Word
Gems
What is a
man but the sum of his thoughts?
Death
& Life:
Thornton
Wilder's Our Town
Near the end of Act III:
EMILY: Softly, more in wonder than in grief. I can't bear it. They're so young
and beautiful. Why did they ever have to get old? Mama, I'm here. I'm grown up. I love you
all, everything. -- I can't look at everything hard enough. There's the
butternut tree.
She wanders up Main Street.
There's Mr. Morgan's drugstore. And there's the High School, forever and ever, and ever.
And there's the Congregational Church where I got married. Oh, dear. Oh, dear. Oh, dear!
The STAGE MANAGER beckons partially to her. He points to the house. She says a
breathless "yes" and goes to the house. Good morning, Mama.
MRS. WEBB: At the foot of the stairs, kissing her in a matter-of-fact way.
Well, now, dear, a very happy birthday to my girl and many happy returns. There are some
surprises waiting for you on the kitchen table.
EMILY: Oh, Mama, you shouldn't have.
She throws an anguished glance at the STAGE MANAGER.
I can't -- I can't.
MRS. WEBB: Facing the audience, over her stove. But birthday or no birthday, I
want you to eat your breakfast good and slow. I want you to grow up and be a good strong
girl.
She goes to the stairs and calls.
Wally! Wally, wash yourself good. Everything's getting cold down here.
She returns to the stove with her back to EMILY. EMILY opens her parcels.
That in the blue paper is from your Aunt Carrie and I reckon you can guess who brought the
post card album. I found it on the doorstep when I brought in the milk George Gibbs . . .
must have come over in the cold pretty early . . . right nice of him.
To herself. Oh, George I'd forgotten that....
MRS. WEBB: Chew that bacon slow. It'll help keep you warm on a cold day.
EMILY Beginning softly but urgently. Oh, Mama, just look at me one minute
as though you really saw me. Mama, fourteen years have gone by. I'm dead. You're
a grandmother, Mama. I married George Gibbs, Mama. Wally's dead, too. Mama, his appendix
burst on a camping trip to North Conway. We felt just terrible about it -- don't you
remember? But, just for a moment now we're all together. Mama, just for a moment
we're happy. Let's look at one another.
MRS. WEBB: That in the yellow paper is something I found in the attic among your
grandmother's things. You're old enough to wear it now, and I thought you'd like it.
EMILY: And this is from you. Why, Mama, it's just lovely and it's just what I wanted. It's
beautiful!
She flings her arms around her mother's neck. Her mother goes on with her cooking, but
is pleased.
MRS. WEBB: Well, I hoped you'd like it. Hunted all over. Your Aunt Norah couldn't find one
in Concord, so I had to send all the way to Boston.
Laughing.
Wally has something for you, too. He made it at Manual Training class and he's very proud
of it. Be sure you make a big fuss about it. -- Your father has a surprise for you, too;
don't know what it is myself. Sh -- here he comes.
MR. WEBB: Off stage. Where's my girl? Where's my birthday girl?
EMILY: In aloud voice to the STAGE MANAGER. I can't. I can't go on. Oh!
Oh. It goes so fast. We don't have time to look at one another.
She breaks down sobbing. At a gesture from the STAGE MANAGER, MRS. WEBB disappears.
I didn't realize. So all that was going on and we never noticed. Take me back --
up the hill -- to my grave. But first: Wait! One more look. Good-by, Good-by,
world. Good-by, Grover's Corners . . . Mama and Papa. Good-by to clocks ticking..
. and Mama's sunflowers. And food and coffee. And new-ironed dresses and hot baths. . .
and sleeping and waking up. Oh, earth, you're too wonderful for anybody to realize you.
She looks toward the STAGE MANAGER and asks abruptly, through her tears.
Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it? every, every minute?
STAGE MANAGER: No. Pause. The saints and poets, maybe -- they do some.
EMILY: I'm ready to go back
She returns to her chair beside MRS. GIBBS.
Mother Gibbs, I should have listened to you. Now I want to be quiet for a while. -- Oh,,
Mother Gibbs, I saw it all. I saw your garden.
MRS. GIBBS: Did you, dear?
EMILY: That's all human beings are! -- Just blind people.
MRS. GIBBS: Look, it's clearing up. The stars are coming out.
EMILY: Oh, Mr. Stimson, I should have listened to them.
SIMON STIMSON: With mounting violence; bitingly. Yes, now you know. Now you know!
That's what it was to be alive. To move about in a cloud of ignorance; to go up and down
trampling on the feelings of those. . . of those about you. To spend and waste
time as though you had a million years. To be always at the mercy of one
self-centered passion, or another. Now you know -- that's the happy existence you
wanted to go back and see. Did you shout to 'em? Did you call to 'em?
EMILY: Yes, I did.
SIMON STIMSON: Now you know them as they are: in ignorance and blindness.
MRS. GIBBS: Spiritedly. Simon Stimson, that ain't the whole truth and you know it
The dead have began to stir.
THE DEAD: Lemuel, wind's coming up, seems like. -- Oh,, dear, I keep remembering things
tonight. -- It's right cold for June, ain't it?
MRS. GIBBS: Look what you've done, you and your rebellious spirit stirring us up here. --
Emily, look at that star. I forget its name.
The DEAD: I'm getting to know them all, but I don't know their names. -- My boy Joel was a
sailor, knew 'em all. He'd set on the porch evenings and tell 'em all by name Yes sir, it
was wonderful. -- A star's mighty good company. -- Yes ... yes. -- Yes, 'tis.
SIMON STIMSON: Here's one of them coming.
THE DEAD: That's funny. 'Taint no time for one of them to be here. Goodness sakes.
EMILY: Mother Gibbs, it's George....
|