Brief Encounter, 'X' Script - Act 01

Characters:

Laura Jesson, an attractive, rather prim middle-class married housewife, in her mid-thirties, dressed stylishly, but conservatively.

Dr Alec Harvey, a married small town medical practitioner in his early forties.

Dolly Messiter, an outgoing, fashionable friend of Laura, in her mid forties.

Fred Jesson, Laura's husband, a rather dull businessman in his late forties.

Location: The refreshment room, Millford Junction railway station.

Scene One:

Laura is on her weekly visit to Millford. She is alone and has, as usual been shopping, then to see a romantic film at the cinema.

She sits in the railway refreshment room, with a cup of tea and a slice of cake to kill time, whilst waiting for the 5.15 train home.

She is wearing a tight, brown, tailored, belted suit, finishing just below the knee, an ivory chiffon blouse, pearls, elbow length soft leather gloves, low heeled brown court shoes, tan stockings and a smart brown hat.

As she demurely crosses her nyloned legs, there is an audible 'swish' noise which attracts the attention of several male passengers, seated nearby.

Looking up she sees her friend, Dolly, enter from the platform, accompanied by a rather dashing man in an overcoat and trilby hat.

'Hello Laura! Fancy seeing you here. This is Alec, he's an acquaintance of my husband's. We bumped into each other in the High Street. Alec, this is Laura Jesson, an old school chum.'

'Nice to meet you Mrs Jesson. I'm waiting for the train to Silverton.'

Laura moves her seat slightly. 'Please, join me. I think there's enough room.'

Dolly and Alec pull up chairs and sit at Laura's small table.

'I'll order us some tea, Dolly. Miss, could we have two teas please?'

Dolly continues: 'So, Laura, what have you been buying?'

'Oh, you know me Dolly. Just a few items from Stewarts' Department Store.'

'Come along Laura. You know that I admire your taste. Open up those bags and show us your purchases!'

'Oh no, I couldn't possibly. Not in front of Alec!'

'Don't be silly Laura. Alec won't mind, will you Alec?'

'Err, no, really its alright. Not if Laura would rather not.'

Dolly reaches over to gab the first bag. She lifts out several garments, carefully wrapped in tissue paper, and places them on the table.

'I can't wait to see what you've bought. Now, Laura, quickly, before our trains arrive!'

Blushing slightly, Laura carefully opens each item. First is a pair of the most exquisite black silk French Knickers. Next, a tiny pair of emerald green satin panties. Finally, a pack of three pairs of ultra sheer fully fashioned 'Aristoc' nylon stockings.

'They are gorgeous, Laura. Must have cost a fortune, don't you think so Alec?'

Alec is obviously uneasy, but Laura can see that he is fascinated by the scene before him.

'Yes, they look lovely. Your husband is a very lucky man!'

A train whistle is heard outside. Alec stands.

'That will be my train I'm afraid. So nice to meet you, Mrs Jesson. Bye Dolly. Oh, here is a shilling - should cover the teas!'

Laura was aware of Alec's quick, rather furtive glance at her legs as he stood and left the two friends.

'Isn't he a dish, Laura? He works one day a week at Millford hospital.'

'He was most charming, I'm sure. I do wish you hadn't embarrassed me in front of him like that, Dolly.'

Dolly giggled, 'How often do you get a chance to show off your underwear to a good looking man!'

Laura blushed, 'Really Dolly, I'm quite sure Dr Harvey is not interested in such things!'

'Believe me Laura, I could tell straight away, that he was smitten - with you and...........your knickers!

'That's quite enough Dolly. There's our train. Quickly, we have to cross by the footbridge.'

Scene two:

Laura is at home, lying on her bed, having carefully stowed away her purchases.

'If only Dolly knew the truth', she thought.

'Here I am with drawers full of the most sumptuous, feminine clothing, but a husband who is brutish and insensitive.'

In fact, Laura and Fred had slept in seperate rooms for over a year. After some twelve years of marriage, she had come to realise that she had never really loved her husband. Suppressed deep down, she had strong feelings and stirrings that he was unable to satisfy.

And so it was, that her weekly visits by train to Millford had assumed such importance in her otherwise humdrum and sexless existence. A chance to buy and wear the sort of clothes that helped express her innermost femininity, on one day a week, unseen by Fred.

Or at least, she had been unseen by him. Lately, she had begun to be a little less secretive; sometimes changing into one of her 'outfits' for the evening.

She had begun to take an almost perverse pleasure in surreptitiously parading and posing in front of her husband. Knowing that he was incapable of appreciating her delicate feminine nature; or even of complementing her on her appearance. She hated herself for it, but deep down she enjoyed being cruel and distant towards him.

He had been her only real boyfriend. Naturally, there had been no sex before the wedding, and her expectations confused.

It took years for her to acknowledge that their relationship was unsatisfactory. In truth, Fred lacked imagination, sophistication and above all, had a large, ugly penis, which she had always hated to look at, let alone touch.

In another fifty years, she might ask for a divorce, but, for couples of their class, in the late 1930's, this was unthinkable.

And so, she felt herself condemned to a half-life; reading romantic fiction, watching films and indulging in expensive clothes, jewellery, perfume and hairdressing.

Though Fred had a moderate salary, since her marriage, Laura had never worked. In fact she had inherited from her grandmother, a large sum of money and the house in which they now lived. Perhaps that was part of her problem; too much time to dwell on her 'problems' and too few opportunities to spend her inheritance.

Scene three:

Two weeks later, Laura is once again to be found waiting for her train. Looking up, she sees Alec enter the refreshment room.

'Ah, Mrs Jesson, hello again!'

Laura is aware that Alec's eyes are involuntarily drawn to her shapely ankles, dressed today in rather daring high heeled sandals.

'Dr Harvey, how nice to see you again. would you join me. There is some tea left in the pot. I'll ask the girl for another cup.'

Alec reluctantly raises his eyes to be greeted by Laura's quizzical stare. A little hesitatingly, he continues:

'I see you've been shopping again. Did you see a film?'

'Oh, yes, I saw 'Dinner at the Ritz' with David Niven. Have you seen it?'

'I'm afraid I seldom have the opportunity to see films, these days. I do miss the cinema, Mrs Jesson.'

'Please Alec, call me Laura. There's another splendid film opening next week. 'Fire over England', with Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh.'

'Yes, I read the review in the Millford Chronicle. I'd love to see it.'

'Perhaps your wife could come to town and join you after work. There's a screening at 5.20 PM'

'Sally isn't keen on the cinema, I'm afraid. Look, I hope I'm not being too forward, but would you mind terribly if I were to join you for next week's matinee performance?'

'Not at all, that would be delightful. It will make a change to have someone with whom to discuss the film afterwards.'

'You are very kind. We could meet outside the cinema, at say 3.30 on Wednesday?'

'I'll look forward to it!'

There is the sound of an approaching train outside.

'That will be my train, Alec. Must dash. So nice to bump into you again.'

'Indeed. Au revoir.'

Alec can't help himself and turns to watch surreptitiously as Laura's slender, 'hourglass' figure exits enticingly to the platform.