bt.htm

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bt: Background is stretch of road. French Air Force officer, car broke down, is on. Then American, happening by and stopping to help, comes on.

F
Merde! C'est pas vrai... Oh! ... Foutre... Quelle chance -- et en plus dans cette vaste ... si vide ... avec une telle plenitude -- et menacante nature. ... Ah, l'Amerique! ... airplanes roar low overhead; gesticulates to them O-eh! O-eh! Je suis la! Ici! Tout seul, en plus. Oh....goes back to trying to fix his car Ooooh-la-la-la-la...

[Damn it! I can't believe it... Oh! ... Useless... What luck -- and in this vast ... and empty ... with such lush -- and overpowering nature. ... Ah, America! ... airplanes roar low overhead; gesticulates to them O-eh! O-eh! I'm here! Here! And all alone, at that. Oh....goes back to trying to fix his car Ooooh-la-la-la-la...]

American, having gotten out of his vehicle, surprises Frenchman

A
Hwuh-uhuh, yessir!

F
Wargh!

A
I ain't going to hurt you.

F
No! No! Not of all. I am surprise. Is nothing.

A
Oh, yeah; oh, yeah. I sees that uniform --
so smokey blue -- done bring it on back to me now -- parlay-vous?
Oh yeah, uh-huh; horizon blue -- parlay vous?

F
Yes. No. I not speak English good.

A
Oh, yeah; Ohohoh, yeah... when I been fighting in the war...

F
Yes? No... I not understand very good, me. Oh I have big cares -- with car.

A
Lessways you got a car. Ain't till you got
so little but a world of darkness here,
deep and careless sorrow, make you dream
you carried low to the great house farm -- home at last --
that you got cares. Or maybe you don't.

F
I no understand...I

A
No you don't. That's alright.

F
No, is not alright. You look. It not work no. Ooh la la -- big cares...

A
You look! Oh, yeah. Right that way at me! Oh my, my...oh, yeah!
Yeah you look like... Yessir. Oh, wee Monsoor!
I remember that like I got tears come up my eyes --
walking in Paree on liberty one time,
the smells and rain, yeah, the grimnity of war so near --
but them buildings like was angels built them things --
and I'm feeling lifted out of me and don't see why;
I'm thinking it's I'm fearful of the move-out to the front
home-boys and me, we headed to in days
and then I sees it in them eyes that's seeing me --
just walking in the city street by street --
you's not looking at me like I's looked at here at home
in these United States. You's looking at me...

F
I... Yes... I don't see...

A
Yeah, you don't. Oh, yeah. Yeah, you don't. You sees like something, but no Jim Crow -- and you don't know...

F
No... no, very sorry; I not meet you Jim Crow never. Is it he is pilot, maybe?

A
Yeah you meet him -- been living with him like fam'ly
Yessir! And oh, he ain't nothing, nothing but
a fact of life. Weren't for the way, everyday,
the unjust facts of life fill up the world,
and soak in bitterness even our sweetest joys... .
So ol' Jim, yeah you know him, every time
you go to town by how you seen -- even
maybe you don't think know you know him, you know?
So, you know what's maybe wrong with it?

F
I don't know what. If I know what, I fix.
I look, look; I no understand. You look;
you find maybe?

A
Huuh... I don't know 'bout that.
How my going to find? I'm a mortician,
not a mechanic. Didn't have this business here,
maybe be driving to Chicago right now,
leaving it all behind... Hunh... Don't know what's
them diff'rence twixt one and other -- man
that pick up and gone, take his life some
new somewhere, and man done stayed,
tied down, making the crop he owe himself,
to them that raise him up, in his here land
so sown with sorrow of them brought here.

airplanes roar low overhead

I get one them planes with you, we be in Chicago in no time.

F
That type? From here? Even you have external tank,
you need refueling stop, two maybe.
Maximum range that type, no..no...what you say?

A
Uh-huh...oh yeah...

F
Agh, I try of find, I try of find again. Oooh la la, what problem. I do know not what to do. Have car no work. Here with you. Somewhere nowhere USA. Thank you. You are here. Like Lafayette.

A
Hunh?

