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like that.
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HYMAN: Well, let’s go—I’ll take you out and teach you sometime. Have you been trying the exercise?
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SYLVIA: I can’t do it.
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HYMAN, shaking a finger at her: You’ve got to do it, Sylvia. You could end up permanently crippled. Let’s have a look.
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He sits on the bed and draws the cover off her legs, then raises her nightgown. She inhales with a certain anticipation as he does so. He feels her toes.
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You feel this at all?
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SYLVIA: Well ... not really.
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HYMAN: I’m going to pinch your toe. Ready?
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S YLVIA : All right.
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He pinches her big toe sharply; she doesn’t react. He rests a palm on her leg.
    HYMAN: Your skin feels a little too cool. You’re going to lose your muscle tone if you don’t move. Your legs will begin to lose volume and shrink ...
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SYLVIA, tears threaten: I know ... !
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HYMAN: And look what beautiful legs you have, Sylvia. I’m afraid you’re getting comfortable in this condition ...
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SYLVIA: I’m not. I keep trying to move them ...
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HYMAN: But look now—here it’s eleven in the morning and you’re happily tucked into bed like it’s midnight.
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SYLVIA: But I’ve tried ... ! Are you really sure it’s not a virus of some kind?
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HYMAN: There’s nothing. Sylvia, you have a strong beautiful body ...
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SYLVIA: But what can I do, I can’t feel anything!
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She sits up with her face raised to him; he stands and moves abruptly away: Then turning back to her ...
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HYMAN : I really should find someone else for you.
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SYLVIA: Why!—I don’t want anyone else!
    HYMAN: You’re a very attractive woman, don’t you know that?
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Deeply excited, Sylvia glances away shyly.
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HYMAN: Sylvia, listen to me ... I haven’t been this moved by a woman in a very long time.
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SYLVIA: ... Well, you mustn’t get anyone else.
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Pause.
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HYMAN: Tell me the truth, Sylvia. Sylvia? How did this happen to you?
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SYLVIA, she avoids his gaze: I don’t know. Sylvia’s anxiety rises as he speaks now.
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HYMAN: ... I’m going to be straight with you; I thought this was going to be simpler than it’s turning out to be, and I care about you too much to play a game with your health. I can’t deny my vanity. I have a lot of it, but I have to face it—I know you want to tell me something and I don’t know how to get it out of you. Sylvia covers her face, ashamed. You’re a responsible woman, Sylvia, you have to start helping me, you can’t just lie there and expect a miracle to lift you to your feet. You tell me now -what should I know?
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SYLVIA: I would tell you if I knew! Hyman turns away defeated and impatient. Couldn’t we just talk and maybe I could ... Breaks off. I like you. A lot. I love when you talk to me ... couldn’t we just... like for a few minutes....
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HYMAN: Okay. What do you want to talk about?
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SYLVIA: Please. Be patient. I’m ... I’m trying. Relieved; a fresher mood: -Harriet says you used to take out our cousin Roslyn Fein.
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HYMAN, smiles, shrugs: It’s possible, I don’t remember.
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SYLVIA: Well you had so many, didn’t you.
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HYMAN: When I was younger.
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SYLVIA: Roslyn said you used to do acrobatics on the beach? And all the girls would stand around going crazy for you.
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HYMAN: That’s a long time ago....
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SYLVIA: And you’d take them under the boardwalk. Laughs.
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HYMAN : Nobody had money for anything else. Didn’t you used to go to the beach?
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SYLVIA : Sure. But I never did anything like that.
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HYMAN: You must have been very shy.
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SYLVIA: I guess. But I had to look out for my sisters, being the eldest ...
    HYMAN : Can we talk about Phillip?
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Caught unaware, her eyes show fear.
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I’d really like to, unless you ...
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SYLVIA,