Petulia Page #16

93 INT. PENGUIN PLACE–DAY

Thirty penguins march around the rim of their pool to the music of Pomp and Circumstance. Through the Public Address System, a voice explains that the penguins represent all nations and are gathered here for their own Olympics which they originated two million years ago, when penguins were nine feet tall and great athletes.

Archie senses someone staring at him, turns and sees Petulia sitting in the grandstand with her parcels. He tries to ignore her by concentrating on his kids, but he cannot. Actually, he doesn't want to ignore Petulia. He looks back, she is still there, smiling happily. Archie gestures for the boys to stay where they are, then starts toward Petulia.

The penguins are now going through various acrobatics while the narrator is telling more about their exotic origins. Archie stumbles through laughing children, ruins a tourists snapshot, etc., until he finally reaches Petulia.

Now one penguin is pushing another penguin in a baby carriage. Everyone thinks it's adorable.

Archie sits beside Petulia not really knowing what to say. He hasn't decided whether to be angry that she has followed him, or amused, or delighted—or all three.

Now the taped music is blaring a loud marching song as the penguins lumberingly form into a Roman legion. The laughter, music and applause make any intimate conversation almost impossible. But Petulia is waiting for Archie to say something.

Archie sees that Mike has turned from the penguins to stare at his father accusingly. Mike won't stop staring. Mike now tries to make Stevie turn and look accusingly with him. Archie doesn't know what to do.

Finally, Petulia rises and gathers her parcels, still quite pleasant. She drops a parcel and Archie retrieves it for her. Its from a sportswear shop, colorful and gay. As Archie gives Petulia the parcel, she touches his hand, running her fingers lightly over his skin, thoughtful, as though wanting to remember something. Petulia moves quickly through people toward the exit. Archie almost calls her back, but there is too much noise.

94 INT. CORRIDOR ARCHIE'S APARTMENT–DAY

Archie is returning from work, weighted down with books for his research, plus microscope. He sees his apartment door ajar. His heart stops. He kicks his door open with his foot, not daring to think who will be inside.

95 INT. ARCHIE'S APARTMENT

No, you're wrong. It's not Petulia. Two elderly gentlemen in spotless dungarees are just finishing installing a portable greenhouse in Archie's living room. The Mexican paper flowers have been carefully moved.

FIRST:

GENTLEMAN:
Oh, oh. We were supposed to be out of here before you came home, Dr. Bollen. So you'd think it came from. Santa Claus.

The two elderly gentlemen chuckle at Archie's puzzled look.

FIRST:

GENTLEMAN:
Wonderful isn't it? They sell like hot cakes. Gives you something alive in all this stone.

ARCHIE:
There must be some mistake.

He sags down on a chair, draped in his research books. The two old gentlemen couldn't be more pleased.

FIRST:

GENTLEMAN:
Mac and I get a big kick out of people's first reaction. It's not a toy. It's a working greenhouse. You control heat and humidity with these. (he indicates dials) You've got a little bit of everything. Ornamental plants, Zinnias, Asters. Even a little vegetable garden. The most important thing to remember is to keep the sun out. These new kind of lights work so much better, there's no comparison.

ARCHIE:
You've got the wrong apartment.

FIRST:

GENTLEMAN:
(cheerfully) No, we have not, Dr. Bollen.

ARCHIE:
What screwball ...

Then he stops. He knows what screwball.

ARCHIE:
No gift card?

FIRST:

GENTLEMAN:
It might come by mail.

Archie starts chuckling. He crosses to the greenhouse, still chuckling.

ARCHIE:
This one heat, and this one humidity, right?

FIRST:

GENTLEMAN:
Exactly. We've left a manual of operations, and we'll check everything out in a month. Okay, Dr. Bollen?

ARCHIE:
(still chuckling) Okay, okay! Goodbye.

He enters the greenhouse, having to stoop almost double, as the two old gentlemen exit from the apartment.

