[_He goes. There is an awkward pause, during which_ TED _self-consciously removes his coat under_ KEN'S _curious eyes._] KEN. Nice outfit. TED. Glad you like it.--Going to be like old times. Regular reunion of the Class of '29. KEN. Yes. [_Pause._] TED. Where's Laura? KEN. She's gone out to do some shopping. TED. Oh. With Kate? KEN. No. Kate wasn't here. TED. She was here before. KEN. She wasn't when we came. TED. Oh! KEN. Laura went with Martin. TED. Shopping? KEN. That's right. [_Pause._] TED. Great to have the whole bunch together again, huh? KEN. Yes, great. [_Pause._] TED. You seem satisfied with your job. KEN. Hell yes. It's a great job. The salary isn't anything to boast of--yet. But the future looks like a million. You see, Prescott didn't hire me for any routine detail. He has men for that. His object in taking me on was to develop for him my plans for fabricated housing. TED. Sounds fine. KEN. Christ, Ted, do you realize what it means, after you've wasted years, to get back and do _real_ work? TED. Must feel _great_. KEN. Ted, why don't you get a job? TED. I haven't turned down any. KEN. But have you been going about it in the right way? Of course I realize you haven't any real professional training. But you know the rare books racket. There must be a lot of money in publishing limited editions. What's wrong with that business? TED. Unfortunately, the people I know don't consider me a business man. KEN. What you are and how you're considered isn't important. It's the way you go after things.--The trouble with you is you got started down and just kept on going down.--Oh, I know how that is. It looked that way for me once. Things were awful. 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.