Wednesday, December 15, 2004
Scene Five
SCENE 5: ALAN'S STUDY. NIGHT
F/X: SCRIBBLING OF PEN ON PAPER. CONTINUES UNDER:
ALAN: (LOW) 5…4…3…2…1... (SCRIBBLING STOPS) and in the bin!
F/X: PEN THROWN IN BIN. SCRIBBLING RESTARTS.
ALAN: (LOW) 5…4…3…2…1... (SCRIBBLING STOPS) and in the bin!
F/X: PEN THROWN IN BIN. SCRIBBLING RESTARTS.
ALAN: (LOW) 5…4…3…(SCRIBBLING STOPS) this one works.
F/X: DOOR OPENS.
BARBARA: (OFF) Alan, what are you doing?
ALAN: Just tidying up. How many pens that don't work do we think we need to keep?
BARBARA: Well, none, I suppose. It's not like you to worry, though.
ALAN: I know. I just feel I want to get more organised, sort things out.
BARBARA: And what's brought this on all of a sudden? Are you all right?
ALAN: Never better, really. I think I can be more focused now, after meeting up with Diana.
BARBARA: You were grumpy enough when you came back.
ALAN: I know, I'm sorry. I suppose I had this daydream of meeting her and suddenly everything would be right.
BARBARA: What do you mean "everything"? What isn't right now? You didn't say this before!
ALAN: Nothing definite. Maybe nothing at all. I don't know. (PAUSE) I just felt morally damaged, as if I was somehow a bad person, and wanted to be forgiven.
BARBARA: Like in that David Lodge book you got me to read- Therapy?
ALAN: I suppose so. I thought I'd made this big mistake, but I hadn't really. (PAUSE) You forget how tolerant you are when you're young.
BARBARA: Yes, and it comes back. You know, whenever I have a case with youngsters playing up, it's always the parents who go for the "Never darken my door again" stuff. The grandparents are more accepting. They know life goes on, and time's too short for moral absolutes.
ALAN: You mean, love may make the world go round, but it's tolerance that keeps it in one piece?
BARBARA: Exactly. And people change - they have to grow. You need practice to become a good person. (PAUSE) And you have, I think.
ALAN: Have I? I'm not sure.
BARBARA: Of course you have. You're a good father, you have a sensible relationship with your ex-wife (PAUSE) and you've been wracked with guilt for 20 years for snogging a girl at a party!
ALAN: (LAUGHS) Come over here. (THEY KISS) I love you. (PAUSE) I want to make love with you so badly!
BARBARA Well, you usually manage it!
F/X: SCRIBBLING OF PEN ON PAPER. CONTINUES UNDER:
ALAN: (LOW) 5…4…3…2…1... (SCRIBBLING STOPS) and in the bin!
F/X: PEN THROWN IN BIN. SCRIBBLING RESTARTS.
ALAN: (LOW) 5…4…3…2…1... (SCRIBBLING STOPS) and in the bin!
F/X: PEN THROWN IN BIN. SCRIBBLING RESTARTS.
ALAN: (LOW) 5…4…3…(SCRIBBLING STOPS) this one works.
F/X: DOOR OPENS.
BARBARA: (OFF) Alan, what are you doing?
ALAN: Just tidying up. How many pens that don't work do we think we need to keep?
BARBARA: Well, none, I suppose. It's not like you to worry, though.
ALAN: I know. I just feel I want to get more organised, sort things out.
BARBARA: And what's brought this on all of a sudden? Are you all right?
ALAN: Never better, really. I think I can be more focused now, after meeting up with Diana.
BARBARA: You were grumpy enough when you came back.
ALAN: I know, I'm sorry. I suppose I had this daydream of meeting her and suddenly everything would be right.
BARBARA: What do you mean "everything"? What isn't right now? You didn't say this before!
ALAN: Nothing definite. Maybe nothing at all. I don't know. (PAUSE) I just felt morally damaged, as if I was somehow a bad person, and wanted to be forgiven.
BARBARA: Like in that David Lodge book you got me to read- Therapy?
ALAN: I suppose so. I thought I'd made this big mistake, but I hadn't really. (PAUSE) You forget how tolerant you are when you're young.
BARBARA: Yes, and it comes back. You know, whenever I have a case with youngsters playing up, it's always the parents who go for the "Never darken my door again" stuff. The grandparents are more accepting. They know life goes on, and time's too short for moral absolutes.
ALAN: You mean, love may make the world go round, but it's tolerance that keeps it in one piece?
BARBARA: Exactly. And people change - they have to grow. You need practice to become a good person. (PAUSE) And you have, I think.
ALAN: Have I? I'm not sure.
BARBARA: Of course you have. You're a good father, you have a sensible relationship with your ex-wife (PAUSE) and you've been wracked with guilt for 20 years for snogging a girl at a party!
ALAN: (LAUGHS) Come over here. (THEY KISS) I love you. (PAUSE) I want to make love with you so badly!
BARBARA Well, you usually manage it!
# posted by Martin Locock @ 5:08 AM 
