~ all i have to keep me company is a bottle of gin ;

CHARLEY
This is so nice lying here with
you. Donʼt you ever miss this? What
we could have been to each other?
Having a real relationship and
kids?

GEORGE

(stunned)

I had Jim.

CHARLEY
I know, but I mean a real
relationship. Geo, letʼs be honest,
what you and Jim had was great but
wasnʼt it really just a substitute
for something else?

George sits up and looks directly at Charley.

GEORGE
Is that really what you think after
all of these years? That Jim was
just a substitute for real love?

George really loses his temper.

GEORGE
Jim wasnʼt a substitute for
anything, and there is no
substitute for Jim, anywhere! And
by the way, what was so REAL about
your relationship with Richard? He
left you after 9 years! Jim and
I were together for 16 years and
if he hadnʼt died we would still
be together! What the hell is
not REAL about that!?

George, disgusted, gets up and stands in front of the fire.
He stands dead still for a moment trying to compose himself.
Charley is stunned and doesnʼt move.

Charley has been stung by Georgeʼs comments about her
marriage.

CHARLEY
I didnʼt mean it the way it
sounded. I know how much the two
of you loved each other.

I just suppose that I was always a
bit jealous that you and I never
had that kind of love. Actually
Iʼve never had that kind of love
with anyone. I donʼt think Richard
ever loved me except for the way I
looked. And Clay, I donʼt know. You
raise a child and love it and then
when they get old enough they just
leave.

GEORGE
Charlotte, there is nothing wrong
with your life. You like feeling
sorry for yourself. Itʼs one of
your great pleasures.

CHARLEY
And itʼs not one of yours? Youʼre
as pathetic as I am.

GEORGE
Feeling sorry for myself is definitely
not one of my great pleasures.

Charley struggles to stand up.

CHARLEY
Well its not one of mine either. I
donʼt like feeling sorry for myself
one bit. I tried to hold onto
Richard for so long even when it
was obvious to everyone but me that
it was over. Now Clay is grown up.
I mean, what am I doing here Geo?
Tell me that?

GEORGE
You have lots of friends. Youʼll be
fine.

Charley sighs.

CHARLEY
Yes, I have friends. But none of
them need me. And yes I have you
and if you werenʼt such a goddamn
poof we could have all been happy!

George begins to smile.

Charley crosses to the coffee table, lights another
cigarette, takes a long drag and exhales slowly. She sits
down on the sofa and George joins her. He slips his arm
around her as she attempts to wriggle away.

CHARLEY
I only have you now because you
lost Jim, but Iʼll lose you again
soon to someone else. Itʼs not as
easy for a woman. I did everything
the way that I was supposed to and
all I have to keep me company is a
bottle of gin.

GEORGE
Maybe you should try donuts with
your gin.

CHARLEY
Screw you!

- egy tökéletes jelenet. <3
~ a single man.