Goldberg Street by David Mamet Page B

course they're not. They're not the . . . yes . She's dead . She's absolutely dead . How's your mom? Fine, I hope.
    B: She's dead.
    A: How about that?
    B: I'm not glad that she's dead.
    A: Well, that makes you a loyal son , doesn't it?
    B: I liked her.
    A: I'm very sure you did. That's “fine.” That's truly “fine” of you. What was I saying? ( Pause .) What was I speaking of, if I may?
    B: You mentioned your mother.
    A: Yes. I did. I said . . . what did I say? People are not well-off.
    B: You said:
    A: I spoke about my mother. Thank you.
    B: . . . something . . .
    A: . . . that's correct . . .
    B: “My mother . . . “
    A: “may she rest in hell” ra . . . ra . . . rrrra . . . raaa . . . rrrr . . . “may she . . . “ “may she rot in hell” “may she . . . “ ( Pause .) What's the phrase? MAY SHE REST IN PEACE! What's the phrase?
    B: May she rest in peace.
    A: What's the phrase? ( Pause .) What's the phrase for that? ( Pause .)
    B: That's it.
    A: That's it?
    B: Yes. ( Pause .)
    A: There's another one.
    B: There is?
    A: What is it?
    B: I don't know.
    A: . . . the phrase for it . . . you know what I . . . ( Pause .) I must be a deeply troubled man. ( Pause .) So many things accept me.
    B: What are they?
    A: I mean “ accept " me.
    B: What did you say? ( Pause .)
    A: I said . . . ( Pause .)
    B: You said that you must be . . .
    A: . . . I said that things accept me.
    B: What did you . . . ?
    A: I . . .
    B: . . . you said . . . ( Pause .)
    A: . . . I . . . ( Pause .) . . . I . . . ( Pause .) . . . I . . .

THE BLUE HOUR: CITY SKETCHES
    Prologue: American Twilight
    Doctor
    The Hat
    Businessmen
    Cold
    Epilogue

     

    The following pieces were written variously as curtain raisers for other plays of mine, as cabaret pieces, and as experiments. They were written to be performed on a bare stage, using only a chair or two, and without props or special costuming.
    The Blue Hour was first performed as a workshop at the Public Theater in New York, in February, 1979 with the following cast directed by David Mamet: Ben Halley, Jr., David Sabin, Arthur French, Patti LuPone, and Lindsay Crouse.
    Characters
    Prologue: American Twilight: Man
    Doctor: Doctor, Woman
    The Hat: Customer, Saleswoman
    Businessmen: Grey, Black
    Cold: A, B
    Epilogue: Man

     

    PROLOGUE: AMERICAN TWILIGHT
    Man: In great American cities at l'heure bleu airborne dust particles cause buildings to appear lightly outlined in black. The people hurry home. They take a taxi or they walk or crush into the elevated trains or subways; or they go into the library where it is open and sit down and read a magazine and wait a bit so that the crush of travelers will dissipate.
    This is the Blue Hour.
    The sky is blue and people feel blue.
    When they look up they will see a light or “powder” blue is in the Western sky where, meanwhile, in the East the sky is midnight blue; and this shade creeps up to the zenith and beyond, and changes powder blue to midnight and, eventually, to black, whereat the buildings lose their outlines and become as stageflats in the glow of incandescent lamps. This is the Blue Hour-the American twilight as it falls today in the cities.

     

    DOCTOR
    Doctor: Now, what seems to be your problem?
    Woman: I won't pay this. ( Waves bill .)
    Doctor: Won't pay what, I'm sorry.
    Woman: I won't pay this.
    Doctor: Well, let's see what it is. ( Takes bill .) Now, what's the problem here?
    Woman: The problem is that it's outrageous. I had an appointment with you for four-thirty and you took me after six . . .
    Doctor: Well, surely, you must realize . . .
    Woman: No, no, I realize nothing of the sort. What makes you think that your time is more valuable, that my time is less valuable than yours? If you made an appointment you should keep to it.
    Doctor ( Pause ) : Mrs. Rudin, look.
    Woman: No, you look. I'm alright. I'm fine, but people out there, there are worried people out there. Sitting, who knows how long, and you keep them there, they're waiting on