The Anarchist Read Free

don’t know. I just feel tired.’”
    CATHY : Many people feel that. It’s an aspect of age. It has a name.
    ANN (Reads) : “All things have a name. Or they would not exist in our consciousness. If they exist without a name, then we must name them. At whatever cost.” Who wrote that?
    CATHY : Yes. I wrote it.
    ANN : What does it mean?
    CATHY : Youth is foolish. Youth can and must be controlled. I’ve said that.
    ANN : For good or ill.
    CATHY : As most things.
    ANN : And “Youth Unfettered . . .”
    CATHY : Yes, all right.
    ANN : Finish it. “Youth Unfettered . . .”
    CATHY : I do not deny. I’ve never denied. That I said or that I did those things. Never. You . As much as I. Have perhaps done things. In your life. Which you regret.
    ANN : What have I done?
    CATHY : I don’t know. You know. Your actions could not have been as bad as mine. I would not think. I don’t know what they were.
    ANN : You say mine could not have been as bad as yours.
    CATHY : Many have, aggrandized this or that minor act, disloyalty, desertion, and thought these fantasies were . . .
    ANN : . . . fantasies . . .
    CATHY : Unforgivable. And scourged themselves. Like the nun
    with sexual thoughts. But fantasy is not sin.
    ANN : . . . you . . .
    CATHY : But I have actually sinned. And have been punished for it.
    ANN : And does that cleanse you?
    CATHY : The punishment? No.
    ANN : What could cleanse you?
    CATHY : Nothing but Christ.
    (The phone rings.)
    ANN (Into the phone) : Yes? No, I know they’re here. (Pause) No. I’ll tell you.
    (She hangs up. Pause.)
    CATHY : I’m sorry. That I am taking up so much of your time. And I thank you for your time.
    ANN : You’re quite welcome. (Pause) You said that Christ would cleanse you.
    CATHY : Christ has cleansed me.
    ANN : How?
    CATHY : Truly?
    ANN : Yes. How?
    CATHY : Through His Blood, which means, through repentance.
    ANN : With respect. How would one credit it?
    CATHY : I did not ask you to credit it.
    ANN : For, again with respect, one often hears the story . . .
    CATHY : Yes, I understand . . .
    ANN : Repeated here . . .
    CATHY : I don’t ask you to credit it.
    ANN : But you brought it up.
    CATHY : In answer to your question.
    ANN : You wrote that you adore your Savior.
    CATHY : You’d be within your right to doubt it.
    ANN : Would I?
    CATHY : As you say, it’s a common ruse.
    ANN : But I might credit it because of your book?
    CATHY : You might.
    ANN : What would impede me?
    CATHY : If the book were written to impress. Or to delude. Or . . .
    ANN : . . . yes?
    CATHY : Or you might credit it because of my behavior. Because of my acts while here.
    ANN : What if they were done to impress?
    CATHY : What if the actions of Saints were done to impress? We don’t know their motives. Or from delusion. The Prophets were demonstrably mad.
    ANN : They were Mad?
    CATHY : They’d seen God .
    ANN : Have you seen God?
    CATHY : I would like to see my father.
    ANN : Have you seen God?
    CATHY : Your question is if I am mad? . . . Because I found some understanding.
    ANN : All right that . . .?
    CATHY : That however much we suffer. We could not suffer as completely as He.
    ANN : As Jesus.
    CATHY : Yes.
    ANN : And is that “Finding God”?
    CATHY : I don’t know if it’s finding God. But I know it’s the meaning of The Christ. (Pause) I would like to see my father.
    ANN : I know. He’s unwell.
    Cathy : He’s dying.
    ANN : Yes. It’s been in the press.
    CATHY : I would like to talk to him.
    ANN : What would Mrs. Anderson say?
    CATHY : Is that important?
    ANN : What would she say?
    CATHY : Is she here?
    ANN : Of course.
    CATHY : How is she?
    ANN : What would she say to your request?
    CATHY : We know what she’d say.
    ANN : And is she incorrect?
    (Pause.)
    You say that you’d like to see your father.
    CATHY : Yes.
    ANN : After all this time.
    CATHY : I’d like to talk with him.
    ANN : About what?
    CATHY