26 May 2005
:: My Life: The Movie ::

INT. AN INNER CITY CAFE

TREE is sitting at a table, staring at a glass of water. She looks nervous, like she's about to do something that she feels very uncomfortable doing. Her eyes dart to the door whenever somebody comes in.

The door is flung open, letting in a gust of cold air. HER FRIEND has arrived. She could be TREE'S identical twin, except she's 30kg heavier. She walks in like she owns the place, casting a hungry eye over the cakes on the counter. She approaches TREE'S table.

HER FRIEND
Sorry I'm late, sweetie. But getting to this place! I had to WALK! And you know how I HATE walking! Couldn't you have picked somewhere closer? Something I could have caught a tram to? Never mind, sorry I'm late. Did you get a look at the cakes? Mmmm, yum!

HER FRIEND bustles around her seat, peeling off her coat, arranging her bag and generally making a fuss. TREE stares at her glass.

HER FRIEND
I mean, what made you pick this place? Although it will be nice to order a coffee and a big slab of cake. There was lemon tart in the window. I know you like lemon tart.

TREE
(quietly)
I don't want any, thanks.

HER FRIEND
No lemon tart? But you love lemon tart. That's not like you. Ohhhh, I get it, you're holding out for the Mars Bar cake, aren't you? With a lovely hot chocolate with marshmallows in it. Heh.

TREE
No, I don't want any, thanks.

HER FRIEND
What, you on some kind of diet or something? Bah! Diets schmiets.

TREE
I'm not on a diet. I just don't want any, thanks.

HER FRIEND
Don't be ridiculous. Of course you do. The cakes look fabulous. We'll both get a piece, how about I get the lemon tart and you get the Mars Bar cake and we share? How's that sound? Where's the damned waiter? I'm perishing here.

TREE
(coldly)
I don't want any.

HER FRIEND
Well, what on earth are we doing here then?

TREE
We need to talk.

HER FRIEND
Talk? Happy to talk. Although I don't know why you dragged me all the way out here to talk. We could have done that at your place. I could have brought over some Tim Tams or some Shortbread Creams and you could have made us chai and we could have talked for hours. Ooooh, and some Mint Slices and Doritos, I know you're a fiend for those. And some Cherry Ripe bites. Why don't we do that now? We can swing by that supermarket on the way and pick it up. That's a great plan. We'll grab some nummies, head on back to your place and talk about anything you want.

TREE
(through gritted teeth)
We're going to talk here.

HER FRIEND
Sweetie, what's wrong? You sound so stressed! I know, we'll go get some videos and a pint of Baskin Robbins Cookie Dough ice cream and have a lovely girly night in. We'll order pizza, that seafood one with the garlic butter melted all over the top. Wouldn't that be fantastic? Wouldn't that make you feel SO much better?

TREE
No. It would not make me feel better. I want to sit here and talk.

HER FRIEND
(sighs heavily and rolls her eyes)
Fine, fine, Miss Party Pooper. What is it you want to talk about? You know, there's a donut shop just up the road, how about we go up there instead and have some chocolate iced donuts. You LOVE chocolate iced donuts.

TREE
STOP IT!

HER FRIEND
(blinks)

TREE
Enough! I can't do this anymore!

HER FRIEND
(puzzled)
Can't do what?

TREE
(gesticulates wildly)
THIS! You! Me! This whole relationship! I can't do this anymore!

HER FRIEND
I don't get it. What do you mean?

TREE
You and the food. Always with the food. Always looking to food to make things better.

HER FRIEND
What's your problem? Why are you so angry at me? What have I done wrong?

TREE
I can't keep using food to solve my problems. You keep wanting to solve my problems with food. It's not healthy for me anymore... I can't keep...

HER FRIEND
(outraged)
What, you're dumping me? Is that it? You're abandoning one of your closest friends like that? After all I've done for you? Jesus! I have been there for you, day and night, seven days a week, for as long as you can remember! I helped you through EVERYTHING! I took care of you, I got you through, I gave EVERYTHING to you, and this is how you treat me?

TREE
I acknowledge what you did. You helped me when there was nobody around to take care of me. But...

HER FRIEND
But what?!

TREE
But it's not helping me anymore. It's hurting me.

HER FRIEND
Oh, I take care of you for all these years and now you decide I'm not good enough for you? That I'm responsible for all your problems? You ungrateful little bitch. I can't believe what I'm hearing!

TREE
Please, I don't mean it like that. Yes, you supported me through some really difficult stuff. And I appreciate that you did that. I really do. I needed you for that.

HER FRIEND
But what, now you don't need me anymore, you think you and your fancy, schmancy new eating habits can make it on your own? Well, let me tell you, you'll be back. I just know it.

TREE
(quietly)
Yes, I probably will. It's going to take a long time to learn not to rely on you like that. You're a huge part of my life. You've had a huge impact. But I've got to move on. Yes, I'll come back to you, but each time I'll be one step further away.

HER FRIEND
(breaking into tears)
But I LOVED you! All I wanted to do was take care of you! To take away all your hurt! To make you feel good! I LOVED you!

TREE
Yes, I know that. But in doing that, you were hurting me.

