Blood Done Sign My Name Page #4

---

the pastor of this church.

Now, if you see

things differently,

you give Bishop Grayson

Tullis a phone call

and you let him know.

Otherwise, I have a job

to do tomorrow, gentlemen.

And I hope to see

you all there.

[organ playing]

Reverend Tyson?

You never asked me what I

was going to speak about.

No, sir.

I didn't think

that was my place.

Thank you.

Shall we face

the lions?

[chuckles]

I come to you today

to talk about a problem

of enormous magnitude.

Something some of you would

probably rather not hear about.

But it is a subject

that affects us.

I am the president

of North Carolina A&T,

a black university

of approximately 4,000...

I'll be right back.

outstanding young men

and women.

Among our many fine

accomplishments

is our football program.

The other day, my

coach came in to see me.

He told me that the finest running back

he had ever seen

is down at New Bern.

Now, this prospect's daddy and

his brother both went to A&T.

But when my coach went

down to recruit him,

he say he ain't

coming to A&T.

Said he's going to school

over at Chapel Hill,

says he's going to play

for the Tarheels.

They got the big school

over there, big money,

the big stadium, and he's

going to play for them.

Then my poor coach

drove over to Kinston

to see about this 300-pound

offensive tackle they got

at the Negro

high school there.

A fine young man,

good grades,

but he say he ain't

coming to A&T, either.

That his mama wants him

to play for N.C. State

and wear the red and white

of the Wolfpack.

Well, when Coach finished,

he looked at me defeated,

and said, "I'm sorry,

but we're going to struggle

"next year

on the football field

and probably

for years to come."

l've never seen

a sadder man.

I walked over and put an

arm around him and said,

"See, that's the problem

with all this integration,

Coach, that's just the price

we're going to have to pay."

[laughter]

Our lesson today comes

from the Book of John.

Willie Mae? You listening to the radio?

Willie Mae?

(little girl, happily)

Daddy!

[happy sob]

[loud music,

cheerful whooping]

[chatter]

[indistinct chatter]

What'd they feed you over

there, boy? You're getting big.

Ah! Cockroaches.

[laughs]

Take this off, handsome.

How are y'all all doing?

You're looking great,

looking great.

That Miss Mary Catherine?

How you doing, son?

Hey, Mr. Yancey.

Thank you for coming tonight.

I really appreciate it.

You look great.

You look great.

Thank you, sir.

Still growing up like a weed,

but you look great.

Thank you. See you guys in a little bit.

See you.

How you doing, man?

Fanny. Hey, baby,

how you doing?

It's good to see you.

Good to see you. I'll

see you in a little bit.

Hey, Roseanna.

Hey.

You look wonderful.

Auntie Roberta.

Wonderful.

Give me some

of that sugar.

Yes. Yes.

Dickie, we took care of Willie

Mae and the girls for you.

Just like you

took care of me.

Yes.

Now it's your turn

to take care of them.

I will.

I promise.

Hey, darling.

Betsy, you didn't let him touch

none of this food, did you?

Well, well, well. What

the cat dragged in.

How's life at

the rubber plant?

It's good. They're starting

up a late shift next week,

but I ain't

too interested in that.

Well, good. You can

help me down at the store

in all your

spare time.

[sigh]

Did you put that chain on that

boat trailer like I told you?

Yeah.

Well, you better have.

You let something

like that slip

and you go back and

that boat won't be there.

The chain's there. Boat'll

be there when we get back.

Like that time you left the bolt undone

on the back door and they

stole us blind down at the shop.

That was

an accident.

Took care of that.

Yeah, when it

was too late.

You need to use

your head, son.

Yes, sir.

Betsy went to

the doctor today.

The baby's doing fine.

Everything looks okay.

Maybe once that baby comes,

y'all'll come by more often.

You ready to

be a granddaddy?

Hmpf.

You ready to be

an uncle, boy?

I don't even like

being a brother.

[laughs]

Go on back upstairs and

start packing your bags, then.

All right, you

see Mr. Fox here?

Mr. Fox needs some sleep, too,

just like you need some sleep.

All right? All right.

So get to bed.

I'll see you in the morning. All right?

[tired sigh]

Why don't you

go find Boo

and play a couple hands of bid whist.

I know you've been

wanting to catch up.

I'll be okay.

I'll be back

in a bit.

I'll be waiting.

Go on.

(Fanny)

Who's there?

It's Dickie, Fanny.

How you feeling?

Oh, I'm hanging

in there.

lf you're looking for

Boo, he ain't here.

Think he's

at Four Corners.

lf you're

going over there,

will you get me

a ice-cold soda?

I sure am thirsty.

You got it.

And don't go getting in no trouble.

Bring my soda right back here to me.

Yes, ma'am.

Okay. I took out the trash

and broke down those boxes.

Anything else?

Yeah. Go lock up

the barber shop.

How much longer

we gonna be here?

Well, till the old man

turns the lights out.

[whistles]

He closing up?

I'll bet you that's the last

time Roger comes over for dinner.

Hey, Dickie.

Is that you?

Yes, ma'am,

Mrs. Downing.

Seen Boo?

No, man.

Nowhere.

All right.

Hey, girls.

Y'all looking

good tonight.

Is this where all

the action is?

I can't believe y'all out

here all by y'allselves.

Hey, n*gger!

Hey, you!

That's my wife

you're talking to.

Hey, man, listen, I was just

talking to the sisters here.

Right.

Hey, man, it's cool.

Listen, listen.

I was just talking

to the sisters over here.

The hell you were.

Man, what're

you doing?

I'll show you

what I'm doing.

[grunts]

(wife)

Larry, no!

Hey!

Larry, no!

[grunts]

Stop it!

Larry, stop!

[wife]

Stop!

Damn!

You're crazy, man!

[wife] He's got a knife!

Hey, Dickie!

Dickie, run!

Hey, where's the fire?

[shotgun blasts echo]

[Boo shouts, moaning]

[panting]

I didn't do nothing!

Okay, okay, man.

You got me.

Let's just forget about

it. You got me, man.

Okay?

[grunts]

[grunting,

fists pounding]

[grunts and pounding]

[grunts and thuds]

Better stop that

before you kill him!

You better get back

in your house, woman!

[grunts]

[continued kicking]

[heavy breathing]

[gunshot]

[dog barking in distance]

[train whistling in distance]

Go lock up the stores.

[sobbing wildly]

Oh, God.

Oh, God, Dickie.

Ba-bro, get us a car.

Go get us a car!

Honey, we got to find him.

Oh, dear. Okay,

you look over here.

(nurse) Ma'am, stop.

You can't go in there.

Over here.

Dickie? Dickie,

it's Roberta.

I'm right

here, honey.

Ma'am, you'll

have to leave.

Oh, my God!

What have they

done to you?

They're going to have to

take him to Duke Hospital.

[ambulance siren wailing]

No. No!

I ain't going to no

damn police station.

They ain't gonna listen

to a word I got to say.

Boo, I'll take you down.

Ain't nobody gonna

mess with us.

Who's on the desk?

Let me speak with him.

Dale.

Yeah, this is

Billy Watkins.

I understand there was

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes