Culture Shock by Cleveland McLeish
This Play is the copyright of the Author, and may not be performed, copied or sold without the Author's prior consent
LIST OF CHARACTERS
MAMIE TILL-BRADLEY Female, Emmett's mother
EMMETT 'BOBO' TILL Male, 14 years old, stocky, muscular, 160
lbs, five feet four inches tall.
CURTIS Male, Emmett's cousin
ROY BRYANT Male, 24 years old, Husband to Carolyn.
CAROLYN BRYANT Female, 21 years old, 5 ft tall, 103 lbs. Irish
girl with Black hair, black eyes.
JW MILAN Male, 36 years old, 235 lbswears khaki trousers, red
sports shirt, cap and dark glasses.
ELIZABETH Female, Preacher's Wife
PREACHER Male, Relative to Emmett
LUCIEN - Male
GREG - Male
JOHN - Male
NARATOR - Female
JUANITA Female, Carolyn's Sister-In-Law
EXTRAS
THE SCRIPT
WEDNESDAY
ACT ONE
Lights up.
Two African American boys are seated at the checker table playing checkers in Silence.
Roy exits the store carrying a suitcase.
He stops to look at the boys with a slight disgust.
Carolyn comes out behind him. Roy turns to face her.
ROY: Your sister-in-law Juanita should be here soon.
CAROLYN: I know.
ROY: I'll be sure to bring something back for you and the boys from Texas.
CAROLYN: I know that too.
ROY: Where are them boys by the way?
CAROLYN: In the back!
ROY: Make sure they're in bed by 7:00 and remember to lock the
doors before you leave and turn off all the lights 'cxept that one
on the front porch.
CAROLYN: Ok.
Pause.
ROY: Carol, lookI'm sorry 'bout what I said back there. It's
just that
Roy looks at the boys, he speaks a little softer.
ROY: I don't like having colored people hanging around out here. It
makes me nervous.
CAROLYN: Roy, just go. I can take care of myself.
ROY: I wish you wouldn't be so naive.
CAROLYN: Stop calling me naive!
ROY: Sorry. But one a them days those colored people is gonna get
outta line.
CAROLYN: Just go, Roydon't let us have another argument.
Roy considers.
He nods and kisses her on her cheek. He picks up his suitcase and
exits.
Carolyn watches him leave. She then turns and goes back into the
store leaving
The door half open.
NARRATOR: I've long considered the whole concept of death. I have
even concluded that no one can die before their appointed time and in
most cases, as you carefully examine all the events leading up to that
timeit seems like pieces of a puzzle being placed in its exact
position. (slight pause) Yet, in the case of Emmett 'Bobo' Till,
let every man be his own judge.
GREG: Mr. Bryant don't like us being around.
LUCIEN: Yeah, but he ain't got much choice in the matter. Without
us colored folks his shop wouldn't have customers.
GREG: But he always talking mean and I hear he sometimes beat up on
some of the other folks when they don't do what he says.
LUCIEN: He's just ignorant. But he knows he needs us just as much
as we need his service.
GREG: Yeah.
LUCIEN: As long as we stick to just business, we a'right.
Emmett and his cousin, Curtis enters.
They stop a little way from the checker table where Lucien and Greg
are deep in The game.
CURTIS: Bobo, remember mama's warning.
EMMETT: I rememberbut I ain't let nobody take me for a liar.
CURTIS: I really think we should just leave.
EMMETT: Not yet.
Emmett takes a photograph from his pocket and stares at it.
EMMETT: A couple more minutes, cous.that's all I'm asking.
CURTIS: Ohhh
EMMETT: Will you try to relax.
CURTIS: Oh, I'm trying.
They join those at the checker table.
EMMETT: Hey
LUCIEN: Hey
EMMETT: Whose winning?
LUCIEN: Who do'ya think?
EMMETT: Right, right! Maybe you need to teach Greg how to play.
LUCIEN: So he can start winning. I ain't think so. Whatcha doing
here anyways?
GREG: Yeah, you come to spread more lies.
LUCIEN (speaks without looking up from the table): What say you,
Chicago boy.
EMMETT: I brought proof that I ain't lying.
LUCIEN (looks up this time): Yeah, go aheadmake your case.
Emmett hands them the pictures.
LUCIEN: Whoa!
GREG: You ain't kidding.
EMMETT (smiles triumphantly): Told ya. (folds his arm)
LUCIEN: Butyou got to do better than that, Bo.
Just then Carolyn Bryant steps from the store with a broom in hand.
She starts sweeping the curb.
