Tea and Sympathy Read Free Page B

rest of the time I've been at

boarding schools.
     
     
     
     
LAURA
     
     
What about Christmas vacation, and Easter?
     
     
     
     
TOM
     
     
My father gets a raft of tickets to plays and concerts, and sends me

and my aunt.
     
     
     
     
LAURA
     
     
I see.
     
     
     
     
TOM
     
     
So I mean it when I say I don't know any girls.
     
     
     
     
LAURA
     
     
Your roommate, Al, knows a lot of girls. Why not ask him to fix you up

with a blind date?
     
     
     
     
TOM
     
     
I don't know . . . I can't even dance. I'm telling you this so you won't

expect anything of me Saturday night.
     
     
     
     
LAURA
     
     
We'll sit out and talk.
     
     
     
     
TOM
     
     
Okay.
     
     
     
     
LAURA
     
     
Or I could teach you how to dance. It's quite simple.
     
     
     
     
TOM

(Flustered)
     
     
You?
     
     
     
     
LAURA
     
     
Why not?
     
     
     
     
TOM
     
     
I mean, isn't a person supposed to go to some sort of dancing class

or something?
     
     
(He gets down from footstool.)
     
     
LAURA
     
     
Not necessarily. Look, I'll show you how simple it is.
     
     
(She assumes the dancing position)
     
     
Hold your left hand out this way, and put your right hand around my --
     
     
(She stops, as she sees him looking at her)
     
     
Oh, now you're kidding me. A boy your age and you don't know how to dance.
     
     
     
     
TOM
     
     
I'm not kidding you.
     
     
     
     
LAURA
     
     
Well, then, come on. I had to teach my husband. Put your arm around me.
     
     
(She raises her arms.)
     
     
     
     
TOM

(Looks at her a moment, afraid to touch this woman he loves.

Then to pass it off)
     
     
We better put it off. We'd look kind of silly, both of us in skirts.
     
     
     
     
LAURA
     
     
All right. Take it off, then. No, wait a minute. Just let me stand off

and take a look . . .
     
     
(She walks around him)
     
     
You're going to make a very lovely girl.
     
     
     
     
TOM
     
     
Thank you, ma'am . . .
     
     
(He kids a curtsy, like a girl, and starts out of his costume.

MR. HARRIS, a good-looking young master, comes in the hallway and starts

up to Tom's room. On the landing, he knocks on Tom's door.)
     
     
     
     
LAURA
     
     
I wonder who that is?
     
     
     
     
TOM
     
     
All the other fellows have late afternoon classes.
     
     
     
     
LAURA

(Opens the door wider, and looks up the stairs)
     
     
Yes? Oh, David.
     
     
     
     
HARRIS

(Turns and looks down the stairs)
     
     
Oh, hello, Laura.
     
     
     
     
LAURA
     
     
I just was wondering who was coming in.
     
     
(TOM proceeds to get out of the costume.)
     
     
     
     
HARRIS
     
     
I want to see Tom Lee.
     
     
     
     
LAURA
     
     
He's down here. I'm making his costume for the play.
     
     
     
     
HARRIS
     
     
I wonder if I could see him for a moment?
     
     
     
     
LAURA
     
     
Why yes, of course. Tom, Mr. Harris would like to see you. Do you want

to use our study, David? I can go into the living room.
     
     
     
     
HARRIS
     
     
No, thanks. I'll wait for him in his room. Will you ask him to come up?
     
     
(He opens the door and goes in.)
     
     
     
     
LAURA

(Is puzzled at his intensity, the urgency in his voice. Comes back in

the study)
     
     
Tom, Mr. Harris would like to see you in your room. He's gone along.
     
     
     
     
TOM
     
     
That's funny.
     
     
     
     
LAURA
     
     
Wait a minute . . . take this up with you, try it on in front of your

mirror . . . see if you can move in it . . .
     
     
(She hands him skirt of costume)
     
     
When Mr. Harris is through, bring the costume back.
     
     
     
     
TOM

(Anxious over what HARRIs wants to see him about)
     
     
Yeah, sure.
     
     
(He starts out, then stops and picks up a cookie. He looks at her lovingly)
     
     
Thanks for tea.
     
     
     
     
LAURA
     
     
You're welcome.
     
     
(TOM goes to the door as HARRIS turns to the desk. He stands in the door

a moment and looks at her back, then he turns and shuts the door and

heads upstairs.