Shades of War (4 page)

GUSS helps SAM
to the rocking chair. SAM almost falls and GUSS catches him. SAM'S
powdered wig comes off in the process. His kinky hair is exposed. SAM
runs his fingers over his hair.

SAM: Now you see
what I’ve been hiding.

(SAM
touches GUSS’ hair.)

SAM: A curse for
all sons from the Dark Continent!

(GUSS
picks up the wig.)

GUSS: Mr.
Fraunces, do you want me to put back...

(SAM
snatches the wig out of GUSS’ hand and tosses it across the
floor.)

SAM: Never mind
it! Guss, go to the cellar there and get me some Bordeaux... I'm in
terrible need of another drink...

GUSS: Mr.
Fraunces, I think you've had...

SAM: Go, young
lad! Get my wine!

(GUSS
hesitantly exits to the kitchen.)

(SAM
starts to close his eyes and humming the French song to himself.)

(A glass
smashes to the ground and breaks offstage.)

GUSS (O.S.): I’m
so sorry, Mr. Fraunces. I’m gonna clean it up, sir.

(SAM is
continues to hum, drunk and oblivious.)

(PHOEBE
enters holding a candle.)

PHOEBE: Father!

(PHOEBE
puts the candle down and rushes to his side.)

PHOEBE: Dear God!

(SAM
mumbles something.)

(PHOEBE
tries to help him to sit upright. SAM continues to slouch in the
rocking chair.)

PHOEBE: Father,
perhaps I should go and make you some coffee...

SAM: Not coffee,
my dear. Wine is what this old man needs.

(GUSS
enters with a glass of wine.)

PHOEBE: You
cannot give that to him!

GUSS: Ma’am, he
asked me...

SAM: Don't worry,
dear... we're not drunk.

GUSS: He might've
taken too hard to the spirits, but I'm not drunk.

(SAM
reaches out for the wine with both hands.)

SAM: Hand it
over, young lad.

(GUSS
attempts to hand the glass to SAM but PHOEBE intervenes and snatches
it away.)

(PHOEBE
exits to the kitchen with the wine glass.)

(SAM
tries to get up but almost falls in the process.)

SAM: Curses!

(GUSS
helps SAM back into the rocking chair.)

GUSS: Now, Mr.
Fraunces, I hope you ain’t mad at me, your daughter got a strong
way about her...

(SAM
looks at him for a moment and then starts singing in French again.)

(PHOEBE
enters with a cup of coffee.)

PHOEBE: Drink
this.

(SAM
takes the cup, looks inside and frowns. He puts the cup down on the
floor and starts to mumble to himself.)

PHOEBE: Heavens,
I am so embarrassed for my father.

GUSS: He was just
celebrating how you saved General Washington's life. That's really
something.

PHOEBE: I was
only doing what was right. That's no cause to celebrate.

GUSS: Did you see
the hangin'? It was thousands of people out there watching Thomas
die...

PHOEBE: I could
never watch something like that.

GUSS: Musta broke
his wife's heart...

PHOEBE: He was
married?

GUSS: Yeah, I
forget her name. She lived back in London, all I know is he loved her
strong. He was just fixin' to send for her before all of this
happened.

PHOEBE: Oh God.

GUSS: I know Mr.
Fraunces is awful proud of you. All night, at the party, he had this
great big smile when he say the name “Phoebe.”

PHOEBE: Well, at
least I gave him something to be proud of.

GUSS: You sure is
lucky to have such good kinfolk and all. I never known what it’s
like to have a family myself.

PHOEBE: None at
all?

GUSS: They sold
my mama away when I was real young and I never even seen my father.

PHOEBE: Any
brothers or sisters?

GUSS: Yeah but...
I ran away from Master Porter’s plantation when I was fourteen. I
guess they still live there.

PHOEBE: How did
you manage to escape?

GUSS: I made
friends with this cabin boy and he helped me stole away on a ship
bound for Boston. When we got to Massachusetts, I thought them bounty
hunters would be waiting for me at the pier with rifles, but I was
surprised to see something else... snow! And as cold as I was, I
ain’t never been so happy. Boston sure looked like heaven to me.

SAM: Heaven...

GUSS: I better
help get Mr. Fraunces to bed. Where’s his room?

PHOEBE: It’s
best that he sleep down here. Mother will not want to be near him in
this state.

