When Lena and Travis came home, they looked around the apartment. Lena was surprised by how much packing was finished. She was proud of her children for getting the apartment ready.

She asked Beneatha, “When are the moving men due?”

“Four o’clock,” said Beneatha with a little smile. “You had a visitor, Mama.”

Lena asked who it was.

Beneatha crossed her arms and smiled wider, “The Welcoming Committee.”

Walter and Ruth laughed. Lena didn’t understand. “Who?”

“The Welcoming Committee,” repeated Beneatha. “They said they are looking forward to seeing you when you get there.”

“Yeah,” said Walter, “They said that they can’t wait to see your face.”

Walter, Ruth, and Beneatha laughed. Lena understood that her children were teasing her. “What is the matter with you all?” she asked.

Walter said, “Nothing is the matter with us. We are just telling you about the gentleman who came to see you. He was from the Clybourne Park Improvement Association.”

“And what did he want?” asked Lena again.

Ruth said with a smile, “To welcome you, honey.”

Walter continued, “He said that they can’t wait. He said there is one thing the neighborhood doesn’t have. It’s one thing that they really want. They want a family of fine African Americans. Isn’t that right, girls?” he added to Ruth and Beneatha.

Ruth picked up the business card and gave it to Lena.

Lena read the card and frowned. She understood. She threw the card on the floor. “Did he threaten us?”

“Oh, Mama,” said Beneatha. “They don’t do it like that anymore. He talked about friendship and community. He said everybody ought to learn to sit down and hate each other politely.”

“Lord, protect us,” said Lena sadly.

Ruth said, “They raised money to buy the house from us. They want to pay us the money for the house and more.”

Beneatha crossed her arms and said with a laugh, “What do they think we are going to do? Eat them?”

“No, honey,” said Ruth seriously, “They’re afraid we’re going to marry them.”

Lena shook her head and went to the window and opened it, “Lord, lord, lord.”

“Mama,” said Beneatha, “what are you doing?”

Lena turned around. She was holding the little plant. She began putting it into a box and putting paper around it. She said, “I’m fixing my plant so it won’t get hurt on the way.”

Beneatha looked at the plant doubtfully. “Mama, are you going to take that to the new house? That ugly old thing?”

Lena stopped and looked at Beneatha with a smile. She thought about Beneatha’s hobbies and her search for identity. She said with a laugh, “It expresses ME!”

Walter suddenly walked to Lena and gave her a big hug. He held her in his strong arms. The world was not fair, but Walter’s mother was brave. Walter was proud of her for being brave in the face of racism.

Lena was surprised and happy by her son’s affection. She said with a sweet smile, “Look out now boy, you’re going to make me mess up my plant here!”

He knelt down on the floor and looked up at her. He held her hands and looked into her face with a smile. “Do you remember that old song, Mama?”

Lena was embarrassed and happy. She said with a laugh, “Get on away from me now.”

Ruth looked at Walter. He signaled for her to get the gift-wrapped package. Then Walter started singing an old familiar song, “I got wings, you got wings, all God’s children got wings…”

“Boy,” said Lena playfully, “get out of my face and do some work.”

Walter kept singing while Ruth brought the box over to Lena. He sang, “When I get to heaven, gonna put on my wings, gonna fly all over God’s heaven.”

Beneatha said from across the room with a smile, “Everybody talking about heaven isn’t going there!”

Walter looked at Ruth and the package. He said to her playfully, “I don’t know… Do you think we ought to give her that? It seems that she hasn’t been very thankful.”

Lena looked at the gift with an embarrassed smile. She asked, “What is that?”

Walter said again, “Well, what do you all think? Should we give it to her?”

Ruth laughed and said, “Oh, she was pretty good today.”

Lena laughed and took the package.

“Open it, Mama,” said Beneatha.

Lena stood up and put the package on the table. She looked at it and put her hands together.

Walter said sweetly, “Open it, Mama. It’s for you.”

Lena looked into Walter’s eyes. They usually gave each other small gifts at Christmas time, but this was Lena’s first present outside of Christmas. Her family was poor and didn’t give gifts often. This was very special.

Slowly, she opened the package. She gasped in happiness as she saw the gifts. They were brand-new gardening tools.

