An Education (8 page)
Authors: Nick Hornby
They all look at her.
DAVID
I’ll talk to them.
JENNY
hoots with derision.
hoots with derision.
JENNY
You’re going to ask my father if you can take me away for the weekend? He’d have you arrested.
DAVID
We’ll see.
JENNY
I’ll bet you you can’t.
DAVID
How much?
DANNY
(
amused
)
amused
)
I’d be careful, if I were you, Jenny.You don’t know who you’re dealing with.
JENNY
Half-a-crown.
DAVID
You’re on.
INTERIOR/EXTERIOR: DAVID’S CAR/ DILAPIDATED HOUSE - DAY
JENNY
and
DAVID
are driving along a North Kensington street.
and
DAVID
are driving along a North Kensington street.
JENNY
How do you know Danny?
DAVID
is distracted. He’s driving slowly, apparently looking for an address.
is distracted. He’s driving slowly, apparently looking for an address.
DAVID
Oh, you know. We kept bumping into each other, and we became pals, and we’ve ended up doing a bit of business together, when it suits us.
JENNY
What kind of business?
DAVID
Property. A bit of art dealing. Some buying and selling. This and that . . .
He stops the car.
Right. I’ll just be two ticks.
He gets out of the car, and
JENNY
watches him as he crosses the road. Outside a dilapidated house covered in scaffolding stands a large West Indian family - mother, father, three or four small children and a dog.They are surrounded by what appears to be all their worldly goods.
JENNY
watches him as he crosses the road. Outside a dilapidated house covered in scaffolding stands a large West Indian family - mother, father, three or four small children and a dog.They are surrounded by what appears to be all their worldly goods.
DAVID
squats down on his haunches, talks to the kids, tousles the hair of the smallest.Then he takes out a bunch of keys and ushers the family down the path. He unlocks the door and leads them inside.
squats down on his haunches, talks to the kids, tousles the hair of the smallest.Then he takes out a bunch of keys and ushers the family down the path. He unlocks the door and leads them inside.
In an upper window of the house, we see an old lady peering down anxiously.
30EXTERIOR: STREET/DILAPIDATED HOUSE - DAY
DAVID
emerges from the house, jangling his keys.
31emerges from the house, jangling his keys.
INTERIOR: DAVID’S CAR - DAY
JENNY
opens the glove compartment where
DAVID
keeps his cigarettes, takes out the packet, removes and lights one for herself.
DAVID
gets in.
opens the glove compartment where
DAVID
keeps his cigarettes, takes out the packet, removes and lights one for herself.
DAVID
gets in.
DAVID
Sorry about that.
JENNY
How do you know those . . . Negro people?
DAVID
They’re clients.
JENNY
Clients?
DAVID
Schwarzers have to live somewhere. It’s not as if they can rent off their own kind, is it?
He starts the car and drives off.
32INTERIOR: CLASS ROOM/LATIN - DAY
JENNY
is in her Latin class, waiting for the lesson to begin.
TINA
and
HAT TIE
aren’t with her, and she sits on her own - the atmosphere of the class is very different from
MISS STUBBS’
English lessons.The girls are different, more serious, less fun, and the atmosphere is more sombre.The teacher,
MRS WILSON,
is older, plainer, stricter. She holds some papers.
is in her Latin class, waiting for the lesson to begin.
TINA
and
HAT TIE
aren’t with her, and she sits on her own - the atmosphere of the class is very different from
MISS STUBBS’
English lessons.The girls are different, more serious, less fun, and the atmosphere is more sombre.The teacher,
MRS WILSON,
is older, plainer, stricter. She holds some papers.
MRS WILSON
Test results for the Virgil translation. We will start from the bottom . . . Patricia.
JENNY
puffs out her cheeks. She’s not last.
puffs out her cheeks. She’s not last.
Absent. Margaret. 48 per cent. Jenny . . .
JENNY
winces.
winces.
52 per cent. That would just about scrape a pass in the exam proper. Not good enough for Oxford candidates.
INTERIOR/EXTERIOR: JENNY’S HOUSE - DAY
JENNY
and her mother are sitting on the sofa, staring into space, clearly upset. On the coffee table in front of them is the test, covered in red ink.
and her mother are sitting on the sofa, staring into space, clearly upset. On the coffee table in front of them is the test, covered in red ink.
JACK
enters, back from work. He’s wearing a suit and carrying a battered briefcase. He looks at them, and then notices the essay on the table.
enters, back from work. He’s wearing a suit and carrying a battered briefcase. He looks at them, and then notices the essay on the table.
