[5 of 5] Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Scene 2 B, by August Wilson (1982, 1985)

Author: August Wilson

Wilson, August. "Scene 2 B." Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Plume, published 1985, performed 1982, pp. 34-45

SLOW DRAG Don't make me no difference if she leave or not. I was kinda hoping she would leave.

CUTLER I'm like Mr. Irvin... After all this time we done put in here, it's best to go ahead and get something out of it.

TOLEDO Ma gonna do what she wanna do, that's for sure. If I was Mr. Irvin, I'd best go and get them cords and things hooked up right. And I wouldn't take no longer than fifteen minutes doing it.

CUTLER If Levee had his mind on his work, we wouldn't be in this fix. We'd be up there finishing up. Now we got to go back and see if that boy get that part right. Ain't no telling if he ever get that right again in his life.

LEVEE Hey, Levee ain't done nothing!

SLOW DRAG Levee up there got one eye on the gal and the other on his trumpet.

CUTLER Nigger, don't you know that's Ma's gal?

LEVEE I don't care whose gal it is. I ain't done nothing to her. I just talk to her like I talk to anybody else.

CUTLER Well, that being Ma's gal, and that being that boy's gal, is one and two different things. The boy is liable to kill you ... but you' ass gonna be out there scraping the concrete looking for a job if you messing with Ma's gal.

LEVEE How am I messing with her? I ain't done nothing to the gal. I just asked her her name. Now, if you telling me I can't do that, then Ma will just have to go to hell.

CUTLER All I can do is warn you.

SLOW DRAG Let him hang himself, Cutler. Let him string his neck out.

LEVEE I ain't done nothing to the gal! You all talk like I done went and done something to her. Leave me go with my business.

CUTLER I'm through with it. Try and talk to a fool...

TOLEDO Some mens got it worse than others... this foolishness I'm talking about. Some mens is excited to be fools. That excitement is something else. I know about it. I done experienced it. It makes you feel good to be a fool. But it don't last long. It's over in a minute. Then you got to tend with the consequences. You got to tend with what comes after. That's when you wish you had learned something about it.

LEVEE That's the best sense you made all day. Talking about being a fool. That's the only sensible thing you said today. Admitting you was a fool.

TOLEDO I admits it, all right. Ain't nothing wrong with it. I done been a little bit of everything.

LEVEE Now you're talking. You's as big a fool as they make.

TOLEDO Gonna be a bit more things before I'm finished with it. Gonna be foolish again. But I ain't never been the same fool twice. It might be a different kind of fool, but I ain't gonna be the same fool twice. That's where we parts ways.

SLOW DRAG Toledo, you done been a fool about a woman?

TOLEDO Sure. Sure I have. Same as everybody.

SLOW DRAG Hell, I ain't never seen you mess with no woman. I thought them books was your woman.

TOLEDO Sure I messed with them. Done messed with a whole heap of them. And gonna mess with some more. But I ain't gonna be no fool about them. What you think? I done come in the world full-grown, with my head in a book? I done been young. Married. Got kids. I done been around and I done loved women to where you shake in your shoes just at the sight of them. Feel it all up and down your spine.

SLOW DRAG I didn't know you was married.

TOLEDO Sure. Legally. I been married legally. Got the paper and all. I done been through life. Made my marks. Followed some signs on the road. Ignored some others. I done been all through it. I touched and been touched by it. But I ain't never been the same fool twice. That's what I can say.

LEVEE But you been a fool. That's what counts. Talking about I'm a fool for asking the gal her name and here you is one yourself.

TOLEDO Now, I married a woman. A good woman. To this day I can't say she wasn't a good woman. I can't say nothing bad about her. I married that woman with all the good graces and intentions of being hooked up and bound to her for the rest of my life. I was looking for her to put me in my grave. But, you see ... it ain't all the time what you' intentions and wishes are. She went out and joined the church. All right. There ain't nothing wrong with that. A good Christian woman going to church and wanna do right by her god. There ain't nothing wrong with that. But she got up there, got to seeing them good Christian mens and wondering why I ain't like that. Soon she figure she got a heathen on her hands. She figured she couldn't live like that. The church was more important than I was. So she left. Packed up one day and moved out. To this day I ain't never said another word to her. Come home one day and my house was empty! And I sat down and figured out that I was a fool not to see that she needed something that I wasn't giving her. Else she wouldn't have been up there at the church in the first place. I ain't blaming her. I just said it wasn't gonna happen to me again. So, yeah, Toledo been a fool about a woman. That's part of making life.

CUTLER Well, yeah, I been a fool too. Everybody done been a fool once or twice. But, you see, Toledo, what you call a fool and what I call a fool is two different things. I can't see where you was being a fool for that. You ain't done nothing foolish. You can't help what happened, and I wouldn't call you a fool for it. A fool is responsible for what happens to him. A fool cause it to happen. Like Levee... if he keeps messing with Ma's gal and his feet be out there scraping the ground. That's a fool.

LEVEE Ain't nothing gonna happen to Levee. Levee ain't gonna let nothing happen to him. Now, I'm gonna say it again. I asked the gal her name. That's all I done. And if that's being a fool, then you looking at the biggest fool in the world ... 'cause I sure as hell asked her.

SLOW DRAG You just better not let Ma see you ask her. That's what the man's trying to tell you.

LEVEE I don't need nobody to tell me nothing.

CUTLER Well, Toledo, all I gots to say is that from the looks of it ... from your story ... I don't think life did you fair.

TOLEDO Oh, life is fair. It's just in the taking what it gives you.

LEVEE Life ain't shit. You can put it in a paper bag and carry it around with you. It ain't got no balls. Now, death ... death got some style! Death will kick your ass and make you wish you never been born! That's how bad death is! But you can rule over life. Life ain't nothing.

TOLEDO Cutler, how's your brother doing?

CUTLER Who, Nevada? Oh, he's doing all right. Staying in St. Louis. Got a bunch of kids, last I heard.

TOLEDO Me and him was all right with each other. Done a lot of farming together down in Plattsville.

CUTLER Yeah, I know you all was tight. He in St. Louis now. Running an elevator, last I hear about it.

SLOW DRAG That's better than stepping in muleshit.

TOLEDO Oh, I don't know now. I liked farming. Get out there in the sun ... smell that dirt. Be out there by yourself... nice and peaceful. Yeah, farming was all right by me. Sometimes I think I'd like to get me a little old place... but I done got too old to be following behind one of them balky mules now.

LEVEE Nigger talking about life is fair. And ain't got a pot to piss in.

TOLEDO See, now, I'm gonna tell you something. A nigger gonna be dissatisfied no matter what. Give a nigger some bread and butter... and he'll cry 'cause he ain't got no jelly. Give him some jelly, and he'll cry 'cause he ain't got no knife to put it on with. If there's one thing I done learned in this life, it's that you can't satisfy a nigger no matter what you do. A nigger's gonna make his own dissatisfaction.

LEVEE Niggers got a right to be dissatisfied. Is you gonna be satisfied with a bone somebody done throwed you when you see them eating the whole hog?

TOLEDO You lucky they let you be an entertainer. They ain't got to accept your way of entertaining. You lucky and don't even know it. You's entertaining and the rest of the people is hauling wood. That's the only kind of job for the colored man.

SLOW DRAG Ain't nothing wrong with hauling wood. I done hauled plenty wood. My daddy used to haul wood. Ain't nothing wrong with that. That's honest work.

LEVEE That ain't what I'm talking about. I ain't talking about hauling no wood. I'm talking about being satisfied with a bone somebody done throwed you. That's what's the matter with you all. You satisfied sitting in one place. You got to move on down the road from where you sitting... and all the time you got to keep an eye out for that devil who's looking to buy up souls. And hope you get lucky and find him!

CUTLER I done told you about that blasphemy. Taking about selling your soul to the devil.

TOLEDO We done the same thing, Cutler. There ain't no difference. We done sold Africa for the price of tomatoes. We done sold ourselves to the white man in order to be like him. Look at the way you dressed ... That ain't African. That's the white man. We trying to be just like him. We done sold who we are in order to become someone else. We's imitation white men.

CUTLER What else we gonna be, living over here?

LEVEE I'm Levee. Just me. I ain't no imitation nothing!

SLOW DRAG You can't change who you are by how you dress. That's what I got to say.

TOLEDO It ain't all how you dress. It's how you act, how you see the world. It's how you follow life.

LEVEE It don't matter what you talking about. I ain't no imitation white man. And I don't want to be no white man. As soon as I get my band together and make them records like Mr. Sturdyvant done told me I can make, I'm gonna be like Ma and tell the white man just what he can do. Ma tell Mr. Irvin she gonna leave ... and Mr. Irvin get down on his knees and beg her to stay! That's the way I'm gonna be! Make the white man respect me!

CUTLER The white man don't care nothing about Ma. The colored folks made Ma a star. White folks don't care nothing about who she is ... what kind of music she make.

SLOW DRAG That's the truth about that. You let her go down to one of them white-folks hotels and see how big she is.

CUTLER Hell, she ain't got to do that. She can't even get a cab up here in the North. I'm gonna tell you something. Reverend Gates . . . you know Reverend Gates? . . . Slow Drag know who I'm talking about. Reverend Gates . . . now I'm gonna show you how this go where the white man don't care a thing about who you is. Reverend Gates was coming from Tallahassee to Atlanta, going to see his sister, who was sick at that time with the consumption. The train come up through Thomasville, then past Moultrie, and stopped in this little town called Sigsbee . . .

CUTLER Nigger, I know what I'm talking about. You gonna tell me where the train stop?

LEVEE Hell, yeah, if you talking about it stop in Sigsbee. I'm gonna tell you the truth.

CUTLER I'm talking about this train! I don't know what train you been riding. I'm talking about this train!

LEVEE Ain't but one train. Ain't but one train come out of Tallahassee heading north to Atlanta, and it don't stop at Sigsbee. Tell him, Toledo ... that train don't stop at Sigsbee. The only train that stops at Sigsbee is the Yazoo Delta, and you have to transfer at Moultrie to get it!

CUTLER Well, hell, maybe that what he done! I don't know. I'm just telling you the man got off the train at Sigsbee ...

LEVEE All right... you telling it. Tell it your way. Just make up anything.

SLOW DRAG Levee, leave the man alone and let him finish.

CUTLER I ain't paying Levee no never mind.

LEVEE Go on and tell it your way.

CUTLER Anyway ... Reverend Gates got off this train in Sigsbee. The train done stopped there and he figured he'd get off and check the schedule to be sure he arrive in time for somebody to pick him up. All right. While he's there checking the schedule, it come upon him that he had to go to the bathroom. Now, they ain't had no colored rest rooms at the station. The only colored rest room is an outhouse they got sitting way back two hundred yards or so from the station. All right. He in the outhouse and the train go off and leave him there. He don't know nothing about this town. Ain't never been there before -- in fact, ain't never even heard of it before.

LEVEE I heard of it! I know just where it's at ... and he ain't got off no train coming out of Tallahassee in Sigsbee!

CUTLER The man standing there, trying to figure out what he's gonna do ... where this train done left him in this strange town. It started getting dark. He see where the sun's getting low in the sky and he's trying to figure out what he's gonna do, when he noticed a couple of white fellows standing across the street from this station. Just standing there, watching him. And then two or three more come up and joined the other one. He look around, ain't seen no colored folks nowhere. He didn't know what was getting in these here fellows' minds, so he commence to walking. He ain't knowed where he was going. He just walking down the railroad tracks when he hear them call him. "Hey, nigger!" See, just like that. "Hey, nigger!" He kept on walking. They called him some more and he just keep walking. Just going down the tracks. And then he heard a gunshot where somebody done fired a gun in the air. He stopped then, you know.

