La Negrita Chronicles

La Negrita and Her Kind and Gentle Saviours

Scene IX: The Coffee Shop- Since All Great Plays Seem to Have One- *transition song- Rider Nicki Minaj

   

     LA NEGRITA

So I’ve decided to meet Luke at the Coffee Shop. He wants to talk, or something. I dunno, I’ve decided to give him a chance I guess. I mean, I’ve never had anybody talk to me the way that Luke did.    

 

     LA NEGRITA

(Looks at LUKE.) Is this my seat? (points to only other chair at coffee table.)

 

     LUKE

Of course it is. We are on a date. (Gives big cheesy smile.)

 

     LA NEGRITA

Look at you all prompt.

 

     LUKE

Is that not cool?! (says worried.)

 

     LA NEGRITA

(acknowledges that he is trying to impress her.) No, no, it’s fine! (she smiles.)

   

     LUKE

So do you like Triple K University?

 

     LA NEGRITA

(puzzled because nobody has ever asked her that question before.) What?

   

     LUKE

Yeah, do you like going here? What made you chose Triple K?

 

(LA NEGRITA quietly looks down and stirs drink.)

 

     LUKE

What?

 

     LA NEGRITA

(looks up at him.) Nothing.

 

     LUKE

Are you going to answer my question? (laughs.)

 

     LA NEGRITA

It’s just that… (smiles a little.) Nobody’s asked me that before. (looks up at him.)

 

     LUKE

Nobody asked you if you were going to answer their question before?

 

     LA NEGRITA

No, not that.

     Beat.

(takes sip of drink.) Nobody has asked me if I like Triple K…or asked me how I liked it.

 

     LUKE

Oh well… (scratches head.) I think that’s kind of what you do…when you’re trying to get to know somebody.

 

     LA NEGRITA

Everybody just assumed I liked it, loved it. Or whatever. Or maybe they never asked, because they didn’t want me to tell them…

   

     LUKE

So do you? (looks genuinely and deeply in LA NEGRITA’s eyes..) Do you like going here?

   

     LA NEGRITA

I guess. (says aggressively then looks up at him.) So is skating around the rink the only thing you’re good at? (changes subject.)

 

     LUKE

I wouldn’t call it “skating around the rink”. It’s called “hockey” and it’s a sport. Sorry it’s not soccer, or basketball or whatever. (points up to painting of baby girl hanging in coffee shop.) And, as a matter of fact, I also paint.

     Beat.

I’m a Bio-Art double major, remember?

 

     LA NEGRITA

(In awe of painting.) You did this? You drew this? You’re so talented! My God, it’s beautiful!

   

     LUKE

(smiles.) Like your voice.

 

     LA NEGRITA

What?

    Beat

You’ve heard me sing? (looks embarrassed.)

    Beat.

When have you heard me sing?

 

     LUKE

At the gym.

     Beat.

You work at the gym. I hear you singing there all the time. You have a beautiful voice.

 

     LA NEGRITA

Wow.

 

     LUKE

(Raises eyebrows.) What?

 

     LA NEGRITA

That’s what you notice about me?

 

     LUKE

Yeah…

 

     LA NEGRITA

That’s not what the team notices.

 

     LUKE

Yeah, I hear the locker room talk, but I listen to your voice.

     Beat.

They’re jocks, what do you expect? (Takes another sip of his drink.) You have a beautiful voice.

     Beat.   

(change of subject.) So, what’s your favorite movie?

 

     LA NEGRITA

What’s your favorite movie?

 

     LUKE

I asked you first. (takes sip of coffee.)

     Beat.

Okay, so what is it?

 

     LA NEGRITA

Lakeview Terrace…

 

     LUKE

Lakeview Terrace?!

 

     LA NEGRITA

Yea. (laughs)

     Beat.

Have you seen it before?

 

     LUKE

Yeah, I’ve seen that before. (chuckles.) Is that the movie with Samuel L. Jackson and Kerri Washington.

 

     LA NEGRITA

That’s the one.

 

     LUKE

Oh man, Kerri Washington.

 

     LA NEGRITA

(gets a tad jealous.) What about Kerri Washington? (says softly)

 

     LUKE

She’s an incredible actress.

 

     LA NEGRITA

Wow. (taken aback.)

 

     LUKE

What?

 

     LA NEGRITA

Kerri Washington.

 

     LUKE

What?

     Beat.

You didn’t think I’d know who Kerri Washington is?

 

     LA NEGRITA

No, its not that. (Looks taken aback.)

 

     LUKE

What is it then?

 

     LA NEGRITA

I’m just surprised…

 

     LUKE

That I’ve watched Lakeview Terrace? I watch BET sometimes…

 

     LA NEGRITA

No, not that! (smiles, starting to enjoy herself.)

     Beat.

I never met a man who described Kerri Washington as a great actress.

