186 © Butterflies Are Free by Leonard Gershe Mrs. Baker has overprotected her blind son, Don, for most of his life. Only recently has he been able to convince his mother that he should have the op- portunity fo have an apartment of his own and care Tor himself completely. Jill is a neighbor in Don's ‘apartment building. They met and discovered that they enjoyed each other's company. In the following scene, Mrs, Baker is once again trying fo protect her son. She believes that Jill is the wrong woman for Don and will hurt him deeply. So Mrs. Baker is ea- ger to convince Jill to get out of Don's life. MRS. BAKER (Mumbling (o herself) Mrs. Benson!!! Iu (Opening her door.) Yes? MRS, BAKER. (ls startled for a moment, but recovers, ‘quickly In friendly lones;) Could you come in for ‘a moment, Mrs. Benson? JILL (Uneasily,) Well, | have my audition. | should leave in about fifteen minutes. | don’t know New York and I get lost all the time. MRS, BAKER (Ingratiatingly. Steps toward MLL. bit) Don't you worry. I'l see-that you get off in time. (UL enters, reluctantly, stands behind table.) 1 thought you and I might have a little talk. You know — just girls together. Please sit down. (JILL remains standing, avoiding too close contact ‘with MRS, BAKER) Would you like a cup of coffee? Tea? JILL No, thank you . . . (Crosses off platform to L. of sofa.) but if that apple is still there. MRS. BAKER (Crosses (0 refrigerator, gets apple ‘and lettuce on plate, crosses to sink.) Tm sure itis SILL (Crosses between sofa and coffee table 10 ladder, sits step.) Where's Don? A Treasury of Scenes and Monologues MRS, BAKER Shopping. (Washes apple and pol: ishes it with dish towel You must be so careful to wash fruits and vegetables, you know. They spray all those insecticides on everything now. 'm not at all sure the bugs aren't less harmful. (Crosses to JILL with apple.) | like apples to be nice and shiny. (Holds the apple out (0 SILL, who looks at it and then at NRS. BAKER oddly.) JILL This reminds me of something. What is it? MRS. BAKER I have no idea. JILL You ... handing me the apple . .. nice and shiny. ... Oh, I know! Snow White. Remember ‘when the witch brought her the poisoned apple? Oh, Mrs. Baker, I'm sorry. { didn't mean that the ‘way it sounded. I know you're not a witch. MRS.'BAKER Of course not. And I know you're not Snow White. JILL (Takes the apple, rises, crosses below MRS. BAKER, through kitchen (0 D. . post, I may have to wait hous before I read. I'l probably starve to death before their eyes. MRS. BAKER (Crosses to kitchen, takes lettuce, picks off a few pieces, washes them, puts them on plate.) You're going to get that part, you know. JILL What makes you so sure? MRS. BAKER Well, you'e avery pretty girl and tha’s ‘what they want inthe theatre, isn’t i? iLL (Crosses below to D.R. post, auway (ror MRS. BAKER Today you have to have more than @ pretty face. Anyway, I'm not really pretty. 1 think 'm interesting looking and in certain lights I ean ook sort of... lovely... but I'm not pretty. MRS. BAKER (Crosses with lettuce, sits C. sofa) Nonsense! You're extremely pretty. JILL (Laugh,) No, I'm not.MRS. BAKER Yes, you are. JILL (Turns, leans post) No, "'m not. 've got beady little eyes like a bird and a figure like a pogo stick. (Waits for a reaction from uns. BAKERThere isn't one,) Well? Aren't you going to deny you said that? {, MRS. BAKER (Unperturbed.) How can I, dear? Od- viously, you heard it fr sun (Crosses above director's chair) There are plenty of true things you can put me down with, You don't have to put me dawn with les. GILL Ub-hub. Nothing. DIRS. BAKER Oh yes. I like your honesty . your candor. You'e really quite a worldly young [ woman, arpn't you, Mrs. Benson? i [1 Isuppose lam. (Crosses above “picnic,” away MRS. BAKER, I wish you wouldn't call me . Benson. BAKER Isn't that your name . .. Mrs. Benson? Be eaker I'm sony, Why don't I call you Jill? Phat’s more friendly... and Ill try to say it as igh I mean it, Now, Jill. (HLL— R. turn, back B audience.) | was interested in seeing what you Donny might havg in common, He likes you ich, 8s U. end of coffee table.) And Llike him. luch. He may very well be the most beau- on Ive ever met. Just imagine going life never seeing anything ... not a or flower... or even a Christmas ‘want tb die, but Don wants to live. | Scenes for Tivo Women 187 ‘mean