Mison yeelte (41S )250- SYZ2_ mT SORDID gy LIVES A Comedy in Four Chapters by DEL SHORES Song “SORDID LIVES" by Margot Rose & Beverly Nero & SAMUEL ® FRENCH New York Hollywood London Toronto SAMUELFRENCH.COMjn accordance with your producing ci ing quotation and a perform: i performances intended, dates of admission fee. Licensing F formance of the play to Sa ine sscula empha is Iai on sings permisuon an terms for whi {ros ths book in whole orn and ite ght of performance i nt transfe entre he pay peda the sinngement vith Same! French, ie ‘Die authorship credit rust be given 0” advertising for the pay ISBN. 9780.579-05 21435, [No one shall commit or authorize any actor omission by which the copy right of | {0 copyriht, this play be impaired. [No one shall make any changes in tis play for the purpose of production Publication ofthis play does not imply availability for performance. Both ‘amateurs and professionals considering a production are stray advised in ietests 10 apply to Samuel Freneh, Ine. for written permission rehearsals, alvensing, or booking a theatre, nat of this book may be reproduced, stored ina rivals ‘ay form, by any means, now known of yet to ing, recording, videotpi ‘otherwise, without the prior writen permission of the publisher IMPORTANT BILLING AND CREDIT REQUIREMENTS ing the Play and/or a production. The name of the Author ¢ on which no other name appears, and must appear in size of type not less than fifty percent the size of the title type. ‘This edition includes a new appendix where Del Shores has added the character “Juanita” from the film version.eee eee Hollywood, California, May }996. It was directed by Del Shores; re ae ee ee ee ducers were John Hagen and Philece Sampler; the production stage aad ral belay inlre ee TY WILLIAMSON., SISSY HICKEY. NOLETA NETHERCOTT. LATRELLE WILLIAMSON... REV, BARNES... Also appet (Brother Boy). “Coming Home”, “In Shores, Tyler Hansen, Chi Al hymns public domain. (Uneloudy Da ‘he Sweet By and By” and st ABTA THE CAST BITSY MAE HARLING—the guitar playing ex-con singer. TY WILLIAMSON—27, a beautiful gay man on a joumey. SISSY HICKEY—mid 50°s, the caretaker who picked the wrong day to quit smoking, ‘NOLETA NETHERCOTT—early 40’s the angry overweight betrayed housewife. LATRELLE WILLIAMSON—early 50's, Ty’s uptight, proper ‘mother. LA VONDA DUPREB—Iate 40's, Latrelle's liberal-minded worldly sister. GW, NETERCOTT—late 40’s, the distraught legless Vietnam Vet. WARDELL “BUBBA” OWENS—Iate 40's, the former gay-bash- ing remorseful bartender. ODELL OWENS—amid 40°s, Wardell’s worthless story-t brother. DR. EVE BOLINGER—late 40's, the over-sexed pill alchoholie therapist. EARL “BROTHER BOY” INGRAM—late 40°s, the Tammy ‘Wynette obsessed transvestite REV. BARNES—the Souther Baptist preacher. (Author's sugges- tion is to double cast with the actor who plays ODELL.) Popping,‘THE SETTINGS CHAPTER ONENicotine Fit—Sissy’s living room, Winters, TX. CHAPTER TWO—Two Wooden Legs—The local bar, Winters, TX. CHAPTER THREE—The Dehomosewualization of Brother Boy— A therapist’s office, Mental Institution, Big Spring, TX. CHAPTER FOUR—All Laid Out (In a Mink Stole)Southside Baptist Church, Winters, TX. ‘All Chapters begin with Ty’s therapy sessions, New York, NY THE TIME July 24th & 25th, 1998 AUTHOR'S NOTE: These people are real. Don’t play them as ear- lease. Each chapter may be pulled out and produced as a I have to pay roy: FOR Newell & Rosemary Rebecca & Caroline For their unconditional love and acceptance CHAPTER ONE Nicotine Fit (In the darkness, we hear a guitar strum. A s we hear a guitar spot hits BITSY MAE HARLING who is standing downstage left infront of a mike. ‘She gives the audience a look, then sings.) BITSY, (Slow country rhythm.) “Who's to judge who's a Saint and who's a