Episode 48

We begin this week’s episode with JASON. He left LARRY and QUINTON to go and visit a girl regarding getting the SPHINXMEN put back on line.

(JASON stands at the door.)

JASON thinks - I hope she is home.

(The door opens.)

WILLIE - Jason? What’s up? What are you doing here?

JASON - Willie, I need your help badly. Can I come in?

WILLIE - Uh...sure. But what do you need from me? Oh wait, if this is about Theresa, I can’t...

JASON - No this isn’t about that. I will have to deal with that later.

WILLIE - Then what can I do for you?

JASON - Willie, the big brothers kicked me and my line brothers off line. It probably had to do with the thousands of times I have screwed up since this whole process began. So I can’t help to think that it is my fault.

WILLIE thinks - Oh they did a number on this one!

WILLIE - Uh huh.

JASON - I didn’t know what to do or where to turn. So I came here. I know that you are a Delta and you know about pledging and shit. I know you may be able to give me advice on what I should do to get the brothers to let us back on line.

WILLIE - Well Jason, you are right. I am a Delta and I do understand pledging. But the key is, I am a Delta. I am not an Alpha. What exactly did you think I was going to be able to do for you?

JASON -I know that all Greeks stick together. Somewhat. So I thought maybe you were cool with some of the big brothers. Maybe you could talk to them and get them to reconsider.

WILLIE - That is crazy Jason.

JASON - Please! Please Willie! You gotta help me! You don’t understand! I have worked so hard for this!

(JASON drops to his knees and begins to pull on WILLIE’s legs.)

WILLIE - Jason get up! What are you doing?

JASON - Willie, I am begging you! You have to help me!

WILIE thinks - Is he serious? The Alphas got these boys going crazy!

WILLIE - Ok, ok! Just get up off the floor!

JASON - Thank you Willie! Thank you, thank you!

(JASON hugs WILLIE and kisses her cheek.)

WILLIE - Ok enough already! Now sit down.

JASON - What are you gonna do?

WILLIE - You just sit back and watch me work. Just don’t say anything. You may ruin everything.

JASON - Ok!

(WILLIE picks up the phone.)

WILLIE thinks - I can’t believe I am doing this!

(WILLIE dials a number. JASON is watching, smiling. WILLIE looks over at JASON and smiles back.)

WILLIE thinks - This is ridiculous!

WILLIE - Hello Bobby? Hey this is Willie...I’m fine how are you?...Good. You got a minute?

JASON thinks - Work it out Willie!

WILLIE - I just wanted to talk to you for a few minutes about pledging. You remember how it was to be on line? How much it meant to you? How you would do anything you had to do in your power to get the job accomplished?

JASON thinks - I know what she means!

WILLIE - I remember that too. It meant a lot to all of us. Everyone that has pledged can relate to what I am saying. The pledge experience means so much. I just want to make sure you are certain that each and every person has the same opportunities that they should.

JASON - Yes Willie! Yes!

WILLIE - Oh you understand fully?...You feel me?...Good...I agree. It is within the individual’s own power to be the master of their own fate. I agree. Well thanks, I just needed to get that off my chest. Do what you gotta do. Good luck.

(WILLIE hangs up.)

WILLIE - Ok Mr. Sphinxman, if those instructions are headed, you will have nothing to worry about.

JASON - Willie, how can I ever repay you?

WILLIE - You can cross and be a good Alpha man.

JASON - I promise I will.

WILLIE - Well the first part in being a good man is accepting the responsibility of being wrong. You were wrong to hit Theresa. You need to admit that to yourself and handle your business.

JASON - You’re right. You’re absolutely right.

WILLIE - But first, I think you should go home, check your messages, and call your line brothers. Yall better get ready.

JASON - Right! Thanks again!

WILLIE - My pleasure. And good luck.

(JASON hugs WILLIE one more time and leaves. He runs home so fast that he makes it there in no time.)

JASON thinks - Larry and Quinton are gonna be so happy! I hope Bobby, I mean Mr. President headed Willie’s words!

(JASON comes in his room and sees that he has two messages on his answering machine.)

JASON - I wonder who called?

(JASON pushes PLAY.)

MESSAGE 1:

WILLIE - Hello Bobby? Hey this is Willie...I’m fine how are you?...Good. You got a minute?... I just wanted to talk to you for a few minutes about pledging. You remember how it was to be on line? How much it meant to you? How you would do anything you had to do in your power to get the job accomplished?... I remember that too. It meant a lot to all of us. Everyone that has pledged can relate to what I am saying. The pledge experience means so much. I just want to make sure you are certain that each and every person has the same opportunities that they should...Oh you understand fully?...You feel me?...Good...I agree. It is within the individual’s own power to be the master of their own fate. I agree. Well thanks, I just needed to get that off my chest. Do what you gotta do. Good luck.

(click)

MESSAGE 2:

WILLIE - Jason, you are probaby wondering why you heard my voice in the first message as if I was talking to Bobby. When you were at my house, I didn’t call Bobby, I called you. Those words were for you. No one can put you on line but you. If you have the fortitude, then you can do it. Dig deep down within yourself and think about this process. You will find your answer there. Go to the Alpha house and make a good Sphinxman. Then cross and make a good Alpha. Good luck, much love.

(JASON stands in disbelief. He then smiles.)

JASON thinks - Thanks Willie.

(JASON runs out the door.)

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Our scenes change and we find NINO who has walked back from THE PLOT and is now in his room.

NINO thinks - I can’t believe both Bobby and Gregg! What is this world coming to? Ha ha.

(NINO picks up the phone and dials.)

MAXINE’s ANSWERING MACHINE - Hey this is Max. I’m not in. Leave a message and I will call you back. God bless. Beep!

NINO - Maxine, what’s up Soror. This is Nino. Just wanted to tell you that I found out the name of one of your girls! Ha ha ha! Give me a call when you get in and I can let you know who. You know nothing is a secret at Ahpla. Ha ha ha.

(NINO dials again.)

SYLVIA’s ANSWERING MACHINE - Greetings. You have reached the home of Sylvia Muhammed. Plesae leave your name, number, and a brief message and someone will get back to you as soon as possible. Beep!

NINO - Slyvia, what’s up Soror. This is Nino. I heard through the vine line one of the names of your girls. You should know better than to keep it a secret from the Bros. Ha ha ha. Give me a call when you get in aight? Peace.

(NINO hangs up.)

NINO thinks - I wonder where Gregg is. I’m glad he’s not here. That will make this joke just that much funnier!

(NINO goes into GREGG’s room and leaves an envelope on his bed.)

NINO laughing - He is gonna kill me but so what! I couldn’t resist. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!

(NINO sits on the couch and turns the tv on.)

NINO thinks - Man, that is funny! Ha ha ha ha!

NEWS - There were riots in the streets of Los Angeles as hundreds of fans turned violent when the Lakers beat the...

NINO - That shit is crazy!

(NINO pops up and looks quickly for a good book.)

NINO thinks - Damn, I gotta go to the bathroom all of a sudden.

(NINO grabs "My Soul’s High Song" by Countee Cullen.)

NINO - Let me read a poem written by frat.

(NINO goes into the bathroom and locks the door.)

NINO thinks - I know there is a good poem about Jesus in here. I forget what page it is on though.

(NINO hears the front door opening and the sound of someone coming in.)

GREGG - Yo Nino, you here?

NINO - Yeah G, I’m in here.

GREGG - Oh cool. Say hi to Shareece.

NINO - Hey Shareesa! I didn’t know you were in town.

SHAREESA - Hi Nino. I just got here.

GREGG - Nigga, make sure you spray up in there! Ha ha ha ha ha!

NINO - Shut up! I’m shaving! Ha ha ha ha!

SHAREESA - Yall are stupid. Gregg, I’m going to go lay down ok?

GREGG - Ok that’s cool. I’ll be right in with your bag. Let me just grab something to drink. You want something?

SHAREESA - No, I’ll just drink from yours.

GREGG - Damn, can’t a brother ever eat or drink his own stuff when his girl is around?

SHAREESA - Nope.

(SHAREESA goes into GREGG’s room.)

NINO thinks - Oh here is the poem. I knew it was in this book. Countee was way ahead of his time when he...oh shit! The card!

(SHAREESA sees an envelope on GREGG’s bed.)

SHAREESA thinks - Hmmm, what is this?

(SHAREESA opens it. It is a Father’s Day card from NINO.)

