Pagina 12 di 22
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Act II
Scene 1
[Del Mar apartment. Alma is tidying up. Ennis is wearing sharply creased, starched jeans, putting on his best striped shirt and slicking down his hair. Paces nervously, drinks beer, goes to window and peers down the street. He is extremely antsy.]
ALMA
It’s so hot, let’s take your friend to the diner. They got that big ceilin fan.
ENNIS
[pacing nervously, looking out the window.]
Me and Jack will probly just go out and talk and get drunk. Four years is a long time since we was up on Brokeback chasin sheep. That’s a animal I never want to see or smell again.
ALMA
And I’m supposed to sit here alone?
ENNIS
(meanly)
Catch up on the ironin. Anyway, Jack ain’t the restaurant type.
[Alma turns away, disappointed. They hear a vehicle engine. Ennis rushes to the window. A truck door slams.]
ENNIS
That’s him! [He strides across the room to the door, opens it and goes onto the landing. Jack is half-way up the stars, taking them two at a time.]
ENNIS
[voice muffled with emotion]
Jack! Jack! It’s you!
JACK
Son of a bitch!
[On the landing they take each other by the shoulders, then hug mightily. [Their mouths come together for the first time in an end-of-the-world kiss. As they sway and press against each other hotly the door opens a crack and Alma looks, shrinks back but does not close the door. Ennis sees her looking. He pulls away from Jack.]
ENNIS
[chest heaving, trying to put a good face on the scene.]
Alma, this is Jack Twist, Jack, this is Alma. [To Alma] Me and Jack ain’t seen each other in four years.
ALMA
[very subdued]
Sure enough.
[From within a baby cries.]
JACK
You got a kid? [His voice is shaking. His hand touches that of Ennis. The audience can see this, but Alma cannot.]
ENNIS
Two little girls. Alma Jr. and Francine. Love them to pieces.
[Alma looks away at this statement.]
JACK
I got a boy. Eight months old. Tell you what, I married a cute little old Texas girl, Lureen. [His voice is trembling.]
ENNIS
Alma, me and Jack is goin out. Get a drink. Might not get back tonight we get drinkin and talkin.
JACK
[To Alma. Nervously. Wild to get away.]
Please to meet you.
ALMA
[ignoring Jack whom she instinctively hates, pleadingly]
Ennis⎯Ennis.
[Ennis and Jack run down the stairs and we hear the engine of Jack’s truck start up, drive away. Alma leans against the kitchen door. The toddler cries.]
ALMA
Stuck again. I never get loose.
No fun, no breaks, just work and wait.
He gets to go out with his friend. Jack.
I thought this Jack would be a friend to both of us…
But he hardly said a word.
Didn’t look at me.
Didn’t smile.
No. No friend to me.
