Broken Glass Read Free

disability. You have relations, I imagine?
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GELLBURG: Relations? Yes, we have relations.
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HYMAN, a softening smile: Often?
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GELLBURG: What’s that got to do with it?
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HYMAN: Sex could be connected. You don’t have to answer...
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GELLBURG: No-no it’s all right.... I would say it depends—maybe twice, three times a week.
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HYMAN, seems surprised: Well that’s good. She seems satisfied?
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GELLBURG, shrugs; hostilely: I guess she is, sure.
    HYMAN: That was a foolish question, forget it.
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GELLBURG, flushed: Why, did she mention something about this?
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HYMAN: Oh no, it’s just something I thought of later.
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GELLBURG: Well, I’m no Rudolph Valentino but I ...
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HYMAN: Rudolph Valentino probably wasn’t either.-What about before she collapsed; was that completely out of the blue or ...
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GELLBURG, relieved to be off the other subject: I tell you, looking back I wonder if something happened when they started putting all the pictures in the paper. About these Nazi carryings-on. I noticed she started... staring at them ... in a very peculiar way. And ... I don’t know. I think it made her angry or something.
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HYMAN: At you.
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GELLBURG: Well ... Nods, agreeing. In general.—Personally I don’t think they should be publishing those kind of pictures.
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HYMAN: Why not?
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GELLBURG: She scares herself to death with them—three thousand miles away, and what does it accomplish! Except maybe put some fancy new ideas into these anti-Semites walking around New York here.
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Slight pause.
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HYMAN: Tell me how she collapsed. You were going to the movies ... ?
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GELLBURG, breathing more deeply: Yes. We were just starting down the porch steps and all of a sudden her ... Difficulty; he breaks off.
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HYMAN: I’m sorry but I ...
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GELLBURG: ... Her legs turned to butter. I couldn’t stand her up. Kept falling around like a rag doll. I had to carry her into the house. And she kept apologizing ... ! He weeps; recovers. I can’t talk about it.
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HYMAN: It’s all right.
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GELLBURG: She’s always been such a level-headed woman. Weeping threatens again. I don’t know what to do. She’s my life.
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HYMAN: I’ll do my best for her, Phillip, she’s a wonderful woman.—Let’s talk about something else. What do you do exactly?
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GELLBURG: I mainly evaluate properties.
    HYMAN: Whether to grant a mortgage...
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GELLBURG: And how big a one and the terms.
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HYMAN: How’s the Depression hit you?
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GELLBURG: Well, it’s no comparison with ’32 to ’36, let’s say—we were foreclosing left and right in those days. But we’re on our feet and running.
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HYMAN: And you head the department ...
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GELLBURG: Above me is only Mr. Case. Stanton Wylie Case; he’s chairman and president. You’re not interested in boat racing.
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HYMAN: Why?
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GELLBURG: His yacht won the America’s Cup two years ago. For the second time. The Aurora?
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HYMAN: Oh yes! I think I read about ...
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GELLBURG: He’s had me aboard twice.
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HYMAN: Really.
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GELLBURG, the grin: The only Jew ever set foot on that deck.
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HYMAN: Don’t say.
    GELLBURG: In fact, I’m the only Jew ever worked for Brooklyn Guarantee in their whole history.
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HYMAN: That so.
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GELLBURG: Oh yes. And they go back to the 1890s. Started right out of accountancy school and moved straight up. They’ve been wonderful to me; it’s a great firm.
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A long moment as Hyman stares at Gellburg, who is proudly positioned now, absorbing his poise from the evoked memories of his success. Gradually Gellburg turns to him.
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How could this be a mental condition?
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HYMAN: It’s unconscious; like... well take yourself; I notice you’re all in black. Can I ask you why?
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GELLBURG: