The Month of May
prequel to Weep No More Today
(a three act drama)
Writing Sample:
ACT THREE, SCENE TWO:
(Late that night. It is quiet. MAY is sitting on the swing. In the parlor, FINIS puts away the paper and goes to screen door.)
MAY
It’s so quiet tonight, isn’t it Papa?
FINIS
I think its best you stay home tomorrow with the girls.
MAY
I need to go over those last the statements with you.
FINIS
They can wait.
MAY
They can, but the store can’t. We need the money.
FINIS
Come on in to bed.
MAY
Since I’m not working tomorrow, there’s no need to retire now.
FINIS
May….
MAY
I’ll be right behind you.
(No response)
I promise.
(FINIS exits to bedroom)
Goodnight.(MAY turns off the porch light and the parlor lights and remains in the shadows. The night is extremely quiet.
From around the corner of the house, JUNE enters carrying a very large suitcase. She walks past the porch, not noticing MAY.)MAY (continued)
Boo.
JUNE
Whoa! May, you scared the daylights out of me.
MAY
I assume Chauncey is waiting for you somewhere.
JUNE
Of course, we’re eloping.
MAY
I never would have guessed.
JUNE
Please don’t say anything to Papa.
MAY
You speak any louder I won’t have to.
JUNE
This is the only way we can be together. Papa wants to make me a slave, a spinster, a…a….
MAY
Like me?
JUNE
No, not like you….well, alright, like you.
MAY
Mmmm. So…you think that papa will think better of Chauncey Miller if he whisks you off to get married in the middle of the night? You know, of course, the entire church, the entire town as a matter of fact, will think you are….in the family way and HAD to marry Chauncey.
JUNE
That is not true and you know it.
MAY
No, June, I do not know it.
JUNE
Well, that’s not true.
(Hesitates)
Well….goodbye.
MAY
AND you know, of course, that papa will go to Miller Senior and demand he bring his son to account for stealing a sixteen year old girl from her home.
JUNE
Really, May…
MAY
AND you know, of course, Miller Senior will protect his son at all costs and then he and Papa will become bitter enemies and the….men’s club at Barn’s Crossing will be on Miller Senior’s side and …the men’s club in Clover and Farmsdale on Papa’s side and there could even be some….bloodshed. It could be a…real war, so to speak.
JUNE
Now you’re imagination is flying…
MAY
Not to mention what Papa will do to you. You’re not too old to…get switched, and good. And when he’s finished, I might just have a hand in it too, in place of mama. WHO will be rolling in her grave over the lack of propriety that her youngest daughter, whom she loved more than all of us together, betrayed her reputation as a mother.
JUNE
Now that is just ridiculous.
MAY
But go right ahead. I’m just going to sit here and enjoy the night.
(Sits)
Bye, bye.
JUNE
(Pause)
Maybe….I haven’t thought all this out….properly. I mean, its Dora’s fault.
MAY
Is that a fact?
JUNE
She told me it was important to be with someone you love, no matter what. And for a farm girl, I thought that was very…philosophical.
MAY
Coming from a would-be farm girl, I’d say so.
JUNE
I know it’s all such a rush and…..I hardly have…anything at all in this suitcase….
MAY
I’m sure.
JUNE
Oh dear.
(Sits on suitcase)
Something just occurred to me.
MAY
Indeed.
JUNE
I wonder if Chauncey even told his folks what he was up to. What if Miller Senior cuts Chauncey off? That’s a lot of cows and dirt to be cut off from, you know? (Stands and takes case.)
But if I don’t go, then papa will… Oh, May, what am I to do?
(Sits and cries quietly)
MAY
(Goes to get her)
Come on, little sister. I’ll think of something. I promise. I mean, after all, I have a dirt farmer who thinks he’s a storekeeper comparing me to his cat. That’s not much to base a courtship on, don’t you think?
JUNE
(Giggles)
Well, he’s got nice hands.
MAY
(Giggles)
And he’s ‘mighty strong.’
JUNE
And can eat a square of cornbread in one gulp.
MAY
With or without ice tea to wash it down.
(They laugh and hold onto each other, then get quiet. They start up the stairs into house.)
JUNE
It’s an eerie night tonight. So quiet.
MAY
This is the time of night…when the hound…turns into a wolf.
JUNE
Don’t start with those ghost stories.
MAY
They’re all true.
JUNE
(Whispering, giggling)
No they’re not.
MAY
They are. Don’t you feel the wolf’s eyes watching you?
JUNE
Oh, now stop that. You really are getting me scared.
(There is a sound from around the side of the house.)
JUNE (continued)
You did that, didn’t you?
MAY
(Concerned)
Yes…yes I did that. I…I threw a stone to fool you.
JUNE
May, that is really not nice.
