Scene 1 - Prompts

Question 1

Alfieri:
This one’s name was Eddie Carbone, a longshoreman working the docks from Brooklyn Bridge to the breakwater where the open sea begins.
——
W, I s y, f.

Answer 1

Well, I’ll see ya, fellas.

Question 2

Louis:
You workin’ tomorrow?
——
Y, t a d y o t s. S y, L.

Answer 2

Yeah, there’s another day yet on that ship. See ya, Louis.

Question 3

Catherine:
Hi, Eddie!
——
W y g a d u?

Answer 3

Where you goin’ all dressed up?

Question 4

Catherine:
I just got it. You like it?
——
Y, i n. A w h t y h?

Answer 4

Yeah, it’s nice. And what happened to your hair?

Question 5

Catherine:
You like it? I fixed it different.
He’s here, B!
——
B. T a, l s i t b.
O, i y m w a t s y n! S w b i.

Answer 5

Beautiful. Turn around, lemme see in the back.

Oh, if your mother was alive to see you now! She wouldn’t believe it.

Question 6

Catherine:
You like it, huh?
——
Y l l o o t g t w t c. W y g?

Answer 6

You look like one of them girls that went to college. Where you goin’?

Question 7

Catherine:
Wait’ll B comes in, I’ll tell you something. Here, sit down.
Hurry up, will you, B?
——
W g o?

Answer 7

What’s goin’ on?

Question 8

Catherine:
I’ll get you a beer, all right?
——
W, t m w h. C o h, t t m.

Answer 8

Well, tell me what happened. Come over here, talk to me.

Question 9

Catherine:
I want to wait till B comes in.
Guess how much we paid for the skirt.
——
I t i t s, a i?

Answer 9

I think it’s too short, ain’t it?

Question 10

Catherine:
No! not when I stand up.
——
Y, b y g s d s.

Answer 10

Yeah, but you gotta sit down sometimes.

Question 11

Catherine:
Eddie, it’s the style now.

L, y b g m t w t w y w d t s, I m i.

Answer 11

Listen, you been givin’ me the willies the way you walk down the street, I mean it.

Question 12

Catherine:
Why?
——
C, I d w t b a p, b I t y y w w.

Answer 12

Catherine, I don’t want to be a pest, but I’m tellin’ you you’re walkin’ wavy.

Question 13

Catherine:
I’m walkin’ wavy?
——
N d a m, K, y a w w!
I d l t l t g y i t c s. A w t n h h o t s – c, c, c.
T h a t l w.

Answer 13

Now don’t aggravate me, Katie, you are walkin’ wavy! I don’t like the looks they’re givin’ you in the candy store. And with them new high heels on the sidewalk – clack, clack, clack. The heads are turnin’ like windmills.

Question 14

Catherine:
But those guys look at all the girls, you know that.
——
Y a a t g.

Answer 14

You ain’t ‘all the girls’.

Question 15

Catherine:
What do you want me to do? You want me to –
——
N d g m, k.

Answer 15

Now don’t get mad, kid.

Question 16

Catherine:
Well, I don’t know what you want from me.
——
K, I p y m o h d. I r f y.
Y a b, y d u t t. I m l w y s h b t w, w o.

Answer 16

Katie, I promised your mother on her deathbed. I’m responsible for you. You’re a baby, you don’t understand these things. I mean like when you stand here by the window, wavin’ outside.

Question 17

Catherine:
I was wavin’ to Louis!
——
L, I c t y t a L w y w w t h n m.

Answer 17

Listen, I could tell you things about Louis which you wouldn’t wave to him no more.

Question 18

Catherine:
Eddie, I wish there was one guy you couldn’t tell me things about!
——
C, d m a f, w y? Y g t b a b g n, y g k y m, y c b s f, k.
H, B, w y d i t?
G h i h, w y? I g n f h.

Answer 18

Catherine, do me a favor, will you? You’re gettin’ to be a big girl now, you gotta keep yourself more, you can’t be so friendly, kid.

