The Characters Lewy MaGnara, thirty, the oldest sister Cmicx Bortz, twenty-nine, the sister’s first cousin Doc Porter, thirty, Meg’s old boyfriend Meo MaGaars, twenty-seven, the middle sister Base Bornes, twenty-four, the youngest sister Banwerre Luoxp, twenty-six, Babe's lawyer The Setting ‘The setting of the entire play is the kitchen in the rath sisters’ house in Hazlehurst, ippi, a small Southern town. The old- fashioned kitchen is unusually spacious, but there is a lived-in, cluttered look about it. ‘There are four different entrances and exits to ieee the back door, the door leading to dining room and the front of the house, a Gaelic i aarmacceeiuesteaa stairease leading to the upstairs room. There is has been set up in one of the corners. The Time In the fall, five years after Hurricane Camille.The Characters Lexx MaGnarz, thirty, the oldest sister Casox Bazes, tenty nine, tha siar's Best eometa Doc Portes, thirty, Meg’s old boyfriend ‘Mo MaGnara, twenty-seven, the middle sister Bane Borge, twenty-four, the youngest sister Banwerre Lrovp, twenty-six, Babe's lawyer The Setting ‘The setting of the entire play is the kitchen ‘in the MaGrath sisters’ house in Hazlehurst, ‘Mississippi, a small Southern town. The ala. fashioned kitchen is unusually spacious, there is a lived-in, cluttered look ‘shout i ‘There are four different entrances and exits to Pea the back door, the door leading to dining room and the front of the house, a Geniate nied nieinenana staircase to the upstairs room. There is a table near the center of the room, and a cot has been set up in one of the corners. ‘The Time In the fall, five years after Hurricane Camille.4 y \ ‘The lights go up on the emply kitchen. It ia late afternoon. Lenny MaGrath, a thirty-year-old woman with o round figure and face, enters from the back door carrying a white ‘suitcase, @ saxophone case, and a brown paper sack. She sets the suitcase and the eax case down and takes the brown sack to the kitchen table. After glancing quickly at the door, she gets the cookie jar from the kitchen counter, a boz of matches from the stove, and then brings both objects back to the itchen table. Eacitedly, she reaches into the brown sack and pulls out © package of birthday candles. She quickly ‘opens the package and removes a candle, She tries to stick the candle onto a cookie—it falls off. She sticks the candle in again, but the cookie is too hard and it crumbles. Franti- cally, she gets a second cookie from the jar. She strikes a match, lights the candle, and begins dripping waz onto the cookie. Just as she is beginning to smile we hear Chick's ‘voice from offrtage. Curox's Vorce: Lenny! Oh, Lenny! Leany quickly blows out the candle and stuffs the cookie and candle into her dress 8ORIMES OF THE HEART ‘pocket. Chick, twenty-nine, enters from the back door. She ia © brightly dressed matron with yellow hair and shiny red lips. Onrcx: Hil I sew your car pull up. Lewxy: Hi. Cac: Well, did you see today’s papert Lenny nods. Cxicx: It’s just too awfull It’s just way too awful! How T'm gonna continue holding my head up high in this community, I do not know. Did you remember to pick up those pantyhose for me? Lanny: They're in the sack. Cmicx: Well, thank goodness, at least I'm not gonna have to go into town wearing holes in my stockings. Ske gets the package, tears it open, and proceeds to take off one pair of stockings and put on another throughout the following scene. There should be something slightly grotesque about this woman changing her stockings in the kitchen. Lawwy: Did Uncle Watson call? ‘Onrcx: Yes, Daddy has called me twice already. He said Babe's ready to come home. We've got to get right over ‘and pick her up before they change their simple minds. Lanny, hesitantly: Oh, I know, of course, it's just— Carcx: What? ACT ONE ‘Laxwx: Well, I was hoping Meg would call. Ontex: Megt Lawsr: Yes, I sont her a telegram: about Babe, and— Ouzex: A telegram!! Couldn’t you just phone her up? Lawxx: Well, no, ‘cause her phone’: out of order. Cuuox: Out of order? Lanny: Disconnected. I don't know what. Curcx: Well, that sounds like Meg. My, these are snug. Are you sure you bought my right size? Lewxr, looking at the box: Size extra-petite. Cuicx: Well, they’re skimping on the nylon material. ‘Struggling to pull up the stockings: That’s all there is to it. ‘Skimping on the nylon. She finishes one leg and starts the oe Now, just what all did you say in this “telegram” Lenny: I don't recall exactly. I, well, I just told her to ‘come on home. Cucx: To come on home! Why, Lenora Josephine, have you lost your only brain, or what? Lunar, nervously, as she begins to pick up the mess of dirly stockings and plastic wrappings: But Babe wants Meg home. She asked me to call her.1 li i 4 RIMES OF THE HEART ‘Onrox: I’m not talking about what Babe wants. Lame: Well, what thent ‘Ontox: Listen, Lenora, I think it’s pretty accurate to ‘assume that after this morning’s paper, Babe's gonna be ineurring some mighty negative publicity around this town, And Meg’s appearance isn’t gonna help out a bit. Lexwr: What’s wrong with Meg? (Oxicx: She had a loose reputation in high school. Lzxwy, weakly: She was popular. Onrcx: She was known all over Copiah County as cheap Christmas trash, and that was the least of it. There was that whole sordid affair with Doc Porter, leaving him a cripple. ‘Lewy: A cripple—he’s got a limp. Just kind of, barely a limp. Curox: Well, his mother was going to keep me out of the Ladies’ Social League because of it. ‘Lawwy: What? Curcx: That’s right. I never told you, but I had to go plead with that mean old woman and convinced her that I was just as appalled with what Meg had done as she was, and that I was only a first cousin anyway and I ‘could hardly be blamed for all the skeletons in the Ma- Graths’ closet. It was humiliating. I tell you, she even brought up your mother’s death. And that poor eat. ACT ONE Laws: Oh! Oh! Ob, please, Chick! I’m sorry. But you're in the Ladies’ League now. Onto: Yes. That’s true, I am. But frankly, if Mrs. Por- ter hedn’t developed that tumor in her bladder, I wouldn’t be in the club today, much less a committes head. As she brushes her hair: Anyway, you be a sweet potato and wait right here for Meg to eall, so’s you can convince her not to come back home. It would make things a whole lot easier on everybody. Don’t you think it really would? Lewwr: Probably. Cutox: Good, then suit yourself. How's my hair? Lexx: Fine. Curcx: Not pooching out in the back, is it? Lawn: No. Cuicx, cleaning the hair from her brush: All right then, I'm on my way. I've got Annie May over there keeping an eye on Peckay and Buck Jr., but I don’t trust her with them for long periods of time. Dropping the ball of hair onto the floor: Hor mind is like a loose sieve. Hon- estly it is. As she puts the brush back into her purse: Oht Ob! Oh! I almost forgot. Here’s a present for you. Happy birthday to Lenny, from the Buck Boyles! She takes « wrapped package from her bag and hands it to Lenny. Lawn: Why, thank you, Chick. It’s so nice to have you Temember my birthday every year like you do.wi! | ORIMES OF THE HEART Onrox, modestly: Oh, well, now, that’s just the way Iam, T suppose. That's just the way I was brought up to be. ‘Well, why don’t you go on and open up the present? Lewwe: All right. She slarts to unwrap the gift. Cucx: It’s a box of candy—assorted crémes. Lenny: Candy—that’s always a nice gift. CnrcK: And you have a sweet tooth, don't you? ‘Lanny: I guess. Curce: Well, I'm glad you like it. Law: I do. ‘Cxicx: Ob, speaking of which, remember that little polk- a-dot dress you got Peekay for her fifth birthday last month? Lanny: The red-and-white onet ‘Onrcx: Yes; well, the first time I put it in the washing machine, I mean the very first time, it fell all to pieces. Those little polka dots just dropped right off in water. Lenny, crushed: Oh, no. Well, I'll get something else for her, then—a little toy. Curcx: Oh, no, no, no, no, no! We wouldn’t hear of itt I just wanted to let you know so you wouldn't go and waste any more of your hard-earned money on that Noo eee ee ee ee eee mmm 8 AOT ONE make of dress. Those inexpensive brands just don’t hold up. I’m sorry, but not in these modern washing ma- Doo Porren’s Voice: Hello! Hello, Lenny! Onrcx, taking over: Oh, look, it’s Doe Porter! Come on in Doe! Please come right on int Doe Porter enters through the back door. He is carrying a large sack of pecans. Doc is an attractively worn man with a alight limp that adds rather than detracts from his quiet se~ duction quality. eis thirty gare ol, but eppeor slightly older. Cxrox: Well, how are you doing? How in the world are you doing? Doo: Just fine, Chick. Omicx: And how are you liking it now that you're back in Hazlehurst? Doo: Oh, I’m finding it somewhat enjoyable. Onrcx: Somewhat! Only somewhat! Will you listen to him! What a silly, silly, silly man! Well, I'm on my way. T've got some people waiting on me. Whispering to Doc: It’s Babe. I’m on my way to pick her up. Doo: Oh. Cuicx: Well, goodbye! Farewell and goodbyet ‘Law: "Bye.} CRIMES OF THE HEART hick exits. ‘Doc: Hello. Lewxy: Hi. I guess you heard about the thing with Babe. Doo: Yeah. Lanny: It was in the newspaper. Doo: Uh huh. ‘Lewnr: What a mess. Doo: Yeah. ‘Lenwr: Well, come on and sit down. I'll hest us up some coffve. Doc: That’s okay. I can only stay a minute. I have to pick up Scott; he’s at the dentist. Lexwr: Ob; well, I'll heat some up for myself. I’m kinda thirsty for a cup of hot coffe. She puis the coffespot om the burner. Doo: Lenny— ‘Lanny: What? ‘Doo, not able to go on: Ah... Lenny: Yes? AOT ONE ‘Doo: Here, some pecans for you. He hands her the sack. Lexxy: Why, thank you, Doo. I love pecans. ae ea ence ined ee aD ee Lanz: Well, I can use them to make a pie. A pecan pie. Doc: Yeah. Look, Lenny, I've got some bad news for you. Lewwx: What? Doo: Well, you know, you've been keeping Billy Boy out on our farm; he’s been grazing out there. ‘Leywy: Yes— ‘Doc: Well, last night, Billy Boy died. Leswr: He died? Doc: Yeah. I’m sorry to tell you when you've got all this on you, but I thought you’d want to know. Lenny: Well, yeah. I do. He died? Doc: Uh buh. He was struck by lightning, Lannr: Struck by lightning? In thet storm yesterday? ‘Doc That's what we think. 10CRIMES OF THE HEART ‘Laxwy: Gosh, struck by lightning. I've had Billy Boy so long. You know. Ever since I was ten years old. Doo: Yeah. He was a mighty old horse. Lumnr, stung: Mighty old. Doo: Almost twenty years old. Lexy: That’s right, twenty years. ’Cause; ah, I’m thirty years old today. Did you know that? Doo: No, Lenny, I didn’t know. Happy birthday. Lawwr: Thanks. She begins to cry. Doc: Oh, come on now, Lenny. Come on. Hey, hey, now. ‘You know I ean’t stand it when you MaGrath women start to ery. You know it just gets me. Lexwy: Oh ho! Sure! You mean when Meg eries! Meg's ‘the one you could never stand to watch ery! Not met I could fill up a pig’s trough! Doc: Now, Lenny . . . stop it. Come on. Jesust Lanny: Okay! Okay! I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I don’t mean to make a scene. I’ve been on this ery- ing jag. She blows her nose. All this stuff with Babe, and Old Granddaddy’s gotten worse in the hospital, and I can't get in touch with Meg. Doo: You tried calling Meggy? Lewwr: Yes. ACT ONE Doe: Is she coming home? Lzxwy: Who knows. She hasn’t called Ys what Tm waiting here for—hoping she'l eall. oe Doo: She still living in California’ ‘Lamy: Yes; in Hollywood. Doct Well, give me a call € she gots in. I'd like to see Lax: Oh, you would, huh? ‘Doc: Yeah, Lenny, sad to say, but I would. Lanne: It is sad. It’s vory sad indeed. They stare ot each other, then look away. There is « moment of tense silence. bit Doo: Hey, Jell-O Face, your coftee’s boiling. Lewwr, going to check: Oh, it is? Thanks. Aj the pot: Look, you'd hale gs ana pck Boeiprtl don’t want him to have to wait for you. Doo: Yeah, you're right. Poor kid. I's his fst tine at ‘Lamy: Poor thing. ‘Doc: Perens bye. I’m sorry to have to tell you about your 3ORIMES OF THE HEART Lzwwr: Oh, I know. Tell Joan thanks for picking up the pecans. ‘Doo: I will. He starts to leave. Lenny: Ob, how's the baby? Doo: She's fine. Real pretty. She, ah, holds your finger in her hand; like this. Laxwr: Oh, that’s cute. Doo: Yeah. "Bye, Lenny. ‘Lensr: "Bye. Doe exits. Lenny stares after him for a moment, then goes ‘and sits back down at the kitchen table. She reaches into her ‘pocket and pulls out a somewhat crumbled cookie and a waz candle. She lights the candle again, lets the waz drip onto the cookie, then sticks the candle om top of the cookie. She begins to sing the “Happy Birthday” song to herself. At the ‘end of the song she pauses, silently makes a wish, and blows ‘out the candle. She waits o moment, then relights the can- dle, and repeats her actions, only this time making a diferent wish at the end of the song. She starts to repeat the proce- dure for the third time, ax the phone rings. She goes to an- swer it, Lewny: Hello . . . Oh, hello, Lucille, how's et see Ob, not... Oh, I’m so sorry. Of course, it must be gru- eling for you . . . Yes, I understand. Your only brother . «+ No, she’s not here yet. Chick just went to pick her up... Ob, now, Lueille, she’s still his wife, I’m sure she’ll be interested . . . Well, you can just tell me the ACT ONE information and I'l relate it all to her. . . Uh hum, his liver's saved. Oh, that’s good news! . .. Well, of course, when you look at it like that. . . Breathing stabilized + Damage to the spinal column, not yet determined «++ Okay... Yes, Lucille, I’ve got it all down... Uh hub, I'l give her that message. "Bye, ’bye. Lenny drops the pencil and paper. She sighs deeply, wipes ‘her checks with the back of her hand, and goes to the stove to pour herself a cup of cofee. Ajter a few moments, the front door is heard slamming. Lenny staris. A whistle is heard, then Meg's voice. ‘Mao’s Voice: I'm home! She whistles the family whistle. Anybody home? ‘Lenny: Meg? Meg! Meg, twenty-seven, enters from the dining room. She has sod, magic eyes and wears a hat. She carries a worn-out suitcase. ‘MEa, dropping her suitcase, running to hug Lenny: Lenny— ‘Lanwy: Well, Meg! Why, Meg! Oh, Megey! Why didn’t you callf Did you ‘ly int You didn’t take a cab, did you? ‘Why didn’t you give us a callt ‘Mra, overlapping: Oh, Lenny! Why, Lenny! Dear Lenny! Then she looks at Lenny’s foce. My God, we're getting so old! Oh, I called, for heaven’s sake. Of course, I called! Lanwy: Well, I never talked to you— ‘Mea: Well, I know! I let the phone ring right off the hook! ua 18ORIMES OF THE HEART ‘Lanny: Well, as a matter of fact, I was out most of the morning seeing to Babe— ‘Meo: Now, just what's alll this business about Babet How could you send me such a telegram about Babet ‘And Zackery! You say somebody's shot Zackery? Laxxy: Yes, they have. Mra: Well, good Lord! Is he dead? Lewy: No. But he’s in the hospital. He was shot in his stomach. ‘Meo: In his stomach! How awful! Do they know who shot him? Lenny nods. Well, whot Who was itt Who? Who? Laxwy: Babe! They're all saying Babe shot him! They took her to jail! And they’re saying she shot him! ‘They're all saying it! It’s horrible! It’s awfull Meo, overlapping: Jail! Good Tord, jail! Well, who? ‘Who's saying it? Who? ‘Lenny: Everyone! The policemen, the sheriff, Zackery, ‘even Babe’s saying it! Even Babe herself! ‘Mea: Well, for God’s sake. For God’s sake. Lawsr, overlopping as she falls apart: It’s horrible! It’s horrible! It’s just horrible! Mra: Now calm down, Lenny. Just calm down. Would you like a Coke? Here, I'll get you some Coke. She gets ACT ONE Coke from the refrigerator. She opens it and downs « large swig. Why? Why would she shoot him? Why! She hands the Coke bottle to Lenny. Lewwr: I talked to her this morning and I asked her that very question. I said, “Babe, why would you shoot Zackery? He was your own husband. Why would you shoot him?” And do you know what she said? Meg shakes her head. She said, “Cause I didn’t like his looks. I just didn’t like his looks.” ‘Mao, after a pause: Well, I don’t like his looks. ‘Lamy: But you didn’t shoot him! You wouldn't shoot a person "cause you didn’t like their looks! You wouldn’t do that! Oh, I hate to say this—I do hate to say this— but I believe Babe is ill. I mean in-her-head ill. Mao: Oh, now, Lenny, don’t you say that! There’re plenty of good sane reasons to shoot another person, and Em sure tet Babe had one. Now, what we've got to do is ge best lawyer in town. Do you have any ideas on who's the est Inwyor ia town rs Lanny: Well, Zackery is, of course; but he’s been shot! ‘Meo: Well, count him out! Just count him and his whole firm out! Lexwy: Anyway, you don’t have to worry, she’s already got her lawyer. Meo: She does? Who? 16 7CRIMES OF THE HEART Lenwy: Well, as a matter of fact, I was out most of the morning seeing to Babe— ‘Meo: Now, just what’s all this business about Babet How could you send me such a telegram about Babet ‘And Zackery! You say somebody's shot Zackery? ‘Lasw: Yes, they have. ‘Mao: Well, good Lordl Is he dead? Laxxy: No. But he’s in the hospital. He was shot in his stomach. ‘Meo: In his stomach! How awful! Do they know who shot him? Lenny nods. Well, whot Who was it? Whot Whot Lanny: Babel They're all saying Babe shot him! They took her to jail! And they’re saying she shot him! ‘They're all saying it! It’s horrible! It’s awfult Mzo, overlapping: Jail! Good Lord, jail! Well, whot ‘Who's saying it? Who? ‘Lexwy: Everyone! The policemen, the sheriff, Zackery, ‘even Babe's saying it! Even Babe herself! ‘Mea: Well, for God’s sake. For God’s sake. Lanny, overlapping as she falls apart: It’s horrible! It’s horrible! It’s just horrible! ‘Meo: Now calm down, Lenny. Just calm down. ‘Would you like a Coke? Here, I'll get you some Coke. She gets a Pm NW rl RL a Sh 16 ACT ONE Coke from the refrigerator. She opens it and downs a large swig. Why? Why would she shoot him? Why? She hands the Coke bottle to Lenn. ‘Lamwr: I talked to her this morning and I asked ber that very question. I said, “Babe, why would you shoot Zockery# He was your own husband. Why would you ate you know what she said? Meg shakes iid, “ ’Cause I didn’t like his looks. I didn’t like his looks.” oe ‘Mua, after « pause: Well, I don’t like his looks. Lanny: But you didn’t shoot him! You wouldn’t shoot a person ’eause you didn’t like their looks! You wouldn’t do that! Oh, I hate to say this—I do hate to say this— but I believe Babe is ill. I mean in-her-head ill. Meo: Oh, now, Lenny, don't you say that! There’re plenty of good sane reasons to shoot another person, and T’'m sure that Babe had one, Now, what we've got to do is get her the best lawyer in town. Do you have any ideas on who's the best lawyer in town? Laxwy: Well, Zackery is, of course; but he’s been shot! ‘Meo: Well, count him out! Just count him and his whole firm out! Lenny: Anyway, you don’t have to worry, she’s already got her lawyer. ‘Mea: She does? Whot wORIMES OF THE HEART Lexwr: Barnette Lloyd. Annie Lloyd’s boy. He just opened his office here in town. And Uncle Watson said we'd be doing Annie a favor by hiring him up. Mea: Doing Annie a favor? Doing Annie a favor! Well, ‘what about Babe? Have you thought about Babe? Do we want to do her a favor of thirty or forty years in jail? Have you thought about that? ‘Lanny: Now, don't snap at me! Just don’t snap at me! T try to do what's right! All this responsibility keeps fall- ing on my shoulders, and I try to do what's right! Mza: Well, boo hoo, hoo, hoo! And how in the hell eould. you send me such a telegram about Babe! Lexwy: Well, if you had phone, or if you didn’t live ‘ray out there in Hollywood and not even eome home for Christmas, maybe I wouldn't have to pay all that money to send you a telegram! Meo, overlapping: BABE'S IN TERRIBLE TROUBLE—STOPI ZACKERY’S BEEN SHOT—STOP! COME HOME IMMEDIATELY — ror! stor! stop! ‘Laws: And what was that you said about how old we're getting! When you looked at my face, you said, “My God, we're getting so old!” But you didn’t mean we— you meant met Didn't yout I'm thirty years old today ‘and my face is getting all pinched up and my hair is falling out in the comb. Mao: Why, Leng! It’s your birthday, October 23. How could I forget. Happy birthday! pi a See 18 AQT ONE Lawns: Well, it’s not. I'm thirty years old and Billy Boy died last night. He Bey died Mat night Haron struc by Nghtaing: 24 we ‘Meo, reaching for a cigarette: Struck dead. Ob, what an What @ nn Ae yo rly ri The Tm seven sabe is twenty-four. 1 a is twenty-four. My God, we're ‘They are silent for several moments as Meg drage is ibis eee artsse kor Coe iad NG ‘Meo: What’s the cot doing in the kitchen? Lexnr: Well, I rolled it out when Old Granddad t ak Bo eculd be clow and hoax him at night 1 ho needed something. ‘Meo, glancing toward the door leading to the downstairs bed- room: Is Old Granddaddy here? Lenny: Why, no. Old Granddaddy’s at the hospital. ‘Meo: Again? Lenny: Meg! Meza: What? Lexwz: I wrote you all about it. He’s been in the hospi- {alone Uses nut Gee VNS aes ‘Mes: He has?CRIMES OF THE HEART Lexwy: Don't you remember? I wrote you about all those blood vessels popping in his brain? Mra: Popping— ‘Lewny: And how he was so anxious to hear from you and to find out about your singing eareer. I wrote it all to you. How they have to feed him through those tubes now. Didn’t you get my letters? ‘Meo: Oh, I don’t know, Lenny. I guess I did. To tell you the truth, sometimes I kinda don’t read your letters. ‘Len: What? ‘Mzo: I’m sorry. I used to read them. It’s just, since Christmas reading them gives me these slicing pains right here in my chest. ‘Lanny: I see. I see. Is that why you didn’t use that money Old Granddaddy sent you to come home Christ- ‘mas; because you hate us so much? We never did all that much to make you hate us. We didn’t! ‘Meo: Oh, Lenny! Do you think I’d be getting slicing pains in my chest if I didn’t care about yout If I hated yout Honestly, now, do you think I would? Lanwe: No. Mo: Okay, then. Let’s drop it. I’m sorry I didn’t read your letters. Okay? Laxwy: Okay. ACT ONE ‘Meo: Anyway, we've got this whole thing with Babe to deal with. The first thing is to get her a good lawyer and get her out of jail. ‘Laxwr: Well, she’s out of jail. ‘Mea: She is? Lamwr: That young lawyer, he’s gotten her out. ‘Mzo: Oh, he has? Lamwr: Yes, on bail. Uncle Watson's put it up. Chick's