TOLEDO You don't even have to tell me no more. I know the facts of it. I done heard the same story a hundred times. It happened to me too. Same thing.

CUTLER Naw, I'm gonna show you how the white folks don't care nothing about who or what you is. They crowded around him. These gang of mens made a circle around him. Now, he's standing there, you understand ... got his cross around his neck like them preachers wear. Had his little Bible with him what he carry all the time. So they crowd on around him and one of them ask who he is. He told them he was Reverend Gates and that he was going to see his sister who was sick and the train left without him. And they said, "Yeah, nigger ... but can you dance?" He looked at them and commenced to dancing. One of them reached up and tore his cross off his neck. Said he was committing a heresy by dancing with a cross and Bible. Took his Bible and tore it up and had him dancing till they got tired of watching him.

SLOW DRAG White folks ain't never had no respect for the colored minister.

CUTLER That's the only way he got out of there alive... was to dance. Ain't even had no respect for a man of God! Wanna make him into a clown. Reverend Gates sat right in my house and told me that story from his own mouth. So... the white folks don't care nothing about Ma Rainey. She's just another nigger who they can use to make some money.

LEVEE What I wants to know is ... if he's a man of God, then where the hell was God when all of this was going on? Why wasn't God looking out for him? Why didn't God strike down them crackers with some of this lightning you talk about to me?

CUTLER Levee, you gonna burn in hell.

LEVEE What I care about burning in hell? You talk like a fool... burning in hell. Why didn't God strike some of them crackers down. Tell me that! That's the question! Don't come telling me this burning-in-hell shit! He a man of God... why didn't God strike some of them crackers down? I'll tell you why? I'll tell you the truth! It's sitting out there as plain as day! 'Cause he a white man's God. That's why! God ain't never listened to no nigger's prayers. God take a nigger's prayers and throw them in the garbage. God don't pay niggers no mind. In fact... God hate niggers! Hate them with all the fury in his heart. Jesus don't love you, nigger! Jesus hate your black ass! Come talking that shit to me. Talking about burning in hell! God can kiss my ass.

(Cutler can stand no more. He jumps up and punches Levee in the mouth. The force of the blow knocks Levee down and Cutler jumps on him.)

CUTLER You worthless ... That's my God! That's my God! That's my God! You wanna blaspheme my God!

(Toledo and Slow Drag grab Cutler and try to pull him off Levee.)

SLOW DRAG Come on, Cutler ... let it go! It don't mean nothing!

CUTLER (Has Levee down on the floor and pounds on him with a fury.) Wanna blaspheme my God! You worthless . . . talking about my God!

(Toledo and Slow Drag succeed in pulling Cutler off Levee, who is bleeding at the nose and mouth.)

LEVEE Naw, let him go! Let him go! (He pulls out a knife.) That's your God, huh? That's your God, huh? Is that right? Your God, huh? All right. I'm gonna give your God a chance. I'm gonna give your God a chance. I'm gonna give him a chance to save your black ass.

(Levee circles Cutler with the knife. Cutler picks up a chair to protect himself.)

TOLEDO Come on, Levee ... put the knife up!

LEVEE Stay out of this, Toledo!

TOLEDO That ain't no way to solve anything.

LEVEE (Alternately swipes at Cutler during the following.) I'm calling Cutler's God! I'm talking to Cutler's God! You hear me? Cutler's God! I'm calling Cutler's God. Come on and save this nigger! Strike me down before I cut his throat!

SLOW DRAG Watch him, Cutler! Put that knife up, Levee!

LEVEE (To Cutler.) I'm calling your God! I'm gonna give him a chance to save you! I'm calling your God! We gonna find out whose God he is!

CUTLER You gonna burn in hell, nigger!

LEVEE Cutler's God! Come on and save this nigger! Come on and save him like you did my mama! Save him like you did my mama! I heard her when she called you! I heard her when she said, "Lord, have mercy! Jesus, help me! Please, God, have mercy on me, Lord Jesus, help me!" And did you turn your back? Did you turn your back, motherfucker? Did you turn your back?

(Levee becomes so caught up in his dialogue with God that he forgets about Cutler and begins to stab upward in the air, trying to reach God.) Come on! Come on and turn your back on me! Turn your back on me! Come on! Where is you? Come on and turn your back on me! Turn your back on me, motherfucker! I'll cut your heart out! Come on, turn your back on me! Come on! What's the matter? Where is you? Come on and turn your back on me! Come on, what you scared of? Turn your back on me! Come on! Coward, motherfucker! (Levee folds his knife and stands triumphantly.) Your God ain't shit, Cutler.
(The lights fade to black.)

MA RAINEY

(Singing.) Ah, you hear me talking to you I don't bite my tongue You wants to be my man You got to fetch it with you when you

(Lights come up in the studio. The last bars of the last song of the session are dying out.)

IRVIN (Over speaker.) Good! Wonderful! We have that, boys. Good session. That's great, Ma. We've got ourselves some winners.

TOLEDO Well, I'm glad that's over.

MA RAINEY Slow Drag, where you learn to play the bass at? You had it singing! I heard you! Had that bass jumping all over the place.

SLOW DRAG I was following Toledo. Nigger got them long fingers striding all over the piano. I was trying to keep up with him.

TOLEDO That's what you supposed to do, ain't it? Play the music. Ain't nothing abstract about it.

MA RAINEY Cutler, you hear Slow Drag on that bass? He make it do what he want it to do! Spank it just like you spank a baby.

CUTLER Don't be telling him that. Nigger's head get so big his hat won't fit him.

SLOW DRAG If Cutler tune that guitar up, we would really have something!

CUTLER You wouldn't know what a tuned-up guitar sounded like if you heard one.

TOLEDO Cutler was talking. I heard him moaning. He was all up in it.

MA RAINEY Levee…. what is that you doing? Why you playing all them notes? You play ten notes for every one you supposed to play. It don't call for that.

LEVEE You supposed to improvise on the theme. That's what I was doing

MA RAINEY You supposed to play the song the way I sing it. The way everybody else play it. You ain't supposed to go off by yourself and play what you want.

LEVEE I was playing the song. I was playing it the way I felt it.

MA RAINEY I couldn't keep up with what was going on. I'm trying to sing the song and you up there messing up my ear. That's what you was doing. Call yourself playing music.

LEVEE Hey... I know what I'm doing. I know what I'm doing, all right. I know how to play music. You all back up and leave me alone about my music.

CUTLER I done told you ... it ain't about your music. It's about Ma's music.

MA RAINEY That's all right, Cutler. I done told you what to do.

LEVEE I don't care what you do. You supposed to improvise on the theme. Not play note for note the same thing over and over again.

MA RAINEY You just better watch yourself. You hear me?

LEVEE What I care what you or Cutler do? Come telling me to watch myself. What's that supposed to mean?

MA RAINEY All right... you gonna find out what it means.

LEVEE Go ahead and fire me. I don't care. I'm gonna get my own band anyway.

MA RAINEY You keep messing with me.

LEVEE Ain't nobody studying you. You ain't gonna do nothing to me. Ain't nobody gonna do nothing to Levee.

MA RAINEY All right, nigger ... you fired!

LEVEE You think I care about being fired? I don't care nothing about that. You doing me a favor.

MA RAINEY Cutler, Levee's out! He don't play in my band no more.

LEVEE I'm fired .. Good! Best thing that ever happened to me. I don't need this shit!

(Levee exits to the band room. Irvin enters from the control booth.)

MA RAINEY Cutler, I'll see you back at the hotel.

IRVIN Okay, boys... you can pack up. I'll get your money for you.

