Subj: The Talented Mr. Ripley 2- The Return of Ripley Chapter 6
Date: 9/14/01 7:07:33 AM Central Daylight Time
From: Melissa Stocker

Based on the novel by Patricia Highsmith and the movie written and directed by Anthony Minghella

Disclaimer: this contains dialog from the movie, it is not mine it belongs to Anthony Minghella. There is some language and violence so I guess it would be about a PG-13 to an R.

Tom struggled to fall asleep, and when he did at last fall asleep he was haunted by dreams of deeds that he longed to forget. . .

They were on the small boat Dickie rented when they had gone to the Jazz festival in San Remo.

"Come on Dickie. Don't go crazy," Tom cried. Dickie was making the boat go very fast, Tom was sure that he was going to fall out of the boat. "Dickie. Slow down."

"Hold on," Dickie said laughing.

"Wait a minute! It's gonna tip! Oh God. Stop it! Somebody! Stop it!"

"Oh, I love it here! I love it here! I'm gonna move here!" Dickie shouted, "beautiful." Dickie moved to his seat and took off his jacket. He smiled and pretended that he was playing the cymbal percussion. He had given up the sax and now he wanted to play the drums.

"I want to tell you my plan," Tom said.

"So tell me."

"Well, I thought I'd come back in the new year under my own steam."

"Really? To Italy?" Dickie asked with surprise.

"Of course. And I figured just for argument's sake, say I got a place. Or say we split the rent on a house, I could get a job, or better still, if I got a place in Rome, and then when were there, we could be there, and when were here, we could be here."

Dickie turned away and looked back in the direction of land, "I don't think so," he said slowly.

"Particularly with the Marge problem. You just blame me."

"Marge and I are getting married," Dickie said.

"How?" Tom asked.

"How?"

"Yesterday, you were ogling girls. Today you're getting married? That's absurd."

"I love Marge," Dickie told him.

"You love me. You're not marrying me."

"Tom, I don't love you."

"No, I don't mean that as a threat," Tom said quickly.

"To be honest, I'm - I'm a little relieved you're going. I think we've seen enough of each other for awhile."

"What?" Tom asked shocked.

"You can be a leech! You know that! And it's boring," Dickie said, it was all coming out now, he couldn't go back now. "You can be quite boring."

Tom felt as though he had been pushed away, that he was in another boat floating away from Dickie. "The funny thing is, I'm not pretending to be somebody else, and you are."

"Boring," Dickie said.

"I've been absolutely honest with you about my feelings."

"Boring."

"But you first of all, I know there's something. That evening, when we played chess, for instance, it was obvious."

"What evening?" Dickie asked.

"It's too dangerous for you to take on. Oh, no, no. We're brothers. Hey." Tom said, how could Dickie deny it. "And then you do this sordid thing with Marge - fucking her on the boat, while we have to listen. Which was excruciating," Dickie laughed, he couldn't believe what Tom was actually saying to him. "And you follow your cock around like a - And now you're getting married. No I'm bewildered. Forgive me. You're lying to Marge and then you're getting married to her. You're knocking up Sylvana, ruining everybody - you want to play the sax. You want to play the drums. Which is it Dickie?" Dickie's face had changed during Tom's speech. "What are you actually - "

Dickie got up and moved to Tom quickly, his fists are clenched, he raises a fist ready to hit Tom. "Who are you?" Dickie asked angrily, slapping him. "Huh? Some third-class mooch? Who are you?" Dickie hit Tom's shoulder's, his anger so obvious. "Who are you to say anything to me?" Tom is fighting back tears. "Who are you to tell me anything? Actually, I really, really do not want to be on this boat with you. I can't move without you moving."

"Shut up. Shut up."

"It gives me the creeps. You give me the creeps," Dickie went to start the boat.

"You shut up," Tom said louder.

"I can't move without, 'Dickie, Dickie, like a little girl all the time."

Tom couldn't take it anymore, he got up and grabbed an oar he held it up, and cried, "Shut up!" and he hit Dickie. He looked at Dickie who grabbed his face. "Oh God, Dickie," what had he done.

"God's sake," Dickie said with shock.

"Oh - Oh God," he couldn't believe what he had just done. "Okay, okay. We have to get you - okay - "

He leaned forward to help Dickie. Dickie screamed and leaped forward jumping on top of Tom. "I'm gonna kill you! Kill you!" he yelled, he grabbed Tom's neck. "You're dead."

Tom fought wildly to get Dickie off of him. Somehow he managed to kick him off. He grabbed the oar and held it above Dickie. Dickie grabbed it and fought with renewed strength.

"Stop it! Stop! Dickie let go!" Tom cried.

"I'll kill you!"

"Stop! Stop! Stop!" Tom pulled the oar away and began to beat Dickie with the oar. He is still crying for Dickie to stop.

Finally Tom stops and looks down at the body of Dickie, what had he done? He looks at Dickie it almost looks like he is sleeping, Tom lies down beside him and put his arms around him.

Tom woke up, he could feel the cold of the water still on his skin, he hadn't meant to harm Dickie he would have thrown a hat if it were in reach, he just wanted Dickie to stop. He wanted nothing more from Dickie than acceptance.

He was afraid Marge was here in Collinsport, Quentin and Izzy were good friends with her. Now he felt like he was going to lose it all.

Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.