中级篇PART3第六册标准文本

  LESSON 1 OK, MOM. . . I'LL COME RIGHT AWAY. . .

SCENE ONE: LINDA'S OFFICE

RITA: When will we start on the new show ?
LINDA: We'll start next week - if I can find the script. I'll be with you in a minute, Rita.
LINDA: Hello. . . Jeff Bennett? . . . No, I'm sorry. He isn't here right now. . . Oh, I see. . . Well, maybe he's on the set. . . I'll ask him to call you right away.
What's your number? . . . Just a minute, please. . . OK. I have a pen. . . 555-9247. . . All right, Mrs. Bennett. Everything will be all right. . . I'll give him the message. . . Good luck. . . Bye.
RITA: What's wrong?
LINDA: That was Jeff's mom. His dad is in the hospital.
RITA: Oh, no.
LINDA: He had a heart attack. Could you tell Jeff to call his mother right away? He's on the set. Here's the number.

SCENE TWO: STUDIO - THE MUSEUM OFFICE SET

STEVEN: Let's begin. Jeff, you'll enter from the door.
JEFF: Steven, before we start, could you give me the schedule for next week?
STEVEN: OK. I'll get my calendar.
STEVEN: Tomorrow we'll shoot the next scene. . . and. . . we'll finish this show the day after tomorrow.
JEFF: Only twelve more to go.
STEVEN: Then Mike will shoot a news show in the studio in a few days. He'll need the whole studio, and we won't rehearse for a week.
JEFF: I'll have some time off, and Mary Beth will have some time with her kids.
STEVEN: Linda says we'll begin the next show on Thursday.
JEFF: That's next week?
STEVEN: Yes. We'll begin next Thursday. We'll shoot for two weeks.
RITA: Jeff.
JEFF: Over here.
RITA: Jeff, your mother called. She wants you to call her right away. She'll be at this number.
JEFF: It sounds serious.
RITA: I think it could be. Use that phone. It'll be quieter there.
RITA: Will you need Jeff for the next scene?
STEVEN: Yes, I will. We'll do the post office scene. Why?
RITA: Jeff won't be back. I think he'll have to go to the hospital. His father had a heart attack.
STEVEN: Oh, my god! That's terrible. We'd better stop. We can't finish the shoot until Jeff gets back.
RITA: Poor Jeff. How will he handle this?

SCENE THREE: ON THE TELEPHONE

JEFF: Will he be all right? . . . OK, Mom. . . I'll come right away. . . Mom, stay calm. . . I'll be there soon. . . I love you, Mom.
EFF: Hello. Dr. Carrano, please. . . Oh. He won't be in until 4: 00? . . . would you tell him that Jeff Bennett called? He can reach me at 555-9427. . . Tell him it's important. . . Thanks .

SCENE FOUR: LINDA'S OFFICE

LINDA: Jeff won't be back for a week. So, I guess I won't finish the show on time. That's OK.
Steven doesn't know, but I have an extra two weeks in the schedule for emergencies. And maybe it'll help.
We all need a break. Mary Beth won't be tired. Steven won't be rushed. Mike won't care. And maybe I can clean up this mess.

LESSON 12 HERE'S TO WEFL!

