A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur by Tennessee Williams Page B

about. I think your exercises give you a ringing noise in your head. I think they’re toostrenuous for you, ’specially on Sunday, a day of rest, recreation . . .
    DOROTHEA: We are both entitled to separate opinions, Bodey, but I assure you I do not suffer from ringing in my head. That phone was RINGING. And why you did not hear it is simply because you don’t have your hearing aid on!
    [
The shouting is congruent with the fiercely bright colors of the interior
.]
    BODEY: I honestly ain’t that deaf. I swear I ain’t that deaf, Dotty. The ear specialist says I just got this little calcification, this calcium in my—eardrums . But I do hear a telephone ring, a sharp, loud sound like that, I hear it, I hear it clearly.
    DOROTHEA: Well, let’s hope Ralph won’t imagine I’m out and will call back in a while. But do put your hearing aid in. I don’t share your confidence in your hearing a phone ring or a dynamite blast without it, and anyway, Bodey, you must adjust to it, you must get used to it, and after a while, when you’re accustomed to it, you won’t feel complete without it.
    BODEY: —Yes , well— This is the best Sunday yet for a picnic at Creve Coeur . . .
    DOROTHEA: That we’ll talk about later. Just put your hearing aid in before I continue with my exercises. Put it in right now so I can see you.
    BODEY: You still ain’t finished with those exercises?
    DOROTHEA: I’ve done one hundred bends and I did my floor exercises. I just have these bust development exercises and my swivels and—BODEY! PUT YOUR HEARING AID IN!
    BODEY: I hear you, honey, I will. I’ll put it on right now.
    [
She comes into the living room from the kitchenette and picks up the hearing aid and several large artificial flowers from a table. She hastily moves the newspaper from the sofa to a chair behind her, then inserts the device in an ear with an agonized look
.]
    DOROTHEA: It can’t be that difficult to insert it. Why, from your expression, you could be performing major surgery on yourself! . . . without anesthesia . . .
    BODEY: I’m just—not used to it yet. [
She covers the defective ear with an artificial chrysanthemum
.]
    DOROTHEA [
in the doorway
]: You keep reminding yourself of it by covering it up with those enormous artificial flowers. Now if you feel you have to do that, why don’t you pick out a flower that’s suitable to the season? Chrysanthemums are for autumn and this is June.
    BODEY: Yes. June. How about this poppy?
    DOROTHEA: Well, frankly, dear, that big poppy is tacky.
    BODEY: —The tiger lily?
    DOROTHEA [
despairing
]: Yes, the tiger lily! Of course, Bodey, the truth of the matter is that your idea of concealing your hearing aid with a big artificial flower is ever so slightly fantastic.
    BODEY: —Everybody is sensitive about something . . .
    DOROTHEA: But complexes, obsessions must not be cultivated. Well. Back to my exercises. Be sure not to miss the phone.Ralph is going to call me any minute now. [
She starts to close the bedroom door
.]
    BODEY: Dotty?
    DOROTHEA: Yes?
    BODEY: Dotty, I’m gonna ask Buddy to go to Creve Coeur with us again today for the picnic. That’s okay with you, huh?
    DOROTHEA [
pausing in the doorway
]: Bodey, Buddy is your brother and I fully understand your attachment to him. He’s got many fine things about him. A really solid character and all that. But, Bodey, I think it’s unfair to Buddy for you to go on attempting to bring us together because—well , everyone has a type she is attracted to and in the case of Buddy, no matter how much—I appreciate his sterling qualities and all, he simply isn’t— [
She has gone into the bedroom and started swiveling her hips
.]
    BODEY: Isn’t what, Dotty?
    DOROTHEA: A type that I can respond to. You know what I mean. In a romantic fashion, honey. And to me—romance is—essential .
    BODEY: Oh—but—well , there’s other things to consider besides—romance  . . .
    DOROTHEA [
swiveling her hips as she