Hey, B, what’re you doin’ in there?

Get her in here, will you? I got news for her.

Question 19

Catherine:
What?
——
H c l.

Answer 19

Her cousins landed.

Question 20

Catherine:
No! B! Your cousins!

Beatrice:
What?

Catherine:
Your cousins got in!

Beatrice:
What are you talkin’ about? Where?
——
I w j k o w w I g t w t s i i t N R.

Answer 20

I was just knockin’ off work when I got the word the ship is in the North River.

Question 21

Beatrice:
They’re all right?
——
H d s t y, t s o b. B a s a t g o h m t. H f a t o t b h.

Answer 21

He didn’t see them yet, they’re still on board. But as soon as they get off he’ll meet them. He figures about ten o’clock they’ll be here.

Question 22

Beatrice:
And they’ll let them off the ship all right? That’s fixed, heh?
——
S, t g t r s p a t w o w t c.
D w a i, B, t n t i. C o h t b h.

Answer 22

Sure, they give them regular seamen papers and they walk off with the crew. Don’t worry about it, B, there’s nothin’ to it. Couple of hours they’ll be here.

Question 23

Beatrice:
What happened? They wasn’t supposed to be till next Thursday.
——
I d k; t p t o a s t c g t o o.
M t o s t w s t t t w s d - W y c a?

Answer 23

I don’t know; they put them on any ship they can get them out on. Maybe the other ship they was supposed to take there was some danger – What you cryin’ about?

Question 24

Beatrice:
I’m – I just – I can’t believe it! I didn’t even buy a new table cloth; I was gonna wash the walls –
——
L, t t i a m h c t t w t l.
D w a t w. T b t.
W y r d b a t c. G a h.

Answer 24

Listen, they’ll think it’s a millionaire’s house compared to the way they live. Don’t worry about the walls. They’ll be thankful.
Whyn’t you run down buy a table cloth. Go ahead, here.

Question 25

Catherine: There’s no stores open now. ------ Y w g p a n c o t c.

Answer 25

You was gonna put a new cover on the chair.

Question 26

Beatrice: I know – well, I thought it was gonna be next week! I was gonna clean the walls, I was gonna wax the floors. Catherine: Maybe Mrs. Dondero upstairs – Beatrice: No, hers is worse than this one. My God, I don’t even have nothin’ to eat for them! ------ H, h! T i e.

Answer 26

Hey, hey! Take it easy.

Question 27

Beatrice: No, I’m just nervous, that’s all. I’ll make the fish. ------ Y s t l, w y w a t t c? T p d s a t c i t w l w t c f.

Answer 27

You’re savin’ their lives, what’re you worryin’ about the table cloth? They probably didn’t see a table cloth in their whole life where they come from.

Question 28

Beatrice: I’m just worried about you, that’s all I’m worried. ------ L, a l a t k w t g s.

Answer 28

Listen, as long as they know where they’re gonna sleep.

Question 29

Beatrice: I told them in the letters. They’re sleepin’ on the floor. ------ B, a I w a i y g s a h t I e u o t f w y, a t b i o b.

Answer 29

Beatrice, all I’m worried about is you got such a heart that I’ll end up on the floor with you, and they’ll be in our bed.

Question 30

Beatrice: All right, stop it. ------ B a s a y s a t r, I e u o t f.

Answer 30

Because as soon as you see a tired relative, I end up on the floor.

Question 31

Beatrice: When did you end up on the floor? ------ W y f h b d I d e u o t f?

Answer 31

When your father’s house burned down I didn’t end up on the floor?

Question 32

Beatrice: Well, their house burned down! ------ Y, b i d k b f t w!

Answer 32

Yeah, but it didn’t keep burnin’ for two weeks!

Question 33

Beatrice: All right, look, I’ll tell them to go someplace else. ------ N w a m. B! I j d w y b p a, t a. Y g t b a h. W y s t?

Answer 33

Now wait a minute. Beatrice! I just don’t want you bein’ pushed around, that’s all. You got too big a heart. What’re you so touchy?