SCENE ONE: THE STUDIO

STEVEN: Leave it on. I want to see the credits.
MIKE: No. I want to talk. We've seen enough credits.
RITA: Why don't we turn on the picture and turn off the sound? You can watch the credits, and we can talk. How does this work?
MIKE: Turn it to the left.
RITA: It went off.
MIKE: Oh. Pull it out first. That turns on the picture. Then turn it to the left. That turns down the sound.
LINDA: Why didn't Mary Beth come?
MIKE: I offered to pick her up in my car, but she didn't want to watch the show here.
STEVEN: I understand how she feels. It's embarrassing to watch yourself with a crowd.
RITA: Oh, speak for yourself. I don't think she was embarrassed to see herself. I think she wanted to watch it with her husband and children.
LINDA: Excuse me. I have to step out for a minute.
JEFF: I can't believe that was the last show of the season.
MIKE: Steven, congratulations to you.
STEVEN: Thanks, Mike, but I didn't do it myself. We should all pat ourselves on the back for a great job.
RITA: Yeah. I looked at myself in the mirror this morning and I said, "Rita, you deserve to pat yourself on the back. "And do you know what I said to myself?
JEFF: What?
RITA: Forget the pat on the back. Treat yourself. Go shopping.
STEVEN: You're going shopping now?
RITA: Why? Do you have a better idea?
STEVEN: Yes. Let's all go out and celebrate.
JEFF: Oh, no! I made other plans.
RITA: With Amy?
EFF: Yes.
MIKE: Why don't you bring her along?
JEFF: Well, we wanted to go out by ourselves.
STEVEN: Come on. Join us for a little while.
JEFF: OK. We will. . . Hey, where's Linda?
STEVEN: Why isn't she here?
RITA: She probably got lost.
MIKE: Rita, be nice.
LINDA: Hi, everybody. I just got some great news. We're going to do twenty-six shows next year!
MIKE: That's fantastic!
STEVEN: It's wonderful! I can't believe it!
JEFF: We really have to celebrate. . . And I guess I've really found my home. Here's to WEFL.

LESSON 11 DO YOU KNOW THE VALUE OF THIS PACKAGE

SCENE ONE: THE MUSEUM OFFICE

NARRATOR: Last time on "Murder at Midnight". . .
DETECTIVE STEON: Where's Victor?
PHILIP: He left my office five minutes ago. He was going to the post office to send the treaty to a rich collector.
TONY: Where's he sending it?
PHILIP: South America.
DIANA: South America! Detective Stone, you have to stop him. . . or we'll never see the Stamford Treaty again!

SCENE TWO: THE POST OFFICE

VICTOR: I want to send this airmail.
POSTAL CLERK: Well, put it down. I have to weigh it first.
VICTOR: How much?
POSTAL CLERK: To Brazil? I have to look it up. . . Fourteen dollars.
VICTOR: And I need to insure it. Can you add that on?
POSTAL CLERK: Now hold your horses. First, you have to fill out this customs form. Look it over, fill it in, and sign it on the bottom.
VICTOR: What about the insurance?
POSTAL CLERK: Turn it over. There are instructions on the other side. . . Do you know the value of this package?
VICTOR: Believe me, I know the value of this package.
POSTAL CLERK: Write it down.
VICTOR: OK, I'm done. I can hand it over to you now.
DIANA: There he is!
DETECTIVE STONE: I'm Detective Stone of the Stamford Police. We have some questions for you.
VICTOR: Of course, Detective. I have nothing to hide.
DIANA: Where's the treaty?
TONY: Did you mail it?
VICTOR: I have no idea what you're talking about.
POSTAL CLERK: Hey, Mister, you can't send this! You didn't sign the customs form!
DIANA: Let's see if the treaty is inside.
TONY: Be careful. . . Tear it open at the end. Then you can pull it out.
TONY: Now pull these apart.
DIANA: The Stamford Treaty!
DETECTIVE STONE: You're under arrest!
VICTOR: I had no idea what was in there. Tate asked me to mail it.
TONY: It's no use, Chapman. Tate confessed.
VICTOR: If I get my hands on Tate, I'll kill him too!
DETECTIVE STONE: You killed Ben Morris. And you're going to jail for it.
TONY: Detective Stone, we owe you an apology. We didn't believe you were working on the case. We know better now.
DETECTIVE STONE: I learned something too. People like you can give me a lot of help. Thanks.
DIANA: Yes. I'm proud of you, Tony.
TONY: Thanks, Diana. We make a good team, don't we?
DIANA: Yes.
TONY: What'll happen to the museum now ?
DIANA: I'm going to run the museum myself. Do you think I can do it?
TONY: I think you can do just about anything. Come on. Let's celebrate.

LESSON 10 WE'LL HAVE TO SOLVE THE MURDER OURSELVES.


SCENE ONE: THE MUSEUM OFFICE

DIANA: Detective Stone will be here in a few minutes. He's fooling himself if he thinks Victor Chapman is innocent.
TONY: The police are too slow. We'll have to solve the murder ourselves.
DIANA: Then we have to find more evidence.
TONY: Maybe Victor Chapman didn't make the fake treaty himself. Maybe somebody made it for him.
DIANA: Philip Tate! Of course! He could do it.
TONY: Does Victor Chapman know Tate?
DIANA: Oh, yes. They're old friends.
TONY: I think Victor Chapman and Mr. Tate are partners.
DIANA: Partners in crime? Why didn't I think of that?
TONY: Give yourself a break, Diana. They were very careful.
DIANA: There must be one thing they forgot to hide.
DIANA: Tony, look. Maybe the fake treaty was made with these. Someone practiced Indian marks with this pen and ink.
TONY: And he used the wrong mark. But how do we prove it?
PHILIP: Oh, I didn't expect to find anyone here. I'll come back later.
TONY: Wait a minute. We want to talk to you.
PHILIP: Yes?
DIANA: This treaty is a fake.
PHILIP: Well, I don't know what you're talking about.
TONY: Then I'll show you.
TONY: This is how you made the fake treaty.
DIANA: I remember. You had black ink on your hand.
PHILIP: No! She's kidding herself. That wasn't ink, I cut myself. It was a bandage.
TONY: There was no bandage. I know. I took these photos myself. They will prove you spilled ink on yourself. You did it, Tate.
PHILIP: They can't put me in jail for having ink on my hand.
DIANA: But they can put you in jail for having blood on your hands!
PHILIP: No!
TONY: Ben Morris discovered the fake treaty. And you killed him because of it!Your fingerprints will be all over the evidence.
PHILIP: No. I didn't kill anyone! I only made the fake treaty.
TONY: Did you make it yourself?
PHILIP: Yes. I made it myself. I needed the money.
DIANA: What about the murder?
PHILIP: That wasn't my idea.
DIANA: So you had a partner ?
PHILIP: Victor Chapman. He killed your uncle.
DETECTIVE STONE: But you were there. You're both guilty.
DIANA: They killed Uncle Ben and then kept his treaty for themselves. Do you believe us now, Detective Stone?
DETECTIVE STONE: Yes. I checked on Victor Chapman. He has a criminal record as long as my arm. Where's Victor?
PHILIP: He left my office five minutes ago. He was going to the post office to send the treaty to a rich collector.
TONY: Where's he sending it?
PHILIP: South America.
DIANA: South America! Detective Stone, you have to stop him. . . or we'll never see the Stamford Treaty again!

LESSON 9 YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO STICK YOUR NOSE INTO POLICE BUSINESS.

SCENE ONE: DIANA'S LIVING ROOM
DIANA: Detective Stone, we solved the murder.
DETECTIVE STONE: You what?
DIANA: We solved my uncle's murder.
DETECTIVE STONE: That's police work. Why did you do that?
DIANA: We were trying to help.
DETECTIVE STONE: You didn't have to stick your nose into police business.
DIANA: Somebody had to work on it. You weren't doing it.
DETECTIVE STONE: I was working on other cases. I had to finish those first.
DIANA: Detective Stone, we found a new clue. We think it's important.
DETECTIVE STONE: What is it?
DIANA: We can show it to you at the museum. Can you meet us there?
DETECTIVE STONE: Now? . . . I have to go to court. I'll meet you at the museum in an hour.
DIANA: All right. I'll see you then.
TONY: Will he meet us?
DIANA: Uh-huh. At the museum. He had to go to court first. He makes me mad.
TONY: Look, Diana. He didn't have to talk to us tonight. He didn't have to agree to meet us. I think he's doing all he can.
DIANA: Maybe. Let's go.


