crest of the waves #1 copy

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! ! ! ! ! CREST OF THE WAVES

! ! ! ! ! by ED BALLOU

Copyright Ed Ballou, 2014!! ! ! ! ! Ed Ballou! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! [email protected]! ! ! !

Copyright Ed Ballou, 2015

! ! ! ! ! ! CHARACTERS

CAP - A retired sea captain - around 80, mobile, Italian t-shirt - he pantomimes watering his lawn and plants, turning on the water, coiling and uncoiling his hose, etc.

MRS. TILSON - 60s, his wife

TEDDY - Caps grandson, early 20s

JIMMY - Caps son, about 50, tan face from seafaring, a cap that says Do Not Disturb

MADGE - Caps daughter, about 50, funny, mobile, but elegant

BILLY - an old retired tugboat captain, 70s, wears a captains cap

RALPH - Caps brother, about 80, untucked, unbuttoned, plaid short sleeve shirt

MIM - peroxide red hair

The following three characters can be played by one actor in three different costumes - all three are Caps uncles, wearing Captains caps and dressed in turn of the eighteenth century sailors outfits:

UNCLE NED

UNCLE TOMMY

UNCLE BEN

MAN - dressed in turn of the last century island farmer garb

BOY - dressed in turn of the last century island garb

MATE - ships mate, OFFSTAGE

ROY - in his 60s, tan face

RENEE - A young black girl, Teddys California girlfriend

TIME: 1970.


PLACE: St. Pete Beach, Florida

SET:

UPSTAGE is The Porch, with an old concrete walk dividing a tropical front yard in half - crabgrass, small fruit trees, and a palm tree on each side - under one palm tree a small pile of rocks, under the other a sign swinging from a frame saying Crest of the Waves - the walk culminates in steps going up to a covered porch with two screen doors right and left - two short lawn chairs next to each other, in the area between the doors. At times The Porch darkens, and behind it The Plot appears, with sea sounds below and cliffs rising above, that disappear into the shadow of a volcanic peak.

STAGE RIGHT is The Railing where scenes at sea take place. Its several feet long, and stands at different heights, depending on which ship it is the railing. It can be low and wooden, with rope rigging going up to the masts above, as on a sailing ship, or high and steel as on the wheelhouse of a Liberty ship, or low and steel with scuppers, as on a tugboat.

DOWNSTAGE LEFT is The Pulpit, with a coffin in front and a ships bell behind - the pews are the theatre audience - there is a suggestion of windows flung open to a blue sky floating over the sounds of the sea.! ! !! ! ! ! !! !! ! ! ! !


! ! ! ! ! ! ONE BELL! ! ! ! ! 1-1-1

AT RISE: Lights rise on TEDDY standing behind The Pulpit, a simple wooden coffin before it. Sunlight streaming in from one side, the SOUNDS of the sea crashing far below on the cliffs. Jimmy, Madge, Mim, Billy, and Renee are sitting in a pew in front of the coffin - more pews behind are suggested by the audience.

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYWe are gathered here on The Rock to honor the life of Cap, a man from the past - born on The Rock at the end of the nineteenth century - his mother born here five years after President Lincoln was shot and six years before Custers Last Stand. Cap had to go to sea as a cabin boy on a three-masted schooner. He eventually sailed up to New York as deckhand, where the shipping was better - going through the First World War as a sailor in the Merchant Marine, then marrying and raising three kids, as he rose to Captain on the water. When shipping slowed in the Great Depression, he painted houses and refinished floors by hand. Cap went through the Second World War as a captain of Liberty ships in the convoys - moving to Florida after the war, and continuing to serve as a skipper of freighters until he was forced to retire. Now, at his passing, the big moon under which he stood watch on those old wooden schooners has seen the footprints of man. My grandfather was a simple man - he lived how people here on The Rock lived for the last three centuries - never learned to drive, no phone, taught himself to read and write on the ships. He smoked cigars and pipes, watched only Friday night boxing on his small black and white TV, and listened only to Paul Harvey on his radio. He ate as if he were still on those sailing ships of long ago - slumgullion, johnnybread, and bread pudding for dessert. He drank lemonade with ice cubes from plastic cups, and took slugs of rum from a bottle he kept hidden in a cupboard. Cap had a saying: If a things worth doing, its worth doing right... - I reckon thats how he tried to live his life, and this is my eulogy for Cap...! ! ! ! ! ! (The LIGHTS DIM on The Pulpit, LIGHTS RISE ! ! ! ! ! ! on The Porch. A store-bought placard sign ! ! ! ! ! ! saying For Rent hangs below a sign in the ! ! ! ! ! ! front yard that declares Crest of The Waves. ! ! ! ! ! ! The SOUND of a car pulling up, the engine ! ! ! ! ! ! stays running, car doors slam, a trunk opens ! ! ! ! ! ! and closes, the murmur of a cabbie being paid! ! ! ! ! ! a car door slams, and the car drives off. ! ! ! ! ! ! ENTER MRS. TILSON at the front of the walk, ! ! ! ! ! ! suitcase in one hand, newspaper in the other - ! ! ! ! ! ! she pauses and looks at the duplex, then ! ! ! ! ! ! climbs the steps slowly, puts her suitcase down ! ! ! ! ! ! on the porch, goes to the left screen door, ! ! ! ! ! ! knocks - no answer. A pause, and she knocks ! ! ! ! ! ! again - no answer. She pauses, then goes to


! ! ! ! ! ! the right screen door, knocks on it - no answer. ! ! ! ! ! ! She knocks, again - no answer.) ! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSON! ! ! ! ! ! (Calling inside)Hello? Hello!! ! ! ! ! ! (No answer. She pulls on the screen door in ! ! ! ! ! ! frustration - it opens - just then MADGE stands ! ! ! ! ! ! in the doorway.

! ! ! ! ! ! MADGEMay I help you?

! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONOh! - Im so sorry! - where I come from, we always lock our doors..

! ! ! ! ! ! MADGEWheres that?

! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONNew York City..

! ! ! ! ! ! MADGEWell, this is Florida..

! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONHow refreshing! - I saw an ad for a rental and took a cab out from the airport - were way out here! - what is this place, anyway?

! ! ! ! ! ! MADGESaint Pete Beach..

! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONA little beach town!

! ! ! ! ! ! MADGEIts not New York..

! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONAre you the owner?

! ! ! ! ! ! MADGE

No, my fathers the owner - I was just frying some fish for him - I live in back, in the three-room - Daddys up at Winn Dixie, getting vittles, as he says..!! ! ! ! ! ! ! !


! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONDo I wait here and look for his car?! ! ! !

! ! ! ! ! ! MADGEDaddy doesnt drive - he walked up..

! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSON I dont drive, either - you cant in New York!

! ! ! ! ! ! MADGEI dont want to burn the fish - you can wait for him here, if you like..

! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONDo you think I could sit down? - Im awfully tired from the flight down..

! ! ! ! ! ! MADGEYou look like a nice lady.. ! ! ! ! ! ! (Going to the other door, unlocking it)Its this side of the duplex is for rent - furnished - Ill get a lawn chair, and you can wait for Daddy on the porch..! ! ! ! ! ! (She goes inside the apartment, reappears ! ! ! ! ! ! with a short lawn chair, opens it up on the ! ! ! ! ! ! porch in front of the rental).. he shouldnt be long..! ! ! ! ! ! (MRS. TILSON sits down in the chair, MADGE ! ! ! ! ! ! turns to go back inside the apartment)!! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONThank you so much - Im Ruth.. Ruth Tilson..

! ! ! ! ! ! MADGEMadge.. Madge Holm..

! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONAnd your father..?

! ! ! ! ! ! MADGEGeorge.. George Holm..

! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONThank you, Madge - wont your father be alarmed finding a strange woman on his porch?

! ! ! ! ! ! MADGENothing bothers Daddy..


! ! ! ! ! ! (EXITS. MRS. TILSON sits, listening to the ! ! ! ! ! ! SOUNDS of the soft surf of the Gulf and ! ! ! ! ! ! children playing in the pool of the motel across ! ! ! ! ! ! the street - ENTER CAP, paper bag in hand, ! ! ! ! ! ! talking to BILLY, who also carries a bag - CAP ! ! ! ! ! ! stops at the foot of the walk)

! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Gesturing at BILLYS bag)Christ, Billy - you gotta keep yer snout outta them beer cans!

! ! ! ! ! ! BILLY! ! ! ! ! ! (Gesturing at CAPS bag)I suppose the doctor ordered you to drink rum all day!

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPJust a shot, now n then..

! ! ! ! ! ! BILLYThat why you keep it hid - so Madge wont find it?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPChrist, Billy - go on yer way..

! ! ! ! ! ! BILLYAll right, Cap..

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPAll right, boy..! ! ! ! ! ! (BILLY EXITS)

! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONHello, George..

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPHello, yourself..

! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSON! ! ! ! ! ! (Rising)

Ive come to see about your rental..!

! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Going up the steps)Shore..


! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONIve just come down from New York - my husband passed away, and I have nowhere to be.. read an ad for Florida in the Times, with a picture of a beach - I like it warm..so, I sold the condo and flew down.. may I see the rental?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPCome ahead..! ! ! ! ! ! (Starts opening the left side door)

! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONHow much?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPTwo hundred..

! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONUtilities?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPOn you.. get a check?

! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONMy husbands pension - he was manager of the Brooklyn Shipyard..

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPNever put in there..

! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONWell, why would you? - they fix ships and such.. !! ! ! ! ! ! CAPI knows about ships, Mrs...

! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONRuth.. Ruth Tilson..

! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Gesturing to himself)Cap..

! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONI thought it was George..! ! ! !

! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Leading the way into the duplex)They calls me Cap..! ! ! ! ! !


! ! ! ! ! ! (They EXIT into the apartment - ! ! ! ! ! ! LIGHTS DIM on The Porch - LIGHTS ! ! ! ! ! ! DIM, then LIGHTS RISE again on The Porch - ! ! ! ! ! ! CAP is sitting in one of the lawn chairs on the ! ! ! ! ! ! porch, reading a newspaper with his glasses ! ! ! ! ! ! on. The right !screen door opens - ENTER ! ! ! ! ! ! MADGE onto the porch, carrying a small ! ! ! ! ! ! placard, and a styrofoam ice chest which she ! ! ! ! ! ! puts down. She goes back to the wooden wall ! ! ! ! ! ! of the duplex behind Caps chair, thumbtacks ! ! ! ! ! ! the placard up.)! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! MADGE! ! ! ! ! ! (Reading the placard)The Captains Word Is Law!! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Reading his newspaper)Goin fishin this mornin, Madge?

! ! ! ! ! ! MADGE! ! ! ! ! ! (Striking a pose)The fish are asking me for an audience!

! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Reading)Go back ta th garage - take th bamboo pole - just inside th door...

! ! ! ! ! ! MADGETheyre all bamboo poles, Daddy..

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPTh one with th big reel..

! ! ! ! ! ! MADGEIm not catching a whale!

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPIts good for trollin.. got heavy sinkers, goes down deep fer th fish..

! ! ! ! ! ! MADGE! ! ! ! ! ! (Picking up the styrofoam ice chest)Fresh fish for dinner!

! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! !Ill go up ta Winn Dixie, just in case..


! ! ! ! ! ! MADGENo need to shop, Daddy.. Im bringing back.. red snapper - theyre running!

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPRunnin where?

! ! ! ! ! ! MADGE Only The Shadow knows!

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPIll get a ham.. what charter boat you goin out on?

! ! ! ! ! ! MADGECaptain Randys!

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPCaptain Randy on th Buenavista? - youll have ta pilot him outta th harbor..! ! ! ! ! ! (Mimicking - hes been there before)Which way do I go, Cap?! ! ! ! ! ! (Normal voice)Christ, just foller th channel, me boy!

! ! ! ! ! ! MADGEIf Im not back by dinner, send the dogs out..

! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Putting up his newspaper, going down the ! ! ! ! ! ! steps to water his lawn)Ill send yer brother out in his Buick..

! ! ! ! ! ! MADGE! ! ! ! !Ill be back with an ice chest full of fresh snapper!

! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Uncoiling the hose, turning it on - he waters)Yer th only thing thats fresh - now get yer pole...

! ! ! ! ! ! MADGEWell! - but the Captains word is law!! ! ! ! ! ! (MADGE EXITS - the LIGHTS DIM on The ! ! ! ! ! ! Porch, LIGHTS RISE on Teddy at The Podium)! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYMy Aunt Madge was a smart woman who would have gone to college in a later decade - instead, she went through stenography school and became a legal secretary - first in Costa Rica, then in Paris working for the OSS, she found herself in San Francisco in the


50s, living in a Victorian apartment overlooking the Bay, working her way up through the secretarial pool to become personal secretary to a partner in a Sansome Street law firm - finally running his office for him when he became ill - Madge sitting in his big leather chair in his office with the window overlooking the financial district - and upon his death, a gift of cash and his Thunderbird allowing Madge to retire to Florida and rent out the three-room, in the back of the duplex, to be near her beloved Daddy during the last years of his life...! ! ! ! ! ! (The LIGHTS RISE on the front yard, CAP ! ! ! ! ! ! watering the plants. The steady SOUND of low ! ! ! ! ! ! surf gently washing up on a nearby beach. ! ! ! ! ! ! ENTER BILLY up the walk, carrying a bunch of ! ! ! ! ! ! bananas on his head.)! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! (Looking over, watering)Lookin good, Billy..! ! ! ! ! !

! ! ! ! ! ! BILLYA present, Cap...! ! ! ! ! ! (Climbs the steps, puts the bananas on a chair)

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPBringin coal ta Newcastle..

! ! ! ! ! ! BILLYThese are bananas..

! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Watering a small tree with big fronds)Whats this?

! ! ! ! ! ! BILLY! ! ! ! ! ! (Looking carefully)A banana tree..! ! ! ! ! !

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPNo, its Newcastle n its fulla coal..

! ! ! ! ! ! BILLYBut no bananas..! ! ! ! ! !

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPGot a bunch o them on me table..! ! ! ! ! ! (Goes back to watering. A pause.)

! ! ! ! ! !


! ! ! ! ! ! BILLY !! ! ! !Would it kill ya ta recognize me for who I am?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPYer a retired old tugboat captain, walkin round with bananas on yer head..

! ! ! ! ! ! BILLYThey could build a statue of me in New York Harbor, for what I done!

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPChrist, even the pigeons wouldnt sit on it.. what you need a statue for?

! ! ! ! ! ! BILLYSo people will look at it, and say, I remember old Billy, that son of a sea cook! Damn him for dyin - wonder what hes doin now?! ! ! ! ! ! (Laughs)And dead, Ill be dead! - and wholl care? - you care, you gonna care, Cap?! ! ! ! ! ! (Looks at CAP watering)You aint gonna care - you dont care about me now! You dont! Who am I to you, huh? Nobody - a landlubber cause I never left New York Harbor, never sailed deepwater - you think Im not a real sailor! You never did, huh, Cap - never!!! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Watering)Billy, youre three sheets ta th wind..! ! ! ! ! ! (Sprinkles some water his way)

! ! ! ! ! ! BILLY! ! ! ! ! ! (Moving out of the way)You ever been on a steam tug, haulin rope in a freezin storm, hands slippin on a thick hawser tyin our little tug to a big ship like you was master of, a sailor on its deck shoutin down, Pull, tug swabbie, pull, tighten this line, get yer tug pullin - pull! - pull us offen this dock afore we ram her - pull, you son of a sea cook! And we pulled! - waves sloshin on deck, old wood hull a-bangin against that big iron hull, boiler roarin, steam engine clankin, fire belchin from the stack - and we pulled that ship off that dock, a big ship like you was captain of - saved their deepwater hides, then pushed em back snug inna berth! And no thanks from those deepwater men up there, not a word! - dont forget, Cap, I worked my way up from deck just like you! - we both climbed into the wheelhouse and become captain - I was captain of my own damn steam tug in New York Harbor - I was captain!!! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Sprinkling water at him)Look out, tug captain - waves comin aboard!

! ! ! ! ! !


! ! ! ! ! ! BILLY! ! ! ! ! ! (Drying himself off, going down the steps)You wasnt the only one was captain..! ! ! ! ! ! (BILLY EXITS. CAP continues watering. ! ! ! ! ! ! ENTER TEDDY with a suitcase - puts it down)! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAPTeddy.. what you doin here? - thought you were in California...

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYThings didnt work out with this girl...!

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPWell, boy, youre welcome here, anytime - your Uncle Jimmy will be glad ta see ya - he just got off his tanker - hes stoppin by this mornin - how was th flight?

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYCouldnt afford a plane - took a Greyhound, three long days ride..

! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! !Yer Uncle Jimmy will wanna take ya down to see your Grandma..

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYYou still got that ol double-ender boat?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPTh Little Nick - shes anchored out in th Pass..

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYId like to go out in her sometime..

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPShore, boy - now stow yer stuff in th front bedroom..

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYOkay, Granpot - sure glad Im here!!

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPMe too, boy - me too... ! ! ! ! ! ! (TEDDY EXITS - CAP continues watering - ! ! ! ! ! ! ENTER MIM )

! ! ! ! ! ! MIMHi, Cap..

! ! ! ! ! !


! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Watering)Ho, Mim..! ! ! ! !

! ! ! ! ! ! MIMWas that your grandson I saw come up the driveway?!!

! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! !Hes stayin awhile..

! ! ! ! ! ! MIMVacation?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPChrist, he cant afford no vacation, makes no money paintin houses in California! - came down on th Greyhound, probly broke - gonna have ta look for work - maybe Jimmy can get him on th sea, I dunno..

! ! ! ! ! ! MIMIf hes looking for work, I could use the fence painted over at my apartment house - if he wants a job he can walk to, tell him to stop by - you too, Cap - Ill pour you a stiff rum..

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPIll send him, Mim..! ! ! ! ! ! (Continues watering)! !

! ! ! ! ! ! MIMDont forget that rum..! ! ! ! ! ! (CAP continues watering the front yard - the ! ! ! ! ! ! SOUND of cicadas and the low murmur of surf ! ! ! ! ! ! as the LIGHTS DIM - LIGHTS RISE again on ! ! ! ! ! ! The Porch - no one in the lawn chairs - Roy ! ! ! ! ! ! comes up the steps and knocks on Caps ! ! ! ! ! ! screen door - TEDDY opens it)

! ! ! ! ! ! ROYOh, hi.. Cap in?

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYMy Granpas up at Winn Dixie...!

! ! ! ! ! ! ROY! ! ! !So, youre his grandson..

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYYeah, Im Teddy - Roy, right? - renting the one-room apartment out back?


! ! ! ! ! ! ROYLast three months - work in Bermuda, putting in cabinets - Im gone half the time...

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYYeah, you from Bermuda?

! ! ! ! ! ! ROYNo, Im from a little town south of here, Fort Everglades, down in the swamp..

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYIm from California!

! ! ! ! ! ! ROYWhat brought you here, son?

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYWoman problems.. what brought you here?

! ! ! ! ! ! ROYWell, I wasnt plannin on ever leavin my little hometown, was pretty happy there, had me a little job... this was before the war, the second one - then war broke out and a recruiter came to our town and said his piece, and I believed him and signed up - got trained in Intelligence, sent to the South Pacific - we was plannin an attack - I mean, the generals was - of a little island called Guadalcanal, and they needed to know where the enemy had his defenses set up, and so they sent us to reconnoiter the island, us Intelligence men, a few days before the invasion.. they brought us out there at night by submarine, and the sub surfaced and we made our way to the island in boats, real quiet like - boats had electric motors, so the Japanese wouldnt hear us coming.. we landed quietly on that beach in the dark, and snuck round for hours in the jungle, scoutin out the Jap defenses, quiet as church mice.. til a Jap sentry heard us and alerted the others - big fire fight broke out, tracers lightin up the dark, everbody firin every which way - we were lucky to make it back to the boats and get the hell out of there! - at least, most of us - we made it back to the sub and submerged.. but we got the intelligence they wanted for that assault on Guadalcanal!

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYAnd the rest is history..

! ! ! ! ! ! ROYI made it through the war, and after it was over, I went back to my little home town - but I just couldnt be there no more, after seein what I saw.. I got out of there, came up to Tampa Bay, got a job, got married, got unmarried, changed jobs a few times, moved around - and now here I am, still workin for a livin, stayin here in your Granpots little one-room, for who knows how long...! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)


! ! ! ! ! ! ROY (Cont.)Say, I came here to borrow Caps little space heater - nights been getting a little chilly, and Cap told me I could take it..! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYWell, let me see..! ! ! ! ! ! (Looks inside)Here it is.. ! ! ! ! ! ! (Gives Roy a small space heater)

! ! ! ! ! ! ROYThanks!! ! ! ! ! ! (Starts to EXIT, pauses, turns back)You know what, boy? - that one night on Guadalcanal was about all the excitement I ever had in this life...! ! ! ! ! ! (ROY EXITS, Teddy closes the screen door - ! ! ! ! ! ! the LIGHTS DIM, then the LIGHTS RISE on ! ! ! ! ! ! CAP sitting in his lawn chair on the porch, ! ! ! ! ! ! reading his paper - ENTER MADGE up the ! ! ! ! ! ! walk, carrying the styrofoam ice chest - drops it ! ! ! ! ! ! in front of him)

! ! ! ! ! ! MADGEEnter the queen, with a mess ofish - and boy are they heavy!

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPWhat you got?! ! ! ! ! !

! ! ! ! ! ! MADGE! ! ! !Two rockfish, three mullet, four sunfish - and a giant grouper!

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPA giant grouper swallow you whole..

! ! ! ! ! ! MADGEWell, maybe its a tuna..

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPWhat about snapper? - hear theyre runnin..

! ! ! ! ! ! MADGEI hooked a snapper, but it snapped the line - thats what they do! - I thought we were having ham for dinner...

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPWe are now, lessn you caught somethin..


! ! ! ! ! ! MADGE! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)Daddy.. I just caught a little angelfish and threw it back - then I fished and fished some more, until.. until.. I broke your big bamboo pole..

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPWal, Madge, musta hooked a awful big fish that time..

! ! ! ! ! ! MADGE! ! ! ! ! ! (Taking the top off the cooler)It was awful big..! ! ! ! ! ! (She lifts a ships bell out of the cooler) An awful big bell..

! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses, looks at it)At th bottom o th ocean?

! ! ! ! ! ! MADGE! ! ! ! ! ! (Holding up the bell)A ships bell.. its old! - thought you might like it - Captain Randy had a sailor clean off the barnacles - wasnt that nice?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPAny name on it? - th ship - year she was launched?

! ! ! ! ! ! MADGE! ! ! ! ! ! (Picking up the bell, reading)Rebecca Palmer - 1877...

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPWhat?! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)Let me see..! ! ! ! ! ! (Pulls out his glasses from his pants pocket, ! ! ! ! ! ! puts them on, takes bell, holds it up, looks at ! ! ! ! ! ! the inscription)You was fishin where?

! ! ! ! ! ! MADGEJust off Egmont Key - Captain Randy made sure we didnt drift in too close to the rocks..

! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses, looking at the bell)The Rebecca Palmer were a square-rigger went down off Egmont Key in a noreaster - no, a souwester - n nineteen-ought-seven..


! ! ! ! ! ! MADGEWhats the difference between a noreaster and a souwester?! !

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPA noreaster wont take no cheek from a souwester..

! ! ! ! ! ! MADGE! ! ! ! ! ! (Handing him the bell)Well, thats all that remains of the Rebecca Palmer, Daddy..

! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses, holding up bell)Tater owned that ship, was master of her..

! ! ! ! ! ! MADGEYour Uncle Tater?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPAll hands lost in that souwester.. you get cleaned up, n Ill put th ham in th oven.. Teddys inside - just showed up! - probly broke - Ill see if yer brother can get him on th sea! - oh, n I rented th other side o th duplex this morning, ta a woman from New York - Mrs. Tilson...! ! ! ! ! ! (CAP picks up the bell, looks at it - grabs the ! ! ! ! ! ! rope clapper, RINGS the bell once, carries it up ! ! ! ! ! ! the steps, puts it down on a lawn chair, EXITS ! ! ! ! ! ! into his side of the duplex - the SOUND of ! ! ! ! ! ! Jimmys Buick pulling up on the shell road - a ! ! ! ! ! ! car door slams - ENTER JIMMY, striding up the ! ! ! ! ! ! walk and quickly climbing the steps)

! ! ! ! ! ! JIMMYWheres Pop?

! ! ! ! ! ! MADGEInside, fixing a ham - Teddys out here from California - Daddy wants to know if you can get him on ships - you staying for dinner?

! ! ! ! ! ! JIMMYGotta night mate in Tampa.. Ill scout ships for Teddy, but union wont take more sailors - all he could ship are non-union tugs..!! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! MADGECan you get him on one?

! ! ! ! ! ! UNCLE JIMMYId rather he sail the big ships..


! ! ! ! ! ! MADGE Well, he can start on a small tug - Ive gotta clean up - Ive been fishing!

! ! ! ! ! ! UNCLE JIMMY! ! ! !Whatd you catch?

! ! ! ! ! ! MADGE! ! ! ! ! ! (Grandly)A bell!! ! ! ! ! ! (MADGE EXITS around the back - JIMMY ! ! ! ! ! ! goes inside Caps side of the duplex - the ! ! ! ! ! ! LIGHTS DIM on The Porch)! ! ! ! ! !

! ! ! ! ! !

! ! ! ! ! !

! ! ! !


! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 1-2-1! ! ! ! ! ! TWO BELLS !! ! ! !

! ! ! ! ! ! (The distant, periodic SOUND of a foghorn - ! ! ! ! ! ! - CAP smoking a pipe in his lawn chair on ! ! ! ! ! ! The Porch - TEDDY ENTERS through the right ! ! ! ! ! ! screen door, stands on the porch)

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYWhat times the fight?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPEight oclock..!! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDY! ! ! ! ! ! (Poking his head back through the screen door, ! ! ! ! ! ! looking up at a clock)Ten minutes..! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses, gesturing inside)Whered you get that clock made of driftwood?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPYour Uncle Jimmy made it..

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDY! ! ! ! ! ! (Sitting in the other lawn chair)Hes pretty handy with wood..

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPShore..

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYHow about you?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! !Some...! !! ! ! ! ! ! (He smokes, they sit, listening to the foghorn)Hows Mims fence comin?

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYGot it about scraped down - gonna prime it tomorrow... I can see the Little Nick from Mims place, anchored in the Pass - keeps bobbing up and down in the waves, pulling against its anchor chain - like its trying to bust loose and sail away on its own! - I feel like that, Granpot, when Im painting Mims fence...! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !


! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 1-2-2! ! ! ! ! ! CAPWal, maybe yer Uncle Jimmy can get ya on th sea, boy..

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYThink so?! ! ! ! ! ! (A pause, TEDDY again gestures inside)And you got a lamp in there, made out of some instrument..

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPYour Uncle Jimmy made it outta me ol sextant..

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYWhats that?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPLines you up with th sun n th stars, sos you can tell where your ship is - then you can chart yer course..

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYYou sailed by the stars?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! !Shore, only way you could sail at night, in th ol days..! ! ! ! ! ! (They listen to the foghorn)Fogs thick on th Gulf..

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYWheres the foghorn?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPOn a big red buoy, on th channel comin in..!

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYYou seen it?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPPlenty..! ! ! ! ! ! (They listen to the foghorn)Sounds like th one at The Rock..

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYThey had a foghorn on The Rock?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPSo th ships wouldnt wreck on her cliffs.. used to listen ta it, when I was a boy..


! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 1-2-3! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDY Before you shipped!out?!! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAPCabin boy, thirty a month - hadta send it all back ta take care o me Ma...! ! ! ! ! ! (They listen to the foghorn)

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDY ! ! ! ! !Whyd you ship out?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPMe pappy passed away, while he was farmin our plot on The Rock..

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYHe was a farmer?! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAPHad ta quit th sea. when he got a fire coal in his hand, couldnt sail no more, had ta take up farmin...

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYAnd what did his dad do?!! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAPSame, went ta sea, like th rest o them..

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYAnd his granddad?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPTa sea - like all them what come before...

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYAnd Uncle Jimmy shipped out, too..

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPIts in our blood, me boy - your blood, too...! ! ! ! ! ! (They listen to the foghorn)

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYHow far is it to The Rock? - like if we took the Little Nick..!! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! !Depends on th wind n th currents..


! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 1-2-4! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDY A week?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPMaybe three weeks - with th wind at our back n currents runnin our way..

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDY! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)Think we could take the Little Nick out in the Gulf, sometime - just the two of us?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPShore..! ! ! ! ! ! (They listen to the foghorn, the LIGHTS DIM, ! ! ! ! ! ! on The Porch, RISE on CAP and TEDDY ! ! ! ! ! ! sitting on The Railing, holding on to the rigging ! ! ! ! ! ! that goes up to the mast - the gentle rhythmic ! ! ! ! ! ! rocking motion of the ship is suggested by light ! ! ! ! ! ! in the darkness, a thousand stars overhead)

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYGee, we sailed out to see the sunset, and now its dark and I cant see land and theres no wind - now what do we do?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPDrift..

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDY You mean, drift out to sea? - cant you call someone on the radio?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPGot no radio..

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDY ! ! ! ! !No radio, you have no radio?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPBetter ta be out here alone..

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYWere alone, all right - no one knows where we are - we dont even know where we are!

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPI knows..


! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 1-2-5! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYHow can you tell?!! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAPBy th stars.. see that one up there? - thats th Big Dipper.. handle points ta th North Star.. there! - thats north, thats south, thats west n thats east, where land is...

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYBut were drifting away from land!

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPTides pullin us in..

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYWhat happens when the tide goes out and theres still no wind - then what?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPIll start th engine..

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYYou got an engine in this, this old..

! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! !.. two-masted sloop, double-ender..

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYWell, fire it up, Granpot!

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPToo noisy..

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYGranpot! - we could drift to our deaths on some far shore! - youve lived a long life - Ive just started mine! - Im not ready to meet my Maker!

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPTeddy.. when He calls ya - ya better go..

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYI didnt know hed call this soon!

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPGrin n bear it, boy... soons th wind comes up, well make it back ta th Pass..


! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 1-2-6! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYWhich direction is that? - all I see is the Gulf!

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPDue east a few mile.. see th lights, boy?

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYWhere? - there? - those lights? - thats the Pass?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPYup..

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDY ! ! ! !Well! .. thats better.. thats not so far.. we could almost swim there! - couldnt we?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPNot plannin to..

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYWeve drifted that far in towards shore, huh?! ! ! ! ! ! (Looks toward shore)Do you think we can see the lights of the Crest of the Waves, in all those other lights? - did you leave any lights on?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPPorch light, n maybe Madges little light is on out back..! ! ! ! ! ! (A pause, the SOUNDS of the sea)What happened with you n the girl?!! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYShe dumped me... Granpot, I can still see her face...

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPShore.. just stay away from th anchor rope, me boy...

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYWhat?! ! ! ! ! ! (Cap doesnt answer)How come you dont live with Grandma, anymore - she stays down at the other place with Uncle Jimmy, and you stay at the Crest of the Waves..! ! ! ! ! ! (Cap doesnt answer)I saw a picture of you - and Grandma - must have been World War Two, that time - you were both dressed up pretty slick - she in a fancy dress and you with a grey suit and a gangster-style hat..! ! ! ! ! ! (Cap says nothing)


You were both smoking cigarettes!! ! ! ! ! ! (Cap says nothing - Teddy looks over at him, ! ! ! ! ! ! then looks around)You know.. this is really not so bad.. here we are, alone in the night - clear water below, clear sky above, a thousand stars - and just the two of us, me and my Grandpa, on a small wooden sloop - why, we could be out in space somewhere, in a spaceship! - you think much about space, Granpot?!! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! !Nope..! ! ! ! ! ! (A pause, the SOUNDS of the sea)

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYYou know.. we dont really have to go back to the Pass.. we could just keep on sailing - to The Rock! Could the Little Nick sail all the way to The Rock?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPShore, if we had enough stores..

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYWell, couldnt we put into a port and get some? - like Key West! - thats on the way! - get more stores - and then set sail, again - for The Rock! - which way is Key West, south?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPSouth, southeast..

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYWhat do say, Granpot? - what an adventure! - well sail down to The Rock and drop anchor and you could visit, while I explore! - why, those lights over there could be from The Rock! - expect higher, I guess, being theres cliffs - how high are they?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPFew hundred feet..!! !! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYAnd then we could see the lights of, of..

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPLittle villages, five of em..

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDY ! ! ! !And people from The Rock will crowd the cliffs to see us! - Cap, finally coming back to The Rock in his two-masted schooner, the Little Nick - with grandson Teddy at the helm, sailing her right up to the cliffs! - you dropping the anchor.. !! !!


! ! ! ! ! ! CAPIf I could lift th anchor - thats your job, Brutus..

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYYou know, Granpot, I read about The Rock - its an extinct volcano poking right up out of the sea..!

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPCould be..

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDY.. and nobody was there for thousands of years - just birds and plants and animals - whatever flew or floated up and took hold - hawks, mice, breadfruit trees.. and then the ancient Indians came - lived there for centuries, and disappeared - and then, and then - nobody, until Columbus sailed by The Rock, jotting it down in his log - and then still nobody, until our people came and settled it three hundred years ago - them what come before - the people from The Rock! - you know, Granpot, when we sail up in the Little Nick, it could just as well be the year Sixteen-seventy as Nineteen-seventy - why, we could sail ourselves right into the past!

! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Taking a small piece of volcanic rock from ! ! ! ! ! ! his pocket) !Here, boy.. this heres th past - a piece o The Rock..! ! ! ! ! ! (Handing it to Teddy) - kept it with me all these years - now its yours, ta remind ya of where we come from n who we are - sailors! - the mariners o th western world...! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses, looks up at the sails)Winds pickin up.. grab th tiller, while I trim th sails - you steer us back into th Pass, boy, steady as she goes..

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDY! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses, looks far out to sea, sighs, gets up)Aye, aye, Captain...!! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! (The LIGHTS DIM on The Railing, LIGHTS ! ! ! ! ! ! RISE on The Porch - Cap and Teddy sitting in ! ! ! ! ! ! the lawn chairs)! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYHow old were you, when your dad passed and you shipped out?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPThirteen..

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYIm twenty-three.. think Ill ever ship out?


! ! ! ! ! ! CAPHope so, boy - Bobby n Madge got no kids...! ! ! ! ! ! (The SOUND of the foghorn)

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYWhyd you quit the sea?! ! !! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses, smokes)We was unloadin cargo in Mobile.. I wanted to go up ta yer Aunt Madges weddin in New York.. told th ships agent th mate could finish th unloadin.. he said no, captain hasta stay with his ship..! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses, smokes)

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDY ! ! ! ! !Well, did you?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPTold th agent ta sail th ship up his ass n drop both anchors.. went up ta th weddin, but got blacklisted on th Gulf when I come back down, couldnt ship no more...! ! ! ! ! ! (Smokes, gets up, RINGS the bell twice)Lets go in n watch th fight, Rufus...! ! ! ! ! ! (They EXIT through the screen door, the! ! ! ! ! ! LIGHTS DIM on The Porch - The LIGHTS ! ! ! ! ! ! RISE again on The Porch - only Cap and Ralph ! ! ! ! ! ! sitting in the lawn chairs, holding plastic cups, ! ! ! ! ! ! in the middle of a conversation)

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPWere it off Curacao, you was sunk by that sub?! ! ! ! ! ! (Drinks)

! ! ! ! ! ! RALPH! ! ! ! ! ! (Drinks).. German torpedo hits our ship with a bang, lifts her out of the water - ship breaks in two and before you know it, wes in a life raft, heavy seas, watching the bow and the stern sink.. afternoon of the second day, we sees a huge shark coming at us, like to swim aboard and eat us.. it dives under the raft at the last minute, comes up the other side, and starts circling - were holding fast to the ropes, afraid well be swept overboard and eaten - suddenly, the beast turns and charges us, again! - dives under the raft the last minute, but gets stuck - tries to free itself by thrashing around, throwing us up and down.. finally quiets down and just lies there - we can hear its gills gasping beneath our feet - just then a plane spots us - been searching when we didnt show in port - hours later, a big American cruiser with a bone in her teeth comes steaming at us - they pulls us outta the water, and an officer on deck says, What you got stuck under your raft? Big shark like to scare the life out of us!, I says.. couple minutes later, a machine gun


rattles, and both raft and monster are cut to pieces and sink.. that night on that cruiser, we order fish for dinner..! ! ! ! ! ! (ENTER RENEE, walking down the sidewalk, ! ! ! ! ! ! carrying a bag - she pauses in front of the ! ! ! ! ! ! duplex, looks at the sign, puts down her bag)

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEE! ! ! ! ! ! (Reading sign aloud)The.. Crest.. of.. the.. Waves...! ! ! ! ! ! (Looks up at the two of them on the porch)One of you, Cap?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPWho wants to know?

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEEIm a friend of a boy who came down here - hes stayin with his Grandpa.. I think this is the place..! ! ! ! ! ! (Cap and Ralph pause, look at each other)

! ! ! ! ! ! RALPHWhats his name?

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEETeddy..

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPChrist..

! ! ! ! ! ! RALPHYou from Cali-fornia?! !! ! ! ! ! ! RENEEYes.. me and Teddy were together, for awhile..

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPWhaddya mean, together?

! ! ! ! ! ! RALPHYou just missed him - hes gone to sea..

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEECan I catch up with him?

! ! ! ! ! ! RALPHNot likely - hes shippin out in an hour, be gone for weeks...


! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 1-2-11! ! ! ! ! ! RENEEWell, Ill just have to wait for him.. any place I can rent around here?

! ! ! ! ! ! RALPHListen..

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPWe dont rent ta your kind here - n at sunset, ya all need ta leave th island..

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEE! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)Whats my kind?

! ! ! ! ! ! RALPHDidnt they tell you anything in Cali-fornia?

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEE! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)I thought we were done with all that..! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Gets up)Christ!! ! ! ! ! ! (EXITS into his side of the duplex with his ! ! ! ! ! ! glass of rum, slamming the screen door)! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! RALPHYoure not welcome round here..! ! ! ! ! ! (Gets up with his drink, EXITS into Caps side ! ! ! ! ! ! of the duplex - Renee stands there, unsure of ! ! ! ! ! ! what to do, turns around, then turns back and ! ! ! ! ! ! looks up at the duplex - ENTER MIM - she ! ! ! ! ! ! pauses upon seeing Renee)

! ! ! ! ! ! MIMWhat you doing, girl?

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEEIm not a girl - Im a woman! - and Im a person!

! ! ! ! ! ! MIMDont get riled, didnt mean it like that - to me, any woman under fifty is a girl - I helped deliver Jesus..

! ! !


! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 1-2-12! ! ! ! ! ! RENEE! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)You know Teddy?

! ! ! ! ! ! MIMSure - hes Caps grandson - I just came by to visit with Cap..

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEEI used to be Teddys girlfriend.. I came down to see him - he gave me this address - Crest of the Waves - but two men on the porch said hes gone to sea..

! ! ! ! ! ! MIMThat was his grandpa, Cap, and his Uncle Ralph - Ralph always comes to visit Cap on Sundays - used to bring his wife, but she broke her hip..

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEEWhich one is Cap?! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! MIMThe ornery one..

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEE! ! ! ! ! ! (Going to the foot of the steps, looking up at ! ! ! ! ! ! the screen door)Wish I could talk to him..! ! ! ! !

! ! ! ! ! ! MIMSounds like you did talk.. he dont favor you people, unless he thinks you know your place..

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEEI thought the Jim Crow days were over..

! ! ! ! ! ! MIMWell, this is the South, and Caps from the old days - put those together, and it might spell prejudice..

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEE! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)What about you?

! ! ! ! ! ! MIMIm not particular to nobody! - but at least Im even about it - I figure folks is folks - but I keep my mouth shut around here.. if Teddys gone to sea, he wont be back for a couple of weeks, maybe a month, dependin where he shipped to.. now what you gonna do?


! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 1-2-13! ! ! ! ! ! RENEE! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)Guess look for a little place to rent, wait for him - I quit my job in California - got nothing to go back to..

! ! ! ! ! ! MIMYou got money?

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEEEnough for awhile..

! ! ! ! ! ! MIMWhats your name?! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! RENEERenee.. Renee Every..

! ! ! ! ! ! MIM Tell you what, Renee.. I own a place down the street - small apartment house - I got a little unit with a kitchenette.. promised it to my brother when he comes down this summer, but until he does, I could rent it to you for a couple months..

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEEHow much?

! ! ! ! ! ! MIMFifty a month plus utilities - and no visitors at night..

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEEWell.. could I see it?

! ! ! ! ! ! MIMSure.. and if you takes it, keep a low profile..

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEEWill Cap call the police, if he sees me after dark?

! ! ! ! ! ! MIMHe cant call the police! - theres no law on you people being on the island, whenever - and dont worry about Cap - Im as ornery as he is! - come on, honey, grab your bag..

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEEThanks, Mim.. still wish I could talk with Cap..! ! ! ! ! ! (MIM and RENEE EXIT, as the ! ! ! ! ! ! LIGHTS DIM)


! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 1-3-1! ! ! ! ! ! THREE BELLS ! At Rise: Cap is sitting on The Porch reading his newspaper. Mrs. Tilson looks through her screen door at Cap, opens door, comes out)

! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSON! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)Cap...

