Performance Overview The Rising

A Play by Michael Oatman, MFA Playwright-In-Residence at Karamu heater *Selected performances to be introduced by Drug education specialist or Gang Intervention professional. The focus of this dramatic performance is to expose young audiences to the impact of drug using/selling amongst young people and its destructive effects. Themes !rug "elling Peer Pressure #un violence Pro$er %utrition &enefit of 'ducation Synopsis: The Rising, is about two brothers who are tra$$ed between wanting to do the right thing and the call of street life( Primary Audiences: "tudents )Middle School [ th Graders! "unior #igh School$ #igh School* "chool educators and $ersonnel Parents and other family members Secondary Audience: #eneral members of inner-city communities(

Audience Appeal Statement/Goals

his $lay will feature all youth actors, contem$orary youth dialog and an ending that em$hasi+es the conse,uences of an illegal lifestyle but also offers the ho$e of esca$ing it( Learning utcomes o deliver 'ntertainment that is interwoven with anti-drug message( o e-$lore the effect of crime, violence and drugs in the inner-city( o e-$lore the [Link] bonds of family and brotherhood( o e-$lore the cost of gun violence o Increase awareness of the benefits of education

! "acts #m$edded in the Play /( he number one cause of !eath for blac. males /0-12 in America is homicide( 3 The %enter for Disease %ontrol$ &age '( http)**blog.+[Link]*factchec,er*-../*'.*young0blac,0males0headed0for0e0 '.html 1( he number one cause of death for African Americans is heart disease( 3 The %enter for Disease %ontrol$ &age ' http)**+++.[Link]*omhd*&opulations*122*[Link] 4( here are more African American males in colleges than in $rison( 3 3ashington post$ &age (4 http)**blog.+[Link]*factchec,er*-../*'.*young0blac,0males0headed0for0e0 '.html 2( Over fifty $ercent of African American children do not graduate from high school( 3 The Intelligence Daily$ &age 'http)**+++.inteldaily.com5c6'778a69 :' 5( %early one and three African American males is, or has been involved with the 6ustice system in America( 3 he "entencing Pro6ect, Page 40 http)**+++.sentencingpro;[Link]*doc*publications*[Link]

he Rising 2 &lay in Seven Movements Michael Oatman, MFA, Playwright In Residence at Karamu heater 7ast of 7haracters errell --- 18 year-old, African American Male rina --- /4 year-old, African American Female &an.y --- 18 year-old, African American Male Mother "[Link] --- 98 year-old, African American Female :!ava --- /0 years-old, African American Female :Double %ast +ith Mother Sto,es :Ms( ;aters --- 48 year-old, African American Female :Triple %ast +ith Mother Sto,es "ettings A$artment #randma<s =ouse Alleyway "yno$sis wo siblings are tra$$ed between wanting to do the right thing and the call of street life(

MO>'M'% O%' ?2t Rise) The lights reveal Trina standing on a street corner loo,ing around suspiciously. She loo,s out at a car passing<by.@ Trina I mean, don<t get it twisted ( ( ( I get it in ( ( ( I ain<t no $un. ( ( ( you .now who my brother isA ;hat he doA ;hat he would do to you if you .new you was [Link] to li.e thisA )1eat* any corner I want( Cnless you want me to call errellA Beah, that<s what I thought( )She reaches into her poc,et and produces a plastic bag$ she inspects the contents and puts it bac, a+ay( An imaginary drug user wal.s u$ and she and the user transact business(* Bou want twenty, you want twenty ( ( ( Beah, yeah, that<s what<s u$( I ain<t trying to hear that( hat is twenty dollars worth ( ( ( no( ( ( .ee$ it moving( )The unseen drug user e=its the stage. 2 pedestrian +al,s by and she perceives that they might be a drug user.* =ey man ( ( ( hey, I got them red to$s ( ( ( red to$s ( ( ( )The pedestrian continues to +al, by. She goes bac, to her position. Terrell enters the scene and stands in the corner and observes Trina for a fe+ moments. Trina notices Terrell staring at her(* Man, .ee$ yo voice down ( ( ( Terrell ( ( ( Man ( ( ( Trina ( ( ( you out here $o$$ing fly wit me ( ( ( man, $eo$le listening( Terrell Bou thin. I care who listeningA first of all I dun told you about running around here sounding li.e you ignorant( Bou .now how tal.( Dyo, yo, yoE garbage( Trina ( ( ( I be ( ( ( )Terrell shoots Trina a hard stare(* ( ( ( I<m 6ust out here minding my own business( Terrell #irl, if you don<t get over here ( ( ( you trying to ma.e me catch another case ( ( ( whatchu doing his is real life not some ra$ video( "o .noc. off the errell ( ( ( uhh, what you doing hereA Trina errell ( ( ( that<s right( )1eat* Beah ( ( ( I<m his sister, but ain<t nothing little about me, and I can stand on

