I've often thought of one of them cutters at Shale's as a sort of
monster, watching you all day, waiting to get you when you're too tired
to care. (Dreamily.) When it looks all blurred, and you want to put your
hand in it.
GEORGE. Good God, Minnie!
MINNIE. And when the whistle blows at night all you have is your little
hall bedroom in a rooming house that smells of stale smoke and cabbage.
There's no place to go except the streets--but you've just got to go
somewhere, to break loose and have a little fun,--even though you're so
tired you want to throw yourself on the bed and cry.
(A pause.)
Maybe it's because you're tired. When you're tired that way is when you
want a good time most. It's funny, but it's so.
(A pause.)
You ain't got no friends except a few girls with hall bedrooms like
yourself, and if a chance comes along for a little excitement, you don't
turn it down, I guess.
GEORGE (after a pause). I never knew what your life was like.
MINNIE. Why would you?--with friends, and everything you want, only to
buy it? But since the war come on, I tell you, I ain't kicking, I can go
to a movie or the theatre once in a while, and buy nice clothes, and I
don't get so tired as I used to.
Pages:
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51