Cactus Flower Page #4

to dentists, huh...

Well, we all have

our little weaknesses.

I have several big ones.

Now, Seor Sanchez.

Oh, I cannot help myself.

There is something

so provocative

about a nurse in uniform.

No frills, no adornments,

just the basic woman.

Now, you hold that

with your finger.

There we are.

Hold still, Seor Sanchez,

or the basic woman

is liable to x-ray your nose.

Hold still.

There.

Thank you.

There we are.

You know,

Miss Dickinson, you are

a most attractive woman,

yet you try to conceal it.

Very successfully,

I'd say.

Ah, but we Latins

have a great eye

for hidden beauty.

You know, for centuries,

our women

were all covered up

with mantillas,

long dresses, veils.

So we, in self-defense,

have had to

develop an instinct

for guessing

what was underneath.

I'll give you

another appointment.

(CHUCKLES)

You're very charming,

my dear,

and so easy to talk to.

Ah, you are a woman

worth knowing.

What about next Friday

at 5:
00?

Wonderful!

Where shall we meet?

This is for you

and Dr. Winston.

But I would like for us

to have dinner

one of these nights,

with candlelight,

soft guitars...

Will you bring along

your wife?

Uh, my wife?

You would not like her.

Nobody likes her.

Let's make it

for next Friday,

after my appointment.

Seor Sanchez, I can't.

You're a married man.

This I cannot understand.

If I'm a married man,

it is my problem.

What has it

got to do with you?

I would not be prejudiced

if you were married.

Seor Sanchez,

how are you?

Come, come.

I can take you now.

Well, I cannot

take you now.

(LAUGHS)

Uh, Miss Dickinson,

I, uh, I'm sorry I ran out

on you this morning.

I managed.

I knew you would.

Oh, you knew I would.

Well, I didn't

know I would.

But I did. Rearranged

all your appointments.

I told everyone

you had to go

to your dentist.

That made them happy.

I can always count on you

in a jam.

If you don't need me

anymore, Doctor,

I'm, I'm going home.

(TELEPHONE RINGING)

Oh, I'll get that.

Hello?

Don't worry. You'll meet her.

You'll meet her.

Miss Dickinson.

Yes, Doctor?

Is... Uh, are you

in a hurry this evening?

MISS DICKINSON:

Why, no, if there's anything

I can do for you...

I thought maybe

you'd like to come out

and have a drink with me.

MISS DICKINSON:
What?

Are you asking me to go out?

Why? Is there somebody else

in that closet?

I don't understand.

It's the most

natural thing

in the world

for a doctor

to take his nurse out.

Yes, but I've been working

for you for almost 10 years,

and this is the first time

that you have ever invited me.

Well, better a little late

than a little never.

And I suddenly realized

that I have no idea...

(CHUCKLING)

...of what your life is like

outside the office.

Tell me about

Stephanie Dickinson,

civilian.

I, I don't know

where to begin.

That's a good place.

Well, I, I live

in Jackson Heights.

That much I know.

Alone?

Um, yes. No, no.

I live with my sister Anna

and her husband

and their two boys

and uh,

a bulldog named Max.

Sounds cozy.

Yes. I like

large families.

And uh, I help Anna

with the cooking.

And after dinner

I walk the dog, or I read,

watch television,

if there's

a good documentary.

And sometimes

we play Monopoly.

Monopoly. That's fun.

And my, my brother-in-law

is very good at it,

but he cheats.

Um, then on Saturdays

I take

my two nephews to town.

We go to... To the zoo

or the park.

What do you do

on your vacation?

Oh, that's when I become

a different person.

Independent

and adventurous.

I saddle up

my little Volvo...

Volvo? That's a good car.

Yeah,

well, it's second-hand.

Well, I break away

from everything

and go tooling up

to Cape Cod.

Alone?

Yes. Just me,

my paintbox and Max.

Max?

The dog.

Oh.

For the two weeks,

I, I wear blue jeans

and walk around barefoot

and paint up a storm.

What about your personal life?

I mean, uh, uh...

You mean men?

Yes.

At, at the moment,

there are no men in my life.

But there have been?

Well, Doctor,

I'm no sex goddess,

but, uh,

I haven't spent

my life in a tree.

I was married

when I was very young,

but it didn't work out.

Married? I had no idea.

Neither did he.

(BREATHING DEEPLY)

And once

I was very much in love.

It lasted for

a long time, but...

But?

Well, he couldn't

leave his wife.

Him, too.

What do you mean,

"Him, too"?

Oh, nothing. I was thinking

of a similar case.

In this job,

you don't meet anything

but married men.

I suppose all the single ones

have good teeth. (LAUGHS)

(PIANO PLAYING

IN THE BACKGROUND)

Frankly, I hadn't planned

on being an old maid.

An old maid? Nonsense.

You've got

a long way to go.

Well, I've been

talking an awful lot

and I'm afraid

I'll be late for dinner.

Miss Dickinson.

I'm glad we had

this little talk.

You're a very rare person,

sensitive and generous.

Well, I guess

I'm all right.

I have a feeling

that if I found myself

in trouble,

I could count on you

for help.

But you know

that's true, Doctor.

But sometimes

a problem comes up

that's so difficult

that, uh...

Why don't you try me?

(SNAPS FINGER)

Miss Dickinson,

you could do me

a great service.

You see I'm desperately

in need of a wife.

Oh, Doctor.

Oh, please,

don't misunderstand me.

I never expected...

Oh, I need a wife temporarily,

15 or 20 minutes.

15 or 20 minutes?

I'm telling all of this

very badly.

Miss, Dickinson,

I want someone to play

the part of my wife.

Someone like me.

If only you would.

It wouldn't involve

any, uh, I mean, uh...

All, all you'd have to do

is tell a certain person

that, uh, you want a divorce.

You see,

I've suddenly decided

to get married.

I guess

I didn't tell you.

No. No, you

didn't tell me.

Well, I have.

Her name is Toni Simmons.

Oh, I'm supposed

to give you a message.

She's alive.

Well, that's only

part of it.

See, my problem is

she thinks

I'm already married.

Where could she have

gotten such an idea?

Well, at the time,

I had my reasons.

But, uh, I'll straighten

that out later.

At the moment,

I have to dig up a wife.

Well, right now, stop digging

and tell the girl

the truth. Good night.

Well, I can't tell her

anything now,

Miss Dickinson.

She's liable to...

Well, she's so young

and she's had

a lot of unfortunate

experiences.

I'm the first decent man

she's ever met.

Are you quoting her,

or you?

Toni is a wonderful girl.

She won't get married

unless she meets my wife.

I mean, she's straightforward,

she doesn't want to

be a housebreaker.

I mean, a house-wrecker.

Isn't that sweet?

Just darling.

She works at Stereo Heaven

in the Village.

And if you would

just go and meet her...

Doctor. I'm sorry.

I hate lies.

No more than I do,

Miss Dickinson,

no more than I.

But I don't know

how to

get out of this one.

My happiness

lies in your two hands.

For years, these two hands

have held nothing

but your instruments

and your appointment book.

You've managed to handle

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes