The Snake Pit Page #2

Looking back now, I see things

I never thought were important.

- Would you like to tell me about them?

- First time I met her, Doctor...

was... was in Chicago.

I was a clerk in a publishing house

putting out some second-string magazines.

It was my first job

after getting out of the army.

It wasn't much.

I was taking my time getting settled...

but I kept my eyes open

for something better.

- That's where I saw her first.

- Miss Stuart.

- Yes?

- I'm sorry. Miss Gilmore's tied up right now.

She asked me to return your manuscript,

tell you she liked the story very much, but...

The idea is too depressing. The characters

aren't quite the way she'd like to see them.

And the end doesn't quite come off. Or is it

the beginning? I'm awfully glad she liked it.

- No, she did, but you see...

- She isn't going to publish it.

- Well, she said she hoped

you would understand.

- I hoped she would.

- Here. You may keep them.

- Thank you.

There was a place downstairs.

Every day, I made up my mind to eat

somewhere else, but I usually ended up there.

Thank you.

Keeps going up, huh?

I noticed her right away.

Sitting there, she looked like a kid who'd

been told to eat something she didn't want.

- Hello. Mind if I sit here?

- No.

Thank you.

- Your first one?

- First one I thought was good... until today.

- Look, may I tell you something

about our Miss Gilmore?

- No.

- You mean, you'd rather I wouldn't talk?

- No. I didn't mean that.

Well, Miss Gilmore

or no Miss Gilmore...

if I wrote a story I thought was good,

I wouldn't care what anybody said about it...

or how many editors

turned it down.

I'd stop smoking

and start eating.

- Why don't you fire Miss Gilmore

and read my story?

- I might at that.

After that, she used

to drop by the cafeteria every so often.

- Hello, Virginia.

- Hello.

She always had some kind of excuse

for coming. I didn't care.

I was just glad she did. It didn't take long

to find out we liked the same kind of things.

We liked music,

the same kind of music.

We liked walking together.

I knew a place where you got the best soda

in town. She loved it.

She didn't tell me much

about herself.

I knew she lived out of town,

but I didn't know where.

Somehow I thought she was grateful

that I didn't ask too many questions.

Sure, it was strange,

but maybe that's why I liked her.

She seemed to like me.

I don't know how many times we met...

but somehow I felt that she needed me,

like a child looking for protection.

- Then it was early in May, I think.

- Hello.

- Hello, darling.

- This was going to be our big day.

The Boston Philharmonic

was in Chicago playing Brahms First.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes