Wrote a scene tonight that took me in a direction I wasn’t expecting. I think this will be the last scene I share with the five of you that read this. . . but I wanted to share. (I’m like a two year old trying to get their parents attention before they belly flop into the pool.)

Why is the only stage direction (PAUSE)?

1. I just finished reading The Homecoming. 2. I come from the school of, you aren’t Eugine O’Neil, so don’t write lots of flowery stage directions. Give the actor and the director the chance to play. This will allow you to steal their choices and look brilliant for the next draft.

AMANDA: Where are you from?
MAX: Buckinghamshire.
AMANDA: Buckinghamshire?
MAX: Elsbury actually.
AMANDA: Ah.
MAX: Do you know it?
AMANDA: No. I was being polite.
MAX: Famous for pheasants and speed traps.
AMANDA: Fascinating.
MAX: And ducks.
AMANDA: Why ducks?
MAX: Dunno. They descended after the war.
AMANDA: What is it with Brits and ‘The War’?
MAX: You’re joking.
AMANDA: Only slightly.
MAX: You do know your history I hope. You’re not one of those Americans that doesn’t understand why we don’t celebrate the 4th of July.
AMANDA: Fuck off.
MAX: You don’t know me well enough to speak so casually. So intimately.
AMANDA: What do I need to do to speak intimately?
MAX: Interesting proposition. What are your thoughts?
AMANDA: You’re the one that broke out the usage of fuck among friends etiquette manual.
MAX: There’s a when to use fuck between friends etiquette manual?
AMANDA: One of Emily Posts’ lesser works.
MAX: Need to pick it up at WH Smiths.
AMANDA: Indeed.
MAX: More important than the when to fuck manual—
AMANDA: More important?
MAX: More important.
(PAUSE)
AMANDA: Waiting. . .
MAX: Baited breath?
(PAUSE)
MAX (CONT.): Are we friends?
AMANDA: We just met.
MAX: Yes.
AMANDA: Will we be friends?
MAX: I was wondering.
(PAUSE.)
AMANDA: I hear your wife.

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