Question 34

Beatrice: I’m just afraid if it don’t turn out good you’ll be mad at me. ------ L, i e k h m s, n c h. T p f t b.

Answer 34

Listen, if everybody keeps his mouth shut, nothin’ can happen. They’ll pay for their board.

Question 35

Beatrice: Oh, I told them. ------ T w t h. I a h, B. I m i. I w j t b, c h, s m f d c t t c, a I w s l t o t... a I h p i A c k m a c o m? T m w b h t l m a p t s.

Answer 35

Then what the hell. It’s an honor, B. I mean it. I was just thinkin’ before, comin’ home, suppose my father didn’t come to this country, and I was starvin’ like them over there . . . and I had people in America could keep me a couple of months? The man would be honored to lend me a place to sleep.

Question 36

Beatrice: You see what he is? Mmm! You’re an angel! God’ll bless you. You’ll see, you’ll get a blessing for this! ------ I s f m o b.

Answer 36

I’ll settle for my own bed.

Question 37

Beatrice: Go, Baby, set the table. Catherine: We didn’t tell him about me yet. Beatrice: Let him eat first, then we’ll tell him. Bring everything in. ------ W a t a? W s g?

Answer 37

What’s all that about? Where’s she goin’?

Question 38

Beatrice: No place. It’s very good news, Eddie. I want you to be happy. ------ W g o?

Answer 38

What’s goin’ on?

Question 39

Beatrice: She’s got a job. ------ W j? S g f s.

Answer 39

What job? She’s gonna finish school.

Question 40

Catherine: Eddie, you won’t believe it – ------ N - n, y g f s. W k j, w d y m? A o a s y -

Answer 40

No – no, you gonna finish school. What kinda job, what do you mean? All of a sudden you –

Question 41

Catherine: Listen a minute, it’s wonderful. ------ I n w. Y n g n u y f s. Y c t n j. W d y a m b y t a j?

Answer 41

It’s not wonderful. You’ll never get nowheres unless you finish school. You can’t take no job. Why didn’t you ask me before you take a job?

Question 42

Beatrice: She’s askin’ you now, she didn’t take nothin’ yet. Catherine: Listen a minute! I came to school this morning and the principal called me out of the class, see? To go to his office. ------ Y?

Answer 42

Yeah?

Question 43

Catherine: So I went in and he says to me he’s got my records, y’know? And there’s a company wants a girl right away. It ain’t exactly a secretary, it’s a stenographer first, but pretty soon you get to be secretary. And he says to me that I’m the best student in the whole class – Beatrice: You hear that? ------ W w n? S s t b.

Answer 43

Well why not? Sure she’s the best.

Question 44

Catherine: I’m the best student, he says, and if I want, I should take the job and the end of the year he’ll let me take the examination and he’ll give me the certificate. So I’ll save practically a year! ------ W t j? W c?

Answer 44

Where’s the job? What company?

Question 45

Catherine: It’s a big plumbing company over Nostrand Avenue. ------ N A a w?

Answer 45

Nostrand Avenue and where?

Question 46

Catherine: It’s someplace by the Navy Yard. Beatrice Fifty dollars a week, Eddie. ------ F?

Answer 46

Fifty?

Question 47

Catherine: I swear. (Pause.) ------ W a a t s y w l t y, t?

Answer 47

What about all the stuff you wouldn’t learn this year, though?

Question 48

Catherine: There’s nothin’ more to learn, Eddie, I just gotta practice from now on. I know all the symbols and I know the keyboard. I’ll just get faster, that’s all. And when I’m workin’ I’ll keep gettin’ better and better, you see? Beatrice: Work is the best practice anyway. ------ T a w I w, t.

Answer 48

That ain’t what I wanted, though.

Question 49

Catherine: Why! It’s a great big company – ------ I d l t n o t.

Answer 49

I don’t like that neighborhood over there.

Question 50

Catherine: It’s a block and half from the subway, he says. ------ N t N Y p c h i a b a a h. A a p c! T u s o t w f. T p l.

