Scenes 36 to 41--Flowcharting

At the low point of Michael and Mimi's honeymoon, Mimi takes a drive in the countryside and returns to the cottage with a mysterious urgent purpose.

35  EXT. COTTAGE - DAY                                  35

    Mimi's car pulls into the cottage driveway and parks.  Mimi 
    gets out and enters the house, moving quickly.


36  INT. COTTAGE LIVING ROOM - DAY                      36

    Mimi enters the house and starts looking around the living 
    room for something.  She seems single-minded, distracted.

    Michael comes down the stairs to greet her.

                          MICHAEL
              Hi.

                          MIMI
                   (without greeting)
              Is there a blackboard in the house?

                          MICHAEL
                   (surprised)
              A blackboard?

                          MIMI
              I need a blackboard and chalk.

                          MICHAEL
              Uh - there's no blackboard here.

    Frowning, Mimi continues to look around, poking into 
    whatever storage areas she can find.

                          MIMI
              Is there anything like a
              blackboard?

                          MICHAEL
              You mean, something to write on?

                          MIMI
              Something big to write on.

    Michael, shaking his head in amazement, goes up the stairs.


37  INT. COTTAGE STORAGE AREA - DAY                     37

    In a closet, Michael digs around and finds an old SKETCH 
    BOOK, partly used, with big pages.


38  INT. COTTAGE LIVING ROOM - DAY                      38

    Michael returns to the living room with the SKETCH BOOK.  
    Mimi, still distracted, takes it.

                          MIMI
              Okay.  I'll be right back.

    Still in a hurry, she turns around and heads out the door 
    toward the lake, leaving a baffled Michael behind.


39  EXT. LAKE - DAY                                     39

    Sitting on the rocks by the side of the lake, Mimi, a PEN in 
    her hand, pages through the SKETCH BOOK until she finds a 
    blank page, then starts writing hurriedly.  Before long she 
    abandons that page, turns to the next, and starts writing 
    again.

    She has divided this page into two columns with the headings 
    "You" and "Him," and is scribbling little notes in each 
    column.  In the "You" column she writes phrases like, "Plan 
    A: Do not feel blamed," "Plan B: Accept feeling blamed," 
    "Method: Go into problem-solving mode," "Technique doesn't 
    matter," "Use a lubricant."  On the "Him" side, there are 
    phrases like "'Needs to talk about it," "Will try to please 
    you even when frustrated."

    Mimi tears this sheet out carefully, places it by her side, 
    and starts on another sheet, referring back to the original 
    sheet.  This sheet has smaller columns with headings like 
    "Dealing with Blame" and "Recovering from Screw-ups."  In 
    the first column she writes phrases like "Always assume 
    you're overreacting" and "Imagine him as a child."


40  INT. COTTAGE LIVING ROOM - DAY                      40

    Michael walks to the window and looks out at the lake.  He 
    sees Mimi, still scribbling furiously on the SKETCH BOOK, a 
    few PIECES OF PAPER around her.


41  EXT. LAKE - DAY                                     41

    Mimi is now drawing a flow chart on the SKETCH BOOK, using 
    ovals, diamonds, and rectangles in proper computer notation. 
    One diamond is labeled "Success" with arrows coming out of 
    it labeled "True" and "False."  In the rectangle after 
    "True" she writes, "Don't make a fuss - ask questions - 
    focus on answers (mnem.)."  The "False" arrow goes to another 
    diamond labeled "He is Upset." This diamond has multiple 
    arrows coming out of it, leading to rectangles labeled "Nice 
    but Withdrawn," "Nice and Wants to Talk," "Hostile and 
    Withdrawn."  Mimi draws an arrow out of "Hostile and 
    Withdrawn" to a big rectangle, and writes at the top of the 
    rectangle, "No phys. contact - analytical/detached - allow 
    yourself to grovel."
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