Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams

same, you say you want to talk to me and
     don't have a ruttin’ thing to say to me!
    BIG DADDY:
    Nothin’ to say when I'm tellin’ you I'm going to live
     when I thought I was dying?!
    BRICK:
    Oh—that!— Is that what you have to
     say to me?
    BIG DADDY:
    Why, you son of a bitch! Ain't that, ain't that—important?!
    BRICK:
    Well, you said that, that's said, and now I
    BIG DADDY:
    Now you set back down.
    BRICK:
    You're all balled up, you—
    BIG DADDY:
    I ain't balled up!
    BRICK:
    You are, you're all balled up!
    BIG DADDY:
    Don't tell me what I am, you drunken whelp! I'm going to tear
     this coat sleeve off if you don't set down!
    BRICK:
    Big Daddy—

    BIG DADDY:
    Do what I tell you! I'm the boss here, now! I want you to know
     I'm back in the driver's seat now!
    [ Big Mama rushes in, clutching her great
     heaving bosom. ]
    What in hell do you want in here, Big Mama?
    BIG MAMA:
    Oh, Big Daddy! Why are you shouting like that? I just cain't stainnnnnnnd—it. . . .
    BIG DADDY [ raising the back of his hand above his head ]:
    GIT!— outa here.
    [ She rushes back out,
     sobbing. ]
    BRICK [ softly,
     sadly ]:
    Christ . . . .
    BIG DADDY [ fiercely ]:
    Yeah! Christ! —is right . . .
    [ Brick breaks loose and hobbles toward the
     gallery.
    [ Big Daddy jerks his crutch from under Brick
     so he steps with the injured ankle. He utters a hissing cry of anguish, clutches
     a chair and pulls it over on top of him on the floor. ]
    Son of a—tub of—hog fat . . . .
    BRICK:
    Big Daddy! Give me my crutch.
    [ Big Daddy throws the crutch out of
     reach. ]
    Give me that crutch, Big Daddy.
    BIG DADDY:
    Why do you drink?

    BRICK:
    Don't know, give me my crutch!
    BIG DADDY:
    You better think why you drink or give up drinking!
    BRICK:
    Will you please give me my crutch so I can get up off this floor?
    BIG DADDY:
    First you answer my question. Why do you drink? Why are you throwing your life
     away, boy, like somethin’ disgusting you picked up on the street?
    BRICK [ getting
     onto his knees ];
    Big Daddy, I'm in pain, I stepped on that foot.
    BIG DADDY:
    Good! I'm glad you're not too numb with the liquor in you to
     feel some pain!
    BRICK:
    You—spilled my—drink . . .
    BIG DADDY:
    I'll make a bargain with you. You tell me why you drink and I'll hand
     you one. I'll pour you the liquor myself and hand it to you.
    BRICK:
    Why do I drink?
    BIG DADDY:
    Yea! Why?
    BRICK:
    Give me a drink and I'll tell you.

    BIG DADDY:
    Tell me first!
    BRICK:
    I'll tell you in one word.
    BIG DADDY:
    What word?
    BRICK:
    DISGUST!
    [ The clock chimes softly, sweetly. Big Daddy
     gives it a short, outraged glance. ]
    Now how about that drink?
    BIG DADDY:
    What are you disgusted with? You got to tell me that, first. Otherwise being
     disgusted don't make no sense!
    BRICK:
    Give me my crutch.
    BIG DADDY:
    You heard me, you got to tell me what I asked you first.
    BRICK:
    I told you, I said to kill my disgust!
    BIG DADDY:
    DISGUST WITH WHAT!
    BRICK:
    You strike a hard bargain.
    BIG DADDY:
    What are you disgusted with?—an’ I'll pass you the
     liquor.

    BRICK:
    I can hop on one foot, and if I fall, I can crawl.
    BIG DADDY:
    You want liquor that bad?
    BRICK [ dragging
     himself up, clinging to bedstead ]:
    Yeah, I want it that bad.
    BIG DADDY:
    If I give you a drink, will you tell me what it is you're disgusted with,
     Brick?
    BRICK:
    Yes, sir, I will try to.
    [ The old man pours him a drink and solemnly passes it to
     him.
    [ There is silence as Brick
     drinks. ]
    Have you ever heard the word “mendacity"?
    BIG DADDY:
    Sure. Mendacity is one of them five dollar words that cheap politicians throw back
     and forth at each other.
    BRICK:
    You know what it means?
    BIG DADDY:
    Don't it mean lying and liars?
    BRICK:
    Yes, sir, lying and liars.
    BIG DADDY:
    Has someone been lying to you?

    CHILDREN [ chanting in chorus off stage ]:
    We want Big Dad-dee!
    We want Big Dad-dee!
    [ Gooper appears m the gallery
     door. ]
    GOOPER:
    Big Daddy, the kiddies are shouting for you