out here this early in the morningA I wo.e u$ and [Link] in your bed and you was gone( Trina errell ( ( ( I was 6ust ( ( ( )Trina grabs Terrell by the collar and starts to yan, her a+ay( #e reaches in her poc,et and pulls out a plastic bag(* Terrell ;hatchu doingA Trina %othing( Terrell !on<t tell me nothing( Trina I<m ( ( ( I<m ( ( ( Putting in wor.( Terrell Putting in ( ( ( girl if you don<t ( ( ( who gave you thisA Trina %obody( Terrell !on<t tell me nobody, who gave you thisA I dun told you, I don<t want you on this corner( Trina I<m 6ust out here trying to ma.e that money ( ( ( Terrell ( ( ( !id I as. you to ma.e moneyA Trina I<m 6ust trying to be li.e you, man ( ( ( Terrell ( ( ( And I dun told you I don<t want you to be li.e me( hese streets ain<t for you( I ain<t out here [Link] everything so that you be out here doing the same thing ( ( ( I catch you out here again and I<m gon brea. you nec.( Fet<s go( )They e=it as Mother Sto,es ambles in on a cane and ta,es a seat at a small des, do+n stage(* %other Sto&es ;e got these do$e boys on every corner( It was almost twenty years ago ( ( ( I stood there and

watched this one boy .nowed ta.e his last breath( Right on there ( ( ( on dat hard concrete( =e wasn<t no different than the other young buc.s running around here( %o better, no worse ( ( ( And I had feeling for him( Fi.e ( ( ( li.e I got feeling for all the others( I stand at my window, day after day after day and I watch( ;atch this $lace slowly sli$ slide itself into hell( [Link] #od almighty for giving us this $lace, this clean $lace to live( here was a time, when ( ( ( when ( ( ( when we [Link] through the doors of =ilton >alley 'states and [Link] #od that we here was a didn<t have to live in dem rat tra$s down there by the trac.s and near the bridge( to live in the $ro6ects( out there(

time when a body consider his<self downright luc.y to be chosen to live in the >alley ( ( ( luc.y here was a time( )>aughs(* 7an you b<leeve itA Fuc.y( ;as a time that you had to be $[Link], chosen, $ut on a list to have the right to come through them dare gates hat was a long time since $ast( &ac. den, was nothing but [Link] fol., that lived in here( ;hat<en no drugs, what<en no guns or any such nonsense, 6ust fol.s, living and trying to .ee$ the $olice boots outcho hind,uarters( ;as a time that the only fear a body had was outside dem dare gates, was a time that we wus all family ( ( ( there was a time ( ( ( but that time ain<t no more( All we got now is memories of what used to be ( ( ( alls we can do now is hold on to the few crumbs #od dun thought to leave us( I stood there and watched that boy ta.e his last ( ( ( watched the air run out his lungs ( ( ( watched the life drain from his eyes ( ( ( bad do$e they said( oo. it in the veins, [Link] and twisting and dying from that $oison he bought from across town( And if it ain<t the do$e it<s the shooting, did you .now that the number one cause of death for blac. males /0-12 is homicideA !id you .now thatA >incent was a good boy, 6ust Gcaught that fever, got his first taste of 6un. and never [Link] bac.( I stood there and watched him ta.e his last ( ( ( and I $romised ( ( ( #od hel$ me, I $romised that I wasn<t gon never let my babies ( ( ( all my babies, any babies that dun growed u$ out the crac.s of these concrete sidewal.s fall from the cross town do$e( ;asn<t gon ever let them march to their $eace early by [Link] no bad 6un. into dey veins( hat<s why I do what I do( )1an,y enters(* hat<s why I ma.e sure that the a.e it over to drugs dey get is as clean as the $ure driven snow( Huality( And not that $oison( =eaven hel$ me, it<s the least a body could do( &an.y( #et over here( !is here batch is done( the !utchman( )She hands a bag of dope over to 1an,y(* And you bes remind that fool he still owe us for dem red to$s( And ma.e sure he $ay for that fo he even get a sniff of this( ;e ain<t running no charity( And ta.e errell 6ust in case he need a little convincing( 'an&y

Bes ma<am( %other Sto&es #ood boy( %ow git( )1an,y e=its the scene(* Csed to baby sit that boy before he was .nee high to a fire hydrant( #ood boy, very ca$able, him and errell( G&out raised both those boys( >ery ca$able( All we can do is $lay our $art, rightA And ma.e sure things even out end( )"he gets u$(* %ow I got to get, I got bingo in a few minutes( )She begins to e=it(* Bes indeedy, I can<t miss my bingo, no sir( )Mother Sto,es e=its. Terrell and Trina enter from the opposite side of the stage. Terrell has Trina by the collar.* Terrell "it down, withcho dumb butt( )Terrell stands and stares at Trina for several seconds(* Trina #etcho your hands off me ( ( ( Terrell ( ( ( &e ,uiet before you wa.e u$ grandma( Bou .now she sic.( ;hatchu thin. this gon do to her if you dro$ outA "he already got one dro$-out grandchild( %ow you trying to 6oin the stu$id clubA Man they say half of blac. .ids don<t even graduate( Is that what you wantA Trina %o( Terrell I swear you be tri$$in<( Trina I don<t .now what you want me to say( Terrell I want you to say that you gon do what I tell you( ;hatchu out in them streets for, you don<t need no moneyA I give you everything you need( ;hat would mama say if she saw you doing thisA Trina "ame thing she said when you did it( Terrell !on<t give no li$( Trina

Bou a hy$ocrite( Terrell Bou don<t belong out there, you a girl( Trina "e-ist( Terrell hat school teaching you them big words, huhA #ood, Gcause out in this world you gon need Gem( Trina Man, I ain<t trying to here that ( ( ( you out in these streets hustling everyday( Terrell his ain<t about me( Trina Bou always say that ( ( ( Terrell ( ( ( rina ( ( ( you ain<t nothing but a .id, man you ain<t even out of the eight grade yet( I<m a grown man, and I ma.e grown man decisions( Bou 6ust a girl ( ( ( Trina ( ( ( Mother "[Link] don<t thin. that I<m ;ust a girl ( ( ( she thin. that I<m ready get my $layer weight u$, get out and start earning( Terrell I don<t care what Mother "[Link] thin., she don<t ma.e decisions in our house( Trina Bou ain<t my father ( ( ( Terrell ( ( ( And where is heA Is he hereA %aw, when the last time you seen himA )Silence* '-actly( Mama<s dead and our daddy might as well be( I<m the only father you gon get( )Terrell grabs Trina by the collar and pulls her close(* Bou feel meA I said do you feel meA Trina #et off me, get off me( )Trina pulls a+ay(* Terrell

#o get ready for school( I ain<t ate [Link](

he bus is on the way( Trina Terrell

;ell, maybe ne-t time you will be worried about eating instead of standing on that bloc. li.e a fool( Bou a female and you need to stay in a female<s $lace( Trina I hate you( Terrell #ood, I hate you too( )Trina storms off$ as Terrell considers +hat she has ;ust said.* rina ( ( ( rina ( ( ( I didn<t mean ( ( ( )Terrell briefly follo+s Trina as she e=its to the other side of the stage parallel to Terrell(* ( ( ( )Terrell addresses the audience directly(* Man, I swear, sometimes it<s easier to be on the bloc.( )1eat* It<s li.e I watch life through a dirty glass or something, I bob and weave and ta.e the $unches as they come( I ain<t never been nothing but $oor( My whole life, my mama died that way ( ( ( and I swore, I swore, that wasn<t gon ever be me ( ( ( Trina ( ( ( "ee ( ( ( this isn<t how I thought it was gonna be( I miss her( My grandma is a good grandma, but I ( ( ( I ( ( ( miss my mama ( ( ( sometime, when I li.e wa.e u$, I swear that I forget that she is even gone ( ( ( it<s li.e for those few seconds ( ( ( in that one moment ( ( ( it<s li.e she<s still here and everything, for 6ust a second, is li.e it use to be ( ( ( Terrell ( ( ( "he 6ust don<t understand how it is on these street( Man it<s cra+y( ;hat I loo. li.e, you thin. that I<m gon end u$ in some $a$er hat [Link] at Mc!onalds ( ( ( hell naw, I<m gon ma.e my money( And I watched my mama, struggling, 6uggling two 6obs and two .ids and I say to myself ( ( ( Trina ( ( ( It<s not gon be me( I<m not going to 6ail( I<m not stu$id, I<m gon do something with myself( I was 6ust trying to ( ( ( you get some money flowing( =ow is gonna tell me what I can and can<t do ( ( ( Terrell

( ( ( rue, I .now that I ain<t living right( I .now how it sound me telling her not to do it( &ut( I mean it<s my 6ob right ( ( ( it<s my 6ob( I<m s$ose to tell her fat head what she s$ose to do( RightA RightA Trina and Terrell his ain<t the way it s$ose to be( )Trina e=its ?uic,ly(* Terrell rina ( ( ( rina ( ( ( damn( )1eat* All this mess we be facing, made me get out in these streets and start $a$er chasing( I mean I ain<t stu$id ( ( ( I .now I ain<t living right( &ut I ain<t smart li.e rina, you .now what I<m sayingA I don<t got them school boo. [Link]( ;hat am I su$$ose to doA I don<t got no o$tions man, I came u$ in the hood( I gotta be out here li.e that( #ot to( I get it in, and that<s what<s u$( I can<t leave no money on the floor( I hustle so my little sister don<t have too( Bou see what I<m sayingA )Moves closer to the audience(* Bou see what I<m sayingA )1eat* B<all don<t feel me( Bou 6udging me( Bou ( ( ( thin. I<m a fool( I .now it, I .now it, I see it in your eyes( I do his ain<t the old days, bell bottoms and afros( his is real life( .[Link] on $avement, gun smo.e in the air( I gotta ( ( ( you .now, shoot my regular( #otta scra$e that money off the ground, s,uee+e it out the streets, one $enny at a time( I .now that my cloc. is [Link]( I .now that out there, somewhere,

here is $robably a bullet ( ( ( a bullet with my name it ( ( ( I 6ust don<t, don<t .now how to get out the game )1an,y enters(* 'an&y Bou .now that they<ll loc. a dude u$ for [Link] to himself li.e that( Terrell "hut u$ man( 'an&y Bou [Link] or somethingA I done told, to 6ust sell this stuff, who you [Link] toA Terrell =ere you come roasting( )1an,y@s phone rings and he ans+ers it(* 'an&y I ain<t trying to hear all that( I gotta eat too( Flat out( #et me my money, tomorrow( )1an,y hangs up his cell phone(* #o where, &[Link] 'an&y Mother "[Link] want us to ma.e a visit on your dude( Terrell =e still messing u$ on that moneyA 'an&y Bou .now it( Terrell ;ell, at least you can let a brother get his [Link] on( 'an&y &[Link]( Terrell Beah man, a dude need a balanced meal to start off his day of hustling( )Terrell grabs a bo= of cereal and pours a bo+l and starts eating(* 'an&y !ang, 6ust gon eat in my face li.e thatA Bou got some Frosted [Link] Terrell errell, is you ready to go or whatA Terrell

