Driving Miss Daisy

The play opens in 1948. Daisy Werthan, 72 year old, southern Jewish widow, has crashed her three week old Packard into the neighbor's garage while backing it down the drive. Her son, Boolie, realizes she is no longer capable of driving safely and insists that she hires a chauffeur, as many of her friends have already done. Daisy protests when Boolie insists on interviewing an African American for the job, but he ignores her prejudices.

Over at his office, Boolie interviews Hoke Coleburn. Hoke is an experienced chauffeur but he has been unemployed for months as no one will hire a sixty year old. He explains how he likes working for Jewish folk as they have always treated him well. Boolie hires Hoke, warning him that his mother is highly strung and opposed to having a driver, but Hoke will work for him so she can’t fire him. Hoke takes up his position at Daisy’s home but Daisy wants nothing to do with him. She refuses to let him drive her or do anything around the house despite his