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BLUE-EYED BLACK BOY CHARACTERS PAULINE WATERS, REBECCA, DR. THOMAS GREY, HESTER GRANT, the Mother daughter fiance of Rebecca Pauline's best friend Scene: A kitchen in Mrs. Waters's cottage. A stove with food keeping warm and an iron heating, an ironing board in the corner and a table with a lighted oil lamp, two chairs. Door slightly ajar leads to the front room and window opening on to a side street. Scene Opens: MRS. WATERS is discoverd seated in a large rocker with her left foot bandaged and resting on a low stool. MRS. WATERS. (Calling to the other room) Rebecca, come on, your iron is hot now I know. REBECCA. (Answers from front room) I'm coming now ma-(she enters holding a lacy garment in her hands) I had to tack these bows on, how you like it now? MRS. WATERS. (Scanning the long night dress set off with little pink bows that Rebecca is holding up for inspection) ugh-hu, it shure is pretty, I don't believe any body ever had as fine a wedding gown in this whole town. REBECCA. Humph! (She shrugs her shoulders proudly as she tastes the iron to see if it is hot and then takes it over to the board and begins to press the gown) That's to be expected aint it-every body in the Baptist Church looks up to us don't they? MRS. WATERS. Sure they do. I ain't carried myself straight all these years for nothing. Your father was sure one proud man-he is put on a pinnacle. REBECCA. Well, I sure have tried to walk straight all my life. 48 / GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON MRS. WATERS. Yes, and I'm shore proud-now here you is getting ready to marry a young doctor-My! My! (Then she suddenly requires saying) Ouch, I wish he would come on over here to change the dressing on my foot-hope I ain't going to have the lock jaw. REBECCA. You won't-Tom knows his business (She tosses her head proudly. She looks over to the stove and goes on:) Wish Jack would come on home and eat his supper so's I could clean up the dishes. MRS. WATERS. What time is it? REBECCA. (Goes to the middle door and peeps in the next room) The clock in position to exactly five minutes after seven. He oughter been here a whole hour ago. MRS. WATERS. I wonder what's keeping him? REBECCA. Well there's one thing sure and certain, he's not running after girls. MRS. WATERS. No-he shore dont-just give him a book and he's happysays he's going to quit running that crane-and learn engineering soons you get married. He's been mighty tied down since your father died-taking care of us. REBECCA. Every body says he's the smartest and finest looking black boy in the whole town. MRS. WATERS. Yes he is good looking if he is mine-some of em lay it to his eyes. (She looks far off thoughtfully.) REBECCA. Yes, they do set him off-It's funny he's the only one in our family's got blue eyes though. Pa's was black and yours and mine are black too-It certainly is strange-I wish I'd had em. MRS. WATERS. Oh, you be satisfied-you're pretty enough. Hush, there's the doctor's buggy stopping now-go let him in. (Rebecca goes to the door while Mrs. Waters bends over grunting and touching her foot. The doctor enters bag in hand with Rebecca) DR. GREY. Well how's my patient feeling-better I know. MRS. WATERS. Now don't you be kidding me doctor-my foots been paining me terrible-I'm scared to death I'm going to have the lock jaw. For God's sake don't let me-(Rebecca places chair for him near her mother.) DR. GREY. (Unwinds the bandage, looks at foot and opens his bag). Fine, it's doing fine-you'll have to keep off of it for a week more and then you'll be all right. MRS. WATERS. Can't walk on it for a week? DR. GREY. Not unless you want to die of blood poisoning-lock jaw I mean! (He touches the foot with iodine and puts on new bandage) That was an old rusty nail you stuck in your foot-a pretty...

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