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1. INT Apartment of Julius and Kay Eaton- dinner table
KAY, JULES and ELI
KAY (off screen)
Hi Jules. I’m home from work.
door slam
JULES (on screen)
Good to see you’re finally home. Eli and I were wondering how late you were going to work tonight.
KAY (on screen)
I had a story I wanted to finish. You know how it gets when story inspiration hits.
JULES
Always the writer. Incredible Tales is lucky to have you.
(teasing)
Eli has made us dinner since you’ve been neglecting your duties as a housewife.
KAY
You know that I never promised you any of that. Just an alibi for you and your boyfriend. Be grateful I cook anything and don’t just defrost those premade TV meals for you.
JULES
A ghastly invention, probably lacking in any nutrition or real food.
KAY
There is one in the freezer compartment underneath the ice tray, should you find yourself unable to boil even an egg for your own dinner when I’m not around. I might be your wife in title, but we are equals in this house.
ELI (on screen)
Dinner is served.
JULES
Oh good. I’m famished. So, did you get your story finished Kay?
KAY
No, Douglas kicked us out the office when he finished with his work, and then Darlene asked me to walk her home.
JULES
Oh? And what happened?
KAY
I just walked her home. She was a bit cautious about walking alone so late at night.
ELI
This is the young woman you are sweet on?
KAY
(protesting)
No! I wouldn’t say I’m sweet on her. I have just mentioned to Jules that I like the way she looks, and she reads a lot of science fiction. We have a lot in common.
JULES
(confirming this to Eli)
She’s sweet on her.
KAY
I am just being friendly. In case you haven’t noticed, there aren’t many women working at Incredible Tales. It can be incredibly isolating.
(pause)
Did you know that New York accent of hers is all put on? Trying to make herself feel as though she fits in with everyone. She let it slip on the way home tonight.
JULES
Sad that Darlene felt we would judge her like that.
KAY
Although speaking of judging, I did have another run in with our landlord’s wife, Mrs Williams, when I arrived home this evening.
JULES
(exasperated)
What was it this time? She is a rather tiresome woman.
KAY
Further accusations of course. She thinks I am the one having an affair with Eli. And she made insinuations about your family and where you are from.
JULES
(angry)
That woman is just too much.
KAY
I would really like to move away from here Jules. I don’t care if we get an apartment that isn’t as nice, I am tired of having all my comings and goings scrutinised and gossiped about.
ELI
You know that I own the whole building my shop is in, don’t you dearest? I’m sure I could find a vacancy in the apartments above if you must move from this dreary little place.
JULES
I guess moving to Greenwich Village wouldn’t be such a bad idea.
ELI
Well, if you do move closer, it might be beneficial for your wife’s love life too. You were just saying before how lacking it is, and there are so many women living that wild bohemian lifestyle around Greenwich Village.
KAY
(perturbed)
What exactly have you been saying about me, Jules?
JULES
Nothing really, Kay.
ELI
He was saying that, whenever we go out on one of our dates all together out to the club, that you seem to be able to make every excuse as to why a woman is not suitable for you.
JULES
What I actually said was that you have to start dating a bit more, my dear. I feel like I'm the only one with a love life in this marriage.
KAY
I’ve just been rather busy, what with work and keeping house here, and what happened with Benny just really unsettled me.
ELI
When was the last time you actually went on a date? We see you talking with lots of lovely looking ladies, but that’s all there is. Talking. Nothing more.
KAY
I’ll get around to it. When I find the right person.
JULES
You’ve found the right person.
KAY
How can she be the right person if I don’t even know if she could be interested in me? I could never ask her out unless I was certain.
JULES
(sigh)
2. INT. Restaurant, Upper West Side.
JULES and ELI
The two men are dining at a nice restaurant, in a secluded area. They're enjoying a bottle of wine while waiting for their food.
JULES
I suppose I should say I'm impressed.
ELI
What with, my dear?
JULES
The wine. The ambiance. The….everything.
And I cannot neglect to mention the privacy.
ELI
Why, of course! You can never be sure who is watching.
JULES
So who do you know this time?
ELI
The owner is an old school friend.
JULES
That kind of school friend?
ELI
Not quite. But he does know about my…proclivities.
But I'd still advise us to be discreet. They're under the impression that this is an important business meeting, and that's why we need a private room.
JULES
Ah, of course. So just wait until the waiter leaves in order to do this.
Jules reaches out as if to put his hand on top of Eli's, the one that isn't holding the wine glass.
ELI
Not yet! Wait until he brings the food.
Jules withdraws his hand, back to his side of the table.
JULES
I'm good, I'll listen. You always know best when it comes to these things.
