The Miracle Worker (3 page)

ANAGNOS:
—and will come. It will no doubt be difficult for you there, Annie. But it has been difficult for you at our school too, hm? Gratifying, yes, when you came to us and could not spell your name, to accomplish so much here in a few years, but always an Irish battle. For independence.

(He studies
ANNIE,
humorously; she does not open her eyes.)

This is my last time to counsel you, Annie, and you do lack some—by some I mean
all
—what, tact or talent to bend. To others. And what has saved you on more than one occasion here at Perkins is that there was nowhere to expel you to. Your eyes hurt?

ANNIE:
My ears, Mr. Anagnos.

(And now she has opened her eyes; they are inflamed, vague, slightly crossed, clouded by the granular growth of trachoma, and she often keeps them closed to shut out the pain of light.)

ANAGNOS
[
SEVERELY
]: Nowhere but back to Tewksbury, where children learn to be saucy. Annie, I know how dreadful it
was there, but that battle is dead and done with, why not let it stay buried?

ANNIE
[
CHEERILY
]: I think God must owe me a resurrection.

ANAGNOS
[
A BIT SHOCKED
]: What?

ANNIE
[
TAPS HER BROW
]: Well, He keeps digging up that battle!

ANAGNOS:
That is not a proper thing to say, Annie. It is what I mean.

ANNIE
[
MEEKLY
]: Yes. But I know what I'm like, what's this child like?

ANAGNOS:
Like?

ANNIE:
Well— Bright or dull, to start off.

ANAGNOS:
No one knows. And if she is dull, you have no patience with this?

ANNIE:
Oh, in grownups you have to, Mr. Anagnos. I mean in children it just seems a little—precocious, can I use that word?

ANAGNOS:
Only if you can spell it.

ANNIE:
Premature. So I hope at least she's a bright one.

ANAGNOS:
Deaf, blind, mute—who knows? She is like a little safe, locked, that no one can open. Perhaps there is a treasure inside.

ANNIE:
Maybe it's empty, too?

ANAGNOS:
Possible. I should warn you, she is much given to tantrums.

ANNIE:
Means something is inside. Well, so am I, if I believe all I hear. Maybe you should warn
them.

ANAGNOS
[
FROWNS
]: Annie. I wrote them no word of your history. You will find yourself among strangers now, who know nothing of it.

ANNIE:
Well, we'll keep them in a state of blessed ignorance.

ANAGNOS:
Perhaps
you
should tell it?

ANNIE
[
BRISTLING
]: Why? I have enough trouble with people who don't know.

ANAGNOS:
So they will understand. When you have trouble.

ANNIE:
The only time I have trouble is when I'm right.

(But she is amused at herself, as is
ANAGNOS.
)

Is it my fault it's so often? I won't give them trouble, Mr. Anagnos, I'll be so ladylike they won't notice I've come.

ANAGNOS:
Annie, be—humble. It is not as if you have so many offers to pick and choose. You will need their affection, working with this child.

ANNIE
[
HUMOROUSLY
]: I hope I won't need their pity.

ANAGNOS:
Oh, we can all use some pity.

(Crisply)

So. You are no longer our pupil, we throw you into the world, a teacher.
If
the child can be taught. No one expects you to work miracles, even for twenty-five dollars a month. Now, in this envelope a loan, for the railroad, which you will repay me when you have a bank account. But in this box, a gift. With our love.

(
ANNIE
opens the small box he extends, and sees a garnet ring. She looks up, blinking, and down.)

I think other friends are ready to say goodbye.

(He moves as though to open doors.)

ANNIE:
Mr. Anagnos.

(Her voice is trembling.)

Dear Mr. Anagnos, I—

(But she swallows over getting the ring on her finger, and cannot continue until she finds a woebegone joke.)

Well, what should I say, I'm an ignorant opinionated girl, and everything I am I owe to you?

ANAGNOS
[
SMILES
]: That is only half true, Annie.

ANNIE:
Which half? I crawled in here like a drowned rat, I thought I died when Jimmie died, that I'd never again—come alive. Well, you say with love so easy, and I haven't
loved
a soul since and I never will, I suppose, but this place gave me more than my eyes back. Or taught me how to spell, which I'll never learn anyway, but with all the fights and the trouble I've been here it taught me what help is, and how to live again, and I don't want to say goodbye. Don't open the door, I'm crying.

ANAGNOS
[
GENTLY
]: They will not see.

(He moves again as though opening doors, and in comes a group of girls, 8-year-olds to 17-year-olds; as they walk we see they are blind.
ANAGNOS
shepherds them in with a hand.)

A CHILD:
Annie?

ANNIE
[
HER VOICE CHEERFUL
]: Here, Beatrice.

(As soon as they locate her voice they throng joyfully to her, speaking all at once;
ANNIE
is down on her knees to the smallest, and the following are the more intelligible fragments in the general hubbub.)

CHILDREN:
There's a present. We brought you a going-away present, Annie!

ANNIE:
Oh, now you shouldn't have—

CHILDREN:
We did, we did, where's the present?

SMALLEST CHILD
[
MOURNFULLY
]: Don't go, Annie, away.

CHILDREN:
Alice has it. Alice! Where's Alice? Here I am! Where? Here!

(An arm is aloft out of the group, waving a present;
ANNIE
reaches for it.)

ANNIE:
I have it. I have it, everybody, should I open it?

CHILDREN:
Open it! Everyone be quiet! Do, Annie! She's opening it. Ssh!

(A settling of silence while
ANNIE
unwraps it. The present is a pair of smoked glasses, and she stands still.)

