The Kentucky Cycle by Robert Schenkkan

Author:Robert Schenkkan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Grove/Atlantic, Inc.
Published: 2016-06-16T18:17:25+00:00

SCENE TWO

Lights up to reveal the interior of the Rowen house. JT, Mary Anne, Tommy, JED ROWEN, and his wife, LALLIE, are all seated around a wooden plank table, the remains of a country dinner in front of them.

JT: I tell you, Jed, there ain’t nothing like a home-cooked meal. Now, you might think a traveling man like myself, eating at some fancy restaurant every day of the week, is a man to be envied. But there are moments, sir, when I’d trade it all, every green bean almondine and French this and French that, for a piece of cob-cured country ham and red­eyed gravy like I had tonight.

LALLIE: It was all right then?

JT: All right? Ma’am, the President doesn’t eat better’n this in the White House!

LALLIE: Mare, I’ll get the coffee, you clear the men’s plates and then get yourself somethin’ to eat.

MARY ANNE: I’m not hungry, Ma.

LALLIE: What’s wrong with you, girl?

MARY ANNE: Nothin’. Just not hungry.

JED: Leave the child alone, Lallie. She’s too busy feastin’ her eyes and fillin’ her ears to pay much attention to her belly.

Tommy laughs.

Pity one can’t say the same for you, Tommy Jackson.

Tommy shuts up. Both women bustle around.

JT: You sure a mighty fortunate man, Jed.

JED: How you figure that, JT?

JT: Because, sir, you got the one thing a man needs to live a life worth livin’.

JED: That bein’?

JT: Your independence. You’re not beholden to any man for anything on your . . . how many acres would you say you have?

JED: Oh . . . ’bout three, four hunnert acres.

JT: On your three-hundred-odd acres here in the middle of God’s country, you’re a virtual king. Republican nobility.

JED: Republican?

JT (quickly correcting his error): Figure of speech, Jed. What I mean to say is, you and the people like you, your neighbors, they’re what makes this country great! I take it you served in the “Glorious Cause,” sir?

MARY ANNE: My daddy was a hero—he fought with Quantrill!

JED (warning): Now, Mary Anne . . .

MARY ANNE: Well, you did!

JT: Is that a fact?

MARY ANNE: My daddy saved Quantrill’s life!

JT: Isn’t that somethin’!

MARY ANNE: That was in Lawrence, Kansas. Tell him, Daddy. . . .

JED: It wasn’t really all that much. . . .

LALLIE: Go on, Jed. . . .

TOMMY: Go on, Mr. Rowen. . . .

MARY ANNE: See, they was trapped in this house in Lawrence and the Yankees had set it on fire and—

JED: MARY ANNE! (Beat.) JT’s the storyteller here. You gonna put the poor fella outta work.

JT: What was he like, Quantrill? I mean, you hear so many different things.

LALLIE: He was a real gentleman. That’s what Jed always said—isn’t that right, Jed?

JED: Well . . . I guess he was a lot of different things to different people, but . . . he always treated me square. Maybe, Mr. JT, you’d like a drop of somethin’ a mite stronger than coffee, to settle your stomach?

JT: Well, sir, I’m not ordinarily a drinkin’ man, you understand, but as this is a special occasion, I’d be honored to raise a glass with you.

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