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MY SUMMER HOLIDAY

By

Rosalind Hildyard

1. INT SCHOOL CLASSROOM DAY

`MY SUMMER HOLIDAY` written on a blackboard. A teachers

hand underlines it.

TEACHERS VOICE
I just want you to write about one
thing you did....

A class of eight year old children heads bent copying the

title. (Track/zoom into) ALISON, a girl with a pale
slightly pinched face, who stares at the board frowning
slightly.

TEACHERS VOICE
...the thing you remember most.

Alison thinking. Faint sound of a Glen Miller record

TEACHERS VOICE
Alright, Alison?

ALISON looks up slightly startled. She nods and bends to

her page and starts to copy the title.

TITLES OVER (White chalk on a blackboard).

The sound of a forties dance tune (Glen Miller )

2. INT MARION’S BEDSIT NIGHT

MARION a plump woman of 40, dressed in a tight blue satin

dress (late 40`s) jitterbugs to the music, fag in hand.
The orange glow of a lamp. MARION twirls

ALISON sits watching, smiling. MARION suddenly pulls her

and whirls her round. ALISON yelps with delight. They
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twirl and spin, bumping into things. Something crashes to

the ground. ALISON looks round alarmed

ALISON
Mum!

MARION laughs.

MARION
Doesn`t matter

She twirls ALISON round then suddenly pulls ALISON into

her arms, holding her tightly, twirling.

MARION (O.S.)
I miss you

3. INT GEORGE’S LOUNGE DAY. FLASHBACK.

The room is spinning. A man’s face ,GEORGE, mid forties,

appears and disappears as the room spins

GEORGE
Your mother is going away for
a while

4. INT MARION’S BEDSIT NIGHT

ALISON & MARION twirling. ALISON snuggles closer to her

mother. Something flickers in the darkness

5. INT GEORGE’S LOUNGE DAY. FLASHBACK.

The room spins. GEORGE stands with PAT, a neat sensible

looking woman aged 35. PAT is heavily pregnant.

GEORGE
we`ll be a proper family again

PAT smiles at Alison

6. INT MARION’S BEDSIT NIGHT

A flame leaps up. The room spins.

ALISON
(ALARMED) Mum!
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The flame leaps higher

7. INT GEORGE’S LOUNGE DAY. FLASHBACK.

GEORGE and PAT. PAT smiles at ALISON

PAT
Would you like that?

8. INT MARION’S BEDSIT NIGHT

The spining flame leaps higher. ALISON pushes against

MARION

ALISON
Mum!

MARION holds her tightly. The flame grows

PAT (V/O)
Would you like that?

ALISON struggles to break free

ALISON
We`re on fire !

MARION drops ALISON looks round. Flames leap up. A flurry

of activity. MARION grabs something. Liquid hisses on the
flames. They leap up higher. ALISON watches scared.

9. INT MARION’S BEDSIT NIGHT

The single bare bulb illuminates a dingy scruffy bedsit.

MARION gathers charred bedding from an old camp bed.

MARION
Well no real harm done. These needed
chucking out anyway

She ties them in a bundle and puts them by the door

MARION`S VOICE
You can sleep with me for the
time being.
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ALISON sees an old rag doll that has fallen down the side
of the bed. She grabs it quickly. One arm is burnt away.
She fingers the burnt bit. Black flakes fall off.
MARION sees

MARION
Oh darling!

She crouches down to ALISON.

MARION
I`m sorry. I`ll buy you a new
one tomorrow.

A tear rolls down ALISONS face.

MARION
A proper doll, with real hair
you can brush

MARION tries to take the doll from ALISON but ALISON

pulls it away

MARION
Come on darling. She`s all burnt

ALISON clutches the doll tightly to her.

MARION
(An edge to her voice)
Don`t you want a nice new doll?

ALISON shakes her head

MARION
Well you can`t keep her. It`s
ridiculous. Look at her! What
will your father say?

ALISON looks up at her mother, quickly. Her mother looks

away guiltily.

MARION
Well, you know what he`s like,
always fussing

Reluctantly, ALISON hands the doll to her mother. MARION

shoves it with the bundle of charred bedclothes
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MARION
Thought you`d be too old for dolls
now, anyway.

10. INT GEORGE’S HALLWAY DAY

A small suitcase stands by an open door. ALISON waits

beside it, neatly brushed and dressed.

PAT`s VOICE
Alison!

PAT is hurrying down the stairs, baby on her hip, holding

out the rag doll.

PAT
Musn`t forget Wendy

ALISON takes the doll. Her father comes in and picks up

the suitcase. PAT bends down to ALISON and kisses her.

PAT
Have a lovely time

11. INT MARION’S BEDSIT DAY

Light streams through thin curtains. ALISON is carefully

carrying a cup of tea across the room. She puts it down
on a table beside the bed. Her mother is sprawled, across
the bed, make-up still smeared across her face. Her hair
hangs lank, streaked with grey. Alison shakes her gently.

Alison
Mum?

MARION stirs, wakes blearily.

ALISON
I made you some tea.

MARION squints at her

MARION
What time is it?

ALISON
Gone ten
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MARION grunts

ALISON
Shall I make you some toast?

MARION shakes her head

MARION
Give me five minutes

She turns away from ALISON.

12. INT MARION’S BEDSIT DAY

ALISON is cutting paper dolls out of newspaper. She opens

it out and holds up the paper doll chain. A clock pings.
ALISON looks up at pretty gold clock on the mantle-piece.
Quarter to twelve. Her mother stirs in the bed behind
her. ALISON look round expectantly. Her mother sits up
slowly. ALISON hurries across holding up her paper chain

ALISON
Look what I made!

Her mother looks at it dully

MARION
(Flatly)
Lovely. Pass me my pills would you

ALISON looks round the messy, cluttered room. In the

background, her mother coughs

ALISON
Can we go and get that doll, today?

MARION
On the mantlepice.

ALISON fetches the pills and hands to her mother. Her

mother shakes out one onto a trembling hand.

ALISON
Can we?

MARION puts the pill in her mouth, looks round and takes
a mouthful of cold tea.

MARION
I don`t feel very well today
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ALISON looks away, dissappointed. MARION touches her arm

MARION
Perhaps tomorrow...

ALISON nods resignedly.

13. INT MARION’S BEDSIT DAY

ALISONS finger drawing a smiley face on the steamed up

glass. She breathes on the glass to make it misty and
starts to draw a body on the face. Behind her, her mother
turns over in bed.

14. INT MARION’S BEDSIT DAY

ALISON packing clothes into her suitcase. A sound behind

her. ALISON looks round. Her mother is pulling herself
up in bed. ALISON goes to the mantlepiece and fetches the
pills.

MARION
It`s alright

ALISON stops, looks round surprised. MARION is getting

slowly out of bed

ALISON
Are you feeling better

MARION nods, her face tired and drawn. ALISON looks at

her uncertainly. MARION sees her look. She forces a
smile.

MARION
I`ll be fine when I`ve had a bath

15. INT MARION’S BEDSIT DAY

MARIONS hand shakily outlines her mouth in red. ALISON

watches her uncertainly. MARION sees her watching. Self-
concious, she blots her mouth, dabbing at a bit of stray
lipstick

MARION
Have you decided what sort of doll
you want ?
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ALISON shrugs

MARION
I think I saw some that can walk

ALISON looks up interested

ALISON
What, really walk?

MARION
No you hold them and... (frowns)
I think I did. Anyway, come on because
your father will be here soon.

16. EXT LONDON STREET DAY

ALISON jumps along avoiding the cracks in the pavement.

She holds Marions hand.

ALISON
I`d like one thats eyes open and shut, you know
when you lie it down. Penny`s got one like that
she`s in my class at school. She`s sort of my
friend but not really because she....

MARIONS feet slow down. ALISONS voice trails away. She

looks up at MARION who is glancing nervously round her,
her breathing growing faster. ALISON watches her
anxiously. MARION stops. Her breath is fast panicky

ALISON
(Resigned)
It`s alright, mum

She takes her mother`s arm to turn her back the way they
came. MARION pushes her off

MARION
No, I`ll...

Her face clenches with the effort to gain control. ALISON

sees two woman on the other side of the road stop and
look round. She pulls at her mothers arm

ALISON
Come on mum
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MARION pulls away.She takes a step forward, her face

tight with effort, the ragged sound of her breath, she
sways. ALISON grabs her arm. The two women are watching,
concerned

ALISON
Mum, please !

WOMAN
(calls)
Are you alright, love?

ALISON
(calls)
Yes we`re fine

MARION allows herself to be turned round. Tears run down

her face. ALISON leads her back, supporting her

17. INT MARION’S BEDSIT DAY

MARIAN is slumped in a chair, her face red and puffy from

crying. ALISON dabs powder carefully on her face.

MARION
(Tired)
I`m sorry

ALISON
It doesn`t matter

The clock chimes four. MARIAN glances at it.

MARIAN
Shall we have some music on

18. INT MARION’S BEDSIT DAY

Glen Miller plays. MARIAN sits in the chair, made up,

presentable, dozing. ALISON sits on the bed, her suitcase
beside her. She glances at the clock (4.35). She taps on
the case with her fingers, making them dance to the tune.
The door bell rings.

ALISON jumps up , grabbing her suitcase.

MARIAN (O.S.)
I`ll get it
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ALISON stops and lets MARIAN open the door.

GEORGE and PAT stand there, holding the sleeping baby.

they smile awkwardly

GEORGE
Well. Have you been a good girl?

19. INT CLASSROOM DAY

ALISONS face, perturbed, thinking. A bell rings. She

looks up startled. Children scrambling out of their
chairs.

TEACHERS VOICE
Put your books on my desk.
No pushing Malcolm, thank you

ALISON looks down at her book, alarmed, the title and a

blank page. She starts to write quickly

20. INT MARION’S BEDSIT/HALLWAY DAY

GEORGE picks up ALISON`s suitcase. ALISON steps over the

threshold to join PAT.

MARIAN
Would you like some tea before you go?

GEORGE hesitates, awkward

GEORGE
Well.. it`s a bit of a drive, you know.

MARIAN nods. He steps into the hall to join Pat & ALISON.
PAT touches her shoulder.

PAT
Say goodbye to your mum

ALISON turns back dutifully to MARIAN. MARIAN leans down

and hugs her tightly.

MARIAN
(Whispers)
I`ll miss you

The room spins

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PAT (V.O)
Would you like that?

21. INT GEORGE’S LOUNGE DAY. FLASHBACK.

Pat & her father stand side by side looking down,

waiting. ALISON is thinking, perturbed. She nods

22. INT CLASSROOM. DAY

ALISON is quickly writing.

TEACHER (O.S.)
Come on, Alison..

ALISON looks up. The teacher is walking towards her hand

outstretched for the book.

TEACHER
...It`s playtime.

Alison quickly dots the end of her sentence. The teacher

picks up the book. She reads.

TEACHER
`I played with my new doll` Is that all?

ALISON, her face set and angry

ALISON
Yes !