sinner? ‘ough enuf to trudge from brunch to dinner, We seek the light of truth between our white lies, And sleep away our youth under tattle-tale (Picks up tempo.) n love and who you cain’? ’s easy for the pot to call the ke Jealous of the hot’n lusty ich sortin’ out our sordid lives? when you come to8 SORDID LIVES 's a bitch sortin’ out our sordid lives! in? th, \We struggle comin’ down the shoot to take our first breat hen Wes .ce from birth to deat! He ain’t got time to give a the sheets. Ain’t ita bitch sortin’ out our sordid lives? When you come to realize, Crack yerself a box of Cracker Jack You could get a really shitty prize! ‘bitch sortin’ out our sory little sordid lives!” (Blackout) (in the darkness, BITSY moves the mike and exits. Dim lights come up only on TY, late 20, movie star good looks, 1g on a chair downstage center. He talks 10 his therapist [ihe audience],) TY. You're my pwenty-seventh therapist in three years. (Searching.) Where to stat..2 I'm from the South. Texas actually. 1 was raised rigid Southem Baptist. I'm an actor, And I'm gay. ‘Now you know why I've needed twenty-seven therapists past three years. (Pause,) | always hate... okay... et’s see. Obit I had ‘a dream last night. [know you guys love dreams. Itwas about Ruth Buzzi, From “Laugh-In.” When 1 was a little bo allowed to watch “Laugh-In.” “Too vulgar and risqué used fo say. But one summer, I spent three weeks LaVonda and she it three Mondays in a row. I felt so SORDID LIVES 9 01 she swore me to secrecy. “What ya Mama don’t know won't hurt her, but if ya Mar revruns. It did not date well. So anyway, Ruth Buzzi was pl that old prude on the park bench, you know, in my’ dream. And Artie Johnson was there. And she got all offended and started hit- ting him on the head with her purse. Then, it went all weird. Ruth's ‘wig fell off and she was a man. Then she stopped beating on Artie ‘and they looked at each other. Longingly. Then they started kissing and ripping at each other’s clothes. And Ruth had falsies on and Artie just tore “em off. And she was this man! With a beautiful body—incredible pecs and a ripped stomach...great ass, Kinda 's face. And the T woke up with 2 hard on, totally tumed on by Ruth Buzzi’s old prude woman as a man. (Pause,) What do you think that ights fade to black.) SISSY. (In blackow.) Well, I tell you one thang. I sure as hell woundn’ smoking if I'da known Sister was gonna die. (Full lights come up and we are in the tackily decorated living room/dining area of SISSY HICKEY'S house. TY’ chair has10 SORDID LIVES ‘moved and is now part of the decor which includes a couch, downstage, “TY” chair next to it, left of the couch. Cemter stage, left, « telephone table sits. A dining room table is fur- ther upstage, right. SISSY, mid 50's, és talking on the phone while cleaning up. She has one of those long telephone cords that she expertly tosses and pulls around as she scurries about. The dining table is full of covered dishes, all shapes ‘and sizes,) SISSY. Three days now and I'm just about to die myself. Hold ‘on. (She pulls on a rubber band that she's wearing on her arm and ‘pops herself with it) Ouch! (Listens.) Oh nothing, (Pause.) We ‘you must know, it’s a little quit smokin’ therapy that Roger over at the Beehive shared with me while he was backcombing my hair. He paid two thousand dollars a this clinic over in Snyder and they give him a rubber band. Told him to pop his arm with it ever’ time he wanted a cigarette. Sat there for a week with a buncha other P thang and watchin’ the television Listens.) Chorus git kicks, huh?! This month’s issue? ve got it here somewhere. (There is a knock at the door) ‘Vera, | gotta go, Somebody else is atthe door. (Looks out window.) 