Male Voice. Les’ everybody eat—motion’s done carried. (Everybody begins to open baskets. All have fried chicken. Very good humor prevails. Delicacies are swapped from one basket to the other. John and Emma offer the man next them some supper. He takes a chicken leg. Effie crosses to John and Emma with two pieces of pie on a plate.)
Effie. Y’ll have a piece uh mah blueberry pie—it’s mighty nice! (She proffers it with a timid smile to Emma who “freezes” up instantly.)
Emma. Naw! We don’t want no pie. We got cocoanut layer-cake.
John. Ah—Ah think ah’d choose a piece uh pie, Effie. (He takes it.) Will you set down an’ have a snack wid us? (He slides over to make room.)
Effie (nervously). Ah, naw, Ah got to run on back to mah basket, but Ah thought maybe y’ll mout’ want tuh taste mah pie. (She turns to go.)
John. Thank you, Effie. It’s mighty good, too. (He eats it. Effie crosses to her seat. Emma glares at her for a minute, then turns disgustedly away from the basket. John catches her shoulder and faces her around.)
John (pleadingly). Honey, be nice. Don’t act lak dat!
Emma (jerking free). Naw, you done ruint mah appetite now, carryin’ on wid dat punkin-colored ole gal.
John. Whut kin Ah do? If you had a acted polite Ah wouldn’t a had nothin’ to say.
Emma. Naw, youse jus’ hog-wile ovah her cause she’s half-white! No matter whut Ah say, you keep carryin’ on wid her. Act polite? Naw Ah aint gonna be deceitful an’ bust mah gizzard fuh nobody! Let her keep her dirty ole pie ovah there where she is!