Zoot Suit and Other Plays by Luis Valdez

Author:Luis Valdez
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Arte Público Press
Published: 1992-03-15T00:00:00+00:00

SCENE FOUR

Before the grand curtain. Banjo music. A. SNYDER, a store keeper, enters with a broom.

SNYDER: (Singing.)

THERE’S MEN WHO LABOR HARD FOR LOVE

FOR GLORY, GOLD AND RICHES

BUT I MAKE MORE AT THE GENERAL STORE

WITH WHISKEY, CHEESE AND BRITCHES.

SAY HI, HO THE OHIO

WE’VE CROSSED THE WIDE MISSOURI

IN COVERED WAGONS ’CROSS THE PLAINS

WE LEFT BEHIND ST. LOUIS.

MRS. SNYDER: (MRS. SNYDER enters, with a Winchester rifle.)

WE’RE COMMOM CLAY, GOD FEARING FOLK

SNYDER:

WE DEAL IN CASH AND CREDIT

TOGETHER:

THE LAND IS OURS BY DESTINY

IT TOOK A LOT TO GET IT.

SAY HI, HO THE OHIO

WE’VE CROSSED THE WIDE MISSOURI

IN COVERED WAGONS ’CROSS THE PLAINS

WE LEFT BEHIND ST. LOUIS.

MRS. SNYDER:

MOLASSES, YARN AND CALICO

GUNPOWDER, FLOUR AND NOTIONS

SNYDER:

WE’RE HERE TO SERVE THE PIONEER

TO SOW THE SEEDS OF FORTUNE.

TOGETHER: (Speaking.)

That’s it, Mother …

Just like old times, Andrew …

Back in St. Louis!

(Singing.)

WE BUILT OUR TOWN OUT IN THE WILDS

WHERE THERE’S NO ONE TO WARN YA

BUT WE’VE NO FEAR, OUR HOME IS HERE

TRES PINOS, CALIFORNIA.

SAY HI, HO THE OHIO

WE CROSSED THE WIDE MISSOURI

IN COVERED WAGONS ’CROSS THE PLAINS

WE LEFT BEHIND ST. LOUIS.

The curtain opens to reveal the interior of SNYDER’s store in Tres Pinos, California. August 26, 1873. A. SNYDER walks to the counter in his store as MRS. SNYDER exits. LEWIS PIERCE, age eighteen, enters, running.

LEWIS: Evening, Mr. Snyder! Stage from Hollister pass through yet?

SNYDER: Whoa, Lewis! Slow down. It’s barely 5:30 pm.

LEWIS: Whew! I guess I just ran the fastest mile in the history of the county. Seven minutes flat.

SNYDER: Get a horse, son. And run for office.

LEWIS: Funny you should mention that. I got youth, health, ambition. Pa says folks are talking about splitting Monterey County in half. The whole territory east of the Gabilans on down to New Idria. (We hear the sound of horses riding up to the store outside. SNYDER looks out.) The new county seat’s got to be right smack dab in the heart of the area too. Right here, Mr. Snyder, in Tres Pinos! Just watch us grow.

SNYDER: Hope you’re right, boy. The city’s already got pert’ near fifty inhabitants, but there’s plenty of room for growth for workin’ people.

LEWIS: Could you post this letter, sir?

SNYDER: Another application to law school? Sure thing, Lewis.

LEWIS: Is this the new Sears and Roebuck catalogue? Swell!

SNYDER: Hold on there, son. Don’t let me catch you looking at pictures of ladies wearin’ corsets.

MRS. SNYDER: (Comes out carrying a bowl of soup.) Andrew? I’m going across the street to the hotel. Hattie tells me Mr. Davidson’s been ailing. Poor soul. Maybe he can keep down some of my soup.

SNYDER: Go right ahead, mother. Then maybe you can get around to feeding your hungry spouse.

LEWIS: Evening, ma’m.

MRS. SNYDER: What ’je readin’ Lewis?

LEWIS: The good book ma’m.

MRS. SNYDER: (GONZALES and LEIVA make their entrance at the front door. MRS. SNYDER does not disguise her racist disgust. She fearfully skirts around them exiting.) Excuse me.

GONZALES: Buenas noches.

SNYDER: That’ll be two cents for the letter, Lewis. Can I help you, señor, with something? Clothes, vittles, whiskey?

GONZALES: Two whiskey’s.

LEIVA: Gonzales …

GONZALES: Both for me. Mi amigo don’t drink.

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