's Noleta Nethercott ‘you back. (She hangs up and goes to the door) Woohoo. NOLETA. (0.S.) Woohoo. SISSY. Woohoo. (Opens door) Hello, Noleta. Come on in. (NOLETA NETHERCOTT, prety; overweight and distraught, hhands SISSY a tuna casserole as she enters.) SORDID LIVES n NOLETA. (On the verge of tears.) Hello, Sissy. 1 brung this. It’s my mama’s tuna casserole. You know, the one T always make with the Lays Po and the cream of mushroom soup. SISSY. Well, thank you, Noleta. That was mighty nice of you sven the circumstances and all. Are you all right? NOLETA. I'm fine, (NOLETA then bursts into tears.) SISSY. Oh hon! (SISSY hugs NOLETA.) NOLETA. (Between sobs.) I just can't believe it. Ever'body’s laughing at me, Sissy. GW. has made a complete foo! outta me. Can I bum a cigarette, please? SISSY. Oh, Lord, hon, 14 away. Why don’t you set down tea, Would you NOLETA. . Three days ago. Threw ‘em all get you a nice glass of ice ISSY exits for the tea as NOLETA moves to the food table and begins fixing herself a plate.) hhas to be awkward for you, Sissy. My ith his, um... (Crying.) I threw him out, ew his sorry ass out, Sissy. Threw all his stuff out on the front T'm gonna have a yard sale! But T gonna do now? SISSY. Aw, hon,n SORDID LIVES (SISSY hands her the tea and moves to the telephone table to find the Valium in her purse.) NOLETA. 'm just a mama and a wife. What the SISSY. Awwwww. (NOLETA continues to wail as SISSY finds the pills and pulls off a couple of Kleenex.) SISSY. (For NOLETA’ benefit) Awwwww. (Mutters) Shit (SISSY hands NOLETA the pills and Kleenex and sits) NOLETA. Thank you. I'm sorry. I shouldn't be telling you this seein’s that your Sister died on account of my husband’s..should I take one or two of these? SISSY. I'd take two if was you. ‘NOLETA. Okay. (NOLETA downs the pills.) here for you right now. You hear me talkin’ to you? I NOLETA. Thank you, Sissy. Where’s LaVonda? I'm just so scared this is gonna affect our friendship. You know how close we are, SORDID LIVES 1B SISSY. I know. LaVonda and Latrelle went over to the funeral hhome to make all the arrangements. Latrelle is just beside herself, She is so high-strung, But don’t you worry. You know LaVonda, She loves you like a sister. That ain’t gonna change one iota. I’m ‘gonna get you a re-fill, (She takes NOLETA’ plate and moves to the food table, filling it) NOLETA. Thank you. Today I was atthe Shamrock, | just needed one more full tank for a complete set of them Ds Holmes’ youngest girl, the one with them two illegitimate mulatto kids. And they was staring at me, pointin’ tush-hush. ‘Those two. All skinny in their tube-tops and short-shorts. Like 1 ‘was some kind of circus freak or somethin’. Those two, Sissy. Of all people. Like they was better than me. SISSY. Well, they're not. NOLETA. [just went over to her window, threw down a twen- ty, didn’t wait for my change or my Dallas Cowboy mug and left. SISSY, Good. NOLETA. Drove down Highway 84, sobbin’to high heaven, goin’ nowhere. I finally had to pull over ‘cause I couldn't see the road no more. SISSY. Oh, hon, NOLETA. I'm sorry. I shouldn't be troublin’ you. You've got ‘enough on your mind. (NOLETA gets up and takes some chicken and a couple of biscuits from her plate, wrapping them in her napkin.)1“ SORDID LIVES NOLETA. I gotta go, Sissy. The kids get outta school at three about G. W. I'm so sorry about Pezey. She was in spite of— (She starts erying again.) Tell SISSY. wil, Those Valium oughta kick in any minute (SISSY runs and gets the botle of pills and hands them to NOLETA,) SISSY, Here! Take these with ya. I've got another bottle. NOLETA. Thank you. (NOLETA exits.) SISSY. (Calling after her) Bye, bye, hon. Thanks for the casserole, And you hold your head up, high, hear?! NOLETA. (0.5. between sobs.) SISSY. (False sincerity:) I mean . (Clases door) Shit. (She