Now stand up. Let's see if this fits.

 

 

(She rises with dress in her hands.)

 

 

 

 

TOM (Gets up)

 

 

My Dad's going to hit the roof when he hears I'm playing another girl.

 

 

 

 

LAURA

 

 

I think you're a good sport not to mind. Besides, it's a good part. Lady Teazle in The School For Scandal .

 

 

 

 

TOM (Puts on top of dress)

 

 

It all started when I did Lady Macbeth last year. You weren't here yet for that. Lucky you.

 

 

 

 

LAURA

 

 

I hear it was very good.

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

You should have read a letter I got from my father. They printed a picture o{ me in the Alumni Bulletin , in costume. He was plenty peeved about it.

 

 

 

 

LAURA

 

 

He shouldn't have been.

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

He wrote me saying he might be up here today on Alumni Fund business. If he comes over here, and you see him, don't tell him about this.

 

 

 

 

LAURA

 

 

I won't . . . What about your mother? Did she come up for the play?

 

 

(She helps him button the dress.)

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

I don't see my mother. Didn't you know?

 

 

(He starts to roll up pants legs.)

 

 

 

 

LAURA

 

 

Why no. I didn't.

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

She and my father are divorced.

 

 

 

 

LAURA

 

 

I'm sorry.

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

You needn't be. They aren't. I was supposed to hold them together. That was how I happened to come into the world. I didn't work. That's a terrible thing, you know, to make a flop of the first job you've got in life.

 

 

 

 

LAURA

 

 

Don't you ever see her?

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

Not since I was five. I was with her till five, and then my father took me away. All I remember about my mother is that she was always telling me to go outside and bounce a ball.

 

 

 

 

LAURA (Handing him skirt of the d?ess)

 

 

You must have done something before Lady Macbeth. When did you play that character named Grace?

 

 

 

 

TOM (Stiffens)

 

 

I never played anyone called Grace.

 

 

 

 

LAURA

 

 

But I hear the boys sometimes calling you Grace. I thought . . . (She notices that he's uncomfortable) I'm sorry. Have I said something terrible?

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

No.

 

 

 

 

LAURA

 

 

But I have. I'm sorry.

 

 

 

 

TOM

 

 

It's all right. But it's a long story. Last year over at the movies, they did a revival of Grace Moore in One Night of Love . I'd seen the revival before the picture came. And I guess I oversold it, or something. But she was wonderful! . .