The Extra Man

( tool clicking )

EXCUSE ME, SIR?

SHE'S NOT COMING.

AND I'VE MADE

EVERYTHING PERFECT.

WHITE TEA FROM CHINA,

SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD,

DEVONSHIRE CLOTTED CREAM,

AND I JUST KNOW:

SHE'S NOT COMING.

- SIR?

- ( car honks )

A CAR, I BELIEVE,

IS APPROACHING.

DAISY.

I'VE WAITED

FOR THIS MOMEN FOR SO LONG.

I'VE NEVER STOPPED

LOVING YOU,

DREAMING OF YOU.

Woman:

I KNOW, LOUIS.

I KNOW.

- ( gasps )

- ( bell rings )

Man on PA:

The Pep rally

has been relocated

to the little gym.

( girl chuckles )

BUT WHY DID:

FITZGERALD:

MAKE NICK CARRAWAY

SO DULL?

WHAT'S THE POINT OF HAVING

SUCH A BORING NARRATOR?

I THINK IT WAS:

A BAD CHOICE.

WELL, CARRAWAY IS

LIKE A CAMERA.

HE'S FASCINATED

BY GATSBY,

SO HE WANTS TO CREATE

A PORTRAIT OF HIM.

LOOK, IN A WAY,

THE BOOK IS KIND

OF A LOVE LETTER

TO GATSBY.

- LOVE LETTER?

- SURE.

- I GUESS.

- OH, I-- OH!

EXCUSE--

I HAVE SOME BUSINESS

TO ATTEND TO IN:

THE TEACHER'S LOUNGE,

SO WE CAN TALK:

ABOUT THIS AGAIN

NEXT WEEK BEFORE CLASS.

SURE.

FINALLY SOME REAL

TENNIS WEATHER.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

OH!

Narrator:

A GENTLEMAN AND HIS IMPULSES

MUST LIVE IN CONSTAN NEGOTIATION.

LOUIS IVES HAD:

BEEN DETERMINED:

TO CONTINUE HIS DAY

WITH DIGNITY AND PURPOSE.

BUT THAT GOAL:

NOW SEEMED:

FAR BEYOND HIS REACH.

( gasping )

OH!

IT WAS:

IN MISS JEFFRIES' BAG.

I'M SURE YOU'RE AWARE

PRINCETON NORTH PREP

DID NOT MEET ITS

FUNDING GOALS THIS YEAR.

AS A RESULT,

WE'RE FORCED

TO MAKE CUTBACKS.

I UNDERSTAND.

YOU HAVE BEEN AN EXCELLEN TEACHER, HOWEVER.

IN LIGHT OF THIS,

WE HAVE DECIDED:

WE'RE WILLING

TO RECOMMEND YOU

FOR POSITIONS ELSEWHERE.

THANK YOU.

ACTUALLY,

FOR SOME TIME NOW

I'VE CONSIDERED MOVING

TO MANHATTAN.

IT'S ALWAYS BEEN MY DREAM

TO MAKE A LIVING AS A WRITER.

PERHAPS NOW WOULD

BE A GOOD TIME:

FOR A BIG CHANGE

LIKE THAT.

YES, LOUIS.

I THINK MANHATTAN

SOUNDS LIKE:

A VERY FITTING PLACE

FOR A YOUNG MAN...

LIKE YOURSELF.

Narrator:

BUT AFTER HIS:

CRUSHING DISMISSAL,

LOUIS IVES HAD NO COURAGE

FOR SUCH BOLD MOVES.

FOR THE BRASSIERE INCIDEN HAD CRIPPLED HIM.

- HE STRUGGLED TO DENY

THESE STRANGE URGES...

- ( horn honks )

...BUT IN MOMENTS OF WEAKNESS

THEY DEMANDED ATTENTION.

AND SO HE SPEN AN ENTIRE SUMMER

IMMERSED:

IN THE SOLITARY ROUTINES

OF A YOUNG GENTLEMAN.

HE WORE THESE RITUALS

LIKE ARMOR:

TO SHIELD HIM:

FROM DESPAIR.

BUT IN LOUIS IVES'

DARKEST MOMENTS,

HE FEARED:

HE WAS UNLOVABLE.

IT WAS THE CHANGING

OF LEAVES:

THAT FINALLY BROUGH A CHANGE IN PERSPECTIVE.

FOR FALL,

WITH ITS BRISK AIR

AND CLARITY OF LIGHT,

REKINDLED THE FEELING

OF POSSIBILITY.

( phone ringing )

Man on phone:

H. Harrison.

- HELLO.

- Yes?

YES, I'M CALLING

ABOUT THE ROOM?

MY NAME IS--

232 East 91st.

- Apartment 2F.

- ( phone clicks )

( buzzes )

- Man:
Are you

the applicant?

- YES!

YES, IT'S ME.

( door buzzes )

HARRISON, HENRY.

HENRY HARRISON.

IVES, LOUIS.

LOUIS IVES.

KITCHEN. BATH.

( clears throat )

THERE'S A MISSING DOOR,

BUT THESE PROVIDE

ADEQUATE PRIVACY.

- WHOOPS.

- AS YOU SEE.

THESE WOULD BE:

YOUR CHAMBERS.

IT'S BARRACKS-STYLE LIVING,

TO BE SURE.

YOU CAN CERTAINLY

HEAR THE PIGEONS.

YES, I LIKE TO HAVE

ACCESS TO NATURE,

DON'T YOU?

IF YOU NEED:

MORE DRAWER SPACE,

I HAVE SOME:

EMPTY FILE CABINETS

IN THE KITCHEN.

OKAY.

SO THERE ARE A FEW THINGS

I'D NEED TO KNOW ABOUT YOU,

IF YOU HAVEN' LOST INTEREST.

WOULD YOU PREFER

TO LEAVE OR CONTINUE?

NAME?

LOUIS IVES.

THOSE CHRISTMAS BALLS

ARE VERY INTERESTING.

I LOVE THEM.

I LOVE THEIR COLORS,

THE WAY THEY CATCH

THE LIGHT.

IF YOU EVER WAN TO GIVE ME SOMETHING,

YOU CAN GIVE ME:

CHRISTMAS BALLS.

Rate this script:(0.00 / 0 votes)