SCENE TWO: THE MUSEUM OFFICE

TONY: This is a photo of the real treaty. Look at this mark.
TONY: Now look at the mark on this.
DETECTIVE STONE: They're different.
TONY: Exactly. This is a fake. Someone stole the real treaty.
DIANA: The man who stole the treaty is the same man who killed my uncle. And I know who it is.
DETECTIVE STONE: You mean, you think you know who it is.
DIANA: Detective Stone, I know who the killer is. . . It's Victor Chapman.
DETECTIVE STONE: Victor Chapman? The famous art dealer? I can't arrest him.
TONY: Why not?
DETECTIVE STONE: I don't have any evidence. Was Victor ever seem with the treaty?
DIANA: No, he wasn't.
DETECTIVE STONE: Then you don't know that he stole it. And you shouldn't interfere with police work.
DIANA: We were just looking for clues.
TONY: We were hoping to help. I guess we were wrong.
DIANA: We know you weren't working on the murder last week.
DETECTIVE STONE: I wasn't sleeping on the job. I had to work on a robbery case. I had to go to court.
And right now I have to get some sleep. . . Look, I'll start to work on your uncle's murder in the morning. All right? Good night.
DIANA: Good night, Detective.
TONY: It's up to us .
DIANA: We'll find the killer. . . And I know where to look.

LESSON 8 HE HAD TO WORK TWO JOBS.



SCENE ONE: THE BENNETT FAMILY KITCHEN
JEFF: That smells good.
MRS. BENNETT: I hope so. How are you?
JEFF: I'm fine. I rehearsed today.
MR. BENNETT: How was the rehearsal?
JEFF: I had to work very hard.
MRS. BENNETT: Dinner should be ready in a few minutes. I have to make special dinners for your father now. He's on a diet. Oh, I have to give him his medicine.
JEFF: You look tired. What did you do today?
MRS. BENNETT: I had to do a lot of errands. First I had to go to the grocery store and buy things for dinner. Then I had to buy some medicine for your father. Then I had to return some books to the library.
JEFF: What a busy day!. . . Can I go see Dad now ?
MRS. BENNETT: Sure. He's awake.
JEFF: Is the nurse with him?
MRS. BENNETT: No. I sent her home an hour ago.


SCENE TWO: THE BEDROOM

JEFF: Can I come in?
MR. BENNETT: Come in, Jeff.
JEFF: What's that?
MR. BENNETT: These are old pictures and scrapbooks. I was thinking about the Bennett family.
JEFF: Ah, the old Bennetts.
MR. BENNETT: They were a tough bunch. . . Look, here's my great-great-grandfather Patrick.
JEFF: Didn't he have to leave Ireland when he was only sixteen?
MR. BENNETT: Yes, he had to leave the country quickly. I never knew why. He never saw his mother and father again.
JEFF: You said he had to work very hard.
MR. BENNETT: Right. He built bridges and worked on the old steamships. He was a real character.
JEFF: Who's that?
MR. BENNETT: That's Sarah Bennett, my great-grandmother.
JEFF: What did she do?
MR. BENNETT: She came to this country, and she started a laundry business from nothing. She had five children.
JEFF: Didn't her brother move west?
MR. BENNETT: Yes. He owned his own ranch.
JEFF: Did he have to fight outlaws?
MR. BENNETT: Yes, he did. He had to defend the land.
JEFF: That's Grandpa Al.
MR. BENNETT: Right. What a man he was!
JEFF: He had to support you and Grandma through the Depression.
MR. BENNETT: He had to work two jobs. He put three children through school.
JEFF: You had to work too. You had to work during the day and go to school at night. These Bennetts were tougher than I am.
I didn't have to leave the country or fight outlaws. I didn't have to start a business. I didn't have to work two jobs. I didn't even have to work weekends.
MR. BENNETT: No. You didn't have to do any of those things. But you're doing what you want to do. And you do it well. . . I think the other Bennetts would admire you.
JEFF: This doesn't sound like you, Dad.
MR. BENNETT: I have more time to think these days, Jeff. . . I'm proud of you.
MR. BENNETT: What's that?
JEFF: I brought you something, I hid it here last night.
MR. BENNETT: What is it?
JEFF: A present.
MR. BENNETT: You didn't have to get me a present.
JEFF: I didn't have to, but I wanted to. But you have to promise me something before you open it.
MR. BENNETT: What?
JEFF: You have to wait until I talk to the doctor before you use this.
MR. BENNETT: OK.
JEFF: And you have to promise me something else.
MRS. BENNETT: What?
JEFF: You have to promise me that we can go out to the golf course together.
MR. BENNETT: It's a deal. Now can I open my present? What is it? A baseball bat?

