CLOSED DOORS
A Ten Minute Play
by Kenneth Robbins
by Kenneth Robbins
TIME: Sunday Morning, Spring, 1963
PLACE: Pastor Luke's Office, a room in the rear portion of the First Baptist Church, Elberton, GA
AT RISE: PASTOR LUKE is at his study, pondering his sermon. A cup of coffee, a mug filled with pens, an open and well-worn Bible, flank his work space. He is obviously stymied. He checks his watch, runs his hand through his hair, clasps his hands together as if in prayer, and waits. Nothing comes. He goes to a curtain and pulls it back slightly. He returns to his desk and tears up the paper he has been writing on.
A tap at the door.
LUKE
I'm busy, thank you.
(He sits, folds hands behind head. Another tapping at the door.)
Not now. Okay?
(The door cracks open.)
Who is it and what do you want?
BUDDY
(No more than fourteen, dressed in altar boy robes.)
Preacher?
LUKE
Go away, Buddy. I'm conversing with God in here.
BUDDY
But, Preacher--
LUKE
Do you know that services start in twenty minutes? And I have no idea what my sermon's to be?
BUDDY
Yeah, well. . .
LUKE
Tell me, Buddy--come on in, for heaven's sake. You'd think my office was full of vipers the way you behave.
(BUDDY slips into the room.)
Okay. You tell me. What's a tithe.
BUDDY
Sir?
LUKE
You know, a tithe. I ask you to tithe, what am I asking you to do?
BUDDY
Take a bath? I don't know.
LUKE
Neither does anybody else in this congregation judging from the last week's offering. We're broke, Buddy. What do you say to that?
BUDDY
I don't know. They're at the side door this Sunday, Preacher.
LUKE
They?
BUDDY
You know--them.
LUKE
What do they want?
BUDDY
I didn't ask them. What should the ushers do? Shoo them off like usual?
LUKE
Is it usual for them to be at the side door?
BUDDY
No. Enough to make you wanna puke.
LUKE
Not here, please. (He stares out the window.) This isn't doing my sermon any good.
BUDDY
My momma says you ain't doing your duty if you don't preach against the outside agitators.
LUKE
Your momma? What do you say, Buddy?
BUDDY
She says I ain't old enough to talk church talk. So I keep my fat mouth shut. That's what my daddy says for me to do, too.
LUKE
Tell Mr. Cummings to show our visitors in.
BUDDY
In?
LUKE
And quickly. Since they come to the side door. . .
BUDDY
You mean, in here?
LUKE
Where else? I don't have much time.
BUDDY
You mean--brang them people in here, inside the church?
LUKE
That's the best way to get to my office.
BUDDY
You're gonna talk to them?
LUKE
For Heaven's sake, Buddy, they're at the side door. You always talk to the coloreds when they come by the side door. It's our custom.
BUDDY
(BUDDY leaves.)
Your custom, maybe. . .
LUKE
(He addresses the ceiling.)
Lord, help me through this in your name, Christ our Savior. What the hell do you want me to do, Pal? My people don't understand the tithe. How am I supposed to teach them another sort of giving? Got an answer for that one?
(A tapping is heard at the door.)
Come.
(Door opens. BUDDY enters and turns back to the hall.)
BUDDY
Y'all come on in now. Quick, quick, we ain't got all day. Y'all oughta know we got us a congregation out there waiting, showing up like this. Got no business here, you ask me.
(ACQUINAS, a tall black man, SARAH MAE, an elderly black woman, and CLARISSE, an eight year old black girl, enter.)
Mr. Cummings outside wants to know what he should do.
LUKE
Tell him to see my parishioners to their seats, like always.
(BUDDY stares at the three black people.)
You may go, Buddy.
(BUDDY hesitates, then leaves. The door remains open.
LUKE addresses himself to ACQUINAS.)
I don't have much time.
ACQUINAS
We appreciate you seeing us.
LUKE
Whenever you want, I'll see you. And how are you this morning, little girl? That's a real pretty dress you're wearing.
CLARISSE
Thank you.
SARAHMAE
Her name's Clarisse.
LUKE
Really! I got a sister named Clarisse. Lives in Atlanta and runs a travel business. She just grew herself up and shipped off to Atlanta. You ever been to Atlanta, Clarisse?
CLARISSE
No, sir. It very far?
LUKE
Far enough. What can I do for you this morning?
CLARISSE
You asking me?
LUKE
Of course.
SARAHMAE
Go on, honey.
CLARISSE
Well, sir, you can let me go to church.
LUKE
(Glares at the tall black man who remains like a statue.)
Don't you have a church you can go to?
CLARISSE
No, sir. Did have, but it got burned last December. Not much left but a pile of cinders. Lightning hit it, they say.
