time for boys.
HATTIE and TINA try to suppress giggles. GRAHAM turns an even brighter shade of red. HATTIE and TINA enter the coffee bar. JENNY feels sorry for him, is on the verge of inviting him to join them . . . And changes her mind.
JENNY
( quickly )
Bye, Graham.
She follows the girls inside.
GRAHAM
Bye.
35 INTERIOR: JENNY’S BEDROOM/ UPPER HALLWAY - NIGHT
JENNY is deep in her schoolwork. She has a Latin vocabulary propped open on the window ledge. She looks at it, walks away, mutters to herself, attempting to memorise. Her concentration is broken by a sudden gale of laughter from downstairs.
36 INTERIOR: JENNY’S HALLWAY - NIGHT
She stands outside the living room for a moment, listening. She hears a man’s voice that does not belong to her father, and then more laughter from her father and mother.
37 INTERIOR: JENNY’S HOUSE - NIGHT
DAVID is in the middle of demonstrating his ability to mimic all of the Goons. JACK and MARJORIE are laughing so hard that they can hardly see - they certainly miss JENNY’S entrance.
JENNY
( curious )
Hello.
JACK
Jenny, David does the most fantastic Bluebottle.
JENNY
( incredulous )
You came to see my parents?
JACK
Why is that so hard to imagine?
JENNY spies an open bottle of wine on the coffee table.
JENNY
Why are you drinking? It’s not Christmas!
JACK
Ah, well, there’s a lot you don’t know about us, young lady. We had a life before you came along.
JENNY
Yes, that’s true. I’m only going on what I’ve seen for the last sixteen years.
MARJORIE
I’m trying to think what you missed. Nothing much comes to mind.
JENNY
Anyway. I’ve got a huge pile of Latin translation to do.
JACK
You didn’t tell us David went to Oxford.
JENNY looks at DAVID, who stares back at her straight-faced.
JENNY
No. I didn’t.
DAVID
For all the good it did me.
MARJORIE
Isn’t that funny?
JENNY
Extraordinary.
DAVID
I was just telling Jack that I’m going back next weekend. I go and visit my old English professor every now and again.
JACK
That’s what you need, Jenny. Someone on the inside track. It’s not always what you know, is it, David?
DAVID
Too true. Have you ever come across Clive Lewis?
JENNY
Dad has never come across anyone.
DAVID
He wrote a children’s book called The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe that did very well, I believe.
MARJORIE
C. S. Lewis? That’s the Clive you’re talking about?
DAVID
Well, to us he was the old codger who taught Medieval literature. But I came to know him very well. We just . . . got along, you know?
Everyone murmurs their comprehension.
MARJORIE
Jenny used to devour those books.
JENNY
I’d love to meet him.
There is a pause. JACK and MARJORIE look at the floor. Somehow, DAVID has manoeuvred a situation where, effectively, he is the one being asked.
DAVID
I’m sorry. Am I being slow on the uptake? Would Jenny like to come at the weekend?
JACK
Oh, not this weekend. Sometime, perhaps, yes.
JENNY
How often do you see him?
DAVID
Not very often. Every couple of years. Maybe next time?
JENNY
( disappointed )
Oh.
JACK
( dubiously )
Well, I suppose . . . Would she have to stay the night?
DAVID
I wouldn’t recommend driving home after one of those Oxford dinners.
JACK chuckles knowingly.
Clive could get her a room at the college. It’s easy enough.
MARJORIE
Seems like too good an opportunity to pass up.
JACK
It wouldn’t be a bother to you, would it, David?
JACK, MARJORIE and JENNY all beam.
38 INTERIOR: DANNY’S FLAT - DAY
DAVID and DANNY are waiting for the girls to get ready. DANNY is sitting sprawled in an armchair; DAVID is pacing up and down.
DAVID
Come on!
39 INTERIOR: HELEN’S BEDROOM - DAY
An ornate four-poster bed occupies most of the space in the room. HELEN is doing something to JENNY, but we can’t see what.