ELI
I have a lot of experience when it comes to… secrecy, shall we say.
JULES
Because of that mysterious past you refuse to tell me about?
ELI
Yes, and I'm still not telling you.
Beat.
Let's talk about something else. Your girl.
JULES
(sighs)
I can't believe she's finally found someone right for her and she wants to just…throw it away.
ELI
Are you both completely certain that she's….one of us?
JULES
Yes. I mean, she might hem and haw, but I'm confident.
(whispers)
Kay told me that Darlene writes on the side. Pulp fiction.
ELI
And that means…? You'll have to explain the writers' lingo to me, a plain and simple tailor.
JULES
(normal speech)
There's nothing plain and simple about you, Mr. Gardner. And we all know you do a lot more than take in hems.
(resumes whispering)
They're those kinds of pulp novels. Women with other women. Surely you've seen them before, around the Village?
ELI
Oh yes. I've had ladies come into my shop with them.
Sure seems… more interesting to me than those Seducing the Sergeant books you keep bringing me.
JULES
Eli…
ELI
Written by, what was the name again? "Julia Elton?"
Julius hides his face in his hands. Both look to the side at a waiter off screen as food is placed on the table.
After the waiter leaves and Julius checks behind him to make sure he's gone, they continue their conversation.
JULES
You told me you liked those.
ELI
It's good, for something to pay the bills, I suppose. But I like your Incredible Tales stories better.
JULES
Which is saying something, since we both know you don't care for science fiction.
ELI
In truth, darling, I like what you write. At least when you are putting your whole self into it. You have so many brilliant ideas, I can't help but find myself fascinated.
JULES
He reaches out as if to take Eli's hand again.
You're sweet. And such a flatterer.
ELI
Not at all, my dear. You are that talented. And they may not be my preferred genre, but I can tell your spaceman stories have that something…special to them.
JULES
(sighs)
I wish I could say the same. I feel like I don't get to write what I want there. At least through the women in those bodice rippers, I can write something like how I feel. Even if I have to have Kay help me write the men's perspectives.
He stares into the middle-distance with a far-off look.
And now, after what happened to Benny…
ELI
Yes, I can see why you wouldn't trust your editor with something like the stories you've shown me.
JULES
He returns his gaze to Eli.
He still makes Kay write under a male name. There's no way he'd be open to us writing about a future with people like us.
Which is so frustrating. What is the point of writing science fiction if not imagining something better than we have today?
ELI
From what you've told me, it seems like a lot of sci-fi writers these days are more focused on imagining worse futures.
JULES
Well, there's a lot to worry about going south lately. Russia has the bomb, too, now, and the whole world could go up in smoke before we know it.
Eli gets an odd look in his eyes. He raises his wine glass to his lips.
ELI
Indeed. So why don't we talk of more pleasant things.
You were saying, about Miss…Darlene, isn't it?
JULES
Darlene Kursky. She's Mr. Pabst's new secretary.
ELI
Is she pretty?
JULES
(laughs)
To what extent my opinion matters, yes. Certainly the other men in the office seem to think so.
ELI
And Kay?
Jules smiles conspiratorially.
JULES
Can't take her eyes off her.
And from what I can tell, it's mutual. They spend a lot of time together.
ELI
She sounds like a good match. Especially if they're both writers, it gives them something to discuss.
returning Jules' smile as he raises his glass to his lips
Maybe she'll poach Kay for her pulp publishers.
JULES
raises glass to his lips
I doubt it. I don't think those pay so well, or else she wouldn't be a secretary.
But I can't say I'd mind too much. Nice as it is to have someone to look out for me, it also would be nice not to have to play the "lovesick couple" anymore.
ELI
And then you'd only have to do it with me, dearest.
JULES
Well, love, that's the thing.
With you, I'm not playing.
Jules takes Eli's hand again. The two men lean toward each other, about to meet for a kiss, before Jules notices the waiter in the distance and they quickly separate, brushing themselves off. They'll do their best to maintain appearances as much as they can, but each wishes for a world where they didn't have to hide their love. Perhaps one day…
3. INT Apartment of Julius and Kay Eaton- dinner table
DARLENE and KAY
DARLENE
Thanks for the invite to dinner. I brought along some wine for us.
Holds out wine bottle to give to Kay.
KAY
It should go well with dinner. I’ve made us a pot roast tonight.
DARLENE
(nervous)
I like your outfit. You look rather handsome in the suit.
KAY
Thanks. Jules had his… tailor friend make it for me.
DARLENE
Looks around
Where is Julius? Will he be joining us?
KAY
shaking head
He’s out with friends tonight.
DARLENE
nods, then looks around the room
This looks just like a writer’s home. Lots of books. I bet you read a lot too.
