|
Ted and Mason bump into each other in the doorway of the Capwell's mansion.
Ted: Ah! Oh! Hey! Mason, look…
Mason: Well, “Hey” yourself. What are you doing? (starts taking a mick out of Ted's tux and trainers combo) Taking your Halloween costume out for a jog?
Ted: What are you looking at? No. There's a… I guess I'm in the mood. See I… Eden asked me to hand out some of the invites for her. And… believe it or not… I have one of them here for you.
Mason: Me? You mean I'm actually to be a guest at this shindig?
Ted: Well, I'm sure she gave it a lot of thought before she decided to invite you. But… it's yours.
Mason: Mason Capwell. That's me. Listen, when you get through being messenger of the Gods, I wanna have a little talk with you.
Ted: OK. Well, I'll be back in one hour or so…
Mason: Great. Are you… you don't have one in there for Mary, do you?
Ted: Man, I don't know. Let's see. Ahm… Mary…
Mason: Duval.
Ted (keeps looking through the invitation cards): Yeah! Yeah. I could give it to her now. I think she's on duty, isn't she?
Mason: Why don't you let me give it to her? That way I'd feel like I've contributed something to this little soiree.
Ted: All right. (gives Mason Mary's invitation) Fine by me. Thanks.
Mason: Sure… Ahm… Well, you go ahead and complete the… your appointed rounds. I'll talk to you when you get back.
Ted: OK.
In the meantime Gina is checking the nurses' schedule.
Gina: Just as I thought… Mary's on duty the night of the party. That's not going to do at all. Gotta get that other nurse.
Mary comes downstairs and runs into Mason.
Mason: Mary! (His voice scares her.)
Mary (laughs): Mason!
Mason: If I've startled you, it's for a… good cause. What I have here is the hottest ticket in town. It's an invitation to my sister's party next Wednesday night. I can bring a guest but I haven't decided who to invite.
Mary: Well, I am sure that you must know… hundreds of… available women who would be delighted to be asked by you.
Mason: Oh, I know, I know. But that would involve picking up the phone and then dialing… talking into. I really don't have the energy for that sort of thing. I've got a better idea.
Mary: What?
Mason: Why don't you come with me? I'd feel much safer if you were there, just in… in case I felt faint because of my bullet wound or… or my old polo injury started acting up.
Mary: Well… If I… can be useful.
Mason: Oh, you would be enormously.
Mary: Well, I'll have to check my schedule. Ahm… Ahm… Wednesday?
Mason: Yep.
Mary: Night. Yeah... (checks the schedule) Oh!!! I'm working Wednesday night.
Mason: Well, can you switch with somebody or… bribe somebody to take your place?
Mary: Not really. Not without Gina's permission.
Mason: You need Gina's permission, hah?
Mary: Yeah. Well, I wouldn't mind asking her, but… you know she's been very… ahm… unpredictable lately. I don't know how she'd react.
Mason: Whahm… Why don't you let me worry about Gina?
Mary: You… you wanna ask her for me?
Mason: No. Just exert a little “undue influence” as it's called. You just worry about what you're going to wear. (gives her a big smile)
Later on.
Mason: Gina! Wait!
Gina: Yes.
Mason: Where are you off to? I've been looking for you.
Gina: I'm going to have a lonely lunch, but if you'd like to join me, I'm certain you can liven things up.
Mason: Oh, no. I'd like to, but… I have a… a lot to take care of today.
Gina: You're always so busy lately.
Mason: Yeah, I know. Listen, I wanna talk to you about the nurses' schedule.
Gina: Why? What do you care about the schedule?
Mason: Well, it's Mary. She… ahm… she wants the night of Eden's party off and I promised her that I would talk to you about it.
Gina: Oh, really? Well, why didn't she just ask me?
Mason: I guess she was afraid you'd say “No”.
Gina: Well, I don't understand that. I thought we were very good friends.
Mason: Really? I had no idea.
Gina: Well, I hoped we were, but then I always hope I'm good friends with people and it turns out later on that I am not.
Mason (laughs): What about the schedule Gina?
Gina: Well, I suppose we can work something out…. somehow… The other nurse likes to work nights so she can eat popcorn and watch horror films. I'm sure she would… switch with Mary.
