The First Meeting
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Capwell house. Mason is sipping a drink in the atrium. The door bell rings...
Mason: Well... Hello! And who might you be if I may be so bold as to ask?
Mary: I'm Christie Duval's sister.
Mason: Well, do come in, Christie Duval's sister! I'm delighted to meet you. I'm Mason Capwell.
Mary comes inside the house.
Mason: Are you sure I can't fix you a drink? I make a wickid "Whiskey Sour Burbon". Martini? Ah... Just name it.
Mary: Nothing. Thank you.
Mason: How about a little drop of white wine?
Mary: No, thank you.
Mason: May be white wine is a little passe... Is... mineral water "au courant"?
Mary: Mineral water would be... great! If... if you really feel like you have to entertain me while I wait for Christie. But you really don't have to bother...
Mason: But I do! I do... I couldn't let such a... charming guest go... neglected. You are charming!
Mary: Thank you!
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Mason: I guess you are... accustomed to compliments on your looks.
Mary: Ah... not really.
Mason: I find it hard to believe. We'll have to rectify that. You have a lovely face. And a figure to match.
Mary: I know a few people who would be astonished to hear you say that.
Mason: Really? They must be blind. How lucky you have me!
Mary: Somehow I don't think I do have you.
Mason: No, but you could. If you have but to... say the word and I would be your servant.
Mary: But it isn't I who wants a servant. Perhaps some day you will know the joy of service.
Mason: Oh, I do know something about public service. I was Assistant DA for a while. It didn't take.
Mary: Mghuh. Sometimes it doesn't take with people who go into my business. Ahm... I'm in for life however.
Mason: Oh, now I'm intrigued. What are you? A doctor?
Mary smiles and shakes her head in disagreement.
Mason: A Supereme Court Judge?
Mary: No.
Christie comes along.
Mason: Well... there's Little Sister now.
Christie: Oh, hi!
Mary: Christie! Oh! I've been waiting for you.
Christie: I didn't know you were coming. I would've been here.
Mason: We've been having a delightful chat.
Mary: Oh, I... I'm staying in town for a day or two. And I thought may be we could have dinner together.
Christie: Oh. I am a... I have to take care of Brandon.
Mary: Oh, how about lunch?
Christie: Yeah, OK. I'd like that! Sure!
Mary: Oh, good! I invited Steve. Ahm... (to Mason) I have enjoyed meeting you Mason. I have to get back to my motel now.
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Mason: Where are you staying?
Mary: The Oasis Motel.
Mason: Oh, no! Heaven forbid! That will never do. It's... it's a hang out for prostitutes, all kinds of low-life... I've been there. I'll arrange for you to... I'll have your baggage picked up and moved over to the "Capwell Hotel".
Mary: Oh, no! I... I am quite satisfied where I am... I really... No...
Mason: I insist! I insist! Consider it done! Now if the two of you will excuse me I have avoided for too long the summons from on high, our Lord and Master. Excuse me.
Christie: Ah...
Mary: Christie, I'll give you a call tomorrow and tell you what time, OK?
Christie: OK.
Mary: OK.
Christie: Bye-bye.
Mary: Bye-bye.
Mary kisses Christie and leaves.
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The Second Meeting
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The bell rings. Mason opens the door. Mary is in the doorway.
Mason: Well! Mary?! How nice to see you again.
Mary: Hello Mason. I'm looking for Christie.
Mason: Well, that's too bad, 'cause you won't find her here. I'm told she just quit.
Mary: She quit? She just started.
Mason: Ahmm, it was all rather sudden I'm told.
Mary: Did... did she say where she was going?
Mason: Well, no, she didn't say anything to me... but she did leave a note... (points towards a table in the hall)...it's over there... Common, come in!
Mary enters the hall, takes the note and reads it..
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Mary: Please send my last pay cheque in care of Jade Perkins. (Puzzled, Mary looks at Mason) D'you know who that is?
Mason: Yes.
Mary: Do you know how I could get in touch with her?
Mason: Yes. By telephone. I'll get the number here somewhere I think... (Goes though all papers searching for Jade's number.)
Mary: Thank you. This is very kind of you.
Mason finds the phone number and shows it to Mary. She picks up the receiver and dials Jade's number..
Mason: Yeah, I am...ah... quite capable of being kind. Comes out once every full Moon.
Mason smiles and leaves the room. Mary speaks on the phone.
Mary: Ah... hello. I am trying to get in touch with Christie Duvall, I'm her sister... (listens) ...Oh really? Ahh... ahh... what's your name?.. Oh, you're Jade's mother. Ahh... Well, is Jade there? ...Beach party... OK, I... I will try to call back later. If you see Christie would you mention to her that Mary is trying to reach her?.. Thank you.
Mary puts down the receiver and goes into the main hall. Mason is waiting for her in there.
Mason: No luck?
Mary: No, I'm... I'm going to have to call back later.
Mason: Well, in that case why don't you sit down and have dinner with me?
Mary (surprized): Oh, no, no... I... I couldn't...
Mason: Oh, you're safe. (Looks up) Besides, the Moon is full and I am just oozing kindness from every pore. Cook is only cooking for two tonight. I think we fill that bill.
Mary: Thank you but I... I can't.
Mason: This was meant to be: I'm here, you're here (turns around and points towards the table laid for dinner for two) and dinner for two awaits. There is a noise of a chair being pulled up.)