bringing her back right now—she's driving her home, ‘Mea: Oh; well, that’s a relief. Lawwr: Yes, and they’re due home any minute now; so we can just wait right here for ‘em. Mra: Well, good. That’s good. As she leans against the counter: So, Babe shot Zackery Botrelle, the richest and most powerful man in all of Hazlehurst, slap in the gut. It's hard to believe. Lanny: It certainly is. Little Babe—shooting off a gun. ‘Mra: Little Babe. ‘Lam: She was always the prettiest and most perfect of the three of us. Old Granddaddy used to call her his Dancing Sugar Plum. Why, remember how proud and happy he was the day she married Zackery. ‘Maza: Yes, I remember. It was his finest hour.CRIMES OF THE HEART Lenny: He remarked how Babe was gonna skyrocket right to the heights of Hazlehurst society. And how Zackery was just the right man for her whether she knew it now or not. ‘Mzc: Oh, Lordy, Lordy. And what does Old Granddaddy say nowt Laxwx: Well, I haven't had the courage to tell him all about this as yet. I thought maybe tonight we could go to visit him at the hospital, and you could talk to him and... ‘Mae: Yeah; well, we'll see. We'll see. Do we have any- thing to drink around here—to the tune of straight bourbon? Lawn: No. There's no liquor. ‘Mao: Hell. She gets a Coke from the refrigerator and opens it Lewxr: Then you will go with me to see Old Grand- daddy at the hospital tonight? Mao: Of course. She goes to her purse and gets out « bottle of Brmpirin. She takes out a tablet and puts it on her tongue. Brother, I know he’s gonna go on about my singing ca- reer. Just like he always does. Lunar: Well, how is your career going? Mra: It’s not. AC? ONE Laxwr: Why, aren’t you still singing at that club down on Malibu beach? Mzo: No. Not sinee Christmas, Lexwr: Well, then, are you singing someplace new? Mzo: No, I’m not singing. I’m not singing at all. Lexx: Oh. Well, what do you do thent Meo: What I do is I pay cold-storage bills for a dog-food company. That's what I do. Lenny, irying to be helpful: Gosh, don’t you think it'd be 4 good idea to stay in the show business field? ‘Meo: Oh, maybe. ‘Lenny: Like Old Granddaddy says, “With your talent, all you need is exposure. Then you can make your own breaks!” Did you hear his suggestion about getting your foot put in one of those blocks of cement they’ve got out there? He thinks that’s real important. Mzo: Yeah. I think I've heard that, And I'll probably hear it again when I go to visit him at the hospital to- night; so let's just drop it. Okay? She notices the sack of pecans. What's this? Pecans? Great, I love pecans! She takes out two pecans and tries to open them by cracking them together. Come on . . . Crack, you demons! Crack! ‘Lewy: We have a nuteracker!ORIMES OF THE HEART ‘Mea, trying with her teeth: Ah, where's the sport in a nuteracker? Where's the challenge? ‘Lanny, getting the nutcracker: It’s over here in the uten- sil drawer. As Lenny gets the nutcracker, Meg opens the pecan by step- ping on it with her shoe. ‘Meo: There! Open! She picks up the crumbled pecan and cals it, Mumm, delicious. Delicious. Where'd you get the fresh pecans? Lanwy: Oh . . . I don’t know. ‘Mea: They sure are tasty. Lanwr: Doe Porter brought them over. ‘Meo: Doe. What's Doe doing here in town? Lexwy: Well, his father died a couple of months ago. Now he’s back home seeing to his property. Meo: Gosh, the last I heard of Doe, he was up in the East painting the walls of houses to earn a living. ‘Amused: Heard he was living with some Yankee worra who made clay pots. ‘Lewrr: Joan. ‘Mro: What? ‘Lewny: Her name's Joan. She came down here with him. ‘That’s one of her pots. Doc’s married to her. AC? ONE ‘Meo: Married— ‘Lenny: Uh huh. Mza: Doe married Yankee? Laxwr: That's right; and they've got two kids. ‘Meo: Kids— ‘Lewwr: A boy and a girl. ‘Mzo: God. Then his kids must be half Yankee. Lanwy: I suppose. Mzo: God. That really gets me. I don’t know why, but somehow that really gets me. Lewy: I don’t know why it should. 7 And what a stupid-looking pot! Who'd buy it, any- Lamorr: WaitI think that's them, Yeah, that’s Chicks car! Ob, there's Babe! Hello, Babel They’re ho! They’re home. stoner gohrr Meg hides. Base’s Vorce: Lenny! I’m home! I’m free! Babe, twenty-four, enters exuberantly. She has an angelic face and fierce, volatile eyes. She carries a pink pocketbook.ORIMES OF THE HEART Base: I'm homet Meg jumps out of hiding. Base: Oh, Meg— Look, it’s Meg! Running to hug her: ‘Mog! When did you get home? Meo: Just now! Base: Well, it’s so good to see you! I’m so glad you're home! I’m so relieved. Chick enters. ‘Mro: Why, Chick; hello. Cxrox: Hello, Cousin Margaret. What brings you back to Hazlehurst? ‘Mao: Oh, I came on home . . . Turning to Babe: I came on ‘home to see about Babe. Base, running to hug Meg: Oh, Meg— Muze: How are things with you, Babet ‘Onicx: Well, they are dismal, if you want my opinion. She is refusing to cooperate with her lawyer, that nice- looking young Lloyd boy. She won't tell any of us why she committed this heinous crime, except to say that she ditin’t like Zackery’s looks— Base: Oh, look, Lenny brought my suitease from home! ‘And my saxophone! Thank you! She runs over to the cot and gets out her sazophone. perce 26 ACT ONE Onrcx: Now, that young lawyer is coming over here this afternoon, and when he gets here he expeets to get some concrete answers! That’s what he expects! No more of this nonsense and stubbornness from you, Rebecea Ma- Grath, or they'll put you in jail and throw away the key! Bass, overlapping to Meg: Meg, come look at my new sax- ophone. I went to Jackson and bought it used. Feel it. It’s 50 heavy. ‘Mzo, overlapping Ohick: It’s beautiful. The room goes silent. Curox: Isn’t that right, won't they throw away the key? Lanwr: Well, honestly, I don’t know about that— Onrox: They will! And leave you there to rot. So, Rebecea, what are you going to tell Mr. Lloyd about shooting Zackery when he gets here? What are your rea- sons going to be? Base, glaring: That I didn’t like his looks! I just didn’t like his stinking looks! And I don’t like yours much, ei- ther, Chick the Stick! So just leave me alone! I mean itt ‘Leave me alone! Oooh! She exits up the stairs. There is a long moment of silence. Curcx: Well, I was only trying to warn her that she’s going to have to help herself. It’s just that she doesn’t understand how serious the situation is. Does she? She doesn't have the vaguest idea. Does she, now? arORIMES OF THE HEART ‘Lenwr: Well, it’s true, she does seem a little confused. Ourcx: And that’s putting it mildly, Lenny honey. ‘That's putting it mighty mild. So, Margaret, how's your singing career going? We keep looking for your picture in the movie magazines. Meg moves to light a cigarette. Cxtox: You know, you shouldn’t smoke. It causes ean- cer. Cancer of the lungs. They say each cigarette is just a little stick of cancer. A little death stick. ‘Mzo: That’s what I like about it, Chick—taking a drag off of death. She takes a long, deep drag. Mmm! Gives me ‘@ sense of controlling my own destiny. What power! ‘What exhilaration! Want a drag? Lanwr, trying to break the tension: Ah, Zackery’s liver’s been saved! His sister called up and said his liver was saved. Isn’t that good newst Meo: Well, yes, that’s fine news. Mighty fine news. Why, T've been told that the liver’s a powerful important bod- ily organ. I believe it’s used to absorb all of our excess bile. Lewwr: Yes—well—it’s been saved. ‘The phone rings. Lenny gets it. ‘Meo: So! Did you hear all that good news about the liver, Little Chicken? ACT ONE Ontcx: I heard it. And don’t you call me Chicken! Meg clucks like @ chicken. I've told you a hundred times if T've told you once not to call me Chicken. You cannot call me Chicken. ‘Lewwr: ... Oh, no! . . . Of course, we'll be right over! "Bye! She hangs up the phone. That was Annie May— Peckay and Buck Jr. have eaten paint! Onrox: Oh, not Are they all right? They're not sick? ‘They're not sick, are they? Lexwr: I don’t know. I don’t know. Come on. We've got to run on next door. Onrcx, overlapping: Oh, God! Oh, please! Please let them be all right! Don’t let them die! Please, don't let them diet Ohick runs off howling, with Lenny following after. Meg sits alone, finishing her cigarette. After moment, Babe's voice is heard. Base’s Vorwe: Pst—Past! Meg looks around. Babe comes tiptocing down the stairs. Base: Has she gone? Mo: She's gone. Peckay and Buck Jr. just ate their paints. Base: What idiots.CRIMES OF THE HEART ‘Meo: Yeah. ‘Base: You know, Chick’s hated us ever since we had to move here from Vicksburg to live with Old Grandmama and Old Granddaddy. ‘Meo: She's an idiot. Base: Yeah. Do you know what she told .ne this morn- ing while I was still behind bars and couldn't get away? ‘Meo: What? Base: She told me how embarrassing it was for her all those years ago, you know, when Mama— Mzo: Yeah, down in the cellar. Basz: She said our mama had shamed the entire family, ‘and we were known notoriously all through Hazlehurst. ‘About to ory: Then she went on to say how I would now be getting just as much bad publicity, and humiliating her and the family all over again. Myo: Ah, forget it, Babe. Just forget it. Bast: I told her, “Mama got national coverage! Na- tional!” And if Zackery wasn't a senator from Copiah County, I probably wouldn’t even be getting statewide. Mao: Of course you wouldn’t. Base, after # pause: Gosh, sometimes I wonder . . - ‘Mzo: What? 30 ACT ONE ‘Bane: Why she did it. Why Mama hung herself. ‘Mzo: I don’t know. She had a bad day. A real bad day. ‘You know how it feels on a real bad day. Bane: And that old yellow cat. It was sad about that old cat. ‘Mac: Yeah. Bane: I bet if Daddy hadn't of left us, they'd still be alive. Meo: Oh, I don’t know. Bane: ‘Cause it was after he left that she started spend- ing whole days just sitting there and smoking on the back porch steps. She'd sling her ashes down onto the different bugs and ants that'd be passing by. Mao: Yeah. Well, I'm glad he left. Bane: That old yellow cat’d stay back there with her. I thought if she felt something for anyone it woulda been that old cat. Guess I musta been mistaken. ‘Meo: God, he was a bastard. Really, with his white teeth. Daddy was such a bastard. ‘Base: Was het I don’t remember. Meg blows out a mouthful of smoke. Base, after a moment, uneasily: I think I’m gonna make some lemonade. You want some?ORIMES OF THE HEART Meo: Sure. Babe cuts lemons, dumpe sugar, stirs ize cubes, ete., through= out the following exchange. ‘Maze: Babe. Why won't you talk? Why won’t you tell anyone about shooting Zackery? Base: Qooh— Mra: Why not? You must have had a good reason. Didn't yout Bass: I guess I did. Meo: Well, what was it? Base: I... I can't say. Mea: Why not! Pause. Babe, why not? You can tell me. Base: ‘Cause .. . I’m sort of . . . protecting someone. Meo: Protecting someone? Oh, Babe, then you really didn’t shoot him! I knew you couldn't have done it! I knew it! Bave No, I shot him. I shot him all right. I meant to kill him. T was aiming for his heart, but I guess my hands were shaking and I—just got him in the stomach. ‘Mzo, collapring: T see. Basr, stirring the lemonade: So I'm guilty. And I'm just gonna have to take my