Five Television Plays (David Mamet) Read Free Page B

OUG: What are we going to do?
    W INNIE: Be calm.
    D OUG: How can I, how can I be calm? They're going to Take you Away.
    W INNIE: Just, Sweetie, just be . . . just, whatever I say, you pretend you're asleep.
    T ROOPER ( to W INNIE): What is your name?
    D OUG: She's You Don't Want Her. She isn't anybody. Don't. . . don't take her. Mama. Come on. Let's Run!
    W INNIE: Officer, I . . .
    D OUG: She's not the one you want . . . Come ON!
    R ANGER: He and his mother escaped through a back window of the bus. And they ran into the woods.
    D OUG: Keep running . . .
    W INNIE ( sighs ): Oh, my god . . .
    D OUG: No , all we have to do is just keep running. They won't . . . they won't find us . . .
    W INNIE: Alright.
    D OUG: Don't go back. You can't go back. They'll put you back in Prison.
    W INNIE: Alright.
    R ANGER: In the deep dark they became lost. In the woods.
    W INNIE: Are you alright?
    D OUG: I'm cold.
    W INNIE ( of compass ): We'll just keep walking North. We're going to find a road.
    D OUG: How do you know?
    W INNIE: Because I have the compass and I have a map.
    D OUG: How do you know that there is a road?
    W INNIE: Because I see it on the map.
    D OUG: What will we do when we find it?
    W INNIE: Give ourselves up, because you're cold, and you should be warm, and sleep. And we can't run forever. And that's what we're going to do.
    D OUG: We're going the wrong way. We passed this way before.
    W INNIE: No . We didn't.
    D OUG: How do you know?
    W INNIE: Because I have my compass.
    D OUG: I don't think it's working. Yes it is. We'll trust it now. And everything will be alright.
    W INNIE: Now ; for a moment. What's the first thing that you do if you get scared and you're lost in the woods?
    D OUG: I don't know.
    W INNIE: Yes. You do. You Sit Down and Think. ( Pause. ) Now we'll sit down a moment.
    ( They sit. W INNIE sings: “Just Because You're Lost Don't Think Your Compass Is Broken.” She sings: “We Must Abide, in Moments of Stress, by Those Things We Have, in Moments of Peace, Decided Are Correct.” She finishes singing. )
    Now, let's go on, and soon we'll find the road, and then you'll be warm.
    D OUG: Look!
    W INNIE: What is it?
    D OUG: A light!
    R ANGER: They walked in the forest to a little hut made out of wood. A sign over the door said “Ralph Blum.”
    W INNIE: Ralph Blum.
    D OUG: Who is that?
    W INNIE: I don't know, but I hope that he'll help.
    ( She knocks on the door. Pause. She knocks again. Pause. )
    D OUG: Let's go in.
    (W INNIE tries the door. )
    W INNIE: It's locked. Well, we're going to get you warm. We'll break a window.
    ( They start around the side of the cabin, the door opens. )
    R ALPH: Who are you?
    W INNIE: May we come in? My son is . . .
    R ALPH: Why didn't you come to the door?
    W INNIE: We did come to the door. We knocked and knocked and . . .
    R ALPH: I didn't hear you. Come in.
    ( They go into the cabin. )
    R ALPH: The boy's cold? Let's get him something to eat. Here. Put on those warm clothes and I'll put the bed by the fire.
    W INNIE: Thank you.
    R ALPH: What?
    W INNIE: Thank you.
    R ALPH: Not at all.
    R ANGER: So they sat around the fire and the man gave them soup.
    R ALPH: Now , you two should go to bed, because you look like you could use the rest. You go to sleep, now.
    W INNIE: I don't think that I can sleep.
    R ALPH: You sleep, and everything will look brighter in the morning, whatever it is.
    W INNIE: I don't think so.
    ( Pause. )
    R ALPH: Is there anything that I can help you with?
    W INNIE: Thank you, you're very kind, I don't see how you can.
    R ALPH: You never know. Did you know that? That's one of the true things. You never know.
    W INNIE: I'm sure you're right.
    R ALPH: What?
    W INNIE: I said I'm sure you're right.
    R ALPH: I am right. Lived in the forest all my life. You think that's crazy?
    W INNIE: Not at all. Quite the contrary.
    R ALPH: Eh?
    W INNIE: I think that's the best place one could live.
    R ALPH: You do?
    W INNIE: Yes.
    R ALPH: Huh. Huh. Huh. ( Pause. ) Well, I'm going to