Billy Bat 16

BILLY BAT #16

tl by molokidan

02)
T: Where to...?

03)
B: New York: 1959--
W: Grand Central Station...

Chapter 16 - Before the Chapel

04)
T: It's pretty thick out there.
W: Huh?
T: Nah...it's just, there's a demonstration happening on the way to Grand Central.
T: We'll have to go around it.
W: Demonstration...?
T: Yeah, the national rights movement.
T: The black folks' demonstration is that way,
T: and the white folks' is over here.
T: Thanks to them, traffic's heavy all over.
W: Well, just keep going.
T: Yes ma'am.

06)
W: You like that thing too, Mr. Driver?
T: Eh...ah, ol' Billy here?
T: My daughter likes him.
T: He helps me navigate, too.
W: Navigate?
T: When I get lost, he tells me where to go.
W: Hmph! That's ridiculous.
W: I hate him.
T: Oh really? Now I don't hear that one too often.
W(2b): The criminal in those Billy Bat comics is always a Soviet or Chinese spy...and their underlings are always blacks, of course!!

07)
W: In comedies, black gals only ever appear as maids.
T: Ahhh, that's true, now that you mention it.
T: But do you know about this, miss?
W: What?
T: The old Billy wasn't like that.
W: Huh?
T: He had smaller eyes, you know,
T: looked more like a cool guy.
T: Do you know the name of Billy Bat's author?
W: Chuck Culkin.
W: Everyone knows that.
T: Wrong-o!
T: The true author is Kevin Yamagata, a Japanese-American just like me.

08)
R: Chuck was a student of Yamagata's.
W: Hmmm...
W: So you're a Japanese-American, Mr. Driver?
R: His Japanese name is Kinji, though.
W: Kinji?
R: Apparently his father was so poor that he didn't want his child to experience the same pain.
R: So he decided he could at least give his son Kinji the name of a rich man!!
R: Ahhh...if I had some cash, I'd really like to go...
W: Go where?
R: Billy Land, you know, in Florida...it sure looks like fun. A land of dreams!
W: Hmph! What a joke!!

09)
W: Some land of dreams alright...
W: Blacks can't even step a foot inside!
R: 'zat true?
W: It's just the same as blacks not being able to ride in white buses.
W: And that's not even the half of it -- marriages between blacks and whites are banned in Florida, too.

10)
R: Hey look, it's the demonstration!!
R: We're gonna have to go around them.
B: Listen up.
R: Eh?!
B: Ask her why she's dressed up like a bride.
B: And why she was standing in front of a chapel, too!!

11)
R: Hey, now's not the time for that.
R: More importantly, tell me how to get out of this traffic jam.
B: Aren't you curious...?
W: Hey!!
W: Earlier you said your daughter liked Billy, right?
W: How old is she?
R: Uh...
R: Erm...hmmm...how is she, again...?
R: Ahhh...ummm...
W: You alright?
R: Yeah...
R: It's just that, I haven't been able to...or, haven't been allowed to meet her...
W: Ah...
W: I...see.

12)
R: Nah...well...
R: How should I explain it...
R: It's a bit difficult, you know...
R: Married life...
R: Whoops...!! I shouldn't be saying that to a person dressed as wonderfully like you, now should I?!
W: You think a lone woman riding a taxi dressed like this is wonderful?
W: I was forced out...
W: of my own wedding...

13)
R: Th...that's a chapel the rich use for their weddings, right?
W: He's white.
W: In the middle of the service, his family raised their voices.
W: "We object to this wedding," they said.
W: And everyone agreed.
W: They refuse to accept a black bride.

14)
W: I told you, didn't I? Marriages between blacks and whites are banned in Florida.
W: That's why we came back to his hometown of New York...
R(2b): B...but...that can't be!!
R: What did your husband do then...?
W: Go.
W: To Grand Central, and step on it!

15)
R: Yes ma'am...
R: Ah...snow...

16)
W: Thanks, Mr. Driver.
R: Be careful not to catch a cold, dear.
R: Ahh...um...
R: I'm sure things wll work out!!
R: Soon will come the day when the distinction between black and white disappears!!

17)
R: The day when we have a black president will come, too!
R: Someone just like Moses will appear in this country to perform a miracle!!
R: I saw it in a movie, you know!! It was called "The Ten Commandments," and the ocean split apart, whoooosh! Like this...!!
W: Mr. Driver...
W: Thank you...

18)
W: You know, Mr. Driver, even if no miracles happen...
W: you'll still be able to see your daughter again.
W: Bye...
B: Hurry up and move it!
B: Today will be a day of great profit!

19)
R: You really need to learn some manners, you know...
B: You said yourself that I'm your navigator, didn't you?
R: Yeah, yeah...

20)
R: Look, another demonstration.
B: Who cares? Just turn right.
R: What? But if we turn right...
R: We'll be back at the chapel.
R: You know...there's never any customers around here...
B: Sure about that?

21)
R: Well look at that...you're really on the ball today!
sfx: screech
R: Where to?
M: Have you been driving around here for a while?
R: Huh?
M: Have you seen her...?
M: My bride...

22)
M: She's a black...
R: Hurry up and get in!!
M: Eh...wh...what?
R: We still might be able to make it!!

Next: Sept. 3