Pinky Page #6

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- Yes, Miss Em.

- Make that coffee strong.

- I want the spoon to stand up in it.

- Yes, Miss Em.

(Inhales, Exhales Wearily)

(Door Opening, Closing)

(Glass Shattering)

Miss Em!

- Miss Em! Miss Em.

- Why am I in bed for?

- Thought I was sittin' in a chair.

- You've had another attack.

You've been up

and doing too much.

Whose business is it

if I do too much, I'd like to know?

Nobody's at all

if you want to shorten your life.

- Flat on her back.

- No. No. Prop me up.

Give me some pillows.

I'm not gonna lie fiat

until I'm laid out.

- Be soon enough now.

- Might as well let her have her own way.

That's all I ever wanted...

to have my own way.

Here.

Open your mouth.

- What's that? Dope?

- Open your mouth.

I want some fresh water.

It's stuck in my throat.

- (Pouring)

- No, I said fresh water.

Close the door behind you.

There's a draft in here.

- (Door Closes)

- I don't want that girl

knowin' my business.

Now, go over there and look

on the second shelf...

in that book.

No, no.

The other end. The other end.

There. Now, open the book.

There's an envelope in it.

Get the envelope.

Bring it here.

- That's my will, and I want

you to witness it.

- Of course. Surely.

- No. You don't have to read it.

I just want you to sign it.

- Mmm.

Here. You'll have to sign it

again... in my presence.

- You know my signature.

- Sign it again, please.

These things

have to be done legally.

Oh, lawyers have more fool

rigamarole than doctors.

There. Now, put it back

in the envelope.

Seal it up.

Put it away.

Who's your executor?

- You are.

- Me?

- Isn'tJudge Walker your lawyer?

- He's retiring.

Aren't you my friend?

No.

Never mind that now.

I don't need it.

It's gone down.

You didn't think

I'm plannin' to die this minute?

I'll be up to meet my classes

right after holidays.

Mm-hmm.

My school...

What'll the girls be doin'

with me in bed?

Don't you worry, now.

You'll be up and around in a few days.

Try to get some sleep now.

A fne woman.

One of the old school.

Never afraid to speak her mind or take

a stand for what she thought was right.

- How long, Doctor?

- Can't tell.

Extraordinary vitality,

but the last attack...

Perhaps a week.

Perhaps only a few hours.

Isn't there anything...

There, now.

You did a good job.

I might even say a devoted job.

Well, I'll stop in

frst thing tomorrow.

- Good night.

- Good night, Doctor.

(Sobbing)

(Sniffiing, Sobbing)

(Woman)

Twenty cents, please.

- Somethin' for ya, ma'am?

- Yes. Do you have

any mourning veils, please?

Right this way, ma'am.

This is our best quality, ma'am... 2.98...

and the last

we got in stock.

Yes. That'll be fne.

I'll take it.

I'll allow you're goin'

to Miss Em's funeral, ma'am.

- They say she had a lot of friends.

- Miss Viola.

- Come wait on me, please.

- Sorry, Ms. Wooley.

just a minute, please.

- I'll be right with ya.

- Where's Mr. Goolby?

- Excuse me, please, ma'am.

I only meant I was waitin' on someone.

- Mr. Goolby!

- I only have to wrap this

and get the change.

- Mr. Goolby.!

Why, yes, Mrs. Wooley, what can

I do for you today, please, ma'am?

Since when has it been your policy

to wait on nigras before white folks?

Why, l...

I'm sorry, Mrs. Wooley. I'm...

I'm sure that Miss Viola just...

just didn't see you.

- Miss-Miss Viola.

- Well, I'm... I'm sorry, Mrs. Wooley.

I should think you would be.

I'll repeat... Since when

has it been your policy...

Now, just what would you

be interested in this morning?

We have some nice broadcloth.

- We also have some...

- What's that?

Well, that's the money...

the money, ma'am, she gave me... $5.00.

- Is that Miss Em's money?

- No, Mrs. Wooley.

Would you mind tellin' me

where you did get it?

I don't care to say

where I got it, Mrs. Wooley.

Well, that's all you'll get away with.

You can rest assured of that.

Charge this.

(Woman)

What's going on?

I'll take my veil now,

Mr. Goolby...

unless you don't sell

to colored people.

I'm in business to sell goods, and

your money's good if it's honest money.

It's honest money.

My grandmother earned it...

by harder work

than selling goods over a counter.

Do you wish

to sell me the veil?

4.98.

Very well, Mr. Goolby.

My change, please.

(Register Clatters)

(Church Bell Tolling)

When are you fxin'

to leave, honey?

Oh, uh...

in the morning.

There's a train at 9:00.

Then, in that case, I'm gonna fx ya

a nice, hot supper tonight.

Oh, Granny,

please don't trouble yourself.

I don't...

- Oh.

- (Car Door Shuts)

- Howdy, Aunt Dicey.

- (Aunt Dicey) Howdy, Doc Joe.

- Howdy, Pinky.

- Here. Have a chair, Dr. Joe.

- Somebody sick out this way?

- No. Nobody's sick.

I... got some news for you, and I thought

the sooner you knew it, the better.

- (Bell Continues Tolling)

- Copy of Miss Em's will.

She left her pa's law books

to her cousin, Mr. Wooley.

Family portraits too.

And her jewelry to Mrs. Wooley.

Good, 'cause Mrs. Wooley sure likes

all kinds of geegaws and fxin's.

"To my faithful servant and

friend, DiceyJohnson, colored...

I leave all personal clothing

of which I died possessed."

Bless her heart. Sometimes I think

she always get her shoes extra big...

'cause when these ft her just

right, they pinch my bunion.

And I'm mighty proud

to have her clothes too.

Miss Em left you the house,

Pinky, and everything in it.

The land too... about 20 acres.

"The remainder of my estate

I give and bequeath...

"to the aforesaid

DiceyJohnson's granddaughter, Pinky.

"This bequest being an expression

of my genuine regard for her...

and my confiidence in the use

to which she will put this property. "

- That what the paper say?

- Here. Read it for yourself.

It say it for a fact, Doc Joe?

(Doc Joe)

That's the way she wrote it.

But if I were you,

I wouldn't count on itjust yet.

You see, the Wooleys...

Mrs. Wooley in particular...

fgured on gettin' all that stuff.

Hear they've already hired a lawyer.

You mean, they're gonna contest it?

On what grounds?

(Sighs)

Undue infiuence, I suppose...

question Miss Em's sanity,

that sort of thing.

There's already been some talk.

So that's why Mrs. Wooley

and those men in town...

Don't you think

Miss Em was sane?

Far as I know, she was.

That last night her mind

wandered a bit...

but that's not unnatural.

You just keep that if you want

to look it over some more.

But I don't believe

I'd count on gettin' it.

Better wait and see.

I don't know how the folks

around here are gonna take this.

(Tolling Continues)

I wonder why she did it.

Ain't you gonna fnish

your fried chicken, honey?

Oh, I'm sorry, Granny.

I wonder why she did it.

Well, Miss Em had grown

powerful fond of you.

But she should've known better.

Pinky, I've lived

in this world a long time...

long enough to know for sure

if it's somethin' white folks

don't want you to have...

or somethin' they

want for their self...

you might as well

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