%aw, I got some 7heerios though, got all them nutrients and vitamins and stuff( 'an&y 7herriosA Bou ain<t got no sausages u$ in here for a brotherA Terrell rying to lay off that swineA 'an&y Bou cra+y( Terrell Bou .now what the number one thing that .ills blac. [Link] 'an&y Chhh ( ( ( not having Mother "[Link] money on timeA Terrell %o, heart disease( All that $or. and salt fool( 'an&y Awww ( ( ( loo. at Mr( Muslim over here( )Terrell points over to the refrigerator to a bo= of %heerios. 1an,y gets up and grabs the bo= of %heerios and sits bac, do+n.* 'an&y &owlA Terrell ;hat I loo. li.e, you .now where they atA )1an,y grabs a bo+l and ma,es a bo+l of cereal. The t+o eat cereal.* 'an&y #otta get out in these streets and get this off( Ain<t li.e Mother "[Link] gon wait for long( Terrell %aw, she ain<t much for waiting is sheA 'an&y %o$e( Terrell &y the way man I might need to borrow some money from you ( ( ( I .inda messed my money u$ the other day ( ( ( I might need to get my hands on a few hundred for a wee. or two( 'an&y

A cou$le hundredA For a wee. or two ( ( ( naw I can<t do it( Terrell Bou can<t do itA Bou 6ust got off a $[Link] 'an&y Beah, but I gotta re-u$ ( ( ( if I give you a cou$le of hundred, it<s throw my situation off( Bou my dude, you .now we go bac. to Kindergarten, but business is business( Bou .now how it is man, the game don<t love nobody( Terrell han.s man( 'an&y 7ome on don<t be li.e that( I<m out here 6ust trying to ma.e it ha$$en li.e everybody else( Terrell I feel you( )1eat* ;hatA Terrell For that bowl of 7herrios( Ain<t nothing free in this world, &an.y( Fi.e you said( don<t love nobody( 'an&y Is you .iddingA Terrell Fi.e a wise man once said, business is business( %ow hand it over( )Terrell stic,s his hand out(* 'an&y Man ( ( ( )1an,y reaches into his poc,et and produces t+o dollars and lays it in Terrell@s hand +ho ?uic,ly poc,ets the bills(* Terrell I/(58 for a re-fill( 'an&y Bou suc.( ;hatchu need money for any way, you 6ust re-ed u$A In a wee. or so yo $[Link] gon be bulging( Terrell he game wo dollars( 'an&y

I<m [Link] about o$ening u$ a ban. account for rina ( ( ( 'an&y ( ( ( "he a smart girl( Terrell 7an I as. you somethingA 'an&y ;hatA Terrell I was out on the bloc. this morning( 'an&y On the bloc.A Terrell Beah on the bloc.( 'an&y !oing whatA Terrell "elling girl scout [Link], whatchu thin.A 'an&y [Link], whatA Terrell !id youA 'an&y !id I whatA Terrell !id you let her hold somethingA 'an&y Is that a [Link] Terrell a.e a good loo. at my face and tell me if I<m [Link]( 'an&y I loo. li.e wanna go ten rounds with youA Fife too short( I didn<t give her nothing(

Terrell And that<s the truthA 'an&y 7<mon man, loo. around, she could<ve gotten that stuff anywhere( "he could have gotten $ut on by a thousand cats( =ell, while you [Link] me, you to be [Link] yo own stash( Terrell Beah, I guess( )Trina enters +ith a boo, bag(* 'an&y ;hat<s u$ youngsterA Trina =ey man( Terrell ;e gon finish that conversation later and you better have yo butt home at 4J48$m, #randma gon be waiting for you and I<m gon ma.e it my business to call to ma.e sure you there( Trina I might be going over Marc<s house after school( Terrell )Terrell simulates the noise of a game sho+ buAAer(* ;rong answer( I want you home( Trina ;hyA Terrell G7ause I said, I don<t trust that little snea.y dude( If you roll u$ in here $regnant I<m gone sna$ it in two( Trina =e is not my boyfriend I 6ust study with him( Terrell And I said no( #et yo<self home, eat yo lunch and do your homewor. till I get home( #ot itA )Silence* #ot itA Trina Beah( Terrell

#ood( %ow get out of here( )Trina begins to e=it(* And rina ( ( ( )Trina stops and turns around(* ( ( ( =ere( )Terrell thro+s her a piece of fruit(* 'an&y hat<s fifty cents( Trina ;hat<s thisA 'an&y A young dude need his nutrients out in this $iece, don<tchu .now thatA )Trina starts eating the fruit as she storms off. The scene fades to blac,.*

MO>'M'%

;O Principal (aters

?Trina is sitting at a des, and she is +riting ?uietly. &rincipal 3aters +al,s up to her(@ I hear that someone is having a bad day( Trina I guess( Principal (aters Bou guess( Bou must be having a bad day, Ms( Kittridge made you come in here by yourself to wor.( he way I hear it, you were fla$$ing those li$s of yours again, getting smart, disres$ecting Trina Beah( Principal (aters Beah( And why is thatA Ms( Kittridge(

