Act
III
Setting: A high stretch of railroad track thru a luxurious Florida forest. It is near sundown.
Action: When the curtain rises there is no one on the stage, but there is a tremendous noise and hubbub off stage right. There are yells of derision and shouts of anger. Part of the mob is trying to keep Jim in town, and part is driving him off. After a full minute of this, Jim enters with his guitar hanging around his neck and his coat over his shoulder. The sun is dropping low and red thru the forest. He is looking back angrily and shouting at the mob. A missile is thrown after him. Jim drops his coat and guitar and grabs up a piece of brick, and makes threatening gestures of throwing it.
Jim
Running back the way he came and hurling the brick with all his might. I’ll kill some o’ you old box-ankled niggers. Grabs up another piece of brick. I’m out o’ your old town. Now just let some of you old half-pint Baptists let yo’ wooden God and Cornstalk Jesus fool you into hittin’ me. Threatens to throw again. There are some frightened screams and the mob is heard running back. I’m glad I’m out o’ yo’ ole town anyhow. I ain’t never comin’ back no mo’, neither. You ole ugly-rump niggers done ruint de town anyhow.
There is complete silence off stage. Jim walks a few steps with his coat and guitar, then sits down on the railroad embankment facing the audience. He pulls off one shoe and pours the sand out. He holds the shoe in his hand a moment and looks wistfully back down the railroad track.
Jim
Lawd, folks sho is deceitful. He puts on the shoe and looks back down the track again. I never woulda thought people woulda acted like that. Laces up the shoe. Specially Dave Carter, much as me and him done progue’d ’round together goin’ in swimmin’ an’ playin’ ball an’ serenadin’ de girls an’ de white folks. He sits there gloomily silent for awhile, then looks behind him and picks up his guitar and begins to pick a tune. The music is very sad, but he trails off into, “You May Leave An’ Go to Halimuhfacks, but My Slow Drag Will Bring You Back.” When he finishes he looks at the sun and picks up his coat.
Jim
Reckon I better git on down de road and git some where. Lawd knows where. Stops suddenly in his tracks and turns back toward the village. Takes a step or two. All dat mess and stink for nothin’. Dave know good an’ well I didn’t meant to hurt him much. He takes off his cap and scratches his head thoroughly. Then turns again and starts on down the road left. Enter Daisy, left, walking fast and panting, her head down. They meet.
Daisy
Oh, hello, Jim. A little surprised and startled.
Jim
Not expecting her. Hello, Daisy. Embarrassed silence.
Daisy
I was just coming over town to see how you come out.
Jim
You don’t have to go way over there to find dat out … you and Dave done got me run outa town for nothin’.
Daisy
Putting her hand on his arm. Dey didn’t run you outa town, did dey?
Jim
Shaking her hand off. Whut you reckon I’m countin’ Mr. Railroad’s ties for … just to find out how many ties between here and Orlando?
Daisy
Hand on his arm again. Dey cain’t run you off like dat!
Jim
Take yo’ hands off me, Daisy! How come they cain’t run me off wid you and Dave an’ … everybody ’ginst me?
Daisy
I ain’t opened my mouf ’gainst you, Jim. I ain’t said one word … I wasn’t even at de old trial. My madame wouldn’t let me git off. I wuz just comin’ to see ’bout you now.
Jim
Aw, go ’head on. You figgered I was gone too long to talk about. You was haulin’ it over to town to see Dave … dat’s whut you was doin’ … after gittin’ me all messed up.
Daisy
Making as if to cry. I wasn’t studyin’ ’bout no Dave.
Jim
Hopefully. Aw, don’t tell me. Sings. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, show me a woman that a man can trust. Daisy is crying now.
Jim
What you crying for? You know you love Dave. I’m yo’ monkey-man. He always could do more wid you that I could.
Daisy
Naw, you ain’t no monkey-man neither. I don’t want you to leave town. I didn’t want y’all to be fightin’ over me, nohow.
Jim
Aw, rock on down de road wid dat stuff. A two-timin’ cloaker like you don’t keer whut come off. Me and Dave been good friends ever since we was born till you had to go flouncing yourself around.
Daisy
What did I do? All I did was to come over town to see you and git a mouf-ful of gum. Next thing I know y’all is fighting and carrying on.
Jim
Stands silent for a while. Did you come over there Sat’-day night to see me sho nuff, sugar babe?
Daisy
Everybody could see dat but you.
Jim
Just like I told you, Daisy, before you ever left from round here and went up North. I could kiss you every day … just as regular as pig-tracks.
Daisy
And I tole you I could stand it too—just as regular as you could.
Jim
Catching her by the arm and pulling her down with him onto the rail. Set down, here, Daisy. Less talk some chat. You want me sho nuff? Hones’ to God?
Daisy
Coyly. ’Member whut I told you out on de lake last summer?
