## PEOPLE

Bina Sawters

Mrs. Sawters

Julie Sawters

Mr. Sawters

Opal Dunham

Gard Dunham

Clabe Sawters

Blocky Lockhart

## SCENES

### Act 1

Scene 1 -- Living room of the Sawters farmhouse on the shores of Big Lake, Indian Territory, ~~10:00 a.m.~~ a Sunday, Spring afternoon, in Spring, 1906,

Scene 2 -- Clabe's bedroom. 10 o'clock that night.

### Act 2

Scene 1 -- The living room again. Dusk, Thanksgiving Day, the same year.

Scene 2 -- The same. Later that night.

-0-

1 - 5

Mrs. Sawters

Does any woman know what her children aim to do? I don't -
and I never did. I don't pretend to read the future.
The past is deep enough for me, the Lord knows. Clabe:
come home when he gets ready, or he'll stay in the navy, till
he's eighty-two. I couldn't say. Anyway, it's immaterial to
me.

Bina

I don't see how we'll ever --!

Mrs. Sawters

Ever what?

Bina

(Bursting out angrily)

They's jist too much to do around here for Paw! I wish to
goodness Clabe had his belly full of the navy by this time
and would come on home where he belongs!

Mrs. Sawters

(with her light and maddening mockery)

Why, Bina, I never saw you so intense.

Bina

Oh, it jist makes me mad! What'd he ever go away for
in the first place!

(Julie has come in with her pitcher of water)

Julie

(Pausing)

Who?

Bina

Clabe.

Julie

(with that slightly superior, but in-
finitely subtle and secret scorn)

Maybe he had to.

Bina

You know he didn't have to!

Julie

Do I? It must be wonderful to be able to read people's
minds -- to be able to tell them what they know and what
they don't know.

(She goes toward the stairs)

["1-7", "Bina", "I guess he didn't mean a thing, for right after that he\nup and married Opal 'fore you could say \"Jack Robbison\".\nThe whole thing jist puzzles me.", "Mrs. Sawters", "I expect it does -- and I expect it always will. You're\na sweet child, Bina -- your own mother admits it -- but --", "Bina", "I ain't bright, is that it?", "Mrs. Sawters", "Oh, you're *x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x

1-17

Julie

(Arrogantly)

Yes'. I turned him against it. Who wouldn't if I hadn't?

Mr. Sawters hole

So we've got you to thank for the mess we're in.

Julie

Lula

What mess?

Mr. Sawters

Do you think I can run a big farm like this single-handed?

Julie

I don't know anything about that.

Mr. Sawters

They's a lot of things that never come in to that head of
yours. Here I been blamin' Clabe for bein' the damn fool.

Julie

I'll take whatever blame there is.

Mr. Sawters

Blame it! I'm not interested in blame. I'm interested in
runnin' this farm and payin' my honest debts like any
manorto. I'm interested in gettin' ahead -- and seein'
my kids get ahead. I don't know why you have to work
against me!

Julie

I've done nothing against you.

Mr. Sawters

You've done harm against Clabe and harm against me. For
that matter, against us all. I'd thank you to explain
yourself.

Julie

(Calmly)

I'll try to make you understand.

Mr. Sawters

(Infuriated)

And none of that god damned hoity-toityness either! By
God, we're all jist about as good xx as you air!

Julie

(Coolly)

You're all perfect. You're the salt of the earth.

Mr. Sawte rs

Listen to her!

1 - 18

Mrs. Sawters

(reised and satiric)

Yes, listen. I'm sure she can explain it all. Can't you,
Julie?

(It's hard to recognize the malice and
scorn in Mrs. Sawter's words, so artfully
does she manage them. But Julie knows
her mother as no one else does)

Julie

(Evenly)

Yes -- and I fully intend to.

Mrs. Sawters

There, Dave. Now listen. Listen to Julie.

Julie

Last Spring, a year ago -- just about this time, there was
that big box-supper over at the Verdigris School House.
We all went.

Bina

in one

I went

Yes, in two buggies. You went with Clabe, ~~me~~ with Paw
and Maw. <u>You</u> remember, Maw. ^

Mrs. Sawters

I'm not apt to forget it.

Julie

Clabe was drinking -- he was drinking a lot.

Mrs. Sawters

And doing other things too, it seems to me. He got en-
gaged to Opal that night, out in a buggy somewhere.

