How We Used to Be by Wade Allen
SCENE ONE
JAMES SMITH: Ay Beth, get over here and fill this glass up for me.
Beth Smith gets up and walks over to their coffee table (Mini bar) and
begins to refill the glass with whiskey. Wendy returns with a bowl of
food.
JAMES SMITH: Hurry up Beth, I know you can go faster than that now!
BETH SMITH: Yes dear.
Beth Smith hands the glass to her husband. James Smith takes it and
continues to drink and read the newspaper. Beth picks up the second
bouquet of flowers and begins to change them on the opposite coffe
table near Wendy.
BETH SMITH: Now a little birdy told me that you haven't been showing
up for your classes, miss, you wanna tell me and your father what
that's about?
WENDY: Uh well, I've been runnin a few errands over on 8th mama,
i'll get in there tomorrow I promise.
JAMES SMITH: What kinda business do you have on 8th street!?
Beth Smith chimes in quickly.
BETH SMITH: Oh honey i'm sure it's nothing, we can trust our own
daughter i'm sure of it.
Beth Smith finishes changing the flowers and the begins to dust the
living room.
JAMES SMITH: It better be nothing, or it'll be her ass, I don't
want her ending up like that Riane girl and we all know what kinda
people stay over on 8th street.
BETH SMITH: Oh, Riane I do miss her, such a sweet girl, I hear nothing
but good things about her now, Wendy why don't you ever bring her
over no more. I haven't seen her in a good minute.
JAMES SMITH: That girl ain't coming near this house, I just heard
from Bill that Riane announced her love for some colored man the other
day, it's been gettin at me for a while now. How disrespectful of
that girl to dishonor her family like that!
BETH SMITH: Oh don't let that get you upset it ain't nothing to
worry about.
WENDY: Yeah daddy, maybe it's better that way now Riane can be with
who she loves.
Wendy seems very anxious, she begins to twiddle her thumbs and can't
sit still while continuing to eat her breakfast.
JAMES SMITH: Well she ain't with em, Bill went down there the other
day and shot em dead. He been in jail for a couple days now.
Both Wendy and Beth Smith freeze from the absolute shock. Beth puts
down duster and grabs small wooden laundry basket set in front of the
couch. Beth sits down on the floor and begins to fold laundry in
basket.
BETH SMITH: That was foolish of that man. They ain't hurtin nobody,
especially not us. They haven't been for years, ain't no reason
for all that.
James Smith jerks his newspaper down and directs his attention towards
Beth Smith.
JAMES SMITH: The hell you mean they ain't hurtin nobody? I remember
when it used to be different, we used to be a wealthy town, hell the
wealthiest in all of the Carolinas, now we gotta work alongside these
people, in factories where a different one us gets sucked up into
those damn machines everyday.
BETH SMITH: Oh you stop that now. You know, They're people too,
shoot, I'd even let Riane come over for supper tonight, i'm sure
she needs a little company right now. Wendy why don't you see if you
can find her and her mama, well invite them over for supper tonight.
It'll be nice, i'll cook up some good fixins'.
JAMES SMITH: That girl ain't coming anywhere near my household!
Where's your sanity woman letting some buffie lover come into my
home?!
James Smith stands up, while continuing to drink his glass of whiskey
WENDY: Daddy Riane ain't any different, she ain't become some
criminal just because she loved a colored boy, i'm sure he was nice
if he went with her.
BETH SMITH: Yes, i'm sure he was very nice boy. And i'm sure Riane
is still a nice enough girl to step in this household, like the
multiple times she has before, buffie lover or not.
James Smith slams down his glass on the coffee table (Mini bar) and
turns towards his wife and screams.
JAMES SMITH: I said hell no, it ain't happening in my house.
BETH SMITH: Remember your lessons honey, "The Lord's curse is on
the house of the wicked, but he blesses the dwelling of the righteous.
Toward the scorners he is scornful, but to the humble he gives favor.
The wise will inherit honor, but fools get disgrace."
JAMES SMITH: Now I know damn well you ain't calling me no fool?
Beth realizing she has spoken out of term, puts her head down and
continues to fold her laundry, without looking James Smith in the
eyes. Wendy stares in shock at her parents.
BETH SMITH: No Honey, i'm just saying be a little wiser, that's all.
JAMES SMITH: How dare you speak to me that way!
Beth Smith enraged releases all of her built up emotions and throws
down laundry on the floor.
BETH SMITH: How dare I, how dare you speak to me this way in front of
our own daughter. Coming in here with speak of killing people because
of their skin color-
Cutting off Beth Smith's sentence, James Smith runs over to his wife
and pushes her to the ground. He then picks up her laundry basket and
pours all the clothes over her and throws the basket. Wendy jumps back
in her chair with her hands over her mouth. James Smith picks up one
piece of clothing.
JAMES SMITH: Listen next time it'll be more than that, you learn
your place in this house woman!
[end of extract]