Scene 1 Flashcards
SON: Hello?
MOTHER: Hello, Arthur? This is your mother, do you remember me?
SON: Mother, I was just going to call you. Is that a funny thing? I quite literally had my hand on the…
MOTHER: Arthur, you were supposed to call me last Friday, I sat by that phone all day Friday…
SON: Mom, I was working…
MOTHER: And all day Friday night…
SON: Mom, I was in the lab…
MOTHER: And all day Saturday, and all day Sunday. And your father finally told me, “Phillis, eat something, you’re going to faint,” and I said, “No, Harry, no. Because I dont want my mouth to be full when my son calls me.”
SON: Mom…
MOTHER: And you never called
SON: Mother, I was sending up a rocket. I didn’t have a second to my name.
MOTHER: And you know how I worry…
SON: Mom, look, listen… just tell me how you are. How are you?
MOTHER: I’m sick.
SON: I’m sorry to hear that. What’s wrong?
MOTHER: You know what it is, Arthur.
SON: Yeah.
MOTHER: It’s what its always been, it’s my nerves.
SON: Yeah.
MOTHER: And I went to the doctor…
SON: OK and what did he say?
MOTHER: And he tells me, “Listen, look, you are a very nervous, high-strung woman…”
SON: Well god knows that’s true…
MOTHER: “… and you cannot stand the slightest aggravation.”
SON: I know, mom. Please, Mom, tell me what the doctor said they’re going to do with you.
MOTHER: Well, I may be in the hospital for a little while.
SON: No, you can’t.
MOTHER: And I said, “Doctor, I know that.” And I do know that. So I said “But you see, doctor, I have this son… and he’s very busy, I know that. It’s true/ He’s very busy. But the problem is he’s too busy to pick up a phone and call his mother.
SON: Mom, listen
MOTHER: When I said that to him, I’m telling you that man’s face turned pale. He said, “Mrs. White, I have been a doctor for 35 years and I have never heard of a son who was too busy to call his mother.”
SON: The hospital, what are they going to do?
MOTHER: I dont know. X-ray my nerves.
SON: Mother, listen to me, please. Please. Just don’t worry.
MOTHER: Arthur. What does that mean? What does that mean? “Don’t worry”?
SON: I don’t know, it was the first thing that came into my head.
MOTHER: Oh, what’s the use of talking? Someday, son, you’ll get married.
SON: Now, Mom, I dont know…
MOTHER: And you’ll have children of your own.
SON: Mom…
MOTHER: And when you do, I only hope they make you suffer like you are making me suffer. That’s all I pray, Arthur, that’s a mother’s prayer.
SON: Mother, I’m trying to do my best here. I’ve tried to explain to you that I’m busy…
MOTHER: Alright, I’m sorry. I’m sorry I’ve bothered you when you were so busy. Believe me, I want to be around to bother you much longer. Listen, I hope I didn’t make you feel bad.
SON: Are you kidding, I feel awful!
MOTHER: Oh, honey, if I could believe that I would be the happiest mother on earth…
SON: Well, what do you think, I feel rotten!
MOTHER: Well, Honey, why don’t you all me? Look, I know that I nag you. You’ve got a nagging mother. You’re my baby. You’re the only baby I’ve got. And when you’re 1oo years old you’re still going to be my baby. And when you don’t call me, I can’t help it, I worry. Is it so hard to pick up a phone and call your mommy? Please, baby, please…
SON: I will, I promise…
MOTHER: You make me so happy…
