Complete Works, Volume III (15 page)

WENDY
. Don't you like my chiffon any more, to put round your eyes? My lovely chiffon?

Pause
.

He sits still.

I always feel like kissing you when you've got that on round your eyes. Do you know that? Because you're all in the dark.

Pause
.

Put it on.

She picks up the chiffon and folds it
.

I'll put it on . . . for you. Very gently.

She leans forward
.

He touches her.

No – you mustn't touch me, if you're not wearing your chiffon.

She places the chiffon on his eyes.

He trembles, puts his hand to the chiffon, slowly lowers it, lets it fall.

It flutters to the floor.

As she looks at him, he reaches for the telephone.

Disson’s office.

DISSON
in the same position
.

DISSON
. I need a tight bandage. Very tight.

DISLEY
. Anyone could do that for you.

DISSON
. No. You're my eye consultant. You must do it for me.

DISLEY
. All right.

He takes a bandage from his case and ties it round
DISSON’S
eyes.

Just for half an hour. You don't want it on when your guests arrive, do you?

DISLEY
ties the knots
.

This'll keep you in the dark, all right. Also lend pressure to your temples. Is that what you want?

DISSON
. That's it That's what I want

DISLEY
cuts the strands.

DISLEY
. There. How's that?

Pause
.

See anything?

Disson’s office. Afternoon
.

DISSON
sits alone, the bandage round his eyes
.

Silence.

WILLY
enters from his office. He sees
DISSON
and goes to him
.

WILLY
. How are you, old chap? Bandage on straight? Knots tight?

He pats him on the back and goes out through the front office door
.

The door slams
.

DISSON
sits still
.

Corridor
.

MR
and
MRS
DISLEY
a
pproaching the office.

LOIS
. Why didn't he make it a cocktail party? Why a tea party, of all things?

DISLEY
. I couldn't say.

Office.

DISSON’S
head
.

Soft clicks of door opening and closing, muffled steps, an odd cough, slight rattle of teacups.

Corridor.

DISSON’S
parents approaching the office.

MOTHER
. I could do with a cup of tea, couldn't you, John?

Office.

DISSON’S
head.

Soft clicks of door opening and closing, muffled steps, an odd cough, slight rattle of teacups
.

Corridor.

THE TWINS
approach, silent.

Office.

DISSON’S
head.

Soft clicks of door opening and closing, muffled steps, an odd cough, slight rattle of teacups, a short whisper.

Corridor.

DIANA
and
WILLY
approach.

DIANA
. Why
don't
you come to Spain with us?

WILLY
. I think I will.

Office.

DISSON’S
head.

Soft clicks of door opening and closing, muffled steps, an odd cough, slight rattle of teacups, whispers
.

Corridor.

WENDY
approaches
.

Office
.

DISSON’S
head
.

Soft clicks of door opening and closing, muffled steps, an odd cough, slight rattle of teacups, whispers
.

Office
.

A buffet table has been set out. Two
ELDERLY LADIES
serve tea, sandwiches, bridge rolls, buns and cakes. The gathering is grouped around the table in silence.
DISLEY
whispers to them
.

DISLEY
. His eyes are a little strained, that's all. Just resting them. Don't mention it. It'll embarrass him. It's quite all right.

They all take their tea, choose edibles, and relax
.

JOHN
(
choosing a cake
). These are good.

TOM.
What are they?

DIANA
(
choosing a bridge roll
). These look nice.

LOIS
. You look wonderful, Mrs Disson. Absolutely wonderful. Doesn't she, Peter?

DISLEY
. Marvellous.

LOIS
. What do you think of your grandsons?

FATHER
. They've grown up now, haven't they?

LOIS
. Of course, we knew them when they were that high, didn't we, Tom?

FATHER
. So did we.

TOM.
Yes.

WILLY
. Big lads now, aren't they, these two?

JOHN
. Cake, Granny?

MOTHER
. No, I've had one.

JOHN
. Have two.

FATHER
. I'll have one.

MOTHER
. He's had one.

FATHER
. I'll have two.

WENDY
takes a cup of tea to
DISSON
and puts it into his hands
.

WENDY
. Here's a cup of tea, Mr Disson. Drink it. It's warm.

LOIS
(
to
DIANA
). You're off to Spain quite soon, aren't you, Diana?

DIANA
. Yes, quite soon.

DISLEY
(
calling
). We'll take off those bandages in a minute, old chap!

LOIS
. Spain is wonderful at this time of the year.

WILLY
. Any time of the year, really.

