Free Complete Works, Volume I by Harold Pinter Page A

going up there again.
    GOLDBERG . What's going on now?
    MCCANN ( moving down ). He's quiet now. He stopped all that . . . talking a while ago.
    PETEY appears at the kitchen hatch, unnoticed.
    GOLDBERG . When will he be ready?
    MCCANN ( sullenly ). You can go up yourself next time.
    GOLDBERG . What's the matter with you?
    MCCANN ( quietly ). I gave him. . . .
    GOLDBERG . What?
    MCCANN . I gave him his glasses.
    GOLDBERG . Wasn't he glad to get them back?
    MCCANN . The frames are bust.
    GOLDBERG . How did that happen?
    MCCANN . He tried to fit the eyeholes into his eyes. I left him doing it.
    PETEY ( at the kitchen door ). There's some Sellotape somewhere. We can stick them together.
    GOLDBERG and MCCANN turn to see him. Pause.
    GOLDBERG . Sellotape? No, no, that's all right, Mr Boles. It'll keep him quiet for the time being, keep his mind off other things.
    PETEY ( moving downstage ). What about a doctor?
    GOLDBERG . It's all taken care of.
    MCCANN moves over right to the shoe-box, and takes out a brush and brushes his shoes.
    PETEY ( moves to the table ). I think he needs one.
    GOLDBERG . I agree with you. It's all taken care of. We'll give him a bit of time to settle down, and then I'll take him to Monty.
    PETEY . You're going to take him to a doctor?
    GOLDBERG ( staring at him ). Sure. Monty.
    Pause, MCCANN brushes his shoes.
    So Mrs Boles has gone out to get us something nice for lunch?
    PETEY . That's right.
    GOLDBERG . Unfortunately we may be gone by then.
    PETEY . Will you?
    GOLDBERG . By then we may be gone.
    Pause.
    PETEY . Well, I think I'll see how my peas are getting on, in the meantime.
    GOLDBERG . The meantime?
    PETEY . While we're waiting.
    GOLDBERG . Waiting for what? ( PETEY walks towards the back door. ) Aren't you going back to the beach?
    PETEY . No, not yet. Give me a call when he comes down, will you, Mr Goldberg?
    GOLDBERG ( earnestly ). You'll have a crowded beach today . . . on a day like this. They'll be lying on their backs, swimming out to sea. My life. What about the deck-chairs? Are the deck-chairs ready?
    PETEY . I put them all out this morning.
    GOLDBERG . But what about the tickets? Who's going to take the tickets?
    PETEY . That's all right. That'll be all right. Mr Goldberg. Don't you worry about that. I'll be back.
    He exits . GOLDBERG rises, goes to the window and looks after him . MCCANN crosses to the table, left, sits, picks up the paper and begins to tear it into strips.
    GOLDBERG . Is everything ready?
    MCCANN . Sure.
    GOLDBERG walks heavily, brooding, to the table. He sits right of it noticing what MCCANN is doing.
    GOLDBERG . Stop doing that!
    MCCANN . What?
    GOLDBERG . Why do you do that all the time? It's childish, it's pointless. It's without a solitary point.
    MCCANN . What's the matter with you today?
    GOLDBERG . Questions, questions. Stop asking me so many questions. What do you think I am?
    MCCANN studies him. He then folds the paper, leaving the strips inside.
    MCCANN . Well?
    Pause. GOLDBERG leans back in the chair, his eyes closed.
    MCCANN . Well?
    GOLDBERG ( with fatigue ). Well what?
    MCCANN . Do we wait or do we go and get him?
    GOLDBERG ( slowly ). You want to go and get him?
    MCCANN . I want to get it over.
    GOLDBERG . That's understandable.
    MCCANN . So do we wait or do we go and get him?
    GOLDBERG ( interrupting ). I don't know why, but I feel knocked out. I feel a bit . . . It's uncommon for me.
    MCCANN . Is that so?
    GOLDBERG . It's unusual.
    MCCANN ( rising swiftly and going behind GOLDBERG’S chair. Hissing ). Let's finish and go. Let's get it over and go. Get the thing done. Let's finish the bloody thing. Let's get the thing done and go!
    Pause.
    Will I go up?
    Pause.
    Nat!
    GOLDBERG sits humped. MCCANN slips to his side.
    Simey!
    GOLDBERG ( opening his eyes, regarding MCCANN ). What—did—you—call—me?
    MCCANN . Who?
    GOLDBERG ( murderously ). Don't call me that! ( He seizes MCCANN by the throat. ) NEVER CALL ME THAT!
    MCCANN ( writhing ). Nat, Nat, Nat,