Dammit 4

	Stephen is sitting at a desk looking at a computer
	terminal. Hugh is leaning over his shoulder.


Stephen		Dammit, Peter.

Hugh		Thanks John.

Stephen		This is ... what can I say? This is good work.

Hugh		Well I kind of hoped that we might be along the
		right lines here.

Stephen		Right lines? Dammit backwards into a narrow
		space, Peter, this is the best I've ever seen.

Hugh		Jill reckons ten days at the most. Which means we
		could have this up and running by the 29th.

Stephen		You mean ... ?

Hugh		Exactly, John. The Derwent Enterprises Board
		meeting. With something like this nestling in your
		hip pocket, you could really kick some arse.

	Stephen starts to laugh smugly.

		What's up, John?

Stephen		Peter, can you imagine how Marjorie is going to
		take this?

Hugh		Well John, at a guess I'd say that she'll be wilder
		than a hungry hellcat in a tornado.

Stephen		That's putting it mildly.

Hugh		Is it?

	The both laugh creepily. The phone rings. Hugh 
	picks it up.

Hugh		Hahaha ... Yes, hello? Hold on Sarah. (To 
		Stephen) It's Marjorie.

Stephen		Haha. Well talk of the she-devil. Oh what the hell,
		I'll take the call.

Hugh		It's not a call, John. She's outside and she wants to
		see you.

Stephen		Marjorie's here?

Hugh		Yup.

	Stephen takes the phone.

Stephen		Show her in, Sarah.

Hugh		John, are you out of your goddamned mind?

Stephen		We don't know what it's about, Peter.

Hugh		To hell with what it's about, John! You and I have
		broken out arses building up this health club,
		with Marjorie gunning for us every centimetre of
		the way, and now you're going to let her swan in
		here ...

Stephen		Now listen to me, Peter ...

Hugh		Listen be damned! In case you'd forgotten, John,
		that bitchfiend tried to break us in two ...

Stephen		Peter ...

Hugh		I'm not going to let you do it, John!

	They are now nose to nose across the desk. In the 
	background the door opens and Mrjorie enters. She is 
	late forties, Joan Collinsish glamour.

Marjorie	Hello John.

Stephen		Hello Marjorie.

Marjorie	Peter.

	Hugh says nothing.

Marjorie	I hope I'm not interrupting anything?

Stephen		Not at all. Peter and I were just running over one
		or two things.

Marjorie	Are you all right, Peter? You seem a little
		uncomfortable.

Hugh		Yeah. Maybe I'll go outside and get a bite of air.
		The atmosphere in here seems to have got to my
		stomach.

	Exit Hugh. Stephen and Marjorie look at each other for 
	a while.

Stephen		You look well, Marjorie. You look damned well.
		New breasts?

Marjorie	Swiss.

Stephen		They suit you. I like what you've done to your hair.
		Looks much better there.

Marjorie	Thanks John, you look pretty fit yourself.

Stephen		Fit? Yeah, one of the perks of running a health
		and leisure business I guess. That is ... if I still
		do run it?

Marjorie	The meeting will decide, John, you know that.

Stephen		(Pouring two drinks) And who will decide how
		the meeting goes, Marjorie? Dammit old man
		Ashby's in your pocket, Dexter and O'Neill will do
		whatever you damned well tell them and Tim will
		jump with the tide. Do you still like it straight up?

Marjorie	Two lumps of ice.

	Hugh has appeared at the window and is looking 
	jealously in.

		I do whatever I do for the boy, John. You must
		know that.

Stephen		Yeah, the boy. Have you taught him to hate me,
		Marjorie?

Marjorie	Hate you? Hate you? You'll never really know me,
		will you.

Stephen		Not if I live to be a chairman.

	Hugh is trying to listen.

Marjorie	Peter resents me.

Stephen		Peter? Dammit in top gear, Marjorie, what are you
		after?????

Hugh		(Muffled, through the glass) Yeah? What are
		you after??

	They don't hear him.

Marjorie	I just want you to know, whatever happens after
		the meeting ... that it wasn't personal, John.
		Strictly business. I still like you ... a lot.

Stephen		(Roughly yet somehow tenderly) Come here, you ...
		you Marjorie.

	They kiss deeply and erotically.

	Hugh is distraught the other side of the glass. He 
	hammers on it.

Hugh		Leave him alone you bitch-cat! John don't listen to
		her. Damn you!

	They part, panting.

Marjorie	I'll see you round the boardroom table.

Stephen		Yeah ... round the boardroom table.

	She makes to leave.

		Oh and Marjorie ...

Marjorie	Yes?

Stephen		Damn you to hell you're one hell of a woman.

Marjorie	I know. Well ... you know where to find me.

	Stephen takes an Oedipal decision.

	Exit Marjorie.

Stephen		(Following her) Daaaaaamn!

	Hugh climbs in through the window in a desperate bid 
	to stop him. He trips over.

Stephen		Chris Patten? Isn't he Margaret
		Thatcher's new corporate logo?
		I'm not sure.