by Joss Whedon nine « sixteen - ninety-fourEXT. HOFFSTETTER'S HOUSE, CAPE COD - DAY Waves. shatter on the rocky shore by the house as an old Volvo pulls into the driveway. The house is fairly isolated and decent sized, but the paint job is past its prime. It speaks of affluence, but not largess. LAURA HOFFSTETTER steps out of the car and heads up the steps. She is 47, beautiful still -- just surrendering to the encroaching grey hairs. She drops a battered PBS tote bag on the porch as she enters the house. cur To: INT. KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS Laura proceeds directly to the stove, turning on the kettle LAURA (calls out) Daniel? No answer. She gets herself a mug and teabag with the ease of routine. LAURA (calls out) Daniel, I'm making tea... Do you want -~ on! She backs right into him. startled, she turns. ‘LAURA Danny! DANIEL HOFFSTETTER is 54. A fairly renowned scientist, he has the academic's air of being several miles away while he talks to you, a trait that has been increasing of late. He is thin, and Somewhat frail. DANIEL Hello, Darling. LAURA You beast! Don't scare me like that. DANIEL I have to make more noise when I come into the room. I'll yodel. LAURA Just stomp, dear, like other men. You want tea?DANIEL (shaking his head) I've been swilling it since noon. How was school? LAURA (pours water into her cup) Loud. I couldn't even get them down for nap time. What about your day? DANIEL I napped very well, thank you. And worked, mostly. I'm going to have to go to the lab tomorrow. LAURA (disappointed) on Saturday? Daniel, must you? 1 thought we'd -- DANIEL Leonard's in town. Wants to see the new progran. LAURA on Saturday. Leonard has no soul. DANIEL That's true, dear, but I am going in. He is looking down at a flyer on the kitchen table. Laura notices. LAURA It's coming in a couple of weeks. DANIEL What LAURA (pointing to the flyer) The fair, silly. The county fair. DANIEL Oh. He wasn't really focusing on it; now he does. LAURA We have to go. Every year you say you will, and you're always too busy. It's. a lot of fun.