Is it open, Annie?

ANNIE:
It's open.

CHILDREN:
It's for your eyes, Annie. Put them on, Annie! 'Cause Mrs. Hopkins said your eyes hurt since the operation. And she said you're going where the sun is
fierce.

ANNIE:
I'm putting them on now.

SMALLEST CHILD
[
MOURNFULLY
]: Don't go, Annie, where the sun is fierce.

CHILDREN:
Do they fit all right?

ANNIE:
Oh, they fit just fine.

CHILDREN:
Did you put them on? Are they pretty, Annie?

ANNIE:
Oh, my eyes feel hundreds of per cent better already, and pretty, why, do you know how I look in them? Splendiloquent. Like a race horse!

CHILDREN
[
DELIGHTED
]: There's another present! Beatrice! We have a present for Helen, too! Give it to her, Beatrice. Here, Annie!

(This present is an elegant doll, with movable eyelids and a momma sound.)

It's for Helen. And we took up a collection to buy it. And Laura dressed it.

ANNIE:
It's beautiful!

CHILDREN:
So don't forget, you be sure to give it to Helen from us, Annie!

ANNIE:
I promise it will be the first thing I give her. If I don't keep it for myself, that is, you know I can't be trusted with dolls!

SMALLEST CHILD
[
MOURNFULLY
]: Don't go, Annie, to her.

ANNIE
[
HER ARM AROUND HER
]: Sarah, dear. I don't
want
to go.

SMALLEST CHILD:
Then why are you going?

ANNIE
[
GENTLY
]: Because I'm a big girl now, and big girls have to
earn a living. It's the only way I can. But if you don't smile for me first, what I'll just have to do is—

(She pauses, inviting it.)

SMALLEST CHILD:
What?

ANNIE:
Put
you
in my suitcase, instead of this doll. And take
you
to Helen in Alabama!

(This strikes the children as very funny, and they begin to laugh and tease the smallest child, who after a moment does smile for
ANNIE.
)

ANAGNOS
[
THEN
]: Come, children. We must get the trunk into the carriage and Annie into her train, or no one will go to Alabama. Come, come.

(He shepherds them out and
ANNIE
is left alone on her knees with the doll in her lap. She reaches for her suitcase, and by a subtle change in the color of the light, we go with her thoughts into another time. We hear a boy's voice whispering; perhaps we see shadowy intimations of these speakers in the background.)

BOY'S VOICE:
Where we goin', Annie?

ANNIE
[
IN DREAD
]: Jimmie.

BOY'S VOICE:
Where we goin'?

ANNIE:
I said—I'm takin' care of you—

BOY'S VOICE:
Forever and ever?

MAN'S VOICE
[
IMPERSONAL
]: Annie Sullivan, aged nine, virtually blind. James Sullivan, aged seven—What's the matter with your leg, Sonny?

ANNIE:
Forever and ever.

MAN'S VOICE:
Can't he walk without that crutch?

(
ANNIE
shakes her head, and does not stop shaking it.)

Girl goes to the women's ward. Boy to the men's.

BOY'S VOICE
[
IN TERROR
]: Annie! Annie, don't let them take me—Annie!

ANAGNOS
[
OFFSTAGE
]: Annie! Annie?

(But this voice is real, in the present, and
ANNIE
comes up out of her horror, clearing her head with a final shake; the lights begin to pick out
KATE
in the
KELLER
house, as
ANNIE
in a bright tone calls back.)

ANNIE:
Coming!

(This word catches
KATE,
who stands half turned and attentive to it, almost as though hearing it. Meanwhile
ANNIE
turns and hurries out, lugging the suitcase.

The room dims out; the sound of railroad wheels begins from off left, and maintains itself in a constant rhythm underneath the following scene; the remaining lights have come up on the
KELLER
homestead.
JAMES
is lounging on the porch, waiting. In the upper bedroom which is to be
ANNIE'S, HELEN
is alone, puzzledly exploring, fingering and smelling things, the curtains, empty drawers in the bureau, water in the pitcher by the washbasin, fresh towels on the bedstead. Downstairs in the family room
KATE
turning to a mirror hastily adjusts her bonnet, watched by a Negro servant in an apron,
VINEY.
)

VINEY:
Let Mr. Jimmy go by hisself, you been pokin' that garden all day, you ought to rest your feet.

KATE:
I can't wait to see her, Viney.

VINEY:
Maybe she ain't gone be on this train neither.

KATE:
Maybe she is.

VINEY:
And maybe she ain't.

KATE:
And maybe she is. Where's Helen?

VINEY:
She upstairs, smellin' around. She know somethin' funny's goin' on.

KATE:
Let her have her supper as soon as Mildred's in bed, and tell Captain Keller when he comes that we'll be delayed tonight.

VINEY:
Again.

KATE:
I don't think we need say
again.
Simply delayed will do.

(She runs upstairs to
ANNIE'S
room,
VINEY
speaking after her.)

VINEY:
I mean that's what he gone say. “What, again?”

(
VINEY
works at setting the table. Upstairs
KATE
stands in the doorway, watching
HELEN'S
groping explorations.)

KATE:
Yes, we're expecting someone. Someone for my Helen.

(
HELEN
happens upon her skirt, clutches her leg;
KATE
in a tired dismay kneels to tidy her hair and soiled pinafore.)

Oh, dear, this was clean not an hour ago.

(
HELEN
feels her bonnet, shakes her head darkly, and tugs to get it off.
KATE
retains it with one hand, diverts
HELEN
by opening her other hand under her nose.)