(CECIL GOT INTO A FIGHT SOON AFTER ARRIVING AT THE PARTY. NOW, HE AND SALLY ARE SITTING MISERABLY IN FLOSSIE'S ROOM. HE'S ALMOST IN TEARS.)

 

SALLY:

Cecil. Oh, goodness, you've disgraced us.

CECIL:

Oh, no one's disgraced.

SALLY:

I-- Oh, the idea.

CECIL:

It wasn't MY idea.

SALLY:

Oh, you're impossible. You're just impossible.

CECIL:

Well, I didn't start it! It wasn't my fault.

SALLY:

Cecil, you did too start it. You know you did. Here, we come to a party, and the first thing you do is get into a fight.

CECIL:

Well, I... Well...

SALLY:

Well? What have you got to say for yourself?

CECIL:

D-do I have to say (VOICE WOBBLES) something?

SALLY:

Yes. You have to apologize and explain.

CECIL:

There's nothing to explain.

SALLY:

Oh, there isn't? There isn't??? Just when I get my back turned, where do I find you? Where? Fighting with one of the boys on the floor!

CECIL:

And I was on top, too! Don't forget that.

SALLY:

And look at you! Look at you! Just look at you!

CECIL:

I know how I (VOICE WOBBLES) l-look. (BEAT) Have you got a handkerchief?

SALLY:

Yes. (GIVES HANKY TO HIM) Oh, why did you do it, Cecil? Why can't you go to a party without starting a fight?

CECIL:

(POUTING, AS HE DRIES HIS EYES) I don't know. I've never tried.

SALLY:

This is awful. What am I going to do now?

CECIL:

(VOICE WOBBLES) What do you wanna do?

SALLY:

Well, I wanna know what started this rough-house, that's what.

CECIL:

It wasn't a rough-house. It was a fight.

SALLY:

Goodness, you ought to get a look at yourself.

CECIL:

(BEAT) You said that once.

SALLY:

Well, you ought to.

CECIL:

Well, if I ought to, I guess I ought to.

SALLY:

Are you going to tell me why you got into a fight? Are you?

CECIL:

(BEAT. VOICE WOBBLES) Well, it's YOUR fault. All of it.

SALLY:

MY fault??? What did I have to do with it???

CECIL:

(TEARFUL AND HURT) You made me dress in this girl's clothes. I didn't want to. And you're the one that painted me up. And you're the one that... wanted me to come in here in this roomful o' fellows... when I didn't want to.

SALLY:

Well, you didn't have to go in there and start a fight.

CECIL:

(SULKING) I know I didn't have to. It was a pretty good idea, though.

SALLY:

What did you do, Cecil? What did you DO?

CECIL:

I'm not deaf! You don't have to repeat your questions.

SALLY:

(ENUNCIATING) What did you do?

CECIL:

(SULKING) I hit a guy in the nose.

SALLY:

Oh, you didn't!

CECIL:

Go look at his nose.

SALLY:

But why? Can't you go into a room full o' boys without hitting someone in the nose?

CECIL:

Not dressed up as a girl... I can't.

SALLY:

Did you just walk right in there and go up to someone and hit him?

CECIL:

No.

SALLY:

Well, why DID you hit him?

CECIL:

He said something.

SALLY:

Oh, good night.

CECIL:

No, it wasn't that.

SALLY:

What did he say?

CECIL:

(BEAT. HURT) Well, he should have kept his mouth shut.

SALLY:

What did he SAY?

CECIL:

(VOICE WOBBLES) It wasn't any o' HIS business what kind of a costume I wore.

SALLY:

What did he SAY?

CECIL:

Oh, not so much.

SALLY:

Cecil, will you PLEASE tell me what he said?

CECIL:

(VOICE WOBBLES) If you'll just give me a chance! Well. Ya told me to go in there and wait for ya... with all those fellows in there... and re-remember, I told you I didn't want to! I told you that! I told you that I'd get a (VOICE WOBBLES) big cheer when they saw me. I told you.

