SEPTEMBER SUN

Demo Scene
Minger bolts across the street slightly missing a car. She
runs until she is out of breath. She finds herself in front
of a big white two-story house with a low picket fence. An
elderly woman in a light summerdress and thin apron is
raking scattered bits of palm leaves on the lawn. She is
working backward toward the gate. Mingie comes close and
waits until the woman is close.

MINGIE
(says politely)
Lady.

She startles the woman who looks about and sees a mop of
black hair above the fence and sees two wide eyes staring
between the pickets.

MINGIE
Lady do - do you want me to work
fo’ you?
(as she winds her fingers
in the fold of her
dress.)

MISS JANE
(a lady in her 60's)
You work for me?

MINGER
Yessum. I can rake yo yard, an I
can clean them leafs off yo’ porch
an’ sweep yo’ sidewalk, an..

MISS JANE
(smiles a kind smile)
Well you’re too small to be out
looking for a job, and I’ve nothing
you can do.

MINGIE
Yessum
(climbs up until she can
look over the fence. )
Yessum, but I can wash the dishes
an’ scrub the kitchen an’ nurse yo’
baby.

MISS JANE
You'd better run on back home.
‘here’s nothing I want you to do,
and I haven‘t a baby for you to
nurse.

MINGIE
You ain’t got no baby?
 2.

MISS JANE
No

MINGIE
Lemme finish up raking fo’ you.

MISS JANE
Now listen little girl, you go on
home.

MINGIE
Yessum

Miss Jane goes on raking. But she looks again at Minger.

MISS JANE
I said run on home.

MINGIE
(gets down from the
fence)
Yessum
(and stands there, It is
hard to turn her back on
kindness and she needed
money)

MISS JANE
(starts thinking, as she
pushes the gate open)
Come here a minute, little girl.
(looking over Mingie
carefully)
You're awfully small, but my
granddaughter may find something
for you to do. Close the gate.

MINGIE
(rushes through the gate)
Yessum
(as she follows the lady
up the walk)

MISS JANE
(motions at the steps
which is shaded by a
palm tree.)
Sit here while I call my
granddaughter.

MINGIE
Yessum.
(MORE)
 3.

MINGIE (CONT'D)
(Mingie could hear the
lady talking on the
telephone)

MISS JANE
(on the telephone)
Is Rossie there? Yes, Hello,
Rossie. There’s a little old
colored girl up here, Rossie,
looking for work. Can you come over
and talk with her? Oh, I don’t
know. (MORE)

MISS JANE
(cont'd)
Well, she looks to be ‘bout seven
or eight, I guess. I can’t tell.
But, Rossie - Yes, I know. She's
hard to shoo away. No, I don’t have
anything for her to do. - Rossie, I
don’t have anything for her to do -
Rossie, I don’t have time to fool
with her. I wish you would - All
right then. All right. Good by.

Minger was comfortable and cool with her matted hair

crookedly parted down the middle waiting.

A clean blue sedan rolls up. A woman steps out and turns and
lifts a chubby baby to her shoulder. She opens the gate with
one foot and closes it behind her in the same manner. Minger
has never seen such a pretty woman. She is tall and graceful
in a light flowered summerdress and white sandals. At the
steps she sits the baby down and turned to look at Minger.

MRS. LEE
Hello, little girl. Are you the one
looking for a job?

MINGIE
Yessum.

Rossie smiled. Rossie stands silent for a moment, looking

down at Minger.

ROSSIE
(Rossie smiled)
My name is Mrs. Lee and this is my
little girl, Edna, but we call her
Edie. What is your name?
 4.

MINGIE
(stuttered)
Min — Mingie.

MRS. LEE
That's a pretty name. How old are
you, Mingie?

MINGIE
Um eight, I think.

MRS. LEE
Well Honey, I’m afraid you’re not
old enough or big enough for me to
hire you.

MINGIE
Yessum, but I can wash the dishes
an’ scrub the kitchen an’ nurse yo’
baby. An’ I think um nine, I think.

MRS. LEE
Mingie, have you ever worked for
anyone before?

MINGIE
Yesum, yesum, I work for somebody.

