Simpatico Read online

  VINNIE: There’s usually some hint of something. Some history.

  CARTER: NOT IN MY CASE!!

  Pause. CARTER keeps rocking slowly, on the floor. VINNIE keeps staring at the ceiling.

  VINNIE: Could you stop that rolling around please. It’s irritating. I’m trying to get some rest. I need rest now.

  CARTER stops rocking but keeps shaking. Pause.

  CARTER: So—What’d you and Rosie talk about?

  VINNIE: The past.

  CARTER: High school? The racetrack?

  VINNIE: Just the past. In general.

  CARTER: Did she—mention me at all?

  VINNIE: No.

  CARTER: Didn’t she ask about me? I mean—she knew I was coming out here to see you and then you show up out there. Didn’t she wonder about that?

  VINNIE: I guess not.

  Pause. CARTER starts to rock hack and forth again in the blanket. VINNIE stays on bed.

  CARTER: So—You must’ve made a killing off of Simms, huh? How much did he give you?

  VINNIE: Bookoos.

  CARTER: Well, it couldn’t have been that much.

  VINNIE: It was plenty.

  CARTER: I know how much he makes a month so it couldn’t have been all that much.

  VINNIE: He cut me in on some shares. “Danzig”. “Mr Prospector”. Stuff like that. Big shares.

  Pause.

  CARTER: Do you think he’s going to—

  VINNIE: What?

  CARTER: Get vindictive?

  VINNIE: I wouldn’t be at all surprised.

  CARTER: You don’t think he’ll—go to the press or anything? Try to take it back to court?

  VINNIE: I wouldn’t be a bit surprised.

  CARTER: He wouldn’t go to the press. He’d never let those pictures out. They’d never print them anyway.

  VINNIE: So, what’re you worried about?

  CARTER: I don’t know. I just feel like—my number’s up.

  Pause. CARTER keeps rocking slowly.

  VINNIE: When do you think you might feel like getting my bourbon?

  CARTER: I can’t walk.

  VINNIE: Have you tried?

  CARTER: I can hardly stand up.

  VINNIE sits up fast on bed.

  VINNIE: WILL YOU STOP THAT ROCKING BACK AND FORTH! STOP IT!

  CARTER stops.

  VINNIE (from bed): Now, sit up. Sit up, Carter!

  CARTER struggles to a sitting position. Very shaky.

  VINNIE: Now stand.

  CARTER struggles, but can’t stand. VINNIE lunges off the bed, grabs CARTER by the chest and yanks him up to his feet, ripping the blanket away.

  VINNIE (as he grabs CARTER): STAND UP!

  VINNIE slaps him hard across the face. Just once. He holds him there.

  VINNIE: Now what in the hell’s going on with you? I want you to put your clothes on. Pull yourself together and go out and buy me a bottle of bourbon! You owe me a bottle of bourbon.

  CARTER: Where?

  VINNIE: Just get dressed! I’ll tell you where when you get your clothes back on.

  CARTER stumbles towards his clothes and starts trying to put them on but can’t manage it.

  VINNIE: I have never seen anybody make such a big deal out of a hangover.

  CARTER: It’s not just that.

  VINNIE: That’s all it is! Amateur drinking! That’s all it is!

  CARTER: I’m completely cut off, Vinnie! I’m dying.

  Pause.

  VINNIE: What the fuck are you talking about? You weren’t dying a couple a’ days ago. You were full of yourself. You were strutting around here like a Banty rooster.

  CARTER: I’m dying now.

  VINNIE: Have you caught something? Have you found out that you have something?

  CARTER: That would be easy, wouldn’t it?

  VINNIE: Easy?

  CARTER: That would be understandable.

  VINNIE: Do you want me to take you to the Emergency Room?

  CARTER: You don’t drive. Remember?

  VINNIE: You can drive yourself. I’ll go along with you. I’ll ride shotgun.

  CARTER: No.

  VINNIE: No, what?

  CARTER: I’m not going to the Emergency Room! It’s past that.

  VINNIE: You’re giving up the ghost?

  CARTER (still struggling to dress): I’m dying.