Answer 50

Near the Navy Yard plenty can happen in a block and a half. And a plumbin’ company! That’s one step over the water front. They’re practically longshoremen.

Question 51

Beatrice: Yeah, but she’ll be in the office, Eddie. ------ I k s b i t o, b t a w I h i m.

Answer 51

I know she’ll be in the office, but that ain’t what I had in mind.

Question 52

Beatrice: Listen, she’s gotta go to work sometime. ------ L, B, s b w a l p? A s u a d t s? S w d s g t s f?

Answer 52

Listen, B, she’ll be with a lotta plumbers? And sailors up and down the street? So what did she go to school for?

Question 53

Catherine: But it’s fifty a week, Eddie. ------ L, d I a y f m? I s y t l I s y a l m. P, d m a f, w y? I w y t b w d k o p. I w y t b i a n o. M a l o s i N Y i o o t n b. I m i y g g o h t g o; d g p i t s k o n.

Answer 53

Look, did I ask you for money? I supported you this long I support you a little more. Please, do me a favor, will ya? I want you to be with different kind of people. I want you to be in a nice office. Maybe a lawyer’s office someplace in New York in one of them nice buildings. I mean if you’re gonna get outa here then get out; don’t go practically in the same kind of neighborhood.

Question 54

Beatrice: Go, Baby, check on the supper. Think about it a little bit, Eddie. Please. She’s crazy to start work. It’s not a little shop, it’s a big company. Some day she could be a secretary. They picked her out of the whole class. What are you worried about? She could take care of herself. She’ll get out of the subway and be in the office in two minutes. ------ I k t n, B, I d l i.

Answer 54

I know that neighborhood, B, I don’t like it.

Question 55

Beatrice: Listen, if nothin’ happened to her in this neighborhood it ain’t gonna happen no place else. Look, you gotta get used to it, she’s no baby no more. Tell her to take it. You hear me? I don’t understand you; she’s seventeen years old, you gonna keep her in the house all her life? ------ W k r i t?

Answer 55

What kinda remark is that?

Question 56

Beatrice: Well, I don’t understand when it ends. First it was gonna be when she graduated high school, so she graduated high school. Then it was gonna be when she learned stenographer, so she learned stenographer. So what’re we gonna wait for now? I mean it, Eddie, sometimes I don’t understand you; they picked her out of the whole class, it’s an honor for her. ------ W y h t w y l l a m, y k t? Y t m t. Y w g t w, h, M?

Answer 56

With your hair that way you look like a madonna, you know that? You’re the madonna type. You wanna go to work, heh, Madonna?

Question 57

Catherine: Yeah. ------ A r, g t w. H, h! T i e! W y c a!

Answer 57

All right, go to work. Hey, hey! Take it easy! What’re you cryin’ about’!

Question 58

Catherine: I just – I’m gonna buy all new dishes with my first pay! I mean it. I’ll fix up the whole house! I’ll buy a rug! ------ A t y m a.

Answer 58

And then you’ll move away.

Question 59

Catherine: No, Eddie! ------ W n? T l. A y c v o S, t o a m, t C a N Y, f.

Answer 59

Why not? That’s life. And you’ll come visit on Sundays, then once a month, then Christmas and New Year’s, finally.

Question 60

Catherine: No, please! ------ I o a y o t -- d t n. Y g a g a b s g t b a h, y l b f h. B m.

Answer 60

I only ask you one thing – don’t trust nobody. You got a good aunt but she’s got too big a heart, you learned bad from her. Believe me.

Question 61

Beatrice: Be the way you are, Katie, don’t listen to him. ------ Y l i a h a y l, w d y k a i? Y n w i y l.

Answer 61

You lived in a house all your life, what do you know about it? You never worked in your life.

Question 62

Beatrice: She likes people. What’s wrong with that? ------ B m p a p. S g t w; p; t c h t p i s d w o.

