Nothing But a Man Page #5

DUFF:

At first it was real strange. Hell, Japan is a

long ways from Alabama. Really got under my

skin, though. Almost didn't come back.

JOSIE:

Why did you?

DUFF:

I don't know. 'Guess I belong here more than

there.

JOSIE:

'Been up north?

DUFF:

Yeah. Knocked around for a couple of months

after the Army. You been there?

JOSIE:

No.

DUFF:

Well, it ain't that good up there neither. Might

as well make it here. 'Course I ain't really

makin' it now.

He gets up and gives her swing a forceful shove.

DUFF:

Anyway, they can't get to you if you keep movin'!

Josie laughs.

FRONT YARD, DAWSON HOUSE

It is raining. Duff and Josie dash up the path to the front door.

DAWSON PARLOR:

Duff and Josie barge in out of the rain and find themselves face to face with

Reverend Dawson and a middle-aged white man - Superintendent Johnson.

JOSIE:

Oh, I'm sorry.

JOHNSON:

Come on in, Josie. We're all through.

JOSIE:

Daddy - this is Duff Anderson.

REVEREND DAWSON:

Hello.

DUFF:

How are you?

REVEREND DAWSON:

All right, son.

JOSIE:

This is Mr. Johnson, our school superintendent.

JOHNSON:

(with a friendly smile)

How are you?

JOSIE:

I'll be right back.

She leaves.

JOHNSON:

So you're courtin' the preacher's girl. Well,

just watch your step, boy, or he'll preach you

right into hell.

(to Reverend Dawson)

I'm counting on you, Reverend.

REVEREND DAWSON:

I understand.

JOHNSON:

Wouldn't do for one of your people to sue at a

time like this.

REVEREND DAWSON:

I know.

JOHNSON:

(on his way out)

I'll talk to the Mayor.

REVEREND DAWSON:

That'll make the folks very happy.

Johnson leaves.

Reverend Dawson sits down in a rocker.

REVEREND DAWSON:

It's hard to know how to talk to the white folks

these days.

DUFF:

Guess it's never been easy.

REVEREND DAWSON:

It's a changing time. Sit down, son.

DUFF:

Thank you.

He sits down opposite Reverend Dawson.

REVEREND DAWSON:

Well, it looks like we'll be getting our new

school.

DUFF:

How come you all ain't sendin' them to the same

school?

REVEREND DAWSON:

Well, you've got to go easy. We haven't had any

trouble in town for eight years, and we're not

going to have any now.

DUFF:

Can't live without trouble, can you?

(he sees he is on

the wrong track)

Nice place you got here. Real nice.

REVEREND DAWSON:

Yes, the Lord's been pretty good to us. I

guess you're a church man, aren't you?

DUFF:

I guess I ain't.

REVEREND DAWSON:

Why? Don't you believe in the Lord?

DUFF:

Aw, I do. But 'seems to me us colored folks do

a whole lot of church-goin'. It's the whites

that need it real bad.

REVEREND DAWSON:

I think if you tried livin' in a town like this,

instead of running free and easy, you'd soon

change your tune.

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