Synopsis. Sandra and Karen are at a suburban furniture store – everything you need and more set out in compartments like a giant bento box. Karen is looking for a new bed.
They stop at the TV section. A talk show is discussing same-sex marriage with a studio audience. There is no sound so Sandra and Karen fill in the words: the for and against of same-sex marriage, the nasty things that are said, the question what does marriage mean and why should gays and lesbians adopt hetero values.
They find the new bed section and have fun trying out the “bed match” system. Sandra confides in Karen about her nascent relationship with Mary, her doubts and concerns. Karen explores further the expectations of a committed relationship. They arrive at a tender moment and kiss – only to be busted by Mary and Nick. Mary slaps Sandra, call her a slut.
Sandra storms off, Karen chases after her. Mary wants to go after her but Nick implores: “Let her go”.
Along a busy highway Sandra is using a phone app to find a bus stop to take her home. Karen is trying to calm her, to help her, to support her even if that means losing her. Is this true love?
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Full Script. SATURDAY mid-morning. Shirt shop. Sandra is unpacking a shipment of shirts. Her phone rings. She checks who is calling her – caller id tells her it’s Karen. Sandra answers promptly.
SANDRA: Hi. At work. No it’s ok. Uh-huh. Ok. Bye.
SUNDAY afternoon. Birds-eye view of a Harvey Norman furniture store. It’s laid out like a giant bento box where every possible furniture or household item has its own section. Karen and Sandra enter the store. They pass a wall of different shaped mirrors with a sign above that reads: “A BEAUTIFUL HOME. A NEW YOU!” We hear a conversation of sorts, over a SERIES OF SHOTS of a dishwasher, fridge, couches, blenders, coffee machines, and TVs projecting a talk show.
KAREN: (Off screen, sing song) I went to the market to buy a fat pig and I bought a dishwasher…
– SHOTS OF: a microwave, cushions.
SANDRA: (Off screen, sing song) I went to the market to buy a fat pig and I bought a dishwasher and a blender.
– SHOTS OF clocks, lawnmowers.
KAREN: (Off screen) …I bought a dishwasher, a blender, a microwave, and a clock…
– SHOTS OF Foot massage machine, couch, dining tables.
SANDRA: (Off screen)…a dishwasher, a blender, a microwave, a clock and a mirror…
Karen sees something off screen.
KAREN: Ooooh …I want one of those!
Karen walks off screen.
Karen faces a wall of TVs. The TVs are on mute. The TVs are all projecting the same image of a TV Presenter addressing a studio audience. Sandra joins Karen and faces the TVs with their backs to us.
They watch a SERIES OF IMAGES: a studio audience, a priest, an activist, a politician, former and current prime ministers: Howard, Gillard, Rudd, Abbott, same-sex rallies, an underwater wedding ceremony (bride and groom in scuba gear with veil and bow tie), celebrity marriages, royal weddings, farmer wants a wife. The images then alternate amongst a Politician, an Activist, a Priest and the studio audience as we hear the following dialogue.
KAREN: In August 2004 the marriage act was changed to define marriage to mean the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life. This was to make sure poofs and dykes could not marry – not poofs marrying dykes – you know what I mean.
SANDRA: And a union solemnised in a foreign country between a man and another man; or a woman and another woman; must not be recognised as a marriage in Australia. So as soon as you fly into Australian air space.
KAREN: (Interrupting) Or you arrive on a leaky boat (Thinking.) – actually you don’t have any rights at all if you arrive on a leaky boat…
SANDRA: …you are no longer married.
KAREN: How’s that for a quickie divorce!
SANDRA: Is that like the first time an Australian government has voted in discrimination?
– A picture of John Howard on the TV screens.
KAREN: It’s a victory for Australian values.
– A picture of Kevin Rudd on the TV screens.
SANDRA: I have a pretty basic view on this, as reflected in the position adopted by our party, and that is, that marriage is between a man and a woman.
– A picture of Julia Gillard on the TV screens.
KAREN: I’m traditional and believe marriage is between a man and a woman.
– A picture of Kevin Rudd on the TV screens.
SANDRA: I believe the secular Australian state should be able to recognise same-sex marriage.
– A picture of Tony Abbott on the TV screens.
