English Homework

26.09.04

Write an alternative ending

by

Sven Kohl

F: Are you capable of recognizing what does or does not matter, Rita?

R: I understand literary criticism, Frank. When I come here that’s what we’re supposed to be dealing with.

F: Allright Rita. Allright..For the next two weeks you are going to inform you about a russian author called „Leo Tolstoj“. We will see, if your changement goes on.

Rita leaves Frank’s office

F (to himself) : The result of education is stupidity ( Von der Bildung kommen nur Dummheiten ( Zitat: Leo Tolstoj) )

After having been drunk while class Frank is sent to Asutralia. The last time he tries to call Rita at the bistro. It’s one a half week after they met the last time.

F:  Hello. This is Frank ... and I’d like to talk to Rita White.........Susan White??..oh yeah..there we go. May I talk to her?....Thank you Miss...

R:  Susan White.

F: Hi Rita...It’s Frank.....I call to tell you something..(pause)....Rita...I have to leave...I have to go to Australia and I want to ask you, if....

R: if I go with you? Frank, there’s no way...All my friends live here. Trish, Tiger and the other students. And what about passing the exam??...Frank...

F: Rita!No!... That wasn’t my intension. I want to ask you, if you can come to my office a last time....Please...Let’s finish class.

R: Allright Frank. I’ll take the Tolstoj stuff with me... See you later.

F: Bye Rita.

Rita tells her boss that she has to visit her aunt, who has to stay in bed because of an accident. So Rita has to do the purchase  for her. Her boss lets her go.

(20 minutes later)

Rita hits the door which opens

R: Some things will never change....HI Frank.

F: So, first of all tell me something about Tolstoj.

R: First of all I’ll tell you something about you. Frank..I recognized why you let me study this Tolstoj stuff. You always tries to tell me that I changed, so you wanted me to get to know a author, who changed extremly is way of life..

F: So you also recognized the Parallelism between Leo Tolstoy and you, Rita?

R: Of Course...I’m educated know.

F: And you got egoistic! When I phoned you, you didn’t ask me why I have to leave. Did you ever think of me the last two weeks? ....Well, in fact I don’t care. So let me here something about Tolstoj.

R: Leo Tolstoj was born in Russia. He studied orientalic language for a few semstres. After having seen somebody killed by a Guillotine he totally changed. He became moralistic and in the end he quit smoking and drinking and lived like a farmer.

Frank...when i dealt with Tolstoj he reminded me of you. So there’s a parallelism between him and YOU instead of him and me. Frank, I also found a quote by Tolstoj that encouraged me to hold my line and stay as I am now. Maybe you know this quote.

„When there’s no aim, when life was given to us only by the will of life itself, then there’s no sense in living.“
 (Wenn kein Ziel da ist, wenn das Leben uns nur um des Lebens willen geschenkt wurde, dann hat es keinen Sinn, daß man lebt.)

Frank....my aim is to be educated...to get higher in society. So don’t get me wrong, when I seemed to be egoistic. It’s the first time I have an aim in my life....

F: Okay Rita...(pause)....Good Luck in future life...I hope we’ll meet each other some time, somewhere....Good Bye....

Frank takes his boxes and leaves his office. Rita looks really sad. It was the last time they saw each other....

R ( to herself): It started in this office and it ends in this office. ( Rita sits down in the swivel chair).......“ To create a little flower is the labour of ages“. quote by William Blake (Die Erschaffung einer kleinen Blume ist das Werk von Jahrtausenden)...

I am the flower, aren’t I?....what do you think?

Rita looks out the window and sees a butterfly flying away......