Trying to Find Chinatown: The Selected Plays of David Henry Hwang (5 page)

(Pause. Dale bursts out coughing.)

(Steve and Grace stare at each other as lights fade to black.)

(Single spot on Dale.)

I go out now. Lots. I can, anyway. Sometimes I don’t ask anyone, so I don’t go out. But I could.
(Pause)
I am much better now. I have friends now. Lots. They drive Porsche Carreras. Well, one does. He has a house up in the Hollywood Hills where I can stand and look down on the lights of L.A. I guess I haven’t really been there yet. But I could easily go. I’d just have to ask.
(Pause)
My parents—they don’t know nothing about the world, about watching Benson at the Roxy, about ordering hors d’oeuvres at Scandia’s, downshifting onto the Ventura Freeway at midnight. They’re yellow ghosts and they’ve tried to cage me up with Chinese-ness when all the time we were in America.
(Pause)
So, I’ve had to work real hard—real hard—to be myself. To not be a Chinese, a yellow, a slant, a gook. To be just a human being, like everyone else.
(Pause)
I’ve paid my dues. And that’s why I’m much better now. I’m making it, you know? I’m making it in America.

(A napkin is thrown in front of Dale’s face from right. As it passes, the lights go up. The napkin falls on the dinner table from the last scene. Dale is in the back room. Dinner is over. Steve has thrown the napkin from where he is sitting in his chair. Dale is standing upstage of the table and had been talking to Steve.)

So, look, will you just not be so…Couldn’t you just be a little more . . . ? I mean, we don’t have to do all this . . . You know what’s gonna happen to us tomorrow morning?
(He burps)
What kinda diarrhea...? Look, maybe if you could just be a little more...
(He gropes)
normal. Here—stand up.

 

 

(Steve does
.
)

 

Don’t smile like that. Okay. You ever see
Saturday Night Fever
?

(Dale grabs Steve by the arm. Steve coldly knocks Dale’s
’s
hands away. Dale picks up the last of the dirty dishes on the table and backs into the kitchen. Grace enters from the kitchen with the wrapped box from Act I. She sits in a chair and goes over the wrapping, her back to Steve. He gets up and begins to go for the box, almost reaching her. She turns around suddenly, though, and he drops to the floor. He pretends to be looking for something. Dale, confident he’s given up, goes to the kitchen. Steve resumes his attempt, but just as he reaches the kitchen door, Dale reenters with a wet sponge.)

 

 

(To Steve)
Oh, you finally willing to help? I already brought in all the dishes, you know. Here—wipe the table.

 

(Dale gives the sponge to Steve, then returns to the kitchen. Steve throws the sponge on the floor, sits back at the table. Grace turns around, sees the sponge on the floor, picks it up and goes to wipe the table. She brings the box with her and holds it in her hand.)

(Pause; Steve pushes the box off the table.)

(Dale forces Steve’s hand onto the sponge.)

 

 

Good. Very good. Now, move it around.

 

(Dale leads Steve’s hand.)

 

Oh, you learn so fast. Get green card, no time flat, buddy.

 

(Dale removes his hand; Steve stops.)

 

Uh-uh-uh. You must do it yourself. Come. There—now

 

doesn’t that make you feel proud?

 

(Dale takes his hand off again; Steve stops. Dale gives up, crosses downstage. Steve remains at the table, still
.
)

(Dale strokes Grace’s hair, and they freeze as before. Steve, meanwhile, has almost imperceptibly begun to clean with his sponge. He speaks to the audience as if speaking with his family:)

(At this point, Grace and Dale become mobile, but still fail to hear Steve. Grace picks up the box.)

(Steve shoves Dale to the ground and takes the box.)

(Silence
.
)