pops her arm. The phone rings. She runs for it and answers it) Vera. No, I hadn’t ead it yet. Noleta stable enough to come to the funer- him, he thought he was Tammy Wynette, Had on a real pretty wig and a sequined pantsuit, though, And if you'd SORDID LIVES 15 ‘re lucky to have her. Bless ‘er heart. in Christ on the cross. Honey when it came esses, ol! Tammy was sorta the Elizabeth ‘Taylor of country music. (We hear a car drive up. SISSY runs for the door and looks out its window) SISSY. (cont, I gotta git! That's Latrelle. Oooh. She does not look happy! Her and LaVonda’ve been at it all morning long. They never could git along and I refuse to referee any more. (Listens.) ‘Well, thank you, hon. [need those prayers. Prayers mean so much, Y’ll see ya at the funeral. Bye bye. (She hangs up. pops herself with the rubberband.) Ouch! (LATRELLE WILLIAMSON, early 50’, very proper, SISSY niece, ‘but only three years younger, bursts in the door) LATRELLE. (Pissed,) Well, you're just never gonna believe ‘hat she’s done now! You just won't! SISSY. (Overlap,) Weil, what did—2 LATRELLE. (Plowing on.) LaVonda wants to bury Mama in that ugly of” mink stole withthe head still on itt SISSY. Overlap.) Well— LATRELLE. I know that Mama loved that stole, but good Lord, Sissy, it's a hundred and eight degrees out and no person liv- lng or dead should be caught wearin’ a mink stole summer. 1's not appropriate, it's not And I hope you will support me on this!16 SORDID LIVES SISSY, Well I— LATRELLI ‘Mama at her ong an« just not gonna happen! Lord ” SISSY. Yeah, but when it gets like this, it don’t seem to help a LATRELLE. Probably needs Freon. SISSY. (Goes and fiddles with the thermostat, | never did like Sister's mink stole no ways. Gave me the heebbie-geebies wi them glass eyes staring out at ya. ‘Course she was awful partial to it, LATRELLE. I know it. But it’s summer, Sissy! Hot, hot sum- mer! (Rushes over and hugs Sissy:) Oh, thank you, thank you! T knew you'd back me on this, I did. SISSY. Well— LATRELLE. But you know how she is. But she won’t listen to me. I gotta go title, SISSY. I— LATRELLE. (Rushes out of the room: 0.S.) Thank you. SISSY. (Stares afier her, Shit! Damn! Shit! (Then pops the rubberband.) Ouch! LATRELLE. (0.S;) Did you say somethin’? SISSY. (Calling.) No. You want some ice tea? I just made a fresh batch! LATRELLE, (0.8) That'd be heaven. I'm parched (SISSY stares at the two glasses of tea on the coffee table, considers, then refills NOLETA’ from her own, Then she walks over 10 the dining table.) SISSY. There's enough food in here to feed Cox’s army. Folks been droppin” by all mornin’, SORDID LIVES 7 (LATRELLE re-enters adjusting her pantyhose. SISSY hands her NOLETAS tea, then exits with NOLETA’ dirty plate.) LATRELLE. Did anyone say anything? SISSY. (0,5.) About what? LATRELLE. You know, about the circumstances...(Whis- ppers,).Sutrounding Mama’s death SISSY. (Re-enters.) Oh, that, Well, Noleta Nethercott was over here. She brought by a tuna casserole. Her Mama’s recipe. (re: casserole.) That oughta be refrigerated. We will all get ptomaine. (SISSY re-enters.) LATRELLE. (Whimpers.) Oh, Well, | refuse to believe a word of it. Someone started that vicious rumor. That’s why I moved away from this town. Mama was a good Christian woman and ver body knows that. (Tas around) Is ever thang straight back ere SISSY. Looks all right to me. Wel never say anything bad about my si ‘ond Mama to me bein’s how much older she was. But honey, she sorta just went a little erazy towards the end after’n your Daddy died. Just kinda cut loose. Started honky tonkin’ out at Bubba's almost ever’ night. Her bestfriend towards the end was Bitsy Mae Harling. LATRELLE. Bitsy Mae Harling who used to date blacks in high schoot? Latretle, you know