Summer of '42 Page #3

Hi, there.

- Going to the movies?

- Yeah.

That's nice. Good to see you.

- She really knows you.

- Jesus, it's embarrassing.

- What?

- Her, seeing me with that.

Hermie, excuse me.

Do you think you could come by my house

Thursday afternoon?

I have some heavy things to move

and I'll need some help.

- Sure! Okay.

- Great.

Maybe Thursday morning would be better.

About 10:
00? Is that all right?

- Sure. We'll have coffee.

- Yes. You like it black, right?

- Yeah, right.

- See you Thursday. Enjoy the picture.

- Hey, you're in.

- Shut up!

You're in, boy. I can't believe it.

She's mad about you.

Coffee at 10:
00. Sh*t.

Will you shut up?

I'm all excited. I'm gonna squeeze the crap

out of Miriam, soon as the lights go out.

You're really something.

You can't even wait till the cartoon is over.

I can't wait. I can't wait!

Silly name, isn't it?

My father named me

after a professor he was fond of.

I was J.D. in college

and my wife calls me J. Duveaux.

But I'm Jerry to my friends.

And now, won't you tell me who you are?

My name is Vale. V-a-I-e.

If it ever appears on the passenger list,

it will be C. Vale.

Stop it!

- Are you one of the Vales of Boston?

- One of the lesser ones.

Well, which one?

I don't even know yet

whether it's Miss or Mrs.

It's Aunt.

Every family has one, you know.

But Aunt what?

My name is Charlotte Vale.

Miss Charlotte Vale.

It was like a miracle happening.

Like having your child.

- Stop it!

- All right.

I even allowed myself

to indulge in the fantasy...

... that both of us loving her,

and doing what was best for her together...

... would make her seem actually

like our child after awhile.

But I see no such fantasy

has occurred to you.

Again, I've been a big sentimentaI fooI.

It's a tendency I have.

Wait a minute.

I was afraid

you were keeping Tina out of pity.

But there was no note of pity

in your ridicule of me just now.

I know you still love me,

and it won't die, what's between us.

Do what you will:

ignore it, neglect it, starve it.

Stop it!

It's stronger than both of us together.

Please, let me go.

Charlotte.

Please, let me go.

Jerry?

Dr. Jaquith knows about us.

When he said I could take Tina,

he said, "You're on probation. "

Do you know what that means?

It means that I am on probation

because of you and me.

He allowed this visit as a test.

If I can't stand such tests...

... I'll lose Tina.

Then we'll lose each other.

Jerry, please help me.

Shall we just have a cigarette on it?

Yes.

May I sometimes come here?

Whenever you like. It's your home, too.

There are people here who love you.

To look at you and Tina,

see everything peace and contentment.

Of course. And just think,

it won't be for this time only.

That is if you will help me

keep what we have.

We'll both try hard to protect

that little strip of territory that's ours.

We can talk about your child.

Our child.

Thank you.

And will you be happy, Charlotte?

Jerry, don't let ask for the moon.

We have the stars.

Where do you live?

That's off the point.

- Let's go to the beach and watch the surf.

- No, it's late. We really have to go.

Come on.

No! But maybe we'll see you

on the beach tomorrow.

- Will you be on the beach tomorrow?

- Ain't gonna be on a mountain.

Well, then we'll see you.

'Bye.

Yeah, 'bye.

Come on.

- How did you make out?

- Pretty good.

- What did you do?

- I held her breast.

- You didn't?

- For almost 11 minutes.

Fantastic!

- Eleven full minutes.

- You timed it!

The longest I ever got

was eight minutes with Lila Harrison.

- So, you broke your record!

- By three minutes.

What did it feel like?

What'd you mean, what'd it feel like?

It felt like a breast.

Didn't it feel like an arm?

An arm?

- No, it felt like a breast.

- Come on, I bet it felt like an arm.

- Why the hell should it feel like an arm?

- Because it was an arm.

Now, what's the matter with you, Oscy?

You were feeling her arm. I was looking.

That's what I was trying to tell you.

You were squeezing an arm

for 11 minutes, you schmuck.

So the eight minute record

with Lila Harrison still stands.

- God damn it, Oscy, you're lying!

- I wouldn't lie about an arm, Hermie.

An arm?

Jesus, I was passing out

and it was an arm.

A very lovely arm.

- Well, you're a son of a b*tch!

- What?

- Son of a b*tch! Why did you tell me?

- What?

- Why not just let me think it was a breast?

- I thought you should know the truth.

I thought you should know

so you won't make that mistake again.

You wanted to ruin my memory of it,

you son of a b*tch!

The hell!

What do I care if you spend

your whole life squeezing arms?

I just thought you ought to face reality.

Especially if you're putting a clock on it

and going for records.

I guess you're right.

God, how can I ever face her again?

Make sure she's wearing long sleeves.

An arm.

An 11-minute arm!

Lila Harrison, your record is safe!

Lila Harrison. Jesus!

Nothing is too heavy

when love is in the air.

Laughter becomes you.

Coffee is exquisite. Exquisite.

- Is that you, Hermie?

- It is I.

Come on in. The door is open.

I'll be out in a minute.

Why don't you sit down?

I certainly will.

Shall.

Well...

Hi.

We'll have the coffee later, all right?

Okay.

- Your coffee is exquisite.

- Thank you.

I hope it wasn't an inconvenience

for you to come by like this.

No, it's okay.

- What's up there?

- Dust.

- May I see?

- Sure.

There's lots of room.

We shouldn't have any trouble.

Thank you. You're right.

There's lots of dust up there.

Laughter becomes you.

The best thing for me to do is hand you

the boxes one at a time, don't you think?

Yeah, okay.

How are you doing?

Fine.

Hermie, what's wrong? Are you all right?

Yeah.

Well, your leg is shaking.

I don't think your ladder is too good.

Do you want me to hold it?

I think you better hand me another box.

Just two more.

That's it. Come on down.

Good job.

Look, this time you really must let me

give you some money.

- No, I couldn't take any money.

- But you have to!

I couldn't possibly have gotten

those boxes up there myself.

It's okay.

I like you.

That's very sweet of you, Hermie.

I like you, too.

I mean, I don't like many people.

Hermie! Hey, Hermie!

Come on!

Come on, will you, hurry up?

Get up here, come on. What happened?

- Nothing.

- What went on in there all that time?

Nothing.

Come on, try to remember.

What happened?

Well, the way it went,

we went in and we chatted.

Yeah?

And than I put the boxes in the attic.

- And then she kissed me.

- Kissed you?

Yeah, right here. See any lipstick?

Jesus! He's right. Lipstick!

- That's blood. It's a mosquito bite.

- No, it's lipstick.

- That's definitely lipstick!

- Look, Oscy, I like her kissing me, not you.

It's blood. She's a goddamn vampire!

As I left, I'm sure she asked me

to come back. Any time.

You know, Hermie,

I really think you've struck gold.

I really do.

- Benjie! We're gonna need the book again.

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote