Alice Page #6

tonight to get out of the house.

What went wrong? We

used to be so close.

- We chose different paths.

- Yeah. And you think mine is trivial.

Anybody who spends that much on

stuffed animals for their children...

I know how you feel. You

made it very clear last time.

People are starving and you fill the

nursery with every conceivable toy.

Isn't there any way I...

that you could respect me?

You're just like Mom.

Yeah. You know, I've been thinking

about Mom and Dad a lot lately.

Remember how Dad used to cut our

birthday cakes with his sword?

- You bought all that junk?

- He was a naval hero.

Come on. He was a bore

and Mom was a drunk.

Come on. Don't say that.

So, who are you cheating with?

I'm not cheating. Not physically.

You know, not yet, anyway.

You probably still believe what

the nuns told us at Sacred Heart.

My days as a Catholic

ended when I was about 16.

My days as a Catholic ended

when Mom found my diaphragm.

But the music was beautiful,

wasn't it? And the rituals.

Go on. Have one more

confession. It's free.

My sister's been right

about so many things.

I am too much like Mom.

Sometimes I think I'm not raising

my children with the right values.

That I'm spoiling them.

Not exposing them to the

things that matter most.

When I was young, I

wanted to be a saint.

I used to pray with my arms outstretched

because it was more painful...

...and I could feel closer to God.

I wanted to spend my

life helping people...

...taking care of the

sick and the old people.

I was never happier than when I

got a chance to help out that way.

What happened?

Where did that part of me go?

And now, even my marriage.

I'm so mixed up about it.

And I feel guilty about Joe.

God, I'm exhausted.

- You have curls.

- I only have one. You have so many.

You know, I'm crazy about these.

These are just absolutely...

- Oh, Alice. Hi.

- Hi.

- This is Joanne, this is Kimberly.

- Hi. Hi.

See you later. How are Dennis and

Kate doing? Have they adjusted?

- They're doing real well.

- I am having terrible problems with Perry.

Every time I leave, he cries.

Especially if Sesame Street isn't on.

- He needs more sessions on the couch.

- That could be.

You were gonna call me

about Jessica's party.

- Of course they'll come.

- They'll have a magician. I have an idea.

I want Kate to have a play-date

next weekend with Perry.

I'll have my chauffeur pick

them up directly from school.

- Gee. Can I call you about that?

- Please. They're so looking forward to it.

- Hi. How are you?

- Great.

Perry would like to invite Shana to

the movies in his dad's screening room.

- They're showing The Little Mermaid.

- Sure.

He's really sorry for the last time.

He didn't mean to vomit on her collage.

- I've gotta run. Call me.

- I'll call you.

Bye-bye.

Listen, I'm really

sorry about last night.

No, it's OK. Can we talk

in private for a minute?

Yeah. Yeah.

I was thinking, maybe I should

just back off for a little while.

- Really?

- Well...

- I can't bear to be the source of trouble.

- Oh, no. It's not you at all.

No, it's me. It's... it's

just who I am, who I've been.

I'm just trying to

figure out who that is.

That's why I don't

wanna be an obstacle.

Really? So you think... you

think we shouldn't meet any more?

Maybe it's for the best.

Gee, I was gonna take you to a

neat restaurant for lunch tomorrow.

- You were?

- Not if... not if...

Listen, we better get the kids.

- Hi. Hi.

- Alice, hi. God. Come on in.

- I didn't get you away from anything?

- I was working on a brief, but...

...I'm so happy to be taken away from it.

- I was a couple of blocks away, so...

Dorothy, I just, you know... I just wanted

to tell you that I feel bad about this.

- I've been thinking about it and I'm sorry.

- Oh, honey. I know, I know.

Listen, I'm the big sister. I'm...

I should be kind, and I'm sorry.

- Do you want some tea?

- Um... No, no thank you.

- I didn't handle it well. I apologise.

- You were right.

- Who am I to be judgmental of your life?

- Listen, be quiet for just a second.

I was... I was wrong.

You know, I was...

There's something disgusting about all

the stuff I buy the kids and I buy myself.

- All of that. You were right.

- But it's your life, you know? Who am I?

You're my sister, and I

care about what you think.

- Yeah?

- And I miss being closer, you know?

When you guys moved to the city,

I was hoping that would happen.

I was hoping that too, you know?

I'm sorry, but I was really

surprised to see how you've changed.

- I didn't know how to handle it.

- You knew Doug was very wealthy.

Yeah, of course I knew that, but

when I walked in, you know, that...

Oh, God, your closet. Clothes, and

a hundred shoes and all that stuff.

- It was hard for me. I'm sorry.

- Yeah.

You know, you're just very...

You're different. You have different

ideas than when we were kids.

I know that. I know that.

I know that. You're right.

But don't you think I wanna be close?

I do.

God.

It's about her working in Calcutta, you

know. It's just so incredibly tragic there.

All these bigwigs are sitting there

with tears running down their faces.

It was just incredibly moving. She was

just so... so simple and unassuming.

You know? It was amazing.

I was... I was weeping.

The kids were cute though. Dennis, I

think, was just thrilled to be up so late.

But I really think Katie had a feel

for what was going on, you know?

- Why are you so nervous?

- I'm not. Why do you say nervous?

You keep talking. I've

heard this three times.

Really? Well, you know,

this is a big step for me.

I just feel... Shouldn't it

happen more gradually or something?

- It hasn't exactly been rushed.

- Rushed? I don't know.

It feels rushed. It feels rushed.

I've been married 15 years.

Probably I'm just out of practice.

It's not like juggling.

You don't have to practise.

I mean, Doug and I do have sex,

but... but not the way we used to.

Which is probably my fault. Somewhere

along the line I just lost interest.

Then he seemed to. But

probably because I did.

But I don't know why I did.

Anyway, we rarely seem to do it.

- Maybe he lost interest first.

- Sh. Sh.

- What?

- Relax.

What's relaxed? It's not even dark.

God, I prefer it when it's dark.

- Then you can't see anything.

- See?

I am going to be going on a diet.

Was I terrible?

You were the best.

Was I OK?

Yes.

Dialogue in fiction has two functions.

In the novel, to be read to

oneself as voices in the mind.

And in scripts and in

plays, to be read out loud.

So that what we're really

talking about here is...

...the two aspects of the

consciousness of words.

Internal and meditative

in the novel...

...and external and expressive

in the drama and in film.

Creative energy all comes

from nerve in back of neck.

Mrs Tait has trouble writing

because nerve is pinched.

Now, circulation very, very low.

Must drink lots of Dr

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