I'd18 SORDID LIVES SISSY. The one in the same. She's been singing on the week- cends out at Bubba’s since she got out of jail. Said she was framed. LATRELLE. Prison trash, (SISSY laughs, which turns into a cough.) LATRELLE. That's a cigarette cough. SISSY. No shit. LATRELLE. You're gonna die of lung cancer just like Aunt Berthie did. You mark my word. Lord, that was an awful death. She suffered so, SISSY. Well, for your information, Miss Smarty Britches, 1 smokin’. Three days ago! LATRELLE. Uh-huh, We'll see how long that lasts, Besides, the damage you have done to your lungs is most likely ireparable. I read all about it in a magazine at the doctor’s office. (Thinks.) Bitsy Mae Harling and Mama, Y. Yes’ ma'am. Then a couple months ago, Sis ted ‘earryin’ on with G.W. Nethercott and that was the beginnin’ to— LATRELLE. Stop! Just stop it! 1 don’t want to talk about this anymore! (Moves to the food table.) I want to remember Mama the way I want to remember her and not shacked up in a motel room ith two wooden legs. Oooh, apple pie. You want (LATRELLE sits and begins eating her pie.) SISSY. No thanks. Maybe a little later. How’s Ty? He still up in New York? LATRELLE. (Sighs long and hard, softly) Yes. Too busy to come to his one and only grandmother’s funeral. Hon, this pie is good. Who made this? SORDID LIVES 19 SISSY. Evelyn Crawley. | guess I will have alittle piece after all. I swear, I'm gonna get as big as Ver nut my nico- tine, (SISSY moves to the table, cuts herself some pie and sits across from LATRELLE) LATRELLE. Oh my Lord! I saw Vera today. I stopped in at the Piggly Wiggly to geta cold drink and I had a craving for something sweet. My Lord, she has gotten big! SISSY. You could move in LATRELLE, Well, almost didn’t recognize her, SISSY. She can’t even stand up behind that register no more. They got her a bar stool to sit on, and Leticia Bustamante...hat sweet little Mexkin girl who works the other register. ‘Tom Ed had to reinforce that stool with Tug nuts! LATRELLE. I'll swear SISSY. Vera is so sweet, though. She always slips me a few ‘extra Green Stamps and doesn’t even bother to look at the expira- tion date on my coupons. She's my best friend LATRELLE. But why on God’s green earth would anyone let, themselves get that big? SISSY. She says it’s glandular. LATRELLE. Glandular? (Phey laugh) SISSY. Oh, | saw Ty in that Alpo commercial where the dog licks his face. That was real cute, Lord, he is so good lookin’. Y*all ‘ust be proud LATRELLE. Well, we're not. I meat but ater | Avwful, awful stuff He cals tat. eal20 SORDID LIVES play and begged me and Wilson to come up to New York and see Well, 1 was just dying to see Glenn Close in “Sunset oh I forget the name, some musical term... SISSY. Crescendo? LATRELLE. No. Whatever it was it had nothin’ whatsoever to do with the subject matter. Anyhow, the play was going all ni like—and all of a sudden my son walks out on stage—nakex SISSY. Sweet Jesus! Neked! LATRELLE. And you could see everythang. SISSY. His tallywhacker? LATRELLE. Ev nd he was playing a...(Whispers,) _-homosextaal—agai yked down at my lap unt over. Ihave never been so humiliated in all my life. And you know what he had the audacity to do? Came up to us after and said, “So what'd ya think?” What'd [ think?! What was I supposed to think just stared at him with my mouth open and he said, “Okay, i Ison said we weren’t ever going back , Sissy. I did. Oh! And on top of everything, when we ‘went to see “Sunset Blvd.” the next night, Glenn Close had lost her voice and this other girl that I never had heard of in my death warmed over. I wish they had given him a bigger part, though. Vera went to the bathroom and missed him altogether. SORDID LIVES 21 LATRELLE. But Sissy, these roles! There’s a reoccurring theme here