Julie

Yes. He did. And afterwards he took her home. And I
had to come home with Gard/ Dunham.

Mr. Sawters

I don't see what all this has to do with --- !

Mrs. Sawters

Dave. Just be patient. Julie'll tell you. Go an, Julie,

Julie

In the afternoon

through

The next day was Sunday. I went out for a walk, out to see
the orchard. There were wild flowers everywhere. You could
smell the blooms of the fruit trees.

Mrs. Sawters

Yes, they do smell.

["1 - 19", "(Julie just looks at her, till even Mrs.
Sawters who is afraid of nothing cannot stand
it, and turns her eyes away. Julie resumes.
A new note is in her recital. A deep and
troubling emotion grips her. She creates the
scene so vividly that her family is spell-bound.)", "Julie\nWhere the orchard drops down to the lake-side, there's\na mossy bank.\nThe sun was on it.\nThe lake shimmered, Shimmered,\nThe water was lapping against the stones.", "It was a day anyone ought to care about.\nIt was a day a young man ought to feel like singing --\nJust for the day itself,\nAnd for being alive --\nAnd especially a man engaged to a girl he was mad to marry.", "But lying by on the bank by the lake was Clabe --\nAnd he wasn't singing --\nHe was crying.", "I felt so sorry for him.\nI tried to comfort him -- but for a long time he wouldn't\nbe comforted.", "It's not pleasant to see someone you care about, a grown\nman,\nYour own brother,\nAs sick in his soul as sick. He was,"]

2 - 13

Opal

(Triumphantly)

You know it's so! You needn't run away, ^ I've got some-
thing else to tell you. Someday he'll come back. And
it's me he'll come back to, understand!

J

Julie

He'll never come back. He said so.

Opal

But he will, just the same! I know he will. And I'll
leave Gard then so quick he won't know what struck him!

Julie

You wouldn't do that. You're married to him.

Opal

Do you think that 'd stop me? Not on your life! Now
I know the way Clabe feels about me. And he'll take me
away from here -- and just try to stop it this time. And
this time he won't come back. Neither one of us will!

Julie

You KNEW 've got it all figured out, haven't you? You
know exactly what you want and how to get it, don't you?

Opal

You bet I do!

Julie

We'll see about it.

Don't be too sure,

Opal

If you think you're gonna tell Gard, don't waste your time.
It won't make no difference.

Julie

(Thinking it out, planning quietly, but
desperately)

I won't tell Gard. It's none of my affair. I could make
it mine, though. I could stop your jeering mouth once
and for all. It's a fight you want, is it? Over what?
A bunch of silly letters. From one cheap little vicious/
good-for-nothing to another just like him. Well, I prom-
ise you. I'll get those letters. I'll burn them to
ashes. And you'll not have anything to gloat over any
more.

2 - 14 A

Julie

I'd rather you wouldn't.

(With what looks like sincerity)

We might have been friends.

Opal

I'm willin' to let bygones be bygones - if you are.

Julie

Thanks you, Opal.

Opal

What's the dif? Life's too short.

Julie

(Low and broodingly)

Short, yes? And not very pleasant for any of us. When I
was younger, I thought it could be. Why don't they tell
you the truth?

Opal

It's funny -- I don't mind you so much now I see you're
kinda human.

Julie

I must be that. Maybe that's been the trouble, all along.

You couldn't understand that. You never had a brother
that you were devoted to.

2 - 19

once swiftly across the room. She
stops, listening to invisible sounds from
below. She goes to the window, looks out.
She backs back into the room, having seen
something that tightens her with
apprehension and triumph.)

(Sounds are heard on the stair, and
Bina bounds in at the open door)

~~Quick~~ Gard! Gard! Bina

Julie
(With superhuman calm)
Well, what?

~~What's so funny?~~ Bina
Where's Gard at?

Julie
How should I know?

Bina
I got to find him!
(She turns to go. Mrs. Sawters comes in)

Mrs. Sawters
What's the matter?

~~Sonic Bina~~
That crazy Opal! She tore out on to the boat landing,
right in the storm! What's come over here, anyway?

~~Find out Gard. Hurry!~~ Mrs. Sawters

Bina
Where is he?

Mrs. Sawters
He went out to the barn with your father, I think.

(There are sounds below, consternation and
calls of the two men)

Bina
(Flying out)
There he is. He must have stopped her. I never saw the
like!