HELEN
Just putting a few things in a bag. Don’t
HATTIE and TINA try to suppress giggles. GRAHAM turns an even brighter shade of red. HATTIE and TINA enter the coffee bar. JENNY feels sorry for him, is on the verge of inviting him to join them . . . And changes her mind.
JENNY
( quickly )
Bye, Graham.
She follows the girls inside.
GRAHAM
Bye.
35 INTERIOR: JENNY’S BEDROOM/ UPPER HALLWAY - NIGHT
JENNY is deep in her schoolwork. She has a Latin vocabulary propped open on the window ledge. She looks at it, walks away, mutters to herself, attempting to memorise. Her concentration is broken by a sudden gale of laughter from downstairs.
36 INTERIOR: JENNY’S HALLWAY - NIGHT
She stands outside the living room for a moment, listening. She hears a man’s voice that does not belong to her father, and then more laughter from her father and mother.
37 INTERIOR: JENNY’S HOUSE - NIGHT
DAVID is in the middle of demonstrating his ability to mimic all of the Goons. JACK and MARJORIE are laughing so hard that they can hardly see - they certainly miss JENNY’S entrance.
JENNY
( curious )
Hello.
JACK
Jenny, David does the most fantastic Bluebottle.
JENNY
( incredulous )
You came to see my parents?
JACK
Why is that so hard to imagine?
JENNY spies an open bottle of wine on the coffee table.
JENNY
Why are you drinking? It’s not Christmas!
JACK
Ah, well, there’s a lot you don’t know about us, young lady. We had a life before you came along.
JENNY
Yes, that’s true. I’m only going on what I’ve seen for the last sixteen years.
MARJORIE
I’m trying to think what you missed. Nothing much comes to mind.
JENNY
Anyway. I’ve got a huge pile of Latin translation to do.
JACK
You didn’t tell us David went to Oxford.
JENNY looks at DAVID, who stares back at her straight-faced.
JENNY
No. I didn’t.
DAVID
For all the good it did me.
MARJORIE
Isn’t that funny?
JENNY
Extraordinary.
DAVID
I was just telling Jack that I’m going back next weekend. I go and visit my old English professor every now and again.
JACK
That’s what you need, Jenny. Someone on the inside track. It’s not always what you know, is it, David?
DAVID
Too true. Have you ever come across Clive Lewis?
JENNY
Dad has never come across anyone.
DAVID
He wrote a children’s book called The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe that did very well, I believe.
MARJORIE
C. S. Lewis? That’s the Clive you’re talking about?
DAVID
Well, to us he was the old codger who taught Medieval literature. But I came to know him very well. We just . . . got along, you know?
Everyone murmurs their comprehension.
MARJORIE
Jenny used to devour those books.
JENNY
I’d love to meet him.
There is a pause. JACK and MARJORIE look at the floor. Somehow, DAVID has manoeuvred a situation where, effectively, he is the one being asked.
DAVID
I’m sorry. Am I being slow on the uptake? Would Jenny like to come at the weekend?
JACK
Oh, not this weekend. Sometime, perhaps, yes.
JENNY
How often do you see him?
DAVID
Not very often. Every couple of years. Maybe next time?
JENNY
( disappointed )
Oh.
JACK
( dubiously )
Well, I suppose . . . Would she have to stay the night?
DAVID
I wouldn’t recommend driving home after one of those Oxford dinners.
JACK chuckles knowingly.
Clive could get her a room at the college. It’s easy enough.
MARJORIE
Seems like too good an opportunity to pass up.
JACK
It wouldn’t be a bother to you, would it, David?
JACK, MARJORIE and JENNY all beam.
38 INTERIOR: DANNY’S FLAT - DAY
DAVID and DANNY are waiting for the girls to get ready. DANNY is sitting sprawled in an armchair; DAVID is pacing up and down.
DAVID
Come on!
39 INTERIOR: HELEN’S BEDROOM - DAY
An ornate four-poster bed occupies most of the space in the room. HELEN is doing something to JENNY, but we can’t see what.
HELEN
Just putting a few things in a bag. Don’t
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