Jonathan Ned Katz: "Comrades and Lovers," Act II

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

SCENE TITLE: 1 Peter Doyle, "Yes, I will talk of Walt"

DOYLE SPEAKS AS THE YOUNG MAN HE WAS WHEN HE MET WHITMAN; TO THE AUDIENCE AS SYMPATHETIC INTERVIEWERS WHO HAVE COME TO ASK ABOUT WHITMAN

DOYLE:

Yes, I will talk of Walt,

nothing suits me better.

How we met

is a curious story.

We felt to each other at once.

I was a street car conductor

in Washington.

The night was very stormy --

he came down to take the car --

the storm was awful.

Walt had his blanket --

it was thrown around his shoulders --

he seemed like an old sea-captain.

He was the only passenger,

it was a lonely night,

so I thought

I would go in and talk to him.

Something in me made me do it

and something in him

drew me that way.

He used to say

there was something in me

had the same effect on him.

Anyway, I went into the car.

We were familiar at once --

I put my hand on his knee --

we understood.

He did not get out

at the end of the trip --

in fact

went all the way back with me.

From that time on

we were the biggest sort of friends.

WHITMAN:

TO DOYLE

I think of you very often,

dearest comrade,

and with more calmness then when I was there--

I find it first rate

to know I shall return,

and we shall be together again,

Dear Boy.

I don't know what I should do

if I hadn't you to look forward to.

Here in New York

there is pretty strong enmity

among certain classes

toward me

and Leaves of Grass --

that it is a great mass of crazy talk

and hard words,

all tangled up,

without sense or meaning

(which by the by

is, I believe,

your judgment about it).

But others sincerely think

that it is a bad book,

improper,

and ought to be denounced

and put down,

and its author along with it.

DOYLE:

TO AUDIENCE]

Yes, Walt often spoke to me of his book.

I would tell him

DIRECTLY TO WHITMAN

I don't know

what you are trying to get at.

TO AUDIENCE

And this is the idea

I would always arrive at

from his reply.

WHITMAN:

All other peoples in the world

have their representatives

in literature;

here is a great big American race

with no representative.

DOYLE:

He would furnish that representative.

WHITMAN:

DIRECTLY TO DOYLE

Dear Pete,

I have made a change of base,

from tumultuous, close-packed,

world-like New York,

to Providence

this half-rural,

third-class town.

At both places I stop

we have plenty of ripe fresh fruit

and lots of flowers.

Pete,

I could now send you

a bouquet every morning,

far better than I used to,

of much choicer flowers.

GIVES DOYLE BOUQUET; DOYLE HOLDS IT IN HIS ARMS

In the evening

I went by invitation

to a party of ladies and gentlemen --

mostly ladies.

I made love to the women,

and flatter myself

that I created

at least one impression --

wretch and gay deceiver that I am.

You would be astonished,

my son,

to see the capacity

for flirtation with the girls --

I would never have believed it of myself.

Fortunate young man --

ain't you --

getting such instructive letters.

DOYLE:

TO AUDIENCE

I never knew a case

of Walt's being bothered up

by a woman.

His disposition was different.

Women in that sense

never came into his head.

I ought to know about him

in those years --

we were awful close together.

Towards women generally

Walt had a good way --

he very easily attracted them.

But he did that with men, too.

It was an irresistible attraction.

I've had many tell me --

men and women.

He had an easy, gentle way

no matter who they were

or what their sex.

WHITMAN:

DIRECTLY TO DOYLE

My darling boy,

if you are not well

when I come back

I will get a good room or two

in some quiet place,

and we will live together,

and devote ourselves

to making you healthier than ever.

I have had this in my mind before

but never broached it to you.

My love for you

is indestructible.

LIGHTING/MOOD CHANGE; WHITMAN'S SEXUALLY UNCONSUMMATED PURSUIT OF DOYLE HAS LEFT HIM DEPRESSED AND HUMILIATED. HE DECIDES TO END THE PURSUIT; GRABS BOUQUET HE GAVE DOYLE AND FLINGS IT ON FLOOR. LOOKING INTENTLY AT DOYLE:

It is imperative

that I remove myself

from this incessant,

enormous

PERTURBATION.

SPEAKERS FOCUS ON DOYLE

SPEAKER 1:

To GIVE UP ABSOLUTELY

SPEAKER 2:

and for good,

SPEAKER 3:

from this present hour,

SPEAKER 4:

this FEVERISH,

SPEAKER 1:

FLUCTUATING,

SPEAKER 2:

useless,

SPEAKER 3:

UNDIGNIFIED

SPEAKER 4:

pursuit of P.D.

SPEAKER 1:

so humiliating --

SPEAKER 2:

(It cannot possibly be a success)

SPEAKER 3:

LET THERE BE NO FALTERING

SPEAKER 4:

avoid seeing him,