The L.A. Theatre Works Audio Docudrama Series by Peter Goodchild

Author:Peter Goodchild [Goodchild, Peter]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781350135819
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Published: 2020-03-19T00:00:00+00:00

Act Two

Music: Beethoven’s Third Symphony, second movement.

Spotlight up on RFK standing alone. Other lights up on a group of his friends and advisors.

Music: Slowly fade out under:

Nicholas Katzenbach Bob seems completely lost. I’m worried. He hasn’t slept in days.

Burke Marshall I know. He soldiered through as long as there were “arrangements” to deal with, but ever since then … He’s a ghost of himself.

Louis Martin I’m really concerned about him. I’m not sure that jumping back into politics is the best thing right now.

Burke Marshall It’s in his blood. He’ll adjust to it in time.

Louis Martin I’m not sure there is much time. Everything’s changed. It’s a new game. If he can’t play, maybe it’d be better for Bob to resign.

John Seigenthaler And I don’t know if he can adjust. I’ve never seen anyone with less resilience.

Louis Martin I know, he looks terrible. His clothes just hang off of him.

John Seigenthaler And he’s always wearing his brother’s overcoat—it’s—

Nicholas Katzenbach It’s sad: And you know what it is? The dream may’ve died, too … and he’s trying to figure out how to keep it alive.

Scene transition: Hickory Hill, RFK’s home in Virginia.

Seigenthaler goes to RFK, who is holding a book.

John Seigenthaler Hey, Bob … You want to go for a walk?

RFK … No.

John Seigenthaler You want something to eat?

RFK No, thanks.

John Seigenthaler You want me to leave you alone?

RFK (after a pause) I’ve been reading about the ancient Greeks, John, and some of the classic tragedies.

Pause.

Kind of obvious, huh?

John Seigenthaler Well, anything that helps.

RFK Listen to this. It’s Edith Hamilton: “tragedy is pain transmuted into exaltation by the alchemy of poetry.” Do you believe that?

John Seigenthaler More importantly, do you?

RFK I don’t know … Hard to imagine exaltation … And here’s Aeschylus: “In agony, learn wisdom! Pain and error are steps on the ladder of knowledge.” … Wisdom, knowledge—helluva price to pay…

From another place on the stage, not addressing RFK, Martin Luther King adds…

Martin Luther King Unmerited suffering is redemptive. And even if physical death is the price, it is the price paid to free the soul of our nation, and to free our children from a permanent spiritual death.

Back to scene.

RFK The Greeks believed that “men are not made for safe havens. The fullness of life is in the hazards of life.”

John Seigenthaler That mean you want to go for a walk?

RFK … Yeah, I think I ought to.

Scene transition: The A.G.’s office.

Burke Marshall Now that you’re back, Bob, you’ve got to think of your future.

Secretary of State, Vice President—Johnson will give you whatever you want.

RFK My brother twisted my arm to take this job. I can’t leave it until the Civil Rights Bill is passed. Lyndon’s right for once: it is Jack’s legacy.

Burke Marshall … There’s a lot of you in it, too.

RFK I have to get this done for him, Burke. Besides, there’s so much left to do—for Negroes, for everyone who’s not getting a decent break.

Burke Marshall Lots of ways to accomplish those things.

RFK Yes, but we’ve only got ’til the election.

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