The Rape, March 1979

Scene: Roger and Holly's house. It is a very small house, reminiscent of the Carriage House (Ross and Blake's 90's era home) in its dimensions and the placement of its windows; however, in contrast with the Carriage House, the main door is on the viewer's right. Opposite the main door, a claustrophobically small kitchen opens off. Also, the sleeping area is curiously placed -- on a dias on the left side of the room with the kitchen. There is a full view of the bed from the living area.

HOLLY stands at the kitchen counter; ROGER leans in the doorway, looking at her. They are arguing, and both have a sour look about them.

ROGER: You realize how many times you have rejected me lately?

HOLLY: Well, you know how I feel about that. (She tosses some flatware back into a drawer.)

ROGER: Well, you know how I feel about that.

HOLLY: You have created the problem, Roger. (HOLLY comes out of the kitchen, ducking under ROGER'S arm as he stands in the doorway.)

ROGER: (sarcastically) Of course! What exactly is the problem?

HOLLY: You've lost your touch, haven't you? You don't know how to come to me with any kind of tenderness any more, do you? You've destroyed everything I ever felt for you!

ROGER: Oh, you mean all that love and passion that you felt for me, like . . . uh, that incredible passion you felt, uh, on our honeymoon?

HOLLY: You twist it. You twist it.

ROGER: (yells) I don't twist anything!! You have tried to emasculate me and make me feel worthless from the day we were married!

HOLLY: That's a lie and you know it!

ROGER: The hell it is!!

HOLLY: I wanted to marry you, I cared about you, and I wanted to make this work.

(ROGER bows his head. He rubs his brow, as though he's got entirely too much on his mind and wishes he could get rid of it. The gesture shows his wedding band.)

ROGER: (quietly) You know what I think? I think it's very hard for you to settle for me when your heart is somewhere else.

HOLLY: (yells) I don't understand you anymore! (then, with less volume) I thought you wanted to marry me . . . I thought you cared so much about Christina. Why? Why did you do it? You don't care about her at all!

ROGER: (quietly) Don't say that.

HOLLY: You don't give her your time. That's what it's about. (HOLLY turns away from ROGER, walking to the opposite end of the room, and then looks back at him.) And you are such a liar! You lie to me again and again. Look, I'm not stupid. I know you're carrying on with Diane on the side, and maybe, maybe somebody else, too. Why? Why are you doing it to me!?

ROGER: (sarcastically and loudly) Oh, poor you! Poor Holly!

HOLLY: What does this marriage mean to you, Roger? I thought you loved me. Why? Why? Why do you do it?

ROGER: (He takes HOLLY by both arms.) I'm tired of you tearing me down all the time. I'm really sick and tired of it.

HOLLY: (over him) I don't tear you down.

ROGER: You are just like your mother!

HOLLY: How can you believe that?

ROGER: You are just like your mother. You just think of me as a loser. But I am not a loser baby!! And I'm not about to take any more of this from my own wife!!

HOLLY: You don't even know what you're talking about anymore.

ROGER (pointing at her ): Yes, I do know, exactly what I'm talking about. And I'll tell you something else. We can make up a lot easier than you think. C'mon.

In the course of this, ROGER touches Holly's nose with his forefinger. It's an odd gesture: in other situations it could be playful, but in this context it seems invasive. ROGER, still having HOLLY by one arm, tries to lead her to the bed.

ROGER: Lemme show you how it's done. C'mon.

HOLLY: (She pulls back, towards the living room, but ROGER has both of HOLLY'S arms, and the seam where her sleeve meets the rest of her blouse tears as they argue.) You must be crazy! You hurt me last night! You hurt me! You think I'm gonna go to bed with you! (He lets her go).

HOLLY: (lowly, but fiercely) And don't, don't you ever talk to me like that again!

ROGER: (yelling) Or what!!? OR WHAT!!?

Scene: Holly and Roger's house. Possibly later on the same day as the above. HOLLY has changed clothes, but that makes sense because her blouse was torn earlier. She sits at a desk, with her suitcase beside it, writing a letter. ROGER comes in the front door. HOLLY looks nervous and frightened. She brushes her face with her hand; the gesture shows her wedding ring.

ROGER: (picks up her paper) What ya doin? What's this?

HOLLY: It's just, uhm . . . (She watches him reading the note, turns away, and then turns back, her arms folded.)

ROGER: It's beautiful, Holly. (ROGER laughs). I was supposed to come home and find this? (He sees the suitcase.) All packed? Very nice, very nice.

HOLLY: I think you can understand why I have to do this.

