Tea Time

TEA TIME

Lorenzo Buford

CAST OF CHARACTERS:

CALLIE: 55 YEAR OLD BLACK WOMAN,

LUCY 55 YEAR OLD BLACK WOMAN

TIME: 2000

PLACE: Black Neighborhood in Los Angeles

SYNOPSIS
TEA TIME is the story of love between two elderly black woman who pour their lives out to each other over tea to heal the hurt from life experiences, have a renewal of friendship and celebrate being “old wise women.”
Facing Callie’s terminal illness, they share tender moments, secrets, and realize their lives have always brought them together no matter what personal events transpired in theirs lives. Sitting down to that final cup of tea, they renew their vows of friendship and love as they assist each other with their final pact.

TEA TIME HISTORY

“Tea Time” began as a writing exercise to create a fifteen-minute play for the Los Angeles Theater Center in 1983.
After sitting in a drawer for a little over a year, the script received its first stage reading at Celebration Theater in 1984 in Los Angeles. It later received a full stage production at Celebration Theater with Barbara Barnes and Rosa Hill. They both later performed in the twenty-minute film version.
“Tea Time” won second place at the Inner City Cultural Art Center’s Short Play Competition in Los Angeles which starred Margaret Avery (Color Purple) and Elizabeth (China Beach) in 1988.
“Tea Time” was also part of show of Buford’s work of monologues, original songs, and poetry called “Dark Divas” in 1993 in San Francisco and performed by two men in the style of Whoopi Goldberg performing her one woman show.
The full-length version received its first staged reading at Towne Street Theater with Virginia Capers (Raisin In The Sun) and Amentha Dymally in 1999 in Los Angeles.
Later it was work shopped at Columbia University with Tony award Gretha Boston and 2000 OBR winner Geany Masai in 2001 under the direction of Abraham Celaya who also served as Dramaturg.

ACT ONE

SCENE ONE – LIVING ROOM – EARLY AFTERNOON

Lights come up on the living room. Callie and Lucy can be heard offstage standing on the front porch. Callie is searching through her purse for house keys.

LUCY
Never understood, why you always wait till we get to the front door before you start looking for your keys?

CALLIE
Cause I’m not opening my purse on the street. Be just like Sister Johnson. Some young fool snatched her purse, knocked her down and she’s been crazy since.

LUCY
Open the door sister, my feet are tired. Or do you want me to show my calluses to the world?

CALLIE
(Pulls keys out of purse and shows them to Lucy) Here they are. (Opens the door)

LUCY
Thank God for small favors. Home at last. Oh my feet.

CALLIE
I don’t know why you won’t wear comfortable shoes.

LUCY
They don’t go with this dress.

CALLIE
Everyone is a slave to fashion.

LUCY
I’m not the one that has to have a new dress or hat every time she goes to church. You suppose to be going to worship God not showing off.

CALLIE
Nobody’s life is simple.

CALLIE
I didn’t think the service would ever end.

LUCY
Brother Simpson was well liked in the church. Everyone had to have their say.

CALLIE
I'd rather not lay there listening to all those gums flapping. Where were those kind words when he was living?

LUCY
You shouldn’t upset yourself.

CALLIE
I’m not upset. Just don’t believe folks ought to go around lying about the dead.

LUCY
Folks feel a need to make peace with the dead.

CALLIE
He was a good man to us all these years. The only one who knew us.

LUCY
I hated seeing him like that. Expected him to sit up and tell us one of his off colored jokes. One of the few who could make me laugh.

CALLIE
I hope Sister Crawford doesn’t give her rendition of “Amazing Grace” at my service. I swear, I’ll raise up and tell her to hush.

LUCY
Don’t trouble yourself about such things.

Callie puts her hand on Lucy’s shoulder.

CALLIE
We ran a good race. (Callie reaches into her purse and hands Lucy a small bottle.)

LUCY
Well, I think I’ll make the tea.

CALLIE
I’ll get the cups.

LUCY
(Hesitant) I’m not sorry.

CALLIE
Sorry about what? It’s a beautiful day.

LUCY
I lived my life the best I could. There’s nothing to be sorry about. I did what I did, I lived the life I lived. All I went through brought us together.

CALLIE
Don’t want to open my eyes and not see you Lucy.

LUCY
Callie, you’re getting soft in your old age. It must be the medication. I’ll start the water.

CALLIE
I’ll set the table.

LUCY
Use the good china. (Exits)

CALLIE
Guess today, it doesn't matter. I know you’re afraid Lucy. (Pause. Addresses the audience) Didn’t take it well when the doctor said I was dying of cancer. She yelled and screamed more than I did. I don’t remember crying. I took it rather calmly. Guess I cried so much, I dried up inside. (Looks at picture of husband) Henry, you’re quiet now. Can’t loud talk me or keep asking me why I’m always shopping. You were always a weak man. Loud talking and hitting me with the back of your hand doesn’t make a man. Thought my life would quiet down with you. You spent your life proving your manhood. All I could give you for your efforts were three stillborn children. (She takes the cups and saucers to the table.) Factory explosion gave me back my quiet life. I was out shopping for a new dress to wear to a dance you were taking me to. I didn’t find out till 6 p.m. that night. I was laying down on the couch resting from a day of trying on dresses and I get this call. Mrs. Brown, this is Saul, your husband's foreman. I knew before he said it. I hung the phone up and laid back down. I cried for three unborn children that reminded me of you trying to prove yourself to the world

LUCY
(Entering) Water is almost ready. (Looks at the table) We should have some flowers.

CALLIE
Why?

