by Gayl Jones
But I’m talking about Mada and Coliene and Paul Condor. That were the other play which we made into a imaginary movie. I played Mada, Monkey Bread played Coliene and one of them good-looking boys played Paul Condor and pretended he were an international artist. In both them plays which we made into imaginary movies I got to be the director because of my hidden talent for having a auditory memory where I remember everything I hear. So’s all everybody had to do was to read all they lines to me, so’s I just would remember everybody’s lines. A lot of them that couldn’t remember they lines, I would remind them of they lines. But in that play it were Monkey Bread played the love interest of Paul Condor. I played the director of the play reimagined as a movie and I also played the character of Mada. There was a white character talked about in that play, but since there weren’t any whites in that neighborhood on account of segregation, he had to be a imaginary character. The play were supposed to be set not in the South but in Greenwich Village among African-American intellectuals and artists, although they weren’t referred to as African Americans in them days and one didn’t see plays and movies about African-American intellectuals and artists. This the play which we made into a imaginary movie:
Blessings for Coliene: A Play
Scene: The stage has a multiple setting in modernistic/surrealistic style: COLIENE’S luxurious living room, a cafe in Greenwich Village, and PAUL’S art studio. In her living room, COLIENE is sitting at a piano composing music, JO JO SPAIN is sitting in the cafe drinking and flirting with FRANCIE, a waitress, and PAUL is standing at a canvas working on a painting of COLIENE. The play is set in the 1950s or it may have a contemporary setting. On the wall of COLIENE’S living room is a mural painted by PAUL KONDER. There is a large coffee table which COLIENE made and painted herself. Before the play begins OCONNER is seen painting the stairway.
CHARACTERS
COLIENE, a young African-American woman, a composer and writer
JO JO SPAIN, a young African-American man, very fair-skinned, an auto mechanic
PAUL KONDER, a young African-American man, an artist
MADA, a middle-age African-American woman
OCONNER, a middle-age white, a handyman
FRANCIE, a blond waitress
COLIENE: [at the piano, writing something on composer’s paper; then she starts playing the piano and singing] Hello, lover, Wouldn’t you like to hear my song? Pull up your chair and listen I been a-singing all along,
I got plenty money, I’ve got rhythm and song, I’ve got a lot of something, That it takes to get along,
I’ve got a lot of loving I’ve been saving just for you, I’ve got a lot of everything that it takes for me and you.
I got the world if you want it Just say the words, I do, Then we’ll both be married, lover, me and you.
[MADA enters and hands her a drink.]
COLIENE: Thanks, Mada. Don’t you want anything for yourself?
MADA: Naw, I’d best be getting back. But I sho like your new house, Coliene. It’s gracious luxury, that’s what it is. It’s wonderful. I knew you always wanted a house like this. A large brick house with a upstairs. Them large windows and gold-colored fine drapery. Large mirrors. Three bedrooms and two bathrooms. And them walls is true blue and royal. Shrubbery and trees all around it and flowers on the lawn. A house with a garden. That porch is like those porches down South, you know those porches the grand ladies court on and gossip, and that big old garage. Two Ford automobiles. I didn’t know they built showers in garages.
COLIENE: I want to use it as a guest room, so I had Oconner build a room and shower above it. And Paul might want to use it as a studio instead of that little studio he has.
MADA: I know your secret. [Pause.] It’s like art, though, ain’t it? Well, they say architecture is a form of art. That’s what Paul studied, but he couldn’t find much work in it, so he took up painting. Rainbow hue in splashes to enchant. Ain’t that what one of them art reviewers said of Paul’s pictures? A stream of enchantment. Well, Paul could paint a picture of a house and it wouldn’t be as beautiful as this one. Thank God for such graciousness.
COLIENE: I am grateful and happy. I have been blessed. It’s just what I’ve always wanted.
MADA: And that beautiful grand piano, that must be your prize possession. Play me another of your melodies.
[COLIENE plays another melody, MADA sings.]
MADA: [singing] You may make me do, What you want me to do, You may make me strain When I want to gain, and You may do anything that you want to, But you can’t Make me look down your road.
You may wrap me in rags, Make me pack up my bags And promise to take me away someday, And whatever you do, I’ll still be true, But you can’t make me look down your road.
You may even hide me, try me, hypnotize me, You may even lock me in chains, You may even bug me, You may even slug me, But you have nothing to gain, For whatever you do You’ll make me blue, For you can’t make me look down your road.
You may even beat me, Get someone to mistreat me, Bribe them to compare Wheel or deal me, But you’ll have to kill me to take away my heart.
So you can do what you do, Say what you say, For I’ll always be the self-same way, looking ahead, When you want me to look down, But you can’t make me look down your road.
So whatever you do, Whatever you say, I’ll always be, the self-same way, So do what you do, Say what you say But you can’t make me, look down your road, Oh no, You can’t make me look down your road.
I want to hear some more of that opera you’re working on, the one set after the Emancipation. Sing me some of that.
[COLIENE searches among the composer’s paper and then starts playing and singing.]
