SCENE 1

Ever seen a black boy stop n stare?
Like he just heard a ghost.
Or remembered a . . .

SHAUNTA IYUN AND OSHA

I . . . can’t go down there.

I got this feeling.

Shaunta moves to leave his butt right there.

Describe the feeling?

Strange like, like I been here before.

It’s a funeral . . .

We all been here before.

Let’s just go down so we get it over with.

Osha don’t pull him girl let Marcus
Foolish self sit right here if he want.
This ain’t your day. This ain’t his day.
This your daddy, Shango, funeral, girl c’mon.

No, wait, I barely know’d the n . . .

Osha steps to her best friend.

Ackin like he her boyfriend.

Boy holding us up . . .

Ain’t even his people’s funeral.

(Osha moves closer.)

Marcus uncomfortable . . .
All right!

All right. Shoot let’s . . .

(Cast, offstage, sings.)

Oh when the saints
Oh when the saints
Go marching in . . .
Hmmm.

Ain’t this about a . . .
Now we done missed the damn burial.
What’s wrong with you?

I want to know.

I told you I’m tired.

You ain’t say that.

OSHA AND SHAUNTA IYUN

You got a secret!

No, I . . .
I’m just dreaming.

Like sweet dreams?

Or beautiful nightmares?

Just a dream . . .

What’s in it?

(Offstage)
Osha!

Mother of Osha . . .

She can’t stand Marcus.

Shun enters.
Staring at her daughter like, “She must’ve lost her . . .”
Through clenched teeth, “motherfuckinmind!”
Girl! How many times, too many, have I
Told you to stay away from hanging as you
Calls it with that boy, sweet Marcus, huh!

That’s all I ask.
That’s all I say. See him in school, at home
Hang with your other girl friends. I says it time
And time a . . . But I look up and here you go
Again down the way from the ceremony putting
Your fallen father in the fucking floor and you
Sitting here sipping on time and sunshine with
Candy Marcus! Lord! If it ain’t one thing it’s
Another. Osha, girl, if you don’t get your ass over here!
Ooh!

Kisses her teeth:
Stch.
I gotta go yall, she trippin.

Oh I’m trippin uh, I’m falling? You wait
Till we get to this house Osha see how fast
I can get down.
Exit Shun holding hard to her stubborn child.
I done told you he just
Like his dead damn daddy, Legba.

SCENE 2

Forgive her she buried her man today.

I’m used to it.

Too used to it.

She been saying it since . . .

That I’m like Legba . . .

Are you sweet, Marcus Eshu?

Marcus stung, steps back.

I heard you, Shaunta.

Seem like you ain’t never gon confess it.
Surely not to Osha. You know she like you,
Huh? You know she think, “We best friends
Better lovers!” I ain’t Osha. I am just your
Friend. You can tell me.

Wonder where that come from, calling somebody sweet?

They passed it down to us!

Girl you crazy . . .

Passed down from slavery.
Say the slave owners get pissed if they find
Out they slaves got gay love.
That means less children, less slaves . . . less.

Think about it Marcus . . . Where else it come from?
We just naturally mad at gay folk? Come on!
Imagine it: how they got “down” back then?
Round here niggas think they got it hard on the “down low.”

Don’t say that word . . .

What about back then?
Two slaves one dark, and one light, one house
And the other field. They see each other one day.
That sparkle in they eye, they begin to gather
Together when they can, hide their love from the light.
Dark kisses in the midnight hour, with shackles for love
Bracelets, chains for promise rings. One night
Master come up on them in their secret spot ’cause
Some handkerchief-head other slave, jealous or holy, went
Off and told, “I seen’t so and so House and so and so Field
Slave down together in the quarter.”

You think slaves was snitchin?

Nosiness is primordial, snitching inevitable.

