Page:Zora Neale Hurston - Woofing.pdf/11

10. (Lonnie is sitting off to himself and picking "Rabbit on de Log" softly. A small BOY dashes on with a lolly pop in his hand. He is licking it and laughing. He is pursued by a little GIRL yelling "you gimme my all day sucker! Johnny! You gimme my candy, now! They run all over the stage. The men take notice of them and one of them seizes the boy and restores the candy to the girl. She pokes out her tongne at the boy and says "goody, goody, goody, goody, goody!" She notes the guitar playing and begins to dance. The boy makes faces back at her and dances back at her. The music gets louder, dancing faster, check board gets upset. General laughter at that. When dance is over, boy snatches the lolly pop again and races away and the girl runs behind him yelling, "Johnny! You gimme my candy! Johnny!" The music stops and the crap game gets under way. Furious side bets for 5 and 10 cents each. Loud calls on "Daisy Dice", snake eyes, "Ada from Decatur". Somebody suggests a soft roll, others object on the ground that it's too easy for the experts to cheat)

Gimme de dice! I'm gointer play 'em like John Henry.

John Henry didn't bother wid de bones. He used to play Georgy Skin.

He shot crap too. He played everythin' and everythin' he played, he played it good. Just like he uster drive steel. If I could whip steel like John Henry, I wouldn't stay here and nowhee else.

Whut would yo' do?

I'd go somewhere and keep books for somebody.

I know how to play John Henry.