Brillant Lies Scene
INT: DAY KATY'S HOUSE
KATY walks into her house, looking tired, but relived to be at home. She puts the mail on the dining room table. She looks around and sees the place is still in the same state when she left. She sees last night's dishes still sitting besides the sink; yesterday's washing still in the basket, waiting to be folded; magazines all over the coffee table with a coffee mug with lipstick stains sitting on top of it all. She shakes her head. SUSY walks in, yawning, in her pyjamas and dressing gown, not phased by the mess and the sister looking displeased with her.
KATY:
You could’ve at least done the dishes. What is this new routine? No work so you sleep in till midday?
SUSY:
What are you doing home at this hour?
KATY:
I got a job in the area so I thought I’d drop in and maybe say hi, and have a cup of coffee, and maybe hear a few odd words of appreciation like, ‘Gee Katy you look really tired. I really appreciate the way you work twelve hours a day to keep the both of us alive’.
SUSY:
Gee Katy you look really tired. I really appreciate-
[KATY whacks her on the arm to stop her.]
You want coffee?
KATY:
No, I’m drinking too much of it.
SUSY:
So, hi.
[She sits down opposite KATY and looks at her.]
KATY:
How come I wear that gown and look like a polar bear, and you wear it and look. Much better than I look.
SUSY:
[giving her an exaggerated smouldering look]
Because I am a Sex Goddess.
If I’d been born in America I’d be Charlize Theron by now.
KATY:
We could do with the money. I’ve made less than a hundred
and fifty dollars and it’s Wednesday. So how did your meeting go?
SUSY:
Good. She thinks I’ve got a great case for compensation.
KATY:
I should think so.
SUSY:
She wants you to come to the conference.
KATY:
Who do I have to be there?
SUSY:
Because I gave you a day by day account of the trauma Gary was causing me.
KATY:
No, you didn’t.
SUSY:
I think your memory is faulty, Katy.
KATY:
You want me to lie? I’ve got to go and lie?
SUSY:
You’re my only corroborating witness.
KATY:
Shit, Susy.
SUSY:
I was distressed. Remember?
KATY:
Why didn’t you tell me? If it’s been going on seven months, why didn’t you tell me?
SUSY:
Because he was such a - geek - I was ashamed I couldn’t handle it.
[KATY looks at her.]
KATY:
So tell me what I’m supposed to remember.
SUSY:
How I’d come home crying, desperate.
KATY:
So why didn’t I ring up and blast them? Lesbian feminists are supposed to do those things. Not to mention older sisters.
SUSY:
They don’t know you’re a feminist lesbian - and I would appreciate it id you did everything in your power to conceal that fact -
KATY:
You want me to lie at all levels.
SUSY:
Certainly at that one.
KATY:
what do you mean, certainly at that one!
SUSY:
When you start on female issues, it can be some time before you stop.
KATY:
When a man does it it’s two octaves lower.
[KATY looks at her disapprovingly]
KATY:
I wish you hadn’t brought me into this.
SUSY:
I just felt that if I didn’t have someone to back me up no one would believe me.
KATY:
Susy, I hate telling lies. I’m no good at it.
SUSY:
OK, don’t come. Leave me with no hope.
KATY:
Jesus you’re a rat.
[Pause]
Did you ever really feel distressed at what he was doing?
SUSY:
[emphatically]
Yes! I’m not lying about that!
[Pause]
KATY:
I hope you’re going to do your share of the cooking for our father’s birthday.
SUSY:
Oh shit. When’s that?
KATY:
Try tonight.
SUSY:
Have you got him a present?
KATY:
Yes.
SUSY:
Is it expensive enough that it could have been from both of us?
KATY:
It’s a tie.
SUSY:
Oh shit. We always give him one each.
KATY:
Then go and get him one.
SUSY:
It’s Sarah’s party tonight.
KATY:
Susy, you are staying home and entertaining your father. And you are helping me cook! Now go and buy a bloody tie!
SUSY:
Can you lend me some money?
KATY:
[sighing]
Susy, you’re going to need to get forty thousand just to pay back what you owe.
[Fishing in her pocket she pulls out a fifty dollar note]
There are some silk ones reduced from sixty dollars to twenty in DJ’s.
SUSY:
Where -
KATY:
Can’t miss ‘em. They look like they’ve been designed by a Balinese on LSD. Dad’ll love em. Don’t get green. I got green. And mince and eggplants and cheap cheese. And a cask of red wine. I’ve kept some Wolf Blass bottles we can decant it into. Dad’s taste buds gave out years ago.
SUSY grabs the note out of KATY's hand and gives her a hug. KATY smiles. She gets up and starts cleaning up the coffee table.