The Ice Storm Page #5

We jump cut through the evening's conversations, seen mostly

from the furtive POV's of the boys.

BEN:

His brother came back --

DOROTHY:

From where?

BEN:

Vietnam.

DOROTHY:

Oh. Are we going to talk about

this, about...?

ELENA:

You should hear. It's very sad, he

was --

JUMP CUT:

Janey is whispering something into Mikey's ear, who returns

to the kitchen.

JIM:

It was a benefit for the ACLU or

something, and Harry Reems himself

was there --

DOROTHY:

The man with the -- from Deep

Throat?

JIM:

The very one -- something about a

first amendment defense fund --

well I believe in it --

DOROTHY:

Ted took me to see it.

JANEY:

Ted, how romantic.

DOROTHY:

I have to say, the movie didn't do

much for me. But being in that

theater, surrounded by all those

horny young college boys and

perverts, there was something in

the air that --

JUMP CUT:

The boys are pouring wine.

JIM:

-- pulls right up to the pump,

jumps out like there's no gas

shortage, oblivious, and by this

point everybody in line's piling

out of their cars ready to kill the

guy, when they notice it's that

Reverend Edwards --

BEN:

The Unitarian? The new one?

JIM:

Yeah -- claims he pulled off Creek

Road and didn't notice the line

going back Mill Street for half a

mile.

BEN:

He's either got his head in the

clouds or up his --

DOROTHY:

I hear he's slept with half the

women in his congregation --

TED:

Lucky bastard!

As this is said, Mikey accidentally spills some wine on Ben.

BEN:

Hell! -- I mean, no problemo there

Mikey. Here, I --

Janey leans over with her napkin and attempts a cursory wipe

of Ben's pants. Is there a just barely noticeable frisson

between Ben and Janey as she removes the napkin? If there is,

Elena doesn't -- or pretends not to -- notice.

CUT TO:

The boys, now in pajamas (Sandy's with padded feet, Mikey's a

combination of t-shirt and pj bottoms) are bringing out

coffee and dessert. The adults eye Mikey's handling of the

coffee pot with some nervousness.

DOROTHY:

(unconvincing)

So fascinating. Do you get free

tickets to the movies, that kind of

thing?

BEN:

No, my job is just to analyze the

entertainment stocks and advise our

institutional investors on where to

put their money. It's --

ELENA:

Don't be so modest, Ben. It's a job

that requires a certain prescience

with regards to entertainment

trends. You were the first to

predict that Billy Jack would be a

hit --

BEN:

(with a bit too much

conviction)

And as usual no one believed me...

Silence.

CUT TO:

The dinner party has moved to the living room for after

dinner drinks. Elena remains behind to help Janey pick up the

table. She stacks a plate on top of another.

JANEY:

Please don't.

ELENA:

It's not a bother.

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