Scene 9

The theater is suddenly filled with the sound of maracas, timbales and castanets beating out the rhythm of "Three Days in Havana". The lights come up, and we see that the music is originating from a group of FOUR CUBANS playing these instruments in addition to a guitar and singing the song in Spanish as THEY move about the stage. It is night, and there is a gangplank center stage leading to the S.S. Florida, a portion of which is painted on the backdrop. ADELINE stands downstage left by a steamer trunk anxiously searching each new arrival. A FEW PASSENGERS climb the plank. CHICK SOMERFELD hurries on with a lovely young woman, LINDA SLABEY. ADELINE recognizes him and turns away self-consciously. CHICK Miss Adams? What a surprise! Are you going to Havana, too? I want you to meet my girl friend, Linda Slabey. Linda, Miss Adams.

LINDA

So nice to meet you. Will you be staying at the Nacional, too?

ADELINE

Linda. That was Miriam Hopkins' name in Trouble in Paradise.

LINDA

Do you think I should sue?

ADELINE

I'm sorry. Her name wasn't Linda. It was Lily. Why did I think it was Linda?

VOICE (o.s.)

All visitors ashore! All visitors ashore!

CHICK

That's the warning bell. Hope we see you over the weekend.
                                                           (grabbing Linda as THEY make their way up the gangplank)
That's strange.

LINDA

What?

CHICK

She seemed embarrassed to see me. Wouldn't it be something if she's having a secret rendezvous?

LINDA

Any woman who would remember Miriam Hopkins' name in a movie that came out four years ago…I don't think so. (THEY disappear off the gangplank. ADELINE glances forlornly about her, then sits on the steamer trunk. BONITA COLEMAN rushes on followed by a BLACK PORTER carrying three suitcases. She is almost the same age as Adeline, a leathery-skinned woman with bleached hair, a full-length mink, jewels, sunglasses and a harsh New York accent.) BONITA Thank God I made it!
                                                             (to Adeline)
You see a very handsome young man in a Panama hat waiting out here, sweetie?

ADELINE

A great many of them.

BONITA

I guess that's a pretty dumb question. He's probably waiting in our stateroom, Johnny is. You going to Havana, too?

                                                          (Warning bell sounds.)
 

VOICE (o.s.)

All visitors ashore! All visitors ashore!

BONITA

My name's Bonita Coleman. You better get a move on if you're going. So long, sweetie. See ya later. (A FEW VISITORS are now disembarking from the gangplank. Bonita pushes her way up it followed by the PORTER. ADELINE sighs heavily. Lights dim and a single spot falls on her.) ADELINE                                          Oh, Adeline Adams,
                                         You're such a fool,
                                         Thinking that life was like
                                         Landscapes in golden frames.
                                         Adeline Adams,
                                         Oh, what a fool!
                                         Filling fictitious dance cards
                                         With imaginary names.  So this is your world,
 Your world with two moons,
 Of petit point flowers
 And colored balloons.

So this is your world
Of oceans and dawns,
Of sunlight on mountains
And shadows on lawns.

A world of blending,
A world of winning
Where every ending
Is like each beginning.

So this is your world,
Your world with a scrim,
Where somebody loves you
The way you love him.
Where somebody loves you
On soft afternoons---
                  (cynically)
Oh, what a world this is!
Your world with two moons.

                                                          (Final warning bell. PORTER hurries down the gangplank.)

PORTER

If you're goin', ma'am, you'd better hurry.

ADELINE

I'm not going. Would you take my trunk and find me a taxi? (PORTER places the trunk on a mobile luggage cart and begins to wheel it off.) ADELINE                                                             (staring up at the ship with a certain irony)
Three days in Havana, two nights of romance…
                                                            (suddenly)
Porter, wait! Bring the trunk back! I'm going after all! (SHE hurries up the gangplank as PORTER shakes his head and hurries after her.) CURTAIN