Beginners Page #6

He looks back at the house and the howling.

CUT TO:

INT. OLIVER’S CAR - DRIVING

Arthur, victorious, sits in Elliot’s lap in the front seat,

while Oliver drives and Shauna is squeezed in back in her

chicken outfit.

ELLIOTT:

You remember when Oliver was funny?

And he could actually, like, talk,

in complete sentences?

SHAUNA:

Funny? Funny? I don’t think so Fun

maybe, but not funny unless, like,

serious is funny. Then he’s’

f***ing hilarious.

Elliot and Oliver laugh.

SHAUNA:

But, lovable. You are very

lovable.

ELLIOTT:

Yeah, very lovable.

INT. HOUSE PARTY - NIGHT

Oliver carries Arthur, they all enter a costume party, making

their way through the crowd of people in all kinds of

disguises, music blaring, Oliver slides into the less

populated kitchen. A woman rushes up to Oliver, surprised to

see he has a dog.

FEMALE PARTIER:

So cute, does he do tricks?

(CONTINUED)

10/29/07 15.

CONTINUED:

OLIVER:

His name’s Arthur - he doesn’t do

tricks.

In the background are a couple dressed as JULIAN and ETHEL

ROSENBERG, we see them observe Oliver and Arthur.

PARTIER:

No? Arthur, SIT!

Arthur promptly sits down. Oliver’s totally surprised.

PARTIER:

He’s so cute. Shake!

Arthur sticks out his paw. Oliver doesn’t like seeing Arthur

blindly perform.

PARTIER:

Oh my god, he’s so cute, I want

him.

OLIVER:

(in Freud accent)

Does it make you feel powerful to

order my dog around? Maybe give

you a sense of power?

PARTIER:

Oh, you’re being a therapist!

Freud!

OLIVER:

Thanks, yeah. Very good.

Oliver picks up Arthur and escapes the kitchen. The

Rosenberg’s are still watching.

LATER...

Oliver and Arthur sit in a chair next to a couch where a man

dressed as a witch, complete with green face and long black

hair, is lying back as if in a traditional analysis session.

LONG-HAIRED MAN

Well, I didn’t ask for this. Who

would ask for this? This color.

This nose. This cheek, this chin.

You know, this is my life. This

isn’t a story. This isn’t a

joke...

Oliver is playing along, but he’s really not emotionally

ready for this party. He feels very far away.

OLIVER:

Yeah.

(CONTINUED)

10/29/07 16.

CONTINUED:

LONG-HAIRED MAN

I’m so glad you came, Doc. Just

really good to get this stuff off

my chest.

OLIVER:

(in Freud accent)

I’m sorry. Our time is up, uh...

for this week. Thank you for

coming in.

The witch moves on.

Oliver sits with Arthur in his lap, alone, lost in all this

joviality.

We see that the woman dressed as Julius Rosenberg is watching

him.

Just as Oliver is about to get up, she plops herself down

onto the couch, ready for her session.

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