Miz Hazel Tells It All!

By
Marcy Corprew
2006
Act 1
Scene 1
Time: Summer, 1950
Lights down

Miz Hazel is in her heyday. She is singing at a small club. The crowd is loving her.
Big band instrumental music plays in the background.
Lights come up midway
Miz Hazel is at the juke joint. She is up at the mike
She speaks to the crowd at the club
Hi ya doin everybody!
Ya ready foe a good time! Ah shonuff good time! Well thats what we bouts to give ya!
Thats what ya came out foe, right!
Now, if it get too good and ya wanna get up and move ya body!
Ya go right on!
Feel free to get up get ya grove on!!
I love ya too! (speaking to fan at table)
(Peers out into the audience)- Thank yathis ole thang! ( touches her dress)
Why we say that.wimmen ya know what Im talking bout
I dont care how much we paid foe it
And how good it be looking
We still say.this here old thang!
Yall know jus what Im talking bout!
1

( To Audience member) Right back at ya!

Why thank you sir
well, I can say foe that first part ya say
Now that there other thang
Well, I believe it be best ya take that up wid my husband( looks over at the band)
Speaking of which.
Give a hand to the band!
Hey Babe!
Thats my sweetie on trumpet!
Best trumpet player ever! Ev---er1
Let me stophe looking right embarrass
It gonna be alright sweetie
Ill make it up to ya laterwink wink
Lets go!
Ah one, ah two
Ah onetwothree!
(band music to accompanies the song)
Miz Hazel sings
After the song
LIGHTS GO DOWN

LIGHTS COMES UP
You know
Theres nothing bettah then the breaking of a brand new day
And lemme tell ya
I appreciate it Im thankful
Yes sah!
Im glad for every time I get to see it
Uh huh
Im mighty glad!
Thats why every mornin
Early in the morning
Round the time.when
The sun be haf way
Peeping through the sky
Ya see it poking out a lil
But it aint quite yet made it out all the way
Yeah
I likes waiting on the light
Cause, thats when
Everything that spose to be quiet is quiet
3

Andstillness spread all around

be feeling like kindliness is hugging on
Oh, it be my most favorite time
Un huh
See, I come out here onto the front porch
Bring long my coffee
I take and sit myself down
In this here chair of mine
Lean my head back
Andheres the first thang I do
Breathe
Yes sah!
Breathe
Oh, I takes it all in
All this here quietness
All this here sweetness
I draws it inside myself
Im wanting to enjoy all of it!
Fa as long as I can.fa as long as I can!
cause
I be knowin
No way its going to stay like this fa long
Lawdy mercy, nah!
Hear me when I tell ya
4

Ohchile
It wont be very long
Fa there be plenty of
Lot of lot!
Thats what I take to callin it
Lot of lot
Lot of this and a whole lot of that
Uh huh
And its going to make its way right out here
Oh yeah
Itll be that.All day long
And way, waylong into the night
Shor as my name is Hazel
Its coming!
There be children runnin and screamin!
Folks bickerin wid one nother!
Bouts one thang or nother!
Cars be ah honkin!
And, Music blastin outta they windows!
Well
I do have to admit something here
The music
Sumtimes I rather enjoy it
5

Likes whenwhenwhen my neighbor, Freddy

Yeah, Freddy
He lives right over there
Across the street
See up there
Right there
Where that light is on
In that front window
It stays on all the time
Day and night that light be on
I betcha em folk downtown at that light bill company
Smiling BIG!
And charging him Big!
Ya know, they gotta love him!
It do be making me pause
Cause I gets to wonderin to myself
what he doin over there
He cant shut off that light
Sum of the time!
Anyways.Im just grateful for ;em days he be raising up that wind
Cause when he do
These here ears of mine be getting a real treat!
Uh huh
See.
Freddy
He got himself a fine collection of music
Sum real good jazz he got
Like the sounds of
Too Clean Charlie Lane
Ooooah.oooh!
That Memphis Jazz!
6

Yeah sirree!
When Freddy lays that record down on that victrola
I be hearing that music real good!
That victrola be doing its job!
Oh, I know you young people dont be knowing a thang bout no victrola
But ya older ones, know what Im talkin bout!
I tell ya
Oooooah chile!
That sweetsweet music be breezing its way right over here!
Andlemme tell ya
I dont be minding it a bit!
Not a bit!
Lemme tell ya sunthang else
Good music!
Really good music..
Do sumthang to ya
Do sumthang fa ya!
Chile, if my back aint achin
I get myself up outta this chair and do a lil move!
Yes I do! You bettah believe I do!
(Miz Hazel gets up and dance, then sits back down)
(Laughs)
When folkround here see me movin to the beat
Every single time it be taking em by surprise!
Cause, they stop what they doin
7

And take to lookin at me RIGHT hardreal hard!

Spose they thinking Im too old
To be up on my feet
Moving and groovingshaking and baking!
Like.. age got sumthing to do wid anythang!
Chile please!
Age and nothing but a number!
I dont care to tell you
What that number is!
Oh, but thisI will tell ya!
Theres a quick-step in my heart!
And, music runs through my veins!
I cant help myself
I cant listen to music like that
and dont move something!
Jus need my back to cooperate
Like in my younga days
Oh my
The sweet memories of my younga days
When it was all about singing and dancing!
See, I was a jazz Arrrtist! And a dancer
Back long then nothing butbout the music!
Singing and dancing
be like breathing tto me!
Yes sah!
Sang all over
And folk liked my sound
Cause it got so till every place I went was a sell out!
Yes sah!
I started out
Jaunt all up and down the east coast!
To em juke jointsya know the lil bity clubs
Juke jointssome say it be jus a hole in the wall! (Laughs!)
8

I dont care what they call em

Folk had em self the best time!
I remember ya had to go down a long, dark, dirt road to get there!
And , the folk be piled in
Ooohhad the best chicken sandwiches ya ever put ta ya mouth!
Then after some years, they called me to sing on the big stage
In the big cities, like New York, Chicago, Philly, Norleans
OOOah! Norleans!
I love Norleans! The people be so nice!
Yeahthey call for me
Cause they knew I was good
Knew too, I could draw a crowdand you know thats what management want
A crowd!
Heres something I learned some years ago from Lady Devine!
Lady Devine? The International jazz stylist!
The greatest jazz vocalist to hit the stage!
I was 18 when I first hear her sing
Down at the Razz Club in Harlem
Right way I knew I wanted what she had!
I go up to her I say Lady Devine
I want to sing like you
She take and laugh
And I was hurt
She say Suga
If ya gonna be in this business
First thang you need to do is toughen up
Everybody aint gonna sweeten ya ears!
Then she give me a hard look and
She say to me
Get your own sound
And folk will love you for you
Again, she take and laugh
Staring right at me
This time I didnt feel no hurt
Cause she get serious wid me
she take and look me deep in my eye like
She see something there in my eye
9

She say
When you come up on the stage
Lay down everythang
Make room foe your soul to tell the story
When ya music come from the soul
They cant help but be spellbound
Yeahalways give the people what they want and in turn they gonna give ya what ya
want!
I nevah ever let myself forget it
ChileI lay it down.Every time.I lay it down
I give em a piece of my heart
Now, it been a long time since I been on stage.any stage!
But it aint stop me from singing and dancing
Im going to always do that
Do it till my last breath
Lemme tell ya a lil secret
All the artists ya done heard over the years
Im speaking of the ones that sing cause its there heartbeat
Cause it spring from deep down in their soul!
And, they cant do nothing but.
Right here Im gonna stick a pin here
Foe jus a minute
Listen, Everybody got em self one of em
Cant do nothing but
Everybody!
The good Lord give it to ya
All ya got to do is uncover it
Now, I know some folk dun buried it so deep
They cant get to it
But, its there
Waiting on ya!
Anyways, getting back to what I was saying!
The sho nuff singerslike me
Even though ya may not have seen em around
Like, they may not be in public
They still singing
They singing on the inside
Singing on the inside!
10

It nevah leave ya
Nevah leave ya!
(Pause)
Charlie Lane!
Thats how I come to know him
Traveling bouts!
Yeah.mean , clean, Charlie lane!
He got the name
Cause, he dress sharp
Sharp as two butcher knives ready to cut steel
Oh, Charlie be all deck out in bright suits
Shoes be so shiny
Ya look down at his feet, and ya can see ya face!
He be clean!
Mean-clean-Charlie Lane!
Wimmen always crowding him
Most think he to be a playboy
But when he off that stage
He barely open his mouth
He and my precious, late husband, Rogie
The two be the bestest of friends!
Rogie played the trumpet in Charlies band
They be two dressing men!
See, my Rogie was dapper!
Oh a tall handsome man
He be particular bout how he look
Real particular
Oh, his socks
Silk in the summer
Cashmere in the winter
And his toilet waterhe order it from overseas
He say, he didnt do run of the mill
No, not Rogie
Notrun of the mill (Laugh)
My Rogie
Oh I miss him
I miss my best friendtwenty five years
I still miss him
Pardon me
(pause)
11

I dont want to cry

Rogie would say
Stop ya balling
Life is fa living-not crying!
Yeah Rogie wouldnt want me balling my eyes out
Ya know, when Im listening to that good music
I can feel him right close
Yes sahhe be right close!
(Pause)
Listen..
You hear
Quiet
Still quiet!
Uh huh.
Quiet as can be
I love it
Hmmmph
Quietit sooths the mind
Aint no secret to it
All you need is a few minutes of it
Thats all it take
It sets you up for betta day
Wysh more people could see that
Dont cost se a dime!
But most people round here
They too tuckered out from they yesterday
To be bothered by the beginning of a new day
So
In short time
They going to be stirrin bout
And the lot of lot
Be trailing behind
See
This here block

12

Well
Its one busy street fa shor
Cant be nothing else
Wid six tenements sitting on each side of it
Yeah
Make fa a lot of peoples
Wid a lot of lot
Now, dun get me wrong
They be good peoole
Mostly nice loving people
Give ya shirt off they back type peple
But to be fa shor the lot is behind
So
Every morning, weather permitting that is
Early in the morning
I sit back and enjoy this quiet time
\while I can
Yeah
I likes the
Hush in the air
Hush
Remind me
Of the other day
My friend pearlene
She live over on the next block
Well..
Pearlene, she stops over here wid her grandbaby
13

She sit down here wid me

Takes and put the grandbaby on her lap
Now, to tell ya the truth
The chile two
Aint no need being on her lap
Any way
After we dun had ouself a good visit
Talking and laughing
Like we do
Well pearlene gets up
Off her lap
Cause she bout to stand up
And my goodness!
That chile take to fussin!
Oh, she dun want to get down
Cause she know she bout to
To be walkin back
On her own two feet
Well
Well when Pearline
Had herself bout enough of all that fussin
That chile be doin
She take and look straight on at that child
No smile on her face
And wid an upset there in her voice
She say one good
HUuuuuSH!
And just like magic
The fussin come to an end
And it be a still quietness that fall on the porch
That be the kind of quietness that be out here

14

Early in the morning a hush quietness

1965
Miz Hazel..... in her 60s; finishes her daily routine of sweeping down the stairwell of
her Brooklyn tenement. Haggardly she walks back up the stairs, propping the broom
atop the metal railing, slowly bending to sit in her old rickety chair, her left hand
clutching the small of her back out a limp handkerchief to dab her wet forehead.

Lights go up. Miz Hazel onstage

Ooah Rogie !
New Orleans!
Summertime
Hot Norleans!
Yes Sah!
The Blue Fox lounge
Me singin and dancin
You on the trumpet
1953
Funny how clear that year sticks out at me
15

I suppose it cause
That was the time we done ten straight shows
Remember?
The most we ever done in any one time
We wuz something!
I miss those days Rogie
Did I ever tell ya it was my favorite spot?
You know.
The Blue Fox
Yes sireee
Of all the places ..
It was my favorite
Seem like the peoples wuz nicer there
They clap more.smile more
They knew just how to make the artists who come through feel good!
I believe it be ya favorite too
I could tell by the way you laugh we ya was talking to ya friends at the
Blue Fox
You had a ya way of throwing ya head back
And sometimes it got so good to ya.you held onto your stomach
Yeah.I believe it was your favorite place too.
Thats why
When ya heart gave way up in that band stand whilst you was playin
the trumpet
16

And ya nevah come to agin.

I still be sad just thinking bout it.
I say to mysef
Rogie, he was doin xactly what he wanna
And
He was where he was moat happy
Yeah, I says that to mysef
Rogie..
I tried but I just couldnt sang and dance anymore without ya
Thats what made me come back to Brooklyn, the place I started from
I didnt leave ya.I brought you right here with me.
Yeah right here in my heart.
Well, I guess I bettah get to my sweeping
(Miz Hazel starts sweeping the steps)
Whew! It tells on me evry time!
I aint no ways as youn as I usta be .thats fo shor. dont know
how much longa this ole back of mine is gonna lemme sweep down
these stairs!
But.
One thang I knows fa shor..
if I dont.
Lawdy Mercy
It makes me right fidgety jus maginn the mess.
The trash will be yey high!
17

(Uses hand to signal the height)

It give me a sad feelin
Kinda like way down in my stomach..
Dont know xactly why it is.
I spose I be thinkin
Thinkin hard.
Tryin to figure out how peoples goes ah bout droppin trash all abouts
them.nevah once thinkin to pick it up
So un-becomin.
(Shakes her head in disgust)
Umpump.ump..
Its ah durn shameah disgrace. even after they see how dirty this
front looks, needin tendin to, they be lookin the other way. be waitin
fo somebodyya know anybody butz them.
They all be actin like it gonna kill em to bend down.
I wont bought up like that.
No siree!
As chilren, my Mama.bless her soul.made every last one of hers
take turns cleanin the front steps.
She would have us first sweep it down, then boil some water and scrub
it down, comin back and forth with mo water to rinse it down, til we
could see no mo dirt and grime!
My Mama was a clean womanjus like mysef,- cants say that bout
some of em round here.no I cants say that at all.
Mis Hazel takes a seat.
My, my let me rest my bones
Oooah it feels good to sit down
18

She squints hard as to get the sun out of her eyes, she
pretends to be looking across the way and she sees her friend
Liddie.
Hey there now, Liddie!
Sho looks like its gonna be nuther one of those scorchers.heh?
See ya lookin all dolled up
Where ya gettin off to?
See ya boy?
I sho hope he knows how blessed he is to have a Mama like
you.makin that long trip every week- like ya be doin.
If ya ask me, he oughta be kissin the very ground ya walk on.aint
manys that wouldz do that for they youngun
xpecially after they done gone and got them sefs in mor trouble like
that yeah he needs to be most ppreciative of havin a Mama like
ya.
How much longa he in for?
That long?
Liddie, nowI wantcha to be encourageyou hear meOne thang I
knows for shor.that chile got Greatnessall ovr him.....I done seen
it with my very own eyes! Its gonna be alright..its gonna be alright.
Now, you go right on, and make the most of ya time with him
Thank you kindly.
Im gonna try.

Miz Hazel looks back at the audience and begins her

commentary:
I sho wish that boy of hers gave a good-two-hoops bouts stayin out of
trouble.
19

No sooner than he gets out, he right back in again.

I feel sorry for his poe Mama, Liddie.
Must be hard on her, havin to see her boy in a place like that.
The time befoe now, they got him fa robbin Hurtchauns Market, up
the street.
He goes to the store and points a gun at the storekeeper, Mr.
Hurtchaun right in his face.
Come to find out laterit was just some toy gunbut them white
peoples dont be carin nothin bout no toy gun
No sirree
To them a gun is a gun in the hands of a Black man.specially when
its pointed at a white mans head!

I see Mr. Hurtchaun a couple days after it be over

Hazel, I know him from a lil chap.he come in with his
mothervery, very nice ladyShe come in for my fresh
pumpernickel bread and orange-spice tea. Very kind she is
she smile I smile. Not much talkingbut she smile. I not seen
him while. Last time he come in it be real hot outsideI
sayget waterget sodaI give free. Nowhe try to rob meI
like motherbut what I to do? Huhtell me what I to do?
Later I hear Mason say
Im innocent. He running his mouth like I done shot himAint
like it be no real gun. And he knew it wont He acting like I be
meaning to kill him. Who heard of somebody dying from a cap
gun. Oh its a set-up He.theyall them, threatenyeah
they call themsef threaten cause Im Black.
Lemme tell you a lil bit bout Liddies son Mason.
Well, Mason he round 13.
A right small fella
20

Small frame.
You knowfor his age
In his stocking feet.
He be standing bout.
Well, Ill say 5-foot there bouts
He be all the time wearin himself some cowboy boots..
I reckon it.To give himsef some lift..
Yeah..
He be a lot.Smaller than most his age
But, he make up for it.
Cause..
He be a lot smarter than most his age..
Uh uh..
Always been.from baby on up.
These eyes seen a lot of that youngun over the years.
And it mostly kept me amused..
Let me tell you bouts the time when he was no more 5 or 6 years
old. I see him sittin over there on the front stoophe got his lil hand
chunked up there to his chin and be havin on his real serious
faceyou know.. he be bouts thinkin hard on somethin
Just watching the lil tyke. thinkin so hard stirred up my curiosity
Now.He leave and go inside.
Then he come out again with an empty milk-carton.
Lawdy.

21

He done come up with the idea he gonna make himself some

dice..Uh huhsome rolling dice
And he gonna make it outta that milk carton. Ummh huh.that be
somethin
I spect he be knowin his moma wont gonna buy him no dice..
So.he come up with the bright idea to make it himself.
Wellhes cutting up that carton..only using the clear inside
pieces he be shaping it just so And then he take a pin to put some
dots on it...
I didnt know what he gonna do with em..But let me tell ya the
more I watch the more tickle I come.so I just rale back in this here
chair and look on Well..
Befoe I know it He take himself out there to the side alleyhe go to
squatting down.shootin them dice right there in that alleyway.
It didnt take long befoe he drawin a crowd.Cause they cant believe
he be knowin what he doing
They be thinkin he too young.. (Laughs)
But befoe longsome take to squatin down right there beside of him
and commence to playin
Can you imagineThey ah rollin them there fake dice! And talkin
smack! Mason he not sayin; a word.
He didnt have to.cause from what they tell me.He beBettah than
some of them twice three times his age! Maybe even bettah then
some grown peoples!
When its all over..
That Mason.He be walkin away with most all they money jiggling in
his pockets.
Now, aint that somethin! Smart!
I believeFrom the time he was old enuff to set foot to floor.
That chile been bout a makin his own way..
22

Ummph ummph ummph

Poe Liddie.all her talkin to him
And All that so-call reasoning she done be givin to him..
Didnt do a bit of good Nevah was she able to slow him down..
Well,. I suppose he come by it right naturally.
Cause.
His Papa.knew a lil somethin bout hustling..
His Papa..
Humph.
Yeah, he knew bout a lot of thangs,..
Ill tell you more about his Papa in a bit
Now..Mason
He be taking after his mama in the looks department
He what ya call average-looking
got the making of a mature-looking face
Yeah, he got Liddies favor alright
Didnt take much after his Daddyxcept for the restlessness.
Liddie she right lil bitty small carriage
Tiny, lil waist with narrow hips
Lawdy Mercy(laughs) that woman could sho nuff
Switch them lil hips of hers when she walked
Be givin the men something to gaze thats for shor
Yes sah!
23

She be knowin how to shake thangs up!

I remember the day Liddie brought Mason home from the hospital
I took a peep at that lil baby all bundled up in that blue blanket
Like a tiny round ham..she be holding.
Lawdy, Mercy Liddie, I hollered!
He No bigger than a minute!
Like his mama he come with a crop of flaming red hair!
Onlyz Liddie hers be mostly grey now.
She take a look down at him.
And she laugh too!
She say
In her quiet sweet way.
I thank God for him.
(Laughs)
Oooah, I couldnt wait!
I took him in my arms..
Cradlin his lil head right here
Ummmmmm
So cuddly he was.
It seem like it was just yesterday
Where did the time go?
Now, he thinkin he all grown
Giving his mama fits.
24

Causing her all kinds of heartache and pain

But one thang.

I feel this now.and I cant lie

Listen to me.cause I feel strongly about this.
Mason, He no ways as bad as it seems.
Uh uh.
Even with all that cuttin up he be doin.you know fallin on the wrong
side of the law
Now
I aint no wayz excusing it.
But, Theres lot more to him
I know cause
The times I been talkin with him
I gets a chance to really look him in the eye
You know..
Eyeball to eyeball
And
I done seen straight- clean down to his soul.
Uh HuhAnd what I done seen..well.
Besides a whole lot of hurtin goin on.
I done also seen it fa mysef
GREATNESS all round him!
And, he not knowin it
25

Cause he a chile saddled to a heavy heart

So, he goes
And .Befriends Trouble.
Yeah, makin friends with Trouble
Thats what he be doin..
Ummph ummph!
He no ways the only one that be doin that
Uh huh.(shakes head)
Theres many others who be doin the very same thing
They be lookin for somethin and befoe they can find it
In walks trouble
And its lookin kinda good
So, they grab hold to
But.
Lemme tell ya something.
Trouble aint nobodys friend
Nevah was and nevah will be..
But, this one thang I know.
Thangs gonna turn around for that chile
And , it gonna be..Sooner than later.
That GREATNESS I seen.it is gonna step right up to him..
And, its gonna Introduce itsef .and that gonna be when thangs gonna
change
Yes sah! The daya is coming! Sure as my name is Hazel, its coming!
26

Liddie
spending all kinds of money on fancy lawyers.
Her hard-earned money.
Money she done scrimped and saved.
I see the heaviness she be under.
Anybody with eyes can see.
Jus how worried sick she staysAnd how tied she always lookin..
Ump ump. (Shakes her head)
She done cried many nights over thangs that didnt work out
Over thangs that wasnt suppose to work out
But she so tied to know the difference
Weariness in her soul..
Now, that there be the worse kinda tied.
Slowing down the pace of everything.
She be mostly keepin to hersef .
Nevah wantin to talk to nobody bout it.
Ya got to talk to somebody bout what be ailing ya
Cause a good sign ya coming out of it is when ya get to laughin bout it!
Sho nuff!
But Liddie she took to bed.
Drawin the blinds
27

Oh, it be liken to someone passing.

I thought fo shor, one time...
That all that darkness
Had made its final pitch
Xspecially when I hadnt seen hide or tail of her fo a while..
And all my bangin on her door
Didnt do a bit of good
Yeah.I thought for sho it had come to that
But, Thank the Lord it hadnt.
One day she peeped her head thru the crack of the door
She say to me
Dont worry bout me Hazel
Im jus in here thinkin
When Mason was first in school
They told me to help him to stay inside the lines
You know
Fa his picture to look preety..
Hazel, hes way older now, but Im still tryin to get him to stay inside
the lines.
Fa his picture to look pretty
Lawdy Mercy!
Children!
I nevah had none....
But stillI know
28

Liddie
She done did the best she could raising him
Lovin him fierce
He the one and only chile she done give birth to
She no spring chicken
Had that boy durin the change
I know what you thinking why she wait so long
Listenthats something only she know
Poe Lidddie.
I reckon
She thinkin her hurts began with Mason taking to doin unlawful
thangs
But let me tell ya
It started long befoe
Even if she wont mit to it
It started the day she met Mr. Joe Sprat
Deep downshe be knowin it!
Yes, Joe Sprat.
He, be the reason.

29

Yeah Mr. Joe Sprat!

Now, Joe Sprat come long through here some fifteen or so years ago,
selling vacuum cleaners.
Oooah, he was a looker! And charmin to boot!
He caught the eye of every woman on this here block.
The old ones as well as the young ones!
Hed come up to yawith em big broad shoulders of his.
Hat cocked to the side.
Smiling right wide
Ya knowshowing all those straight pearly whites of his.
All the whilztalkin a mile a minute
Lawdy Mercy..
With that oneya couldnt get a word in edgewise.
No sirree
Not a word.

30

My, my, my- (picks up left hand and kisses it) such a
smooooth hand, like pure silk. I aint seen a hand so dainty in
all my days. Now, you know a hand like that aint got no
business holding on to no broom. No maam, you need ya sef,
one of my vacuumyes, thats what you need aint a vacuum
no where that can glide cross the floor.(moves his body
sensuously) pretty lady like you, can preciate gliding. You
know, what I mean pretty lady!
Joe Sprat:

All that smiling and all those sweet-soundin words of his..

He sho nuff was the charmer!
I do believe he could charm this here broom to get up and start
sweepin by itself
(Miz Hazel holds the handle of her broom for a moment and
laughs.)
Yeah.
He was a looker and a charmer with plenty on his mind....
Ill say
Well
Lemme tell ya somethin
I knew to keep my sense bout me
I most certainly did
It come to my remembrance..
Mamas warning -many of years backbouts his kind..
I aint nevah let mysef forget it.
She say to me.
Hay Tae!
Thats what she use to call me.
She say
31

If you ever run cross

Any man that looks betta than you, smells betta than you, and laughs
louder than you.
She say,,,
Im not talkin bout one of two of em
But they come with.
All three rolled up into one.
She say
BEWARE!
Say a man like that. aint gonna be nunthin but trouble cause his
mind is gonna always be abouts himsef.
So be the case of Joe Sprat
Fit the bill to a tee.
But poor Liddie, she had to learn it the hard way.
He comes to her door one Saturday mornin tryin to sell her one of
those high-behind vacuums of his.
She lets him in.
And the next thang I knowhe come to be a regular visitor of hers.
Oh, you couldnt tell her nunthin!
If ever a woman was taken by a sharp-shooter man as such
That be Liddie.
There was some laughin and some drinkin some dancin and some ya
knowgoin on all the time
Music:

high dance music. Background sound of -Couple laughing

and having fun in background.
OooahI aint nevah seen Liddie actin so bouncy and free32

Like she was with that man.

That Mr. Joe Sprat.
Yes sireee..
Every time I done seen her; she be havin this big fat smile planted
right there on her face!
Like she done had a big secret that nobody knew but her.
I spose she was caught up in all that good lovin and charm.
Cants say I didnt understand.
He givin her what her heart and body been yearnin fo
But oh, the cost.
I once asked her, did she know what she be doin
Ya know
Jus goin out there like that
Well, she jus bout told me to mind my own business
Hazel, for you and all the wagging tongues on this here block. Let me tell
you all. I am OLD ENUFF TO KNOW WHAT I KNOW! (whispers) And for the
RECORD: I LOVE HIM ( She begins to sing: And, I love him, And, I love him,
oh yes I doI really do! (twice) She does a little dance to accomply to the song.
Liddie:

After that, I didnt dare say nother word

But lemme tell ya.
Them good times.. didnt last .
Nonot at all
Mr. Joe Sprat.
He split.
Yes sirree.
33

That he did
One Sunday mornin she got up and he was gone.
No sight of him jus vanish..gone skedaddle
The man had done moved on.
Nevah to be seen in these here parts again.
He wasnt in her life long.
But long enuffI say
Jus enuff time for him to spend most all her late husbands money
Yeah that vaccum of his wont the only thing that clean
Seem like he did some cleaning of his ownher bank account
And, jus enuff time to get her in the family way.
You heard me right.
From what I can make of it.
That Saturday night befoe he left her.
She told him her suspicion
She done figure she was with chile..
Seems to me that was a little mor than what he bargained for.
So he jus got missin.
Yes sireee..
They were goin some kinda strong.that is, up n til she told him she
mightn be havin his chile.
Liddie was nevah quite the same after that.
That big grin she wore on her face.
Well, it got replaced with a permnent sadness
34

Too bad.
If she had jus listened to me...
I woulda told her he was up to no good..
Liddie, she be no diffrent than most any other women
Havin the notion, and needin to believe.
That...
Somethin that good is fa real.
Got hersef one real bad case of.
As some use to call it, when you think ya in love and ya aint ya sef.
The jus cant helpitz
Yeah
A real bad case.
I reckon,,,,,,
But..
It still goes back to .
If it looks that good, you can beleeve it comin with a high price tag..
Liddie done learned it now.
The hard way.!

Miz Hazel notices Maynell walking across the street.

Theres Maynell
Look at that child,
35

Well shes not a child anymore.

She a woman now. And, a mighty fine woman at that!
Look she waving!
Always the cheerful one.
Hiya sef sweetie.
I aint seen ya round a time of two.
Wheres ya been keeping ya sef?
Is that right?
He gettin a transfer to West Virginia, ya say?
Whatcha gonna do with ya sef in West Virginia?
Ya done found a job already?
Chile ya shor the smart one.
Thats fa shor
Well, ya take care of ya sef and come see me foe ya leave.
Alright, Im gonna be lookin foe ya.
Bye now
Miz Hazel straightens up her back as she looks again to the audience, giving her
commentary.
What a lovely girl that Maynell
And so pretty
Shes the prettiest of pretty.
She got the sweetest face
Just like an angel
Some round here- bothered by her looks
36

Be all the time- whisperin and looking at her strange-like

Say she not really Black.
Say, Mommy and Diddy Black for shor
But she not..
Cause of her straight coal black hair that.
Be laying straight-way pass her behind
Cause her eyes be the color of sage green
Ummph ummph!
Miz Catherine.
She lives downstairs in the basement here
She 94.
Dont get out much.
But one time.
She be out here with me
She catch sight of Maynell.
And, she say to me,
Hazel.that chile there
Gots the smoothest skin
I done ever seen.
She say.
Remind me when I be pounding my chocolate cake batter round in the
bowl
And it comes to be at the smoothest as it gonna get.
37

Ummm ummmph!
Creammmmy, smooth chocolate..
That chile look like somebody done poe that batter right on ta her
face.
Uh huh!
I smile
Cause it be true
But.
Some other folks round here
They not so kind.
As Miz Catherine
Uh uh.
They be comin right out and sayin stuff like.
No way, she Black.
Well, that upsets me.
Everythany that meet the eye aint gotta be common
Some things are just what they is!
Needin no explainin
I say to them
She what she is!
And thats that!
She dont need
Nobody bad mouthin her cause of her looks
38

She what she is.

