a CHARACTERS Gopig. BERTHA. Lena. Girt.Hello from Bertha Scene: A bedroom in “the valley”—a notorious red-li ight section along the river-flats of East St. Louis. In the center is 6 mas. sive brass bed with tumbled pillows and covers on which Bertha, 4 large blonde prostitute, is lying restlessly. A heavy old-fash- ioned dresser with gilt knobs, gaudy silk cover and two large hewpie dolls stands against the right wall. Beside the bed is low table with empty gin bottles. An assortment of lurid maga- zines is scattered carelessly about the floor. The wall-paper is grotesquely brilliant—covered with vivid magnified roses—and is torn and peeling in some places. On the ceiling are large yel- low stains. An old-fashioned chandelier, fringed with red glass pendants, hangs from the center. Goldie comes in at the door in the left wall. She wears a soiled double-piece dress of white and black satin, fitted closely to her almost fleshless body. She stands in the doorway, smoking a cigarette, and stares smpa tiently at Bertha’s prostrate figure. Goupie: Well, Bertha, what are you going to do? (For « mo- ment there is no answer.) Bextua: (with faint groan) 1 dunno. Goxpre: You've got to decide, Bertha. Berrua: I can’t decide nothing. Gotpiz: Why can’t you? Bexrua: I’m too tired. Gotpie: That’s no answer. 7 ore Brrrua: (tossing fretfully) Well, it s the ce I just want to lay here and think things 183 swer I know.Gotore: You been layin’ here thinkin’ or somethin’ for the past two weeks. (Bertha makes an indistinguishable reply.) You got to come to some decision. The girls need this room, Banta: (with hoarse laugh) Let °em have it! Goupie: They can’t with you layin’ here, Bearua: (slapping her hand on bed) Oh, God! Goupie: Pull yourself together, now, Bertha. (Bertha sosses egein and groans.) Bexrua: What's the matter with me? Gouois: You're sick, Bexrua: I got a sick headache. Who slipped me that Mickey Finn last night? Gooie: Nobody give you no Mickey Finn. You been layis here two solid weeks talkin’ out of your head. Now, the sensi- ble thing for you to do, Bertha, is to go back home or— Bera: Go back nowhere!—I’m stayin’ right here till I get on my feet. (She stubbornly averts her face.) Goupie: The valley’s no place for a gir] in your condition. Be- sides we need this room. Benrua: Leave me be, Goldie. I wanta get in some rest before I start workin’, Gotore: Bertha, you've got to decide! (The command hangs heavily upon the room's florid atmosphere for several long moments. Bertha slowly turns her head to Goldie.) Benrua: (faintly) What is it I got to decide? Gouoie: Where you're going from here? (Bertha looks at her silently for a few seconds.) Bertua: Nowhere. Now leave me be, Goldie, I’ve got to get in my rest, Gotore: If I let you be, you'd just lay here doin’ nothin’? from now till the crack of doom! (Bertha'’s reply is indistingwish- able.) Lissen here! If you don’t make up your mind right away, I'm gonna call the ambulance squad to come get you! So you better decide right this minute, 184 : t has suijened slightly at this threat.) Lean! Cy owen) Vill take this Pl tell ’em we got se es too tired—wort dese fara | (She snaps er pase tel and Vk make the al ight POY. we) al oer hee who cant WK EE, ng jocrua: (ehickly) Go ahead. I don write another Gao: (changing her tactics) ‘Why donk 7 ware or some- ‘eter, Bertha, to that man who sells - - ing in Memphis? . an (with sudden alertness) Charlie off your dirty tongue! he talking» me keeping Gouin: That's a fine way for you to Be IN. 4 red, you here just out of kindness and you not HBTS 1) oy white or blue cent for the last coe | Whee’ Her ice Berrua: Charlie’s a real . . . sweet- *e trails into sobbing mumble.) saxon for you t0 %8 Gouvie: What if he is? All the better en iy im to get you ou of this ere SEK FPO ime! Get Berrna: (aroused) Vl never a ples ‘ y, s that? He’s rece eee ‘sor body.) Somebody’ 2? You leave his name e’sa. ele, (She rns her hand soy a igs ney cat me up with ile whee ego mene Gouore: Pull youre gehen ar A nao 7m I send you oe pardare mee a he’s got money- He ov there! He ieee ie reckon know, T something j' ewes fie, any sme ene har in that oe ped ” We had good times Charlie know. «= hers : room! sex fongoten it 6D one ince Ca an oa all OS se the bed ice Beer: He's found ov O88 1. (She it him and . « - €Ome quit him swith her pale.) an