James Lee's Wife Speaks At The Window
Roger's Reappearance, Part III
December 27, 1993

Next Scene:  Some time has passed, and Roger rests on the couch, wearing a denim shirt.  The mood is now very lighthearted, as Holly opens the Christmas gift he left under her tree.

ROGER:  Hurry up, open your present! (He laughs, as...)

HOLLY (smiling): Mousetraps, just what I wanted.

ROGER:  I heard you talking about 'em. I hope you don't use'em though, I've gotten very fond of that pair of old married mice down in the basement, George and Martha.

HOLLY:  Well I'm sorry I don't have anything for you.  I was busy ... pricing headstones.

ROGER (smiles) :  You'd be the one to do it too, wouldn't ya? (She laughs ... a pause, and then he asks):  You know what I'd really like for Christmas?

HOLLY (softly):  What's that?

ROGER:  For you to read to me the way you used to.

Holly picks up her book of Browning poetry, and sits down on the floor beside the couch.

HOLLY: James Lee's Wife Speaks At The Window.

ROGER (smiling, he quotes the poem with a romantic flair): "Ah, Love, but a day ..."

HOLLY (in her "love sucks" tone): Ah, Love ... (she sighs, but then continues, without so much cynicism):

Ah, Love, but a day
And the world has changed!
The sun's away,
And the bird estranged;
The wind has dropped,
And the sky's deranged:
Summer has stopped.

Look in my eyes!
Wilt thou change too?

At this point, Holly looks back at Roger, who smiles, but is falling asleep. As she continues, his eyes are closed, but his smile remains:

Should I fear surprise?
Shall I find aught new
In the old and dear,
In the good and true,
With the changing year?

Thou art a man,
But I am thy love.
For the lake, its swan;
For the dell, its dove;
And for thee - oh, haste!

[Holly looks at Roger. He's asleep; she smiles, then reads the final lines while looking at him]: 

Me, to bend above,
Me, to hold embraced.

Next Scene:  Holly kneels down behind the couch, watching as Roger sleeps. She gently touches his chest, and he awakens, startled.

HOLLY (she whispers to him) :   You okay?  Can you move? I'm gonna put you in my bedroom.  I'll sleep in Blake's ... (he nods in agreement)  I just don't want anybody to see you when they look through the window ...

Roger struggles, and then Holly is at his side, helping him.  He groans as he gets up.

HOLLY:  All right?  (his look is one of confusion, vulnerability, intensity ... and then she reassures him): It's okay ... come on.

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01/04/06 05:14:47 PM