installed them yet. Manuel is bringing theexplosives tomorrow from Matanzas. Had the ordnance shippedfrom theDominican.
GELLHORN
I wonât allow it, Ernest. Someone will gethurt.
GELLHORN
Youâre right about that,sister.
GELLHORN
I mean you and your borracho buddies. Whatâll the owner ofthe Dodgers say when his star pitcher comes back to Brooklyn inpieces?
HEMINGWAY
Wonât happen, woman. Itâs these sneaking phonymothergrabbers whoâll lose the balls they wish theyâd had in the firstplace.
GELLHORN
You always say youâre for therebels.
HEMINGWAY
Itâs Batista Iâm against, not the rebels Iâm for.
GELLHORN disappears for a moment, then reappears on the porch holding a large flashlight, which she shines into the blackness.
GELLHORN
I guess youâve scared them away, Ernest, you and yourpopgun.
HEMINGWAY
IwasshootingthetailsofflizardsattwentyyardsupinMichigan when I was eight years old while you were at Miss Prisspussyâs School in St. Louis learning which fork to usefirst.
GELLHORN
(turns off theflashlight)
I hadnât yet been born when those lizards lost their tails. Donât they grow back,anyway?
HEMINGWAY
Put that torch onagain.
GELLHORN
Iâm going back to bed. Donât wound the dogs or shoot the tailsoffany of the cats.
GELLHORN re-enters the house. HEM INGWAY stands alone on the porch, still pointing the shotgun into the night. Finally he picks it up and goes inside. The porch light goes off. A few moments later, the door opens again, very slowly, and HEM INGWAY silently re-takes his position with his weapon. There is a rustling sound; some person or animal is moving in the darkness. HEMINGWAY raises his shotgun and fires one barrel, then the second. After the ringing sound of the firings ends, there is complete silence. HEMINGWAY turns and goes back into the house.
TWO MEN appear, one on either side of the porch. They move toward oneanother and meet just below the placewhere HEMINGWAY had been standing.Both have revolvers in their hands. Slowlythey slink away from the house anddisappear into thedarkness.
***
SCENETHREE
Inside the Floridita, a bar inHavana. HEMINGWAY is seated on a stool ina corner, a daiquiri on the bar in frontof him.SeatedonstoolsnearHemingwayare CASEY and HIGBE and MANUEL, a Cuban. CASEY and HIGBE are drinking daiquiris. On the bar in front of MANUEL is a small glass of rum.
CASEY
But why would they come after you,Ernest?
HIGBE
Yeah, especially if youâre backinâ âem.
HEMINGWAY
Theykilledoneofmydogs. Itâs CubafortheCubans. We Americanos arenât long for thisplace.
HIGBE
Youâre too famous tokill.
HEMINGWAY
But not too famous to die. Thereâs adifference.
CASEY
What do you think, Manuel? Would they killErnesto?
MANUEL
SÃ, if they think it is in the interest to advance therevolution.
HIGBE
They wouldnât shoot an American ballplayer, though, wouldthey?
HEMINGWAY
A Yankee, maybe, but not a Dodger. All of them laugh. The four mendrink.
MANUEL
Señor Hugh, who is the best hitter you have everfaced?
HIGBE
Yeah, Hughie,who?
CASEY
Ducky Medwick, no doubt about it. Up, down, in, out, donât mat ter. Ducky swings, bang, itâs a double up against thewall.
HEMINGWAY
My wifeâs from St. Louis,too.
HIGBE
She a Cardinalfan?
HEMINGWAY
She likes the color red. She even thought she was oneonce.
CASEY
What, aCardinal?
HEMINGWAY
No, aRed.
(Hestands.)
Manuel and I have to be goinâ, boys. Weâve got some ordnanceto unload inMatanzas.
HIGBE
When Iwasinthe army, myCO said I wasnât too good takinâ orders.
CASEY
Okay, Ernesto, will we be seeinâ youlater?
HEMINGWAY
Comeouttothehousetomorrownight.Iâllhavesomethingto showyou.
HEMINGWAY and MANUEL exitthe Floridita.
HIGBE
Do you really think them rebels would kill Ernest,Hughie?
CASEY
How do I know, Hig? I canât even figure a way to get Ducky Medwick
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