Free Blues for Mister Charlie by James Baldwin Page A

took her by the hand, very sadly, and all she said was, “I’m ready to go now. Come on.” And she took Pearl out of the room.
    JO : Did you ever see her again?
    PARNELL : No. Her mother sent her away.
    JO : But you forgot her? You must have had lots of other girls right quick, right after that.
    PARNELL : I never forgot her.
    JO : Do you think of her—even when you’re with Loretta?
    PARNELL : Not all of the time, Jo. But some of the time—yes.
    JO : And if you found her again?
    PARNELL : If I found her again—yes, I’d marry her. I’d give her the children I’ve always wanted to have.
    JO : Oh, Parnell! If you felt that way about her, if you’ve felt it all this time!
    PARNELL : Yes. I know. I’m a renegade white man.
    JO : Then Lyle could have felt that way about Old Bill’s wife—about Willa Mae. I know that’s not the way he feels about me. And if he felt that way—he could have shot Old Bill—to keep him quiet!
    PARNELL : Jo!
    JO : Yes! And if he could have shot Old Bill to keep him quiet—he could have killed that boy. He could have killed that boy. And if he did—well—that
is
murder, isn’t it? It’s just nothing but murder, even if the boy
was
black. Oh, Parnell! Parnell!
    PARNELL : Jo, please. Please, Jo. Be quiet.
    LYLE
(Off)
: What’s all that racket in there?
    PARNELL : I’m telling your wife the story of my life.
    LYLE
(Off)
: Sounds pretty goddamn active.
    PARNELL : You’ve never asked him, have you, Jo?
    JO : No. No. No.
    PARNELL : Well, I asked him—
    JO : When?
    PARNELL : Well, I didn’t really
ask
him. But he said he didn’t do it, that it wasn’t true. You heard him. He wouldn’t lie to me.
    JO : No. He wouldn’t lie to you. They say some of the niggers have guns—did you hear that?
    PARNELL : Yes. I’ve heard it. But it’s not true.
    JO :
They
wouldn’t lie to you, either? I’ve just had too much time to worry, I guess—brood and worry. Lyle’s away so often nights—he spends so much time at that store. I don’t know what he does there. And when he comes home, he’s just dead—and he drops right off to sleep.
    (Lyle enters, carrying the child.)
    Hi, honey. What a transformation. You look like you used to look when you come courting.
    LYLE : I sure didn’t come courting carrying no baby. He was awake, just singing away, and carrying on with his toes. He acts like he thinks he’s got a whole lot of candy attached to the end of his legs. Here. It’s about time for him to eat, ain’t it? How come you looking at me like that? Why you being so nice to me, all of a sudden?
    PARNELL : I’ve been lecturing her on the duties of a wife.
    LYLE : That so? Well, come on, boy, let’s you and me walk down the road a piece. Believe I’ll buy you a drink. You ain’t ashamed to be seen with me, I hope?
    PARNELL : No, I’m not ashamed to be seen with you.
    JO : You going to be home for supper?
    LYLE : Yeah, sugar. Come on, Parnell.
    JO : You come, too, Parnell, you and Loretta, if you’re free. We’d love to have you.
    PARNELL : We’ll try to make it. So long, Jo.
    JO : So long.
    (They exit Jo walks to the window. Turns back into the room, smiles down at the baby. Sings.)
    Hush, little baby, don’t say a word,
    Mama’s going to buy you a mocking bird—
    But you don’t want no mocking bird right now, do you? I know what you want. You want something to eat. All right, Mama’s going to feed you.
    (Sits, slowly begins to unbutton her blouse. Sings.)
    If that mocking bird don’t sing,
    Mama’s going to buy you a diamond ring.
    (
LYLE ’ S STORE :
Early evening. Both Lyle and Parnell are a little drunk.)
    LYLE : Didn’t you ever get like that? Sure, you must have got like that sometimes—just restless! You got everything you need and you can’t complain about nothing—and yet, look like, you just can’t be satisfied. Didn’t you ever get like that? I swear, men is mighty strange! I’m kind of restless now.
    PARNELL : What’s the matter with you? You worried