LESSON 7 WHAT WERE YOU DOING WHEN MEN LANDED ON THE MOON?

SCENE ONE: THE STUDIO

CHARLES : Here's an interesting article. There's a new plan to send a rocket to Mars.
HENRY JONES: To Mars. I dreamed of going to Mars.
CHARLES : I dreamed of going to the moon.
HENRY: Remember those great television pictures? What were you doing when men landed on the moon?
CHARLES : I was watching television at college.
HENRY: I was making a movie.
MARY BETH: I was playing at school.
CHARLES : No, you weren't.
MARY BETH: I was very young.
CHARLES : Well, it was a long time ago. Boy, I feel old.
GEORGE WATTS: I was holding my new baby when they landed. I was crying my eyes out.
CHARLES : George Watts! Or should we call you Uncle Ben. . . Welcome back. Tell us why you were crying.
GEORGE: I was crying because I was so happy. The nurses in the hospital were watching television.
The astronauts were saying those famous words , "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. "
It was a beautiful moment. The baby was crying. I was crying. The nurses were clapping.
CHARLES : That's nice. What brings you to the studio?
GEORGE: Well, I just came back from Paris yesterday, and I decided to come here and say hello.
CHARLES : Good. Sit down. What were you doing in Paris?
GEORGE: I was trying out for a new movie.
CHARLES : You were eating all that good Parisian food.
GEORGE: Well, I ate some very good meals, that's true. But what's new here?
CHARLES : Did you see the papers?
GEORGE: No.
CHARLES : While you were away, we were reviewed by all the papers.
GEORGE: Oh, really?
CHARLES : "Murder at Midnight" was called the best new show of the year.
HENRY: The critics said Steven was a brilliant young director.
CHARLES : And Mary Beth was given excellent reviews.
MARY BETH: Charles got great reviews too.
HENRY: But Jeff had the best reviews of all.
GEORGE: Where is Jeff?
MARY BETH: He's rehearsing with Steven.
CHARLES : While you were away, Jeff's father went to the hospital.
GEORGE: Oh, no!
CHARLES : He was moving furniture when he felt a pain in his chest. A few minutes later, Jeff's mother found him on the floor.
GEORGE: Where was Jeff?
CHARLES : He was here at the studio. He was rehearsing when the call came.
MARY BETH: I was talking to Jeff when Rita came with the message.
GEORGE: Where's Jeff now ?
CHARLES : Upstairs with Steven.
GEORGE: Well, I'm going to find him and say hello. I'll see you later.
CHARLES : It was nice seeing you.
MARY BETH: Come back again soon.

LESSON 6 I'M PERFECTLY HAPPY WITH THE WAY THINGS ARE RIGHT NOW.

