somethingâ
RODOLPHO: Maybe you can come too. I want to see all those lights. He sees no response in Eddieâs face. He glances at Catherine. Iâll walk by the river before I go to sleep. He walks off down the street.
CATHERINE: Why donât you talk to him, Eddie? He blesses you, and you donât talk to him hardly.
EDDIE, enveloping her with his eyes: I bless you and you donât talk to me. He tries to smile.
CATHERINE: I donât talk to you? She hits his arm. What do you mean?
EDDIE: I donât see you no more. I come home youâre runninâ around someplaceâ
CATHERINE: Well, he wants to see everything, thatâs all, so we go.... You mad at me?
EDDIE: No. He moves from her, smiling sadly. Itâs just I used to come home, you was always there. Now, I turn around, youâre a big girl. I donât know how to talk to you.
CATHERINE: Why?
EDDIE: I donât know, youâre runninâ, youâre runninâ, Katie. I donât think you listening any more to me.
CATHERINE, going to him: Ah, Eddie, sure I am. Whatâs the matter? You donât like him?
Slight pause.
EDDIE turns to her: You like him, Katie?
CATHERINE, with a blush but holding her ground: Yeah. I like him.
EDDIEâhis smile goes: You like him.
CATHERINE, looking down: Yeah. Now she looks at him for the consequences, smiling but tense. He looks at her like a lost boy. Whatâre you got against him? I donât understand. He only blesses you.
EDDIE turns away: He donât bless me, Katie.
CATHERINE: He does! Youâre like a father to him!
EDDIE turns to her: Katie.
CATHERINE: What, Eddie?
EDDIE: You gonna marry him?
CATHERINE: I donât know. We just been ... goinâ around, thatâs all. Turns to him: Whatâre you got against him, Eddie? Please, tell me. What?
EDDIE: He donât respect you.
CATHERINE: Why?
EDDIE: Katie ... if you wasnât an orphan, wouldnât he ask your fatherâs permission before he run around with you like this?
CATHERINE: Oh, well, he didnât think youâd mind.
EDDIE: He knows I mind, but it donât bother him if I mind, donât you see that?
CATHERINE: No, Eddie, heâs got all kinds of respect for me. And you too! We walk across the street he takes my armâhe almost bows to me! You got him all wrong, Eddie; I mean it, youâ
EDDIE: Katie, heâs only bowinâ to his passport.
CATHERINE: His passport!
EDDIE: Thatâs right. He marries you heâs got the right to be an American citizen. Thatâs whatâs goinâ on here. She is puzzled and surprised. You understand what Iâm tellinâ you? The guy is lookinâ for his break, thatâs all heâs lookinâ for.
CATHERINE, pained: Oh, no, Eddie, I donât think so.
EDDIE: You donât think so! Katie, youâre gonna make me cry here. Is that a workinâ man? What does he do with his first money? A snappy new jacket he buys, records, a pointy pair new shoes and his brotherâs kids are starvinâ over there with tuberculosis? Thatâs a hit-and-run guy, baby; heâs got bright lights in his head, Broadway. Them guys donât think of nobody but their-self! You marry him and the next time you see him itâll be for divorce!
CATHERINE steps toward him: Eddie, he never said a word about his papers orâ
EDDIE: You mean heâs supposed to tell you that?
CATHERINE: I donât think heâs even thinking about it.
EDDIE: Whatâs better for him to think about! He could be picked up any day here and heâs back pushinâ taxis up the hill!
CATHERINE: No, I donât believe it.
EDDIE: Katie, donât break my heart, listen to me.
CATHERINE: I donât want to hear it.
EDDIE: Katie, listen ...
CATHERINE: He loves me!
EDDIE, with deep alarm: Donât say that, for Godâs sake! This is the oldest racket in the countryâ
CATHERINE, desperately, as