Late at night. The Reverend D.
on his soapbox preaching to no one in particular.
There are audio recordings of his sermons for sale.
Reverend D.
You all know me. You all know this face. These arms. These legs. This body of mine is known to you. To all of you. There isnt a person on the street tonight that hasnt passed me by at some point. Maybe when I was low, many years ago, with a bottle in my hand and the cold hard unforgiving pavement for my dwelling place. Perhaps you know me from that. Or perhaps you know me from my more recent incarnation. The man on the soapbox, telling you of a better life thats available to you, not after the demise of your physical being, not in some heaven where we all gonna be robed in satin sheets and wearing gossamer wings, but right here on earth, my friends. Right here right now. Let the man on the soapbox tell you how to pick yourself up. Let the man on the soapbox tell you how all yr dreams can come true. Let the man on the soapbox tell you that you dont have to be down and dirty, you dont have to be ripped off and renounced, you dont have to be black and blue, your neck dont have to be red, your clothes dont have to be torn, your head dont have to be hanging, you dont have to hate yourself, you dont have to hate yr neighbor. You can pull yrself up.
Hester comes in with a framed picture of Baby.
She stands a ways off. Reverend D. keeps on talking.
And I am an example of that. I am a man who has crawled out of the quicksand of despair. I am a man who has pulled himself out of that never ending gutter—and you notice friends that every city and every towns got a gutter. Aint no place in the world that dont have some little trench for its waste. And the gutter, is endless, and deep and wide and if you think you gonna crawl out of the gutter by crawling along the gutter you gonna be in the gutter for the rest of your life. You gotta step out of it, friends and I am here to tell you that you can.
(Rest)
He sees Hester but doesnt recognize her.
Reverend D.
What can I do for you tonight, my sister.
Hester
I been good.
Reverend D.
But yr life is weighing heavy on you tonight.
Hester
I havent bothered you.
Reverend D.
Reverend D. likes to be bothered. Reverend D. enjoys having the tired, the deprived and the depraved come knocking on his door. Come gathering around his soapbox. Come closer. Come on.
Hester holds the picture of Baby in front of her face, hiding her face from view.
Hester
This child here dont know his daddy.
Reverend D.
The ultimate disaster of modern times. Sweet child. Yours?
Yes.
Reverend D.
Do you know the father?
Hester
Yes.
Reverend D.
You must go to him and say, “Mister, here is your child!”
Hester
Mister here is your child!
Reverend D.
“You are wrong to deny what God has made!”
Hester
You are wrong to deny what God has made!
Reverend D.
“He has nothing but love for you and reaches out his hands every day crying wheres daddy?”
Hester
Wheres daddy?
Reverend D.
“Wont you answer those cries?”
Hester
Wont you answer those cries?
Reverend D.
If he dont respond to that then hes a good-for-nothing deadbeat, and you report him to the authorities. Theyll garnish his wages so at least you all wont starve. I have a motivational cassette which speaks to that very subject. I’ll give it to you free of charge.
I got all yr tapes. I send my eldest up here to get them.
Reverend D.
Wonderful. Thats wonderful. You should go to yr childs father and demand to be recognized.
Hester
Its been years since I seen him. He didnt want me bothering him so I been good.
Reverend D.
Go to him. Plead with him. Show him this sweet face and yours. He cannot deny you.
Hester lowers the picture, revealing her face.
Hester
Reverend D.
Hester
Reverend D.
(Rest)
Hester
You know me?
Reverend D.
No. God.
Hester
I aint bothered you for 2 years.
Reverend D.
You should go. Home. Let me call you a taxi. Taxi! You shouldnt be out this time of night. Young mother like you. In a neighborhood like this. We’ll get you home in a jiff. Where ya live? East? West? North I bet, am I right? TAXI! God.
Hester
hes talking now. Not much but some. hes a good boy.
I am going to send one of my people over to your home tomorrow. Theyre marvelous, the people who work with me. Theyll put you in touch with all sorts of agencies that can help you. Get some food in that stomach of yours. Get you some sleep.
Hester
Doctor says I got a fever. We aint doing so good. We been slipping. I been good. I dont complain. They breaking my back is all. 5 kids. My treasures, breaking my back.
Reverend D.
We’ll take up a collection for you.
Hester
You know me.
Reverend D.
You are under the impression that—. Your mind, having nothing better to fix itself on, has fixed on me. Me, someone youve never even met.
Hester
There aint no one here but you and me. Say it. You know me. You know my name. You know my—. You know me and I know you.
Hester
Reverend D.
(Rest)
Reverend D.
Here is a card. My lawyer. He’ll call you.
Hester
We dont got no phone.
Reverend D.
He’ll visit. Write yr address on—. Tell me yr address. I’ll write it down. I’ll give it to him in the morning and he’ll visit you.
(Rest)
Do the authorities know the name of the father?
Hester
I dont tell them nothing.
Reverend D.
They would garnish his wages if you did. That would provide you with a small income. If you agree not to ever notify the authorities, we could, through my instutition, arrange for you to get a much larger amount of money.
Hester
How much more?
Reverend D.
Twice as much.
Hester
3 times.
Reverend D.
Fine.
Hester
Theres so many things we need. Food. New shoes. A regular dinner with meat and salad and bread.
Reverend D.
I should give you some money right now. As a promise to you that I’ll keep my word. But Im short of cash.
Hester
Oh.
Reverend D.
Come back in 2 days. Late. I’ll have some then.
Hester
You dont got no food or nothing do ya?
Come back in 2 days. Not early. Late. And not a word to no one. Okay?
Hester
—. K.
Reverend D.
Hester
Reverend D.
Hester
(Rest)
Reverend D.
You better go.
Hester goes.