This is a room in a tenement building in a black ghetto in New York City. There is a kitchen with a stove and a large refrigerator. A door to the outer hallway and another presumably to a bedroom. The hallway door is fitted with a bizarre collection of locks and bars. There is a cheap formica table in the room and two chrome and plastic chairs. There is a drawer in the table. On the table is a bible and a newspaper. A pair of glasses. A pad and pencil. A large black man is sitting in one chair (stage right) and in the other a middle-aged white man dressed in running pants and athletic shoes. He wears a T-shirt and the jacket—which matches the pants—hangs on the chair behind him.
Black So what am I supposed to do with you, Professor?
White Why are you supposed to do anything?
Black I done told you. This aint none of my doin. I left out of here this mornin to go to work you wasnt no part of my plans at all. But here you is.
White It doesnt mean anything. Everything that happens doesnt mean something else.
Black Mm hm. It dont.
White No. It doesnt.
Black What’s it mean then?
White It doesnt mean anything. You run into people and maybe some of them are in trouble or whatever but it doesnt mean that you’re responsible for them.
Black Mm hm.
White Anyway, people who are always looking out for perfect strangers are very often people who wont look out for the ones they’re supposed to look out for. In my opinion. If you’re just doing what you’re supposed to then you dont get to be a hero.
Black And that would be me.
White I dont know. Would it?
Black Well, I can see how they might be some truth in that. But in this particular case I might say I sure didnt know what sort of person I was supposed to be on the lookout for or what I was supposed to do when I found him. In this particular case they wasnt but one thing to go by.
White And that was?
Black That was that there he is standin there. And I can look at him and I can say: Well, he dont look like my brother. But there he is. Maybe I better look again.
White And that’s what you did.
Black Well, you was kindly hard to ignore. I got to say that your approach was pretty direct.
White I didnt approach you. I didnt even see you.
Black Mm hm.
White I should go. I’m beginning to get on your nerves.
Black No you aint. Dont pay no attention to me. You seem like a sweet man, Professor. I reckon what I dont understand is how come you to get yourself in such a fix.
White Yeah.
Black Are you okay? Did you sleep last night?
White No.
Black When did you decide that today was the day? Was they somethin special about it?
White No. Well. Today is my birthday. But I certainly dont regard that as special.
Black Well happy birthday, Professor.
White Thank you.
Black So you seen your birthday was comin up and that seemed like the right day.
White Who knows? Maybe birthdays are dangerous. Like Christmas. Ornaments hanging from the trees, wreaths from the doors, and bodies from the steampipes all over America.
Black Mm. Dont say much for Christmas, does it?
White Christmas is not what it used to be.
Black I believe that to be a true statement. I surely do.
White I’ve got to go.
He gets up and takes his jacket off the back of the chair and lifts it over his shoulders and then puts his arms in the sleeves rather than putting his arms in first one at a time.
Black You always put your coat on like that?
White What’s wrong with the way I put my coat on?
Black I didnt say they was nothin wrong with it. I just wondered if that was your regular method.
White I dont have a regular method. I just put it on.
Black Mm hm.
White It’s what, effeminate?
Black Mm.
White What?
Black Nothin. I’m just settin here studyin the ways of professors.
White Yeah. Well, I’ve got to go.
The black gets up.
Black Well. Let me get my coat.
White Your coat?
Black Yeah.
White Where are you going?
Black Goin with you.
White What do you mean? Going with me where?
Black Goin with you wherever you goin.
White No you’re not.
Black Yeah I am.
White I’m going home.
Black All right.
White All right? You’re not going home with me.
Black Sure I am. Let me get my coat.
White You cant go home with me.
Black Why not?
White You cant.
Black What. You can go home with me but I cant go home with you?
White No. I mean no, that’s not it. I just need to go home.
Black You live in a apartment?
White Yes.
Black What. They dont let black folks in there?
White No. I mean of course they do. Look. No more jokes. I’ve got to go. I’m very tired.
Black Well I just hope we dont run into no hassle about you gettin me in there.
White You’re serious.
Black Oh I think you know I’m serious.