“In the Fog”

Milton Geiger

Characters: A Doctor, Eben, Zeke, A Wounded Man, A Gas Station Attendant

Sets: A signpost on Pennsylvania Route 30, A rock or stump in the fog, A gas station
pump.
Night: At first we can only see fog drifting across a dark scene devoid
of detail. Then, out of the fog, there emerges toward us a white roadside signpost
with a number of white painted signboards pointing to right and to left. The
marker is a Pennsylvania State Route—marked characteristically “PENNA-
30.” Now a light as from a far headlight sweeps the signs.
An automobile approaches. The car pulls up close. We hear the car door open and
slam and a man’s footsteps approaching on the concrete. Now the signs are lit up
again by a more localized, smaller source of light. The light grows stronger as the
man, offstage, approaches. The DOCTOR enters, holding a flashlight before
him. He scrutinizes2 the road marker. He flashes his light up at the arrows. We
see the legends on the markers. Pointing off right there are markers that read:
York, Columbia, Lancaster; pointing left the signs read: Fayetteville,
McConnellsburg, Pennsylvania Turnpike.

The DOCTOR’s face is perplexed and annoyed as he turns his flashlight on a

folded road map. He is a bit lost in the fog. Then his flashlight fails him. It goes
out!

Doctor Darn! (He fumbles with the flashlight in the gloom. Then
a voice is raised to him from offstage.)

Eben Turn around, mister….

(offstage, strangely).
[The DOCTOR turns sharply to stare offstage.]

Zeke You don’t have to be afraid,

(offstage). mister….
[The DOCTOR sees two men slowly approaching out of the fog. One carries a lantern
below his knees. The other holds a heavy rifle. Their features are utterly indistinct as
they approach, and the rifleman holds up his gun with quiet threat.]

Eben. You don’t have to be afraid.

Doctor So you say! Who are you, man?

(more indignant than afraid).

Eben. We don’t aim to hurt you none.

Doctor. That’s reassuring. I’d like to know just what you mean by this?
This gun business! Who are you?

Zeke What’s your trade, mister?

(mildly).

Doctor. I…I’m a doctor. Why?

Zeke Doctor.
(to EBEN).

Eben Yer the man we want.

(nods; then
to DOCTOR).

Zeke Ye’ll do proper, we’re thinkin’.

Eben So ye’d better come along, mister.

Zeke Aye.

Doctor Why? Has—anyone been hurt?

 Eben It’s for you to say if he’s been hurt nigh to the finish.

Zeke So we’re askin’ ye to come along, doctor.

[The DOCTOR looks from one to another in indecision and puzzlement.]

Eben In the name o’ mercy.

Zeke Aye.

Doctor I want you to understand—I’m not afraid of your gun! I’ll go to

your man all right. Naturally, I’m a doctor. But I demand to know
who you are.

Zeke Why not? Raise yer lantern, Eben….

(patiently).

Eben Aye.
(tiredly).
[EBEN lifts his lantern. Its light falls on their faces now, and we see that they are
terrifying. Matted beards, clotted with blood; crude head bandages, crusty with dirt and
dry blood. Their hair, stringy and disheveled. Their faces are lean and hollow cheeked;
their eyes sunken and tragic. The DOCTOR is shocked for a moment—then bursts out—]
Doctor Good heavens!
—

Zeke That’s Eben; I’m Zeke.

Doctor What’s happened? Has there been an accident or…

what?

Zeke Mischief’s happened,

stranger.
Eben Mischief enough.

Doctor There’s been gunplay—hasn’t

(looks at rifle there?
at his chest).

Zeke Yer tellin’ us there’s been gunplay!

(mildly ironic).

Doctor And I’m telling you that I’m not at all frightened! It’s my duty to
report this, and report it I will!

Zeke Aye, mister. You do that.

Doctor You’re arrogant about it now! You don’t think you’ll be caught
and dealt with. But people are losing patience with you men….
You…you moonshiners! Running wild…a law unto yourselves…
shooting up the countryside!

Zeke Hear that, Eben? Moonshiners.

Eben Mischief’s happened, mister, we’ll

warrant4 that….

Doctor And I don’t like it!

Zeke Can’t say we like it better’n you do,

mister….

Eben What must be, must.

(strangely sad
and remote).
 Zeke There’s no changin’ or goin’ back, and all ’at’s left is the wishin’
things were different.

Eben Aye.

Doctor And while we talk, your wounded man lies bleeding, I suppose—
worthless though he may be. Well? I’ll have to get my instrument
bag, you know. It’s in the car.
[EBEN and ZEKE part to let DOCTOR pass between them. The Doctor reenters, carrying
his medical bag.]

Doctor I’m ready. Lead the way.

[EBEN lifts his lantern a bit and goes first. ZEKE prods the DOCTOR ever so gently and
apologetically but firmly with the rifle muzzle. The DOCTOR leaves. ZEKE strides off
slowly after them.
A wounded man is lying against a section of stone fence. He, too, is bearded, though
very young, and his shirt is dark with blood. Hebreathes but never stirs
otherwise. EBEN enters, followed by the DOCTOR and ZEKE.]

Zeke Ain’t stirred a mite since we left ’im.

Doctor Let’s have that lantern here! (The DOCTOR tears the man’s shirt
for better access to the wound. Softly) Dreadful! Dreadful…!

Zeke’s voice Reckon it’s bad in the chest like that, hey?
(off scene).

Doctor His pulse is positively racing…! How long has he been this
(taking pulse). way?

Zeke A long time, mister. A long time….

 Doctor You! Hand me my bag.
(to EBEN).

