_BUERUSHER ws fis devsopes i eadingy at New Dramatis dieted ‘pe thor andl by Soret Set. Sutmequcnt readings were ted Up The Cherey Lan (rete by Leal C, Gardiner, Hartford Sage (directed ty Rae Whorskey), Macfie (rere by Lonaine Reb Son; and Su Francine Sage and Fim (rected by Mask Reuter oti Center Stage worlaoped the pay i JAW Wes Fes, Inhese it ye dizeced by Valerie CarsNewo, wih deamatngy Py lo March 200, BULRUSHER received it world premiere at Urban Stage Playwright’ Preview Productions in New Work (aes Tt Artie Director; Sos Keto, Manag Dizetoe Lori Aan Lasts Program Director; Santon Wond, evelopment Disecor). fe mas Lighting Desig: Surah Sonn (Coun Desig: Kaberly Ann Glennon Sound Desig JBC Duo ‘Original Songs Composed by Ea Davis ‘horeoppiy by Jeter assign Newnan Fixit Choreograpy by Denise Hard Sige Move na Llyn, Lesa Seon, Sonia ‘Assan Stage Mange: Stephen Ricken ann onder of appentace) urgusiaEn ‘Zabrya Guewrn/Donoa Duper apse, (arlote Coin occ Guieseppe Jones, scooter eter BradbaryDarl Rosen nox aber Hitze CHARACTERS SETTING Boonie, California, rma wm in he Anderson Valley of Mendacina ‘he set canbe reais, sugyesve, or combination of both Water ve _pliay and eel orange an apple are nace ores words and phe atthe tr of the lat century The Igual Baoan, wis inary deve odes taboo subjects and keep cat Siders ont. Bat Bolg ao funtioned to dacment toe hry. treat uepected vale om the atange bd iy the eet’ er ‘ing kre inveive alk Boonding glomary and promunclation guide the back teloumew, They speak with energy and ames in he hae ofACT ON {in the dark, the sound of dripping water ~ leaky facet into a toe! washtuh, Then, 0 spot on BULRUSHER, ‘entirely ue, looking sp into the shy. She swears green dress, She aks to the rive, reiting her fist memory.) [BULRUSHER. I float in a basket toward the Paci, hands blue as huckleberries. This air is too sweet, {his cold water a thin, foul milk, ‘The woman who bore me wrapped me, grave me to the green of the Navarro, named me silence. She prays this river has studied time and will never aun back her secret akin, the mark (hat suretehed into Tite Forgiveness isan insect at may one day draw my blood. Catch me, Vask the power lines, defying the fog's quiet shroud. What a motherless daughter but pure will? ‘The river hears me and tims to molasses, With a sharp bank through high shams, am born into a new language, (More drops falling quick, becoming gradually slower 4s lights darken.) MADAME. I's gonna happen, (Lights up om the back parlor of a bothel. MADAME, LOGGER, end SCHOOLCH are in the parlor MADAME ‘wears a crucifix: SCHOOLCH drinks ta, It the Forth of fu)LOGGER. Ob you're just sayin that. (MADAME, I'm gona leave here, {tell you LOGGER. Say that every summer MADAME. [ean it 0, LOGGER. What about your business? What bout alla us? MADAME. Come the Apple Show, I'll stay through the prize ing and then Ts LOGGER. Not even dance. MADAME. It don’t Iove me, End up hobbin by myself cause no one's got the beans to say they know me. You, yout sdon’c come and Schoolel dance too fancy. What's for ayin for the dance? You love the LOGGER. The music. They hire that band from Frisk to show all the Boont tunesters how it’s done, MADAME. You never even been 10 the Apple Show dance! LOGGER. I heard it's nice, MADAME. From met I’m the one told you it’s nice. But 1 can't stay out my years h Feel €, Apple Show dance or not. LOGGER, Can't smell it MADAME. We'll sk Bulrusher when she get here what the LOGGER. I want me sweet Michelle twit, MADAME, Sweet Michelle is lattened with the influenry LOGGER. Then young Elinor ‘MADAM, She don’t like you, LOGGER You don’t like me MADAME. Elinor ain't the only on. LOGGER. Well | asked for sweet Michelle. Who else you 00 Cony? MADAME. Her flag’s out. She ain't workin today LOGGER. You call yourself businesswoman? Never give ‘me what Iwant ‘cause you like to see me seramble. You. like watchin the serew tar, th her ‘ea se she do like me, MADAME, Lacky Tet you in here at all. You could have 0 ‘go all the way into Ukiah for your geechin, LOGGER. Who let MADAME, Well. I suppose I could let you burlap Reina, LOGGER. That Mexican gal, She so set in her ways. [like t0 ‘experiment, move things around some, Don't like it the same way all the time, MADAME. We make the rules around here, Do it the way we Tike or you can go to Ukiah LOGGER. I ain't got the gus. MADAME. Then take it here the way we say! And you know you only get babl girls here, Everybody sigs it and we know it's true, We are the best, because we do it our own way. You don't got no stringy hair and wrinkle socks here. IFyou want some low quality diseased mol dunes head up the pike and cool off in the oaks. But we are the softest maclges you goin to find, So i it the Spanish moss or my witeh’s bute LOGGER. I'm uyin to enjoy myself some heel seratchin, T gor money and you got girls, so 1m yin to bay me ‘why you got ro rout me each time? MADAME. So you'll appreciate what you're gettin. Reina’s up front with the rest ofthe girls let me tll her you want her LOGGER. I never ssid I wanted her MADAME, You didn’t have to. She's the quiet ane, don’t arp much at all. And Lean see you ain't in the mood for any more talkin LOGGER. That's earth. You sure sulled me, x. You're payin up front MADAME. No more credit for you. Can't have you old dchigged jackers tryin to dish me, Makes me can- icky (She exits)LOGGER, When we gon get you a gi up there Sclooleh? (SCHOOLGH is silent, bus LOGGER conceres with him any, judging his responses ithe pauses bel) LOGGER. Let go a that teacher's English, talk a litle how Wwe talk. Harp the ling, and you can take one of these women for a ride. (fuse) No? Well it's @ shame you won't cause they all love it. (pause) You seein’ the fire- works later? Nice our in the buizzchick field. Open view: (fause) You got any kids goin on to high school in ‘the fal? I thought goin on to the upper school would be real special with all the readin of books and poetry ‘get yon some right romantic material. Only finished ‘middle school myself bue my daddy was avdul proud He ain't had but a litle education so [read the Dunbat and Wheatley to him at night CHOOLEH Loks gus LOGGER, Negr poeuns.