It’s the opposite of bad.
It’s pretty great.
I mean, it’s not perfect or anything. But it’s not what I expected a film written by twenty-three-year-old Art to be. It’s a coming-of-age story about a young Irish man working in California for a college summer, who meets an American girl and realises he’sgoing to have to leave her in September. It’s quite serious – there’s not much of the sense of humour I’ve seen him display in person over the last few weeks. But it’s tender and full of warmth and vulnerability. I even cry at the end.
And it makes me think that maybe, even back then, there was more to that cocky, annoying young man in my film class than I realised.
Chapter Twenty-One
INT: ANNIE AND ROO’S HOUSE / INT: HONORIA’S HOUSE
‘Are you alone?’ I whisper.
It’s ten o’clock on Saturday morning, and Roo has finally emerged from her room and joined me in the kitchen.
‘What?’ says Roo. ‘Of course I— Oh,Isee. Yes, I’m alone.’
‘So?’ I say. ‘How did it go?’
‘Well, he’s not a clown,’ says Roo, filling the kettle. ‘So that was good.’
‘And?’ I say.
‘And it turns out humanity reached peak hotness in 1936 when Marlene and Gary starred inDesire…’
‘Roo!’
‘Okay, okay,’ says Roo. ‘Daragh was lovely. And cute in real life. And almost as tall as his profile said he was.’
‘And,and?’
‘And … we went for a drink before the film and we got on pretty well,’ says Roo. ‘We both loved the movie, so he really does have good taste. And then we went for food. And then we had another drink.’
‘But did you get the shift?’ I say impatiently.
‘And you saidIhave a mind like a sewer.’ Roo sighs. Then she grins at me. ‘But yes, we kissed. When I was waiting for my taxi.’
‘Hurrah!’ I clap my hands in glee. ‘How was it?’
‘It was … good,’ says Roo. ‘It was a bit weird. Not thathewas weird. It’s just that I haven’t kissed anyone but Justin in four years.’
‘So it was weird in a good way?’ I say.
‘Definitely,’ says Roo. ‘I feel like … like my palate has been cleansed.’
‘Literally,’ I say. ‘Heh-heh-heh. So are you going to see him again?’
‘I think so,’ says Roo. ‘But …’
‘But what?’ Oh God, please don’t say he has an obsession with vintage erotica or a collection of porcelain dolls from many lands or some other creepy red flag.
‘But I think I’m going to keep my options open,’ says Roo. ‘I’ve been on one good date and … I dunno. I was with Justin for four years. I don’t need to settle down straight away.’ She smiles at me and, for the first time since I came home, she looks … carefree. It’s very nice to see. ‘Maybe I should just have some fun for a while.’
I certainly can’t argue with that. I raise my teacup.
‘To having alotof fun,’ I say.
After breakfast Roo goes off to prepare for some online tarot clients and I spend the rest of the morning faffing around with my script. I’m taking a break and have just brewed a pot of herbal tea when Roo returns.