The Ploughman's Lunch Page #13

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Unobserved, he watches Ann and James. Ann is speaking.

James interrupts, Anne nods. James writes something down

in his notebook.

Tom hears his father in the distance calling his name. He

leaves the window and runs.

INT. CONSERVATORY - DAY

Lunchtime. A table spread with white tablecloth, salads

and wine. Set for two.

ANN:

My husband apologises for not

joining us. It's not too cold for

you, Mr. Penfield?

JAMES:

It's fine, thank you.

ANN:

Since you are a friend of my

daughter's, I think I'm entitled

to call you James, don't you think?

JAMES:

Please do. I was beginning to

wonder who this Mr. Penfield was.

ANN:

And I'd like you to call me Ann.

James raises his glass.

JAMES:

To Ann.

ANN:

To James. I remember what it was

I was going to say. We were talking

about forgetfulness. The Czech

writer Kundera has one of his

characters say that the struggle

of man against tyranny is the

struggle of memory against

forgetting.

JAMES:

History books are first onto the

bonfires.

ANN:

If we leave the remembering to

historians then the struggle is

already lost. Everyone must have

a memory, everyone needs to be a

historian. In this country, for

example, we're in danger of losing

hard-won freedoms by dozing off in

a perpetual present.

James is uneasy, a little out of his depth.

ANN:

Here I am lecturing you. Have

some pâté.

JAMES:

Thanks.

A Pause. Ann has already emptied her glass. James has

hardly touched his. Ann refills her own. Then James,

lightly, wanting to be back on familiar ground.

JAMES:

So I can go ahead and be a historian

without feeling like a poseur.I

shall be fulfilling a citizen's

duty.

ANN:

If you like. But don't be too

modest, James. The citizen's duty

is to remember, not necessarily to

write books. You are highly

qualified. You're a responsible

journalist doing what sounds to me

like a very demanding job. Every

day you take decisions that depend

on your sense of history. A genuine

tyranny would have to get rid of

people like you.

JAMES:

You're kind to be so encouraging.

ANN:

I think you'll do very well.

She smiles and briefly touches James's hand. James looks

up impassive.

EXT. BACK GATE TO GARDEN - DAY

Anne and James are returning from an after-lunch walk. We

have a glimpse of the landscape we will see more of on

James's return.

As they walk they arrive through a back gate into the

Barrington garden. A jet fighter races through the sky.

ANN:

I've met some of her colleagues,

I'm afraid they struck me as rather

empty people. Very ambitious, and

charming too. But not serious.

No politics.

They walk on.

ANN:

I do worry about Susan. Have you

known her long? She hasn't

mentioned you.

JAMES:

Actually, we've only just met.

But we're quiet good friends.

ANN:

It's a pity she couldn't make it

up here today.

JAMES:

Yes.

ANN:

She'll be here next weekend. Why

don't you come too, James? I'll *

show you the marshes properly. If

you're lucky you might even see

the first of the geese arriving

from Siberia.

JAMES:

Well, I'd hate to be a nuisance.

ANN:

Don't be silly. I'll look out

some more Suez material for you.

You'll be very welcome.

EXT. FRONT OF HOUSE - DAY

They come round the front of the house to James's car. He

opens the door and shakes Ann's hand.

JAMES:

Thank you.

ANN:

We'll see you next week, and if--

Matthew's car comes sweeping up the drive. Tom is in the

front seat. Matthew stops his car so that his front door

is by James.

MATTHEW is fifty. A director of commercials for cinema

and television. Breezy, chunky-faced, keen to be taken

seriously. Essentially good-humoured.

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