VOICE OF MRS. ROBERTS.
(Calmer) Well, hand it chear den. Lawd, me and my chillun is so hongry…. Jake don’t fee-eed me. (She re-enters by door of store with the slab of meat in her hand and an outraged look on her face. She gazes all about her for sympathy.) Lawd, me and my poor chillun is so hongry … and some folks has _every_thing and they’s so stingy and gripin’…. Lawd knows, Jake don’t fee-eed me! (She exits right on this line followed by the boy with the baby on his back.)
(All the men gaze behind her, then at each other and shake their heads.)
HAMBO.
Poor Jake. I’m really sorry for dat man. If she was mine I’d beat her till her ears hung down like a Georgy mule.
WALTER THOMAS.
I’d beat her till she smell like onions.
LIGE.
I’d romp on her till she slack like lime.
NIXON.
I’d stomp her till she rope like okra.
VOICE OF MRS. ROBERTS.
(Off stage right) Lawd, Miz Lewis, you goin’ give me dat lil han’ful of greens for me and my chillun. Why dat ain’t a eye-full. I ought not to take ’em … but me and my chillun is so hongry…. Some folks is so stingy and gripin’! Lawd knows, Tony don’t feed me!
(The noise of cane-chewing is heard again. Enter JOE LINDSAY left with a gun over his shoulder and the large leg bone of a mule in the other hand. He approaches the step wearily.)
HAMBO.
Well, did you git any partridges, Joe?
JOE.
(Resting his gun and seating himself) Nope, but I made de feathers fly.