hitter?
AL
Well, yes.
LAURA
You've got some things to learn, Al. I've been around a little, and I've
met men, just like you -- same setup -- who weren't men, some of them
married and with children.
AL
Mrs. Reynolds, you wouldn't do a thing like that.
LAURA
No, Al, I probably wouldn't. But I could, and I almost would to show
you how easy it is to smear a person, and once I got them believing it,
you'd be surprised how quickly your . . . manly virtues would be changed
into suspicious characteristics.
AL
(Has been standing with his hands on his hips. LAURA looks pointedly
at this stance. AL thrusts his hands down to his side, and then behind
his back)
Mrs. Reynolds, I got a chance to be captain of the baseball team next
year.
LAURA
I know. And I have no right to ask you to give up that chance. But I wish
somehow or other you could figure out a way . . . so it wouldn't hurt Tom.
(TOM comes in the hall and goes up the stairs. He's pretty broken up,
and mad. After a few moments he appears in his room, shuts the door,
and sits on the bed, trying to figure something out.)
AL
(As TOM enters house)
Well . . .
LAURA
That's Tom now.
(AL looks at her, wondering how she knows)
I know all your footsteps. He's coming in for tea.
(AL starts to move to door)
Well, Al?
(AL makes a helpless motion)
You still want me to tell Mr. Reynolds about your moving next year?
AL
(After a moment)
No.
LAURA
Good.
AL
I mean, I'll tell him when I see him.
LAURA
Oh.
AL
(Turns on her)
What can I do?
LAURA
I don't know.
AL
Excuse me for saying so, but it's easy for you to talk the way you have.
You're not involved. You're just a bystander. You're not going to be hurt.
Nothing's going to happen to you one way or the other. I'm sorry.
LAURA
That's a fair criticism, Al. I'm sorry I asked you . . . As you say,
I'm not involved.
AL
I'm sorry. I think you're swell, Mrs. Reynolds. You're the nicest
housemaster's wife I've ever ran into . . . I mean . . . Well, you know
what I mean. It's only that . . .
(He is flustered. He opens the door)
I'm sorry.
LAURA
I'm sorry, too, Al.
(She smiles at him. AL stands in the doorway for a moment, not knowing
whether to go out the hall door or go upstairs. Finally, he goes upstairs,
and into the study door. LAURA stands thinking over what AL has said,
even repeating to herself, "I'm not involved." She then goes into the
alcove and off.)
AL
(Outside TOM'S bedroom door)
Tom?
(TOM moves quietly away from the door)
Tom?
(He opens the door)
Hey.
TOM
I was sleeping.
AL
Standing up, huh?
(TOM turns away)
You want to be alone?
TOM
No. You want to look. Go ahead.
(He indicates the window.)
AL
No, I don't want to look, I . . .
(He looks at TOM, not knowing how to begin . . . He stalls . . . smiling)
Nice tie you got there.
TOM
(Starts to undo tie)
Yeah, it's yours. You want it?
AL
No. Why? I can only wear one tie at a time.
(TOM leaves it hanging around his neck. After an awkward pause)
I . . . uh . . .
TOM
I guess I don't need to ask you what's the matter?
AL
It's been rough today, huh?
TOM
Yeah.
(He turns away, very upset. He's been holding it in . . . but here's
his closest friend
AL
Well, yes.
LAURA
You've got some things to learn, Al. I've been around a little, and I've
met men, just like you -- same setup -- who weren't men, some of them
married and with children.
AL
Mrs. Reynolds, you wouldn't do a thing like that.
LAURA
No, Al, I probably wouldn't. But I could, and I almost would to show
you how easy it is to smear a person, and once I got them believing it,
you'd be surprised how quickly your . . . manly virtues would be changed
into suspicious characteristics.
AL
(Has been standing with his hands on his hips. LAURA looks pointedly
at this stance. AL thrusts his hands down to his side, and then behind
his back)
Mrs. Reynolds, I got a chance to be captain of the baseball team next
year.
LAURA
I know. And I have no right to ask you to give up that chance. But I wish
somehow or other you could figure out a way . . . so it wouldn't hurt Tom.
(TOM comes in the hall and goes up the stairs. He's pretty broken up,
and mad. After a few moments he appears in his room, shuts the door,
and sits on the bed, trying to figure something out.)
AL
(As TOM enters house)
Well . . .
LAURA
That's Tom now.
(AL looks at her, wondering how she knows)
I know all your footsteps. He's coming in for tea.
(AL starts to move to door)
Well, Al?
(AL makes a helpless motion)
You still want me to tell Mr. Reynolds about your moving next year?
AL
(After a moment)
No.
LAURA
Good.
AL
I mean, I'll tell him when I see him.
LAURA
Oh.
AL
(Turns on her)
What can I do?
LAURA
I don't know.
AL
Excuse me for saying so, but it's easy for you to talk the way you have.
You're not involved. You're just a bystander. You're not going to be hurt.
Nothing's going to happen to you one way or the other. I'm sorry.
LAURA
That's a fair criticism, Al. I'm sorry I asked you . . . As you say,
I'm not involved.
AL
I'm sorry. I think you're swell, Mrs. Reynolds. You're the nicest
housemaster's wife I've ever ran into . . . I mean . . . Well, you know
what I mean. It's only that . . .
(He is flustered. He opens the door)
I'm sorry.
LAURA
I'm sorry, too, Al.
(She smiles at him. AL stands in the doorway for a moment, not knowing
whether to go out the hall door or go upstairs. Finally, he goes upstairs,
and into the study door. LAURA stands thinking over what AL has said,
even repeating to herself, "I'm not involved." She then goes into the
alcove and off.)
AL
(Outside TOM'S bedroom door)
Tom?
(TOM moves quietly away from the door)
Tom?
(He opens the door)
Hey.
TOM
I was sleeping.
AL
Standing up, huh?
(TOM turns away)
You want to be alone?
TOM
No. You want to look. Go ahead.
(He indicates the window.)
AL
No, I don't want to look, I . . .
(He looks at TOM, not knowing how to begin . . . He stalls . . . smiling)
Nice tie you got there.
TOM
(Starts to undo tie)
Yeah, it's yours. You want it?
AL
No. Why? I can only wear one tie at a time.
(TOM leaves it hanging around his neck. After an awkward pause)
I . . . uh . . .
TOM
I guess I don't need to ask you what's the matter?
AL
It's been rough today, huh?
TOM
Yeah.
(He turns away, very upset. He's been holding it in . . . but here's
his closest friend
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