Answer 62

Because most people ain’t people. She’s goin’ to work; plumbers; they’ll chew her to pieces if she don’t watch out. (To Catherine.) Believe me, Katie, the less you trust, the less you be sorry.

Question 63

Catherine: First thing I’ll buy is a rug, heh, B? Beatrice: I don’t mind. I smelled coffee all day today. You unloadin’ coffee today? ------ Y, a B s.

Answer 63

Yeah, a Brazil ship.

Question 64

Catherine: I smelled it too. It smelled all over the neighborhood. ------ T o t, b, t b a l i a p. I c w c s t h a d. Y g d i t h, y' k? I l f, t s. W b a b t, I b y s.

Answer 64

That’s one time, boy, to be a longshoreman is a pleasure. I could work coffee ships twenty hours a day. You go down in the hold, y’know? It’s like flowers, that smell. We’ll bust a bag tomorrow, I’ll bring you some.

Question 65

Beatrice: Just be sure there’s no spiders in it, will ya? I mean it. I still remember that spider coming out of that bag he brung home. I nearly died. ------ Y c t a s? Y o s w c o t b s.

Answer 65

You call that a spider? You oughta see what comes outa the bananas sometimes.

Question 66

Beatrice: Don’t talk about it! ------ I s s c s a B.

Answer 66

I seen spiders could stop a Buick.

Question 67

Beatrice: All right, shut up! ------ W, w s w s?

Answer 67

Well, who started with spiders?

Question 68

Beatrice: All right, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it. Just don’t bring none home again. What time is it? ------ Q n.

Answer 68

Quarter nine.

Question 69

Catherine: He’s bringin’ them ten o’clock, Tony? ------ A, y.

Answer 69

Around, yeah.

Question 70

Catherine: Eddie, suppose somebody asks if they’re livin’ here. I mean if they ask. ------ N l, B, I c s w g m u a h.

Answer 70

Now look, Baby, I can see we’re gettin’ mixed up again here.

Question 71

Catherine: No, I just mean . . . people’ll see them goin’ in and out. ------ I d c w s t g i a o a l a y d s t g i a o. A t g f y t, B. Y d s n a y d k n.

Answer 71

I don’t care who sees them goin’ in and out as long as you don’t see them goin’ in and out. And this goes for you too, B. You don’t see nothin’ and you don’t know nothin’.

Question 72

Beatrice: What do you mean? I understand. ------ Y d u; y s t y c t a t t s j a l b. N l s i o a f a, b y m m n a, b o y. I d c i s c i t h a s t s o t f, i n c o o y m w t a o w t d h.

Answer 72

You don’t understand; you still think you can talk about this to somebody just a little bit. Now lemme say it once and for all, because you’re makin’ me nervous again, both of you. I don’t care if somebody comes in the house and sees them sleepin’ on the floor, it never comes out of your mouth who they are or what they’re doin’ here.

Question 73

Beatrice: Yeah, but my mother’ll know – ------ S s k, b j d y b t o w t h, t a. T i t U S g y p w n, t i t I B. I y s i y k i, i y d s i y d k i.

Answer 73

Sure she’ll know, but just don’t you be the one who told her, that’s all. This is the United States government you’re playin’ with now, this is the Immigration Bureau. If you said it you knew it, if you didn’t say it you didn’t know it.

Question 74

Catherine: Yeah, but Eddie, suppose somebody – ------ I d c w q i i. Y - d - k - n. T g s p a o t n t p t e w f i, a y d k w t a. I c b y b f. Y h? L V B, r V?

Answer 74

I don’t care what question it is. You – don’t – know- nothin’. They got stool pigeons all over this neighborhood they’re payin’ them every week for information, and you don’t know who they are. It could be your best friend. You hear? (To Beatrice.) Like Vinny Bolzano, remember Vinny?

