know. If you think you hear a lot of poor mouthing around here you ought to hear him on the job.

  Maven gets up and takes her cup and saucer to the sink. She comes back to the table and kisses Ben on the forehead and takes her coat off the chair.

  BEN Is that it?

  MAVEN (Taking up her briefcase from the chair) That's it, Babe.

  Ben shakes his head, smiling. She starts for the door and then t
urns.

  MAVEN Ben.

  He juts his chin at her to say yes.

  MAVEN What do you think has happened to Soldier?

  BEN I don't know.

  MAVEN If it was something terrible and you didn't want me to know and I wanted to know would you tell me?

  BEN Yes.

  MAVEN I want to know.

  BEN I don't know what's happened to him. I just don't know. He may come back. He may be dead. I just don't know.

  MAVEN Would you tell Carlotta? If it was something terrible and there was nothing anyone could do about it?

  BEN I don't know. I don't think so. Maybe I'd be wrong. I don't think I could.

  She bends and kisses him.

  MAVEN Bye.

  BEN Bye, Lady.

  — CURTAIN —

  ACT IV

  SCENE I

  Night, the kitchen. Ben at the table drinking tea. The light comes on at the podium and Ben takes his place there.

  BEN He didn't come back. Mama walked around the house like a Roman stoic for weeks just as if she'd not a worry in the world and then one night she woke from a dream or from I don't know what and she cried straight through till breakfast and she would not be consoled and we brought her down to the kitchen and Maven wanted to call the doctor and my father tried to give her whiskey and all she would say was that poor child, that poor child. And Maven was right. It's worse than a death. More vengeful than a suicide. His absence is like a pall of guilt and humiliation. People would say He'll come back. Or He'll turn up. Then they stopped saying anything. Then they stopped coming around. Carlotta for a long time would not come to the dinner table and we ate in silence and then she did come and we ate in more silence. His birthday is in two more weeks. He would be sixteen. Will be sixteen? In what tense do you speak of those who have vanished? You don't speak of them. You are simply enslaved to them. And Carlotta was right. I think I can fix everything. The simplest word of consolation sounds like a lie. She was right about Landry too. He did get married.

  — INTERMISSION —

  SCENE II

  The light is on in the front room and in the kitchen. It is evening and Ben comes in the kitchen door and puts the kettle on and goes through and into the front room to get the paper. A young man is sitting rather formally in the front room waiting for Carlotta. He is dressed in a suit and tie. Ben goes through and gets the paper and shuts the outer door offstage and returns with the paper. The visitor stands up. His name is MASON FERGUGSON.

  MASON Hello. I'm Mason Ferguson.

  He holds out his hand and he and Ben shake hands.

  MASON I met you once before.

  BEN Mason, what are you doing silting in here all by yourself?

  MASON I'm waiting for Carlotta.

  BEN Well you better come on in the kitchen.

  Mason follows him into the kitchen. Ben throws the paper on the table and goes to the stove.

  BEN Sit down. What can I get you?

  MASON Not a thing, thank you.

  BEN I can give you coffee or tea or a beer. Or a Coke.

  MASON No thanks. Really.

  BEN (Getting down teabags) Well I'm just getting ready to have a cup of tea. Do you drink tea?

  MASON Well, yes.

  BEN Good.

  He gets down cups.

  BEN What sort of work do you do, Mason?

  MASON I'm an insurance claims adjuster.

  BEN (Pouring water in the cups) Claims adjuster. You want lemon?

  MASON No thank you.

  Ben brings the cups to the table and takes a chair opposite Mason. He sips his tea.

  BEN There's sugar there.

  MASON This is fine.

  BEN Well, you look sober and industrious. Have you ever been married?

  MASON No.

  BEN (Smiling) You can stop me any time you want.

  MASON (Smiling) That's okay.

  BEN Does she like you?

  MASON I beg your pardon?

  BEN Does she like you? Carly. Does she like you?

  MASON (Laughing a little nervously) Well. I don't know. Maybe you should ask her.

  BEN But you hope she likes you.

  MASON Yes.

  Ben smiles and sips his tea. Mason smiles.

  MASON You didn't ask me if I like her.

  BEN I know you like her. I knew you liked her when I saw you in there sitting on the sofa.

  Mason smiles. Footsteps on the stairs overhead.

  BEN Here she comes. I'll ask her.

  MASON Ask her what?

  BEN If she likes you.

  MASON Hey, come on.

  BEN You said I should ask her.

  MASON (Smiling) Hey, don't fool around.

  Carlotta comes in the kitchen. Ben laughs. Mason pushes back his chair and rises.

