The Man Who Had All the Luck by Arthur Miller

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    AUGIE: It would take a long, long time, and I personally don’t believe he’ll ever get rid of it.
    PAT: You can’t . . . you can’t try him, eh?
    AUGIE: I know how you feel, Mr. Beeves, but I am one man who will not take a boy out of his life when I know in my heart we’re going to throw him away like a wet rag.
    DAVID [ for a long time he stands staring ]: He has no life.
    AUGIE [ bends closer to hear ]: Eh?
    DAVID: He doesn’t know how to do anything else.
    AUGIE [ nods with sympathy ]: That was another mistake. [ He starts to turn away to go. ]
    PAT [ as though to call him back somehow ]: I believed if he concentrated . . . concentration . . . you see I myself always jumped from one thing to another and never got anywhere, and I thought . . .
    AUGIE: Yeh . . . when it works concentration is a very sound principle. [ Takes a breath. ] Well, lots of luck.
    Still unable to believe, PAT can’t speak.
    â€™Bye, Amos.
    AMOS nods slightly, numbly staring. At the door, to DAVE . ’Bye. [ He starts to open the door. ]
    DAVID: Look . . . [ He hurries to him. He looks in his eyes, his hand raised as though to grab the man and hold him here. ]
    AUGIE: Yeh?
    DAVID starts to speak, then looks at AMOS who is still staring at nothing. DAVID turns back to AUGIE .
    DAVID: . . . You’ll see him in the Leagues.
    AUGIE: I hope so. I just don’t . . .
    DAVID [ trying to restrain his fury ]: No, you’ll see him. You’re not the only team, you know. You’ll see him in the Leagues.
    AUGIE [ grasps DAVID’ s arm ]: . . . Take it easy, boy. [ To the others. ] I hope you’ll pardon me for being late.
    DAVID [ quietly, like an echo, his voice cracking ]: You’ll see him.
    AUGIE nods. Glances at PAT and AMOS , opens the door and goes. PAT and DAVID stand looking at the door. PAT turns now, walks slowly to AMOS who is sitting. As PAT nears him he stand slowly, his fists clenched at his sides.
    PAT [ softly, really questioning ]: He can be wrong too, can’t he?
    [AMOS is silent, his face filling with hate. ] Can’t he be wrong? [ No reply. ] He can, can’t he?
    AMOS [ a whip-like shout ]: No, he can’t be!
    PAT: But everybody makes mistakes . . .
    AMOS [ with a cry he grabs PAT by the collar and shakes him violently back and forth ]: Mistakes! Mistakes! You and your goddam mistakes!
    DAVID [ leaps to them, trying to break his grip ]: Let him go! Amos, let him go!
    AMOS [ amid his own, and PAT ’s weeping. To PAT]: You liar! I’ll kill you, you little liar, you liar!
    With a new burst of violence he starts forcing PAT backward and down to the floor. GUS comes in as DAVID locks an arm around AMOS ’s neck and jerks him from PAT who falls to the floor.
    Leave me alone! Leave me alone!
    With a great thrust DAVID throws AMOS to the couch and stands over him, fists raised.
    DAVID: Stay there! Don’t get up! You’ll fight me, Amos!
    PAT [ scurrying to his feet, and taking DAVID away from the couch ]: Don’t, don’t fight! [ He turns quickly, pleadingly to AMOS , who is beginning to sob on the couch. ] Amos, boy, boy . . . [AMOS lies across the couch and sobs violently. PAT leans over and pats his head. ] Boy, boy . . .
    AMOS swings his arm out blindly and hits PAT across the chest. DAVID starts toward them but PAT remains over him, patting his back.
    Come on, boy, please, boy, stop now, stop, Amos! Look, Ame, look, I’ll get Cleveland down here, I’ll go myself, I’ll bring a man. Ame, listen, I did what I could, a man makes mistakes, he can’t figure on everything. . . . [ He begins shaking AMOS who continues sobbing. ] Ame, stop it! [ He stands and begins shouting over AMOS ’s sobbing. ] I admit it, I admit it, Ame, I lie, I talk too much, I’m a fool, I admit it, but look how you pitch, give me credit for that, give me credit for something! [ Rushes at AMOS and turns him over. ] Stop that crying! God Almighty, what do you