s lying ... and I ain't never
found out how come you think youse so important.

LINDSAY: Ain't we got de finest and de biggest church? Macedonia
Baptist will hold more folks than any two buildings in town.

LIGE: Thass right, y'all got a heap more church than you got members
to go in it.

HAMBO: Thass all right ... y'all ain't got neither de church nor de
members. Everything that's had in this town got to be held in our
church.

(Re-enter JOE CLARK.)

CLARK: What you-all talkin'?

HAMBO: Come on out, Tush Hawg, lemme beat you some checkers. I'm tired
of fending and proving wid dese boys ain't got no hair on they chest
yet.

CLARK: I God, you mean you gointer get beat. You can't handle me ...
I'm a tush hawg.

HAMBO: Well, I'm going to draw dem tushes right now. (To two small
boys using checker board on edge of porch.) Here you chilluns, let de
Mayor and me have that board. Go on out an' play an' give us grown
folks a little peace. (The children go down stage and call out:)

SMALL BOY: Hey, Senator. Hey, Marthy. Come on let's play chick-me,
chick-me, cranie-crow.

CHILD'S VOICE: (Off stage) All right! Come on, Jessie! (Enter several
children, led by SENATOR, and a game begins in front of the store as
JOE CLARK and HAMBO play checkers.)

JOE CLARK: I God! Hambo, you can't play no checkers.

HAMBO: (As they seat themselves at the check board) Aw, man, if you
wasn't de Mayor I'd beat you all de time.

(The children get louder and louder, drowning out the men's voices.)

SMALL GIRL: I'm gointer be de hen.

BOY: And I'm gointer be de hawk. Lemme git maself a stick to mark wid.

(The boy who is the hawk squats center stage with a short twig in his
hand. The largest girl lines up the other children behind her.)

GIRL: (Mother Hen) (Looking back over her flock): Y'all ketch holt of
one 'Nother's clothes so de hawk can't git yuh. (They do.) You all
straight now?

CHILDREN: Yeah. (The march around the hawk commences.)

HEN AND CHICKS:
Chick mah chick mah craney crow
Went to de well to wash ma toe
When I come back ma chick was gone
What time, ole witch?

HAWK: (Making a tally on the ground) One!

HEN AND CHICKS: (Repeat song and march.)

HAWK: (Scoring again) Two!

(Can be repeated any number of times.)

HAWK: Four. (He rises and imitates a hawk flying and trying to catch a
chicken. Calling in a high voice:) Chickee.

HEN: (Flapping wings to protect her young) My chickens sleep.

HAWK: