Goin'a Buffalo
editGoin'a Buffalo is a play by Ed Bullins, published in 1969. Set in early '60s Los Angeles, Goin'a Buffalo is the story of a group of black people trying to escape the cycles of crime that dominate their lives and start over in Buffalo, New York. In keeping with Bullins's style of Black-Oriented Realism, Goin'a Buffalo is not intended to have clear resolution or message, rather, it is an attempt by the author to depict "black life, truthfully"[1].
Plot
editAct I
editGoin'a Buffalo is divided into three acts. Act I begins in Curt and his wife Pandora's apartment in West Adams, Los Angeles. Curt and his friend Rich drink beer and play chess. Their game is briefly interrupted by the arrival of Curt's friend from prison, Art. Rich goes on to tell the story of how Art, uninvolved in any gang, stepped in to miraculously save Rich's life in a prison brawl and how Curt has been indebted to him ever since. Rich and Curt inquire as to how Art did not feel the need to become involved in any group during prison, and what landed him in jail in the first place. Art reveals that he was in for attempted murder of a woman's husband, stating simply "I guess girls are my main weakness."[2] Pandora's friend and coworker Mamma Too Tight arrives. She is white, a heroin addict, a prostitute like Pandora, and just released from jail.
Pandora, Curt, Rich, Art, Mamma Too Tight and her boyfriend/pimp Shaky eat chicken and drink beer. They discuss Mamma Too Tight's stay in prison, and how Shaky did not visit her for fear of getting locked up himself for possible warrants out for his arrest. Curt tells Mamma that it's a man's job to protect and provide for his woman, and if he can't do that, the woman who even looks at him "should have her funky ass run into the ground like a piece of scum!"[3] . Rich and Shaky leave. Mamma starts flirting with Art, who shows no interest. She tells him that her name is actually Queenie Bell Mack, but changed it to Mamma Too Tight because she felt it fit better. Pandora descends the stairs with a cardboard box.
Pandora, Curt, Mamma and Art sit around Pandora's box. Curt, Pandora and Mamma pass around a joint, talking about moving to Buffalo, New York and beginning again. However, their plan involves still doing all the same things they were doing in Los Angeles, including having Shaky sell heroin. Art, having very little money and only a car to his name, is excited at the idea of coming with them. Mamma tries to pass Art the joint, and when he refuses, Pandora mocks Curt for bringing a "square" into the house. He then starts hitting her. Art leaps to her defense. Getting suspicious that Art is a cop, Curt gets defensive. Art assures the group he is not, and after prying from Pandora, reveals that he had a bad experience with marijuana, and almost got caught by a cop with six joints while in Philadelphia a few years ago. The group muses on Pandora's box, about prostitution, and about their upcoming departure. They are interrupted by a phone call from Deeny, the owner of the strip club where Pandora and Mamma work. He wants Pandora to come in early to rehearse a new number. Pandora mentions that he is late paying her yet again. The group leave.
Act II
editAct II takes place in the strip club in which Mamma and Pandora work. The musicians are setting up to practice a new song, when they discover that the brass section quit that morning after being refused pay by Deeny. One of the musicians tells the rest of the group that Deeny is in trouble with the union, and so it's the rest of the band's last night at the club, as well. Pandora, Curt, Art, Mamma enter and ask for drinks from the bartender. The phone rings. A fight almost ensues as Curt and the musicians all try to get the phone to talk to Deeny, who is on his way. Pandora and Art talk about Mamma's heroin habit and the frustrating present. Curt tells Art that if things go south, he is to take care of Pandora in San Francisco. He recounts how they met. Shaky arrives and urges Mamma to pull in $100, to which Mamma says she needs more time, and that he's pushing her too hard. Art seduces Mamma Too Tight by telling her that Shaky doesn't understand her, that he pushes her too hard. Deeny and the bouncer arrive, and a fight breaks out when he announces the club is closing. Curt gets a glass broken on his face. The group leaves in panic.
Act III
editThree days later, back at Pandora and Curt's apartment. Mamma sleeps while Rich and Curt play chess. Rich tells Curt that Art is moving in on Pandora, which Curt doesn't believe. Mamma wakes up and asks Curt for a fix, to which he answers that since Shaky got busted by the cops at the strip club with a lot of heroin on him, Mamma could get busted easily if she tried to score or turn tricks. She falls back asleep. Pandora and Art enter. He has been chauffeuring Pandora around L.A. to her bigger clients. They bought groceries, and put them in the kitchen. Art kisses her. He advises Rich on his game with Curt, moving his king into a stalemate, so neither he nor Curt win. Rich and Curt leave to go get Shaky's heroin and sell it themselves. Curt instructs Pandora to drive, and the group leaves Art with Mamma. The lights turn off. Art climbs the stairs, makes a phone call, comes back down and wakes up Mamma to have sex.
Later that day, Pandora mournfully tells Art that Rich and Curt got busted while trying to sell Shaky's heroin. Art tells her they're leaving immediately. Pandora starts to cry, telling Art that she wants to find some way to help out Rich and Curt, the way Curt would do for them. Art slaps her viciously, knocking off the sunglasses she was wearing to reveal blackened eyes. He tells Pandora to run and pack. Mamma is getting her things at Shaky's place, and then all of them are going to Buffalo. Pandora climbs the stairs as Art reminds her not to forget her box.