She reaches for the pill bottle, and stuffs the pills into her mouth and swallows the water. She stares, eyes wide open at the audience. She slumps to the ground. The GRIOTS enter and surround her. They start in hush tones in synchrony. “But she had everything.” “She was so beautiful.” “Why?” “She had a really nice car.” “She had everything.” The last GRIOT hums a heartbeat melody. Lights go down on SHERELLE, and raises up on NOVELETTE and ENID in shop. BLOSSOM walks in.

BLOSSOM:

Hey Letty.

NOVELETTE:

Blossom did you see Claudette out there? Where is that girl with my lunch, I am losing weight drastically by the minute!

MAXINE rushes in.

MAXINE:

Claudette, said to tell you she’ll be back… next week something came up.

NOVELETTE:

What!

MAXINE:

(shrugs her shoulders) Hey don’t shoot the messenger. Well, here’s all your order, one flying fish, with rice and peas.

NOVELETTE:

I wanted steam rice.

MAXINE:

No steam rice today it finish. Maybe tomorrow. And here’s your veggie patty.

MARCIA:

I wanted beef.

MAXINE:

No beef today maybe tomorrow or next week and the soup for?

DIANA:

Let me guess, no dumpling.

MAXINE:

Yeah sorry about that, guess it your unlucky day.

DIANA:

Unlucky day? What does luck have to do with my food! Are you running a restaurant or The Niagara Casino? One day you maybe lucky one day you’re not! How can you have soup without dumpling! And what about my bread pudding?

MAXINE:

Well… maybe tomorrow—go ask the cook it’s not my fault!

DIANA:

You want me to go over there and ask about my dumpling! If I go over there you see!—

MAXINE quickly rushes out the door. NOVELETTE blocks DIANA from chasing after her in a mad frenzy.

NOVELETTE:

Diana it’s much more lady like to gracefully accept disappointment than fighting like a common street fighter over a dumpling! that’s so common!

Everyone starts to laugh including DIANA.

ENID:

Miss Diana don’t raise your blood pressure. Cause today is your lucky day! You know I just baked me a sweet potato pie this morning and I can get my daughter to run it over. There’s surely enough for everybody and if not I’ll make some more! You know how I love to bake. And Charlie oh, he just loves my sweet potato pie—

NOVELETTE:

Charlie? Who’s Charlie?

ENID:

Well… let me tell you girls… I got me a date tonight. Who would’ve thought there’s any more oil in this ol’ engine? But I revved it up and I’m rearing to go. And don’t be thinking I’m some old little hussy, thinking I’m Demi Moore and getting me some young play thing. Oh no! I didn’t go to a bar and throw my head back and bat my eyes and complain about the music being too loud as I picked up some boy young enough to deliver my morning paper! No I didn’t. I just hopped the fence and found me somebody. (She blushes.) Well I didn’t really hop the fence, you know Charlie, he lives next door. Ladies, I’m here to tell you, you ain’t never too old to find love. And I got me a man. A good man. Let me tell you.