September Page #2

---

..and you can't bring yourself to say

one good word about Peter.

He's OK. I don't mean he's a bad person.

But I can't stand that Lane

gets so moonstruck over his line.

- I mean, she blushes when he's around.

- Now you sound jealous.

What's the difference?

She's going away anyhow.

I knew that was bothering you.

If you could have seen her at the

beginning of the year when she came up.

She was in such bad shape. She needed

someone to take care of her so badly.

She's very fragile.

We used to spend

long afternoons together,...

..winter evenings listening to music.

It was such a pleasure watching her gain

strength and begin to enjoy things more.

I remember one night I was home alone

after we'd seen a movie together...

..and I noticed that I missed her and

I couldn't wait to see her the next day.

And that's when I realised

I never wanted her to leave here.

- Oh, Howard.

- Thank you.

I never said anything. I knew she was

through a terrible time and not over it.

I didn't think she was ready to hear

that someone had become...

..dependent on her.

I didn't want to...

I didn't want to say anything that would

frighten her or cause her any confusion.

Well, after all,

I am much older than she is.

So in the end I hedged and

procrastinated and... obsessed over her.

And over the right moment to speak.

Next thing I knew

she was in love with that tenant,...

..that sensitive young man who

suddenly started occupying all her time.

Well,...

..one can see how

having Peter on the premises, just...

- - ..just the two of them for seven weeks,...

..how she could fall very much in love.

Never thought I could

feel this way after Karen died.

Hello?

Steffie! lt's your husband.

He says it's important.

Lane's changed towards me.

She used to get such a kick out of me.

She used to laugh at my jokes

and tell me how pretty I looked.

She's become so angry.

What do you think, honey?

This or the pink one, with the jacket?

- This one.

- You're the boss.

Hey. Hey!

Come here. Where you goin', huh?

Boy, oh boy! Am I lucky I hailed that taxi!

You're the only man I've known

worth marrying since Lane's father.

The others were just nothin'!

Just nothin'. And the proof is, when

they asked me to marry 'em, I said no.

- I'm the lucky one.

- You, lucky?

You inherited a machine

that's grinding to a halt.

Between my ulcers and

my gall bladder and my angina...

The whole is greater than

the sum of the parts. Remember? Hm?

Said the bishop to the showgirl.

- Sorry.

- No, come in.

- You wanted to borrow this pin?

- Oh, yeah.

But I've decided on a whole other outfit

so I don't think I'll need it.

- It's lovely. Where'd you get it?

- You gave it to me.

I did? What taste!

- Doesn't Diane look stunning?

- She looks great.

Try to have a good time tonight.

You don't wanna turn into a recluse.

I just really didn't feel up to

having people over tonight.

You have to learn

to put the past behind you.

What's done is done.

It's easy to say.

I know you wanted to go

to the movies with Peter.

Is he a good writer? I mean, seriously,

could he write my biography?

- Oh, Mom, don't be foolish.

- Foolish? I've been offered good money.

Peter's trying to write a serious book.

You shouldn't be distracting him.

God, he's always asking me

millions of questions.

I don't think your memoirs

are something you wanna make public.

Really? I'm not ashamed of my life.

Your mother was offered

quite an advance.

Then she should find somebody else

to write it. And leave me and Dad out of it.

I can't leave you out of it.

That's the part everybody's interested in.

You're exploiting an ugly situation.

You've become so touchy lately.

I mean, if your life hasn't worked out,

stop blaming me for it.

Take the bull by the horns.

Make something happen.

I'm sorry. Not everybody's

a human dynamo like you.

Your mother does have

remarkable energy.

You were such a promising young girl,

so bright, and you had my looks.

Well, you had better bone structure

than I did, but you lacked my height.

And you had your father's intelligence.

You gotta do something about all that.

I mean, you're young, you're lovely.

Of course, you dress like a Polish refugee.

I don't feel too attractive these days.

Peter thinks you're beautiful.

And he's right.

- Does he?

- He sings your praises.

He's probably just being polite.

You really like him, don't you?

- I don't know.

- You've gotta be a little cool about it.

- You shouldn't let your desperation show.

- I don't think I have.

I always felt there was a fatal element

of hunger in your last affair.

That's not true.

I don't think Jeff would have run

quite so quickly back to his wife...

..if he didn't feel a certain pressure.

I sensed it.

His name was Jack. And you were never

here, so you don't know what happened.

Darling, don't be so defensive.

I base this observation

on the time I saw you together.

And I'm not saying anything different than

those high-priced psychiatrists have said.

When it comes to men, you're probably

doing something to stand in your way.

- I probably am.

- Yeah.

Well, this is out.

Looks like I'm going to a luau!

Oh, my God. Look at me.

I gotta redo my whole make-up.

It's hell, gettin' older.

Especially when you feel 21 inside.

All the strengths that sustain you

all through your life...

..just vanish one by one.

And you study your face

in the mirror and you...

You notice something is missing.

And then you realise it's your future.

So that's...

That's why I want you to find yourself...

..while there's still time left to enjoy it.

- Hi.

- Hi.

- I guess I'm early.

- The guests haven't arrived yet.

Well, you look wonderful, all dressed up.

It's starting to rain.

Maybe it'll cool things off.

Let's hope.

Well, you look lovely.

I said that!

Thank you.

- Did you know the, um...

- Steffie...

- Sorry. What were you gonna say?

- No. What?

- You looked like you were...

- No, nothing.

Thunder's getting close.

Yeah.

So, who's the history professor?

The history professor? How did you know

about that? Did we talk about that?

Well, you mentioned to me one time that

that might be the title of your book.

The history professor was my father.

He taught at a college

in Connecticut and he...

..he was fired during the McCarthy era.

He was blacklisted. He had to do

all kinds of things to keep us going.

Like what?

He supported us by playing poker

and betting the horses.

He sounds wonderful.

Yeah, he was.

I see what you mean by a survivor.

This summer went by too fast.

I had such high hopes for this book.

To tell you the truth, I'm floundering.

Is this the first time

you've tried to write a book?

Oh, I've published a couple of short

stories. Nothing... Nothing any good.

I've never been able to do it full time. I've

always been busy with other obligations.

You don't want to hear about all this.

You know, Lane showed me

some of your short stories and...

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes