CORNELIUS: Tole me las’ week he was openin’ a small motel in Gulfport. You reckon you could pass out room keys in a motel and put money in a cashbox when they check out? Would that be too complicated and require too much effort? Huh?

CHARLIE: How definite is it? This offer?

[Stacey makes a shadowy appearance on the stair landing, remains in silence to listen.]

CORNELIUS: —Not yet been offered. —I could get you the job, Emerson bein’ my closest friend at the Lodge. —But could you keep it? —Charlie?

[There is a knock at door.]

CHARLIE: Huh?

CORNELIUS: Go answer the door. Ev’ry move I make is—

[Cornelius eyes fall shut. Charlie exchanges signals with Stacey, advising her to remain in obscurity yet a while. The door, which was left ajar by the dog, swings open on Emerson Sykes. He is in hip length boots and hunting clothes]

CORNELIUS [struggling painfully out of chair]: Well, if it ain’t Em!

EMERSON: Yeah, Corney. It’s me.

CORNELIUS: I’d just mentioned your name! Been huntin’ in this weather?

EMERSON: Naw, naw, naw. Used it as a pretext to—y’know. Stag movies at the Lodge tonight. [Winks.] So. I just got back when I noticed the lights over here and figured you must be home. Jessie’s takin’ a sitz-bath or she’d come over, too.

CORNELIUS: Takin’ a what kinda bath?

EMERSON: Sitz bath is a hot bath that relieves her hemorrhoids, a— [Shakes his head with assumed air of commiseration.] —temporary relief since the hemorrhoids is just a local sign of a more serious condition in the intestine.

CORNELIUS: I know, Em, you tole me.

EMERSON: She hollered out the bathroom door to be sure and express the sympathies for us both. Could you share me some of that beer?

CORNELIUS: Sure, sure. First why don’t you remove them wet boots.

EMERSON: Aw. Sorry. Yeh.

CORNELIUS: Charlie, give Em a hand with the boots. HEY, CHARLIE! CAN YOU HEAR ME?

CHARLIE: For Chrissake, yeah, I’m right here in the room, ain’t I?

CORNELIUS: Well, in that case, take a chair over to Em and help him pull his boots off.

[Charlie starts to haul over big chair.]

Not that over-stuff chair. A light dining-room chair. [He gestures toward dining room. There is the business of getting to the chair, getting off the boot.]

EMERSON: It must of been a terrible shock for you folks.

CORNELIUS [somewhat cheered]: Naw, naw, it was expected.

CHARLIE: Wow!

[Charlie sprawls on floor removing boots for Sykes. Both men chuckle.]

CORNELIUS: If a fool’s hell bent on destruction, no reason to regret his making it, Em.

CHARLIE: Pop, let up on Chips now that he’s daid, huh?

CORNELIUS: —This is the younger one, Charlie.

EMERSON: Sure, sure. I recognized Charlie, ain’t been that long a time—

CORNELIUS: Just time enough for him to make out with some female he’s got upstairs and—