Anica Enciso

M.T. 31401418

SCENE 1

AS THE ACTION BEGINS WITH AMANDA CALLING TOM TO THE DINNER TABLE, THE TENSION IN THE FAMILY IMMEDIATELY BECOMES APPARENT. AMANDA IS A SYMPATHETIC CHARACTER, BUT SHE IS ALSO DEMANDING OF HER CHILDREN AND OFTEN QUITE SILLY - INSTRUCTING TOM, ALTHOUGH HE IS A GROWN MAN WHOSE WAGES SUPPORT THEIR FAMILY, HOW TO CHEW HIS FOOD. LAURA TRIES TO CLEAR THE TABLE, BUT AMANDA TELLS HER TO SIT AND BE THE LADY WHILE SHE DOES THE WORK.

• AS TOM GOES OUT TO SMOKE A CIGARETTE, AMANDA TELLS A STORY SHE HAS OFTEN TOLD BEFORE, ABOUT ONE DAY IN HER YOUTH WHEN SHE RECEIVED SEVENTEEN GENTLEMAN CALLERS IN A SINGLE AFTERNOON. SHE NAMES THEM, TELLS WHAT THEY WENT ON TO DO WITH THEIR LIVES, AND REMINDS HER CHILDREN MISERABLY THAT SHE, WHO HAD HER PICK, CHOSE THEIR FATHER. SHE THEN ASKS LAURA WHEN LAURA'S OWN GENTLEMAN CALLERS ARE GOING TO START ARRIVING, AND LAURA RESPONDS NERVOUSLY THAT SHE HAS NONE. THE QUESTION CLEARLY MAKES TOM UNCOMFORTABLE. AMANDA RESPONDS WITH INCREDULITY TO LAURA'S INSISTENCE THAT SHE IS NOT AS POPULAR AS HER MOTHER WAS BACK IN THE SMALL TOWN OF BLUE MOUNTAIN. THE SCENE CLOSES WITH LAURA REMARKING WISTFULLY TO TOM THAT THEIR MOTHER IS AFRAID THAT LAURA WILL BE AN OLD MAID.

SCENE 2

• LAURA IS POLISHING HER COLLECTION OF GLASS ANIMALS, AND AMANDA RETURNS HOME VISIBLY DISTURBED. SHE HAS MADE AN UNSETTLING DISCOVERY. ON THE WAY TO HER D.A.R. MEETING (DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION), AMANDA STOPPED AT RUBICAM'S BUSINESS COLLEGE, WHERE LAURA HAS SUPPOSEDLY BEEN TAKING LESSONS, TO TELL THE TEACHERS THAT LAURA HAS A COLD AND TO ASK ABOUT LAURA'S PROGRESS. AMANDA DISCOVERED THAT LAURA HAS NOT BEEN GOING TO CLASS EVERYDAY, BUT INSTEAD DROPPED OUT OF THE SCHOOL AFTER ONLY A FEW DAYS OF ATTENDANCE. THE TEACHER REMEMBERED LAURA ONLY AS THE SHY GIRL WHO TREMBLED SO MUCH THAT SHE COULDN'T HIT THE KEYS.

• AMANDA, BEMOANING THE WASTE OF FIFTY DOLLARS FOR THE TUITION, ASKS LAURA WHERE SHE HAS BEEN EVERYDAY. LAURA, CLEARLY SHAKEN AND GUILT-STRICKEN, ADMITS THAT SHE HAS SPENT ALL OF THESE DAYS WALKING IN THE PARK OR GOING TO MUSEUMS, KEEPING UP THE DECEPTION BECAUSE SHE COULD NOT BEAR AMANDA'S DISAPPOINTMENT.

SCENE 3• WE THEN CUT TO A VERY DIFFERENT SCENE, OF TOM AND

AMANDA LOCKED IN A VICIOUS ARGUMENT, WHICH IS ALREADY IN PROGRESS. A HORRIFIED LAURA WATCHES AS TOM AND AMANDA SCREAM AT EACH OTHER. TOM EXPRESSES OUTRAGE THAT AMANDA CONFISCATED HIS BOOKS. AMANDA IS NOT COWED, SAYING THAT SHE WILL NOT ALLOW ANY BOOKS BY "MR. LAWRENCE" IN HER HOME. TOM RESPONDS THAT HE IS THE ONE WHO PAYS THE RENT, AND THAT HE IS THE ONE WHO HAS GIVEN UP HIS DREAMS TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILY. STAGE DIRECTIONS INDICATE THAT THE UPRIGHT TYPEWRITER IS SURROUNDED BY MANUSCRIPTS IN A STATE OF DISARRAY, AND THAT THE BATTLE BETWEEN TOM AND AMANDA WAS PROBABLY INSTIGATED BY AMANDA'S INTERRUPTION OF TOM'S WRITING.

• AMANDA IS ALSO OUTRAGED BECAUSE SHE DOES NOT KNOW WHERE TOM GOES AT NIGHT. SHE DOES NOT BELIEVE HIS CLAIM THAT HE SPENDS HIS NIGHTS OUT AT THE MOVIES, AND SHE IS ANGERED BY THE DRUNKEN STATE IN WHICH HE OFTEN RETURNS HOME. SHE FEARS THAT HIS NIGHTS OUT JEOPARDIZE HIS DAY JOB, AND THAT IF HE LOSES HIS JOB THEIR SECURITY WILL BE THREATENED.

SCENE 4• AWKWARDLY, TOM TRIES TO APOLOGIZE TO AMANDA AS HE

TAKES HIS MORNING COFFEE. AMANDA FEELS THAT SHE SUFFERS AND STRUGGLES FOR THE SAKE OF HER CHILDREN, AND THAT HER EFFORTS GO UNAPPRECIATED BY TOM. TOM TRIES TO TELL HER THAT HE DOESN'T HATE HER AND THAT HE UNDERSTANDS HER FEELINGS. AMANDA ALSO TELLS TOM HE CANNOT FAIL; WITHOUT HIM, SHE CANNOT KEEP THE FAMILY TOGETHER. SHE BELIEVES THAT IF TOM APPLIES HIMSELF HE WILL SUCCEED; THE IDEA OF HER CHILDREN'S SUCCESS IS AN EXHILARATING ONE FOR HER, AND SHE BECOMES BREATHLESS JUST SPEAKING ABOUT IT. AMANDA ALSO ASKS TOM TO PROMISE THAT HE WILL NEVER BE A DRUNKARD. SHE EXHORTS HIM TO EAT, BUT HE REFUSES EVERYTHING EXCEPT FOR BLACK COFFEE, IMPLYING THAT HE IS HUNGOVER.

• AMANDA IS CONCERNED. SHE TELLS TOM THAT LAURA THINKS HE IS UNHAPPY. SHE ASKS WHY - AND IF - HE GOES TO THE MOVIES EVERY NIGHT. TOM RESPONDS THAT HE LIKES LOTS OF ADVENTURE, AND THAT HIS JOB AT THE WAREHOUSE DOES NOT PROVIDE ANY. AMANDA IS WORRIED THAT TOM WILL ABANDON THEM. FEARFUL FOR LAURA'S FUTURE, AMANDA TELLS TOM THAT HE CAN LEAVE IF HE CAN FIND A REPLACEMENT - A GENTLEMAN CALLER FOR LAURA, WHO WILL EVENTUALLY MARRY HER AND PROVIDE FOR HER. AMANDA EXHORTS TOM TO OVERCOME SELFISHNESS. AN INCREASINGLY FRUSTRATED TOM TRIES TO BREAK OFF THE CONVERSATION AND GO TO WORK, BUT NOT BEFORE HE BEGRUDGINGLY AGREES TO LOOK FOR A GENTLEMAN CALLER FOR HIS SISTER.

SCENE 5• AMANDA JOINS TOM ON THE FIRE ESCAPE. TOM REVEALS TO

HER THAT HE HAS FOUND A GENTLEMAN CALLER FOR LAURA. AMANDA IS THRILLED, BUT TOM ALSO TELLS HER THAT THE GENTLEMAN CALLER IS ARRIVING TOMORROW EVENING. AMANDA IS STARTLED, AFRAID THAT SHE WILL NOT HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO MAKE THE HOME PRESENTABLE. FOR AMANDA, THIS IS A MAJOR EVENT: SHE'LL SEND FOR A NEW FLOOR LAMP, POLISH HER WEDDING SILVER, PUT CHINTZ COVERS ON, WEAR NICE CLOTHES, ETC. SHE BEGINS TO GRILL TOM ON THE GENTLEMAN CALLER'S CHARACTER; SHE IS PARTICULARLY CONCERNED THAT HE MIGHT BE A DRUNKARD.

• HIS NAME IS JIM O'CONNOR. AS FAR AS TOM KNOWS, HE IS NOT A HEAVY DRINKER. HE WORKS AS A SHIPPING CLERK AT THE WAREHOUSE FOR EIGHTY-FIVE DOLLARS A MONTH (TWENTY DOLLARS MORE THAN TOM'S MONTHLY SALARY). HE IS NOT TOO GOOD-LOOKING, NOR IS HE UGLY. HE GOES TO NIGHT SCHOOL, BELIEVES IN SELF-IMPROVEMENT, AND HAS GREAT AMBITIONS.

SCENE 6

• LAURA, FOR THE FIRST TIME, HEARS THE NAME OF THE GENTLEMAN CALLER, AND SHE REALIZES THAT IT MIGHT BE THE SAME JIM ON WHOM SHE HAD A CRUSH BACK IN HIGH SCHOOL. SHE TELLS AMANDA THAT IF IT IS THE SAME JIM, SHE WILL NOT COME TO THE TABLE. THE IDEA OF FACING JIM HORRIFIES HER. WHEN THE DOORBELL RINGS, A TERRIFIED LAURA ARGUES WITH AN INCREASINGLY IRATE AMANDA ABOUT WHO WILL ANSWER THE DOOR. LAURA FINALLY LETS THE TWO MEN IN BUT FLEES AFTER BEING INTRODUCED TO JIM.

• JIM IS BOISTEROUS AND CONSTANTLY TALKS ABOUT THE SELF-IMPROVEMENT COURSES IN WHICH HE IS INVOLVED. AS THEY WAIT FOR THE WOMEN, HE TRIES TO CONVINCE TOM TO ENROLL IN A PUBLIC SPEAKING COURSE WITH HIM. TOM IS UNINTERESTED. JIM WARNS TOM THAT THE BOSS IS NOT PLEASED WITH TOM AND HE MAY SOON BE OUT OF A JOB. TOM RESPONDS THAT HE IS PREPARING FOR A CHANGE. HE GIVES A SPEECH ABOUT BEING TIRED OF THE MOVIES: MOVIES TRANQUILIZE PEOPLE, MAKING THEM CONTENT TO WATCH OTHER PEOPLE'S ADVENTURES WITHOUT HAVING ANY OF THEIR OWN. HE TELLS JIM OF HIS PLANS TO JOIN THE MERCHANT SEAMEN. THIS MONTH HE HAS PAID HIS DUES TO THE MERCHANT SEAMEN INSTEAD OF THE LIGHT BILL, AND HE PLANS TO LEAVE ST. LOUIS. AMANDA DOES NOT KNOW OF HIS PLANS, AND JIM IS INCREDULOUS, BUT BEFORE THE TWO MEN CAN REALLY TALK ABOUT IT, AMANDA ENTERS, DRESSED AS IF SHE WERE A YOUNG SOUTHERN BELLE, AND IMMEDIATELY BEGINS TO TALK JIM'S EAR OFF.

SCENE 7THEY HAVE A FRIENDLY CONVERSATION BY CANDLELIGHT. JIM REVEALS THAT HE WAS NEVER ENGAGED, AND THAT HIS OLD GIRLFRIEND WAS THE ONE WHO PUT THE ANNOUNCEMENT IN THE YEARBOOK. THEY NO LONGER SEE EACH OTHER. LAURA SPEAKS ADMIRABLY OF JIM'S VOICE, AND HE AUTOGRAPHS THE PROGRAM OF THE SHOW HE WAS IN, THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE. INDEED, SHE WAS TOO SHY TO BRING THE PROGRAM TO HIM BACK IN HIGH SCHOOL, BUT SHE HAS KEPT IT ALL THESE YEARS. JIM TRIES TO GIVE LAURA ADVICE ABOUT RAISING HER SELF-ESTEEM, AND TALKS ABOUT HIS PLANS TO GET INVOLVED WITH THE NASCENT TELEVISION INDUSTRY.

