Free Writers by Barry Gifford Page B

installed them yet. Manuel is bringing theexplosives tomorrow from Matanzas. Had the ordnance shippedfrom theDominican.
    GELLHORN
    I won’t allow it, Ernest. Someone will gethurt.
    GELLHORN
    You’re right about that,sister.
    GELLHORN
    I mean you and your borracho buddies. What’ll the owner ofthe Dodgers say when his star pitcher comes back to Brooklyn inpieces?
    HEMINGWAY
    Won’t happen, woman. It’s these sneaking phonymothergrabbers who’ll lose the balls they wish they’d had in the firstplace.
    GELLHORN
    You always say you’re for therebels.
    HEMINGWAY
    It’s Batista I’m against, not the rebels I’m for.
    GELLHORN disappears for a moment, then reappears on the porch holding a large flashlight, which she shines into the blackness.
    GELLHORN
    I guess you’ve scared them away, Ernest, you and yourpopgun.
    HEMINGWAY
    IwasshootingthetailsofflizardsattwentyyardsupinMichigan when I was eight years old while you were at Miss Prisspussy’s School in St. Louis learning which fork to usefirst.
    GELLHORN
    (turns off theflashlight)
    I hadn’t yet been born when those lizards lost their tails. Don’t they grow back,anyway?
    HEMINGWAY
    Put that torch onagain.
    GELLHORN
    I’m going back to bed. Don’t wound the dogs or shoot the tailsoffany of the cats.
    GELLHORN re-enters the house. HEM INGWAY stands alone on the porch, still pointing the shotgun into the night. Finally he picks it up and goes inside. The porch light goes off. A few moments later, the door opens again, very slowly, and HEM INGWAY silently re-takes his position with his weapon. There is a rustling sound; some person or animal is moving in the darkness. HEMINGWAY raises his shotgun and fires one barrel, then the second. After the ringing sound of the firings ends, there is complete silence. HEMINGWAY turns and goes back into the house.
    TWO MEN appear, one on either side of the porch. They move toward oneanother and meet just below the placewhere HEMINGWAY had been standing.Both have revolvers in their hands. Slowlythey slink away from the house anddisappear into thedarkness.
    ***
    SCENETHREE
    Inside the Floridita, a bar inHavana. HEMINGWAY is seated on a stool ina corner, a daiquiri on the bar in frontof him.SeatedonstoolsnearHemingwayare CASEY and HIGBE and MANUEL, a Cuban. CASEY and HIGBE are drinking daiquiris. On the bar in front of MANUEL is a small glass of rum.
    CASEY
    But why would they come after you,Ernest?
    HIGBE
    Yeah, especially if you’re backin’ ’em.
    HEMINGWAY
    Theykilledoneofmydogs. It’s CubafortheCubans. We Americanos aren’t long for thisplace.
    HIGBE
    You’re too famous tokill.
    HEMINGWAY
    But not too famous to die. There’s adifference.
    CASEY
    What do you think, Manuel? Would they killErnesto?
    MANUEL
    Sí, if they think it is in the interest to advance therevolution.
    HIGBE
    They wouldn’t shoot an American ballplayer, though, wouldthey?
    HEMINGWAY
    A Yankee, maybe, but not a Dodger. All of them laugh. The four mendrink.
    MANUEL
    Señor Hugh, who is the best hitter you have everfaced?
    HIGBE
    Yeah, Hughie,who?
    CASEY
    Ducky Medwick, no doubt about it. Up, down, in, out, don’t mat ter. Ducky swings, bang, it’s a double up against thewall.
    HEMINGWAY
    My wife’s from St. Louis,too.
    HIGBE
    She a Cardinalfan?
    HEMINGWAY
    She likes the color red. She even thought she was oneonce.
    CASEY
    What, aCardinal?
    HEMINGWAY
    No, aRed.
    (Hestands.)
    Manuel and I have to be goin’, boys. We’ve got some ordnanceto unload inMatanzas.
    HIGBE
    When Iwasinthe army, myCO said I wasn’t too good takin’ orders.
    CASEY
    Okay, Ernesto, will we be seein’ youlater?
    HEMINGWAY
    Comeouttothehousetomorrownight.I’llhavesomethingto showyou.
    HEMINGWAY and MANUEL exitthe Floridita.
    HIGBE
    Do you really think them rebels would kill Ernest,Hughie?
    CASEY
    How do I know, Hig? I can’t even figure a way to get Ducky Medwick