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We switch to find PJ who is in JAHANNA’s room. She is on the phone and she just called SOROR FERGUSON.

SOROR FERGUSON - Hello?

PJ - Hello, this is PJ.

SOROR FERGUSON - PJ? What...

PJ - Ma'am before you say anything, I have something very important to talk to you about. Please, this is very important and very difficult. I need you to listen and just...listen.

SOROR FERGUSON - Ok, PJ. I’m listening.

PJ - Mrs. Ferguson, I need you to think back. Think back to when you first found out about Alpha Kappa Alpha. How it intrigued you, how the notion played with you. How you went to bed and dreamed about it. How you snuck around Pearl library to read about it. How it enticed you and called you in.

PJ - Then think back to when you first expressed you interest to someone else. It was probably a person just like you, a person who also wanted Alpha Kappa Alpha so bad she could taste it. You two may have studied together. Then more came, and maybe more. I know you remember this.

PJ - Then the rush came and you were scared to death but so anxious you couldn’t wait. So you went and were in awe at the beautiful Black women you saw and were told about. You took it all in and were speechless. You wanted it but didn’t even know what that really meant. Your journey had just begun.

PJ - You did what you had to do. Every day, every night. Studied every day to show yourself approved. You thought you may have been selected. Then you weren’t sure. Then you were, then maybe you weren’t. I wasn’t there, but I know this is what went through your mind. You then were chosen. The lucky but the unlucky. The awful decree had gone out that you were to pledge.

PJ - That meant a lot to you and as terrified as you were, you would want it no other way. Ever. Never. From day one, you no longer relied on your personal strentgh. You rested on the strentgh of your line sisters. You relied upon the whispers of the founders. You saw the visions of Soror Ethel Hedgeman Lyle. You heard her speak to you when you wanted to quit. That is the only reason you kept going on.

PJ - You cried and laughed. You cried when you slept. You drew sweat. But for the name of Alpha Kappa Alpha, you would have done it again. All over again. Every morning you woke up with the notion that you were closer to the day you would wear Alpha Kappa Alpha. Wear it proudly. Wear it without even wearing para. You wanted to wear Alpha Kappa Alpha by the things that you did. By the statements that you made. By the way that you walked. By the way that you held your head up, proudly.

PJ - You wanted to impress your parents who fully didn’t understand the sorority. Because if my history is correct, your mother is not a member of the sorority. This was something that you were doing for you. Not for anyone else.

PJ - Remember the times your lines sisters needed you? When you were the strong one. You can’t remember to this day where that strentgh came from. Because you didn’t have enough strentgh for yourself. But you would have offerred all you had and more for them.

PJ - Remember? Remember when you were alone with your line sisters? Remember talking about crossing? Remember talking about the songs? All the tears, all the pain, all the progress, all the success, all the hard times, all the good times. They would all be worth it when you crossed. Remember?

PJ - Think back to your dean. The woman responsible for holding your hand through the process. A woman you grew to love and respect. Think of all the lessons she tried her best to teach her little girls. Remember the things she told you to keep you strong? Think back to the things she said when no one was around but just you and her. Think back to how she could look at you and see through you. Think back to how she listened so attentively when you asked questions. How her strentgh helped you make it through and how you thank God for your dean.

PJ - Remember when it was time. All the dreams, all the anticipation, all the waiting, it was time. Remember crossing? Remember being welcomed into the loving arms of Alpha Kappa Alpha? Remember Sorors embracing you? At that point you first realized you were no longer amongst big sisters, but you were amongst...sisters. And it was at that time when you looked up at the sky and thanked God. You were in the midst of hugging someone and tears fell uncontrollably.

PJ - Your friends may have congratulated you. Your family members may have congratulated you. But nothing in the world was like a hug from a Soror when it was all over. Remember this? Remember all those feelings? All those memories? The good and the bad? Do you remember? Do you?

(silence)

SOROR FERGUSON - Yes. Yes PJ I do. I remember it all.

PJ - Mrs. Ferguson, I have only lied to you one time. And that was today. When you answered the phone, I called you Mrs. Ferguson and I told you that this was PJ on the phone. Maam, that was a lie. Big Sister Melinda Ferguson, my name is Ivy number three, Presjina.