Picnic

Early the following morning, Millie smokes a cigarette on the porch. Flo emerges beside herself. She had waited up for Madge, but Madge managed to slip by her and is now locked in her room, refusing to answer. Millie replies, “I bet I know what happened” (62), which further angers Flo, who tells Millie that she doesn’t know anything and to keep quiet if anyone asks. Helen enters and asks whether Madge made it home; Flo exclaims that Madge told her that Hal had kidnapped her but that she had escaped. Flo blames Helen for “tak[ing] in tramps” (63). Rosemary enters asking if anyone has seen Howard, but they haven’t. Rosemary asks Helen to help her as she is taking her summer clothes to the attic and wants company. Flo notes that Rosemary has been frantically up and about all morning.

Irma and Christine arrive to accompany Rosemary to school. Christine comments that Madge wasn’t at the picnic. Millie doesn’t respond, and Irma urges her inside. Bomber shows up with the paper and yells at Madge that he wants to be next. He tells Millie that his brother saw Madge and Hal parked and that Alan searched for them all night. Alan walks up to the house, and Bomber runs away. Millie greets Alan brightly and tells him that Madge made it home safely but had to walk. Alan replies that Hal drove her and asks to see Madge. Millie calls for her and then tells Alan that she likes him, even if she has trouble showing it sometimes. Alan is moved by this. Millie says that she isn’t expecting him to do anything but wanted him to know.

Howard enters, visibly distressed, and asks for Rosemary. He is surprised to learn that she is upstairs with the other women. Rosemary hears him and excitedly cries, “He’s here!” (65). Looking desperate, Howard goes into the house, followed by Millie. Madge comes out and finds Alan alone. She greets him sadly and apologizes. Alan exclaims that it isn’t her fault. He blames Hal, who he says is gone. Madge is stunned. Flo comes outside and is pleased to see Alan. Helen leaves the house followed by the teachers, Millie, an elated Rosemary, and a befuddled-looking Howard. They all throw rice and speak words of praise and luck to the newly engaged couple. Flo encourages Madge to give Rosemary something to borrow, and Rosemary praises Madge’s beauty, saying, “a girl as pretty as Madge can sail through life without a care!” (67). Everyone follows the couple off except Madge and Flo.

Flo questions Madge, but Madge won’t answer. She orders her daughter to stay there while she sees Rosemary off and gets Alan. Once Madge is alone, Hal comes out of the shed and tells her that Alan and his father sent the police after him. He escaped, but he has to get out of town. Alan returns, and Hal accuses him of falsely claiming that Hal stole his car. Helen, Millie, and the two teachers enter and watch as the two begin to fight. Hal pins Alan to the ground and then lets him go. He tells Madge that he’s taking the train to Tulsa and asks her to go with him. Madge doesn’t respond. Police sirens sound nearby, and Hal begs for a kiss goodbye. Madge gives in and they kiss passionately. Hal tells her that he loves her and runs off.

Madge confesses to her mother that she does love Hal, and now she’ll never see him again to tell him. Flo suggests that this is for the best, but Madge, distraught, asks her mother what one does with all of this love. Flo replies, “I… never found out” (71). Flo tries to help Madge into the house, but Madge pushes her away and runs in. Helen enters with Hal’s boots, which the police found next to the river. Alan tells them that girls have always fallen in love with Hal only to be left sad and disappointed. Hopefully, Flo invites Alan to dinner, but Alan declines. He has decided to accompany his father to Michigan on a fishing trip until Christmas. Flo urges him to go in and say goodbye to Madge. Alan says, “Madge is beautiful. Did I think I could spend the rest of my life just looking at her?” (72). He decides to leave without seeing her. Flo wails, and Millie calls goodbye to him. Flo reminds Millie that she needs to go to school. Millie muses, “I’m never going to fall in love” (72). Instead, she plans to write books and become famous. A boy offstage shouts insults at Millie, and she races off to attack him. Flo asks Helen if she liked Hal, and Helen describes how his presence made her feel like a woman.

Madge leaves the house in a rush, hauling a suitcase, and announces that she is going to Tulsa. Flo tries to convince her that she ought to wait for Alan: “Maybe you think you love him now, but in a few years you’ll hate the day he set foot on our porch!” (73). Madge insists that Hal needs her, and Flo retorts that he only needs her because he is a troubled person who will never be able to take care of her or give her a stable life. Flo begs Madge to forget him, but she has to go. She stops and hugs Helen and Flo, promising that she will be alright. She asks her mother to tell Millie that she never hated her and that she’s proud to have a sister who is so smart. Madge leaves. Flo asks Helen how to stop Madge, and Helen replies, “Could anyone have stopped you, Flo?” (74). Flo laments that she had more to teach Madge, and Helen tells her that Madge can learn on her own. Helen’s mother calls for her. She leaves Flo and goes back into her house.