Carol Page #5

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CAROL, HARGE and RINDY in the kitchen. RINDY sits on HARGE’Slap. She’s using crayons to draw a picture. FLORENCE preparesa hot meal in the background.

HARGE:

How ‘bout some green for the trees?

CAROL:

She loves to color in the sky

first.

HARGE:

And Cy’s wife asked if you

were coming-

CAROL:

(he does this every time)

-Jeanette.

HARGE:

-Jeaneatte. (beat) I know she’d

love to see you.

CAROL:

Give her my best. I’ve always likedJeanette.

CAROL checks RINDY’S drawing, slides another color over toher. As she does, HARGE slides a hand over CAROL’S.

HARGE:

I’d like you to be there.

CAROL looks at HARGE’S hand on hers. She looks up at him.

CAROL:

I’m sorry, Harge. I have plans.

RINDY:

Mommy and Aunt Abby are exchangingpresents.

HARGE smiles, nods, pats CAROL’S hand, withdraws his hand,

turns his daughter around in his lap to face him.

HARGE:

You been seeing a lot of Aunt Abbylately, sunshine? With mommy?

CAROL shoots HARGE a look. He holds her gaze, not giving in.

CAROL looks away, uncomfortable in FLORENCE’S presence.

CAROL:

I’ll - try and re-arrange withAbby.

HARGE:

Thank you.

INT. FRANKENBERG’S DEPARTMENT STORE. SHIPPING DEPT. DAY.

A SHIPPING CLERK sorts through his file of carbon shippingreceipts while THERESE stands at the window.

THERESE (CONT’D)

I told the customer it would get toher by Christmas Eve. Based on whatwe’ve been told. Three business

days from the-

SHIPPING CLERK:

(looks up at her)

Should have been delivered this

afternoon.

THERESE:

Oh. Right. So... It arrived? Shesigned for it?

SHIPPING CLERK:

(all curt business here)

It arrived.

THERESE:

Great. Thanks - thank you.

INT. CAROL’S HOUSE. CAROL’S BEDROOM. NIGHT.

CAROL sits before her dressing table brushing out her hair. Alit cigarette burns down in an ashtray on the dressing table.

A tumbler of scotch on the rocks rests beside the ashtray.

CAROL puts down the brush, and glances down at her lap. Thereshe holds the gloves she’d left at Frankenberg’s and a notefrom THERESE. She takes a drag of the cigarette and reads thenote again:

Salutations from Frankenberg’sDepartment Store. Employee 645-A.

She crumples up the letter and tosses it into a small wastebasket. She takes another drag on her cigarette, then glancesback at the waste basket.

INT. FRANKENBERG’S. DOLL DESK. THE NEXT DAY. LATE AFTERNOON.

30

THERESE at her desk is being exhausted by a PICKY FEMALECUSTOMER. A score of open doll boxes and dolls are sprawledacross the desk.

ROBERTA WALLS (O.S.)

Belivet? Miss Belivet?

THERESE looks up. ROBERTA WALLS stands at a desk nearby,

crooking a finger at THERESE and holding a telephone receiver

up.

ROBERTA WALLS (CONT’D)

Over here please. Now?

She snaps her fingers for another SALES CLERK to take overfrom THERESE.

THERESE:

(to CUSTOMER)

Sorry - I’m - excuse me.

THERESE hurries over to ROBERTA WALLS as the SALES CLERK

takes over the PICKY FEMALE CUSTOMER. ROBERTA WALLS hands the

receiver to THERESE and shoots her a withering look. THERESEtakes the phone.

THERESE (CONT’D)

Hello?

OPERATOR (O.S.)

Is this employee 645-A, Tereeza

Belivet?

THERESE:

Yes.

OPERATOR (O.S)

We’re patching you though, ma’am.

INT. CAROL’S HOUSE. KITCHEN. LATE AFTERNOON.

CAROL cooks dinner as she makes her call, which helps hercombat some of her residual shyness. A radio is tuned in tosome BIG BAND MUSIC.

CAROL:

So it was you.

