Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes: Revised and Complete Edition Read Online Free PDF Page A

“Truth exists and can be spoken proudly.” And the country responds to him. We become better. More good. I need to be a part of that, I need something big to lift me up. I mean, six years ago the world seemed in decline, horrible, hopeless, full of unsolvable problems and crime and confusion and hunger and—
    HARPER : But it still seems that way. More now than before. They say the ozone layer is—
    JOE : Harper . . .
    HARPER : And today out the window on Atlantic Avenue there was a schizophrenic traffic cop who was making these—
    JOE : Stop it! I’m trying to make a point.
    HARPER : So am I.
    JOE : You aren’t even making sense, you—
    HARPER : My point is the world seems just as—
    JOE : It only seems that way to you because you never go out in the world, Harper, and you have emotional problems.
    HARPER : I do so get out in the world.
    JOE : You don’t. You stay in all day, fretting about imaginary—
    HARPER : I get out. I do. You don’t know what I do.
    JOE : You don’t stay in all day.
    HARPER : No.
    JOE : Well . . . Yes you do.
    HARPER : That’s what you think.
    JOE : Where do you go?
    HARPER : Where do you go? When you walk.
          (Pause, then very angry) And I DO NOT have emotional problems.
    JOE : I’m sorry.
    HARPER : And if I do have emotional problems it’s from living with you. Or—
    JOE : I’m sorry, buddy, I didn’t mean to—
    HARPER : Or if you do think I do then you should never have married me. You have all these secrets and lies.
    JOE : I want to be married to you, Harper.
    HARPER : You shouldn’t. You never should.
          (Pause)
          Hey, buddy. Hey, buddy.
    JOE : Buddy kiss.
    (They kiss.)
    HARPER : I heard on the radio how to give a blowjob.
    JOE : What?
    HARPER : You want to try?
    JOE : You really shouldn’t listen to stuff like that.
    HARPER : Mormons can give blowjobs.
    JOE : Harper .
    HARPER (Imitating his tone): Joe .
          It was a little Jewish lady with a German accent. This is a good time. For me to make a baby.
    (Little pause. Joe turns away from her, then leaves the living room.)
    HARPER : Then they went on to a program about holes in the ozone layer. Over Antarctica. Skin burns, birds go blind, icebergs melt. The world’s coming to an end.
    Scene 6
    First week of November. In the men’s room of the offices of the Brooklyn Federal Court of Appeals. Louis is crying over the sink; Joe enters .
    JOE : Oh, um . . . Morning.
    LOUIS : Good morning, Counselor.
    JOE (He watches Louis cry) : Sorry, I . . . I don’t know your name.
    LOUIS : Don’t bother. Word processor. The lowest of the low.
    JOE (Holding out his hand) : Joe Pitt. I’m with Justice Wilson.
    LOUIS : Oh, I know that. Counselor Pitt. Chief Clerk.
    JOE : Were you . . . Are you OK?
    LOUIS : Oh, yeah. Thanks. What a nice man.
    JOE : Not so nice.
    LOUIS : What?
    JOE : Not so nice. Nothing. You sure you’re—
    LOUIS : Life sucks shit. Life . . . just sucks shit.
    JOE : What’s wrong?
    LOUIS : Run in my nylons.
    JOE : Sorry . . .?
    LOUIS : Forget it. Look, thanks for asking.
    JOE : Well . . .
    LOUIS : I mean it really is nice of you.
          (He starts crying again)
          Sorry, sorry. Sick friend . . .
    JOE : Oh, I’m sorry.
    LOUIS : Yeah, yeah, well, that’s sweet.
          Three of your colleagues have preceded you to this baleful sight and you’re the first one to ask. The others just opened the door, saw me, and fled. I hope they had to pee real bad.
    JOE (Handing him a wad of toilet paper) : They just didn’t want to intrude.
    LOUIS : Hah. Reaganite heartless macho asshole lawyers.
    JOE : Oh, that’s unfair.
    LOUIS : What is? Heartless? Macho? Reaganite? Lawyer?
    JOE : I voted for Reagan.
    LOUIS : You did?
    JOE : Twice.
    LOUIS : Twice? Well, oh boy. A Gay Republican.
    JOE : Excuse me?
    LOUIS : Nothing.
    JOE : I’m not—
          Forget it.
    LOUIS : Republican? Not Republican? Or . . .
    JOE : What?
    LOUIS : What?
    JOE : Not gay. I’m not gay.
    LOUIS : Oh.