The Snake Pit Page #6

Well, better not

keep the man waiting.

Now I don't know

who's mixed up.

I should've introduced you,

but I don't know her last name.

- And anyway, things seem different here.

- Yes, they do.

Like the other night... last night...

yes, I heard a scream...

and I didn't know if it was me

who screamed or not... if it was I or not.

When you start worrying about

your grammar, I know you're getting well.

Am I? For a while, they thought

Don Jackson was going to get well.

I knew him in Evanston.

When he was in law school...

he... he lost his mind,

and they took him away.

- At first, they thought he'd

get over it, but he never did.

- You shouldn't worry about Don.

I remember his mother

saying, "My real boy is dead.

He's happy there, in a world of his own,

with his own kind."

All right. You can have it.

- I hate him, and I hate you!

- Tommy, darling, wait a minute!

Now, now, Jane.

This doesn't concern you, dear.

With my own kind.

- Robert?

- What is it, dear?

- You must divorce me.

- Divorce you?

Yes. You must. It's not fair for you to be

tied to me. You should have your freedom.

My freedom? The few hours I can

spend here with you... that's my freedom.

- You're talking too fast. I can't follow you.

- Virginia, darling, I love you.

Yes. Did... Did Dr. Kik

say anything to you about Gordon?

- Gordon?

- Yes.

No, he didn't,

but it's all right.

Ohh.

- Sure you don't want it?

- Sure.

Virginia, I was going to tell you.

Dr. Gifford says you're going to staff.

Staff? Yes. I heard about it.

Where is that?

It's a group of doctors. They talk

to you a little before you go home.

- It's nothing to be afraid of.

- Does Dr. Kik know about it?

Dr. Gifford thinks

you're well enough to go to staff.

Only a little while ago,

Dr. Kik said it'd take time.

- He's my doctor, Robert.

- Sometimes I wonder if Dr...

I'm sure, dear, whatever they decide

about you will be with Dr. Kik's consent.

The important thing

is that you wanna go home with me.

- You do, Virginia, don't you?

- Yes, Robert. Yes.

Everybody wants

to go home from here.

- Virginia Cunningham!

- I passed. I'm going home.

- I'm going to see my baby.

- How do you know? They didn't tell me nothin'.

No. All they do is write things.

Every time you open your mouth,

they write something down.

I knew from the way Dr. Kik looked at me,

and then I heard Dr. Gifford say "recovered."

Virginia Cunningham?

Oh, here you are.

- Where are you going?

- Oh, I'm sorry.

Funny the way they keep

changing the doors here.

- Good luck. I'm sure

you'll be all right, dear.

- Thank you.

I'd better smile. Careful.

This way.

Sit here.

- Who's next?

- Virginia Cunningham, Doctor.

- May I have her file?

- Yes, Doctor. Here it is.

Let's see. Curtis, is this the case

we discussed the other day?

Yes, Doctor.

- Give it to Dr. Kik.

- Yes, Doctor.

To Dr. Kik.

- Dr. Kik?

There's nothing to be afraid of.

- Go ahead, Dr. Kik.

Mrs. Cunningham, your husband

has applied for your discharge...

with the understanding that you're

to be released to his mother in Illinois.

- You know that, don't you?

- I don't get it.

Whatever they decide about you,

it'll be with Dr. Kik's consent.

I'm going to ask you a few questions.

Please try to answer the best you can.

- You understand?

- No, I don't.

The members of the hospital staff want

to find out if you're well enough to leave.

- Now, Mrs. Cunningham...

- Do you think I'm well enough?

- That's what we're trying to find out.

- You want to get rid of me?

- We're not trying to get rid

of you, Mrs. Cunningham.

But you won't catch me saying,

"I'm not sick." I know what that means.

Nobody's trying to catch you

at anything, Mrs. Cunningham.

If you don't mind, Dr. Kik, I think it would

be better if Dr. Curtis examined the patient.

May I have her file?

- Now, Virginia... That's your name, isn't it?

- If you know it, why ask me?

- I understand you wanna leave us.

- Yes. Oh, yes, I do.

The sooner the better. Now. Right away.

I'll do anything to get out of here.

That's good. Now, then, Virginia,

just relax and tell me.

- Where were you living when you became ill?

- New York.

- Where in New York?

- New York City.

- I mean, where in New York City?

- Manhattan.

- Yes?

- Yes?

- I mean, go on.

- Go on about what?

I'm trying to find out

your address in New York.

Oh, I knew all the time

that's what you meant, but I don't know.

Please, God.

Please help me.

I'm sure you know your own address.

Just think a moment.

I've forgotten it.

I never could remember figures.

- What street did you live on?

- Waverly. No.

Bleeker.

No. That was Helene Carter.

Or was itJennifer?

Hudson, maybe.

No, it wasn't Hudson.

I can't remember.

- Your husband's been here to see you?

- Yes.

- How often does he come here?

- As often as the rule allows.

- How often is that?

- Why? Don't you know?

I know. I know all about it.

I'm simply trying

to find out if you know.

I can't see what difference it makes.

Would you change the rules?

- Please, folks. Virginia,

will you please answer?

- It'll make it easier for all of us.

- I'm trying.

- What's your husband's occupation?

- He works for some publishers.

No. That was way back.

He's a farmer, isn't he?

- I thought he was an auditor.

- Oh, yes, yes. For the Alden Hotels.

- Alden Hotels?

- Yes.

- Isn't he working for the Kraft Hotels?

- No. He works for Alden Hotels.

I'm sure you'll recognize

your husband's handwriting. Go ahead.

- What do you see?

- I see that my husband has written...

that he's employed

by the Kraft Hotels, Incorporated.

- What do you say to that?

- If he says Kraft, it's Kraft.

I was mistaken. I'm sorry.

- L... I'm terribly sorry.

- There, there. Don't get

upset. You're doing all right.

I wonder how much more it'll take

to make them see how wrong they are.

- Now, let's see.

You ever worked yourself?

- Beg pardon?

- Have you... Have you ever worked yourself?

- Better. Thank you. I have.

- Yes?

- Yes.

I'm sorry. I know what you mean.

You want further information.

564-12-1113.

- What's that?

- My Social Security number.

You mean to say you remember a long number

like that, and you can't recall your address?

- Please don't do that.

- Now, look here, Virginia. I'm

trying to help you, understand?

If you'll just pay attention

to what I say and answer my questions.

That's what I'm trying to do. You see, you

don't expect to forget your home address.

So you memorized

your Social Security number instead, eh?

Once, I lost my card, and I couldn't

get a job until I got a new card.

And all because I didn't know the number.

It's important, you know.

- And your address isn't?

- Well, I don't suppose I'll have

to find my way back there alone.

All right. I'll give you an easy question.

I'm sure you can answer this one.

- How old are you? Come on.

- I feel sick.

- How old are you?

- Please don't shake your finger at me.

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