Oh, Gawd—! Chick, don’—!
(He contrives to implant a prolonged kiss on her lips. At length, with a superhuman effort, she wrenches herself free, and retreats to the opposite side of the table. Chick starts to follow her, whereupon she runs around to the back of the table, where she stands, breathing heavily and weak from the struggle. Chick stands facing her—on the opposite side of the table and with back to the audience—his muscles taut, as though ready to lunge after her.)
LUCY BELLE(stretching out her arms beseechingly)
Don’, Chick—oh, don’—! Don’ come at me like dat!
CHICK
Luce—listen ter me—!
LUCY BELLE
Chick—! Please—! Sam—mah own Sam-boy—he’s mah lovah. He’s de onlies’ one—now!
CHICK
He ain’ nevah comin’ back ter yo’!
LUCY BELLE
Yas, he is! De minute he git out! Yo’ don’ know Sam like I does. I got ter stick ter him—nomatter weder he in jail or not. Gimme a chanct, Chick. Please—! Yo’ mah bes’ frien’—nex’ ter Sam. Gimme a chanct ter keep mah promise ter him! Don’ do nuffin’ dat gwine ter make him come back an’ kill yo’! (His muscles relax, as though her appeal had moved him somewhat.) Don’—don’ come at me like dat, Chick, ole boy—
(He gives a little, hollow laugh, reaches in his pocket, brings out a package of Sweet Corporals, puts one in his mouth and lights it. Lucy Belle runs a hand over her hair, which is all dishevelled, then glances down at her waist.)
LUCY BELLE
Don’ make a wreck ob me.
(She moves hesitatingly to the door, Left, and pauses for a moment when she reaches there. He watches her with a narrow, tense gaze.)
LUCY BELLE
’Scuse me a minute.
(She goes out, Left. Chick leans back against the table and smokes in sullen, contemplative silence. Presently a knock sounds on the door, Back. Chick turns his head and listens. The knock sounds again. He goes nonchalantly to the door and opens it. Aunt Rebecca stands in the doorway.)
AUNT REBECCA(exclaiming)
Gawd-a-massy! Chick Avery, how is yo’?
CHICK
Fine and dandy.
(She steps into the room. Chick closes the door.)
AUNT REBECCA
Still on de Norfolk boat?
CHICK
Yas, indeedy.
AUNT REBECCA
Makin’ good money?
CHICK
Would’n’ be dere ef I was’n’.
AUNT REBECCA
Whar’s Lucy Belle?
CHICK
In dere. (He inclines his head toward the room, off Left.)
AUNT REBECCA
Drap in ter say howdy. (Chick, who has stood with his hand on the knob, opens the door again.) Yo’ ain’ gwine—?
CHICK
On mah way. See yo’ some mo’.
AUNT REBECCA(shortly)
Goodbye.
(He goes out, closing the door after him.)
AUNT REBECCA(somewhat peeved by the abruptness of his departure)
Humph! No-count, like all de res’ dem yallow niggahs (Calling.) Lucy Belle—oh, Lucy Belle!
LUCY BELLE(off stage, Left)
Dat yo’, Aun’ Becky—?
AUNT REBECCA
Sho’ is, honey!
LUCY BELLE
Come on in yere.
(Aunt Rebecca goes out, Left. A moment or two later the door, Back, opens a foot or two and Slim sticks his head in and looks about. Seeing no one, he enters stealthily and closes the door slowly and with extreme care. He moves cautiously to the chair, Left Center, on which Lucy Belle’s coat lies. He picks up the coat—or jacket—and goes rapidly through the pockets in search of her pocket book. Unable to find it in them, he drops the coat and stands in tense thought. His eyes wander over to the cupboard, Left. With quick, cat-like movements he goes to it, opens one of the top doors, removes the lid from a crockery jar, peers into it, sees nothing, removes the lid from the next one, peers into it, discovers the pocket book, reaches in and takes it out. He quickly extracts the four one-dollar bills, counts them and stuffs them in his pocket. He then drops the pocket book back in the jar, replaces the lid, and closes the door of the cupboard. He slips quickly across to the door, Back, opens it and goes out. In his hurry to get out he gives the door a little bang as he shuts it. A moment later Lucy Belle enters, Left, with a startled, inquiring look and glances about.)
