9

	I got money to buy some toes too.

BLUE:	Nope, you know our people never hold nothing on time. They just coming now.

MRS. WATSON	(beating on a skillet). All you young pullets and all you all hens go behind the curtain. We're going to sell off the toes. Everybody come on. Hurry up!

	(There is a lot of bashful giggling as the girls haltingly make their way to the quilts. Ruby stands by Spunk without moving.)

	Hey, Ruby, ain't you taking no part in the party? What you come here for?

RUBY (coyly)	I don't know whether my gentleman friend want me to play that or not. He might choose for me to just stay with him. (she looks coyly into his face.)

SPUNK.	Oh, that's all right with me, baby. Don't let me stop your fun. The boys might think hard of me if they didn't get a chance at your toe.

	(Ruby is chagrined and goes slowly to join the others behind the quilts. SPUNK pulls his guitar from behind him and plays a chord or two in an absent-minded way.)

MRS. WATSON.	Whilst the girls is getting their toes ready to show, maybe our new friend will favor us with a guitar selection.

	(Everyone begins to clap hands and SPUNK plays “Polk County". His hearers are delighted.)

MRS. WATSON	(in admiration) That's a box-picking fool! Gwan, play us some march music for the boys to march up and choose by.

SPUNK.	I wants to march, too. I aims to buy a too myself.

MRS. WATSON.	(arranging line) Get on the tail end of the line and play and march at the same time, like a nice boy. Don't make nobody beg you to play.

	(SPUNK goes to the end of the line and begins to pick softly.