The Tale Page #5

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if we came home late.

It's always you two

going off.

Jane, why doesn't Jenny

have dinner with me tonight?

And that way we get

a little bit more time

to talk about

all this stuff?

Then if it gets too late, you

can sleep in my son's old room

and I'll bring her over

first thing tomorrow morning.

( laughs )

How does that sound?

It's not up to me.

Jenny can make her own mind up.

Can't you?

Bill:

Good.

Then it's decided.

Adult Jennifer:

What did I say?

I have to go either way.

I don't remember.

I must have said something.

I only remember them.

Why can't I remember myself?

Did I say yes?

Why would you do that?

Well...

( tap water turns off )

...it's my life.

I can make my own decisions.

Adult Jennifer:

Really? You think so?

Yeah.

So, what did you say?

Well, I said yes,

because I want to prove to Bill

and Mrs. G that I'm mature.

But that's not what you wrote.

You wrote that you don't

want to be here.

That you want to go back

with Mrs. G to her house.

Look in your notebook.

It's right there.

That's just a fiction story.

What do you mean fiction?

We wrote this as--

It's a version

of what happened.

What does that mean?

A lot of it's true.

My teacher says that all stories

are based on the writer's life.

You don't know what's

about to happen.

I know Mrs. G

much better than Bill,

but Bill is not

gonna hurt me.

- What if you're wrong?

- Stop!

You've become just like

all of them.

You just want to tell me

what to do.

It's my life. Mine.

Not yours.

Let me live!

What if you're wrong?

I never saw

a gold medal before.

( laughs )

- Pretty cool, huh?

- Yeah.

Watch out!

( laughs )

I picked out a book of poetry

that I wanted to show you.

It's Rumi.

( exhales )

I have wanted

to show you this

since the first time

I read your writing,

because it reminded me

of you.

- Really?

- ( chuckles )

You'll see.

Okay...

here we go.

Start there,

and just read it

out loud.

But I'm not a very good reader.

Oh, I am sure you read

beautifully.

Okay.

"Make yourself free from self

at one stroke.

"Like a sword without

a trace of soft iron.

"Like a steel mirror,

scours off all rust

with contrition."

All rust with contrition.

"That you may see

your own pure, bright essence."

Nouga, it's so beautiful.

Bill:
Yes.

I just knew you would like it.

I just knew it.

Jenny, are you cold?

Your hands are trembling.

Um, they always shake.

( fire crackling

in fireplace )

I meant to light the fire,

but now it's too late.

You shouldn't freeze.

Are you feeling okay?

Yeah.

Maybe I should

just call Mrs. G--

No, no, I'm okay.

I-- I feel fine.

I don't want to go home.

Look.

Okay, well, then why don't you

read the other poem

that's in there

with the page turned down.

Yes! That's my favorite.

"Call of Love."

And I'll be right back.

I'm going to get you a blanket.

Um, okay.

"At every instant

"and from every side

resounds the call of love."

Bill:

I can't hear you!

"We are going to heaven.

"Who wants to come with us?

"We have been the friends

of the angels.

"We will go back there,

for there is our country."

Okay, now move back.

( chuckles )

All right, you'll feel

a lot warmer in a second.

How's that?

Is that better?

Yeah.

"We are higher than heaven."

Okay, now scoot over.

I'm cold now.

Don't stop.

You're doing great.

"More noble than the angels.

"Why not go beyond them?

- Our goal--"

- Jenny, you are so special.

Did you know that?

You're so deep.

"Our goal is

the supreme majesty.

What has the fine pearl--"

I want to save you

from all of those...

stupid young boys out there.

I think you are...

perfect.

"Why-- Why have--"

Jenny...

would you do something for me?

Would you let me see you?

Will you just show me

what you look like without...?

Okay.

- ( laughs )

- Are you shy?

Do you think I want you

to have big breasts like Mrs. G?

I don't.

Do you want to take

your shirt off?

Yeah?

O-- Okay.

Okay.

Bill:

You've been preparing

for this moment.

I don't think we should tell

Mrs. G about us.

I don't think

she's quite ready.

Do you want to keep reading?

Hey.

Hey, what are you doing?

What are you doing?

What are you doing,

reading my childhood things?

Who are they from?

Who wrote them?

From the relationship

I told you about.

They're from an adult man.

Yeah. I told you he was older.

Just please don't

go through my things.

I mean, how old was he?

He's 40, I don't know.

That's rape.

That's illegal.

Babe...

How old were you?

Like 13, 14?

It was the '70s,

and people didn't

talk about it like that.

But babe the '70s, '80s,

it doesn't matter.

I don't want you

to justify this.

I'm not trying

to justify it, okay?

It was my childhood,

and these things happened to me

and it's just, you know,

I'm just saying,

it was complicated.

You talked about

the relationship,

but this is a grown man.

He was my coach.

But what does that have

to do with it?

He was 40 years old.

He was my age.

Taking advantage

of a child.

Babe...

this was important to me.

And I'm trying

to figure out why, okay?

These people were

important to me.

People?

Who are these people?

I saw a letter from a woman.

Who was that?

That was my riding teacher.

She introduced him to me,

you know?

And she was there that summer.

- That's why I went to see her.

- But, you--

I am trying to figure it out.

Why do you want to find them

when you're the victim?

I'm not saying that to--

Okay, I am not a victim.

I don't need you or anybody,

to call me a victim, okay?

Because you don't have

a f***ing clue about my life.

So we need

to stop this now.

Let me just figure

this out for myself.

Jennifer, I don't

know your life?

After six years?

Have you ever thought

about seeing a therapist?

If you knew me,

you'd know I ain't going

to see a therapist.

I'm gonna figure

this out myself.

Did you ever even look

at the ring I brought you?

Do you think I give a sh*t

about a ring?

That's you again,

not knowing me.

- ( door buzzer )

- Your car is here.

I'm not going to leave

with us like this.

I'm not going to.

Look, Jennifer, let's--

let's talk.

- I want to be here for you--

- Please! Please! Please go.

I'm not leaving like this.

Good! Then I'll leave.

- So you stay.

- So-- No, no, no.

- You stay. No, you stay.

- All right, look,

- you don't have to leave.

- And I'll get my sh*t together.

I want you the f***

out of here!

Go, or I go.

Go, or I go.

And when I come back,

we're going to have

to talk about this.

Why did you pick me?

I'm a skinny, flat-chested,

introverted kid.

You can't see yourself.

I keep working

on your self-image,

but you're so stubborn,

so attached to your drama.

Adult Jennifer:

Becky was so much prettier.

Becky was closed off already.

You're an adult now, Jenny.

You tell me.

How do you find freshness

in the world of adults?

Look at yourself.

Look at me.

Doubtful, jaded.

Unable to be surprised.

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