Race by David Mamet Page B

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.
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    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
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    Race is published by Theatre Communications Group, Inc., 520 Eighth Avenue, 24th Floor, New York, NY 10018-4156
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