SALLY:

All right, all right. You told me.

CECIL:

W-well, I want you to remember that.

SALLY:

Well, what happened?

CECIL:

Well, I did.

SALLY:

You did what?

CECIL:

I got the cheer, all right. (VOICE WOBBLES) Foghorn cheer.

SALLY:

Whattayou mean, Cecil?

CECIL:

What do I mean??? I walked in there with this darn ol' dress on, and well... That's all.

SALLY:

Oh, that CAN'T be all. You weren't in there a minute until you were in a fight.

CECIL:

(VOICE WOBBLES) It didn't take THAT long.

SALLY:

What did you do?

CECIL:

Nothin'.

SALLY:

What did you do?

CECIL:

(TEARFUL) I poked a guy in the nose.

SALLY:

(GASP) I'd like to poke YOU in the nose!

CECIL:

(SULKING) Well, I'd advise you not to try it.

SALLY:

Cecil. Did someone call you something?

CECIL:

Kinda.

SALLY:

Who?

CECIL:

The guy I hit.

SALLY:

What did he say?

CECIL:

Well... (VOICE WOBBLES) When I went in there, they all turned around and looked, and... this smart fellow said, (DEEPLY HURT) "Well, well, well. Look what the cat drug in."

SALLY:

Well, that's nothing. He was just being nice.

CECIL:

Oh, you call that being nice?

SALLY:

So, you immediately get red, and hit him in the nose, huh?

CECIL:

Not right then. I said something back.

SALLY:

What did you say?

CECIL:

I said... "Oh, yeah?"

SALLY:

Oh, what did you say that for?

CECIL:

Well, it was the (VOICE WOBBLES) only thing I could think of.

SALLY:

Well, what did HE say then?

CECIL:

He said... (DEEPLY HURT) "Look," he said, "If it isn't Mama's little boy, a-all dressed up in girl's clothes."

SALLY:

Well, that's all right. That's nothing to fight over.

CECIL:

(VOICE WOBBLES) It was the way he said it. I didn't like him anyhow.

SALLY:

Cecil, you're too hot-headed.

CECIL:

(VOICE WOBBLES) No, I'm not. I'd like to get a hold of him again.

SALLY:

Well, you won't. You've started enough trouble.

CECIL:

Oh, I might. The night is young.

SALLY:

Cecil, when did you hit him?

CECIL:

(VOICE WOBBLES) Right after he insulted me.

SALLY:

How did he insult you?

CECIL:

He said... "Hello, Sissy."

SALLY:

And what did YOU do?

CECIL:

(DEEPLY HURT. SOFTLY) Nothin'.

SALLY:

What did you do?

CECIL:

I just sorta punched him in the nose.

SALLY:

And then...?

CECIL:

Well... It's kinda mixed up from there on. You all came running in, and... pulled us away.

SALLY:

Oh, this is awful. Here we are, invited to a nice costume party. We came over here, guests in this house. And then, we're not here two minutes, and what do YOU do?

CECIL:

(VOICE WOBBLES) I act like a gentleman.

SALLY:

You start a fight... and embarrass me... humiliate me! These are MY friends. What'll they think? They'll say, "Who's the roughneck that Sally brought tonight?" Ohh... I can't go in and face them.

CECIL:

(PETULANT) Good. Then, we can go home.

SALLY:

We will not. We'll stay. Aren't you ashamed, disgracing us? Making a disturbance over nothing at all? Losing your temper, and fighting? Aren't you ashamed, Cecil? Tell me the truth. Aren't you?

CECIL:

(BEAT. FIRMLY) No!

SALLY:

Aren't you?

CECIL:

(WAVERING) No.

SALLY:

You're not?

CECIL:

(PETULANT) No.

SALLY:

Well, you ought to be. I'm ashamed FOR you.

CECIL:

Thanks.

SALLY:

What have you got to say?