CUTLER That's cash money, Mr. Irvin. I don't want no check.

IRVIN I'll see what I can do. I can't promise you nothing.

CUTLER As long as it ain't no check. I ain't got no use for a check.

IRVIN I'll see what I can do. I can't promise you nothing.

CUTLER As long as it ain't no check. I ain't got no use for a check.

IRVIN I'll see what I can do, Cutler. (Cutler, Toledo, and Slow Drag exit to the band room.) Oh, Ma, listen... I talked to Sturdyvant, and he said ... Now, I tried to talk him out of it... He said the best he can do is to take your twenty-five dollars of your money and give it to Sylvester.

MA RAINEY Take what and do what? If I wanted the boy to have twenty-five dollars of my money, I'd give it to him. He supposed to get his own money. He supposed to get paid like everybody else.

IRVIN Ma, I talked to him... He said ...

MA RAINEY Go talk to him again! Tell him if he don't pay that boy, he'll never make another record of mine again. Tell him that. You supposed to be my manager. All this talk about sticking together. Start sticking! Go on up there and get that boy his money!

IRVIN Okay, Ma... I'll talk to him again. I'll see what I can do.

MA RAINEY Ain't no see about it! You bring that boy's money back here!

(Irvin exits. The lights stay on in the studio and come up in the band room. The men have their instruments packed and sit waiting for Irvin to come and pay them. Slow Drag has a pack of cards.)

SLOW DRAG Come on, Levee, let me show you a card trick.

LEVEE I don't want to see no card trick. What you wanna show me for? Why you wanna bother me with that?

SLOW DRAG I was just trying to be nice.

LEVEE I don't need you to be nice to me. What I need you to be nice to me for? I ain't gonna be nice to you. I ain't even gonna let you be in my band no more.

SLOW DRAG Toledo, let me show you a card trick

CUTLER I just hope Mr. Irvin don't bring no check down here. What the hell I'm gonna do with a check?

SLOW DRAG All right now ... pick a card. Any card... go on... take any of them. I'm gonna show you something.

TOLEDO I agrees with you, Cutler. I don't want no check either.

CUTLER It don't make no sense to give a nigger a check.

SLOW DRAG Okay, now. Remember your card. Remember which one you got. Now... put it back in the deck. Anywhere you want. I'm gonna show you something.
(Toledo puts the card in the deck.) You remember your card? All right. Now I'm gonna shuffle the deck. Now... I'm gonna show you what card you picked. Don't say nothing now. I'm gonna tell you what card you picked.

CUTLER Slow Drag, that trick is as old as my mama.

SLOW DRAG Naw, naw ... wait a minute! I'm gonna show him his card ... There it go! The six of diamonds. Ain't that your card? Ain't that it?

TOLEDO Yeah, that's it... the six of diamonds.

SLOW DRAG Told you! Told you I'd show him what it was!

(The lights fade in the band room and come up full on the studio. Sturdyvant enters with Irvin.)

STURDYVANT Ma, is there something wrong? Is there a problem?

MA RAINEY Sturdyvant, I want you to pay that boy his money.

STURDYVANT Sure, Ma. I got it right here. Two hundred for you and twenty-five for the kid, right? (Sturdyvant hands the money to Irvin, who hands it to Ma Rainey and Sylvester.) Irvin misunderstood me. It was all a mistake. Irv made a mistake.

MA RAINEY A mistake, huh?

IRVIN Sure, Ma. I made a mistake. He's paid, right? I straightened it out.

MA RAINEY The only mistake was when you found out I hadn't signed the release forms. That was the mistake. Come on, Sylvester. (She starts to exit.)

STURDYVANT Hey, Ma... come on, sign the forms, huh?

IRVIN Ma... come on now.

MA RAINEY Get your coat, Sylvester. Irvin, where's my car?

IRVIN It's right out front, Ma. Here ... I got the keys right here. Come on, sign the forms, huh?

MA RAINEY Irvin, give me my car keys!