LUCY
I like flowers. Pink ones, yellow ones, purple ones.

CALLIE
Now where are we going to get flowers?

LUCY
I don’t know. It’s just a thought.
CALLIE
Well, how does the table look otherwise?

LUCY
Nice.

CALLIE
Just nice?

LUCY
I don’t like this dress. Maybe I should change.

CALLIE
You look fine. I always liked you in blue.

LUCY
Why don’t you wear your print dress? You always were pretty in that.

Callie shows pain.

LUCY
Take your medicine.

CALLIE
Don’t need it.

LUCY
I don’t like seeing you like this.

CALLIE
Maybe we should have flowers on the table.

LUCY
It's a shame Brother Simpson couldn't appreciate his flowers.

CALLIE
I think he’s looking down thinking about all the whiskey he could have bought with that flower money.

LUCY
Callie!

CALLIE
I want my flowers before I die so I can appreciate them. (Thinks) I think maybe I will put on my blue dress.

LUCY
How about some tea biscuits?

CALLIE
(Exiting) Why not! Let’s be wild.

LUCY
(Addresses Audience) I remember once a little girl gave my mother a kitten to give me. My mother had worked for this family for several years. I’d met the little girl once. She was your typical little white girl with Shirley Temple curls but I loved her. Momma said I was foolish child when I talked about her so often. So I called the kitten, Blue Eyes. The little girl died of pneumonia a year later. When I learned of her death, I told my mother the kitten had run away. The truth is, I strangled Blue Eyes, buried her in a shoe box behind my house and never cried.

Never accepted death because no one ever came back to say how it is. Jake… was the biggest, blackest man I ever laid eyes on, and I loved every inch of his body. When he finally came around and started being a husband, he would wrap me in his arms and it seemed like nothing and no one could touch me. I loved him like I could never love another man. When he came in me, I cried out like the universe was being created inside of me. I still tremble when I think of how he made me feel beautiful. Never been a pretty woman, just plain, nappy hair, big lips, big legs, rough hands and a deep laugh. He made me feel like a woman. Jake moved my body so that I was no longer a little girl but a woman. Every time he called my name, I held heaven in my arms, my tears ran like the Nile, and pearls fell from my lips when he came in me like a rain. I laid in his arm, soaked and wet while he called me beautiful. I let my smile be his sunrise and always gave him the sun. This world gave him its darkness. Some young fool looking for his manhood through a gun ended my days. Jake was at a fast food stand. We were going to have hamburgers, drink wine and make love from sunset to sunrise. My life ended so suddenly. That young fool shot him in the back. Couldn't face him like a man. Jake was the only man who made me feel not like his victory, but like a woman.

CALLIE
(Entering) How do I look?

LUCY
Like a fashion model.

CALLIE
Even the pain doesn't bother me much.

LUCY
That's good.

CALLIE
Water should be ready now.
LUCY
Probably (Exits)

CALLIE
(Looks at table setting and goes too the cabinet and pulls out several greeting cards and goes through them and selects one. Lucy comes out with the tea and biscuits and sits them on the table. Callie walks over and puts the card in the middle of the table.) Now it’s complete. It’s not the real thing but it's from you.

LUCY
You still have that silly old card.

CALLIE
It’s not a silly old card. We have our flowers.

LUCY
The tea is ready.

CALLIE
Is it?

LUCY
Are you sure?

CALLIE
Yes. You’d think pain would sleep when we do.

LUCY
Don’t trouble yourself.

CALLIE
It will be alright, won’t it?

LUCY
We should drink this while it’s hot.

CALLIE
Don’t like bitter.

LUCY
It's all behind us now.

LUCY serves the tea.

CALLIE
Tea looks strong.

LUCY
I laced it good with honey.

CALLIE
Wonder what the Reverend will say?

LUCY
Everything but the right thing!

CALLIE
I can hear the church gossiping.

LUCY
No man should walk in judgment of another.

CALLIE
Don’t like the Reverend leaving a bad taste in folks head.

LUCY
This is not the time to be worrying about what folks will say.

CALLIE
If only the doctor hadn’t said malignant. A common cold I can handle but this…cancer.....

LUCY
Drink your tea.

CALLIE
I've always felt cheated out of something. Like my marriage bed but not with you.

LUCY
I understand.
CALLIE
No one ever knew.

LUCY
They’ll know now. (Stands and delivers a eulogy) We are gathered here to praise Sister Callie, Sister Lucy, not to bury and forget them. We are gathered here to talk about true love. (Looks at CALLIE)

CALLIE
(Very upset) Tell them it is right, Lucy. It's all right.

LUCY
Our tea is getting cold sister.

They toast each other.

CALLIE
To love, honor.

LUCY
In sickness and health.

CALLIE drinks the tea.

CALLIE
Till death then we part.

LUCY
There will be no pain.

CALLIE
(Gets a strange look on her face) Funny. Sounds likes...Momma…I can hear momma singing...is that you Henry…Vernon, my brother is telling me it’s time to come home. Lucy…it’s so dark…so dark…

LUCY reaches for CALLIE’s hand. They look at each other.

LUCY
(Holds CALLIE’s hand and sings a verse up “The Upper Room” by Mahalia Jackson.)

I don’t want to open my eyes and not see you.

(Lucy drinks from Callie’s cup. She sits cup down and looks at the audience. She feels a spasm and takes a deep breath.)

Yes, I see you Callie. Always did like you in blue. I’m coming sister. Now, you know I can’t walk too fast in these shoes.

(She reaches out and dies.)

LIGHTS FADE TO BLACK

THE END