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPHo, Mrs. Tilson..! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSON! ! ! !I need company - and some conversation...! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses, puts down his newspaper)Wal, shore..! ! ! !

! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSON! ! ! ! ! ! (Sits down in the other lawn chair)Been missing my husband, Irv.. keep thinking about his passing..

! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses, puts down newspaper)Howd he pass?

! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONI knew when we checked into the hospital it wasnt going to go well.. it was his heart - all that smoking when he was manager of the shipyard.. I never could get him to stop.. at least, I was with him at the end when he went - he looked at me, and all of sudden blood came out his mouth...

! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)Sorry, Mrs. Tilson.. wal, ya might as well stay at th Crest of the Waves, fer awhile - its always warm, n Ill be creepin round...! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! (A pause, they say nothing, just watch the ! ! ! ! ! ! activities at the motel across the street)! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAPLookit there, under th Illinois car...! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONWhat?


! ! ! ! ! ! CAPA little black cat...

! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONOhh.. I see it..

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPCaint find its way home...

! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONSaw it this side last week, chasing your lizards into their rock piles..

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPCat grabs em by th tail, plays with em til it breaks off - n inta th rocks they go!.. theres one...! ! ! ! ! ! (Calling to the lizards)Look out, Rufus - here come th cat! - n Brutus - there he goes..

! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSON! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! (Laughs)Where do you get those names?! ! ! ! ! ! (The SOUND of a car crunching into the shell ! ! ! ! ! ! parking area of the motel across the street)

! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONIm gonna put a pie in the oven, Cap...

! ! ! ! ! ! CAP ! ! ! ! ! ! (Reading the license plate of the car)New.. York.. Christ, glad I left! - too damn cold..

! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONThats why I came down... the day he retired, Irv said, Lets get out of here, hon - far south as we can! - away from this cold shipyard and its cold ships.. - poor Irv never made it..! ! ! ! ! ! (They watch across the street)Werent you a sailor on the ships?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPChrist, long time ago, Mrs. Tilson.. I became captain... ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONOh, thats where you got your name - Cap.. well, you can call me Ruth..!! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! !


! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! !Shore, Ruth..! ! ! ! ! ! (They watch across the street)Theres that gal, goin to that fellers room with a bottle, agin.. probably full o holy water, gonna sprinkle it over him, get him holy...

! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSON! ! ! ! ! ! (Laughs)Cap, youre terrible! - hows your grandson doing?! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAPTeddy? - tol me, Gonna be a millionaire! - shore, by totin paint pots round.. hes rich in his mind...!! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONWhy doesnt he go to sea, like you did?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPLike I hadta.. Ma put me on Uncle Neds old three-masted schooner - cabin boy on th Maise Hassell, tradin with th other islands, sometimes run up ta New York - later became mate, pullin watches, steerin by th stars, never sleepin really.. there was five schooners owned by me five uncles, all brothers - me Pa, n me Uncles Ned, Tommy, Ben, n Tater - four died at sea, n then me Pa...! ! ! ! ! ! (They watch across the street)

! ! ! ! ! ! MRS.TILSONWhat happened to him? ! ! ! ! ! ! (LIGHTS DIM on The Porch, and LIGHTS ! ! ! ! ! ! RISE on The Plot - a boy and a man with a ! ! ! ! ! ! machetes stand on the ground - the SOUND ! ! ! ! ! ! of goats scrambling above them on the cliffs - ! ! ! ! ! ! the SOUND of a small rock, represented by ! ! ! ! ! ! light, bounces past them - they both look up)

! ! ! ! ! ! MAN! ! ! ! !Goats..! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! BOYHowd they get up there?

! ! ! ! ! ! MANSome goats got away in the old days, went wild, and now they been livin for years up there on the cliffs...! ! ! ! ! ! (He wipes his brow, looks off)That sea is sure sparklin down there.. sometimes, wish Id never left it..


! ! ! ! ! ! BOYDont you like farmin, Pa - n bein home wit us?!!! ! ! ! ! ! MANIts not that, boy.. theres just somethin about bein on the sea, sailin a good ship with a fair wind and a current runnin your way.. smellin the salt, the riggin creakin, deck rollin, watch bell ringin - and th sunlight dancin off the crest o th waves! - and theres that feelin, too, boy - o bein part o them what come before - men from The Rock...! ! ! ! ! ! (The SOUND of hoofs scuttling on the cliffs ! ! ! ! ! ! above, a few rocks bound down, represented ! ! ! ! ! ! by flashes of LIGHT and SOUND)Mind those rocks, boy! - those goats gettin frisky up there.. now, lets get this plot chopped, sos we can plant... ! ! ! ! ! ! (The LIGHTS DIM on The Plot and LIGHTS ! ! ! ! ! ! RISE on The Porch - CAP and MRS. TILSON ! ! ! ! ! ! watch !across the street)! !

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPDont wanta think bout it no more.. me Pa was th oldest, n Uncle Ned were th youngest.. now, I remember one time Uncle Ned sailed down ta Bird Island n nineteen-ought-eight...! ! ! ! ! ! (LIGHTS DIM on The Porch, LIGHTS RISE ! ! ! ! ! ! on UNCLE NED leaning on The Railing, the ! ! ! ! ! ! ropes of the rigging going up off the railing ! ! ! ! ! ! offstage to the masts above - the SOUNDS ! ! ! ! ! ! of an old sailing ship at sea - waves against the ! ! ! ! ! ! hull, the cracking of wind in the sails, the ! ! ! ! ! ! creaking of the rigging)! !! ! ! ! ! ! UNCLE NED! ! ! ! ! ! (Looking through his sextant)Fifteen degrees, forty minutes south, sixty three degrees, thirty seven minutes west..! ! ! ! ! ! (Lowers the sextant)Well set course for Bird Island, make landfall tonight, and with the moon full, row ashore in the skiff - nights when them big green sea turtles come ashore and lay eggs - well grab some of their eggs, take em back to the ship, and then tomorrow gather as many bird eggs as we can - put em all in a hold full o straw, and raise anchor for The Rock...! ! ! ! ! ! (Puts down sextant, gazes out to sea)Bird Island.. men from The Rock been sailing there two hundred year, just to get them eggs - eat some, make a buck on the others... nothing little island, thousand foot long, fifty wide, twelve high - but when we pull her in sight - clouds of birds rise up in the sky and dozens of turtles swim longside the ship - food and money to us men on The Rock!! ! ! ! ! ! (LIGHTS DIM on The Railing, LIGHTS RISE on ! ! ! ! ! ! The Porch)


! ! ! ! ! ! CAPBird Island, kinda low in th water.. men from The Rock set sail wit Ned on th Maise Hassell - they was lookin ta find some bird n turtle eggs ta sell - but met some Venezuelans come up from th south, lookin for them eggs too, neither knowin tothers was there.. met wit a bang in th middle o th night - big fight broke out over them eggs - Uncle Ned got chopped in th head wit a hatchet n his sailors carried him back ta th ship - they set sail for The Rock, then ran outta water when a storm pushed em off course - poor Ned didnt make it - they rang eight bells for him n slid him inta th sea.. they was out five day - people on The Rock waitin n hopin, til they spotted sail n th Maise Hassell hove to n dropped anchor, without her capn...! ! ! ! ! ! (They watch across the street) .. same family from last year - them Pennsylvania plates...

! ! ! ! ! ! MRS.TILSON! !Which family?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPTall guy wit glasses, four kids, a dog n a little-bitty wife - he keeps comin down wit em each summer..!! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONThey must love these beaches.. ever go to the beach?!! ! ! ! ! ! CAPChrist, I was on the water fifty year! - why I wanta go ta th beach? ! ! ! ! ! ! (They watch across the street)! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAPThen, there was Uncle Tommy.. went out th aft deck o his schooner, th Ina Vanterpool, wit his brother Ben at th helm..! ! ! ! ! ! (LIGHTS DIM on The Porch, LIGHTS RISE on ! ! ! ! ! ! UNCLE TOMMY at The Railing, coiling an ! ! ! ! ! ! anchor rope)

! ! ! ! ! ! UNCLE BEN (Offstage)! ! ! ! ! ! (Calling)Tommy! - drop the aft anchor, soons I get the anchorage!

! ! ! ! ! ! UNCLE TOMMY! ! ! ! ! ! (Calling)OK, Ben!! ! ! ! ! ! (He stands, coiling and uncoiling the rope)Shes gone...! ! ! ! ! ! (Coils and uncoils the ! ! ! ! ! ! rope)Wasnt I enough?


! ! ! ! ! ! UNCLE TOMMY (Cont.)! ! ! ! ! ! (Coils and uncoils the ! ! ! ! ! ! rope)I can still see her face, her long black hair..! ! ! ! ! ! (Looks off).. her soft brown eyes...! ! ! ! ! ! (Coils and uncoils the ! ! ! ! ! ! rope)!Cant take it no more...!! ! ! ! ! ! ! UNCLE BEN (Offstage)! ! ! ! ! ! (Calling)Tommy! - drop anchor! - wes driftin off the buoy!

! ! ! ! ! ! UNCLE TOMMY! ! ! ! ! ! (Calling)Im droppin it, Ben!! ! ! ! ! ! (He coils the anchor rope around his neck, ! ! ! ! ! ! goes to The Railing - the LIGHTS DIM - a loud ! ! ! ! ! ! SPLASH. LIGHTS RISE on The Porch.)

