The Sunset Limited: A Novel in Dramatic Form Read Online Free Page B

think this is a strange kind of story?
Black
   
I do think it’s a strange kind of story.
White
   
What I mean is that you didnt feel sorry for this man?
Black
   
You gettin ahead of the story.
White
   
The story of how a fellow prisoner became a crippled one-eyed halfwit so that you could find God.
Black
   
Whoa.
White
   
Well isnt it?
Black
   
I dont know.
White
   
You hadnt thought of it that way.
Black
   
Oh I’d thought of it that way.
White
   
And?
Black
   
And what?
White
   
Isnt that the real story?
Black
   
Well. I dont want to get on the wrong side of you. You seem to have a powerful wish for that to be the real story. So I will say that that is certainly one way to look at it. I got to concede that. I got to keep you interested.
White
   
String me along.
Black
   
That okay with you?
White
   
And then put me in the what was it? The trick bag?
Black
   
Yeah.
White
   
Right.
Black
   
You got to remember this is a jailhouse story.
White
   
All right.
Black
   
Which you specifically asked for.
White
   
All right.
Black
   
The point is, Professor, that I aint got the first notion in the world about what makes God tick. I dont know why he spoke to me. I wouldnt of.
White
   
But you listened.
Black
   
Well what choice would you have?
White
   
I dont know. Not listen?
Black
   
How you goin to do that?
White
   
Just dont listen.
Black
   
Do you think he goes around talkin to people that he knows aint goin to listen in the first place? You think he’s got that kind of free time?
White
   
I see your point.
Black
   
If he didnt know I was ready to listen he wouldnt of said a word.
White
   
He’s an opportunist.
Black
   
Meanin I guess that he seen somebody in a place low enough to where he ought to be ready to take a pretty big step.
White
   
Something like that.
Black
   
And you think that maybe I think that you might be in somethin like that kind of a place you own self.
White
   
Could be.
Black
   
Well I can dig that. I can dig it. Of course they is one small problem.
White
   
And that is.
Black
   
I aint God.
White
   
I’m glad to hear you say that.
Black
   
It come as a relief to me too.
White
   
Did you used to think you were God?
Black
   
No. I didnt. I didnt know what I was. But I thought I was in charge. I never knowed what that burden weighed till I put it down. That might of been the sweetest thing of all. To just hand over the keys.
White
   
Let me ask you something.
Black
   
Ask it.
White
   
Why cant you people just accept it that some people dont even
want
to believe in God.
Black
   
I accept that.
White
   
You do?
Black
   
Sure I do. Meanin that I believe it to be a fact. I’m lookin at it ever day. I better accept it.
White
   
Then why cant you leave us alone?
Black
   
To do your own thing.
White
   
Yes.
Black
   
Hangin from them steampipes and all.
White
   
If that’s what we want to do, yes.
Black
   
Cause he said not to. It’s in here.
(Holding up the book)
    The professor shakes his head.
Black
   
I guess you dont want to be happy.
White
   
Happy?
Black
   
Yeah. What’s wrong with happy?
White
   
God help us.
Black
   
What. We done opened a can of worms here? What you got against bein happy?
White
   
It’s contrary to the human condition.
Black.
   
Well. It’s contrary to your condition. I got to agree with that.
White
   
Happy. This is ridiculous.
Black
   
Like they aint no such a thing.
White
   
No.
Black
   
Not for nobody.
White
   
No.
Black
   
Mm. How’d we get in such a fix as this?
White
   
We were born in such a fix as this. Suffering and human destiny are the same thing. Each is a description of the other.
Black
   
We aint talkin about sufferin. We talkin about bein happy.
White
   
Well you cant be happy if