Marriage Guidance Counselor

 

 

(A little man (Michael Palin) enters, with Carol Cleveland in a short little dress.)

 

Arthur: Are you the marriage guidance counselor?

 

Counselor: Yes. Good morning

 

Arthur: Good morning, sir

 

Counselor: (stares at woman, fascinated) And good morning to you madam (pauses, shrugs himself out of staring and says to Arthur) Name?

 

Arthur: Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Pewty

 

Counselor: (writes without looking down, just stares at Arthur's wife) And what is the name of your ravishing wife? (Holds her hand) Wait. Don't tell me - it's something to do with moonlight - it goes with her eyes - it's soft and gentle, warm and yielding, deeply lyrical and yet tender and frightened like a tiny white rabbit

 

Arthur: It's Deirdre

 

Counselor: Deirdre. What a beautiful name. What a beautiful, beautiful name (leans across and lightly brushes his hand across Deirdre’s cheek) And what seems to be the trouble with your marriage Mr. Pewty?

 

Arthur: Well, it all started about five years ago when we started going on holiday in Brighton together. Deirdre, that's my wife, has always been a jolly good companion to me and I never particularly anticipated any marital strife - indeed the very idea of consulting a professional marital adviser has always been of the greatest repugnance to me although far be it from me to impugn the nature of your trade or profession

 

(The counselor and Arthur's wife are not listening; they are fascinated by each other)

 

Counselor: (realizing Arthur has stopped) Do go on.

 

Arthur: Well, as I say, we've always been good friends, sharing the interests, the gardening and so on, the model aero planes, the sixpenny bottle for the holiday money, and indeed twice a month settling down in the evenings doing the accounts, something which, er, Deirdre, Deirdre that's my wife, er, particularly looked forward to on account of her feet (the counselor has his face very close to Deirdre’s, so close that they could kiss) I should probably have said at the outset I'm noted for having something of a sense of humor, although I have kept myself very much to myself over the last two years notwithstanding, as it were, and it's only as comparatively recently that I began to realize - well, er perhaps realize is not the correct word, er, imagine, that I was not the only thing in her life

 

Counselor: (who is practically in a clutch with Deirdre) You suspected your wife?

 

Arthur: Well yes - at first, frankly yes (the counselor points Deirdre to a screen. She goes behind it) Her behavior did seem at the time to me, who after all was there to see, to be a little odd

 

Counselor: Odd?

 

Arthur: Yes well, I mean to a certain extent yes. I'm not by nature a suspicious person - far from it - though in fact I have something of a reputation as an after-dinner speaker, if you take my meaning....

 

(A piece of Deirdre’s clothing comes over the top of the screen)

 

Counselor: Yes I certainly do

 

(Deirdre’s bra and panties come over the screen)

 

Arthur: Anyway in the area where I'm known people in fact know me extremely well....

 

Counselor: (taking his jacket off) Oh yes. Would you hold this?

 

Arthur: Certainly yes (helps him with his jacket. The counselor continues to undress) Anyway as I said, I decided to face up to the facts and stop beating about the bush or I'd never look myself in the bathroom mirror again.

 

Counselor: (strips down to his shorts) Er, look would you mind running long for ten minutes? Make it half an hour.

 

Arthur: No, no right-ho, fine. Yes I'll wait outside shall I?...(the counselor has already gone behind the screen) Yes, well that's perhaps the best thing. Yes. You've certainly put my mind at rest on one or two points, there.

 

(Exits through door. Arthur is stopped by a deep southern American voice)

 

Southerner: Now wait there stranger. A man can run and run for year after year until he realizes that what he's running from ......is hisself

 

Arthur: Gosh

 

Southerner: A man's got to do what a man's got to do, and there ain't no sense in runnin'. Now you gotta turn, and you gotta fight, and you gotta hold your head up high

 

Arthur: Yes!

 

Southerner: Now you go back in there my son and be a man

 

Arthur: Yes I will. I will!. I've been pushed around long enough. This is it. This is your moment Arthur Pewty - this is it Arthur Pewty. At last you're a man! (open the door very determined) All right, Deride, come out of there

 

Counselor: Go away

 

Arthur: Right. Right.

 

(Arthur is then hit in the head with a chicken by a man in a suit of armor)