GUSS: Well, Miss
Fraunces, I best get goin’ then.

PHOEBE: It’s
quite alright if you call me Phoebe.

GUSS: I was gonna
keep it to myself, but... you sure got some beautiful eyes, Phoebe.

PHOEBE: Thank
you.

GUSS: And you
talk real pretty too, educated like...

PHOEBE: Are you
literate, Guss?

GUSS: I’m
workin’ on it.

PHOEBE: I’m a
volunteer teacher at the church on Tuesday nights...

GUSS: That’s
good to know... I just might come to one of them classes. I’m sure
you could teach me a whole lot of things.

PHOEBE: I hope
you do come.

(Pause)

I’m sorry if I
was rude to you the other day...

GUSS: I didn’t
take it to heart none. Well, goodnight or should I say good morning.

PHOEBE: Same to
you.

(GUSS
exits.)

(She
looks at SAM for a moment who is sound asleep.)

PHOEBE: I wish I
could take back everything with Thomas. Why did you have to be right
about him. And Father, I still love you. I have no choice but to
love you.

(She
covers him with a blanket and blows out the candle.)

(Blackout.)

PHOEBE teaches
GUSS to read the Bible in the living room. GUSS struggles with the
pronunciation of certain words. PHOEBE helps him with his diction as
they read a verse.

GUSS: Can’t
wait ‘til the day I can read the Bible. I wanna understand God for
myself.

PHOEBE: Just keep
coming to my classes and you will.

GUSS: Been
thinkin’, I might write me a book one day too.

PHOEBE: The story
of your life?

GUSS: Might not
be about me... Could be the story of a beautiful woman, who’s real
smart and got the sweetest voice.

GUSS: And got
everything it takes to make a man happy for the rest of his life.
Phoebe, I know I don’t have a lot offer a woman like you, but I...

PHOEBE: Guss, you
don't understand everything about me...

GUSS: I'll leave
that to God. All I'm really trying to say is that...

PHOEBE: I must
tell you goodnight. Guss.

GUSS: I know.

PHOEBE: I’m
glad you made it today.

GUSS: Not nearly
as glad as I was. If you want, I can put these on the shelf for you.

PHOEBE: It’s no
bother.

(GUSS
hands her the books.)

PHOEBE: I hope to
see you next Tuesday.

GUSS: You can
stop hopin’, girl. That’s guaranteed!

PHOEBE: Well,
goodbye.

(PHOEBE
walks him to the door.)

GUSS: Now
remember, every goodbye ain’t gone. I wish it was Tuesday again
already.

(GUSS
exits.)

(Blackout.)

GUSS is
cleaning up the tavern after a long day, he is stacking silverware on
a pile of plates in the middle of the table. SAM is folding a white
tablecloth.

SAM: Make sure
the door is locked.

GUSS: Yes sir.

(GUSS
exits to lock the door and quickly returns.)

(SAM
retrieves his coin purse and begins to count the money.)

SAM: What a gay
crowd! They bought up so much wine!

GUSS: Indeed they
did, Mr. Fraunces.

SAM: I know we
made out handsomely tonight!

GUSS: Mr.
Fraunces...

SAM: What is it?

GUSS: I bought me
that plot of land by the church yesterday.

SAM: That’s
good to hear.

GUSS: And next
week, I’m gonna buy a horse. It’s kinda old, but it’ll get me
around from place to place...

(Pause)

Mr. Fraunces, I’m
real grateful for this job you give me.

SAM: You are a
fine worker and besides, it’s my duty to pass opportunities onto
the next man. I did not acquire my fortune solely on my own accord.
No man is an island.

GUSS: And a man
ain’t nothin’ without a woman in his corner.

SAM: So you feel
you’re ready for a wife?

GUSS: More ready
by the second.

SAM: There is a
slave girl named Anna, aged seventeen years. She is not mulatto. In
fact, she is quite dark, but very pleasing to look at. Anna is owned
by my dear friend, General Washington. I could speak to him on your
behalf. Anna would be a good choice for you.

(Beat)

Now, you know the
rules with slaves... You could only see her after church on Sundays,
then she would have to go back to General Washington. But because he
is my friend, I might be able to arrange for you to have her for the
whole weekend. And I’m sure a man like you would make the most of
that time.

GUSS: Mr.
Fraunces, I don’t want that kind of a wife.

SAM: Is it
because she is dark?

GUSS: No, Mr.
Fraunces. I don’t wanna marry a slave.

SAM: Maybe you
could save enough money to buy Anna.

GUSS: Mr.
Fraunces, I wanna marry Phoebe. How would I go about havin’ her
hand?

SAM: How bold of
you to even suggest that!

GUSS: Mr.
Fraunces, I would give her a good life. I promise I would.

SAM: There is no
place for your kind in my family! You are poor, illiterate, uncouth!
You are not fit for my daughter! If it weren’t for the job I gave
you, you’d be nothing.

GUSS: I may not
have all the fancy things you got, Mr. Fraunces, but I am a good man.

SAM: You are
barely good enough to marry Anna and Phoebe is far beyond your reach!
I am insulted that you would dare ask for my daughter’s hand!

GUSS: Mr.
Fraunces...

SAM: Leave here
now and go find employment elsewhere!

GUSS: Mr.
Fraunces, you swear you’re better than me, but you’re worse than
them white folks who call you “Black Sam” to your face and nigga
behind your back. And you wrong about me, I am a good man. And that
don’t got nothin’ to do with what’s in my pocket.

(SAM
gathers the coins and puts them in his pocket.)

(SAM
throws a coin on the floor at GUSS.)

SAM: Make sure
you clean up before you leave.

(SAM
exits.)

(GUSS
starts to clean the tavern.)

(Blackout.)

GUSS stands in
the spotlight holding a letter.

GUSS:

August 19th, 1776

Dear Phoebe,

I had a friend
write this letter. I wish I could’ve written it myself. My mind
always goes back to that night when I was at your house and you
looked in my eyes. I was sure right then that you were the woman I
wanted to be with.

I know how
different we are, and I know Mr. Fraunces hates me for wanting you,
but if you get this letter and you feel anything at all for me,
please come to the seaport next Saturday. I will be there and I hope
to God to see your face.

Sincerely,

Guss Porter

(Blackout.)

It's
mid-morning at the Fraunces house. SAM is sipping coffee and reading
a book in the rocking chair.

(PHOEBE
enters.)

SAM: Where are
you off to?

PHOEBE: The fish
market, Father.

SAM: Your mother
went there yesterday. Sit down, Phoebe.

(PHOEBE
sits next to him.)

SAM: Where are
you really going? And who are you going to see? I keep trying to save
you from yourself, but you are exhausting my patience.

PHOEBE: And I
feel exhausted by your smothering! Let me live my own life.

SAM: You did a
fine job of living your life with that rogue Thomas.

PHOEBE: You
cannot control me forever.

SAM: I am
protecting you!

PHOEBE: Most
fathers protect their daughters out of love, but that isn’t your
motive... You only wish to preserve the Fraunces name. To keep our
perfect little place in high society.

SAM: You consider
it a fault for a man to provide his family with a descent life? Of
course I have always stressed keeping up appearances. You only have
one name, and reputation is more valuable than riches! And you have
also prospered from my hard work and this family name. From the shoes
on your feet to the pearls around your neck! You disappoint me with
your ungrateful tone.

PHOEBE: Father, I
am grateful, I just question if... You said before that the only
thing that never changes is love.

SAM: Yes, that is
true. And if you love me, you will never defy me again.

PHOEBE: Father, I
wish to God that you would look at me like you used to... Like that
time we went to Maiden Lane. I am still the same but you are not. I
see no warmth in your eyes when you look at me. I do regret my
indiscretion with Thomas. I carry that in my heart everyday. And you
always mention it, reminding me of my mistake even more! But Father,
no matter how much I pray, I cannot undo the past.

SAM: I always
wanted for our family to set a high example for the colored race.
There is such a common belief that we lack self-respect, that our
women are harlots, that we all ignorant! But with dignity and grace,
we can disprove that. I want you to lead the life of a noblewoman.
And if you are not careful, there will be no chance for that. I
understand that none of God’s creatures are without flaws. But
mistakes are hard to accept, especially coming from you, my own
flesh. But you should always know that I am on your side, Phoebe.
There isn’t a soul beyond the walls of this house who will ever be
more on your side.

PHOEBE: I never
meant to defy you, I just want to be loved and cared for...