EPISODE #2
Simon Tells Lily The Story of Beloved
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EPISODE #2
FEB. 28, 2000 (M)

Scene 1:

Location: Lily Walsh Snyder's mansion.
Scene: The living room.

LILY WALSH SNYDER AND SIMON

>> Simon: Well, I've certainly overstayed my noninvitation. It was good of you to place a notice. Thank you.
>> Lily: Simon, wait. I feel like I'm a kid with an unopened present, all this curiosity. Would you mind telling me more about the letters?
>> Simon: Look, I'm not sure that's such a good idea, Mrs. Snyder. Look, as I said, the letters may be romantic, but the story behind them is quite tragic.
>> Lily: That makes me more interested, unless it's something that you'd rather not get into.
>> Simon: No, no, no, no, it's not that. It's just -- why does this matter so much to you?
>> Lily: Well, ever since I found the luttersñ at the Snyder pond, I haven't been able to stop thinking about them. I've picture in my head the man that wrote the letters. The woman that he wrote them to. And I would love to hear anything you can tell me about them.
>> Simon: All right then. Let's see if the truth lives up to your imagination.

Scene 2:

Location: Lily Walsh Snyder's mansion.
Scene: Living room.

LILY WALSH SNYDER AND SIMON.

>> Simon: Look, I'm just not sure where to begin.
>> Lily: You said your great grandfather wrote the letters.
>> Simon: Yeah. Yeah, well, he was a young man at the time, engaged to my great grandmother.
>> Lily: But you said the letters were not written to her.
>> Simon: No. No. During the engagement, he met another woman.
>> Lily: "Beloved"?
>> Simon: Yes.
>> Lily: What was her real name?
>> Simon: I don't know. You know, there's so, so much mystery about her. And perhaps it's the amount of time that's passed. But then again, how many families enjoy retelling the family scandals? There are so many stories as to how they met -- that out sailing one day, his skiff rammed on the lake, that they fought over the same seat at a concert, that they started out battling and fighting and ended up deeply and passionately in love.
>> Lily: But the engagement?
>> Simon: Well, my great grandfather's family were determined that he marry my great grandmother. She came from a family of wealth and influence. It was more of a merger than a match of love.
>> Lily: That is so sad. He finally finds his true love and he has to break it off with her?
>> Simon: No, but he wouldn't. So they embarked upon an affair, which was rather risky and daring for their time and in their set.
>> Lily: They were destined for tragedy.
>> Simon: No. Well, they managed to keep the affair a secret for some time.
>> Lily: How? That's very difficult for them, right?
>> Simon: Yeah. Well, he started making secret plans to marry her, to leave his family and his entire life behind.
>> Lily: Something happen?
>> Simon: Well, on the day they were to be married, his family caught wind of his plans. So they arranged to have her abducted and put aboard a ship, you know, as if distance would make him forget her.
>> Lily: So, what did they tell your great grandfather? That she had died?
>> Simon: No, worse. They said that she had been offered a large sum of money to leave the country, and that she'd happily accepted.
>> Lily: He couldn't have believed that.
>> Simon: Well, no, he didn't, until his father produced a package, supposedly from her. It was the letters that he'd written to her, now returned, as if that was some sort of proof that she no longer cared.
>> Lily: Why couldn't he see through their lies?
>> Simon: Well, at the time, he seemed to accept it. He married my great grandmother and never spoke of his "beloved" again. You know, eventually, everyone assumed that he'd forgotten her.
>> Lily: Wow. So, how did the letters come to you?
>> Simon: Well, before my grandfather died, he brought out a box. He said it contained his father's most precious possessions. And since I was my great grandfather's namesake, the letters came to me. I told you it was a gloomy tale.
>> Lily: It's heartbreaking.

Scene 3:

Location: Lily Walsh Snyder's mansion.
Scene: Living room.

LILY WALSH SNYDER AND SIMON

>> Lily: May I ask you a question?
>> Simon: Yeah, of course.
>> Lily: Why are the letters so important to you?
>> Simon: Well, a man finding his great love! Everybody wants that, right? I keep the letters with me to remind me not to settle for anything less than old simon did.
>> Lily: Hmm. Okay, one more question.
>> Simon: Okay, please.
>> Lily: If the letters are so important to you, how did they end up at the Snyder pond?
>> Simon: Well, I always have the letters with me.
>> Lily: Always?
>> Simon: Yes, it's just a habit. And when I spotted the pond from the road when I was driving, I decided to pull over and have a look. I kind of need a nature fix. I've really grown to miss real nature since I've been away from home.
>> Lily: Yeah, you had mentioned the University of Melbourne?
>> Simon: Yeah, yeah. I've been taking some time out from work to travel around the states and to study your awesome architecture. I've just come from Chicago.
>> Lily: Oh, then you must've seen all the buildings by Louis Sullivan.
>> Simon: Louis Sullivan? Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, of course.
>> Lily: Wright's mentor.
>> Simon: Wow, you really know your architects.
>> Lily: Not well enough.
>> Simon: What does that mean?
>> Lily: The reason why I was in such a state when I answered the door --
>> Simon: Yeah, you kidding, you call that a state?
>> Lily: I had decided I could finish a family room on my own, without help.
>> Simon: And you've been proven wrong?
>> Lily: In spades. But that's not your problem.
>> Simon: Yeah? Well, actually, it could be.
>> Lily: Excuse me?
>> Simon: Okay. Look, I've been thinking of a way to thank you for finding my letters, holding onto them and taking all that trouble to find me.
>> Lily: That is not necessary.
>> Simon: No. Listen, I've got it. Your family room -- I'll design it for you.
>> Lily: Oh, no, I couldn't ask you to do that.
>> Simon: Oh, come on! No, I insist. Unless you want to soldier on alone.
>> Lily: Never.
>> Simon: Then let's go have a look at it.

Scene 4:

Location: Lily Walsh Snyder's mansion.
Scene: Unfinished space.

LILY WALSH SNYDER AND SIMON.

>> Simon: You know, you're right about this space. This'll be perfect for a family room. Now, I can't wait to get to work on it.
>> Lily: Yeah, I don't know if I could ask you to do this.
>> Simon: Look, you didn't have to ask. I volunteered. And I promise, you will not be sorry. Transforming a room like this is my specialty.
>> Lily: I'm sure that you're a wonderful architect --
>> Simon: No, no, look -- I'll sketch out some preliminary designs, get you started.
>> Lily: No, I've worked with architects before, and even preliminary designs would make you thousands and thousands of dollars. Why don't you just write me a "thank you" note.
>> Simon: All right, I'll level with you.
>> Lily: About what?
>> Simon: A job like this in America in a home like yours, it wouldn't be a bad thing to have on my resume. You'd be helping me out, too.
>> Lily: But what about your tour of the great American architectural wonders?
>> Simon: I know. I'm on my own timetable. My stay is open-ended. Come on, I'm yours for the asking.
>> Lily: You know, I have had a lot of ideas about this room. But I can't quite put them all together. You know, I want everything to be warm and cozy --
>> Simon: I know, but at the same time, you want a big, clean functional space brimming with sunlight. Am I right? Yeah? A place where the kids can throw their toys around without damaging the furniture, the walls or their mother's nerves.
>> Lily: Are you an architect or a mind reader? Yeah, all right, that's it. Let's start the transformation right away. The sooner the better.
>> Simon: Fantastic.


Scene 5:
Location: Lily Walsh Snyder's mansion.
Scene: Unfinished space.

LILY WALSH SNYDER AND SIMON

>> Simon: Okay, I think I've got everything I need -- the dimensions, your ideas.
>> Lily: Are you sure? This is a lot of work.
>> Simon: It's fine. I'll drop the sketches off tomorrow. Unless that's inconvenient?
>> Lily: No, tomorrow's fine.
>> Simon: Yeah, you seem a little hesitant.
>> Lily: I'm just so overwhelmed. This morning, I'm the poster child for inept do-it-yourselfers. And then I have a brilliant, brilliant architect making sketches for me.
>> Simon: Come on, "brilliant" is definitely pushing it.
>> Lily: No, but you knew exactly what I wanted without even asking. How did I get so lucky?
>> Simon: I think we both got lucky today.
>> Lily: Thank you. Thank you. You're a lifesaver.
>> Simon: Thank you -- for the letters, the tea, your company, and the stimulating conversation. Until tomorrow --
>> Lily: Till tomorrow.

Scene 6:
LILY WALSH SNYDER ALONE.

>> Lily (on cordless phone): Yeah, hello, this is Lily Snyder. I'm looking for Holden. Is he available? Do you know how long he's going to be unavailable? That's great. That's perfect. Thank you. Thank you very much. Holden Snyder, wait till you see what I have in store for you.

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