Episode 6

This week's story brings us to the yard of Ahpla. It is Friday afternoon and there are many students on campus. MIRI and GINA are sitting at a bench on the yard talking.

MIRI - I'm just so excited about this project because I feel that it truly hits home, you know? I mean the relevance of our people and what we have lost, and then gained and then lost all over again is just deep.
GINA - Well let's see it, you got me all excited to read it now.

(MIRI pulls a large manuscript out of his shoulder bag. It is bound by large spirals and on the cover in bold print reads the title "TO PLEDGE A SLAVE: TODAY'S GREEKS ON YESTERDAY'S PLANTATION")

GINA - To pledge a slave, today's greeks on yesterday's plantation huh? I can see why Bobby doesn't like it.
MIRI - That's because he is a so-called greek and he, like the rest of them are of that mentality.
GINA - But everyone that pledges doesn't fall into that mind set.
MIRI - Show me one who isn't.

(GINA hesitates)

GINA - Let me just read this.

Opening Scene: Lights come up. Overture fades.
Act I: Outside in the field, evening time. Character 1 is Dean and Pledgees are assembled in line facing him.Dean is in white face and other fraternity members are in white face.

Dean: Pledge Class! Attention! It's time for you to get on point! Say my Greeting and I want no mistakes!
Pledge No 1: Dean, weeze powerful tired Sir, may we just rest a spell? Lord knows it was a hot day today massa.

Dean steps toward Pledge Line

Dean: Would you like for me to show you what powerful really is Pledge?
Pledge Class: No Sir!
Dean: Then do what you are told and do it now!
Pledge Class: Yessir!

(GINA closes manuscript)

MIRI - I see the concern in your face. I love that my work causes the thought process. That is my thing, I want Black people to start to think. I write because I want to encourage reading, our youth need to read. I stir shit up because shit aint been stirred in a while. These backward ass negroes don't know what time it is and they talking about I pledged so I'm helping my community. And honestly, that is what I dig about you GINA, I knew when I met you that you were different. I got a vibe from you that won't quit and I knew that you were someone that I had to get to know because you can appreciate me for who I am and what I am trying to say.
GINA - MIRI, I do dig you, I like you a lot. Your work is beautiful, you are full of poems just waiting to come out. But this piece is a little disrespectful, don't you think? I mean come on, you are comparing well educated brothers and sisters to modern day slaves.
MIRI - Well honestly,.....
GINA - MIRI before you say that, I have something to tell you.
MIRI - Well before you tell me that, (smiling) what are you doing Saturday night?
GINA - Actually, I'm busy. There's a party on campus on Saturday and I'm going.

(WILLIE and THERESA are walking across the yard toward MIRI and GINA)

WILLIE - Oh look girl, there's MIRI. He's trying to put on some play dissin Delta and the rest of the frats and sororities on campus.
THERESA - So what. Yall need to get dissed! Yall aint about nothing. (smiling)
WILLIE - Let me find out I'm about to slap you. (smiling back) But on the real, that aint goin' down like that. I'm about to pull him up on that shit for real.
THERESA - Well who is the girl with him?
WILLIE - Probably some girl in the play, but if she got something to say, she can bring it too!
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We next are at the front door of Donte's House, a brownstone which serves as the frat house on Ahpla Row. QUINTON, JASON and LARRY LAR knock on the front door. DONTE answers the door.

DONTE - What's up?
QUINTON - Yes we are here to see DONTE.
DONTE - I thought I asked to see one of you.
QUINTON - We are trying to be a unified body, so we thought it would be better if....
DONTE - Get in here!

(The three enter)

DONTE - Sit on the floor. Now tell me, which one of you idiots is Quinton?
QUINTON - I am sir.
DONTE - Why the hell did you call me sir? Look, I see I have to school you idiots from the very basic. Have you ever heard anywhere that a humble man will learn?

