Cliff House: The Tuna Sandwich

Thursday, June 24, 1993

SCENE: HOLLYBEND. Late at night. ROGER stands outside of HOLLY’S door as she opens it.

HOLLY [smiling]: It's late. I didn't think you were gonna make it.

ROGER: Why'd you call me?

HOLLY: Come in.

ROGER: Want to take another shot at me? Is that it?

HOLLY: No.

ROGER: Well, what then? What do you want from me now?

HOLLY: I wanted to know you were all right.

ROGER stands in HOLLY's doorway. She has taken several steps into the room.

ROGER: You wanted to know if I was all right?

HOLLY: I still do.

ROGER: That poses a very interesting philosophical question, Holly.

HOLLY: Not really.

ROGER: Am I all right compared to what?

HOLLY: Have you been drinking?

ROGER: Why?

HOLLY: You're in your Kierkegaard mode. That doesn't happen 'til you've had a few.

ROGER [shrugs]: I've had exactly one Scotch.

ROGER still stands in the doorway.

HOLLY: You going to stand there all night?

ROGER: Another poser.

HOLLY: Yes or no. In or out.

ROGER: You think you have the upper hand, isn't that it? I mean, that's why you summoned me out of the blue.

HOLLY: I didn't summon you.

ROGER: Holly's back on top. Hmm? On a roll. Queen of the Hill, boys and girls. Taking names. Making a list of who's naughty and nice.

HOLLY: Well, this is a different mood. I don't remember this one. Is it new?

ROGER: What do you really want, Holly?

HOLLY steps up close to him.

HOLLY: My turn for philosophy? What does Holly really want? Well, contrary to what you may think, I only enjoy kicking you when you're upright, and gloating. When you're down and out, I don't get much pleasure out of it.

ROGER: Oh, I see. So you think I'm down and out, do you?

HOLLY: I know you are. I know what your son means to you, and I saw him try and mow you down with a car last night.

ROGER acknowledges this with a small nod.

HOLLY: Well, maybe this was a bad idea. It's late. [She begins to close the door.] Why don't we . . . just call it a night?

HOLLY closes the glass-paned door and leans back against it. ROGER has not moved. HOLLY waits, her back turned to him. ROGER speaks through the door . . .

ROGER: Holly?

HOLLY: What?

ROGER: Can I come in?

HOLLY sits on the sofa. ROGER joins her.

HOLLY: What was different?

ROGER: Last night with Hart.

HOLLY: How so?

ROGER: Well, I mean . . . I really got angry at him. All I'd ever really felt before was guilt.

HOLLY: And love.

ROGER: Oh yeah. I mean I still love him. I'll always love him. That's forever. But last night, I think I really stopped feeling guilty.

HOLLY: I'll have to think about that one.

ROGER: Oh, what? You don't think I'm capable of feeling guilt?

HOLLY: I think you manage to disguise it very well.

ROGER: Listen. I have hurt my son very badly. And I have tried every which way to make it up to him, to make it right. I've tried everything, but he holds a grudge like no one I know.

HOLLY: I doubt it.

ROGER: Okay. All right. Yes. In that respect, he is very much like me. Yes, and he hates that in himself. But, I . . I just can't spend the rest of my life trying to atone for my sins against him.

ROGER gets up from the sofa and moves over to the mantle. He still looks at HOLLY.

HOLLY: You could, but you won't.

ROGER: Oh, would you stop with the one-liners. C'mon, I mean, you're not one to hold back. Tell me, you know, what you think.

HOLLY: I think rage is a tricky thing. I think it has a life and a momentum all of its own, and sometimes it boils over and burns everything around. And it leaves scars, deep scars.

ROGER: How do you keep it from boiling over?

HOLLY: If I ever figure that out, I will let you know.

HOLLY gets up from the sofa, but she immediately looks dazed and woozy. ROGER comes to her and clasps her tightly about the shoulders, easing her back to the sofa.

ROGER: Hey, Hey. What's wrong?

HOLLY: Oh, I just got up too fast.

ROGER: Are you sure that's all?

HOLLY: Yeah. [HOLLY squirms in ROGER’S arms.]

ROGER: I don't think so.

HOLLY: I guess I . . . I didn't eat anything today. That's what it was.

ROGER: That's . . . why?

HOLLY: I don't know. I . . . I had a grapefruit for breakfast, and then I didn't eat anything at the party.

ROGER: Holly, that's just stupid.

HOLLY: I know.

ROGER: Well, you need something to eat. What's in the fridge?

HOLLY: Ah, I haven't looked lately.

ROGER: Just sit there, and I'll fix you something.

ROGER goes to the cabinets and fridge and finds various sandwich items.

HOLLY: You're going to fix me something to eat. I must be dizzier than I thought.

ROGER: Well, it's the least I can do. I owe you.

HOLLY: For what?

ROGER: For listening to me. You're the only one who gets what it's like between me and my kids.

HOLLY: Don't you talk with Jenna?

At this, ROGER looks up from his sandwich fixing.

ROGER: Do I talk to Jenna?

HOLLY: Never mind.

ROGER: Why do you ask?

HOLLY: Because I'm fascinated by the American mogul and the Carnaby Street . . .

ROGER: Careful.

HOLLY: ... bit of fluff. Careful enough?

ROGER: Don't short-change Jenna, okay? She happens to be an extremely bright woman.

HOLLY: And extremely rich.

ROGER: You're wrong about her.

HOLLY: Am I?

ROGER: Yeah. You think she's hard. But she has a softness to her. She has a sweetness, that most people just don't see.

HOLLY [sarcastic]: Well, she's managed to hide that from me.

ROGER: Sometimes I feel guilty about her.

HOLLY [more serious]: Why? Why would you feel guilty?

ROGER [sighs]: She needs me so much, you know . . . and I . . . and sometimes I, she feels me holding back.

HOLLY: Do you?

ROGER [close-up; he nods]: Yep.

HOLLY: Why?

ROGER: Because what I'm holding back is yours, Holly. Me . . . I'm yours.

Moments later ...

ROGER and HOLLY both sit on the sofa. ROGER hands her a sandwich on a plate, and she puts it on the coffee table.

HOLLY: Um ... later. I think I'll save this for later. I think I'd better call this a night. [She gets up and starts walking towards the door.] Thanks for ... um ... for coming over.

HOLLY puts her hand on the doorknob, but ROGER's hand closes over it. He turns her around to face him. For a moment they stare at each other. HOLLY looks down at their clasped hands, and then back up into ROGER's eyes.

The scene fades out as they share a passionate kiss.

The next scene opens with ROGER and HOLLY still kissing. HOLLY has her arm around ROGER's neck, but after a moment, she stops. They are still in each other's arms.

ROGER [breathless]: HOLLY . . .

HOLLY: This shouldn’t have happened. No, go home . . .

The body language contradicts the words; as HOLLY says "go home," she caresses ROGER'S chin. He leans his forehead against hers, but she steps out of the embrace.

ROGER: That's not what you want.

HOLLY: No, I can't, I can't ...

HOLLY has stepped several paces away from ROGER. She puts her hand to her forehead, a little startled at the intensity of what had just happened. ROGER, only temporarily resigned, contemplates her for a moment, and then leaves. He pauses and looks back at HOLLY from the other side of the glass panes; and the scene fades as HOLLY stares into space--not at ROGER--and sighs.

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