The Green Pastures (1929)/Part 1/Scene 5
Scene V
Cain is discovered walking on an unseen treadmill. A middle distance of trees, hillsides and shrubbery passes him on an upper treadmill. Behind is the blue sky. He stops under the branches of a tree to look at a sign on a fence railing. Only half the tree is visible on the stage. The sign reads, “Nod Parish. County Line.”
Cain
[Sitting down with a sigh of relief under the tree.] At las’! Phew! [Wipes his forehead with a handkerchief.] Feels like I been walkin’ fo’ty years. [He looks back.] Well, dey cain’ git me now. Now I kin raise a fam’ly. [An idea occurs to him, and suddenly he begins looking right and left.] Well, I’ll be hit by a mule! Knock me down for a trustin’ baby! Where I gonter git dat fam’ly? Dat preacher fooled me. [He is quite dejected.] Doggone!
Cain’s Girl
[Off stage.] Hello, Country Boy!
[Cain glances up to the offstage branches of the tree.]
Cain
Hey-ho, Good lookin’! Which way is it to town?
Cain’s Girl
[Off stage.] What you tryin’ to do? You tryin’ to mash me? I be doggone if it ain’t gittin’ so a gal cain’t hardly leave de house ’out some of dese fast men ain’ passin’ remarks at her.
Cain
I ain’ passin’ remarks.
Cain’s Girl
[Off stage.] If I thought you was tryin’ to mash me, I’d call de police an’ git you tooken to de first precinct.
Cain
Look yere, gal, I ast you a question, an’ if you don’ answer me I’m gonter bend you ’cross my pants an’ burn you up.
Cain’s Girl
[Off stage.] I’m comin’ down.
[Cain takes his eyes from the tree.]
Cain
Yes, an’ you better hurry.
[Cain’s Girl enters. She is as large as Cain, wickedly pretty, and somewhat flashily dressed. She smiles at Cain.]
Cain’s Girl
I bet you kin handle a gal mean wid dem big stout arms of your’n. I sho’ would hate to git you mad at me, Country Boy.
Cain
[Smiling] Come yere. [She goes a little closer to him.] Don’t be ’fraid, I ain’ so mean.
Cain’s Girl
You got two bad lookin’ eyes. I bet yo’ hot coffee ’mong de women folks.
Cain
I ain’ never find out. What was you doin’ in dat tree?
Cain’s Girl
Jest coolin’ myself in de element.
Cain
Is you a Nod Parish gal?
Cain’s Girl
Bo’n an’ bred.
Cain
You know yo’ kinda pretty.
Cain’s Girl
Who tol’ you dat?
Cain
Dese yere two bad eyes of mine.
Cain’s Girl
I bet you say dat to everybody all de way down de road.
Cain
Comin’ down dat road I didn’t talk to nobody.
Cain’s Girl
Where you boun’ for, Beautiful?
Cain
I’m jest seein’ de country. I thought I might settle down yere fo’ a spell. You live wit’ yo’ people?
Cain’s Girl
Co’se I does.
Cain
’Spose dey’d like to take in a boarder?
Cain’s Girl
Be nice if dey would, wouldn’ it?
Cain
I think so. You got a beau?
Cain’s Girl
Hub-uh!
Cain
[Smiling.] You has now.
Cain’s Girl
I guess—I guess if you wanted to kiss me an’ I tried to stop you, you could pretty nearly crush me wit’ dem stout arms.
Cain
You wouldn’t try too much, would you?
Cain’s Girl
Maybe for a little while.
Cain
An’ den what?
Cain’s Girl
Why don’ we wait an’ see?
Cain
When would dat be?
Cain’s Girl
Tonight. After supper. Think you kin walk a little further now, City Boy?
Cain
Yeh, I ain’t so weary now.
[She takes his hand.]
Cain’s Girl
What yo’ name? [Takes his arm.]
Cain
Cain.
Cain’s Girl
Then I’m Cain’s Gal. Come on, honey, an’ meet de folks.
[They exit.]
[The Choir is heard singing “You Better Mind,” as God enters. God watches the vanished Cain and his girl.]
God
[After shaking his head.] Bad business. I don’ like de way things is goin’ atall.
[The stage is darkened.]
[The Choir continues singing until the lights go upon the next scene.]