punishment and go on to jail. ACT ONE Mea: Oh, Babe— Bane: Don’t worry, Meg, jail’s gonna be a relief to me. I can learn to play my new saxophone. I won’t have to live with Zackery anymore. And I won't have his snoopy old sister, Lucille, coming over and pushing me around. Jail will be a relief. Here’s your lemonade, ‘Meo: Thanks. Baws: It taste okay? Maza: Perfect. Basz: I like a lot of sugar in mine. I'm gonna add some more sugar, Babe gots to add more sugar to her lemonade x Lenny bursts through the back door in a state of excitement ont confusion. Lanovr: Well it looks like the paint is primarily on their arms and faces, but Chick wants me to drive them all over to Dr. Winn’s just to make sure. She grabs her car ‘keys from the counter, and as she does 40, the notices the mess of lemons and sugar. Oh, now, Babe, try not to make & mess here; and be careful with this sharp knife. Hon. sstly, all that sugar’s gonna get you sick. Well, bye, “bye. I'll be back as soon as I ean, ‘Mzo: "Bye, Lenny. Base: "Bye. Lenny exits.ORIMES OF THE HEART Base: Boy, I don’t know what’s happening to Lenny. ‘Mra: What do you meant Base: “Don’t make 2 mess; don't make yourself sisk; don't cut yourself with that sharp knife.” Sho’s turning into Old Grandmama. Meo: You think sot Base: More and more. Do you know she’s taken to wear- ing Old Grandmama’s torn sunhat and her green garden gloves? Mso: Those oh Lime green onest Base: Yeah; she works out in the garden wearing the lime-green gloves of a deed woman. Imagine wearing those gloves on your hands. Mzo: Poor Lenny. She needs some love in her life. All sho does is work out at that brick yard and take care of Old Granddaddy. Base: Yeah. But she’s so shy with men. ‘Mazo, biting into an apple: Probably because of that shrunken ovary she has. Base, slinging ice cubes: Yeah, that deformed ovary. Mzo: Old Granddaddy’s the one who's made her feel self-conscious about it. It's his fault. The old fool. Bust: It’s so sad. ACT ONE Mra: God—you know what? Base: What? ‘Meo: I bet Lenny’s never even slept with a man. Just think, thirty years old and never even had it once. Base, slyly: Oh, I don't know. Maybe she’s . . . had it once. ‘Mra: She hast Base: Maybe. I think so. Meo: Whent When? Base: Well . . . maybe I shouldn't say— Meo: Babe! Base, ropidly telling the story: All right, then. It was after Old Granddaddy went back to the hospital this see- ond time. Lenny was really in a state of deep depression, I could tell that she was. Then one day she calls me up and asks me to come over and to bring along my Polar oid camera. Well, when I arrive she’s waiting for me out there in the sun parlor wearing her powder-blue Sunday dress and this old curled-up wig. She confided that she was gonna try sending in her picture to one of those lonely-hearts clubs. ‘Meo: Ob, my God. Base: Lonely Hearts of the South. She'd seen their ad in a magazine. 35CRIMES OF THE HEART ‘Meza: Jesus. Base: Anyway, I take some snapshots and she sends them on in to the club, and about two weeks later she receives in the mail this whole load of pictures of availa~ ble men, most of ‘em fairly odd-looking. But of course she doesn’t call any of ’em up ‘cause she’s real shy. But one of ’em, this Charlie Hill from Memphis, Tennessee, he calls her. ‘Mzo: He does? Base: Yeah. And time goes on and she says he’s real funny on the phone, so they decide to get together to meet. Mo: Yeah? Base: Well, he drives down here to Hazlehurst "bout three or four different times and has supper with her; then one weekend she goes up to Memphis to visit him, and I think that is where it happened. ‘Mro: What makes you think sot Base: Well, when I went to pick her up from the bus depot, she ran off the bus and threw her arms around me and started erying and sobbing as though she'd like to never stop. I asked her, I said, “Lenny, what's the mat- ter?” And she said, “I've done it, Babe! Honey, I have done it!” Muo, whispering: And you think she meant that she'd done it? AO? ONE Base, whispering back, slyly: I think so. ‘Maa: Well, goddamn! They laugh. Base: But she didn’t say anything else about it. She just went on to tell me about the boot factory where Charlie worked and what a nice city Memphis was. Mzo: So, what happened to this Charlie? Base: Well, he came to Hazlehurst just one more time. Lenny took him over to meet Old Granddaddy at the hospital, and after that they broke it off. Mra: "Cause of Old Granddaddy? Bast: Well, she said it was on account of her missing ovary. That Charlie didn't want to marry her on account of it. Meo: Ah, how mean. How hateful. Base: Oh, it was. He seemed like such a nice man, too— kinda chubby, with red hair and freckles, always telling these funny jokes. Meo: Hmmm, that just doesn’t seem right. Something about that doesn’t seem exactly right. She paces about the kitchen and comes acroes the boa of candy Lenny got for her birthday. Oh, God. “Happy birthday to Lenny, from the Buck Boyles.” Bass: Ob, no! Today's Lenny’s birthday! 36 37ORIMES OF THE HEART Mro: That's right. Base: I forgot all about it! ‘Meo: I know. I did, too. ‘Base: Gosh, we'll have to order up a big cake for her. Pee ee hneto mele ine ies cate Meth Meo: Yeah, let's got her a big cake! A huge one! Sud- denly noticing the plastic wrapper on the candy boz: Oh, God, that Chick’s so cheap! Base: What do you mean? ‘Meo: This plastic has poinsettias on it! Base, running to see: Ob, let me see—She looks at the package with disgust. Boy, ch, boy! I'm calling that bak- ery and ordering the very largest size cake they have! That jumbo deluxe! ‘Mes: Good! Base: Why, I imagine they can make one up to be about —this big. She demonstrates. Mzo: Oh, at least; at least that big. Why, maybe it’lL even be this big. She makes a very, very, very large-size cake. Base: You think it could be that bigt ‘Mec: Sure! AOT ONE Bass, after a moment, getting the idea: Or, or what if it were this big? She maps out o cake that covers the room. ‘What if we got the cake and it’s this big? She gulps down @ fitful of coke. Gulp! Gulp! Gulp! Tasty treat! Mec: Hmmm—T’ll have me some more! Give me some more of that birthday cakel Suddenly there is a loud knock at the door. Baawerre’s Vorce: Hello . . . Hello! May I come in? Bass, to Meg, in a whisper, as she takes cover: Who's that Maza: I don't know. Banwerm’s Vorcz: He ts still knocking. Hello! Hello, ‘Mrs. Botrellet Baz: Oh, shoot! It’s that lawyer. I don't want to see him. Meo: Oh, Babe, come on. You've got to see him some- time. Base: No, I don't! She starts up the stairs. Just tell him I died. I’m going upstairs. Mra: Oh, Babel Will you come back here! Base, as she eaits: You talk to him, please, Meg. Please! T just don’t want to see him— Mea: Babe—Babel Oh, shit... Ah, come on in! Door’s open!CRIMES OF THE HEART Barnette Lloyd, toenty-siz, enters carrying a briefoase. He is @ slender, intelligent young man with an almost fanatical in- tensity that he subdues by sheer will. Bannerte: How do you do. I’m Barnette Lloyd. ‘Meo: Pleased to meet you. I'm Meg MaGrath, Babe’s older sister. Banwerre: Yes, I know. You're the singer. ‘Meo: Well, yes... Banwerte: I came to hear you five different times when you were singing at that club in Biloxi. Greeny’s I be- lieve was the name of it. ‘Meo: Yes, Groony’e. Banwerve: You were very good. There was something sad and moving about how you sang those songs. It was like you had some sort of vision. Some special sort of vision. ‘Meo: Well, thank you. You’re very kind. Now . . . about Babe's case— Banwerre: Yes? ‘Maa: We've just got to win it. Baawerre: I intend to. Mea: Of course. But, ah... She looks at him. Ah, you know, you're very young. ACT ONE Banxerre: Yes. I am. I’m young. ‘Mao: It’s just, I’m eoneerned, Mr. Lloyd— Banwerre: Barnette. Please. ‘Mro: Barnette; that, ah, just maybe we need someone ‘with, well, with more experience. Someone totally famil- iar with all the ins and outs and the this and thats of the ‘Jogal dealings and such. As that. Banwerrs: Ah, you have reservations. ‘Mra, relieved: Reservations. Yes, I have . . . reserva- tions. Banwarre: Well, possibly it would help you to know that T graduated first in my class from Ole Miss Law School. I also spent three different summers taking advanced ‘courses in criminal law at Harvard Law School. I made A’s in all the given courses. I was fascinated! ‘Mzo: I’m sure. Banwerre: And even now, I’ve just completed one year working with Jackson’s top criminal law firm, Manches- tor and Wayne. I was invaluable to them. Indispensable. ‘They offered to double my percentage if I’d stay on; but I refused. I wanted to return to Hazlehurst and open my own office. The reason being, and this is a key point, that I have a personal vendetta to settle with one Zack- ery B. Botrelle. ‘Mao: A personal vendettata CRIMES OF THE HEART Banwerre: Yes, ma’am. You are correct. Indeed, I do. Mac: Hmmm. A personal vendetta . . . I think I like that. So you have some sort of @ personal vendetta to settle with Zackery? Banwerre: Precisely. Just between the two of us, I not only intend to keep that sorry s.o.b. from ever being re- elected to the state senate by exposing his shady, erimi- nal dealings; but I also intend to decimate his personal credibility by exposing him as a bully, a brute, and a red-neck thug! ‘Mrs: We can see that you're—fanatical about this. Banwerre: Yes, I am. I’m sorry if I seem outspoken. But for some reason I feel I can talk to you . . . those songs you sang. Excuse me; I feel like a jackass. ‘Meo: It’s all right. Relax. Relax, Barnette. Let me think this out a minute. She takes out a cigarette. He lights it for her. Now just exactly how do you intend to get Babe offt ‘You know, keep her out of jail. Banwerre: It seems to me that we can get her off with plea of self-defense, or possibly we could go with inno- cent by reason of temporary insanity. But basically I intend to prove that Zackery Botrelle brutalized and tormented this poor woman to such an extent that she had no recourse but to defend herself in the only way she knew how! . ‘Mo: I like that! AO? ONE Banwerte: Then, of course, I'm hoping this will break the ice and we'll be able to go on to prove that the man’s 4 total criminal, as well as an abusive bully and con- temptible slobl Meo: That sounds good! To me that sounds very good! Banyertz: It’s just our basic game plan. Meo: But now, how are you going to prove all this about Babe being brutalized? We don't want anyone perjured. T mean to commit perjury. Banwerte: Perjury? According to my sources, the’ll be no need for perjury. Meo: You mean it’s the truth? Baswerte: This is a small town, Miss MaGrath. The word gets out. ‘Meo: It’s really the truth? Bannerte, opening his briefcase: Just look at this. It’s a photostatie copy of Mrs. Botrelle’s medical chart over the past four years. Take a good look at it, if you want your blood to boil! Mea, looking over the chart: What! What! This is mad- dening. This is madness! Did he do this to her? I'll kill him; I will— I'll fry his blood! Did he do this? Bannerre, alarmed: To tell you the truth, I can’t say for certain what was accidental and what was not. That'sORIMES OF THE HEART why I need to talk with Mrs. Botrelle. That's why it’s