· · ·
turning to page one
turning to page one
We HEAR EASY-LISTENING MUSIC. Lester, Carolyn and Jane are eating dinner by CANDLELIGHT. RED ROSES are bunched in a vase at the center of the table. Nobody makes eye contact, or even seems aware of anybody else's presence, until...
JANE
Mom, do we always have to listen to
this elevator music?
CAROLYN
(considers)
No. No, we don't. As soon as you've
prepared a nutritious yet savory
meal that I'm about to eat, you can
listen to whatever you like.
A long beat. Lester suddenly turns to Jane.
LESTER
So Janie, how was school?
JANE
(suspicious)
It was okay.
LESTER
Just okay?
JANE
No, Dad. It was spec-tac-ular.
A beat.
LESTER
Well, you want to know how things
went at my job today?
Now she looks at him as if he's lost his mind.
LESTER (CONT'D)
They've hired this efficiency
expert, this really friendly guy
named Brad, how perfect is that?
And he's basically there to make it
seem like they're justified in
firing somebody, because they
couldn't just come right out and
say that, could they? No, no, that
would be too... honest. And so
they've asked us--
(off her look)
--you couldn't possibly care any
less, could you?
Carolyn is watching this closely.
JANE
(uncomfortable)
Well, what do you expect? You can't
all of a sudden be my best friend,
just because you had a bad day.
She gets up and heads toward the kitchen.
JANE (CONT'D)
I mean, hello. You've barely even
spoken to me for months.
She's gone. Lester notices Carolyn looking at him critically.
LESTER
Oh, what, you're mother-of-the-
year? You treat her like an
employee.
CAROLYN
(taken aback)
What?!
Lester is quiet, staring at his plate.
CAROLYN (CONT'D)
(more authority)
What?
Lester gets up and starts after Jane, taking his plate with him.
LESTER
I'm going to get some ice cream.
Carolyn watches him go, irritated.