Master tie and tether the lovers in front of e’rybody,
Talking bout “sending a message.” Placing weights
On the their private portions. Lashing into the skin that
they just held
To tight moments ago. Skin that was just kissed now
Split ope’ from th’ slash of dis white man hands.
When the wounds right he run down get some sugar
Prolly pour it on so it sting not as bad as salt but it get sticky
Melt in the singing Southern sun. Sweetness draw all the
Bugs and infection to the sores . . . Sweetness harder to wash. It
Become molasses in all that heat and blood and . . .

Marcus draws air . . .

That’s what you dreaming about Marcus?
That’s what got you waking up sweating?
You wake up scared that somebody gon catch on or . . .

I wake up missing my daddy.

You see him
In your dream?

No, that’s how I know I miss him.

Shaunta leaves it for now.
All right Marc, all right.

SCENE 3

Marcus! Marcus . . .
Enter Oba calling for her son . . .

Whom she babies . . .

Where you been? I was up and down
Looking for you.

Sorry, I didn’t feel like going to the grave.

Why, what’s wrong baby?

I got this . . .
Mama, stop calling me baby.

But you my baby

Marcus, you feeling all right? You got up
Two three times in the night last night.
You having movements?

Tell me about my daddy.

Oba’s face.
Huh.
The father is in Heaven and all is right

No, Mama, I know all that. The Bible talks to
Me about all that but I’m talking bout my real
Daddy. Tell me bout Legba.

’Cause I’m asking. ’Cause you never do.

Ooh, it’s hot out here, let’s go.

It’s always hot. You notice that every summer.
Some same reason it gets hot.
Shrugs.

Have you . . . Who you talking to?

Ma’am I’m just saying every time we get near
Bout this conversation it gets hot or the meter
Running or the chickens burning. All the time,
Every time, something starts to happen too long
When I mention the name Elegba.

I just want to know about him.

What you need to know?

Am I . . . like him?

Some traits we gets from our peoples are
Sleeping . . .

Sometimes it’s better to let sleeping traits lie.

What, Marcus, what?

Oba looks to the ground.
Lord.

I tell you this Marcus. I don’t know what all the
Sudden got you on this search to find out your father
But if it’s got relation to the reason why you locked
In the bathroom but not using it . . .
Or that long stare I see you, I see you, giving over
Eric down the way, you best pray on it. Think to it.
Some things are better buried. Some things left better
Unsaid. Ain’t nothing sweet about a soft son.
She takes a breath.
Pick your face up off the floor, baby, and let’s go.

I’m gonna . . . I’m gonna walk.

Huh.
She leans in.
You find your way home tonight.
When you come in you make sure you check that lil
Funky attitude at the door. You got school tomorrow.
Senior year or not. Funeral or none.
Oba exits.

Ever had so much on your mind you forget what
You wanted to think about?
That’s when it’s dangerous.
Your mind starts playing on those
Things you want least to wander
Like school.
Like Latin.
Starting the second year in that class
And it’s impossible to focus.

TERRELL AND BOY

In this class of language there are boys from
All the teams. Focus.

They sit behind Marcus.

From basketball to track, varsity to junior.

Whispering:
“Marcus!”

And every Monday while the pop-quizzes line
The desks.

“Eh Marcus!”

The boys all lean in a lil closer.

Trying to pick up the answers that Marcus slinging
Down.

“Marcus Eshu . . .”

They make propositions.

Whisper in hushed, teacher-can’t-hear tones:

“Let me see!”

Their heads yank and mouths smile.

“Marc . . .”

Motioning for me to move my head . . .

“Move your hand . . .”

TERRELL AND BOY

“Marcus . . . Marcus!”

But see all they want are the answers to
The test . . .

Answers that will make it easier to get back to track and field . . .

But Marcus’ mind is wishin their heads were yanking and
Their mouths were asking . . .

Focus Marcus . . .

To, “Let me come over . . .”

“Let me step closer . . .”

MARCUS, TERRELL AND BOY

Terrell and the boys fade
Like an early evening mirage.

SCENE 4

Enter Elegua walking as fast as she can for near seventy.
She runs into . . .

(Marcus stares off.)

Ms. Elegua.
Marcus moves his hand to hide his . . .

Huh. She moves. Sick . . . Sick . . .

To death of funerals. Sick of em. I’m down there
Trying to pay respect to the fallen soldier and these
People having an argument ova who was his better friend.
I say, “Don’t seem like none of you too good ’cause while
He was off in the war yall was over here trying to get his girl.”
But I ain’t say much, see, that’s when I turns to Ogun,
I say . . .

Ogun’s down there still . . .

Yeah chile. I say,
She hits the air.
“Ey let’s go.” “Okay.” He standing there
Crying his one last cry. Lord.

He coming back?

Who cares! I know, I ain’t going to no more funerals with his
Crying ass. Making all that . . .

He takin it hard?

Eh what the . . . I know Oba raised you better than to
Keep cutting off elders.

Marcus apologetic.

Yeah, he taking it hard.
That’s what he do, take everything to heart since
Oshoosi left.

Ogun’s brother.

Your daddy’s best . . .

Marcus shakes his head.

Now wait a minute
This ain’t no Keith sweat song, where you
Say non I say yes. Your daddy’s best was Oshoosi, Ogun’s
Brother. How you don’t know that?

It’s a lot I don’t know.

Huh, I bet it ain’t, wait.

What I’m waiting on?

Hmmm huh. Well I wish I had the time patience
Or want withal to fill you in fella but I gots to go
This here heat make your titties sag further South
Than Violet.

Wait! Please . . .

It’s all right boi. Sometimes your mouth the last
Place words wanna go . . .

Good evening to you too.

Heavy breath.
Was my daddy sweet?

When I do she . . .

Throw it off talk about something else.

Your daddy liked girls enough to have you.
That ain’t enough for you?

Listen if’n you looking for them black or white
Wrong or right answers from me honey you got
The wrong one. I just point out to you the obvious
And hope like hell you stop questioning me bout
Things I don’t even much know how to explain.

You know how to explain dreams?

All the years I been in somebody church
And this the first time I feel like there’s a fire shut
Up in my bones.

I saw Ogun crying.

And it reminded me of this dream I keep having . . .

When your daddy was little,
He run around here talking about his dreams.
And at the time . . . At the time all seem right with it.
Every now and then somebody catch the number off
Something he say but it ain’t never catch hold of nothing
Serious. And then one day, one . . . huh.

Go head tell me your dream.

Nah everything but the good part.

There is this man. He always in the rain . . . And he saying things to
Me. Light at first
Then so hard I can barely hear. Hard rain.
Rain so hard it look like it’s coming from the
Ground it’s hitting that hard. And he keep . . .
He keep telling me . . . Things . . .

Fine. What he saying? I’ th’ dream, huh?

I on’t remember when I wake up.

(Offstage) Aunt Elegua!

Elegua straightens up.
You ain’t never seen him before?

And he ain’t trying to freak you like you like it?

You want him to?

Shhh!
Keep listening to the man in your dreams.

SCENE 5

Ogun Size enters.
Aunt Elegua!
Calling for his Aunt. Elegua!

I hear you. You see I’m standing right
Here.

Where’d you go?
Yall all right?

What you, what you two up to?

We was just talking about old times.

I was just telling Marcus here . . .

She was telling me . . .

How you and Oshoosi and his daddy were friends.

I mean we wasn’t friends . . .
I mean he and Shoosi were . . .

So you knew my daddy Ogun?

Yeah I knew him . . . but he was . . .

Close to my brother . . . My brother Oshoosi.
They was . . .
Marcus how you getting home?

Reckon the same way he got here!

What you mean “close”?

Swat. Eh!
You need to worry bout your ailing auntie who
Getting tapped like a natural resource by these
Lisquitos! Swat.

Oh . . . I’m sorry Aunt Ele you ready to go.

