Carol Page #7

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JEANETTE:

Carol, I - it’s really not mybusiness, but if you’re going to bealone on Christmas, Cy and I wouldlove to have you.

CAROL:

(she’s really touched bythe offer)

Thank you, Jeanette.

CAROL takes another look inside the party: couples dancingthrough the tented plastic.

CAROL (CONT’D)

(watching the dancing)

I don’t know. I might get away bymyself. At least for a few days.

INT. NEW YORK TIMES. PHOTO DEPT. OFFICE. NIGHT.

DANNIE ushers THERESE into the alluring world of a juniorphoto editor’s office: the contact sheets dangling from lightboards, the professional equipment, trays and lenses - butmostly it’s the photos themselves that she’s in awe of.

Candids, crime scenes, sports photos, everything that makesup the visual narrative of a newspaper. DANNIE sits at a desk

and sets up dinner, a makeshift array brought from home -

wrapped sandwiches, bottles of beer. THERESE breathes it allin, not daring to touch anything.

DANNIE:

Don’t worry, nothing’s gonna breakif you pick it up. You want asandwich?

THERESE shakes her head, picks up a contact sheet and amagnifier and glances at the pictures. DANNIE watches her.

DANNIE (CONT’D)

What are your pictures like?

THERESE:

They’re - probably not very good. Idon’t know.

DANNIE:

I mean, what are they? What arethey of?

THERESE:

Trees. Birds. Windows. Anything,

really. (beat) What do you writeabout?

DANNIE:

People.

A pause. THERESE looks through a camera lens at DANNIE. He

looks up at her, she lowers the lens.

THERESE:

I feel strange, I think... takingpictures of people. It feels like -

an intrusion or a-

DANNIE:

Invasion of privacy?

THERESE:

Yes.

DANNIE opens a beer, holds it out to THERESE. She takes it.

DANNIE:

Yeah but, all of us, we have, youknow - affinities for people,

right?

THERESE doesn’t answer.

DANNIE (CONT’D)

Or certain people. There are

certain people you like...

THERESE:

Sometimes.

DANNIE:

And others you don’t. And you don’treally know why you’re attracted tosome people and not others, theonly thing you know is - you eitherare attracted or you’re not. It’slike physics - bouncing off eachother like pin balls.

THERESE:

(smiles)

So now you’re a scientist?

DANNIE:

Just trying to explain why I writeabout people rather than trees.

THERESE:

Sounds more like psychology.

DANNIE:

Physics is more comforting.

THERESE grabs a sandwich.

THERESE:

Yeah, but... Not everything’s assimple as a bunch of pin ballsreacting, or...

DANNIE:

Some things don’t even react. Buteverything’s alive.

A beat. DANNIE moves to THERESE, takes the beer bottle awayfrom her, puts it down. He puts his hand on THERESE’Sshoulders.

THERESE:

It’s late. I should go.

He kisses her, and she lets him, remaining very still. ThenDANNIE steps back and THERESE looks down.

THERESE (CONT’D)

You shouldn’t...

DANNIE:

Why? Did you mind?

THERESE:

No.

DANNIE:

Would Richard mind?

THERESE:

Probably. (beat) I have to go.

THERESE gathers her things together, goes to the door.

DANNIE:

Come back tomorrow? Or Wednesday?

THERESE:

Maybe. I don’t know.

THERESE leaves.

EXT. CAROL’S HOUSE. LATE NIGHT.

HARGE has brought CAROL home from the party. They standtogether outside the door while CAROL fishes for her keys.

HARGE reaches into his pocket and produces his, opens door.

HARGE:

Here.

CAROL:

Thanks. And thanks for stayingsober and driving me home.

(kissing his cheek)

Goodnight, Harge.

She starts to go inside the house. HARGE stops her gently.

HARGE:

Come to my parents for Christmas.

We had a nice time tonight.

CAROL:

(not unkindly)

It was one night.

HARGE:

I don’t like to think of you.

Alone.

CAROL:

I’m not alone. There’s Rindy,

there’s-

She stops herself. HARGE knows what she was about to say.

HARGE:

Abby. There’s always Abby.

CAROL:

(after a pause)

Abby and I were over long beforeyou and I were over, Harge. (beat)

I’ll have Rindy packed and readyfor you at four on Christmas Eve.

She starts to step inside the house.

HARGE:

It shouldn’t be like this.

CAROL:

I know.

And she quietly shuts the door on HARGE.

INT. CAROL’S HOUSE. LIVING ROOM. NIGHT.

The living room is dark and quiet. RINDY has fallen asleep onthe sofa; FLORENCE, on a chair opposite. CAROL gives FLORENCEa pat on her shoulder and squats down beside RINDY.

FLORENCE:

She wanted to wait up for you.

CAROL:

Ah, mama’s special girl.

CAROL brushes a strand of hair away from her eyes. She gentlypicks her up and carries her out of the room and up thestairs.

CAROL (CONT’D)

Goodnight, Florence.

INT. CAROL’S HOUSE. LIVING ROOM. LATER

CAROL lifts a holiday blanket from a small platform,

revealing the assembled train set, set up behind a couch. Sheswitches on the train and watches it begin its slow routealong the tracks. She sips at a nightcap.

EXT. FRANKENBERG’S. SEVENTH AVENUE ENTRANCE. EARLY SUNDAYAFTERNOON.

THERESE, in coat, scarf and gloves, waits for CAROL’S car topull up outside. RICHARD waits with her.

RICHARD:

Where’s this place in Jersey?

THERESE:

The country, I think. I don’t

really know.

RICHARD:

My uncle Sal lives in Union Cityand he claims it’s pretty dangerousout there at night-

THERESE:

It’s not Union City.

RICHARD:

Okay, okay.

CAROL pulls up to the curb.

THERESE:

There’s my ride.

RICHARD accompanies THERESE to the car. He opens the door forher, she gets in, shuts the door, rolls down the window. Heleans down to kiss her.

RICHARD:

Eight o’clock?

THERESE:

Eight o’clock.

RICHARD looks into the car, holds up a hand in greeting toCAROL.

RICHARD:

Hi.

CAROL:

Hello. Carol Aird.

RICHARD:

(leans across THERESE toshake CAROL’S hand)

Richard Semco. Glad to meet you.

CAROL:

Likewise.

THERESE:

(to RICHARD)

She wanted to meet you.

CAROL:

Therese speaks very highly of you.

RICHARD:

(pleased to hear it)

Well, that’s - swell. So you’ll...

get her back safe and sound?

CAROL smiles, salutes her assent. THERESE is slightlyembarrassed.

RICHARD leans into the car and touches THERESE’S chin

lightly.

RICHARD (CONT’D)

Love you.

But THERESE has already rolled up the window, the car hasstarted to go. RICHARD diminishes through the rear window.

INT. CAROL’S CAR. APPROACHING LINCOLN TUNNEL. DAY.

CAROL and THERESE make their way cross town, as a cool wintersun combs through the car windows. CAROL appears at homebehind the wheel - relaxed, confident.

To THERESE, the world inside CAROL’S car is a revelation,

from the tan leather upholstery and mahogany dashboard to theeffortless style and elegance of its driver. The sounds ofthe world - even CAROL’S occasional chatter -have been

replaced with the stillest MUSIC, the sound of air and light.

The presence of this older, sophisticated woman, who wearssilk stockings and expensive perfume, is intoxicating andunnerving in equal measure. Even Carol’s purse, which restsbeside THERESE on the seat, is quite unlike anything she hasseen or examined so closely, full of mystery and make-up andfragrances. From there her eyes wander down to CAROL’S legs,

clad in smoky silk stockings. Glancing down at her own legs,

wrapped in sensible wool tights, THERESE wonders if she willever be the kind of woman who owns such a car and wears such

clothes.

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