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPTied th anchor rope round his neck, n dropped hisself overboard...! ! ! ! ! ! (They watch across the street)

! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSON! ! ! !What was that about?! !! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAPSome young girl... n then Ben, Uncle Ben.. he sailed inta harbor on Martinique, in th Mona Marie, his big two-master.. ! ! ! ! ! ! (They watch across the street - the LIGHTS ! ! ! ! ! ! DIM on The Porch, LIGHTS RISE on UNCLE ! ! ! ! ! ! BEN leaning on The Railing)

! ! ! ! ! ! UNCLE BENWe dropped anchor last night in the harbor here at Saint Pierre - looking at the big volcano up behind town - strange lightnin flashin round its top as we sailed in, red and orange glow.. actin up, again, I reckon.. well be in and outta harbor quick.. Ill take the sugarcane on the skiff, row to the wharf and get it sold, come back and well sail down to Barbados, flat as a pancake - check your course or youll sail right past her! - buy some rum there for a good price, and then its back up the islands! - tradin the rum for stuff we need on The Rock... rough life on The Rock, sometimes think about leavin it - but where would I go? - another island that got white sandy beaches and big towns, where I dont know nobody? - no, better to stay safe up the cliffs of The Rock, with people like me and them what come before - not much changes - you either grow


! ! ! ! ! ! UNCLE BEN (Cont.)somethin, or put to sea.. but its a paradise on The Rock - and you dont need to die to get there! - just set your course, put up sail, and her beautiful steep cliffs will rise into view.. theres some more o that strange lightnin up top o the mountain - better row into Saint-Pierre and unload that sugarcane..! ! ! ! ! ! (Calling OFFSTAGE)Mind the anchor rope, mate - tides turning!! ! ! ! ! ! (LIGHTS DIM on The Railing, RISE on The ! ! ! ! ! ! Porch)! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAPUncle Ben took th skiff inta harbor ta sell some sugarcane.. while he were on th wharf, volcano blew, n a big cloud ogas n lava came down quick on th town - lava killed everyone in town, thousands - cept one guy in jail, thick walls - Uncle Ben jumped in th skiff n started rowin back ta th ship.. but th lava went out in th water, caught his skiff, n burned him up.. ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! (They watch across the street)N Uncle Tater got lost at sea in th Rebecca Palmer..! ! ! ! ! ! (Gestures to bell)This heres its bell - Madge hooked it charter fishin, right out there off Egmont Key - now theys almost all gone, them what come before, men from The Rock that sailed th ol sailin ships...! ! ! ! ! ! (They watch across the street)Finally I got offa them leaky windjammers - hadta keep puttin inta port so they wouldnt sink under us - Christ! - came up ta New York ta work th steamships.. ! ! ! ! ! ! (Cap grabs the rope clapper of the ships bell ! ! ! ! ! ! above his head, RINGS it twice, pauses, ! ! ! ! ! ! RINGS it a third time)

! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONWhy ring that bell?!! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAPMarks th watch - ever half hour, one more bell - eight bells n yer watch is over - in th ol days, we also rung eight bells when a dead sailor got slid inta th sea...! ! ! ! ! ! (The SOUNDS of low surf on the beach - the ! ! ! ! ! ! SOUND of Jimmys Buick pulling up on the ! ! ! ! ! ! shell road, the engine turns off, a car door ! ! ! ! ! ! slams - JIMMY comes up on the porch - he ! ! ! ! ! ! pauses as he sees Mrs. Tilson)! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONHello!

! ! ! ! ! !


! ! ! ! ! ! JIMMY! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! (Gruffly)Hello.

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPMe son, Jimmy - chief mate o a sulfur tanker...

! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONOh, another sailor!

! ! ! ! ! ! JIMMYMerchant Marine officer..

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPTeddys in from California, Jimmy...

! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONTime for me to put my pie in - could you take a look at my oven, Cap? - Im having trouble getting it to heat up.. nice meeting you, Jimmy!

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPShore, Ruth...! ! ! ! ! ! (She gets up and disappears into her side of ! ! ! ! ! ! the duplex - to Jimmy)Teddys inside, stowin his gear - maybe ya wanta take him down, see his Grandma...! ! ! ! ! ! (Cap goes into Mrs. Tilsons side of the ! ! ! ! ! ! duplex - Jimmy stares after him)

! ! ! ! ! ! JIMMYRuth... ! ! ! ! ! ! (ENTER TEDDY from the right side of the ! ! ! ! ! ! duplex)

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYHi, Unc! - just got in from the Coast! - and already got a job painting at Mims! - you been at sea?

! ! ! ! ! ! UNCLE JIMMYJust got in from Beaumont, boy, on the Marine Duval - your Granpot asked me to try and get you to sea - Ill haunt the halls for you, but unions not accepting applications til shipping picks up.. pack some of your gear into your Granpots old seabag, in case we have to get underway in a hurry.. just checking in with Pop - gotta night mate now, the Louisiana Brimstone, pump sulfur - see you noon tomorrow, when well go down and see your Grandma.. pack that bag, boy!

! ! ! ! ! !


! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDY! ! ! ! ! ! (Saluting)Aye, aye, Uncle Jimmy!! ! ! ! ! ! (He EXITS into the duplex - the LIGHTS DIM ! ! ! ! ! ! on The Porch - the LIGHTS RISE on TEDDY at ! ! ! ! ! ! The Podium)

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYI always looked up to my Uncle Jimmy. I see him now as a big kid, staring out of a picture of a snowy New York street, in a heavy coat and a hat with flaps, standing tall and protective over his two sisters like a guardian angel. I knew he graduated from the Merchant Marine Academy at the start of the Second World War, attending a party in his honor, proud and resplendent in his uniform - only to discover forty men from The Rock, also in uniform, and all outranking him.. and how he and his father, Cap,sailed in the convoys to England in Liberty ships - his father as captain on one,he as a young deckhand on another.. and after the war, Uncle Jimmy sailing as mate on a freighter round the world, with his father as captain - together makingenough money to leave New York and move to Florida, where the weatherwas warm and the land was cheap - buying the Crest of the Waves to rent out, and Uncle Jimmy building another home for the three of them - Cap, Grandma and Jimmy - but after a while, only Grandma and Uncle Jimmy lived there, Cap moving back to the Crest of The Waves - and always my Uncle Jimmy sailing away on freighters and tankers, weeks at a time - a gruff guy driving big Buicks and devoted to a little bitty dog he would take on the ships - working his way up through the decks to be Third Mate, Second Mate, and finally Chief Mate - the guy who actually ran those big sulfur and concrete tankers - he was our hero, Uncle Jimmy...! ! ! ! ! !

! ! ! ! !

! ! ! ! ! !


! ! ! ! ! ! FOUR BELLS ! ! ! !

! ! ! ! ! ! (Cap watering his lawn - ENTER Teddy from ! ! ! ! ! ! the right side of the duplex)

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYUncle Jimmy said hed drop by, tell us the latest on getting me to sea - Im discouraged, Grandpa - think Ill go to the beach...

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPYou stay here fer yer Uncle - n if ya ever does go ta sea, remember boy, if a things worth doin, its worth doin right..

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDY! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)Its hot.. need some lemonade.. want some?!! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAPHad some..! ! ! ! ! ! (TEDDY EXITS into the right side of the ! ! ! ! ! ! duplex - CAP continues watering his lawn - ! ! ! ! ! ! ENTER BILLY onto the walk, with some ! ! ! ! ! ! oranges)! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! BILLYCap.. I brought oranges...

! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! (Watering a small tree)Whats this?! !! ! ! ! ! ! BILLY! ! ! ! ! ! (Peering at it)Looks like a.. orange tree..

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPLeave em on th chair up there..

! ! ! ! ! ! BILLY! ! ! ! ! ! (Climbs the steps, sits in a chair with the ! ! ! ! ! ! oranges)Cap.. know why I keep comin round?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Watering)So ya can give me more o what I already got..


! ! ! ! ! ! BILLY! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)Because.. Im lonely...! ! ! ! ! ! (CAP keeps watering)Dont you ever get lonely?! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! (Watering)Christ, how can I be lonely, wit you always comin over?! ! ! ! ! ! (A pause, they both watch him water)

! ! ! ! ! ! BILLYMember that biopsy they took?! ! ! ! ! ! (Takes out a cigar, unwraps it - CAP waters)Now I gotta in for an operation..!! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAPWhat fer?! ! ! ! ! ! BILLY! ! ! ! ! ! (Lights the cigar)Cancer.

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPWhere?

! ! ! ! ! ! BILLYThroat.! ! ! ! ! ! (BILLY smokes - CAP looks over at him)

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPSee ya learned yer lesson, Billy..

! ! ! ! ! ! BILLY! ! ! ! ! ! (Blowing out a cloud of smoke)You smoke cigars - and a pipe...

! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! (Watering)I prefer me pipe..

! ! ! ! ! ! BILLYLet Billy be a lesson, Cap...! ! ! ! ! ! (BILLY goes down the porch steps, smoking, ! ! ! ! ! ! EXITS - CAP turns off the water, putting the ! ! ! ! ! ! hose down, climbs the steps and EXITS into ! ! ! ! ! ! his side of the duplex - a pause, and TEDDY


! ! ! ! ! ! comes out with a plastic glass of lemonade and ! ! ! ! ! ! sits down in one of the lawn chairs - the ! ! ! ! ! ! SOUND of the Buick pulling up on the shell ! ! ! ! ! ! road, the engine stops, a door SLAMS - Jimmy ! ! ! ! ! ! strides up the walk and up the porch steps)

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYHi, Unc! - got anything for me?

! ! ! ! ! ! JIMMYNot yet - wheres Pop?! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYInside...

! ! ! ! ! ! JIMMYWhich side? - hes not in there with Mrs. Tilson, is he?

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYWhats wrong with Mrs. Tilson?

! ! ! ! ! ! UNCLE JIMMYPop spends too much time with her!

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYMaybe hes lonely..

! ! ! ! ! ! UNCLE JIMMYThen he should come back to the house, and live with us!

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYAll they do is talk - talk, talk, talk, him and Mrs. Tilson - thats all..

! ! ! ! ! ! UNCLE JIMMYThats enough!! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! (Jimmy stands up)They got a phone on the corner.. told Pop Id call the power company, see if they got anything for you... ! ! ! ! ! ! (JIMMY EXITS, the car door slams, the engine ! ! ! ! ! ! starts up, the Buick drives off fast - a pause, ! ! ! ! ! ! ENTER CAP from his side of the duplex)! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYGranpot.. you missed Uncle Jimmy - hell be back - I think I fixed it up with you and him - about Mrs. Tilson!! ! ! ! ! ! (Leans forward, expecting thanks)


! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! (Leaning into him)Boy, you keep yer beak out o my business!!

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDY! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses, taken aback)Okay, sorry!... Uncle Jimmy went up to call the power company - I think they run tugs - Uncle Ralph coming out? ! ! ! ! ! ! (The SOUND of a car pulling up on the shell ! ! ! ! ! ! road - a car door SLAMS)!

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPHere now, me boy..! ! ! ! !!! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYHows his boardinghouse?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPMost rooms rented..! ! ! ! ! ! (ENTER RALPH with a paper bag)

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYHi, Uncle Ralph! !

! ! ! ! ! ! UNCLE RALPH! ! !Hello, boy! - you looking for a job?

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYBeen walking all over, even walked downtown - no jobs around, so Im paintin Mims fence, finished for the day..

! ! ! ! ! ! RALPH Keep looking, boy.. ! ! ! ! ! ! (Opens bag, takes out a bottle of rum)

Cap?!! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Stops watering)Teddy, get two glasses..! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYYou mean three?! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAPTwo..