EMMETT (grabs his pictures): Man you guys are hardheaded.
CURTIS: What more proof do ya need?
LUCIEN: Them just pictures man. You expect us to swallow your story
that you been with white girls because you took a picture standing
beside one of 'em.
EMMETT: Its proof, ain't it?
Lucien glances over at Carolyn.
When he looks back, Greg nods at him with a sheepish smile.
LUCIEN: We know how you can prove yourself beyond any shadow of a
doubt.
EMMETT: Yeah, how. Tell me and I'll do it.
LUCIEN: You talking mighty big, Bothere's a pretty little white
woman over there. Since you know how to handle white girls, let's
see you get a date with her.
CURTIS: OhhhBobo, bad idea.
LUCIEN: You ain't chicken, are you Bo?
EMMETT: I ain't chicken.
LUCIEN: Go ahead.
Emmett walks boldly over to Carolyn.
CURTIS: Ohhh
GREG: Stop winning, you sissy!
Lucien and Greg chuckles.
Curtis is almost wetting his pants.
EMMETT: Halo, ma'am.
Carolyn stops sweeping.
CAROLYN: May I help you with something.
EMMETT: Apart from two cents worth o' bubble gum, how's about a
date, baby.
Curtis gasp, slaps his hand over his mouth.
CAROLYN: Excuse me!
EMMETT: Ya knowdinnerwhere two people sit 'round a table and
have some chow.
CAROLYN: You have some nerve talking to me like that.
EMMETT: You don't like the way I talk baby?
CAROLYN: Please leave.
Emmett grabs her by her waist.
Lucien and Greg are no longer smiling; they start to shake in their
boots.
LUCIEN: Ah, Bo
EMMETT: You needn't be afraid o' me, baby. I been with white
girls before.
CAROLYN (open mouth): Ah
Carolyn pulls away from him and head for the door to the store.
Emmett eyes her and wolf whistles before she disappears behind the
door
Slamming it loudly.
CURTIS: Ohhh..
Only Emmett is laughing at this point.
Lucien and Greg can't believe what he just did.
LUCIEN: Hey, gotta gosee you in Heaven, man.
They dash off quickly.
CURTIS: Ohhh
Emmett slaps Curtis.
EMMETT: Stop that! Its no big deal a'ight.
Emmett grabs Curtis arm, and they exit.
The door opens and Carolyn storms out with a gun (.38 colt) hoisted
In front of her.
She looks left and right, but no one else is there.
Her Sister-in-law, Juanita, run out behind her.
JUANITA: What happened?
Carolyn is too shaken to respond right away.
She turns for the door, but Juanita grabs her.
JUANITA: Tell me what just happened here, Carol.
CAROLYN: BoyBoy just touched me.asked me for a date.
JUANITA: Boy? You mean a black boy?
Carolyn nods.
JUANITA: Lord have mercy.
CAROLYN: Roy will deal with it when he gets back.
JUANITA: Roy will kill him if he found out.
Carolyn stares at Juanita a bit.
CAROLYN: I'm not good at keeping secrets, Juanita.
JUANITA: There has been enough bloodshed, Siswe have to try.
Carolyn nods. She goes back into the store.
Juanita looks around to see if there's anyone watching.
She then follows behind Carolyn.
The stage remains quiet and lighted for a beat, and then the lights
go out.
LIGHTS UP
Mamie Till-Bradley sits alone on a stool.
She hesitates before speaking.
MAMIE: I warned him so many times andeven as I watched that train
pull away, I knewsomehowmy words had fallen on deaf ears. "Be
Careful," I said, "If you had to get down on your knees and bow
when them white folks go past, do it willingly.
(Pause)
Emmett Till was always too much a man to listen.
(Pause)
Course you know somet'ing like that is hard to keep quiet.
LIGHTS OUT
FRIDAY
LIGHTS UP
There's a Boy, Emmett's age, sitting at the checker table,
waiting, eating peanuts
Or just gloating. Let's say is name is John.
Roy enters.
He sees the boy, but ignores him. He heads for the entrance to the
store.
JOHN: How was your trip?
Roy stops, but doesn't turn around.
ROY: Who you talking to, boy?
JOHN: An ignorant white boy.
Roy folds his fist and grinds his bottom lip.
He turns and steps towards the youth grabbing his throat when he gets
near enough.
Roy pulls his free hand back to deliver a few blows.
JOHN: I got something you want.
ROY: You got nothing I want.
Roy is about to redesign John's face.
JOHN: A Negro touched your wife.
[end of extract]