JACK
It’s her Latin, isn’t it?
MARJORIE
Everyone’s doing their best, Jack.
JACK
But what if everyone’s best isn’t good enough? What do we do then?
JENNY
We don’t go to Oxford. Any of us.
Not even you, Dad.
JACK
Perhaps the whole thing’s a waste of time and money anyway.
MARJORIE
You don’t mean that.
JACK
Well, what’s she going to do with an English degree? If she’s going to spend three years playing that bloody cello and talking in French to a bunch of beatniks, then I’m just throwing good money after bad. I suppose she might meet a nice lawyer. But she could do that at a dinner dance tomorrow.
JENNY
Oh, because that’s the point of an Oxford education, isn’t it, Dad? It’s the expensive alternative to a dinner dance.
MARJORIE
What about private tuition?
JACK
Is anyone listening to me? How much is that going to cost me?
MARJORIE
Five shillings an hour. Maybe a little more for A-level.
JACK
Five bob! We spend five bob here and five bob there, next thing you know it’s our savings down the drain.
MARJORIE
And what else are we spending five bob on? What else are we spending sixpence on?
JACK
Oh, nothing. (
He gestures round the room
.) All of this is free. That vase was free.
He gestures round the room
.) All of this is free. That vase was free.
MARJORIE
It was, actually. It was a present from Auntie Vi.
JACK
That chair was free. The sofa. We don’t have to pay for anything. That’s the beauty of life, Jenny. Everything’s free. Grows on trees. Wonderful, isn’t it? (
He warms to his theme and grows progressively more berserk
.) We’ve got a lovely Oxford tree in the garden, lucky for you, so that’s Oxford taken care of. And a whole orchard of school trees, so that’s all free. I’m sure there are some private tuition trees out there. I’ll go and have a look.
He warms to his theme and grows progressively more berserk
.) We’ve got a lovely Oxford tree in the garden, lucky for you, so that’s Oxford taken care of. And a whole orchard of school trees, so that’s all free. I’m sure there are some private tuition trees out there. I’ll go and have a look.
He stands up.
MARJORIE
Jack . . .
JACK
No, no, won’t take me a minute. I think I saw some out the front, right next to the pocket money tree. I’ll just nip out and check, see that they’re doing all right. Don’t want anyone climbing over the wall and scrumping, do we? And you never know. Maybe there’ll be a man with deep pockets growing out there. Because God knows we need to find you one.
He leaves the room, apparently to look in the front garden for the mythical trees.
34EXTERIOR: STREET/COFFEE BAR - DAY
JENNY, HATTIE
and
TINA
are walking back from school.
and
TINA
are walking back from school.
TINA
You can always go to secretarial college with Hattie.
JENNY
(
sarcastic
)
sarcastic
)
Oh, thanks.
HAT TIE
Charming!
JENNY
Oh, God, no.
HATTIE
and
TINA
follow
JENNY’S
eyes, and they see
GRAHAM
coming towards them pushing his bike, red-faced, trousers tucked into socks.
and
TINA
follow
JENNY’S
eyes, and they see
GRAHAM
coming towards them pushing his bike, red-faced, trousers tucked into socks.
GRAHAM
Hello.
JENNY
Hello, Graham.
GRAHAM
I haven’t seen you in ages . . . It went a bit wrong, didn’t it? The tea-party, I mean. Was it because of the year off thing?
JENNY
No. I just have so much work to do if I’m going to get the grades I need.
TINA
Yes. She doesn’t have time for boys.
HATTIE
and
TINA
try to suppress giggles.
GRAHAM
turns an even brighter shade of red.
HATTIE
and
TINA
enter the coffee bar.
JENNY
feels sorry for him, is on the verge of inviting him to join them . . . And changes her mind.
and
TINA
try to suppress giggles.
GRAHAM
turns an even brighter shade of red.
HATTIE
and
TINA
enter the coffee bar.
JENNY
feels sorry for him, is on the verge of inviting him to join them . . . And changes her mind.
JENNY
(
quickly
)
quickly
)
Bye, Graham.
She follows the girls inside.
GRAHAM
Bye.
INTERIOR: JENNY’S BEDROOM/ UPPER HALLWAY - NIGHT
JENNY
is deep in her schoolwork. She has a Latin vocabulary propped open on the window ledge. She looks at it, walks away, mutters to herself, attempting to memorise. Her concentration is broken by a sudden gale of laughter from downstairs.
