Baby Doll & Tiger Tail (15 page)

SILVA
: Why’d you quit?

BABY DOLL
: I had a great deal of trouble with long division. . .

SILVA
: Yeah?

BABY DOLL
: The teacher would tell me to go to the blackboard and work out a problem in long division and I would go to the blackboard and lean my head against it and cry and cry and—cry. . . Whew! I think the porch would be cooler. Mr. Vacarro, I can’t get over your legs.

SILVA
: You can’t get over my legs?

BABY DOLL
: I tole you. . . I’m not athletic.

SILVA
: You want me to move my legs.

BABY DOLL
: Yes, otherwise I can’t get out of the car. . .

SILVA
: Okay.

[
He raises his legs so she can get out. Which she does, and continues. . .
]

BABY DOLL
: YES, I would cry and cry. . . Well. . . soon after that I left school. A girl without education is—without education. . . Whew. . . feel kind of dizzy. Hope I’m not gettin’ a SUN stroke—I better sit in the shade.

[
Vacarro follows her casually into the shade of a pecan tree. Suddenly he leaps into the branches and then down with a pecan. He cracks it in his mouth and hands her the kernels. . .
]

BABY DOLL
: Mr. Vacarro! I wouldn’t dream! —Excuse me, but I just wouldn’t dream! of eating a nut that a man had cracked in his mouth. . .

SILVA
: You’ve got many refinements. I don’t think you need to worry about your failure at long division. I mean, after all, you got through short division, and short division is all that a lady ought to cope with. . .

BABY DOLL
: Well, I—ought to go in, but I get depressed when I pass through those empty rooms. . .

SILVA
: All the rooms empty?

BABY DOLL
: All but the nursery. And the kitchen. The stuff in those rooms was paid for. . .

SILVA
: You have a child in the nursery?

BABY DOLL
: Me? No. I sleep in the nursery myself. Let down the slats on the crib. . .

SILVA
: Why do you sleep in the nursery?

BABY DOLL
: Mr. Vacarro, that’s a
personal
question. [
There is a pause
.] I ought to go in. . . but. . . you know there are places in that house which I have never been in. I mean the attic for instance. Most of the time I’m afraid to go into that house by myself. Last night when the fire broke out I sat here for hours and hours till Archie Lee got home, because I was scared to enter this old house by myself.

[
Vacarro has caught this discrepancy
.]

SILVA
: It musta been kinda scary here without your husband to look after you.

BABY DOLL
: I’m tellin’ you! The fire lit up the whole countryside and it made big crazy shadows and we didn’t have a Co-Cola
in the house and the heat and the mosquitoes and—I was mad at Archie Lee!

SILVA
: Mad at Meighan? What about?

BABY DOLL
: . . .that he went off and left me settin’ here without a Coke in the place.

SILVA
: Went off and left you, did he?!!

BABY DOLL
: Well, he certainly did. Right after supper and when he got back, the fire’d already broke out. I got smoke in my eyes and my nose and throat. I was in such a worn-out nervous condition it made me cry. Finally I took two teaspoons of paregoric.

SILVA
: Sounds like you passed a very uncomfortable night.

BABY DOLL
: Sounds like? Well it was!

SILVA
: So Mr. Meighan—you say—disappeared after supper.

BABY DOLL
[
after a pause
]: Huh?

SILVA
: You say Mr. Meighan left the house for a while after supper?

[
Something in his tone makes her aware that she has spoken indiscreetly
.]

BABY DOLL
: Oh—uh—just for a moment.

SILVA
: Just for a moment, huh? How long a moment?

BABY DOLL
: What are you driving at, Mr. Vacarro?

SILVA
: Driving at? Nothing.

BABY DOLL
: You’re looking at me so funny.

SILVA
: How long a moment did he disappear for? Can you remember, Mrs. Meighan?

BABY DOLL
: What difference does that make? What’s it to you, anyhow?

SILVA
: Why should you mind my asking?

BABY DOLL
: You make this sound like I was on trial for something.

SILVA
: Don’t you like to pretend like you’re a witness?

BABY DOLL
: Witness of what, Mr. Vacarro?

SILVA
: Why—for instance—say—a case of arson!

BABY DOLL
: Case of—? What is—arson?

SILVA
: The willful destruction of property by fire.

[
He slaps his boots sharply with the riding crop
.]

BABY DOLL
: Oh!

[
She moves to the swing and nervously fingers her purse
.]

SILVA
: You know, there’s one thing I always notice about you ladies.

BABY DOLL
: What’s that?

SILVA
: Whenever you get nervous, you always like to have something in your hands to hold on to—like that big white purse.

BABY DOLL
: This purse?

SILVA
: Yes, it gives you something to hold on to, isn’t that right?

BABY DOLL
: Well, I do always like to have something in my hands.

SILVA
: Sure you do. You feel what a lot of uncertain things there are. Gins burn down. No one knows how or why. Volunteer fire departments don’t have decent equipment. They’re no protection. The afternoon sun is too hot. The trees! They’re no protection! The house—it’s haunted! It’s no protection! Your husband! He’s across the road and busy. He’s no protection! The goods that dress is made of—it’s light and thin—it’s no protection. So what do you do, Mrs. Meighan? You pick up that white kid purse. It’s something to hold on to.

BABY DOLL
: Now, Mr. Silva. Don’t you go and be getting—any—funny ideas.

SILVA
: Ideas about what?

BABY DOLL
: My husband disappearing—after supper. I can explain that.

SILVA
: Can you?

BABY DOLL
: Sure I can.

SILVA
: Good! How do you explain it?

[
He stares at her. She looks down
.]

What’s the matter? Can’t you collect your thoughts, Mrs. Meighan?