very important that I see her! Mra, her eyes are wild, as she shoves him toward the door: ‘Well, look, I've got to see her first. I've got to talk to her first. What I'l do is I'll give you a call. Maybe you can ‘come back over later on— Banverre: Well, then, here's my card— ‘Meo: Okay. Goodbye. Banwenre: "Bye! ‘Mra: Oh, wait! Wait! There’s one problem with you. Banwerre: What? ‘Meo: What if you get so fanatically obsessed with this ‘vendetta thing that you forget about Babet You forget about her and sell her down the river just to get at Zack- ery. What about that? Baswerre: I—wouldn’t do that. Meo: You wouldn't? Banwerte: No. ‘Mra: Why not? Banwerre: Because I’m—I'm fond of her. ‘Meo: What do you mean you're fond of her? ACT ONE Banwerrz: Well, she she sold me @ pound cake at a bazaar once, And I’m fond of her. ‘Mao: All right; I believe you. Goodbye. Barware: Goodbye. He eaits. Mua: Babe! Babe, come down here! Babet Babe comes hurrying down the stairs. Bane: What? What is it? I called about the cake— ‘Mra: What did Zackery do to you? Bane: They can’t have it for today. ‘Mao: Did he hurt you? Did he? Did he do that? Bane: Oh, Meg, please— Mazo: Did he? Goddamnit, Babe— Base: Yes, he did. ‘Mao: Why? Why? Base: I don't know! He started hating me, ‘cause I couldn't laugh at his jokes. I just started finding it im- possible to laugh at his jokes the way I used to. And then the sound of his voice got to where it tired me out ‘awful bad to hear it. I'd fall asleep just listening to him at the dinner table. Ho’d say, “Hand me some of that vy!” Or, “This roast beef is too damn bloody.” And suddenly I’d be out cold like a light.CRIMES OF THE HEART ‘Muro: Oh, Babe. Babe, this is very important. I want you to sit down here and tell me what all happened right be- fore you shot Zackery. That's right, just sit down and tell me. Bass, after a pause: I told you, I can’t tell you on ac- count of I’m protecting someone. Mes: But, Babe, you've just got to talk to someone about all this. You just do. Bane: Oh. Well, I do feel like I want to talk to someone. Ido. ‘Mzo: Then talk to me; plesse. Bane, making a decision: All right. After thinking @ min- ‘ute: I don't know where to start. Mao: Just start at the beginning. Just there at the be- ginning. Base, after ¢ moment: Well, do you remember Willie ‘Tay? Meg shakes her head. Cora’s youngest boy? ‘Meo: Oh, yeah, that little kid we used to pay a nickel to, to rundown tothe drugstore and bring us backa cherry Coke. Bass: Right. Well, Cora irons at my place on Wednes- days now, and she just happened to mention that Willie ACT ONE Tay’d picked up this old stray dog and that he'd gotten real fond of him. But now they couldn’t afford to feed him anymore. So she was gonna have to tell Willie Jay to set him loose in the woods. ‘Muo, trying to be patient: Uh huh. Bane: Well, I said I liked dogs, and if he wanted to bring the dog over here, I’d take care of him. You see, I ‘was alone by myself most of the time ‘cause the senate ‘was in session and Zackery was up in Jackson. ‘Maza: Uh huh. She reaches for Lenny’s box of birthday candy. She takes little nibbles out of each piece throughout the rest of the scene. Base: So the next day, Willia Jay brings over this skinny old dog with these little crossed eyes. Well, I asked Willie Jay what his name was, and he said they called him Dog. Well, I liked the name, so I thought I’ keep it. Mao, getting up: Uh buh. I'm listening. I'm just gonna get me a glass of cold water. Do you want onet Bape: Okay. ‘Mra: So you kept the name—Dog. Bape: Yeah. Anyway, when Willie Jay was leaving he gave Dog a hug and said, “Goodbye, Dog. You're a fine ole dog.” Well, I felt something for him, so I told Willie Jay he could come back and visit with Dog any time he wanted, and his face just kinds lit right up. “ a7(CRIMES OF THE HEART Mra, offering the candy: Candy— : No, thanks. Anyhow, time goes on and Willie Jay ewer ‘over and over. And we talk about Dog and how fat he’s getting, and then, well, you know, things start up. Mra: No, I don’t know. What things start up? Bass: Well, things start up. Like sex. Like that. ‘Mra: Babe, wait a minute—Willie Jay’s a boy. A small boy, about this tall. He's about this tall! : Not Oh, no! He’s taller now! He's fifteen now. Whos you knew him he was only about seven or eight. ‘Mea: But even so—fifteen. And he’s a black boy; & col- cored boy; a Negro. E . Why do you 38, flustered: Well, I realize that, Meg. Why Sear fm ao worried about his getting public exposure? I don’t want to ruin his reputation! Meo: I’m amazed, Babs. I’m really completely amazed. T didn’t even know you were a liberal. Well, I'm not! P'm not a liberal! I'm a demo- ee awe: just baraly! ‘I was so lonely. And he was fond. Ob, he was 80, 89 good. I'd never had it that good. ‘We'd always go out into the garage and— ; , ee Meo: It’s okay. I've got the picture; I’ve got the picture! Now, let’s just get back to the story. To yesterday, when you shot Zackery. ACT ONE Bass: All right, then. Let’s seo . . . Willie Jay was over. ‘And it was after we'd— ‘Maro: Yeah! Yeah. Bass: And we were just standing around on the back porch playing with Dog. Well, suddenly Zackery comes from around the side of the house. And he startled me “cause he’s supposed to be away at the office, and there he is coming from round the side of the house. Anyway, he says to Willie Jay, “Hey, boy, what are you doing back heret” And I say, “He’s not doing anything. You just go on home, Willie Jay! You just run right on home.” Well, before he can move, Zackery comes up and Knocks him once right across the face and then shoves ‘him down the poreh steps, causing him to skin up his Ibow real bad on that hard concrete. Then he says, “Don’t you ever come around here again, or Ill have them cut out your gizzard!” Well, Willie Jay starts ory- ‘ing—these tears come streaming down his face—then he gets up real quick and runs away, with Dog following off after him. After that, I don’t remember much too clearly; let’s see . . . I went on into the living room, and I went right up to the davenport and opened the drawer ‘where we keep the burglar gun . . . I took it out. Then I —I brought it up to my ear. That's right. I put it right inside my ear. Why, I was gonna shoot off my own head! ‘That’s what I was gonna do. Then I heard the back door and suddenly, for some reason, I thought about Mama ... how she’d hung herself. And here I was about ready to shoot myself. Then I realized—that’s right, I realized how I didn’t want to kill myself! And she—she probably didn’t want to kill herself. She wanted to kill him, and I wanted to kill him, too. I ‘wanted to kill Zackery, not myself. *Cause I—I wanted 48 oORIMES OF THE HEART to livel So I waited for him to come on into the living room, Then I held out the gun, and I pulled the trigger, timing for his heart but getting him in the stomach. “After « powse: It’s funny that I really did that. Mao: It’s a good thing that you did. It's # damn good thing that you did. Base: It was. Mzo: Please, Babe, talk to Barnette Lloyd. Just tall to ‘him and see if he can help. Base: But how about Willie Jay? Mea, starting toward the phone: Ob, he'll be all right. You just talk to that lawyer like you did to me. Looking at the cmber on the card, ake begins dialing. See, ‘cause he’s gonna be on your side. Bane: Not Stop, Meg, stop! Don’t call him upt Please on’t call him upt You can’t! It’s too awful. She runs ‘coer and jerka the bottom half of the phone away from Meg. ‘Mg stands, holding the receiver. ‘Mao: Babel Babe slams her half of the phone into the refrigerator. Base: I just can’t tell some stranger all about my per- ‘sonal life. I just can’t. Meo: Well, hell, Babe; you're the one who said you wanted to live. AO? ONE Bane: That's right. I did. She takes the ph . I did. jone out of the refrigerator and hands it to Meg. Harv io ole port ot the phone. She moves to sit at the kitchen table. Meg takes the phone back to the cownter. Bass, As she fishes igus ee ele cel eee oe osc Meo: What? Bast: I called the bakery. They're > bakery. gonna have Lenny’s cake ready first thing tomorrow morning. Tha’ est they can get it. fs tos oe Mazo: All right. Bast: I told them to write on it, Happy Birthdoy, =A Day Late, That sound okay? aech Lay ‘Mra, at the phone: It sounds nice. Bast: I ordered up the very largest size cake they ha T told them chocolate cake with white i they Dare ES resr rh lea a ‘Mao, dialing the phone: Yeah, bese pl , I’m sure she will. She'll Base: I’m hoping. CURTAINThe lights go up on the kitchen. It is evening of the same day. Meg's suitcase has been moved upstairs. Babe's sazo- Phone hes deen taken out of the case and put together. Babe ond Barnette are sitting at the kitchen table. Barnette ia ‘writing and rechecking notes with explosive intensity. Babe, who has changed into a casual shift, sits eating « bowl of catmeal, slowly. "Banware, fo himself Mmm huht Yes! I ate, Ise! Well ‘we-can work on that! And of course, this is mere eonjeo. ture! DifScult, if not impossible, to prove. Hat Yes. Yes, indeed. Indeed — Base: Sure you don’t want any oatmeal? Banwermz: What? Ob, no, No, thank you. Let's see; ab, where were wet Base: I just shot Zackory. SRR ee aL ER LMR IEC AN 85ORIMES OF THE HEART just pulled the trigger. Base: Tell me, do you think Willie Jay can stay out of all thist Bannerte, looking at his notes: Right. orrect. You've Baawerre: Believe me, it is in our interest to keep him as far out of this as possible. ‘Base: Good. Banwerre, throughout the following, Barnette stays glued to Babe's every word: All right, you've just shot one Zack- ‘ery Botrelle, as a result of his continual physical and mental abuse—what happens now? Bawe: Well, after I shot him, I put the gun down on the Piano bench, and then I went out into the kitchen and made up a pitcher of lemonade. Banwerrs: Lemonade? Base: Yes, I was dying of thirst. My mouth was just as dry as a bone. Barwerre: So in order to quench this raging thirst that was choking you dry and preventing any possibility of you uttering intelligible sounds or phrases, you went out to the kitchen and made up a pitcher of lemonade? Base: Right. I made it just the way I like it, with lots of sugar and lots of lemon—about ten Jemons in all. Then I added two trays of ice and stirred it up with my wooden stirring spoon. pT Se Ng 6 Aor Two Banwerrz: Then what? Banwertz: Could be. ‘Basz: Then what I did was . I wiped with the back of my hand, like this" She comenstrter Banverre: Hmmm. Bane: I did it to clear : Seat bad ited et nan beaclct ata Banwerre: I see. Base: Then I called out to Zackery. oa “ TPve mado some lemonade. Can you tse ¢ eitat”™ Banwerre: Did he answert Did you hear an answer? Bane: No. He didn’t answer. Banwerre: So what'd you dot Base: I poured him. him a glass anyway and took it out to Banxzrze: You took it out to the living roomt Base: I did. And there he i re he was, lying on the rug. looking up at me trying to speak words, Iselg “What? Ee a7CRIMES OF THE HEART . .. Lemonade? . . . You don’t want itt Would you like a Coke instead?” Then I got the idea—he was telling me to call on the phone for medieal help. So I got on the phone and called up the hospital. I gave my