ROGER: (eerily calm) You're not going anywhere, Holly. You are going to stay right here.

HOLLY: I won't.

ROGER: Where's Chrissy?

HOLLY: At a friend's.

ROGER: Ahh! So, what were you gonna do? Just pick her up and take off?

HOLLY: Yes. And I'm leaving now. (HOLLY picks up her suitcase and tries to walk to the door.)

ROGER: Nope, nope, nope. (ROGER takes the suitcase from her, and, with his hands on its sides, begins to spin it slowly. HOLLY puts both of her hands to her mouth. She is frightened; and, in fact, ROGER'S most "playful" gestures are sinister at this point, since they suggest his bodily strength. He pauses.)

ROGER: You know, Chrissy's not here, your dear mother's in California. We could have really a kinda swell time of it if you would just kinda loosen up and forget your little petty resentments, you know. (ROGER'S hand slips up to the side of her face, and behind her hair; and he grabs her fiercely by the hair as she says . . .)

HOLLY: Don't touch me!!!

ROGER: DON"T TOUCH ME!! (ROGER shakes HOLLY.) I'm your HUSBAND. What is it with this "Don't touch me" stuff?

HOLLY: (begging) Let go of me, please!!

ROGER: (ROGER looks HOLLY closely in the face, still holding her by her hair, his other hand holding her cheek--again, we see his wedding band as he does this . . .) I wonder, if Ed Bauer would be having any better luck than I've been having with you. (ROGER lets go of her, roughly).

(HOLLY looks dazed. She suddenly grabs the suitcase and makes a run for the door, but ROGER gets there first and puts his hand against it. She screams as he takes the suitcase and throws it across the room.)

HOLLY: Please, I don't wanna talk! Please just leave me alone! Please just leave me alone!

ROGER: (completely enraged) I wanna talk about Ed!!! I WANNA TALK ABOUT ED -- beloved of all, especially my wife!! Lemme ask you something, Holly. You're the perfect person to ask this. How do I compare to Ed? Huh? Why the silence, why so shy? You're the one who always said we should talk more! C'mon! I wanna hear it from your own sweet lips! (He brusquely runs his thumb against them, simultaneously pinching her cheek.)

HOLLY: (terrified and angry) I just wanna leave here!!

ROGER: You wouldn't wanna leave if I was Ed, would you? You wouldn't be in such a hurry to cut out from me, like you're cutting out from my miserable life. You'd probably be in the sack with him right now!

(HOLLY slaps ROGER. He slaps her much harder. She gives a startled cry, and pushes against him, but he shoves her down on her back onto the couch. The action is as rough as if he threw her on the couch, but he doesn't pick her up. ROGER bends down into HOLLY'S face . . .)

ROGER: You wanna try that again?

HOLLY: (softly, raising herself up off the couch) Now, you just calm down.

ROGER: Now you just understand. Let's get something straight! I'm your husband. I have certain rights here!

HOLLY runs for the door, but ROGER blocks her again. He is breathing very deeply, and she cowers from him.

ROGER: You know, if I were Ed you wouldn't be in such a hurry to leave. You love him, don't you? (ROGER takes off his coat has he says this.) I've seen the way you look at him, every time he comes over here to visit Christina! WHY DON'T YOU EVER LOOK AT ME THAT WAY??!!

HOLLY: I wanted to love you. You wouldn’t let me. I cared about you.

ROGER: (hatefully, mimicking her) CARED ABOUT ME!!?? "I care about you, Roger . . . Love will come." Isn't that what you used to say before we were married?!

HOLLY: (murmuring) I wanted it . . . I tried. I did care about you. I wouldn't have married you if I didn't.

ROGER: I'm not gonna put up with any more of this, Holly. (He pulls her to him.)

HOLLY: Roger, please don't. Please, no.

ROGER flings her away from him. HOLLY stands slightly crouched, staring at him intensely and fearfully, knowing that he is about to pounce. Suddenly, she tries to run, and he knocks over the lamp as he grabs her by the arms and waist and pulls her towards the bed.

HOLLY (begging, physically fighting him): Roger, stop!!!! PLEASE STOP! PLEASE LEAVE ME ALONE!

ROGER: NO!! I'M NOT GONNA LEAVE YOU ALONE!!!

(HOLLY gives a frightened cry as ROGER flings her on the bed. She raises herself up slightly, but ROGER stands over the bed, looming over her. As he rapes her . . )

HOLLY: (crying) NO, PLEASE DON'T, NO ROGER, PLEASE STOP! LEAVE ME ALONE!

Continued ...
The Rape, Aftermath