The following sections of this BookRags Literature Study Guide is offprint from Gale's For Students Series: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Commonly Studied Works: Introduction, Author Biography, Plot Summary, Characters, Themes, Style, Historical Context, Critical Overview, Criticism and Critical Essays, Media Adaptations, Topics for Further Study, Compare & Contrast, What Do I Read Next?, For Further Study, and Sources.
(c)1998-2002; (c)2002 by Gale. Gale is an imprint of The Gale Group, Inc., a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Gale and Design and Thomson Learning are trademarks used herein under license.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Encyclopedia of Popular Fiction: "Social Concerns", "Thematic Overview", "Techniques", "Literary Precedents", "Key Questions", "Related Titles", "Adaptations", "Related Web Sites". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Guide to Literature for Young Adults: "About the Author", "Overview", "Setting", "Literary Qualities", "Social Sensitivity", "Topics for Discussion", "Ideas for Reports and Papers". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
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| Table of Contents | |
| Section | Page |
| Start of eBook | 1 |
| Time—Present | 1 |
| CURTAIN | 3 |
Place—New York
Cast of characters—
Nunkie
Too-Sweet
Peckerwood
Black Baby
Sack Daddy
Tush Hawg
Aunt Dilsey
Scene—
A shabby front room in a shotgun house.
A door covered by dingy portieres upstage C. Small panel window in side Wall L. Plain centre table with chairs drawn up about it. Gaudy calendars on wall. Battered piano against wall R. Kerosene lamp with reflector against wall on either side of room.
At rise of curtain Nunkie is at piano playing.... Others at table with small stacks of chips before each man. Tush Hawg is seated at table so that he faces audience. He is expertly riffing the cards ... looks over his shoulder and speaks to Nunkie.
Tush Hawg Come on here, Nunkie—and take a hand! You’re holding up the game. You been woofin’ round here about the poker you can play—now do it!
Nunkie Yeah, I plays poker. I plays the piano and Gawd knows I plays the devil. I’m Uncle Bob with a wooden leg!*[Handwritten: Last sentence crossed out in pencil in manuscript.]
Black baby Aw, you can be had! Come on and get in the game! My britches is cryin’ for your money! Come on, don’t give the healer no trouble!*[Handwritten: last sentence crossed out in pencil]
Nunkie Soon as I play the deck I’m comin’ and take you alls money! Don’ rush me.
Ace means the first time that I met you
Duece means there was nobody there but us two
Trey means the third party—Charlie
was his name
Four spot means the fourth time you tried that
same old game—
Five spot means five years you played me for a clown
Six spot means six feet of earth when the deal goes
down
Now I’m holding the seven spot for each day
of the week
Eight means eight hours that she Sheba-ed with your
Sheik— Nine spot means nine hours that
I work hard every day— Ten spot means tenth
of every month I brought you home my pay—
The Jack is three-card Charlie who played me for a
goat The Queen, that’s my pretty Mama, also
trying to cut my throat— The King stands
for Sweet Papa Nunkie and he’s goin’ to
wear the crown, So be careful you all ain’t
broke when the deal goes down!
(He
laughs—X’es to table, bringing
piano
stool for seat)
Tush Hawg Aw now, brother, two dollars for your seat before you try to sit in this game.
Nunkie
(Laughs
sheepishly—puts money
down—tush
Hawg pushes stack of chips
toward
him. Bus.)
I didn’t put it down because I knew you all
goin’ to be puttin’ it right
back in my pocket.
BECKERWOOD
Aw, Y’all go ahead and play.
(to
tush Hawg)
Deal!
(Tush
Hawg begins to deal for draw
poker.
The game gets tense. Sack
daddy
is first man at TUSH’s left—he
throws
back three cards and is dealt
three
more)
Sack daddy
My luck sure is rotten! My gal must be cheatin’
on me. I ain’t had a
pair since John Henry had a hammer!
Black baby
(Drawing
three new cards)
You might be fooling the rest with the cryin’
you’re doin’ but I’m
squattin’ for you! You’re cryin’
worse than cryin’ Emma!
Too-Sweet
(Studying
his three new cards)
(Sings)
When yo’ cards gets lucky, oh Partner, you oughter
be in a rollin’ game.
[Handwritten: get you foot offa my chair etc]
Aunt Dilsey
(Enters
through portieres—stands and
looks
disapprovingly)
You all oughter be ashamed of yourself, gamblin’
and carryin’ on like
this!
Black baby
Aw, this ain’t no harm, Aunt Dilsey! You
go on back to bed and git your
night’s rest.
Aunt Dilsey
No harm! I know all about these no-harm sins!
If you don’t stop this
card playin’, all of you all goin’ to
die and go to Hell.
(Shakes
warning finger—exits through
portieres—while
she is talking the
men
have been hiding cards out of
their
hands and pulling aces out of
sleeves
and vest pockets and
shoes—it
is done quickly, one does
not
see the other do it)
Nunkie
(Shoving
a chip forward)
A dollar!
Sack daddy
Raise you two!
Black baby I don’t like to strain with nobody but it’s goin’ to cost you five. Come on, you shag-nags! This hand I got is enough to pull a country man into town. [Handwritten: Last sentence crossed through in pencil.]
Too-Sweet
You all act like you’re spuddin’!
Bet some money! Put your money where
your mouth is [Handwritten: els my fist where
yo mouf is.]
Tush Hawg
Twenty-five dollars to keep my company! Dog-gone,
I’m spreadin’ my
knots!
Sack daddy
And I bet you a fat man I’ll take your money—I
call you.
(Turns
up his cards—he has four aces
and
king)
Tush Hawg
(showing
his cards)
Youse a liar! I ain’t dealt you no aces.
Don’t try to carry the Pam-Pam
to me ’cause I’ll gently chain-gang for
you!
Sack daddy Oh yeah! I ain’t goin’ to fit no jail for you and nobody else. I’m to get me a green club and season it over your head. Then I’ll give my case to Miss Bush and let Mother Green stand my bond! I got deal them aces!
Nunkie
That’s a lie! Both of you is lyin’!
Lyin’ like the cross-ties from New
York to Key West! How can you all hold aces when
I got four? Somebody is
goin’ to West hell before midnight!
BECKERWOOD
Don’t you woof at Tush Hawg. If you do
I’m goin’ to bust hell wide open
with a man!
Black baby
(Pulls
out razor—Bus.)
My chop-axe tells me I got the only clean aces they
is on this table!
Before I’ll leave you all rob me outa my money,
I’m goin’ to die it off!
Too-Sweet
I promised the devil one man and I’m goin’
to give him five!
(Draws
gun)
Tush Hawg
Don’t draw your bosom on me! God sent me
a pistol and I’m goin’ to send
him a man!
(Fires.
Bus. for all)
Aunt Dilsey
(Enters
after shooting bus. Stands.
Bus.
drops to chair)
They wouldn’t lissen—
(Looks
men over—Bus.)
It sure is goin’ to be a whole lot tougher in
hell now!