Prologue

All clustered together.

All

THERE SHE IS!

WHO DOES SHE THINK

SHE IS

THE NERVE SOME PEOPLE HAVE

SHOULDNT HAVE IT IF YOU CANT AFFORD IT

AND YOU KNOW SHE CANT

SHE DONT GOT NO SKILLS

CEPT ONE

CANT READ CANT WRITE

SHE MARRIED?

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

SHE OUGHTA BE MARRIED

THATS WHY THINGS ARE BAD LIKE THEY ARE

CAUSE OF

GIRLS LIKE THAT

THAT EVER HAPPEN TO ME YOU WOULDNT SEE ME HAVING IT

YOU WOULDNT SEE THAT HAPPENING TO ME

WHO THE HELL SHE THINK SHE IS

AND NOW WE GOT TO PAY FOR IT

THE NERVE

SOME PEOPLE HAVE

BAD LUCK

SHE OUGHTA GET MARRIED

TO WHO?

THIS AINT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED TO HER

NO?

THIS IS HER FIFTH

FIFTH?

SHE GOT FIVE OF THEM

FIVE BRATS

AND NOT ONE OF THEM GOT A DADDY

PAH!

They spit.

WHOS THE DADDY?

SHE WONT TELL

SHE WONT TELL CAUSE SHE DONT KNOW

SHE KNOWS

NO SHE DONT

HOW COULD A GIRL NOT KNOW

WHEN YOU HAD SO MUCH ACTION YOU LOSE A FRACTION

OF YR GOOD SENSE

THE PART OF MEN SHE SEES ALL LOOK THE SAME ANYWAY

WATCH YR MOUTH

I DIDNT SAY NOTHING

YOU TALKING ALL NASTY AND THAT AINT RIGHT

THERES CHILDREN HERE

WHERES THE CHILDREN I DONT SEE NO CHILDREN

SHE MARRIED?

SHE AINT MARRIED

SHE DONT GOT NO SKILLS

CEPT ONE

CANT READ CANT WRITE

SHE MARRIED?

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

All

All

All

SHE KNOWS SHES A NO COUNT

SHIFTLESS

HOPELESS

BAD NEWS

BURDEN TO SOCIETY

HUSSY

SLUT

PAH!

They spit.

JUST PLAIN STUPID IF YOU ASK ME AINT NO SMART WOMAN GOT 5 BASTARDS

AND NOT A PENNY TO HER NAME

SOMETHINGS GOTTA BE DONE TO STOP THIS SORT OF THING

CAUSE I’LL BE DAMNED IF SHE GONNA LIVE OFF ME

HERE SHE COMES

MOVE ASIDE

WHAT SHE GOTS CATCHY

LET HER PASS

DONT GET CLOSE

YOU DONT WANNA LOOK LIKE YOU KNOW HER

STEP OFF!

They part like the Red Sea would.

Hester, La Negrita passes through them.

She holds a Newborn Baby in her arms.

All

IT WONT END WELL FOR HER

HOW YOU KNOW?

I GOT EYES DON’T I

BAD NEWS IN HER BLOOD

PLAIN AS DAY.

All

Hester

All

Hester lifts the child up, raising it toward the sky.

Hester

My treasure. My joy.

All

PAH!

They spit.