MRS. LEE
Whom did you work for?

MINGIE
i work for, I mean I --

MRS. LEE
(does not press the
point)
But, you’ll have to start school
again soon, honey.

MINGIE
Noam, I ain’t goin to school when
it open.

MRS. LEE
Don't you go to school?

MINGIE
Noam but I been a 1li’l bit. But
don’ go now.
 5.

MRS. LEE
You don’t. Well does your mother
know you're out looking for a job?

MINGIE
Noam. I ain’t got no mother. She
died when I was one minute ol - or
two minute ol, I think.

MRS. LEE
Didn’t you ever have any mother to
live with?

MINGTIE
Yessum. I had a stepmother one
time, but she done went an’ took
everything outa the house and
runned ‘way. (MORE)

MINGIE
(cont'd)
An’ She ain’t comin back no mo’. I
guess she don’ like me an’ Veanie.

MRS. LEE
Maybe it isn’t that she doesn’t
like you dear.

MINGIE
But she beat me an’ Veanie.

MRS. LEE
Who is Veanie?

MINGIE
She my sister. She home.

MRS. LEE
Who else lives with you besides
your sister?

MINGIE
My papa. But he sick, he can’ walk.

MRS. LEE
Oh, I’m awfully sorry your papa is
sick, Mingie

MINGIE
Yessum.

MRS. LEE
How much do you want for working
for me?
 6.

MINGIE
Oh, bout fifty cent a week, I
spect.

MRS. LEE
(sits down on the steps
with baby above Mingie
and the baby grabs
Mingie’s hair.)
Now Edie, that’s not a good girl,
darling. You mustn’t.
(as she pats Mingie on
the head).

MINGIE
Um gonna buy me and Veanie some
shiny black slippers and rose color
socks.

MRS. LEE
What kind have you now?

MINGIE
I ain’t got none now. Veanie ain’t
neither. My mama bought Ceal some
but she didn’t buy us none ‘fore
she went.

MRS. LEE
Who is Ceal?

MINGIE
She my stepsister, but she gone
with her mama now.

MRS. LEE
Well you come along with me. We'll
go over to my house. (she called
loud to grandma) Grandma, I’m
taking the little girl over home
with me.

MRS. LEE
(As they set in the car) Look,
honey, Suppose you sit behind all
big by yourself and let the baby
sit here by me.

MINGIE
I can hol’ her.

MRS. LEE
I think she’d better stay with me.
 7.

MINGIE
How ol’ is your baby? MRS. LEE
She's five months old.

MINGIE
I wish I could hol’ her. I love
babies.

MRS. LEE
You can later. She's sleepy now.
She hasn’t had her nap.

MINGIE
Yessum.

Mrs. Lee drives three blocks and turns into a shell strewn
driveway stopping beside a fine house near a huge mango tree
with heavy big red and yellow fruit,

MINGIE
This is your house?

ROSSIE
Yes, it’s mine honey. You like it?

MINGIE
Yeah, ma’am. I like it.

They get out of the car and Mrs. Lee carries the baby in.

MRS. LEE
Come on in. Mingie. Be careful the
shells don’t hurt your feet.
They're hot.

In the living room Mrs. Lee sits the baby down on a pink
blanket in the center of the room on a blue and white floral
rug. Mingie suddenly stands on the armchair and reaches out
for a picture on the wall.

MRS. LEE
Honey, come and talk to Edie while
I get her rubber doll. Then you can
help me.

MINGIE
(as she slids down off
the upholstery leaving
two smears of dirt.)
Yessum. Can I sit there and nurse
the baby?
 8.

MRS. LEE
Wait a minute, Mingie. Listen.
Wouldn’t you like to get all
cleaned up first so you’ll be all
fresh and cool?

MINGIE
Ye- yessum.

MRS. LEE
Well, come with me. I have
something I bet will fit you and
think you’ll like it.

MINGIE
Yessum. But can’t I do nothin’ for
the baby?

MRS. LEE
Give her that ball.

MINGIE
(rolling a big rubber
ball to the baby while
Mrs. Lee fluffs the
pillows around the
baby.)
Yessum.

