Free Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams Page A

mistake. Excuse me. I just wanted to feel that river breeze.

    BIG DADDY:
    Turn on the ceiling fan and set back down in that chair.
    [ Big Mama's voice rises, carrying
     down the hall .]
    BIG MAMA:
    Miss Sally, you're a case! You're a caution, Miss Sally. Why
     didn't you give me a chance to explain it to you?
    BIG DADDY:
    Jesus, she's talking to my old maid sister again.
    BIG MAMA:
    Well, goodbye, now, Miss Sally. You come down real soon, Big Daddy's dying to
     see you! Yaisss, goodbye, Miss Sally . . . .
    [ She hangs up and bellows with mirth. Big
     Daddy groans and covers his ears as she approaches.
    [ Bursting in: ]
    Big Daddy, that was Miss Sally callin’ from Memphis again! You know
     what she done, Big Daddy? She called her doctor in Memphis to git him to tell
     her what that spastic thing is! Ha-HAAAA!—And called back to tell me how relieved
     she was that—Hey! Let me in!
    [ Big Daddy has been holding the door half
     closed against her. ]
    BIG DADDY:
    Naw I ain't. I told you not to come and go through this room. You just back
     out and go through those five other rooms.
    BIG MAMA:
    Big Daddy? Big Daddy? Oh, big Daddy!—You didn't
     mean those things you said to me, did you?
    [ He shuts door firmly against her but she
     still calls. ]

    Sweetheart? Sweetheart? Big Daddy? You
     didn't mean those awful things you said to me?—I know you
     didn't. I know you didn't mean those things in your heart . . . .
    [ The childlike voice fades with a sob and
     her heavy footsteps retreat down the hall. Brick has risen once more on his
     crutches and starts for the gallery again. ]
    BIG DADDY:
    All I ask of that woman is that she leave me alone. But she can't admit to
     herself that she makes me sick. That comes of having slept with her too many years.
     Should of quit much sooner but that old woman she never got enough of it—and
     I was good in bed . . . I never should of wasted so much of it on her . . . . They
     say you got just so many and each one is numbered. Well, I got a few left in me, a
     few, and I'm going to pick me a good one to spend ‘em on!
     I'm going to pick me a choice one, I don't care how much she costs,
     I'll smother her in—minks! Ha ha! I'll strip her
     naked and smother her in minks and choke her with diamonds! Ha ha!
     I'll strip her naked and choke her with diamonds and smother her with minks
     and hump her from hell to breakfast. Ha aha ha ha
     ha!
    MAE [ gaily at
     door ]:
    Who's that laughin’ in there?
    GOOPER:
    Is Big Daddy laughin’ in there?
    BIG DADDY:
    Crap!—them two —drips . . . .
    [ He goes over and touches Brick's
     shoulder. ]
    Yes, son. Brick, boy.—I'm—happy! I'm happy, son,
     I'm happy!

    [ He chokes a little and bites his under lip,
     pressing his head quickly, shyly against his son's head and then,
     coughing with embarrassment, goes uncertainly back to the table where he set
     down the glass. He drinks and makes a grimace as it burns his guts. Brick sighs
     and rises with effort. ]
    What makes you so restless? Have you got ants in your
     britches?
    BRICK:
    Yes, sir . . .
    BIG DADDY:
    Why?
    BRICK:
    —Something—hasn't—happened . . . .
    BIG DADDY:
    Yeah? What is that!
    BRICK [ sadly ]:
    —the click . . . .
    BIG DADDY:
    Did you say click?
    BRICK ;
    Yes, click.
    BIG DADDY:
    What click?
    BRICK:
    A dick that I get in my head that makes me peaceful.
    BIG DADDY:
    I sure in hell don't know what you're talking about, but it disturbs
     me.

    BRICK:
    It's just a mechanical thing.
    BIG DADDY:
    What is a mechanical thing?
    BRICK:
    This click that I get in my head that makes me peaceful I got to drink till I get it.
     It's just a mechanical thing, something like a—like a—like
     a—
    BIG DADDY:
    Like a—
    BRICK:
    Switch clicking off in my head, turning the hot light off and the cool night on
     and—
    [ He looks up, smiling sadly. ]
    —all of a sudden there's—peace!
    BIG DADDY [ whistles long and soft with astonishment; he goes back to Brick and clasps his
     son's two