f.

DAVE: Don't no girl as good-lookin' as you is have to go home by
herself tonight.

JIM: No, cause I'm here.

DAVE: (To DAISY) Don't you trust yourself round that like wid all them
'gators and moccasins with that nigger there, Daisy (Pointing at JIM)
He's jus' full of rabbit blood. What you need is a real man ... with
good feet. (Cutting a dance step.)

DAISY: I ain't thinking 'bout goin' home yet. I'm goin' in the store.

JIM: What you want in the store?

DAISY: I want some gum.

DAVE: (Starting toward door) Girl, you don't have to go in there to
git no gum. I'll go in there and buy you a carload of gum. What kind
you want?

DAISY: Bubble gum. (DAVE goes in the store with his hand in his
pocket. The sun is setting and the twilight deepens.)

JIM: (Pulling package out of his pocket and laughing) Here your gum,
baby. What it takes to please the ladies, I totes it. I don't have to
go get it, like Dave. What you gimme for it?

DAISY: A bushel and a peck, and a hug around the neck. (She embraces
JIM playfully. He hands her the gum, patting his shoulder as he sits
on box.) Oh, thank you. Youse a ready man.

JIM: Yeah, there's a lot of good parts to me. You can have West Tampa
if you want it.

DAISY: You always was a nice quiet boy, Jim.

DAVE: (Emerging from the store with a package of gum) Here's your gum,
Daisy.

JIM: Oh, youse late. She's done got gum now. Chaw that yourself.

DAVE: (Slightly peeved and surprised) Hunh, you mighty fast here now
with Daisy but you wasn't that fast gettin' out of that white man's
chicken house last week.

JIM: Who you talkin' 'bout?

DAVE: Hoo-oo? (Facetiously) You ain't no owl. Your feet don't fit no
limb.

JIM: Aw, nigger, hush.

DAVE: Aw, hush, yourself. (He walks away for a minute as DAISY turns
to meet some newcomers. DAVE throws his package of gum down on the
ground. It breaks and several children scramble for the pieces. An old
man, very drunk, carrying an empty jug enters on left and staggers
tipsily across stage.) (MAYOR JOE CLARK emerges from the store and
looks about for his marshall.)

CLARK: (Bellowing) Lum Boger!

LUM BOGER: (Eating a stalk of cane) Yessir!

CLARK: I God, Lum, take your lazy self off that keg and go light that
town lamp. All summer long you eatin' up my melon, and all winter long
you chawin' up my cane. What you think this town is payin' you for?
Laying round here doin' nothin'? Can't you see it's gettin' dark?

(LUM BOGER r