from "The Coming Home" - this December's Goatsinger Show

3. Come On In My Kitchen – Robert Johnson (arranged by Moran)

LIGHTS UP on "Deisel" – a coffeeshop just off the corner of Highway and Main in Mount Revere, IA.

(ANNA MAE enters from House Left in scarf, hat, and mittens.   

She mimes unlocking and opening the door to Deisel on the ramp Stage Right.   

She starts a pot of coffee onstage.  Maybe turns a radio on.  

 After a moment, the STRANGER can be heard playing something on his guitar from House Left.  It's the opening riff to "Come On In My Kitchen" by Robert Johnson.  

 The Stranger, wearing wintry clothes, playing his guitar, enters House Left, follows the ramp down to Diesel.  ANNA MAE has come out to hang the OPEN sign up on the wall and sees him)

ANNA MAE

You better come on in my kitchen

It's goin' to be rainin' outdoors

(Stranger enters the space, still playing.  Anna Mae helps him off with his hat and cloak -- if he has one.   

He sits.  

 She brings him a cup of coffee.  He maybe stops playing.  Has a sip.  

 The two banter.  He's a stranger in town.  She works here on the weekends.)

STRANGER

You know where Bethelhem (PRONOUNCED: BETHEL-HEM – and I know that's wrong.  Shut up) is from here?

ANNA MAE

Are you fucking kidding?

(They continue to banter while she works.  He picks up his guitar.  She might dance a little with what he's playing.  

 THE PLAYERS – perhaps singing their lines as they enter – enter.  They fetch or take out their instruments and settle in with the song)

1^st PLAYER

The woman I love – I took from my best friend
The joker got lucky, stole her back again

CHORUS

You better come on in my kitchen, 

It's goin' to be rainin' outdoors

2^nd and 3^rd PLAYER
Oh, she's gone, I know she won't come back
I've taken the last nickel out of her gnashing sack

CHORUS

You better come on in my kitchen,

Babe, it's goin' to be rainin' outdoors

STRANGER

When a body gets in trouble – everybody puts you down

You looking for a good friend and none can be found

ALL BUT STRANGER

You better come on in my kitchen,

Babe, it's goin' to be rainin' outdoors

(Free verses – any player or actor who wants to make something up, should do it at this point in the song – only rule is that the content needs to make sense with the chorus – and the chorus can't be re-written)

ANNA MAE
Winter time's comin', it's goin' to be slow
You can't make the winter, babe, that long dry, so

CHORUS

You better come on in my kitchen,

'Cause it's goin' to be rainin' outdoors

(All the players are settled into place)

A PLAYER

Or whatever it's doing out there.....