[
Pause
.]

Your mind’s a blank on the subject?

BABY DOLL
: Look here, now. . .

SILVA
: You find it impossible to remember just what your husband disappeared for after supper? You can’t imagine what kind of errand he went out on, can you?

BABY DOLL
: No! No! I can’t!

SILVA
: But when he returned—let’s see—the fire had just broken out at the Syndicate Plantation.

BABY DOLL
: Mr. Vacarro, I don’t have the slightest idea what you could be driving at.

SILVA
: You’re a very unsatisfactory witness, Mrs. Meighan.

BABY DOLL
: I never can think when people—stare straight at me.

SILVA
: Okay, I’ll look away then.

[
He turns his back to her
.]

Now, does that improve your memory any? Now are you able to concentrate on the question?

BABY DOLL
: Huh?

SILVA
: No? You’re not?

[
He grins evilly
.]

Well—should we drop the subject?

BABY DOLL
: I sure do wish you would!

SILVA
: Sure, there’s no use crying over a burnt-down gin. And besides, like your husband says—this world is built on the principle of tit for tat.

BABY DOLL
: What do you mean?

SILVA
: Nothing at all specific. Mind if I. . .?

BABY DOLL
: What?

SILVA
[
approaching the swing where she sits
]: You want to move over a little and make some room?

BABY DOLL
[
shifting slightly
]: Is that room enough for you?

SILVA
: Enough for me. How about you?

BABY DOLL
: Is it strong enough to support us both?

SILVA
: I hope. Let’s swing a bit. You seem all tense. Motion relaxes people. It’s like a cradle. A cradle relaxes a baby. They call you “Baby,” don’t they?

BABY DOLL
: That’s sort of a pet name.

SILVA
: Well in the swing you can relax like a cradle. . .

BABY DOLL
: Not if you swing it so high. It shakes me up.

SILVA
: Well, I’ll swing it low then. Are you relaxed?

BABY DOLL
: I’m relaxed enough. As much as necessary.

SILVA
: No, you’re not. Your nerves are all tied up.

BABY DOLL
: You make me nervous.

SILVA
: Just swinging with you?

BABY DOLL
: Not just that.

SILVA
: What else then?

BABY DOLL
: All them questions you asked me about the fire.

SILVA
: I only inquired about your husband—about his leaving the house after supper.

BABY DOLL
: Why should I have to explain why he left the house? Besides, I did. I think I explained that to you.

SILVA
: You said that he left the house before the fire broke out.

BABY DOLL
: What about it?

SILVA
: Why did he leave the house? What was the explanation? I forgot it.

[
Baby Doll’s face is beaded with sweat. To save her life she can’t think, can’t think at all
.]

BABY DOLL
[
just to gain a moment
]: Oh. You’re talking about my husband?

SILVA
: That’s who I’m talking about.

BABY DOLL
: How should I know!!!

SILVA
: You mean where he went after supper.

BABY DOLL
: Yes!! How should I know where he went.

SILVA
: I thought you said you explained that to me.

BABY DOLL
: I did! I explained it to you!

SILVA
: Well, if you don’t know, how could you explain it to me?

BABY DOLL
[
turning
]: There’s no reason why I should explain anything to you.

SILVA
: Then just relax.

[
They swing
.]

As I was saying, that was a lovely remark your husband made.

BABY DOLL
: What remark did he make?

SILVA
: The good neighbor policy. I see what he means by that now. There’s a lot of fine cotton lint floating around in the air.

BABY DOLL
: I know there is. It irritates my sinus.

SILVA
: Well, you’re a delicate woman.

[
Silva removes a piece of lint with his crop
.]

There now!

BABY DOLL
: Thanks. Delicate? Me? Oh, no.

SILVA
: Oh, yes, every bit of you is delicate. Choice. Delectable, I might say.

BABY DOLL
: Huh?

SILVA
[
running his finger lightly over her skin
]: You’re fine fibered. And smooth. And soft.

BABY DOLL
: Our conversation is certainly taking a personal turn!

SILVA
: Yes! You make me think of cotton.

[
He caresses her arm another moment
.]

No! No fabric, no kind of cloth, not even satin or silk has the absolute delicacy of your skin!

BABY DOLL
: Well! Should I say thanks or something?

SILVA
: No, just smile, Mrs. Meighan. You have an attractive smile. Dimples!!

BABY DOLL
: No. . .

SILVA
: Yes, you have! Smile, Mrs. Meighan! Come on! Smile!

[
Baby Doll averts her face, smiles helplessly
.]

There now. See? You’ve got them!

[
Delicately, he touches one of the indentations in her cheek
.]

BABY DOLL
: Please don’t touch me. I don’t like to be touched.

SILVA
: Then why do you giggle?

BABY DOLL
: Can’t help it. You make me feel kind of hysterical, Mr. Vacarro. . . Mr. Vacarro. . .

SILVA
: Yes?

BABY DOLL
[
a different attack, more feminine, pleading
]: I hope you don’t think that Archie Lee was mixed up in that fire. I swear to goodness he never left the front porch. I remember it perfectly now. We just set here on the swing till the fire broke out and then we drove into town.

SILVA
: To celebrate!

BABY DOLL
: No, no, no!

SILVA
: Twenty-seven wagons full of cotton’s a pretty big piece of business to fall into your lap like a gift from the gods, Mrs. Meighan.

BABY DOLL
: I thought you said we would drop the subject.

SILVA
: You brought it up that time.

BABY DOLL
: Well, please don’t try to mix me up anymore, I swear to goodness the fire had already broke out when he got back.

SILVA
: That’s not what you told me a moment ago.

BABY DOLL
: You got me all twisted up. We went in town. The fire broke out and we didn’t know about it.