The Man Who Had All the Luck

  DAVID: But I don’t know half what Pop knows about baseball . . . about training or . . .

  AMOS: I don’t care, you didn’t know anything about cars either, and look what you made here.

  DAVID: What’d I make? I got nothin’. I still don’t know anything about cars.

  AMOS: But you do. Everybody knows you know . . .

  DAVID: Everybody’s crazy. Don’t envy me, Ame. If every car I ever fixed came rolling in here tomorrow morning and the guys said I did it wrong I wouldn’t be surprised. I started on Shory’s Ford and I got another one and another, and before I knew what was happening they called me a mechanic. But I ain’t a trained man. You are. You got something . . . [Takes his arm, with deepest feeling.] and you’re going to be great. Because you deserve it. You know something perfect. Don’t look to me, I could be out on that street tomorrow morning, and then I wouldn’t look so smart. . . . Don’t laugh at Pop. You’re his whole life, Ame. You hear me? You stay with him.

  AMOS: Gee, Dave . . . you always make me feel so good. [Suddenly like PAT, ecstatic.] When I’m in the Leagues I’m gonna buy you . . . a . . . a whole goddam garage!

  Enter HESTER from the right. She is a full-grown girl, a heartily developed girl. She can run fast, swim hard, and lift heavy things—not stylishly—with the most economical and direct way to run, swim and lift. She has a loud, throaty laugh. Her femininity dwells in one fact—she loves DAVID with all her might, always has, and she doesn’t feel she’s doing anything when he’s not around. The pallor of tragedy is nowhere near her. She enters breathless, not from running but from expectation.

  HESTER: David, he’s home. [Goes to DAVID and cups his face in her hands.] He just came back! You ready? [Looks around DAVID’s shoulder at AMOS.] Hullo, Ame, how’s the arm?

  AMOS: Good as ever.

  HESTER: You do that long division I gave you?

  AMOS: Well, I been working at it.

  HESTER: There’s nothing better’n arithmetic to sharpen you up. You’ll see, when you get on the diamond again, you’ll be quicker on base play. We better go, David.

  AMOS [awkwardly]: Well . . . good luck to ya. [He goes to the store door.]

  DAVID: Thanks, Ame. AMOS waves, goes through the door and closes it behind him.

  HESTER: What’re you looking so pruney about? Don’t you want to go?

  DAVID: I’m scared, Hess. I don’t mind tellin’ you. I’m scared.

  HESTER: Of a beatin’?

  DAVID: You know I was never scared of a beatin’.

  HESTER: We always knew we’d have to tell him, didn’t we?

  DAVID: Yeh, but I always thought that by the time we had to, I’d be somebody. You know . . .

  HESTER: But you are somebody . . .

  DAVID: But just think of it from his side. He’s a big farmer, a hundred and ten of the best acres in the county. Supposing he asks me—I only got three hundred and ninety-four dollars, counting today . . .

  HESTER: But we always said, when you had three fifty we’d ask him.

  DAVID: God, if I was a lawyer, or a doctor, or even a bookkeeper . . .

  HESTER: A mechanic’s good as a bookkeeper!

  DAVID: Yeh . . . but I don’t know if I am a mechanic. [Takes her hand.] Hess, listen, in a year maybe I could build up some kind of a real business, something he could look at and see.

  HESTER: A year! Davey, don’t . . . don’t you . . . ?

  DAVID: I mean . . . let’s get married now, without asking him.

  HESTER: I told you, I can’t . . .

  DAVID: If we went away . . . far, far away . . .

  HESTER: Wherever we went, I’d always be afraid he’d knock on the door. You don’t know what he can do when he’s mad. He roared my mother to her grave. . . . We have to face him with it, Davey. It seems now that I’ve known it since we were babies. When I used to talk to you at night through the kitchen window, when I’d meet you to ride around the quarry in Shory’s car; even as far back as The Last of the Mohicans in 6B. I always knew we’d have to sit in the house together and listen to him roaring at us. We have to, Davey. [She steps away, as though to give him a choice.]

  DAVID [he smiles, a laugh escapes him]: You know, Hess, I don’t only love you. You’re my best friend.

  HESTER springs at him and kisses him. They are locked in the embrace when a figure enters from the right. It is DAN DIBBLE, a little sun-dried farmer, stolidly dressed—a mackinaw, felt hat. He hesitates a moment, then . . .

  DIBBLE: Excuse me . . . J.B. Feller . . . is J.B. Feller in here?

