Butterflies Are Free Page #2

I hate anything morbid.

Why didn't you try to make your

marriage work?

I did.

I did. I tried for six days.

- But I knew it was a mistake.

- Were you in love with him?

- In my way.

- What's your way?

I don't know.

Just because you love someone

doesn't necessarily mean...

you want to spend

the rest of your life with them.

And Jack loved me.

I mean, he really loved me.

And I hurt him.

That's just what I can't stand.

I just never want to hurt anybody.

Marriage is a commitment, isn't it?

And I just can't be committed or involved.

Can you understand?

Yeah, I can understand, but I don't agree.

Well, then, you really don't understand.

I thought I was sloppy.

What do you mean?

Unless you know something I don't,

like ashes are good for the table.

Is that why you keep dropping them

on there?

Did you move the ashtray?

- It's right here. What, are you blind?

- Yes.

- What do you mean, "Yes"?

- I mean, yes, I'm blind.

Oh, you're putting me on. Don't do that.

No, I'm blind. I've always been blind.

You mean, really blind?

Not just nearsighted?

The works. I can't see a thing.

Oh, God! I hope I didn't say anything.

Wait a minute.

Don't get self-conscious about it. I'm not.

- Why didn't you tell me?

- I just did.

- But I mean, when I came in.

- You didn't ask me.

Why would I ask you?

I don't walk into somebody's house,

saying:

"Hi, I'm Jill Tanner. Are you blind?"

I don't meet someone and say,

"Don Baker. Blind as a bat."

I still think you should've told me.

I would've told you.

I wanted to see how long it'd take you

to catch on.

Oh, God!

When I saw you standing at the window

all that time.

It's the coolest spot in the room.

I thought you were a peeping Tom.

That's what I call positive thinking.

You know, I nearly called the police.

Suppose I had?

Well, they would've locked you up.

You're so cool. So adjusted.

No, I'm not. I never had to adjust.

I was born blind.

It'd be different if I'd been able to see

then went blind.

For me, blindness is normal.

I was 6 before I found out

everybody else wasn't blind.

By then it didn't make any difference.

So, let's relax, okay?

You know, if we can have a few laughs,

so much the better.

A few laughs?

About blindness?

No, not about blindness.

Can't you forget that?

Well, you're the first blind person

I ever met.

Too bad they don't give out prizes for that.

I've seen blind men on the street,

and everything, with dogs...

but why don't you have a dog?

They attract too much attention.

I'd rather do it myself.

Don't you have trouble

getting around San Francisco?

- I mean, it's tough for me.

- No, I manage very well with my cane.

I know exactly how many steps

to the laundry, drugstore, and delicatessen.

Where's the laundry? I need one.

Near the delicatessen.

Outside, turn right,

and it's 44 steps from the front door.

- I didn't see it.

- I'll show you.

You'll show...

Wow!

What about your apartment?

Don't you bang into things?

- You could hurt yourself.

- No, I memorized the room.

Bed. Guitar.

Bathroom.

Jacket. My cane. Front door.

Bookcase.

Wine, glasses, chest of drawers.

- Linens.

- What are these books?

Braille. Dining table.

Bathtub.

Kitchen.

Ketchup. Oil. Salt. Pepper.

Sugar. Coffee.

- Gee!

- Now, if you'll just put the ashtray back.

Voila!

As long as you don't move anything

I'm as good as anybody else.

Better. I can't find anything in my place.

If you really want to see chaos,

come look at...

Oh, I'm sorry.

- I meant...

- I know what you mean.

I'm no different from anybody else,

except I don't see.

The blindness doesn't bother me

as much as other people's reaction.

If they'd only behave naturally.

Some people assume guilt,

which they can't...

because my mother

has that market cornered.

So, just be yourself.

Well, I always thought

that blind people were...

you know, kind of spooky.

But of course.

We sleep all day hanging upside-down

from the shower rod.

When it's dark we wake up

and fly in through people's windows.

That's why they say, "Blind as a bat."

No, I'm serious. Now be serious.

Don't blind people have a sixth sense?

No. If I had six senses,

I'd still only have five, wouldn't I?

And my other senses,

hearing, taste and touch...

might be a little more developed

than yours because I use them more.

I'll show you something.

Spin me around.

No, I mean really spin me.

- There's something in front of me.

- The window.

That's wild. How'd you do that?

- It's called shadow vision.

- What's shadow vision?

It's being able to sense that

there's a solid object in front of you.

You can feel it. It's a warning.

Sighted people can do it, too...

- but blind people can do it better.

- I want to try it.

Ouch! My...

There are advantages to being blind.

Oh, I think it's so great you're not bitter.

You don't seem to have

any bitterness at all.

I know I'd be terribly

bitter if I couldn't see.

- I know I'd be disagreeable.

- I doubt it.

Oh, no. I couldn't be cheerful like you.

I don't have any of those marvelous

qualities like courage and fortitude.

Well, neither do I.

I'm just naturally adorable.

You're a lot more than that.

You're a very superior person.

Oh, yeah. I'm fantastic.

"I would not go gentle into that good night"

"I would rage

against the dying of the light"

Dylan Thomas.

- Who?

- It's a line from a poem by Dylan Thomas.

It is?

You mean I can quote Dylan Thomas?

How about that? I never even read him.

I don't know where I learned it.

I can quote Mark Twain.

My favorite quotation is by Mark Twain.

- You want to hear it?

- Go.

"I only ask to be free."

"The butterflies are free."

"Mankind will surely not deny

to Harold Skimpole..."

"what it concedes to the butterflies.'"

I identify strongly with butterflies.

Do you like it?

Yes, very much,

except it wasn't written by Mark Twain.

- Why not?

- It was written by Dickens.

- Are you sure?

- Yeah.

Harold Skimpole is a character

in Bleak House by Dickens.

Oh, I never read Dickens.

Actually, I never read Mark Twain either,

but I always thought he wrote that.

Have you read... Oh, God!

I have read Dickens

and I've read most of Mark Twain...

and stop falling apart at every word.

They're published in Braille.

It's awful to ask someone

who's blind if he's read something.

Not at all.

Actually, I read very well

with my fingertips.

Just ask me

if I've felt any good books lately.

- Does anybody ever read to you?

- Yeah, magazines and newspapers.

- Could I read to you sometime?

- If you feel like it.

- What kind of magazines do you like?

- Time, Newsweek, Berkeley Barb.

I like to know what's going on.

I should read those, too.

I never know what's going on.

- I guess I don't really care.

- Now, don't say that.

I mean, animals care, vegetables don't.

You have to care about something

or you're nothing.

Food.

- Food?

- I care about it deeply.

I'm hungry.

How about freedom?

You care about being free, don't you?

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