Clybourne Park Page 12
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.