I go off to glory
A Little Girl wearing a dress with pockets. She is tap dancing. She is bright and filled with energy and enthusiasm. She speaks in a voice that is loud and strong—vibrant—almost like a stage actor with no recognition that she is in a small room—too much projecting. The girl will periodically stop talking and just tap—tap in place, tap in a circle, etc. At start, she is tapping and humming. She stops and stares.
Girl
Oh! Hello! One thousand sincere pardons. Didn’t see you there. But…
[She taps]
I sure am glad you stopped by.
[Flourish]
Molly’s my name and…
[She taps]
fortune telling’s my game. [Beat] My ma’ got me started on it. Before she died. Said I had a gift.
[She taps after each boast that follows]
Can predict the future.
[Da da da]
Can see into the past.
[Ta ta ta]
Can talk with the dead.
[She stops all activity]
Talk to my ma all the time.
[She resumes tapping]
When I was a girl. [Laughs] Well, younger than I am right now. I woke up screaming.
[She taps]
I said, I woke up screaming from my sleep.
[She screams the words:]
Fire! Fire! Fire!
[She taps]
Bet you can’t guess what I saw!
[She taps]
Bet you can’t guess.
[She taps with increasing fury]
I was sweating. I was breathing. I was sweating and breathing hard. And then…
[She stops cold]
well… I was right.
[Beat]
[Almost to her self]
Poor mama.
[She reaches into her dress pocket and pulls out a scarf and soft hat. She taps in a circle as she puts on the scarf. She continues as she puts on the hat. She stops when done, facing the person/enquirer, and with a flourish throws the end of the scarf around her neck.]
I go off to glory!
[She taps]
I go off to glory.
[She taps and stops]
You know who said that?
[Beat]
Isadora Duncan
[Beat]
Right before her scarf got tangled ‘round the axle of the car she was riding in.
[Motions with the scarf as though hanged.]
[She smiles and then taps in a circle]
Glory! Destiny! I pulled on my hat and scarf after my mama died and I hit the street.
[She taps]
Much like you see me now.
[She taps]
Stayed with my aunt for a while.
[She taps]
But that was a bust.
[Stops]
Wanna see a picture of her?
[Beat]
My mama?
[She takes out the picture from another dress pocket. It is wrapped. She shows it. She looks at it. She carefully re-wraps it and puts it away. She takes a small flask from the same pocket and hits it. She puts it away. She taps quickly.]
Gotta keep the cold out. Gotta keep it out. Keep that cold cold out. [Stops] Oh, I know what you’re thinking. No…not that. That’s obvious. You’re thinkin’ ‘what does she mean—cold?’ Right? Its summer. July. It’s hot.
[She screams]
Well not here.
[Pounds her chest]
Not here it ain’t.
[Pounds her chest]
Not here.
[Pounds]
[She taps wildly. She screams. She falls to the ground. She writhes.]
I want my mama, mama, mama.
[Screams]
There’s gonna be a fire, mama. Gonna be a fire. He’s gonna light a match, mama. I seen it. I seen him. Plain as day, Mama. He’s gonna do it. A fire. Can’t stand us. Can’t stand any of us. Not even little Joe. He’s got matches. Mama?
[Stands up. To the enquirer.]
Say, “Shut up, girl.”
[She taps]
[She stops]
[To the enquirer]
Say, “Shut up, girl.”
[With more urgency]
Say it. [Beat] Say it. [Beat] Say it. [Beat] Say, “Shut up, girl.”
[She repeats this until the enquirer complies.]
That’s what Mama said.
[Reaches in her dress and pulls out a spatula]
She hit me with this.
[She taps]
I’m going off to glory.
[She taps]
[Stops]
Oh. Do you want your fortune?
[She spits]
Companion to the earlier entry.
