House Not Meant to Stand, A by Williams Tennessee

Author:Williams, Tennessee [Williams, Tennessee]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Modern Classics, Play, Theater
Publisher: New Directions
Published: 1982-01-23T02:00:00+00:00

ACT TWO

There is no passage of time.

STACEY [in a deep Southern accent]: Sounded like a disturbance goin’ on down here.

EMERSON: Yes, a disturbance, now over. Come on down, little lady.

STACEY: My clothes are drainched, the upstairs is litterly flooded. —Has this house been unoccupied for a long time, Mistuh—McCorkle?

EMERSON: Naw, just neglected, honey, and I am not McCorkle. You see, Cornelius McCorkle who just went out for a while, he cares about nothing but what he imagines to be a political career.

STACEY: Charlie, is Charlie out, too?

EMERSON: Yeah, temporarily, honey. You are safely with me, an old Lodge brother of Corney’s.

STACEY: Cain’t locate my suitcase with dry things in it. Think it was left downstairs. Charles knows where but don’t seem to hear when I call.

EMERSON: Ho, ho, Charlie is Charlie. Corney and wife just returned here from a funeral in Memphis which is responsible for the disturbance you heard.

STACEY: Aw. Charlie said nothing of it. Who died? Someone important?

EMERSON: Everyone is important, but some more than others. [He advances to foot of stairs and extends his hand.] Allow me to interduce myself to you, honey. I’m Emerson Sykes. You’ve probably heard of my enterprises known as Sykes and Sykes.

STACEY: No, suh—nothing.

EMERSON: Surprised to hear you haven’t since I’m known state-wide as the most prominent corporation head on the Gulf Coast, I assure you. [His voice is quivering with the hunger that possesses some of the elderly for the young and lovely.]

STACEY [looking about from the landing]: —Oh . . .

[Emerson mounts one step.]

EMERSON: Are you int’rested in employment in this area, honey?

STACEY: No, suh, not at present.

EMERSON: Then what is your present interest here on the Gulf Coast?

STACEY: Mr. Sykesand, I come here with Charlie McCorkle who is my only interest.

EMERSON: Oh, now, Charlie. No young lady’s int’rest could be exclusively Charlie’s.

STACEY: Will you kindly remain downstairs and locate Charlie. Tell him I must have my suitcase.

EMERSON: Tell me where you left it and I will bring it up to you, baby.

STACEY: Mr. Sykesand, you are too free with expressions like honey and baby. I want Charlie and Charlie only to bring my suitcase up here, nobody else. [She calls out.] CHARLIE, CHARLIE!

EMERSON: What is your name, young lady?

STACEY: Never mind. Just get Charlie.

EMERSON [mounting another step]: Charlie is out because of the disturbance and him being out, I think you ought to know of his reputation around here. You understand what I mean when I tell you that Charlie’s notorious in Pascagoula as the local young stud? Shiftless of character, honey, unable or not willing to hold down a job?

STACEY: Charlie held down a job a good while in Yazoo City.

EMERSON: A job he got through family connections.

STACEY: I don’t like the way you talk of him. You appear to be drunk and you got the shakes, which I can see by your hands and hear by your voice.

EMERSON: Sweetheart, I’m just reacting to the excitement of your—beautiful—presence—up there . . . [He puts one foot a step higher.

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