The Sunset Limited(13)

White I loathe them and they loathe me.

Black Well now wait a minute. Just cause you dont like em dont mean you aint like em. What was that word? Loathe?

White Loathe.

Black That’s a pretty powerful word, aint it?

White Not powerful enough, I’m afraid.

Black So how come you be loathin these other professors?

White I know what you’re thinking.

Black What am I thinkin?

White You’re thinking that I loathe them because I’m like them and I loathe myself.

Black (Sitting back in his chair) Damn, Professor. If I had your brains aint no tellin what all I might of done. I’d of been a drug king or somethin. Ride round in a Rolls Royce.

White You’re being facetious again.

Black No I aint. I wasnt the first time. Let me ask you this.

White All right.

Black Is you on any kind of medication?

White No.

Black They aint got no medication for pilgrims waitin to take the Sunset?

White For suicidal depression.

Black Yeah.

White Yes. They do. I’ve tried them.

Black And what happened?

White Nothing happened.

Black You didnt get no relief.

White No. I think the coffee’s percolated.

Black I know. Does these drugs work for most folks?

White Yes. For most.

Black But not for you.

White Not for me. No.

Black (Rising) And what do you make of that?

White I dont know. What am I supposed to make of it?

Black (Crossing to kitchen counter) I dont know, Professor. I just tryin to find you some constituents out there somewheres.

White Constituents?

Black (Unplugging percolator and getting down cups) Yeah. You like that?

White Is that a word they use on the streets?

Black Naw. I learned that word in the jailhouse. You pick up stuff from these jailhouse lawyers and then it gets used around. Be talkin bout your constituents. Some other cat’s constituents. Your wife’s constituents. You use cream and sugar?

White No. Just black.

Black Just black.

White Why do I have to have constituents?

Black I aint said you got to. I just wondered if maybe you do and we just aint looked hard enough.





He brings the percolator and the cups to the table and pours.





Black They could be out there. Maybe they’s some other drugproof terminal commuters out there that could be your friends.

White Terminal commuters?

Black Got a nice sound to it, aint it?

White It’s all right.

Black (Sitting) Nobody.

White Nobody. No.

Black Hm.

White I’m not a member. I never wanted to be. I never was.

Black Not a member.

White No.

Black Well. Sometimes people dont know what they want till they get it.

White Maybe. But I think they know what they dont want.

Black I dont know, Professor. I try and go by what I see. The simplest things has got more to em than you can ever understand. Bunch of people standin around on a train platform of a mornin. Waitin to go to work. Been there a hundred times. A thousand maybe. It’s just a train platform. Aint nothin else much you can say about it. But they might be one commuter waitin there on the edge of that platform that for him it’s somethin else. It might even be the edge of the world. The edge of the universe. He’s starin at the end of all tomorrows and he’s drawin a shade over ever yesterday that ever was. So he’s a different kind of commuter. He’s worlds away from them everday travelers. Nothin to do with them at all. Well. Is that right?

White I dont know.

Black I know you dont. Bless your heart. I know you dont.





They sip their coffee.





Black You ride that subway ever day, Professor?

White Yes.

Black What do you think about them people?

White On the subway?

Black On the subway.

White I try not to think about them at all.

Black You ever speak to any of em?

White Speak to them?

Black Yeah.

White About what?

Black About anything.

White No. God no.

Black God no?

White Yes. God no.

Black You ever curse em?

White Curse them?

Black Yeah.

White Why would I do that?

Black I dont know. Do you?

White No. Of course not.

Black I mean where they cant hear it.

White What do you mean?

Black Maybe just under your breath. In your heart. To yourself.

White Because?

Black I dont know. Maybe they just in your way. Or you dont like the way they look. The way they smell. What they doin.

White And I would mutter something ugly under my breath.

Black Yeah.

White I suppose.

Black And how often do you reckon you might do that?

White You really dont get to interrogate me, you know.

Black I know. How often?

White I dont know. With some frequency. Probably.

Black Give me a number.

White A number?

Black Yeah. Say just on a average day.

White I’ve no idea.

Black Sure you do.

White A number.

Black I’m a number man.

White Two or three times a day, I would guess. Something like that. Maybe.