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me a couple of days…. Now? Straight away?….Alright.
Yes, I'll email it.
ALBERT gives JESS a disgusted look.
ALBERT
Oh, right. There's more? The city? The stone city. Yes…
Atlanteans? They should meet Atlanteans, you think?
Oh, that's trendy again over there, now is it? Well…Oh,
fight with Atlanteans!!…Special effects. Of course.
Well…Oh, Ida. I..I..really think the whole thing could
become ludicrous. Well…OK, here she is…
He hands phone to JESS.
JESS
Yes, sweetie. I'm here. Is he being stubborn? Well, I
know. (Looking straight at ALBERT as she is speaking
to IDA ) Stubborn directors don't make it in Hollywood.
It becomes a graveyard for them as they stay
unemployed and drink themselves to death. Of course.
(Jokingly) Albert be warned! Of course he'll do the re-
writes, Hon. Here he is.
ALBERT
Hello. So you really want Jack as the main character?
Well, he's nothing like as interesting as...But it was
meant to be about the father. Fawcett. The script was
about the explorer, Fawcett the Mystic. Oh God. No,
I'm not happy about Atlantian special effect battles?
What's that got to do…
JESS
For Christ's sake, Al ! Just do it!
ALBERT
(To both IDA on the phone and to JESS) NO!!! I'm not
bloody doing that! No! I am not throwing a great story
down the plug hole! Why on earth do you need my
script, then? Get your special effects man to write it.
You want a moronic…
JESS
Oh, Al, I just don't believe this.
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ALBERT
You want a moronic story. OK. Forget about employing
me!
JESS
You… .bloody….fool!! You have fucked it up.
She takes the phone from him.
JESS
I can't tell you how sorry I am about his attitude. Well
Ida, that's just him. Self-destructive…I know. Look, I'll
come over any way… You've got another writer in
mind? Oh great. No…He deserves it. No one is
indispensable in our business. I can't wait to see you
sweetheart . We'll sort it all out. Lot's of love.
She turns to ALBERT.
JESS
Well….No one could have made a better job of that
than you. (Laughing) How can you destroy a chance of
a life time in seconds? Of idiocy? What is the matter
with you? You are very sad. We're finished now. Really
finished. I'm going to pack my things. I've done
everything I can for you…
ALBERT
Yeah, I know… I know….Jess, I'm sorry. I'm not
surprised. You've had enough then. You're going.
Fawcett's going. Life's going. I've ruined it. On every
level. I'm finished. Washed up. Years of struggle in this
business and nothing to show for it. Well, hardly
nothing. I had one chance… But, I just can't…
JESS
Compromise.
ALBERT
Not that much! If it had been anything else…
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JESS
…But Fawcett. Oh well. I'ts your life now. You just get
on with destroying it then and I'll…
ALBERT
Jet off to Hollywood and join you dyke friend.
JESS
I think any dyke, as you put it, that I know, has far
more ability of making some ,, thing of life than
you, Al. Involvement with you has been a sad waste of
my life. So I'm not doing it another moment longer. I
can't wait to catch that plane for L.A.
She goes.
SCENE TWO. BRIAN'S BUNGALOW. CARLISLE.
As he speaks to the audience, he changes from corduroys and pullover
into khaki.
BRIAN
'Wasn't feeling good yesterday. Bellyache. The
cucumber that Ruth ruined by putting in the deep
freeze, paralysed my normal bodily functions. So I took
a dose of castor oil…..the effect of which was to turn
me inside out. Also. We are with mouse again. A very
bold little animal. I've seen him! But he is elusive. I've
been wondering whether in a confrontation I would
prove deficient in physical courage. I know my moral
courage is alright. But I haven't really had a test of
physical courage. The test will only come once. And if it
does I must meet it successfully. Daddy had it and
though scared stiff went through it well.
I'll have to travel in a tiny single engine plane over
endless jungle. I'm thrilled. The job must be done. I
believe my fate is to do it. And that things have worked
out to enable me to do it. All the same, the risk
involved is not pleasant to think about. Flying over
unexplored country, and a drop of water in the
carburettor of that tiny aircraft engine will bring us
down into the forest. If one survives the impact one is
faced with a truly horrible fate - so horrible that
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annihilation in the crash is doubtless to be preferred!
My "Higher Self" drives however, and I have to face a
little of what Daddy often faced - scared though he was
- and dominated. I am less frightened for myself than
for Ruth, for the bereavement would be a terrible blow
for her - and I hate to think of her unprotected and
helpless. Nevertheless, my remarkably accurate
horoscope says nothing of a premature end in these
circumstances. So I set forth with no other companion
but my determination.
"M" enters with a suitcase. She stops and opens her make-up mirror to
adjust her mascara.
BRIAN
Oh, are you coming? D'you need a ticket? Oh, no,
you'll be travelling by teleportation. I'll see you later
then.
Music. Plane noise. Nina enters in a much younger version of herself.
NINA
Brian. I'm so pleased with you. You're going to be
successful for once.
BRIAN
You're not coming as well, Mother, are you?
NINA
Just in spirit, dear. I was laughing to myself earlier
about that Royal Geographical Society lecture that
time. Do you remember? When that stuffy Savage
Landor was so insulting about your father's work…
BRIAN
Oh, yes, yes, yes. Sir Henry Savage Landor. He was
like a puffed up pigeon. ( Imitating Savage Landor) "
"Oh, Ladies and Gentlemen. The Mato Grosso!! I've
just got back from there . Lovely little place. Perfect for
tea planting!"
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