The Mule-Bone

Enter Mrs. Jake Roberts, a heavy light brown woman with a basket on her arm. A boy about ten walks beside her carrying a small child about a year old straddle of his back. Her skirts are sweeping the ground. She walks up to the step, puts one foot upon the steps and looks forlornly at all the men, then fixes her look on Joe Clark.

Mrs. Roberts

Evenin’, Brother Mayor.

Clark

Howdy do, Mrs. Roberts. How’s yo’ husband?

Mrs. Roberts

Beginning her professional whine: He ain’t much and I ain’t much and my chillun is poly. We ain’t got ’nough to eat! Lawd, Mr. Clark, gimme a lil piece of side meat to cook us a pot of greens.

Clark

Aw gwan, Sister Roberts. You got plenty bacon home. Last week Jake bought.⁠ ⁠…

Mrs. Roberts

Frantically. Lawd, Mist’ Clark, how long you think dat lil piece of meat last me an’ my chillun? Lawd, me and my chillun is hongry! God knows, Jake don’t fee‑eed me!

Mr. Clark sits unmoved. Mrs. Roberts advances upon him.

Mrs. Roberts

Mist’ Clark!

Clark

I God, woman, don’t keep on after me! Every time I look, youse round here beggin’ for everything you see.

Lige

And whut she don’t see she whoops for it just de same.

Mrs. Roberts

In dramatic begging pose. Mist’ Clark! Ain’t you boin’ do nuthin’ for me? And you see me and my poor chillun is starvin’.⁠ ⁠…

The noise of cane-chewing is heard again. Enter Joe Lindsay left with a gun over his shoulder and the large leg bone of a mule in the other hand. He approaches the step wearily.

Hambo

Well, did you git any partridges, Joe?

Joe

Resting his gun and seating himself. Nope, but I made de feathers fly.

Hambo

I don’t see no birds.

Joe

Oh, the feathers flew off on de birds.

Lige

I don’t see nothin’ but dat bone. Look lak you done kilt a cow and et ’im raw out in de woods.

Joe

Don’t y’all know dat hock-bone?

Walter

How you reckon we gointer know every hock-bone in Orange County sight unseen?

Joe

Standing the bone up on the floor of the porch. Dis is a hock-bone of Brazzle’s ole yaller mule.

General pleased interest. Everybody wants to touch it.

Brazzle

Coming forward. Well, sir! Takes bone in both hands and looks up and down the length of it. If ’tain’t my ole mule! This sho was one hell of a mule, too. He’d fight every inch in front of de plow⁠ ⁠… he’d turn over de mowing machine⁠ ⁠… run away wid de wagon⁠ ⁠… and you better not look like you wanter ride ’im!

Lindsay

Laughing. Yeah, I ’member seein’ you comin’ down de road just so⁠ ⁠… he limps wid one hand on his buttocks one day.

Brazzle

Dis mule was so evil he used to try to bite and kick when I’d go in de stable to feed ’im.

Walter

Two carelessly dressed, happy-go-lucky fellows enter together. One is fingering a guitar without playing any particular tune, and the other has his hat cocked over his eyes in a burlesque, dude-like manner. There are casual greetings.

Walter

Hey, there, bums, how’s tricks?

Lige

What yo’ sayin’, boys?

Hambo

Good evenin’ sons.

Lige

How did you-all make out this evenin’, boys?

Jim

Oh, them white folks at the party shelled out right well. Kept Dave busy pickin’ it up. How much did we make today, Dave?

Dave

Striking his pocket. I don’t know, boy, but feels right heavy here. Kept me pickin’ up money just like this.⁠ ⁠… As Jim picks a few dance chords, Dave gives a dance imitation of how he picked up the coins from the ground as the white folks threw them. We count it after while. Woulda divided up with you already if you hadn’t left me when you seen Daisy comin’ by. Let’s sit down on the porch and rest now.

Lige

She sho is lookin’ stylish and pretty since she come back with her white folks from up North. Wearin’ the swellest clothes. And that coal-black hair of hers jus’ won’t quit.

Mattie Clark

In doorway. I don’t see what the mens always hanging after Daisy Taylor for.

Clark

Turning around on the porch. I God, you back here again. Who’s tendin’ that store? Mattie disappears inside.

Dave and Daisy emerge from the store, each holding a bottle of red soda pop and laughing together. As they start down the steps Dave accidentally steps on Jim’s outstretched foot. Jim jumps up and pushes Dave back, causing him to spill the red soda all over his white shirt front.

Jim

Stay off my foot, you big ox.

Dave

Well, you don’t have to wet me all up, do you, and me in company? Why don’t you put your damn foot in your pocket?

Daisy

Wiping Dave’s shirt front with her handkerchief. Aw, ain’t that too bad.

Jim

To Dave. Well, who’s shirt did I wet? It’s mine, anyhow, ain’t it?

Dave

Belligerently. Well, if it’s your shirt, then you come take it off me. I’m tired of your lip.

Jim

Well, I will.

Dave

Well, put your fist where you lip is. Pushing Daisy aside.

Daisy

Frightened. I want to go home. Now, don’t you all boys fight.

Jim attempts to come up the steps. Dave pushes him back and he stumbles and falls in the dust. General excitement as the crowd senses a fight.

Little Boy

On the edge of crowd. Fight, fight, you’re no kin. Kill one another, won’t be no sin. Fight, fight, you’re no kin.

Jim jumps up and rushes for Dave as the latter starts down the steps. Dave meets him with his fist squarely in the face and causes him to step backward, confused.

Lord, lemme gwan home an’ put dese greens on. Looks off stage left. Here come Mayor Clark now, wid his belly settin’ out in front of him like a cowcatcher! His name oughter be Mayor Belly.

Sister Taylor

Arms akimbo. Jus’ look at him! Tryin’ to look like a jigadier Breneral.

Enter Clark hot and perspiring. They look at him coldly.

Clark

I God, de bear got me! Silence for a moment. How y’all feelin’, ladies?

Sister Taylor

Brother Mayor, I ain’t one of these folks dat bite my tongue an’ bust my gall⁠—whut’s inside got to come out! I can’t see to my rest why you cloakin’ in wid dese Baptist buzzards ’ginst yo’ own church.

Mayor Clark

I ain’t cloakin’ in wid none. I’m de Mayor of dis whole town I stands for de right an’ ginst de wrong⁠—I don’t keer who it kill or cure.

Sister Thomas

You think it’s right to be runnin’ dat boy off for nothin’?

Clark

I God! You call knockin’ a man in de head wid a mule bone nothin’? ’Nother thin; I done missed nine of my best-layin’ hens. I ain’t sayin’ Jim got ’em, but different people has tole me he burries a powerful lot of feathers in his backyard. I God, I’m a ruint man! He starts towards the right exit, but Lum Boger enters right. I God, Lum, I been lookin’ for you all day. It’s almost three o’clock. Hands him a key from his ring. Take dis key an’ go fetch Jim Weston on to de church.

Lum

Have you got yo’ gavel from de lodge-room?

Clark