Written by: Winnie Holzman and Maggie Friedman
Directed by: Matt Shakman
(Mr. Dimitri is wearing his brown jacket, a brown and white checkered shirt, and a goldish yellow tie. Grace is wearing a V-neck light blue sweater and a necklace.)
Mr. Dimitri writes on the chalkboard Grendel vs. Beowulf. He turns toward the class and asks, “Okay, so why did John Gardner write Grendel? Seriously, why bother? Why re-tell the story of Beowulf from the monster’s point of view?” Alexa raises her hand high and Grace half-raises her hand. Mr. Dimitri calls on her, “Yes, Alexa,” and sits down on a chair. Grace gives a surprised look, as if she expected to him call on her. Alexa answers haltingly “Um, maybe he just liked Grendel as a character. I mean, maybe when he read the original Beowulf he just sort of…identified…with, you know—" Mr. Dimitri answers back, “No, I don’t know. Explain it to me.” Alexa opens her mouth to clarify but Grace interrupts, “Well, maybe he felt like a monster. I mean, sometimes you do, sometimes you just feel like a monster.” Mr. Dimitri smiles at Grace, pleased. “Exactly.” Alexa breaks in, miffed, and Mr. Dimitri shifts his eyes to her. “Um, that’s exactly what I was about to say only you cut me off.” Mr. Dimitri leans back in his seat and says “Oh, well, forgive me, I know it might seem like I was cutting you off (Alexa nods) but what I was trying to do was to—" The bell interrupts and Mr. Dimitri shifts topics before the students leave. “Okay, so finish Grendel. And listen, I know I said no more pop quizzes. That was before I saw your scores from the last one. So, expect the unexpected.” Grace smiles, quickly collects her things and walks up to Mr. Dimitri, who is taking an old, hardbound book out of his leather bag. In a barely audible voice Grace says to him “Hey.” Alexa stands holding her books and lifts her head slightly as she watches Grace and Mr. Dimitri, who holds the book out to Grace. “Oh, uh, here. It's that book I was telling you about.” Grace takes the book and smiles. “Oh, thanks.” Mr. Dimitri smiles back at her then spots Alexa watching and pulls his hand toward his hip and leans the other one toward the chalkboard. Grace has her back turned to Alexa and continues, “Uh, so about tonight, I guess I’ll just meet you at your house and then—" Mr. Dimitri interrupts her. “Yes, Alexa?” Alexa walks up to the two of them. “Oh, I was just wondering, are you still accepting stories for extra credit?” Grace lowers her eyes and starts putting books in her bookbag. She lifts her eyes subtly back toward Mr. Dimitri. He answers Alexa, “Absolutely.” Alexa parks. “Great.” Realizing that Alexa is not making any move to leave Grace’s side, he grabs his bag and tells the girls “Okay, well, if you ladies will excuse me.” Mr. Dimitri leaves Alexa and Grace alone in the classroom.
Immediately Alexa pounces. “What’s the book?” Grace answers back without looking her in the eye and puts the book in her bookbag. “Oh, just this book he said I could borrow.” “So you’re going to his house tonight?” Alexa asks with a slight smile. Grace stares back at her. “Yeah, I go to his house a lot. It’s no big deal.” Grace looks away uncomfortably. “I mean, the Gay/Straight Alliance meets there all the time, so—" She tries to leave. Alexa follows her. “Oh, so maybe I’ll come tonight, too.” Grace tries to brush her off. "Well, that really wouldn’t probably work. I mean it’s already kind of all arranged (her voice trembles slightly while she fiddles with her jacket) and um…it’s just we’re going to this movie and there’s a limited amount of seats.” Alexa persists. “Wait, who’s going?” Grace raises her eyes to the ceiling and doesn’t turn around, instead she looks to the side briefly. “Just a bunch of people, it’s been planned for awhile. Sorry.” Grace walks hurriedly away. Alexa keeps holding her notebook to her chest, licks her lips, and looks suspiciously after the departing Grace.
