Summer and Smoke

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1

Woo! Woo!

Ha ha ha ha!

What'll we do now, Johnny?

Let's go over to the cemetery.

No. That's too scary.

Let's tip over

Mr. Roberts' outhouse.

Can't no more.

He's got it nailed down.

Oh, hello, Alma.

Let's go to Mrs. Schmidt's.

She always gives

apples on Halloween.

Can we ask Alma?

That priss? She's no fun.

You go on. I'll see you later.

She's got a crush

on you, Johnny.

Woo!

Hello, preacher's daughter.

I've been looking for you.

You have?

Why'd you put them

handkerchiefs on my desk?

You have a bad cold.

Your nose has been running.

Then don't look at me.

I like to look at you.

I don't want them.

Do you know the name

of the angel?

What name?

Eternity. It's carved

there under the water.

Doesn't it give you

the cold shivers?

Nah.

Well, it did me.

Because you're

the preacher's daughter.

Eternity? What does it mean?

It's something

that goes on and on.

When life and death

and everything else.

Is all through with.

Aw, there's no such thing.

Oh, but there is.

It's what people's souls live in.

When they leave their bodies.

My name is Alma.

Alma is Spanish for soul.

Did you know that?

My dad's got a chart

of the human body.

In his office.

It shows everything,

all your insides.

He wants me to become

a doctor like him.

I think that's wonderful.

Give me one of

them handkerchiefs.

Is my face clean enough now?

Yes. Beautiful.

What?

I said beautiful.

Well, let's kiss each other.

Come on. Let's just try it.

Ha ha ha!

Ha ha ha!

Ha ha ha!

Mother, are you ready?

[Giggle] [knock on door]

Oh, Mother. It's evening.

You know you won't

be needing your parasol.

I'm terribly nervous.

Please be good tonight.

If I can't have

my parasol, I won't go.

That's that, and final.

Alma, will you hurry?

All right, you can

bring your parasol,

Only don't do

anything tonight, please.

We'll have to go without her.

I could do nothing

with her all day.

I wish I didn't have to go.

It's a civic duty you've

performed many times.

Singing in public terrifies me.

We should have left

10 minutes ago.

Da da da da

Da da da da da da da

Mother, please.

Punctuality is the

politeness of princes.

We're missing the skyrockets.

Tardiness is a discourtesy.

Did you answer

the missionary's letter?

I answered

the missionary's letter.

Father, please don't.

I am really terribly nervous.

I heard you practice today...

[Music playing]

And now, ladies and gentlemen,

Miss Alma Winemiller,

the Nightingale of the Delta,

Singing la Golondrina.

Where now so swiftly flies

The timid swallow

What distant region

Seeks her tireless wing

To reach it safe.

[Engine chugging]

What guidance

does she follow?

When darkness hides...

Look who's back.

Bright as a silver dollar.

Hi, Dusty, Pearl.

How'd you do

in the floating crap game?

Floated with it

to Vicksburg, then sank.

You should have been home.

From medical school

weeks ago, Johnny.

I took the long, sweet route,

Baltimore to Memphis,

Vicksburg to New Orleans.

You ain't changed.

Why, neither has anything else.

Miss Alma still

singing la Golondrina.

You home for good, Johnny?

For good? If I know Johnny,

He's back here for bad.

I'll stay a while

before I make up my mind.

See you.

...And well I know

'Tis sad

Afar

From home

[Applause]

My heart is beating so,

It seemed to be in my throat.

While I was singing.

Was it noticeable, Father?

You sang extremely well, Alma.

The words flew out of

my mind, blind panic.

Where's the ice cream man?

There isn't any ice cream man.

On the way home,

Mr. Doremus and I.

Will stop by the drugstore.

I promised to meet Roger

by the angel fountain.

Yes, well, we'll just

run along now.

Come on, Mother. Come on.

Evening, Mrs. Winemiller.

Mother.

Strawberry, Alma.

Chocolate and strawberry mixed.

Oh, yes, yes.

Chocolate and vanilla.

Not vanilla!

Chocolate and strawberry!

Mother, you're

attracting attention.

Come on. Come on.

Miss Alma.

I do declare. I thought

you were dead, sir.

Now, Miss Alma,

I know you saw me.

Why are you running away?

I'm most definitely

not running away.

I have a rendezvous to keep.

Sounds intriguing. Who with?

Roger Doremus.

Uh-huh. I, uh, liked your solo.

I'm so glad that you approve.

I'd really begun to think

you'd forgotten me.

Oh, I could never do that.

I promised to write.

And keep you abreast

of events here at home.

I did. You never answered.

I was busy.

Are you home for the summer?

Mm-hmm.

Summer isn't

the pleasantest time.

To renew an acquaintance

with Glorious Hill.

The gulf wind

has failed us this year,

Disappointed us

dreadfully this summer.

Are you planning

to stay here and take over.

Some of your father's

medical practice?

I haven't made up my mind.

Well, your father tells me.

You've finished your

studies in bacteriology.

Bacteriology.

Isn't that something

you do with a microscope?

Well, partly.

To be a doctor.

Oh, my.

And deal with those mysteries.

I think it's almost religious.

I didn't know you were awed.

By the medical profession.

I'm your father's

greatest admirer,

As well as his patient.

It's comforting to know

he's right next door.

Why? Do you have fits?

Fits? Oh, no.

But sometimes I do feel...

Anxious?

Yes. And he reassures you.

Always.

Ah, but only temporarily.

I suspect you need more

than temporary reassurance.

Shall I tell you frankly?

Oh, please.

You have a doppelganger,

Miss Alma,

And that doppelganger

is badly irritated.

I have an irritated

doppelganger?

Oh, my goodness.

How awful that sounds.

What is it?

It's none of my business.

You're not my patient.

That's downright wicked of you.

To say I have something

so awful-sounding.

And then not tell me what it is.

It means there's another person.

Trapped inside you, Miss Alma,

Another self,

And that self is

crying out to be freed.

Oh, but of course,

You're... you're

teasing me, aren't you?

Who is that?

I'm surprised

that you don't know.

Her name is Rosa Zacharias.

Her father's the new owner.

Of the gambling casino

on Moon Lake.

She smiled at you.

I hope that you have

a strong character.

Solid rock.

They say

the pyrotechnical display.

Is going to be brilliant.

Hmm? The fireworks.

[Fireworks exploding]

There goes the first skyrocket.

Oh, look at it burst

into a million stars!

Are you cold?

Why, no. No. Why?

You're trembling.

Oh, am I? Ha ha ha! Well. Hmm.

Why do you laugh that way?

What way?

Ha ha ha! That way.

I do declare. You haven't

changed in the slightest.

It used to delight you

to embarrass me,

And it still does.

Maybe I shouldn't tell you,

But I heard an imitation

of you at a party.

Imitation? Of what?

You singing at a wedding.

Oh, now you're upset.

No, no, I'm not upset.

I'm just mystified.

Don't you know.

You have the reputation

for putting on airs?

I have no idea to what

you are referring.

Well, for instance,

uh, that accent.

And this fancy way of talking.

What way?

Uh, pyrotechnical display.

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