Burley Man
Act II, Scene 1
Mid‑morning light. The scene is the same. Furniture has been moved away from the walls in preparation for painting.
At rise, the stage is unoccupied. The neighborhood dog is heard barking in the distance. EDWARD appears outside the front windows. He approaches the front door, which has been left open with the screen closed. JOANNA appears following him. They enter the stage area carrying four gallons of paint and a large bag of painting equipment and paraphernalia.
JOANNA
Whew! What a walk, and I wasn't even carryin' the paint.
(She drops the bag of equipment onto a chair.)
EDWARD
Ah, that was a good workout. In the Navy, they work you from before dawn 'til after dark. You get three minutes a day to shower, and four minutes at each meal to eat your food. At night, they make you sit down and write a letter home. You get your workout in the military, for sure.
(He puts down the paint. He stands again and steps in to embrace JOANNA. He kisses her briefly.)
EDWARD (Continued)
Ready for a different kinda workout?
JOANNA
(She does not pull away.)
I was thinkin' of paintin' this room today.
EDWARD
It'll get painted. I ain't rushin' back to the Navy right away.
JOANNA
(Pause.)
When, exactly, is your leave over?
EDWARD
Let's just say I'm on indefinite leave.
JOANNA
I see, then what you're sayin' is there's no hurry to get the walls painted. We could take a little more time.
(He kisses her again.)
JOANNA (Continued)
I don't go back to work at the county clerk's office 'til Monday.
(He kisses her again.)
JOANNA (Continued)
The refrigerator is stocked.
(They kiss.)
JOANNA (Continued)
We don't have to go out again.
(She kisses him in a long, passionate embrace. The neighborhood dog is heard barking in the distance.)
EDWARD
You know, I've heard stories about women like you. Sittin' at home, all alone, waitin' for a young stud to come along. Then you cast a spell over him and make him your slave.
JOANNA
You've got it all backward. I was just minding my own business. You came along without any warning. I can't help myself.
EDWARD
You are under my spell.
JOANNA
I look at you. I watch you move. I listen to you talk. I can't help myself.
(She kisses him.)
Let's go upstairs. I want to lay in your arms in the big bed.
EDWARD
You mean your father's bed?
JOANNA
Yes. I lost my virginity on that bed.
EDWARD
Will you cry?
JOANNA
Buckets. And when I cry, will you hold me like you did last night?
EDWARD
Yes.
(JOANNA leads EDWARD by the hand toward the stairs. They go upstairs and off. The dog is still barking in the distance. We HEAR the radio turn on upstairs. Country music would be a nice touch, but Your Cheatin' Heart would be overkill. After a long moment, BRIAN appears in front of the house. He is clearly distressed and there is a wild look in his eyes.)
BRIAN
(Yelling.)
Joey! Joey, I know you're in there, Joey.
(He enters boldly through the screen door.)
BRIAN (Continued)
Guess what? I just happened to walk in to the hardware store, and Mr. Philsner pulls me into the back room. You'll never guess what he told me in the back room. Joey! I know you're here.
(JOANNA enters hurriedly down the stairs. She is barefoot and her shirt is loose.)
JOANNA
Brian Martin, what the hell are you doin' here?
(During the following lines, JOANNA positions herself on the other side of BRIAN, turning him with his back to the stairs. EDWARD comes down stairs. His shirt is off.)
BRIAN
(Still yelling.)
I was on my way over to tell you that I couldn't stay away for a coupla days 'cause I'm goin' outa town again tomorrow. I was on my way over to tell you that I'll be gone about a week, so you'll have all the time you need to get your head together after your daddy died. I just stopped in the hardware store to pick up a new pair of vice grips 'cause I lost mine on the road somewhere, and Mr. Philsner pulls me into the back room. He sat me down and told me that my Joanna Mitchell had just been in there buying paint, but she hadn't been alone.
JOANNA
Brian, I think you should leave.
BRIAN
(Still yelling.)
That's what I came over to tell ya. I'm leavin' for 'bout a week. I won't be around to be in your way. I wanna do what's right, you see, and since you don't want me around, I wanted to tell you you wouldn't have to worry 'bout me being around.
JOANNA
That's fine. I heard you. Now leave.
BRIAN
(Still yelling.)
I thought you didn't wanna go to bed with me over some superstition about your daddy dying. I guess that weren't altogether true.
EDWARD
Joanna told you to leave.
(EDWARD is breathing heavily and evenly. His eyes lose their focus over the next lines.)
