The Methuen Drama Book of New American Plays by David Adjmi

Author:David Adjmi [Benson, Sarah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781408157022
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

M. Gene closes her eyes. A figure snatches her, carries her over the wall as dusk falls. She drops her Bible.

Number Two arrives at the creek in pain and drinks. It sparks a memory. Young Number Two and Young Trowbridge tumble on wrestling. They have pikes.

Young Number Two I got here first, Trowbridge! This creek land be mine.

Young Trowbridge You cheated! Ain’t no way you coulda rode that fast on a mule.

Young Number Two Bully. I got it fair and square. Now get off me!

Young Trowbrige pins him and kisses him till the wrestling turns into love-making. Young Number Two pushes him off.

Young Number Two I know what you’re doing, Trowbridge, and it won’t work.

Young Trowbridge I bet it will. You know you love me.

Young Number Two Ha! Love ain’t nothin but another massuh. Ya don’t know ’cause you ain’t never been slaved like me. Starved and whipped and made to work for another man’s gain. That’s love. And I don’t want it.

Young Trowbridge Yeh, you do. ’Sides, ain’t you read the stars? We’ze made for each other. And by the will of God made to make love.

They kiss. Young Number Two pushes him.

Young Number Two We can’t do this!! We ain’t youngins no more . . .

Young Number Two We men.

Number Two We men.

Young Number Two fades away by sinking into the creek.

Number Two They’ll never let us love and you know it. Not this town. They been through too much to turn a blind eye to anything that could curse ’em or challenge their new faith. They need us to be men, Trow. Folks can’t wrap they head around us this way.

Young Trowbridge Don’t care ’bout other folk’s heads. God gave me one for a reason.

Number Two Don’t matter. We got to do what’s best for our people. We got to end this.

Young Trowbridge You don’t mean that.

Number Two Look at me! (Soft.) I don’t love you.

Time.

Young Trowbridge You planned this all along, didn’t you? You got in my head, crawled in my heart just so you could take my land –

Number Two Don’t do this.

Young Trowbridge Well, I ain’t lettin you take it. This land’s mine.

Young Trowbridge takes his pike and exits.

Number Two Don’t do this! You come back!!

He runs after him but falls, spitting blood.

Come back to me. You can have it, just . . .

He groans. Time. Enter Wonderful with a suitcase and spear.

Wonderful Sheriff?

Number Two Trow?

Wonderful Nawl. It’s Wonderful. I come to kill ya, suh.

Number Two laughs.

Number Two You never stop, do you, Trow? I knew you’d come back for me.

Wonderful I ain’t Trowbridge, suh. I said my name is Wonderful –

Number Two I know. I know who you are, you’re my one.

He opens his arms.

Come kill me, one. Come try.

Wonderful moves holding the spear. Number Two closes his eyes. Wonderful lifts the spear and lunges –

Sweet Tea – WONDERFUL!!

He freezes. Enter Sweet Tea.

Sweet Tea Don’t do it. He’s my paw. I know you hate him but he’s mine. Put it down.

Still trembling, he drops the spear.

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