Jim
Sho nuff, Daisy? Daisy nods smilingly.
Jim
Sadly. But I got to go ’way. Whut we gointer do ’bout dat?
Daisy
Where you goin’, Jim?
Jim
Looking sadly down the track. God knows.
Off stage from the same direction from which Jim entered comes the sound of whistling and tramping of feet on the ties.
Jim
Brightening. Dat’s Dave! Frowning. Wonder whut he doin’ walkin’ dis track? Looks accusingly at Daisy. I bet he’s goin’ to yo’ workplace.
Daisy
Whut for?
Jim
He ain’t goin’ to see de madame—must be goin’ to see you. He starts to rise petulantly as Dave comes upon the scene. Daisy rises also.
Dave
Looks accusingly from one to the other. Whut y’all jumpin’ up for? I …
Jim
Whut you gut to do wid us business? Tain’t none of yo’ business if we stand up, set down or fly like a skeeter hawk.
Dave
Who said I keered? Dis railroad belongs to de man—I kin walk it good as you, cain’t I?
Jim
Laughing exultantly. Oh, yeah, Mr. Do-Dirty! You figgered you had done run me on off so you could git Daisy all by yo’self. You was headin’ right for her workplace.
Dave
I wasn’t no such a thing.
Jim
You was. Didn’t I hear you coming down de track all whistling and everything?
Dave
Youse a big ole Georgy-something-ain’t-so! I done got my belly full of Daisy Sat’day night. She can’t snore in my ear no more.
Daisy
Indignantly. Whut you come here low-ratin’ me for, Dave Carter? I ain’t done nothin’ to you but treat you white. Who come rubbed yo’ ole head for you yestiddy if it wasn’t me?
Dave
Yeah, you rubbed my head all right, and I lakted dat. But everybody say you done toted a pan to Joe Clark’s barn for Jim before I seen you.
Daisy
Think I was going to let Jim lay there ’thout nothing fitten for a dog to eat?
Dave
That’s all right, Daisy. If you want to pay Jim for knockin’ me in de head, all right. But I’m a man in a class … in a class to myself and nobody knows my name.
Jim
Snatching Daisy around to face him. Was you over to Dave’s house yestiddy rubbing his ole head and cloaking wid him to run me outa town … and me looked up in dat barn wid de cows and mules?
Daisy
Sobbing. All both of y’all hollerin’ at me an’ fussin’ me just cause I tries to be nice … and neither one of y’all don’t keer nothin’ bout me.
Both Boys glare at each other over Daisy’s head and both try to hug her at the same time. She violently wrenches herself away from both and makes as if to move on.
Daisy
Leave me go! Take yo’ rusty pams offen me. I’m going on back to my workplace. I just got off to see bout y’all and look how y’all treat me.
Jim
Wait a minute, Daisy. I love you like God loves Gabriel … and dat’s His best angel.
Dave
Daisy, I love you harder than de thunder can bump a sump … if I don’t … God’s a gopher.
Daisy
Brightening. Dat’s de first time you ever said so.
Dave & Jim
Who?
Jim
Whut you hollering “Who” for? Yo’ fat don’t fit no limb.
Dave
Speak when you spoken to … come when you called, next fall you’ll be my coon houn’ dog.
Jim
Table dat discussion. Turning to Daisy. You ain’t never give me no chance to talk wid you right.
Dave
You made me feel like you was trying to put de Ned book on me all de time. Do you love me sho nuff, Daisy?
Daisy
Blooming again into coquetry. Aw, y’all better stop dat. You know you don’t mean it.
Dave
Who don’t mean it? Lemme tell you something, mama, if you was mine I wouldn’t have you counting no ties wid yo’ pretty lil toes. Know whut I’d do?
Daisy
Coyly. Naw, whut would you do?
Dave
I’d buy you a whole passenger train … and hire some mens to run it for you.
Daisy
Happily. Oo‑ooh, Dave.
Jim
To Dave.
De wind may blow, de doorway slam
Dat shut you shootin’ ain’t worth a dam.
To Daisy. I’d buy you a great big ole ship … and then, baby, I’d buy you a ocean to sail yo’ ship on.
Daisy
Happily. Oo‑ooh, Jim.
Dave
To Jim.
A long tain, a short caboose
Dat lie whut you shootin’, ain’t no use.
To Daisy. Miss Daisy, know what I’d do for you?
Daisy
Naw, whut?
Dave
I’d come down de river riding a mud cat and loading a minnow.
Daisy
Lawd, Dave, you sho is propaganda.
Jim
Peevishly. Naw he ain’t … he’s just lying … he’s a noble liar. Know whut I’d do if you was mine?
Daisy
Naw, Jim.
Jim
I’d make a panther wash yl’ dishes and a ’gater chop yo’ wood for you.
Dave
Daisy, how come you let Jim lie lak dat? He’s as big as a liar as he is a man. But sho nuff now, laying all sides to jokes, Jim there don’t even know how to answer you. If you don’t b’lieve it … ast him something.
Daisy
To Jim. You like me much, Jim?
Jim
Enthusiastically. Yeah, Daisy I sho do.
Dave
Triumphant. See dat! I tole you he didn’t know how to answer nobody like you. If he was talking to some of them ol’ funny looking gals over town he’d be answering ’em just right. But he got to learn how to answer you. Now you ast me something and see how I answer you.
Daisy
Do you like me, Dave?
Dave
Very properly in a falsetto voice. Yes ma’am! Dat’s de way to answer swell folks like you. Furthermore, less we prove which one of us love you do best right now. To Jim. Jim, how much time would you do on de chain-gang for dis ’oman?
Jim
Twenty years and like it.
Dave
See dat, Daisy? Dat nigger ain’t willin’ to do no time for you. I’d beg de judge to gimme life. Both Jim and Dave laugh.
Daisy
Y’all doin’ all dis bookooin’ out here on de railroad track but I bet y’all crazy ’bout Bootsie and Teets and a whole heap of other gals.
Jim
Cross my feet and hope to die! I’d ruther see all de other wimmen folks in de worl’ dead than for you to have de toothache.
Dave
If I was dead and any other woman come near my coffin de undertaker would have to do his job all over … ’cause I’d git right up and walk off. Furthermore, Miss Daisy, ma’am, also ma’am, which would you ruther be a lark a flying or a dove a settin’ … ma’am, also ma’am?
Daisy
’Course I’d ruther be a dove.
Jim
Miss Daisy, ma’am, also ma’am … if you marry dis nigger over my head, I’m going to git me a green hickory club and season it over yo’ head.
Dave
Don’t you be skeered, baby … papa kin take keer a you. To Jim. Countin’ from de finger suiting the action to the word back to de thumb … start anything I got you some.
Jim
Aw, I don’t want no more fight wid you, Dave.
Dave
Who said anything about fighting? We just provin’ who love Daisy de best. To Daisy. Now, which one of us you think love you de best?
Daisy
Deed I don’t know, Dave.
Dave
Baby, I’d walk de water for you … and tote a mountain on my head while I’m walkin’.
Jim
Know what I’d do, honey babe? If you was a thousand miles from home and you didn’t have no ready-made money and you had to walk all de way, walkin’ till ye’ feet start to rolling, just like a wheel, and I was riding way up in de sky, I’d step backwards offa dat aryplane just to walk home wid you.
Daisy
Falling on Jim’s neck. Jim, when you talk to me like dat I just can’t stand it. Less us git married right now.
Jim
Now you talkin’ like a blue-back speller. Less go!
Dave
Sadly. You gointer leave me lak dis, Daisy?
Daisy
Sadly. I likes you, too, Dave, I sho do. But I can’t marry both of y’all at de same time.
Jim
Aw, come on, Daisy … sun’s gettin’ low. He starts off pulling Daisy.
Dave
Whut’s I’m gointer do? Walking after them.
Jim
Gwan back and dance … you make out you don’t need me to play none.
Dave
Almost tearfully. Aw, Jim, shucks! Where y’all going?
Daisy comes to an abrupt halt and stops Jim.
Daisy
That’s right, honey. Where is we goin’ sho nuff?
Jim
Sadly. Deed I don’t know, baby. They just sentenced me to go … they didn’t say where and I don’t know.
Daisy
How we goin’ nohow to go when we don’t know where we goin’?
Jim looks at Dave as if he expects some help but Dave stands sadly silent. Jim takes a few steps forward as if to go on. Daisy makes a step or two, unwillingly, then looks behind her and stops. Dave looks as if he will follow them.
Daisy
Jim! He stops and turns. Wait a minute! Whut we gointer do when we git there?
Jim
Where?
Daisy
Where we goin’?
Jim
I done tole you I don’t know where it is.
Daisy
But how we gointer git something to eat and a place to stay?
Jim
Play and dance … just like I been doin’.
Daisy
You can’t dance and Dave ain’t gointer be ther.
Jim
Looks appealingly at Dave, then away quickly. Well, I can’t help dat, can I?
Daisy
Brightly. I tell you whut, Jim! Less us don’t go nowhere. They sentenced you to leave Eatonville and youse more than a mile from de city limits already. Youse in Maitland now. Supposin’ you come live on de white folks’ place wid me after we git married. Eatonville ain’t got nothin’ to do wid you livin’ in Maitland.
Jim
Dat’a a good idea, Daisy.
Daisy
Jumping into his arms. And listen, honey, you don’t have to be beholden to Dave nor nobody else. You can throw dat ole box away if you want to. I know ehre you can get a swell job.
Jim
Sheepishly. Doin’ whut? Looks lovingly at his guitar.
Daisy
Almost dancing. Yard man. All you have to do is wash windows, and sweep de sidewalk, and scrub off de steps and porch and hoe up de weeds and rake up de leaves and dig a few holes now and then with a spade … to plant some trees and things like that. It’s a good steady job.
Jim
After a long deliberation. You see, Daisy, de Mayor and corporation told me to go on off and I oughter go.
Daisy
Well, I’m not going tippin’ down no railroad track like a Maltese cat. I wasn’t brought up knockin’ round from here to yonder.
Jim
Well, I wasn’t brought up wid no spade in my hand … and ain’t going to start it now.
Daisy
But sweetheart, we got to live, ain’t we? We got to git hold of money before we kin do anything. I don’t mean to stay in de white folks’ kitchen all my days.
Jim
Yeah, all dat’s true, but you couldn’t buy a flea a waltzing jacket wid de money I’m going to make wid a hoe and spade.
Daisy
Getting tearful. You don’t want me. You don’t love me.
Jim
Yes, I do, darling, I love you. Youse de one letting a spade come between us. He caresses her. I loves you and you only. You don’t see me dragging a whole gang of farming tools into us business, do you?
Daisy
Stiffly. Well, I ain’t going to marry no man that ain’t going to work and take care of me.
Jim
I don’t mind working if de job ain’t too heavy for me. I ain’t going to bother wid nothin’ in my hands heavier than dis box … and I totes it round my neck ’most of de time.
Daisy makes a despairing gesture as Jim takes a step or two away from her. She turns to Dave finally.
Daisy
Well, I reckon you loves me the best anyhow. You wouldn’t talk to me like Jim did, would you, Dave?
Dave
Naw, I wouldn’t say what he said a-tall.
Daisy
Cuddling up to him. Whut would you say, honey?
Dave
I’d say dat box was too heavy for me to fool wid. I wouldn’t tote nothing heavier than my hat and I feel like I’m ’busing myself sometime totin’ dat.
Daisy
Outraged. Don’t you mean to work none?
Dave
Wouldn’t hit a lick at a snake.
Daisy
I don’t blame you, Dave, looks down at his feet cause toting dem feet of yourn is enough to break down your constitution.
Jim
Airily. That’s all right … dem foots done put plenty bread in our moufs.
Dave
Not by they selves though … wid de help of dat box, Jim. When you gits having fits on dat box, boy, my foots has hysterics. Daisy, you marry Jim cause I don’t want to come between y’all. He’s my buddy.
Jim
Come to think of it, Dave, she was yourn first. You take and handle dat spade for her.
Dave
You heard her say it is all I can do to lift up dese feets and put ’em down. Where I’m going to git any time to wrassle wid any hoes and shovels? You kin git round better’n me. You done won Daisy … I give in. I ain’t going to bite no fren’ of mine in de back.
Daisy
Both of you niggers can git yo’ hat an’ yo’ heads and git on down de road. Neither one of y’all don’t have to have me. I got a good job and plenty men beggin for yo’ chance.
Jim
Dat’s right, Daisy, you go git you one them mens whut don’t mind smelling mules … and beating de white folks to de barn every morning. I don’t wanta be bothered wid nothin’ but dis box.
Dave
And I can’t strain wid nothin’ but my feets.
Daisy walks slowly away in the direction from which she came. Both watch her a little wistfully for a minute. The sun is setting.
Dave
Guess I better be gittin’ on back … it’s most dark. Where you goin’ Jim?
Jim
I don’t know, Dave. Down de road, I reckon.
Dave
Whyncher come on back to town. ’Tain’t no use you proguein’ up and down de railroad track when you got a home.
Jim
They done lawed me way from it for hittin’ you wid dat bone.
Dave
Dat ain’t nothin’. It was my head you hit. An’ if I don’t keer whut dem old ugly-rump niggers got to do wid it?
Jim
They might not let me come in town.
Dave
Seizing Jim’s arm and facing him back toward the town. They better! Look here, Jim, if they try to keep you out dat town we’ll go out to dat swamp and git us a mule bone a piece and come into town and boil dat stew down to a low gravy.
Jim
You mean dat, Dave? Dave nods his head eagerly. Us wasn’t mad wid one ’nother nohow. Beligerently. Come on, less go back to town. Dem mallet-heads better leave me be, too. Picks up a heavy stick. I wish Lum would come tellin’ me ’bout de law when I got all dis law in my hands. And de rest o’ dem gator-faced jigs, if they ain’t got a whole sto’ o’ mule bones and a good determination, they better not bring no mess up. Come on, boy.
They start back together toward town, Jim picking a dance tune on his guitar, and Dave cutting steps on the ties beside him, singing, prancing and happily, they exit, right, as the curtain falls.