The Sunset Limited

Black: Well yes it might. But we just talkin here. Just talkin.

White: What else?

Black: What else what?

White: Any other heresies?

Black: At this juncture?

White: At this juncture. Yes.

Black: Yeah, but I aint tellin you.

White: Why not?

Black: Cause I aint. Shouldnt of told you what I did.

White: Why not?

Black: You settin here at my table dead to God as the fallen angels and you waitin on me to lay another heresy on you to clutch to your bosom and help shore you up in your infidelity and I aint goin to do it. That’s all.

White: Dont then.

Black: Dont worry. I aint.

White: I have to go.

Black: Ever time the dozens gets a little heavy you got to go.

White: What’s the dozens?

Black: It aint really even the dozens. It’s really just a discussion.

White: What’s the dozens.

Black: It’s when two of the brothers stands around insultin one another and the first one gets pissed off loses.

White: What is the point of it?

Black: Winnin and losin is the point of it. Same as the point of everthing else.

White: And you win by making the other guy angry.

Black: That’s correct.

White: I dont get it.

Black: You aint supposed to get it. You white.

White: Then why did you tell me?

Black: Cause you asked me.

White: So if I find you a bit irritating and decide to leave then I lose.

Black: Well, like I said, this aint even the dozens. We just talkin.

White: But that’s what you think.

Black: Oh yeah, that’s what I think.

White: Well how long do you think I might have to stay before I could leave without losing?

Black: That’s kindly hard to say. I guess the best way to put it might be that you’d have to stay till you didnt want to leave.

White: Stay until I didnt want to leave.

Black: Yeah.

White: And then I could leave.

Black: Yeah.

The professor runs one hand alongside his head and then holds the back of his neck, his head down and his eyes closed. He looks up.

White: Why is it called the dozens?

Black: Dont know.

White: What sorts of insults?

Black: Oh, you might say somethin about the other man’s mama. That’s a sensitive area, you might say. And he might lose it and come after your ass but when he done that it’s like he’s sayin that what you just got done tellin about his mama was true. It’s like he sayin: You aint supposed to know that about my mama and you damn sure aint supposed to of told it and now I’m fixin to whip your ass. You see what I’m sayin?

White: I suppose.

Black: Well, probably not.

White: And is this something you do with your friends?

Black: Me? No. I dont play the dozens.

White: Tell me something.

Black: Sure.

White: Why are you here? What do you get out of this? You seem like a smart man.

Black: Me? I’m just a dumb country nigger from Louisiana. I done told you. I aint never had the first thought in my head. If it aint in here then I dont know it.

He holds the bible up off the table and lays it down again.

White: Half the time I think you’re having fun with me. I dont see how you can live here. I dont see how you can feel safe.

Black: Well you got a point, Professor. About bein safe anyways.

White: Have you ever stopped any of these people from taking drugs?

Black: Not that I know of.

White: Then what is the point? I dont get it. I mean, it’s hopeless. This place is just a moral leper colony.

Black: Damn, Professor. Moral leper colony? Where my pencil at?

He pretends to rummage through the kitchen table drawer.

White: Well it is.

Black: I aint never goin to want you to leave. Put that in my book.

White: In your book?

Black: In the Moral Leper Colony. Damn, I like the sound of that.

White: You’re kidding me.

Black: You know I aint writin no book.

White: Well I still dont get it. Why not go someplace where you might be able to do some good?

Black: As opposed to someplace where good was needed.

White: Even God gives up at some point. There’s no ministry in hell. That I ever heard of.

Black: No there aint. That’s well put. Ministry is for the livin. That’s why you responsible for your brother. Once he’s quit breathin you cant help him no more. After that he’s in the hands of other parties. So you got to look after him now. You might even want to monitor his train schedule.

White: You think you are your brother’s keeper.

Black: I dont believe think quite says it.

White: And Jesus is a part of this enterprise.

Black: Is that okay with your

White: And he’s interested in coming here to this cesspool and salvaging what everybody knows is unsalvageable. Why would he do that? You said he didnt have a lot of free time. Why would he come here? What would be the difference to him between a building that was morally and spiritually vacant and one that was just plain empty?

Black: Mm. Professor you a theologian here and I didnt even know it.

White: You’re being facetious.

Black: I dont know that word. Dont be afraid to talk down to me. You aint goin to hurt my feelins.

White: It means. I guess it means that you’re not being sincere. That you dont mean what you’re saying. In a