Raisin in the Sun - Lorraine Hansberry [48]
LINDNER Well, good … good—
WALTER And we have decided to move into our house because my father—my father—he earned it for us brick by brick. (MAMA has her eyes closed and is rocking back and forth as though she were in church, with her head nodding the Amen yes) We don’t want to make no trouble for nobody or fight no causes, and we will try to be good neighbors. And that’s all we got to say about that. (He looks the man absolutely in the eyes) We don’t want your money. (He turns and walks away)
LINDNER (Looking around at all of them) I take it then—that you have decided to occupy …
BENEATHA That’s what the man said.
LINDNER (To MAMA in her reverie) Then I would like to appeal to you, Mrs. Younger. You are older and wiser and understand things better I am sure …
MAMA I am afraid you don’t understand. My son said we was going to move and there ain’t nothing left for me to say. (Briskly) You know how these young folks is nowadays, mister. Can’t do a thing with ’em! (As he opens his mouth, she rises) Good-bye.
LINDNER (Folding up his materials) Well—if you are that final about it … there is nothing left for me to say. (He finishes, almost ignored by the family, who are concentrating on WALTER LEE. At the door LINDNER halts and looks around) I sure hope you people know what you’re getting into.
(He shakes his head and exits)
RUTH (Looking around and coming to life) Well, for God’s sake—if the moving men are here—LET’S GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!
MAMA (Into action) Ain’t it the truth! Look at all this here mess. Ruth, put Travis’ good jacket on him … Walter Lee, fix your tie and tuck your shirt in, you look like somebody’s hoodlum! Lord have mercy, where is my plant? (She flies to get it amid the general bustling of the family, who are deliberately trying to ignore the nobility of the past moment) You all start on down … Travis child, don’t go empty-handed … Ruth, where did I put that box with my skillets in it? I want to be in charge of it myself … I’m going to make us the biggest dinner we ever ate tonight … Beneatha, what’s the matter with them stockings? Pull them things up, girl …
(The family starts to file out as two moving men appear and begin to carry out the heavier pieces of furniture, bumping into the family as they move about)
BENEATHA Mama, Asagai asked me to marry him today and go to Africa—
MAMA (In the middle of her getting-ready activity) He did? You ain’t old enough to marry nobody—(Seeing the moving men lifting one of her chairs precariously) Darling, that ain’t no bale of cotton, please handle it so we can sit in it again! I had that chair twenty-five years …
(The movers sigh with exasperation and go on with their work)
BENEATHA (Girlishly and unreasonably trying to pursue the conversation) To go to Africa, Mama—be a doctor in Africa …
MAMA (Distracted) Yes, baby—
WALTER Africa! What he want you to go to Africa for?
BENEATHA To practice there …
WALTER Girl, if you don’t get all them silly ideas out your head! You better marry yourself a man with some loot …
BENEATHA (Angrily, precisely as in the first scene of the play) What have you got to do with who I marry!
WALTER Plenty. Now I think George Murchison—
BENEATHA George Murchison! I wouldn’t marry him if he was Adam and I was Eve!
(WALTER and BENEATHA go out yelling at each other vigorously and the anger is loud and real till their voices diminish. RUTH stands at the door and turns to MAMA and smiles knowingly)
MAMA (Fixing her hat at last) Yeah—they something all right, my children …
RUTH Yeah—they’re something. Let’s go, Lena.
MAMA (Stalling, starting to look around at the house) Yes—I’m coming. Ruth—
RUTH Yes?
MAMA (Quietly, woman to woman) He finally come into his manhood today, didn’t he? Kind of like a rainbow after the rain …
RUTH (Biting her lip lest her own pride explode in front of MAMA) Yes, Lena.
(WALTER’S voice calls for them raucously)
WALTER (Off stage) Y