Class of 29 | Page 9

meeting?
KEN. It was just Tippy's idea of fun.
BISHOP. [Not quite satisfied.] But you were all singing that song as if
you know it well.
LAURA. Martin's always singing it--till we've memorized it without
the least idea what it means.
BISHOP. [Satisfied.] Ah yes, of course. I once learned a Japanese song.
MARTIN. I'm studying Russian.
KEN. It's quite a language, dad. It would be easy for you with your
knowledge of Greek.
BISHOP. Are you studying Russian, too?
KEN. Martin's been teaching me a little. I wish I had your linguistic
preparation for it.
BISHOP. I learned Greek so I could read the Gospels in the original
tongue.
TIPPY. That's why they're learning Russian.
BISHOP. The Gospels in Russian?
TIPPY. Saint Marx, Saint Engels, Saint Lenin and Saint Stalin.
BISHOP. But--if you mean Karl Marx, he wrote in German.
TIPPY. Hitler had him translated into Russian so the Germans couldn't
read him.
BISHOP. You're a very witty young man. Your sense of humor will
save you from any dangerous doctrine.

MARTIN. His sense of humor saves him from anything serious.
BISHOP. While I don't approve of a flippant attitude toward life, it is
far better than accepting dangerous and destructive doctrines--such as
Russian Communism.
MARTIN. Dangerous to world capitalism--but constructive of a new
civilization.
BISHOP. Young man, may I ask if you are American born?
MARTIN. I was born on a Dakota farm. My father was an American
kulak. An insurance company expropriated him.
LAURA. Bishop Holden didn't come to get into arguments with you
boys.
BISHOP. Another time, perhaps. I think I could convince you that
you're following a dangerous delusion.
MARTIN. Thanks, Laura. You're right. I'll run along.
TIPPY. I'll go with you. I've a bit of shopping I ought to do.
MARTIN. I'll get your hat. [Goes to bedroom.]
BISHOP. And how is your business progressing, Timothy? Kenneth
wrote me about it. Don't be ashamed of it. Don't be ashamed of honest
labor, young man.--You are boarding dogs, I believe.
TIPPY. No. I have no place for that. I only wash them.
BISHOP. You wash them and they pay you?
TIPPY. Yes sir. That is, I wash the dogs, and the people pay me.
BISHOP. Ah yes. I understand.
[MARTIN comes out with TIPPY'S hat. Picks up his own.]

TIPPY. Clean dogs for clean people.
MARTIN. Lap dogs for kept women.--People are desperate and
destitute.--And Tippy washes dogs for a living!
BISHOP. It's a sad world. It's true that some have too much, and many
have too little....
MARTIN. But we mustn't protest. The meek shall inherit the earth!
BISHOP. And the devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.
MARTIN. I respect any man for his convictions. But it seems to me, sir,
if you want to save the church when the revolution comes to America,
you had better see to it that the class sympathy of the church agrees
with the class sympathy of the man who founded it.
TIPPY. [Hurriedly.] Good-bye, sir. [TIPPY and MARTIN go.]
[LAURA quickly gathers up the tea things and puts them on a tray and
goes to kitchen. In the following scene she is on and off. The BISHOP
walks about, troubled and silent. He looks at posters, picks up the
Russian books and looks at them.]
BISHOP. Russian. Why are you studying Russian?
KEN. I find it interesting.
BISHOP. Chinese would be interesting. Why Russian?
KEN. I am interested in their architectural developments.
BISHOP. My boy, you haven't it in mind to go to Russia?
KEN. [Evasive.] Wanting doesn't get you there.
BISHOP. Why, of all places in the world, should you want to go to
Russia?

KEN. There is no unemployment there. They need men.
BISHOP. [Impatiently.] Oof! Russia ...
[TED enters. He still has the book.]
TED. [Greeting BISHOP with aloof diffidence.] How do you do, sir?
BISHOP. [Very cordial.] How are you? How are you?
TED. [Sees KEN looking at his book.] My man wasn't in. I'll go back
and try again later. Is Kate here?
KEN. No. She stepped out.
TED. Then, if you'll excuse me I'll go into the other room and lie down.
I've developed a frightful headache.
BISHOP. That is unfortunate. Have you aspirin?
TED. Yes, thank you. [He goes into bedroom, closing door.]
BISHOP. Now there is a fine young man who's facing a real problem.
He certainly wasn't trained for commercial pursuits. Yet there he
is--selling. Uh, what is he selling, Kenneth?
KENNETH. [Sarcastically.] Books.
BISHOP. I knew his father well. A gentleman and a scholar.
Unfortunately, he was a gambler. The depression finished him.
KEN. It's finishing a lot of us.
BISHOP. My boy, I would not have you be extravagant, but I still have
enough. I can still support you.
KEN. I'm sick of living on charity.
BISHOP. Charity?

KEN.