and there was this car lot down from where we worked and
we were fearless
late nights go sneak in those rusted Buicks that hadnt moved in years
I would sit at the wheel and pretend to drive
and she would say she felt the wind in her face
surfing her hand out the window
then we’d park
without even moving
in the full light of the lot
making love—
She was my first.
We was young.
Times change.
SCENE 8
The Hand of Fate
Night. The back entrance to the Reverends new church.
Hester comes in with the kids in tow.
Hester
Sunday night. He had people in there listening to him this morning. He passed the plate in my name. Not in my name directly. Keeps me secret, cause, well, he has his image. I understand that. Dont want to step on everything hes made for himself. And he still wants me. I can tell. A woman can tell when a man eyes her and he eyed me all right.
(Rest)
Yr building this just from talking. Must be saying the right things. Nobodyd ever give me nothing like this for running my mouth. Gonna get me something now. Get something or do something. Fuck you up fuck you up! Hold on, girl, it wont come to that.
(Rest)
[I’ll only ask for 5 dollars. 5 dollars a week. That way he cant say no. And hes got a church, so he got 5 dollars. I’ll say I need to buy something for the kids. No. I’ll say I need to—get my hair done. There is this style, curls piled up on the head, I’ll say. Takes hours to do. I need to fix myself up, I’ll say. Need to get my looks back. Need to get my teeth done. Caps, bridges, what they called, fillers, whatever. New teeth, dentures. Dentures. He dont cough up I’ll go straight to Welfare. Maybe.]
(Rest)
Jabber comes running around the building.
He sees Hester and sneaks up on her, touching her arm.
Jabber
Yr it.
Hester
I aint playing.
Jabber
K.
Hester
Where you been.
Jabber
Out with Miga.
Hester
Oh.
(Rest)
Jabber
Mommie?
Hester
What.
Jabber
Hester
(Rest)
Jabber
I dont like the moon.
Hester
I’ll cover it up for you.
Hester holds her hand up to the sky, hiding the moon from view.
Jabber
Whered it go?
Hester
Its gone to bed. You too.
Hester nudges him away from her.
He curls up with the others.
Hester
Hester
Reverend D. comes outside.
He carries a large neon cross.
Hester
Its Sunday.
He sees the children.
Reverend D.
Oh God.
Hester
Its Sunday. —. Yesterday was—Saturday.
Reverend D.
Excuse me a minute?
He props the cross against a wall.
Hester
Its Sunday.
Reverend D.
I passed the plate and it came back empty.
Hester
Oh.
Reverend D.
But not to worry: I’ll have some. Tomorrow morning—
Hester
I was gonna—get myself fixed up.
Reverend D.
—When the bank opens. 100 bucks. Tomorrow morning.
All for you. You have my word.
Hester
I was thinking, you know, in my head, that there was something I can do to stop that hand coming down. Must be something—
Reverend D.
I’ll have my lawyer deliver the money. Its better if you dont come back. Its too dangerous. My following are an angry bunch. They dont like the likes of you.
Hester
But you do. You like me.
Reverend D.
Youd better go.
Hester
Why you dont like me? Why you dont like me no more?
He tries to go back inside. Hester grabs ahold of him.
Hester
Dont go.
Reverend D.
Take yr hands off me.
Hester
Why you dont like me?
They struggle as he tries to shake her loose.
Then, in a swift motion, Hester raises her club to strike him.
He is much stronger than she. He brutally twists her hand.
She recoils in pain and falls to the ground.
Reverend D.
Slut.
(Rest)
Dont ever come back here again! Ever! Yll never get nothing from me! Common Slut. Tell on me! Go on! Tell the world! I’ll crush you underfoot.
He goes inside.
Hester
Hester
Hester
Jabber
Mommie.
Hester
Hester
Jabber
The moon came out again.
Jabber
Hester
Jabber
(Rest)
Jabber
Them bad boys had writing. On our house. Remember the writing they had on our house and you told me to read it and I didnt wanna I said I couldnt but that wasnt really true I could I can read but I didnt wanna.
Hester
Hush up now.
Jabber
I was reading it but I was only reading it in my head I wasnt reading it with my mouth I was reading it with my mouth but not with my tongue I was reading it only with my lips and I could hear the word outloud but only outloud in my head.
Hester
Shhhh.
Jabber
I didnt wanna say the word outloud in your head.
Hester
Hester
Jabber
I didnt wanna say you the word. You wanna know why I didnt wanna say you the word? You wanna know why? Mommie?
Hester
Hester
(Rest)
Hester
What.
Jabber
It was a bad word.
Hester
Hester
Jabber
Wanna know what it said? Wanna know what the word said?
Hester
What.
Jabber
Jabber
Hester
What?
Jabber
“Slut.”
Hester
Go to sleep, Jabber.
Jabber
It read “Slut.” “Slut.”
Hester
Hush up.
Jabber
Whassa “Slut”?
Hester
Go sleep.
Jabber
You said if I read it youd say what it means. Slut. Whassit mean?
Hester
I said I dont wanna hear that word. How slow are you? Slomo.
Jabber
Slut.
Hester
You need to close yr mouth, Jabber.
Jabber
I know what it means. Slut.
Hester
(Shut up.)
Jabber
Slut.
Hester
(I said shut up, now.)
Jabber
I know what it means.
Hester
(And I said shut up! Shut up.)
(Rest)
(Rest)
Jabber
Slut. Sorry.
The word just popped out, a childs joke.
He covers his mouth, sheepishly. They look at each other.
Hester
Jabber
Hester
Jabber
Hester quickly raises her club and hits him once.
Brutally. He cries out and falls down dead. His cry wakes Bully, Trouble and Beauty. They look on. Hester beats Jabbers body again and again and again. Trouble and Bully back away.
Beauty stands there watching.
Jabber is dead and bloody.
Hester looks up from her deed to see Beauty who runs off.
Hester stands there alone—wet with her sons blood.
Grief-stricken, she cradles his body. Her hands wet with blood, she writes an “A” on the ground.
Hester
Looks good, Jabber, dont it? Dont it, huh?
SIXTH CONFESSION: HESTER, LA NEGRITA
“I Shoulda Had a Hundred-Thousand”
Hester, La Negrita
Never shoulda had him.
Never shoulda had none of em.
Never was nothing but a pain to me:
5 Mistakes!
No, dont say that.
—nnnnnnnn—
Kids? Where you gone?
Never shoulda haddem.
Me walking around big as a house
Knocked up and Showing
and always by myself.
Men come near me oh yeah but then
love never sticks longer than a quick minute
wanna see something last forever watch water boil, you know.
I never shoulda haddem!
(Rest)
She places her hand in the pool of Jabbers blood.
No:
I shoulda had a hundred
a hundred
I shoulda had a hundred-thousand
A hundred-thousand a whole army full I shoulda!
I shoulda.
One right after the other! Spitting em out with no years in between!
One after another:
Tail to head:
Spitting em out:
Bad mannered Bad mouthed Bad Bad Bastards!
A whole army full I shoulda!
I shoulda
—nnnnnnn—
I shoulda
Hester sits there, crumpled, alone.
The prison bars come down.
SCENE 9
The Prison Door
All circle around Hester as they speak.
All
LOOK AT HER!
WHO DOES SHE THINK
SHE IS
THE ANIMAL
NO SKILLS
CEPT ONE
CANT READ CANT WRITE
SHE MARRIED?
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
SHE OUGHTA BE MARRIED
SHE AINT MARRIED
THATS WHY THINGS ARE BAD LIKE THEY ARE
CAUSE OF
GIRLS LIKE THAT
THAT EVER HAPPEN TO ME YOU WOULDNT SEE ME DOING THAT
YOU WOULDNT SEE THAT HAPPENING TO ME
WHO THE HELL SHE THINK SHE IS
AND NOW SHES GOT TO PAY FOR IT
HAH!
They spit.
All
SHE DONT GOT NO SKILLS
CEPT ONE
CANT READ CANT WRITE
SHE MARRIED?
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
JUST PLAIN STUPID IF YOU ASK ME AINT NO SMART
WOMAN GOT ALL THEM BASTARDS
AND NOT A PENNY TO HER NAME
SOMETHINGS GOTTA BE DONE
CAUSE I’LL BE DAMNED IF SHE GONNA LIVE OFF ME.
All
Hester
All
Welfare
Is she in any pain?
Doctor
She shouldnt be. She wont be having anymore children.
Welfare
No more mistakes.
Chilli
Whats that?
Welfare
An “A.”
Amiga Gringa
An “A.”
Doctor
First letter of the alphabet.
Welfare
Thats as far as she got.
Hester holds up her hands—theyre covered with blood.
She looks up with outstretched arms.
Hester
Big hand coming down on me. Big hand coming down on me.
Big hand coming down on me
End of Play
FUCKING A
An otherworldly tale involving a noble
Mother, her wayward Son, and others.
Their troubled beginning, their difficult end.
19 scenes with songs.
Production History
Fucking A was originally produced by DiverseWorks (Loris Bradley, Managing/Performing Arts Director) for Infernal Bridegroom Productions (Jason Nodler, Artistic Director) on February 24, 2000, in Houston, TX. Funding was provided through a Rockefeller MAP Grant. The production was directed by the author. Scenic design was by Kirk Markley, with costume design by Danielle Wilton, lighting design by David Gipson and sound design by Douglas Robertson. Original lyrics and music were by Suzan-Lori Parks, musical direction and arrangement assistance were provided by Anthony Barilla and the music was transcribed by Randall Eng. The cast was as follows:
Hester Smith
Tamarie Cooper
Canary Mary
Amy Bruce
The Mayor
Charlie Scott
The First Lady
Amy Dickson
Butcher
Andy Nelson
Monster
Troy Schulze
Freedom Fund Lady
Lisa Marie Singerman
Scribe
Cary Winscott
First Hunter
Keith Reynolds
Second Hunter
Alexander Marchand
Third Hunter
Lisa Marie Singerman
Jailbait
Daniel Treadway
Guard
Cary Winscott
Waiting Woman #1
Lisa Marie Singerman
Waiting Woman #2
Daniel Treadway
Freshly Freed Prisoners
Daniel Treadway, Charlie Scott, Cary Winscott
Translator
Cary Winscott
Characters
Hester Smith, the Abortionist
Canary Mary, a friend of Hesters and a kept woman
The Mayor
The First Lady, his wife
Butcher
Monster
Freedom Fund Lady
Scribe
First Hunter
Second Hunter
Third Hunter
Jailbait
Guard
Waiting Woman #1
Waiting Woman #2
3 Freshly Freed Prisoners
Author’s Note
The play calls for 11 actors with some doubling. The setting should be spare to reflect the poverty of the world of the play.
The play employs the foreign language of TALK. Translation for TALK may be found on page 223. The production should present a nonaudible simultaneous English translation.
PART ONE
SCENE 1
Hesters front room. Sparely furnished.
A table, two chairs and a wash bucket. This room functions as the main room of her home. There are two doors.
One leads out the front. The other leads through her “workroom,” and out the back.
In a ceremonial altar-like place, two candles are burning.
Hester walks into the room from the workroom, taking off her blood-spattered apron and hanging it on a hook, lighting another candle at the altar, then sitting at her wash bucket, wearily washing her tools clean. She wears a simple dress with an oddly cut-out square just above her left breast.
There we can see the large “A” deeply branded into her skin. Bells announce the hour: midnight.
Hester
Midnight. Everyone should be in bed. But theyre not. Itd be nice if they was all in bed and not on their way to me. Cept the more they stay in bed the more they get in trouble. Then they gotta come to H
ester for die Abah-nazip. 3 babys killed between the hours of 10 and midnight and at least one more before the nights out if I know whats what. Their troubles yr livlihood, Hester. Hhh. There aint no winning.
A woman stands in her front doorway.
Its Canary Mary dressed in a bright yellow dress.
Canary
Yr up.
Hester
Yr not. Yr the one should be in bed. Unless he dont want you—
Canary
He wants me. More than ever. But tonight hes with his wife.
Hester
The Bitch.
Canary
He says he owes it to the nation to give it one last shot.
Hester
May she rot.
Canary
Lookie. A present. Lookie—
Hester
Howbout some tea?
Canary
Howbout some booze. I got a story yll love.
Hester
Happy or sad?
Canary
Happy. So there we was—
Hester
I’d rather hear the sound of clinking coins. 5 coins a week thats our deal. You got money but I always gotta beg.
Canary
He gives me clothes, rarely cash.
(Rest)
Drink with me. Come on. Things are getting worse between the Mayor and his wife. Lets celebrate.
Hester
Cheers.
They drink.
Canary
The wifes at the end of her rope. He hates her. Her days are numbered.
Hester
But he loves her money so her money buys her time. The Rich Bitch.
Canary
This time its better. He says she makes his stomach churn. Die la-sah Chung-chung? Sah Chung-chung lay schreck, lay frokum, lay woah woah crisp woah-ya.
Hester
Rich Girl seh tum woah Chung-chung crisp woah-ya,
Rich Girl!
Canary
Shes not the Rich Girl no more, shes our First Lady. You should give her respect.