  DAVID: J.B.? Sure. [Points at back door.] Go through there . . . he’s in the store.

  DIBBLE: Much obliged.

  DAVID: That’s all right, sir.

  DIBBLE tips his hat slightly to HESTER, goes a few yards toward the door, turns.

  DIBBLE: You . . . you Dave Beeves? Mechanic?

  DAVID: Yes, sir, that’s me.

  DIBBLE nods, turns, goes up the ramp and into the store, closing door behind him. DAVID looks after him.

  HESTER: Come, Davey.

  DAVID: Yeh. I’ll get my coat. [He goes to rail at back where it hangs, starts to put it on.] Gosh, I better change my shirt. Shory grabbed my clean one before. I guess he took it into the store with him.

  HESTER [knowingly]: He doesn’t think you ought to go.

  DAVID: Well . . . he was just kiddin’ around. I’ll only be a minute. DAVE starts for the store door when it opens and J.B. surges out full of excitement. DIBBLE follows him, then AMOS, then PAT, and finally SHORY who looks on from his wheelchair above the ramp.

  J.B.: Hey, Dave! Dave, come here. [To DAN.] You won’t regret it, Dan . . . Dave . . . want you to meet my brother-in-law from up in Burley. Dan Dibble.

  DAVID: Yes, sir, how de do.

  J.B.: Dan’s got a brand new Marmon . . . he’s down here for a funeral, see, and he’s staying at my house . . .

  DAVID [to J.B. A note of faltering]: Marmon, did you say?

  J.B.: Yeh, Marmon. [Imperatively.] You know the Marmon, Dave.

  DAVID: Sure, ya . . . [To DAN.] Well, bring it around. I’ll be glad to work on her. I’ve got to go right now . . .

  J.B.: Dan, will you wait in my car? Just want to explain a few things. I’ll be right out and we’ll go.

  DIBBLE: Hurry up. It’s cold out there. I’d like him to get it fixed up by tomorrow. It’s shakin’ me up so, I think I’m gettin’ my appendix back.

  J.B. [jollying him to the door]: I don’t think they grow back once they’re cut out . . .

  DIBBLE: Well it feels like it. Be damned if I’ll ever buy a Marmon again. [DIBBLE goes out.]

  J.B. [he comes back to DAVE]: This idiot is one of the richest farmers in the Burley district. . . . He’s got that mink ranch I was tellin’ you about.

  DAVID: Say, I don’t know anything about a Marmon . . .

  J.B.: Neither does he. He’s got two vacuum cleaners in his house and never uses nothin’ but a broom. Now listen. He claims she ain’t hitting right. I been tryin’ the past two weeks to get him to bring her down here to you. Now get this. Besides the mink ranch he’s got a wheat farm with five tractors.

  HESTER: Five tractors!

  J.B.: He’s an idiot, but he’s made a fortune out of mink. Now you clean up this Marmon for him and you’ll open your door to the biggest tractor farms in the state. There’s big money in tractor work, you know that. He’s got a thousand friends and they follow him. They’ll follow him here.

  DAVID: Uh, huh. But I don’t know anything about tractors.

  HESTER: Oh, heck, you’ll learn!

  DAVID: Yeah, but I can’t learn on his tractors.

  HESTER: Yeah, but . . .

  J.B.: Listen! This could be the biggest thing that ever happened to you. The Marmon’s over at my house. He’s afraid to drive her any further on the snow. I’ll bring her over and you’ll go to work. All right?

  DAVID: Yeah, but look, John, I . . .

  J.B.: You better get in early and start on her first
thing in the morning. All right?

  HESTER [with a loud bubble of laughter]: David, that’s wonderful!

  DAVID [quickly]: See, if we waited, Hess. In six months, maybe less, I’d have something to show!

  HESTER: But I’m going to Normal in a week if we don’t do it now!

  SHORY: You’re pushing him, Hester.

  HESTER [a sudden outburst at SHORY]: Stop talking to him! A person isn’t a frog, to wait and wait for something to happen!

  SHORY: He’ll fight your father if you drag him there tonight! And your father can kill him!

  DAVID [takes her hand. Evenly]: Come on, Hess. We’ll go. [To J.B.] Bring the car over, I’ll be back later . . .

  But J.B. is staring off right, down the driveway. DAVE turns, with HESTER and all to follow his stare. She steps a foot away from him. Enter ANDREW FALK, a tall, old man, hard as iron, nearsighted, slightly stooped. Sound of idling motor outside.

  J.B. [after a moment]: I’ll bring the car, Dave. Five minutes.