Mrs. Sawters
(Sternly)
What happened here, Julie?

## Act ONE

### Scene 3

Clabe's bedroom, toward morning.

The light has been dimmed down.
Sitting in the xmx semi-gloom,
in the firelight, are Mr. and
Mrs. Sawters and Gard.

They speak in the quiet voices
people use at night, or in the
presence of the dead.

Mr. Sawters

You know best, Gard. We'll just have to get along the best we can then, I guess.

Gard

Dane

Any time I c'n get away from my own work though, I'll be glad to lend a hand. But it wouldn't suit me to be bounden to another man. I cain't do it, Never could.

Mr. Sawters

I never could myself.

Mrs. Sawters

But with no one to look out for you now ---

Gard

And

I c'n get along without a made bed. And I c'n cook up my own grub as well as --- better, if I told the fact.

Mrs. Sawters

You'll be mighty lonely over there by yourself.

Gard

Oh, I might plan to take keer of that before long. You never can tell. A feller don't always do a good job of pickin' the first time.

(They consider this a moment, his meaning)

Mr. Sawters

No. People make mistakes.

3 - 2 A

(Gard X remains in his chair,
barely visible in the gloom.)

(After a moment, Julie's door opens, and
Julie stands there, in her nightgown,
a wrapper thrown about her. She moves softly
in, looks at the sleeping figure of the
dead girl. She goes over, lifts the end
of the X netting, hooking it up,
and stares at the corpse. Then she goes
to the mantel, takes out the flowers and
going over again lays them X on
the foot of the bed.)

Julie
(Softly)

I wish I could take it back.

(Quiet and anguished)

Why did you have to fight me? It wasn't you I was fighting.
Won't you try to know that? I'll never rest if you don't.

(She pauss, and after a moment,
lets down the swathing netting)

Gard
(Leaning forward into visibility)

Julie.

(She turns, startled. After a moment
to gain her control, she moves a step
nearer)

Julie
Just putting some flowers here. I thought you'd all gone.

Julie

Death makes you do that.

Gard

A man don't get much out of life, when you look at it.

Julie

Some men get a lot.

Gard

A lot, maybe. But not what he wants. I never did. What I wanted the most. And still want. And still aim to get.

Julie

(Getting up, knowing his meaning)
I'll go now.

Gard

(Rising to prevent her)
Not for a minute.
(It comes close to being a command,
instead of a plea)
I want to talk to you.

Julie

(Impatient, nettled)
Tomorrow. Not now.

Gard

You've kept outa my way for a year.

Julie

I don't have to see people I don't want to.

Gard

You're in the same room with me now -- and you'll see
me-- You'll hear what I got to say.

Julie

You're a guest in this house! Try to behave like one.

Gard

I'll behave the way I am. I never laid claim to be
a harler man,

You're disgusting.

and

Julie

I'm a man and you're a woman. What's disgusting about it?
It's you I want, you know it!

Julie

Your wife is lying there dead!

1x+x2

4 - 2

fits about it.

Mrs. Sawters

No, but I notice you made three kinds of pie and two
kinds of cake.

Bina

(Abashed)

Well, he's got that Blocky Lockhart bringin' him out.
We can't starve a stranger.

Man

Mr. Sawter rs

Blocky Lockhart ain't no stranger. Used to come out
here purt! near ever Sunday when he was a kid. Why,
you've played Anty-Over and Blackman with him.

Bina

I wouldn't know him from Adam. He's a stronger to me.

Mr. Sawters

Used to tease the livin' daylights out of you, too.

Bina

He better not try it now. I'll take a flat-iron to him.

Mrs. Sawters

Hadn't they ought to be here by now? It doesn't take all
day to drive from Claremore.

Mr. Sawters

(Consulting his impressive turnip watch)
'Tain't but three.

Bina

He said before three. The turkey's gonna dry up and blow
away, they don't get here soon.

half

Mr. Sawters

(Teasing her)

Maybe the buggy broke down. Maybe they froze to death.
They's a inch of ice on the lake and the wind like a
knife. Or maybe Clabe jist forgot the way.

Cuts you

Bina

Paw! You reckon?

Mr. Sawters

Or maybe they ain't comin'. I bet that's it.

Bina

(In dismay)

You think they ain't!

