Cliff House: The End of the World, continued

Tuesday, July 6, 1993
continued ...

ED and MICHELLE are on their way home.

MICHELLE: Are we going to the hospital?

ED: What hospital?

MICHELLE: Any hospital. You could be hurt.

ED: Nah! Nah!

MICHELLE: You could be and not know it.

ED: Oh, c’mon. You know me. I’m just a big crybaby. I get a little cold and I’m screaming, “Farewell, cruel world!” I am a little worried about you, though.

MICHELLE: Why?

ED: I wish you hadn’t seen what you had to see tonight.

MICHELLE: I don’t. [ED looks puzzled.] When he died, it was an accident. It was bad, but it was an accident. I’m not afraid of accidents, if that’s what you think. I’m not afraid to be in a car even though Mom had an accident.

ED: No? I’m glad of that.

In the background, Bette Midler singing “The Rose” begins to play.

MICHELLE: Do you mind me talking about her? I don’t know why I am.

ED: Never, Michelle. It’s funny, though. I feel a little bit the way you do—embarrassed and nervous to mention Mommy’s name . . . When I talk about her with somebody they get all quiet and feel sorry for me. It’s just “Aaah!”

MICHELLE: I hate that.

ED: So do I. So let’s make a pact, okay, that we won’t be like that with each other.

MICHELLE: I’d never seen you frightened before, except of the weeds in the yard.

ED [laughs]: Yeah right. So Daddy’s a tough guy. Do me a favor. Don’t go picking any fights with the lifeguard at the club, you know? I’ll just go back to the weeds.

MICHELLE: I have to remember to get the blueberries out of the freezer when we get back. I want to make a pie tomorrow, one for us, and one for Mr. Thorpe. I wish I could give him something every day. I wish I could give him a house for what he did. You know what I think? I think Mom was watching. And she made Mr. Thorpe help you, because she liked him.

ED: Yeah. Maybe that’s it.

Back at The Cliff House:

HOLLY is holding ROGER’S wrist on her knee, and tending it with ice.

It’s the one who won’t be taken . . . who cannot seem to give . . . and the soul . . . afraid of dying . . . that never . . .learns to live . .

HOLLY: It’s okay. We’ll leave the ice on it a little longer. [ROGER and HOLLY look at each other lovingly. ROGER stretches] You must be exhausted.

ROGER: You too.

HOLLY: You want to go in and lie down for a little while?

ROGER: If I lie down I may not get up again.

HOLLY: So, we can leave in the morning.

When the night . . . has been too lonely . . . and the road . . . has been too long . . .

ROGER: You sure you want me to stay?

HOLLY: I’m in no shape to drive and you don’t look to be either.

ROGER: I could.

HOLLY: If you’d rather.

And you think . . . that love is only . . . for the lucky . . . and the strong . . .

HOLLY gets up and looks out at the ravine. ROGER, from behind, says:

ROGER: I never know what you want.

HOLLY: I’d just as soon not be here alone.

ROGER: All right.

HOLLY: I’ll take the room upstairs.

Just remember . . . in the winter . . . far beneath, the bitter snow . . . .

ROGER: Holly, it feels like the end of the world.

ROGER kisses HOLLY ...

... then pulls away from her and looks into her eyes.

Lies the seed . . . that with the sun’s love . . . in the spring . . . becomes the rose.

Next :
Traces of Love