Antic Springs- Robert Lines

Blossom: Do you know “Clementine”?

I don’t believe so

Blossom- Oh that’s the prettiest song but I don’t know all the words

I don’t know many songs

Blossom: Do you know Harvest Moon? Let’s sing that. It’s the prettiest song. Shine on, Shine on, Up in the sky Why don’t you sing

I don’t know that

There’s a place over there

Yes— that’s very nice and green.

Ginger: Robert do you have a little brother?

No, fortunately i’m an only child

Blossom: Isn’t this more fun? Aren’t you thrilled to death?

What about

Ginger: Well i’m glad somebody appreciates this idea of mine

I’m having a good time

Ginger: Strange as it may seem eh

No i’m really having a good time

Ginger: Because it’s too cold this early in the year that’s why. And with you studying and working, I just said he would like a day in the nature more than anything

It is good to get out

Ginger: Did you bring your poetry book?

Yes

Ginger: And then you'll read poetry to us

Fine! I like to read aloud

Ginger: Oh it’s going to be a lovely picnic

Just getting outside is what I like

Ginger: Don’t you just love Nature? Look at that green over there— just look at it

Beautiful

Elbert: I don’t like this (In the car)

Wordsworth has some good nature poems I could read but I like shelly better shelly's so I don’t know he rather I don’t know you feel sad you know

Ginger: Yes I know, It get you here (She puts her hand over her heart and in he ecstacy almost drives off the road)

Careful now

Ginger: Of course, I did He would never have come on this picnic if I hadn’t invited you to come

You mean he didn’t have to come

Ginger: Yes ( In response to Robert asking you mean he didn’t have to come)

You mean you deliberately brought him

Ginger: It’s a plan of mine, a secret

Oh!

Elbert: Is this it ? What’s so wonderful about this

This is beautiful That’s a magnificent tree Poems are made by fools like me, But only God can make a tree

Ginger: Out everybody out out well have our picnic under that tree

Under a spreading chestnut tree the village smithy stands I mean picnic is spread

Blossom: Oh these are the prettiest flowers. I’m going to pick me a bouquet. Let’s everybody pick us a bouqet

I say I haven't felt so good in years

Ginger: Come on everybody out out Robert you get the basket. No no no you’re to rest today You lie down over here

But the ground is a little damp

Ginger: It won’t hurt Lie down and relax. Elbert I said for you to take only one of those sandwiches. Blossom don’t go too far were going to eat soon. Get out Sam and Gwendolyn.

I should be glad to help you

Robert( Smelling a handful of earth very heavy)

The Earth the deep-delved earth it has a good smell a rich good smell

Ginger: They’re in love

Yes I caught on

Ginger: They’ve been that way since the football season

Don’t they ever say anything

Ginger: Oh once in a while they argue but its all right the next day

Sounds sort of silly to me puppy love sort of thing

Ginger: Doesn’t it though? But of course she gets a date every night and that’s nice I don’t know why she never says anything she’s my best friend but I don’t think she’s very attractive do you

Well—

Ginger: And she doesn’t krrp up with things I mean she never reads any good books or anything like that

You want me to open those pickels

Ginger: Not unless you want one

No I don’t eat pickels

Ginger: Don’t you? Isn’t that a coincidence? I don’t either. You know we have a lot in common and I think that’s so important don’t you

Yes I do

Ginger: To have a lot in common and understanding I think those are just almost the most important things in the world almost

I never have been understood

Ginger: No?

No I haven’t I understand things but somehow nobody ever understands me

Ginger: I don’t see anything so hard to understand about you but of course I don’t know you very well yet

Hardly any one knows the real me I suppose I am a mystic

Ginger: Are you really

It comes out in my writing

Ginger: I wish you would let me read some of your writings some time will you

Theyre hard to understand sometimes I write things I don’t understand myself

Ginger: Really?

They just come to me

Ginger: That must be wonderful

No it’s painful

Ginger: Really

Oh, very. Some nights, I don’t sleep at all. I just thrash and thrash on my bed, and then the next morning, or sometime I write it all down.

Ginger: You know what

What?

Ginger: No— I can’t tell you. Oh I just had the most wonderful thought but I can’t tell you.

Oh please do

Ginger: No I can’t. But it was about you

About me

Ginger: Yes, and it’s something very nice but I can’t tell you

Oh you must

All right, all right I will i’ll bet you’re a genius

You think so, you think so

Elbert: You won’t follow me if you know what is good for you. Blossom: Wheee

I wonder— I wonder if you are right? It all fits together. I don’t want to appear struck with myself or anything like that, but it’s funny the way I feel sometimes

Ginger: Of course it really doesn’t need a bandage. The light and air are good for wounds

That’s fine

Ginger: It looks a little clumsy. I think I could tie it more smoothly. I know quitethings. I had bandage wrapping in Girls Scout and I plan to be a nurse you know