4 - 4

Mr. Sawters (Cont'd)

I was wonderin' --
(He stops)

Mrs. Sawters
(Nodding, smiling indulgently)

Dave, you're as easy to read as a book with big printing.
You're wondering if Clabe's coming home to stay.

Mr. Sawters

Well, ain't you?

Mrs. Sawters
Certainly. But I'm not pulling a long face about it.

Mr. Sawters
Anh, it's borryin' trouble to worry, I reckon. He'll
do what he wants to, I guess.

Mrs. Sawters
(With a significance even Mr. Sawters
can't miss)

Maybe so. Maybe not. He hasn't always done it, I notice.

Mr. Sawters
No. But this time he -- shorely by this time he
must be growed up and in his right mind.

(With enthusiasm)

Why, if he stays -- we could break out that bottom land
next year. We still could get into them stumps and
burn 'em all out now 'fore winter sets in. And next
spring Clabe 'd have him the richest cornland you ever
laid eyes on!

Mrs. Sawters

Clabe would?

Mr. Sawters
Sure. It's most of it his Indian allotment, anyway. And
it's never been tetched.

Mrs. Sawters
More land, more work.

Mr. Sawters
Who's afraid of a little work? By God, you're gonna
see some changes around here!

Mrs. Sawters
(Pleased at his tone, but unable to
refrain from chiding him a little)

You're singing a brand new song this fall, it looks like.
I can remember back -- oh, not so long ago -- not even
a month ago, you —

Julie

Gard's drunk -- that's what the matter is.

Mr. Sawters

(Puzzled)

Drunk? I never knowed Gard was a drinkin' man.

Julie

You know it now.

Bina

Is *that* why you was so late?

Julie

I couldn't get him started. I've been after him since
before noon. At first, he wasn't coming at all. Then
he wasn't going to let me come. Finally, I threatened
to walk across the lake.

Mrs. Sawters

(Sardonically)

You wouldn't have got far.

Julie

It brought him to his senses -- what little he's got left.

Mr. Sawters

I better go see.

Julie

You'd better stay out of his way.

Mr. Sawters

I never seen a drunk yet I couldn't handle.

Mrs. Sawters

Dave, you stay right here. I'll be back in a few minutes.
I guess he can get to the house without falling down.

Julie

No telling what he's liable to --!

(Sick at heart)

Oh.

Mrs. Sawters

It's all right, take your things off.

(She helps her out of her coat)

Sit down here by the stove. You must be cold.

4-10

(Gently)

Mr. Sawters

A part of it's my affair, I guess. The crop rent you turned over this year is the poorest, in many a year.

Gard

I can't help that.

Mr. Sawters

A farmer that don't farm is like a hen that don't lay eggs.
I ain't blamin' you, Gard. All I wanta know is why?

Gard

(Dark, inward)

Yeah, why.

(He looks at his glass)

This is why.

(He drains it down)

Let it go at that.

Mrs. Sawters

Yes, but why this?

Why whiskey?

Gard

I don't want to talk about it.

Mr. Sawters

That's right, Gard -- you just set there and forget it,
whatever it is. How about another'n?

Gard

Don't mind if I do.

(hours)

(Mr. Sawters, him another glass)

Have one yourself.

Mr. Sawters

No, thank you jist the same. That stuff 'd have me
talkin' Chinee in two shakes!

(Bina flies in and hurries to open the
sliding doors)

Bina

Now this is them!

(She disappears, and we can hear the
door open and her excited greetings to
Clabe and Bixby Blocky.)

and Mr. Sawters

(Mrs. Sawters, stand rigid, suspended,
Mrs. Sawters not far from the sliding
door which Bina has left open. Even
Gard puts down his drink and stands
heavily, waiting)

Julie

Cold, yes.

(She sits)

(Gard pushes the sliding doors open.)

He is in an ugly mood, but now
and then his subconscious hurt and
bitterness breaks through his sullenness)

XXX

Mr. Sawters

Happy Thanksgiving, Gard.

The same to you.

(To the others)

And you, too. All of you.

Includin' Julie.

Mr. Sawters

Come on in.

Where's Clabe the pride of the west? I want to see what
he looks like. I want to see the color of his hair.

Gard

Mr. Sawters

He ain't come yet. Take off your coat and make yourself
at home. It's Thanksgiving Day, you know. I was gonna
offer you some port wine, but I reckon you don't need it.

Gard

No, and I don't want it, neither. I brung my own.

(He pulls a jug out from under his coat)

And it ain't port wine.