  MASON Hi.

  CARLOTTA (Looking at Ben) Ben, you leave him alone.

  BEN Hey Babe. Mmm, you look good.

  He turns to Mason.

  CARLOTTA Ben.

  BEN (Laughing) Hey, we were getting along like a house afire. Weren't we, Mason.

  MASON Yes. We were.

  BEN I think this is one of the better ones you've had in here all week.

  CARLOTTA You know, I don't think I could bring myself to actually shoot you. But poison's not out of the question.

  Ben regards her more seriously.

  BEN You're such a pretty lady.

  Carlotta is a little flustered. She turns to Mason.

  CARLOTTA Are you ready?

  MASON Mmm-hmm. Ben, good to see you.

  Ben rises and they shake hands.

  BEN You all have a good time.

  Ben watches them exit out the kitchen door.

  SCENE III

  The kitchen at night. Ben at the kitchen table with his cup of tea and his notebook. The light comes on at the podium and Ben takes his place there.

  BEN That summer Papaw and I contracted work on our own, just working evenings and weekends. We still worked on the house at the farm too but we were building old style stone chimneys and fireplaces for people and we'd take them on field trips and show them the old work and if they had souls in their bodies they would see all that we showed them and we were amazed at how quickly a love and a reverence for reality could be restored in them. They'd talk about what they wanted and Papaw would say little and smoke his pipe and they would look at some old chimney standing in a field and they would look at Papaw and they would grow more quiet themselves and then they would stop talking altogether and we would drive back and they'd ask us when we could begin. Sometimes if a client was really interested we'd take him all over the county. We'd show him work that Papaw had done eighty years ago. We'd show them walls and cellars and chimneys and houses and springhouses and bridges. Some of those old cellars and footings contain enormous stones and Papaw says it's because the houses were built first and you had scaffolding and teams of oxen and tackle and men and you could use the big stones but when you were building a wall you were pretty much on your own and you did it as you could. Most of the old slave walls as they are called were built in the winter when farm work was light. But I've seen stones in cellars and in the base of chimneys that would weigh two thousand pounds. I've seen old bridge piers built of rubble stone weighing two and three tons apiece and no two stones alike and laid up without mortar sixteen and eighteen courses high and steeply battered. I've looked at barns and houses and bridges and factories and chimneys and walls and in thousand structures I've never seen a misplaced stone. In form and design and scale and structure and proportion I've yet to see an example of the old work that was no perfectly executed. They were designed by the men who built them and their design rose out of necessity. The beauty of those structures would appear to be just a sort of a by—product, something fortuitous, but of course it is not. The aim of the mason was to make the wall stand up and that was his purpose in its entirety. The beauty of the stonework is simply a reflection of the purity of the mason's intention. Carly says I have th
is mystique thing about stone masonry. She says nobody understands it Even my father thinks it's crazy. She says no one know what I'm talking about. She says no one cares. In all this of course she's right. And she says you can't change his story and that ruins should be left to ruin. And she's right But that the craft of stonemasonry should be allowed to vanish from this world is just not negotiable for me Somewhere there is someone who wants to know. Nor will I have to seek him out. He'll find me.

  SCENE IV

  The kitchen, afternoon, GUESTS and their CHILDREN in Sunday clothes are leaving, going out through the living room. Mama is saying goodbye to cousins and other kin and a PHOTOGRAPHER thanks her and shoulders up his camera and tripod and exits. Maven is nine months pregnant. Ben is in the kitchen talking to a REPORTER. The other guests all leave and the lights dim out in the living room and Mama goes upstairs and Maven goes to the basement apartment.

  REPORTER (Looking through his small notepad) His name is spelled conventionally isn't it?

  BEN Yes. Just Edward. There wasn't any creative spelling back them. Blacks couldn't spell.

  REPORTER I guess that's right.

  BEN He was a grown man before he learned to read and write. His wife taught him. My grandmother.

  REPORTER Where did she learn?

  BEN She taught herself.

  REPORTER I would think that would be hard to do.

  BEN I would too. She worked for a family as a live-in maid in Evansville Indiana and they had twin daughters about school age and after she got them put to bed at night she'd sit down with their primers [prim-ers] and study by candlelight until one and two in the morning and then get up again at five thirty and get breakfast for the family. She did that for several years and then one day the woman—the lady of the house—went in her room and found some of their books there. My grandmother had a room up over the carriage house and she'd sneak books out of the house and read them at night and this woman found them and thought she was stealing the books to sell them—back then books were valuable—and she was going to fire her and my grandmother sat down and read for her and she let her stay.

  REPORTER She must have been a remarkable woman.