[at the same time to Dr Baugh] : You think those vitamin B12 injections are what they're cracked up t' be, Doc Baugh?
DOCTOR BAUGH : Well, if you want to be stuck with something I guess they're as good to be stuck with as anything else.
BIG MAMA [at gallery door] : Maggie, Maggie, aren't you comin' with Brick?
MAE [suddenly and loudly, creating a silence] : I have a strange feeling, I have a peculiar feeling!
BIG MAMA [turning from gallery] : What feeling?
MAE : That Brick said somethin' he shouldn't of said t' Big Daddy.
BIG MAMA : Now what on earth could Brick of said t' Big Daddy that he shouldn't say?
GOOPER : Big Mama, there's somethin'—
MAE : NOW, WAIT!
[She rushes up to Big Mama and gives her a quick hug and kiss. Big Mama pushes her impatiently off as the Reverend Tooker's voice rises serenely in a little pocket of silence:]
REVEREND TOOKER : Yes, last Sunday the gold in my chasuble faded into th' purple....
GOOPER : Reveren', you must of been preachin' hell's fire last Sunday!
[He guffaws at this witticism but the Reverend is not sincerely amused. At the same time Big Mama has crossed over to Dr Baugh and is saying to him:]
BIG MAMA [her breathless voice rising high-pitched above the others] : In my day they had what they call the Keeley cure for heavy drinkers. But now I understand they just take some kind of tablets, they call them 'Annie Bust' tablets. But Brick don't need to take nothin' .
[Brick appears in gallery doors with Margaret behind him.]
BIG MAMA [unaware of his presence behind her] : That boy is just broken up over Skipper's death. You know how poor Skipper died. They gave him a big, big dose of that sodium amytal stuff at his home and then they called the ambulance and give him another big, big dose of it at the hospital and that and all of the alcohol in his system fo' months an months an' months just proved too much for his heart.... I'm scared of needles! I'm more scared of a needle than the knife.... I think more people have been needled out of this world than-
[She stops short and wheels about.]
OH! —here's Brick! My precious baby—
[She turns upon Brick with short, fat arms extended, at the same time uttering a loud, short sob, which is both comic and touching. | Brick smiles and bows slightly, making a burlesque gesture of gallantry for Maggie to pass before him into the room. Then he hobbles on his crutch directly to the liquor cabinet and there is absolute silence, with everybody looking at Brick as everybody has always looked at Brick when he spoke or moved or appeared. One by one he drops ice cubes in his glass, then suddenly, but not quickly, looks back over his shoulder with a wry, charming smile, and says:]
BRICK : I'm sorry! Anyone else?
BIG MAMA [sadly] : No, son. I wish you wouldn't!
BRICK : I wish I didn't have to, Big Mama, but I'm still waiting for that click in my head which makes it all smooth out!
BIG MAMA : Aw, Brick, you—BREAK MY HEART!
MARGARET [at the same time] : Brick, go sit with Big Mama!
BIG MAMA : I just cain't staiiiiiiiii-nnnnnd —it....
[She sobs.]
MAE : Now that we're all assembled—
GOOPER : We kin talk....
BIG MAMA : Breaks my heart....
MARGARET : Sit with Big Mama, Brick, and hold her hand.
[Big Mama sniffs very loudly three times, almost like three drum beats in the pocket of silence.]
BRICK : You do that, Maggie. I'm a restless cripple. I got to stay on my crutch.
[Brick hobbles to the gallery door; leans there as if waiting. | Mae sits beside Big Mama, while Gooper moves in front and sits on the end of the couch, facing her. Reverend Tooker moves nervously into the space between them; on the other side, Dr Baugh stands looking at nothing in particular and lights a cigar. Margaret turns away.]
BIG MAMA : Why're you all surroundin' me—like this? Why're you all starin' at me like this an' makin'
DOCTOR BAUGH : Well, if you want to be stuck with something I guess they're as good to be stuck with as anything else.
BIG MAMA [at gallery door] : Maggie, Maggie, aren't you comin' with Brick?
MAE [suddenly and loudly, creating a silence] : I have a strange feeling, I have a peculiar feeling!
BIG MAMA [turning from gallery] : What feeling?
MAE : That Brick said somethin' he shouldn't of said t' Big Daddy.
BIG MAMA : Now what on earth could Brick of said t' Big Daddy that he shouldn't say?
GOOPER : Big Mama, there's somethin'—
MAE : NOW, WAIT!
[She rushes up to Big Mama and gives her a quick hug and kiss. Big Mama pushes her impatiently off as the Reverend Tooker's voice rises serenely in a little pocket of silence:]
REVEREND TOOKER : Yes, last Sunday the gold in my chasuble faded into th' purple....
GOOPER : Reveren', you must of been preachin' hell's fire last Sunday!
[He guffaws at this witticism but the Reverend is not sincerely amused. At the same time Big Mama has crossed over to Dr Baugh and is saying to him:]
BIG MAMA [her breathless voice rising high-pitched above the others] : In my day they had what they call the Keeley cure for heavy drinkers. But now I understand they just take some kind of tablets, they call them 'Annie Bust' tablets. But Brick don't need to take nothin' .
[Brick appears in gallery doors with Margaret behind him.]
BIG MAMA [unaware of his presence behind her] : That boy is just broken up over Skipper's death. You know how poor Skipper died. They gave him a big, big dose of that sodium amytal stuff at his home and then they called the ambulance and give him another big, big dose of it at the hospital and that and all of the alcohol in his system fo' months an months an' months just proved too much for his heart.... I'm scared of needles! I'm more scared of a needle than the knife.... I think more people have been needled out of this world than-
[She stops short and wheels about.]
OH! —here's Brick! My precious baby—
[She turns upon Brick with short, fat arms extended, at the same time uttering a loud, short sob, which is both comic and touching. | Brick smiles and bows slightly, making a burlesque gesture of gallantry for Maggie to pass before him into the room. Then he hobbles on his crutch directly to the liquor cabinet and there is absolute silence, with everybody looking at Brick as everybody has always looked at Brick when he spoke or moved or appeared. One by one he drops ice cubes in his glass, then suddenly, but not quickly, looks back over his shoulder with a wry, charming smile, and says:]
BRICK : I'm sorry! Anyone else?
BIG MAMA [sadly] : No, son. I wish you wouldn't!
BRICK : I wish I didn't have to, Big Mama, but I'm still waiting for that click in my head which makes it all smooth out!
BIG MAMA : Aw, Brick, you—BREAK MY HEART!
MARGARET [at the same time] : Brick, go sit with Big Mama!
BIG MAMA : I just cain't staiiiiiiiii-nnnnnd —it....
[She sobs.]
MAE : Now that we're all assembled—
GOOPER : We kin talk....
BIG MAMA : Breaks my heart....
MARGARET : Sit with Big Mama, Brick, and hold her hand.
[Big Mama sniffs very loudly three times, almost like three drum beats in the pocket of silence.]
BRICK : You do that, Maggie. I'm a restless cripple. I got to stay on my crutch.
[Brick hobbles to the gallery door; leans there as if waiting. | Mae sits beside Big Mama, while Gooper moves in front and sits on the end of the couch, facing her. Reverend Tooker moves nervously into the space between them; on the other side, Dr Baugh stands looking at nothing in particular and lights a cigar. Margaret turns away.]
BIG MAMA : Why're you all surroundin' me—like this? Why're you all starin' at me like this an' makin'
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