F
The General Pershing he say that. "Lafayette we are here." We very move in heart, but Lafayette he have famous but not he do nothing for fix independence. I very move you are here. Truly. But you no can fix. Is joke. You are here for help me -- I very happy, but you no help me because not can do like Lafayette because is Rochambeau and Giscard d'Estaing they make Yorktown fix for Washington -- independence. Lafayette he not can do nothing but he have famous in heart of people so the General Pershing he say "Lafayette we are here" and he have make singing the heart like I happy you are here but Lafayette he not fix independence like you not know to fix car... Maybe is French joke..little bit complicated.

A
Oh yeah, oh yeah...

F
Oooh la la, what problem, this fix car... How you know I pilot? I have American fighter pilot look maybe, very so can-do and debonair, no? How you know?

A
You ain't wearing them wings cause you know how to fix chicken.

F
Chicken? Wrauk, wrauk, wrauk chicken? Me? All same, chicken no is fly bird. I no understand you.

A
Is American joke.

F
Ah, yes... Ooh la...

A
Sure 'nough pick a nice day -- as only Spring
can make a day -- got here dapples of sun come specklet
this timbered ground, 'fore the grown leaves of Summer bring
deep cast-over shade that make this thicket
such a cool place, so hard to find, so good to hide
from all the driving heat that sweats the life
out of a man, like this world that won't abide
just leaving to live free, but's bent on drive and strife.
We all I know don't picks our days for this
or that, and friends and kinfolk all got a way --
oh yeah, you know -- for all they do from hit or miss
how what they doing's always pick the wrong day.
But you pick a fine day, break down in this wilderness --
that Springtime sun sweeten even brokedown bitterness.

F
My country, we no have no wilderness;
outside from the cities, we have make landscape;
in Spring like now, have such deep-rooted sweetness --
but from roots of family and place, is no escape.
In Spring my countryside is trinity
of nature, rich in desire life to renew,
of God, unseen but mighty, and of society,
strong, that keep in same relation all we do.
The wheat field up the hill now velvet green,
get ready for come Summer turn to gold
in rain so soft, that so sudden leave it sunny sheen --
in Spring so always new, in Spring so old.
I see, I breathe, I miss -- the house, the land,
the peoples of there, all held in His mighty hand.

A
Yeah, you too is standing, shouldered on memory
just what memory it is, that make us one or other.

F
Yes.

A
So what you going to do?

F
I don't know.

A
Just don't know what to do. Just don't know what to do?
Something come along...always does. What you doing here?

F
Here? Here. I learn flying. I know flying how. But this so special -- fighter flying. So wonderful! Such modern, modern, fast machine! Zooooom -- perfect! I so happy here, there up working -- professional -- but so free.

A
I see them things all day here -- since they build the base.
I seen them over there, oh yeah, over there, too.
Oh I seen them things -- swirl 'round, rhao-rhao-rhao,
buzzing up there chasing they tails in a dust-up of clouds,
then one come out with a stringtail of smoke
and bee line on down -- and it's to no man's land
that man's going no matter inside or what side
of no man's land he fall. And there what you
do maybe up there so tied in to that thing?
Huh, what it do, you do, it act like this here car --
and you be in the promise land, hole like a grave in the ground.
And what your momma say to that? What she say?

F
I don't know what she say -- maybe not say,
just the breathe come out, make sound of pain --
but I know what I say, airplane break up,
enemy shooting -- I say like American -- oh, shit!

A
That what you say when this thing break down?

F
Yes -- middle of nowhere.

A
Hey, you learning. I learn some French too -- madmoiselle -- oh yeah!
Natural as you please -- and they was ohohoh... I'm telling you.

F
What?

A
Mademoiselle from Armenteers, parlay voo?
Mademoiselle from Armenteers, parlay voo?
You might forget them gas and shells,
but you'll never forget them mademoiselles.
Hinky dinky parlay voo...

F
Argh, that song -- is so British -- little bit stupid for song, no? "Mademoiselle from Armentiers, parlez-vous?"-- ouf! But the mademoiselles, yes -- oh, yes... All the womens they are if beautiful -- even the British womens are beautiful. And you know the French womens? Also, so beautiful, but can be a little difficult, the French womens. Ah, but American womens.. Ah! When God has make creation, he create American womens the lasts -- he have learn from his mistakes of before so he is master of his creation-craft so he make them his workchiefs, American women.

A
Workchiefs, huh? Uh-huh, yeah. ... Yeah. Oh, momma don't 'low no good times here! Oh no! 'Cause we got to be them forces of respectablity, keep quelled down all Saturday night get happy -- take a taste of just-don't-care, and why not live that way for what life you got left?