 

     LUKE

She is! (gets defensive about his views on Kerri Washington.)

 

     LA NEGRITA

(extends her hand on top of his.) No, usually when I say Kerri Washington the first thing a guy says to describe her is “sexy”.

 

     LUKE

Well, she is sexy, she’s also talented actress.

 

(Big pause.)

   

     LA NEGRITA

(looks mischevious.) Do you think I’m sexy? (points out outfit. Gives him mischevious look.)

 

     LUKE

Now, Nina. Why you gotta do that? We’re talking about the damn movie.

 

     LA NEGRITA

There’s sex in the movie!

 

     LUKE

And that’s why it’s your favorite?

 

     LA NEGRITA

Yup!

     Beat.

Exactly!

     Beat.

That and the fact that Patrick Wilson is also sexy.

 

     LUKE

Right.

 

     LA NEGRITA

What!?

 

     LUKE

Bullshit.

   

     LA NEGRITA

What’s bullshit?

   

     LUKE

(looks deep in her eyes.) That can’t be why its your favorite movie.(says quietly.)

 

     LA NEGRITA

You know what’s bullshit? Its bullshit when I say “Kerri Washington” the first thing you say is “great actress.”

   

     LUKE

She is!

 

     LA NEGRITA

Whatever “Fitz.”

 

     LUKE

Fitz? Who the hell is Fitz!

 

     LA NEGRITA

You are SO whhhhyteeeeeeeeee. Don’t you watch Scandal?

 

     LUKE

I don’t even have cable…

 

     LA NEGRITA

So, why is it that I like the movie? (mockinglinly) You tell me why I like the movie.

 

     LUKE

You like the movie because you are a hopeless romantic. You believe in love above all, no matter the circumstance.

 

     LA NEGRITA

No, LUKE, that’s not why I enjoy the movie. I’m cynical, okay? Samuel L. Jackson saw that interracial relations were the devil and tried to DESTROY them.

 

     LUKE

Are we talking about Samuel L. Jackson that actor, or Abel Turner the character? Cuz Samuel L. Jackson’s wife is white…

 

     LA NEGRITA

No she isn’t!

 

     LUKE

She isn’t?

 

     LA NEGRITA

She isn’t!

 

     LUKE

Does this mean the date's over?

 

     LA NEGRITA

I dunno.

 

     LUKE

I hit a chord, didn’t I?

 

     LA NEGRITA

I’m not a piano.

 

     LUKE

Why is everything so black and white with you?

 

     LA NEGRITA

Enough with the piano!

 

     LUKE

It is! You see everything through race.

 

     LA NEGRITA

How can I not? You know what you are to me? You are my savior and my oppressor.

 

     LUKE

What the fuck is that?

 

     LA NEGRITA

You are. You’re both.

 

     LUKE

Bullshit. I’m neither. I’m me.

(pause, biddies shake heads.)

     Beat.

I just can’t be this white guy to you.  (pause.) Everybody is looking for love. Some people just don’t have the balls to admit it.

 

     LA NEGRITA

(looks at him. Long pause.) Luke, why am I here? Why do you… why do you like me. (says softly.)

 

     LUKE

I dunno. I just care about you okay? I’m part of the team—and I wasn’t there to protect you from BUDDY, I wasn’t there to stop them, and I feel guilty. Not because of any complex, but because—ugh, I just care, okay? I care what happens to you.

 

     LA NEGRITA

Care about me? You don’t care about me! You don’t even know me.  

   

     LUKE

I don’t know you. But what I do know is that you’ve been loving men who treat you like you’re ordinary. And you’re FAR from ordinary. You’re extraordinary. You are REMARKABLE. (Places his hand on hers. Intertwines his fingers in hers.)

 

     LA NEGRITA

(He looks at her. She looks back.) What?

 

     LUKE

(Smiles at her.) We’re holding hands. (LA NEGRITA looks around.) In public.

 

     LA NEGRITA

(Widens eyes.) We gon get lynched!

 

     LUKE

Shut up.

 

(They can kiss…I guess.)

 

 

 

Frania G. Romulus

Frania G. Romulus was born in Boston, Massachusetts. As a child Romulus loved to create, perform and act. She began playwriting in elementary school. As the years passed she traveled and competed as a saxophonist in her high school music assembles. She was reminded of her gift of writing while an undergrad at Clark University. She matriculated with a degree in Psychology and Performing Arts.

Romulus’ work portrays her experiences as a woman of color at a predominantly white institution. Her raw emotional honesty, uncomfortable dialogue, and satirical style won the attention of Playfest then AS220, enabling her piece to be on production as well as earning her an artist residency.

 

Edited for Unlikely by Rosalyn Spencer, #BlackArtMatters Guest Editor
Last revised on Thursday, June 18, 2020 - 20:54