Mason: Sit! (Music starts playing)
Mary (fascinated, Mary stares at Mason): All right. (Takes the bag off her shoulder) Thank you. (Sits down in the chair pulled back by Mason)
Mason: Good! (Having helped Mary with her chair, Mason sits down in the chair next to her.). I hate to eat alone.
Makes himself comfortable and stares at Mary.
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Mason: You have a quality that I like a great deal.
Mary: What quality is that?
Mason: Well, You have a kind of innocence about you for lack of a better word, that I find very provocative.
Mary: You find innocence provocative?
Mason: I know that sounds like a contradiction in terms but its not, you see surface innocence often hides a core of repressed passion and that is very provocative indeed
Mary: you know, I hate to disillusion you Mason but I'm not repressed underneath this calm exterior lies a calm interior
Mason: Maybe you just need a catalyst to affect some changes.
Mary: I don't think so.
Mason: You have a nice smile too .
Mary: You know, you keep turning the conversation around to me, I want to know about you what do you like?
Mason: I hoped to let you find out over time but if you need a capsule description I guess you have to say that I'm part of that vanishing breed known as misunderstood men.
Mary: Who is it that misunderstands you?
Mason: Name it family, friends, women I'm attracted to, they think that I'm cold and insensitive even sarcastic if you can believe that.
Mary: And naturally you are nothing of the sort
Mason: Naturally not, no that just protective coloration. Under the surface I'm really very vulnerable, very easily hurt I'm only tell you this so that when I make advances later on you'll be careful not to reject me. I know you wouldn't want to hurt my feelings.
Mary: I promise you mason if anything like that should happen I reject you very gently.
Mason: Thank you.
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Mason: This is my kind of music, lyric jazz, what kind of music do you like?
Mary: Gregorian chance.
Mason: That's fascinating you're always making unexpected terms it's no wonder that I'm attracted to you. I'm going to bet that that goes both ways and ask you to dance.
Mary: Oh no, no I haven't danced in eons.
Mason: Nonsense, every one dances, it's instinctive, it's part of the muscle memory built in to all of us all you have to do is exercise it, and what better way to do that than on a dance floor?
As they start dancing Mason continues: There you see, dancing is genetically inbred into all of us and you doing very well incidentally.
Mary: Well actually you're doing most of it. You have a very strong lead.
Mason: Thank you. Aren't your muscle starting to remember from your dim prehistoric past sense of ancient evenings long before the dawn of dinner parties people sitting around in caves eating by fire light getting up to dance to the sensuous rithems and primitive bits of their uncivilized music. Can't you feel it pulsing through you?
Mary: I'm not sure what I feel except awkward.
Mason: Well you shouldn't, you can start by loosening up a little bit, there's a no need to be tense you don't have to be afraid of me. Underneath my calm exterior there is nothing but a mixture of warmth, tenderness, maybe desire, intense desire.
Mason tries to kiss Mary and she pulls herself away, he apologizes :I'm sorry, I move too fast.
Mary: Oh no it wasn't that. I mean yes I think you do move too fast but I haven't been fair to you, I think I was enjoying myself too much.
Mason: Talk about a contradiction in terms.
Mary: Mason there's something I haven't told you.
Mason: Oh no you're married .
Mary: In a way .
Mason: In a way? A marriage of convenience I hope, something in name only. Are you separated?
Mary points her chain cross towards him to give him a clue about the church.
Mason: You think I'm a vampire? No, so you are catholic surely they haven't issued any new encyclicals against sex .
Mary: No but they discourage it among nuns .
Mason: Yes I know that but that doesn't mean that you have...
Finally Mason gets it: You're a nun? Good God!
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A few minutes after
Mason: Are you sure you have to leave so early I can have Rosa make coffee, we could argue theology until the saints came marching in.
Mary: Thank you but I'm an early riser.
Mason: Yes I suppose you have to be, don't you? Mornings at seven, God in his condo and all right with the world.
Mary: I think you're trying to shock me but it's not going to work.
Mason: Obviously not, you can't blame a guy for trying though especially since he was so recently shocked himself.
Mary: I do apologize for that, but it turned out to be a very charming evening.
Mason: Charming? Yes, a little traumatic for some of us. At least you have a sense of humor about it.
Mary: You're not so bad yourself; I think that you recovered very nicely after, after you found out about me.
Mason: Well my mother was a woman of relentless poise, she always taught me to no matter what the crises to steak in my thumb and pull out a plum I owe it all to her.
Mary: I think that's a great philosophy .
Mason: You think there's a, any chance we'll see each other again .
Mary: I hope so.
Mason: Well you're just being polite but I'm really quite serious I think it be nice if we got together again some time. If you promise not to try to convert me.
Mary: I think I'm too much of a realist for that.
Mason: Don't give up so easily don't you get extra points for bringing new souls to Sunday mass?
Mary: Now come to think it you'd be a real challenge, you know if I can bring you into the church they might allow me to retire early. Maybe as early as next week .
Mason: Well, go on, take your chance. Just name the time.
Mary: I was kidding Mason; I don't even live in Santa Barbara .
Mason: see, well next time you're in town then, or just passing through I'll treat you to a nice chaste evening at some not too secluded rendezvous.
Mary: You know how to reach me if the mood strikes you.
Mason: Thank you for the night.
Mary: Oh thank you I wouldn't have missed it for anything. Good night Mason .
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