  DAVID [affecting a businesslike, careless flair]: Right, J.B., I’ll fix him up. [as J.B. goes out.] And thanks loads, John! FALK has been looking at HESTER, who dares every other moment to look up from the floor at him. DAVID turns to FALK, desperately controlling his voice. PAT enters from SHORY’s store.

  Evening, Mr. Falk. You want to go in to Shory’s store? There’s chairs there . . . [FALK turns deliberately, heavily looks at him.] You left your engine running. Stay awhile. Let me shut it off.

  FALK: You willin’ to push it?

  DAVID: Oh, battery run down?

  FALK [caustically]: I don’t know what else would prevent her from turnin’ over without a push. [To HESTER.] I’ll see you home.

  HESTER [smiling, she goes to him, but does not touch him]: We were just comin’ to the house, Daddy.

  FALK: Go on home, Hester.

  DAVID: We’d like to talk to you, Mr. Falk. [Indicating the store.] We could all go . . .

  FALK [in reply]: Go on home, Hester.

  DAVID [with a swipe at indignation]: I’d like for her to be here, Mr. Falk . . .

  FALK [he does not even look at David]: I’ll be home right away. [He takes her arm and moves her to the right. She digs her heels in.]

  HESTER [a cry]: Daddy, why . . . !

  She breaks off, looking into his face. With a sob she breaks from him and runs off right. He turns slowly to DAVID, takes a breath.

  DAVID [angering]: That ain’t gonna work any more, Mr. Falk. We’re old enough now.

  PAT [reasonably]: Look, Falk, why don’t we . . . ?

  FALK [to DAVID, without so much as a glance at PAT]: This is the last time I’m ever goin’ to talk to you, Beeves. You . . .

  DAVID: Why is it you’re the only man who hates me like this? Everybody else . . .

  FALK: Nobody but me knows what you are.

  SHORY [from the store doorway]: What is he? What are you blowin’ off about?

  FALK [his first rise of voice. He points at SHORY]: The good God gave you your answer long ago! Keep your black tongue in your head when I’m here.

  SHORY [nervously. To DAVID]: His brains are swimmin’, don’t you see? What are you botherin’ with him for . . . !

  FALK [roaring, he takes a stride toward SHORY]: Shut up, you . . . you whoremonger! You ruined your last woman on this earth! The good God saw to that.

  SHORY [with a screech of fury]: You don’t scare me, Falk. You been dead twenty years, why don’t you bury yourself? FALK strangely relaxes, walks away from SHORY’s direction, raising his shoulder to run his chin on his coat collar. The motor outside stalls. His head cocks toward right.

  DAVID [pointing to the right]: Your car stalled. I’ll start her up for you.

  FALK: Don’t touch anything I own! [Pause.] What were you doin’ that night I caught you with her by the river? You got backbone enough to tell me that?

  DAVID [recalls]: Oh . . . we were kids then . . . just talkin’, that’s all.

  FALK: You never come and ask me if she could talk to you. You come sneakin’ every time, like a rat through the fences.

  DAVID: Well . . . Hess was always scared to ask you, and I . . . I guess I got it from her.

  FALK: You’re scared of me now too, and you know why, Beeves? Nobody but me knows what you are.

  DAVID: Why, what am I?

  FALK: You’re a lost soul, a lost man. You don’t know the nights I’ve watched you, sittin’ on the river ice, fishin’ through a hole—alone, alone like an old man with a boy’s face. Or makin’ you a fire in Keldon’s woods where nobody could see. And that Sunday night you nearly burned down the church . . .

  DAVID: I was nowhere near the church that night . . . !

  FALK: It couldn’t have been nobody else! When the church burned there never was a sign from God that was so clear.

  AMOS: He was down in the cellar with me when the church burned.

  FALK [looks at AMOS]: I am not blind. [Turns back to DAVID.] The man Hester marries is gonna know what he’s about. He’s gonna be a steady man that I can trust with what I brought forth in this world. He’s gonna know his God, he’s gonna know where he came from and where he’s goin’. You ain’t that man. [He turns to go.]

  DAVID: I’m marryin’ Hester, Mr. Falk. [FALK stops, turns.] I’m sorry, but we’re going to marry.

  FALK: Beeves, if you ever step onto my land again, I’ll put a bullet through you, may God write my words . . . I don’t fool, Beeves. Don’t go near her again. [Points to SHORY.] No man who could find a friend in that lump of corruption is going to live in my daughter’s house. [He starts to go again.]