BRIAN
(Whirling around to face EDWARD. Still yelling.)
Hell, he's just a boy. He probably ain't even shavin' yet.
(Back to JOANNA, still yelling.)
You're old enough to be his mother.
JOANNA
(Slapping BRIAN hard across the face.)
How dare you?! You get outta my house. Now!
BRIAN
(Normal voice, but vicious.)
Last time I checked, this was still your daddy's house.
(He turns to EDWARD.)
You're probably sleepin' in her daddy's bed, aren't you. What else're you doin' in her daddy's bed?
(No response.)
Huh?
(No response.)
BRIAN (Continued)
Are you fuckin' her in her daddy's bed?
(The dog is heard barking.)
(EDWARD explodes in a blind fury. He pushes BRIAN hard in the chest. BRIAN stops his fall against the dining room table. BRIAN yells out when pushed, and JOANNA calls for EDWARD to stop. EDWARD steps in and lifts BRIAN away from the table, then throws him to the floor. JOANNA attempts to intervene, and EDWARD blindly knocks her away, striking her against the face. JOANNA hits the wall hard, her head bouncing off the wall before she collapses to the floor. BRIAN lifts himself up to his knees and attempts to escape. EDWARD catches him from behind and throws him upstage near the front door. As EDWARD advances on him again, BRIAN sprints out the screen door and off. EDWARD continues to follow in a blind rage until he is off. When it is quiet enough to hear the dog barking in the distance, we also hear MADGE calling from offstage.)
MADGE
(Offstage.)
Joey! Joey, are you alright?
(MADGE enters through the back door and kitchen.)
MADGE (Continued)
Joey, what was all that yelling about?
(As she enters the stage, she sees JOANNA on the floor by the wall.)
MADGE (Continued)
Oh, Lord Jesus! Joey!
(JOANNA moans and then starts crying.)
MADGE (Continued)
Are you alright? Should I call for an ambulance?
JOANNA
(Through her crying.)
No! No ambulance, no doctor.
MADGE
Did Eddy do this to you? Where is he? Where's Eddy? Do you want me to call the police?
JOANNA
No! No police. Don't call anyone.
MADGE
What happened, girl?
JOANNA
(Pulling herself together. Taking deep breaths.)
I'm alright. I'm all right.
MADGE
Joey, you're bleeding. Let me get a washcloth.
(MADGE helps JOANNA to stand and walk over to sit in a chair.)
MADGE (Continued)
Here, you sit while I get you a washcloth.
(MADGE goes into the kitchen and wets a washcloth in the sink. Then she returns to JOANNA.)
MADGE (Continued)
Here, let me wipe away the blood. What happened? I heard all this shoutin'. It sounded like Brian.
JOANNA
It was Brian.
MADGE
Did he hit you? Did Brian hit you? Where's Eddy? Did Eddy leave already?
(The hound dog is heard barking in the background.)
JOANNA
Brian was here. Brian was yelling. Eddy went into town with me this mornin', and Brian heard about it. I told Brian to leave. Brian kept yellin'. Eddy told Brian to leave ‑‑
MADGE
Oh, Lordie, Eddy was here at the same time Brian was here?
JOANNA
In the same fuckin' room. Eddy told Brian to leave and Brian kept yellin'. Then Eddy went . . . nuts. He just went crazy. I tried to stop him, but I don't even think he saw me anymore.
MADGE
Did Eddy hit you?
JOANNA
Yes, but it wasn't his fault.
MADGE
But where are they now?
JOANNA
I'm not sure. I think Brian ran out and Eddy went after him.
MADGE
Oh, God preserve us. Joey, we gotta call the police.
JOANNA
No! No police.
MADGE
But what if Eddy catches Brian?
JOANNA
He won't, . . . I don't think he will. Brian is a quick little weasel when his life depends on it. Plus, he knows the town real well and Eddy don't.
MADGE
Joey, we gotta call the police.
JOANNA
No, I tell ya. Eddy's AWOL. If the police pick him up, they'll turn him over to the military and he'll go to jail.
MADGE
AWOL. How'd you know that?
JOANNA
I ain't stupid. I can add.
MADGE
Then if you can add, you know that even if you don't call the police, Brian might.
JOANNA
Brian can't call the police. He started it. He came in here yellin' and hollerin'. Brian provoked Eddy. I'm a witness.
MADGE
Yes, that'll all come out at the trial, but meanwhile, Eddy'll be sitting in a military prison somewhere in Nebraska or something.
