Trying to Find Chinatown: The Selected Plays of David Henry Hwang (33 page)

(Terri cracks her whip, driving Mark away from her.)

What good is that handbook now? Did you forget? Forget you’re only supposed to talk about my mind? Forget that a liberal must never ever reveal what’s really on his?

(Terri runs the heel of her boot over the length of Mark’s body.)

 

 

You wanted to have a little fun, didn’t you? With a wild dark woman whose passions drown out all her inhibitions.

 

(Terri pushes Mark onto his back, puts the heel of her shoe to his lips.)

 

I’ll give you passion. Here’s your passion.

(Mark fellates on her heel.)

 

 

That statistic about black women never getting married? What’d you do—study up for today’s session? You thought you could get the best of me—admit it, naughty man, or I’ll have to spank your little butt purple.

(Mark rolls onto his stomach.)

 

 

You actually thought you could get ahead of me on current events!

 

(Terri whips Mark’s rear during the next few lines.)

(Terri pokes at Mark’s body with the butt of her whip.)

 

 

Don’t you know you’ll never defeat me? This is your game—to play all the races—but me—I’ve already become all races. You came to the wrong place, sucker. Inside this costume live the intimate experiences of ethnic groups that haven’t even been born.
(Pause)
Get up. I’m left sickened by that little attempt to assert your will. We’ll have to come up with something really good for such an infraction.

(Mark remains in a supplicant position for the following ritual as Terri casually tidies the room.)

(Pause.)

(Pause.)