(At the town hall, in front
of all the townspeople, who have gathered to vote Woodrow into
office as the new mayor)
WOODROW
This should have been the happiest day of my life…it could have
been…instead it is the bitterest…It says in the bible "my cup
runneth over"…Well my cup runneth over…with gall. This is the
last act, the farce is over, the lying is finished, and the coward
is at last cured of his fear. …if I could have reached as high
as my father's shoestrings, my whole life would be justified and
I would stand here proudly before you…instead of as the thief
and coward that I am. I postponed until now what I should have
told you a year ago when I was discharged from the Marine Corps
for medical unfitness…a coward because I didn't want my mother
to know…well, it wasn't to save her, it was to save me… I have
never been in Guadalcanal or anyplace else…I've been working in
a shipyard for the last year. I've never received a medal of any
description…naturally since I've never fought… I've told you all
this because too many men have bled and died for you…and for me…to
live this lie any longer…I guess that's why I told you…I certainly
didn't mean to when I came in…I'm gonna pack my things now so
this will probably be my last chance to say goodbye to you. I
know my mother will give you back the mortgage…and I hope you
won't hold it against her that her son didn't…quite come through…there's
no use telling you I'm sorry because I wish I was dead. That's
all.
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