Trina I don<t .now( Principal (aters ;ell, If you don<t .now then nobody .nows( Trina I don<t .now what you want me to say( Principal (aters =ow long have I .nown youA =ad your brother ( ( ( watched you begin to grow into a young lady( I .now you been struggling since your mom $assed( I .now it<s been tough( Trina Bou don<t .now anything( Principal (aters &ecause no one understandsA Trina I didn<t say that( Principal (aters !o you .now that when I was a young girl, barely older than you, that I lost my father( Trina ReallyA Principal (aters Bes( Trina =ow did he dieA Principal (aters !oesn<t matter, really( &ut, what matters is that I didn<t ta.e it well ( ( ( started feeling sorry for myself and did things that I ( ( ( that I regretted( Trina Fi.e whatA Principal (aters %ow do you thin. there is anyway in the world I would ever tell you thatA Trina

%o$e, but it was worth a shot( Principal (aters &ut I was luc.y( ;hen I came u$ it wasn<t as much out here( A child could ma.e a mista.e or two and live to tal. about it( Trina %ot li.e anymore( Principal (aters %o( It isn<t( ;e both .now that( &eing a .id today is tough( It<s not easy( Bou don<t have the same amount of room that you use to have( %ot all .ids are able to wal. away from those [Link], so you guys have to be smarter( Bou have to say to yourself, if I do this, what ha$$ens nowA ;here does it leadA Trina ;e got into a fight( Principal (aters ;hoA Trina Me and errell( Principal (aters ;hy is thatA Trina I did something( Principal (aters !id somthingA Trina !id something stu$id( Principal (aters =mmmm ( ( ( can it be fi-ed( Trina I don<t .now( Principal (aters

Bou wanna tal. about itA Trina %o( Principal (aters [Link]( &ut maybe later we can tal. about it( Trina Beah( Maybe( Principal (aters At this $oint in your life we have to ma.e good decisions, $ull away from the nonsense( Trina My $roblem is not that easy solve( It<s tough out here Ms( ;aters( Principal (aters I .now, rina( I<m not going to give you an after school s$eech( I grew u$ right down the street ( ( ( I .now how it goes( I .now it can get tough ( ( ( and I don<t have any easy answers because there aren<t any( ;hat I can tell you is what my grandmother told me( It<s not about where you are, its about who you are( Bou can ta.e a rose and sit it in a garbage dum$, but it<s still a rose( And that<s what you have to decided, what we all have to decide at some $oint( ;ho are youA ;ho do you want to beA Once you decide that nothing else matters( Trina BeahA Principal (aters Beah(( And when yo need me ( ( ( to tal. ( ( ( about your $roblem( I will be here( Bou .now that rightA Trina Bes ma<m( )&rincipal 3aters gets up to e=it(* Principal (aters ;ell, until then you got detention for a month( Trina Princi$al ;aters ( ( ( Principal (aters

( ( ( ;hatchu thought I went softA Fi.e you .ids love to say some much, don<t get it twisted, you still have to $ay for being disru$tive in class( Trina Bes ma<am( Principal (aters If you act li.e you got some sense maybe, I will consider slice a few days off of that( %ow gather your things and go bac. to class and act li.e the bright girl you always been( Trina Bes ma<am( )&rincipal 3aters begins to e=it(* Princi$al ;aters( Principal (aters Bes rinaA Trina My mother use to wear her li.e that sometime( Principal (aters ReallyA Trina Bes( I li.e it( I li.e it a lot( )&rincipal 3aters smiles and then e=its the room. Trina stands there and ponders for a moment and then follo+s after Trina(*

MO>'M'%

=R''

?Terrell is sitting on a crate in the dar,ness a blin,ing light shines on half of his face from the right. Bn the other half of the stage$ Trina is doing his home+or,.@ Terrell he red and blue light s$inning s$inning sto$ heard the echo the gunshot somebody fell never to get u$ again see, that<s how we do heard a rumor it was somebody I .new somebody what was once

but ain<t no more his is the way we $lay the game everybody guilty so nobody to blame I swear I<m tired now li.e I<m running and can<t never sto$ fighting for every inch 6ust to .ee$ what I got( hem sirens s$inning s$inning got me turned going in circles he late night gun fights I<m tired now I mean it this time I ain<t 6ust saying that I<m tired gotta do something else &ut whatA C$ to my nec. in the game I gotta live I gotta eat his is my world

his is what I come from Peo$le don<t .now me 7an<t see me And can<t be me hey mista.e what it<s about All they see is the s$[Link] and shine he bling, on my nec. hey don<t .now( [Link] onA Trina Algebra Terrell Algebra( My head hurt 6ust [Link] about it( Terrell Beah( Trina =ow long have you been sitting there watching meA Terrell %ot long( I was 6ust [Link] for grandma( Trina "he slee$, she wasn<t feeling well( ;hatchu doing hereA It<s barely 9 o cloc., since when you get in that earlyA "houldn<t you be out there grindingA Terrell I guess Trina hen what you here forA Terrell I can<t come see about my little sisterA Trina I guess( Terrell hey 6ust don<t .now( )Terrell gets up and +al,s over to Trina(* ;hatchu

=ow was schoolA Trina [Link]( Terrell ;hatA Trina %othing, it was fine( Terrell Bou thin. I don<t .now my own sisterA ;hat ha$$ened( Trina I .inda got in trouble( Terrell rouble howA Trina I got into it with Ms( Kittridge( Terrell =ow many times I got to tell you not to ( ( ( Trina ( ( ( Bou don<t have to give me the s$eech( Princi$al ;aters already beat you to it( Terrell Princi$al ;aters, man she still [Link] the hallsA Trina 'veryday( Terrell Man, I use to s$end my time in her office than homeroom( "he was good $eo$le though( Trina Beah( I .now( Terrell Fet me guess detentionA Trina For a month(

