Page:Zora Neale Hurston - The Mule-Bone.pdf/4

 and SAM MOSELY, and several others, seated on boxes, kegs, benches and floor of the porch. TONY TAYLOR is sitting on steps of porch with empty basket. MRS. TAYLOR comes out with her arms full of groceries, empties them into basket and goes back in store. All the men are chewing sugar cane earnestly with varying facial expressions. The noise of the breaking and sucking of cane can clearly heard in the silence. Occasionally the laughter and shouting of children is heard nearby off stage.

HAMBO: (To BRAZZLE) Say, Matt, gimme a jint or two of dat green cane -- dis ribbon cane is hard.

LIGE: Yeah, and you ain't got de chears in yo' parlor you useter have.

HAMBO: Dat's all right, Lige, but I betcha right now wid dese few teeth I kin eat up more cane'n you kin grow.

LIGE: I know you kin and that's de reason I ain't going tempt you. But youse gettin' old in lots of ways -- look at dat bald-head -- just as clean as my hand. (Exposes his palm).

HAMBO: Don't keer if it tis -- I don't want nothin' -- not even hair -- be-tween me and God. (General laughter -- LIGE joins in as well. Cane chewing keeps up. Silence for a moment.)

(Off stage a high shrill voice can be heard calling:)

VOICE: Sister Mosely, Oh, Sister Mosely! (A pause) Miz Mosely! (Very irritated) Oh, Sister Mattie! You hear me out here — you just won't answer!

VOICE OF MRS. MOSELY: Whoo-ee.....somebody calling me?

VOICE OF MRS. ROBERTS: (Angrily) Never mind now -- you couldn't come when I called you. I don't want yo' lil ole weazley turnip greens. (Silence)