! ! ! ! ! ! (TEDDY EXITS into the duplex)Grab a seat, Ralph..! ! ! ! ! ! (They both sit, a pause)

! ! ! ! ! ! RALPHHows his mother?! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAPOK, doin good - shes been outta th hospital, awhile..! ! ! ! ! ! (ENTER TEDDY with two glasses)!! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYHow come I cant drink with you guys?

! ! ! ! ! ! RALPHYou get a job, you can get drunk as a skunk...

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPTeddy, run up quick ta th store.. get hamburger fer slumgullion n flour fer johnnybread..

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYSlumgullion? - dont you need onions and green peppers?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPI grows them, me boy! - top o my dresser, theres a twenty - n get some eggs n sugar fer bread puddin..!! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYOK - be back, Uncle Ralph!! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! RALPHOK, boy, Ill be here..!! ! ! ! ! ! (TEDDY EXITS - we hear the screen door ! ! ! ! ! ! slam. RALPH pours them each a drink - they ! ! ! ! ! ! drink in silence for a minute)

! ! ! ! ! ! RALPHAny news from Jimmy?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPNothin, yet..!! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! RALPH! ! ! ! Any chance he can get the boy to sea?


! ! ! ! ! ! CAPJimmys hauntin th halls, but caint get Teddy inta th union - nobodys hirin, dont need sailors, right now..! ! ! ! ! ! (They start drinking)Jimmys gone ta phone a guy named Browley, hirin agent fer some company - askin if they got anythin - said hed stop back..

! ! ! ! ! ! RALPH! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)What company?!! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAPTh power company... Jimmy told me once, they runs a fleet o tugs pushin barges o fertilizer ta New Orleans - then pulls em back wit coal for th power plant..

! ! ! ! ! ! RALPHPushes or pulls?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPJimmy says near shore, they pushes em from a notch back o th barge, offshore they turns ta pullin em wit a big hawser.. makes more knots..

! ! ! ! ! ! RALPHMore knots, more profit..!! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAPYeah, man..!

! ! ! ! ! ! RALPHHow long was it.. from The Rock to New York.. in the old three-masters?! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! !Uncle Ben said he run one o his schooners, th Esther Anita, up in nine day..! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! RALPHRecord?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPFer schooners..! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! RALPH.. course then came..! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAP.. steam, then..


! ! ! ! ! ! RALPH.. diesel... how many knots those old Liberty ships make?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPBout eleven, I remember.. mine could hardly make nine.. wonder them planes didnt sink us, too..

! ! ! ! ! ! RALPHThe time you got the medal?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPShoulda got a medal..!

! ! ! ! ! ! RALPHWho?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPYou..

! ! ! ! ! ! RALPH! ! !For what?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPBein sunk three times outta New York Harbor..

! ! ! ! ! ! RALPHSubs lined us up against the skyline lights, before the blackouts..

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPWhatd say that sailor, when ya abandoned ship, th last time?

! ! ! ! ! ! RALPHNo room in the lifeboat, Captain! - I pulled out that pistol..

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPThat ol Johnson revolver, they give us skippers!

! ! ! ! ! ! RALPH! ! ! ! ! ! (Waving an imaginary pistol) Mister Johnson says..! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Hes heard it before)..make room!! ! ! ! ! ! (They both laugh and drink - the rhythmic ! ! ! ! ! ! SOUND of cicadas in the heat - then the ! ! ! ! ! ! SOUND of Jimmys car pulling into the


! ! ! ! ! ! driveway, the engine turns off and the car door ! ! ! ! ! ! SLAMS - ENTER JIMMY, striding)!! ! ! ! ! ! JIMMYWheres the boy?! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! !Up th corner store, gettin some vittles...!

! ! ! ! ! ! JIMMYHell have to get his gear - Browley at the power company says they need a deckhand on the tug Ruby Hays at Dock Nine right away - steam for New Orleans tomorrow morning!

! ! ! ! ! ! RALPHWell, theres some news - Teddys shippin out!

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPFinally goin ta sea! - that boys got blood from The Rock in him! - but, hes gotta finish Mims fence..

! ! ! ! ! ! JIMMYGonna take a week - Ill finish it!! ! ! ! ! ! (TEDDY appears, with a sack of groceries)

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYHi, Unc! - any news?! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! JIMMYYoure goin to sea!! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYGoing to sea.. now?

! ! ! ! ! ! JIMMYYou got a job on an ocean-going tug, pushing fertilizer to New Orleans, then bringing back coal for the power company.. ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYHow long?

! ! ! ! ! ! JIMMY! ! ! !Each trip around twelve days - two trips on, one trip off..

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYI gotta finish that fence!


! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! JIMMYI got the fence, boy..

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYNever been to sea, before...

! ! ! ! ! ! JIMMYPut down those groceries and grab your gear in your Granpots old seabag! - Im driving you down now, to the docks - turn to, sailor!! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! (TEDDY drops the groceries off, EXITS quickly ! ! ! ! ! ! up porch steps and up through screen door ! ! ! ! ! ! into duplex)

! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Looking after him)Goin ta sea his first trip!.. member me first trip.. cabin boy on th Maise Hassell, watchin our little mother wave a big sheet off th cliffs.. n seein The Rock sink back inta th waves.. nineteen-ought-four - Christ!! ! ! ! ! ! (Drinks)!!! ! ! ! ! ! RALPHYeah, man! - and I followed you, nineteen-ought-five...! ! ! ! ! ! (TEDDY appears through the screen door, ! ! ! ! ! ! dragging a heavy seabag down the steps)

! ! ! ! ! ! UNCLE JIMMYLets get underway, sailor! !! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! (TEDDY tries to lift the seabag on his ! ! ! ! ! ! shoulder, drops it - UNCLE JIMMY raises it up ! ! ! ! ! ! for him)Stow it in the trunk, boy.. ! ! ! ! ! ! (To CAP)Ill stop back, after I get him shipshape on the tug..! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAPRemember, boy.. if a things worth doin, its worth doin right..!

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYI got it! - bye, Uncle Ralph - guess Im going to sea!!!! ! ! ! ! ! RALPHYoull be all right - our people are from The Rock! - see you in a couple of weeks, boy...! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! UNCLE JIMMYPop, Ralph.. want to ride down with us?


! ! ! ! ! ! CAPBeen on those docks long enough.. take care, Teddy, me boy..

! ! ! ! ! ! RALPHIll ride with you - be back, Cap - save a snort!

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYHey, Im going to sea!! ! ! ! ! ! (RALPH, TEDDY and UNCLE JIMMY EXIT, the ! ! ! ! ! ! trunk and car doors slam, the car starts up and ! ! ! ! ! ! backs out of the driveway - CAP looks after ! ! ! ! ! ! them - CAP gets up and RINGS the bell twice, ! ! ! ! ! ! a pause, then RINGS it twice more - the ! ! ! ! ! ! SOUND of cicadas in the heat - Cap sits and ! ! ! ! ! ! drinks - ENTER RENEE on the sidewalk, she ! ! ! ! ! ! pauses in front of the duplex - he glares down)

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPTold ya, get th hell off this island!

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEECap..

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPWho said I was Cap?! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! RENEECan we talk?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses, drinks)Long as you stay down there..! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! RENEEIn my place?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Stands up)Get th hell off my property, nigra!

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEEThis is the sidewalk - you own the sidewalk?! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAPIll call the police! - n youll spend th night in jail, wit th rest o yer kind!! ! ! ! ! !


! ! ! ! ! ! RENEECall the police! - theres no law against being black!

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPThats right, you black!! ! ! ! ! ! (Turns to go into the duplex)I dont talk ta uppity niggers.. n stay away from Teddy!

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEEYou cant keep me away from him!

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPYoull never see him, cause youll never set foot in me door - now, get out!! ! ! ! ! ! (Turns to exit)

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEEWhat are you afraid of? - think I want to marry him?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Turns back to her)No nigger bitch is marryin me grandson!

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEEIm not a nigger bitch! - you dont even know me!

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPI know ya need ta get out o town, fore th sun go down...

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEEOh, yeah? - well, I just want you to know.. I dont have to leave! - I rented a place on this island - and Mim says I dont have to leave at sunset!! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)How you know Mim?

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEEIm renting from her!

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPChrist! - there goes Mim, again..! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! RENEEAnd there you go, again!

! ! ! ! !


! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Sits down, takes a long slug on his rum)Before you people came, things was good.. long as you left town by dark, we didnt bother wit you much - even let you use our beaches!

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEEYou dont own the sand!

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPQuiet here.. waves roll in, waves roll out - sun shines, rain comes, sun dries it up, things grow n th lizards run round - me daughter lives here, me son comes by every day, me brother every week - me grandson comes down, we gets him a job on th sea - n you hasta come n mess it all up!

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEE! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)Okay.. Ill go..! ! ! ! ! ! (Starts to leave - has a leg cramp)Ow! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! (Rubbing her leg)Mind if I sit? - my legs cramped from walking.. a minute, then Ill get on my way...!! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)Sit th bottom step.. I can hose her down, later..! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! RENEE! ! ! ! ! ! (Tentatively sits on the bottom step)So, Teddys gone to sea.. well, I know something about the sea, Cap..! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAPYou knows nothin..! ! ! ! ! ! RENEE! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)My great-grandfather went to sea.. oh, not as captain! - they wouldnt allow that! - he was just a deckhand, in the Caribbean, on old sailing ships..

! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)I knows bout ol ships..! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! RENEEGrandma says he drowned, as a young man..

! ! ! ! !


! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)Ship went down?

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEEBig storm..! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAPWal.. storms come n go..

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEEStorm was something called a.. southwester.. somewhere.. the Gulf of Mexico.. maybe near here..

! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)What year, th storm?

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEEOh.. long time ago - turn of the century!

! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)What name, th ship?! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! RENEE! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)The Palmer.. something like that..

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPTh Rebecca.. Palmer? ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! RENEEThe Rebecca Palmer! - Captain was.. something.. Holm..! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAPTater.. Captain Tater Holm..

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEETater - like potato! - thats how I remember it!

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPThe Rebecca Palmer went down wit all hands, nineteen-ought-seven..

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEEHow do you know?


! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)Tater Holm was me uncle..

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEEOh! - Im sorry..

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPAnd Im sorry, fer, fer.. what were yer great-grandpots name?

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEEPeter.. Peter Every.. he was from some little island.. in the Caribbean..

! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)Im from some little island.. in th Caribbean...! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)I heard o a Peter Every, when I were young..

