ng elaborate)

Lonnie
I know I'm gointer play something now.
(He tunes and plays "Cold Rainy Day".
He begins to sing and the others join
in. Not all. But all start to dancing.
They couple off as far as possible and
Lindy. The men unmated do hot solo
steps. The men cry out in ecstacy)

1. Shimmy! If you can't shimmy, shake your head.

2. Look, baby, look! Throw it in de alley

3. Look, if you can't look, stick out, and if you can't stick
out, git out.
(At the end of the son and dance, one
of the girls exclaim)

Girl
Aw, we got to go. Mama's looking for us.
(The three girls exit, walking
happily. The men watch them go)

Cliff
Oh boy, look at 'em! Switching it and looking back at it.
(He imitates the girl's walk)

Good Black
Yeah Lawd, ain't they specifyin'! They handles a lot of traffic.

Cliff
(Seating himself again)
Yeah, but dat don't play no checkers. Come on here, Good Black
and lemme finish wearing your ant.

Good Black's Wife
Good Black, yo' better come git dese clothes.

Lonnie
Good Black, yo' wife kin cold whoop for what she want.

Good Black
Yeah and if she don't git, she keep right on whoopin'. B'lieve
I wants a drink of water. Wisht I knowed where I could slip
up on me a drink.

Cliff
Aw man, come on back here and move. Yo' doin' everythin' but playin'
checkers. You'd ruther move a mountain wid a pry bar than to move
(Points)
dat man.

Good Black
(Seats himself)
Lemme hurry up and beat dis game befo' yo' bust yo' britches.
(He wags his finger to indicate moves,
scratches his head, but doesn't move.
Several men enter and group around the
players. All offer suggestions. One
says, "you got him Cliffert. He's
locked up just as tight as a keyhole".
Another: "Aw, man he kin break out!"
Another: "Yeah, but it'll cost him
plenty to git