STUART is sitting forward in a chair. The CAMERA is close to
him, framing him in a medium shot, but wide enough that we
see DENISE behind him out of focus. Denise is getting
dressed. As the characters talk back and forth, the CAMERA
focus pulls between the two. A moment passes. Stuart
appears distressed.
STUART
I'm sorry.
DENISE
Fuck you, you're sorry.
STUART
I didn't intend...
DENISE
You didn't intend...you mean when I
said stop, when I screamed that you
were hurting me...it certainly
seemed like you intended
everything.
STUART
Did I hurt you? I mean did I hurt
you bad?
DENISE
Is there a difference?
STUART
There's always a little violence in
sex.
DENISE
Always a little...What kind of
Neanderthal are you., Stuart?
STUART
You know I love you. I have always
loved you, Denise.
DENISE
Stop it, Stuart. Stop right there.
I am not going to listen to this
bullshit. Not after you nearly
broke my arm.
STUART
I know, I know. I have to not get
so excited. I get it. I
have...control issues.
DENISE
Where is my bag? My backpack?
Where is it?
STUART
There is something about you,
Denise that I just have to...(he
tenses up, controlling some inner
rage)...I just have to consume you.
You have to consume that which you
love. To merge with her. Become
one.
DENISE
Stuart, where is my bag? My
wallet, my car keys, everything is
in my bag.
STUART
You know, that's what I mean. We
are talking about something very
important, and you change the
subject. I am not sure you are
hearing me. I am trying to tell
you how much I...it's cherish.
That is the word. I cherish you,
Denise.
DENISE
Well, I cherish my wallet and my
keys.
STUART
OK. OK. I will repeat myself. I
cherish you. You. Everything
about you. Your skin, your hair,
your fingers, the lips, the
eyeballs, your calves. The back of
your knees. Every little...every
little part of your body I just
want to...to hold, to hug it, hold
it tight in my grip...like I said,
consume. That is what we are
talking about. Consuming each
other in ways that...
DENISE
Excuse me, but we are not talking
about consuming each other. You
are talking about consuming me.
And I don't much care for the
metaphor, OK. It is getting
fucking creepy. Where is my stuff,
goddamn it?
STUART
This is how I can summarize the
problem we have. You are always
with the big no and the small yes.
It is no to everything. You
whisper your yeses and scream your
nos. But me...I am a big yes
person. A big yes. I want
everything. Yes to everything.
And I rarely say no.
Denise walks up to Stuart, turns and kneals, with her back to
the camera. She faces Stuart.
DENISE
You should hear yourself. You are
talking nonsense.
Stuart is getting agitated and is struggling to control
himself.
STUART
You know what I am doing right now.
I am saying no to what I want to
do. And I hate it. I fucking hate
myself for it.
DENISE
Well, you shouldn't say no to
yourself. Because you know what
you are trying to do. You are
trying to calm down, and you are
trying to acquire a little
compassion. And you are trying to
tell me what you did with my stuff.
Don't say no to that Stuart.
A moment passes. Then Stuart reaches out and hits Denise so
hard in the face that she falls back unconscious, but out of
frame.
STUART
I am exhausted saying no to myself.
THE END.
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