Nah I’m sitting here hitting myself ’cause I’m
Into it! C’mon here!

You sure you don’t want a ride home Marcus?

Elegua shaking her head.
Let it lone now.

Thank you. I’ma walk.
Marcus looks to the sky.

Gon head Marcus. Keep your head up.
Out the side of her mouth:
Hold to that dream.

Wanna watch while I try and put two and two
And get more than four? All I remember in that
Dream is . . . light and water and a man. And there
In the sky is the moon, and if I walk a lil further
I’ll find water . . . maybe even the man
Stupid . . . No . . . shrugs. Huh. Maybe I find . . . Huh.
Marcus moves.

SCENE 6

Shaunta Iyun enters.
Marcus!
Where the hell you going?

Out by the waters.

Uh Marcus . . .

So that mean, no?
Marcus moves to . . .

Wait . . . uh Marcus

What star is that near the moon?

Oh. And what’s the closest planet to the sun?

Thanks and are you sweet?

Damnit . . . almost.

I let you off easy earlier but come
On now. We got to talk about this.

Because I wanna know.

Stop wanting . . .

And you need to say it.

Marcus looks away.

Marcus you out here at this hour wandering
Where? Near the waters?
What you trying to find? What you running
Away from?

I ain’t running from . . .
I told you there is . . . a dream keeping me up.
I told it to Ms. Elegua and she say . . .

It’s got all this rain in it . . .

Ms. Elegua . . .
The same lady who used to chase
Osha around the projects with a lighter
Talking bout, “I burn your choochie hairs!”

This the same lady who smell like Dewar’s
White Label at communion.

Shaunta Iyun . . .

The same chick . . .

She say . . . She say my daddy used to dream too.
That his dreams meant something. Maybe
Mine do too.

(Offstage) Marcus!

Oh shit it’s my mama!

Marcus Eshu!
Oba enters
Marcus!
Calling for her son . . .

Shaunta Iyun . . . ?

Marcus hides in the night.

SCENE 7

Ms. Oba how you?

Good. You seen Marcus?

Oh, I don’t know.

I thought you said you seen him.

Earlier today, at the funeral.

Oh yeah it was.

I mean I ain’t one to cry but Shango was
Such a hero, you know? Going off to fight
That fight in Iraq.

They say that fighting in the Middle East
Ain’t neva gon stop Ms. Oba what you
Think?

I mean they been fighting like that since
The times of Abraham. Ain’t neva been
Peace between them. You a Bible-beating
Woman you know.

Hold on Shaunta . . .

Oh I’m sorry did I say that out loud.

You know my mama raised me to speak My mind. You raise Marcus like that?

I told Marcus . . .

’Cause he seem like he always scared to
Say how he really feel. He ever come to
You and tell you some secret about him?

Um. No. I mean not since he was a child.

But if Marcus told you something . . .
Something was hurting his heart, you would
Listen right? You would hear him.

Huh. Why you . . . you know some secret about
Marcus?

Oh. Oh no I was just asking. I mean . . . he
My best friend but he can be so secretive
Sometimes. Once he told me that he thought
Maybe he had dreams . . .

Yeah, yeah like his daddy.

To herself: I wonder which dream his daddy give im.

Nothing. Let me go find this boy.

So loud:
Oh All Right. You Be Careful Ms. Oba
AND IF I SEE MARCUS TONIGHT I WILL
Make sure to tell him you say, “GET
HOME NOW!”

Uh thank you . . . Shaunta. Yeah.
Oba exits.

Marcus nods to his friend.

SCENE 8

There is a noise heard offstage like a gunshot or loud fireworks.

Enter Osha.
Walking fast.

(The sound again!)

Her breath comes loose . . .

She holds her stomach . . .

She catches her knee . . .

SHAUNTA IYUN AND OSHA

Enter Terrell laughing his ass off.
Damn what’s wrong with yall.

Somebody out here . . .

Huh. And what you come out here
To do Shaunta Iyun eat him?