96 INT. GREENHOUSE

Though extremely uncomfortable, Archie is entirely happy. Suddenly he is ripping up flowers and vegetables to make a kooky bouquet. He is positively exultant. He adds radishes and turnips to the bouquet. This is the happiest we have ever seen Archie.

97 EXT. DANNER HOUSE–DAY

Archie's car is parked on the cliff.

The Danner house is dark, deserted, abandoned.

Archie is standing by himself on the wharf bouquet in hand. The yacht has gone. And so has Petulia. Archie feels utterly alone, and as a matter of fact, he is. He tosses the bouquet into the water. The lettuce floats.

97A EXT. THE YACHT–DAY

Theoretically, we should be at some flea bag port in. South America. Mostly, we see the yacht.

Petulia is sunbathing on the yacht. She looks much better now. Weeks have passed, she has a golden tan. Beside her, a transistor radio has picked up a local broadcast which would be in either Spanish or Portuguese and which consists mostly of music. David hops onto the yacht carrying a bag of groceries.

He, too, is deeply tanned, marvelously healthy, but somehow uneasy.

DAVID:
Hi.

PETULIA:
Did you get mama on the plane all right?

DAVID:
Sure. But what a dinky plane. Poor mama's stomach problems are far from over. He enters the cabin. Petulia sits up after a moment, looks about, sees no one else, then then in alarm peers into one of the windows that looks down into the cabin.

97B INT. CABIN

David is stowing food into the refrigerator.

PETULIA:
You didn't leave papa alone in that horrible little town?

DAVID:
It's not such a horrible little town. (he holds up a can) "Hearts of artichokes."

PETULIA:
(uneasily) David...

DAVID:
Take your "Vitamin Zed," you blinkin' Limey.

He uses the English way of saying "vitamin," and then a bit too rakishly he tosses an orange up through the window. Instinctively, Petulia makes an effort to catch, misses, and it hits her lightly on the shoulder. Though it causes no damage, David is suddenly in terror. He races up out of the cabin to Petulia.

97C EXT. YACHT–DAY

David rushes to Petulia. Of course the orange did no damage whatever, but there is an abrupt tension between them. He flops down beside her and begins peeling the orange.

DAVID:
Papa went with her at the last minute.

Petulia REACTS, shocked.

DAVID:
(continuing) She was so pale and scared. They aren't even pressurized. The plane. You suck on a tube and hope it's oxygen.

During this he has peeled the orange and torn it into segments, which he now tries to feed her.

DAVID:
Open.

PETULIA:
How could he have gone? Just like that?

DAVID:
Where mama is concerned, papa is a very loving man. Open.

Instead, Petulia jumps frightened to her feet. She seems about to leave the yacht.

DAVID:
Please don't.

PETULIA:
He promised!

DAVID:
Honey. It'll be okay. Cross my heart.

PETULIA:
He promised.

A middle-aged couple are passing by on their way to their luxurious yacht which is anchored close by. They are trailed by a rather tacky Mariache trio.

WOMAN:
Hello there you gorgeous people. Everyone's invited for Margueritas and cha-cha-cha.

PETULIA:
(dazedly) Mr. and Mrs. Danner are gone.

WOMAN:
(as corny as this) Oooh la la! Lucky you;

The group goes off, toward their yacht. Petulia doesn't know what to do. David skims off his jeans and jack-knifes into the water. The sun glints on his exquisite body. Confusedly Petulia pops a segment of an orange into her mouth. David surfaces from the water laughing up at her. He looks great.97D EXT. YACHT–NIGHT

Petulia and David are returning from the other yacht. They are dressed casually, but very well. David is completely happy. Petulia is uneasy—uneasy hell, she's frightened out of her wits. From the other yacht we still hear the sounds of the Mariache trio and people squealing with delight. David is humming along with the music.

PETULIA:
We didn't have to come back this early.

DAVID:
You're still not one hundred per cent well.

They've reached the cabin. He enters. She waits outside. Suddenly his hand is around her wrist, somewhat too hard, and in a gesture he hopes is playful, he pulls her down the steps into the cabin.

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