An Education (10 page)
Authors: Nick Hornby
DANNY
(
calling
)
calling
)
You can stand there if you like.
But I wouldn’t recommend it.
JENNY
puts a spurt on, catches up and jumps in.
54puts a spurt on, catches up and jumps in.
INTERIOR/EXTERIOR: DAVID’S CAR/ NEW COUNTRY ROAD - DAY
An old picture of some kind is wedged between
HELEN
and
JENNY
on the backseat.
JENNY,
furious, is staring out of the window.
HELEN
attempts to peer around the partition, but settles for a wave.
HELEN
and
JENNY
on the backseat.
JENNY,
furious, is staring out of the window.
HELEN
attempts to peer around the partition, but settles for a wave.
HELEN
Coo-ee. Jenny.
JENNY
doesn’t respond.They continue driving in silence.
55doesn’t respond.They continue driving in silence.
EXTERIOR: DANNY’S FLAT - DAY
The Bristol pulls up outside
DANNY’S
Regency terrace. They all get out of the car and pull out their weekend cases.
DANNY’S
Regency terrace. They all get out of the car and pull out their weekend cases.
DANNY
Who’s coming up for a drink?
HELEN
Me!
JENNY
(
still furious
)
still furious
)
No, you go. I’ll make my own way home.
JENNY
starts up the road.
DAVID
walks briskly after her.
starts up the road.
DAVID
walks briskly after her.
DAVID
Jenny!
He catches up with her in the street.
It’s an old map. A Speed. The poor dear didn’t even know what it was. What a waste! It shouldn’t spend its life on a wall in wherever the hell we were. It should be with us. We know how to look after it properly. We
liberated
it.
liberated
it.
JENNY
snorts derisively.
snorts derisively.
JENNY
Liberated! That’s one word for it.
DAVID
(
quickly and passionately
)
quickly and passionately
)
Don’t be bourgeois, Jenny.You’re better than that.You drink everything I put in front of you down in one, then you slam your glass down on the bar and ask for more. It’s wonderful. We’re not clever like you, so we have to be clever in other ways, because if we weren’t, there would be no fun. We have to be clever with maps, and . . . and . . .You want to know what stats are? Stats are old ladies who are scared of coloured people. So we move the coloureds in and the old ladies move out and I buy their flats cheap. That’s what I do. So now you know.
JENNY
nods reluctantly.
nods reluctantly.
And if you don’t like it, I’ll understand, and you can go back to Twickenham and listen to the Home Service and do your Latin homework. But these weekends, and the restaurants and the concerts . . . They don’t grow on trees.
JENNY
looks at him, startled. Trees again?
looks at him, startled. Trees again?
This is who we are, Jenny.
He turns to face her and holds out his hand. On
JENNY:
is she in or out?
JENNY
takes his hand.
DAVID
pulls her towards him, holds her around the waist and begins to dance with her. From the apartment balcony,
HELEN
and
DANNY
watch, laughing.
56JENNY:
is she in or out?
JENNY
takes his hand.
DAVID
pulls her towards him, holds her around the waist and begins to dance with her. From the apartment balcony,
HELEN
and
DANNY
watch, laughing.
INTERIOR/EXTERIOR: DAVID’S CAR/ JENNY’S HOUSE - NIG HT
DAVID
pulls up in the Bristol outside
JENNY’S
house, and they sit in the dark for a little while.
pulls up in the Bristol outside
JENNY’S
house, and they sit in the dark for a little while.
DAVID
I suppose you have homework to do.
JENNY
You have no idea how boring everything was before I met you. Action is character, our English teacher says. I think it means that if we never did anything, we wouldn’t be anybody. And I never did anything before I met you. And sometimes I think no one’s ever done anything in this stupid country, apart from you.
They look at each other.
DAVID
smiles. He is clearly smitten. He moves towards her. He wants to kiss her, but he doesn’t want to frighten her - in the end,
JENNY
makes it easy for him and moves towards him.They kiss gently and tenderly.
JENNY
breaks it off, gets out of the car,
DAVID
hands her her suitcase and she goes inside while he watches.
57DAVID
smiles. He is clearly smitten. He moves towards her. He wants to kiss her, but he doesn’t want to frighten her - in the end,
JENNY
makes it easy for him and moves towards him.They kiss gently and tenderly.
JENNY
breaks it off, gets out of the car,
DAVID
hands her her suitcase and she goes inside while he watches.
INTERIOR: JENNY’S HOUSE - NIGHT
JACK,
at the kitchen table, is examining
JENNY’S
copy of
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
at the kitchen table, is examining
JENNY’S
copy of
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
JACK
Look at this, Marjorie.
He hands it to her. She examines it reverently.
MARJORIE
‘Clive’ . . . Lucky girl.