AUNT REBECCA(off stage, Left)
W’at’s de mattah?
LUCY BELLE
Thought I yered somebody come in.
(Aunt Rebecca enters, Left.)
AUNT REBECCA(glancing about)
Jes’ now?
LUCY BELLE
Yas.
AUNT REBECCA
Go ’long!
LUCY BELLE
Reckon I mus’ been dreamin’.
AUNT REBECCA
W’at yo’ yere?
LUCY BELLE
Soun’ like de do’ shettin’.
AUNT REBECCA
Sho’ don’ see nobody.
LUCY BELLE(glancing at the clock on the cupboard. The hands point to half-past one)
Um! Got ter hussle.
AUNT REBECCA
Wukkin’ dis afternoon?
LUCY BELLE(nodding)
Lot-a ironin’ ter do. Got ter git some dinnah fust, dough.
AUNT REBECCA(in surprise)
Ain’ yo’ had yo’ dinnah?
LUCY BELLE
No.
AUNT REBECCA
Gawd-a-massy!
LUCY BELLE
Waste a lot-a time chewin’ de rag wid Chick.
AUNT REBECCA
Go ahaid! Don’ lemme stop yo’.
LUCY BELLE(with a sigh, as she picks up her jacket)
Gawd—! (Draws a hand across her forehead.)
AUNT REBECCA
Honey, w’at’s de mattah—?
LUCY BELLE
Oh—nuffin’—
AUNT REBECCA
Yo’ did’n’ look right ter me w’en I fus’ look at yo’—in dere jes’ now.
LUCY BELLE
I’se a lil’ tired—dat’s all, I reckon.
AUNT REBECCA(stepping over and observing Lucy Belle closely)
Why, honey, yo’ all nervous an’ trembly—!
LUCY BELLE
No, I ain’, Aun’ Becky—
AUNT REBECCA
Yo’ is! Now, listen ter me—don’ yo’ go ter wuk dis aftahnoon.
LUCY BELLE
Got ter!
AUNT REBECCA
No yo’ ain’! W’at yo’ talkin’ ’bout?
LUCY BELLE
Put Moy in a hole ef I don’.
AUNT REBECCA
Don’ make no diff’rence.
LUCY BELLE
’Spose ter deliver mos’-a dem clothes termorrer.
AUNT REBECCA
Yo’ good healf come fust.
LUCY BELLE
Liable ter git sore an’ git somebody else ef I don’ show up.
AUNT REBECCA(with a snort)
W’at d’yo’ care? Let him! Dat ole Chink ain’ got de onlies’ job in de worl’.
LUCY BELLE(shakes her head)
Ain’ got no time ter go ’roun’ lookin’ fo’ somefin’ else right now.
AUNT REBECCA(impatiently)
Yo’ nevah take no ’vice.
LUCY BELLE
Yas, I does, Aun’ Becky, but—
AUNT REBECCA
Yo’ don’—! Yo’ be in bed ef yo’ ain’ careful.
LUCY BELLE(in conciliatory tones)
’Deed, I got ter git back dere dis aftahnoon.
AUNT REBECCA(shuffling grumpily toward door, Back)
Go ahaid, den. Git yo’se’f some dinnah fo’ yo’ do, dough.
LUCY BELLE
I’se sho’ gwine ter! Reckon I feel bettah aftah I gits a lil’ somefin’ ter eat. (Following Aunt Rebecca to the door.) Come ovah dis evenin!
AUNT REBECCA
I don’ know—
LUCY BELLE
Oh, please, Aun’ Becky.
