Raisin in the Sun - Lorraine Hansberry [27]
GEORGE (With boredom) Yeah—sometimes we’ll have to do that, Walter.
WALTER (Understanding the indifference, and offended) Yeah—well, when you get the time, man. I know you a busy little boy.
RUTH Walter, please—
WALTER (Bitterly, hurt) I know ain’t nothing in this world as busy as you colored college boys with your fraternity pins and white shoes …
RUTH (Covering her face with humiliation) Oh, Walter Lee—
WALTER I see you all all the time—with the books tucked under your arms—going to your (British A—a mimic) “clahsses.” And for what! What the hell you learning over there? Filling up your heads—(Counting off on his fingers)—with the sociology and the psychology—but they teaching you how to be a man? How to take over and run the world? They teaching you how to run a rubber plantation or a steel mill? Naw—just to talk proper and read books and wear them faggoty-looking white shoes …
GEORGE (Looking at him with distaste, a little above it all) You’re all wacked up with bitterness, man.
WALTER (Intently, almost quietly, between the teeth, glaring at the boy) And you—ain’t you bitter, man? Ain’t you just about had it yet? Don’t you see no stars gleaming that you can’t reach out and grab? You happy?—You contented son-of-a-bitch—you happy? You got it made? Bitter? Man, I’m a volcano. Bitter? Here I am a giant—surrounded by ants! Ants who can’t even understand what it is the giant is talking about.
RUTH (Passionately and suddenly) Oh, Walter—ain’t you with nobody!
WALTER (Violently) No! ’Cause ain’t nobody with me! Not even my own mother!
RUTH Walter, that’s a terrible thing to say!
(BENEATHA enters, dressed for the evening in a cocktail dress and earrings, hair natural)
GEORGE Well—hey—(Crosses to BENEATHA; thoughtful, with emphasis, since this is a reversal) You look great!
WALTER (Seeing his sister’s hair for the first time) What’s the matter with your head?
BENEATHA (Tired of the jokes now) I cut it off, Brother.
WALTER (Coming close to inspect it and walking around her) Well, I’ll be damned. So that’s what they mean by the African bush …
BENEATHA Ha ha. Let’s go, George.
GEORGE (Looking at her) You know something? I like it. It’s sharp. I mean it really is. (Helps her into her wrap)
RUTH Yes—I think so, too. (She goes to the mirror and starts to clutch at her hair)
WALTER Oh no! You leave yours alone, baby. You might turn out to have a pin-shaped head or something!
BENEATHA See you all later.
RUTH Have a nice time.
GEORGE Thanks. Good night. (Half out the door, he reopens it. To WALTER) Good night, Prometheus!
(BENEATHA and GEORGE exit)
WALTER (To RUTH) Who is Prometheus?
RUTH I don’t know. Don’t worry about it.
WALTER (In fury, pointing after GEORGE) See there—they get to a point where they can’t insult you man to man—they got to go talk about something ain’t nobody never heard of!
RUTH How do you know it was an insult? (To humor him) Maybe Prometheus is a nice fellow.
WALTER Prometheus! I bet there ain’t even no such thing! I bet that simple-minded clown—
RUTH Walter—
(She stops what she is doing and looks at him)
WALTER (Yelling) Don’t start!
RUTH Start what?
WALTER Your nagging! Where was I? Who was I with? How much money did I spend?
RUTH (Plaintively) Walter Lee—why don’t we just try to talk about it …
WALTER (Not listening) I been out talking with people who understand me. People who care about the things I got on my mind.
RUTH (Wearily) I guess that means people like Willy Harris.
WALTER Yes, people like Willy Harris.
RUTH (With a sudden flash of impatience) Why don’t you all just hurry up and go into the banking business and stop talking about it!
WALTER Why? You want to know why? ’Cause we all tied up in a race of people that don’t know how to do nothing but moan, pray and have babies!
(The line is too bitter even for him and he looks at her and sits down)
RUTH Oh, Walter … (Softly) Honey, why can’t you stop fighting me?
WALTER (Without thinking) Who’s fighting you? Who even cares about