81 MADGE What do you Alan puts his arm (Holding the dress b ‘m only eighteen, FLO And next summi MILLIE (Comes out with sketch book, see MADGE holding ‘ dress before her) Everyone around here gets to dress up ye. and go places except me. MADGE Alan said he'd try to find you a date for the picnic tonight, :82 PICNIC Mu I don’t want Alah asking any of these crazy boys in town to take me anywhere. / MADGE Beggars can’t be choosers! MILuz You shut up,’ FLO Madge, that was mean. There’l-be-dancing-at-the-pa- vilion-tonight;-Millie should-have-a-date;-too. MADGE If she wants a date, why doesn’t she dress up and act “ decent? ’ minute ’Cause I'm gonna dress and act the way I,want to, and if you don’t like it you know what you can do! / MapcE Always complaining because she doesn’t have any friends, but she smells so bad people don't want to be near her! / ' FLO Girls, don’t fight. MILLIE (Ignoring FLO) La-de-da!/Madge is the pretty one— but she’s so dumb they almost had to burn the schioathouse ‘down to gether out of it! ’ (She mimics MADGE) ance That's not sol MiEtE—Oh;-isn’t-it? _You-never-would-have-graduated-if-it ~hadn't-been-forJumpin”Jeeter. FLO—(Frying—at—least-to—keep—up—with—the—scrap)— Who's. Jumpin'-Jeeter? Mette —Teaches -history~-Kids-call-him- Jumpin’ Jeeter "cause “he's so-jumpy withall the pretty girls in-his-classes. He-was fiunking-Madge-till- she-went_in_his room—and-cried,—and. said (Resorting again to-mimicry)-“I-just-don’t-know what l'irdoiftdon't pass-history!” Mapor—Mom, she’s: making that up. MILLIE) Eike-fun-J-ai!.You couldn't even pass Miss Sydney’s course in shorthand and you have to work in the dime stora! ‘ “Manse (The girls know each other's most sensitive spots) Yoware a goon!/ 7 FLO (Giving up) Oh, girls!” MILLIE (Furious) Madge, you slut! ‘You take that back or Tl kill you!‘ 83 PICNIC (She goes after MaDGE, who screams and runs onto the porch) FLO Girls! What will the neighbors say’ (uaLuie gets hold of MapcE’s hair and yanks. FLO has to intercede) MILLIE No one can call me goon and get by with it! FLO You called her worsehames’ MILLIE It doesn’t hurt what names I call her! She's pretty, so names don't bother her at alll/She's pretty, so.nothing else matters. - si (She storms inside) FLO (Poor Millie! MaDGE (Raging at the injustice) All I ever hear is “poor Millie,” and poor_Millie won herself a scholarship for four whole years of college! Lo ‘A.girl like Millie ‘can need confidence in other ways. (This quiets Mave. There is a silence) MapGE~(Subdued)—Moms-do-you-love-Millie-more than-me? FLO—Ofcoursenot! MADGE—Sometimes you net like you-did: FLO=-(With-warmth,_trying_to_effect-an-understanding)-—You were-the-first-born: Your father-thought-the-sun_rose_and set-in-you:-He- used to-carry-you-on-his-shoulder-for-all-the neighborhood-to-see;-But-things were: different-when Millie ~came. Mapce—How? FLO~(With—misgivings)—They—were—just—different. Your father-wasn’t-home-much;-The~night~Millie-was~ born” he was-with-a-buncl of his wild friends at the roadhouse. MaDGE~~Ioved Dad: FLO-(A-litile bitterly) Ob, everyone loved your father. MapcE~Did you?” FLO. After along. pause-of summing up) —_Some-women-are ‘humiliated tolove.aman. MapcE—Why?~ FLO~(Thinking-as-she-speaks)-—Because—a_woman. is. weak to begin-with;-1-suppose;-and sometimes—her love for-him—Manor—F/don't=like-himyo 84 PICNIC makes-her-feel—almost-helpless:And-maybe-she-fights him ‘cause her-love makes-her-seem-so-dependent. (Phere-is-another-pause-MADGEruminates) MADGE Mom, what good is it to be pretty? FLO. What a question! “ MADGE imean.ity pLo—Well—pretty things arerare in thistife. Maper—But what good-are-they?— FLO Well—pretty things—like flowers and sunsets and rubies —and-pretty girls, too—they're like billboards telling us life is good. Maper—But where doTeome in? FLo—What-do-youmean? MADGE Maybe I get tired being looked at, FLO Madge! MADGE Well, maybe idol FLO Don't talk so selfishh/ 5 MaDGE I don’t care jf I am selfish,{It’s no good just being pretty! It’s no good! “HAL—(Comes-running-on-from-passageway)—/Malamy right if F-stapte-fir FLo~ (Jumpsfo'see HAL) —Whi HAL—TPhe Aice-lady; she saidAt's-a-hot-endugh-dayalready-and maybe you'd object. FLo-(Marrerof-factly) 71 guess-we caf standAt, ank-you;ma’efn.— (HAL runs off) b-(Looking-aftér-him)—He 7 usta 6 or not. oor —Tkney(-you wouldn't Hh when-Lfirst-say-him. FLO~Do yo} poves-right-in-waether sfike~him.-I-iust Avonder-whg (RosEMARY SYDNEY traytce out of the frb & sudden, somewhat cavalier kn- gor. She is a roofer, probably as