| 3-02 The Awful Truth (first 3 scenes) Written by: Winnie Holzman Directed by: Michael Engler A. Mr. Dimitri hands journal back to students. (1st ever Dimitri scene) DIMITRI: Well, I made it through your journals, for the most part. (Grace yawns.) DIMITRI: But enough about me. How did you feel about the experience? (asking Grace) GRACE: Oh, me? DIMITRI: Or whoever’s sitting in your chair. GRACE: Well, I’ve kept journals before, so – DIMITRI: Oh! You have? GRACE: Yes, on and off. DIMITRI: And what’s that like? GRACE: It’s fun. It’s nice. DIMITRI: I’m, I’m sorry. I thought you said nice. GRACE: I did say nice. DIMITRI: I wouldn’t want to misquote you or anything. GRACE: I said nice! DIMITRI: Nice. Ni-ice. (laughs and sits down on student’s desk next to Grace’s) Let me see, whatever shall I do today? I know, (locks hands under chin) I shall write my boring old journal to be ever so nice. (Students laugh. Grace gives an embarrassed smile.) DIMITRI walks away, saying “Nice is for shrimp salads and grandmothers. I’m not…I’m not interested in nice.” B. The kids are on the couch. Grace talks about Mr. Dimitri, flirts with Eli Zoe, Grace, Jessie and Eli are sitting on the couch watching “Godzilla”. Grace grabs popcorn from bowl in Eli’s lap. GRACE: I hate my creative writing teacher. ELI: Oh yeah? GRACE: He like publicly humiliates me. (Jessie is bundled up in a blanket, leaning toward Eli. Grace looks at Eli.) ELI: (looks at popcorn, then TV) Well, I do that and you don’t hate me. GRACE: Yeah I do. (throws popcorn back) Jessie grabs remote and turns volume up. GRACE: Plus his name is August! ELI: That’s not even a name. It’s a month. GRACE: Exactly! And he acts like he’s the only person in the world who knows anything. ELI: Well, isn’t that how you act? GRACE: Eli, shut up! (playfully shoves Eli and jostles Jessie) ELI: Hey! Hey! Watch it! GRACE: What are you gonna do? ELI: I’ll show you what I’m going to do. (they start play-fighting) GRACE: No no no no no no. Jessie gets up from couch. JESSIE: Okay! Okay! Zoe, let’s go. ZOE: What? JESSIE: They obviously want to be alone. (walks away) GRACE: No we don’t! ZOE: No they don’t. ELI: No, Jess, no, see! Zoe gets up and walks away. GRACE: No, Jessie! We don’t want to be alone. Zoe! (they’re left alone) GRACE: Well, (stands up) I have to write -- ELI: Yeah, me too. (stands) GRACE: -- in my journal. ELI: I mean – GRACE: No, I know what you… (they both walk away in opposite directions) C. Grace confronts Mr. Dimitri about her journal (dashes like this – mean Mr. Dimitri interrupted Grace) (Grace enters Mr. Dimitri’s classroom.) G: Mr. Dimitri? A: Hmm? G: Can I just say something? A: Sure. G: Just because somebody’s life doesn’t seem interesting to you personally doesn’t mean- A: You don’t think you’re interesting? G: No! I’m, I’m saying you obviously don’t think I’m being…honest enough, or something. A: Wait! Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Honest ENOUGH? What’s…honest enough? G: You, you don’t…I just can’t believe – A: What? What can’t you believe? G: Well, that I’m the only person in this whole class who isn’t being… A: (sigh) Being what? G: Completely honest. I mean…(August gives look) I think you know what I mean. A: (opens drawer to pull out journal) Who calls you Gracie? G: What? My mother, sometimes, but – A: Well, why are you letting her come to class? Why are you letting her write your journal? G: My mother? A: No. Gracie. I want to hear from Grace. (puts unscuffed shoes on desk) Not that Gracie isn’t, I mean, she’s probably a perfectly decent person, but is she you? (Runs hands through hair) Augie Myers plays keyboard on the new Dylan album and he is amazing but I’m August. G: Okay, but I just don’t think it’s fair – A: It isn’t! It ISN’T fair! Who you love, who you hate, who changes your life, none of it’s fair. Why don’t you write about THAT? What would happen if you said what you’re most afraid to say to the person you’re most afraid to say it to? And then, and then ____ (couldn’t understand the word) about it, only don’t clean it up. Don’t make it PRESENTABLE. Don’t be Gracie. Be.in.a.state of grace. Because that’s what Grace means. Grace is about what’s sacred. And that’s the TRUTH. (hands journal back to Grace) (continue to The Awful Truth, Part 2) Home |
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