(silence)

DONTE - Well!
LARRY LAR - No I have never heard that.
DONTE - There is no I in Alpha! I thought that yall were a unified body! What is your name anyway?
LARRY LAR - My name is Larry.
DONTE - So Larry, why do you want to be an Alpha?
LARRY LAR - Well honestly, I see yall on the yard and I saw the line pledge last year. A lot of girls be on yall, especially the brothers who step. I saw that kid Nino and Reggie. So I am tryin' to study the history so I can be down.

(QUINTON drops his head. DONTE is silent)

DONTE - I'll be right back.

(Phone rings in WIL's apartment)

WIL - Hello?
DONTE - Bruh, you got come over here right now!
WIL - What?
DONTE - I got some p-boys in the house and things are about to get ugly. I need some bros here.
WIL - Are you crazy? We haven't even had an interest meeting yet, how you gonna have boys over already?
DONTE - I have my ways. Remember how I got your ass over here back in the day.
WIL - Yeah and back in the day we almost got snatched because of your ass.
DONTE - Anyway, you comin' over or not.
WIL - Naw man, I got things to do. Call Reggie or somebody else. I'm busy.
DONTE - You seem to be real busy when it comes to frat stuff lately. I didn't see you on the yard when we were steppin' either. And did you go to the chapter meeting?
WIL - Naw I have just been busy. Just call Reg or Trey.
DONTE - Aight whatever.

(Phone rings at REGGIE's)

REGGIE - Hello?
DONTE - Yo frat, what's up this is Donte.
REGGIE - Oh what's up?
DONTE - I got some boys over here and I'm about to get my haze on. You down?
REGGIE - What? Hell yeah! Who else is there?
DONTE - Just me. Call Trey and Nino.
REGGIE - Cool! What about Wil?
DONTE - That nigga aint with frat shit anymore seems like. Don't call Bobby either. He is always on some ol' suspension shit.
REGGIE - Cool, I'm on my way.
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Our story shifts to ALEXIS's apartment where ALEXIS and BOBBY are talking.

BOBBY - Baby, had I known you were cooking, I would have been here. But I'm telling you that I had no idea. You said yourself that it was a surprise.
ALEXIS - That is not my beef Bobby. I'm wondering why you never called me all that night and why didn't you return any of my pages?
BOBBY - Oh, because the battery in my pager died. I even asked any Bros if they had an extra battery but nobody had one. And I was just caught up in some stuff with the chapter, so I just never got a chance to call. I'm sorry.
ALEXIS - You and the brothers have more meetings than the UN. Gosh, what are yall meeting about now? I never see you.
BOBBY - Come on baby, I'm up for brother of the year and the chapter could get chapter of the year. That is mad important. That is why we were at the frat house all night.
ALEXIS - The frat house? I called there and Donte said that you weren't there.

(BOBBY thinks "Oh shit!")

BOBBY - Not that frat house, I mean Wil's house. You know any brothers house is the frat house because frat lives there. You know? (smile)
ALEXIS - Oh.
BOBBY - But anyway, let me make it up to you. You want to go to the AKA party tomorrow night with me?
ALEXIS - Sure but you'll probably be steppin' with the bros all night.
BOBBY - I tell you what, I won't step at the party at all. I'll give the whole evening to you. I won't leave your side.
ALEXIS - Deal, that is how I like it.

(They kiss)

ALEXIS - Why not start right now and give this whole evening to me? Let's go in my room and do what you do best.

(BOBBY smiles to himself)

BOBBY - Baby, I would love to but I got to head over to the frat house. I mean the official frat house where Donte lives. I gotta pick up my paperwork.
ALEXIS - You gotta leave right now?
BOBBY - How about if I run right there and then come right back.
ALEXIS - How long you gonna take?
BOBBY - I'll be back here in half an hour. Promise.
ALEXIS - Make it 25 minutes...

(ALEXIS unbuttons her shirt)

ALEXIS - ...and I'll make it worth the hurry!
BOBBY - I'll be back in 20 so I can use the extra 5 minutes!

(BOBBY is in his car and driving to the frat house. He thinks "Damn Donte almost fucked my shit up. I guess he didn't know though. Let me hurry up and get over there so I can get back." He begins to drive faster to the frat house.)