Ah Lil' Bit ah Salty
By: Riva Ryan and Lori Simmonds
Setting/ Story Summary:Six years after the death of her husband, Tea Cake, Janie sits in the store, although she is not focused entirely on her surroundings. For there is something more relevant in her thoughts than simply minding the store, and his name was Biscuit. He reminded her so much of Tea Cake; his demeanor, his smile, his adventurous outlook of life, and most importantly the love he shared with Janie. [Janie later reveals that "Biscuit" is indeed, the son she gave birth to after Tea Cake's death.]
JANIE [monologue]:
(exhales a sigh)Heh remin's mah of mah Tea Cake,
'cept whit maw meat on his a'int nah body in dis world that I love maw than him, '
specially since Tea eh smiles ah me, I see tha smile of a man ah had los'.
A man ah will nevah forget.A man ah see in someone else.
Thay ah so much like each otha'.Tea Cake, is it wrong tuh love some one otha' than I 'ave loved yuh?
Maybe ev'n maw?Can this ...boy evah take yah place?
I'm sure ya'd like em tuh.
You'd love em. You'd approve.
BISCUIT:
(Shouts with an inquisition in his voice)
Ya need help?
Hay there, ya need some help?
JANIE:
(does not notice Biscuit calling)If dere was any otha' person importunt tah meh in mah whole lifetime,
you'd uh wan' it tuh be Biscuit.
(chuckles) Biscuit.
Tha' boy gotta whole life uh head ah him.
A risk takah, jus like yuh. Ah'll try not tuh hol' em back,
his soul gots ah lot tuh figga pray his luv fo meh don' keep 'im from wat he s'possed tah do in ' ah dun wan' him tuh rush intah love eithah.
Ah've already been thah.BISCUIT:
(Shouting from a distance)
Hey, ya looks a bit tired ovah there!
Ya need any help?
JANIE:
(Still does not notice Biscuit calling)
I don wanna set him up fuh a life of suffarin' and expectancies, like ah had.I'm gonna free 'em. I know I hav' tuh.
Tea Cake, Ah really wish u coulda met 'im.
Its jus unnatural how much he's lak u!
I love 'im so much but jus' lak ya
I knaw he ain't gunna be heah foreva.
So I jus' gotta keep him till its time tuh let'im go.
Yah was mah first luv and I luved yah wit all my heart
but I love Biscuit wit all mah soul.
Yah knaw how sweet ya was…
well he is too, (pause) but wit a lil bit a salty
(chuckles) I guess he gits it from me…
BISCUIT:
(Waves hands in front of Janie's face to gain attention)
Janie, startled, comes back to reality from her thoughts
Lil bit ah salty?
(concerned) Mama, wat yah ova theah day dreamin' bout?
Tha sto (store) is a mess, watchu need help wit?
…jus point me in tha direction!!
Oh an Mama! (exited)
Is it awl right if I go play some chess wit Ms. Phoeby's daughter
afta we done fixin up in heah?
……she don knaw how to play chess so imma teach her!
When she learns, shes gunna beat all a dem boys that was messin wit 'er!
Maybe I could teach 'er sum mo stuff lak maybe how ta shoot!
Mama, shes the smartest girl ah kno b'sides yah!
Bet pop ah taught yah how tah shoot lak yah do
Youse is great at shootin' mama!
Heck Mama, Yah taught me how ta shoot!
JANIE:
(sarcastically)
I did have mah practice wit a gun…
BISCUIT:
(confused)
Did ya say something' Mama ?
JANIE:
(stern) Naw, honey.
And yes darlin,' ya can go off wit Lil' miss Gravy [Pheoby's daughter's nickname]
Just make sha yas two dun go out shootin' in tha bad weatha'
Ya nevah knaw what animals ah out there…
BISCUIT:
An' Mama?
JANIE:
Yes, sweethawt?
BISCUIT:
Don't worry 'bout us two out there
We'll be a'ight
We can go out an play together latah!
JANIE:
(wails and refers to her aching back)Aww, but yah ol' Mama is getting' ol'
BISCUIT:
Oh, Mama.
(assuring)"Don't say you'se ole!
You'se a lil girl baby all de time.
God made it so you spent yo 'ole age first wit somebody else,
And saved up yo' young days to spend wid me."
[Quote from Their Eyes We're Watching God, Pg.172]
JANIE:
(laughs, noticing Biscuit unknowingly quotes his father)
You is sumthin, else. Yah hear me?
(pauses)You really is just lak ya daddy!
BISCUIT:
(jokingly) But wit a lil bit ah salty.
(Scene ends as Janie soon laughs at Biscuit's remark, and cleans up the store)
~End~