The Man Who Had All the Luck by Arthur Miller Page B

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    J.B.: I’m not as drunk as I look, David! You’re a good man, yes. You know how to do. But you’ve had a phenomenal lot of luck in your life, Dave. Never play luck too hard. It’s like a season, and seasons go away.
    HESTER: Come up or you’ll pass away.
    Enter PAT downstairs with watch in hand.
    PAT: My watch says eight-thirty, where is he? He told you no later than eight o’clock, didn’t he?
    DAVID: Which means he’s half an hour late. That’s what it means, doesn’t it?
    PAT: I don’t know what to tell Amos. I made him take another shower.
    DAVID [ with growing fear ]: He pitched the greatest game of his life today, what more does he need to be told? That man’ll be here.
    PAT: Maybe he was kidding us. He looked like he might be that type.
    DAVID: Are you going to stop that?
    PAT: . . . And Amos did look a little nervous in the eighth inning with those two men on base.
    DAVID: But they didn’t score! Now will you just stop. [PAT , hurt looks at him, then goes to the stairs. ] Dad, what you want me to do; I can’t grow him in my back yard, can I? SHORY enters pushed by GUS . At the stairs, PAT turns, starts to speak, then goes up and out.
    SHORY [ as the door shuts ]: I’m getting my aches and pains. I came in to say goodnight. . . . Party’s breakin’ up anyway out there.
    DAVID: No, wait a little. I don’t want everybody pulling out. [ He goes to window as . . . ]
    SHORY: The man told you seven-thirty, what’re you making believe he said eight? You told me as he said seven-thirty, didn’t you?
    DAVID [ his fury is at the scout. He keeps searching out of the window ]: He could’ve got a flat maybe.
    SHORY: It don’t take an hour to change a flat, Dave.
    DAVID [ tensely. He turns ]: Don’t go away. Please.
    Enter HESTER.
    [ To HESTER.] The folks are starting to go. [ Moving her back to the door. ] I want a party here when the scout leaves. Keep them here.
    HESTER: It’s not the world coming to an end. I don’t want you acting this way. It’s no fault of yours what happens to him. [ She grasps him .] Why do you act this way? Davey . . .
    DAVID: I don’t get it, I swear to God I don’t get it. [ Strides to the window. He seems about to burst from the room. ]
    SHORY: Get what?
    DAVID: Everything is so hard for him. [ Turns to them suddenly, unable to down his anxiety. ] I want to ask you something. All of you, and you too, Hess. You know what I can do and what I can’t do, you . . . you know me. Everything I touch, why is it? It turns gold. Everything.
    HESTER: What’s come over you? Why . . . ?
    DAVID [ with extreme urgency ]: It bothers me, it . . . [ To all. ] What is it about me? I never . . . I never lose. Since we were kids I expected Amos to rise and shine. He’s the one, he knows something, he knows one thing perfect. Why? Is it all luck? Is that what it is?
    GUS: Nonsense. You’re a good man, David.
    DAVID: Aren’t you good?
    GUS: Yes, but I . . .
    DAVID: Then why did your shop fail? Why are you working for me now? [ He moves as one in the throes of release. ]
    GUS: They remember the war here, Dave, they don’t like to buy from a foreigner.
    DAVID: No, that’s crazy.
    GUS: Also, I had a second-rate location.
    DAVID: Gus, it was better than mine. Every car coming into town had to pass your place. And they came to me. Why is that?
    GUS: You know an engine, Dave, you . . .
    DAVID: Including Marmons? [ To all. ] I got fourteen thousand dollars in the bank and as much again standing on the ground. Amos? Never had a nickel. Not a bloody nickel. Why?
    A slight pause.
    HESTER [ goes to him. Smiles to make him smile but he does not ]: Why does it bother you? It’s good to be lucky. Isn’t it?
    DAVID [ looks at her a moment ]: Isn’t it better to feel that what you have came to you because of something special you can do? Something, something . . . inside you? Don’t