The Miracle Worker by William Gibson Page A

she’s—That inside it’s waiting. Like water, underground. All I can do is keep on.
    KELLER: It’s enough. For us.
    ANNIE: You can help, Captain Keller.
    KELLER: How?
    ANNIE: Even learning no has been at a cost. Of much trouble and pain. Don’t undo it.
    KELLER: Why should we wish to—
    ANNIE [ ABRUPTLY ]: The world isn’t an easy place for anyone, I don’t want her just to obey but to let her have her way in everything is a lie, to her, I can’t—
    (Her eyes fill, it takes her by surprise, and she laughs through it.)
    And I don’t even love her, she’s not my child! Well. You’ve got to stand between that lie and her.
    KELLER: We’ll try.
    ANNIE: Because I will. As long as you let me stay, that’s one promise I’ll keep.
    KELLER: Agreed. We’ve learned something too, I hope.
    (A pause)
    Won’t you come now, to supper?
    ANNIE: Yes.
    (She wags the envelope, ruefully.)
    Why doesn’t God pay His debts each month?
    KELLER: I beg your pardon?
    ANNIE: Nothing. I used to wonder how I could—
    (The lights are fading on them, simultaneously rising on the family room of the main house, where VINEY is polishing glassware at the table set for dinner.)
    â€”earn a living.
    KELLER: Oh, you do.
    ANNIE: I really do. Now the question is, can I survive it!
    ( KELLER smiles, offers his arm.)
    KELLER: May I?
    ( ANNIE takes it, and the lights lose them as he escorts her out.
    Now in the family room the rear door opens, and HELEN steps in. She stands a moment, then sniffs in one deep grateful breath, and her hands go out vigorously to familiar things, over the door panels, and to thechairs around the table, and over the silverware on the table, until she meets VINEY ; she pats her flank approvingly.)
    VINEY: Oh, we glad to have you back too, prob’ly.
    ( HELEN hurries groping to the front door, opens and closes it, removes its key, opens and closes it again to be sure it is unlocked, gropes back to the rear door and repeats the procedure, removing its key and hugging herself gleefully.
    AUNT EV is next in by the rear door, with a relish tray; she bends to kiss HELEN’S cheek. HELEN finds KATE behind her, and thrusts the keys at her.)
    KATE: What? Oh.
    (To EV )
    Keys.
    (She pockets them, lets HELEN feel them.)
    Yes, I’ll keep the keys. I think we’ve had enough of locked doors, too.
    ( JAMES, having earlier put ANNIE’S suitcase inside her door upstairs and taken himself out of view around the corner, now reappears and comes down the stairs as ANNIE and KELLER mount the porch steps. Following them into the family room, he pats ANNIE’S hair in passing, rather to her surprise.)
    JAMES: Evening, general.
    (He takes his own chair opposite.)
    VINEY bears the empty water pitcher out to the porch. The remaining suggestion of garden house is gone now, and the water pump is unobstructed; VINEY pumps water into the pitcher.
    KATE surveying the table breaks the silence.)
    KATE: Will you say grace, Jimmie?
    (They bow their heads, except for HELEN, who palms her empty plate and then reaches to be sure her mother is there. JAMES considers a moment, glances across at ANNIE, lowers his head again, and obliges.)
    JAMES [ LIGHTLY ]: And Jacob was left alone, and wrestled with an angel until the breaking of the day; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him; and the angel said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And Jacob said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. Amen.
    ( ANNIE has lifted her eyes suspiciously at JAMES, who winks expressionlessly and inclines his head to HELEN. )
    Oh, you angel.
    (The others lift their faces; VINEY returns with the pitcher, setting it down near KATE, then goes out the rear door; and ANNIE puts a napkin around HELEN. )
    AUNT EV: That’s a very strange grace, James.
    KELLER: Will you start the muffins, Ev?
    JAMES: It’s from the Good Book, isn’t it?
    AUNT EV [ PASSING A