Race
Page 6
SUSAN: That’s right.
JACK: Why?
(Pause.)
SUSAN: We all have prejudices.
JACK: Yes, that’s right.
SUSAN: But we try to suspend them.
JACK: We do?
SUSAN: In the interests of our client.
JACK: And what were your prejudices?
SUSAN: Women are taught. (Pause) To be wary of men.
JACK: Anything else?
(Pause.)
SUSAN: He’s white.
HENRY: Thank you and is a white man entitled to legal representation?
JACK: . . . and so you were doubly prejudiced against him.
SUSAN: That’s right.
JACK: Because he was white.
SUSAN: White men have traditionally exploited black women.
JACK: And is that prejudice?
SUSAN: Perhaps it is. And perhaps I was conscious of it. And strove to put it aside.
JACK: But you thought he was guilty.
SUSAN: No. I was sure he was guilty.
JACK: And did you think he should be punished?
(Pause.)
SUSAN: I thought he would be punished.
JACK: You thought he should be punished.
SUSAN: That is correct.
JACK: By you?
SUSAN: Not by me, no.
JACK: By whom?
SUSAN: By the court.
JACK: That’s the wrong answer. The right answer is, “What are you getting at?” (Pause) . . . that’s the wrong answer . . .
HENRY: Did you sell us out?
SUSAN: When did you cease to trust me?
HENRY: Did you sell us out?
SUSAN: Did you trust me, when you hired me?
HENRY: Jack did. I didn’t.
SUSAN: Why?
HENRY: Because you lied. On your employment form.
SUSAN: Uh-huh.
HENRY: D’you call the prosecution? You call the roommate? Susan?
SUSAN: . . . but your partner, took a chance on me.
HENRY: That’s right.
SUSAN: Why? (Pause. To Jack) Why?
JACK: How the fuck do I know? Because you came up the hard way. ’Cause you’re smart, ’cause you’re black, ’cause you’re young and pretty. Is it all a crime now? Is it all a crime?
SUSAN: You mistrust me, because I’m black.
JACK: Say I do. Did I have reason to?
SUSAN: Did you?
JACK: You lied on your employment form.
SUSAN: Is that something “black” people do?
JACK: Uh-huh.
SUSAN: If you mistrusted me why in the world did you hire me?
JACK: I mistrusted you but I suppressed it.
SUSAN: Why?
JACK: Because you are black . . .
SUSAN: . . . because I’m black . . .
JACK: . . . and I thought. I thought you deserved a chance. Alright? And I gave you a chance and you betrayed me.
SUSAN: On what evidence?
HENRY: Deny it . . .
JACK: Just deny it Susan. (Pause) Tell me I’m wrong. (Pause) The man’s innocent.
SUSAN: Is he? . . .
JACK: “Is he?” What the fuck does that mean? The man’s our client. He’s our client . . .
(The phone rings. Henry answers the phone.)
HENRY (To phone): Yes, go ahead.
JACK: And an innocent man is going to have his life ruined. By you. You sold us out. You sold our client out. Didn’t you?
SUSAN: “An innocent man.”
JACK: Get out of my sight. Get out of my sight, you fucking ingrate.
(She rises to go.)
SUSAN: You forgot to say “nigger.”
JACK: Get out of my sight.
HENRY (To phone): Yes. (Pause) Thank you. (He hangs up; to Jack) That was the District Attorney. (Pause) The rookie, first responding officer. (Pause) Has just discovered and submitted, a page of his initial report. In which he describes the room “covered in sequins.” He left it in the pocket of his coat. (Pause) And our client. Has just confessed. To the rape.
JACK: Susan . . .
SUSAN: Do you want me to tell you about White People? (Pause) The silver spoon was missing and you fired the maid. (Pause) You cannot help yourselves. And you wonder how black people feel about you? As you said. We know. You will betray us. Every chance you get. Like children. Like sick children. (To Henry) Didn’t this fool know that man raped that girl? (Pause) Didn’t you know? . . . You knew—didn’t you care? . . .
(She starts to exit.)
HENRY: You didn’t send the information on the dress.
SUSAN: I’ve told you I did not.
HENRY: But you called the college roommate.
SUSAN: I don’t know what you mean . . .
(She shrugs and begins gathering her things to exit.)
HENRY: ’Cause, we can tell them, that man remembered that “slight” over thirty years. But you and I know it’s untrue.
SUSAN: Is it untrue?
HENRY: Man of that age? Shit he’s had to eat? That fucking “slight” was nothing to him.
SUSAN: It was his college roommate.
HENRY: It was some white boy who he knew in college. He didn’t even remember till you called him up. You called the roommate up. You ginned him up. Didn’t you?
SUSAN: Is that what I did?
HENRY: And your act. Was a violation of the law.
SUSAN: As was yours, when you had me investigated.
JACK: Did you betray me?
SUSAN: In any event it would have had no bearing on the justice of the case.
JACK: You tell me why.
SUSAN: Because, White Man, he was guilty.
END OF PLAY
DAVID MAMET is the author of many plays, including Glengarry Glen Ross (Pulitzer Prize, 1984), American Buffalo, The Cryptogram, A Life in the Theatre, November, Boston Marriage and The Woods.
Race is copyright © 2010 by David Mamet
Race is published by Theatre Communications Group, Inc., 520 Eighth Avenue, 24th Floor, New York, NY 10018-4156
All Rights Reserved. Except for brief passages quoted in newspaper, magazine, radio or television reviews, no part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording, or by an information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Professionals and amateurs are hereby warned that this material, being fully protected under the Copyright Laws of the United States of America and all other countries of the Berne and Universal Copyright Conventions, is subject to a royalty. All rights, including but not limited to, professional, amateur, recording, motion picture, recitation, lecturing, public reading, radio and television broadcasting, and the rights of translation into foreign languages are expressly reserved. Particular emphasis is placed on the question of readings and all uses f this book by educational institutions, permission for which must be secured from the author’s representative: Ron Gwiazda, Abrams Artists Agency, 275 Seventh Avenue, 26th Floor, New York, NY 10001, 646-461-9325.
This publication is made possible in part with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, a State Agency.
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
eISBN : 978-1-559-36665-6
1. Lawyers—Drama. 2. African American lawyers—Drama. 3. Trials (Rape)—
Drama. 4. Race—Drama. 5. Race relations—Drama. I. Title.
PS3563.A4345R33 2010
812’.54—dc22 2010038898
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