Another Woman Page #5

(woman) Life.

- Life?

- The... the universe.

The cruelty, the injustice.

The suffering of humanity.

Illness, ageing... death.

All very abstract. "Humanity."

Don't worry about humanity all the time.

Get your own life in order.

- (sighs) Yeah.

- We'll continue this tomorrow.

What would you say

she was suffering from?

- Self-deception.

- Good. It's a little general.

- I don't think she can part with the lies.

- No? Too bad.

- Not that she doesn't want to.

- It's precisely that she doesn't want to.

When she wants to, she will.

- It's all happening so fast.

- I have to hurry.

I'm trying to prevent her

from killing herself.

- You don't think she would?

- She's already begun.

- She has?

- Oh, not very dramatically.

That's not her style. She's doing it

slowly and methodically,

and has been since she was very young.

Now, if you'll pardon me,

I have another patient.

Now that my life is...

drawing to a close,

I have only regrets.

Regrets that the woman

I shared my life with

is not the one I loved the most deeply.

Regrets that there is no love between

my son and myself. That is my fault.

Regrets that perhaps I've been

too severe with my daughter,

too demanding, that I haven't

given her enough feeling.

But I was so unhappy myself,

so caught up in those stupid

studies of historical figures.

Even though I have achieved

some eminence in my field,

I asked too little of myself.

Suddenly the dream shifted and I found

myself on a street that was familiar.

It seemed to be where I had run

into Claire, in front of the theatre.

(d "Ecuatorial")

- What's going on?

- Come on in. It's OK.

Would she like to observe the rehearsal?

Claire is such a good actress.

She plays innumerable roles.

Would you ever think of making love

to me on the living room floor?

- Would you want me to?

- I don't know. Would you want to?

Well, somehow I've never seen you

as the hardwood floor type.

No. That's a pretty insulting thing to say.

It's you that's the type not to make love

anywhere but in bed with the lights out.

- Now who's being insulting?

- I suppose you'll undress and go to bed.

Well, it's 1am.

Let's try being honest. There's not much

passion left in this marriage, is there?

- Is there not? I haven't noticed.

- Don't be so aloof.

I'm trying to tell you something.

It's not erotic any more.

- Well, was it ever?

- Was it not?

Marion, I'm tired.

We rarely sleep together any more,

and when we do it's by the book.

It's the same routine. I know what

you're going to do and in what order.

Yeah, it's true, we are both creatures of

routine. Now can we go to sleep? It's late.

And could you please try not

to toss and talk in your sleep?

Last night you kept saying "Larry". I

assume you dreamed about Larry Lewis.

At the mention of Larry Lewis's name,

I experienced odd feelings

of melancholy and longing.

I wanted to weep in the dream,

but the tears wouldn't come.

- Are you married?

- Yes. You knew I got married.

Oh yes.

Yes, I had heard that.

Larry wants us to move back

to New York, but I don't.

We've had such a nice time in Santa Fe.

- Are you happy?

- I'm happy.

Why don't I leave you two?

I'm sure you have a lot to talk about.

I see your by-line

now and then in magazines.

Did you read my novel?

I have it, but I am embarrassed

to say I haven't read it yet.

You inspired one of the characters.

Oh?

- I hope you weren't too rough on me.

- No. I wrote of you with great love.

Your wife is lovely.

Yes. I met her right after

you said goodbye to me.

Her name's Jennifer.

She's also quite a good writer.

- Do you have any children?

- Yes.

We have a daughter.

It's been the greatest,

most beautiful experience of my life.

Do you ever think of me?

(Larry) Do you ever think of me?

Once in a while.

I hope you're happy with Ken.

I ran into him on the street not too

long ago. He must have told you.

I think of you more than once in a while.

But without regret. Please,

don't tell me you have any regret.

(Claire) Darling, come here for a moment.

I want to show you a beautiful sunset.

Which character

in your novel did I inspire?

Hlenka. I gave you

a beautiful name. Hlenka.

I described our times together.

You'll recognise it.

I have to go now.

My wife needs me.

Marion, please, don't cry.

Although I am glad to hear

our little scene is moving.

- I'd like to go home.

- And you will.

I just thought you might like

to see our second act finale.

Your first husband's suicide scene.

It's touching.

Sam was not a suicide.

How do you know? It was

He died in his sleep from

mixing pills and alcohol.

I was at his funeral.

(Jack) Well, you know,

that's always a grey area.

Alone in a hotel room,

depressed...

(Marion) Sam was a wonderful man.

We had such lovely times together.

You taught me so much.

You were a wonderful pupil. Certainly

the most interesting one in my class.

Still, the age difference...

I shouldn't have seduced you.

Intellectually, that is.

I should have resisted that temptation.

I shouldn't have made you adore me,

but you were such a dazzling pupil,

the temptation was too great.

And so I paid the price.

We both paid the price.

Inevitably there comes a time when

the pupil absorbs all that he or she can.

And what seemed like constant joyous

imparting of knowledge and opinions

becomes suffocation.

Ironically, that's what they

wrote on my death certificate.

"Suffocation."

Oh, Sam.

(Jack) Wait, there's another important

scene between you and Sam.

No.

No more.

That night we had what was

supposed to be a charming dinner

with Tom and Eleanor Banks.

Doctor Banks.

Everyone was full of energy, and

I must have seemed drab in contrast.

Not only was I tired but the dream

had put me in a foul mood.

Tom and Eleanor are funny.

All that carrying-on about ESP

and parapsychology.

You'd think they'd be more sensible.

And then when you put it down so

unequivocally, I thought they'd die.

You were a little cruel, however correct.

I was so tired, I was in a stinking mood.

And who knows? Maybe they're right.

Maybe there is more to life than meets

the eye. What the hell do I know?

Their beliefs are one step ahead of Ouija

boards. And all that talk about Greece!

You'd think no one had sailed

round the Greek islands before.

If we're so contemptuous of Tom and

Eleanor, why do we go out with them?

It's just when they get on to certain topics.

Next week it'll be flying saucers.

Why do we have to see people every night

anyway? We never spend any time alone.

- Well, that's not so.

- Yes, it is so. Every night it's friends.

Yours, mine, people we hardly know.

We've known Tom and Eleanor for years.

- And you don't even enjoy him.

- Of course I do.

You've spoken contemptuously many

times because he's a radiologist,

- which you don't take seriously.

- I'm joking.

No, you're not. You disguise it

as joking, but you're serious.

- You're trying to provoke an argument.

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