The Piano Lesson Page #5

The MAORIS touch the exposed legs of the piano. STEWART speaks to the

other European man BAINES.

STEWART:

Tell them to carry in pairs.

Those three and those two the

black and the red, then the

suitcases.

STEWART holds BAINES back a moment.

STEWART:

What do you think?

STEWART nods towards ADA. BAINES thinks a moment then turns towards

ADA too.

BAINES:

She looks tired.

STEWART:

She's stunted, that's one

thing.

BAINES walks over to HONE a big man and the MAORJ leader, he stands

tall with a great sense of his own importance. (Mana)

BAINES:

Anei nga pouaka - ko era e

toro.

Me era e raa.

(Here are the boxes, those

three and those two.)

UNSUBTITLED:

HONE:

E Hoal

HONE takes an aggressive fighting posture towards BAINES, insulted

that BAINES should suggest he might carry anything. HONE does not

carrying, he is the boss. With great dignity HONE retreats, too

injured to help. Other MAORIS come up and BAINES assigns them boxes.

ADA gets worried, the piano is being left alone. She writes on her

pad, "THE PIANO?" She shows STEWART.

STEWART:

Oh no, it can't come now.

FLORA:

It must come.

STEWART looks at FLORA

FLORA:

She wants it to come.

STEWART:

Yes and so do I, but there are

too few of us here to carry it.

TOO - HEAVY

ADA writes "I NEED THE PIANO." Her MAORI mimic copies her.

STEWART:

Do you mean you don't want your

kitchenware or your clothes? Is

that what you mean?

ADA signs to FLORA.

FLORA:

We can't leave the piano

STEWART:

Let us not discuss this

further. I am very pleased....

STEWART slows down as he watches ADA again sign to FLORA, he has the

uncomfortable impression he is being interrupted.

FLORA:

Mother wants to know if they

could come back directly for

it?

STEWART is shocked, his mouth hangs slightly open, paused in mid

speech. TAHU mimics this mouth drop perfectly.

FLORA:

After they have taken the other

things?

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