Authors: Nick Hornby
An Education (9 page)
40
INTERIOR: DANNY’S FLAT - DAY
41
INTERIOR: HELEN’S BEDROOM - DAY
42
INTERIOR: DANNY’S FLAT - DAY
43
INTERIOR: HELEN’S BEDROOM - DAY
INTERIOR: DANNY’S FLAT - DAY
INTERIOR/EXTERIOR: DAVID’S CAR/ COUNTRY ROAD - DAY
INTERIOR/EXTERIOR: DAVID’S CAR , OXFORD - DAY
INTERIOR: PUB - EVENING
CUT TO:
48
INTERIOR: B & B BEDROOM - NIG HT
INTERIOR/EXTERIOR: DAVID’S CAR/ COTTAGE - DAY
INTERIOR: DAVID’S CAR - DAY
51
INTERIOR/EXTERIOR: DAVID’S CAR/ COTTAGE - DAY
52
EXTERIOR: COTTAGE - DAY
53
EXTERIOR: CAR/COTTAGE - DAY
INTERIOR: DANNY’S FLAT - DAY
DAVID
and
DANNY
still waiting.
and
DANNY
still waiting.
DAVID
Come on!
INTERIOR: HELEN’S BEDROOM - DAY
HELEN
We’re nearly ready! Be there in two ticks.
INTERIOR: DANNY’S FLAT - DAY
DAVID
How can they only be nearly ready?
DANNY
I wouldn’t be surprised if three of them came out of there. That’s the only explantion. They’re making themselves a friend. LADIES! Come on, let’s go.
INTERIOR: HELEN’S BEDROOM - DAY
JENNY
is wearing a floaty print dress that she has borrowed from
HELEN
, and there are lots of other beautiful clothes strewn about the place.
JENNY
is sitting at the dressing table, being made up by
HELEN. JENNY
looks three or four years older, more sophisticated . . . more like
HELEN
. She can’t believe it. She looks in the mirror, and for a moment, she forgets to breathe.
is wearing a floaty print dress that she has borrowed from
HELEN
, and there are lots of other beautiful clothes strewn about the place.
JENNY
is sitting at the dressing table, being made up by
HELEN. JENNY
looks three or four years older, more sophisticated . . . more like
HELEN
. She can’t believe it. She looks in the mirror, and for a moment, she forgets to breathe.
HELEN
There.You should keep that one if you want it. One can only wear so many every day.
JENNY
emerges from her reverie.
emerges from her reverie.
JENNY
(
thrilled
)
thrilled
)
Thank you.
HELEN
What about tonight? Have you got a pretty enough nightie?
JENNY
Won’t I be sharing a room with you?
HELEN
looks momentarily mystified.
looks momentarily mystified.
HELEN
Oh, you haven’t slept with him yet?
JENNY
No.
HELEN
Good for you.
JENNY
Really? Do you think so?
HELEN
You’re only sixteen. And you don’t want to get preggers, do you?
JENNY
No. I wouldn’t let that happen. I want to wait until I’m seventeen. On my seventeenth birthday, hopefully.
HELEN
With David?
JENNY
pauses.
pauses.
JENNY
Well . . . Golly. It will be with David, won’t it?
HELEN
If that’s what you want. Anyway. I’ll find you a nightie.
JENNY
stares at herself in the mirror again.
44stares at herself in the mirror again.
INTERIOR: DANNY’S FLAT - DAY
The girls emerge. Both men are entranced by
JENNY’S
transformation.
DAVID
can’t take his eyes off her.
JENNY’S
transformation.
DAVID
can’t take his eyes off her.
DANNY
(
thoughtful
)
thoughtful
)
Shall, we, ah . . . Make a move?
He gets to his feet.
45INTERIOR/EXTERIOR: DAVID’S CAR/ COUNTRY ROAD - DAY
The Bristol on the country road to Oxford.We can hear voices in the car singing a reprise of ‘Wrapped around Your Little Finger’.
46INTERIOR/EXTERIOR: DAVID’S CAR , OXFORD - DAY
The Bristol drives through Oxford.
JENNY
catches a quick glimpse of a dreaming spire.
JENNY
catches a quick glimpse of a dreaming spire.
JENNY
Can we get out and have a look around?
DAVID
Maybe later. There are a couple of things we have to do.
DANNY
Imagine spending three years here.
HELEN
I know.
She shudders, as if someone has walked over her grave.