Terrell Beah that was ;aters( "he use to hand it out li.e candy( ;ell, that<s what you get for acting u$( Trina han.s( Terrell Bou 6ust ma.e sure you stay in them boo.s( Trina Beah( Terrell Bou hear meA Trina Bou .now what I thin.A Terrell %aw, what do you thin.A Trina I thin. you 6ust want to be the only one [Link] some money around here( Terrell hen you not as smart as I thin.( Bou thin. I care about thatA Trina hen why you always on my bac. ( ( ( I was 6ust trying to do how you do( Ma.e a little something ( ( ( hel$ out a little( Terrell I don<t want you to do how I do( Bou smart, you got good grades, it ain<t nothing out there( Trina hen why you out thereA Terrell I ain<t as smart as you ( ( ( I<m a felon, I got a number( Trina "oA Terrell

o be honest sometimes I don<t .now( &ut what I do .now is that it ain<t for you( )>ong beat* I gotta to as. you something( Trina ;hatA Terrell ;ho was it that gave you that stuffA Trina !oes it matterA Terrell Beah, I thin. it do( Trina Kust leave it alone( Terrell =ow about you let me decide what I<m gon leave alone, who gave it to you( I said who gave it to you( Trina Bour boss [Link] ( ( ( Mother "[Link] gave it to me( )1eat* And by the way I owe her now, since you too. it from me( Terrell Mother "[Link] Trina Bes( Terrell "he gave it too youA Trina Bes( And she want me to wor. for her( ;hat am I su$$ose to tell her, noA Terrell )Terrell pounds his hand on the table(* [Link] ( ( ( I<m gon ta.e care of this( Trina And what about her money ( ( ( Terrell

Forget about it( I<m gonna handle it( Kee$ [Link] on your homewor.( Trina 7an I come with youA Terrell %o, I got this( Trina &ut ( ( ( Terrell ( ( ( I said no ( ( ( now don<t ma.e me tell you again( )Terrell stands up(* I gotta go( Trina errell, we can ( ( ( Terrell ( ( ( I got it( I got it( )Terrell gives Trina a hug(* I .now I don<t say this enough( &ut I love you( Trina I .now( )1eat* Maybe we could tell grandma ( ( ( maybe she could ( ( ( Terrell )Terrell laughs* ( ( ( #randma is a good woman, and I<m glad that she loo. after you when she can, but naw, I thin. I<m do this myself( Trina errellA Terrell BeahA Trina !o you ( ( ( do you ever miss herA Terrell MamaA Trina Beah( Terrell )&ause* 'veryday of my life( )Terrell e=it(*

MO>'M'% FOCR ?The scene opens and Mother Sto,es is sitting at the table and is counting money. Terrell enters.@ Terrell Chh ( ( ( MotherA %other Sto&es ;ait a minute, suga( )She can be heard ?uietly counting to herself(* %ow, what can I do you for baby( Terrell =ow you doing today MotherA %other Sto&es I<m fair for a s,uare I s$ose, what do you need boy, time is money honey( Terrell I need to tal. to you about something( %other Sto&es Bessum( Terrell It<s about rina( %other Sto&es Bessss ( ( ( she<s a good girl( I li.e her, she gon do big things out here( #row u$ strong( Fi.e me( Terrell I agree ( ( ( &ut uhhh ( ( ( well, I heard you uhhh, gave her one of our little Dstarter .its(E %other Sto&es here we go, all finished(

Beah, I let her hold something( It was about time don<tcha thin.A I<m sur$rised you didn<t get her out here earning her .ee$( Terrell hat<s 6ust the thing Mother ( ( ( I don<t want her ( ( ( you .now, in the game( %other Sto&es I don<t understand( Terrell I don<t want her doing this( %other Sto&es And I don<t want dis here arthritis( &ut it is what it is( Terrell I don<t want my little sister going through what I go through( %other Sto&es ;hatchu go through, whatchu go through ( ( ( li.e whatA [Link] money, getting $aidA Is that what you meanA Terrell It<s 6ust too dangerous out here for ( ( ( %other Sto&es ( ( ( It<s her turn( Bou want her out here with flat $[Link] I<m trying to hel$ her, teach her( Terrell each her whatA %other Sto&es he same thing I taught you young buc., how to ma.e something outcho self( Terrell "he<s smart( %other Sto&es I .now, that<s why we need her( ;e got too many fools [Link] for us as it is( Terrell rina got good grades, she can be something, she better then this( %other Sto&es &etter than this ( ( ( or do you mean, better than meA

Terrell hat<s not what I meant( %other Sto&es [Link], then baby, what do you meanA Terrell I 6ust mean that ( ( ( that rina is, I don<t .now, she s$ecial( "he got something in her that, I don<t .now ( ( ( she ain<t made for these streets( %other Sto&es hat<s e-actly why we gots to school her ( ( ( Terrell ( ( ( %o ( ( ( %other Sto&es ( ( ( %oA Bou saying no to old Mother "[Link] Terrell ( ( ( Mother ( ( ( %other Sto&es ( ( ( Bou saying no to the same somebody that brought you into the gameA [Link] for meA Terrell For longer than I could remember( %other Sto&es And what usually ha$$en to $eo$le who say no to meA Terrell I ( ( ( uhhh ( ( ( I ( ( ( %other Sto&es )Mother Sto,es bangs her cane(* ( ( ( ;hat ha$$ensA Terrell I .now what ha$$ens( %other Sto&es !o youA Or have you forgot( o the somebody that was li.e a mother to you when yo mammy diedA Bou saying no to meA =ow long you done

