{"product_id":"2940014841016","title":"COCAINE: A PLAY IN ONE ACT","description":"\"Cocaine\", by Pendleton King, contains a good plot—a plot that 0. Henry could have made into a fine story. The play is written with an understanding of dramatic realities, and a knowledge of those two fundamental play principles, suspense and surprise.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e***\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAn excerpt from the beginning of the play:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe action takes place in an attic bed room on Grand Street, between Allen and the Bowery, in the late summer of 1916, and occupies the time between four o'clock a. m. and daylight. The ceiling slopes down at the back to within a few feet of the floor. There is a dormer window in a recess at back. Door left center, bed at right of window, table left, bureau down left, trunk down right, chair at foot of bed. The room is in terrible disorder and confusion, faintly seen in the glare from open window as curtain rises.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJoe is discovered lying on the bed asleep, snoring gently, dressed in undershirt and trousers. He is good looking, powerfully built, twenty-four years old.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNora comes in and lights a candle on the bureau. She is a wistful-looking girl of thirty.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJOE\u003cbr\u003eNora, 's 'at you?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNORA\u003cbr\u003eI didn't mean to wake you up. Go on back to sleep.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJOE\u003cbr\u003eI haven't been asleep. What time is it?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNORA\u003cbr\u003e(takes of hat) About four o'clock.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJOE\u003cbr\u003eYou're pretty late.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNORA\u003cbr\u003e(takes of jacket) Had to walk from uptown.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJOE\u003cbr\u003eHow far uptown?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNORA\u003cbr\u003eO, way up town. I let a crowd shake me like a fool.\u003cbr\u003e(Sits in chair at foot of bed and fans herself)\u003cbr\u003eAnd didn't have sense enough to get car fare.\u003cbr\u003eWhew! You don't realize how hot you are till you sit down.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJOE\u003cbr\u003ePoor kid.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNORA\u003cbr\u003eYou must have had the gas lighted to make it as hot as this in here. Lord, I'm so glad to get home.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJOE (gently)\u003cbr\u003eYou didn't bring in—nothing?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNORA\u003cbr\u003eNot a cent, Joe.\u003cbr\u003e(Gets up and goes to bureau)\u003cbr\u003e I don't know what's the matter with me.\u003cbr\u003e(Looks in glass)\u003cbr\u003e It's that darn fever blister.\u003cbr\u003eIf I had only had sense enough to get some camphor that first day.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJOE\u003cbr\u003eBut it's most well now. Can't hardly notice it any more.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNORA\u003cbr\u003eOf course it's perfectly well. There won't be a trace of it to-morrow.\u003cbr\u003eI oughtn't to have tried to go out those two days the first of the week when it was so bad. Everybody was afraid of me and it made me feel like a leper.\u003cbr\u003eI lost my grip in some way and now I can't get it back. It all depends on yourself. (Picks up candle) If you're sure of yourself you have luck; if you aren't, you don't. That's all there is to it. (Crosses with candle, which she puts down on trunk) If I'd had a wee bit of a sniff to-night I'd have got some money out of that crowd. (Sits on foot of the bed) But drinks don't brace me up somehow.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJOE\u003cbr\u003eHum. 'sright.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNORA\u003cbr\u003ePoor old boy. Have you been lying here all night in this heat waiting for me? It's hard luck on you, Joe. Oh, I thought I'd go crazy to-night! My nerves are just all to pieces. I did think I was going to get some money this time.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJOE\u003cbr\u003eWhy don't you take your clothes off and come on to bed?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e*****\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Cocaine\", the study of a drug fiend, by Pendleton King, was powerful though repulsive.","brand":"OGB","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47183167160560,"sku":"2940014841016","price":0.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940014841016_p0.jpg?v=1763615857","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940014841016","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}