16

ORAL.	Teazie, youse a - er, er, got-that-wrong! Girl, you can mold ‘em. I ain't pushed my ball. Nothing of the kind. We going to beat you and have our correct amount of fun while we doing it. I mean to die bold.

MRS. WATSON.	Aw, you-all hurry up and get through so somebody else can play. Me and Willie Joe going to take thewinners.

RUBY.	Now, let all of ‘em come off when they finish that game. Let four brand new ones get on there. I'm tired of waiting.

JIM	(pulls coin from his pocket) Here, Admiral, run get me a cold coca cola.

ADMIRAL.	Yessir. Don't you want me to bring you some cigarettes, too?

	I need a smoke.

JIM.	Well, all right. But I wasn't figgering on none right now.

(ADMIRAL darts off left running.)

DAISY	(to NUNKIE, gloating) Now, you dead on the game and ain't even made your center wicket. You ain’t no trouble.

NUNKIE.	Aw, shoot and shut up! You have to play this game. Your talk don't help none. I done belled the buzzard, crowned the crow; got the key to the bushes and I'm bound to go.

MRS. WATSON	(slams card down on table) High, low, jack and the bendwood tosser. Roasting ears ripe and the corn's et offa.

	Gone from Two! out and gone!

WILLIE JOE.	Gone out your head! Where you all get any two from?

	(Re-enter ADMIRAL and hands JIM coca cola and change. He begins to open the cigarettes as JIM wipes the mouth of the bottle with his hand and places it to his lips.)

RUBY.	Aw, let it go. Nobody don't care, nowhow. We ain't bet money. Let 'em have it.

	(She looks about her absently and begins to hum.) Oh Lord, Oh Lord, let the words of my mouth, O Lord,