BEN Hello Soldier.
SOLDIER What say, Ben. Long time no see. Come in. Come in.
Ben enters and looks around. Soldier shuts the door and motions him to a straight back chair sitting opposite the bed. Soldier sits on the bed and stubs out the cigarette in an ashtray on the night table.
SOLDIER Set down, Ben, set down.
Ben sits in the chair.
SOLDIER I went by the house. I seen they was other people livin there.
He looks up at Ben.
SOLDIER Don't worry. I wasn't comin in. You out at the farm now.
BEN We've been out there about two years.
SOLDIER Yeah, well.
Ben studies Soldier.
BEN You've been in jail.
SOLDIER Shit. Put me in no jail.
BEN It's been about a year. I knew what had happened when the checks started coming back.
SOLDIER Well, I see you ain't changed. Still know everthing.
BEN Everything you've got on is new.
SOLDIER Shit.
BEN I guess that's why you're here.
SOLDIER Why's that?
BEN To collect your checks.
SOLDIER Afraid I need a little more than them checks.
Ben looks at him.
SOLDIER I'm gettin married.
BEN Getting married.
SOLDIER Yeah.
Ben shakes his head. He looks around the room. He looks at Soldier.
BEN Does she know you kill people?
SOLDIER I ain't never killed nobody.
BEN You were involved in it.
SOLDIER That was a long time ago. You don't know.
BEN How much does she know about you?
Soldier laughs and shakes his head.
SOLDIER You somethin, ain't you? What, you think you goin to blackmail me back? She knows all about me, sucker. She knows shit they don't nobody know.
BEN What's her name?
SOLDIER You don't need to know her name.
BEN How old is she?
SOLDIER Old enough.
BEN Where's she from?
SOLDIER She ain't from here.
Ben studies Soldier.
BEN How much money do you want?
SOLDIER I need about three thousand dollars to see me right.
BEN All right.
SOLDIER Should of asked for more.
BEN I knew about what it was going to cost me.
SOLDIER Yeah. I keep forgettin bout all this shit you know.
BEN I'll bring you the money in the morning. As soon as the banks open.
He rises.
SOLDIER You don't have a little advance on that, do you?
Ben reaches in his side pocket and takes out a money clip and peels off some bills and lays them on the night table.
BEN I'll see you here at ten in the morning.
He opens the door. Soldier rises.
SOLDIER What's this dude like that Mama married?
BEN You wouldn't like him.
SOLDIER Yeah?
BEN (Shaking his head) You wouldn't like him. He pulls the door shut after him.
SCENE V
The farmhouse dining room at night. Ben and Maven are sitting at the table.
MAVEN I wish you hadn't told me.
BEN I know.
MAVEN Why did you?
BEN I don't know. You told me you wanted to know.
MAVEN I did?
BEN A long time ago.
MAVEN I don't remember.
BEN I do.
MAVEN But you did hide it from me.
BEN I was wrong.
MAVEN Why did you wait till now?
BEN I knew what you'd say.
MAVEN Do you think you have to tell me everything?
BEN Yes.
MAVEN Why?
BEN Because. Because the smallest crumb can devour us.
MAVEN Is the world really such a hostile place?
BEN I don't know. I know that I see failure on every side and I'm determined not to fail.
MAVEN Do you think it's fair to Carlotta? You can't think that.
BEN I don't. I think it's merciful.
MAVEN Why is it up to you?
BEN Isn't it up to him?
MAVEN You have an answer for everything.
Ben doesn't answer.
MAVEN Is he really so bad?
BEN I don't know. Yes. He is. I try to give him the benefit of the doubt but there isn't any doubt.
MAVEN Maybe he'll change.
BEN I don't rule that out. I just think he should do it somewhere else.
MAVEN Somewhere else is where he got the way he is now.
BEN (Shaking his head) No he didn't. He got that way right here. In this family. Nowhere else.
They sit.
MAVEN If that were true wouldn't it be all the more reason...
BEN All the more.
MAVEN But you won't change your mind, will you?
BEN I don't feel wrong. I just feel guilty.
They sit.
MAVEN What about Mama, Ben?
BEN What indeed.
SCENE VI
The hotel room. Soldier is lying on the bed in his underclothes. He has his mouth open and he is dead. A syringe and a length of small rubber tubing lie on the night table. A burned out book of matches. A spoon. Street sounds. The cooing of a pigeon. There is repeated knocking at the door. Finally the door opens and Ben enters. He comes in very slowly and surveys the scene. He comes to the bed and puts a hand to Soldier's neck. He picks up the spoon, the syringe. He lets them fall again. His mouth is compressed in anger and in sorrow. He pulls the chair up to the bed and sits down and holds his face in his hands. The pigeon calls. After a while Ben gets up. He looks down at Soldier. He takes the paraphernalia from the night table and puts the items in the side pocket of his jacket. He looks around the room. Then he takes Soldier's trousers from off the foot rail of the bed and goes through them and takes out his billfold and puts that in his jacket pocket. He stands looking down at Soldier. Then he turns off the bedside lamp. There is just the light from the window. The pigeon calls. He turns and leaves the room.