Nothing But a Man Page #5

EXT. SMALL HOUSE

The car drives up and Joe leans out.

JOE:

Come on, Willie!

Willie, a big man, has been fixing his front step.

WILLIE:

Just a minute, man.

JOE:

Come on - we're late!

WILLIE:

(taking his time)

Yazzuh, Boss - ah's comin' as fast as ah can.

He picks up his lunch box and shuffles toward the car, Stepin' Fetchit style.

JOE:

(laughing)

Get in the car, man!

INT. CAR

Willie climbs in next to Duff.

WILLIE:

How' you doing, man?

DUFF:

Okay.

(to the driver)

Let's go.

WILLIE:

That's right, Jethro - take us to the plant.

And hurry, boy - ah's got a heavy day.

The driver backs up fast, jerking the passengers forward.

WILLIE:

Ah tells you, man - you give these n*ggers a

machine and they go stark-ravin' wild!

Laughter.

INT. MILL ENTRANCE

Duff is among the mill hands punching in on the time clock.

VOICE OF FOREMAN

(off screen)

You new here?

DUFF:

That's right.

MILL YARD:

Duff and two other men are working on top of a pile of lumber.

A white supervisor on a forklift has been watching them.

FOREMAN:

(calling)

Hey, Jack!

Duff doesn't respond.

FOREMAN:

Hey, boy - I'm talkin' to you.

DUFF:

(after a moment)

Name's Duff.

FOREMAN:

How 'you doing?

DUFF:

Okay.

FOREMAN:

(genially)

Looks like you're doin' a good job.

DUFF:

Thanks.

FOREMAN:

Don't say much, do you?

DUFF:

Guess I don't.

FOREMAN:

Just so you do your work.

EXT. MILL SHED

The mill hands are on their lunch break. The only white man among them is

looking at Duff with a grin.

WHITE:

Hell, I bet those black girls really go for you,

huh? That's the best-lookin' colored girl in

town.

Duff is eating and says nothing.

WHITE:

What's the matter? Still on your honeymoon,

huh? Just like you, Barney. 'Been on your

honeymoon for twen'y years, huh?

BARNEY:

(cautiously)

Yeah.

The white mill hand helps himself to a piece of Barney's pie.

WHITE:

How many kids you got now, Barney?

BARNEY:

Four.

WHITE:

(eating the pie)

Hmmm - she can cook,too. Man, it's no wonder you

'been draggin' your tail on the job. You 'been

doin' your best work at home.

He notices that Duff's face is set.

WHITE:

(aggressively)

What's the matter, boy? Never smile?

DUFF:

I'll smile when it's funny.

WHITE:

So it wasn't funny, huh? Well, I thought it was.

What d'you say, Barney? Wasn't it funny?!

BARNEY:

Yeah, it was funny.

WHITE:

Sure.

(to the others)

What d'you say, boys? Wasn't it funny?

MILL HANDS:

Yeah. Sure.

WHITE:

(to Duff)

Trouble with you, boy, you ain't got no sense

of humor. Ought to smile more.

DUFF:

I know.

WHITE:

You' new here, man!

(he gets up to leave)

See you, boys.

JOE:

(to Duff after a moment)

You know, man, that guy was trying to be

friendly.

DUFF:

That ain't my idea of friendliness.

BARNEY:

You got to watch yourself pretty close.

WILLIE:

Yeah, you want to get along, act the n*gger.

DUFF:

Like hell. You know, if you fellows stuck

together 'stead of letting them walk all over

you, they might not try it.

JOE:

Like hell they wouldn't.

WILLIE:

They been doin' it all my life.

DUFF:

Maybe it's time you stopped letting them.

Jesse, a heavy-set man who has been silent till now, stands up and looks at

Duff.

JESSE:

Man, you sound like a trouble man.

EXT. DUFF AND JOSIE'S HOUSE (Dusk)

The lights are on inside.

DUFF AND JOSIE'S KITCHEN

Duff is finishing his supper at the table. Josie is at the stove pouring

coffee. She puts a piece of pie in front of him. He drinks his Coke out of

the bottle.