Mason: Oh, that's wonderful. I'm sure Mary will be very grateful.
Gina: To you or to me?
Mason: To you… of course.
Gina: Mason I wish you'd be grateful to me.
Mason: What… I don't know what you mean Gina. I'm eternally grateful to you.
Gina: You said…
Mason: Right now I can't think of exactly for what but I'll think of it. Eventually.
Gina: Aha. You always wanna tease me, don't you?
Mason: Mghuh.
Gina: You go to Eden's party?
Mason: Well… I‘ve been invited.
Gina: Who're you taking?
Mason: Ahm… I'll probably go alone. Since I'm going to be an… unwelcome guest I might wanna leave early.
Gina: Well, if… I wasn't gonna be busy that night I'd ask you to take me.
Mason: I would've been honoured.
Gina: Then we'll have to think of something else that we can do together. Do you think we can?
Mason: If we… put our… heads together, I'm sure we can think of something.
Gina: Oh, I bet we can, ‘cause I'm gonna think about it.
Gina leaves. Mason tries to talk Ted into giving him his vote. When Ted leaves, Mason speaks to Mary.
Mason: Oh, Mary! I think if you look at the schedule you'll see there's been a change.
Mary: Already?
Mason: Mghuh. (They check the schedule.)
Mary: Oh, Mason, you did it! You got me the night off!
Mason: Yes, I did. Not only that but you've got your own invitation.
Mary: I do?
Mason: You certainly do. But I'd still like you to go with me.
Mary: There is no one… that I would rather go with. (Suddenly something else dawns on her.) What am I gonna wear?
Mason: Why don't you let me help you to decide? I have excellent taste.
Mary: Oh, no, no. I… I can't force you to do that.
Mason: Force me? Well, I… I'm volunteering. With pleasure.
Mary: Well… oh… well… we can argue about this later, ‘cause I have to go upstairs and get this stuff up. I am so excited about this party.
Mary goes upstairs. Mason makes a phone call.
Mason: Ginger? It's Mason. Listen, I need to… hm… borrow three of your girls for a few hours this afternoon. Can you spare them? Ye… yes, your employees. Good. Good.
A couple of hours later.
Mary: What… what's going on?
Mason: Just sit down and watch. (Mary sits down in a rattan chair.) Are you… are you comfortable now? (Mary nods her head.) Would you like some Sherry?
Mary: No! I mean what's happening here Mason?
Mason: You'll see. It's going to be like being in Paris for the fall collection. Just sit back and relax. (switches on the music) All set?
Mary (laughs): What on earth are you…
Mason: Just watch. First we have Gerri. Geraldine… you're on.
Gerri comes downstairs in an elegant Royal blue dress.
Mason: Isn't she lovely? Gerri is dressed in an elegant creation of Royal blue silk taffeta. It has a dramatic self pleated collar and bodice. Could we see the back Gerri? Thank you. Get rid of the gum, Gerri.
Gerri: Oh, sorry. (disposes of the gum into one of the large flower arrangements)
Mason: Very nice. And now Dawn. There she is.
Dawn comes downstairs in a long red chiffon dress.
Mason: Dawn is dressed in a shimmering metallic chiffon bodice with jewel neckline and long sleeves. The full skirt is of claret coloured silk water taffeta. Lovely turn. Thank you, Dawn. Yes, Ingrid.
Ingrid comes downstairs in a tight-fitting pink dress.
Mason: And now… aha… pink silk chiffon overbeaded with white silk pearls. Lovely. Ahm…
Ingrid: Oh, oops. Mason… ahm… I have on it backwards. (Everybody laughs.) I'll be right back.
Mason: Wonderful. (to Mary) Well, have you seen anything you like?
Mary: Oh, yes. Well… Ac… actually what I had in mind was something more… ahm… conservative.
Mason: Well, now… You mustn't judge the dresses by the models. They are not used to performing in clothes.
Mary: Mason! That's not what I mean. Anyway, I… I know these women. They helped out at the clinic, remember? How sweet of you to give them work to keep them off the streets.
Mason: Yes, I'm just a… philanthropist at heart.
Gina comes along unnoticed. She is not impressed by what she sees.
Mason:(pointing out the blue dress) I'd rather like this one for you. You know the Chinese say that silk was invented so that a woman could go naked in clothes. I think you'd find it rather liberating.
Mary: Oh, it's gorgeous. Isn't it a little… low cut?
Mason: No… Not really. Just a… hint of dйcolletage. Now why don't you select one and then wear it to the ball? Compliments of the mansion.
Mary: Are you serious?
Mason: A little token of our esteem.
Mary: Oh, well, if you're serious… oh… well, I'll take… ahm… (points at the red dress) that… that one.
Mason: All right. You just stay right here and… ahm… I'll go help the girls change and be right back.
Mary: Oh! Gerri, Dawn, Ingrid! Thank you, this was so much fun.
Girls: Bye-bye. Bye.
Mason: Opened up a new distance for them. New runways at least. Pity burlesque is dead. Ladies…
Whilst Mason accompanies the girls upstairs, Gina approaches Mary.
Mary:(absorbed in her thoughts about what has just happened) Oh…
Gina: Which one did you pick?
Mary (taken aback): Oh! Gina! Oh… ahm… the… the… the red one. Did… did you like it?
Gina: Oh, it's beautiful. Of course I like it. Well, a dress like that must cost… oh, let's say… over five hundred dollars.
Mary:(surprised) No! (Gina nods her head.) I had no idea.
Gina: Well, I'm sure you didn't Mary. But… I hate to say this, but… when men give women presents like that, they expect something in return.
Later on Mason goes outside to say good-bye to the girls.
Gerri: That was fun.
Mason: Very good. Thank you girls.
Dawn wants to give him a hanger with the red dress.
Mason: No, no, no, no. I want that one. (points at the hanger with the blue dress)
Gerri: Honey, that's the one she picked.
Mason: No, I know she picked this one, but she wants that one. So tell the designer that's the one I want. He's to deliver it here gift-wrapped. I'll give it to her as a surprise on the night of the party.
Ingrid: - That's some present. You must really be nuts about that broad.
Mason: Don't worry Ingrid. She won't come between the two of us
Ingrid (being flirty): Don't I wish?! (comes over to kiss Mason on the cheek)
Mason: Thanks for coming hear. Thank you, Ingrid. (Dawn kisses him.) See you, Dawn. (Gerri kisses him.) I'll see you later Gerri.
Ingrid: I can hear wedding bells already.
Gerri: Name your first after me, OK?
Mason: You… you want me to name a child Geraldine? (sceptically) Yeah, what if it's a boy?
Gerri: If it's a girl I mean. And not Geraldine. Gertrude. That's my real name.
Mason: It's much better. I'll give it serious consideration Gerri. Thank you.
Ingrid: Bye.
Mason: Bye girls.
Dawn: Ma… I just… I just hope you'll really be happy, ‘cause I really think you got it coming to you.
Mason: Well, thank you for the sentiment Dawn.
Dawn: And… if you decide to have a bachelor party, give us a call. You know I can still fit into the same size cake I could five years ago.
Mason: I don't doubt it for a minute. Thank you again Dawn.
Dawn: Bye!
Mason: Later!
The girls leave and Mason comes inside the house.
Mary: Mason, what you're doing is lovely and I appreciate it and I can't possibly accept a gift like that because it's far too expensive.
Mason: No. Mary! Mary, you wouldn't be doing it for yourself; you'd be doing it for me. And that's a selfless act. So you get points for it… later on. You see... Besides it will be delivered in a day or two.
Mary: Oh! This is the most romantic thing that anyone has ever done for me. I have to go upstairs to your father. I… can't say anything except “Thank you”!
Mary goes upstairs. Gina, who apparently was listening to their conversation all along, comes over to Mason.
Gina: She is right Mason. That was a very romantic thing to do. You were never that romantic with me.
Mason: You have dresses of your own. She doesn't.
Gina: Watch yourself Mason. I have plans for us. I'll let you have this little thing right now. I'll give you that. But don't think about getting serious with her. Because if you do, I'll feel rejected. And you know what they say about a woman scorned.
Mason: Well, if I didn't know already, I'd known by your expression.
Gina: Without me you are totally powerless and unwelcome in this house. I don't think Mary would want you so much if you were back out in the street.
|