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42 

SCENE TWO

Six days later. Afternoon.

BOBBY is seated in the barber's throne, munching on a sandwich. Theo enters from the front of the shop.

THEO
Did Pop get back yet?

(BOBBY shrugs shoulders.)

THEO
You eating again? Damn. (Calling upstairs.) Pop! (No answer. Theo checks his watch, steps back into the shop, looks through window, then crosses to Bobby and snatches the sandwich from his mouth.)

You eat too damn much!

BOBBY
What the fuck you do that for?

Theo
(Handling the sandwich back.) 'Cause you always got a mouth full of peanut butter and jelly!

BOBBY
I'm hungry! And let me tell you something: don't you ever snatch any food from my mouth again.

43

THEO
You'll hit me——you don't care nothing about your brother. One of these days, I'm gon' hit back.

BOBBY
Nigger! The day you swing your hand at me, you'll draw back a nub.

THEO 
You see! That's exactly what I mean. Now when Blue gets here tonight, I don't want you talking like that, or else you gon' blow the whole deal.

BOBBY
I know how to act. I don't need no lessons from you.

THEO
Good. I got a job for you.

BOBBY
A job? Shit!

THEO
Don't get knocked out now——it ain't no real job. I just want you to jump over to Smith's on 125th Street and pick me up a portable typewriter.

BOBBY
Typewriter--for what?

THEO
Don't ask questions, just go and get it.

BOBBY
Them typewriters cost a lotta money.

THEO
You ain't gon' use money.

BOBBY
You mean——

THEO
——I mean you walk in there and take one.