Julie

Gard!

Gard

(Staring at her, his eyes half-closed)

Mrs. Gard Dunham, my lovin' wife. My fine high-toned woman,
wife. None like her on land or sea. She knows the right fork to use -- for she learned it at the Seminary. She knows how to treat a man when she's tied up to him legal. Yeah, you ort to know her, folks -- the way I know her.

(Sick with annoyance and disgust, Julie
rises, goes quietly out of the room. After
a second, Gard goes over, finds a glass, pours
out a big glass drink)

Bina

Paw, you orten't to let him have any more!

Mr. Sawters

Let him have all he wants. 'S good for him.

Bina

(Appalled)

~~Wad~~

I never saw the beat and equal!

(She goes out)

Gard

They say 'f you drink enough of this, eve r'thing goes
black on you.

(~~He lifts his glass~~)

Come on, black.

(He pours down half the glass)

Mrs. Sawters

(With grim amusement)

I don't think he'll have to wait long.

Mr. Sawters

That's the idy.

(He has got Gard's coat off by this
time and helps him into a chair)

We looked for you over here at thrashin' time, Gard.

We could shore a-used you.

(No answer)

I had a hard time gettin' fall plowing done, and winter
wheat in, too.

Gard

I got eighty acres over there to take keer of. They need
all the attention they can get.

Mr. Sawters

Yeah, *need* it, all right.

Gard

(After a moment)

If you mean they need it and don't get it, it's my
business. I ain't beholdin' to nobody.

Mr. Sawters

(Gently)

Now look, Gard, I don't want no quarrel with you.

Gard

Keep out of my affairs, then.

(Blocky Lockhart's loud and happy
voice can be heard, and in a moment
Bina, Clabe and Blocky come into sight)

Blocky's Voice

 Yep, if you ain't growed clear out of recollection!
 I never would a-knowned you from a stray heifer 'f
 Clabe hadn't told me --

(They are in the door now, and he becomes
conscious of the room, with people in it
-- and conscious too that this is Clabe's
moment, not his)

Blocky

(Hurriedly, quietly, to Bina)

Got a <u>lot</u> of things to say to you, Miss Bina.

(CLABE is dark and hefty, and used to
facing tough xxi situations. But there is
more to him than male arrogance; he is haunted
and bitter, his mind is complicated by dark
passions and an almost-violent necessity to
survive. ⚠ He is dressed in ordinary civ-
ilian clothes of the period.)

(BLOCKY is young, big, red-faced, and hearty.
He is almost bursting out of his clothes
with too much fat and awkwardness and
muscle and his overwhelming animal good
spirits.)

Clabe

Maw.

Mrs. Sawters

Howdy, Clabe. I never expected to see it.

(He comes over, takes her offered hand.
Then they embrace.✓ In a moment, he goes
over to Mr. Sawters)

Clabe

Paw.

(They shake hands. Mr. Sawters is speech-
less, moved.)

Mrs. Sawters

Cat's got your Paw's tongue, I reckon. Clabe, that's
Gard Dunham over there. Julie's husband.

Clabe

Howdy, Gard.

4 - 16

Blocky

mutt's
That's the way this mug's been talking to me, I don't know what's got into him!

Clabe

I'm a citizen of my time. You'll have to get used to it.

Bina

You ain't well, Clabe.

Clabe

I'm as sound as a drum. The medical inspector will vouch for it. I've got a long life ahead of me to dedicate to good works.

Mrs. Sawters

(Troubled)
Clabe.... Clabe...

Clabe

I'm sorry. I'm just tired, I guess.

Mrs. Sawters

You'd better have your dinner and go right to bed.

Clabe

I'm all right.

Blocky

(Taking a hand)

Well, there he is, folks - the prodigal son. I plumb expected him to get off the train in one of them middle blouses. But the son of a gun claims he's got his *Discharge*.

(He snickers)

A Dishonorable *Discharge*, too, I bet you -- if they *is* such a thing!

Bina

Now you let him alone! I've heared about enough out of you!

Blocky

Now that's where you're wrong, Miss Bina. Yes, sir --
I shore come to the right place, I guess! You couldn't
a-stopped me with a f**kux six mule team when I remembered
you got eighty acres of land in your own name.

Bina

Oh, foot!

Blocky

Who'd a-thought it? Why, I remember you when you was
freckle-nosed and four foot tall.