QUITT
Congratulate him?
KOERBER-KENT
No.
QUITT
Work on him?
KOERBER-KENT
Something like that … no.
QUITT
Take him over your knees?
KOERBER-KENT
(Panic-stricken) Oh, God, how did this happen? I can’t find the right word any more. What are they doing to me? Come down, eclipse of the sun! Hellfire, burst forth from the earth!
(QUITT walks up to PAULA and whispers in her ear.)
PAULA
(Loudly) “Deathly afraid?” (To KOERBER-KENT) You are trying to make him deathly afraid? Do you think he’ll admit us back into the market?
KOERBER-KENT
(Screams) I know what I’m talking about. I’ve seen thousands die in the war. (QUITT sighs. KOERBER-KENT resumes normal tone of voice at once.) Am I keeping you from something?
QUITT
Not at all.
KOERBER-KENT
(Screams) I can read signs. I know why you hunch up your shoulders when you walk around. But soon you will shoulder the necessary weight of death, no matter what, Hermann Quitt. Even if you dangle your arms back and forth like that and scurry every which way. Even if you sit up straight as a candle in your deathly fear! (He begins walking out backward. HANS appears, wearing his chef’s hat.) You won’t even be able to imagine the moment. There will be nothing but abrupt, animalistic, anxiety-ridden anticipation. You will be so afraid you won’t even dare to swallow, and the spit will turn sour in your mouth. Your death will be gruesome beyond all imaginings, complete with moaning and bellowing. I know what I’m talking about. With moaning and bellowing. (He walks backward into HANS and emits a scream. Exit.)
(HANS also exits. QUITT and PAULA look at one another for a long time.)
QUITT
If you keep looking at me, I will lose the rest of my feelings.
PAULA
I won.
QUITT
Why?
PAULA
Because you were the first to talk.
QUITT
Now it’s your turn.
PAULA
I love you, still. (She laughs.)
QUITT
Why are you laughing?
PAULA
Because I succeeded in saying that.
QUITT
I can’t buy myself anything with that.
PAULA
You are so artificial. You’re sacrificing the truth now for a slick cliché.
QUITT
Moreover, I didn’t give you any excuse for it. (Pause.) I keep having to get used to you all over again. (He looks her over from head to foot.)
PAULA
I’m not one of those.
QUITT
Who, after all, is one of those? (Pause.) I’m tired. When I take a step I feel as if my real body has stayed behind. I don’t need you. When I saw you I was happy, but I also was a bit turned off. I took that as a sign that all my desire for you is gone.
(She laughs. He regards her considerately until she has finished.)
PAULA
What you say is supposed to humiliate me. But the voice that I hear flatters me.
QUITT
You’ve changed. You’re out of breath. Before, when you used to show your feelings you used to be much more self-assured. Why can’t it be that way now? Stop playing the humble woman. I only want to touch you when you talk matter-of-factly. (Spitefully) Incidentally, why are you by yourself and not with the team? Do you call that creative?
My head hurts. Besides, I like you better when you wear pants.
PAULA
Your head is also hurting me, yes, your whole life … (QUITT pats her arm.) You pat me the way a conductor raps his baton … (She caresses him.)
QUITT
Your caresses tickle me.
PAULA
Yes, because you don’t want to enjoy them. (QUITT’S WIFE enters. She is wearing the same dress as PAULA. She notices, stops, and leaves again.) Now caress me too. (QUITT caresses her and steps away from her.) That was one too few. (QUITT returns and caresses her once more.) Oh yes. (Pause.) Tell me about yourself.
QUITT
(Animatedly) I was thirsty a few days ago. (Pause.) It just occurred to me.
PAULA
Look at me, please.
QUITT
I don’t like to look at you.
PAULA
Well, what am I like?
QUITT
Unchanged.
PAULA
Before I got to know you better I thought you were unfeeling and tough. I once heard you say of me — the brunette there — as about a whore.
QUITT
You always tell yourself stories like that afterward.
PAULA
What would you say I would say now? Mr. Quitt?
QUITT
Don’t call me that. (She puts her hand on his shoulder. Suddenly she begins to choke him. He lets her do so for some time, then shakes her off. QUITT’S WIFE has returned in a different dress. She watches, giggling inaudibly, sucking her thumb. QUITT seats himself in the deck chair and lowers his head. PAULA squats down and wants to take his head in her hands. He gives her a kick. She falls down and gets up, warbling. He kicks her again. She gets up, warbling. He wants to kick her again, but she eludes him, warbling.) Your slimy tongue. Your absurd hips.
PAULA
(Lifts her dress.) Look at the way my thigh is twitching. Can you see it? Why don’t you come closer? (QUITT grunts.) Come on.
(QUITT puts his hand on her thigh. PAULA presses her head close to him. Pause.)
QUITT
All right, get lost now. (He steps back. Pause.) The saliva in your mouth will run over in a moment. And the way your eyeballs jerk back and forth! (He turns away. Pause.)
PAULA
I’m going already. It’s no use. I’ll sell.
QUITT
(Regards her.) And I’ll determine the fine print.
PAULA
Only promise me that you won’t clean up the moment after I’ve left.
QUITT
Buying yourself a hat can be very comforting.
PAULA
Now I know why I like you. It’s so easy to think of something else when you’re talking.
QUITT
Tomorrow at this time it will already be lighter, or darker. Perhaps that will comfort you too.