Baby Doll & Tiger Tail by Tennessee Williams Page B

the funny side of it.
Oh ho ho ho ho!
Yes, it sure is comic, comic as hell! But there’s one little
teensy-eensy
little—thing that you—
overlooked!
I! Got
position!
Yeah, yeah,
I
got
position!
Here in this county! Where I was bo’n an’ brought up! I hold a respected position, lifelong!—member of— Wait! Wait!—Baby Doll. . . .
    [
She had started to cross past him; he seizes her wrist. She wrenches free. Vacarro stirs and tenses slightly but doesn’t rise or change his cool smile
.]
    On my side ’re friends, long-standin’
bussness
associates, an’
social!
See what I mean? You ain’t got that advantage, have you, mister? Huh, mister? Ain’t you a dago, or something, excuse me, I mean Eyetalian or something, here in Tiger Tail County?
    SILVA : Meighan, I’m not a doctor, but I was a medical corpsman in the Navy and you’ve got a very unhealthy looking flush on your face right now which is almost purple as a—
    [
He was going to say
“
baboon’s behind.”
]
    ARCHIE [
bellowing out
]: ALL I GOT TO DO IS GIT ON THAT PHONE IN THE HALL!
    SILVA : And call an ambulance from the county hospital?
    ARCHIE : Hell, I don’t even need t’ make a phone call! I can handle this situation
m’self!
—with legal protection that no one could—
    SILVA [
still coolly
]: What situation do you mean, Meighan?
    ARCHIE : Situation which I come home to find here under my roof! Oh, I’m not such a marble-missing old fool! —I couldn’t size it up! —I sized it up the moment I seen you was still on this place and
her!
—with that
sly smile on her!
    [
Takes a great swallow of liquor from the fresh bottle
.]
    And
you
with
yours
on
you!
I know how to wipe off both of those sly—!
    [
He crosses to the closet door. Baby Doll utters a gasp and signals Vacarro to watch out
.
    [
Vacarro rises calmly
.]
    SILVA : Meighan?
    [
He speaks coolly, almost with a note of sympathy
.]
    You
know, and
I
know, and I
know
that you
know
that I
know!
— That you set fire to my cotton gin last night. You burnt down the Syndicate Gin and I got in my pocket a signed affidavit, a paper, signed by a witness, whose testimony will even hold up in the law courts of Tiger Tail County! —That’s all I come here for and that’s all I got. . . whatever else you suspect—well!—you’re mistaken. . . . Isn’t that so, Mrs. Meighan? Isn’t your husband mistaken in thinking that I got anything out of this place but this signed affidavit which was the purpose of my all-afternoon call?
    [
She looks at him
,
angry, hurt
.
    [
Meighan wheels about, panting
.]
    SILVA [
continuing
]: Yes, I’m foreign but I’m not revengeful, Meighan, at least not more than is rightful.
    [
Smiles sweetly
.]
    —I think we got a workable good neighbor policy between us. It might work out, anyhow I think it deserves a try. Now as to the other side of the situation, which I don’t have to mention. Well, all I can say is, a certain attraction—exists! Mutually, I believe! But nothing’s been rushed. I needed a little shut-eye after last night’s—excitement. I took a nap upstairs in the nursery crib with the slats let down to accommodate my fairly small frame, and I have faint recollection of being sung to by someone—a lullaby song that was—sweet. . .
    [
His voice is low, caressing
.]
    —and the touch of—cool fingers, but that’s all, absolutely!
    ARCHIE : Y’think I’m gonna put up with this—?
    SILVA : Situation? You went to a whole lot of risk an’ trouble to get my business back. Now don’t you want it? It’s up to you, Archie Lee, it’s—
    ARCHIE : COOL! Yeah, cool, very cool!
    SILVA : —The heat of the fire’s died down. . . .
    ARCHIE : UH—HUH! YOU’VE FIXED YOUR WAGON! WITH THIS SMART TALK, YOU JUST NOW FIXED YOUR WAGON! I’M GONNA MAKE A PHONE CALLTHAT’LL WIPE THE GRIN OFF YOUR GREASY WOP FACE FOR GOOD!
    [
He charges into hall and seizes phone
.]
    SILVA [
crossing to Baby Doll at kitchen sink
]: Is my wop face greasy, Mrs.