Mrs Reynolds and the Ruffian

MRS REYNOLDS looks at him.
JAY: And don’t give me that look – one wrong move and you’ll be off that thing and in the gutter.
MEL shifts to be a bit more in MRS REYNOLDS’ field of vision.
MEL: Hiya, Mrs R.
MRS REYNOLDS looks at her.
MEL doesn’t know what to do. Waves, a bit limply.
JAY: (To MEL.) She’s not big on conversation without her computer. But you can fill in her side just by imagining the grumpiest possible thing a human being could say. (To MRS REYNOLDS.) Isn’t that right?
MRS REYNOLDS looks at him.
JAY: Mrs R, I’m shocked!
(To MEL.) You don’t often hear that sort of language from an old lady.
MEL: Anyway – I best be off.
JAY: Oh – okay.
MEL: Nice to see you, Mrs R.
MEL leaves.
JAY and MRS REYNOLDS watch her go.
Then JAY looks to MRS REYNOLDS.
JAY: I know, I know.
The thing with Mel is – this time I’m playing the long game.
I’m just gonna reel her in, you know, step by step.
She won’t even know it’s happening.
She’ll just wake up one day and realise
She can’t live without me.
MRS REYNOLDS shifts her chair slightly.
JAY: Do you want me to – yeah?
JAY manoeuvres the wheel chair so it’s next to the bench.
JAY: Look, you’ve got a bit of –
He gets out a tissue and gently, gently, wipes saliva from the side of her mouth.
He sits on the bench next to her.