HER FRIEND
(weeping piteously)
I would NEVER hurt you! I loved you! I just wanted to take care of you! How can you abandon me this way?

TREE
I don't want to abandon you. You are the strength I never knew I had. But you can't keep supporting me with food. We have to find another way.

HER FRIEND
(snarls)
What, you think you're better than me, huh? That you've outgrown me? Why should I change? Why? Let me tell you something, missy. Believe me, I know you better than ANYONE, probably better than you know yourself. You don't have the strength to do this. I know you. Hell, I AM you! This is just a phase. You think you're stronger than me, but you're not. I know you're not. I know where all your buttons are and I know how to push them. A word from me and you're halfway through a family block of Cadbury. One nudge and you're ordering chicken schnitzel sandwiches instead of salad for lunch. Hell, you can be in the middle of making dinner and I'll have you spooning peanut butter straight out of the jar.

Tree
(looks at HER FRIEND sadly)
Yes, you can. But why would you want to do that to me? Why do you want to control me like that? Why do you want to hurt me?

HER FRIEND
(silence)

TREE REACHES FOR HER FRIEND'S HANDS AND HOLDS THEM TIGHTLY.

TREE
I need you to be my friend now. To really be my friend. For this not to be about control and abuse and hurt. I need you. I need you to support me, but in a positive way. In a way that doesn't hurt me. OK? I need to be able to make choices about how I behave and eat and take care of myself and not be controlled by old behaviours and baggage.

I need your help to feel good, really good about myself. But it can't be about food. Can you help me do that? Please?

THE CAMERA PULLS OUT, LEAVING THE TWO OF THEM STARING AT EACH OTHER SILENTLY OVER THE TABLE TOP.


ladymisstree | 11:20 PM | Take a bite (19)

This is a brilliant idea. Great conversation with your friend. I think you let her down easy:-)


Served up by Nikki at 04:34 on 27|05|05


very clever... very very insightful stuff :)


Served up by dg at 04:38 on 27|05|05


What a great blog. I'm hooked!


Served up by Jaykay at 10:00 on 27|05|05


A brilliant entry.

Take care Lady Tree

**Hugs**
Kelli


Served up by Little Miss Sexy at 10:14 on 27|05|05


That was a fantastically well written entry. I found your blog by accident while searching for the definition of Callipygian.

I'm now hooked :>

you write very well.


Served up by Michael at 10:30 on 27|05|05


What an awesome entry!!

It hit a deep cord with me... thanks!


Served up by Dee at 11:45 on 27|05|05


Thank you! I'm guessing that the "friend" was you...the old you? I needed that so much right now, as my OLD me is constantly tempting the me I want to be. Thanks again!


Served up by Carolyn at 10:10 on 27|05|05


I think I messed up my URL on my previous comment...if this one doesn't work, then I guess it just doesn't work.


Served up by Carolyn at 10:13 on 27|05|05


So this really happened????
Or is this 'friend' you as Carolyn above guessed???
If she's real then what happened???? where's the end of the movie :)
If this really happened....OH MY GOD how strong are you!!'
Brilliant entry my friend :)
Cheers P


Served up by Paulene at 12:42 on 28|05|05


*smile*


Served up by Beckie at 03:34 on 28|05|05


What a hard thing to do! Good for you though, whether real or imagined as has been suggested, I think you did what was best for all involved.

*applause*


Served up by Manda at 04:10 on 28|05|05


I just reread this post, and a full day later it makes a lot more sense to me.

WHO IS TYLER DURDEN?!?! (er, thats a Fight Club reference for those who didnt recognise the name!) :P

I've got to admit, I've had a few of the same conversations with myself too, but I didnt take it as well as you did :P


Served up by Manda at 10:16 on 29|05|05


I had tears in my eyes reading this - being friends with ourselves is sooo hard sometimes but it's the only way to where we want to go. And the trouble with using things (food,alcohol, sex) to amke all the hurt go away is, sometimes we need to feel it to move on. You're feeling that hurt now, and moving on. And all your friends are there cheering for you.


Served up by LBTEPA at 02:24 on 29|05|05


i chased you down, because i know what callipygian means, and i wanted to see what you're on about. giving up things that are bad for us that make us feel good short term is part of being adult. of being grown up. of thinking longterm. because the longer term you think, the more you realise how short term the long term really is.

you rock.


Served up by billyjoebob at 02:57 on 30|05|05


love it. inspiring.


Served up by brown at 04:30 on 01|06|05


God, Tree, that's brilliant. I need to come back and read this one once a week or so. It really is so hard to be friends with ourselves in a healthy way, and you pinned down that struggle very well. Wow.


Served up by Meg at 11:58 on 01|06|05


Brilliant brilliant Tree! Man, I love reading your work, and this is just so inspiring! What a brilliant entry! So true. And good for you for letting 'her' down and sticking to your new lifestyle...

Nat


Served up by Nat at 09:45 on 02|06|05


and the oscar for best screenplay goes to..........

bravo! bravo!

Tree - this hit home. I need to be a lot harsher than you were with my friend! I feel like throwing her through the fricken cafe window right now!!!!!!


Served up by airlie at 07:12 on 08|06|05


I await with interest your next entry...


Served up by Wendy at 07:49 on 23|06|05