name and address, ‘and I told them my husband was shot and he was lying ‘on the rug and there was plenty of blood. She pauses a minute, os Bornetle works frantically on his notes. I guess that’s gonna look kinda bed. Banxerrs: What? ‘Base: Me fixing that lemonade before I called the hospi- tal. Banwerre: Well, not . . . necessarily. Base: I tell you, I think the reason I made up the lem- ‘nade, I mesn besides the fact that my mouth was bone ry, was that I was afraid to call the authorities. I was afraid. I—I really think I was afraid they would see ‘that I had tried to shoot Zackery, in fact, that I had shot him, and they would accuse me of possible murder and send me away to jail. Bazwerre: Well, that’s understandable. Base: I think so. I mean, in fact, that’s what did hap- pen. That's what is happening—'cause here I am just about ready to go right off to the Parchment Prison Farm. Yes, here I am just practically on the brink of utter doom. Why, I feel so all alone. Bagnerte: Now, now, look— Why, there’s no reason for you to get yourself so all upset and worried. Please don’t. Please. ACT TWO ‘They look at cack other for a moment. Banwerrs: You just keep filling in as much detailed i formation as you ean about those incidents on the medi. cal reports. That’s all you need to think about. Don’t you worry, Mrs. Botrelle, we're going to have a solid defense. Base: Please don’t call me Mrs. Botrelle. Baswerze: All right. Base: My name's Becky. : Baba lag alates Bete fh ae Banwermm: All right, Becky.) Barnette and Babe stare ot each other for a long moment. Bass: Are you sure you didn’t go to Hazlehurst Hight Banwerre: No, I went away to a boarding school. Base: Gosh, you sure do look familiar. You sure do. Banwerre: Well, I—I doubt you'll meet you you'll remember, but I did Base: You did? When? ‘Banwerrs: At the Christmas bazaar, ‘You acd balling ealise ast Giehiee tas ole Bans: Oh, yes! You bought the orange pound cakel Banwerre: Right.CRIMES OF THE HEART Base: Of course, and then we talked for a while. We talked about the Christmas angel. Banserre: You do remember. Bane: I remember it very well. You were even thinner then than you are now. Bazwerre: Well, I’m surprised. I’m certainly . . . sur- prised. ‘The phone rings. Base, as ahe goes to answer the phone: This is quite 6 co- incidence! Don’t you think it is? Why, it's almost a fluke. She answers the phone Hello . . . Oh, hello, Lucille sorry . . - Please don’t seream =. You want what? . . . No, I can’t come up there now ° | Well, for one thing, I don’t even have the car. Lenny ‘and Meg are up at the hospital right now, visiting with Old Granddaddy . .”. What? . . . Oh, really? . . - Ob, really? . .. Well, I right now, and he’s building me up # solid defense! . « - ‘Wait just a minute, I'll see. Zo Barnette: He wants to talk to you. He says he’s got some blackening evidence that’s gonna conviet me of attempting to murder him in the first degree! Banwerre, disgustedly: Ob, bluff He's bluffing! Here, hand me the phone. He fakes the phone and becomes sud- Mie pee Aor TWO denly cool and suave. Hello, this is Mr. Barnette . . Loy Speaking, Dim Mrs. aby Bosky's attorney "+ Wey, certainly, Mr. Botrelle, I’d be more than glad to check out any pertinent information that you may have . Fine, then I'l be rij we be right on over. Goodbye. He hangs up Base: What did he say? Bunwerre: He wants me to come see him anvErrs: at the hos this ‘evening. Saye he's got acme sort of eriieene Sounds highly suspect to me. Bast: Oooh! Didn't you just hate his voieet Doosn’ Bi u just hate his voice? Doesn't he are the most awful voit T junthato—T can't boar to Bamwenre: Well, now—now, wait, Wait just a minute. Base: Whatt Banwerme: I have a solution. From handle allcommusieationabxtween you two. Yon at sn ietnekwaliarer yt ane Base: All right—I will. Il do that. Baxerre, starting to pack his briefoase: We 0 : Well, I'd better ant ovr taro and sce just what be got p hs lores y Bast, after a pause: Barnette. Banwerre: Yoo?he ORIMES OF THE HEART Base: What's the personal vendetta about? You know, the one you have to settle with Zackery- Banwerre: Oh, it's—it’s complicated. It’s a very compli- cated matter. Base: I see. Banwerre: The major thing he did was to ruin my fa- ther’s life. He took away his job, his home, his health, ‘his respectability. I don’t like to talk about it. Base: I'm sorry. I just wanted to say—I hope you win it. I hope you win your vendetta. Barwerte: Thank you. Buse: I think it's an important thing that @ person could win a lifelong vendetta. Banwerre: Yes. Well, I'd better be going. Base: All right. Let me know what happens. Baswerme: I will. I'll get back to you right away. Bass: Thanks. Banwzrrs: Goodbye, Becky. Base: Goodbye, Barnette... Barnette exits. Babe looks around the room for a moment, then goes over to her white suitcase and opens it up. She Acr TWO takes out her pink hair curlers and a brush. She begis brushing her hair, by Bape: , Becky. rae ee jecky. Goodbye, Barnette. Goodbye, Lenny enters. She is fuming. Bate is rolling her hai Mampi unt fe slighs saat? ne Base: Lenny, hit Leswr: Hi, Bass: Where’s Meg? Lawn: Oh, she had to go by the store and pi things up. I don't know what. Dick soc Basz: Well, how’s Old Granddaddy? Lanny, as she picks up Babe's bowl of oatmeal: He’: Foust Norse banister ea Base: Lenny, what’s wrong? What’s the matter? Lewy: It’s Meg! I could just wring her neck! I could just wring it! Base: Why? Wha’d she do? Laxwy: She lied! She sat in that hospital room and shamelessly lied to Old Granddaddy. She telling ram chee sic coe eaeORIMES OF THE HEART Base: Well, what? What did she say? ‘Laws: Well, for one thing, she said she was gonna have ‘an RCA record coming out with her picture on the ‘cover, eating pineapples under a palm tree. Base: Well, gosh, Lenny, maybe she is! Don’t you think she really ist ‘Laws: Babe, she sat here this very afternoon and told me how all that she’s done this whole year is work as a clerk for a dog-food company. Base: Oh, shoot. I'm disappointed. ‘Lunn: And then she goes on to say that she'll be ap- pearing on the Johnny Carson show in two weeks’ time. ‘Two weeks’ time! Why, Old Granddaddy’s got a TV set right in his room. Imagine what a letdown it’s gonna be. Base: Why, merey me. Lanwr, slamming the coffeepot on: Oh, and she told him the reason she didn’t use the money he sent her to come home Christmas was that she was right in the middle of making a huge multimillion-dollar motion picture and ‘was just under too much pressure. Bane: My word! Lenny: The movie's coming out this spring. It’s called, Singing in a Shoe Factory. But she only has a small lead- ing role—not a large leading role. Base, laughing: For heaven's sake— ACT TWO ‘Lawwr: I'm sizaling. Oh, I just can’t help itt I’m siz- ‘Basz: Sometimes Meg does such strange things. Lenny, slowly, as she pic - conde Who te thn anya © PONE 08 of birth Bass, hesitantly: Mog. Lumwx: My one birthday present, and look what it dont Why, sis ‘soa one little bite out of coal pall just put it int Ooh! That is just like hert beaitiee Base: Lenny, please— Lar: I can’t help it! It gets me mad! It gets me upset! ‘Why, Mog’s always run wild—sho started smoking and Gtinking when she was fourteen years old; she never = good grades—never made her own bed! But some- ‘she always seemed to get what she wanted. She’s the Pn te, Sot singing and dancing lessons, and a store- ught dress to wear to her senior prom. Why, do you bells on her petticoats, while we were only allowed oar thes spice! Why Why should Ol Grentiama T sew twelve golden jingle bells and us only ‘i dingle on her petticoats Base, who has heard all this before: I don't know! she didn't jingle them aa muck” Ot nem! Maybe Lanny: I can’t help itt It gets me madi I resent it. I do.CRIMES OF THE HEART ‘Bane: Oh, don’t resent Meg. Things have been hard for ‘Meg. After all, she was the one who found Mama. ‘Lawn: Oh, I know; she’s the one who found Mama. But that’s always been the excuse. Base: But I tell you, Lenny, after it happened, Meg ‘started doing all sorts of these strange things. Lawny: She did? Like what? Base: Like things I never even wanted to tell you about. Lexy: What sort of things? Bast: Well, for instance, back when we used to go over to the library, Meg would spend all her time reading and through this old black book called Diseases of the ‘Skin, It was fall of the most sickening pictures you've ever seen. Things like rotting-away noses and eyeballs drooping off down the sides of people's faces, and seabs ‘and sores and eaten-away places all over all parts of peo- ple’s bodies. Lenny, trying to pour her coffee: Babe, please! That's enough. Bane: Anyway, she'd spend hours and hours just fore- ing herself te took through this book. Why, it was the same way she'd force herself to look at the poster of crippled children stuck up in the window at Dixieland Drugs. You know, that one where they want you to give ‘a dime. Meg would stand there and stare at their eyes and lock at the braces on their little crippled-up legs— then she'd purposely go and spend her dime on a double- ACT TWO he: ‘scoop ice cream cone and eat it all down. She'd say to me, ‘See, I can stand it. I ean stand it. Just look how ‘I’m gonna be able to stand it.” ‘Lanny: That’s awful. Base: She said she was afraid of being a weak person. I guess ’cause she cried in bed every night for such a long time. Lanny: Goodness merey. After o pause: Well, I suppose you'd have to be a pretty hard person to be able to do ‘what she did to Doe Porter. Base, exasperated: Ob, shoot! It wasn’t Meg’s fault that hurricane wiped Biloxi away. I never understood why people were blaming all that on Meg—just because that roof fell in and crunched Doe’s leg. It wasn’t her fault. Lanny: Well, it was Meg who refused to evacuate. Jim Craig and some of Doc's other friends were all down there, and they kept trying to get everyone to evacuate. But Meg refused. She wanted to stay on because she thought a hurricane would be—oh, I don’t know—a lot of fun. Then everyone says she baited Doc into staying ‘there with her. She said she'd marry him if he'd stay. Base, taken aback by this new information: Well, he has a mind of his own. He could have gone. the high school gym, Meg just left. She just left him there to leave for California—cause of her career, she says. I think it was a shameful thing to do. It took al- orCRIMES OF THE HEART for his leg to heal, and after that he gave up Sagiesbdial sree elsogeta ‘He said he was tired of hospitals. It’s such a sad thing. Everyone a he was gonna be a doctor. We've called him Doc years. y to Base: I don’t know. I guess I don’t have any room talk; ‘cause I just don’t know. Pause. Gosh, you look so tired. Lznny: I feel tired. Base: They say women need a lot of iron . . . so they ‘won't feel tired. Lawwy: What's got iron in it? Livert Bape: Yeah, liver’s got it. And vitamin pills. Me Sy nn so sigs ad spe, She wearing black boots, a dark dress, and a hat. The room goes silent. ‘Meza: Hello. Base, fooling with her hair: Hi, Meg. Lenny quietly sips her coffee. ‘Mea, handing the newspaper to Babe: Here’s your paper. Base: Thanks. She opens it. Oh, here it is, right on the front page. ACT