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our mouth, but God gives us our words.

RUBY.	Play something you already know. Like that pretty song you played sitting in the boat at the toe-party that night.

SPUNK	(shakes his head sadly) Wisht I could, Ruby. But I ain't the same man. To myself I looked like the king of the world that night. Now I'm round here looking like the figure of fun. I was in my element that night. A fish loves to swim in water, but he's dead when he's swimming in grease.

	(Begins to improvise. Strikes a definite tune. LINA listens hard.)

GETHSEMANE

RUBY.	Play it, papa, play it! You got the business and you know it!

	(She cuts a caper or two. He begins to sing. RUBY senses the song is not for her and gets quiet. LINA closes the window. Opens it again. Goes to the door and comes out doors and creeps to RUBY'S window. RUBY is sitting on the arm of the chair and puts her arm about SPUNK's shoulder. He sings. Finally she pats his cheek.)

LINA.	Spunk!

	(She yells his name and runs home and takes her same seat at the window. SPUNK jumps when he heard his name and looks all about him.)

SPUNK.	Look like I heard Evelina call my name.

RUBY.	What would she be calling you for? She done stood up in church and told everybody she was through with you. Say she aims to live free from all sin till she die.

SPUNK	(crossing to door) So she figger it's a sin to be with me, huh? I didn't know that. (a short pause) Still, she called me.

RUBY	(clings to his hand) Nobody ain't called you, Spunk. Maybe it's a ghost. You better not answer. If you do you'll die soon.

SPUNK	(dragging RUBY as he goes) Lina called me. And if she didn't her