Walter said, “Ruth made a card for you too. Read it…”

Lena picked up the card. “To our own Mrs. Miniver.” Mrs. Miniver was a character in a movie. She was a loving gardener. The children remembered Lena’s dream of having a small garden. “Love from Walter, Ruth and Beneatha.”

Lena said, with tears forming in her eyes, “Isn’t that lovely…”

Travis pulled at his father’s sleeve. “Daddy, can I give her mine now?”

“Alright, son,” said Walter.

Travis ran to the other room to get the package.

Walter explained, “Travis wanted to get you a present, too. We don’t know what it is…”

Travis ran back into the room. He was carrying a large, round box. He put it in front of his grandmother. He was very excited. “Here!” he said.

Lena laughed. “Lord have mercy, baby. You’ve bought your grandmother a hat?”

Travis was very proud. “Open it!” he said.

Lena slowly opened the box. She pulled out the hat. It was an elaborate gardening hat. It had large flowers and ribbons on it. All of the adults laughed.

Ruth said, “Travis, honey, what is that?”

Travis said, “It’s a gardening hat! Like the ladies always wear in the magazines when they work in their gardens!”

Beneatha laughed, “Travis, we are trying to make Mama into Mrs. Miniver, not Scarlett O’Hara!”

Everyone thought the hat was funny. It was too fancy and dramatic. But Lena loved the present nevertheless. She said, “What’s the matter with you all! This is a beautiful hat!”

She put the hat onto her head. It was too big and very colorful. “I have always wanted one just like it!”

Walter, Beneatha, and Ruth laughed and laughed. But Lena picked Travis up and hugged him close. She said with a smile, “Bless your heart. This is the prettiest hat that I have ever owned. Well,” she continued, “we haven’t finished packing yet. Let’s get back to work. Bennie, you need to pack your books—”

At that moment, the doorbell rang.

“That can’t be the movers,” said Beneatha as she went into her room to keep packing. “It’s too early.”

Lena started to get the door, but Walter said that he would get it. He was suddenly nervous.

“Are you expecting company?” asked Lena.

“Yeah… yeah,” said Walter. He stared at the door for a moment.

While he was looking at the door, Beneatha called for her mother from the other room. Lena and Travis went to the bedroom and left Ruth and Walter in the living room.

Ruth looked at her husband. “Why don’t you open the door?” she asked.

Walter turned to her. He said, “Sometimes it’s hard to let the future begin.” He leaned in close to her and said, “I got wings! You got wings! All God’s children got wings!”

He was excited. He knew this was Willy and Bobo. He knew they were coming to tell him about the liquor store.

He opened the door with excitement, but there was only one man in the doorway. It was Bobo.

Bobo was a small man. He was wearing a business suit and a hat. The hat was pulled down low on his head. He looked frightened.

Walter looked past Bobo into the empty hallway. He said, “Where’s Willy, man?”

Bobo said nervously, “He’s not with me.”

Walter didn’t notice that Bobo was upset. He said casually, “Oh, come on in. You know my wife.”

Bobo came into the apartment. He took off his hat and looked at Ruth. “Yes… How are you, Miss Ruth.”

Ruth noticed Bobo’s expression. She saw that he was worried. She said quietly, “Hello, Bobo.”

“You’re right on time today… right on time,” said Walter with excitement. “Sit down. Tell me all about it.”

Bobo sat down and stared at the floor. Ruth stood in the kitchen and watched her husband. She had a terrible feeling.

Bobo said, “Could I please get a drink of water, before I tell you about it, Walter Lee?”

Ruth quietly went to the sink and got a glass of water. She brought it to Bobo. Walter was watching Bobo carefully. He was starting to notice Bobo’s tired eyes and worried face. Walter said, “There’s nothing wrong, is there?”

“Let me tell you—” started Bobo.

Walter became nervous, “Man, tell me nothing went wrong.”

Bobo wiped his forehead. He couldn’t look into Walter’s eyes. He looked at Ruth instead. He couldn’t speak clearly. His heart was beating quickly and he was sweating nervously. “Let me tell you, Walter Lee. I have to tell you how it was. I mean… The money I put in, Walter Lee…”

Walter was beginning to panic. “What about the money that you put in?”

“Well… it wasn’t as much as we told you… me and Willy…” Bobo stopped for a moment. “I’m sorry Walter. I have a bad feeling about it. I got a real bad feeling about it…”

Walter started to talk loudly. “Man, what are you talking about? What happened in Springfield?”

Ruth said quietly. “What was supposed to happen in Springfield?” She didn’t know what the men were talking about, but she was beginning to understand.

After Lena gave Walter the money, he didn’t tell anyone about his big plans. He didn’t tell his family about how he spent the money. He didn’t tell them that he gave the money to Willy and Bobo for the liquor store.

Bobo said to Ruth, “This deal that Walter and I went into with Willy… Willy was going to go to Springfield and bribe some people. So that we wouldn’t have to wait so long for the liquor license… That’s what we were going to do. Everybody said that was the way you had to do it, you understand, Miss Ruth?”

“Man,” said Walter again, “what happened down there?”

Bobo was almost crying. He said, “I’m trying to tell you, Walter.”

Walter suddenly yelled, “Then tell me, Goddamnit! What’s the matter with you!”

Bobo said, “Man… I didn’t go to Springfield yesterday.”

Walter said quietly, “Why not?”

Bobo continued, “I went to the train station yesterday morning at eight o’clock, like we planned. Man… Willy never showed up.”

“Why?” said Walter slowly. “Where was he? Where is he?”

Bobo shook his head. “That’s what I’m trying to tell you. I don’t know. I waited six hours. I called his house, and I waited. Six hours. I waited in that train station for six hours.”

Bobo started to cry. He said, “That was all the extra money I had in the world.” He looked up at Walter with tears on his face. “Man,” he said. “Willy is gone.”

Walter talked quickly. “Gone? What do you mean Willy is gone? Gone where? You mean he went to Springfield by himself? To take care of the license?” He looked at Ruth. He said, “Maybe he went alone.” Walter looked back at Bobo, “Maybe you were late yesterday and he went without you. Maybe… maybe he’s been trying to call you. Maybe… maybe he just got sick. He’s somewhere. He’s got to be somewhere. We just have to find him.”

Walter suddenly grabbed Bobo by his shirt. “We got to find him!”

Bobo was suddenly frightened and angry. He said loudly, “What’s the matter with you Walter! When a man steals your money, he doesn’t leave you a road map!”

Walter let go of Bobo and looked around the room. His world was falling apart. All of his money was gone. All of it. All of his mother’s money and Beneatha’s money and Ruth’s money. His future was gone!

“Please God,” he said crying. “Willy! Willy, don’t do it! Please don’t do it! Not with that money… Man, I trusted you. I put my life in your hands!”

Walter fell to the floor. Ruth put her face in her hands and began to cry. Lena and Beneatha heard the noise and went into the living room.

Walter cried and hit the floor with his hands. “That money is made out of my father’s blood!”

Bobo stood helplessly next to Walter. “I’m sorry, Walter.” Bobo put his hat on and walked to the door. Before he left he said quietly, “I had big dreams, too…”

Lena walked to Walter. She knelt beside him and said very quietly, “Son, is it gone? Son, I gave you sixty-five hundred dollars. Is it gone? All of it? Beneatha’s money too?”

Walter lifted his head slowly to look at his mother’s face. “Mama…” he said as he cried. “I never went to the bank at all…”

Lena didn’t want to believe him. She asked again, “You mean, your sister’s school money. You used that, too? Walter?”

“Yes!” said Walter sadly. “All of it… it’s all gone…”

The room was completely silent. Ruth stood with her hands on her face. Beneatha leaned against a wall. Gone! All gone. Suddenly, Lena slapped her son’s face.

Beneatha ran over to stop her, “Mama!”

Lena stood up slowly and looked at her two children. She thought about her husband. “I saw him night after night. He came home and looked at me. His eyes were red. I saw him grow thin and old before he was forty years old. Working and working and working like an old horse. He was killing himself. And you,” she looked at Walter. “You gave it all away in a day.”

She raised her hand to hit him again, but Beneatha said, “Mama,” quietly, and Lena put her hand down.

“Oh, God,” said Lena. She looked up. “Look down here, and show me strength.”