The Lost Weekend Page #2

WICK:

Stop that, Don. Nobody there knows

about you.

DON:

No? We get off the train and the

alarm is sounded: The leper is back.

Better hide your liquor.

Footsteps have been racing up the stairs outside the flat,

and now there is a distinctive ring of the doorbell: short,

short, long, short.

DON:

Helen.

WICK:

I'll take it.

He goes toward the door while the bell resumes short, short,

long, short.

From the bedroom we see him open the door. It's HELEN, all

right. She is a clean-cut, good looking girl of twenty-six.

Her face is brave, gay piquant. She's wearing a three-quarter-

length leopard coat. The Indian Summer day is a good ten

degrees too warm for the coat, but that doesn't stop Helen

from wearing her beloved. In her hand are two books wrapped,

and another small package. She enters breathlessly.

HELEN:

Hello, Wick. Where's Don?

Seeing him, she crosses to the bedroom.

HELEN:

Glad I made it. I was afraid you

might be gone. Presents.

She puts the packages in the suitcase.

HELEN:

The new Thurber book, with comical

jokes and pictures, and a quiet little

double murder by Agatha Christie.

(Putting in the second

package)

Cigarettes and chewing gum.

DON:

Thanks, Helen.

HELEN:

Now have a good time, darling. And

remember -- lots of sleep, lots of

milk --

DON:

And sweet cider and some of that

nice cold water from the well.

HELEN:

Bend down.

It's a running gag between these two. Don bends so that she

can kiss him on the cheek.

HELEN:

I'd better be going. I've missed ten

minutes of the concert already.

DON:

What concert?

HELEN:

Carnegie Hall. Barbirolli conducting.

They gave me two tickets at the

office.

DON:

Who are you going with?

HELEN:

Nobody.

Something flickers in Don's eye.

DON:

What are they playing?

HELEN:

Brahms' Second Symphony, something

by Beethoven, something by Handel,

and not one note of Grieg.

DON:

Sounds wonderful.

HELEN:

Goodbye, boys. See you Monday.

WICK:

Tuesday.

DON:

(Holding Helen by the

arm)

Just a minute. Wick --

Wick looks up.

DON:

I just had a crazy idea.

WICK:

As for instance.

DON:

Who says we have to take the two-

forty-five train? We could go on the

six-thirty.

WICK:

What are you talking about?

DON:

I just thought we could take a later

train and Helen wouldn't have to go

alone to the concert. She's got two

tickets, hasn't she?

HELEN:

No. I'm not upsetting any plans.

You're going on that two-forty-five.

DON:

But Helen, it's so silly! A whale of

a concert and an empty seat next

you.

WICK:

No, Don. Everything's all set. They'll

be at the station to meet us.

Dinner'll be waiting.

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