Langston Hughes
Ain’t It Awful, The Heat
[VOICE OFFSTAGE, spoken]
Charlie!

[MRS. FIORENTINO, spoken]
Good evening, Mrs. Jones

[MRS. JONES, spoken]
Good evening, Mrs. Fiorentino
Well, I hope it's hot enough for you

[MRS. FIORENTINO, spoken]
Terrible!

[MRS. JONES, spoken]
Have you ever seen such heat?

[MRS. FIORENTINO, spoken]
I get through with the supper dishes und I am wet from head to foot

[MRS. JONES, spoken]
Ain’t a dry stitch on me neither

[MRS. FIORENTINO]
So I just take off my corset and let myself spread

[MRS. JONES]
I think I'll take a nice hot bath before I go to bed
[MRS. FIORENTINO]
The trouble with a bath is that when you get done
You're just about as hot again as when you bеgun

[MRS. FIORENTINO & MRS. JONES]
Ain’t it awful the heat, ain't it awful
Don't know what I'm gonna do

[MRS. FIORENTINO]
Gosh, I'm sweatin'!

[MRS. JONES]
My dog's frеttin'
I’m a-soakin’ wet all through

[MRS. FIORENTINO & MRS. JONES]
Don't know what I’m gonna do

[MRS. OLSEN, spoken]
Good evening

[MRS. FIORENTINO & MRS. JONES, spoken]
Good evening, Mrs. Olsen

[MRS. OLSEN, spoken]
I think it's more cooler in the cellar
[MRS. FIORENTINO]
A heat like this I don't remember

[MRS. JONES]
We'll all be wishin’ for this in December

[MRS. OLSEN]
My baby is cryin', cryin' all day

[MRS. FIORENTINO]
They feel the heat more than we do I say

[MRS. JONES]
And my dog Queenie is just draggin' roun'
Her tail ain't waggin', just hangin' down

[MRS. OLSEN]
My baby gets teeth; it hurts her gums

[MRS. JONES]
My kids used to nearly chew off their thumbs

[MRS. FIORENTINO]
The heat's got me, I'm feelin' lazy

[NEGRO WOMAN]
Lawdy, mercy, I'm nearly crazy!
[MRS. FIORENTINO, MRS. JONES & MRS. OLSEN]
Ooh!
Ain't it awful the heat! Ain't it awful!

[MR. OLSEN]
Ain't it awful!

[MRS. FIORENTINO, MRS. JONES & MRS. OLSEN]
Don't know what I'm gonna do

[MR. OLSEN]
Oh, what a heat, oh!

[MRS. JONES]
Damn mosquito!

[MRS. FIORENTINO, MRS. JONES, MRS. OLSEN & MR. OLSEN]
Only hope I live it through

[MR. OLSEN]
Ain't it awful!

[MRS. FIORENTINO, MRS. JONES, MRS. OLSEN & MR. OLSEN]
Don't know what I'm gonna do
Don't know what I'm gonna do