Ideas for Jane
A short time later, Richard, as he eats, is in the middle of a story. The sisters start to have their own ad hoc breakfasts from what’s on the table.
Benjamin eats his Chinese dinner out of the takeout containers.
RICHARD: So Pierce knows he’s made this promise to his wife—never to run for political office again. She got him to agree to that. To swear an oath. She just couldn’t stand being a politician’s wife.
JANE: Understandable. Certainly today.
MARIAN (To Jane): I know. Once Adam said he was going to run for the Assembly—
JANE: When was this?
BARBARA: Marian, let him tell his story.
RICHARD: It’s— (“fine”)
JANE: I’ll bet if you asked Michelle Obama—
RICHARD (To Jane): I don’t know about that. I used to think that . . .
JANE: When he decided to run the first time.
RICHARD (To the table): Was she really like that?
MARIAN: I told Adam no.
BARBARA: Go on with your story, Richard.
(Richard looks to Marian and Jane.)
JANE: Go ahead. We’re listening.
(Then:)
RICHARD: So how was Pierce now going to explain to his wife that—that he’d just been nominated by his party for president?! Of course he’d been hoping for this. He’d maneuvered behind the scenes to get this. And of course behind his wife’s back. Because he’d promised her. Now the convention had nominated him, so . . . He has to tell her—something. “What could I do?” he says. “They’re forcing me, Jane.” (To Jane) She was a Jane too. (Continues) He says this. She looks at him—and supposedly says something like, “If you’re lying to me, Franklin Pierce, may the wrath of God come down upon your head, and God have mercy on your soul . . .” (Sips his orange juice) She really didn’t want to be a politician’s wife.
JANE (The most obvious thing in the world): No.
RICHARD: Anyway, then he wins the presidency.
MARIAN: This is when again? I know nothing about—
JANE (Over this): 1850s?
RICHARD: Fifty-two. (Continues) And it’s so obvious that he’s pleased and that he wanted this. He can’t hide that from her. And so by now she knows that he’d lied. Even though he swore to God—he’d lied.
MARIAN: I know nothing absolutely nothing about Franklin Pierce.
JANE: Who does?
RICHARD: That’s why I think, for Jane, this could be interesting.
JANE: Keep going. (To her sisters) I am looking for what to write next.
(Then:)
RICHARD: So he wins. And then—
MARIAN: What?
RICHARD: His nightmare begins. That’s what’s so chilling.
(Barbara has been looking at Benjamin.)
BARBARA (To Richard): What were you saying?
RICHARD: Remember what his wife said, “. . . If you break your promise, may the wrath of God . . .” and so forth. Okay. That is just what seems to have happened.
JANE: What do you mean?
MARIAN: Let him tell us, Jane. (To Barbara) I love the way Richard tells a story.
BARBARA: You love the way Richard does anything.
MARIAN: That’s not true. That is not true.
RICHARD: So before Pierce is even sworn in, before the inauguration and everything, during the transition, Franklin and Jane, they’re on a train from Boston to—Andover, Mass. With them is their son, Benji. (Looks to Benjamin) Benjamin. (Continues) Eight years old, I think. It’s a beautiful sunny day in Massachusetts. When all of a sudden—for no apparent reason—maybe it hits something? Anyway, the two-car train just tips over and rolls down an embankment, does a complete somersault, 360 degrees. Right off the tracks. And lands, right-side up. Like nothing had happened. Like a dream. The train now sits in a cornfield. All the passengers were of course shook up, but not one was even scratched—except for young Benji.
MARIAN: What happened?
RICHARD: As the two railroad cars flipped, it seems one chair or seat got loose and thrown into the air, and it hit Benji. In the head. With incredible force. In front of his mother and father—the now President-elect of the United States, Benji, to their utter horror, was struck, and—decapitated.
MARIAN: Oh my god.
JANE: Jesus.
(Benjamin is listening now, too.)
RICHARD: In front of their eyes. Jane of course was inconsolable, who wouldn’t be. Franklin tries to comfort her or maybe himself, but she suddenly gets it into her head that this must be God’s wrath, His punishment upon them for Franklin having lied. And sworn.
Jane convinced herself of this. Nothing he or anyone else could say could change her mind. Pretty soon, they have to start to make their way to Washington for the inauguration. Jane Pierce makes it as far as Baltimore, where she just stopped, refused to go any farther, or closer to that evil city—of lying politicians: Washington. Franklin finds friends there with whom she can stay. And she will spend the next two and a half years—the bulk of Pierce’s presidency, in Baltimore, trying, she said, to make amends with God, and writing letters to herself, and all of which she signs—“Benji.”
(Short pause. They eat.)
MARIAN: Poor woman.
BARBARA (To Benjamin): Interesting, isn’t it, Benjamin?
(He ignores her.)
RICHARD: Pierce of course had no choice but to continue on his own to Washington, in full mourning now, not just for his son, but also for his wife. The balls are canceled. There are no parties.
And then one more thing—and because of this, rumors start to fly that maybe this is God’s punishment. (Then) The newly elected vice president, Franklin is now told—his name was King—is in Havana. And he’s not going to make the inauguration. He’s in excruciating pain. Various of his appendages have turned black and are falling off. And soon he dies in Cuba. Syphilis.