And what she is..
Is a really kind spirit..
Been that way every since she was little ..in spite of all she done
been through.
Besides all they crazy talkin that she aint Black
Most peoples round here thought she wouldnt make it.
Cause of the way she done lost her Mama and Diddy.
Them both gunned down
Right here in these streets.
Two innocent peoples like that
Two peace-lovin peoples like that
Life jus snuffed out
All cause they bein in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Comin down the street, one night, and those hoodlums
Drive by and take and shot em dead
Cants understand it.
Umpumpump.
Havin to leave they one and only precious baby..
Well, I imagine Maynell, she dont be rememberin much of it
Onlyz what peoples done told her..
Bein she was nothin but a baby at the time.
Wilemena, her mama sistah
Had seven of her own. Seven chilren
39

Found in her heart to raise one mor

Ya know..like family spose to
During the early years..Wilmena, she would stop by here with her..
. Shed sit her right here on my lap.Id rock her and sing to her..
Lights go down(Sing song Summertime)
Lights Up
Well, Maynell, she all grown up now. And, she as smart as can be..
Finished college.got hersef married
To a man who is just as smart and stable.
He liken to a good quilt
You know.
Cause you come to know the very fabric he made of.
And you know he gonna be round for a while
Yes Sah!
Yeah, Maynell is doing alright for hersef .
I always knew she would!
Lemme tell ya what she did!
Some years back.to help this here community..
She started hersef an organnization(organization)
Yeah,
It be to help them young girls who wont for the life of em.stay there
behinds in school.
You know what Im talkin about, them ones who be takin to the
streets,.

40

Gettin into all kinds of trouble.with the stealin, and the drugs and
havin themsefs some younguns long foe they spose to.
Yeah.just runnin pure wild!
Doing most anything that they be thinkinthey big enuff to do,
Well, Maynell
Gets money from some big-time business people..
Who want to help her, and her organization with the girls..
They give her a building.
She then she gets hersef some people to come and help out.
And she be teachin them girls
That there is a bettah way.
She say to me one day abouts it
Miz Hazel..
They are our babies
They are our future.
The streets cant have them
Any---one of them girls could be my baby sistah
They are my sistahs
Miz Hazel, Their potential is waiting to be revealed.
Within each of them lies the---------- incandescent strength of a proud
Black Women!.....
NowShe done got me all excited!
Right there..I mean right there.
I sho nuff felt all my love rushing to my heart
41

Yeah Babe.
Im with you.They got all of that..just like you.
Didnt rightly know what that big word she say.
Inca.
But I knew she was right!
And I loved her for it!
She then reached over and wrapped her arms around me and hugged
me so tight.
And whispered in my ear..
And like you too, Miz Hazel
Aint that somethin!
It made me right then stand up taller!
Now, she give that group of hers a name ..they be
The African American Eagle Girls!
Cause she say.
They gonna know they have their own wings!
(Laughs)
They gonna Fly!
Ummph Ummph
Maynelll.
She couldve been bitter.
Cause of what them streets done years ago to her mama and diddy
But..
No,..
42

She started her own crusade to fight the streets!

She make me want to cry
Yeah
NowSome of them girls did do real good
A few went back to school.you know to finish their education.make
something of themselves.
And get this!
Some of them girls that Maynell helped.
Well.
They comes from the same peoples who be carryin on
Abouthow she aint Black!
Thats why I be telling all of them -that be speakin that nonsense
I be telling them
They need to Hush their mouths!
She a precious soul sent by God.
Yeah, thats what she is
You know.
I sho going to miss her.
I know her Mama and Diddy is watchin on and they mighty proud of
that chile.

Miz Hazel sits down. She hears the sounds of the neighborhood
wino, Dooley. She winces as she looks in the direction of
where he is; she quickly looks away with a daunting veneer
and begins talking to the audience.
Oh Lawd! That sounds like Wino Dooley!
43

Dooley..
Please, dear Lord.let him move on by
Just this one time let him make his way right on down the street
Ill be ever so grateful!
Shoot! Hes stopping!
Why,why cant he just stay put right there on that corner of his.
Lord, please dont let me say no cuss words to this man
Help me to.hold my peace!
You know, I dont feel like bein bother with him
Not today
Ump ump ump.
I know, he gonna say somethn or do somethin thats goin get on my
Last nerves.
I know it...
Cant nobody rankle me like that man!
Tell ya whatI
Wont pay no heed to em..
Umm ummph!.
Ill pretend he not even here . busy mysef. And, just, maybe hell
go on up the street.
Miz Hazel busy herself for a moment deliberately looking away.
She slowly catches a glimpse of Dooley picking a flower from
the small patch of flowers in the yard.
Oh no, he didnt !
What pray tell are ya doin man?!
44

Will you let those flowers be!

Ya will do no such thang
Now, get!
Did ya hear me..
Get goin befoe I.
No, I dont want to go to the dance
There aint no dance no hows
I dont want ya flower
And, Id ppreciate you not botherin these here flowers again
The city done plant them to spruce up this place
They dont need ya botherin
How many times I got to tell ya. Dooley
Ya keep messin with em, they wont grow.
Miz Hazel angrily swings the broom in Dooleys direction.
Get! Go on!
Get going.foe
Foe.I really get mad!
I know I shouldnt be speakin so harshly to him.
I suppose he harmless.
But, all that messing.enuff to wear out the patience of JOB!
Nevah seen nobody that gots so much messin with them!
Nothing gets my goat
Like a whole lot of messing!
45

Yes, yes
I be knowin he a wino
I also be knowin he.
Sucked down a whole lot of booze in his life
Folks round here told me how he took to drinkin so heavy
It be long way foe I move back here
They say to me.
Miz Hazel, Dooley was a goooood man!
A hard workin man..
He worked harder than most round here
At the crack of dawn.
Dooley would already be at work
Not coming back here to way long pass the sun gone down
He married himself a pretty lil woman
She be a lot younga than he
And, they would add.
She be a bit silly.
I cant say cause I didnt know the woman
But
They tell me she had a lot of time on her hands
Cause Dooley didnt want her to work and they didnt have no chilren
And, she wasnt bout sittin round doin nothin
So, she was always lookin foe some way to keep hersef busy
46

She come cross a newspaper ad one day.

It said it could train you how to be on a tra---pee- peeeeez
I dont know why Im havin trouble with that last partpeeze
Cause when they told it to me
I say to em
PLEASE! Will somebody Please tell me why anybody would want to be
on a lil bitty rope
Wheres they can fall down and break every bone in they body!
Then I come to mysef
Cause one thing I come to realize over the years.
And that is, peoples got they own mind and they gonna do they own
thang
Yes Sah!
Anyway, they say she got real good at being on this thing.
And she liked it a lot
A Whole lot!
So much so that she left him for it.
Oh, Im not tellin it quite right
This the way it goes.
A travelin circus come through town
And when that travelin circus moved out
So did she..
Well, Dooley he dont be knowing nothin bout this
He come in one night
47

He thinkin she in the kitchen

Ratlin them pots and pans
You know.
Gettin his dinner ready
Like she always be doin
So, he goes to sittin at the table
Waitin foe his dinner
Well, where the plate should have been
Was a note instead.
And, it said
Gone, gone to have me some fun.
They say that be the last he ever heard of her.
Lemme tell ya.
That been many, many moons ago
And.
The man is still nursing the pain
He think the answer is in that bottle of his
But it aint
All its doin is keepin him blind
Cause he be right smack in the middle of
Pain and Pleasure
And they both be lookin the same to him.
Ummph ummph..
48

Cant say I aint seen my share of his kind over the years.
Cause I have...
You cant have been the places I been
And..
Done the things I done.
And not seen a few Dooleys along the way.
But he takes the cake!
Dont rightly know what it is that disturbs me so bout him..
Suppose if he didnt try to make it so personal tween us..
Always wantin to court me
Nevah!
And he know it..
I Aint havin none of him or his fool hearted ways
No Sah!
And, I resents him even lettin the notion get to his brain.
That be why I determined a long time ago to be as hard as nails with
him
Wasting no time ah smilin
Otherwise he be thinkin Im playing
Be thinkin we can be pals or something
Like he be askin me to some made-up dance of his
Once come right out and asked me to be his sweetheart!
Lemme tell ya what he did
He once come staggerin through here
49

He go to standing right here in front of me

Well barely standin .
Now, he take to whistlin as loud as he wanta
I guess the whistlin was to get him ready for the movement
Cause he commence to shufflin his feet
Almost dropping that ole dirty crushed up brown bag
That be pent under his arm
He pullin it up
It fallin..
He pullin
You know..
He
Not wantin nuthin to happen to that sacred liqa of his
All the while
He got a Pail Mail cigarette danglin in between his finger on one hand
And he..uh, tryin; to pop his fingers on the other hand
Oh, he got rhythm now
He hearin music in his head that only he can hear
He gets to wantin to sing to me
Haaaa....Hay..Hay.Hazel, will ya go to the dadadance with
me..Haaaaa Hazel will ya a be my sweeeet heart..Haaaaaazel
Then I guess he feelin kinda good bout himself.
Cause he now decide he gonna take a twirl!
Poppin and twirling!
50

Befoe I know it
He
Trips over his own feet
Now, he laying on the ground all tangled up
Screamin his fool head off!
Hush man! I say to him
What you balling bout?
Thats what you gets
Actin a fool!
He still laying there howlin
I look back down
A bit closer this time
And.
Lawdy Mercy
He sho nuff burninup his face!
He so twisted every which a way
That.
That. there cigarette..
It done made its way.
Right long side of his face
And
With his own hand
He take to pressin the cigarette hard into his jaw
51

Fool, drop the cigarette!

I say to him.
He lets go of the cigarette.
And..
It fall straightway to the front of his shirt.
His wet shirt ..
Ummm hummm!
Wet from the open bottle of liqua..
That done be spilt all ovr him.
Now, the cigarette meet with that liqua on that shirt!
And it commence to causing a flame!
He go to splatterin at the mouth..
Immmmmmm on fire!
Immmmmm on fire!
Call the fire department!
Chile it was some sight!
He hollerin
And.
Walling bout on that ground!
Ovr that little bitty flame!
It wont gonna kill him!
He had long smothered it..
But he too,,
52

Well, excited.
To even know.
I tell ya I aint nevha in my life
Seen nobody get to snatchin off they clothes
Like Dooley did with that shirt!
Hocus Pocus and it was gone!
And so was he
But not befoe he scrambled
To get what was left in that bottle
Yeah..after that.he
Staggered his way down the street
Not so much as a good bye did he utter
Lawd a Mercy!
Merlee, my neighbor from upstairs was sittin here with me
She laughed so hard she almost fell outa her chair.
She was more than tickled.
She say to me..
Hazel, he sweet he went thru all that foe ya. he got eyes for
ya..Now cmon, dont that make you feel something for him?
I looked at Merlee.
And I was wantin to say somethin that might not have been so kind
Ooooah Chile!
I had to.
I tell ya,..
53

I had to call up on everything in me to help me settle mysef

Just enuff to answer her
It be my mama words that come fallin down into my ears.
I could hear her say
Chile----Theres some thangs you just gotta let ride.
This had to be one of those thangs
So I gots mysef calm enuff
And.
I say
Merlee.
What you talking bout.
I aint feelin it today
I aint tomorrow
I aint nevah gonna be feelin it.
I reckon it was settled
Cause..
That be the last we ever spoke of it
Merlee, she sometimes sit with me.
She my age and a widow like my sef.
Onlyz difference she got chilren.
Two girlsone lives here, and one move to Tennessee.
We sometimes sit right here and xchange stories bout the good ole
days..
We make shor we onlyz pick out the really lovely- ones..
54