COLIENE: Paul should really sing this part, or Jo Jo.
Out of bondage, Crackerwhip high! Precious story moving by. Great advancement, time to heal, gracious moments linger still.
Love, honor, honor bright. Lovers come from dark to light, travel onward, upward go, greet me sweetie, let me know. This I give, in dedication, to the sweetest girl I know.
Born of bread and sweet butter, sorghum molasses, cider and honey. Restless waiting, crossing line, blood brow sweat, but now bondage’s over, and now, she’s mine. Goodness, gracious, mercy, me. Sweetest little diddy I ever did see.
Mountains, valleys, hills and dales, wishes, longings, princelings, whales. High intentions, for this I adore. Pleasure, pleasure, make it more.
Hello, baby! I say to her. Well, I finally got enough nerve up. Can’t compete, them other girls, sir, When Brown Sugar comes.
Brown Sugar comes, Sugar and me. We will have love, thanks be God above. Well! Won’t take long, time grows near, I’m sort of crazy about that dear.
When a man’s getting married, Sort of out of his mind, Just like a woman, if she loves, anticipating the moment, when it comes. Bride and groom, just give me room.
Richard, let me in. Move over, Dolly, I’m back again.
When Brown Sugar comes, Minds made up, Pretty as a speckled pup, Love that woman, my oh my, Wonder why I let them days go by.
Should have married her time ago. Well, now I just don’t know. She’s young and so am I, We just let some time go by.
Trying to save money, takes a lot; to keep chickens in a pot. She’s got her hope chest for wedding fair. She’s in luck, she’s got my ever-loving care.
Wonderful woman, oh so sweet, a sunshine face, want you to meet. She comes into town, comes Sunday morn. All pretty, all adorned. Wedding day, man you guessed, Sunday, that day of rest.
Me resting? Be nervous as a clown. Still wishing yet, Sunday soon come around. Wearing my tails and all of that, Won’t be long before I see my pet.
Best man is my brother Billy, Bridesmaid is her sister Milly. Got bridesmaids, wedding’s in church, I’m anticipating, who goes first?
Suppose I’ll be the first inside? Can’t hardly wait to see my bride. Lives two hundred miles away. Can’t hardly wait until that day.
She’s got a head
full of curly locks, beautiful brown eyes, high cheekbones that reach the skies, A peachy shape, I dare to tell, Me a salesman I got to sell.
Bought us a house on Fairview Way, Bright and pretty and Sweet and gay.
When Brown Sugar comes, I’ll be around no more Fooling in this town, Settling down, and I’m going to stay, And nobody can keep our love away.
Love that woman, man, you’ve guessed. Come Sunday, day of rest. I’m taking Sugar in my arms. My how I need her charms.
Charming woman, with skirt up high, cutest legs, you’d ever spy.
When Brown Sugar comes, Sugar and me.
This I must confess, I’m sort of good-looking, when I’m dressed, got nice hair, an intelligent smile, my white teeth can shine, for miles. Kind of a fellow, what keeps in style, gonna live it up awhile.
Like that house on Fairview Way, Just right for Sugar. It’s like her in every way. Bright and pretty and gay.
Got a nice green lawn, and round a fence, a stall for horses, and a house immense.
Pretty future, I agree, this sweet Freedom, and Sugar and me.
MADA: It sounds like they had ideals of men in them days. Of course it wasn’t a ideal time. Where I’m from there’s still little towns that got signs that say: “Nigger read and run, and if you can’t read, run anyhow.” And where they ain’t got the visible signs, they’ve got the invisible ones. [Pause] You and Paul have your very own art, though. That Jo Jo Spain ain’t anything like y’all.
COLIENE: But I love Jo Jo.
MADA: I know you think you do. And you and Paul are “just friends.” That Jo Jo, you’re blind to his ways. He declares his love for you and you let him romance you. You’re a fool, girl. You’ve got admirers, good men, even rich ones. Of course, I’m partial to Paul Konder. If I were a younger woman, I’d admire him for myself. I do admire him, but not for romancing.
[COLIENE goes over to the coffee table and picks up a package of cigarettes, takes a cigarette out and lights it with the table lighter]
MADA: I really like that mural. That’s Paul’s. What in here is Jo Jo’s? I bet he ain’t give you nothing for your new house. Did he make that coffee table for you?
COLIENE: I made it myself. [Pause] Jo Jo gave me this lighter for Christmas.
MADA: As tacky as he is.
COLIENE: Well. I cherish it very much.
MADA: ’Cause it’s just about all he ever give you.
COLIENE: Jo Jo and I are getting married.
MADA: No. [joking] Does he know it?
COLIENE: [sitting back down at the piano, smoking] We’ve always talked about marriage. Jo Jo and I. It’s just that we’ve always been so poor, like I told you. I didn’t wanna marry him till we had more money. So we saved. . . .
MADA: You saved. Jo Jo couldn’t save a penny. And I mean that both ways.
COLIENE: Why are you so hard on Jo Jo?
MADA: ’Cause I know his kind. Not like Paul.
COLIENE: We’re the same kind. We both grew up so poor. Being poor doesn’t add up to a full and happy life. [Pause.] Then I sold a few of my songs.
MADA: I grew up poor as a church mouse myself, but that don’t mean I’m the same kind as Jo Jo Spain. [Pause.] I bet Oconner built that stairway, didn’t he?
COLIENE: Yes.
MADA: It looks sturdy. You can tell he’s a man that loves beautiful things, and likes to make the flowers grow, like Paul. I wish he were more like Paul.
COLIENE: What do you mean?
MADA: You know what I mean. [Pause.] I went out with him.
COLIENE: You told me he asked you out several times and you wouldn’t go out with him.
MADA: I acted kinda silly, Coliene. Oconner, white and all. But, honey, as soon as we drank our first highball, I forgot he was white.
COLIENE: I told you he’s a nice man. [laughing] You’re his type, Mada, he told me so.
MADA: Well, I like him, but I can’t get over the fact that he’s white. [whispering] Wish I was like you, Coliene, you don’t know no difference.
COLIENE: Oh, Mada, I know the difference. It’s just that I lived so long with white, I’m used to them. I’ve never dated any one of them, though.
MADA: I thought Jo Jo was one when I first seen him, he’s so fair-skinned and light-complected. Looks like one of those old-time movie stars with that slick hair and mustache of his. I’ve always had my suspicions about them. [Pause.] I’ve always liked mahogany-colored men like Paul. Tall, dark and handsome. Or short, dark and handsome, as long as they treats me right. [Pause] But Oconner . . . I’ve always been a little withdrawing. Where I’m from, men like him sneaks around with women like us, but don’t treat us like a proper lady.
COLIENE: Well, you’ll get used to him.
MADA: [laughing] Yeah, if he gets me some more highballs.
COLIENE: Mada, you won’t do.
MADA: He told me once he had money but he lost all his money in the stock markets and now’s got to work as hired help. I thought he looked more distinguished than he is. You know, I’m a couple of years older than him? But that doesn’t matter these days, does it? They say over there in Europe, women my age romances any man they wants. Just like them movie stars.
COLIENE: Mada, you know you could live right here with me now. Why not? I’ve got plenty of room. And I know you could use the money.
MADA: It ain’t about money. You’re a good friend, Coliene. I told Paul that I’d help you at least twice a week, Coliene, but I’ll never leave Paul. He’s the one saved me. He helped me when I needed help. Paul brought me up here from Virginia. I know, I know that I’m welcome here, but I can’t leave my boy. My boy would be lost without me. [Pause] My husband had run off and I lost my home, and I was staying at a little rooming house. I won’t tell you all my story, ’cause you don’t need to know it. And being a woman, you probably know it anyway without my telling you. But he helped me, so I in return help him. He’s the first true man I ever met. And you know, the first true painting he painted was of me. He said he’d been looking for a woman of my kind and looks to pose for one of his paintings. Paul painted me and called the painting Mother. He decided to keep that painting for hisself. He wouldn’t sell that one, not even to Mr. Tyrone, who sold some of his paintings in France and Germany. He keeps it in his drawing room. I traveled with him in Virginia, and then I come back here with him to work as his housekeeper. And you don’t need me to stay here, Coliene, ’cause you and that Jo Jo are getting married.
COLIENE: Jo Jo is a worthy man.
MADA: [Pause] I’ll be back over in an hour. I gotta go see about Paul’s dinner.
COLIENE: We can all have supper together here tonight to celebrate the new house.
MADA: Well, now, that’s a good idea.
COLIENE: We’ll make a foursome. I’ll call Jo Jo and see if he can come. Sure, that’s what I’ll do, Mada. We can play Keno.
MADA: Jo Jo don’t know how to play Keno.
COLIENE: All right, Mada. [Pause] Jo Jo should love living here. I called him and told him that I wanted him to come over, but he wasn’t in.
MADA: Probably out flirting. I know his type of man. And I know your type of woman. When they meet men like Jo Jo, all they do is share problems with me. Jo Jo is the kind of guy that likes to big time. Working all week just to spend his money. Never saves a penny. And I know he’s stood you up plenty of times to date other women. Paul ain’t well-to-do, his apartment ain’t all that elaborate, but that studio he works in is sunny and bright, and he’s a good man, and he wouldn’t lead you a dog’s life.
COLIENE: JO JO is just a friendly person.
[MADA exits, JO JO exits the Greenwich Village cafe, and PAUL leaves the studio and goes and sits down at the café table.]
[JO JO enters COLIENE’S living room, looking at the mural]
JO JO: Paul paint that?
COLIENE: Yes. It’s lovely, isn’t it?
JO JO: How much he charge you for that?
COLIENE: He didn’t charge me for it, Jo Jo. It
’s a present.
JO JO: Sure, he wants something in return.
COLIENE: Not all men are like that.
JO JO: That Paul’s a faker. [looking around] You’ve got every color of the rainbow in here. A pink record player. You really like lots of color.