TWO Meg lights a cigarette. Base: Where’re the scissors, Lenny? Lewwy: Look in there in the ribbon drawer. Bane: Okay. She gets the scissors and glue out of the drawer and slowly begins cutting out the newspaper article. Meo, after a fow moments, filled only with the sniping of scissors: All right—I lied! I lied! I couldn't help it . . . these stories just came pouring out of my mouth! When I saw how tired and sick Old Granddaddy’d gotten— they just flew out! All I wanted was to see him smiling and happy. I just wasn’t going to sit there and look at him all miserable and sick and sad! I just wasn’t! Base: Oh, Meg, he is sick, isn't he— ‘Mao: Why, he’s gotten all white and milky—he’s almost evaporated! Lenny, gasping and turning to Meg: But still you shouldn’t have lied! It just was wrong for you to tell ‘such lies— ‘Ma: Well, I know that! Don't you think I know that? I hate myself when I lie for that old man. I do. I feel so weak. And then I have to go and do at least three or four things that I know he'd despise just to get even with that miserable, old, bossy man! Lewwr: Oh, Meg, please don’t talk so about Old Grand- daddy! It sounds so ungrateful. Why, he went out of his ‘way to make a home for us, to treat us like we were hisi ORIMES OF THE HEART ‘very own children. All he ever wanted was the best for us. That’s all he ever wanted. Mao: Well, I guess it was; but sometimes I wonder what we wanted. Base, taking the newspaper article ond glue over to her suit- case: Well, one thing I wanted was a team of white horses to ride Mama’s coffin to her grave. That's one thing I wanted. Lenny and Meg exchange looks. Base: Lenny, did you remember to pack my photo albamt Lawns: It’s down there at the bottom, under all that night stuff. Base: Ob, I found it. Luww1: Really, Babe, I don’t understand why you have to put in the articles that are about the unhappy things in your life. Why would you want to remember them? Base, posting the orticle in: I don’t know. I just like to keep an accurate record, I suppose. There. She begins flipping through the book. Look, here's « picture of me ‘when I got married. Mao: Let’s see. ‘They oll look at the photo album. Lexx: My word, you look about twelve years old. ACT TWO Bane: I was just eighteen. Mae: You’re smiling, Babe. Were you happy thent Bane, laughing: Well, I was drunk I remember that! on changagie rie They turn the page. Lewwr: Oh, there's Meg singing at Greeny’s! Base: Oooh, I wish you were still singi : earn etl ai inging at Greeny Lexnz: You're so beautiful! Basz: Yes, you are. You're beautiful. ‘Meza: Oh, stop! I’m not— Lewwy: Look, Mog’s starting to ery. Base: Oh, Meg— ‘Mea: I’m not— Base: Quick, better turn the page; we don’t cxyltig sOh Mipb ihe fagiesaesa hs beer Lewsx: Why, it’s Daddy. Meo: Where'd i - a Zou emt Cnt platurs, Babe) Tina Basz: Ab, I just found it around.(ORIMES OF THE HEART ‘Luwny: What does it say heret What’s that inseription? Base: It says “Jimmy—clowning at the ‘beach—1952.” Lenny: Well, will you look at that smile. Moo: Jesus, those white teeth—turn the page, will yous we can’t do any worse than thist ‘They turn the page. The room goes silent. it’s Mama and the eat. Ba ‘Lenny: Oh, turn the page— Bane: That old yellow cat. You know, I bet if she hadn't of hung that oid eat along with her, she wouldn't have gotten all that national coverage. Mes, ofter @ moment, hopelessly: Why are we talking about this? ayy: Mog’s right. Tt was so sad. Tt was awfully sad. T remember Tow we all three just sat up on that bed the Gay of the service all dressed up in our black velveteen suits erying the whole morning long. Bane: We used up one whole big box of Kleenoxes. Mo: And then Old Granddaddy came in and said he was fonna take us out to breakfast. Remember, he told vs wit to cry anymore ‘eause he was gonna take us out to get banana splits for breakfast. Bane: That's right—banana splits for breakfast! Act TWO ‘Mzo: Why, Lenny was fourteen years ‘thought that would make it all better— ene Bune: 01 i fone Tse seat! Be Dept shrine Mo: God, we were 60 sick! Laxwr: Oh, we were! Meo, loughing: Lemny’s face turned green— Lenn: I was just as sick as a dog! Base: Old Grandmama was furious! ‘Lawwr: Oh, she was! we X ; ar up in the flower Base: Oh, tha . neo xt was me! I threw up in the flowers! Oh, ‘Lenny, laughing: Oh, Babe— Base, hugging her sisters: Oh, Lenny! Oh, Meg! Mes: Oh, Babe! Oh, Lenny! It’s so good to be home! ‘Lanny: Hey, I have an idea—CRIMES OF THE HEART Bape: What? Lewwr: Let’s play cards!! Base: Ob, let’s do! ‘Mae: All right! it sit Lanne: Oh, good! It'll be just like when we used to ‘around the table playing hearts all night long. Base: I know! Getting up: I'll fix us up some popeorn and hot chocolate— Meo, getting up: Here, let me get out that old black pop- corn pot. : z think I have Lexx, getting up: Oh, yest Now, let's see, I fa deck of cards around here somewhere. Base: Gosh, I hope I remember all the rules— Are hearts good or bad ‘Mao: Bad, I think. Aren’t they, Lenny? Lewy: That's right. Hearts are bad, but the Black Sis- ter is the worst of all— Mzo: Oh, that’s right! And the Black Sister is the Queen of Spades. Base, figuring it out: And spades are the black cards that aren't the puppy dog feet? ACT TWO ‘Mea, thinking a moment: Right. And she counts a lot of points, Bass: And points are bad? Meo: Right. Here, I'll get some paper so we can keep score. ‘The phone rings. Lenny: Oh, here they are! ‘Meo: I'll get it— Lexy: Why, look at these cards! They're years old! Base: Oh, let me see! ‘Meo: Hello . . . No, this is Meg MaGrath . . . Doc. How are yout... Well, good .. . You're wheref ... Well, sure. Come on over . . . Sure I’m sure... Yeah, eome right on over . . . All right. "Bye. She hangs up. That was Doc Porter. He's down the street at Al’s Grill. He's gonna come on over. Lenny: He ist ‘Mao: He said ho wanted to come see me. Lewwr: Oh. After pause: Well, do you still want to play? ‘Maa: No, I don’t think so.CRIMES OF THE HEART Lanny: All right. She starts to shufle the cards, os Meg brushes her hair. You know, it’s really not much fun playing hearts with only two people. ‘Meo: I'm sorry; maybe after Doe leaves I'll join you. Lanny: I know; maybe Doc’ll want to play. Then we ean have a game of bridge. ‘Meo: I don’t think so. Doe never liked cards. Maybe ‘we'll just go out somewhere. Lexwy, putting down the cards. Babe picks them up: Meg— Meo: What? p Laxwr: Well, Doc’s married now. Meo: I know. You told me, Lanny: Oh. Well, as long as you know that. Pause. As long as you know that. ‘Mao, still primping: Yes, I know. She made the pot. Bane: How many cards do I deal out? Lanny, leaving the table: Excuse me. ‘Bass: All of ‘em, or what? ‘Lewy: Ah, Meg, could I—eould I ask you something? Babe proceeds to deal out all the cards. ACT TWO ‘Meo: What? ‘Lamwy: I just wanted to ask you— Meo: What? Unable to go on with what she really wants to say, Lensy runs and picks up the bor of candy. a Lenny: Well, just why did you take one little bite out of Sach Picco of candy in this box and then Just put it beck ‘Meo: Oh. Well, I was locking for the ones with nuts. Lenny: The ones with nuts. ‘Mro: Yeah. Lanny: But there are none with nuts. It’s a box of as- sorted erémes—all it has in it are crémes! ‘Maze: Oh. ‘Lawxr: Why couldn't you just read on the box? It says right here, Assorted Orimes, not nuts! Besides, this was a birthday present to me! My one and only birthday pre- sent; my only one! ‘Mao: I'm sorry. I'll get you another box. ‘Lenwr: I don’t want another box. That’s not the point! ‘Mazo: What is the point? me 7CRIMES OF THE HEART Lannr: I don’t know; it’s—it's— You have no respect for other people's property! You just take whatever you want. You just take it! Why, remember how you had layers and layers of jingle bells sewed onto your pet- ticoats while Babe and I only had three apiece?! ‘Meo: Oh, God! She’s starting up about those stupid jin- gle bellst Lenny: Well, it’s an example! A specific example of how you always got what you wanted! Mzo: Oh, come on, Lenny, you're just upset because Doe called. Laxwr: Who said anything about Doct Do you think T'm upset about Doc? Why, I've long since given up worrying about you and all your men. Meo, turning in anger: Look, I know I've had too many men. Believe me, I’ve had way too many men. But it’s not my fault you haven’t had any—or maybe just that ‘one from Memphis. ‘Lawn, stopping: What one from Memphis? ‘Me, slowly: The one Babe told me about. From the—club. Laxwr: Babel Bane: Megt Lanne: How could you! I asked you not to tell anyone! Y'm so ashamed! How could you? Who else have you told? Did you tell anyone else? Act TWO Ban, overlapping, lo Meg: Why'd you have to open big mouth? r ae ‘Maza, overlapping: How am I supposed to kno never said not to tell! Mane Babr: Can't you use your head just for once? To Leany: No, I never told anyone else. Somehow it just slipped out to Meg. Really, it just flew out of my mouth— ‘Lexwy: What do you two have—wings on your tongues? Base: I'm sorry, Lenny. Really sorry. Lenny: I'll just never, never, never be able to trust you again— Mao, furiously coming to Babe's defense: Oh, for heaven's sake, Lenny, we were just worried about you! We ‘wanted to find a way to make you happy! ‘Lanwr: Happy! Happy! I'll never be happy! Mazo: Well, not it you keep li lite Granddnddy's keep living your life as Old Bast: Meg, shut up! ‘Mea: I can't help it! I just know that the reason rou. . A ts stopped seeing this man fro i sto s 7m Memphis was because of Lewxy: What— Babe didn’t tell you the rest of the story— etCRIMES OF THE HEART ‘Meo: Oh, she said it was something about your shrunken ovary. Base: Meg! Lexwy: Babel Basz: I just mentioned it! ‘Meo: But I don’t believe a word of that story! Leww1: Ob, I don’t care what you believel It’s so easy for you—you always have men falling in love with yout But I have this underdeveloped ovary and I can’t have children and my hair is falling out in the comb—so what man can love met What man’s gonna love met ‘Meo: A lot of men! Base: Yeah, a lot! A whole lott ‘Meo: Old Granddaddy’s the only one who seems to think otherwise. Lexwy: ’Cause he doesn't want to see me hurt! He ‘doesn’t want to see me rejected and ‘humiliated. ‘Maza: Ob, come on now, Lenny, don’t be so pathetic! God, you make me angry when you just stand there looking to pathetic! Just tell me, did you really ask the man from Memphis? Did you actually ask that man from ‘Memphis all about it? Lawn, breaking opart: No, I didn’t. I didn't. Because I just didn’t want him not to want me— or TWO ‘Meo: Lenny— Les, furious: Don’t talk to me anymore! Don’t talk to me! I ‘think I’m gonna vomit— I just hope all this doesn’t cause me to vomit! She ecits up the stairs sobbing. ‘Mro: See! See! She didn’t even ask him about her stupid ovary! She just broke it all off ‘cause of Old Grand- daddy! What a jackass fool! Baws: Oh, Meg, shut up! Why do you have to make Lenny ery? I just hate it when you make Lenny ery! She ‘runs up the stairs. Lenny! Ob, Lenny— Meg gives a long sigh and goes to gst a cigarette ond a drink. ‘Mao: I feel like hell. She sits in despair, smoking and sting Drom Tur at oe ce Sh starts. her hair out of her foce and swer the door. It