in case you have play a homosexual, why we ‘Academy Award for heaven's sake Spider Woman movie...or Tom Hanks particularly care for..but don’t waste that famous actor in that that ther thing that I didn’t mn a bit pat (A car drives up owt front and LATRELLE runs over and looks out the door) LATRELLE, That's LaVonda! I can't believe the way she dresses. In public! Now you are gonna back me on this mink stole thing, aren't you? SISSY. Well, um... LATRELLE. (re: LAVONDA,) Strttin’ like banty rooster. (LATRELLE moves away from the door as LA VONDA DUPREE, LATRELLES baby sister, the worldly one, late 408, sashays in, wearing a bright yellow peasant blouse, off the shoulders, tight Jeans, smoking a cigarete,) LATRELLE. Well?! LA VONDA. Wel you, shug? (They hug.) SISSY. I'm fine. what, Latrelle? Oh hello, Sissy, how're (SISSY stares at LAVONDAS cigarette)2 SORDID Lives LA VONDA. Look at all is food. (She goes over and starts exploring and picking ) LATRELLE. Where's the stole, LaVonda? LA VONDA. On Mama, where it belongs! LATRELLE. You're just doin’ this out of: Mama’s gonna look like a fool wearin’ a min We'll be the laughing stock in town, LA VONDA. Unfortunately, we already are, SISSY. Noleta brought by a tuna casseral She was real worried this was gonna affect y" Kicked GW. out. I give her a Valium, ite, LaVonda Jean! le in this heat, I refrigerated it. 's friendship. She 's true. There’s a police record on it and everything. Why wouldn't you think it was true? (Then to ‘SISSY, This ain't gonna affect our friendship. SISSY. I tol ‘er that, But you oughta go by and see her. She's real upset, LATRELLE. I just can’t believe it, Did they arrest G.W.? (44 VONDA crosses to the couch, sits and eats her food, while smoking.) LA VONDA. For what? Leavin’ two wooden legs in the \wrong place? No, they just had to investigate, you know, given the Circumstances. | read the coroner's report. Mama hit her head on the sink and the blow caused her brain to be flooded with blood and she intemally hemorthaged to death, SISSY. Bless her heart LATRELLE. (Gasps.) Oh... SORDID LIVES a (LATRELLE sits on the chair by the couch and cries.) LA VONDA. They say she never suffered. (SISSY crosses and joins LA VONDA on the couch) SISSY. just think that Sister just felt so cooped up all those years with your Daddy. You know how he was. She just, you know, had needs. LATRELLE. Needs? LA VONDA. Yes, needs, Latrelle. Some of us have needs. It runs in this family. Although, I'm quite convinced it musta skipped ‘a gene or something when you was born. : LATRELLE. I have needs too, I'll have you know. I just don't ‘make them public. My needs are kept in the privacy of my own bedroom! SISSY. We lie place, Latretle, LAVONDA. (Suggestivel:) Unfortunately, I can’t say the same. SISSY. (Laughing,) Oh, you are awful LA VONDA. Guilty (SISSY’S cigarette cough returns as they share a laugh) don’t recall any of mine being made in a pub- LATRELLE. Our one and only Mama has died by tripping ing her head on the sink of a seedy fe she was committing adultery! And you all are don’t think it's funny! .) Just leave me alone! I thought you gonna back me on this!4 SORDID LIVES SISSY. I'm somy, hon, But, you know, I believe that all these skids. I just decided that, Just tute om the spot. since, I'm the oldest, then I should be in charge and I should make all major decisions. LA VONDA. Bullshit! We should all get an equal vote. Sissy You should get a vote 100, You've always been more like a sister than an aunt to us. SISSY. I don't really want a vote LA VONDA. And Brother Boy should vote too. Of course, hard to vote when you're locked up in a looney bin, SISSY. Cain’t argue with that LATRELLE, Would you stop?! I have enough on my mind without you bringing up Brother Boy, SISSY. Brother