EUGENE: My father squeezes my fiancée’s ass. Wyce sees it too. (WYCE) “Man, what did I tell you?” (EUGENE) “Tell me what?” (WYCE) “About how the way darker cats see us as punks. I’m always telling you.” (EUGENE) “Yeah but that’s my father, man!” (WYCE) “Yeah even more reason to get at you. Man, if that was MY GIRL?” (Beat)

ALMA: It’s dark and everyone is gone except for Wyce. Thelma is completely drunk and crying–she falls off the stool/gets up/falls off the stool. Wyce is laughing. (WYCE) “She ain’t feeling no pain.”

EUGENE: I pour a drink and go outside–it’s hot but I need another drink–I need to drink–I don’t want to think/I don’t want to see–

ALMA: Robert puts her to bed. He comes out of the house and into the yard staggering–he is now staggering. Wyce follows him and laughs–Wyce is nursing his one drink but keeps filling Gene’s and Mr. Gaines’s glasses. I tell him, “Listen why don’t you stop–you see they’ve had enough!”

EUGENE: I’m drinking and thinking about my father’s hand on Alma’s ass–groping MY WOMAN’S ASS-ALMA: Gene’s slurring and repeating himself. He’s drooling and staggering–

EUGENE: Daddy says, (ROBERT) “You pretty high/yella red nig-gas ain’t nuthin’–y’all ain’t nuthin’!” (EUGENE) I say “Don’t disrespect me in front of my woman”–

ALMA: What is all this “my woman” stuff? He never talks this way–I can’t stand him drunk–I HATE HIM DRUNK. I call a taxi and go to Odelia’s.

EUGENE: “Man, you’ve never accepted me. You always giving me shit about being light. I want you to accept me Daddy–I want you to see me for the man I am.” (ROBERT) “You two pretty yella niggas don’t know nuthin’–easy street niggas ain’ struggled fa nuthin’.” (EUGENE) Wyce laughs–he keeps laughing. I can’t laugh. “You think it’s easy for me don’t you? Having ANOTHER NIGGER get in my face cause I’m light?” (ROBERT) “Oh you a nigga now.” (EUGENE) “No, I’m not–WE’RE NOT. YOU AND I ARE BLACK MEN–WE ARE NOT NIGGERS.” Daddy looks at me and laughs. Wyce laughs too. (WYCE) “I told you, didn’t I tell you about how they see us–your father is no different.” (Beat) (EUGENE) Wyce fills our glasses. (WYCE) “Gentlemen, bourbon is truth serum-let’s keep it flowing–the truth? Let’s keep that bitch flowing-she’s an enticing bitch–TRUTH.” (Pause) (EUGENE) Daddy picks up his glass and throws down a shot. (ROBERT) “I’m a go check on your mother.”