  VINNIE: Stop saying that! (Pause, mocks him.) “I’m dying! I’m dying!” Good God—what a maudlin son-of-a-bitch you’ve turned out to be. What’s happened to you? Have you been laying around here, feeling sorry for yourself? Moping in the dark? In my bed!

  Pause.

  CARTER: I can’t get my pants on.

  VINNIE: Jesus Christ!

  CARTER: I can’t.

  VINNIE: Here—let me help you.

  VINNIE goes to him and holds his pants while CARTER attempts to put his legs in.

  VINNIE: Stop shaking and lift your leg! Just stop all that shaking and chattering.

  CARTER (as he tries to lift his leg): I’m not going back there, you know.

  VINNIE: Just lift your leg up!

  CARTER: I’m not.

  VINNIE: All right, you’re not going back there. That’s fine. You need to get dressed first.

  CARTER: I’m not going back, Vinnie.

  VINNIE: Will you lift your goddamn leg!

  CARTER: I’m staying here.

  VINNIE grabs his leg and forces it into the pants as CARTER hangs onto his shoulder. They struggle for balance, with the pants, going in small circles.

  CARTER: I’m going to change my name.

  VINNIE: Good.

  CARTER: I’m going to disappear.

  VINNIE: That’s great.

  CARTER: I’m going to stay here with you.

  VINNIE: No, you’re not.

  CARTER: I’ll pay half the rent.

  VINNIE: You’re paying all of it now.

  CARTER: I’ll pay half.

  VINNIE: Pull your pants up! Pull them up!

  VINNIE turns loose of him and lets CARTER crash to the floor with his pants half way up. Pause. VINNIE watches him as CARTER crawls towards the blanket and reaches for it.

  VINNIE: You’re not staying here, Carter. You’re not staying here with me, if that’s what you think. Where’d you ever get an idea like that?

  CARTER (pulling blanket around him): We could maybe start up with the claimers again. Start brand new.

  VINNIE: Those days are over, Carter. Long gone. Give it up.

  CARTER: We made a couple a’ mistakes. A couple a’ bad mistakes.

  VINNIE: Mistakes?

  CARTER: Yeah. I admit that.

  VINNIE: That’s big of you.

  CARTER: But we had a—partnership going there for a while. A real parternship. We were like—a team. We had a feeling between us. Didn’t we, Vinnie? A real feeling.

  Pause. VINNIE moves toward bed, unbuttoning his shirt.

  VINNIE: I’m gonna lay down, Carter. I’m gonna lay down and I’m gonna fall asleep. I’m not gonna dream, I’m just gonna sleep. And when I wake up, I want you gone.

  CARTER: I’ll make you a deal then.

  VINNIE: Sure. A deal. Another deal.

  CARTER: I’ll swap you straight across the board.

  VINNIE: Swap me? Swap me for what?

  CARTER: I’ll take your place and you can have mine.

  VINNIE: You’re delirious. Why are you acting like this? It’s time for you to go home, Carter!

  VINNIE sits on bed and starts taking off his shoes.

  CARTER: You can have it all. Even Rosie.

  VINNIE: I don’t want it all. I don’t want anything you’ve got. You can stop sending me all your bullshit. All your TVs and Jap cars and corny golf shirts. All your guilt money. You can keep all that. Now if you don’t get up off my floor, I’m gonna drag your ass out into the road and leave you there. I’m just gonna leave you laying out there, rolling and shaking and frothing at the mouth. You can die with your tongue hanging out. I don’t give a shit. Just g
et up off my floor! NOW!!

  VINNIE leaps at him from the bed and rips the blanket off CARTER. Pause as VINNIE hovers menacingly over him then returns to bed. He pulls the cardboard boxes out from under bed and starts taking out all his detective gear and putting it on: his shoulder holster and pistol, his badge, handcuffs, sneakers and overcoat. CARTER watches him from the floor.

  CARTER: What’re you doing?

  VINNIE: I’m going out to get a bottle.

  CARTER: Now? You’re not going to just leave me here, are you?

  VINNIE: Yeah. That’s what I’m gonna do.

  CARTER: Wait a minute, Vinnie—

  VINNIE: If you’re not gone when I get back, I’m going to put you on the highway. In your underwear.