Boy thought he was Tammy Wynette the last time I seen him. About a year ago, LA VONDA. Before that it was Loretta, SISSY. Didn't he do Kitty Wells too way back when? LA VONDA. Oh, God, I'd forgotten that, “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels." Umm, mm, mmm. That’s a good sone, Someone oughta re-do that ‘un, I believe Trisha Yearwood could just sing the shit outta that one. LATRELLE. Do you eat with that mouth too? LA VONDA. Mostly. (LA VONDA takes a big bite of fried chicken) SISSY. Loretta was always my favorite, though. I swear in that Set-up, and that big ol” white gown, Brother Boy was her spitin’ image. LA VONDA. Sissy Spacek couldn't hold a candle to Brother Boy’s Loretta, SORDID LIVES 25 SISSY. No, she could not. When he pretended to sing along to her records, you almost forgot. Lord, he could tear up, “You Ain't ‘Woman Enough To Take My Man!” LATRELLE. Who cares! LA VONDA. Me and Sissy. LATRELLE. Why?! LA VONDA. "Cause he’s my baby brother, Latrelle. And I want to get him out. LATRELLE and SISSY. Out LATRELLE. Did you say out!? LA VONDA. Yes, out. [eal LATRELLE. You what? SISSY. (Overlap.) You called “em? LA VONDA. Called ’em. He needs to know about Mama, And they said now that Mama’s dead, you and me are responsible. And if'we sign the proper papers, we can get Brother Boy out. He can live with me.I just thank he should be here for his own Mama's the institution this mornin’, I think LaVonda may be right. LLLE. Well I don’t! We can’t have Brother Boy at the facle, Mama’s death is enough of an embar- without having Brother Boy at the funeral, Besides, in ‘0446 you're forgetting, LaVonda—he's erazy! LA VONDA. Brother Boy is not crazy! LATRELLE. (Points to head.) There's something wrong with Him up here and you know SISSY. I’m not sure what’s wrong with him is up there (A VONDA lights another cigarette. SISSY watches her every drag.) LAVONDA. The only thing wrong with him—ifit's wrong— Iie likes to dress up like a woman,26 SORDID LIVES LATRELLE, That’s wrong! LA VONDA. According to who, Latr LATRELLE. According to the SISSY. (Rises,) Off and runnin’. LA VONDA. You mean to tell me that there’s a scripture that says, “Men shalt not dress up in women’s clothes?” SISSY. Y’al LA VONDA. Maybe you're the crazy one, Latrelle. SISSY. LaVonda! (SISSY throws her hands up and exits to the kitchen) LATRELLE. Hey, I’m not the one who wants to bury a woman in a mink stole in the middle of a heatwave! LA VONDA. Mama loved that stole, Latrelle. LATRELLE. Yes, but she had the good fashion sense not to ‘wear it in the summertime! (Calling out) Sissy, say something! ‘thought you were on my side! (SISSY charges onstage.) So, hush up! Both of ya! LA VONDA. (Long pause.) You know why she don’t want ‘Mama buried in that stole? ‘SISSY. No, I don't SORDID LIVES 2” LA VONDA. (Cailing.) *Cause it’s an antique and it's valu- LATRELLE, What are you talking about denial? Denial about what? LA VONDA, About everything! About how Mama died, about ‘why you want to keep Brother Boy cooped up like some damn animal LATRELLE. And why is that, pray tll LAVONDA. (Takes a drag, then.) Nevermind. LATRELLE. No, I want to hear this! LAVONDA. Look, all I'm sayin close me and Ty are— LATRELLE, Don't you dare bring my son into this sordid pie- that, well, you know how more in common LA VONDA. And I think you blame Brother Boy for the way’ Wis /ATRELLE. Ty isn't anything, so you just shut your mouth bout my son, LaVonda! LAVONDA. I went up to New York to see a play he was in, LATRELLE. What?! fery senchus with a powerful message. And T went out, ith Ty and the all male cast. And we went to an all male when he told me that— LATRELLE. (Angry emotion) My son is NOT a homosexu- | So you just shut up! Shut the hell up ‘cause I do not want to