is Doe. theke = oe Doo: Hello, Meggy. ‘Mae: Well, Doe. Well, it’s Doe. Doo, after a pause: You're home, Meggy. Mee: Yeah, I’ve come home. I’ve come hor about Babe. om ‘Doc: And how’s Babe? Mz: Oh, fine. Well, fair. She's fair.CRIMES OF THE HEART ‘Doc nods. ‘Mea: Hey, do you want a drink? Doo: Whatcha got? Mea: Bourbon. ‘Doc: Oh, don’t tell me Lenny’s stocking bourbon. ‘Maa: Well, no. I've been to the store. She gets him a glass ‘and pours them each a drink. They click glasses. ‘Mao: So, how's your wifet ‘Doc: She's fine. ‘Mua: I hear ya got two kids. ‘Doc: Yeah. Yeah, I got two kids. Mac: A boy and a girl. ‘Doc: That’s right, Meggy, @ boy and a girl. ‘Mzo: That’s what you always said you wanted, wasn’t it? A boy and a girl. Doc: Is that what I said? ‘Meza: I don’t know. I thought it’s what you said. ‘They finish their drinks in silence. ‘Doc: Whose cot? ACT TWO ‘Mze: Lenny’s. She’s taken to sleeping in the kitchen. Doc: Ah. Where is Lenny? ‘Mzo: She's in the upstairs room. I made her ery. Babe’s up there seeing to her. Doo: How'd you make her ery? ‘Mao: I don’t know. Eating her birthday candy; talking ‘on about her boyfriend from Memphis. I don’t know. T'm upset about it. She’s got a lot on her. Why can’t I keep my mouth shut? ‘Doo: I don’t know, Meggy. Maybe it’s because you don’t want to. ‘Meo: Maybe. ‘They smile at each other. Meg pours cack of them another drink. Doo: Well, it’s been a long time. ‘Mao: It has been a long time, Doo: Let's see—when was the last time we saw each other? Mao: I can't quite recall. Doo: Wasn't it in Biloxit ‘Mzo: Ah, Biloxi. I believe so.CRIMES OF THE HEART Doc: And wasn’t there a—a hurricane going on at the time? ‘Mzo: Was there? Doc: Yes, there was; one hell of a hurricane. Camille, I believe they called it. Hurricane Camille. ‘Meo: Yes, now I remember. It was a beautiful hurri- cane. Doc: We had a time down there. We had quite a time. Drinking vodka, eating oysters on the half shell, daneing all night long. And the wind was blowing. ‘Meo: Oh, God, was it blowing. Doo: Goddamn, was it blowing. Meo: There never has been such a wind blowing. Doo: Oh, God, Meggy. Oh, God. ‘Meo: I know, Doc. It was my fault to leave you. I was crazy. I thought I was choking. I felt choked! Doc: I felt like a fool. ‘Mea: No. Doo: I just kept on wondering why. Mra: I don’t know why . . . Cause I didn’t want to care. I don't know. I did care, though. I did. AT TWO Doo, after a pause: Ah, hell—He ‘aud ss Ah, pours them both another rink. Are you still singing those sad songs? ‘Mao: No. Doo: Why not? ‘Mz: I don’t know, Doc. Things got worse for me. After a while, I just couldn’t 8 while Z fant couldnt sing anymore. tll you, had Doc: What do you mean? Meo: I went nuts. I went insane. Ended up i County Hospital. Psychiatric ward. oe Doo: Hell. Ah, hell, Meggy. What happened? ‘Mo: I don’t really know. I couldn't sing anymo1 Tont my job. And T had a bad toothache 1 twa tise Doe stares at her for a long moment. her drink Jong He pours them both Doo, after quite a pause: There's a moon out.CRIMES OF THE HEART ‘Mao: Is there? Doc: Wanna go take a ride in my truck and look out at ‘the moon? ‘Mra: I don’t know, Doe. I don’t wanna start up. It'll be too hard if we start up. Doc: Who says we're gonna start up? We're just gonna look at the moon. For one night just you and me are gonna go for a ride in the country and look out at the moon. ‘Mec: One night? ‘Doo: Right. ‘Maze: Lock out at the moon? Doo: You got it. ‘Mae: Well . . . all right. She gets up. Doc: Better take your coat. He helps her into her coat. And the bottle—He takes the bottle. Meg picks up the ‘glasses. Forget the glasses— ‘Mao, laughing: Yeah—forget the glasses. Forget the god- damn glasses. Meg shuts off the kitchen lights, leaving the kitchen with only a dim light over the kitchen sink. Meg and Doc leave. After a moment, Babe comes down the stairs in her slip. Aor TWO Bane: Mog—Mog? She stands for a moment in the moon Haht ‘coring only slip. She sets her sezophone, then ' ate : so ish it op. She plage a fo shrieking wots, Phere ie Banwerre’s Voice: Becky! Becky, is that yout Babe puts down the sezophone. Base: Just a minute. I’m coming. She puls a raincoat on cover her alip and goes to answer the door. Hello, Barnette, Come on in. : Barnette comes in. He is troubled but is making to hide the fact, rc a Banwerre: Thank you. Bass: What is itt Banwerze: I've, ah, I at the hospital’ ah, I've just come from seeing Zackery ‘Basz: Oht Banwerre: It seems . . . Well, it seems his sister, Lucille, was somewhat suspicious. Bane: Suspicious? Bayete: About yout Base: Met aaaCRIMES OF THE HEART Barwerre: She hired a private detective: he took these pistures. He hands Babe a small envelope contarning severel photo- ‘graphs. Babe opens the envelope and begins looking at the pictures in stunned silence. Bazwerte: They were taken about two weeks ago. It seems she wasn’t going to show them to Botrelle straightaway. She, ah, wanted to wait till the time was right. The phone rings one and a half times. Barnette glances wn- easily toward the phone. Banwerte: Becky? The phone stops ringing. Base, looking up at Barnette, slowly: These are pictures of Willie Jay and me . . . out in the garage. Baxxerre, looking avey: I know. Base: You looked at these pictures? Banwerre: Yes—I—well . . . professionally, I looked at them. ‘Base: Oh, merey. Ob, merey! We can burn them, can’t wet Quick, we can burn them— Barwerre: It won't do any good. They have the nega- tives, Aor Two Bane, Holding the pictures, as she bangs herself hopeless into the stove, table, cabinet, elas Ob to, thy carbs ant Oh, no— Banwerrz: There—there, now—there— ‘Lawwr’s Voice: Babe! Are you all right? Babe— Base, hiding the : What? I'm all oak bo ate a hei Babe hides the pictures an Lenny comes down the sai. She wearing a "f phite mig shew wiping white night cream off of her face Lar: What's the matter! What's going on down Base: Nothing! Then as she begins dancing ballet style around the room: We're—we're just dancing. We just dancing around down here. Sigealing to Borsetis to Lamy: Well, you'd better " anise you’ get your shoes on, “cause Base: All right, I will! That's a good ideal She goes to get her shoes. Now, you go on back to bed. It’s pretty late and— ‘Lanny: Babe, will you listen a minute— Bane, holding up her shoes: T'm putting ’em on—CRIMES OF THE HEART ‘Lawn: That was the hospital that just called. We've got to get over there. Old Granddaddy’s had himself another stroke. Base: Oh. All right. My shoes are on. She stands. They all look at each other as the lights black out. CURTAIN Act ThreeThe lights go up on the emply kitchen. It is the following morning. After a few moments, Babe enters from the back door. She is carrying her hair curlers in her hands. She liee down on the cot. A few moments later, Lenny enters. She is tired and weary. Chick's voice is heard. Onrox’s Vorce: Lenny! Oh, Lenny! Lenny turns to the door. Ohick enters energetically. (Curcx: Well . . . how is het ‘Lanny: He’s stabilized; they say for now his functions are all stabilized. Cxtox: Well, is he still in the coma? ‘Lewwr: Uh huh.(CRIMES OF THE HEART (Cxtox: Hmmm. So do they think he’s gonna be . . . pass- ing on? ‘Lanwy: He may be. He doesn’t look so good. They said ‘they’d phone us if there were any sudden changes. Cuicx: Well, it seems to me we'd better get busy phon- ing on the phone ourselves. Kemoving a list from her ‘pocket: Now, I've made out this list of all the people we need to notify about Old Granddaddy’s predicament. I'L phone half, if you'll phone half. ‘Lawxx: But—what would we say? Cuicx: Just tell them the facts: that Old Granddaddy’s got himself in a coma, and it could be he doesn’t have long for this world. Lzwwy: I—I don't know. I don’t feel like phoning. Cuicx: Why, Lenora, I’m surprised; how ean you be this way? I went to all the trouble of making up the list. And I offered to phone half of the people on it, even though T'm only one-fourth of the granddaughters. I mean, I just get tired of doing more than my fair share, when people like Meg can suddenly just disappear to where they can't even be reached in case of emergency! Lewy: All right; give me the list. Ill phone half. Ontcx: Well, don’t do it just to suit me. Lewy, wearily tearing the list in half: I'l phone these here. ACT THREE Onrcx, taking her half of the list: Fine then. Suit your self. Ob, wait—let me call Sally Bell. I need to talk to her, anyway. ‘Lemna: All right. Crick: So you add Great-uncle Spark Dude to your list. Lawwy: Okay. Cutcx: Fine. Well, I’ve got to get on back home and see to the kids. It is gonna be an uphill struggle till I can find someone to replace that good-for-nothing Annie May Jenkins. Well, you let me know if you hear any more. Lexy: All right. ‘Omicx: Goodhye, Rebecca. I said goodbye. Habe blows her saz. Ohick starts to exit in a flurry, then pauses to add: And you really ought to try to get that phoning done bef Prob hein Shaeees ti ae Lamar, after « long pense: Babe, I foe! bed. I feel real Base: Why, Lenny? ‘Lawwr: Because yesterday I—I wished it. ‘Base: You wished what? Lanny: I wished that Old Granddaddy would be put out of his pain. I wished it on one of my birthday candles. I SO aE nee enter ee MN eee reed #711 95CRIMES OF THE HEART did. And now he’s in this coma, and they say he’s feeling no pain. Base: Well, when did you have a cake yesterday? I don’t remember you having any cake. Lanny: Well, I didn’t... have a cake. But I just blew out the candles, anyway. Bane: Oh. Well, those birthday wishes don’t count, un- less you have a cake. ‘Lawn: They don’t? Base: No. A lot of times they don't even count when you do have a cake. It just depends. Lawn: Depends on what? Base: On how deep your wish is, I suppose. Lenny: Still, I just wish I hadn't of wished it. Gosh, I wonder when Meg's coming home. Bas: Should be soon. Lawxy: I just wish we wouldn’t fight all the time. I don’t like it when we do. Bass: Me, neither. aoa atone Scenes ny cena Je eer Granddaddy’s always put so much stock in Meg and her singing talent. I think I've been, well, envious of her Yeause I can’t seem to do too much. ACT THREE Base: Why, sure you can. ‘Lenny: I cant Bans: Sure. You just have to put your mind to it, that’s all. It’s like how I went out and bought that saxophone, just hoping I’d be able to attend music school and start up my own career. I just went out and did it. Just on hope. Of course, now it looks like . . . Well, it just doesn’t look like things are gonna work out for me. But I know they would for you. Lewxr: Well, they'll work out for you, too. Bast: I doubt it. ‘Lewwr: Listen, I heard up at the hospital that Zackery’s already in fair condition. They say soon he'll probably be able to walk and everything, Bass: Yeah. And life sure can be miserable. Lenny: Well, I know, ’eause—day before yesterday, Billy Boy was struck down by lightning. Bass: He wast Lenny, nearing sobs: Yeah. He was struck dead. Base, crushed: Life sure can be miserable. They sit together for several moments in morbid silence. ‘Meg is heard singing 4 loud happy song. She suddenly enters through the dining room door. She is exuberant! Her is a mess, and the heel of one shoe has broken of. She is 7