Terrell I ain<t forgot( "omeone say no and 7arlos, or &ang or "[Link] $ay Gem a little visit( %other Sto&es '-actly( %ow what I want you doing is out on dem streets [Link] my runs, $[Link] u$ my money and $ushing my $roduct( Bou leave the figuring and [Link] to Mother, and sto$ [Link] for things I can<t give you( Terrell I ain<t [Link]( %other Sto&es )She laughs(* &oy who you [Link] toA I ma.e a call and that house of yours blows u$, you, your little sister and your grandma all blowed to $ieces( Bou thin. she been sic. now, wait till her house fall on her( I don<t cotton to being told what to do, boy( Terrell Fi.e, I said I ain<t [Link]( Or whatA Terrell Or maybe ( ( ( I don<t .now maybe the co$s get a call ( ( ( about this little old lady that su$$lying half the drug dealer in the $ro6ects( Maybe they get a call( Bou feel meA %other Sto&es )>ong$ long beat(* %ow calm down, no call to start [Link] cra+y( Terrell 7ra+y is you s$ending whatever time you got left rotting in a cell( Bou feel meA %other Sto&es I do( )>ong beat* Terrell Foo., I don<t want to get into no beef with ( ( ( %other Sto&es ( ( ( I gets it baby( Old Mother is hard-headed sometimes is all, but I get it( %o need for us to get cross over one little bloc. boy, rightA ;e go bac. way too far for that mess( I<ll let everybody .now( rina is out ( ( ( and rina is out the game( %other Sto&es his thing ain<t your call(

Terrell han. you( %other Sto&es %o, $roblem baby, when you right, you right( %ow go get my money, honey( will be waiting for you( Terrell And I .now that you fronted rina, I<m gon get that off and get you yo money on that( %other Sto&es !on<tchu worry about that errell( ;henever( ;henever( Terrell I really a$$reciate this Mother( %other Sto&es %o $roblem baby, now send in &an.y on your way out( )Terrell e=its. 2 fe+ moments later 1an,y enters.* 'an&y Beah, Mother "[Link]( %other Sto&es I li.e the wor. you been doing lately( &een showing that you a solider( It<s time to ste$ u$, move u$, you .now what I meanA 'an&y Beah, I guess( %other Sto&es Mother got a 6ob for you( It<s gon be tough on ya, but in this world, we gotta do what we gotta do, right babyA 'an&y 'r ( ( ( right( "o uhhh ( ( ( what do you want me to doA )Mother Sto,es smiles a sinister smile as the lights fade to blac,(* he !utchman

MO>'M'% FI>' ?Terrell is sitting at a table. Trina enters.@ Terrell &een waiting for youA Trina ;aiting for me for whatA Bou about to give me another lectureA Terrell %aw, ain<t li.e you ever listen anyway( Trina I ain<t be on the corner man, I been 6ust chilling( Terrell his ain<t about that( Trina ;hat<s u$A Terrell I want to give you something( Trina Bou got that I-Pod I been [Link] you aboutA Terrell %aw, this something else( )Terrell hands Trina a date boo,(* Trina ;hat<s thisA Terrell It<s a ban. boo.( Trina A ban. boo.A Terrell Beah, remember how be [Link] about you going to college, maybe =oward or one of dem big time ty$e schoolsA Terrell

;ell, I $ut a little something away in it( Trina 7ollege, man that<s years away( I ain<t even in high school yet( Terrell &elieve me when I tell you( It goes li.e that( )Terrell snaps his fingers(* One day you gon loo. u$ and you gon be a grown woman( I want you to .ee$ the boo.( And every time you get a little $iece of change I want you to $ut some of it in your account( Bou feel meA Trina I guess( Terrell Man, I<m serious ( ( ( this im$ortant( Trina [Link]( Terrell his is im$ortant( Trina [Link], [Link] ( ( ( calm down( Bou act li.e you dying of cancer or something( Terrell %aw, but it<s time I start trying to do the right thing( I can<t .ee$ doing what I<m doing( %ow ta.e that and $ut it somewhere safe( Trina Alright( Terrell And you going to collegeA Trina Beah, yeah( For sure( I gotta bounce Marc waiting for me at the court( Terrell 7ool( )Trina e=its ?uic,ly the lights fade to blac,.*

MO>'M'% "IL

?1an,y is standing and loo,ing at his +atch and +aiting. Terrell enters.@ 'an&y !ude you late, I been waiting here for twenty minutes( Terrell "orry, man( I had to tal. to my sister about something( ;hat in the hell are we doing meeting in alley any way( It stan. around here( ;ho we meeting hereA 'an&y Kust $[Link] u$ something is all( It won<t be long( )Terrell fades for+ard to the edge of the audience(* Terrell ;hatever ( ( ( I need to tal. to you anyway man( Foo., I .now we started this whole thing together, but, I don<t .now man( It<s starting to get to me( I gotta ma.e some .inda move( I can<t do this no more( I<m [Link] ( ( ( you .now that maybe I might, I don<t .now, li.e go bac. to school or something( Bou .now get my di$loma and maybe li.e go to community college and get a degree or something( Bou .now what I meanA I mean it ain<t li.e I<m fifty( I mean I<m still young, you .nowA I mean maybe I could I don<t .now ( ( ( )Terrell is facing the audience but hears a clic,. #e does not turn around(* &an.y ( ( ( 'an&y ( ( (BeahA Terrell ;hy you $ointing a gun at meA Terrell &[Link] 'an&y I thin. you .nowA Terrell Bou ain<t gon do thisA 'an&y ;hat did you thin. she was gon doA Bou thought was gon let that rideA Are you cra+yA Terrell Bou ain<t gon do this ( ( ( we been friend since we was babies( Bou ain<t gon do this(