LOIS
. But I think it's best at this time of the year, don't you?

DIANA
. What sun lotion do you use, Lois?

DISSON’S
point of view
.

No dialogue is heard in all shots from
DISSON’S
point of view
.

Silence.

Figures mouthing silently, in conspiratorial postures, seemingly whispering together
.

Shot including
DISSON
.

TOM.
I went into goal yesterday.

WILLY
. How did you do?

LOIS
. You can get it anywhere. It's perfect.

JOHN
. He made two terrific saves.

TOM.
The first was a fluke.

LOIS
. How do you sun, then?

DIANA
. I have to be rather careful.

TOM.
Second save wasn't a bad save.

LOIS
. How do you sun, Wendy?

WENDY
. Oh not too bad, really.

LOIS
(
to
MRS
DISSON
). We go to our little island every year and when we go we have to leave our poor little Siamese with my mother.

MOTHER
. Do you really?

LOIS
. They're almost human, aren't they, Siamese?

DIANA
. I'm sure my Siamese was.

LOIS
. Aren't they, Peter, almost human?

DIANA
. Wasn't Tiger a human cat, Willy, at Sunderley?

WILLY
. He adored you.

DISLEY
. They really are almost human, aren't they, Siamese?

DISSON’S
point of view.

Silence.

The party splits into groups. Each group whispering.

The two
ELDERLY LADIES
at the buffet table
.

DISSON’S
PARENTS
,
sitting together.

THE TWINS
and the
DISLEYS
.

WILLY
,
WENDY
and
DIANA
in a corner
.

Shot including
DISSON
.

The gathering in a close group, the
PARENTS
sitting
.

LOIS
. I'd go like a shot.

WENDY
. What, me? Come to Spain?

DIANA
. Yes, why not?

WILLY
leans across
DISLEY
.

WILLY
. Yes, of course you must come. Of course you must come.

WENDY
. How wonderful.

DISSON’S
point of view.

WILLY
approaches
DISSON
.
With a smile, he takes a ping-pong ball from his pocket, and puts it into
DISSON’S
hand
.

DISSON
clutches it
.

DISSON’S
point of view
.

WILLY
returns to
WENDY
and
DIANA
,
whispers to them
.

DIANA
laughs
(
silently
),
head thrown back, gasps with laughter
.

WENDY
smiles.

WILLY
puts one arm round
WENDY
,
the other round
DIANA
.

He leads them to
WENDY’S
desk
.

WILLY
places cushions on the desk
.

DIANA
and
WENDY
,
giggling silently, hoist themselves up onto the desk. They lie head to toe
.

DISSON’S
point of view. Close-up
.

WENDY’S
face.
WILLY’S
fingers caressing it
.
DIANA’S
shoes in background
.

DISSON’S
point of view. Close-up
.

DIANA’S
face.
WILLY’S
fingers caressing it
.
WENDY’S
shoes in background
.

DISSON’S
point of view
.

LOIS
powdering her nose
.

DISSON’S
point of view.

The
ELDERLY LADIES
drinking tea, at the table
.

DISSON’S
point of view
.

DISLEY
talking to the boys by the window
.
THE TWINS
listening intently
.

DISSON’S
point of view
.

DISSON’S
PARENTS
sitting, dozing
.

DISSON’S
point of view
.

The base of
WENDY’S
desk
.

A shoe drops to the floor
.

Shot including
DISSON
.

DISSON
falls to the floor in his chair with a crack. His teacup drops and spills
.

The gathering is grouped by the table, turns.

DISLEY
and
WILLY
go to him.

They try to lift him from the chair, are unable to do so.

DISLEY
cuts the bandage and takes it off
.

DISSON’S
eyes are open
.

DISLEY
feels his pulse
.

DISLEY
. He's all right. Get him up.

DISLEY
and
WILLY
try to pull him up from the chair, are unable to do so
.

JOHN
and
TOM
join them
.

Get it up.

The four of them, with great effort, manage to set the chair on its feet
.

DISSON
is still seated
.

He must lie down. Now, two hold the chair, and two pull him.

JOHN
and
WILLY
hold the chair
.

DISLEY
and
TOM
pull
.

The chair.

The chair scrapes, moves no farther.

The group around the chair.

They pull, with great effort
.

The chair.

The chair scrapes, moves no farther
.

The room
.

WILLY
. Anyone would think he was chained to it!

DISLEY
(
pulling
). Come out!

MOTHER
. Bobbie!

They stop pulling
.