JOSIE:

Use the glass, honey. That's what it's for.

DUFF:

(with a grin)

Is that so?

JOSIE:

Yeah, that's so.

She returns to the stove. Duff picks up the pie and sniffs it suspiciously.

JOSIE:

What's wrong?

DUFF:

Smells like something crawled in there and died.

JOSIE:

(innocently)

Oh really? I thought it was pretty good.

DUFF:

Come here, baby.

He gets her to sit on his lap.

DUFF:

Everything you cook is good.

JOSIE:

Duff - you know those women you used to know--

He forks a bite of pie into her mouth.

DUFF:

What about them?

JOSIE:

(her mouth full)

Am I as good as they?

DUFF:

(drinking)

Hmmm - good coffee.

JOSIE:

You didn't answer my question.

DUFF:

Baby, you're the best thing that ever happened

to me.

JOSIE:

You still didn't answer my question.

DUFF:

Well, if you don't know I can't tell you.

She elbows him in the stomach. He laughs.

BACKYARD (Night)

Duff is helping Josie take in the wash. Music from Barney's house.

JOSIE:

You know how to box?

DUFF:

Uh-huh. Why?

JOSIE:

My kids want me to teach them.

DUFF:

Okay. Come on. Put 'em up!

She assumes the posture of a boxer. Duff laughs and adjusts her hands.

DUFF:

Like so. There you go. Okay, hit me!

JOSIE:

I don't want to hurt you.

DUFF:

Go on - hit me!

She does.

DUFF:

Ooh! My, oh my!

They spar - briefly in sync with the music. She goes after him, flailing her

arms.

The music is turned off abruptly and we hear Bessie's raised voice. She is

out on the porch of her house, yelling at Barney.

BESSIE:

Just leave me alone! You can sit out here all

night. I don't care what you do! You're no good

around the house anyway.

Barney remains silent. Duff and Josie exchange a look.

DUFF AND JOSIE'S BEDROOM (Night)

They are in bed.

DUFF:

(gravely)

It sure scares you, a guy like that - settin'

out on his porch, doin' nothin'. I seen

hundreds of them - all my life.

JOSIE:

My father's never done a thing for any of them.

He touches her face.

JOSIE:

I'm very happy, Duff. How about you?

He smiles.

Josie gets up and slips out of her nightgown. Her body merges with the

darkness.

DUFF AND JOSIE'S LIVING ROOM (Evening)

The place has been painted and simply furnished.

Josie has made dinner for the section hands. Pop is the only one who is still

eating.

FRANKIE:

You sure done a great job, Mrs. Anderson.

JOSIE:

Thanks, but you haven't eaten very much. How

about it, Frankie? I bet you could eat some

more.

FRANKIE:

No, thanks.

RIDDICK:

(to Duff)

How's that job comin'?

DUFF:

Well, it ain't the railroad. Those guys are

scared. Guess they've never known nothin' but

takin' it.

JOCKO:

(with an edge)

They all got families to support.

DUFF:

(good-naturedly)

Yeah. That's right, Jocko.

(to the others)

Those white guys sure shoot up at you like a

yeast cake if you just cock an eye at them.

JOCKO:

(sarcastically)

I guess you'll be making' some changes 'round

here.

DUFF:

(with a grin)

What's eatin' you, Jocko?

JOCKO:

Nothin'. I just figure you were the right man

for the job.

JOSIE:

(changing the subject)

I guess you'll all keep workin' together, won't

you?

FRANKIE:

Heck, no. They're shippin' us all over the map.

JOSIE:

That's too bad.

RIDDICK:

If you wan' 'em, there's some expert dishwashers

here.

JOSIE:

No, thanks. My kitchen's too small.

Riddick gets up.

RIDDICK:

Okay, fellows - let's give the folks some

privacy.

DOORWAY:

The men, on their way out, shake hands with Duff.

DUFF:

Good-bye, Frankie.

FRANKIE:

'Got a good thing, man.

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