SCENE ONE: THE PARK

MARY BETH: It was nice of you to meet me here. You're a good friend.
RITA: It's a gorgeous day. I like going to the park.
MARY BETH: It's nice to talk to you and know that my kids are having a good time.
RITA: They're growing so quickly.
MARY BETH: I know. If I don't watch carefully, I'll miss their entire childhood. Jonathan, be careful.
RITA: He seems to play very nicely with the other children.
MARY BETH: He's playing quietly today, but yesterday he acted very badly.
RITA: What happened?
MARY BETH: He threw sand all over everyone.
RITA: What did you do?
MARY BETH: I said firmly, "You're a bad boy, Jonathan. You were bad, so you have to go home. "
RITA: No second chance?
MARY BETH: No second chance. He's perfectly able to behave. If he doesn't behave, he goes home.
RITA: You're a very good mother, Mary Beth Adams, and you have wonderful children.
MARY BETH: Thank you, Rita. That's one of the best compliments anyone could give me.
RITA: You don't seem so tired. Is anyone helping you with the children now?
MARY BETH: Yes. My new baby-sitter handles the children more easily. The children seem calmer. They're more rested and better behaved.
RITA: What does she do differently? Does she work harder than the other baby-sitters?
MARY BETH: She doesn't seem to work harder, but somehow she gets more done.
RITA: I don't understand.
MARY BETH: It's her attitude. She's calmer and more self-confident. Maybe that's why the children follow her directions better. She's also more responsible than the other baby-sitters.
RITA: But do you still have to get up at night?
MARY BETH: No. The children seem happier now and they sleep better at night. . . Give the toy back to the little girl, Jonathan. That's good.
RITA: Well, now that everything is going smoothly, are you planning to take more acting jobs?
MARY BETH: No. Not for a while. I'm perfectly happy with the way things are right now.
RITA: That's good to hear.
MARY BETH: I'll always want to spend more time with my children. . . and I'll always want to be a more successful actress, but. . . everything can't be perfect.
I finally understand that. Uh-oh. He's throwing sand again. Jonathan, you mustn't throw sand. You're going home right now.

LESSON 5   "MURDER AT MIDNIGHT" IS PHOTOGRAPHED BEAUTIFULLY.

SCENE ONE: THE STUDIO

MIKE: This one's my favorite: "‘Murder at Midnight’is photographed beautifully. "
STEVEN: Or this: "Of the three new shows this season, ‘Murder at Midnight’is the most skillfully directed."
MARY BETH: When Jeff sees these great reviews, he'll cheer up.
MIKE: Yeah. Listen, "Jeff Bennett moves smoothly into his first big role."
MARY BETH: I think Jeff will like this one: "Jeff Bennett plays the young reporter more convincingly than anyone on television."
MIKE: Mary Beth, you must be thrilled too.
MARY BETH: Oh, I am. I'm going to frame this one: "Mary Beth Adams plays the female lead as intelligently as anyone since. . . "Well, you get the idea.
RITA: Why don't they ever mention the makeup person? Don't you think it should say "Rita Haynes applies blush more professionally than any other makeup artist on television? "


SCENE TWO: THE BENNETT FAMILY KITCHEN

JEFF: Well, that's the last interview. Finding a nurse to take care of Dad when he comes home from the hospital isn't easy.
MRS. BENNETT: I don't know why we need a nurse. I can help your father get better faster than any of them.
JEFF: I know, Mom, but it's going to be hard on you. If you have a nurse to help you with Dad, it'll be easier.
MRS. BENNETT: No one will treat your father as lovingly as I will.
JEFF: Absolutely, Mom. But I want someone here to help you. You can't take care of him alone. Let's talk about the nurses we saw. What did you think of Nurse Gordon?
MRS. BENNETT: She's a hard worker, but I don't think she's the best choice.
JEFF: Why not?
MRS. BENNETT: She seems cold. She's not a very nice person.
JEFF: How about Nurse Garcia? She gets along with people more easily. She seemed the friendliest.
MRS. BENNETT: She's the friendliest, all right. Too friendly. And too loud. She drives me crazy.
JEFF: And Nurse Fitzgerald? She wasn't loud.
MRS. BENNETT: She spoke so quietly I couldn't hear her.
JEFF: What did you think of Nurse Jackson? He seemed to handle everything more efficiently than the others.
MRS. BENNETT: He's too efficient. I didn't like him at all.
JEFF: Did you like Nurse Rose? She seemed to be the nicest.
MRS. BENNETT: Yes, I liked her. She's sweet. She could be OK.
JEFF: Great. Then Nurse Rose is the one for us . I'll give her a call.
MRS. BENNETT: OK, Jeff, but I'm still the best nurse for your father.
JEFF: I know, Mom. You're the best. Nurse Rose will just be here to help you with Dad. OK?
MRS. BENNETT: OK.

