Clybourne Park Read online

  Oh my god.

  LENA

  Which my great-aunt didn’t know at the time.

  LINDSEY

  Oh my god, that is just —

  LENA

  Though I assumed you did.

  STEVE

  Umm, no?

  LINDSEY

  That is just - just - just - Wait. And they went ahead and sold the house to – ?

  LENA

  Mm-hmm.

  STEVE

  Wow

  LINDSEY

  Without telling her that? Because nobody ever told us that.

  KATHY

  Well, they wouldn’t, would they?

  KEVIN

  (dismissive)

  Fifty years ago.

  LINDSEY

  (to KATHY)

  But legally, I mean, don’t you have to tell people that?

  KATHY

  Not if you want to sell it.

  LENA

  It was something like he’d come back from the Army. And he’d been accused of something.

  KEVIN

  Killing people.

  LENA

  Innocent people.

  KEVIN

  Killing civilians.

  STEVE

  But you don’t mean, like like like like … (laughs) like here in this very —?

  LENA

  No – I mean, not where we’re sitting.

  KEVIN

  Upstairs, wasn’t it?

  LINDSEY

  (freaking out)

  I–I–I–I–

  STEVE

  (touching LINDSEY)

  Breathe.

  LINDSEY

  (pushing STEVE’S hand away)

  Stop it.

  LENA

  I mean, the version I was told was, that he went upstairs.

  KEVIN

  Hanged himself .

  LINDSEY

  (standing, walking away)

  Okay. No. No, I’m sorry, but that is wrong.

  STEVE

  (following her)

  Where are you going?

  LINDSEY

  That is just – No. To sell someone a – a – a house, where – ?

  STEVE

  Whatsamatter?

  (STEVE and LINDSEY exit to the kitchen, from where we clearly hear:)

  LINDSEY

  No. There should be a law. And I don’t care how, okay? I don’t want to know how he did it or in what room – Because I’m sorry, but that is just something that, from a legal standpoint, you should have to tell people!

  KATHY

  (calling to LINDSAY)

  It’s not.

  LINDSEY

  (sticking her head in, to KATHY)

  Well, it fucking well should be.

  STEVE

  Hey Hey.

  LINDSEY

  (privately, to STEVE)

  And now I have this horrifying image in my head?

  STEVE

  (to LINDSEY, laughing)

  But why d’you have to make such a big deal outa—?

  LINDSEY

  Uh, it is a big deal, Steve. If your child —if our family is going to live in a house where - ?

  STEVE

  (laughing, to the others)

  I mean, it’s not like he’s still hanging up there!

  LINDSEY

  (losing her shit, to STEVE)

  It’s not funny, okay?!! It’s not funny to me, so why are you acting like an asshole?!!

  (The kitchen door bangs open and DAN noisily enters.)

  DAN

  (calling out)

  Okay. Show ya whatcha got.

  (He drags a large trunk — the same trunk we saw in Act I, now covered with mold and dirt— into the middle of the room.)

  DAN

  So that’s your problem right there. (coughs a couple of times) ’Scuse me. And I tell ya one thing: Yank this up from down there, take a look at it, you know the first thing I’m thinking to myself? You know what I’m thinking? Buried treasure. Like Spanish doubloons or something and I know you’re thinking Dan ya crazy bastard but I tell ya what. I know a guy.

  (He joins the circle.)

  DAN

  (coughs again)

  ’Scuse me. This guy. Last summer he’s taking out a septic system –this house out in Mundelein. He’s sitting on top of his backhoe. All of a sudden clang. And this guy’s not exactly the sharpest tool in the box, if ya know what I mean, but he goes down in there about five, six feet with a chain and a winch – swear to god – ya know what he pulls out from down there? He stands back. He takes a look – (without stopping)– You’re in the middle of something.

  STEVE

  Sorta.

  DAN

  My bad.

  STEVE

  No no.

  DAN

  Bull in a china shop.

  STEVE

  It’s cool.

  DAN

  According to my wife.

  STEVE

  Oh yeah?

  DAN

  As well as a couple other names not suitable for mixed— Anyways.

  STEVE

  Thanks.

  DAN

  (re: the trunk)

  So, I’ll just leave this here for ya.

  STEVE

  Thank you.

  DAN

  Need me to open it, you lemme know

  STEVE

  Great.

  DAN

  Problem, though. (indicating the large padlock) Problem’s this puppy right here. Now the deal is: I got a saw. Take a hacksaw you could maybe saw it off but whatcha really want is a pair of bolt cutters and I don’t think I got any bolt cutters, so.

  STEVE

  Ah, well.

  DAN

  ’Cause you never know Turns out to be fulla Spanish doubloons we’ll haveta split it six ways, huh?

  LINDSEY

  (to DAN, taking over)

  Sorry.

  DAN

  Whoops.

  LINDSEY

  I don’t know your name.

  DAN

  (extending hand)

  Dan.

  LINDSEY

  Hi Dan.

  DAN

  Dan or Danny.

  LINDSEY

  Great.

  DAN

  Daniel when the wife gets pissed.

  LINDSEY

  But listen –

  DAN

  No no no no no no I gotcha.

  LINDSEY

  If you wouldn’t mind?

  DAN

  Middle of your thing and I come barging right into –

  LINDSEY

  Thank you.

  DAN

  But you findya some bolt cutters you’ll be in business.

  LINDSEY

  We will.

  DAN

  (an idea)

  Hey, ya know what? Hang on a second.

  (DAN heads to the back door. As he does:)

  TOM

  So I’m just going to push ahead, if that’s okay?

  DAN

  (calling out the door, top of his lungs)

  Ramirez!!!

