Human Nature Page #16

NATHAN:

Yes. Happy happy.

GABRIELLE:

Yet you look so sad. A great man

like you should not be sad.

NATHAN:

I'm fine. Life is funny, that's all.

Gabrielle stands. She stretches languorously, revealing a

lot of leg.

GABRIELLE:

I am sleepy.

NATHAN:

I shouldn't say this, but you're

pretty, Gabrielle. It's

unprofessional, I know.

GABRIELLE:

Really? I always think myself so

ugly. No, not ugly, but plain. A

wallflower.

NATHAN:

(buying her line)

Really? No. Not at all. You're a

very pretty girl. You should know

that. You should be confident.

GABRIELLE:

Thank you so much. Merci. It's very

wonderful to hear a man say such a

nice compliment.

NATHAN:

It's true. I wouldn't lie.

GABRIELLE:

You are sweet.

Gabrielle walks slowly by Nathan. He inhales deeply, breathing

her in. She smiles to herself. He reaches out touches her

leg.

GABRIELLE:

(vaguely protesting)

Doctor.

She moves into Nathan. She presses her thigh against his

shoulder. Nathan leans forward, kisses her exposed thigh.

NATHAN:

So soft. So smooth.

(back to reality)

I'm sorry. It's just...

GABRIELLE:

(soothing)

Shh.

CUT TO:

INT. BATHROOM - NIGHT

Lila is shaving herself all over. Shaving and weeping.

There are nicks all over her body. She has no eyebrows any

more. The hair on her head is hacked off.

CUT TO:

INT. LAB - NIGHT

Nathan and Gabrielle are lying naked on the floor.

Gabrielle rests her head on Nathan's chest.

NATHAN:

Was that okay? I mean, was I able

to... satisfy you?

LILA:

You are an animal.

NATHAN:

Really? Wow! That's that's terrific

to hear from someone so... feminine,

so female.

LILA:

I love being female because it, how

do you say, allows me to be close to

men.

NATHAN:

I'm glad you're female.

(beat)

Do you think our boy witnessed the

primal scene?

GABRIELLE:

Anyway it's time he grew up. N'est-

ce pa?

(sighing, running her

fingers along his

chest)

I love chest hair on a man. I know

it isn't fashionable now, hairy men.

But to me it is the very sign of

masculinity.

Nathan tenses. Gabrielle looks up innocently at him.

GABRIELLE:

What is wrong, my darling?

NATHAN:

Nothing, my darling. All is right

with the world.

Puff watches from his case. Gabrielle smiles to herself.

INT. AUDITORIUM - DAY

Puff testifies.

PUFF:

I saw it, gentlemen. I saw the whole

sweaty, passionate, ugly, beautiful

act, and to use the vernacular, I

wanted me some of that.

The congressmen laugh appreciatively. The laughter is a little

too enthusiastic and goes on a little too long. It stops

abruptly.

PUFF:

And I think I understood from that

moment, that in order to get some, I

would have to do what they said. In

order to experience this primal,

basic, animal thing, I would first

have to become a civilized, prissy,

uptight human. I would have to become

Nathan.

The congressmen nod sadly, in recognition of this reality.

CUT TO:

INT. LAB - DAY

Puff, in his Lucite case, sits behind a set dinner table.

He seems attentive, calm, interested as Nathan teaches him

table manners. Gabrielle stands very close, almost

possessively close, to Nathan. She wears a lab coat, but it

is unbuttoned, and underneath she is wearing a skin-tight

black minidress. She strokes the back of Nathan's head as he

works with Puff.

NATHAN:

(slow. talking to an

idiot)

Excellent, Puff. Now, the lady you're

with excuses herself to go powder

her nose.

The wheels turn in Puff's head. He thinks hard. Then he

stands. Gabrielle shrieks and claps happily.

NATHAN:

Perfect. Perfect, Puff!

Nathan leans over and kisses Gabrielle. Puff watches. He

makes an exaggerated kissy-face, pursing his lips, trying to

imitate Nathan. The phone rings. Gabrielle pulls herself

away, giggles as Nathan tries to keep her from going, and

picks up the phone.

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