( sical) poets, Colored. Bookers who could write HOOLCH is wnconvinved.) They did. A whole bunch of em. Long poems too (As MADAME renters) MADAME. Reins in her room, LOGGER. (continuing, fo SCHOOLCH) I feel poetical all the {ime ‘cause {keep they verses in my hea, (lo MADAME) When you gonna get Schooleh in with one of your Btls He can’e be a silent seeker all his life MADAME, He won't sleep with none of them, says he's wait {ng for me. Ijus think he's scared to rol somebody he ‘aught long division to. Time to pay tp now, Lucas. ‘LOGGHER. (o MADAME; You ever heard of the colored poets they had in slavery days and right after? MADAME. t's 10 dollars. Don't try t0 shike me, LOGGER, Wait now, 10 dollars? I just got a phone line put in, so I'm watchin my budget. How intich a that do 1 get to keep? MADAME. Pardon? LOGGER. 10 dollars ain't what I pay: Now I spect some change, MADAME. [only gave you a break way back when you were goin with me, You go with her, your same money got ‘0 mouths te feed LOGGER. You always got two mouths sad both oF em always ‘wide open, MADAME. Listen booker tee, ain’t no eall for that sorta nonch harpin. You ean step right out and get your Fourth of Jee jolles rubbin up “gainst some tree LOGGER, Hold up, you love my nonch harpin. MADAME. Only when I'm working LOGGER. Then what you doin right now? MADAME. Tryin to get you to give me my 10 dolla. LOGGER. Oh girl, you ain't youna leave this town. (BULRUSHIER enters) BULRUSHER. Evenin Schoolch, Madame. Mr Jeans. LOGGER. Evenin, (to MADAME) Take your 10 then, T need me a fresh smellin girl right now, fresh as a sprig of MADAME, We don’t serve any other kind. GoccER shows down 0 ten and heads up the stars.) MADAME, Don't tell me, Schooleh, I already know, don’t let no booker tee backtalk me. I know that’s what yout gonna say. He may not be as single-minded as you, but he’s a man all the same, ain't no second class citizen, Don't tell me otherwise not on no Fourth of Jeel. What the river say today Bulrusher? BOLRUSHER. Clear through midday tomorrow, some ‘mornin fog. Then a storm tomorrow evenin, MADAME, Rain? Now? Well that does my garden no good. All he rows I planted are already dead froxn heat BULRUSHER. Your ground cover and wildflowers should take to it This kinda rain, they'll grow right over the bald patches, MADAME. That river tells you everything, don’t it. Schooleh, do you realize how much money you have lost over the last eighteen years letting this girl keep her Futurereadin skills to hersell? No excuse, just plain bad busi ness. You raised her and won't fet her pay you back And you're not even religious! You don't even go to ‘chureh! Thisis the only place you come to with any reg. ‘larity besides the schoolhouse. You come here, don't even sleep with the beautiful whores I got workin here you just come and sit and drink tea with the madame of them all. You ain't a Christian, and you ain't a good businessman, Justa waste. And the real shame is that you never get your sexual release, It ain't nothin like texedcinkin, Tell you, BULRUSHER. Supper's in the oven, Schooleh, I done ate so you go head on, Pl see yous bac at the house. 'HOOLCH looks af BULRUSHER,} BULRUSHER, I'm just gon sit out a while, keep the sunset SeHOOLEH esite) MADAME. You sill know how to tell people's Futures? TLRUSHER, I haven't for some time, MADAME, I suppose everyone in this town asked you to their bathwater by now, No fortunes let to tel, BULRUSHER. I've never read your Water MADAME. And thar's how i'l stay BULRUSHER. Yes't, (Soxnds of ovemading rom upstairs) “MADAME, Alright, ime to set yourself spinnin. BULRUSHER. Alright then, (HULRUSHIER exits and lights change, She sts, looking into the suet BOY enters. He fooks at BULRUSHER, then loks awe, She opens a book.) OW. Well we can’t justsit here and not say nothin. BULRUSHER. BOY. No you're not, you're ignorin me. a URE AEE EERE CEE EERE EE EEE REE aE EEE CREE EE EEE CEE EE EERIE CEES BULRUSHER Just ‘cause it’s the Fourth of July don’t mean we gotta talk. (Hes quiet for a moment, then flare.) BOY. I'm done with women! They don't tell you what they mean! Hide the truth of they feelins, sweeten it up ‘with rosewater perfume, then just outta nowhere, plop. Splat. You are thrown over and no land for miles, BULRUSHER. You didn’t care about her no way, BOY. What do you know? BULRUSHIER, She Knew things weren't goin nowhere with youand toak the words outta your mouth, BOY. You know who I'm talkin about? BULRUSHER. You was goin with the MeGimsey git, BOY. She said somethin bout me to you? BULRUSHIER You know nobody talk to me. BOY. You did some a your fortune tellin on me, that’s how you know? LULRUSHER, I ain't never touched your water I just used BOY. Ain't got no one to go to the fireworks with tonight. ‘Out here takin to you instead, BULRUSHER. I told you, we ain't gotta talk, (pause) You aint never talked to me before ROY, No one talk to you ‘cause all you got is hard truth for people. If you was nice and not cocked darley all the time you might have you a pal BULRUSHER. Don't nced no pal. Got the river BOY. Well [like bein stuck on someone, I don't care how Unnatural you are BULRUSHER, Let’s make this ou first and last conver: (80¥ Looks at her and smiles} Box: You're gonna be my new girliriend. (Me exits. Precors [BULRUSHER slams the book closed and talks to the‘BULRUSHER. They want to know who Iam. don’t I want e swing, swing ‘over the serub pine, the hens. "They want me to fend them my eyes, won't {want to snake Tike ice grass, thick a a foture I can't see But at five, I knew itll Tread itin their bathwater; 1 met them in front of the general store. want to swing, swing ‘over the serub pine, the poppies: be a meteor, a perfume, love the fly on my tongue: (Neat morning. SCHOOLEH's howe.) [BULRUSHER. I packed a lemon for you to bring over to Madame, for te. 1’ in your Iunch basket. (SCHOOLGH is silent) SULRUSHER, Heard che Gschwends say Darlin ain't gonna ‘make it w the library to help you today: Te almost lost ‘a thumb launechin rockets in the Feld lastnight. (SGHOOLCH is silent) BULRUSHIER. Have a good day now. (SCHOOLEH picks up his books arc base, exits ‘BULRUSHER plays with his water las, Is about to put fer fingers into ithe tse the eater ou the wind, ‘She's ou onto the poh BOY is stumbling down the road, hung ove trying to -eap the sun out of his face. He gets (oer rch and sks onto i to rest. He doesn't acknovledge her as she looks at him spell. Then she swaks tothe pump and pumps sme cater ite a ol. She ets iy him om the step BOY splashes water onto his face, drinks some, then plays it slapping it lke a baby. BUERUSHER sits on der chasr) ‘Boy. Where'd you get that moshe? [BUERUSHER I ain't takin 10 you ‘BOW-Your truck. Where'd you get it, Where'd you get it BULRUSHIER. While back I got it. BOY. vant me a truck, Always hitchin ardle to see my ma Jn Mendocino — vant me a truck a my ov, BULRUSHTER. Yea, well, BOY. You got one. I can do a8 good as you, oF better: Get ‘me a new one. Goddamn I need a cigarette. You got a cigarette? DBULRUSHER You want a cigarette? ‘BOY. Yeah, -RULRUSHER. They're inside the house. BOY. Wait I forgot You my new girlfriend. I gotta be nice. 1 pretty please pretty fice need a prety cigarette, Please [BULRUSHER I'm getting em anyway. !'m headed into Clo- verdale, pick up my oranges. (She goes in, but pecs out at im through the ina) OY. (sings) Thorn, spine and thistle Bramble, pennywhiste Poisoned flowers on a vine Sticky coekleburrs and pine Sap that’s sweet but never kind Suck like so much grisle (calls to her} made that one up. What kinda perfume your se? BULRUSHER. (of) T don’t BOY. There's a smell I smell when come near y (She comes back onto porch. She has no cigarettes.) DBULRUSHER. Orange rind. ROY.No, sweeter. BULRUSHER. Algae. OY. Come on now, say something prety. DULRUSHER. Fresh ou6 BULRUSHER BOY, No pretty words and no cigs? Well. Just looking at your stuokes me. [BULRUSHER Be seein ya BOY. Every Monday you head into Cloverdale, Pick up your oranges, sell emi to the town. You must make you a lot ‘of money. What you do with it? SBULRUSHER, Well Iain’t givin none 10 you. PIL be gettin on the road. ov. The pike! BULRUSHER. Road. BOY. Pike You harp the ling, maybe people would like yor. BULRUSHER They buy my oranges, That's enough. BOY. Schoolch won't let you talk the way we all talk, huh BULRUSHIER. Don't need to. 10. You can’t find out anything bout anyone in this town if you don't harp the ling. Like lastnight. fonnd out why that MeGimsey git went mossy on me ~ she's been bilchin Tom Soo, and his ma is Chinese! That ain't so bad, but Tom Soo? ‘Tor Soo from Phil She ain't bad a taste for any tarp but boarch, so Pm glad she got ink sandy with me. Can't have no applehead ruinin my tack record, sunderin my reputation, I'm a standin man, BULRUSHER T reckon, BOY. I ain't afraid a talkin to you. Hey, [just splashed in this bow a water, BULRUSHER Yeah, BOY. Means my fortune’s in it You could stick your fingers in there and tell what’ gon happen to me. What's my life gonna fect like? What's it gonna feel like when T touch you? (He reaches for her arm. She ets him touch ha then pulls away.) DBULRUSHER Tonly ell the weather now. Ain't ead nobody's batbwater in years. After the May Bloyd incident. Box: It was you brought that on May Bloyd? ‘BULRUSHER. just old ber it was coming, ee BULRUSHER ” OY. And you never read nobody since, BULRUSHER. Sometimes I get a litle taste by accident. Like in the general store and one of the twins hand me a coke got beads of water on the bottle, OY. Condensation is the proper name, -BULRUSHER. Gon-des-cen-sion, I'll try to remember that. BOY. So you're smart too, [BULRUSHER. Don'¢ ty 10 school the schoolteacher’ girl, BOY. You're 40 smart, you oughta tell fortunes again, Get ‘you booth at the Apple Show. BULRUSHER.I said I uin't done iti years BOY. So you can't do itanymore, BULRUSHER. I'm at the peak of my perception! I ean eal, rain a whole week off from it coming down. I'm the best [ever been, BOY. And keepin it allo yourself, People come from all over the county for the Apple Show: You could make ‘name with folks you never even met. You need you a manager, to publicize all your vennures. You could really make a killing. BULRUSHIER, For what? BOY. I don’t know. Why you think you got that power in the first place? (BULRUSHER stars 1 go.) BOY. Look, you could just well my fortune then, BULRUSHER. I ain't puttin my fingers in there. Or your bathwater BOY, What about spit? That's water, right If you just kiss re you'll Know everything there iste know. [BULRUSHER. One of your friends put you up to this? You! ‘messin with me just "cause everyone thinks you're ‘cute? Just “cause you can? ‘box. Tiger lily, manzanita, you're my gisftiend. (sings) Ob. amy git — [BULRUSHER IFT'm your gialfriend, prove it. Give me some- thing18 buLRUSHER BOY. L ain't got much to offer a girl except my sensuality ‘We could take a walk through Fem Canyon, wateh the salmon run [BULRUSHER It's summertime, ain't no salmon running the Bo. There's always trout, Steelhead trout BULRUSHIER, Take me somewhere where there's people and ppat your arm around me. Take me to the Anyhow. BOY. The Anyhow Saloon? I just came from there, -BULRUSHER. And I'm leavin here, (BULRUSHEER opens th door to her ruck and slams it) oY, Bulrusher, be my fortune, (OY dumps the tout of water on hie head.) (sings) Ol my gitl, with the catal curls, be mine, be mine, all mine, (Rein. BULRUSHER’s truck is now fled with oranges She ses a gel walking.) BULRUSHER Hey, VERA. Hey, BULRUSHER You want ali ‘VERA. "Preciate it (VERA gets nto the truck with her suitcase, exhousted dnd soaking wet. She has courted her head in newspaper When thy serach ater’ faces, they are instantly struck ‘ut ty t0 maintain thereat.) DBULRUSHTER. You walked all the way from Cloverdale in this storm? ‘VERA. I didn't know what ehe to-do. Gone so long without slecp can't tefl night from da, rain from dry. I come all dhe way from Alabama op a Jim Crow train. ULRUSHER Is that a new model? VERA. Afraid not, You never heard a Jim Crow? BULRUSHEER Separately, but not together, Where you going to? VERA, (removes neospaper) Some tiny town where my uncle BULRUSHER 1s BULRUSHER. Got his name? I know everybody sound here ‘VERA, Don’t care what name be answer to long as he give me a place to lay my head. Conductor wouldn't give ‘me a berth for nothing. Southern route BULRUSHER. Why not ‘VERA Ifyou don’t know the answer to that I am pleased to [BULRUSHER. We'll find him. Where in Alabaua you frora? ‘VERA Binmingham, The Magie City, BULRUSHIER. Whav's there? ‘VERA. Church. Iron ore, And a Vulean that forges every thing with fire [BULRUSHER, You like it there? ‘VERA, Can’t stand icand Fean’t stand rain, Guess Pim outta Tuck, BULRUSHER ICI stop tomorrow moming. VERA, Hope so, I gotta find me some work in a jf. (real izes) How do you know the rain'll stop? [BULRUSHER. The Fiver told me. ‘VERA. Huh, (kes this én) My name's Vera Bhs BULRUSHER. Bulroshes, VERA. What's your family name, BULRUSHER. Ain't got family ‘VERA, Dead? ULRUSHER. Don’t know. Was born somewhere far from ‘where I live, And my mother tried to drown me when I got