Buried Child Read Online Free PDF Page A

head,
DODGE
jerks up to a sitting position on the sofa, eyes open,
SHELLY
gasps,
DODGE
looks at her, sees his cap in her hands, and quickly puts his hand to his bare head. He glares at
SHELLY,
then whips the cap out of her hands and puts it on.
SHELLY
backs away from him.
DODGE
stares at her)
    SHELLY: I'm uh—with Vince. (DODGE
just glares at her.)
He's upstairs, (DODGE
looks at the staircase then back at
SHELLY.
Calling upstairs.)
Vince!
    VINCE: Just a second!
    SHELLY : You better get down here!
    VINCE: Just a minute! I'm looking at the pictures, (DODGE
keeps staring at her.)
    SHELLY:
(To
DODGE.) We just got here. We drove out from New York. Pouring rain on the freeway so we thought we'd stop by. I mean Vince was planning on stopping anyway. He wanted to see you. He said he hadn't seen you in a long time. Pay you a little visit.
(Pause,
DODGE
just keeps staring at her.)
We were going all the way through to New Mexico. To see his father. I guess his father lives out there. In a trailer or something.
(Louder.)
We thought we'd stop by and see you on the way. Kill two birds with one stone, you know?
(She laughs,
DODGE
stares; she stops laughing.)
Imean Vince has this thing about his family now. I guess it's a new thing with him. I kind of find it hard to relate to. But he feels it's important. You know. I mean he wants to get to know you again. After all this time. Reunite. I don't have much faith in it myself. Reuniting.
(Pause,
DODGE
just stares at her. She moves nervously to the staircase and yells up to
VINCE.) Vince, will you come down here please?! (VINCE
comes halfway down the stairs.)
    VINCE: I guess they went out for a while, (SHELLY
points to the sofa and
DODGE, VINCE
turns and sees
DODGE.
He comes all the way down the staircase and crosses to
DODGE, SHELLY
stays behind, near the staircase, keeping her distance.)
Grandpa? (DODGE
looks up at him, not recognizing him.)
    DODGE: Did you bring the whiskey? (VINCE
looks back at
SHELLY
then back to
DODGE.)
    VINCE: Grandpa, it's me. Vince. I'm Vince. Tilden's son. You remember? (DODGE
stares at him.)
    DODGE : You didn't do what you told me. You didn't stay here with me.
    VINCE: Grandpa, I haven't been here until just now. I just got here.
    DODGE : You left. Abandoned me. You went outside like we told you not to do. You went out there in back. In the rain, (VINCE
looks back at
SHELLY.
She moves slowly toward the sofa.)
    SHELLY : Is he okay?
    VINCE: I don't know.
(Takes off his shades.)
Look, Grandpa, don't you remember me? Vince. Your grandson. I know it's been a while. My hair's longer, maybe, (DODGE
stares at him, then takes off his baseball cap.)
    DODGE:
(Points to his head.)
See what happens when you leave me alone? See that? That's what happens, (VINCE
looks at
DODGE
‘s head, then reaches out to touch it.
DODGE
slaps
VINCE
‘s hand away with the cap and puts it back on his head)
    VINCE: What's going on, Grandpa? Where's Halie?
    DODGE: Don't worry about her. She won't be back for days. She's absconded. She says she'll be back but she won't be.
(He starts laughing.)
There's life in the old girl yet!
(Stops laughing.)
    VINCE : How did you do that to your head?
    DODGE: I didn't do it! Don't be ridiculous! Whadya think I am, an animal?
    VINCE: Well, who did then?
(Pause,
DODGE
stares at
VINCE.)
    DODGE: Who do you think did it? Who do you think? (SHELLY
moves toward
VINCE.)
    SHELLY: Vince, maybe we oughta go. I don't like this. I mean this isn't my idea of a good time.
    VINCE: (
To
SHELLY.) Just a second. (
To
DODGE.) Grandpa, look, I just got here. I just now got here. I haven't been here for six years. I don't know anything that's happened.
(Pause,
DODGE
stares at him.)
    DODGE : You don't know anything?
    VINCE: NO.
    DODGE: Well, that's good. That's good. It's much better not to know anything. Much, much better.
    VINCE: Isn't there anybody here with you? (DODGE
turns slowly and looks off to left.)
    DODGE: Tilden's here.
    VINCE: NO, Grandpa,