  CARTER: Wait a second. Wait a second, Vinnie. This thing’s bound to pass. I just need a little recovery time.

  VINNIE: Time’s up, partner.

  CARTER: Let me stay here with you, Vinnie.

  VINNIE: There’s only one bed. And that’s mine.

  CARTER: I’ll get a cot. A mattress, or something.

  VINNIE: There’s no room.

  CARTER: I’ll stay out of your way. I promise. I’ll keep to myself. I’ll stay completely—separate. If—If you have a girlfriend come over or something—If that Cecilia girl comes over, I’ll—I’ll go out on the lawn. I’ll sleep out there. On the front lawn. I promise, Vinnie. I’ll disappear. It’ll be like—you won’t even know I’m around.

  VINNIE has all his detective gear on by now. He moves to CARTER and stops, standing over him. Pause.

  VINNIE: I’ll know.

  CARTER: You’re not gonna go out now, are you? I thought you were tired.

  VINNIE: I’m suddenly inspired.

  CARTER: What’re you gonna do out there?

  VINNIE: Surveillance. I’m working on a new case. It’s a great feeling to embark on a case. It fills me with purpose. I’m my own man again. I move wherever I want to. I answer to no one. I cut through backyards and they never even know I’m there. I see it all, Carter. I’m a witness to it all. I see it through their windows. I see how helpless they all are. How they’re all in the grips of something. And the great thing about this business is there’s no end to it. It’s bottomless. Just imagine that. Right now, right this very second, someone is cutting someone else’s throat. It’s amazing.

  CARTER: Let me stay here just for a little while, Vinnie.

  VINNIE: Go back home, Carter. The kids are waiting. It’s Halloween.

  VINNIE exits, leaving CARTER alone on the floor. Pause as CARTER looks around the space. His chills intensify. He scrambles toward the blanket and wraps it around his shoulders. He holds himself across the chest and rocks slowly back and forth.

  CECILIA enters from stage right with her purse still stuffed with CARTER’s money and VINNIE’s laundry all clean and folded. She’s still wearing her Derby dress. She stops and stares at CARTER. He turns quickly toward her, shaking. Pause.

  CECILIA crosses to the bed and sets VINNIE’s clean laundry on it. She turns towards CARTER with purse. She goes to CARTER and begins to take fistfuls of money out of purse and drops the money in front of CARTER in a pile.

  CECILIA: Your money’s all here. You can count it if you want to. I only used a little bit for sandwiches and tea. I’ll pay you back, I promise. You should have told me the Derby was in May, Mr Carter. Why would you lie about something as simple as that?

  CARTER’s phone begins to ring. They both stare at it.

  CECILIA: Do you want me to answer that?

  Pause. CARTER just stares at phone. CECILIA moves to exit, stops and turns back to CARTER. Pause.

  CECILIA: Somebody ought to answer that.

  She exits. Phone keeps ringing. CARTER keeps staring at it without moving to answer. He shakes in his blanket as lights dim slowly. Phone rings into the blackness then stops.

  Available from

  ALFRED A. KNOPF

  CRUISING PARADISE

  Tales by Sam Shepard

  A boy travels to a desolate roadside inn to retrieve the charred mattress on which his drunken father burned to death. A mortified actor is stonewalled by a female bureaucrat in a Mexican border town—until he identifies himself as Spencer Tracy. A man and a woman quarrel desperately in a South Dakota motel room and part company for reasons that remain mysterious to them both. Written with the terse lyricism that has become his trademark, Sam Shepard’s tales are at once acts of personal revelation and signposts to an American landscape shaped by violence, loss, and regret. Together they present their author’s singular vision of ancestry and childhood, sexual passion and betrayal, family and fame, in a voice that is spare and quintessentially American.

  Fiction/0-679-41564-5

  Also available from VINTAGE BOOKS

  THE UNSEEN HAND

  and Other Plays

  Drama/0-679-76789-4

  SIMPATICO

  A Play in Three Acts

  Drama/0-679-76317-1

  STATES OF SHOCK, FAR NORTH, SILENT TONGUE

  A Play and Two Screenplays

  Drama/0-679-74218-2

  Available your local bookstore, or call toll-free to order:

  1-800-793-2665 (credit cards only).

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