bor, but I guess I wasnt ready to go. ‘VERA She changed her mind? [BULRUSHTER. No, She sent me down the Navarro River bue someone found me in the weeds, The bulrushes VERA. Like Moses, [BULRUSHTER, No, Like me. ‘VERA, You can have my mother iFyou want = she's too con- ‘ered with being a model Negro citizen to drowa anyone. (yawns) Forgive me, {can barely keep my eyes ‘open. You in school?20 BULRUSHER [BULRUSHER, Nave But [ike books. Got leame at home, ‘VERA, What are all these oranges for? BULRUSHER.Sellin, ‘VERA, So there’s a street got colored merchants here? “Cause Tam hovlin hungry. Ain't had a thing to eat since Texas, Would love a plate of fied fish and bis cuits, cornbread and greens, ooh. (leks into sidviow ‘miror) Look at my hair, oh Lora! can't meet no one like this. Wrong as a wet cat. Why didn't you tell me? BULRUSHIER. You look besutifal to me ‘VERA. Realy BULRUSHER Yeah. (Siler) \VERA. What kind of beauty shops in your town? BULRUSHER Marie does hr. ‘VERA. Our kind of hit? BULRUSHER. No. I do my own, VERA, Looks ~ nice. But ain't no colored women to do it for you? BULRUSHER I'm the only one. ‘VERA (picking) What? My uncle lve in a alloyhite town? [RULRUSHER, He look like you? ERA. [don’t know. [just know he's colored, BULRUSHER, A logger lives downriver from the general store, maybe he’s the one yon mean, ‘VERA. He's the only Negro besides you? BULRUSHIER. Yea, What's wrong? (VERA is silent) Well how ‘bout some Indians? We just passed the reservation. (VERA is silent.) IPyou hungry, got an orange — rn. (sudden) Let me out BULRUSHER. We're almost to Boonille, VERA. Please. BULRUSHER. You gotta find your unee. ‘VARA, Let me out BULRUSHER You can’t walk buck, uLRUsHER a VERA. Dor’ tell me what Iean’t do. BULRUSHER. Ler's atleast ger you fel and dey, VERA I can take care of myself — BULRUSHER, I can ride you back to the train station in the morning when the rain clears, Just get some rest tonight. (VERA is silent. She leans her haa back om the st and clases her eyes. They ride.) BULRUSHER, Alabama, huh So isthe dirt realy red there? VERA Yeah, (Silence, ) BULRUSHER. That must be confusing to all the honeybees, You got bees right? ‘VERA. Min hi. (Silence) BULRUSHER. 'Gause you know they like red, Huh. Red din. You come from a place where the dirt looks lke flowers? (No response from VERA, BULRUSHIER turns to lo at Fier — VERA is asleep. RULRUSHER talks f0 the riven, rapt. The storm rages.) BULRUSHER. Newspaper over her head with the ink just about run off, In this dark light, Fsee hes, and build pedestal, of water, She is the one, the only one, nothing is caught Dbetween us but my ehroat. [Lane to say this is adream but itis wue Do I know her? Is she the wer sight of home? (The brothel. MADAME, LOGGER, SCHOOLCH.} tLOGGER. (to MADAME) TN get Tuttle's tree up for you, but not tonight. I's a roger out there and I'm gittin back. to my mink. This Michelle gives me the Fiddlers! (calls ‘yp the stars) Michelle, I'm comin to pt in ox you! Yes, Vm ready for my ricky chow’ (LOGGER leads up the stairs.) MADAME, His tee just fell on my property. And Tittle as the nerve to Say i is my responsibility to lif that log up. Isn'timy tree, i's his tree — and T try my best to be patient ~ but the las ime one of his tees fell in my yard, he left layin there For three whole months! I Iuad to plant my flower garden atouind it. What sort of look is that? I ary to build a lite ivlization here, [try But people don't have the work ethic Ido, they don't understand that adherin to standards of behavior and so forth is fortfyin to the morals. And T got morals, Keep the whole of my brothel with its eye on disc pline. Ifyou don't have that, you don’t have nothing divine in your life. Ifyou can’t get up regular as the suum each day, no matter what sore of cloud is cloudin ya, you ain’ Cit to meet God. And I'm a meet him. God will be my final savior and I will be comforted, and it ‘won't be because I chose to give my body over to the ‘menfolk, it won't be because I'm a businesswoman ike Mary Magdalene ~ and Jesus loved het ~ but because Tam disciplined and godlike in my approach to all things. [have nothing if not that foundation to stand "upon. And so I will be revealed. And still you judge me. What can I do to make you nappy, Schoolch? How is it I ean do right by God but never can do right by you? ¥ gotta find a way to sell this place and Teave this town for good. I have t0 see my mother's grave again, I gotta smell the grass growin there (She gors to the wind.) Bulrush here with somebody. Ooh, but itis peaclin out there, (SCHOOLGH Looks as ihe is getting ready to say some ‘hing, VERA cd BULRUSHER enter) DBULRUSHER. Evenin Schooleh, Madame, MADAME. Evenin, Who's this now? [BULRUSHER.This Vera. She's looklng fora relative of hers. MADAME. Ts ita ran relative? BULRUSHTER, Uh huh, MADAME. He ain't here, [BULRUSHER. What about the logger Mr Jeans? IE he ain't the man, le might know him. MADAME. (to VERA) Where you from? ‘VERA. Well, it's a lite browner d MADAME. Is it here VERA. I'm from Alabam, We lost che war MADAME. We try to forget about that stufT round here ‘You'll gee used to it (Sounds of LOGGER and Michelle's lovemaking) MADAME, Well you can’t stay here, No offense dartin, but don't take in no stays HER. Schooleh, you go on home and eat Ill make sure she's gota place to stay for the night. ‘VERA. Tes alright BULRUSHER. IF we can't find the logger you can have my bed. {SCHOOLCH looks af BULRUSHER,) RULRUSHER. I's my room. If she hasn't gata place to say, Tm giving her my room. {seHOOLCH forks.) BULRUSHER. I'm eighteen now Schooleh, I got majority SCHOOLCH exits) MADAME, Oo, he’s upset. Well, et me call out to the log iger’s house then, It i late, ou know. He most likely ‘vpRs. You don’t have to call him. 1 fine him on my ov.MADAME. It’s raining child. The phone is drier and has a litle less pride. (VERA goes out and sit om the porch.) BULRUSHER (calling fo her) Sit under the awning so you ‘don't get wet MADAME. (to hes I'l be. Another piece of cut cabbage in this town. (to BULRUSHER) Tell her to stand on the side, Don’t want her affliated with my business. (MADAME picks up the phone, pretonds t0 dial, hard.) [BULRUSHER, You got any fried fish or biscuits, combread ‘or greens? MADAstE, There's a plate a biscuits in the kitchen, None a that other stufl. What's it for? You ean't eat my food for free now. [BULRUSHER. I's for Vera. I'l get it (MADAME. The butter and preserves are in