'an&y ( ( ( errell how many times have I told you ( ( ( how many timesA nothing( Bou always gotta loo. out for number one( Terrell "o you $romised to .ill meA 'an&y Bou .now what it is( Terrell I don<t, $lease tell me what it is( 'an&y It<s the game, errell( =ow many times I dun told you, the game don<t love nobody( ) errell turns ,[Link](* Terrell !on<t ( ( ( )The lights fade to blac, as the gun fires$ the lights come bac, up ?uic,ly and Terrell is on his ,nees. 1an,y fires again. Terrell falls over dead(* 'an&y old you before man, the game ( ( ( the game don<t love nobody( )The lights come up on stage( 1an,y stands over Terrell for a moment then e=its.* he streets don<t forgive

MO>'M'% "'>'% ?The spotlight comes up and 1an,y is sitting on a crate and he is counting money. Trina enters(@

'an&y =ow you doingA Trina =ow you thin. I<m doingA 'an&y Beah( Trina =e was li.e your brother tooA 'an&y I .now( Trina ;e can<t let her get away with this( 'an&y Fet whoA Trina Bou .now she did this( 'an&y I don<t .now nothing ( ( ( and you don<t .now nothing( "tay out of this( Trina "he had my brother .illed( 'an&y And what do you suggest we doA Trina #o after her ( ( ( she ( ( ( she murdered my brother( =ad Gem gunned down li.e a dog in the street( I can<t let that go( =e was all I had( 'an&y I .now( Trina "he can<t get away with this( 'an&y

Is you cra+yA Bou gotta let it go( I had love for him too, but you gotta chal. it u$ to the game and move on( hat<s what he would want( Trina %o( I can<t let it go( )1eat* I need your hel$( 'an&y My hel$A Trina Bes( 'an&y Instead of my hel$, why don<t you ta.e my advice( "tay out these streets( Bour brother said it to me all the time( &ut I never listened( Trina I need a gun( 'an&y Bou need a degree( Ain<t no $roblem a gun gon hel$ you solve( Trina I need a gun( 'an&y Kust li.e your brother ( ( ( hard-headed( Trina &an.y I need a gun( 'an&y [Link] ( ( ( every man gotta ma.e his own choice in the end( )1an,y reaches into his poc,et and pulls out a gun. #e lays it on the table.* =ere( )Trina ta,es it$ crac,s the barrel and loo,s into the chamber.* It<s loaded( )Trina lays it bac, on the table(* Trina #ood, Gcause I gotta re$resent for errell( 'an&y I agree( ;hen you get that college degree, you gon be re$resenting $lenty( Trina han.s(

'an&y hat<s what errell wanted for you ( ( ( that<s what I want too( )1an,y e=its. Trina stands on stage and loo,s at the gun. Trina +al,s a+ay from the gun and addresses the audience directly.* I am his sister I .ee$ real I do my 6ob I remember him in snatches and flashes his face his smile his smell I tell the tales of all that silly stuff he use to do I .now he gone be with me forever "ome where buried dee$ inside where no one can get at this tear is for him he did not .now he couldn<t see how beautiful he was he fell aslee$ on the train trac.s rumbling right at him couldn<t hear it couldn<t hear it couldn<t hear it and he never wo.e u$ he<s gone now ( ( ( and I feel it feel it building feel it bubbling u$ in me feel it rising rising in me his dreams my dreams I<m rising ( ( ( I<m different now changing changing "omehow I got out of high school and got Ms( ;aters hel$ed me into college ( ( ( I mean, I had my bum$s in the road, and I didn<t end u$ at =oward li.e I thought, ended u$ at ;ayne "tate

instead( My first year of college, financial aid ( ( ( it<s hard wor.( And you .now what ( ( ( that little old ban. account my brother o$ened hel$ed out( &an.y sends me a little something every month( "o I manage, you .now( &ut there are no ha$$y endings( here are no fairy tales, 6ust hard wor. and even harder decisions( "ee my brother bought into all the hy$e ( ( ( he believed all that nonsense that you we see on the television screens ( ( ( yeah they<ll tell you that one and three blac. males is or has been involved in the 6ustice system, but what they don<t tell you is that at any given time there are more blac. males in college then in $risonM in fact, twice as many( he news$a$ers don<t tell us that( !on<t tell you that blac. .ids go to college all the time( )ava rina ( ( ( you readyA It<s time to go girl( Trina Beah, baby( I<m ready to go )ava 7ome on we gon be late for the game ( ( ( I hear !evon is gon be there( )Dava grabs Trina@s hand and starts dragging her off stage(* Trina I guess I<ll catch y<all on the rebound( )The lights fade to blac,(* FI%( &ut that<s [Link], because I<m living $roof of it( Bou understandA )Dava enters(*