Coronado - Dennis Lehane [49]
BOBBY More pearls. Thank you.
BOBBY’S FATHER Where’s my diamond?
BOBBY Where’s Gwen?
BOBBY’S FATHER I told you.
BOBBY Tell me again. Where’s Gwen?
BOBBY’S FATHER I—
BOBBY Not good enough. Where’s Gwen?
Scene 12
A slow song on the jukebox. PATIENT lights a cigarette.
DOCTOR Those things will kill you.
PATIENT You think?
DOCTOR I never meant to—
PATIENT [Waves it away.] No one ever means anything.
[PATIENT stands, dances in front of him. He watches. She holds out her hand.]
PATIENT Come on. Dance with me.
DOCTOR Don’t be ridiculous.
PATIENT I’m not being ridiculous. I’m being rhythmic. Come on. I’ll even attempt to give a straight answer to a straight question.
DOCTOR You will, huh?
PATIENT Come on. I love this song.
[DOCTOR stands and she pulls him out onto the floor. They dance, she much better at it than he.]
DOCTOR What’s worse than murder?
PATIENT What?
DOCTOR You said you’d bet there are people in the world, in this bar, who have done far worse than murder. I’m wondering what that could be.
PATIENT Did I say that? I must have been trying it out—the concept, the line. I do that sometimes. I don’t mean anything by it.
DOCTOR Sure you do.
PATIENT After all your years climbing around in people’s heads like a cranial janitor, do you think people know why they do things? People rationalize, they turn their delusions into something romantic that they can disguise as ethics or principles or ideals. People are selfish, Doctor—odiously, monstrously, but in so small and paltry a monstrousness that we barely notice it.
[The DOCTOR tries to break away from her, but she grips him hard, grinds against him.]
PATIENT If we could have everything we wanted in an instant without fear of consequence? No worry of jail or societal reproof of any kind? No having to look our victims in the eyes because the victims have conveniently vanished? If we could have that? Stalin’s crimes would pale in comparison to what we’d do in the name of love. In the name of the heart wanting what the heart wants. So don’t fucking ask me what’s worse than murder.
[She drops his hand, steps away from him. Long beat.]
DOCTOR You’re a sociopath. You are. And I’m leaving.
PATIENT I will blow up your life.
DOCTOR What?
PATIENT You heard me. I will tell your wife and I’ll tell the Ethics Board and I’ll tell the police and I’ll make a scene so loud the only place to put it will be the front page. So don’t you think of walking out of here, you fucking theoretician.
Scene 13
BOBBY and BOBBY’S FATHER.
BOBBY’S FATHER This memory of yours…
BOBBY Yeah?
BOBBY’S FATHER Well, it’s a might selective, wouldn’t you say?
BOBBY If I could remember what it’s being selective about, I’d probably agree with you.
BOBBY’S FATHER I’m just trying to think of what you’ve forgetten besides, oh, the location of a three-million-dollar stone. Seems like you remember every other fucking thing.
BOBBY Let’s try your memory. Where was I born?
BOBBY’S FATHER Not this shit again.
BOBBY What’s my mother’s maiden name? Hell, what’s her first name? Do I have a birth certificate?
BOBBY’S FATHER I don’t believe in paperwork.
BOBBY Is Bobby even my real name?
BOBBY’S FATHER It suffices. Look, your mother’s dead.
BOBBY So you say.
BOBBY’S FATHER Why would I lie?
BOBBY You’ve built your whole life on “Why would I tell the truth?” and you’re asking me that? Let’s start with an easy one. Where was I born?
BOBBY’S FATHER New Mexico.
BOBBY How hard was that?
BOBBY’S FATHER No, wait, my bad. Actually it was New Orleans. I get the News mixed up. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t New Jersey, though. Where’s my diamond?
BOBBY New Hampshire.
BOBBY’S FATHER Oh-ho. Now I’m seeing it.
BOBBY It’s sinking in finally, huh?
BOBBY’S FATHER You were born here.
[BOBBY sees the truth in his father’s face.]
BOBBY This shitty little town?
BOBBY’S FATHER This shitty little town.
BOBBY So when we came here three years ago, you were, what?
BOBBY’S FATHER Nothing. Scamming hurricane