B. GRACE READS DIMITRI’S INSCRIPTION
(later that day, at the radio station)
Grace sits waiting for Lily to finish her radio show. She smiles to herself and softly fingers the book Mr. Dimitri gave her. She opens the book (and the scene shifts to black and white.) Grace shuts the book immediately and smiles, surprised. “He wrote me an inscription.” She eagerly opens the book again and reads his inscription. She then imperceptibly lifts her chin and blinks. “Oh my God!” Grace looks up, shocked. “I can’t believe he wrote that.”
C. GRACE REMINDS LILY ABOUT SEEING RASHOMON THAT NIGHT.
Lily finishes her show and comes out of the recording room to hug Grace. “Hey, sweetie. Thanks for comin’ to pick me up.” Grace hugs her back. “Oh, no problem. We should go though. I’m seeing that movie tonight, remember?” Grace says animatedly. Lily looks through some papers. “No, what movie?” “Rashomon. It’s by that guy Kurosawa.” Lily responds, “Honey, it’s a school night.” “Well, but it’s only playing one night,” Grace answers, then she looks away as she finishes, “and Mr. Dimitri thinks it’s important that we see it.” “I don’t remember you mentioning this,” Lily says. “No,” Grace insists, “I know I did. It’s like this whole group of us from English.” “What, like a field trip?” Instead of answering, Grace moves her head to the side and says “Hi, Mr. Creswell.” Les and Lily have a discussion about the show and Les tells Lily that Radiovation is interested in possibly syndicating her show. Grace anxiously checks her watch.
D. GRACE TELLS LILY ABOUT SUBMITTING HER STORY.
Later, Lily and Grace enter the kitchen with groceries. “So, Mom, this is your big opportunity.” Lily downplays it. “It’s only an interview, it’s not—" “But I’m really proud of you,” Grace smiles. “Thanks.” Lily digs underneath one of the paper bags and pulls out a manuscript. “Oh, I’m so proud of you.” “What? Why?” Grace turns her back to put something away. Lily holds up the manuscript in front of her. “Well, if you’re just going to leave brilliant short stories lying around.” Grace turns. “What?” She sees the manuscript. “Oh yeah. So you liked it?” She smiles. Lily gushes, “I couldn’t put it down. I mean it. It-it’s absolutely—" “Yeah, I sorta don’t hate it.” Now it’s Lily’s turn to interrupt. “Even the title, ‘What You Need to Know,’ it just pulls you in.” Grace walks close to Lily, beaming. “Yeah, Mr. Dimitri really liked the title.” Lily starts pulling food out the bag. “Uh, and that ending, when you tied it all together, her just sitting there on that porch. And her mother coming back and making her breakfast.” Grace corrects Lily. “No, she made her Mom breakfast.” Lily looks puzzled for a moment. “Oh, I didn’t get that.”
Grace takes bananas to the counter. “You know, I sent it out.” Grace turns to face her mother. “To this magazine.” Lily closes the fridge. “No, I didn’t. Honey, that’s wonderful. When will you—" Grace interrupts, gushing. “I mean, Mr. Dimitri knows all these magazines no one’s ever heard of.” She walks to the center counter and continues smiling while she pulls something out of a bag. Lily gazes at her daughter. “Grace, that’s so wonderful. You have a real mentor.” Grace smiles and looks away. “Yeah, I guess.” Lily reaches her arms out to embrace Grace. “I’m so happy for you.” Grace laughs. “Well, I’d better go get ready. For Rashomon,” she hastily adds.
E. IN THE BATHROOM, GRACE GETS READY TO GO TO THE MOVIE.
Grace finishes applying lip gloss and examines the reflection of a young brunette with crimped hair, a dark blue top, and a necklace. She looks down at the inscription in her book, then at the mirror again, satisfied.