MRS. LEE
She'll be all right now. Come
along.
(as she leads Mingie
across the hall to a
bedroom where she opens
a deep cedar chest.)
You help me look, honey.

Mingie and Mrs. Lee search in the chest and brings out a
short blue dress. Mrs. Lee holds it up and lays it across
Mingie’s out stretched hands.

MRS. LEE
Hold this a moment while I get the
other part.

MINGIE
Yessum. Oeee, This pretty.

MRS. LEE
(Mrs. Lee pulls out a
pair of matching
bloomers, )
Here you are, Honey.
 9.

MINGIE
(pulls them from her)
O eee, they pretty. Can I put them
on now?
(not waiting for Mrs. Lee
to answer pulls the old
dress off and is trying
to find out how to put
it on)

MRS. LEE
Mingie, wouldn’t you like to have a
bath? Then you‘1ll be cool for your
new things.

MINGIE
Yessum.

MRS. LEE
Then fold them neatly and bring
them to the bathroom.

Mingie follows Mrs. Lee hugging her precious new clothes. In

the hallway she waits while Mrs. Lee looks in on Edie.

MRS. LEE
She’s all right.
(as she enters the
bathroom)

Mingie stops at the door.

MRS. LEE
Come on in honey. Put your things
there on the commode.

Mingie takes a hesitant step, her eyes wide as they stare at

the white porcelain and shining nickel and spotless mirror.

MRS. LEE
(continues )
Right here, honey.

MINGIE
Yessum.
(as she puts her clothes
down. )

MRS. LEE
That's right.
(as she runs the water
into the bathtub.)
 10.

MINGIE
Oe ee. Um gonna git in the bathin’
tub. .

MRS. LEE
(feels the water)
Yes, but when you’re all through
you have to take this powder and
wash out the bathtub.

MRS. LEE
(she gets a box of Dutch
cleanser and sets it on
the bath mat.)

MINGIE
Yessum.

MRS. LEE
Now hop in.

MINGIE
(holds her breath with
excitement. Mrs. Lee
hands her a bar of soap
and empties a cupful of
ivory flakes around
her.)
This soap?
(as she picks up a
handful of snowy foam
and smears it over
herself )

MRS. LEE
Yes, it’s soap. Didn’t you ever see
any like this?

MINGIE
Noam. But I seen some o’ that big
square white kind Mamamake. She put
potash in it an’ cook it in a pot.

MRS. LEE
My, I bet that’s nice soap. Here’s
a cloth. Rub yourself real hard so
you’ll be cool.
(Mrs Lee leaves Mingie
and goes to the baby)

Mingie does not hurry. She does not know quite what to do
sitting in the tub. She rubs herself with the soap and then
sits there smelling the scented bar of soap. Mrs. Lee
returns.
 11.

MRS. LEE
Here’s a towel, honey. When you’re
through don’t forget to.....
(the door bell rings.
Mrs. Lee crosses her
lips with her finger.)
Now don’t make any noise.

Mingie sits still and listens. After a while Mingie hears

another woman’s voice.

ANOTHER WOMAN
Rossie, I’ve never seen your
bathroom since you had it done in
yellow and white.

MRS. LEE
Well Ethel, it’s not quite finished
yet.

ANOTHER WOMAN
But I would love to see what you’ve
doing.

MRS. LEE
But honey, you would not want to
see it now. Wait until I get my new
curtains hung and the dressing
table complete. I’d rather you’d
wait, Ethel.

Mingie looks up at the fresh curtains hanging over her head

and at the beautiful dressing table. She knows Mrs. Lee is
putting the other womanoff and she knows why.

ANOTHER WOMAN
All right then Rossie. Well it’s
time for lunch. Be sure to call me
when your bathroom is finished.

MRS. LEE
Yes, Ethel, I will. But come over
any time.

Mingie hears the front door closing and Mrs. Lee talking
with the baby. Then she walks into the bathroom.

MRS. LEE
Honey, have you had a nice bath?

MINGIE
Yessum.
 12.

MRS. LEE
Stand up and let me see you.

Mingie stands up.

MINGIE
Um through.

Mrs. Lee looks her over.