Black Female Playwrights: An Anthology of Plays before 1950

Her

HER A Mystery Play in One Act PERSONS IN THE PLAY MARTHA PETE JOHN KINNEY ALICE SAM Time: About eight o'clock one rainy night in spring. Scene: Martha's living room. (To describe this, we must describe MARTHA-old, black Martha who takes in washing for some "very old families," who is, herself, always immaculate in her grey dress and white apron. Martha, who takes care of Pete, her husband-crippled and an idler for more thanfifteen years-Martha , who irons in the living room-eats there for the accommodation of Pete, and spreads her clothes horse there on rainy days. Martha, who is the oldest tenant in the house-who rents the rooms for John Kinney, and collects the rentals, as well. We must also describe old PETE in his invalid chair-his steel rimmed spectacles and his Bible lying open on his knees. No modern living room, this-just Martha's room-with her cheap prints on the walls-religious, every one of them-and her odd tables and cast off chairs-hand-me-downs from the "white folks." All we really need to know about the construction of the room is that a door at back, left, opens upon the hallway.) MARTHA. (Picking up some of the clothes from the horse, rolling them into a bundle, and putting them into a pillow case on the chair beside her ironing board.) They's most as wet as they was when Ah hung'em out. Ef Reprinted by permission of Patricia C. Hart. HER / 133 this weather keeps up Ah doan see how Ah's goin' git these clothes out by Saturday. Weather what's good fer farmers doan help us washwimmen none. PETE. (Looking up, surprised) 'Tain't lak yuh, Martha, complainin! Reckon yuh back's bad ter-night. MARTHA. (Who punctuates her remarks with little emphatic clamps of her iron) No wuss'n usual. PETE. Then somethin's on yuh mind. MARTHA. Mebbe. PETE. Yuh wuks too hard, Martha. Ah wish-(He ends with a sigh) MARTHA. (Looking up, quickly) What yuh wishin' fer, Pete? PETE. In them magazines yuh brung home last week there was a piece 'bout some cripple fellers-how they's learned how ter make money-plenty money. Ah ain't read nuthin' so mirac'lus in a long time, Martha, an' Ah got ter thinkin'-Ah might er bin helpin' yuh all these years, ef Ah'd knowed how. MARTHA. (Clamping her electric iron down with alarming energy) Pete Alexander, ef yuh ain't got no better sense than ter pick out pieces 'bout cripples, Ah'm goin' stop bring' home them no 'count books. Now doan lemme hear no more er that trash. PETE. (Humbly) Ah was only thinkin'MARTHA . (Still irate) Yuh ain't got no business thinkin'-'bout sech trash. Yuh's puttin' yourself with these here young fellers what's bin hurt in the War. It's nigh on fifteen years yuh bin settin' there an' Ah ain't done no complainin's Ah knows uv. PETE. (Proudly) That ain't no woman lak yuh, Martha, nowhar. Ah knows it an' Ah thanks Gawd fer yuh, dayan' night. MARTHA. (Somewhat mollified) Well, doan lemme hear no more talk 'bout yuh earnin' money. (After a few seconds) Ah ain't slep' good these two nights, Pete. PETE. Ah heard yuh movin' long 'bout five this mornin'. MARTHA. Five! Ah didn' close mah eyes all night. PETE. (Anxiously) What's the mattuh, Martha? MARTHA. Pete. (Martha lowers her voice which is pregnant with meaning) Ah seen Mr. Kinney this mornin'. He's got some folks fer up above. PETE. Fer upstairs? (Pete's voice, like Martha's, has acquired a new note, not unmixed with dismay.) MARTHA. They's ter come ter-night ter see the rooms. PETE. Ter-night? MARTHA. Ah'm ter show them 'round-so he said. Reckon ef it keeps on rainin' they won't come. PETE. (Uneasily) Reckon they won't ... Martha, did yuh tell him? MARTHA. Yuh bet Ah tole him. But it didn' do no good, Pete. Nobuddyain't goin' change him. PETE. Ah reckon yuh's right, Martha. 134 / EULALIE SPENCE MARTHA. (Significantly) 'Lessen it's Her. PETE. Her? MARTHA. She's kep' me awake these two nights. PETE. (Moving restlessly in his chair) It ain't natural-this talk 'bout Her. MARTHA. 'Course it ain't natural, but...