Reunion and Dark Pony Read Free Page A

because nobody's going to learn them for you.
    You wanna drink? Go drink.
    You wanna do this? Pay the price.
    Always the price. Whatever it is.
    And you gotta know it and be prepared to pay it if you don't want it to pass you by.
    And if you don't know that, you gotta find it out, and that's all I know.
    Scene VI
    BERNIE : I don't care.
    1950, 1970. (Pause.)
    You know what I mean.
    What's on my mind now is getting to know you.
    And maybe getting married again.
    You look good. Jesus, you are a good-looking young woman.
    CAROL : I get it all from you.
    BERNIE : Aaah . . .
    CAROL : I used to think you were the handsomest man I ever saw.
    You used to look just like Tonto.
    BERNIE : Tonto?
    CAROL : The Indian. The Lone Ranger's friend.
    BERNIE : I know who Tonto is.
    CAROL : It was my secret. I was sure you were Tonto.
    I asked you once.
    You remember?
    BERNIE : No.
    CAROL : You said, “No, of course not.”
    I was very upset. I didn't know why you were lying to me.
    BERNIE : I'm sorry.
    CAROL : I was about four.
    I never told anyone.
    I thought that it was our secret. (Pause.)
    You wanted me to keep our secret. (Pause.)
    BERNIE : Thank you.
    CAROL : Bernie . . .
    BERNIE : What?
    CAROL : Bernie, you're wasted in the restaurant. Do you know that?
    BERNIE : I like it at the restaurant.
    I love it at the restaurant.
    It's where I work. Leslie works there.
    What do you mean?
    CAROL : I mean . . .
    BERNIE : I mean who do you think you're talking to?
    This is not Tonto the Indian but Butch Cary, ex-drunk.
    The only two worthwhile things I ever did in my life were work for the Phone Company and fire a machine gun, and I can't do either of them anymore, not that I feel sorry for myself, but I'm just telling you.
    I mean I am what I am and that's what happiness comes from . . . being just that. Don't you agree? . . . I mean you must remember that your mother was a very different sort of person from me. As is, I'm sure, the guy she married. And the way you're brought up, though all very well and good . . . is not basically my life, as fine as it may be and I hope it brings you a lot of happiness.
    I mean, you haven't even been to the restaurant, for chrissakes. . . .
    It's very clean and . . .
    CAROL : No, I'm sure it's . . . I only meant . . .
    BERNIE : I know what you meant.
    I know what you're talking about.
    But lookit, my life needn't be your life in any sense of the word, you know?
    I like it like I am, and if you find that the people you . . . go with, your friends and so on . . .
    CAROL : Don't be silly, Bernie.
    BERNIE : I'm not being silly.
    CAROL : Yes, you are, and that's the last I want to say about it.
    BERNIE : Okay, but . . .
    CAROL : So for chrissakes, knock it off, okay?
    Scene VII
    BERNIE : I gotta admit it. I knew you were coming over.
    I was scared.
    CAROL : Yes, me too.
    BERNIE : There's nothing wrong in that.
    CAROL : No.
    BERNIE : After all, what were we going to expect . . .
    Red Sails in the Sunset? . . .
    What do you do now? I mean . . .
    CAROL : I work for Gerry. At the Office.
    BERNIE : You're a secretary?
    CAROL : I'm just kind of . . . everything.
    BERNIE : It sounds great.
    CAROL : It actually has a lot of responsibility.
    BERNIE : As long as you like it, right?
    CAROL (Pause) : Right.
    BERNIE : So quit. . . .
    Anyway, it's not the end of the world.
    CAROL : No. (Pause.) No. (Pause.) We're not . . . sleeping together much anymore.
    BERNIE : Oh.
    CAROL : And that's only part of it.
    BERNIE : What's the rest of it?
    (Pause.)
    Come on, let me tell you something. You know what my advice to you is?
    “Don't let it get you down.”
    CAROL : He's not such a great lover, anyway.
    BERNIE : He seems like a nice enough guy.
    CAROL : He's a lousy fuck.
    BERNIE : That doesn't mean he isn't a nice guy, Carol.
    CAROL : What do you know about it?
    BERNIE : Speaking as your father and as a guy with quite an experience of the world . . .
    CAROL : . . . whatever . . .
    BERNIE : . . . not a hell of a lot. But I'll tell you,