Them times when life was sweeter

Couldnt see it then.cause we wuz all caught up in it.
Ya know them times..
Like the time, I was bouts eight or nine and my Mama took material
she been savin fo hersef and made me the prettiest Easter dress ya
evr wanna see!
And, Merleeshe told me of the time her baby brotha caught a big fish
all by himself, nearly drown tryin to keep hold to ither Mama fightn
mad cause it nearly scared her to death seeing her baby bout to lose
his life..but, Merlee said that fish of his fed them fo a whole week!
Even though we laughsometimes we cants help but feel a pinch of
the sorrow still
Ya know..
The bitter mixin in with the sweet.
Merlee and mysefwe be a tad bit different.and a tad bit the
same.
We both left the country and moved to NY, some years ago
She worked all her life in a hosiery factory. til she retied some ten
years ago.
She tells me its hard fa her to beleeve I was a singer and sang with a
big band.
Yeah I dida dancer too.
(Laughs heartily)
I sang and romped round with the bes of em
Me and my Rogie.
(Voice becomes choked up).
Rogie..
That be my precious late husband.
55

Lawdy, lawdy
He be the best gift I evr done received!
A gift from above.
Thats what he was.
A precious gift from the Good Lord Himself..
Rogie..
My eyes well up jus the mention of his name.
UmpUmp.ump
How I miss him.
There aint a day that goes by that I dont think of ..
My Rogie.
YepRogie
Thats what I call him
And nobodyabsolutely nobody could call him that but me.
Its short for Rogfield..
To everybody else its Melvin
Thats his middle name.
He gave that to everybody elsecause he didnt be carin much bouts
that first partRogefield
But I went and nickname it to Rogie
He jus smiled when I first called him that.
Say he liked the way Rogie be rollin off my lips.
Aint that somethin
He was romantic like that
56

Myself, I dont have a middle name.

Hazel Tegher. First and lastThats it.
Rogie laughed when he heard my name
He said to me.What kind of name is Tegher?
I was hoppin mad!
xcuse meI says to him
My name dont need no defendin
I guess he could see how sorely mad I was
Cause, he took my hand, knelt down on one knee, and he apologized
ever so sweetly.
Dont be madhe says to meIm only havin fun
Dont be meanin you no harm.no, no harm at all.
Then
He look up at me with his lip half turned up with the sweetest twinkle
in his eye
I believe that was the very moment I fell in love with Rogfield Melvin
Russell
Lemme tell ya.
He was somethin
Somethin special.
Dont come no betta
Least not in my eyes..
No sirreee..
None betta!
Besides his good lovinand gentle heart.
57

He was the smoothest trumpeter in the world.

You hear me!.
In all the world!.
Nobody could blow into a trumpet like
Smooth sound of a trumpet playing in the background- Miz
Hazel reminisces.
My Rogie.,..
Peoples came from miles a round jus to see him work his magic out
on that there trumpet of his.
Yes sirreee
There aint no body that be like my precious
Rogie
One fine husband.he wuz
My Rogie.
But, dontcha be gettin me wrong now
He human
He be..
Be having his wayz.
Jus like anybody else mightn.
Every now and then hed be gettin a stubborn streak.
Yes sirreee
Stubborn
Stubborn as a mule
When he be fixin his mind on somethin
58

Like the time he was wantin to buy this ole truck from his friend
Charlie.
I says to him whatcha gonna do with a truck? Dont see where we
need a truck
He says to me
It be fa haulin
(Laughs Big, holding her side)
Haulin?
Haulin what? I says.
Haulin stuffhe says, lookin me straight in the eyeright ornery like.
We aint got nothin to be haulin.I says back.
Keepin my gaze jus as strong.
Then
( Miz Hazel puffs out her chest in demonstration of late
husband gesture).
He all puffed up now
Woman
He sayslike it be
It be the final word.
(Miz Hazel laughs big)
Im gettin that truck
I quiets mysef
Wonderin.
What is it bouts a man and a durn truck!?

59

Seem like to me his roots from down south was callin to him somethin
awful.
You see, his Papa was a farmer in SChad himsef an ole truck
It be he and Rogie.
Every day haulin vegetables to the market
Anythan and every thang else
Made somethin extra haulin junk for peoples
I spose it only natural that Rogie get to missin his Papa and that
truck
Bein he spent so much time in it..
But.
We dont be needin no truck
We aint got nothin to haul.
We done live in roomin houses fa as long as wez been married..
All we own- fits rightly in our two suitcases..
That be the way it always been.
Well, Rogie, he stayed close to himsef a day or two after that
Spose he be thinkin on that truck.
I let him be.
One thang bouts lovin somebody
You gotta know when to let them be
He come to me a short time later.
Rogie: Babe, been thinking on that truck. Cant say we ever
anywhere long enuff for me to do no haulin. Any wayz, I dont
need no truck, babe- longs I got youyeah, you be all I ever
need!
60

He then come right back to his good ole lovin sef ah gin.
I wasnt nevah worry.cause I knew he would work it out.
I woulda still kept on lovin him .
Even if hed gotten that truck .
He be knowin it too...
That be the kinda lovin we had tween us.
I always say
Ya can tell where a mans heart is by the way he comes back to ya.
Nothin else can tell ya like
Like
Him coming back to ya
It aint bout winning or losing.
Its bout that safe place you both feel
A place no body else knows of but you and him
My Rogie shows me his heart.evry time.
He be knowin my heart and I be knowin his
Once ya got that..
Ya got everythin.
It some kinda special
Somethin special alright.
It be like
Like diamonds fallin from the sky.
Our ownz treasure..
61

Onlyz we could see it

Onlyz we could feel it
I beleeeve every body whos in a warm body- wants that
You knowthem
Diamonds fallin from the sky.
Whether they admit to it or not..
Right now, in my heart (Touches left side of her chest).
Them diamonds still pourin down on me!
Thank God that feelin nevah gonna go away
Right here in my heart it stay.
Yes sirreee!
THE END

62