PASSAGES - EPISODE 5, ACT 3

[kashiwrites]

Previous: Episode 5, Act 2


III.A) HOSPITAL STORAGE CLOSET.


CONNOR – Kyle, what’s wrong? What do you mean, ‘what am I trying to do to you’?

KYLE – I can’t believe you’d come here to see me. Here, where I work! Where all these people can see us!

CONNOR – I told you out there, I came to see my mother. Don’t get so excited.

KYLE – I have good reason! How could you approach me in public, in front of my boss? If she knows you, then she knows you’re gay! What if she sees us together and guesses about us?

CONNOR – She’s not going to guess. That’s why I mentioned Tylor right away.

KYLE – What do you mean?

CONNOR – Our 'introduction' by Tylor was the perfect excuse. Don’t you see that? Before she 'introduced' us we always had to pretend we didn’t know each other. But now we can at least say hello in public, and talk about the weather. It’s the most normal thing in the world. Don’t you understand that? We’ve finally got some breathing room.

KYLE – I don’t know...

CONNOR – It happens all the time. People are introduced in one place, and the next time they run into each other it’s like, HHi, I remember you. How are you doing?" It’s our one chance to behave normally, Kyle. I thought you’d recognize that, and welcome it.

KYLE – Well...I suppose maybe I overreacted...

CONNOR – No kidding.

KYLE – (SIGHS, A LITTLE RELIEVED) I just...you know...I panicked when I saw you there. It was so unexpected, I just couldn’t think of anything. But you’re right. You’re right. We should be able to behave normally.

CONNOR – You know, if anyone gives away our secret, it’s going to be you, not me.

KYLE – What?

CONNOR – If you’re always so on edge, and so watchful, you’re never going to behave normally. That’s how people will get suspicious.

KYLE – I’m sorry, I do the best I can. What else can I do?

CONNOR – You can relax, maybe?

KYLE – Oh, and give everything away for sure.

CONNOR – No, just be yourself. People don’t usually question a guy’s orientation unless he draws attention to it.

KYLE – Yes they do, especially around here! You should hear the jokes they make, about how gay men become orderlies or nurses because they want to fondle their male patients. It wouldn’t take much at all for them to suspect me.

CONNOR – That’s ridiculous. They no more would do that than believe women become nurses so they can fondle patients. The jokes are more about a gender issue – that nursing is women’s work, so only men who are gay would be interested in it.

KYLE – But maybe they’re right. So many of us are gay.

CONNOR – Gods, I can’t believe you’re talking like that.

KYLE – Sorry. I’m just so tired of it. And there’s no way out. (FROM CONNOR’S POINTED LOOK) No acceptable way.

CONNOR – So how long can you go on like this, Kyle, before you crack?

KYLE – As long as I have to. There’s no alternative, Connor, none I can live with.

CONNOR – You call this living?

KYLE – Look, I’ll really try to relax and be more normal with you. You’re right – it is a godsend that we can finally talk to each other in public. That should take some pressure off. Just...don’t lose patience with me, okay? I’m trying not to drive you away.

CONNOR – Drive me away? Never happen, pal. I mean it. I’m in this for the long haul, whatever happens. So if that’s one of the things that’s bothering you, let it go.

KYLE – (LAUGHS SHEEPISHLY) Yes, sir.



III.B) CHAMBERS DESIGN STUDIO. Blythe is bent over her books again. Adrian is draped on the chair as before.


ADRIAN – Well. That was an interesting conversation.

BLYTHE – Was it.

ADRIAN – You have to admit she took you by surprise, Blythe. Even you, the all-knowing and all-foreseeing.

BLYTHE – I certainly didn’t expect the offer to pay for the furs. She does have nerve, I admit that. But it’s over for the moment, Adrian, and I’ve got a great deal of work to do today.

ADRIAN – Aw, Blythe, you’re not kicking me out, are you?

BLYTHE – How very astute of you.

ADRIAN – You’re very cruel, you know.

BLYTHE – So I’ve been told.

ADRIAN – (SEES DARCY ENTERING, FOLLOWED BY JUSTIN) And I don’t think you’re going to get your work done just yet. Hello, you two. Welcome to the party.

DARCY – Hello, Adrian. Is this a family party, or can anybody join?

BLYTHE – Adrian was just leaving, since I’m so busy. What can I do for you, Darcy?

DARCY – Actually, I wanted to see if I could do anything for you. Blythe, I heard about the riot and I was just horrified. Are you alright?

BLYTHE – It’s nice of you to ask. I’m fine, though. The furs took the damage. But it wasn’t much worse than I expected.

DARCY – You expected all this?

JUSTIN – Did someone tip you off, then?

BLYTHE – I’d heard rumours. It’s hard to keep these things secret.

DARCY – Blythe, you should’ve delayed the shipment or something.

BLYTHE – Never. Really, I mean it. I don’t let any man – (GLANCES AT ADRIAN) – or woman – force me to change the way I want to live my life. I had no intention of being intimidated by these people.

DARCY – You’re very brave.

ADRIAN – Or pig-headed.

BLYTHE – Thank you so much.

JUSTIN – So how badly are the furs damaged?

BLYTHE – Not much. They can be cleaned and repaired quite easily.

DARCY – Can I help you pay for all that? That’s why I had Justin drive me here.

ADRIAN – It’s covered by the insurance.

DARCY – It covers this sort of thing?

BLYTHE – It’s only acts of God that aren’t covered, not acts of lunatics. So everything is being handled. But I appreciate the offer, Darcy.

ADRIAN – Who needs insurance, though, Blythe? That’s the second offer in ten minutes, to pay for your furs.

DARCY – You mean somebody else wanted to pay for the damage?

JUSTIN – Who was it?

BLYTHE – You wouldn’t believe it.

JUSTIN – Try us.

BLYTHE – Oh really, it’s just too tiresome –

ADRIAN – But it’s also too funny not to tell them. A young woman was just here, offering to pay for all the damage. And would you believe, she turned out to be one of the demonstrators who caused the riot in the first place!



III.C) HOLLISTER KITCHEN. Ian pours himself a cup of coffee and sits down at the table. As he unfolds the morning paper, Moira comes in and goes to the fridge for a glass of juice.


MOIRA – Good morning, Ian.

IAN – Oh, hi mom. I thought you’d be gone to work by now.

MOIRA – I don’t have appointments till this afternoon. This morning, I have the pleasant job of updating last week’s patient files. (SITS AT THE TABLE AND OPENS A LAPTOP) Are you working late today?

IAN – Nope. Took the day off. I felt like a break.

MOIRA – That’s a good idea. I sometimes think there’s something almost therapeutic about having a day off when everyone else has to work. (CATCHES HIS LOOK, LAUGHS) Sorry. I’m not practising my trade on you, I promise.

IAN – Good. I hate being analyzed.

MOIRA – Oh, I don’t know. You fix my car for me. I ought to return the favour, don’t you think?

IAN – Fine. You can nurse me when I’m sick.

MOIRA – No fair. I do that anyway. (CLICKS OPEN SOME FILES ON THE LAPTOP) So, is there anything interesting in the news today?

IAN – I haven’t checked yet. (SCANS THE FRONT PAGE) My god.

MOIRA – What? (IAN SHOWS HER THE PICTURE OF PENNY) Oh no...

IAN – What is this? What’ve I missed? I can’t believe it – Penny trashed those furs with Dawn? And I thought their protest was supposed to be peaceful. (READS A LITTLE) Mom! This says Penny was in jail. (PAUSE) She’s not still there, is she?

MOIRA – No, the charges were dropped. Can I look for a minute? (IAN SHOVES THE PAPER IN HER DIRECTION AND SHE PEERS AT IT) Penny’s going to be devastated when she sees this.

IAN – I didn’t know she was involved with Dawn’s group.

MOIRA – She isn’t. It was a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. That’s why the charges were dropped.

IAN – So why the spray paint? I didn’t think Dawn was the type. With all her preaching about non-violence.

MOIRA – That was an accident too. The spray-painters were just troublemakers who were no part of Dawn’s group.

IAN – (STARES A LITTLE, SCEPTICALLY) That sounds a little too pat. This was an accident, that was a coincidence...

MOIRA – (LAUGHS) It really does sound like that, doesn’t it? But that’s exactly how it happened.

IAN – Come on. Didn’t Dawn make just the teensiest mistake in the whole thing?

MOIRA – My, aren’t we predatory.

IAN – Oh, it would be nice to think her halo could be tarnished once in a while. She gets a little self-righteous.

MOIRA – She can be a zealot. Which can be a good thing, though I know how annoying it can get. But if it makes you feel better, she was very remorseful for not taking proper precautions against this sort of thing. How’s that?

IAN – (GRINS) Thanks, mom.

MOIRA – I’m sorry about that newspaper photo, though. Penny’s going to find it hard to live down.

IAN – Why should she? She’s in Political Science. They ought to like that she’s being political.

MOIRA – (SIPS HER JUICE) Hmm…I wonder if that’s the kind of politics they mean?


Next: Episode 5, Act 4