KAREN: I don’t want to see radical change based on fashion of the moment.
SANDRA: Two steps back.
KAREN: It’s a gay agenda.
SANDRA: A social engineering experiment.
KAREN: It’s not natural.
SANDRA: What next?
KAREN: Marry our pets! Of course because we are all into bestiality oh… and we are all paedophiles.
SANDRA: Being gay is an abomination.
KAREN: You know what happened to Sodom!
SANDRA: It’s anti-Christian.
KAREN: It’s anti-Muslim.
SANDRA: At least they agree on something.
KAREN: Why do the god botherers say the worst things?
SANDRA: Many teen suicides are due to being gay. Um, actually due to the rejection from being gay.
KAREN: (singing) Shoot me down. But I won’t fall.
Sandra smiles and nods recognises the song, acknowledging it is a good choice.
SANDRA and KAREN: (Together): I am Tita- ni-um.
SANDRA: We need to protect…
KAREN: …the institution of marriage.
The look at each other for a moment, trying to understand this statement. Karen brightens, points off screen.
KAREN: Over there.
Karen walks off screen.
Sandra’s expression deepens.
KAREN (Off screen): Are you coming?
Sandra follows after Karen, walks off screen.
Watch this clip to continue the story…
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MARY: (Off screen) Sandra?
Mary leads Nick as she approaches the bed. Nick guffaws.
Sandra jumps away from the bed and towards Mary, tries to speak. Mary stops her.
MARY: Are you playing with me?
SANDRA: No!
MARY: Is this what people like you do?
SANDRA: People like me?
MARY: Sleeping around with no consequences?
Sandra is stunned. She grows to anger.
SANDRA: Or what, get married, lie to God and everyone and then fuck around anyway.
Mary slaps her face. They all freeze. Mary reaches to Sandra to comfort her where she slapped her.
MARY: I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.
Sandra flinches, backs away, leaves. Mary moves to follow her but Nick grabs Mary’s arm.
NICK: Let her go.
Karen is troubled by the scene, she follows after Sandra. The bed machine beeps: ‘Complete’
A HIGHWAY lined with large DFO’s and car dealerships. Sandra is looking for a bus stop using an app on her mobile. She strides towards an unknown destination. Karen catches up with her, calling to her.
KAREN: Sandra. Sandra. Let me drive you home.
SANDRA: No. It’s ok.
KAREN: We’re in bumfucknowheresville. There’s no PT here.
Sandra keeps marching. Karen follows her.
KAREN: I’m not leaving you here. (Attempted humour.) You might get abducted by the happy clappers. They might try to convert you.
Sandra stifles a smile.
KAREN: You could be wandering around here for days. No one will find your body.
SANDRA: You grew up in the ‘burbs.
KAREN: And I escaped to warn others.
A bus heads towards them. Sandra motions for it to stop.
KAREN: It’s not going to the city.
The bus travels past them.
SANDRA: Fuck. Shit. Arsehole.
KAREN: Wow temper!
Sandra checks the app.
SANDRA: 40 mins! No way!
Sandra stops in her tracks. Exasperated she asks Karen or the heavens.
SANDRA: What are the chances she’d be here?
Karen shrugs, she has no answer. Karen offers kindly.
KAREN: She didn’t look very separated.
Sandra nods slowly, it is true.
Sandra’s mobile rings. It’s Mary. Sandra is confused, wants to answer it, but it ring out to messagebank.
SANDRA: What does she want from me?
Sandra’s mobile rings again. Mary, again. She doesn’t look at it. It rings out to messagebank.
KAREN: What do you want from her?
Sandra doesn’t have an answer.
KAREN: Here. Take the car.
Karen tosses the car keys to Sandra.
Sandra, fumbles, then catches.
KAREN: I’m gonna go back to the store. I need to get a bed so…
Sandra looks at her, intrigued. She wants to go, but doesn’t want to leave Karen behind. Off Sandra’s hesitation.
KAREN: Hey it’s ok. I now know where the bus stop is.
Sandra smiles. She hugs Karen. They are interrupted by the buzz of an incoming text message. Sandra withdraws.
SANDRA: How will I know when its over?
Karen shrugs.
They walk away in opposite directions.
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