1973 LATER

SCENE SIX

Flat. 1973. Summer.

Emma and Jerry standing, kissing. She is holding a basket and a parcel.

EMMA Darling.

JERRY Darling.

He continues to hold her. She laughs.

EMMA I must put this down.

She puts basket on table.

JERRY What’s in it?

EMMA Lunch.

JERRY What?

EMMA Things you like.

He pours wine.

How do I look?

JERRY Beautiful.

EMMA Do I look well?

JERRY You do.

He gives her wine.

EMMA (sipping) Mmmnn.

JERRY How was it?

EMMA It was lovely.

JERRY Did you go to Torcello?

EMMA No.

JERRY Why not?

EMMA Oh, I don’t know. The speedboats were on strike, or something.

JERRY On strike?

EMMA Yes. On the day we were going.

JERRY Ah. What about the gondolas?

EMMA You can’t take a gondola to Torcello.

JERRY Well, they used to in the old days, didn’t they? Before they had speedboats. How do you think they got over there?

EMMA It would take hours.

JERRY Yes. I suppose so.

Pause.

I got your letter.

EMMA Good.

JERRY Get mine?

EMMA Of course. Miss me?

JERRY Yes. Actually, I haven’t been well.

EMMA What?

JERRY Oh nothing. A bug.

She kisses him.

EMMA I missed you.

She turns away, looks about.

You haven’t been here . . . at all?

JERRY No.

EMMA Needs hoovering.

JERRY Later.

Pause.

I spoke to Robert this morning.

EMMA Oh?

JERRY I’m taking him to lunch on Thursday.

EMMA Thursday? Why?

JERRY Well, it’s my turn.

EMMA No, I meant why are you taking him to lunch?

JERRY Because it’s my turn. Last time he took me to lunch.

EMMA You know what I mean.

JERRY No. What?

EMMA What is the subject or point of your lunch?

JERRY No subject or point. We’ve just been doing it for years. His turn, followed by my turn.

EMMA You’ve misunderstood me.

JERRY Have I? How?

EMMA Well, quite simply, you often do meet, or have lunch, to discuss a particular writer or a particular book, don’t you? So to those meetings, or lunches, there is a point or a subject.

JERRY Well, there isn’t to this one.

Pause.

EMMA You haven’t discovered any new writers, while I’ve been away?

JERRY No. Sam fell off his bike.

EMMA No.

JERRY He was knocked out. He was out for about a minute.

EMMA Were you with him?

JERRY No. Judith. He’s all right. And then I got this bug.

EMMA Oh dear.

JERRY So I’ve had time for nothing.

EMMA Everything will be better,now I’m back.

JERRY Yes.

EMMA Oh,I read that Spinks,the book you gave me.

JERRY What do you think?

EMMA Excellent.

JERRY Robert hated it. He wouldn’t publish it.

EMMA What’s he like?

JERRY Who?

EMMA Spinks.

JERRY Spinks? He’s a very thin bloke. About fifty. Wears dark glasses day and night. He lives alone, in a furnished room. Quite like this one, actually. He’s . . . unfussed.

EMMA Furnished rooms suit him?

JERRY Yes.

EMMA They suit me too. And you? Do you still like it? Our home?

JERRY It’s marvellous not to have a telephone.

EMMA And marvellous to have me?

JERRY You’re all right.

EMMA I cook and slave for you.

JERRY You do.

EMMA I bought something in Venice—for the house.

She opens the parcel, takes out a tablecloth. Puts it on the table.

Do you like it?

JERRY It’s lovely.

Pause.

EMMA Do you think we’ll ever go to Venice together?

Pause.

No. Probably not.

Pause.

JERRY You don’t think I should see Robert for lunch on Thursday, or on Friday, for that matter?

EMMA Why do you say that?

JERRY You don’t think I should see him at all?

EMMA I didn’t say that. How can you not see him? Don’t be silly.

Pause.

JERRY I had a terrible panic when you were away. I was sorting out a contract, in my office, with some lawyers. I suddenly couldn’t remember what I’d done with your letter. I couldn’t remember putting it in the safe. I said I had to look for something in the safe. I opened the safe. It wasn’t there. I had to go on with the damn contract . . . I kept seeing it lying somewhere in the house, being picked up . . .

EMMA Did you find it?

JERRY It was in the pocket of a jacket—in my wardrobe—at home.

EMMA God.

JERRY Something else happened a few months ago—I didn’t tell you. We had a drink one evening. Well, we had our drink, and I got home about eight, walked in the door, Judith said, hello, you’re a bit late. Sorry, I said, I was having a drink with Spinks. Spinks? she said, how odd, he’s just phoned, five minutes ago, wanted to speak to you, he didn’t mention he’d just seen you. You know old Spinks, I said, not exactly forthcoming, is he? He’d probably remembered something he’d meant to say but hadn’t. I’ll ring him later. I went up to see the kids and then we all had dinner.

Pause.

Listen. Do you remember, when was it, a few years ago, we were all in your kitchen, must have been Christmas or something, do you remember, all the kids were running about and suddenly I picked Charlotte up and lifted her high up, high up, and then down and up. Do you remember how she laughed?

EMMA Everyone laughed.

JERRY She was so light. And there was your husband and my wife and all the kids, all standing and laughing in your kitchen. I can’t get rid of it.

EMMA It was your kitchen, actually.

He takes her hand. They stand. They go to the bed and lie down.

Why shouldn’t you throw her up?

She caresses him. They embrace.