SCENE THREE: THE CONTROL ROOM

LINDA: Come in, Steven. I have good news. I spoke to Jeff.
STEVEN: How is he?
LINDA: He's handling things very well.
STEVEN: How's his father?
LINDA: He's recovering quicker than other men his age. He'll be going home next week.
STEVEN: That's good news.
LINDA: Yes, and Jeff is coming back to work tomorrow.
STEVEN: Fantastic! Did he see the reviews?
LINDA: Yes. They made him extremely happy.
STEVEN: Well, I'm glad to hear he's coming back.
LINDA: We all are. Hey, did you see the review in the Hartford paper?
STEVEN: No.
LINDA: Oh, you have to hear this one. It's the best of them all. I have it right here.

LESSON 4 THE NEWSPAPERS ARE FINALLY REVIEWING THE SHOW.

SCENE ONE: LINDA'S OFFICE

STEVEN: Today's the day. The newspapers are finally reviewing the show.
LINDA: I hate critics. I hate reading their reviews.
STEVEN: You seem surprisingly calm.
LINDA: I'm not. I'm terribly nervous.
STEVEN: You hide it very well.
LINDA: I just hope the critics like the show.
STEVEN: Don't you think they will? These will be my first reviews as a dramatic director.
LINDA: Well, I don't care what the reviews say. You directed beautifully.
STEVEN: Do you really think so?
LINDA: Steven, you're a good director. You work well with the cast. You're doing a wonderful job. I mean it.
STEVEN: Gee, thanks. I hope the critics think the way you do.
LINDA: Thanks. Here goes: the Daily News, the Stamford Gazette, the Connecticut Record, and the New York Times.
STEVEN: Aren't you going to read them? Let's do this quickly.
LINDA: You do it.
STEVEN: OK. Which one first?
LINDA: The Stamford Gazette.
STEVEN: Let me find it.
STEVEN: OK. . . Here it is.
LINDA: Well. . . Come on. . . Let's hear it.
STEVEN: "If you like suspense, don't miss ‘Murder at Midnight. ’This new mystery show is one of the ten best of the season. "

SCENE TWO: THE HOSPITAL WAITING ROOM

AMY: Wow! These newspaper reviews are wonderful.
JEFF: I guess so.
AMY: Did you know that you act brilliantly?
JEFF: Does it really say that?
AMY: Yes. And here . . . "Jeff Bennett moves smoothly into his first big role. He is perfect as the sensitive but strong reporter. "
JEFF: ". . . He is beautifully directed by Steven Winn. "
AMY: ". . . And nicely supported by veteran actress Mary Beth Adams. "
JEFF: I'm nicely supported by Mary Beth? No, She's the star of the show. I was supporting her.
AMY: You're very modest.
JEFF: Well, not really. I'm just telling the truth.
AMY: Jeff Bennett, you're a very good actor. . . Would you mind giving me your autograph?
JEFF: Not at all.
AMY: You even write well. . . So, if there is anything I can do. . .
JEFF: Well, just keep reading those reviews.
AMY: Of course I will. Seriously, Jeff. How's your dad today?
JEFF: He's doing very well, thanks. He'll be going home soon.
AMY: That's good.
JEFF: It's my mother I'm worried about.
AMY: She isn't doing well?
JEFF: She's extremely tense. This is very hard on her.
AMY: Well, she's lucky she has you here.
JEFF: I think she really needs me.
AMY: Why do you sound so surprised?
JEFF: I don't know. This may sound strange, but it's the first time I'm the one in charge - not my father or mother or older brother. They're all relying on me.