[EBEN puts down lantern and hands bag to the DOCTOR. The DOCTOR opens bag and takes

Doctor Lend me a hand with these retractors. (He works on the man.) All
right…when I tell you to draw back on the retractors—draw back.

Eben Aye.

Zeke How is ’e, mister?

Doctor More retraction. Pull them a bit more. Hold it….

(preoccupied).

Eben Bad, ain’t he?

Doctor Bad enough. The bullet didn’t touch any lung tissue far as I can
see right now. There’s some pneumothorax though. All I can do
now is plug the wound. There’s some cotton and gauze wadding
in my bag. Find it….
[ZEKE probes about silently in the bag and comes up with a small dark box of gauze.]

Doctor That’s it. (Works a moment in silence) I’ve never seen anything
quite like it.

Eben Yer young, doctor. Lots o’ things you’ve never seen.

Doctor Adhesive
tape!
[ZEKE finds a roll of three-inch tape and hands it to the DOCTOR, who tears off long
strips and slaps them on the dressing and pats and smooths them to the man’s
chest. EBEN replaces equipment in DOCTOR’s bag and closes it with a hint of the finality
to come. Apreview of dismissal, so to speak.]

Doctor There. So much for that. Now then—(takes man’s shoulders) give
(at length). me a hand here.

Zeke What fer?

(quiet suspicion).

Doctor We’ve got to move this man.

Zeke What fer?

Doctor We’ve got to get him to a hospital for treatment; a thorough

(stands; indignantly). cleansing of the wound; irrigation.7 I’ve done all I can for him
here.

Zeke I reckon he’ll be all right ’thout no hospital.

Doctor Do you realize how badly this man’s hurt!

Eben He won’t bleed to death, will he?

Doctor I don’t think so—not with that plug and pressure dressing. But
bleeding isn’t the only danger we’ve got to—

Zeke All right, then. Much obliged to you.

(interrupts).

Doctor This man’s dangerously hurt!

 Zeke Reckon he’ll pull through now, thanks to you.

Doctor I’m glad you feel that way about it! But I’m going to report this to
the Pennsylvania State Police at the first telephone I reach!

Zeke We ain’t stoppin’ ye, mister.

Eben Fog is liftin’, Zeke. Better be done with this, I say.

Zeke Aye. Ye can go now, mister…and thanks. (Continues) We never

(nods, sadly). meant a mite o’ harm, I can tell ye. If we killed, it was no wish of
ours.

Eben What’s done is done. Aye.

Zeke Ye can go now, stranger….

[EBEN hands ZEKE the DOCTOR’s bag. ZEKE hands it gently to the DOCTOR.]

Doctor Very well. You haven’t heard the last of this, though!

Zeke That’s the truth, mister. We’ve killed, aye; and we’ve been hurt
for it....

Eben Hurt bad.

[The DOCTOR’s face is puckered with doubt and strange apprehension.]

Zeke We’re not alone, mister. We ain’t the only ones. (Sighs) Ye can go
now, doctor…and our thanks to ye….

[The DOCTOR leaves the other two, still gazing at them in strange enchantment and
wonder and a touch of indignation.]
 Eben’s voice Thanks, mister….

Zeke’s voice In the name o’ mercy…. We thank

you….

Eben In the name o’ mercy.

Zeke Thanks, mister….

Eben In the name o’ kindness….

[The two men stand with their wounded comrade at their feet—like a group statue in the
park. The fog thickens across the scene. Far off the long, sad wail of a locomotive
whimpers in the dark.
The scene now shifts to a young ATTENDANT standing in front of a gasoline pump taking
a reading and recording it in a book as he prepares to close up. He turns as he hears the
car approach on the gravel drive.

The DOCTOR enters.]

Attendant Good evening, sir. (Nods off at car) Care to pull’er up to this
(pleasantly). pump, sir? Closing up.

Doctor No. Where’s your telephone, please? I’ve just been held up!
(impatiently).

Attendant Pay station inside,

sir….

Doctor Thank you! (The DOCTOR starts to go past the ATTENDANT.)

Attendant Excuse me,

 sir….

Doctor Eh, what is it, what is it?

(stops).

Attendant Uh…what sort of looking fellows were

they?

Doctor Oh—two big fellows with a rifle; faces and heads bandaged and
smeared with dirt and blood. Friend of theirs with a gaping hole in
his chest. I’m a doctor, so they forced me to attend him. Why?

Attendant Those fellers, huh?

Doctor Then you know about them!

Attendant I guess so.

Doctor They’re armed and they’re

desperate!

Attendant That was about two or three miles back, would you say?

Doctor Just about—I don’t seem to have the change. I wonder if you’d
(fumbling in pocket). spare me change for a quarter…?

Attendant Certainly, sir….

(makes change
from metal coin
canister at his belt).

Doctor What town was that back there, now?

 Attendant There you are, sir.
(dumps coins in
other’s hand).

Doctor Yes, thank you. I say—what town was that back there, so I can tell
(impatient). the police?

Attendant That was…Gettysburg,

mister….

Doctor Gettysburg…?
Attendant Gettysburg and Gettysburg battlefield…. (Looks off) When it’s
light and the fog’s gone, you can see the gravestones. Meade’s
men…Pickett’s men, Robert E. Lee’s….
[The DOCTOR is looking off with the ATTENDANT; now he turns his head slowly to stare
at the other man.]

Attendent On nights like this—well—you’re not the first those men’ve

(continues). stopped…or the last. (Nods off) Fill ’er up, mister?

Doctor Yes, fill ’er up….