Emily Webb Lines Act III

Terms in this set (44)

I was hopin' they'd sing a hymn.

Hello, Mrs. Gibbs.

Hello, Mother Gibbs.

Hello. It's raining.

Just rest yourself.

It seems thousands and thousands of years since I... Papa remembered
that that was my favorite hymn. Oh, I wish I'd been here a long time. I don't like being new here. -How do you do, Mrs. Stimson?

How do you do, Emily.

Mother Gibbs, George and I have made that farm into just the best place you ever saw. We thought of you all the time. We wanted to show you the new barn and a great long ce-ment drinking fountain for the stock. We bought that out of the money you left us.

Don't you remember, Mother Gibbs- the legacy you left us? Why, it was over three hundred and fifty dollars.

Yes, yes, Emily.

Well there's a patent device on the drinking fountain so that it never overflows, Mother Gibbs, and it never sinks below a certain mark they have there. It's fine. It won't be the same to George without me, but it's a lovely farm. Live people don't understand, do they?

No dear- not very much.

They're sort of shut up in little boxes, aren't they? I feel as though I knew them last a thousand years ago... My boy is spending the day at the mccarty's! Oh, farmer mccarty, my little boy is spending the day at your house.

Yes, he loves it there. -Mother Gibbs, we have a Ford, too. Never gives any trouble. I don't drive, though. Mother Gibbs, when does this feeling go away? -Of being... one of them? How long does it...?

Just wait and be patient.

I know. -Look, they're finished. They're going.

Look! Father Gibbs is bringing some of my flowers to you. He looks just like George, doesn't he? Oh Mother Gibbs, I never realized before how troubled and how... how in the dark live persons are. Look at him. I loved him so. From morning till night, that's all they are- troubled.

It's a three day blow.

But, Mother Gibbs, one can go back; one can go back there again... into living. I feel it. I know it. Why just then for a moment I was thinking about... about the farm... and for a minute I was there, and my baby was on my lap as plain as day.

Yes, of course you can.

I can go back there and live all those days over again... why not?

But it's true, isn't it? I can go and live... back there... again.

It's not what you think it'd be.

But I won't live over a sad day. I'll choose a happy one- I'll choose the day I first knew that I loved George. Why should that be painful?

but you watch yourself living it.

You know what's going to happen afterwards.

But is that- painful? Why?

When you've been here longer you'll understand.

But, Mother Gibbs, how can I ever forget that life? It's all I know. It's all I had.

Oh Emily, it isn't wise. Really, it isn't.

But it's a thing I must know for myself. I'll choose a happy day, anyway.

It will be important enough.

Then it can't be since I was married, or since the baby was born. I can choose a birthday at least, can't I? I choose my twelfth birthday.

Do you want any special time of day?

Oh, I want the whole day.

The sun's coming up.

There's Main Street... why... that's Mr. Morgan's drugstore before he changed it!... And there's the livery stable.

This is fourteen years ago.

Oh, that's the town I knew as a little girl. And, look, there's the old white fence that used to be around our house. Oh, I'd forgotten that! Oh, I love it so! Are they inside?

coming downstairs in a minute to make breakfast.

he came back on the early morning train.

In western New York, at Clinton.

Look! There's Howie Newsome. There's our policeman. But he's dead; he died.

Thought he was in bed when I shook'm.

Why, there's Joe Crowell...

Wally! Emily! Time to get up.

Mama, I'm here! Oh! how young mama looks! I didn't know Mama was ever that young.

Think of it! Keep yourself wrapped up.

Mama, I can't find my blue hair ribbon anywhere.

If it were a snake it would bite you.

Now I don't want to call you again.

I can't bear it. They're so young and beautiful. Why did they ever have to get old? Mama, I'm here. I'm grown up. I love you all, everything. -I can't look at everything hard enough.
Good morning Mama.

There are some surprises waiting for you on the kitchen table.

Oh mama you shouldn't have. I can't- I can't.

Right nice of him.

Oh, George! I'd forgotten that...

It'll help keep you warm on a cold day.

Oh, Mama, just look at me one minute as though you really saw me.
Mama, fourteen years have gone by. I'm dead. You're a grandmother, Mama. I married George Gibbs, mama. Wally's dead, too. Mama, his appendix burst on a camping trip to North Conway. We felt just terrible about it- don't you remember? But just for a moment now we're all together. Mama, just for a moment we're happy. Let's look at one another.

I thought you'd like it.

And this is from you. Why, Mama it's just lovely and it's just what I wanted. It's beautiful.

Where's my birthday girl?

I can't. I can't go on. It goes so fast. We don't have time to look at one another. I didn't realize. So all that as going on and we never noticed. Take me back- up the hill- to my grave. But first: Wait! One more look. Goodbye, goodbye, world. Goodbye Grovers Corner's... Mama and Papa. Goodbye to clocks ticking and Mama's sunflowers. And food and coffee. And new-ironed dresses and hot baths... and sleeping and waking up. Oh, earth, you're too wonderful for anybody to realize you. Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it? -every, every minute?

The saints and poets, maybe- they do some.

I'm ready to go back.

Were you happy?

No... I should have listened to you. That's all human beings are! Just blind people.

The stars are coming out.

Oh Mrs. Stimson, I should have listened to them.

-Goodness sakes.

Mother Gibbs, it's George.

Sh, dear, just rest yourself.

He ought to be home.

They don't understand, do they?

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