Scene iv
fade in
Alfred and Gale in the car with James in the back seat. He is picking up Claire.
Alfred: James, I feel it is time that you invest in a vehicle.
James: But Freddie, there is no use having a car in New York City.
Alfred: There are plenty uses, like driving dates around.
James: Well, beside the unnecessary.
Alfred: Alright, I hope the address she gave you is right, cause this is her apartment.
James: (Eyeing the building) Well, here goes nothing. (exits the car)
(James walks to the door of the apartment leading to the stairwell. Once he is in he walks up the stairs and knocks on the door. He waits a little bit, and knocks again. The Door opens and we see Becky)
Becky: Hello, how is it going?
James: Um…..it’s going good. Is Claire here?
Becky: Oh yeah, just give her a minute, come in.
(James walks into the house. He sees the contents of the main room, a couch, a kitchenette, wood floors, neat and tidy, and a sizeable book shelf)
Becky: So you are an artist?
James: Haha, no. I am not an artist. I just pay them. I’m a curator.
Becky: Oh, that is interesting.
James: Yeah, it can be fun, if you like that type of stuff.
(James walks over to the bookshelf and looks over the books. We see a collection of Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and The Chronicles of Narnia on the top shelf, he eyes more of the books on the shelf beneath. Classics such as The Grapes of Wrath, Les Miserables, and The Count of Monte Cristo.)
Becky: Oh yeah, that is the Library. Becky keeps all the books.
James: Have you thought of getting her a Kindle?
Becky: More than once, except she says that it’s not the same. She likes holding the book and flipping the pages and what not. She says that you don’t get the “Book smell” with a Kindle.
James: I see (contemplating this)
Becky: Sorry, give me a minute, I’ll see what is taking her.
(James, looking over the books sees a book that catches his eye. The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History by: Robert M. Edsel. He pulls it out and looks over the cover as Claire walks in dressed neatly and cute.)
Claire: That’s a good one.
James: (Looking up at her) Um...yeah, I have read it.
Claire: I thought you might have.
James: See this is a true story that inspires people.
Claire: Yes, it is very good.
James: (Pausing as he looks at the cover again, and puts it back on the shelf) Well, should we get going?
Claire: Yeah, let me get my bag. (She reaches for her bag, which obviously has her copy of Death of A Salesman in it.)
James: You are going to bring your book with you?
Claire: Yeah, why not? What if I get bored?
(James looks at her, perturbed, Claire notices.)
Claire: I’m kidding, It’s just been in my bag from before.
James: Oh, okay. (She does not take it out of her bag, this makes James eye the book suspiciously.)
Claire: Alright, all ready, lets go.
(They walk out the door and fade out)
Fade in
The restaurant, James is seated next to Claire, across from Gale and Alfred.
Gale: So Claire, what do you do? Do you have a job?
Claire: Well, no, not really at the moment. I just finished up school.
Alfred: Ah yes, James told us that you are an English Major.
Claire: (To James) You did?
James: (Eyeing Alfred) Yeah, you made Dinner Table conversation at the Carter Family house.
Claire: Well, I must be pretty horrid to make it to dinner table conversation.
James: Oh please. I was telling them about how you inspired me to look at art differently.
Alfred: (annoyingly) He did go on and on about it. (Gale nudges Alfred)
Claire: Oh, sorry for that. I just thought I might share insights I guess.
Gale: No, it was much needed.
James: And much appreciated. (They smile)
Gale: (Looks at her phone) We better get going to the show.
(they all start to get up and walk out, fade out)
fade in
outside of the restaurant, just at dusk. Alfred starts to get in the car.
James: Alfred, how far is it to the theatre?
Alfred: Just a couple blocks or so?
James: Why don’t we walk then?
Claire: I think walking sounds nice.
Alfred: (receives a look from Gale) Oh, alright. Lets walk.
(Alfred and Gale walk ahead, Gale grabs Alfreds arm. Claire does likewise. James flinches a little)
Claire: You scared?
James: No, I just didn’t expect it.
Claire: “Expectation is the root of all heartache.”
James: (chuckling) You are just full of insights that seem to dismantle my own.
Claire: I’m sorry. I don’t really mean to. I guess I just impose my insights on people without knowing it.
James: Good thing they are all good insights.
Claire: As if.
(The chuckle together)
James: Have you seen the show before?
Claire: Just the movie.
James: It’s a silly movie.
Claire: I’ll agree with you there. But it’s still a good one.
James: Here we are.
(They walk up to the ticket booth).
James: Two tickets for the show. (He receives the tickets and he walks into the theatre with Claire and sit down. Gale next to James with Alfred.)
Claire: You seem really close with your sister.
James: Yeah, we have been through a lot.
Claire: What do you mean?
James: Well, when I was 17 our dad died.
Claire: Oh, i’m so sorry to hear that.
James: Yeah, it was a hard time for all of us.
Claire: But you have been made stronger?
James: Yeah, I guess so……
Claire: Did your mother handle it well?
James: Ha, my mother handled it very well. She went through a week of grieving and then went back to her kooky old self.
Claire: Is she peculiar?
James: You would have to meet her, she is…...different. More so now that she is older.
Claire: I would bet.
(The lights up above started flashing, signalizing the shows was about to start. The show started. We see parts of the show in and out, we see Claire laughing at times putting her forehead on James’ shoulder for a second or so as he laughs too. Gale looks to her right to see the two, she smiles as she nestles her head on Alfred’s shoulder.)
fade out
Fade in
They are walking back from the theatre laughing.
Crossfade
James is walking Claire to the door.
Claire: Hey, thanks for taking me.
James: Hey, thanks for coming, I know it might have been weird going with a stranger like me.
Claire: You are not stranger James, I have taken that tour at least 4 times, and walked through a couple more. You just didn’t know me.
James: (Happy and blushing) Well, I’m glad I got to know you.
Claire: Well, I best be going. (She hugs James) Thank you, I will talk to you later. Night. (She walks back into her apartment)
(James, smiling pleasantly, walks down the stairs and to the car.)
Gale: Now, was that so bad?
James: (Joking) Wretched.
Alfred: I knew I would get you to come.
James: (Sarcastically) Yes, it was all you Freddie.
Gale: Did you have fun?
James: Yes, for once in a long while I had a lot of fun on a date.
Gale: (smiling) I’m glad. Will you call her back?
James: Woah, let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. Let me just enjoy this moment.
Alfred: Alright, but um……..we found this on your seat. (He hands James a theatre ticket with Claire’s number on it.)
James: Well then, i’m sure she just wants a job at the museum.
Gale: (Sarcastically) Totally.
Crossfade
James gets out of the car, wishing his sibling a good night and walking to his apartment. He walks up to the door, enters and is sits on a chair in his living room of his apartment. He relaxes, his clock reads 11:30 PM. He then looks at the end table next to his chair, under it is a glass cabinet holding a few books. He opens the cabinet and pulls out The Monuments Men and begins reading.
Fade out
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