Question 75

Beatrice: Oh, yeah. God forbid. ------ T h a V. Y t I b s h? G a, t h. Y w a b t. T w a f l n d t h m, h w a s -

Answer 75

Tell her about Vinny. (To Catherine.) You think I’m blowin’ steam here? (To Beatrice.) Go ahead, tell her. (To Catherine.) You was a baby then. There was a family lived next door to her mother, he was about sixteen –

Question 76

Beatrice: No, he was no more than fourteen, ’cause I was to his confirmation in Saint Agnes. But the family had an uncle that they were hidin’ in the house, and he snitched to the Immigration. Catherine: The kid snitched? ------ O h o u!

Answer 76

On his own uncle!

Question 77

Catherine: What, was he crazy? ------ H w c a, I t y t, b.

Answer 77

He was crazy after, I tell you that, boy.

Question 78

Beatrice: Oh, it was terrible. He had five brothers and the old father. And they grabbed him in the kitchen and pulled him down the stairs – three flights his head was bouncin’ like a coconut. And they spit on him in the street, his own father and his brothers. The whole neighborhood was cryin’. Catherine: Ts! So what happened to him? Beatrice: I think he went away. I never seen him again, did you? ------ H? Y n s h n m, a g d a t l t? H h g s h f? J r, k, y c q g b a m d t w s t a w t y g a.

Answer 78

Him? You’ll never see him no more, a guy do a thing like that? How’s he gonna show his face? Just remember, kid, you can quicker get back a million dollars that was stole than a word that you gave away.

Question 79

Catherine: Okay, I won’t say a word to nobody, I swear. ------ G r t. W b s a o t d. M y o p s o f t, t b h s.

Answer 79

Gonna rain tomorrow. We’ll be slidin’ all over the decks. Maybe you oughta put something on for them, they be here soon.

Question 80

Beatrice: I only got fish, I hate to spoil it if they ate already. I’ll wait, it only takes a few minutes; I could broil it. Catherine: What happens, Eddie, when that ship pulls out and they ain’t on it, though? Don’t the captain say nothin’? ------ C p o, w d y m?

Answer 80

Captain’s pieced off, what do you mean?

Question 81

Catherine: Even the captain? ------ W t m, t c d h t l? C g a p, m o o t m, p f t g i I w f t p f t, T h g a l b...

Answer 81

What’s the matter, the captain don’t have to live? Captain gets a piece, maybe one of the mates, piece for the guy in Italy who fixed the papers for them, Tony here’ll get a little bite . . .

Question 82

Beatrice: I just hope they get work here, that’s all I hope. ------ O, t s f j f t; t t p 'e o t g t w e d. I a t p, t t h t s l t r o u.

Answer 82

Oh, the syndicate’ll fix jobs for them; till they pay ’em off they’ll get them work every day. It’s after the pay-off, then they’ll have to scramble like the rest of us.

Question 83

Beatrice: Well, it be better than they got there. ------ O s, w, l. S y g s M, h, M?

Answer 83

Oh sure, well, listen. So you gonna start Monday, heh, Madonna?

Question 84

Catherine: I’m supposed to, yeah. ------ W...I h y h g l. I w y t b. Y k t k.

Answer 84

Well . . . I hope you have good luck. I wish you the best. You know that, kid.

Question 85

Catherine: You sound like I’m goin’ a million miles! I k. I g I j n f o o t.

Answer 85

I know. I guess I just never figured on one thing.

Question 86

Catherine: What? ------ T y w e g u. I l a c i m o c, I t.

Answer 86

That you would ever grow up. I left a cigar in my other coat, I think.

Question 87

Catherine: Stay there! I’ll get it for you. ------ W a y m a m l?

Answer 87

What are you mad at me lately?

Question 88

Beatrice: Who’s mad? I’m not mad. You’re the one is mad. Catherine: Here! I’ll light it for you! Don’t worry about me, Eddie, heh? ------ D b y. Y b g i h h w t d.

Answer 88

Don’t burn yourself. You better go in help her with the dishes.

Question 89

Catherine: Oh! I’ll...

Answer 89

(Alone, Eddie stands upstage looking toward the house. Then he checks his watch, and stares at the smoke flowing out of his mouth. The lights go down, then come up on Alfieri.)