TED. They’ve changed for you, haven’t they?

KEN.  Sure.  They’ve changed for everybody.  The whole spirit of the country has changed.  Man, don’t you feel it?

TED. I can’t say that I do.

KEN.  We’ve turned that famous corner, and it’s time for you to wake up and get out of your rut.

TED. All right.  You know how.  Suppose you tell me.

KEN.  You still think there’s something wrong with the world when your troubles are purely personal.

TED. My troubles are ...  All right.  What about the other millions of unemployed?

KEN.  They’re incompetents.  Common laborers and workmen in industries that died—­like soft coal mining.  And maybe some technological unemployment.  But you’re not in any narrow technical field.  As a matter of fact in not being specialized you actually have an advantage.  All you’ve got to do is go after things.

TED. Easy to say.

KEN.  Easy to do.  Part of your trouble is your environment.

TED. My environment?

KEN.  Sure.  Tippy here is make-shifting—­but that’s all right.  It’s something.  Martin’s radical, living off his wits.  That’s not your style.  Neither of them can help you.

TED. They have helped me.

KEN.  They’ve weakened you.  For Christ’s sake, Ted, snap out of it.  Get away from here.  Get away from it all.  Make a break.  You won’t starve.  If you can’t get a real job, go on relief.

TED. Relief!

KEN.  I know relief isn’t pleasant for a man like you.  But hell, it’s better than ...

TED. Let’s not discuss it.

KEN.  It’s high time you did discuss it.  You can’t go on the way you’re doing.

TED. Did I ask for your advice?

KEN.  Now don’t get sore.  I’m trying to help you.

TED. The hell with your help!

KEN.  All right.  You don’t want advice and you won’t take it.  What are you going to do?  Go on living off Kate forever?

TED. That’s my affair.

KEN.  It’s your affair, but everybody knows it.  And everybody knows what it is.  It’s the second oldest profession in the world—­and the lousiest one.

TED. [Wildly.] Drop it, I say!

KEN.  You know where Kate gets her money and how she earns it.—­And you know what that makes you.

[With an inarticulate cry, TED tries to stop him, but KEN goes on almost in spite of himself’.] A pimp!  That’s what it makes you.  A pimp.

TED. Damn you!  Damn you!

KEN.  It doesn’t sound pretty, does it?

TED. Not from you.

KEN.  It will sound the same no matter where it comes from.

TED. Not from you.—­Because we’re in the same boat.  We’re in the same boat, do you hear?  We’re in the same boat!

KEN. [Contemptuously.] The hell you say!

TED. You’d rather die than accept favors from a woman, wouldn’t you?