JACK
Never a dull moment with David, eh? Bit different from that young man you brought home for tea, isn’t he?
MARJORIE
David’s a lot older than Graham.
JACK
Graham could live to be two hundred years old and still wouldn’t be swanning around with famous authors. Hasn’t got it in him.
JENNY
Graham might
become
a famous author, for all you know.
become
a famous author, for all you know.
JACK
Becoming one isn’t the same as knowing one
... That shows you’re well connected. A very impressive young man, your David.
MARJORIE.
I must admit life’s a little brighter with him around.
JENNY
smiles to herself.
58smiles to herself.
EXTERIOR: PARK - DAY
A group of girls cross-country running.
JENNY
and her friends are at the back of the group, and the
GYM TEACHER
, jogging backwards, gesticulates at them to get a move on.
JENNY
and her friends are at the back of the group, and the
GYM TEACHER
, jogging backwards, gesticulates at them to get a move on.
GYM TEACHER
Come on, girls. Get a move on.
They put on enough of a spurt to satisfy her, and then immediately stop when the teacher is no longer watching. Seeing a large tree, they loiter. From somewhere under a skirt,
JENNY
produces a packet of exotic-looking cigarettes and offers them around.
JENNY
produces a packet of exotic-looking cigarettes and offers them around.
HAT TIE
What the hell are those?
JENNY
Russian Sobranies.
HATTIE
and
TINA
make snooty faces.
JENNY
takes a cigarette.The others follow suit.
JENNY
lights them, and they all grimace.The contrast between the sophisticated cigarettes, and the unsophisticated smokers and context is pronounced.
and
TINA
make snooty faces.
JENNY
takes a cigarette.The others follow suit.
JENNY
lights them, and they all grimace.The contrast between the sophisticated cigarettes, and the unsophisticated smokers and context is pronounced.
HAT TIE
Where did they come from?
TINA
She probably bought them from the Savoy, or Claridge’s, or the opera, or some fancy nightclub. Who knows, with Jenny.
JENNY
Paris.You can’t buy them here.
TINA
(
suddenly looking at her suspiciously
)
suddenly looking at her suspiciously
)
You never bought them yourself?
JENNY
(
mimicking
TINA’S
grammar cruelly
)
mimicking
TINA’S
grammar cruelly
)
No. I never.
TINA
Shut up, you stuck-up cow.
JENNY
But I’ll bring you some back, if you want.
TINA
You’re joking.
JENNY
Non
.
.
HAT TIE
He’s taking you to Paris?
JENNY
(
smiling smugly
)
smiling smugly
)
Oui
.
.
HAT TIE
This term?
JENNY
Peut-être
.
.
TINA
Isn’t it your birthday next Thursday?
JENNY
Might be.
The two friends shriek and jump up and down.
HATTIE
Oh, my God! Your birthday!
TINA
I would not like to be you. All those suppers you’ve had off him. Ouch.
JENNY
You’ve such a Victorian attitude to sex, you two.
TINA
Oh, sorry, Dr Kinsey. We’re not all as experienced as you. I mean, you’ve done it . . . (
She counts on her fingers
) I make it never! Can that be right?
She counts on her fingers
) I make it never! Can that be right?
HAT TIE
But your parents wouldn’t let you swan off like that, would they?
JENNY
We haven’t told them yet. But David will come up with some story. He usually does.
TINA
Yeah, I’ve noticed that.
Laughter.
JENNY
glances off into the distance and spots the
GYM TEACHER
heading back in their direction. They stand up, grind their Sobranies into the mud and set off at a brisk trot.The Sobranie stubs come to rest near a pile of dog poo.
59JENNY
glances off into the distance and spots the
GYM TEACHER
heading back in their direction. They stand up, grind their Sobranies into the mud and set off at a brisk trot.The Sobranie stubs come to rest near a pile of dog poo.
INTERIOR: CLASSROOM - DAY
HATTIE, TINA
and
JENNY
are sitting on their desks, waiting for a lesson to start.
HATTIE
shows
JENNY
a piece of paper which apparently contains some kind of shopping list.
and
JENNY
are sitting on their desks, waiting for a lesson to start.
HATTIE
shows
JENNY
a piece of paper which apparently contains some kind of shopping list.
TINA
(
pointing at Hattie, then at herself
)
pointing at Hattie, then at herself
)
Chanel perfume, Chanel perfume. (
She repeats the gesture
.) Chanel lipstick, Chanel lipstick.
She repeats the gesture
.) Chanel lipstick, Chanel lipstick.
HAT TIE
Those funny cigarettes you were smoking. Sobranies. Ten packets each.
A very
SMALL GIRL,
twelve or thirteen, comes in to the classroom and approaches
JENNY.
