On the A (Part 3)

B: Yo' that be nasty.

A: Yeah. I was right there.

B: Me too!

A: Yeah. Right there. Right by him.

B: Me too!

A: Nah, you was way in the back. I didn't see you after.

B: We ran!

A: So you wasn't there! I's there. Right there man.

B: I's there when it went off. And, we ran.

A: I was right there. (A stands and poses. T is watching intently, clearly bothered.) I was standing here and Zig was right here...(A gestures to a position in front of him and to the right.) ... right here. Here. And I was right here. We were about to go off and I see Zig reach and then BAM! Right there.

B: Yo' and Angela be screamin'.

G1: Shit. Awful.

B: She be screamin' and cryin'. Yeah. We ran.

A: I was right there. Terrible. I've taken but right there.

B: (Laughing.) You wet yo' pants?

A: (Laughing.) Shit! No! Wet my pants. I been there befo'. But man, right there!

G2: (Laughing.) He said did he wet his pants!

G1: (Laughing.) He wouldn't wet no pants! He be out there. He's there! T was there!

T: (Not laughing.) Yeah, I was there.

B: T was peein'!

A: Ah! He said peein

B: T peein'!

G1: T's not peein'!

A: T peein! Yeah! (See's T's face.) Nah. Nah. Nah. T's there. He was. That shit was rough. T's there.

G1: T was there! T's got it. He had since he was little!

T: I was there.

G1: T has it! Always had it. T has it!

A: (Laughing.) You did! You's a little champ! (A slaps T's arm. Trys to get him to laugh. T never does.) You always! Little T. Runnin' around. Little T. You's a little champ! A champ. Nah. Nah. I'm kiddin'. You was though! You was!

G1: Little Champ! That's T! He is! Always is!

A: T is!

B: T's a champ.

A: T is!

B: He is. Nah nah. Always is.

G1: T. You a champ.

(Slight pause.)

A: Yo'. Zig man. That be messed up. I was cryin' an' shit. I cried. (To B.) You cry?

(B shakes his head no. Stares straight ahead.)

A: I be cryin'. Right there man. Right there. (To T.) You cry T?

(T doesn't answer. Stares down at his hands. A shoves him.)

A: You cry?

(Slight pause.)

T: (Does not look at A.) Yeah. Yeah. I cried.

A: Me too. Man. Sick.

(The train slows down to the 34th Street stop. A, B and T get up. They all ad-lib with each other quietly. B goes over to A. She smiles and looks up at him. He looks down at her with pure love. He's a puppy. He goes down to kiss her. A, talking with T, notices.)

A: Yeah. Lovey Lovey. Say goodbye Lovey Lovey.

B: (Quietly to G1.) I'll see you later a'ight?

G1: Later. Bye. (Looks at A.) Bye! (Looks at T.) Bye T! You be the man T! You always be! You be the man!

G2: Bye! Bye T! Bye!

G1: Bye!

A: Later.

B: Yeah.

T: Bye.

(The guys and T exit. The train doors close. The girls look at each other and smile.)

G1: Damn, he be sayin' he gettin' off at 59 but they stay.

G2: They stay! Awww. He say!

G1: Yeah!

(They giggle and quiet down. They stare straight ahead in silence until the train stops at 14th Street. They both get up to leave.)

G1: Do you call Monica?

G2: Nah.

G1: She don't know? You be tellin'.....

(They ad-lib until they exit the train. There is no other conversation on the subway car. All of the passengers are aware of the newly uncomfortable silence.)

(Lights out.)

This was last Sunday night on my way back from visiting my friend in the hospital. I was the 'Woman Eating'.