Harry Ransom CenterThe University of Texas at Austin

Letters by Erica Lies

SOUND: Typing on a Typewriter

ACTOR 1: Ben
ACTOR 2: Chibbi
ACTOR 3: Trang

ACTOR 1: Dear Paul
ACTOR 2: Dear J and J.K.
ACTOR 3: Dear Gregory
ACTOR 1: Gregory
ACTOR 3: Dear wife, my one and only;
ACTOR 1: Dear Mother and Father
ACTOR 2: Dear Neal

ACTOR 3: Writing a quickie to you while bouncing along on commute from Tarrytown to NYC. How are things with you?
ACTOR 2: I just got out of the army last year...
ACTOR 3: Several people you know are around lately,
ACTOR 2: ...in fact last month this date, one year anniv. Was drummed out for being a communist.
ACTOR 2: There is no railroad work down South and by sheer luck I got a good job switching boxcars in Oakland.
ACTOR 1: Appeared on TV, John Wingate's NIGHTBEAT
ACTOR 3: I have just left Diana after four hours of talk and tears.
ACTOR 1: Received the Sheltering Sky — Enclose a fold-in text composite from Sheltering Sky and short piece of my own

SOUND: Typewriter "bing"

ACTOR 1: The Beatniks have invaded Tangier at last.

[ACTORS ALL TALKING AT ONCE]

ACTOR 1: Every day one sees more beards and filthy blue jeans, and the girls look like escapees from lunatic asylums, with white lipstick and black smeared around their eyes, and matted hair hanging around their shoulders.

ACTOR 2: I don't even understand communism. What is? Please tell me quick...case up for review next month!
ACTOR 1: Before 40 million viewers had Wingate fluttering thru his prepared questions sweating...
ACTOR 3: Kerouac whom I've only seen once or twice but like a lot, I am pleased, happy, amazed, proud, overjoyed and impatient.
ACTOR 3: Howard Hart and Lamantia who are reading with a French hornist as the Jazz poetry Trio, Levertov
ACTOR 2: I can get a business leave from job and go back to work minute I get home again. So; Feb. 1, leaver San Francisco on freight "Zipper" at 7:50 p.m.

ACTOR 1: I spring God on him, and he sprung dope on me
ACTOR 2: This job is from midnight to 8 a.m. I'm broke and must work until last of month
ACTOR 1: Results usually interesting if sometimes cryptic
ACTOR 2: Next week loft thing. Having dialogue...you know, get a lot of people together.

[SILENCE]

ACTOR 3: I don't really get their jazz stimulus.