Three plays : $b Lawing and jawing; Forty yards; WoofingHurston, Zora Neale
General
Three plays : $b Lawing and jawing; Forty yards; Woofing
Hurston, Zora Neale
African Americans -- Drama
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
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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