Resurrection Blues by Arthur Miller Read Free Book Online Page A

Honest.
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    FELIX: A neighbor claims he saw him going into your house in the middle of last night.
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    STANLEY: How did he know it was him?
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    FELIX: He’d seen him earlier, standing on the corner staring into space for over an hour like a crazy man.
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    STANLEY: He only stayed with me a little and left.
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    FELIX: . . . Tell me, does he think he’s the son of god?
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    STANLEY: That depends.
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    FELIX: Really! On what?
    STANLEY: Hard to say.
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    FELIX: Let’s put it this way, Stanley, if you’re going to fuck around with me we’ll be happy to knock your teeth out, starting with the front. This would not be my preference, but we are a military government and I am only one of five officers running things. Now please answer my questions before some really bad personalities get into this. The question is whether he believes he is the son of god.
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    STANLEY: Some days he’s sure of it and then he . . . suddenly can’t believe it. I mean it’s understandable.
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    FELIX: Why is it understandable?
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    STANLEY: Well, a man facing crucifixion’d better be pretty sure what he believes.
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    FELIX: Why? If he’s the son of god crucifixion shouldn’t bother him too much.
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    STANLEY: Yeah, but if it turns out he’s not the son of god it’ll bother him a lot.
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    FELIX: What’s your opinion? Is he?
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    STANLEY: . . . I better fill you in before I answer that. I’ve ruined my life believing in things; I spent two and a half years in India in an ashram; I’ve been into everything from dope to alcohol to alfalfa therapy to Rolfing to Buddhism to total vegetarianism, which I’m into now. So you ask me do I believe he’s the son of god, I have to be honest—yes, I believe he is . . . kind of.
    FELIX: Kind of.
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    STANLEY: Well, with a background like mine how do I know what I’m going to believe next week?
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    FELIX, thinks for a moment: What did you talk about with him last night?
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    STANLEY: Last night? Well, let’s see—women, mainly. They’re a mystery to him. Men also, but not as much.
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    FELIX: He’s bisexual?
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    STANLEY: I would say he’s more like . . . tri.
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    FELIX: Trisexual.
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    STANLEY: Yes.
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    FELIX: Well let’s see now—there’s men, and women, and what?
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    STANLEY: Well . . . vegetation.
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    FELIX: He fucks cabbages?
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    STANLEY: No-no, he loves them.
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    FELIX: Loves cabbages.
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    STANLEY: Well they’re alive.
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    FELIX: I see. What about a girlfriend?
    STANLEY: Well, yeah, one. But she jumped out of a window recently.
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    FELIX: . . . You don’t mean Henri Schultz’s daughter.
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    STANLEY: Oh, you know him?
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    FELIX: We’re cousins.—So this son of god is banging Schultz’s daughter?
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    STANLEY: I don’t think so, frankly. My impression is that it stays kind of—you know—remote. Although I picked him up one morning at her apartment and she looked like a woman who . . . you know . . .
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    FELIX: Had had it.
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    STANLEY: But I think it was different. I think he may have just . . . laid down next to her and . . . you know . . . lit up. —Because you know he can just light up and . . .
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    FELIX: I know, I saw him do it. So you mean if he lights up it makes her . . . ?
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    STANLEY: Definitely.
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    FELIX, truly fascinated: Huh! That’s very interesting. That’s one of the most interesting things I’ve heard lately.—And how long can he stay lit up?
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    STANLEY: Seems like . . . I don’t know . . . a few seconds.
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    FELIX: Is that all.
    STANLEY: Well of course I never actually saw . . .
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    FELIX: So it could have been longer.
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    STANLEY: Who knows? I mean . . .
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    FELIX: Yes. Exhales, blows out air . This is really amazing. Worried but curious . I was wondering why Schultz was so fascinated by him.
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    STANLEY: Oh but I