KAY
I like to. Maybe not as much as I used to, but I have some favourites.
(awkward silence)
Would you like to start dinner? I made mushroom soup to start.
Darlene nods and Kay leaves the screen to get soup
DARLENE
(talking as if Kay has moved a little further away)
I haven’t had mushroom soup in years. My mama would make the best mushroom soup, we would go mushrooming in the forests and she’d put this big pot of mushrooms on to cook and simmer all day. She never cooked it again when we got to America. She never said why.
KAY
returning to screen, bowls in hand and placing them down on table
Well, I don’t know if I can compare to that memory, and these mushrooms were gathered from the grocers rather than a forest.
DARLENE
sipping from spoon
Not quite mama’s soup, but it’s still lovely. Much better than from a can.
KAY
I at least can do that much. I suspect I am not a very good housewife.
DARLENE
You must be so busy, both working and keeping house. Do you write at home? I noticed only one typewriter. I would have assumed you’d both have matching typewriters set up together.
KAY
Jules keeps his in his bedroom. He has the larger room and more space in there for a desk.
DARLENE
Oh. Separate bedrooms.
KAY
(embarrassed/awkward)
Yes. Um… we…
DARLENE
No need to explain. When Herbert told me that he suspected your marriage was just for convenience, at first I thought he meant it was because Julius wasn’t from here, that it was because of immigration papers. But lately I’ve come to realise it’s because he’s not the marrying kind.
KAY
And neither am I.
DARLENE
Kay, I need to know. Tonight, is this just a dinner between two friends? Or is it a date?
KAY
It’s whichever you’d like it to be. I’m fine if you would prefer this is just between two friends.
(pause)
But I’d rather it was more.
DARLENE
(relieved)
Oh I’m so glad. I’ve been wanting to ask you out for so long, but I didn’t know if you’d be interested, since you’re married and all.
KAY
I was the same. I’m glad you showed me your book you wrote. I was so undecided on asking you until then.
DARLENE
I’m dying to know what you thought of it.
KAY
It was interesting to read, and it’s quite an achievement to be published. I haven’t managed that yet, other than in the magazine and a few short story anthologies.
DARLENE
You didn’t like it?
KAY
I don’t normally read lesbian pulp fiction books. I thought the characters were well crafted at first and your narrative was detailed, but I didn’t like the way it ended. It was rather shocking.
DARLENE
It’s the only way to get published. My editor isn’t allowed to publish stories these stories with happy endings. I had ideas for them to live happily ever after. That’s how my first draft of the book ended.
KAY
I hate how editors make us destroy so many good ideas all because they don’t think it will sell.
DARLENE
Like Mr Pabst making Benny change his story. It was a brilliant piece of work, and I would love to read the other six stories he said he wrote.
KAY
If Douglas didn’t like Benny’s Captain Sisko, he’s not going to like my new story I’m working on.
(pause)
His character Major Kira, she gave me inspiration. A strong woman, fighting against a superior force. I liked her. I had a feeling I could even write her backstory.
DARLENE
Do you think she’s like us? Do you think she has a girlfriend?
KAY
I hadn’t thought about a love interest yet. She definitely doesn’t need a man to be a valued person though.
DARLENE
What are you going to do with the story? Do you think you’ll show it to Mr Pabst?
KAY
Douglas wouldn’t know what to do with it. Unfortunately, it will probably end up in my filing cabinet with all my other stories. They have nowhere to go until I find a publisher who believes in strong women characters in Science Fiction. I don’t know why I keep writing them. Sometimes you just…
DARLENE
…have to get the story down on paper. I know what you mean.
KAY
You do, don’t you?
DARLENE
I like to write a lot too, but I don’t have anywhere for them yet. My publisher doesn’t like spaceships and distant planets. He says there is no money in it.
KAY
There isn’t. I doubt I’m going to get rich selling my stories. At least writing for Incredible Tales gives me a semi-regular income. When we go to print, that is.
DARLENE
But someone gets to read yours. No one is reading my stories.
KAY
I’ll read them.
DARLENE
Would you? They haven’t been seen by an editor. They’re very rough.
KAY
picks up soup bowls
I don’t mind. And you can read what I have in my filing cabinet.
moves off screen
DARLENE
calling out to off screen
That could be our second date. You bring the fiction, and I’ll make us some hot cocoa to drink while we read it together.
KAY
sitting down with two plates, placing one beyond the screen
Very presumptuous of you Miss Kursky.
DARLENE
(coyly)
I don’t believe so, Mrs Eaton
KAY
Actually, if Jules and I didn’t have this arrangement, I would still be Miss Hunter. I wasn’t about to change my writing name when I got married. I should be Kay Cathleen Hunter.
