Beloved Page #29

BABY SUGGS:

Not like He punished me.

STAMP PAID:

You can't do that, Baby. It ain't right.

BABY SUGGS:

Was a time I knew what was.

STAMP PAID:

You still know.

BABY SUGGS:

What I know is what I see: a n*gger woman

hauling shoes.

STAMP PAID:

Aw, Baby.

He stops her, before the Twin Chestnuts of the Tucker house.

STAMP PAID:

We have to be steady. "These things too

will pass". What you looking for? A

miracle?

BABY SUGGS:

No. I'm looking for what I was put here

to look for:
the back door.

They exchange a look of silence and finality. She turns and

walks to the back door of the house and knocks. A moment

later a White Woman appears, takes the carpetbag and keeps

Baby waiting on the back steps while she goes in for a dime.

Baby rests on the railing until the whitewoman returns.

MEMORY END.

EXT. 124 BLUESTONE RD. - DAY.

Now, Stamp Paid feels the need to find out what's going on

inside 124 since he caused Paul to leave. He approaches the

porch, then the front door. He raises his hands to knock -

but he can't bring himself to do it.

He turns to walk away then stops. He turns back and with a

force of will, KNOCKS LOUDLY upon the door. No answer. He

KNOCKS AGAIN. Still no answer.

He steps back, trying to sense if anyone's there. He turns to

leave when he sees;

TWO HEADS in the window. Denver and Beloved. Denver bolts

away, but Beloved remains a moment longer - looking in Stamp

Paid's eye, then disappearing into the house.

Stamp Paid is unnerved by her look.

INT. SAWYER'S RESTAURANT - LATE MORNING.

Sethe enters late, putting on her apron as SAWYER yells;

SAWYER:

What the hell you thinking, girl?

Strolling in here this late?

SETHE:

Don't talk to me, Mr. Sawyer. Don't say

nothing to me this morning.

SAWYER:

What? What? You talking back to me?

SETHE:

I'm telling you don't say nothing to me.

Sethe begins organizing her counter to make pies.

SAWYER:

You better get them pies made!

Sethe ignores him as she begins. Sawyer is at a loss.

SAWYER:

Not too sweet! You make it too sweet they

don't eat it.

SETHE:

Make it the way I always do.

SAWYER:

Yeah. Too sweet.

(he exits)

INT. ELLA'S HOUSE - DAY.

Ella opens the front door for Stamp Paid. He looks disturbed.

ELLA:

Where you been keeping yourself? I told

John must be cold if Stamp stay inside.

STAMP PAID:

Oh I been out.

Stamp takes off his hat and follows Ella, who is doing

laundry in the kitchen.

ELLA:

Out where?

STAMP PAID:

Was over to Baby Suggs.

ELLA:

What you want there? Somebody invite you

in?

STAMP PAID:

That's Baby's kin. I don't need no invite

to look after her people.

Ella shrugs and continues folding wet laundry on a line

behind the stove. Stamp sits.

STAMP PAID:

Somebody new there. A woman. Thought you

might know who she is.

ELLA:

Ain't no new Negroes in this town I don't

know about. What she look like? You sure

that wasn't Denver?

STAMP PAID:

I know Denver.

ELLA:

You sure?

STAMP PAID:

I know what I see.

ELLA:

Might see anything at all at 124.

STAMP PAID:

True.

ELLA:

Better ask Paul D.

STAMP PAID:

Can't locate him.

ELLA:

He's sleeping in the church.

STAMP PAID:

The church!

ELLA:

Yeah. Asked Rev. Pike if he could stay in

the cellar.

STAMP PAID:

It's cold as charity in there! What he do

that for? Any number'll take him in.

ELLA:

Can't nobody read minds long distance.

All he have to do is ask somebody.

STAMP PAID:

Why? Why he have to ask? Can't nobody

offer? What's going on? Since when a

black man come to town have to sleep in

the cellar like a dog?!

ELLA:

Unrile yourself, Stamp. It's only a few

days he been there.

STAMP PAID:

NO! Shouldn't be no days! You know all

about it and don't give him a hand? That

don't sound like you, Ella. Me and you

been pulling colored folk out the water

more'n twenty years! Now you tell me you

can't offer a man a bed?! A working man

who can pay his own way?

ELLA:

He ask, I give him anything.

STAMP PAID:

Why's that necessary all of a sudden?

ELLA:

I don't know him that well.

STAMP PAID:

You know he's colored? What else there to

know?

ELLA:

Stamp, don't tear me up this morning! I

don't feel like it.

STAMP PAID:

It's her, ain't it?

ELLA:

Her who?

STAMP PAID:

Sethe. He took up with her and stayed in

there and you don't want nothing to-

ELLA:

Hold on! Don't jump if you can't see

bottom!

STAMP PAID:

Girl, give it up! We been friends too

long to act like this.

Beat. Ella knows he's right. She surrenders the truth.

ELLA:

Well, who can tell what went on in there?

I never even knew who Sethe was or none

of her people.

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