The Sunset Limited: A Novel in Dramatic Form by Cormac McCarthy Page A

settin here studyin the ways of professors.
White
   
Yeah. Well, I’ve got to go.

The black gets up.
Black
   
Well. Let me get my coat.
White
   
Your coat?
Black
   
Yeah.
White
   
Where are you going?
Black
   
Goin with you.
White
   
What do you mean? Going with me where?
Black
   
Goin with you wherever you goin.
White
   
No you’re not.
Black
   
Yeah I am.
White
   
I’m going home.
Black
   
All right.
White
   
All right? You’re not going home with me.
Black
   
Sure I am. Let me get my coat.
White
   
You cant go home with me.
Black
   
Why not?
White
   
You cant.
Black
   
What. You can go home with me but I cant go home with you?
White
   
No. I mean no, that’s not it. I just need to go home.
Black
   
You live in a apartment?
White
   
Yes.
Black
   
What. They dont let black folks in there?
White
   
No. I mean of course they do. Look. No more jokes. I’ve got to go. I’m very tired.
Black
   
Well I just hope we dont run into no hassle about you gettin me in there.
White
   
You’re serious.
Black
   
Oh I think you know I’m serious.
White
   
You cant be serious.
Black
   
I’m as serious as a heart attack.
White
   
Why are you doing this?
Black
   
Me? I aint got no choice in the matter.
White
   
Of course you have a choice.
Black
   
No I aint.
White
   
Who appointed you my guardian angel?
Black
   
Let me get my coat.
White
   
Answer the question.
Black
   
You
know
who appointed me. I didnt ask for you to leap into my arms down in the subway this mornin.
White
   
I didnt leap into your arms.
Black
   
You didnt?
White
   
No. I didnt.
Black
   
Well how did you get there then?

The professor stands with his head lowered. He looks at the chair and then turns and goes and sits down in it.
Black
   
What. Now we aint goin?
White
   
Do you really think that Jesus is in this room?
Black
   
No. I dont think he’s in this room.
White
   
You dont?
Black
   
I
know
he’s in this room.

The professor folds his hands at the table and lowers his head. The black pulls out the other chair and sits again.
Black
   
Its the way you put it, Professor. Be like me askin you do you
think
you got your coat on. You see what I’m sayin?
White
   
It’s not the same thing. It’s a matter of agreement. If you and I say that I have my coat on and Cecil says that I’m naked and I have green skin and a tail then we might want to think about where we should put Cecil so that he wont hurt himself.
Black
   
Who’s Cecil?
White
   
He’s not anybody. He’s just a hypothetical… There’s not any Cecil. He’s just a person I made up to illustrate a point.
Black
   
Made up.
White
   
Yes.
Black
   
Mm.
White
   
We’re not going to get into this again are we? It’s not the same thing. The fact that I made Cecil up.
Black
   
But you did make him up.
White
   
Yes.
Black
   
And his view of things dont count.
White
   
No. That’s why I made him up. I could have changed it around. I could have made you the one that didnt think I was wearing a coat.
Black
   
And was green and all that shit you said.
White
   
Yes.
Black
   
But you didnt.
White
   
No.
Black
   
You loaded it off on Cecil.
White
   
Yes.
Black
   
But Cecil cant defend hisself cause the fact that he aint in agreement with everbody else makes his word no good. I mean aside from the fact that you made him up and he’s green and everthing.
White
   
He’s not the one who’s green. I am. Where is this going?
Black
   
I’m just tryin to find out about Cecil.
White
   
I dont think so. Can you see Jesus?
Black
   
No. I cant see him.
White
   
But you talk to him.
Black
   
I dont miss a day.
White
   
And he talks to you.
Black
   
He has talked to me. Yes.
White
   
Do you hear him? Like out loud?
Black
   
Not