Scene 1b--"It's Coming"

Early in the script, Michael and Mimi, not yet lovers, are chatting in a bar, having left their friends (including Michael's date) sitting at a table.



Later in the evening, Mimi and Michael are sitting by the
door, talking.

                      MICHAEL
          What kind of games would you make
          up?

                      MIMI
          Oh, little silly games.  Here - I'll
          show you my favorite. You just sit
          there.

                      MICHAEL
          Uh-oh.

Mimi is giggling already.  She draws her fist back as if
preparing to deliver a punch.

                      MIMI
          This is a musical game.  Are you
          ready?

                      MICHAEL
          I don't know.

                      MIMI
          Okay - here goes.
               (in a singsong)
          It's coming - it's coming - it's
          coming - and you can't stop it -
          it's coming - it's coming - it's
          coming - and you can't stop it -
          it's coming - it's coming - it's
          getting closer - it's coming....

As she sings, her fist advances on Michael in very slow
motion.  He laughs in alarm.

                      MICHAEL
               (laughing)
          This is terrible!

                      MIMI
               (singing)
          It's coming - it's coming....

The two are starting to laugh out of control.  Michael tries
to put his hand in front of Mimi's fist, but she keeps
advancing slowly on him.  Finally Michael stands up to
escape.

                      MICHAEL
          This is an awful game!

                      MIMI
          Here, sit down and I'll show you the
          end of the game.

                      MICHAEL
          Uh - okay.

With hesitation, Michael sits down, and Mimi puts her fist
an inch from his face.

                      MIMI
          It's coming - it's coming....

As Michael fidgets and laughs, Mimi makes gentle contact
with his face.

                      MIMI
               (cont.; in a singsong)
          It's here!  It's here!  It's here!

Mimi pushes her fist slowly into Michael's face, distorting
it.  Mimi abandons the game as the two laugh.

                      MICHAEL
          I'm glad I wasn't in your sib.  How
          did your sister react when you did
          that?

                      MIMI
          Exactly the way you did.

                      MICHAEL
          I didn't know you were such a
          violent girl.

                      MIMI
          Oh, yes.  I was quite a handful.

Their laughter is subsiding.

                      MICHAEL
          I don't think we had any games that
          dramatic.

                      MIMI
          No?

                      MICHAEL
          I remember my brother and I used to
          have a book that catalogued all the
          different species of fish.  And,
          after we would take a bath, we would
          sit there with the towels around us
          and dry off, and one of us would say
          to the other, "I'm thinking of a
          fish that starts with an - S."  And
          the other would try to guess which
          fish we were thinking of.

                      MIMI
          And when you guessed the right fish,
          the other would say yes.

                      MICHAEL
          Uh-huh.

                      MIMI
          But there was no way of knowing if
          the other lied about the right
          answer.

                      MICHAEL
          Well, we didn't lie.

                      MIMI
          You might not have lied.  But you
          wouldn't know if your brother lied.

                      MICHAEL
               (smiling)
          Why are you trying to ruin my
          childhood memories?

                      MIMI
               (smiling)
          Oh, I'm sorry.

                      MICHAEL
          It was an honor system.

                      MIMI
          Yes, I see.


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