Deon rubbin’ herself bewween her fingers then. Thay en Gttogether orto the music even, the Y at ‘em. And she coulda been a great You want more coffee? I got more. Susan. (pushing the coffee away) No. ir Sega el you somethin. (Ring abruptly, she begins to pace.) See, 1 just been more nervous oan tik ogee from the time Al left. So 1 been figurin’ there’s somethin’ wrong with me in my mind maybe the way I always got no luck and T oughta get it straightened out so I can get on with my career in my dancin’ and have some luck. See, and Eric was talkin’ always about this underplace isin us from his therapy. So I been thinkin’ maybe the way my Uncles Billy and Michael beat me sometimes is down there — or my father with abelt, he says, but I don’t remember it— but that's all just wounds of the body is my point, and they heal unlike those of the spirit which is where the under- place is, I would guess. You know about this? ‘Susan, Some. Crissy, Ain't it somethin’? This stuff down there talkin’ tous aboutwhatwe should do, we thinkit’s us, but its it — we don't know what we're doin’. So f been thin- act INTHE BOOM BOOM ROOM 69 kin’ and thinkin’ and maybe the bad stuff done to meis the way my momma made me nearly a abortion. Susay. What? Cirssy, See, my momma didn’t wanna have me as a baby. Susan. Whaddaya mean? Cissy. It's true, I know itis, ‘Susax. You couldn't possibly know that. Citnssy. She tole me. She had two others before I was even there, and then she tried one on me but it didn't work. Susan. She told you she didn't wanna have you? Cunissy. One afternoon, We were very poor. We were vvety, very poor. So I'm thinkin’ about mental therapy, Susan. You think I should or I shouldn'e Susax. You thinkin’ aboutindividual or group? Tecan be ‘geod sometinies as longas you go toa woman's group oran individual woman therapist; but go to a woman. Chrissy. Oh, I couldn't do that. Susan. It's best, believe me. I was with this woman's group for six months or so and I found outalot.Orall needed. After justalitde I was able to say what I needed, ‘You go to aman therapist, you'll get the meaning of the word — “ther-a-pist" The Rapist. And she laughs a litle) Yeh, Iwas doin’ this crossword puzzle — all ofa sudden, {saw — that’s what it was. The Rapist. Exactly what he'll do to your mind. 'msomuch freer now, Chrissy, believe ‘me. Cunsy. That's what I want. I'm very sensitive to ‘everything. I mean, inside right now, 1 don’t believe you really think my coffee I madeis good, you'rejust sayin’ it. T mean, whata you think a me, Susan? Like ifyou was tO70 INTHE BOOM BOOM ROOM — cr it point me out on the street and describe me to somebody who don’t know me at all, what would you say? Susan. Well, I — Whata you mean? Cranussr. (leaping to her fect) See! See! I could do itabout you in a second. It would be so damn easy about you. You're so proud and capable. Leo's are exactly what you are. But I'm a Libra — my sign is scales and balance. I’m supposed to be dedicated to justice and harmony. I'm supposed to be a born mediator — I don't even know ‘whats goin’ on, for crissake. And on the other I'm whim- sical an’ moody an’ sentimental. I got all the bad and none the good, or maybe I got noneathem. Would you say I got some? It’s so depressin’. ‘Susan. You have a lovely gentleness about you, Chrissy. ‘Cumissy. ‘Tinka what I did to that poor soldier and he ‘was so scared. SUSAN. He was a jetk. CChnissy. He just didn’t know the rules. I'm speaking ‘out for faimess like I gotta if I'm ever gonna be a Libra! (CHRISSY flops down beside SUSAN. SUSAN sits quietly, lok- ing at CHRISSY.) Susan. It's their pride, Chrissy; their goddamn pride. Each and every man in the world thinkin’ he's got some special inner charm we all of us just been waitin’ to have. ‘Cxmisse. They don't mean to hurt us. Susan. Chrissy, is that what you believe? Cumissy. It's true. I know itis. They just don’t know how not to. (And there is a silence as SUSAN reaches across the actn INTHE BOOM BOOM ROOM n {able to touch CHRISSY.) ‘Susan. T want to make love to you, Chrissy. Cunsse. Huh? Susav. Didn't you hear me? Cunissy. Huh? ‘Susan. Have you ever made love with a woman? Cumssy, P'm gonna get a drink of water. (She stars to rise, but SUSAN holds on.) Susan. They prize themselves so highly out there when we're dancing, thinking it’s them making us move so fancy — and the fancier we move, the better they think. they are. So they give gifts for special dances and then think they're the ones making you move in that beautiful way they know they could never make you move in bed. I take no gifts. They like to think of themselves as weapons centering flesh — making life or death. think of them asa straw going into the sea and the sea, scarcely noticing, takes them in, 1 tum on their feeble minds from as fat away as the moon, Curnisy. Don’t you like them? 1 thought you did. Susan. I did. I do. I will again. But there are so many ways of making do. (Crmssy. But I... want a relationship. Susan. T could give you that. Cissy, But you're not a man, see? Susan. No. Criss. See? Susan. P'm a person, Chmssy, But what would I be? I don’t know. Susan, You would be a person, too; we would be two people.ry IN THE BOOM BOOM ROOM act it Cunissy. But would I be a man person or a woman person? Susan. You would be yourself. Ctinassy, But that’s what I don’t know what it is. 1 don't. Susan. You make too much of it Cumissy. 1 wanted you to help me, tell me, Susan! Susan. You've got to stop being afraid of every- thing! Cinissy. I have! I stare down people on the subways all the time now. I don't care what they are or how big they are; I stare ‘em down, Susan. (gathering up her things, some books, her purse) 'm going. Got classes tomorrow. Cunissy. I didn’t wanna make you feel bad. (SUSAN stops. She looks at CHRISSY,) Susan. Chrissy it’s really very nice. It’s like you do itto yourself, only it''a surprise. Cumissy. Oh, Susan. Yes, Gukissr. Thank you for asking. And don’t be mad at me, okay. Susan. No, cr SS ng 10 lok at HAR GD) Hi, Pop. ing a sicklggSonna sharpen the sic- ger aftgyfiat the hoe, thespadeand Chinussy. (hurrying coffee? I've gor it hesgA® started carrying a 1 go, and offeriy beside him) Wantasip of my ht here in my thermos; ve gitle of coffee arcund where ity getting him the like me. I work very hard ‘only problem is there’s foun I mgff, black, or with sugar, or with es fin and sugar. I couldn't figure it for a Pugh of maybe switching to some other b then 1 just decided the hell with it, ’d use er