Dinner In Acapulco

Tuesday, October 30, 1990

SCENE: Halloween night. Many Springfieldians are wearing literal masks, talking of ghosts, and having dinner parties. In Acapulco, there is no trace of Halloween celebration; however, ghosts and masks of the metaphorical type, i.e. memories and delusions, abound. ROGER and HOLLY take seats at a secluded table-for-two on the patio.

ROGER wears an off-white jacket with a black tie. HOLLY wears a rust-colored sequined blouse and short skirt. The blouse falls off one shoulder, and her hair is down on her shoulders. As the man seating them asks if they are on their honeymoon, HOLLY replies, "No, I'd say we were more than a few years too late for that." ROGER adds, "Ah ... business." They are left alone. Musicians play and sing, although we don't see them.

HOLLY and ROGER pick up their menus. ROGER watches HOLLY appreciatively as she examines the bill of fare.

ROGER: You ... you look lovely tonight.

HOLLY: Thank you. You look rather handsome yourself.

ROGER: We'd better be careful.

HOLLY: What do you mean?

ROGER: Well, you know. You've heard stories of these conventions. [Laughs bashfully] No telling what might happen.

HOLLY: You have a very active imagination. It's a shame you're stuck here with me.

ROGER: Oh, right. . . . "stuck here" with you . . . You're just the hit of the entire convention. You could have your pick of any man here.

HOLLY: No . . I could never . . . have a fling with a stranger.

At this, HOLLY'S eyes meet ROGER'S for the barest second, but she looks back at the menu. ROGER, however, continues to watch her.

HOLLY has supposedly gone to the powder room. Actually, she has slipped off to pay the orchestra leader to play a Spanish language version of "Love Me With All Your Heart." In the meantime, ROGER sits at the table with a drink, remembering . . .

[We hear in voiceover:]

ROGER: Holly, we won't be able to go to Acapulco for our honeymoon, after all.

HOLLY: Why not?

ROGER: It's business. I'm sorry.

HOLLY: Oh, Roger! When will you learn to not put business first?

As he sits with the drink in his hand, ROGER looks tired and a little sad, but he smiles a bit when HOLLY returns.

HOLLY: The powder room was just lovely. There was a wonderful old mirror in there that I'd love to take home as a souvenir! [smiles] Well, did I miss anything?

ROGER: Oh, no. I was just thinking about how pleasant this all is.

HOLLY: Yes. Aren't we lucky to be here on business?

ROGER smiles and shakes his head.

HOLLY: Why are you smiling?

ROGER: Well, I was just remembering how, after we got married and we got stuck in Houston on the way here, with Diane calling [HOLLY averts her eyes a little at this.] and we had to go back to Springfield--and how . . . upset . . . you were because I seemed to always put business first. And now, here you are, the consummate business woman yourself.

HOLLY [laughs]: I bet you could still teach me a thing or two.

ROGER: I don't know; your technique's pretty good.

HOLLY: Yes, but you're the master at selling.

ROGER [flattered and shy]: Well, it's all in the timing.

HOLLY [leaning forward intimately, seeking advice she desperately needs]: How do you know when to make your move?

ROGER: Well, it depends on the situation. Um . . . take Don Spinner, for example.

HOLLY: Oh, the distributor.

ROGER: Right, right. Well, I think he is this close to being bitten by The Love Bug.

HOLLY [her hand clasping his wrist]: Roger, that's wonderful! How do you think we should play it from here?

ROGER [distracted]: Well, um . . . first of all, I

ROGER looks at her hand, and she pulls it away, very conscious of how she's just affected him. Just then, the musicians strike up with "Love Me With All Your Heart" (but in Spanish). ROGER listens, startled, and then asks HOLLY, "Did you request that?" She looks back at him in feigned puzzlement.

HOLLY: Why do you think I requested that song?

ROGER: You don't remember it?

HOLLY: No.

ROGER: Think hard.

HOLLY: It's nice.

ROGER: Sssssh. Just close your eyes, and listen.

HOLLY does as he says, and begins to hum. She murmurs, "Oh, yeah," and they both sing a little of the Spanish lyric . . .

ROGER: We danced to this song the first night of our honeymoon in Houston. Very slowly, as I recall. Then we ... [ROGER looks as though "caught."] Sorry.

HOLLY: No, that's okay.

ROGER: I'm sorry.

HOLLY: That's okay.

ROGER [embarrassed, hunting for something to say]: Wanna dance, for old time's sake?

HOLLY gives him a long, tender look, and then says . . . "Promise you won't step on me?"

ROGER [laughing, sizing up the opportunity]: Yeah. I promise.

HOLLY: Yeah.

ROGER gets up and pulls out HOLLY'S chair. They begin to dance--just chaste social dancing--and HOLLY smiles into ROGER'S eyes.

ROGER: Reminds me of our time together in Costa Verde, after we knew Alan-Michael was safe.

HOLLY: Blake was so proud of you for rescuing him.

ROGER: Ah, well, you did pretty good yourself. We made a good team.

HOLLY: Just as we do now.

HOLLY leans closer to ROGER, and they dance cheek to cheek. ROGER closes his eyes for a second; then, they dance more slowly.

HOLLY backs out of his arms, shaken. She sits down in her chair again.

HOLLY: I've been on my feet so long.

ROGER: Of course.

Both of them are nervous now. HOLLY sits with her dress off the shoulder, her eyes down on the ground. ROGER stands, gesturing a little more than usual.

ROGER: Uh, sure. I understand. Listen, that's okay. Actually, I promised Alex I'd call her at around six o'clock. So, I won't be long. Excuse me.

After ROGER leaves, HOLLY walks off in the opposite direction. The scene fades on PERKINS, lighting a cigar at the table across from theirs.

Next Scene:
... After Dinner