CHAPTER 1

HATS, HAT DANCE, ADOPT-A-GRANDFATHER, WHEN A MAN LOVES

HATS Characters:

Youngblood, God and & Shorty: (Man who dies at opening) Black Male, 17-21, no hat, he hasn’t earned it.

DoDo: Black Male, 40s, black Kangol cap, turned to the back.

Billie Slim: Black Male, mid-50s, black knit, urban cap.

Old School: Black Male, 60s, Grey tall crown, stingy brim straw.

Cowboy: Black Male, 40s, brown cowboy hat.

Mr. T: Black Male, 60s or older, black Fedora.

Scene I:

(Setting: Local pool hall in the hood. No sign out front. Hall is open to anyone but, only pool players who are serious about the game and being Black are regulars. Stage is set with one regulation pool table in the middle of the rectangular room, three, large, oval, green light fixture shines bright overhead. On the back wall, is an old fashioned, wooden, hat rack with ten knobs. Above the hat rack is a sign “Please remove hats.” At open stage is dark and a fight can be heard. Note: One of the other actors in the play should play Triple. He’s talked about but never seen because he’s dead. Note: The name of Shorty is not revealed in this scene on purpose.)

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Triple’s (Voice): Mothafucka where is she? I told you to stay the fuck away from her—

Shorty’s (Voice): Man fuck—(Interrupted by sound of Triple punching him in the face and beginning to give him a beat down)

Triple: (As he delivers a beat down) Motha—fucka—I tol’ you to— stop gettin’ anywhere—near—her

Shorty: Alright, Trip, please don’t—(Last words Shorty says, stopped by one final punch from Triple—audience hears his head knock up against the pool table, they hear Triple)

Triple: Hey, Hey come on man wake up—I didn’t mean to—Aw shit, what? (Followed by the sound of Triple, running out of the back door of the Pool Hall. Spotlight up just in time for the audience to see Shorty’s dead body (face down) on the floor in front of the pool table. (Stage to black)

Old School: (Old School, wipes off the rail, the green felt table, sets up the rack for nine ball. Takes a seat in one of the chairs against the wall, begins talking to himself) This place has had so many names since I first walked through the door and got tossed out on my head by BoBo who told me to come back when I was 18 and had something besides water behind my ears. Back then young boys listened to their elders more. We didn’t always take their advice, but out of respect—we listened. (Pause) Reason it’s had so many names is because it’s been known by word of mouth since not long after it opened in May of the year the Great Depression hit, and every owner’s wanted to have his name on it. It’s been called June Bug’s hall since I started workin’ for him. (Gets up to break the rack) Not a whole lotta people come in here during the day usually only—(He’s interrupted by a young man entering through the front door. He’s wearing the latest urban gear and Timberlands)

Youngblood: Hey, old man—

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