And so, Franklin Pierce began his presidency.
(Short pause.)
JANE: And we think Obama had a rough beginning.
MARIAN: Joe Biden’s fingers and toes weren’t falling off.
JANE: I’m not sure it was just the fingers and toes, Marian. (She looks at Richard and smiles, about Marian)
MARIAN: What? I don’t understand. You mean . . .?
RICHARD: I knew nothing about this. Nothing. As I said, I just happened across this book—in a stall under Waterloo Bridge. (To Jane) So I don’t know if it’s a biography of Jane Pierce . . . Or about their marriage? Or his first one hundred days. I don’t know. You said you’re looking for ideas for your next book.
JANE: I am—
(Benjamin has stood up. All look at him.)
All done, Uncle?
BARBARA: Enjoy your Chinese food?
(After a look at Barbara, Benjamin goes off toward his room and the conversation changes.)
MARIAN (To Barbara): Is he going to change? (To Richard) He’s been wearing that since yesterday. (To sisters) We should get dressed too sometime.
RICHARD: What time are we going?
MARIAN (To Richard): We took the day off school.
RICHARD: You told me you were going to do that. Was that a problem?
JANE: I can’t stand watching this. It’s so unfair to you, Barbara. It really is.
RICHARD: I didn’t know this was going on.
MARIAN: I told—
RICHARD: Not like this. (To Barbara) He blames you?
MARIAN: When he remembers.
RICHARD: I’m sorry, Barbara.
BARBARA: I thought we said we’d go late morning. Isn’t that what we said?
MARIAN: They expect us around eleven, I think. I’m sure we can go earlier. I think we were just waiting for Richard, weren’t we?
RICHARD (To Barbara): What does he understand?
MARIAN (After realizing Barbara is not going to answer): Sometimes—everything. You’d be amazed. Then he forgets, and—is happy.
BARBARA (Standing, to pick up Benjamin’s plate): Why do we have to get there so early?
RICHARD: Sit down, Barbara.
MARIAN: Don’t tell her to sit down, Richard. She doesn’t like that. Don’t you know that by now?
(Then:)
BARBARA: I’m just saying why so early? Richard wasn’t supposed to even be here until—
RICHARD: I’m sorry, I could go someplace and come back—
MARIAN (To Barbara): You said when Richard got home! He’s home. Here he is. We’re all here. And we’ll all do this together. That’s what we agreed.
BARBARA: He’s furious with me.
MARIAN: He doesn’t know what he’s saying. You’re just the one who . . . (Turns to Richard) Beacon’s the hot community up here now. A lot of artists.
MARIAN: What with Dia:Beacon.
JANE: And the sculpture park across the river.
MARIAN: There are a couple of restaurants. A nice old-fashioned coffee shop. Like out of the sixties . . . (Smiles) And, Barbara, what did we find out? You haven’t told Richard yet.
RICHARD: What?
BARBARA: Umm . . . There’s someone already there who years ago worked with Benjamin.
RICHARD: You’re kidding? That’s great.
BARBARA: I met her. I didn’t like her.
MARIAN: She’s a theater producer I think. Maybe she was something else. Anyway, so he already knows someone there. (To Barbara) And what else? Tell Richard.
(Barbara doesn’t.)
There are two or three other actors in this home.
BARBARA: It’s not a “home.” They don’t call it that.
MARIAN: And—there’s going to be a “talent show” there. In a couple of weeks. Barbara’s already got Benjamin rehearsing.
JANE: He rehearsed for us tonight.
MARIAN (Teasing Barbara): She’s going to do her damnedest to make sure he wins.
JANE: Do they really have “winners”?
MARIAN: I’m teasing Barbara.
(Barbara suddenly hurries off to the kitchen.
No one knows what to do.)
JANE (To Richard): Do something.
RICHARD: What can I do? I can’t even get her to sit down.
MARIAN: He told her—that he doesn’t want to even bring her photograph with him. He’s bringing pictures of all of us . . . Of . . . Just not her, he said. I think he’ll forget that.
RICHARD (To Jane): Have you seen this place?
JANE: Marian picked me up at Croton, that’s as far as the trains were running. So she drove me by . . . It was on the way. (To Richard) You staying the night?
RICHARD: I thought I might.
JANE: Where are you going to sleep?
RICHARD (Shrugs): I thought maybe in Benjamin’s room.
MARIAN: She’s not going to let you do that.
(Barbara returns, with nothing from the kitchen.)
BARBARA: He needs to be watched. I can’t do that anymore.
RICHARD: No.
BARBARA: He nearly set the house on fire, didn’t he? Here by himself.
I teach.
RICHARD: You have your own life.
MARIAN: He just lets people into the house. Doesn’t he? Gives people things. When one of us isn’t here.
(Barbara sits back down.)
BARBARA: I suggested to Jane that she and Tim move up here and we’d pay her to watch Benjamin during the day.
(Then:)
RICHARD: Jane doesn’t want to do that, Barbara.
(Then:
The lights fade.)