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEEGrandma says he once saved a white man from drowning! - their ship was sailing out of harbor at night, and was struck by another ship and sank - and the other ship just..! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAP.. kept on sailin into Georgetown harbor, big four-master schooner...

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEEThats it! - you heard the story?! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses) Me pappy used to tell that story - he worked the ships, but couldnt swim..

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEEAnyway, thats all I know about Great-grandpa - they never found him, after the storm..

! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)Wal.. maybe you found him..! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses, gestures to bell)This heres th ships bell from th Rebecca Palmer.....

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEEOh! ! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)Can I see the bell?! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !


! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)Shore, come on up..! ! ! ! ! ! Renee goes up the stairs, stops in front of the ! ! ! ! ! ! bell, looks at it)

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEECan I touch it?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)Shore...! ! ! ! ! ! (Renee touches the bell)

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEEGuess thats all thats left of Great-grandpa...

! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)Same for me uncle.. ! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)! ! ! ! !Why dont you sit...

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEEWhat if somebody sees me?! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)Then, they sees you.. I wants ta tell ya somethin..! ! ! ! ! ! (Renee sits down in the other lawn chair)! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! RENEEAbout Teddy?! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)Bout me Pappy.. n Peter Every, yer great-grandpop..! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)Me Pappy.. were that sailor who couldnt swim, outside Georgetown Harbor - n Peter Every saved his life - ever one on The Rock knew that..! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! RENEEWhats The Rock?


! ! ! ! ! ! CAPThat little island in th Caribbean.. I were born there, me Pappy n me Ma.. n Peter Every were born there - when I were a boy, we all knew Peter Every - good a sailor as any man, sailed on our schooners..

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEESailed with you.. white people?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPBlack folk, too, lived on The Rock.. we worked side by side..

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEE! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)Were the black folk.. slaves?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)Some, fer awhile.. afore I were born..

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEE! ! ! ! ! ! (Sarcastically)Did they know their place?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)Wal.. they didnt have much place ta have - most didnt own much - hadta work fer white people.. thats how it were, in th ol days..! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! RENEE! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)Was Peter Every a slave?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPNope.. free..

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEEUntil he drowned..

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPDrowned a free man..

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEE! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)That must have been some comfort to him..! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)


! ! ! ! ! ! RENEE (Cont.)If thats how it was, with black and white folk on The Rock.. then how come you..you know, dont like.. us...

! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)Dont know that...

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEEWell..! ! ! ! ! ! (Gets up)Know where I can shop for food? - I got a kitchenette in my little place..

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPWinn Dixie.. five blocks, thataway - you can walk it..

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEEI wont offer my hand..! ! ! ! ! ! (The SOUND of the Buick pulling up on the ! ! ! ! ! ! shell road)

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPI wont shake it..! ! ! ! ! ! (A car door slams)

! ! ! ! ! ! RENEEMim was right.. you are kind of ornery..! ! ! ! ! ! (Cap says nothing, as he watches RENEE ! ! ! ! ! ! EXIT down the sidewalk - a pause, JIMMY! ! ! ! ! ! comes up the sidewalk, looks back at Renee)

! ! ! ! ! ! JIMMY! ! ! ! ! ! (Calls up to Cap)Whatd that nigger gal want, Pop?! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAP! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)Nothin.. jes directions...! ! ! ! ! ! (The LIGHTS FADE on the two of them in a ! ! ! ! ! ! tableau)


! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 2-1-1! ! ! ! ! ! FIVE BELLS!! ! !! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! (LIGHTS RISE on The Railing, Teddy stands at ! ! ! ! ! ! the black steel gunwale of a tugboat, looking ! ! ! ! ! ! out to sea, black watchcap on head - the ! ! ! ! ! ! SOUND of powerful tug engines throbbing.)

! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDYHere I am.. first day at sea! - last night they had me stay up all night, checking the lines tying the tug Ruby Hays to the dock - making sure they werent too tight and not too loose - just keeping me busy - they knew I didnt know anything.. the next morning we chugged slowly down Tampa Bay, pushing this big orange barge called the Wanda Wheellock - I was standing aft on an open steel deck with steel railings, watching the big wake, the seagulls flying above, darting down to grab the fish raised up.. then we sailed out into the Gulf, the steady roll of swells hissing by - thats when I got the important job of throwing the garbage overboard - I was holding the can up high, trying to gauge when the waves would stop sluicing down the gangway, so I could toss this garbage - after that, we had to change the tug and barge around, from pushing to pulling - the barge was loose on a slack line for awhile, drifting past us as we got ahead of her to pull - a big operation - didnt want to lose her! - I was put in charge of a big pot of grease that one of the ABs - means Able-Bodied Seaman - was smearing on the back gunwale, so the big rope tying the tug to the barge wouldnt rub on the gunwale and fray..! ! ! ! ! ! (Looks back).. now the barge is bobbing up and down in the waves, a half mile behind - barge looks like an orange ship, with a ships bow, but no decks, just a hull - they had me watch this gauge near the aft deck - measures the pull on the rope - if it went above 90,000 pounds, I was to to notify the captain - well, it went to 93, and I told him, and he jumped and ran up to the wheelhouse, slowed the tug down so that big rope wouldnt part... theres ten men on this tug.. the captain, two mates - ones OK, hes from Tennessee - the other seems to be drunk all the time, hes from Mississippi - then two Ordinary Seaman - Im one, the other guy is always seasick, we never see him, never leaves his bunk.. then theres the two ABs, who actually know what to do - ones a big guy from North Carolina, hes cool, showed me how to use the washer.. the other guys from the Dominican Republic, hes the lead AB - hes shorter, but with big powerful shoulders and a big gut - I dont think he likes me, because I wear the same sunglasses as him.. then theres two guys down in the engine room - we never see them, except when they come up for meals, wearing big headphones that drown out the engine noise from the two big diesels.. and then theres Slim, the cook from lower Virginia - Mawnin!, he says, and thats all I can understand of what he says - tomorrow, I gotta help him take all the food out of the freezer, so it can defrost - maybe well use hand signals - I cant understand the captain, either - hes from another part of North Carolina - Te-ead, wouldya payess th kateshup? - he asked me that three times, before the big AB from North Carolina told me he wanted the catsup...! ! ! ! ! ! (Looks off)


! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 2-1-2! ! ! ! ! ! TEDDY (Cont.) Now, were headin to the mouth of the Mississippi - gotta change from pullin to pushin - well go upriver and unload our barge full of fertilizer, then theyll load the barge back up with coal for the return trip - they said well be on the river five days.. ! ! ! ! ! ! (Teddy looks off)The waves out there are getting kinda big - maybe twelve, fifteen feet.. but these guys seem to think its OK - guess I wont worry - Uncle Jimmy says the Ruby Hays is unsinkable, got a steel hull - hope so, I cant swim too well... ! ! ! ! ! ! (LIGHTS DIM on The Railing, LIGHTS RISE on ! ! ! ! ! ! CAP and MRS. TILSON sitting in their lawn ! ! ! ! ! ! chairs, looking and watching across the street - ! ! ! ! ! ! the SOUND of steady rain on the roof of The ! ! ! ! ! ! Porch - CAP holds a plastic cup)! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONI love how it rains down here.. every afternoon, a clear blue sky clouds up and rains - - it rains for an hour, then the sun comes out, dries it all up - like it never rained at all!! ! ! ! ! ! (They watch across the street)! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAPDidnt seen th black cat today, on my way ta Winn Dixie..! ! ! ! ! ! (He takes a drink)

! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONI saw him yesterday, down the street..! ! ! ! ! ! (They watch across the street)

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPNiggie gal came by, from California, lookin fer Teddy..

! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONHis girlfriend?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPChrist! - I sent her on her way..! ! ! ! ! ! (They watch across the street - he drinks)

! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONWhats that you drink?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPRum..! ! ! ! ! ! (Drinks)! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! !


! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 2-1-3! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONYou get it at Winn Dixie?! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAPShore.. you can get it anywhere..! ! ! ! ! ! (Drinks)I remember when you couldnt get it nowhere..

! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSON! ! !When?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPProhibition.. couldnt even get a beer - New York, I hadta walk down th street wit a bucket, ta a speakeasy - theyd sell you a bucket o beer..

! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONA real bucket?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPClean one..! ! ! ! ! ! (They watch across the street)

! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONWhat about rum, could you get that?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPUsed ta run rum..

! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONWhat do you mean, run?! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAP!Rumrunner.. I knew this feller, New York, who knew a feller, who knew a guy in th Mafia.. they had bought a schooner named th Halcyon.. I didnt ask no questions - I needed a job, they needed a skipper - wed raise anchor at night, and sail by th stars up th coast ta Canada, pick up a cargo o rum, n run back down ta New York.. had ta watch out we didnt run inta th Dragons Teeth..!! !! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONA dragon at sea?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPThas what we called a bunch o little islands off th coast o Maine - th Dragons teeth - ya could hardly see em, low in th water - didnt wanta wreck on em! - after we got down ta New York, we off-loaded th rum at night, got paid cash, n quick got off th docks!


! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 2-1-4! ! ! ! ! ! CAP (Cont.)... one time I invited th Mafia feller ta dinner - nice guy, he was OK wit me - after dinner, me family sittin round, he n I havin a rum - n he says, Thanks, a real nice dinner.. Cap, ya got anybody, ya want me ta rub out?!! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONRub out?!! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! CAPHe meant, ta shoot... I said no, n that was th last I saw o him - job lasted all summer - two trips on, one off - one trip I had off, th Feds caught th other skipper - same run, th Halycon - took him in n tied up th ship..

! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONA rumrunner, huh?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPAfter that, durin the Depression, hadta ta work fer th WPA - march us inta Central Park, dig a big hole - three oclock, make us fill it back in - end o th week, pay us our checks - that government had no more sense than a billiegoat!.. theres th black cat, agin.. ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONProbably after your lizards..

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPNever catch em - they got them tails..

! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSON! ! !Youve got them tales - tall ones...! ! ! ! ! ! (CAP gets up, goes to the bell, ! ! ! ! ! ! RINGS it five times)

! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONMust you strike that bell?

! ! ! ! ! ! CAPOl ships had a hourglass - ever half-hour, ya turned it over - n then rang th watch bell ..

! ! ! ! ! ! MRS. TILSONIf its an hourglass, why not

crest of the waves #1 copy

Documents

sea sounds

ed balloucopyright ed

captains caps

caps uncles

sea crashing

retired sea captain

s jimmy caps son

madge caps daughter