Hester walks alone down the street. She has a framed picture of Baby.
Hester
Picture, it comed out pretty good. Got him sitting on a chair, and dont he look like he got everything one could want in life? Hes 2 years old. Andll be growd up with a life of his own before I blink.
(Rest)
Picture comed out good. Thought Amiga was cheating me but it comed out good.
Hester meets the Doctor, coming the other way.
As before he carries all of his office paraphernalia on his back. He wears a sandwich board, the words written on it are hidden.
Doctor
Hester. Dont move a muscle, I’ll be set up in a jiffy.
Hester
I dont got more than a minute.
Doctor
Hows yr gut?
Hester
Not great.
Say “Aaaah!”
Hester
Aaaah!
As Hester stands there with her mouth open, he sets up his roadside office: a thin curtain, his doctors shingle, his instruments, his black bag.
Doctor
Good good good good good. Lets take yr temperature. Do you know what it takes to keep my road-side practice running? Do you know how much The Higher Ups would like to shut me down? Every blemish on your record is a blemish on mine. Take yr guts for instance. Yr pain could be nothing or it could be the end of the road—a cyst or a tumor, a lump or a virus or an infected sore. Or cancer, Hester. Undetected. There youd be, lying in yr coffin with all yr little ones gathered around motherlessly weeping and The Higher Ups pointing their fingers at me, saying I should of saved the day, but instead stood idly by. You and yr children live as you please and Im the one The Higher Ups hold responsible. Would you like a pill?
Hester
No thanks.
Hester doubles over in pain.
Hester
My gut hurts.
The Doctor takes a pill.
Doctor
In a minute. We’ll get to that in a minute. How are yr children?
Hester
Theyre all right.
All 5?
Hester
All 5.
Doctor
Havent had any more have you?
Hester
No.
Doctor
But you could. But you might.
Hester
—Maybe.
Doctor
Word from The Higher Ups is that one more kid outa the likes of you and theyre on the likes of me like white on rice. I’d like to propose something—. Yr running a temperature. Bit of a fever. Whats this?
Hester
Its a club. For protection.
Doctor
Good thinking.
The Doctor examines her quickly and thoroughly.
Doctor
The Higher Ups are breathing down my back, Hester. They want answers! They want results! Solutions! Solutions! Solutions! Thats what they want.
He goes to take another pill, but doesnt.
Doctor
I only take one a day. I only allow myself one a day.
(Rest)
He goes back to examining her.
Breathe in deep. Lungs are clear. Yr heart sounds good. Strong as an ox.
Hester
This falls been cold. The wind under the bridge is colder than the wind on the streets.
Doctor
Exercise. Thats what I suggest. When the temperature drops, I run in place. Hold yr hands out. Shaky. Experiencing any stress and tension?
Hester
Not really.
Doctor
Howre yr meals?
Hester
The kids come first.
Doctor
Course they do. Howre yr bowels. Regular?
Hester
I dunno.
Doctor
Once a day?
Hester
Sometimes. My gut—
Doctor
In a minute. Gimmie the Spread & Squat right quick. Lets have a look under the hood.
Standing, Hester spreads her legs and squats.
Like an otter, he slides between her legs on a dolly and looks up into her privates with a flashlight.
Last sexual encounter?
Hester
Thats been a while, now.
Doctor
Yve healed up well from yr last birth.
Hester
Its been 2 years. His names Baby.
Doctor
Any pain, swelling, off-color discharge, strange smells?
Hester
No.
Doctor
L.M.P.?
Hester
About a week ago.
(Rest)
How you been feeling, Doc?
Doctor
Sometimes Im up, sometimes Im down.
Hester
You said you was lonesome once. I came for a checkup and you said you was lonesome. You lonesome today, Doc?
Doctor
No.
Hester
Oh.
Far away, Chilli walks by with his picnic basket on his arm.
He pauses, checks his pocket watch, then continues on.
Yr intelligent. Attractive enough. You could of made something of yrself.
Hester
Im doing all right.
Doctor
The Higher Ups say yr in a skid. I agree.
Hester
Oh, I coulda been the Queen of Sheba, it just werent in the cards, Doc.
Doctor
Yr kids are 5 strikes against you.
Hester
I dont need no lecture. Gimmie something for my gut so I can go.
Doctor
The Higher Ups, they say Im not making an impact. But what do you care.
Hester
My gut—
Doctor
Stand right here.
The Doctor draws a line in the dirt, positions her behind it and walks a few steps away. He reveals the writing on his sandwich board. It is an eye exam chart.
The letters on the first line spell “SPAY.”
Doctor
Read.
Hester
—. A.
Good.
He takes a step closer decreasing the distance between them.
Doctor
Read.
Hester
—. —. —.
(Rest)
I need glasses for that.
Doctor
Uh huhn.
He steps closer.
Doctor
How about now?
Hester
I need glasses I guess.
Doctor
I guess you do.
He steps even closer.
Hester
((somethin-somethin-A-somethin.))
(Rest)
I need glasses.
Doctor
You cant read this?
Hester
I gotta go.
Hester turns to go and he grabs her hand, holding her fast.
Doctor
When I say removal of your “womanly parts” do you know what parts Im talking about?
Hester
Yr gonna take my womans parts?
Doctor
My hands are tied. The Higher Ups are calling the shots now.
(Rest)
You have 5 healthy children, itll be for the best, considering.
Hester
My womans parts.
Doctor
Ive fowarded my recommendation to yr caseworker. Its out of my hands. Im sorry.
Hester
I gotta go.
But she doesnt move.
She stands there numbly.
Doctor
Yr gut. Lets have a listen.
He puts his ear to her stomach and listens.
Doctor
Growling hungry stomach. Heres a dollar. Go get yrself a sandwich.
Hester takes the money and goes.
Doctor
Doctor
Doctor
“Times Are Tough: What Can We Do?”
Doctor
Times are tough:
What can we do?
When I see a woman begging on the streets I guess I could
bring her in my house
sit her at my table
make her a member of my family, sure.
But there are hundreds and thousands of them
and my house cant hold them all.
Maybe we should all take in just one.
Except they wouldnt really fit.
They wouldnt really fit in with us.
Theres such a gulf between us. What can we do?
I am a man of the people, from way back my streetside practice
is a testement to that
so dont get me wrong
do not for a moment think that I am one of those people haters who does not understand who does not experience—compassion.
(Rest)
Shes been one of my neediest cases for several years now.
What can I do?
Each time she comes to me
looking more and more forlorn
and more and more in need
of affection.
At first I wouldnt touch her without gloves on, but then—
(Rest)
we did it once
in that alley there,
she was
phenomenal.
(Rest)
I was
lonesome and
she gave herself to me in a way that I had never experienced
even with women Ive paid
she was, like she was giving me something that was not hers to give me but something that was mine
that I’d lent her
and she was returning it to me.
Sucked me off for what seemed like hours
but I was very insistent. And held back
and she understood that I wanted her in the traditional way.
And she was very giving very motherly very obliging very understanding
very phenomenal.
Let me cumm inside her. Like I needed to.
What could I do?
I couldnt help it.