JOANNA
(Rising, she moves to the phone.)
I gotta call Shoemaker.
(She rifles through the phone book to find the right number.)
MADGE
Why Mr. Shoemaker?
JOANNA
(Dialing.)
I gotta make sure Brian don't call the police. . . . Hello, Mr. Shoemaker please. This is Joanna Mitchell, and it's urgent. . . Yes, it is an emergency. . . . Mr. Shoemaker, this is Joanna Mitchell. . . . Brian Martin was just here at my house and he got into a fight with a young man who's stayin' with me for a few days. They both ran outta here, but I want you to make sure Brian don't go to the police. . . . No, you gotta stop him from goin' to the police 'cause it was his fault. . . Yes, Brian started the whole thing. . . . I don't want either one of 'em gettin' in trouble, Mr. Shoemaker, please, you gotta help me. . . . Yes, uh huh, . . . Yes, I will, thank you, Mr. Shoemaker.
(She hangs up.)
MADGE
Well?
JOANNA
Mr. Shoemaker's gonna go over to the police station. He'll talk to the police and tell them that if Brian calls, they're to let him talk to Brian first. He won't tell them any more'n he has to.
MADGE
Here, Joey, you need to sit down. Let me get you a drink of water.
(MADGE gets JOANNA to the couch, then goes to the kitchen and gets a glass of water.)
JOANNA
(The tears start to flow again; the pain and the frustration.)
God damn it all to hell!
MADGE
(From the kitchen.)
Now, calm down, Joey. That kinda language ain't gonna do no good.
JOANNA
It's all the language I got, God damn it! I ain't got the fancy words and phrases to say what I can't say anyway 'cause it ain't right, won't ever be right, and'll probably damn me to hell anyway.
MADGE
(Coming in from the kitchen.)
Whatever it is, Joanna Mitchell, God is able to forgive.
JOANNA
I do not want a sermon from you, Madge Isaacs!
MADGE
I know. Lord knows, you wouldn't listen if'n I did give you a sermon. . . . So, does Brian have cause to be upset?
JOANNA
Brian's got no claim on me. I can do as I please.
MADGE
And did you?
JOANNA
(Pretending innocence.)
Did I what?
MADGE
(Stepping in to JOANNA.)
That answers my question. Here. Has the bleedin' stopped. There. It ain't so bad. He just broke the skin a little. But you're probably gonna have a bruise for sure.
JOANNA
Oh, well, I wasn't plannin' on goin' to the prom anyway.
(She winces.)
Ooh, my head hurts.
MADGE
Here, I'll get you some aspirin.
(MADGE goes into the kitchen and searches the cupboards. She finds and removes a prescription bottle.)
MADGE (Continued)
Joey, what's your daddy's medicine doin' down here?
(JOANNA reacts quickly and decisively. She rises and dashes into the kitchen.)
JOANNA
That's the spare bottle. Give it here!
(She takes the pill bottle from MADGE and throws the pills into the kitchen waste can.)
JOANNA (Continued)
We don't need it no more.
MADGE
Spare? You didn't have no spare bottle.
(MADGE draws the bottle from the waste can. JOANNA grabs the bottle from her in a wild mixture of hatred and fear.)
JOANNA
(Shouting insanely.)
Ah! No. No more. No!
(JOANNA throws the bottle against the sink. It explodes on impact, with pills flying everywhere. JOANNA scrambles to pick up pills, tossing them into the sink. JOANNA begins whimpering. MADGE starts to help.)
JOANNA (Continued)
No! I can do it. I'll do it.
(JOANNA pushes MADGE away, toward the back door. She scrambles around, still whimpering, collecting all the pills into the sink.)
(JOANNA then turns on the water at the sink, pushing pills down the drain, and then she begins to wash her hands furiously.)
MADGE
(MADGE starts out the back door.)
I was lookin' for the aspirin. Don't you got no aspirin in this house?
(She's gone. JOANNA finishes washing her hands thoroughly. Then she looks around as if trying to remember what just occurred.)
JOANNA
Aspirin's upstairs. In the bathroom cabinet.
(JOANNA moves toward the stairs. The neighborhood dog can be heard barking in the distance.)
JOANNA (Continued)
God, I wish someone'd kill that dog.
(She exits upstairs.)
(EDWARD appears on the front porch. He looks like a frightened little boy who knows he has done something terribly wrong, but isn't sure what. A distant voice is heard yelling at the dog. The dog stops barking. Edward stands before the screen door for a moment. Then he enters through the screen door.)