IRVIN Sure, Ma... just sign the forms, huh?
(He gives her the keys, expecting a trade-off.)

MA RAINEY Send them to my address and I'll get around to them.

IRVIN Come on, Ma.. I took care of everything, right? I straightened everything out.

MA RAINEY Give me the pen, Irvin. (She signs the forms.) You tell Sturdyvant . . . one more mistake like that and I can make my records someplace else. (She turns to exit.) Sylvester, straighten up your clothes. Come on, Dussie Mae. (She exits, followed by Dussie Mae and Sylvester. The lights go down in the studio and come up on the band room.)

TOLEDO Don't get yourself all worked up about it. Wait and see. Think positive.

CUTLER I am thinking positive. He positively gonna give me some cash. Man give me a check last time ... you remember... we went all over Chicago trying to get it cashed. See a nigger with a check, the first thing they think is he done stole it someplace.

LEVEE I ain't had no trouble cashing mine.

CUTLER I don't visit no whorehouses.

LEVEE You don't know about my business. So don't start nothing. I'm tired of you as it is. I ain't but two seconds off your ass no way.

TOLEDO Don't you all start nothing now.

CUTLER What the hell I care what you tired of. I wasn't even talking to you. I was talking to this man right here.
(Irvin and Sturdyvant enter.)

IRVIN Okay boys. Mr. Sturdyvant has your pay.

CUTLER As long as it's cash money, Mr. Sturdyvant. 'Cause I have too much trouble trying to cash a check.

STURDYVANT Oh, yes . . . I'm aware of that. Mr. Irvin told me you boys prefer cash, and that's what I have for you. (He starts handing out the money.) That was a good session you boys put in . . . That's twenty-five for you. Yessir, you boys really know your business and we are going to . . . Twenty-five for you . . . We are going to get you back in here real soon . . . twenty-five . . . and have another session so you can make some more money . . . and twenty-five for you. Okay, thank you, boys. You can get your things together and Mr. Irvin will make sure you find your way out.

IRVIN I'll be out front when you get your things together, Cutler.
(Irvin exits. Sturdyvant starts to follow.)

LEVEE Mr. Sturdyvant, sir. About them songs I give you? ...

STURDYVANT Oh, yes, . . . uh . . . Levee. About them songs you gave me. I've thought about it and I just don't think the people will buy them. They're not the type of songs we're looking for.

LEVEE Mr. Sturdyvant, sir . . . I don't got my band picked out and they's real good fellows. They knows how to play real good. I know if the peoples hear the music, they'll buy it.

STURDYVANT Well, Levee, I'll be fair with you. but they're just not the right songs.

LEVEE Mr. Sturdyvant, you got to understand about that music. That music is what the people is looking for. They's tired of jug-band music. They wants something that excites them. Something with some fire to it.

STURDYVANT Okay, Levee. I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll give you five dollars apiece for them. Now that's the best I can do.

LEVEE I don't want no five dollars, Mr. Sturdyvant. I wants to record them songs, like you say.

STURDYVANT Well, Levee, like I say .. they just aren't the kind of songs we're looking for.

LEVEE Mr. Sturdyvant, you asked me to write them songs. Now, why didn't you tell me that before when I first give them to you? You told me you was gonna let me record them. What's the difference between then and now?

STURDYVANT Well, look.. I'll pay for your trouble..

LEVEE What's the difference, Mr. Sturdyvant? That's what I wanna know.

STURDYVANT I had my fellows play your songs, and when I heard them, they just didn't sound like the kind of songs I'm looking for right now.

LEVEE You got to hear me play them, Mr. Sturdyvant! You ain't heard me play them. That's what's gonna make them sound right.

STURDYVANT Well, Levee, I don't doubt that really. It's just that…. well, I don't think they'd sell like Ma's records. But I'll take them off your hands for you.