really live ... (Crosses onto platform to above fable.) and he can even kid about it. He's fantastic. MRS. BAKER Then you would want what's best for him, wouldn't you? * JILL (Crosses US. end of coffee table.) Now, we're getting to it, aren't we? Like maybe | should tell hhim to go home with you, Is that it? MRS. BAKER Donny was happy at home until Linda Fletcher filled him with ideas about a place of his own, JILL (Crosses through kitchen to above table.) Maybe you just want to believe that he can only be happy with you, Mrs. Baker. Well, there are Fone so blind as those who will not see. (Crosses D..t. post.) There. I can quote Dylan ‘Thomas AND Little Donny Dark. MRS. BAKER (Rises, takes lettuce to counter) You constantly astonish me, JILL Well... we women of the world do that. MRS. BAKER (Crosses to “picnic,” picks up pillows and cloth, folds cloth.) Funny how like Linda you are, Donny is certainly consistent with his girls. JIL. Why do you call him Donny? MRS. BAKER It's his name. Don't say it as though I mean it? JILL He hates being called Donny. MRS. BAKER (Crosses to sofa, pillows at each end, crosses to counter, puts cloth on it.) He's never ‘mentioned it JILL Of course, he has. (Crosses off platform to D. end of sofa.) You just didn't listen. There are one so deaf as those who will not hear. You could make up a lot of those, couldn't you? There188 © are none so lame as those who will not walk None so thin as those who will not eat MRS. BAKER (Crosses off platform to U.C.) Do you think i's a good idea for Donny to live down here alone? JU, I think i's a good idea for Don to live wherever he wants to... and he's not alone. I'm here. MRS. BAKER (Crosses U. end of coffee table.) For how long? Have you got a lease on that apartment? JILL No. MRS. BAKER So, you can leave tomorrow if you felt like it JILL That's right. MRS. BAKER You couldn't sustain a marriage for ‘more than six days, could you? JIL. (Upset. Crosses D. R,) My martiage doesn't concern you. MRS. BAKER It didn't concern you much, either, did iv JILL Yes, it did! ‘ MRS. BAKER (Crosses above director's chair.) Have you thought about what marriage to a blind boy ‘might be like? MRS. BAKER You've seen Donny at his best — in this room, which he's memorized . .. and he’s ‘memorized how many steps to the drugstore and to the delicatessen ... but take him out of this oom or off this street and he’s lost... he panics. Donny needs someone who will stay with him — and not just for six days JILL You can stop wonying, Mrs. Baker. Nothing A Treasury of Scenes and Monologues serious will develop between Don and me. I'm ‘ot buill that way. MRS. BAKER But Donny is built that way. JILL Oh, please — we're just having kicks MRS. BAKER Kicks! That's how it started with, Linda — just kicks... . but Donny fell in love with her... and he'll fallin love with you. Then what happens? JILL (Crosses below (0, D. end of sofa.) | don't know!! MRS. BAKER (Crosses U. end of sofa,) Then don't let it go that far. Stop now before you hurt him. JILL What about you? Aren't you hurting him? MRS. BAKER I can’. I can only irritate him. You can, hurt him. The longer you stay the harder it will be for hin when you leave. Let him come wit me and you go have your kicks with someone ‘who won't feel them after you've gone!! JIU. f'm not so sure you can't hurt him. Maybe more than anybody. (Crosses above table.) | think you deserve all the credit you can get for turning out a prety marvelous guy — but bring- ing up a son —even a blind one — isnt a life time occupation. (MRS, BAKER turns U., away from st.) Now the more you help him, the more you hurt him. Itwas Linda Fletcher — not you (BAKER turns and looks ats siowly,) who gave him the thing he needed most — confi dence in himsell. (Crossing away 1) You're al ‘ways dwelling on the negative — always what he needs, never what he wants ... always what he can’t do, never what he ean. (Crosses D. end of sofa.) What about his music? Have you ever heard the song he wiote? I'l bet you didn’ even know he could write songs! (Crosses abope ta: ‘le) You're probably dead right about me. fm ‘ot the ideal git! for Don, but I know one thing — neither are you!! And if I'm going to tell any- one to go home, i'l be you, Mrs. Baker. YOU go homel! (Turns and exits into her apartment, clos- ing door behind her. MRS. BAKER watches her go.)