Stephen Flaherty - The Trashing of the Car lyrics

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON And I say to you, gentlemen, that every race or notion that has ever got upon its feet has done so through struggle and Persecution; and out of this very resistance to wrong, out of the struggle against odds, they have gained strength (COALHOUSE and SARAH and the baby are returning to New Rochelle in the Model T WILLIE CONKLIN and his MEN appear, goofing off in front of the firehouse. We hear the familiar sound of a Model T coming Toward us. The MEN begin to fan out. COALHOUSE and SARAH find their way barred by WILLIE CONKLIN and the EMERALD ISLE FIREMEN. Nastiness hangs in the air.) COALHOUSE Sarah. Go down the road and wait SARAH I'm not going to leave you COALHOUSE Do it, Sarah SARAH Stubborn, righteous man (SARAH hurries off with the baby.) COALHOUSE Let me pa** CONKLIN Gladly. That will be twenty-five dollars. This is a private toll road COALHOUSE Since when? CONKLIN Since some high-falutin' n***a and his who*e and his who*e's baby thought they could drive that goddamn car of their any Place they pleased, that's since when (COALHOUSE gets out of the car.) CONKLIN Running away, n***a? COALHOUSE I am going to find a policeman. If anyone touches my car before I return, he will answer to Coalhouse CONKLIN Tell him Fire Chief Will Conklin sends his regards! (The FIREMEN laugh as COALHOUSE walks away.) BOOKER T. WASHINGTON We must exhibit patience (The FIREMEN descend on the car and destroy it.) Self-control. Forbearance. And dwell above hatred and acts of cruelty (BOOKER T. WASHINGTON disappears.) COALHOUSE Coalhouse found a policeman but he refused to help. When he returned to his car, the Model T was spattered with mud. There Was a twenty-inch tear in the custom pantasote top. The tires had been slashed and all the windows broken. Deposited on the Seat was a mound of fresh human excrement CONKLIN Come on, fellas, let's roll her into the pond and see if she floats! (CONKLIN and the FIREMEN exit, laughing and pushing COALHOUSE'S car as SARAH returns.) SARAH Come on, Coalhouse. Come on. It doesn't matter