CECIL:

(VOICE WOBBLES) I'm sorry for one thing.

SALLY:

What?

CECIL:

That it wasn't Alexander.

SALLY:

Oh. Oh... Well. There's only one thing to do.

CECIL:

All right, let's go then.

SALLY:

No. You have to go and apologize to Flossie. We are her guests. And you have to apologize.

CECIL:

(BEAT) No.

SALLY:

You won't?

CECIL:

No.

SALLY:

(BEAT) Oh, Cecil. (SIGH. SADLY) I don't know what to say. I was so excited tonight. We were coming to this party, and you looked so sweet in your costume.

CECIL:

Not now.

SALLY:

I know it. And I wanted you to meet all my friends... and I'd been bragging about you, and... Oh, I was so proud of you, and, and... Well. Look what you've done.

CECIL:

(VOICE WOBBLES) Are you trying to make me cry or something?

SALLY:

Don't you know how to be polite?

CECIL:

(VOICE WOBBLES) I guess I was supposed to stand there, and let 'em call me a lotta names, and make fun o' me. (SNIFFLES) And all those kids in the room, laughing... I guess I was supposed to take it all, just to please you. I had to be a gentleman (TINY SOB) a-and let them make fun o' me, huh? (TEARFUL) Well, I wouldn't. I wouldn't do it for you or anybody, and I don't care WHAT you think. I'm having a rotten time. And I hope you're enjoying it.

SALLY:

Oh, Cecil... (PUTS ARMS AROUND HIM) Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't know. Please don't feel bad. Poor Cecil.

CECIL:

Aw, stop pawing me. (VOICE WOBBLES) I'm all right.

SALLY:

Cecil, please. Here. You want my handkerchief again?

CECIL:

(PETULANT) No. Wait a minute. Gimme. (TAKES HANKY, DRIES EYES. SNIFFLES) I'm a disgrace. (WIPING NOSE) And you're humiliated.

SALLY:

I am not, Cecil. I am not. I'm proud of you. And I'm glad you poked him in the nose! There.

CECIL:

Are you, really?

SALLY:

Sure! (GIGGLE)

CECIL:

Well, that's good. Let's go find him, and I'll poke him again.

SALLY:

(GIGGLE) Oh, no. No. We have to fix you up again. You're all apart.

CECIL:

All right. (LITTLE LAUGH) I'm sorry. I'm sorry I threw a wrench in the party, Sally.

SALLY:

Aw, that's all right, Cecil. We'll go in and join them, as if nothing happened.

CECIL:

Then I-- Then I don't have to go up and apologize?

SALLY:

No. Here, let's straighten your dress. (DOES SO) Oh, goodness, Cecil! Your mouth is bleeding! (GASP) Oh!

CECIL:

Where? (CHECKS IT. CHUCKLES) Ohhh... that's not blood. That's that darned ol' rouge you made me put on.

SALLY:

(GIGGLE) Oh, I thought it was blood. Ooh, it scared me. You're not hurt, are you, Cecil?

CECIL:

(CHUCKLES) Oh, just my ear. That's all.

SALLY:

Did he hit you in the ear?

CECIL:

No. But I fell on one o' those darn ol' earrings you hooked on me.

SALLY:

(GIGGLE) Hold still, til I wipe off your face.

CECIL:

(AS SHE WIPES HIS FACE) Aw, you're a peach, Sally. Am I all right now?

SALLY:

No I'm not. I'm an angel. (GIGGLE) Yes, you look all right.

CECIL:

All right. Thanks. Well... Shall we go in and dance, huh?

SALLY:

(GIGGLE) Uh-huh. (GIGGLE) Let's go on in. And if anyone makes fun of you, you just poke 'em right in the nose.

CECIL:

Can I kick 'em too?

SALLY:

Yes, and I'll help you! (GIGGLE) Whatta you know about that? C'mon, let's go downstairs and join the rest. And just keep talking to me, (FADING) and don't pay any attention to them...