Three Plays | Page 4

mind and fools around without moving)
Cliffert Police! Police! Come here and make dis man move!
Good Black Aw, I got plenty moves. (Scratches his head) Jus' tryin' to
see which one I want to make. But when I do move, it's gointer be just
too bad for you.
(A guitar is heard off stage and Cliffert brightens. He cups his hand and
calls)
Cliffert Hey Lonnie! Come here! Ha, ha, ha! I got me a fish. (Enter
LONNIE picking "East Coast" on his box and stands watching the
game. He ceases to play as he stops walking) Ha, ha! You see ol' Good
Black goes for a hard guy. He tries to know more than a mule and a
mule's head longer'n his'n. Ha, ha! I set a trap for him and he fell right
in it. Trying to ride de britches! Now look at him.
Good Black Aw, shut up! You tryin' to show yo' grandma how to milk
ducks. You can't beat me playin' no checkers. (Scratches his head again)

Just watch me show my glory.
Woman (Leans out of window) Good Black! When you gointer come
git dese clothes! (He does not answer, he is trying to concentrate)
Lonnie You got him Cliffert. You got him in Louisville Loop. He's yo'
fish all right.
Cliffert (Boastfully) Man, didn't I push a mean chuck-a-luck dat time!
I'm good, better, and best. Move, Man! (To Good Black) I tole you not
to do it.
Good Black All dat noise ain't playin' checkers. You just wait till I
make my move.
Woman All right, now, Mr. Nappy-Chin! I don't want to have to call
you no mo' to come keer dese white folks clothes! I'm tired of takin'
and takin' affa you! My belly's full clear up to de neck. I don't need no
lazy coon lak you nohow. I'm a good woman, and I needs somebody
dats gointer give aid and assistance.
Good Black, Aw, go head on', woman, and leave me be! Every
Saturday it's de same thing! Yo' mouth exhausting like a automobile.
You worse than "cryin' Emma". You kin whoop like de Seaboard and
squall lak de Coast Line. (Taps his head) You ain't go all dat b'long to
you, and nothin' dat b'long to nobody's else. You better leave me 'lone
before you make a bad man out of me. Fool wid me and I'll go git me
somebody else. I'm a much-right man.
Woman Now you ain't no much right man neither. You didn't git me
wid no saw-mill license--You went to de court house and paid a dollar
and a half for me. Tain't no other woman got as much right to you as I
got. De Man to tell you youse divorced befo' yo' kin play dat
much-right on me!
Good Black De Man don't have to tell me nothin'! I got divorce in my
heels.

Woman You ain't de only one dat knows where de railroad track is, I
done made up my mind, and I done promised Gabriel and a couple of
other men dat if yo' don't do no better than yo' been doin', I'm gointer
pack me a suit case and grab de first smoky thing I see. I'll be long
gone.
Good Black Aw, yo' ain't no trouble! Yo' can be had. Yo' ain't never
gointer leave me.
Woman How come I won't? Just 'cause I been takin' keer of yo', don't
make a park ape out yo'self. I'll leave yo', just as sure as yo' snore!
Good Black (Rises and hitches up his trousers) Aw, yo' ain't gointer
leave me, and if yo' go, yo' wouldn't stay, 'cause I'm a damn sweet man,
and yo' know it!
Lonnie Hey, Hey! (He begins to pick and Good Black sings. Lonnie
sings a line now and then)
Good Black Yo' may leave and go to Hali-muh-fack But my slow drag
will--uh bring yo' back Well yo' may go, but this will bring yo' back
I been in de country but I moved to town I'm a tolo-shaker from my
head on down Well, yo' may go, but this will bring yo' back
Some folks call me a tolo-shaker It's a doggone lie I'm a back-bone
breaker Well, yo' may go, but this will bring yo' back.
Oh, ship on de sea, boat on de ocean I raise hell when I take a notion
Well, yo' may go, but this will bring yo' back.
Oh, who do, who do, who do wackin' Wid my hells a' poppin' and my
toe-nails crackin' Well, yo' may go, but this will bring yo' back.
Woman Dat's all right too, pap but if yo' can't make me tote dese
clothes home, don't bring de mess up. Yo'se abstifically a humbug.
Cliffert Man, come on