  TOM

  ’Cause we still got seventeen pages to cover -

  LINDSEY

  (to all)

  And I’m sorry I lost my shit. No, I did. But I think we’re both wound a little tight right now with the baby and the house and the money and everything –

  DAN

  (same)

  Ramirez!!

  LINDSEY

  – and then to top it all off, we get sent this petition in the mail, you know, and suddenly our entire lives are thrown into chaos at the very same moment that - I mean, the demolition was scheduled to start on Monday and unless we get this resolved which I want as much as anyone then what do people expect?

  DAN

  Ram–!!! Ah, screw it.

  (DAN gives up, exits.)

  TOM

  (continuing)

  So: Couple of options. One, as we said, is reducing the height —

 
KATHY

  (adamantly)

  No. Tom, I’m sorry, but you can’t just call an architect at the eleventh hour and snap your fingers and say can you completely redesign an entire -

  LINDSEY

  It’s a little late in the day for that.

  LENA

  (to LINDSEY)

  I’m sorry you’re upset.

  LINDSEY

  I’m not upset. I’m not.

  KATHY

  And may I remind everybody that these guys are under no obligation, legal or otherwise -

  TOM

  (holding up a document)

  Okay. Here’s the wording from the City Council, and I quote: “In recognition of the historic status of the Clybourne Park neighborhood, and its distinctive collection of low-rise single-family homes– (cont’d.)

  LINDSEY

  Aren’t we a single

  family?

  KEVIN

  Hey. Hey.

  Everything’s cool.

  TOM

  (continuous)

  –intended to house a community of working-class families.”

  LINDSEY

  And you know, the thing is? Communities change.

  STEVE

  They do.

  LINDSEY

  That’s just the reality.

  STEVE

  It is.

  LENA

  And some change is inevitable, and we all support that, but it might be worth asking yourself who exactly is responsible that change?

  (Little pause.)

  LINDSEY

  I’m not sure what you – ?

  KEVIN

  Wait, what are you trying to – ?

  LENA

  I’m asking you to think about the motivation behind the long-range political initiative to change the face of this neighborhood.

  (Another little pause.)

  LINDSEY

  What does that mean? I don’t know what that –?

  STEVE

  (to LENA)

  Wait, say that again?

  KEVIN

  The long-range what?

  LENA

  I mean that this is a highly desirable area.

  STEVE

  Well, we desire it.

  LENA

  I know you do.

  LINDSEY

  Same as you.

  LENA

  And now the area is changing.

  KATHY

  And for the better, right?

  LENA

  And I’m saying that there are certain economic interests that are being served by those changes and others that are not. That’s all.

  STEVE

  (suspiciously)

  And … which interests are being – ?

  LENA

  (systematically)

  If you have a residential area, in direct proximity to downtown?

  STEVE

  Right?

  LENA

  And if that area is occupied by a particular group?

  STEVE

  Which group?

  LINDSEY

  (to LENA)

  You know what? We’re talking about one house.

  LENA

  (to LINDSEY)

  I understand that.

  STEVE

  Which group?

  LINDSEY

  A house for our family?

  STEVE

  Which group?

  LENA

  That’s how it happens.

  LINDSEY

  In which to raise our child?

  STEVE

  No no. Which group?

  LENA

  It happens one house at a time.

  STEVE

  Whoa whoa whoa. Okay. Stop right there.

  LINDSEY

  What are you doing?

  STEVE

  No. I’m sorry, but can we just come out and say what it is we’re actually – ? Shouldn’t we maybe do that? Because if that’s what this is really about, then … jesus, maybe we oughta save ourselves some time and and and and just … say what it is we’re really saying instead of doing this elaborate little dance around it.

  (Dead stop. All stare at STEVE.)

  STEVE

  Never mind.

  KATHY

  What dance?

  STEVE

  I – I – I – I shouldn’t have – whatever.

  LENA

  (parsing his meaning)

  So … you think I haven’t been saying what I actually — ?

  STEVE

  (laughs)

  Uhhh … Not to my way of thinking, no.

  LENA

  Well, what is it you think I’m - ?

  STEVE

  I – I – I …(laughs incredulously) …like we don’t all know?

  LINDSEY

  I don’t.

  STEVE

  Oh, yes you do. Of course you do.

  KEVIN

  Well, maybe you oughta tell us what you think she was saying.

  STEVE

  Oh oh, but it has to be me?

  LENA

  Well, you’re the one who raised the question as to – (cont’d.)

  STEVE

  (laughs, overlapping)

  Oh, come on. It was blatant.

  LENA

  (continuous)

  – the sincerity of my speech.

  LINDSEY

  What the fuck, Steve?

  STEVE

  You know what? Forget I said it.

  LINDSEY

  You didn’t say anything.

  LENA

  Oh no, I’m interested.

  STEVE

  Let’s forget the whole –

  STEVE

  (continuous)

  – Okay Okay. If you really want to – It’s … (tries to laugh, then, sotto) …it’s race. Isn’t it? You’re trying to tell me that that … That implicit in what you said – That this entire conversation … isn’t at least partly informed –am I right? (laughs nervously) By the issue of … (sotto) of racism?

  (Beat, then:)

  LINDSEY

  (to STEVE)

  Are you out of your –?

  (to LENA)

  I have no idea where this is coming from.

  STEVE

  (to LINDSEY)

  And please don’t do that to me, okay? I’ve asked you repeatedly.

  LENA

  Well, the original issue was the inappropriately large house that – (cont’d.)

  STEVE

  (to LENA, overlapping)

  Oh, come on.

  LENA

  (continuous)

  – you’re planning to build. Only, now I’m fairly certain that I’ve been called a racist.