Yellowman by Dael Orlandersmith

Author:Dael Orlandersmith [Orlandersmith, Dael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-307-49346-0
Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
Published: 2002-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

(They both are quiet for a minute)

EUGENE: “Do you really feel you need to go to New York? Do you really have to go?”

ALMA: “I have to go.” (Beat)

EUGENE: Daddy gets me a job at Georgia Pacific–the work is tough. I’m chopping, lifting lumber–my hands are getting cut–the heat is unbearable–“Daddy it’s really hot. I’d like to get some water.” (ROBERT) “Stop calling me ‘Daddy’–you call me ‘SIR.’”

ALMA: I buy these summer dresses to go to work in–I know I’m only working in a Woolworth’s but I want to look nice–

EUGENE: Some of the guys I went to school with are working in the lumberyard–the dark-skinned guys are working in the lumberyard. (Voices) “Ole pretty yella nigga can’t handle the heat.” “Soft yella bitch.” “Pretty, yella, and soft.” (Beat) (EUGENE) Daddy laughs along with the dark-skinned guys.

ALMA: I’m also putting money aside for fall clothes–I never really had to think about that, fall clothes, clothes for the “fall”–I look forward to wearing “fall” clothes–I look forward to the “fall.”

EUGENE: I mention Alma’s leaving to Wyce. He says, (WYCE) “Man, I hear when bitches get up there to New York, they hook up with some of those dudes up there and TOTALLY forget about the south–they get NEW YORK fever, man.”

ALMA: Odelia says (ODELIA) “Wastin’ money buyin’ all dat mess. Some o’ dat money could come in heah to dis house.” (ALMA) I look down and at her and say “This money is going toward school and NOTHING else.”

EUGENE: (Beat) I’m watching her change. She no longer has the Geechie accent. She’s wearing makeup, straightening her hair, and bought these clothes. I’ve never seen her look this good. I mean she ALWAYS looks good to me but now she’s looking beautiful–she’s looking incredibly beautiful. She’s looking like this about to leave me–Next thing I know the summer is gone and I’m taking Alma to the train.

ALMA: As we’re driving, I notice how different Russelville is looking already–

EUGENE: She’s chattering away about the dorm room and how she hopes she and her roommate get along–

ALMA: We get to the station. We have a little time before the train comes. We start kissing. I pull away and say “You taste like liquor”–

EUGENE: “I had to steady my nerves”–my nerves were shot–

ALMA: We continue to kiss–we kiss–long, hard, deep–

EUGENE: She’s looking beautiful and kissing me like she never kissed me before. She’s holding me close–real close, running her hands down my back–

ALMA: The train gets here. We put my bags on the train and kiss some more. The train pulls away and Eugene is running with the train blowing kisses like they do in the movies–

EUGENE: I run and run and run–

ALMA: I’m wearing full makeup–I’m wearing one of my pretty dresses fully made up–

EUGENE: I keep running until I can’t run anymore–

ALMA: I’m applying, reapplying lipstick, putting on different colors–

EUGENE: I watch the train until it totally disappears–

ALMA: Odelia cooked a tremendous amount of food–all this fried chicken, cake, there was a Thermos of iced tea.

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