crocks by the icebox. But don’t mess up the place now, and don't get any crumbs on che counter! (Sounds of coramie bumping around.) MADAME, Don't doll around in there T said! Slice « bam ia ‘he box if your want it— but put the lid back on the com tainer, don't lec ic go bad. (prteaing to “oud” her phone cal) Well Tjust rang the logger and he ain't home. Yor all might want to hit that hotel, (BULRUSHEER comes back outwith a plate jor VERA.) [BULRUSHER. (calling o VERA) I got some biseuits and hamn for you Vera if your want to step in and have it at the table. MADAME. No, you better wrap that gorm up and walk down, {0 the hotel now; i's getting on into the night, wanna make sure she can get a room without any fuss. I's really not good for my business havin you two rowed here on a rainy night like this. BULRUSHER. Vera, don't bother bout comin inside, I'm. headed out there a AUERUSHER 2B ‘MADAME. That's right, use that common sense (LOGGER enters fom a room upstairs, He wears ony sooman Chingse silt robe, BULRUSHER sos hime and stops.) LOGGER, Heard some talk about biscuits — -MADAME. Oh limpin Jesus — LOGGER. — and had to get right up out ofthat bed and see ‘what you was hiding from me. You know geechin gets ime seottied. Better give me some of those Mlories s0 1 can go another round with Michelle — MADAME. just called you. LOGGER, No you didn't, I didn’t hear you say my name, Did you holler up to me, say, Lucas, come on down, T need you? BOLRUSHER, She called you on the phone. Called your house. LOGGER. (proud) Yeah, I just got me a telephone. (1 ‘MADAME Bur you knew I was here [BULRUSIIER, She did, buh? ‘LOGGER. Yeah, What you want me For? (taker a bse from -HOLRUSHER) Think I'l have this biscuit right here ULRUSHER. I got a person for you to meet. Veral Come: inside and meet a Neyro, LOGGER. T always say colored. That other one’s to0 easy 10 ‘mispronounce. (VERA comes inside) [MULRUSHER. This Vera. MADAME. She just came t© town. I'didn’t want to disturts you. ‘VERA Your name is Lucas? LOGGER. Yes ma'am, Lucas Jeans. ‘VERA. Tm Tna’s danghter Vera LOGGER, You Vera? (eeuberand) Oh my goodness. Let me get ‘my pants om, I didn’t know you were coming here. Just let me splash alittle water om and cleanse myself—26 AULRUSHER (He runs wpsais. VER, BULRUSHER, and MADAME Stand in silence as he funbles aroused, noisily picking ‘wp his clothes, He runs down the stars, till desing, sand hugs VERA.) ‘LOGGER. You look like Ina round the eyes, but you shaped different. ain't seen your mother since we was kids She here with you? ‘VERA. No, I'm by myst LOGGER, How is she? ‘VERA. She's doin her best. LOGGER. And did your daddy keep his job asa porter on the railroad? VERA. He's atthe steel mill now, LOGGER. Well, ou can only go so long bowing and serap- ing for people before it breaks your manhood, that's _just how its. wish Yd a known you were comin, ‘VERA. Didn't my mother send you a telegram? LOGGER. Hub, Reckon she sent it tothe sawmill. I's closed ‘now, logging days are done, I just do odd jobs now, pickin apples and hops, herdin sheep and trainin horses. But Lord you jus in, you don’t need to hear all this, Let's get you some food and into a warm bed. ‘VERA. Thank you. LOGGER. You already grown, land's end, Why don't Idrive ‘you back over to my region, Make a pallet for myself and you can have the ticking and bosspring, alright? ‘You got your things, suitease somewhere? ‘Vm In Bulrusher’s track, ‘LOGGER. You got Vera from the station? [BULRUSHER Sav her walking the road and gave her a kit. LOGGER. My goodness, but that was Christian, I won't fouget that, gil. Thank you for your trouble. BULRUSHER. Alright. ((0 VERA) Here's the food i€ you stil LOGGER. (fo MADAME) Let me give you toobs for it BULRUSHER. No, I got it to MADAME) Here's a quarter nuLRUsHER 2 MADAME. Let Lucas pay. He owes ane a belhoon for leavin carly anyway. ‘LOGGER. You always trying to roaje me, [MADAME You woulda spenrat least that much on horn and chiggle ifn you kept your normal hours. LOGGER. You ain't gor one straw of Kindness in that heart ‘oF hay do ya? [just want a tidrey of love, Just tidrey. (Fle throws a dolter om the pool table ana leaves with ‘VERA. BULRUSHTER walks ont wih thm.) LOGGER. Vera, that woman ain't representative. Got alot of honest wo handed folks around here, they'l be happy to meetcha, Thanks again Bulrusher. You done a baht thing, (¥o VERA) You know I was the one told Bulrusher she was colored. She was five and didn’t even know. My moshe is over here, Il jape you home, ‘PRA. don’t know what that means. LOGGER. You don’t have (0, Just another part of the scenery, (fe takes her bag ta his cae.) BUERUSHER. I you need anything: VERA. How hout an orange. (BUERUSHER throws herons.) BULRUSHER. You gonna say? (VERA tnavesgolye. BULRUSHER sande and ratches der ga in the rain. Suddenly she ealices how wet she is ‘and smiles, Heads inside.) MADAME. Don't track mud in here, you're all wet BULRUSHER You lied on the night of the only rain of the ‘summer. The logger was here all the time. MADAME. I¢'sa habit Bulrusher, Think F would jenay on a ‘eastomer tha’s gota woman asking for him? Woulda lost this madge house long ago if was that wish, If ‘you going to be a businesswoman ~ and I see you are enterprising with them oranges ~ you gotta be wise ‘Think on both sides of your head. Don't be afraid of anything anyone can ever say 0 you.BULRUSHER. You woulda had us aver to the hotel wast- ing good money on a room when he was here all the time. MADAME. | woulda told hin soon as you were ont the door He'd a come and found you ~ and did't he? Find you? Don't judge me for what never happened. BULRUSHER. | don’t like to argue with Schooleh MADAME. When has he ever syed mad with you? He can see winat’s goin on, BULRUSHIER. What, MADAME. You ain't never had a ~a friend, You ain't never had somebody you can see yourself in, DBULRUSHER. I ain't like other folks, don't need no friends, 1 was born (0 read. Born to read water. MADAME, Go see Schoolch before he goes to sleep. He'll steam you but you ean take it BULRUSHER. I need a beer Bist. (BULRUSHER exis) MADAME. You left crumbs on my pool table. (BULRUSHER enters SCHOOLCH' house. She sty. Moves around the itchen, soaking seme beans. Dis- ‘raced, she hnocks over abot ad it nea, SCHOOUGH ‘comes dawn the stair.) SCHOOLCH, You'll replace that with your orange money. -BULRUSHER Yessir SCHOOLCH. Careless. But you eighteen! Got your majority! ‘Telling me how old you are, I know how old you ate. You are alive because of me. BULRUSHTER Yes sit, ‘SCHOOLGH. You broke that on purpose to make your point? [BULRUSHER. No sir. SGHOOLGH, Well you must want an ear settin after all the Dacktalk you gave me tonight. In front of a stranger at chat. BULRUSHER, No siz SCHOOLCH. Then what's all this somersettin for? I never ‘expected to see you acting like this. [RULRUSHER. Yessir SCHOOLCH. Like all the other children when their comb's sittin red. T thought I tained you so you'd never jump trick on me. ‘BULRUSHER. I've been good. I done everything you said. 1 stopped readin water and tellin fortunes, i all my lessons here at home so I wouldn't be ‘taminated by the children at the school. I don’t harp the ling with anybody and T save up all my money steada spendin it in Cloverdale or Fort Bragg. AILT do is show my ‘preciation, SCHOOLCH. More backtalk? My house, my rules, Break ‘them, and you can leave here, But you wont. How many times do T have to ell you? When you were & baby, when you were just afew days old, your mama ‘sent you down the river, sent you floating down to the brine. Wanted nothing to do with you. But you got yourself caught in some weeds and the Negro Jeans found you, brought you to the brothel tied up in his ‘suede duster. Put you on the pool table and there you ‘were, kicking up the smoky air You did't blink or cry under that hanging lamp, you just lay there kicking for your life, Madame, she ain't the kind to take pity ‘wasn't going to risk her business taking you in, But ‘even IF she said she wanted you, she would have had to fight me. I saw yon and I felt like you had answered a question. Your eyes, the clay color of your legs, the ‘curly hair on your head ~ you seemed lke family, lke mine, That if Thad you, Md be alright. And if you had ‘me, you'd be alright. I knew I could protect you, I knew that you weren't supposed to be alive, dat yout ‘weren't supposed to belong co me at all and that's why Tnceded you, That's why you fit So there's no separate ing us Bulrusher, we are just ike our names, bound (© ‘what we do and whar’s been done to us. Our names are our fates and one proper place, Don't forget that, (Pause)BULRUSHER. Gotta clean this up, (SCHOOLGH starts up the stairs.) BULRUSHER. Schooteh, I was Chuistened at the ehurch, ight? (SCHHOOLEH sap) [BULRUSHER, Did the reverend give mea name when he tapped me with the water? I got a Christian name, don't (Pase.} SCHOOLCH. Once we had another name for you, but I forget it now. You're Bulrusher to me. (Next morning. LOGGER’s house. He is toning a fre in the wood burning stove. le puts afew pieces of nad (and a fot of water over the flames. VERA comes io the Iitchen in a nightgown. 1's too large; she has to pick up the hem t0 walk. The hem is splatoed with a tle suet) LOGGER. You look like you sill sleep, (VERA fieuns, spine ‘ng,) “re sleep comes down to soothe the weary eyes.” ‘That's Dunbar. You lke the morning? (VERA mumbles.) ‘Your mother would stay in bed all day ifshe wasn't col fred. I can't imagine what she look like now, grown ‘and running 2 house. See I was always the one up and ‘getting breakfast on. She liked to sitin the bed and play ‘with the strings from her blanket, taka litle bout her dreams from the night before, Stare ou the window like a princess waiting for some magic, My sister. VERA ICs cold, LOGGER. Yeah, mornings are cool here then it heats up by ‘midday —lot diferent than Birmingham. I tend to side in the mornings, but I thought I'd stay in today, hear your news. (a ingf pause, then) I hope you brought a ‘comb with you, Ive tried not to say anything since we're _just meeting but your hair looks like the burning bush, ‘VERA. Well if nobody does hair around here I don’t know ‘what I'm a do, LOGGER. You don't do your own hale? VERA. Mother alozys does it LOGGER. (looking at her) And it’s thick too. Hub. [ain't got ‘3 pressing comb but Tean plait it for you. ‘VERA. That's alright, Pijust get some rollers and smooth it down that way. LOGGER. But you can’t go in the store ta buy rollers look- ing Tike chat ‘VERA.T'I| wear a scarf, LOGGER. Didn't Ina tell you always wear clean panties ease you have an accident and have to get operated on in the hospital? VERA. Yes LOGGER, Well why weld you walk out the house with clean [panties and a nappy head? That defies all reson, makes ‘my mouth hurt to say it, T'm gonna plait your hair up before you even think about goin outside. Sit down here, And bring the comb and geease from the dresser. (He sts om a chair and opens his logs. VERA stands Hock still) LOGGER. Come on. I don’t care if you tenderheaded, i's ‘gotta be done, ‘VERA. You gon braid my hair? You a man. You ain’t sposed to da that. LOGGER, Used to do Toa’s every Sacurday night, with clean ‘equate parts. What am I doing explaining myself to you! Just set down. ‘VERA. You gon be careful? LOGGER. No. VERA. T' just wear a scarf LOGGER. What did I just say to you? Now set! (VERA ges comb and grease} LOGGER, Questioning your elders, mmph. I don’t know ‘how Ina raised you but no sellin wolf tickets round here. Yous got you a job and your own place to stay, then ‘ve can put our conversation on an even plank. (HRA i ait down.)2 BULRUSHER ‘posix. {ain't ein you again {NERA sis ese his eg He dagins to comb and pot VERA iz) Loon. I'm gonna da itso you don't need no rollers. IF you wet ita let i dry ike this, when you take it out you'll have all the pineusls you necd. (Ue ges to work on too french braids, Silence) ‘VERA I do want to find me ajob while Pm here, LoccER Well, what can you do? VERA ‘Type. File, Take rinutes LOGGER, Nobody need none ofthat agernal ptish suf round here. We'll find you something you cam put your back nto. (He combs She os out the window.) ‘RA. That Bulrisher girl sid it would clear up this room ing. LOGGER She's always right abou the weather: You oughta ‘ay her a vst today, thank her for her Kindness. ‘YEA, I she realy the only Negro this way? T con't want to ‘work for white people LOGGER, Used to be more of us here during boom time, ‘but once the sawmills closed, everybody went south Onkland, Fresno, Los Angeles. vam, Butyou stayed LOGGER. Keep your head stil. ‘ERA You like fvng wit all these ofiys? LOGGER. It’s alright. Indians are the colored folk here, whats left of em. They got it bad, Al their land got Took, they aint allowed to go to sehoo!, and some of em can remember when they as legal saves So don’t 0 fin and sayin you're part Cherokee ‘Yun. White fork just don’t have no morals. And easy ‘women too. Never thought Fd see a town a crackers lea buck ino thei bordello, (cic yas her han to the side, She yells) punausten ss LOGGER, 1 know we're just getting to know each other, but have to ask, Why you here, Vera? VERA Mother sent me. LOGGER. By yourself In the middle ofthe summer, ‘VERA, She needed to get me olf her hands for a while. LOGGER, Lean forward. You done with school? VERA. Graduated Parker High. I'm going t college. LOGGRR (ected) That's allright! (hugs her head) Oh Vera, Tm proud. Prouel of ya ‘VERA, ust need a job so I ean save up, LOGGER, College! Pretty soon you'll be a teacher yourself, muh, VERA (with ral pe) Maybe. LOGGER, Don't sell yourself short, now, you ean do any: ‘thing you put your mind to, ‘VERA Mother alvays talks so fondly of you, Said you cut down fifty foot trees all by yourself. That white men look up to you in California, ‘LOGGER. Hove is Birmingham doin these days? ‘VERA, They only bomb our houses every ater Sunday LOGGER. Yeas, Ike these ofays a fot better than those Listen Vera, you are family and you are welcome (0 stay, We'll find you a job, that’s earth. VERA. won't be no trouble. ‘LOGGER, Love braidin hair. ((BULRUSHER tals to the rive) [BULRUSHER. She has tiny burns on her arm and on her ear and on her forehead neat her hairline. Thin feathery Scars, with crosshatching that looks like the teeth of a ‘con, All hot and fried and ironed ~ her smelt begins ‘wih that ~ her bax her clothes ~all of her seems to have been cooked with com oil and astrip of metal. Isic the smell of Birmingham, the stel pressing against her, ‘burning her skin? Ts thar where hier scars are from? want to dream of her, {SCHOOLEH porch, BULRUSHER is claming her shat. ur, VERA ents.)ere eee Eee teeta s muLeusHeR BULRUSHER. Hey ‘VERA. Hey. It stopped raining, BULRUSHER Yeah. You sleep good? ‘VERA, No, After the rain i was (oo quiet. Silence in my ears all night. BULRUSHER You don't ike it? VERA I just never heard darkness before. Is it too early to visit BULRUSHER, No, [been up, out in the woods, catching some dinnes ‘vera, You used that gun? [BULRUSHER, Min i. Want to see what I shot? VERA. That’ alright BULRUSHER Sure? [ain't cleaned her yet ~ VERA, I’ alright, Thanks again for helping me lastnight. ‘Hope I didn’t get you in trouble. BULRUSHER Well, Schooleh never speaks to me otherwise ‘80 I think of i as a special occasion. ‘VERA. I don’t want to step on anybody's toes. Especially when I got to find a job. BULRUSHIER I never even seen anyone like you. VERA We look just the same. BUERUSHER, No we don't. You're pretty, like the kind you feel inside of yourself when you go to the movies and think you're init ‘via, Yeah? You never seen another colored git before? [BUERUSHER, No. I had to drink some beer just to get over you. VERA. Beer? But that's only for men! You'l grow hairs on your tongue you keep that up, BULRUSHER. I been doin it since I was twelve! Are there hairs? (BULRUSHER oes her mouth.) ‘VERA. Let me see your open wider: (She las} Looks clean, ‘but your tongue is eal long, You have to be careful SULRUSHER s [BULRUSHER. But I don’t ike whiskey. What else am I gonna drink atthe Anyhow? VERA. The Anyhow? BULRUSHER. Saloon, ‘VERA. They let you drink at a saloon? [BULRUSHER Something wrong with thar? VERA. And you walk right in the front door? [BULRUSHER. Ain't no other door. ‘VERA, I used the front door once at Pity, Department store. We supposed to use the back entrance, in the alleyway, by the trash ~ but I strode right in dhe front. _RULRUSHER. Why are you supposed to use the back ‘VERA. I went to buy some doughnuts and they came to throw me out. Back door, they said. My pocket got caught on the door handle when they were pushing ‘me, and the whole front panel of my dress just came off. Came off right in this eracker's hand, And he got 0 red when he saw my stockings, he just walked off real fast, The bus wouldn’t pick me up, Had to walk all the way home holding myself with newspaper. (BULRUSHER Joke af her) ‘And it's the dark that seares me, buh? [BULRUSHER. You gonna stay? ‘VERA IF you'l be my friend. BULRUSIIER.['l ake care of you, whatever you need. ‘VERA. (amiss) So what do y'all do around here? For fin? BULRUSHIER. Drink, The Apple Show is coming up though. ‘Big dance for that ‘vara. Applesauce, buh, (BOY enters.) ‘Boy. Whos, seein dubs. Whose sneeble are you? (RULRUSHIER aims er gun at BOY'S cic.) VERA. Bulrusher! [RULRUSHER. Show her some manners.6 aULRUSHER ROY. That thing ain’t even loaded, you just cleaned it. BULRUSHER, She ain't nobody's sneeble. Introduce your. self proper, (Se pokes him with the gu.) ox, Pleased to make your acquaintance. ‘vena. I'm Vera, pleased to meet you. BULRUSHER. Sey yourname, oY. Damn Bolrusher, cake that highgun off me! BULRUSHIER Say it. Bo. I'm Wilkerson, enchanté DBULRUSHER Your whole name. OY, Sirecbs Wilkerson — BULRUSHER Stzeebs, which means strawberries ~ OY. Don't tell her dhat— BULRUSHER, ~ ‘count of the red birthmark he got on his alls ‘BOY. You supposed to be my grltiend, don’t go spreading Ties. (fo VERA) She ain't even seen my privates. [BULRUSHER. Don't need 10, a8 muuch as you talk about em ‘He says I'm his girlfriend but he didn’t even tlk to me last night atthe Anyhow. oy, We're in the early phases of love, You all kin? ‘BULRUSHER, VERA. ‘She kin to MrJeans, Tim kin to Mr Jeans VERA, From Birinngham. HOY. My great grandad died over you, tryin to keep the ‘Union together, ‘VERA. You chink us colored folk are worth if? ov. What? ‘VERA. Death. BOY. Haven't realy sized up the race as whole, BULRUSHER. Yeah, We are, BOY-You ain't colored, you a bulrusher and a fortune teller, ‘And you my giriftiend. nurRusHER. ” DBULRUSIUER. Just "cause you say something don't make it ‘ruc. Get off my porch “fore Toad up this gun and ow. Aw, manzanita ~ BULRUSHER. OFF Ox. Ill stack your oranges For you nice and tight. ‘BULRUSHER, What did I say BOY. Don’t be sa teet lipped. Leavin me all dove cooey. L _juse wanna see your golden eagles, (BULRUSHTER chascs him of Ashe eis, he yl) You can't get id of me, doolsey boo, no nol I'm gonna sgeech you! ‘VERA Whar's a sneeble? BULRUSHER. Like a snowball. I's the funny way t0 say Negro, ‘yeRA. And you'd point a gun ata white man for diag BULRUSTIER. He’s a boy, [won't ave him treat you wrong. ‘Vira. Fred ~ my boyfriend at home ~ he'd never do what ‘you just did. He Fears the Lord! God, He did steal me a pickle dipped in Kool-Aid powder from the store once, but that’s about it. Seebles, Why's everyone talk so funny here? BULRUSHER. They're harpin the Ting. Folks made it up a ‘while ago to tell jokes and secrets, o make everyehing they talk about Something they own. Ican harp i but don't. Made up my own way to talk instead, a way to talk co the river I tell stories, make poetry, like I'm ‘writing my own book. I tell chings over and oser so T ‘can understand em. Hey, you really want a job? VERA. Yeah, Need one bad. [BULRUSHER. I'm thinking of expanding my business. Sum ‘mertime and all, oranges alfays do good, but | thought might sell some lemons. (VERA Laughs) BULRUSHER. What? If lemons don't please you, we could try pineapples. Or bananas,38 BULRUSHER, ‘VERA. You want my help? BULRUSHER Sure. We could split our yield clear down the ‘middle ‘VERA You suze? AIL done is office work. BULRUSHER I'l teach you what you need to know, Haw to choose the ripe ones, how much to charge on the road ‘versus my regulars buy crates. You're smazt enough; yous won't have to pay me no mind after the fst day VERA. (loughing) Applesauce end lemonade. And T thought California didiv’t have nothing else in it but movie stars and palm trees. -RULRUSHER You don’t want to work with me? ‘VERA. OF course I do, Los just kidding you. It's how I say ‘than, [BULRUSHER I got a twang in my stomach when you walked ‘up today Then it spread all over. Sull feels like there's ‘turpentine under my skin, You did all hat to me, Wait ‘ll Tel the river, VERA. You something else (The rhe porch. A month and a half latee LOGGER sings. BOY accompanies him. on his gua) LOGGER. (sigs) Oh she caned me with her took ‘She slayed me with her eye But Thad her sweet jerk once And for it would die ‘And for ic would die ‘And for it would die She tumed me lke a horse She reined my wildness in| ‘Bt every time she pats my rump Oh Lord I ant to sin Ob Lord Ivan to in ‘Oh Lord Iysants to sin OY. Thar's an old song from the mill ain't it. Pa sang i aif. ferent. You changed the words LocceR. Naw, the sony changed on me, Lean’ sing it ike ‘we used to ‘cause I don’t feel it that way anymore, 1 mean, they got electric saws no. BOY, What's the electric saw got to do with a gil? {LoGcER.I'm saying! Lmean, I came out here from Birming- Tham when 3 was about your age a that whole fel in front of you was a stand of conifers. Used to ride my Appaloosa over that idge with your pa, just ke in the country. Built my own house, Not with siding, not with half logs. Tongue and grooved my own cabin all from redwood I felled mys. Now you're lucky if you see a prey tree oY. Where's the git in that? LOGGER Right! All rough the valley, up and down the coast, the trees are gone ancl $0 is my youth ~ I have nothing lef to destroy. Nothing fallin around here but apples on sheep. BOX. Yeah, I'm kinda weary of doin what all everyone ele ‘do. T mean T'im not different from nobod, 'm just not alway the same. Hey, I gota new song to keep me ‘company. You wanna hear it LoccEn, Not one of them lonesome tines now BOY. Ob I can’ write those. I just missed the draft to Korea, gotall my days in frone of me, s0 think I got ight to be happy, ro sing & happy song. ‘LOGGER. Alright. Ply it for me, But soft tow I don't want co fet jangied. Too prety an evening for nothing lou. [OY, Is na new key I found, real sweet. He pls chor) Isn't that abl LOGGER. Sce what’ all you got jacker, ply your song, ox. (gs and pls gtr) ‘Twelte nights of hard fiquor Sent Rowan to his grave He sa he lights of Galilee [And Mary just he same [And if you cal for Rowan nov “The road answer backHe's ewelve nights gone to perfidy Spread on a burlap sack (Oh save me in my nightly walk in my days Don’t want to go like Rowan Hale TN keep my goodly Save (Oh save me in my nightly walk Save me in my days Don't want to go lke Rowan Hale I'l Keep my goodly ways Til keep my goodly ways LOGGER. Hub. That’s your happy song? You got kinda loud atthe end there BOX, I dida’t know what I was sayin for a minute and I sang ‘with my fll power to get me through, LOGGER. And you made that eane up, BOY. Most oF it LOGGER, Clearly, you been inspired ~ but stop that loud singing. Ie sounds like you wanna hurt somebody Don't you got a gal? BOY. Yeah, I'm gettin her. LOGGER. Well what you doing about if You need to mary and set up house. That's what you oughta do since you ain’Cin the service or a travelin man Need you a wife ov. You ain't had one (MADAME entors with glasser om, reading alter) MADAME, Are you comin in today or are you just tryin to hoot on me by sittin on any stoop? LOGGER. Ifyou got any vsion in that pinchy face of yours, you could see Iam whittlin and wasblin with this yink hee. MADAME. Yes but I don't sce eithera yall payin my loiterin fee. IF you gonna porch up and ‘ell jonnems and wess all day, fine by me but you have got to give up some LOGGER. “There isa heaven, for ever, day by day, ‘The upward longing of my soul doth tell me so. There is @ hell, I'm quite as sure; for pray, I there were not, where would my neighbours go?” ‘Thae's some Dunbar for ya Madame, Paul Laurence. Better get you some compassion ‘fore you die. OY. I was playin some songs on the guitar. You want to hear another one Lwrote, Jeans? LOGGER. Well, just play some chords, what all you strummed fon that last one. None of them words, just the strings vibratin, That’ all T want to hear. ov. Airtight (oy stra.) LOGGER. Madame, you ain't been honest with me. ‘MADAME, What now LOGGER. You ain't always been this hard. You used to be ‘another kind of woman, kind got gentleness swaying ‘out her like a breeze. MADAME, Iam the same woman you have always known, Laacas, I sil got wind for ya. LOGGER. You would hold me before: before you wouldn't Tet me go with the other girs MADAME, (evasive) There's more paperwork now, I got more things to take cate of LOGGER, You put me out. You had me in your arms and then you shunted me like Thad the tuberculosis. MADAME. Well I started co lose my’ business sense with you comin so tegular ~ I had to draw a line just to clarify ‘LOGGER, Lain’ happy with the way my life looks. With here got me thinking. I'm a 46 yearold grizz and T don't know what is akead of me. Like this teed here: He's comin into his mantiness and he got all sorts of sls to choose from for to make a future, My future is ‘done, AILT got left isthe past. MADAME. You still active in your daming. You don't miss a weekend here