• LAURA SHOWS JIM HER GLASS COLLECTION. THEY LOOK CLOSELY AT A LITTLE GLASS UNICORN, REMARKING ON HOW THE UNICORN MUST FEEL ODD DUE TO ITS UNIQUENESS. THEY PUT THE UNICORN DOWN ON A DIFFERENT TABLE, FOR "A CHANGE OF SCENERY." LAURA BASHFULLY ADMIRES JIM, WHILE JIM GROWS INCREASINGLY FLIRTATIOUS. WHEN HE HEARS THE MUSIC OF THE PARADISE DANCE HALL, HE ASKS HER TO DANCE WITH HIM. HE TRIES TO HELP HER SHED HER SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS, AND THE TWO OF THEM BEGIN TO GROW CLOSE - BUT SUDDENLY, THEY JOSTLE THE TABLE AND KNOCK OVER THE UNICORN, BREAKING OFF ITS HORN. JIM APOLOGIZES BUT LAURA TELLS HIM NOT TO WORRY. SHE CAN PRETEND THE UNICORN HAD AN OPERATION TO MAKE IT FEEL LESS FREAKISH.

• JIM SPEAKS ADMIRINGLY OF LAURA'S CHARACTER, AND THEN BEGINS TO PRAISE HER LOOKS. HE TELLS HER THAT SHE IS PRETTY, AND LAURA BLUSHES WITH SHY BLISS OVER THIS UNEXPECTED PRAISE. THEN, SUDDENLY, JIM KISSES HER. IMMEDIATELY, HE SEEMS TO REGRET THE KISS. AWKWARDLY, HE ADMITS TO LAURA THAT HE IS ENGAGED. LAURA'S FACE REVEALS TERRIBLE DESOLATION. SHE GIVES HIM THE BROKEN UNICORN AS A SOUVENIR. THEN SHE GOES TO THE VICTROLA AND WINDS IT UP. AMANDA RUSHES IN, ONLY TO HEAR JIM'S ANNOUNCEMENT THAT HE HAS TO LEAVE. WHEN AMANDA TELLS JIM THAT HE SHOULD COME AGAIN, HE TELLS HER ABOUT HIS PLANS TO MARRY HIS CURRENT GIRLFRIEND. HE ALSO MENTIONS THAT NO ONE AT THE WAREHOUSE KNOWS ABOUT THE ENGAGEMENT. HE LEAVES.

• JIM SPEAKS ADMIRINGLY OF LAURA'S CHARACTER, AND THEN BEGINS TO PRAISE HER LOOKS. HE TELLS HER THAT SHE IS PRETTY, AND LAURA BLUSHES WITH SHY BLISS OVER THIS UNEXPECTED PRAISE. THEN, SUDDENLY, JIM KISSES HER. IMMEDIATELY, HE SEEMS TO REGRET THE KISS. AWKWARDLY, HE ADMITS TO LAURA THAT HE IS ENGAGED. LAURA'S FACE REVEALS TERRIBLE DESOLATION. SHE GIVES HIM THE BROKEN UNICORN AS A SOUVENIR. THEN SHE GOES TO THE VICTROLA AND WINDS IT UP. AMANDA RUSHES IN, ONLY TO HEAR JIM'S ANNOUNCEMENT THAT HE HAS TO LEAVE. WHEN AMANDA TELLS JIM THAT HE SHOULD COME AGAIN, HE TELLS HER ABOUT HIS PLANS TO MARRY HIS CURRENT GIRLFRIEND. HE ALSO MENTIONS THAT NO ONE AT THE WAREHOUSE KNOWS ABOUT THE ENGAGEMENT. HE LEAVES.