The Collector Page #5

---

Would you sign it?

Oh, yes.

Prisoner...

number 1436.

"Kidnapped by madman Gerald Franklin.

Pools winner.

Prisoner in cellar.

Old Tudor house, near Reading.

So far, safe.

Frightened."

Frightened?

What have I done?

And mad?

Think a madman would have gone

to all this trouble?

I'll tell you what a madman

would have done.

He'd have killed you by now.

I suppose you think I'm going for you

with a carving knife or something.

Don't look like that.

I was frightened. You can understand.

I'm a prisoner and it frightens me.

All that you live for is the day

you'll see the last of me.

I'm a nobody still, aren't I?

But I just want to see the last

of this house, not of you.

Take me out. We can go together.

You could come with me.

I won't tell anyone.

We'll get you a fat near mine.

I'll see you every day.

I'll introduce you to all my friends.

You could start a new life.

Your friends would look

down on me like you do.

- I don't look down on you.

- What about the other night?

You didn't even try to understand

about my collection.

I'm sorry about that.

I've seen you with your friends.

I know what they're like.

You'd be ashamed of me

in front of them.

- Oh, no, that's not true.

- Then why don't you talk to me?

You never talk to me,

not really.

So why should anyone else

of your kind?

People like you...

you just have to walk

into a room.

You can talk to anyone.

You understand things.

It's different for people like me.

Now, that book you asked me to buy

for you, The Catcher in the Rye.

Is that a good book?

Do you like it?

Oh, yes, it's a beautiful book!

I've read it three times.

Could I understand it?

Could I talk to your friends about it?

Oh, of course you could!

I'll read it.

The note wouldn't have

done you any good.

My name's not really Franklin,

and we're nowhere near Reading.

I put all the clothes back.

And the pictures, well,

you can have all of them.

You... know today is the last day?

I know.

At 12:
00 tonight.

- I read your book.

- Oh?

Did you like it?

Well, I don't see much point

in it, really.

Why not?

I don't believe it,

for one thing.

That boy...

going to a posh school and...

his parents having money.

He's got no real problem

in my opinion.

Perhaps you're right.

So what right does he have...

to behave the way he does?

Well, I never looked

at it like that.

You mean, you never saw

the faults in the book before?

No, but it's an

interesting point of view.

Don't patronize me!

I'm not, really...

You've read that book three times.

You told me you loved it.

I do, but that doesn't mean...

You would never have agreed

with anybody else so fast.

You would have argued, wouldn't you?

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes