Woman in a Dressing Gown Page #6

but spirits never.

- Shh.

- You've never known me to have spirits.

You get some sleep now.

You'll be all right.

You... you just get some sleep.

- I...

- Shh.

- (Sobs)

- Shh.

(She cries)

Oh, come in, Georgie.

Er... Brian, this is Georgie.

Hello.

What happened, son?

I don't know. I just got home from work.

Had any food?

Let me get you something.

Georgie, make a cup of tea, will you?

What's she doing here?

I brought her home to meet your mother.

Dad, why should Mum get drunk?

I'm not a child, Dad.

What's going on?

Nothing. Nothing.

Pull the other leg. It's got bells on.

Now, listen, Brian.

You were damned rude just now.

You just watch your manners.

Are you walking out on Mum, Dad?

I'm only your son, I know,

but I'd like to know where I stand.

Nothing's settled, nothing.

It's true, then, is it?

You're really leaving Mum?

I tell you nothing's settled!

Now, will you shut up about it?

Of all the dirty filthy mean

bloody tricks!

Brian.

- Yes, Dad?

- Where are you going?

Don't worry. I'll be back.

Don't ever lay a finger on me again.

Don't ever do it, Dad.

He's bound to be upset.

He'll get over it.

I never raised my hand to him before

in all my life.

You're tearing up roots.

Did you expect it to be painless?

And Amy, she never touched spirits.

Never, never.

Preston, listen to me.

You mustn't weaken.

You draw back now, you're finished.

It's Simpson and... and this

for the rest of your life.

You're not listening to me.

It's not myself I'm fighting for, it's you.

I know, Georgie. It's just that

I seem to be hurting so many people.

Don't blame yourself.

I know you wouldn't hurt anyone

if you could avoid it.

It ought to be possible to be happy

without trampling on people.

It ought to be, but it isn't.

Supposing after I'm gone,

suppose she tried to harm herself?

If I left her and that happened,

how could I ever forgive myself?

If that did happen, which it won't,

you couldn't be held responsible.

And if you don't leave her,

you're the one committing suicide.

You know the right thing to do.

You have to do it.

You're always so sure! So dead sure.

How do you know you're right about me?

How do you know

I'm not in my right pigeonhole?

Little brain, little initiative,

little office clerk.

I know differently. I know you.

I love you.

Georgie, this is her home.

If only she weren't so helpless,

if only she were a b*tch,

it'd all be so easy.

Stick to what we said. It'll be all right.

(He snorts)

I wish I were better at explaining things.

Oh, I can write a good business letter,

and get the words out,

click, click, click, just like that.

But in my family,

feelings...

Iove and all that, were things

you just didn't talk about.

That's why I've made

such a mess of things.

Trying to make Amy understand,

that I love you and... want to be with you.

Always.

What's the use?

I know I just make it sound stupid.

You don't make it sound stupid at all.

(Kettle whistling)

(Kettle whistling)

(Door clicks)

(Kettle whistling)

Amy! You shouldn't be up.

I'm better up. I'll be all right.

Georgie's making some tea.

Georgie? Oh, yes, Georgie.

You got a handkerchief?

(Blows nose)

- Oh.

- Can I bring you some aspirin?

No, I'll be all right.

Must look terrible.

No, tired. You look done in.

I was gonna surprise you. It's funny.

Had my hair done today.

First time I've had it done in a shop

for... oh, years.

And I was gonna put on my best dress.

You know my special dress?

That's why I bought the... whisky.

So that we could drink and talk together

like we said, like civilised people.

And it all went wrong, Jimbo.

Everything went wrong.

It doesn't matter, Amy.

You know my special dress?

The zip broke. Ah, I couldn't mend it.

Oh, my hair. They did it so nice.

I would like you to have seen my hair

after they did it.

- It doesn't matter.

- It matters to me!

I wanted to look... to surprise...

(Sighs) No, it doesn't matter.

I suppose it doesn't matter.

(Door clicks)

Oh, I... shouldn't let you do that

in my house.

- You sit down and...

- No, you sit down. We'll manage.

I was telling Jimbo.

Planned it all to be so different.

Sit down.

Sit down. We'll let it stand a minute.

Please don't worry.

We can have our talk another evening.

- When you feel better.

- No. No, I'm all right now.

- It might be better to leave it.

- (Amy) No.

No, it's got to be settled.

There isn't really all that much to say.

Takes 20 years to build a home

and you can break it up in five minutes.

That's the truth,

whatever way you look at it.

Mrs Preston,

we didn't ask this to happen.

You didn't ask, but it happened!

You could have said

he's someone else's husband!

You could have said

he belongs to someone else.

You could have got out of that office

and left him alone, but you didn't!

- Amy, we won't get anywhere like this.

- Let her speak.

You're so calm, cool.

Jimbo always said

how efficient you were.

You look at me and you feel so efficient.

Amy, where's this leading? Georgie

came here because you asked her to.

I had a pretty figure once.

He'll tell you that.

Right up till our second was born.

June, we called her. Did you know

we had another baby besides Bri?

Preston told me.

Preston! Preston!

His name's Jim! Jimbo!

You're not a schoolteacher

calling a register.

We lost June.

It's a terrible thing when you think of it.

She only lived half an hour.

It's when I lost my pretty figure.

Women do. It happens sometimes

when they've had children.

You might lose yours

if you have children!

Georgie and I have talked this over.

I'll leave at the weekend.

- Now, about money.

- I don't want any money from you.

- Why wait until the weekend?

- Well, we thought...

She thought, you mean!

She's done all the thinking.

I've lived too long with you. I know you.

You couldn't do this on your own.

The weekend, then?

Of course, of course! It's all organised,

like borrowing a cup of sugar!

You walk into someone's house

and you say, "Excuse me!

"Will it be all right

if I take your husband at the weekend?

"Will that be convenient?"

You're like a fish. I look at you

and I see a fish. Cold, without feeling.

And when I think

I was going on my knees to you!

Yes, I was.

That's why I asked him to bring you here.

I was gonna beg you to give him up.

Oh, I had it all worked out.

I was even gonna offer to share him.

Anything, as long as he could stay here.

- I was going on my knees to you!

- Amy, that's enough!

What does a woman like you

want with a man like him?

He's not handsome or clever.

He won't make any fortunes.

He'll be old in ten years.

What did you pick on him for?

- I love him.

- You love him.

You want to sleep with him,

that's what you want!

Love? You don't know

the meaning of the word!

Do you know that he snores? That he

loses his temper if his paper's creased?

He can't stand the sunshine,

has to sit in the shade.

Gets rheumatism every winter.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes