Carol Page #22

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THERESE (CONT’D)

Jack, this is Carol Aird.

JACK holds out his hand. CAROL shakes it.

JACK:

Pleased to meet you.

CAROL:

Likewise.

CAROL retreats back to her own thoughts, smokes.

JACK:

Hey, Ted Gray’s meeting me here anda bunch of us are heading down toPhil’s party. You’re going aren’tyou?

THERESE:

Well - yes. I just planned to get

there a little...(looking to Carol)

CAROL:

You should go ahead.

JACK:

You coming along?

CAROL:

No, no. (to THERESE) I should make

a few calls before dinner, anyway.

I should really run.

THERESE:

You sure?

CAROL:

Of course.

THERESE:

(to JACK)

Well... it would be great to catcha ride.

CAROL takes a step towards THERESE, but no more.

CAROL:

You two have a wonderful night.

Nice meeting you, Jack.

JACK:

Nice meeting you.

114

And she’s gone. THERESE doesn’t move, doesn’t turn around towatch CAROL leave.

JACK (CONT’D)

Alright, well let me go make surethe loaf is on his way. Back in aflash.

And JACK’S off to the phone booth. A beat, before THERESEturns around. She scans the bar and beyond for CAROL, butshe’s not there. THERESE walks to the lobby entrance - shescans the lobby - but CAROL is well and truly gone - and itonly now hits THERESE that she let CAROL walk away. THERESEturns and makes her way to the LADIES ROOM in a bit of adaze.

INT. RITZ TOWER HOTEL. LADIES ROOM. NIGHT.

THERESE stands at the sink, water running. She can barelybring herself to look into the mirror. She splashes coldwater on her face.

INT. PHIL’S APARTMENT. NIGHT.

THERESE threads her way through PHIL’S GUESTS on her way tothe front door - it’s no easy task navigating, especiallysince no one seems to notice THERESE, or anything other thantheir own good time. When she finally reaches the door,

THERESE takes a look back into the living room to see ifshe’s missed out on any good-byes. She spots DANNIE and

LOUISE on the floor, knees-up to PHIL’S small black and whiteTV set, intently watching a film, oblivious to the noisearound them. DANNIE jots notes every once in a while in hislittle notebook. All seems right here - for others at least.

THERESE slips out the door.

EXT. GREENWICH VILLAGE STREET. NIGHT.

THERESE walks down a quaint, cobbled street. It’s a lovelynight and there are various PEDESTRIANS out strolling. Itseems to THERESE that she’s the only person who isn’tsmiling, isn’t engaged with someone who’s actually beside heron such a lovely evening. She looks at the palm of her hand,

checks the address, keeps walking. As she approaches theaddress, THERESE spots an ELDERLY COUPLE arm in arm,

supporting each other, walking down the street towards her.

They look like they’ve been together for ever: the ELDERLYWOMAN leaning in to her husband as they pass, the ELDERLY MANtipping his hat to THERESE.

We HEAR SHARP LAUGHTER from a nearby apartment and THERESEturns to see GENEVIEVE CANTRELL lean backwards out of a

window. She holds a bottle of champagne which spills downinto the street below.

115

GENEVIEVE gestures to someone inside, and ANOTHER WOMAN joinsGENEVIEVE at the window - the two begin to make out. THERESEwatches their embrace for a moment; it’s tremendously sexy.

GENEVIEVE pulls the WOMAN back into the apartment, and thewindow’s slammed shut behind them. The night is suddenly veryquiet. THERESE looks off in the direction the ELDERLY COUPLEtook. She starts walking, away from GENEVIEVE, towardsomething else. She begins to walk more quickly, and morequickly still, brushing past the world of strangers.

INT. THE OAK ROOM. PLAZA HOTEL. NIGHT.

THERESE, winded, enters the restaurant. A WAITER stops her.

WAITER:

Do you have a reservation?

THERESE:

I’m looking for someone.

WAITER:

I’m sorry ma’am, I can’t seat youwithout-

She moves away from the WAITER and scans the crowded room.

Nothing. Then, out of the corner of her eye, almostimperceptible at first, at a table towards the rear of theroom, she sees a woman’s blonde head thrown back in laughter;

the woman seems to be encapsulated in or protected by a hazeof light and smoke. It’s CAROL, CAROL as THERESE has alwaysseen her and as she will see her evermore: in SLOW MOTION,

like in a dream or a single, defining memory, substantial yetelusive. She moves towards her. CAROL raises a wine glass toher lips and as she does, she turns slightly and spotsTHERESE. She is not startled. We see her face softening.

THERESE continues to approach. CAROL watches with a smile

burning in her eyes. THERESE has nearly arrived.

THE END:

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