Zora Neale Hurston

“ HURSTON
"FORTY YARDS" (A Negro football game with the popular concept of Negro life)
TIME: Present
PLACE: Washington, D.C.
SCENE: The Ball Park PERSONS: The Howard and Lincoln teams, the Howard band, cheer leaders, spectators.
SETTING: The park with grandstands on either sides and up-stage.
ACTION: At rise, the grandstands are full, the cheer leaders are violently gyrating to whip up the mob. The Lincoln colors fly from the right. The Howard from the left. Both have cheer leaders. ”

“ Lincoln Mob
And didn't he ramble, ramble, ramble all around, in and out of town
He rambled, he rambled, rambled till Ol' Lincoln cut him down
Howard Mob
There'll be nothing but sweetmeats, for our football team
There'll be nothing but sweetmeats for our football team
Baked Hampton, boiled Shaw, fried Union, Lincoln Slaw,
There'll be nothing but sweetmeats, for our football team.
(Enter the HOWARD BAND, led by a
hot-strutting drum major. They parade
the field and the men students pile
down and fall in behind the team.
They sing and shout to the TEAM
SONG:) ”

“ He ceases to play as he stops walking) Ha, ha! You see ol' Good Black goes for a hard guy. He tries to know more than a mule and a mule's head longer'n his'n. Ha, ha! I set a trap for him and he fell right in it. Trying to ride de britches! Now look at him.
Good Black
Aw, shut up! You tryin' to show yo' grandma how to milk ducks. You can't
beat me playin' no checkers.
(Scratches his head again)
Just watch me show my glory.
Woman
(Leans out of window)
Good Black! When you gointer come git dese clothes!
(He does not answer, he is trying to
concentrate)
Lonnie You got him Cliffert. ”

“ All dat noise ain't playin' checkers. You just wait till I make my move.
Woman All right, now, Mr. Nappy-Chin! I don't want to have to call you no mo' to come keer dese white folks clothes! I'm tired of takin' and takin' affa you! My belly's full clear up to de neck. I don't need no lazy coon lak you nohow. I'm a good woman, and I needs somebody dats gointer give aid and assistance. ”

“ Thru the open window of 'one' of the shacks a WOMAN is discovered ironing. A MAN is sitting on the floor of the porch asleep. She hums a bar or two, then comes to the window and calls to the man.
Woman Good Black, why don't you git up from dere and carry dese white folks clothes home? You always want money but you wouldn't hit a lick at a snake! ”

“ Woman Now you ain't no much right man neither. You didn't git me wid no saw-mill license—You went to de court house and paid a dollar and a half for me. Tain't no other woman got as much right to you as I got. De Man to tell you youse divorced befo' yo' kin play dat much-right on me! ”

“ Aw, leave go de checkers and less shoot some crap.
(Enter a WOMAN in a house dress, head
rag on, run down house shoes. She goes
to the edge of the porch and calls
inside)
Woman
Him there Bertha, what yo' doin'.
Woman Inside Still bumpin' de white folks clothes—hittin' for de sundown man. Come on in and have some sit down.
Outside Woman Ain't got time. Got a house full of company. ”

“ Cliff Dat's right, tell dese old mullet hear married men to mind they own business. Now, take me for instance. I'm a much-right man. (Gets up and approaches her flirtatiously) I didn't quite git yo' name straight. ”

“ Well den youse guilty of vacancy. Grab 'im, Simpson, and search 'im—and if he got any concealed weapons, I'm gointer give 'im life-time and eight years mo'. (The OFFICER seizes the boy and frisks him. All he finds is a new deck of cards. The JUDGE looks at them in triumph.) Unh hunh! I knowed it, one of dese skin game jelly-beans. Robbin' hard workin' men out they money. ”