9
W: So you're going at last.
M: Seems like it.
W: Is that yes or no?
M: Unless you've got some other idea.
W: I've run out of ideas. Why, do you
have any other ideas?
M: If I had I suppose I wouldn't be
going, would I?
W: 1 suppose not. Anyway, I've tried
everything.
M: You've tried everything?
W: We've both tried everything, I sup-
pose. I suppose there's no point in
hanging on. No point in trying
again. No point in going over the
same old ground again and again
and again. Best to give up, I sup-
pose. Cut one's losses. Go, go. Try
with somebody else.
M: There's nobody else.
W: You'll find somebody else.
M: So will you.
W: I daresay. Not to worry about me.
M: We did agree it would be best.
W: I know we agreed. I'm saying, go,
go. Only.
M: Only what?
W: It's your decision.
M: My decision!
W: Just so long as you realize. It's your
decision.
M: We both agreed…
W: We both agreed but it's your deci-
sion. it's still your decision. You're
the one who's going.
M: One of us has to go.
W: And you're the one. You’ve made
the decision to go. I haven’t. I can’t
make decisions for you. Just so long as you realize
M: Do you want me to go?
W: 1 want you to make your own deci-
sion and do your own thing. I'm not
going to hold you back. If you want
to go. 1 also don't want to be—held
responsible —if you do.
M: Do you want me to go?
W: I want you to do as you think fit!
M: Do you want me to go!
Do you want me to go!!
W: No.
Do you want to go?
M: No.
Oh, what else is there to say?
W: We'll find something.

10
(The MAN is talking)
W: Just a minute, can you stop?
M: What's the matter?
W: I'm bored with this conversation.
M: You're what?
W: The conversation doesn't interest me.
M: 0h?
W: Can you talk about something else?
M: Certainly, if you want me to. I do
apologize for boring you.
W: Not you, your conversation. You
weren't to know, I was trying to look
interested. My fault.
M: You mean you should have looked
bored?
W: No, 1 should have told you straight
away I wasn't interested.
M: Hm. Does this often happen?
W: What?
M: Finding yourself saddled with a
crashing bore?
W: You are not a crashing bore.
M: Just an ordinary bore.
W; I've offended you.
M: Me? Why should I be offended.
You're the one who should be offended,
having to put up with a crashing bore.
W: You are not….
M: After all, if one's a crashing bore it's
best that one's told. Thank you. For
telling me. That I'm a....
W: Stop it.
M: Am 1 boring you again?
W: Listen. Stop it and listen, be quiet
and shut up and listen. It's quite
simple. You were talking about
something which didn't interest me. I
should have let you know at once.
Instead I pretended lo be interested.
It was my mistake. I apologize.
M: Oh, don’t apologize. I should apolo-
gize, I’m the bore.
W: You're not listening. . . .
M: And now I have news for you. May
I tell it, at the risk of boring you?
W: Go on.
M: This conversation is boring me. So
shall we change the subject? Or bet-
ter still, since we both find each
other such crashing bores, perhaps
I'll put the television on.
W: 1 don't want television, 1 want to
talk to you.
M: In spite of the fact that I'm.. ..
W: Please. Stop it, please, please.
M: The sad thing is. I was only telling
you that story because 1 thought you
might be interested. It was of no in-
terest to me.

11
M: How would you like to go to the
cinema tonight?
W: Tonight?
M: If you're not doing anything else.
W: No, I'm not doing anything else.
M: How about it then?
W: Erm. Yes, all right. If you like.
M: Not if I like. If you like. Do you
want to go?
W: You want to go, don't you?
M: If you do.
W: Mm. All right, then.
M: You don't sound terribly enthusias-
tic. Is there anything else you want
to do?
W: No no.
M: Or we could stay in. We don't have
to go out.
W: We may as well. No reason why
not.
M: The reason why not would be if you
didn't want to go.
W: I've told you. I'll come if you're
going.
M: I don't want to drag you out just
because you think I want to go.
W: Don't you want to go then?
M: I want to go if you want to go. Do
you want to go to the cinema or
not?
W: Yes. Erm. Yes. yes.
M: You're sure?
W: I'm sure. yes.
M: You don't sound very sure.
W: I'm easy. If you're going I'll come
with you.
M: Just because I'm going?
W: I don't care either way, honestly. I’ll
stay in or I'll go out. 1 honestly don't
give a damn either way.
M: Oh, well, let's stay in, for God's
sake.
W: Why?
M: There's no point going if you don't
want to go.
W: There is a point. You want to go.
M: I don't want to go to the bloody
cinema, I just thought you might like
to go to the cinema. 1 do wish you'd
say what you want now and then.
W: So. We're in for another jolly eve-
ning at home, are we?