The Stonemason(10)

BEN What about when Uncle Selman was killed. Did that change your feelings?

PAPAW No. It didn't. I was older then and I seen it for what it was. A man that's killed by a fool that ain't never had the first thought in his head it ain't no different from if a rock fell on him. It's just a sad thing to happen and they ain't no help for it.

BEN You weren't set crazy over it?

PAPAW Pret near. But they wasn't no point in me goin crazy. That man was not a mason. He was in charge of settin timbers and he picked Selman out because he was a small man and Selman was a big one. It was just a dispute that they wasn't no sense to it. Cept I knowed Selman was not disputatious and you couldn't get him to argue didn't make no difference how wrong you was and I reckon that made that white man crazier than what he already was. It was a dispute over a water bucket and that's about as sorry as you can get, I reckon. Ever crew had they own buckets and they was marked and had stripes on em for to mark the white ones from the colored's. I don't know what the particulars was but it was over them buckets and I know Uncle Selman was in the right for he never would allow no misrepresentation of nothin. You couldn't put a gun to his head and get him to lie and I don't care what kind of lie it was. He always said they was not no such a thing as a small lie. And that white man was all lie. And he killed him. He killed Uncle Selman with a timber maul, hit him blind side with it and laid him out graveyard dead. They come and got me. Oh I was a heart broke boy. A heart broke boy. We picked him up out of the dirt and carried him out under a shade tree and he was bloody as a hog and I just set there under that tree with him and I cried like a baby. I ain't ashamed to tell it.

They sit quietly. Papaw is moved even now.

BEN What did they do with the white man?

PAPAW He left this country and he stayed gone a long time. They was fixin to law him and he just left out. The boss of that job was goin to testify against him and he told that boss man, said: You take a nigger's part against a white man's? That's what he said. And Uncle Selman laid out dead. Said: You take a nigger's part against a white man's? and that boss man—his name was Johnson—he never even answered him.

BEN But he came back?

PAPAW Yes. He come back.

BEN And what happened then?

PAPAW Nothin. He stayed gone I guess it was six or seven year and then he come back and there was nothin ever done about it. I lawed him myself and it costed me a right smart but it was too late to bring him to justice.

They sit. Papaw stirs and rises and takes his cup and his hat and coat.

PAPAW I guess I better change out of these clothes.

He goes to the sink.

BEN What was the man's name?

PAPAW That killed Uncle Selman?

BEN Yes.

PAPAW Well. That's been a long time ago, Benny. Been a long time ago.

BEN But you remember his name.

Papaw puts his cup in the sink and turns.

PAPAW Oh yes. He has children livin in this town. Children and grandchildren. Great grandchildren.

BEN What was his name?

PAPAW Well. I guess I'd rather not to say it.

He goes to his room door and exits.





SCENE IV

The kitchen, night. The supper dishes are washed and in the drain board. Ben is asleep at the kitchen table with his head cradled in his arms. There are steps on the basement stairs and Maven enters in her bathrobe. She goes to Ben and strokes the back of his head. He sits up and looks at her.

MAVEN Baby why don't you take your shower.

BEN He hasn't come in has he?

MAVEN No.

BEN What time is it?

MAVEN Quarter of eleven.

Ben leans back and looks up at the ceiling.

MAVEN Why don't you take your shower.

BEN I'm going to kill him.

MAVEN (Smiling) Come on.

Ben rises and gets his coat from the chair.

BEN I'll be back in a little bit.

MAVEN Oh Ben.

BEN I'll be back in a little bit.





SCENE V

A dimly lit door stage right. Ben knocks at the door and turns and looks out at the street. He turns and knocks at the door again. The door opens and MRS RAYMOND—a middleaged woman in a chenille robe with her hair up in a plastic cap—opens the door and looks out.

BEN Mrs Raymond I hate to bother you so late but I wonder if Emmett knows anything about Soldier. He hasn't been home since last night.

Mrs Raymond looks down and shakes her head.

BEN Is he still up?

MRS RAYMOND (Turning toward inside of house) Emmett, you see Soldier today?

EMMETT (Offstage) I don't know nothin bout Soldier.

MRS RAYMOND Say he don't know nothin bout him.

BEN Was he in school Friday?

MRS RAYMOND (To Emmett) Soldier in school Friday?

EMMETT I ain't seen him.

MRS RAYMOND Say he ain't seen him.

BEN What about Jeffrey. Was Jeffrey in school?

MRS RAYMOND (To Emmett) Jeffrey in school on Friday?

They wait. Emmett doesn't answer.

MRS RAYMOND (To Emmett) JEFFREY IN SCHOOL ON FRIDAY?