INT. FRANKENBERG’S. DOLL DESK. LATE AFTERNOON.

THERESE on the phone. WALLS, stony-faced and staring.

THERESE:

Oh - hello. Mrs. Aird? Did you -

receive the train set alright?

INT. CAROL’S HOUSE. KITCHEN. LATE AFTERNOON.

CAROL:

I did. And the gloves. Thank you somuch. You’re a star for sendingthem. I just called to say - thankyou, really.

THERESE (O.S.)

Of course.

CAROL picks up a saucepan lid but it’s too hot and she dropsit. It clatters on the floor.

CAROL (CONT’D)

Oh, sh*t - sorry. What I mean tosay - Do you get a lunch hourthere? - Let me take you to lunch.

It’s the least I can do.

INT. FRANKENBERG’S. DOLL DESK. LATE AFTERNOON.

THERESE blinks. Hard. She holds a long breath beforereplying, mindful of ROBERTA WALLS attuned to her every word.

THERESE:

I - well. Yes, of course. But youreally don’t-(pause)

Tomorrow?(pause) No, I don’t knowit. Hold on. (sheepishly to

ROBERTA) I’m sorry. Can I borrow apaper and a pencil?

ROBERTA WALLS isn’t happy as she slides a paper and pencilover to THERESE. THERESE quickly scribbles down an address.

INT. MIDTOWN RESTAURANT. DAY.

THERESE stands at the front of a small midtown restaurant,

with white tablecloths and wooden rafters. She glances up atthe clock which reads 1:12 and checks it against herwristwatch. She glances out the window. There, throughbeveled glass, she spots CAROL hurrying across the street.

INT. MIDTOWN RESTAURANT. DAY. MOMENTS LATER

CAROL and THERESE are seated at a quiet table. CAROL isremoving her hat, glancing at her menu as a WAITER hovers.

THERESE sits transfixed, her eyes quick and alert, taking ineverything about CAROL from the way a delicate gold braceletfalls against her wrist as she peruses her menu to the wayCAROL’S fingers grip her water glass.

CAROL:

I’m so sorry to keep you waiting.

(to the WAITER) I’ll have the

creamed spinach over poached eggs.

And a dry martini. With an olive.

CAROL and the WAITER look to THERESE, who realizes she hasn’teven opened her menu. A beat, then:

THERESE:

I’ll have the same.

WAITER:

The meal or the drink?

THERESE:

Uhh - All of it. Thank you.

The WAITER nods, starting off, as CAROL clocks THERESE’Suncertainty. THERESE not wanting to stare at CAROL, now picksup her menu and thumbs through it.

CAROL:

Cigarette?

CAROL offers THERESE a cigarette from her exquisite silvercase. THERESE notices that CAROL’S hands are lovely andsmooth, salon manicured, in contrast to THERESE’S own.

THERESE takes a cigarette from the case. CAROL lightsTHERESE’S cigarette and THERESE proceeds to smoke it, thoughnot without some effort.

CAROL (CONT’D)

So what kind of a name is Belivet?

THERESE:

It’s Czech. It’s changed.

Originally-

CAROL:

It’s very original.

THERESE:

(she feels herself blush)

Well.

CAROL:

And your first name?

THERESE:

Therese.

CAROL:

Therese. Not Ter-eeza.

THERESE:

No.

CAROL:

Therese Belivet. That’s lovely.

THERESE:

And yours?

CAROL:

Carol.

THERESE:

Carol.

The WAITER reappears with their drinks and CAROL picks up herglass and toasts.

CAROL:

Cheers.

THERESE:

(clinking glasses)

Cheers.

CAROL sips at her martini. THERESE watches her for a moment,

then samples hers. She tries to hide the surprise of itsstrength. CAROL smiles.

THERESE (CONT’D)

(beat) So, you -I’m sure youthought it was a man who sent backyour gloves.

CAROL:

I did. I thought it might be a manin the ski department.

THERESE:

I’m sorry.

CAROL:

No, I’m delighted. I doubt verymuch if I’d have gone to lunch withhim.

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