EDWARD
(Sheepishly.)
Joanna? Joanna, you here?
MADGE
(MADGE enters through the back door and kitchen.)
Now you take two of these with that ‑‑
(They see one another.)
You're AWOL.
EDWARD
(Taken aback.)
How'd you know that?
MADGE
Joey ain't stupid. She can add.
(MADGE looks around.)
Where is she? Did you do something with my Joey. 'Cause I ain't no weasely little bald man you can push around, no sir.
EDWARD
Did I hurt her? What happened? What did I do?
MADGE
(It's her turn to be taken aback.)
You don't know?
EDWARD
I was standing there. Joanna was where you're standing. And . . . Brian?
MADGE
Yes, his name is Brian.
EDWARD
Brian was there between us. He wouldn't stop yellin'. And Joanna was yellin' for him to leave. And I was tellin' him to go 'cause she wanted him to go. . . .
MADGE
(Pause.)
And then what, Mr. Science?
(Pause. He looks at her knowing and at the same time not knowing.)
EDWARD
The next thing I knew I was walkin' down the street toward the truck stop.
MADGE
That makes sense. Brian lives over by the truck stop.
EDWARD
Where's Joanna?
MADGE
I gotta better question than that. Why'd you go to bed with her?
(EDWARD doesn't answer right away.)
Son, do you believe in God?
(JOANNA appears coming down the stairs.)
JOANNA
Don't answer that question, Eddy. She'll just start preachin'.
EDWARD
(Going up to JOANNA.)
Joanna, are you okay? Did I hit you?
JOANNA
Hit me? Hell, you bounced me off'n the wall like I was a rag doll.
EDWARD
Here, you better sit down.
(He leads her back to the couch and sits beside her.)
MADGE
I brought you some aspirin for your achin' head.
JOANNA
Got some upstairs, thank you.
MADGE
Well, if you don't mind my preachin' just a little bit, ‑‑
JOANNA
I do mind.
MADGE
I predict dire circumstances for this house.
JOANNA
(Pause.)
"Dire circumstances"? Where'd you get that?
MADGE
I read. I ain't stupid. If you wanted us Black folk to be stupid, you ought nota taught us to read.
JOANNA
I didn't teach you to read. . . .
JOANNA (Continued)
(To EDWARD.)
Did you teach her to read?
MADGE
Alright. I can see the handwritin' on the wall.
(She heads off through the kitchen and back door.)
MADGE (Continued)
Call again, anytime, if'n you need someone to come pick you up off the floor again.
(She's gone. The back door slams after her.)
EDWARD
I'm so sorry. Is there anything I can do for you?
JOANNA
Did you kill Brian?
EDWARD
I don't think so. I think he got away.
JOANNA
I called my daddy's attorney. He's gonna make sure Brian don't bother us with the police.
EDWARD
He started it.
JOANNA
I know. That's what Mr. Shoemaker will remind him of if'n he tries to bother us with the police.
EDWARD
You're mad at me. I should go.
JOANNA
No! I'm not mad at you.
(She touches his face.)
Damn it all to hell, I think I love you.
EDWARD
I love you, too.
JOANNA
It ain't right, Eddy. Do you know it ain't right?
EDWARD
No, I don't know it ain't right.
JOANNA
(Pause.)
Well, trust me, I'm older, I oughta know, and I do know, it ain't right.
EDWARD
So, you want me to go?
JOANNA
No! I don't want you to go. I don't want you to ever go. . . . You ever see mosquitoes attracted to those bug lights?
EDWARD
Yeah, what's that got to do with us?
JOANNA
Mosquitoes can't be that stupid. One sees another one get fried on the wire, he's gotta figure somethin's up. But he can't help it. It's in his nature. The light is so beautiful that he can't just forget it. So he dies too.
EDWARD
I don't know what you're talkin' about. You must've really knocked your head.
JOANNA
(Pause.)
I just hope it's over so quick the stupid mosquito doesn't feel it.
EDWARD
Am I the mosquito in this story?
JOANNA
No. Not you. The screen door's unlocked. Madge might barge in again any second. It's broad daylight and the mayor himself might walk by. But I want to make love to you right here in the middle of the damn living room in the middle of the day.
(JOANNA kisses him.)
EDWARD
You're sure?
JOANNA
No. I'm not sure.
(They kiss again passionately.)
(BLACKOUT)
END OF SCENE 1