Machinal by Sophie Treadwell

Author:Sophie Treadwell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Nick Hern Books

EPISODE SIX

Intimate

Scene: a dark room.

Sounds: a hand organ; footbeats, of passing feet.

Characters

MAN

YOUNG WOMAN

At rise: darkness. Nothing can be discerned. From the outside comes the sound of a hand organ, very faint, and the irregular rhythm of passing feet. The hand organ is playing Cielito Lindo, that Spanish song that has been on every hand organ lately.

MAN. You’re awful still, honey. What you thinking about?

WOMAN. About sea shells. (The sound of her voice is beautiful.)

MAN. Sheshells? Gee! I can’t say it!

WOMAN. When I was little my grandmother used to have a big pink sea shell on the mantle behind the stove. When we’d go to visit her they’d let me hold it, and listen. That’s what I was thinking about now.

MAN. Yeah?

WOMAN. You can hear the sea in ’em, you know.

MAN. Yeah, I know.

WOMAN. I wonder why that is?

MAN. Search me. (Pause.)

WOMAN. You going? (He has moved.)

MAN. No. I just want a cigarette.

WOMAN (glad, relieved). Oh.

MAN. Want one?

WOMAN. No. (Taking the match.) Let me light it for you.

MAN. You got mighty pretty hands, honey. (The match is out.) This little pig went to market. This little pig stayed home. This little pig went –

WOMAN (laughs). Diddle diddle dee. (Laughs again.)

MAN. You got awful pretty hands.

WOMAN. I used to have. But I haven’t taken much care of them lately. I will now – (Pause. The music gets clearer.) What’s that?

MAN. What?

WOMAN. That music?

MAN. A dago hand organ. I gave him two bits the first day I got here – so he comes every day.

WOMAN. I mean – what’s that he’s playing?

MAN. Cielito Lindo.

WOMAN. What does that mean?

MAN. Little Heaven.

WOMAN. Little Heaven?

MAN. That’s what lovers call each other in Spain.

WOMAN. Spain’s where all the castles are, ain’t it?

MAN. Yeah.

WOMAN. Little Heaven – sing it!

MAN (singing to the music of the hand organ). Da la sierra morena viene, bajando viene, bajando; un par de ojitos negros – cielito lindo – da contrabando.

WOMAN. What does it mean?

MAN. From the high dark mountains.

WOMAN. From the high dark mountains – ?

MAN. Oh it doesn’t mean anything. It doesn’t make sense. It’s love. (Taking up the song.) Ay-ay-ay-ay.

WOMAN. I know what that means.

MAN. What?

WOMAN. Ay-ay-ay-ay. (They laugh.)

MAN (taking up the song). Canta non Ilores – Sing don’t cry –

WOMAN (taking up song). La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la – Little Heaven!

MAN. You got a nice voice, honey.

WOMAN. Have I? (Laughs – tickles him.)

MAN. You bet you have – hey!

WOMAN (laughing). You ticklish?

MAN. Sure I am! Hey! (They laugh.) Go on, honey, sing something.

WOMAN. I couldn’t.

MAN. Go on – you got a fine voice.

WOMAN (laughs and sings). Hey, diddle, diddle, the cat and the fiddle, The cow jumped over the moon, The little dog laughed to see the sport, And the dish ran away with the spoon –

Both laugh.

I never thought that had any sense before – now I get it.

MAN. You got me beat.

WOMAN. It’s you and me – La-lalalalalala – lalalalalalala – Little Heaven. You’re the dish and I’m the spoon.

MAN. You’re a little spoon all right.

WOMAN. And I guess I’m the little cow that jumped over the moon.

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