What you doing out here?

Shooting fireworks.

That was your . . .

Stupid ass.
What the hell you lighting fireworks for?

It ain’t the fourth.

It’s near bout September!

Who called Marcus’ name?

I did girl I thought he was here and . . .

Don’t even say it. Where he at?

Went out by the waters. Talking bout
That dream and Elegua . . . Talking crazy
Girl.

This time a night? It’s near bout
Morning! What’s on his mind?

Probably some dick.

Osha girl, damn red, I’m saying why you
Be gay-chasing that nigga, Marcus?

First of all . . .

You gon end up on Oprah I’m telling you.

Marcus is just sensitive . . .

. . . And sweet.

Right.
You wouldn’t know nothing bout that . . .

Yall gon catch a whole lotta hell running behind
That homo.

Least we ain’t gon catch the yit-yit running behind yo ass.

Shaunta you don’t run nowhere.
If you did we all feel you coming.
Ain’t that what Shaunta mean
In the Cherokee? “Girl-Who-Run-Like-Thunder”?

Osha . . .
Shaunta Iyun calls
To her friend.
Osha girl! You
Hear something?

Shaunta feels around in the dark.
She slaps Terrell on the face.

Oh Terrell that’s yo black ass.
Damn boi you better wear bright
Colors this time of night.

Whatever heifer!

I’m just saying you better open
Your eyes bright or smile the one.
I lost you completely, soot. Thought
The devil was calling for me.

Girl me too!
A gunshot is heard.

Where you say he went?

C’mon let’s go see.

See, that’s how bitches get kilt round
Here, investigating shit. Just like the
White folks in the scary movies they
Hear the strange noise and they got to
Go deeper in the woods n shit. “No
Lil white skinny girl don’t go in that
Dark basement! Hannibal, Freddy,
Jason in the cellar playing the Carmina
Burana haunting music with his dick
Tucked tween his legs he bout to come
For you girl, run!” Nope, she just
Standing there calling for her friend.
Terrell gives his best Jodie Foster or
Jamie Lee, “Mike, you there.” She don’t
Feel it till it’s too late. Don’t sense nothing
Till wicked man done sliced her up and through
Uh-huh. Yall go ahead and keep on
Wanting to see what’s happening.
End up snoting like them white girls
In scary movies. Talking bout, “I’m so
Scared.”

You ready girl?

Right, behind you girl.

Damn Osha girl da summer
Done been good to you! Lawd
Shawty! Wait up!
Terrell exits.
In pursuit of that ass.

SCENE 9

Marcus on Ms. Elegua’s porch.
He starts to knock but . . .

You walk hard.
Think you think this a catwalk or something.

You always . . .

Calling you out?
You need something?

I was headed to the waters. But I wanted to ask . . .
I don’t mean to be . . .

Boy stop worrying bout disrespecting folks . . . keep
That mess up see if you don’t have ulcers all up and through
Your prostrate.

Earlier,
You were going to tell me something else.

Ma’am I know you old and prolly . . .

Call me old one more ’gin.

I’m just confused. I mean why my daddy dreams made
You sad? What bout my dreams make you get quiet.

They used to say that boys like you, with um Ralph
Tresvant Sensitivity have . . . can see things rest of us
Can’t quite.

Say sweet boys got a secret of sight.

I’m not . . .

You marched your lil light-skin self all the way over here
To lie?

I mean . . . who said . . .

Folks before your time.

Huh that’s crazy.

Stch.
They ain’t even have gay folks in Africa.

Huh.
Don’t let em fool you all your life.

So, my dream mean I’m . . . sweet?

I mean what? That’s it! What about the man?

And all that rain . . .

GON!
Elegua trembling. Barely holding herself together.
Please . . . I don’t know all. I don’t. But all that rain?
Nese people round here talking bout a storm coming.
It can’t mean Good. Just can’t.

Marcus fades off her porch.

SCENE 10

STOP FOLLOWING US!