47INTERIOR: PUB - EVENING
HELEN
and
DANNY, JENNY
and
DAVID
are standing in a quiet, old-fashioned pub. A group of students enter, all carrying musical instruments.They stand at the bar, waiting to be served.
JENNY
stares at them with longing - she wants to be one of them.
HELEN,
meanwhile, stares at them as if they were aliens.
and
DANNY, JENNY
and
DAVID
are standing in a quiet, old-fashioned pub. A group of students enter, all carrying musical instruments.They stand at the bar, waiting to be served.
JENNY
stares at them with longing - she wants to be one of them.
HELEN,
meanwhile, stares at them as if they were aliens.
HELEN
(
sotto voce
)
sotto voce
)
Why are university girls so strange-looking?
HELEN’S
right.The girls in the group are all bespectacled and frumpy.The others laugh.
right.The girls in the group are all bespectacled and frumpy.The others laugh.
They can’t all have started off that way, can they? I mean most girls aren’t ugly, but most girl students seem to be. So there must be something about these places that makes you fat, or spotty, or short-sighted.
DAVID
Well, if you look at it like that . . . I mean, that’s proper scientific analysis. And you can’t argue with science.
HELEN
looks pleased.
looks pleased.
HELEN
I still don’t quite understand what you want to do when you get here.
JENNY
I want to read English.
HELEN
Books?
JENNY
Sorry?
HELEN
You want to read English
books
?
books
?
JENNY
Reading English is just another way of saying . . .
DANNY
Don’t worry, Jenny.You’re wasting your breath.
DAVID
Tomorrow we’ll get more of a feel for the place.
DANNY
Absolutely. This would be a good place to do a little business.
DAVID
catches
JENNY’S
eye.This isn’t what he meant by ‘getting a feel for the place’.
catches
JENNY’S
eye.This isn’t what he meant by ‘getting a feel for the place’.
All those little old ladies wandering around . . . This place is rife with stats.
JENNY
Please explain what stats are.You’re always going on about them.
DAVID
It isn’t very interesting.
JENNY
But you two are interested.
DAVID
That’s because we’re not very interesting, either.
HELEN
Oh, no, they’re not really.
DANNY
It’s true. That’s why we need you here. To save us from ourselves.
DAVID
(
laying it on with a trowel
)
laying it on with a trowel
)
Yes, to put some intelligence and culture into our brutal lives.
DANNY
Sing to us, sing to us.
JENNY
Please don’t make me sing to you.
DAVID
Please don’t make us talk about work.
JENNY
and
HELEN
laugh.
and
HELEN
laugh.
Later.They’re standing by the pub fireplace.
DAVID
has a pen in his hand, and he’s holding a book -
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
DAVID
has a pen in his hand, and he’s holding a book -
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
DAVID
Now. Is he Clive, do you think? Or C. S.?
HELEN
I’m confused now. I thought you’d made him up?
DANNY
(
attempting, briefly, to be patient
)
attempting, briefly, to be patient
)
No, we . . . Never mind.
DAVID
walks over to the nearest table and writes in the book.
walks over to the nearest table and writes in the book.
DAVID
There.
He stands up, hands the book to Jenny.
JENNY
(
reads
)
reads
)
‘To dear Jenny.
With the pleasure of meeting you. Come and see me again soon. Clive.’
HELEN
Dirty old man.
INTERIOR: B & B BEDROOM - NIG HT
A rather grotty and certainly unromantic B & B bedroom - so unromantic, in fact, that it even has the same fusty curtains from
JENNY
’
S
sitting room.
DAVID
is in bed, his hands behind his head, waiting for
JENNY
. As far as we can tell - he’s wrapped up in the sheets quite tightly - he’s in his underwear.The bedroom is lit unromantically by the 40-watt overhead light.
JENNY
comes into the room wearing one of
HELEN’S
nightdresses, a glamorous satiny item quite inappropriate for the occasion or the surroundings. She looks nervous.
JENNY
’
S
sitting room.
DAVID
is in bed, his hands behind his head, waiting for
JENNY
. As far as we can tell - he’s wrapped up in the sheets quite tightly - he’s in his underwear.The bedroom is lit unromantically by the 40-watt overhead light.
JENNY
comes into the room wearing one of
HELEN’S
nightdresses, a glamorous satiny item quite inappropriate for the occasion or the surroundings. She looks nervous.
JENNY
We’ve got these exact same curtains at home.
DAVID
Let’s not talk about curtains.You look beautiful.