MAY
I’m sorry. Now go on in and get into bed. I…want to make sure…papa brought in his pipe.(JUNE exits to their bedroom. MAY listens to the night, starts after JUNE. Out of the shadows…)
JOHN MARSHALL
(Whispers)
May.
MAY
Who’s there?(JOHN MARSHALL comes out of the shadows. He is disheveled and has a madness upon him. He has blood on his arm.)
MAY (continued)
What’s wrong? You want me to go get papa…
JOHN MARSHALL
You tell your papa, that I got me that fox. You tell your papa that…I hanged that pelt on a tree. And burn it up. You tell your papa….I earned my reward.(He falls to his knees overwhelmed with exhaustion and emotion.)
MAY
There’s blood on your arm. Come into the light. Let me see.
JOHN MARSHALL
Don’t touch me.
MAY
Don’t be foolish. Show me your arm.
(He does. She takes out a handkerchief and wipes the blood)
JOHN MARSHALL
Don’t soil your beautiful handkerchief….
MAY
Hold still.
(Looks at wound)
You need to come inside. I’ll tend this in the kitchen.
JOHN MARSHALL
(Pulls away)
No. I want it to bleed. I want to feel the pain. I’d be glad if my arm fell off, cover the….horror….
(Sits on ground)
Oh, May….what have I done….what have I done?
MAY
Is….is this… the….the weakness that you were telling me….
JOHN MARSHAL
I’m going to hell and there’s nothing I can do. No amount of prayers will….
(Backs from her)
And it’s you that done it. You led me there.
MAY
I’m going to get papa….
JOHN MARSHALL
No!
(She stops)
He ain’t got a say in nothing with me no more.
(Motions for her to join him on the ground)
Come here to me. Come here, sit with me….
MAY
Mr. Delaney….
JOHN MARSHALL
(Angry)
Don’t call me that no more! Not now! Not now.
(Holds out hand)
Please. Come sit with me here on the ground. It’s cool. The grass smells…clean.
(MAY slowly sits near him)
How many times you felt the earth? Took it in your hands and smelled it proper?
(Takes some soil)
This is life, May, real life. We…you and me…we ain’t earth. We grow food from it. We walk on it. We use it to make things we need, but it don’t need us. We…we become…things we want and grow away from the earth every day…with every breath we take. We don’t respect this dirt. We…we respect things that…that plow it up, move it, poison it…use it. But…but after we kick it around our whole lifes, we get buried in it.
(Starts laughing)
And…and we turn into it. We turn into something that we….don’t respect. Ain’t that funny. To scorn something, then turn into it once death takes us on.
(Sobers)
I know that when I die, this good earth is gonna spit my soul out. Because I don’t deserve to be…part of it. Because I sold my soul….for them things that don’t mean nothing to me…really. Not now.
(Silence as he listens to the night which is barely alive.)
JOHN MARSHALL (continued)
You hear that?
MAY
I…don’t hear anything.
JOHN MARSHALL
That’s right. Death comes with silence…my mama said…with silence.
MAY
(Starts to get up)
Come on in the house and I’ll….
JOHN MARSHALL
(Pulls her down)
You have to marry me now, May. You and me, we got no choice now.
MAY
Mr…John Marshall…now I know you’ve…
JOHN MARSHALL
Your papa give his blessing and I done what he asked. But I tried….
(Close to the edge)
..I tried to talk him to reason…I tired…
MAY
(Holds him)
Shh…now.
JOHN MARSHALL
…I tried to stop it…but…It’s been done. And the earth…got him now. The earth’s gonna hold him good. Because….he was part of it. He belonged to it….
(Buries his face in her shoulder and cries.)
MAY
Shhh….come on inside. I’ll look to your arm.
JOHN MARSHALL
You got to say you’ll marry me. Say you will and then you can save me from them dreams…
MAY
I can’t marry….
JOHN MARSHALL
Don’t say you can’t!
(Pause)
I love you, May. Ever since you was little. I done everything for you. Now you got to save me.
MAY
(Pause)
You come by for supper tomorrow night. And…afterwards…you ask me properly then. I know how much you like sitting in it, but I swear, John Marshall Delaney, you are not going to get an answer to your proposal while sitting on a pile of dirt in my front yard.
(Stands and helps him)
Now go on back to your place and clean yourself up. And see to your arm if you won’t let me do it.
JOHN MARSHALL
May….
MAY
Tomorrow, I want you to put on that lovely army uniform of yours. I want you to look nice, you hear me?
JOHN MARSHALL
I hear you.(He starts off, then turns to her and caresses her face)
MAY
Now go on home.
(He exits. She touches her cheek then gets a chill. Rubs her arms.)
MAY (continued)
(To herself)
Somebody just walked over my grave.
(Starts into house. Stops.)
You do not believe in ghosts, Catherine May Clayton, so stop it right now.(She stops and looks out into the night. Backs into the house and closes and locks the door and pulls down the shades as the lights go to black.)
END OF ACT THREE, SCENE TWO
