May 7, 2021
“And They Shouted.”
By Anthony S. Protho
Disclaimer: coincidence of names, places, or events are only made in fiction and do not reflect
true events. Please enjoy. Protho, Anthony S. “And They Shouted” 2021©
Scene 1:
August 13th, 1942. It’s a very pleasant sunny day in Hawthorne, CA USA. The wind blowing light across the skin. The smells of fresh air and cheap perfume fill the air. It’s just the right amount of cloudy and sunny weather. The Feldspar Marketplace is Anzu Ueno’s favorite place to shop when looking for groceries, or cute knick-knacks.
“Oh, what a beautiful day!” Anzu says as she exits the grocery store. “I hope Mom and Pop will enjoy the food I got, I know they’d enjoy the tempura, but what if they don’t like this key lime pie?”
Anzu usually shops for her parents, while they are at work. She has been working part-time at the salon, but now that she is 20, wants to do more with her life.
While she’s walking down the street, she sees a group of dark skin men who were looking at a sign. It was Lenard Smith and his brothers, who just recently moved to town a few months ago.
The sign reads, “Whites Only! No Blacks.” The brothers decided it would be in their best interests to carry on. However, just as they were leaving, two women, Taylor and Grace Brinker walked out of the store.
”Were you seriously trying to enter this shop?” Taylor says in disgust, with Grace hiding behind her as they walk past them in the opposite direction.
“Come on guys, let’s just go,” one of Lenard’s older brothers says solemnly. Anzu tries her best not to get involved and looks away from them while walking. Not noticing where she is going, she trips and drops her bag in the street. Lenard Smith picks up her bag for her and extends his hand out to try and give it to her.
Anzu said “Thanks”, but not before snatching the bag away from him. She then scurries away, while Lenard shouts, “I was only trying to help!”
As the Smiths walk away in the opposite direction they begin murmuring to one another. “Nothing we do is ever good enough for these people.”
“Why did we even come to this part of town anyway? We knew it was going to be like this.”
“I don’t know. It was the quickest way to the Box Hot. We‘ll be there soon. Just seems like we don’t belong anywhere.”
The Box Hot was the Smiths’ favorite place to eat in town, and without going through Feldspar Marketplace, would be another 45-minute walk.
The Brinker Sisters, who were now entering another store, get bumped into by a tall man exiting the doors, which almost knocks over Grace.
He swiftly catches her.
“Are you okay?” the man says. But before Grace has a chance to answer, Taylor shouts “What the heck is wrong with you?”
“I’m sorry, I’m a salesman and was running late to another meeting. The name’s Derik James. Is the lady alright?” Derik asks.
“Cough, Cough”
“I don’t care what your name is!”
“It’s alright Taylor, I’m okay. My name is Grace, Grace Brinker.” Grace says with a shaken voice as she tries to calm her older sister.
“Just be more careful Mr. James,” Taylor says, annoyed at the situation as she wraps her arms around Grace and rushes into the store.
Scene 2:
September 2nd, 1942. In Hawthorne, CA USA. In the Brinker Sisters’ apartment, Taylor is sitting on the open window seal, looking out to the beautiful skies.
“It’s so sunny out! Oh, Grace, I wish we could go out and do something.” Taylor finishes her sentence regretfully.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean that. I can just enjoy the breeze here.”
“It’s okay,” Grace said, lying in bed with the newspaper. “We didn’t choose what happened to us. But I promise if this strange illness didn’t exist we would be running around the fairgrounds like children.”
Grace then continues reading the newspaper, while Taylor gazes out into the street to see Derik James.
“Are you still seeing that man?” Taylor says disappointedly.
Grace responded timidly “I just think he’s nice, and he’s a working man.”
Derik James is now walking up to the door.
“I see you, Mr. James, no need to knock!” Taylor yelled out the window before going to open the front door for him.
They both enter the apartment and Taylor retakes her place by the window. “Thank you, Taylor.”
“How are you feeling today, Grace?”
“I’ve been okay. Just a little weak.” Grace softly said.
“She’s just being kind. She had two seizures just this afternoon. They are getting worse and it’s getting harder to afford the medicine.” Taylor replied.
“You are so strong. How long ago was that? Can you get up?” Derik tells Grace. “Oh, I think so. It’s been about 4 hours, but I’ve just been so tired.”
“Taylor, can you get me some more water?”
Taylor then leaves to grab water and upon coming back, hears Grace and Derik talking about the news, with Derik sitting on the foot of Grace’s bed.
“Seems like the war is still steady on. I still can’t believe it’s almost been a full year since Pearl Harbor.” Grace says sadly.
“I heard that they are planning to lift the Italians’ curfew soon,” Derik replies. “Where did you hear that from?” Taylor interrupts.
“Oh, just from one of the employers I was talking to. Which reminds me, if I can get this job, my days as a traveling salesman are over! I can even help pay for the medicine, Grace. And you can live with me once I get enough money.” Derik replies.
