The Stonemason (6 page)

B
EN
What about when Uncle Selman was killed. Did that change your feelings?

P
APAW
No. It didn't. I was older then and I seen it for what it was. A man that's killed by a fool that ain't never had the first thought in his head it ain't no different from if a rock fell on him. It's just a sad thing to happen and they ain't no help for it.

B
EN
You weren't set crazy over it?

P
APAW
Pret near. But they wasn't no point in me goin crazy. That man was not a mason. He was in charge of settin timbers and he picked Selman out because he was a small man and Selman was a big one. It was just a dispute that they wasn't no sense to it. Cept I knowed Selman was not disputatious and you couldn't get him to argue didn't make no difference how wrong you was and I reckon that made that white man crazier than what he already was. It was a dispute over a water bucket and that's about as sorry as you can get, I reckon. Ever crew had they own buckets and they was marked and had stripes on em for to mark the white ones from the colored's. I don't know what the particulars was but it was over them buckets and I know Uncle Selman was in the right for he never would allow no misrepresentation of nothin. You couldn't put a gun to his head and get him to lie and I don't care what kind of lie it was. He always said they was not no such a thing as a small lie. And that white man was all lie. And he killed him. He killed Uncle Selman with a timber maul, hit him blind side with it and laid him out graveyard dead. They come and got me. Oh I was a heart broke boy. A heart broke boy. We picked him up out of the dirt and carried him out under a shade tree and he was bloody as a hog and I just set there under that tree with him and I cried like a baby. I ain't ashamed to tell it.

They sit quietly. Papaw is moved even now.

B
EN
What did they do with the white man?

P
APAW
He left this country and he stayed gone a long time. They was fixin to law him and he just left out. The boss of that job was goin to testify against him and he told that boss man, said: You take a nigger's part against a white man's? That's what he said. And Uncle Selman laid out dead. Said: You take a nigger's part against a white man's? and that boss man—his name was Johnson—he never even answered him.

B
EN
But he came back?

P
APAW
Yes. He come back.

B
EN
And what happened then?

P
APAW
Nothin. He stayed gone I guess it was six or seven year and then he come back and there was nothin ever done about it. I lawed him myself and it costed me a right smart but it was too late to bring him to justice.

They sit. Papaw stirs and rises and takes his cup and his hat and coat.

P
APAW
I guess I better change out of these clothes.

He goes to the sink.

B
EN
What was the man's name?

P
APAW
That killed Uncle Selman?

B
EN
Yes.

P
APAW
Well. That's been a long time ago, Benny. Been a long time ago.

B
EN
But you remember his name.

Papaw puts his cup in the sink and turns.

P
APAW
Oh yes. He has children livin in this town. Children and grandchildren. Great grandchildren.

B
EN
What was his name?

P
APAW
Well. I guess I'd rather not to say it.

He goes to his room door and exits.

SCENE IV

The kitchen, night. The supper dishes are washed and in the drain board. Ben is asleep at the kitchen table with his head cradled in his arms. There are steps on the basement stairs and Maven enters in her bathrobe. She goes to Ben and strokes the back of his head. He sits up and looks at her.

M
AVEN
Baby why don't you take your shower.

B
EN
He hasn't come in has he?

M
AVEN
No.

B
EN
What time is it?

M
AVEN
Quarter of eleven.

Ben leans back and looks up at the ceiling.

M
AVEN
Why don't you take your shower.

B
EN
I'm going to kill him.

M
AVEN
(
Smiling
) Come on.

Ben rises and gets his coat from the chair.

B
EN
I'll be back in a little bit.

M
AVEN
Oh Ben.

B
EN
I'll be back in a little bit.

SCENE V

A dimly lit door stage right. Ben knocks at the door and turns and looks out at the street. He turns and knocks at the door again. The door opens and
MRS RAYMOND—
a middleaged woman in a chenille robe with her hair up in a plastic cap—opens the door and looks out.

B
EN
Mrs Raymond I hate to bother you so late but I wonder if Emmett knows anything about Soldier. He hasn't been home since last night.

Mrs Raymond looks down and shakes her head.

B
EN
Is he still up?

M
RS
R
AYMOND
(
Turning toward inside of house
) Emmett, you see Soldier today?

E
MMETT
(
Offstage
) I don't know nothin bout Soldier.

M
RS
R
AYMOND
Say he don't know nothin bout him.

B
EN
Was he in school Friday?

M
RS
R
AYMOND
(
To Emmett
) Soldier in school Friday?

E
MMETT
I ain't seen him.

M
RS
R
AYMOND
Say he ain't seen him.

B
EN
What about Jeffrey. Was Jeffrey in school?

M
RS
R
AYMOND
(
To Emmett
) Jeffrey in school on Friday?

They wait. Emmett doesn't answer.

M
RS
R
AYMOND
(
To Emmett
) JEFFREY IN SCHOOL ON FRIDAY?

E
MMETT
I don't know nothin bout Soldier and I don't know nothin bout Jeffrey.

M
RS
R
AYMOND
Say he don't know nothin bout neither one of em.

Ben looks offstage right. He looks at Mrs Raymond.

B
EN
Well. Thank you Mrs Raymond.

M
RS
R
AYMOND
Well.

She shuts the door.

SCENE VI

The kitchen, morning. Mama is fixing breakfast and Carlotta is setting the table. Big Ben is on the telephone. He is dressed in overalls and a work shirt with long underwear showing at his collar and cuffs. There is a knocking at the door,
OSREAU
is peering in through the glass.

B
IG
B
EN
(
On telephone
) You tell him call Topcat or one of them Williams boys. Well you call him then. Tell him he don't want his job we got people standin in line.

Big Ben holds the receiver to one side and turns to the table.

B
IG
B
EN
Sister let Osreau in there. Cain't you see him standin yonder? (
Into telephone
) And bring your hundred foot tape.

Carlotta goes past Big Ben to the door.

C
ARLOTTA
You closer to the door than me.

B
IG
B
EN
(
To telephone
) All right.

He hangs up the phone. Osreau enters the kitchen. He is a black mason in his early forties, dressed in work clothes.

O
SREAU
Mornin. Mornin.

Big Ben crosses the kitchen on his way to the front door for the paper.

B
IG
B
EN
We havin any breakfast this mornin?

M
AMA
Osreau, you had your breakfast?

O
SREAU
Yes mam.

M
AMA
Well set down anyway. You all come on now. Carlotta get the chair. And call Papaw. Where's Benny at?

Mama carries platters to the table. Carlotta gets the extra chair and goes to Papaw's door and calls him. Ben enters in his work clothes and sits down. Big Ben enters with the paper and sits at the bead of the table and Papaw comes out and takes his place.

M
AMA
Carlotta did you want to say grace?

C
ARLOTTA
You say it Mama.

M
AMA
Bless oh Lord this food to our nourishment and us to thy service. And please Lord send that boy back to his family safe and sound. We ask it in Jesus' name. Amen,

F
AMILY
Amen.

They raise their heads and begin to pass the platters. They eat in silence. Mama looks sideways at Carlotta who is eating woodenly. The phone rings. They freeze. They look at Carlotta. The phone rings again and she pushes back her chair and rises and goes to answer it.

C
ARLOTTA
Hello. Hi Jenny. No. I don't know. Ben went down yesterday and filled out a report. Yes. I know you will. I'll call you. Thanks Jenny. Bye.

She hangs up the phone and turns back to the table. The rest of the family continues eating. Carlotta suddenly hurries past the table and out of the kitchen. They listen to her footsteps going up the stairs. They continue to eat. Ben wipes his mouth and gets up from the table and leaves the kitchen and goes upstairs. The lights dim in the kitchen. The lights come on stage right in Carlotta's bedroom. There is a window with white curtains and a simple bed with a ruffled white counterpane and Carlotta is sitting on the bed with her head in her hands. Ben knocks on the door.

C
ARLOTTA
Just a minute.

She wipes her eyes and gets up and goes to the door and opens it and then turns back and begins to collect her purse and her things to go to work, keeping her eyes averted. Ben stands just inside the door watching her. Outside it is just daylight and there are early morning street sounds.

B
EN
We'll find him Carly. He's just pulled some dumb stunt. Chances are he'll be at school today...

C
ARLOTTA
(
Turning and facing Ben
) Well if he's not in jail and not in any of the hospitals I'd like to know where you think he is.

B
EN
Well. I think there's a good chance he might be on his way to see Landry.

C
ARLOTTA
Oh yeah. Fifteen year old boy on his way to Detroit in the dead of winter with maybe forty cents in his pocket.

B
EN
He could be.

She gives up looking through her purse and sits down on the bed and begins to cry, putting her hands to her face. Ben comes to the bed.

B
EN
Hey.

He sits down and puts his arms around her and she turns and puts her face on his shoulder, crying quietly.

B
EN
Come on Baby.

C
ARLOTTA
Oh Ben I don't know what I'm going to do. He just won't do a thing I tell him anymore and he's in trouble at school all the time and I'm so tired of this damn job and tired of living in this damn house and I want to be on my own and I can't and it's just getting worse everything's getting worse and Landry damn, damn, damn him he's going to get married again and I still love him and he's just a son of a bitch, Ben, and now this . . .