AUNT REBECCA(at the door)
W’at time?
LUCY BELLE
Oh—oh, ’bout eight o’clock.
AUNT REBECCA(nodding)
See yo’ some mo’.
LUCY BELLE
See yo’ some mo’.
(Aunt Rebecca goes out, Back. Lucy Belle puts on her jacket. She goes to the cupboard, Left, opens the top door, removes the lid from the crockery jar, reaches in and gets her pocket book. Something about its flatness rouses her curiosity. She casually opens it. A look of tragic dismay comes over her face as she discovers that the money is missing.)
LUCY BELLE
Oh, Gawd!
(She fumbles about in the jar again, then searches through her pockets. It suddenly comes over her that she has been robbed. She stands staring dumbly before her with an expression of anguish and despair. Israel and Fanny run in, Back.)
ISRAEL
Mamma! I’se hangry!
FANNY
W’en we gwine ter have dinnah?
LUCY BELLE(with a sob)
Hush up!
FANNY
Yo’ said yo’d have it right ’way.
ISRAEL
Mamma—ain’ yo’ gwine ter hurry?
LUCY BELLE(in a choking voice)
Yas, yas—Mamma’s gwine right out—
(She is suddenly seized with a spell of dizziness. She sways unsteadily for a moment or two, finally collapses and sinks heavily down on a chair. The children scream and run to her side. She places one hand against the table, grips the back of the chair with the other and manages to hold herself up.)
LUCY BELLE(in weak, disjointed tones)
Israel, son—hush! Yo’ yere me—? Mamma’s gwine ter be all right. Fanny! Git me glass-a watah. (The girl hesitates.) Go on! Quick!
(Fanny runs off, Left.)
ISRAEL(crying)
Mamma! Yo’—yo’ gwine ter die?
LUCY BELLE
No, no! Hush up!
(He clings to her sobbingly. Fanny enters, Left, with the glass of water and hurries to her mother’s side.)
LUCY BELLE(to Israel)
Son! Mamma gwine ter beat yo’ ef yo’ don’ stop!
FANNY
Yere, Mamma!
(The child hands Lucy Belle the glass of water. She drinks it slowly.)
LUCY BELLE(half to herself)
Gawd, dat tas’ good. (She gradually revives. At length, as she sets the glass on the table.) Listenter me, yo’ chillen. Wan’ yo’ bof ter run up ter Moy Wing’s. Yo’ yere me? (They nod.) Run up dere—an’ tell him dat Mamma gwine ter be late. Go ahaid, now. Beat it! (They hang back, still sobbing.) Go on! (They run to the door, Back.) Say dat he—he bettah git somebody ter he’p me out—! Understan’—?
FANNY
Yassum.
LUCY BELLE
Beat it now!
(They go out, Back, closing the door after them. Lucy Belle, weak and completely unnerved, sits staring tragically before her. At length a knock sounds on the door, Back.)
LUCY BELLE(half turning and speaking in still feeble tones)
Come in!
(The door opens and Chick Avery enters. Lucy Belle struggles to her feet.)
CHICK
Back agin—!
LUCY BELLE
Oh—er—! Did’n’ take yo’ long—.
CHICK
No rooms at de Gran’ Imperial. Gwine on out ter mah broder’s.
(He directs a fascinated gaze at her for a brief interval, as though half-tempted to make another ardent and forcible appeal. He thinks better of it, however, and starts to reach for the suit case.)
LUCY BELLE(in tremulous, half-hysterical tones)
Chick—!
CHICK(straightening up)
Yas—?
LUCY BELLE
Reckon yo’ kin have dat room.
CHICK(incredulously)
W’at—?
LUCY BELLE
I—I’ll rent it ter yo’.
CHICK(as though he could hardly believe his ears)
Luce—!
(She half turns away from him and gazes before her with a face full of woe.)
CURTAIN