She’s clutching a ten-shilling note.
SMALL GIRL,
twelve or thirteen, comes in to the classroom and approaches
JENNY.
She’s clutching a ten-shilling note.
SMALL GIRL
How much is the Chanel perfume?
TINA, HATTIE
and
JENNY
stare at her, nonplussed.
and
JENNY
stare at her, nonplussed.
Well, are you the girl going to Paris or are you not, because . . .
MISS STUBBS
comes into the classroom carrying books and essays. She sees the
SMALL GIRL
and shoos her out while the other girls follow. As
JENNY
comes past, she whispers discreetly into her ear.
comes into the classroom carrying books and essays. She sees the
SMALL GIRL
and shoos her out while the other girls follow. As
JENNY
comes past, she whispers discreetly into her ear.
MISS STUBBS
Jenny, the headmistress wants a word with you. The legend of Mr Rochester may have travelled further than you intended.
JENNY
looks at her, startled and a little sick.
60looks at her, startled and a little sick.
INTERIOR: HEADMISTRESS’S OFFICE/ CORRIDOR - DAY
The office is dark, wood-panelled, foreboding, apparently designed to put all visitors ill-at-ease.The
HEADMISTRESS
would probably choose to be wood-panelled if she could. She’s tweedy, bespectacled, severe. There is a knock at the door. She doesn’t look up from her paperwork.
HEADMISTRESS
would probably choose to be wood-panelled if she could. She’s tweedy, bespectacled, severe. There is a knock at the door. She doesn’t look up from her paperwork.
HEADMISTRESS
Come.
JENNY
enters, looking young and frightened.
enters, looking young and frightened.
Ah. Miss Mellor.
JENNY
tries to look at her with all the courage she can muster.
tries to look at her with all the courage she can muster.
We’re all very excited about your forthcoming trip to Paris. Our excitement, indeed, knows no bounds. Some of us can talk of little else.
JENNY
looks at her feet.
looks at her feet.
An older man, I understand? A word of warning, Miss Mellor. There may well have been the odd sixth-form girl who has lost an important part of herself - perhaps the best part - while under our supervision. These things happen, regrettably. If, however, we are made aware of this loss, then of course the young lady in question would have to continue her studies elsewhere, if, that is, she still has any use for A-levels. Do I make myself clear?
JENNY
Can I go now?
HEADMISTRESS
If you would.
JENNY
turns round and walks out without saying another word.
61turns round and walks out without saying another word.
INTERIOR: JENNY’S HOUSE - EVENING
GRAHAM, JENNY
and her father are at the dinner table, sitting in the dark.
and her father are at the dinner table, sitting in the dark.
JACK
(
shouting to
MARJORIE)
shouting to
MARJORIE)
What are you doing in there?
JENNY
Well, I imagine she’s lighting the candles on my cake.
JACK
You’re seventeen, not two hundred and fifty.
There is an awkward pause.
GRAHAM
Thanks for inviting me.
JACK
It was Marjorie’s idea, not mine. Not even Jenny’s, come to that.
GRAHAM
looks stung.
looks stung.
JENNY
(
appalled
)
appalled
)
Dad!
MARJORIE
kicks the door open with her foot and comes in holding a birthday cake with seventeen candles burning on it. She puts it down carefully on the table.
kicks the door open with her foot and comes in holding a birthday cake with seventeen candles burning on it. She puts it down carefully on the table.
JACK
Blow them out, before the house burns down.
JENNY
closes her eyes, blows out her candles, just as -
closes her eyes, blows out her candles, just as -
GRAHAM
Make a . . . oh, OK. Don’t worry . . .
Everyone applauds as
JACK
gets up to turn the lights on. We can see that by
JENNY’S
side is an unopened, carefully wrapped present - clearly a book.
JACK
gets up to turn the lights on. We can see that by
JENNY’S
side is an unopened, carefully wrapped present - clearly a book.
MARJORIE
Who’d like a piece?
In truth, the cake is a rather sorry and unappetising specimen.There isn’t enough icing on the top. She cuts a couple of slices which immediately collapse.
GRAHAM
It doesn’t matter . . .
JACK
Come on. Presents.
Without any real enthusiasm,
JENNY
opens the present.
JENNY
opens the present.
It’s a new Latin dictionary.
JENNY
Oh. Thank you. I needed a new one.
GRAHAM
(
crestfallen
)
crestfallen
)
Oh dear. Snap!
GRAHAM
hands over a wrapped present exactly the same size and shape as the dictionary.
hands over a wrapped present exactly the same size and shape as the dictionary.
The doorbell rings.
JACK
goes to answer it, and immediately the house is energised: it’s
DAVID.
JACK
goes to answer it, and immediately the house is energised: it’s
DAVID.
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