LEVEE The people's tired of jug-band music, Mr. Sturdyvant. They wants something that's gonna excite them! They wants something with some fire! I don't know what fellows you had playing them songs…. but if I could play them! I'd set them down in the people's lap! Now you told me I could record them songs!

STURDYVANT Well, there's nothing I can do about that. Like I say, it's five dollars apiece. That's what I'll give you. I'm doing you a favor. Now, if you write any more, I'll help you out and take them off your hands. The price is five dollars apiece. Just like now.

(He attempts to hand Levee the money, finally shoves it in Levee's coat pocket and is gone in a flash. Levee follows him to the door and it slams in his face. He takes the money from his pocket, balls it up and throws it on the floor. The other musicians silently gather up their belongings. Toledo walks past Levee and steps on his shoe.)

LEVEE Hey! Watch it ... Shit Toledo! You stepped on my shoe!

TOLEDO Excuse me there, Levee.

LEVEE Look at that! Look at that! Nigger, you stepped on my shoe. What you do that for?

TOLEDO I said I'm sorry.

LEVEE Nigger gonna step on my goddamn shoe! You done fucked up my shoe! Look at that! Look at what you done to my shoe, nigger! I ain't stepped on your shoe! What you wanna step on my shoe for?

CUTLER The man said he's sorry.

LEVEE Sorry! How the hell he gonna be sorry after he gone ruint my shoe? Come talking about sorry! (Turns his attention back to Toledo.) Nigger, you stepped on my shoe! You know that! (Levee snatches his shoe off his foot and holds it up for Toledo to see.) See what you done done?

TOLEDO What you want me to do about it? It's done now. I said excuse me.

LEVEE Wanna go and fuck up my shoe like that. I ain't done nothing to your shoe. Look at this! (Toledo turns and continues to gather up his things. Levee spins him around by his shoulder.) Naw ... naw ... look what you done! (He shoves the shoe in Toledo's face.) Look at that! That's my shoe! Look at that! You did it! You did it! You fucked up my shoe! You stepped on my shoe with them raggedy-ass clodhoppers!

TOLEDO Nigger, ain't nobody studying you and your shoe! I said excuse me. If you can't accept that, then the hell with it. What you want me to do?

(Levee is in a near rage, breathing hard. He is trying to get a grip on himself, as even he senses, or perhaps only he senses, he is about to lose control. He looks around, uncertain of what to do. Toledo has gone back to packing, as have Cutler and Slow Drag. They purposefully avoid looking at Levee in hopes he'll calm down if he doesn't have an audience. All the weight in the world suddenly falls on Levee and he rushes at Toledo with his knife in his hand.)

LEVEE Nigger, you stepped on my shoe! (He plunges the knife into Toledo's back up to the hilt. Toledo lets out a sound of surprise and agony. Cutler and Slow Drag freeze. Toledo falls backward with Levee, his hand still on the knife, holding him up. Levee is suddenly faced with the realization of what he has done. He shoves Toledo forward and takes a step back. Toledo slumps to the floor.) He ... he stepped on my shoe. He did. Honest, Cutler, he stepped on my shoe. What he do that for? Toledo, what you do that for? Cutler, help me. He stepped on my shoe, Cutler. (He turns his attention to Toledo.) Toledo! Toledo, get up. (He crosses to Toledo and tries to pick him up.) It's okay, Toledo. Come on ... I'll help you. Come on, stand up now. Levee'll help you. (Toledo is limp and heavy and awkward. He slumps back to the floor. Levee gets mad at him.) Don't look at me like that! Toledo! Nigger, don't look at me like that! I'm warning you, nigger! Close your eyes! Don't you look at me like that! (He turns to Cutler.) Tell him to close his eyes. Cutler. Tell him don't look at me like that.

CUTLER Slow Drag, get Mr. Irvin down here.

(The sound of a trumpet is heard, Levee's trumpet, a muted trumpet struggling for the highest of possibilities and blowing pain and warning.)

BLACKOUT

DMU Timestamp: October 04, 2024 22:43

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