 | "WORDS OF FAREWELLS" Part 3 |
Bill: I know it sounds ridiculous, Helen, but it seems to be very easy to convince the authorities that a lonely, drunken woman belongs in an asylum and not on the streets. Believe me, honey, James has this all thought out... I was even almost convinced that what he was saying could really happen to someone!! James is a great talker, that's for sure!
Helen: (Laughingly) I don't believe you for a minute! Not one word of this can be true! You... of all people!! You're just jealous of us, that's all! You're just trying to get me into bed, aren't you? That's all you want, isn't it??... just get me into bed!! You swine!!! You cheap, no good swine!!
Bill: Helen, please listen to me... Please! The doctors will be here within the hour. They have documents.. sworn statements... everything! James said that he had tried to talk to you many times, but that you would just go off on one of your tantrums... acting crazy!! He said you just would not listen! He claims that you're ..... you're insane, of all things! Please... Please go with me to the apartment I have for you. If you don't, they'll send you off to the asylum... the nuthouse!! Do you want that to happen??
Helen: (Musingly) That's why they were going to have this big "celebration" for me today. A big going-away party! James really told you all these things?
Bill: Yes, believe me. He practically forced me to come here and tell you what was going on.
Helen: Well, thanks for coming around, old lover. You have been most sincere about this whole thing... I appreciate that..... but, I'm not going anywhere! James must call me soon!! He has to be here in person, to back up all these things he has supposedly said about me! He must be here!!
Bill: I'm afraid that they don't need James here to say anything more, my sweet. It's just a matter of a simple physical exam now, don't you see? They have all the facts they need already.
Now, your only hope is to go with me to Nina's apartment. It's a nice place, really it is. Please.. let's go now.
Helen: Oh, Bill! Bill! Tell me the truth! Am I really ...... really.... crazy??
Bill: I'm so sorry, Helen, but we can't argue with James' allegations.. I know you think you love him.... but it's madness... it leads nowhere....
(Bill and Helen sit down on the couch)
Helen: (misty eyed) You know, I can't imagine now, why I even lived here. But... what else could I do after I left you?..... Well, this is the end of it, isn't it my marvelous Ex? You played a very good joke on me, to be sure!......... Is the apartment far from here?
Bill: No, it's only a couple of blocks away. We can walk.. Helen: Oh, my gorgeous flowers!.... I almost forgot them. I must take them along..... Bill: Do you want to take anything else? Some memento... or something?... Helen: No! Nothing! Nothing at all! Let's just get out of here.... Now!
(Bill turns out the lights and they leave the room. It has grown dark.
Shortly after they leave, a shrill screech of tires is heard outside.... there is a short pause... the sound of a car speeding off into the distance.... then.... silence.)
The Curtain Falls
