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16 up the stairs leading to the apartment. PARKER makes another move.) MR. PARKER You're trapped, Jenkins! (Pause.) MR. JENKINS (Pondering.) Hmmmmmm . . . it looks that way, don't it? MR. PARKER (Moves to the door.) While you're moaning over the board, I'll just make a little check to see if Adele is coming . . . Don't cheat now! (He backs toward the window, watching that his adversary does not cheat. He quickly looks out the window.) Uh-uh! It's Adele! She's in the middle of the block, talking to Miss Thomas! (Ruses to take a towel and spreads it over the checkerboard.) Come on, man! (Drags MR. JENKINS by the arm toward the back room.) MR. JENKINS What are you doing, Parker? MR. PARKER You gon' have to hide out in the back room, 'cause if Adele comes in here and sees you, she'll think that we been playing checkers all day! MR. JENKINS I don't care about that! MR. PARKER You want to finish the game, don't you? MR. JENKINS Yeah, but- MR. PARKER All you have to do, Jenks, is lay low for a minute, that's all. She'll stop in and ask me something about getting a job, I'll tell her I got a good line on one, and then she'll go on upstairs. There won't be nobody left here but you and me. Whatcha say, Jenks? 17 MR. JENKINS (Pause.) All right, I'll do it. I don't like it, but I'll do it, and you better not mention this to nobody, you hear! MR. PARKER Not a single soul in this world will know but you and me. MR. JENKINS (Moves just inside the room and stands.) This is the most ridiculous thing I ever heard of, hiding in somebody's back room just to finish up a checker game. MR. PARKER Stop fighting it, man! MR. JENKINS All right! MR. PARKER Not there! MR. JENKINS What in the hell is it now! MR. PARKER You've got to get under the bed! MR. JENKINS No, I'm not gettin' under nobody's bed! MR. PARKER Now look . . . Adele never goes through the front way. She comes through the shop and the back room, up the basement stairs to the apartment. Now you want her to catch you hiding in there, looking like a fool? MR. JENKINS No, I can take myself out of here and go home! MR. PARKER (Pushes JENKINS over to the table and uncovers the checker board.) Look at this! Now you just take a good look at this board! (Releases him.)
