Carmen by Walter Dean Myers Read Free Book Online Page A

understand that, don’t you, Escamillo?
    ESCAMILLO
    Yes, yes, of course. But I’m glad it was you, Carmen, who saved me from this madman. I owe you.
    JOSÉ
    We have unsettled business!
    ESCAMILLO
    I’ll find a way to accommodate you, my friend. You won’t be hard to find. I have a dog trained to sniff out gutter rats.
    DANCAIRO barely restrains JOSÉ, who lunges forward.
    ESCAMILLO
    But before I go, I want to invite you all to my big concert this weekend. Madison Square Garden. Just tell the ticket men that you are from
    (looks around)
    Lillas’s place. And a special invitation to you, Carmen.
    He kisses her hand, then exits.
    RAIMONDO
    (relieved)
    Everybody take it easy! Somebody go down to the pizza shop and bring back some pies. Put on some music. I need some noise up in here! Some noise!
    We hear “El Ritmo del Barrio,”the bright, cheerful music heard earlier in the play. There is a general relaxation, but we also see CARMEN and JOSÉ looking at each other from across the stage. Slowly CARMEN starts toward JOSÉ. At first he turns away, but slowly, ever so slowly, he turns toward her.
    JOSÉ
    Carmen! I’ve… I’ve been a fool.…
    He reaches out to her.
    MICAELA suddenly runs toward them.
    MICAELA
    José!
    JOSÉ turns and sees MICAELA, but then, love in his eyes, turns back to CARMEN.
    JOSÉ
    Carmen!
    MICAELA
    Your mother sent me. She needs to see you!
    JOSÉ
    What? Oh, tell her that I’ll be by this weekend.
    MICAELA
    She was coughing, and at first
    (glances toward CARMEN)
    they thought it was nothing.
    JOSÉ
    But now…?
    MICAELA
    I’ve always been brave, José. Throughout my life and no matter what I’ve faced. But seeing you here like this…
    JOSÉ
    Micaela, don’t worry about it. Tell my mother I’ll drop by Sunday, maybe Saturday night.
    MICAELA
    She might not live that long.
    JOSÉ
    What?
    MICAELA
    Your mother’s dying. She might not make it to the weekend.
    JOSÉ
    (to CARMEN)
    I should go.
    CARMEN
    (dismissively)
    Yes, yes, of course. You should go.
    MICAELA
    Please hurry.
    JOSÉ
    Carmen, I have to go.
    CARMEN
    I’m not stopping you, José. Go!
    JOSÉ
    I’ll be back, and then we’ll settle things!
    JOSÉ leaves with MICAELA.
    CARMEN stares down DANCAIRO and brushes off a friendly gesture from RAIMONDO. She is about to leave when the radio begins to play ESCAMILLO’s theme song, “The Toreador Song.”CARMEN, by herself and defiantly, dances across the stage. She stops and looks at herself in a mirror.
    CARMEN
    Oh, chicky, look at you. Your makeup is ruined. Your mascara runs down your face like black tears. Escamillo wants us to fight against being invisible. I welcome it. I don’t want to see this sad face anymore. Oh, chicky, how did you let your heart get broken again?
    (she sings “Love Has Flown Away”)
    Love came to me, but it
    Just wasn’t for me.
    It touched my heart and left it
    Lying on the shore, and
    Love smiled at me, but it
    Just wasn’t for me.
    It glanced my way with pity, but
    I soon knew it had other plans.
    Once again my heart was broken;
    I was all alone to
    Mourn.

Scene 2
    We are outside Madison Square Garden. It is night, and the street is alive with young fans. A crowd is forming, and OFFICERS SHEA and LANE are putting barriers in place to hold people back.
    OFFICER SHEA
    Escamillo should be paying us overtime for this duty. You could get crushed in this crowd.
    OFFICER LANE
    I bet somebody is getting paid big bucks. The television cameras are being set up over on Seventh Avenue, and they have their own security.
    OFFICER SHEA
    I heard he’s got two wives. One in New York and one in the Dominican Republic.
    OFFICER LANE
    Bad business. Spanish girls will cut your throat when you’re sleeping!
    OFFICER SHEA
    You think Spanish girls are really all that hot in bed?
    OFFICER LANE
    I’ll settle for one who’s awake!
    Sergeant ZUNIGA enters.
    ZUNIGA
    Okay, men, keep your eyes open. Look out for terrorists.
    OFFICER LANE
    Yes, sir.
    ZUNIGA goes off left.
    OFFICER