Buried Child by Sam Shepard

don't they?
    SHELLY: What?
    BRADLEY: Importance. Importance in a man.
    SHELLY: I don't know.
    BRADLEY: Yeah. Ya know, ya know. Don't give me that.
(Moves closer to
SHELLY.) You're with Tilden?
    SHELLY : No.
    BRADLEY:
(Turning to
TILDEN.) Tilden! She with you? (TILDEN
doesn't answer. Stares at the floor.)
Tilden! You're gonna run now. Run like a scalded dog! (TILDEN
suddenly bolts and runs off up left,
BRADLEY
laughs. Talks to
SHELLY, DODGE
starts moving his lips silently as though talking to someone invisible on the floor. Laughing.)
Scared to death! He was always scared. Scared of his own shadow, (BRADLEY
stops laughing. Stares at
SHELLY.) Some things are like that. They just tremble for no reason. Ever noticed that? They just shake? (SHELLY
looks at
DODGE
on the floor.)
    SHELLY: Can't we do something for him?
    BRADLEY:
(Looking at
DODGE.) We could shoot him.
(Laughs.)
Put him out of his misery.
    SHELLY: Shut up! (BRADLEY
stops laughing. Moves in closer to
SHELLY.
She freezes,
BRADLEY
speaks slowly and deliberately.)
    BRADLEY: Hey! Missus. Don't talk to me like that. Don't talk to me in that tone a voice. There was a time when I had to take that tone a voice from pretty near everyone.
(Motioning to
DODGE.) Him, for one! When he was a whole man. Full of himself. Him and that half-brain that just ran outta here. They don't talk to me like that now. Not anymore. Everything's turned around now. Full circle. Isn't that funny?
    SHELLY: I’m sorry.
    BRADLEY: Open your mouth.
    SHELLY: What?
    BRADLEY:
(Motioning for her to open her mouth.)
Open up.
(She opens her mouth slightly.)
Wider.
(She opens her mouth wider.)
Keep it like that.
(She does. Stares at
BRADLEY.
With his free hand he puts his fingers into her mouth. She tries to pull away.)
Just stay put!
(She freezes. He keeps his fingers in her mouth. Stares at her. Pause. He pulls his hand out. She closes her mouth, keeps her eyes on him.
BRADLEY
smiles. He looks at
DODGE
on the floor and crosses over to him.
SHELLY
watches him closely.
BRADLEY
stands over
DODGE
and smiles at
SHELLY.
He holds her coat up in both hands over
DODGE,
keeps smiling at
SHELLY. He
looks down at
DODGE,
then drops the coat so that it lands on
DODGE
and covers his head,
BRADLEY
keeps his hands up in the position of holding the coat, looks over at
SHELLY,
and smiles. The lights black out.)

Act Three
    Scene: same set. Morning. Bright sun. No sound of rain. Everything has been cleared up again. No sign of carrots. No pail. No stool.
VINCE
saxophone case and overcoat are still at the foot of the staircase,
BRADLEY
is asleep on the sofa under DODGE
's
blanket, his head toward stage left,
BRADLEY
‘s wooden leg is leaning against the sofa right by his head. The shoe is left on. The harness hangs down.
DODGE
is sitting on the floor, propped up against the TV set facing stage left, wearing his baseball cap.
SHELLY
‘s rabbit fur coat covers his chest and shoulders. He stares toward stage left. He seems weaker and more disoriented. The lights rise slowly to the sound of birds. The two men remain for a while in silence,
BRADLEY
sleeps very soundly.
DODGE
hardly moves,
SHELLY
appears from stage left with a big smile, slowly crossing toward
DODGE
balancing a steaming cup of broth in a saucer,
DODGE
just stares at her as she gets close to him.
    SHELLY:
(As she crosses.)
This is going to make all the difference in the world, Grandpa. You don't mind me calling you Grandpa, do you? I mean I know you minded when Vince called you that but you don't even know him.
    DODGE: I'm nobody's Grandpa. He skipped town with my money you know. I'm gonna hold you as collateral.
    SHELLY: He'll be back. Don't you worry. He always comes back.
    DODGE: The faithful type.
    SHELLY: NO. Determined.
(She kneels down next to
DODGE
and puts the cup and saucer in his lap.)
    DODGE: It's morning already! When did it get to be morning? Not only didn't I get my bottle but he's got my two bucks! I'm surrounded by