“Still chasing that American Dream, are you, Mr. James? Just know that’s all it is, a dream.” Taylor snarks.
“I wasn’t just inviting Grace, ‘Ms. Brinker’. I was hoping you’d come live with us too.” Derik replies.
“However, there’s something I must admit. I’ve been a bit nervous about opening my briefcase.”
“Why?” Grace replies.
“Well you see, I kind of forgot it at one of the shops I was selling to. Being a salesman is busy work.” Derik explains.
“So how did you get it back?” Grace asks.
“Ring ring, ring ring” a cell phone is heard.
“Are you going to get that?” Derik jokingly replies. “But anyway, I got it back thanks to a group of colored folk.”
Taylor responds by saying “You were lucky to get it back at all.”
“I know, but I have it. I’ve just been worried about how much of my stuff is still inside. I don’t want to know how much money was stolen.” Derik says while tapping his foot. “Well, it won’t change anything whether you open it now or in 3 weeks,” Grace says. “You’re right… Okay, I’ll open it.” Derik says as he stands up.
Grace then sits up in the bed so that there is more room at the foot of the bed. Derik then places the briefcase on the bed and Taylor comes closer — all eyes observing the Schrodinger’s cat briefcase -to see what’s inside. Derik opens it to find that it’s full. Nothing had gone missing. “Well, would you look at that?” Grace says.
“You are one lucky man, Mr. James” Taylor responds.
“I guess I am. Though I feel guilty ever accusing those kind men of such a thing.”
Scene 3:
September 21st, 1942. In Hawthorne, CA USA. Anzu Ueno is leaving the Feldspar Marketplace with bags of groceries and is stopped by Lenard Smith, who seems to have just got done running.
“Stop!” He yells with his shaken breaths, “Don’t go home!”
“What’s going on? You know where I live?” She says, trying to walk past him. The Brinker sisters and Derik are walking together across the street from them. Lenard stops her by grabbing onto her arms while he is trying to regain his breath. “Get off me, you creep! Just let me go home!” she screams.
“My brothers and I walk past your house all the time. It’s on the way to the Box Hot.” Lenard tries to explain
Taylor rushes over yelling, “What are you trying to do, boy? Leave this woman alone!” Lenard finally spits it out. “They were taking all the Japanese families away, and I didn’t want her to be taken too.”
Taylor is shocked and confused, but not as much as Anzu who doesn’t want to believe her ears. Grace and Derik had been walking towards them, as the commotion grew. Until Anzu suddenly yells.
“But I’m not even Chinese!”
“Uh, Did you just break the script?” Gil Jackson replies.
“Gil! You’re supposed to be playing Lenard.” Sena An-Hangul says.
“I’m sorry, I got confused once you said your line wrong,” Gil says annoyed.
“It was only wrong because you don’t know how to improvise.” Maria Cortez (playing Taylor Brinker) exclaims.
“Yeah, why didn’t you do something funny like August did when someone’s cell phone rang?” Doba Winter, as Grace Brinker, says with a concerned tone of voice. Gil exclaims “Well, your name isn’t actually Anzu, you peach lover!”
“Anzu means Apricot, you idiot!” Sena yells.
“Can we calm down and get back to the script?” Doba Winter pleads.
“No! History just repeats itself and my dad is in the hospital because someone thought he was Chinese. Asians have been going through discrimination for so long and it’s just ignored!” Sena An-Hangul uncontrollably shouts.
“You think you’re the only ones? How ignorant are you? Don’t you know that Black people still have it bad to this day?” Gil Jackson retaliates.
“At least you guys are getting publicity. Mexican and immigrant discrimination has been happening for decades, and still hardly gets any attention other than the cages they put us in!” Maria Cortez says, sternly.
“You’re not the only one’s getting ignored. My people were slaughtered. And out of all the tribes that were in the Americas before the English came, people only seem to be able to name one or two as the rest were forgotten. And we seem to forget that! Though contracts say we have reservations, people still impede on our land and take and take again.” Doba Winter adds. “Can you guys just please chill out.” August Brown pleads.
“Shut up, man. August isn’t even a boy’s name Mr.
‘I’m-so-white-I-had-to-change-my-last-name-to-Brown’” Gil Jackson taunts. “Yeah, check your privilege, August!” said Maria Cortez.
“Oh stop it! For one, August is a unisex name, and two, you think I have it good? When everyone keeps insulting me for my skin color and gender alone? And what privileges do I have when I live in a cramped trailer huh? How privileged is that?” August Brown says, cynically. The screams grew as members of the audience began to yell.
“Our freedom is getting trampled on!”
“My rights are in danger!”
“People are in danger!”
“The Earth is dying!”
The play didn’t end in warm cheers, but blood curtailing screams of enraged families who came to see their kids perform in a play. As the stage was closed, and the curtains fell, everyone was then sent home.
And they shouted.
