Free Les Blancs by Lorraine Hansberry

I’m sorry Reverend Neilsen isn’t here to greet you. He had to go cross river.
    (
She gives the boy an injection and a comforting pat
)
    CHARLIE Oh? Well, it’s just as well I get the feel of the place first. What’s happening cross river?
    MARTA Among other things, a wedding, a funeral, twelve baptisms …
    CHARLIE Twelve—that’s rather a handful even for the Reverend, isn’t it?
    MARTA They are done
one
at a time, Mr. Morris! (
Leads the
BOY
across to his
FATHER ,
one of the Africans, and holds up a vial of pills
) Give him this—let him chew one—three times a day. Understand? Chew—
    FATHER Chew.
    MARTA (
Indicating with fingers
) One—three times a day. Any first impressions, Mr. Morris?
    (
She motions to the next patient, a young
WOMAN ,
to follow her, as
FATHER
leads the
BOY
off
)
    CHARLIE Well, yes. I was a little curious … Isn’t the—(
He hesitates
)—lack of sanitation here somewhat of a problem?
    MARTA (
Amused
) “Sanitation,” Mr. Morris? You mean the dung—goat dung? (
She takes the patient’s pulse
) Actually it’s less of a problem than too
much
sanitation. Here we have to give up some things for others. The African feels much more at home with goats and chickens wandering about the wards. The wards are huts. Their own families cook the meals. It’s the only way they’d come. (
To the patient
) Breathe in. Out. (
She demonstrates and the
WOMAN
follows suit with great seriousness
) In. Out. Please help yourself to a drink. (
She hands him her key ring and indicates cabinet
)
    CHARLIE Thanks, I can use it.
    MARTA Yes, I’m sure. (
Continuing the examination
) Sorry, no ice.
    CHARLIE (
At cabinet
) At this moment it would be beautiful even right out of the bottle! (
He pours and drinks, closing his eyes to savor
) After a day and a half on that mailboat, Doctor, there is
nothing
as good as scotch—without ice! (
Opening eyes
) But tell me, how do you manage without refrigeration? I thought that most drugs—
    MARTA We improvise. You’ll see. (
With curious pride
) No refrigeration, no electricity, no phones, television, cinema …
    ( NGAGO ,
an African, enters swiftly, whispers to the
WOMAN ,
and both suddenly run off, followed by the others
)
        Wait!
    CHARLIE What was that?
    MARTA (
Shrugs
) Mr. Morris, I’ve been here five years and I’m afraid I still have a great deal to learn.
    CHARLIE Well, you’ve got the best possible teacher. It’s been my impression—in fact, the world’s impression—that Reverend Neilsen is practically one of the natives himself by now.
    MARTA Not really one of them. More like their father. Like our father, too. We are
all
his children.
    CHARLIE What’s he like, Doctor?
    MARTA What’s he like? He’s everything you’ve heard. When Reverend Neilsen came here forty years ago, he came with a particular great idea—
    CHARLIE (
Finishing it for her
)—and it is the idea which remains important?
    MARTA (
Nodding
) Here the native should feel that the hospital and the church are a part of the jungle, an extension of his own villages. (
Looking at him intently
) I hope you will stay long enough to fully understand what he has done here.
    CHARLIE (
With his own meaning
) I would like to stay a long—long time, Doctor. (
A beat. Returning the keys
) Your keys. How come all the locks?
    MARTA Now why would you suppose, Mr. Morris? (
A little laugh
) You know, the most difficult thing for Americans is apparently the discovery that the whole world doesn’t share the West’s particular moral concepts—private property, for one. If you have any valuables, you must keep them with you or under lock and key. ( CHARLIE
looks at her oddly. She responds with disarming directness
) Oh, I know what you are thinking, but we have had to get rid of prior notions. We cannot romanticize the African. There is too much work for that.
    CHARLIE Well, I do have a lot to learn, don’t I?
    MARTA If you are open-minded, you will learn it and be deeply rewarded.