The Gibson Upright | Page 7

life. I can't find room for anything but the
truth.
GIBSON: Couldn't you?
NORA: Ah, that's a man's egoism! With the whole world seething so
that its wrongs should fill every mind--yes, and every heart--until
they're righted, you ask me--
GIBSON: I think you needn't make it any clearer, Nora; I understand.
NORA [turning away, agitated]: I am glad you do.
[The factory door opens to the impetuous arrival of a workingman of
extraordinary size and vehemence, RILEY, a truck driver.]
RILEY [as he opens the door]: See here, Mr. Gibson, fer the love o'
heaven, don't the truck drivers fer this factory git no consideration?
GIBSON: I don't know! What do they want?
RILEY: Look here, Mr. Gibson, man to man, every department in this
factory is makin' demands and goin' to walk out if they don't git 'em.
Ain't we got no chance fer no demands?
GIBSON: I said: What do you want?
RILEY: Why, we got grievances been hangin' over I don't know how
long!
GIBSON: What are they?
RILEY: Why, all them other departments is going to git raises. You
don't think fer a minute the truck drivers ain't going to--

GIBSON: How much raise do you want?
RILEY: Sir?
GIBSON: How much raise do you want?
RILEY: I can't jest say right this minute. We jest heard what was goin'
on in the other departments, and we ain't had no meetin' to settle just
what raise we are goin' to git. Now, Mr. Gibson, if I was runnin' this
factory--
GIBSON: Well, what would you do?
RILEY: The first thing I'd do, I'd see that the truck drivers didn't have
no more discontent than nobody else. What becomes of your freight if
you can't run no trucks? You got to look out, Mr. Gibson! It's us got the
upper hand.
GIBSON: Go call your meeting and find out what raise you're going to
strike for.
RILEY: Yes, sir; I'll do it. [He goes out quickly.]
NORA: [amazed and rather gentle]: Are you going to give them what
they want?
GIBSON: No; I only wanted to get rid of him a minute to think--or try
to.
NORA [in a low voice, offended]: Oh, excuse me! [She is going out.]
GIBSON: Stay here! [He seems to approach a decision--one of
desperation and anger. Then he speaks crisply, but more to himself
than to NORA.] All right--they get it! [Looks up at NORA, gives her a
frowning stare of some duration.] Tell Riley to call off his meeting,
please. I want all those spokesmen for the departments here. I'll give
them their answer now.
[NORA looks at him, puzzled, bites her lip, and goes out quickly into

the factory. GIBSON'S expression is determined; so is his action. He
goes to the wall, brings two chairs, one in each hand, places them at
the large table. Repeats this until he has chairs placed at the table on
both sides and at the head as if for a directors' meeting. The door opens
and SALVATORE, MIFFLIN, CARTER, RILEY, SHOMBERG,
FRANKEL, and SIMPSON enter. They come in, speaking together;
most of them talking somewhat ominously.]
CROWD: Well, he better!... We ain't workin' for our health.... My
whole department'll walk out!... You bet your life we're goin' to!... He
needn't kid himself about our not meaning business!
FRANKEL: Well, Mr. Gibson, we'd like to know what conclusion you
come to.
GIBSON: I'm going to tell you. Simpson, please ask Miss Gorodna to
step in.
[SIMPSON merely looks out of the door, and NORA comes in quickly.]
Carter, take that chair at the head of the table. Frankel, Salvatore,
Shomberg, sit there, and there, and there! Riley, sit there. Simpson,
there! Miss Gorodna, will you please sit here? [They take the seats he
indicates, but they look puzzled, somewhat perturbed; whisper and
murmur to one another.] Thank you! There! That looks like a directors'
tables doesn't it?
SALVATORE: What's this all about?
GIBSON: I want to ask you people if any of you ever knew me to break
my word to you?
FRANKEL: Oh, no, Mr. Gibson, we know you never break your
agreements!
GIBSON: I want to ask you people: Haven't you found my word as
good as my bond?

CARTER: Why, yes, Mr. Gibson.
SIMPSON: Sure! We know you'll do what you say.
GIBSON: Do you all agree to that?
SALVATORE: Soit'nly! You're a gentleman.
RILEY: Sure, we agree to it!
SHOMBERG: Oh, well, prob'ly so.
GIBSON: All right! I'm going to do something you don't expect, and I
want you to know I mean it. But before I do it I want to tell you
something. Probably you won't understand it, but for a long time I had
a pride in this factory. Building up The Gibson Upright was really the
pride of