F
Ah, because the respectables they have contempt -- very powerful -- just in their eyes the ladies and men of orders look at you ''you ought have ashame of yourself!" Very powerful. So that is why, civilization, we have invent hypocrisy.

A
'Bout how down there there ain't no hope of dignity and rights 'cause there's no respect or order.

F
I no understand...

A
You can afford not to. ... Oh yeah... Oh, yeah...
Oh, yeah but how 'bout them womens there, Paree!
Ohohoh-ohoh, where them boys they take me to...
They laughing, laughing, shimmy me up the street,
singing "Mademoiselle from Armenteers, parlay voo;
Mademoiselle from Armenteers, sure you do...
Oh Yankee dollar, good as gold,
buy a golden girl 'fore you get old! Ohohoh... Hinky-dinky, parlay voo..."
And come up knocking on this door -- not even no line --
and inside, stumbling on to sweet smells and low lights
til in the room and turned and minded to
like time's got no high hand here, and ain't no king
ever have no Queen of Sheeba tumble on more strong,
like now you going to wish you died and stayed in heaven.
Oh, my; and talking that French talk like could be the song
licked up on the cool night breeze run through
the garden halls of moonlit marble Taj Mahals --
like one time you living in the Eden lost,
like all time good time in the loveland of 'rabian nights --
till paytime come, nohow, and then you paying the forty thieves!

F
Ah, yes; ah, yes... Forget the wine, forget the song,--
the women's where a soldier's little money always goes.

A
Huh! So yours all going at the room' house aback the roadhouse down the road?

F
Ah, there is house and there is house,
like everything this country, there is for one
society black; there is for one society white;
there is for one that is this, there is for one that is that --
is one for more poor, is one for more rich.

A
Is that right? And when the rain don't fall, the corn don't grow.

F
And where I go, I start to go for I
no have much money, soon, I go and go --
the angry of the lust, the playful laugh --
like light against the dark of deep resignment.

A
Could be. ... No. Don't nobody know the sorrow seen
if seen with with words like of "resignment."
That's right! You don't know! ... Where'd you get that thing?

F
No, I don't know. Is broken, I knowed it yet.
Oh, I have buy it in town. The day of before yesterday. Used car.

A
Sure 'nough used car. Used to use you of no use at all.
Used only by a little old lady to go to church on Sundays.

F
Yes. So the man say. Exactly. So I think all that churchgoing keep it blessed and running.

A
But that blessings just not there.

F
Yes, maybe. I no have much money.

A
You don't know what it is not have much money.

F
Now, is mine a poor country -- all countries poor, after war.

A
Hwuh! I been there -- seen them Flanders fields,
and settlements tight like packs of stones -- all that was left of them sometimes...

here them rickety spread out towns

F
You? Truly? How that arrived for you?

A
Oh, huh! Eight-oh-third Pioneer Infantry, took me there from here.
Never been no stranger place, the Moose Are-gone...
Lord, Lord have mercy on them still. The dead,
the dead mans they was all, all over, everywhere.

F
You? La Meuse-Argonne? I take away my hat for you.

A
Hush now! Hwuh! You see 'em massahs sees that hat off
they take the two-by-fours to us both -- both be out of luck.

F
What? I no understand.

A
Yeah, you do -- all the white mans do.

F
My father he also, before, Chemin de Dames, Verdun, he killed.
It makes thirty years ago and something now --
a life entire for one like me that never see him.
My mother she say: she have much luck
he left her me, him I never saw, to be a man to her,
because the women are so many who have none.

A
All them dead mans; I see them everyday --
Alls so many like leaves rolled on the ground,
colored like the muddy field, and times their faces
open-eyed, looked just like them, but didn't look at all.
Took us right out of the line and put on burial detail,
like they'd break that pride so quick won standing in the fight --
put them Darkeys back to haul and heave.
I can't tell you now what fear hurts me worse,
right now, remembering, alive inside right here --
the fear, sharp like the whistles calling the attack,
the fear, steady like the open eyes
of the killed in action on the ground.
Ain't no way, from mem'ry, you can make that left behind.

F
And so, so many dead, take the heart out of a nation all away.
Un autre que les Boches n'auront pas, as we used to say --
like we in secret disavowed paying the price of victory again.
[Another that the huns won't drink]

A
So how you going to fix that car? What's wrong with it?

F
We have to liberate the spark so it goes of itself.

A
You sure about that?

F
For that I am certain. All systems were going
together, fusioned in action a moment past,
and now is only question to find the mend
that makes it go.

A
You sure about that? Some things for all
the diff'rence it makes you might as good
just sing them back to healed. Some hurts, some wounds
no time, no healing touches back to life intact.

F
I fix. Can do. Can do! Like American G.I. Oh, yes!
Just believe, believe, and try, try, try again.

A
Yeah, you do. Says who, it ain't just up and died?
And there just ain't no Jesus for that Lazarus lying here?

F
It must I follow it through here, logical.
Was all marching, so find what piece goes wrong,
and try to bind it back to all the workings so all goes right.

A
Alright. Alright? Righting wrongs ain't fixing things,
no more than gimps can grow to way they was.

F
I not reparating wrongs; I am fixing car.

A
Don't matter what one you're doing, it be taking an all long time.
And I don't know what time all on its own can do
'cept remind them carrying that weight of wrong
that the back and shoulders of their heart and soul
never knowed no freedom from the heavy load.
And there just ain't no Jesus for that Lazarus lying there?

F
Maybe. Not is reparatable, this car. You have drink of water, maybe? Is very hot.

A
That I can fix. gets water; they drink and start singing Yessir, oh, I see that uniform, bring it all back to me now...

together, variously
A mademoiselle from Armentiers, parley vous?,
A mademoiselle from Armentiers, parley vous?,
You might forget the gas and shells,
But you'll never forget them mademoiselles.
Hinky dinky, parlay vous?

A mademoiselle from Armentiers, parley vous?,
A mademoiselle from Armentiers, parley vous?,
The Yanks are having a hell of a time
Wading around in the mud and slime.
Hinky dinky, parlay vous?

A mademoiselle from Armentiers, parley vous?,
A mademoiselle from Armentiers, parley vous?,
I didn't care what became of me,
So I went and joined the Infantry.
Hinky dinky, parlay vous?

A mademoiselle from Armentiers, parley vous?,
A mademoiselle from Armentiers, parley vous?,
All the bedboards cracked in Armentiers
Cause Lafayette's been sleeping here.
Hinky dinky, parlay vous?

F
So maybe you want help me, you can take me to town?

A
I don't know about that.

F
Sure, why not? You want help me? You take me gas station town, so I have come fix my car.

A
Yeah, I want to help you, but...

F
You have big car, much room. You go there, no? That way?

A
Yeah, but you don't understand; the white boys can't see you're French, just looking at you, and they see...

F
Is not illegal -- I know you have law for segregation but

A
No, it's not illegal, I mean riding in a car together going into town -- could be a lot worse, you could be a white woman...

F
What woman?

A
No woman, but still -- I got a business to protect -- you know, it's not exactly the laws, it's that Jim Crow way -- and they start talking 'bout how I been seen riding and talking, laughing with a white man and..something'll happen -- I lose my mortician license..something...

F
I no understand. You want leave me here, all alone in wilderness? What I do?

A
I don't know. Don't know what to do.

F
Just don't know what to do. Just don't know what to do?
Something come along...always does. What you doing here?

A
I was going into town, pick up a corpse;
stop and see some customers, collect burial insurance.
And I see that uniform, powder blue -- bring it all back to me now...

F
You pick up a corpse? Dead man?

A
Yeah, that's my business -- pretty much only business black folks can have 'round here -- 'cept religion too.

F
Ah, I understand -- how stupid of me. They spend all life segregate alive, so sure -- important! -- keep segregate when dead -- same thing for God. Of course! indicating American's vehicle So that is your mortician wagon?

A
Yeah.

F
I have little more water, maybe?

A
Yeah. ... You know there's an empty coffin in the back.

F
Yes. ... Very good. Too soon all coffins are full.

A
No. I mean you want to hide inside, I drive you up close to town, leave you out behind the gas station where won't nobody see we're riding into town together.

F
So then, I want you for me ride to town I must get in coffin like play dead?

A
Yeah, you're going to have to if you want me to take you town.

F
Ah, wonderful -- only in America, I am like Sarah Bernhardt, sleep that way. But what if sheriff, sombody stop you. I no want you get in trouble for me.

A
Ain't no sheriff, nobody, going to look in no coffin I'm hauling. I know America. Oh, yeah.

THE END