After Sunset
based on Sunset Boulevard
Norma looked around herself and realized her situation really needed to change. This man was not for her a great film actress. She had not faded but instead had bloomed even more into a woman. People still wanted to see her. To see her not some silly little nothing.
There were those silly girls on Hollywood Blvd. They were not anything. None of them mattered at all to anyone. Maybe some would get little parts. They would not be movies that meant anything.
He had come in. As a man he was somewhat handsome but nothing special. She had been fooled into thinking that he could mean something to her. It would never be anything but tawdry nonsense.
He was just another Joe. A tired figure in the dark, he really meant nothing to her.
"You don't do anything right." Norma stated. "I'm tired of this. I want to have fun."
"We have fun." murmured Joe in his oh so casual way that she had begun to despise.
"Maybe we could go for a drive."
"That's oh so boring," moaned Norma, "I'm going out. What did you get at the store? These are not the kind of peaches I wanted. I'm going to have to get myself a new houseboy."
"You're just in a bad mood Norma, you'll feel better tomorrow." Joe waited quietly for a response.
"You bore me. I'm not having any more of this." Norma fumed and moaned waving her hands about. "Get out, I want you gone. Gone soon, begone with you."
"You don't mean that Norma. We can get along just fine. You'll see." Joe said
"We'll see." Norma looked around and calmed down. "I"ll have to see."
"I want to live. "You're no fun." Norma yelled. "I'm going to go down Sunset Blvd. and into the night. It will be after midnight. I'll find a man and drag him back to my lair. I want to do the tango like we used to do all night."
"Really Norma." Joe droned. He hung his head in an amused despair.
At home
Joe watches as Norma dances with her butler, who was formerly her ex-husband. She waves and smiles at somewhat imaginary people. The butler is all smiles but still very sad. Joe sadly lingers, unhappy as he knows the man was formerly a director. He is in a bit of trouble.
The Next Day
Norma suggests they may go out to a nice lunch to Joe. Joe is relieved to go out.
At the restsurant she asks Joe if he has made eye contact with the waiter to be seated. He is a little bewildered.
Norma steps forward and yells that she is Norma Desmond. The waiter comes right over very impressed. He ignores Joe who lags behind. The waiter asks Norma if he may call her Norma.
"All my fans may call me Norma," Norma gives a gracious smile.
"See if you can do anything right." Norma says as she turns from Joe.
Norma sees other people she knows and goes to join them. The waiter tells Joe she is over there. "Oh, there she is." he says. Later he notices Norma leaving the restaurant with others. She may have just met them. Joe sits, resigned to his fate.