I’m quite satisfied

Ginger: Oh but we must. Come, Robert up

You mean we’re going to walk over to that hill

Gwendolyn- Are we going to eat now? Ginger: Yes come on

Suddenly i’m not hungry any more

Ginger: Why (in response to Robert he’s not hungry anymore)

I don’t know it’s just one of those things

Ginger: Oh but i’m sure you will enjoy everything we have to eat and all outdoors this way

That’s just it the outdoors It seems rather a sacrilege to eat in the presence of all this

Ginger: Now that you mention it it does seem that way so much so much beauty

Of course the cows and sheep and horses do

Ginger: Do what

Eat all day they stay out in this all day and they eat

Ginger: Yes but man is not like cows and sheep. They are dumb brutes but man is a thinking animal

I don’t know There are times when man seems a perfect jackass

Ginger: Oh that’s very clever

Thank you

Gwendolyn: Ooo that stuff on your trouser smells I don’t want to sit by you i’ll sit over here

Oh the beautiful outdoors! How can one think of satisfying the gnawing of hunger when one has such beautiful (sneeze)

Gwendolyn: Are you catching a cold

Yes (Sneeze) it’s this damp ground

Gwendolyn: But he sneezed

I wonder I wonder if I could borrow a handkerchief I seem to be without one

Gwendolyn: Here’s mine

Oh thank you

Ginger: Hay fever oh I feel so sorry for you

But this isn't hay fever. It’s just this damp ground

Ginger: Oh but it couldn't be in all this sun and air. Many people have hay fever and don’t know it. Light cases and they're think something like damp ground makes them sneeze

But i’m sure this isn’t hay fever even a light case

Gwendolyn: Uncle Milton has hay fever he can’t go to circuses he gets it so bad from the camels and things

Camels don’t bother me

Ginger: But some people are bothered by things other people aren’t by bothered by. Does dust annoy you?

No

Ginger: Newly cut alfalfa

No, no

Ginger: Cat fur

Oh, no

Ginger: If you sneeze at night it’s probably because you sleep on a down pillow

I don’t sleep on any kind of pillow

Ginger: Perhaps you are sensitive to the pollen from flowers

No

Ginger: I’ll bet that’s it pollen from flowers

Never bothers me

Ginger: That’s it all these flowers around here. Well move

I like flowers

Ginger: Some kinds of food give it to you too

But-

Ginger: I wonder which food it can be

But I tell you—

Ginger: We'll throw it away whichever one it is

But I tell you I don’t have hay fever

Ginger: Oh but you can’t tell they have to test you

If you don’t mind I think i’ll finish opening this can Ouch

Ginger: Let mee see

That’s the way with can openers whew

Ginger: Oh its only a scratch

It seems rather deep to me

Ginger: Hold still oh no it’s quite minor

It’s bleeding pretty freely

Ginger: That’s good for it Here let me squeeze it a little

Ouch

Gwendolyn: But you shouldn’t use that handkerchief That’s the one he sneezed in

Yes that seems unsanitary I should rather have Gwendolyn's handkerchief you wrap it

Ginger: Well I guess our blood is circulating

We must have made the record climb of that hill

Ginger: And the view up there

All I could see was spots before my eyes

Ginger: That’s because you are a stay-inside I’m going to make you over Well have a hundred thousand lovely times like this here do you want a sandwich

Let me get my breath please

Ginger: Of course, of course. That’s just what this picnic is for so all of us can express ourselves

I’ll take that sandwich now

Ginger: I knee that hike would make you hungry

I’m ravenous really

Ginger: Here are three. Gwen: Come on we’ e eating

What what is this

Ginger: What’s the matter

Crawling all over the sandwich

Ginger: Oh my heaven ants

It’s literally alive with them

Ginger: Not if you chewed them throughly they wouldn’t bite you should chew each bite thirty six times

They’re in everything what shall we do

Elbert: No wonder look under the cloth It’s a whole bed

Isn’t there anything left uncontaminated

Gwendolyn: They’re in the eggs. Blossom: And the cake

And I was just starting to get hungry

Ginger: I think they’re going to be all right again now. You start reading you’re poetry Sam: Will you take them Gwendolyn

What would you like to hear

Sam: Of course you’ve got to promise to go with me steady

Would you like to hear some Rubaiyat

Gwendolyn: What do you mean different

A book of verses underneath the Bough I think that might be appropriate

Ginger: Quiet quiet everybody he’s starting to read

A book of verse underneath the bough A Jug of wine a loaf of bread

Elbert: Louder and funnier

And thou

Ginger: Hush Elbert

Beside me singing in the wilderness

Elbert: I didn’t say any thing

Oh wilderness were Paradise enow That’s great that is

Elbert: I want to go home and hear the red bandit

and this one it says so much and so much the moving finger writes and having writ moves on nor all your piety nor wit shall lure it back to cancel half a line nor all your tears wash out a word of it

Elbert: Naw who do you think you are

Did you like that

Gwendolyn: No I don’t know what it means but it sounded all right

You liked my reading?

Gwendolyn: It sounded beautiful

Then here is one for you especially