That ass too fat.

You know I hate you?

The feeling’s reciprocal.

Shaunta shocked
Oh hell nah!

Boi you learning words?

“Reciprocal” comes from the word “reciprocus.”
“Re” meaning “back,” “pro” meaning “forward.”
Right now we need to “re pro” out this damn
Offroad.

Not till we find Marcus.

It’s dark as hell out here.
She know where she going?

How the hell? ’Cause she got them pretty eyes they
Can see everything.

Oh. Hey . . . boy . . .

Yeah . . .
So where we wandering?

To the spot her n Marcus first kiss.

They were nine.

It was j ust a . . .

It was our favorite spot

C’mon yall walk up.

Spirit in the Dark

Trust. I know. Ain’t no answers out here. Not to
Me particular
Just sky and dust but ain’t we all?
Don’t you wish it was?
Don’t you wish the days, all damn day, running into
Everything that scares the . . . Outta you would just wash
Out into the waters, drain away. That the disappointed
You strange-boy stares would light up and leave, like, not
Look down on you wondering, “What you doing?
What you thinking? What you dreaming?” Specially when
On’t know yo ownself. Looking at you like you a problem
Staring at you like, “Where your shame?”
Right when everything seems simple. I might be . . .
Or at least it might be all right to be . . . here come some secret.
Some dream.
And you just smile and
Smile. You know that feeling? To just smile and smile and
Smile and smile and smile and smile and . . . when you wanna
Just get up on tabletops and scream you want to say, say . . . huh
Huh.
It’s nice out here, you think? The Bayou. Maybe it’s magic out
Here. I always thought so . . . Magic. “Secret of sight.” More like
The . . . more like the secret of sweet. The secret is ain’t nobody
Think it’s a secret cept me, cept those who don’t want to see.
And those who do keep talking bout me saying things to me
Man even my own dreams won’t let me . . . these the times
You wish for a daddy, maybe not, maybe he wouldn’t be proud of
Me . . . but at least you can scream at somebody you can . . . stand up
To em and tell him tell how it hurt you to be . . . say, “I ain’t
Put this black skin on me I didn’t press these . . . boy-boy
Thoughts into my head. You think I set out to be dreaming o dis
Man
Old
Enough
To be my . . . you
Talking to me slowly i’ th’ water n rain crying, laughing
Singing sometimes all in the rain. I didn’t make him up I ain’t
Conjure him to me. All I am is here
Heard, here so . . . so you don’t got to understand me ’cause I don’t
I don’t hardly either just . . . just love me.”
You ever wish it would all just wash away?
Never heard
A black boy say that I bet. Not out loud.
Wish them waters would
Rise up like that water and take it all, me too, out and away. You
Wish that sometimes? I do. I do.

SCENE 11

Be careful what you wish for Marcus.
Enter Ogun Size.

Where you going?

I don’t know.

I hope not closer out there to that water.

Nah . . . I can’t even swim.

Laughing.
Me neither. So we both be outta luck.

What you doing out here?

Good evening to you too.

I’m sorry I mean how you . . .

Nah, you ain’t got to apologize . . .
Something caught in your eye Marcus.
Ogun wipes a tear.

You ain’t all right so what ailing you?

Been one of them days.

I hear you man. Three times a charm they say.
Third time I done put down somebody who ought
To be burying me. Three times of saying good-bye.
When your daddy died . . .

Why everybody do that?
Stop up like when they coming to tell me about . . .

You know folks, me too, you trying to explain something
You ain’t never really understood. You shut up for fear of putting
It wrong.

Was he . . . sweet?

Interrupting.
But he could be as mean as the devil too. Like every man
We all got the ability of being a lot, but you seeing that,
Sure.

Sit a while, hause.

You a lot like them: my brother, your daddy.
Feel everything don’t you? I ain’t felt nothing till I
Saw you standing there staring at me at that
Funeral today.

Felt like the world push up to my feet.

You mean come from under . . .

No I mean I finally felt the ground.

Memories, right they wash over you out here.

Where’s your brother now, Ogun?

Situation happened with him and
Your daddy; they got in trouble good with the
Law and
Um well I . . . It was me who . . . I asked him . . .
To leave town. Told him
He better if he left. Nigga never listen to
A word I say. Why he start that day I never
Know. Your daddy . . . he turned hisself in.
Walked hisself right into jail one day. Guess
Without . . . Without Oshoosi . . .

And that’s where he died.

Yeah that’s where they say Legba died. In jail.
But he wasn’t the same after Oshoosi left.
They was always together those t . . .

Please don’t . . . just tell me about them.

They . . . huh . . . it’s hard to tell. ’Cause they . . .
They was always made some people uncomfortable
I can’t lie make my stomach funny talking bout it . . .
But some people in this world they just fit right.
. . . My brother couldn’t never sleep . . . he always had bad dreams.
Used to piss me off. Waking up dreaming
Crying, wanting to stay up. Got so I started ignoring him. I would
Hear him awake and act like I’m sleep or something. Act like
I ain’t paying attention. One night Legba your daddy was spending
The night over, they was bout your age. Shoosi wake up crying.
I thought he gon embarrass hisself crying in front of company.
I heard Elegba say I heard him say whisper, “Shhh! Shhh! It’s gon be
Okay. Shhh, now, Oshoosi it’s gon be all right.”
And he stop crying. I heard him not saying anything.
And I turned over to see what they was doing. See what he had done to make
Him stop. And Elegba had done hugged Oshoosi
Close and they had laid back down again.
I didn’t know what to say. Still don’t.
The next morning, I say, “You two niggas get yall ass up.”
Huh.
I was mad.

All my life I tried to get my brother to quit crying and
Sleep like that and never could. Never could.

You got something in your eye, Ogun.
Marcus wipes a tear.

Look at us both out here crying.

Least we crying together stead of separate.
He smiles.

He don’t know why?

He smiles back.

OGUN SIZE AND MARCUS

SCENE 12

Oh yall niggas gay!
Enter Terrell.

With Osha girl.

And Shaunta Iyun.

They was kissing!

Shut up . . .
Mr. Ogun.

Laughing.
No . . . I’m too old to be gay . . .

You was kissing!

Marcus braving.
I kissed him.

Too sad to be gay . . .

You gay . . . what . . .
Ray Charles can see that
And he blind and dead.

And you couldn’t tell me . . .

You know I love you?

Marcus stung.
I love you . . .

But like a friend.

Osha’s face . . .

Falls into the water.

I’m sorry Marcus.

Yall finna kiss again?

SHAUNTA IYUN, MARCUS AND OGUN SIZE

Enter Osha.
Marcus!
Calling for her friend.
Marcus Eshu!
Do you know how many niggas would
Stomp a hole in Heaven to get with me?
You telling me you rather be with him?

Gay or no he old and I’m phyne!

They all stare at Terrell.

To himself,
“Shut. Up.”

Marcus be my friend.

Tell me the truth.

Them dreams you was talking bout before . . .
They about a man, huh.

Yes but he . . .

You ain’t dreaming about me.

No, Osha girl. I don’t need you
In my dreams. You my friend in
Life.

I wouldn’t be so quick on that one Marc . . .
Eh boy walk me home.

Don’t call my name . . . Don’t call my name . . .
Don’t call me . . . Don’t . . . Don’t.
Osha exits.

Followed by Terrell.

And Shaunta Iyun too.

A Vision on the Waters

Quiet now Marcus.

I hear it Ogun. I hear it.
Marcus moves.

What was you and Elegua talking bout earlier?
Was you really talking bout old times?

I told her . . . I told her a dream I had.

Huh. Tell it to me. Tell me your dream.

Marcus stares.
There’s this man . . . and all this rain.

(Lights shift to Oshoosi Size standing in rain. Humming.)