DARLENE
When you say arrangement…?
KAY
Jules and I are just friends. When he started working at Incredible Tales, we were both drawn to each other. People assumed we were dating. For a little while I was confused. But when we were together, I would notice his eyes start to wander, and we both realised that what we thought was attraction, was just an understanding of each other’s lives. A solidarity, if you would. We were both getting pressure from our families to settle down, and it seemed like a good idea.
DARLENE
And he knows you date other people?
KAY
He was the one who encouraged me to ask you out. He offered to stay out tonight, to give us some privacy.
DARLENE
Is he with that fellow I saw you with the other night at the bar? Are they dating too?
KAY
I don’t know what they call it, but after so long together surely it’s more than just dating. I do like Eli, he makes Jules happy.
DARLENE
Isn’t that all we can hope for? Someone to make us happy?
both reach out to hold hands
4. INT Apartment of Julius and Kay Eaton- dinner table
DARLENE, JULES, KAY, and ELI
DARLENE
Dinner looks amazing Kay. You know how much I appreciate the invite over. There’s not much point cooking a roast when you live by yourself, and those TV dinners just don’t taste the same as a home-cooked meal.
JULES
Those are an abomination to mankind if you ask me.
KAY
I’ve always told you Jules, if you don’t appreciate my cooking, there is one in the freezer.
ELI
Never mind dearest, you are always welcome to my apartment for dinner should your wife refuse to cook you sustenance.
KAY
Well, eat up. There is plenty to go around.
DARLENE
(changing subject)
I can’t believe we all got mail at the office today from Benny.
KAY
I visited Benny in the hospital after his breakdown. Last time I went he mentioned that Cassie was asking around for small publishing companies. She’s got some pull with that baseball player, Willie Hawkins, who put her in touch with the right people. When Benny got out last month she had meetings lined up. I’m so happy to see that Deep Space Nine will actually be published in a magazine called The Crisis. Apparently, their readership will appreciate a space station captain of colour. Benny has invited us all for a celebration for when the magazine comes out in print.
JULES
Well he deserves it after all he went though. The poor man.
ELI
Who is this gentleman writer you all know?
JULES
Benny Russel was the fellow I told you about. He had a breakdown after his ground-breaking story was pulped for being too revolutionary. Then he was fired from Incredible Tales. The story was a bit too radical for both our editor and the magazine owner. They didn’t like that the captain of the space station wasn’t a white man.
ELI
Whatever is the matter with that? It makes sense that in the future we set aside all these silly notions of difference because of skin colour and culture. I think you should go and celebrate this man’s achievement.
DARLENE
looking uncomfortable
Except I told everyone that the brooch Kay bought me was a gift from my sweetheart. Albert mentioned today he’ll be looking forward to meeting him.
KAY
Well he will just have to be suddenly unwell that evening.
ELI
May I offer an alternative? I could always be your date to their little event. I have always been curious about all these writers Jules talks about so fondly, and one or two not so fondly, and this might be a way to meet them. They will be none the wiser of our little arrangement.
DARLENE
You would do that for me?
ELI
Like it or not, I have become quite deeply entrenched in these two’s little secret. And that means that while dear Julius is my lover, I also have a relationship with his wife, and now his wife’s girlfriend.
DARLENE
Thank you Eli. That’s so sweet of you.
JULES
Ingenious way of getting his story published though. He might not be aiming it towards a lot of people who would normally read science fiction, but they are definitely going to appreciate his Captain Sisko.
KAY
It’s being read by the dreamers.
sips wine thoughtfully
Maybe I could do that with some of my stories. The ones that Benny inspired me to write, with my story with the woman who is fighting against all those alien invaders.
DARLENE
I suggest that you give her a girlfriend and you might be able to publish her story in some of those homosexual magazines Eli keeps leaving around in your apartment.
ELI
I don’t keep leaving them around. Jules has been reading them too. I dare say you would find them of interest too, find out what is happening to those of us who are Friends of Dorothy.
KAY
I think we are all more than aware of how few rights we have with our relationships. Just last week in the office Douglas made comment how Darlene and I have become very friendly with each other. If he were to find out how friendly we actually are, he would fire us both on the spot.
JULES
All these secrets and this double life we lead, makes me feel like I’m a spy in some secret agent story.
DARLENE
But this is about our lives, Jules. It’s not meant to be a work of fiction.
JULES
Maybe like Benny and his story, we also need to be the dreamers in our own lives, working for a better tomorrow.
KAY
raising wine glass
Here’s to the dreamers!
ALL
also raising wine glasses
To the dreamers.