tell you a second time. Run along.
52 EXTERIOR: COTTAGE - DAY
HELEN 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.
Anyway, it’s nice to have company.
I’m usually outside on my own.
53 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.
DAVID
Come on. ( to Helen, lounging by the car ) Helen!
DAVID and HELEN get in, DANNY opens the door while JENNY hesitates.
DANNY
( calling )
You can stand there if you like.
But I wouldn’t recommend it.
JENNY puts a spurt on, catches up and jumps in.
54 INTERIOR/EXTERIOR: DAVID’S CAR/ NEW COUNTRY ROAD - DAY
An old picture of some kind is wedged between HELEN and JENNY on the backseat. JENNY, furious, is staring out of the window. HELEN attempts to peer around the partition, but settles for a wave.
HELEN
Coo-ee. Jenny.
JENNY doesn’t respond.They continue driving in silence.
55 EXTERIOR: DANNY’S FLAT - DAY
The Bristol pulls up outside DANNY’S Regency terrace. They all get out of the car and pull out their weekend cases.
DANNY
Who’s coming up for a drink?
HELEN
Me!
JENNY
( still furious )
No, you go. I’ll make my own way home.
JENNY starts up the road. DAVID walks briskly after her.
DAVID
Jenny!
He catches up with her in the street.
It’s an old map. A Speed. The poor dear didn’t even know what it was. What a waste! It shouldn’t spend its life on a wall in wherever the hell we were. It should be with us. We know how to look after it properly. We liberated it.
JENNY snorts derisively.
JENNY
Liberated! That’s one word for it.
DAVID
( quickly and passionately )
Don’t be bourgeois, Jenny.You’re better than that.You drink everything I put in front of you down in one, then you slam your glass down on the bar and ask for more. It’s wonderful. We’re not clever like you, so we have to be clever in other ways, because if we weren’t, there would be no fun. We have to be clever with maps, and . . . and . . .You want to know what stats are? Stats are old ladies who are scared of coloured people. So we move the coloureds in and the old ladies move out and I buy their flats cheap. That’s what I do. So now you know.
JENNY nods reluctantly.
And if you don’t like it, I’ll understand, and you can go back to Twickenham and listen to the Home Service and do your Latin homework. But these weekends, and the restaurants and the concerts . . . They don’t grow on trees.
JENNY looks at him, startled. Trees again?
This is who we are, Jenny.
He turns to face her and holds out his hand. On JENNY: is she in or out? JENNY takes his hand. DAVID pulls her towards him, holds her around the waist and begins to dance with her. From the apartment balcony, HELEN and DANNY watch, laughing.
56 INTERIOR/EXTERIOR: DAVID’S CAR/ JENNY’S HOUSE - NIG HT
DAVID pulls up in the Bristol outside JENNY’S house, and they sit in the dark for a little while.
DAVID
I suppose you have homework to do.
JENNY
You have no idea how boring everything was before I met you. Action is character, our English teacher says. I think it means that if we never did anything, we wouldn’t be anybody. And I never did anything before I met you. And sometimes I think no one’s ever done anything in this stupid country, apart from you.
They look at each other. DAVID smiles. He is clearly smitten. He moves towards her. He wants to kiss her, but he doesn’t want to frighten her - in the end, JENNY makes it easy for him and moves towards him.They kiss
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