JENNY
was about to get into bed, but his tone makes her pause at the edge of the bed.
was about to get into bed, but his tone makes her pause at the edge of the bed.
JENNY
There’s something you should know, David. I’m a virgin. And I want to stay that way until I’m seventeen.
DAVID
I think that’s good. I think that’s right. We can still be romantic, though, can’t we?
JENNY
Well, yes. Of course we can. As long as it’s not actually . . .
DAVID
Minnie . . .
JENNY
Is that me?
DAVID
Yes.You’re my Minnie Mouse, and I’m your bubbalub.
JENNY
OK. If that’s what you want to do . . .
DAVID
Minnie.
JENNY
Yes, David?
DAVID
(
prompting
)
prompting
)
Bubbalub . . .
JENNY
Bubbalub?
DAVID
May I have a look? Just a peek?
His eyes stray to her breasts.
JENNY
stares at him.
JENNY
stares at him.
JENNY
You just want to
see
them?
see
them?
JENNY,
awkwardly, looks down at her nightgown, then one by one pulls the straps down. It fall from her shoulders.
awkwardly, looks down at her nightgown, then one by one pulls the straps down. It fall from her shoulders.
DAVID
stands up and lovingly lifts the straps back up.
stands up and lovingly lifts the straps back up.
DAVID
Thank you.
He smiles at her. Relieved, she smiles back. He puts his arms around her and they embrace.
49INTERIOR/EXTERIOR: DAVID’S CAR/ COTTAGE - DAY
The Bristol, containing
DAVID
and
JENNY
in the front seats and
DANNY
and
HELEN
in the back, passing through a pretty Oxfordshire village.
DAVID
and
JENNY
in the front seats and
DANNY
and
HELEN
in the back, passing through a pretty Oxfordshire village.
DAVID
I think there’s a house for sale around here.
DANNY
Really?
The Bristol pulls up outside a country cottage with a
‘FOR SALE’
sign outside.
50‘FOR SALE’
sign outside.
INTERIOR: DAVID’S CAR - DAY
DAVID
Might be worth a look.
INTERIOR/EXTERIOR: DAVID’S CAR/ COTTAGE - DAY
DAVID, DANNY
and
JENNY
get out of the car, and
JENNY
heads after
DAVID
and
DANNY
towards the house.
HELEN
stays in the car.
and
JENNY
get out of the car, and
JENNY
heads after
DAVID
and
DANNY
towards the house.
HELEN
stays in the car.
HELEN
(
calling from the window
)
calling from the window
)
Jenny!
JENNY
turns around.
turns around.
JENNY
Aren’t you coming?
HELEN
We don’t go in.
JENNY
What are you talking about?
DANNY
Why don’t you get a nice cup of tea somewhere? Helen will look after you.
JENNY
is mystified.
is mystified.
JENNY
I don’t need looking after, thank you very much. David!
DAVID
ignores her and walks off arm in arm with
DANNY.
ignores her and walks off arm in arm with
DANNY.
DANNY
I’m not going to tell you a second time. Run along.
EXTERIOR: COTTAGE - DAY
HELEN
and
JENNY
walking around the village waiting for the boys.
HELEN
is blithe, chatty;
JENNY
has a face like thunder.
and
JENNY
walking around the village waiting for the boys.
HELEN
is blithe, chatty;
JENNY
has a face like thunder.
HELEN
They won’t be long. Either way.
JENNY
‘Either way’?
HELEN
Sometimes they find something, and sometimes they don’t. And when they do find something, we often have to leave quite quickly. They can be a bit naughty sometimes.
JENNY
stares at
HELEN.
She’s beginning to realise who she is dealing with.
stares at
HELEN.
She’s beginning to realise who she is dealing with.
Anyway, it’s nice to have company.
I’m usually outside on my own.
EXTERIOR: CAR/COTTAGE - DAY
DAVID
and
DANNY
hurry out of the cottage, something under
DANNY’S
coat.
DAVID
rushes towards the car, past
JENNY
playing catch with a small child.
and
DANNY
hurry out of the cottage, something under
DANNY’S
coat.
DAVID
rushes towards the car, past
JENNY
playing catch with a small child.
DAVID
Come on. (
to Helen, lounging by the car
) Helen!
to Helen, lounging by the car
) Helen!
DAVID
and
HELEN
get in,
DANNY
opens the door while
JENNY
hesitates.
and
HELEN
get in,
DANNY
opens the door while
JENNY
hesitates.
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