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MR. JENKINS
I'm looking, so what?

MR. PARKER
So what? I got you and you know it! There ain't no way in the world you'll ever get out of that little trap I got you in. And it's your move. How many years have we been playing against each other?

MR. JENKINS
Three. 

MR. PARKER
Never won a game from you in all that time, have I?

MR. JENKINS
That ain't the half of it. You ain't gon' win one either. 

MR. PARKER
Now that I finally got you, that's easy talk, comin' from a running man. All right, go on. Run. (Moves away.)

MR. JENKINS
Go on, hell! All I gotta do is put my king here, give you this jump here, move this man over there, and you're dead!

MR. PARKER
(Turns to him.) Try me then. Try me, or are you scared at last I'm gon' beat you?

MR. JENKINS
I can't do it now, there ain't enough time!

MR. PARKER
(Strutting like a sport.) Run, rabbit, run ...

MR. JENKINS
All right  I'll get under the bed. But I swear, Parker, I'm gon' beat you silly! (They move into the back room.)

MR. JENKINS
Hurry it up then. We ain't got much time. 
(As Mr. Parker struggles to help Mr. Jenkins get under the bed in the back room, Adele comes in from the street. She is in her late twenties, well dressed in conventional New York office attire. She is carrying a smart-looking

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handbag and a manila envelope. She stops near the table on which checkerboard is hidden under towel. Mr. Parker enters from the back room.)

MR. PARKER
Hi, honey. 
(She doesn't answer, instead busies herself putting minor things in order.)

ADELE
You looked for work today?

MR. PARKER
All morning...
(Pause)

ADELE
No luck in the morning, and so you played checkers all afternoon.

MR. PARKER
No, I've been working on a few ideas of mine. My birthday comes up in the tenth of the month, and I plan to celebrate it with an idea to shake up this whole neighborhood, and then I'm gon' really go to the country!

ADELE
Don't go to the country—— go to work, huh? (Moves toward back room.) Oh, God, I'm tired!

MR. PARKER
(Rushing to get her away from bed.) Come on and let me take you upstairs. I know you must've had yourself a real tough day at the office... and you can forget about cooking supper and all of that stuff. 

ADELE
(Breaks away, moves back into shop toward counter.) Thank you, but I've already given myself the privilege of not cooking your supper tonight. 

MR. PARKER
You did?

ADELE
The way I figure it, you should have my dinner waiting