36is deep in her schoolwork. She has a Latin vocabulary propped open on the window ledge. She looks at it, walks away, mutters to herself, attempting to memorise. Her concentration is broken by a sudden gale of laughter from downstairs.
INTERIOR: JENNY’S HALLWAY - NIGHT
She stands outside the living room for a moment, listening. She hears a man’s voice that does not belong to her father, and then more laughter from her father and mother.
37INTERIOR: JENNY’S HOUSE - NIGHT
DAVID
is in the middle of demonstrating his ability to mimic all of the Goons.
JACK
and
MARJORIE
are laughing so hard that they can hardly see - they certainly miss
JENNY’S
entrance.
is in the middle of demonstrating his ability to mimic all of the Goons.
JACK
and
MARJORIE
are laughing so hard that they can hardly see - they certainly miss
JENNY’S
entrance.
JENNY
(
curious
)
curious
)
Hello.
JACK
Jenny, David does the most fantastic Bluebottle.
JENNY
(
incredulous
)
incredulous
)
You came to see my parents?
JACK
Why is that so hard to imagine?
JENNY
spies an open bottle of wine on the coffee table.
spies an open bottle of wine on the coffee table.
JENNY
Why are you drinking? It’s not Christmas!
JACK
Ah, well, there’s a lot you don’t know about us, young lady. We had a life before you came along.
JENNY
Yes, that’s true. I’m only going on what I’ve seen for the last sixteen years.
MARJORIE
I’m trying to think what you missed. Nothing much comes to mind.
JENNY
Anyway. I’ve got a huge pile of Latin translation to do.
JACK
You didn’t tell us David went to Oxford.
JENNY
looks at
DAVID,
who stares back at her straight-faced.
looks at
DAVID,
who stares back at her straight-faced.
JENNY
No. I didn’t.
DAVID
For all the good it did me.
MARJORIE
Isn’t that funny?
JENNY
Extraordinary.
DAVID
I was just telling Jack that I’m going back next weekend. I go and visit my old English professor every now and again.
JACK
That’s what you need, Jenny. Someone on the inside track. It’s not always what you know, is it, David?
DAVID
Too true. Have you ever come across Clive Lewis?
JENNY
Dad has never come across anyone.
DAVID
He wrote a children’s book called
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
that did very well, I believe.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
that did very well, I believe.
MARJORIE
C. S. Lewis? That’s the Clive you’re talking about?
DAVID
Well, to us he was the old codger who taught Medieval literature. But I came to know him very well. We just . . . got along, you know?
Everyone murmurs their comprehension.
MARJORIE
Jenny used to devour those books.
JENNY
I’d love to meet him.
There is a pause.
JACK
and
MARJORIE
look at the floor. Somehow,
DAVID
has manoeuvred a situation where, effectively, he is the one being asked.
JACK
and
MARJORIE
look at the floor. Somehow,
DAVID
has manoeuvred a situation where, effectively, he is the one being asked.
DAVID
I’m sorry. Am I being slow on the uptake? Would Jenny like to come at the weekend?
JACK
Oh, not this weekend. Sometime, perhaps, yes.
JENNY
How often do you see him?
DAVID
Not very often. Every couple of years. Maybe next time?
JENNY
(
disappointed
)
disappointed
)
Oh.
JACK
(
dubiously
)
dubiously
)
Well, I suppose . . . Would she have to stay the night?
DAVID
I wouldn’t recommend driving home after one of those Oxford dinners.
JACK
chuckles knowingly.
chuckles knowingly.
Clive could get her a room at the college. It’s easy enough.
MARJORIE
Seems like too good an opportunity to pass up.
JACK
It wouldn’t be a bother to you, would it, David?
JACK, MARJORIE
and
JENNY
all beam.
38and
JENNY
all beam.
INTERIOR: DANNY’S FLAT - DAY
DAVID
and
DANNY
are waiting for the girls to get ready.
DANNY
is sitting sprawled in an armchair;
DAVID
is pacing up and down.
and
DANNY
are waiting for the girls to get ready.
DANNY
is sitting sprawled in an armchair;
DAVID
is pacing up and down.
DAVID
Come on!
INTERIOR: HELEN’S BEDROOM - DAY
An ornate four-poster bed occupies most of the space in the room.
HELEN
is doing something to
JENNY,
but we can’t see what.
HELEN
is doing something to
JENNY,
but we can’t see what.
HELEN
Just putting a few things in a bag. Don’t worry!
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