LUKE
Well, I'm sorry to hear that.
CLARISSE
But you, you got you a church.
LUKE
Yes. Yes, you're right about that. I do got me a church. And I've got a whole congregation of people waiting for me to start the Sunday service. My sermon's on tithing. You know what it means--to give a tithe?
CLARISSE
Means giving money.
LUKE
Well, yes, in a manner of speaking. It also means giving other things, too, like care to the sick and needy, shelter to those that need sheltering--
CLARISSE
And ten per cent of all you own. Do you tithe, Mister?
LUKE
Yes. Yes, I do.
CLARISSE
So do I. But then, ten per cent of what I got ain't all that much.
LUKE
(He checks his watch, glares at ACQUINAS who stands unmoving. SARAHMAE has her hand on CLARISSE'S shoulder.)
I'm sure you're right about that. Can we get to it? I'm pretty pressed for time--
(CLARISSE looks to ACQUINAS who nods.)
CLARISSE
You gonna let us come worship with you?
LUKE
Did you put her up to this?
(ACQUINAS remains silent.)
Well, now, honey. . .
(She stares at him.)
I don't see how I can do that.
CLARISSE
Why not?
LUKE
Well, we got things in our way . . .
CLARISSE
What things?
LUKE
Maybe your momma can explain it.
SARAHMAE
I don't know what things you're talking about, sir.
CLARISSE
Church is church, ain't it?
LUKE
Theoretically. Listen, I'm sorry, but you see. . .
(They don't move.)
My congregation is sitting out there--but you know. . . There are some things a man can't do, Clarisse.
CLARISSE
Even if you're a preacher? And you tithe?
LUKE
Being a preacher doesn't change things. You've got to want to do these things before. . .
CLARISSE
You don't want to do them? Things like caring for those in need, giving shelter to them what needs it?
LUKE
I don't think that's what I meant.
CLARISSE
Then what do you mean?
LUKE
Why did you come to my side door this morning?
ACQUINAS
Cause the front's been closed to us the past six months.
CLARISSE
Since our church burned last December.
LUKE
Well, I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do for you, not this morning.
CLARISSE
You could pray for us. That's something, ain't it? Can you pray?
LUKE
Do it all the time.
CLARISSE
Then, will you pray with me?
LUKE
(He is trapped.)
I wish I had time, honey--
CLARISSE
Won't take but a minute.
LUKE
(Pause.)
Okay. You say your words and I'll say the amen.
(She kneels, followed by ACQUINAS and SARAHMAE. CLARISSE waits for LUKE to kneel, too. He kneels. She takes his right hand in hers and lifts it while keeping her head bowed and eyes closed.)
CLARISSE
Let us pray. Dear Lord Jesus and Holy Father in Heaven, I come to you with humble soul and sinful heart. This gotta be brief cause the preacher here has a flock sitting out there getting antsy. So I put it to you straight. I ask you the favor of forgiving this man, this good and honest man, since he knows not what he does.
(Long pause.)
LUKE
Amen.
(They all stand. CLARISSE takes SARAHMAE'S hand and with ACQUINAS heads for the door.)
That's it? Heaven's sake, man, you and your kind have been coming to my church every Sunday morning for the past six months, and that's all you wanted? To have me pray a silly prayer with your kid?
CLARISSE
Praying is a silly thing to you, sir?
LUKE
That prayer you just said was. What right have you--or anybody for that matter--to ask forgiveness for me? I've done nothing for which I need forgiveness.
ACQUINAS
You are a good man, Pastor Luke Royston, as far as white men go. You will do what is right. God will help you do what you know in your heart is right.
LUKE
Just what is it you hold to be right?
ACQUINAS
You want to tell him, sugar?
CLARISSE
It's right that we worship together. You and me. Just as we prayed together here. It's the only right way to do things. We hope you will open your doors to us. And we'll be back to help you just as much as we can.
LUKE
I can't. It's church policy, set by the board of deacons and approved by every last member of this congregation. Forget right and wrong. I can't--I won't open these church doors.
CLARISSE
Then it wasn't silly of me to ask God's forgiveness, was it?
(The three leave. BUDDY pushes past them into the office.)
BUDDY
(Long pause.)
It's near eleven, preacher.
(LUKE doesn't move.)
The people are waiting.
(Pause.)
Sir?
LUKE
What do you think, Buddy? Is it wrong, keeping the doors of the church closed?
BUDDY
My momma says I'm not old enough to talk about church things. The congregation is waiting. Miz Beulah at the organ wants to know how much longer she's gonna have to play the processional.
LUKE
You tell Miz Beulah. . .
(He is silent.)
BUDDY
Preacher? You coming?
(He doesn't move.
Lights fade out.)