  DAVID: I’m marryin’ Hester, Mr. Falk! We’re gonna do it!

  FALK: You’ll sleep with your shroud first, Beeves. I’m old enough to know what I’ll do. Stay away! He goes to the right edge of the stage, and hesitates, looking off right in the direction of his stalled car. DAVID starts doubtfully toward him, looking over his shoulder.

  SHORY [rolling down the ramp]: Let him start it himself! Don’t be a damned fool! FALK hurries out.

  PAT [pointing right]: Maybe you ought to give him a push.

  SHORY: Not on your life! [He pushes himself between DAVE and the door.] Get away from there, go on!

  DAVID [looking off right all the time]: Shory . . . he’s going . . . what can I say to him . . . [Starts to go right.] I’ll help him.

  SHORY [pushes him back]: Get away! [Calling off right.] That’s it, Grandpa, push it . . . push it! Harder, you crazy bastard, it’s only half a mile! Go ahead, harder! [Laughs wildly, mockingly.]

  DAVID [wrenches the chair around]: Stop it!

  SHORY: You can’t talk to that man! You’re through, you damned fool.

  DAVID [suddenly]: Come on, Ame, we’ll pick up Hester on the road before he gets home. I’m going to do it tonight, by God . . .

  AMOS [in ecstasy at the thought of action, he wings the ball across the stage]. Let’s go!

  PAT [grabs DAVID]: No, Dave . . .

  DAVID [furiously]: No, I gotta do it, Dad!

  PAT: I forbid it. [To AMOS.] I forbid you to go. [To DAVID.] She’s his daughter and he’s got a right, David.

  DAVID: What right has he got! She wants me!

  PAT: Then let her break from him. That’s not your province.

  DAVID: She’s scared to death of him! The whole thing is between me and Hester. I don’t understand why I can’t have that girl!

  SHORY [sardonically]: Must there be a reason?

  DAVID [he stops for an instant as though a light flashed on him]: Yes, there has to be a reason! I did everything a man could do. I didn’t do anything wrong and . . .

  SHORY: You didn’t have to! [DAVE stares at SHORY.] A man is a jellyfish. The tide goes in and the tide goes out. About what happens to him, a man has very little to say. When are you going to get used to it? DAVID stands staring.

  PAT: You better go home and sleep, Dave. Sleep is a great doctor, you know.

  SHORY [gently]: He said it, Dave. Enter J.B. in a
hurry.

  J.B.: Where is Dan? Where’s the Marmon?

  PAT: He didn’t come here.

  J.B.: That ox! I tell him I’ll drive it over for him. No, Dan Dibble don’t allow anybody behind the wheel but himself. I go into the house to tell Ellie I’m goin’ and when I come out he’s gone. [Starts to go right.] That seven passenger moron . . .

  DAVID: He probably decided to go back home to Burley.

  J.B.: No, I’m sure he’s tryin’ to get here. Rugged individualist! I’ll find him on some dirt road some place . . . [He shuts up abruptly as a door slams outside.] All look right.

  DAVID [alarmed]: Hester!

  He quickly goes off right. For an instant AMOS, PAT, and SHORY are galvanized. AMOS goes off and returns immediately supporting DAN DIBBLE who is shaking all over and seems about to collapse in distress.

  DIBBLE [on entering]: God help me, God in Heaven help me . . . Enter DAVID and J.B. helping HESTER. She is sobbing on DAVID’s arm and he’s trying to lift her face up.

  DAVID: Stop crying, what’ the matter? Hester, stop it, what happened? J.B.!

  DIBBLE [goes prayerfully to HESTER]: I couldn’t see him, Miss, how in the world could I see him? His car had no lights . . . HESTER’s loud sob cuts him off.

  DAVID [to DAN]: What happened? What did you do?

  DIBBLE: Oh, God in Heaven, help me . . .

  J.B. [goes to him, pulls his hands down]: Dan . . . stop that. . . . For Pete’s sake, what happened?

  DIBBLE: This girl’s father . . . an old man . . . I couldn’t see him . . . He was pushing a car without lights. There were no lights at all, and he walked out from behind just as I came on him.

  But for HESTER’s subsiding sobs, there is silence for a moment. She looks at DAVID, who looks once at her, then comes to life.

  DAVID [to DAN]: Where is he now?

  DIBBLE [points upstage]: I took him to his house . . . she was there. It happened a few feet from his house.

  DAVID [horrified]: Well, why didn’t you get a doctor! [He starts for the back door.]

  HESTER: No . . . he’s dead, Davey.