Moonlight and Valentino (1995) Movie Script
1
(MUSIC PLAYING)
Ben?
Ben!
Why do people jog?
Coffee.
(CAR HORN HONKS)
GIRL: Let's go.
PAUL: Come on, Sylvie.
Sorry.
Sorry, you guys.
PAUL: Seat belt.
Okay. I love you
and I love you...
And I love you.
And I love you.
(ENGINE STARTS)
Bye, Mom.
(TELEPHONE RINGING)
LUCY: Hello?
Hello?
Oh, Rebecca, honey, is that you?
LUCY: It's Lucy, Alberta.
Have you noticed yet
that every time you misdial the phone,
I'm the one who answers?
Dad would call that a boundary issue.
Well, as my ex-therapist
as well as my ex-husband,
he should know about boundary issues.
Listen, darling,
I need you to call your sister for me.
We were supposed to have lunch today,
but there's no way I'm gonna find the time.
Are you smoking again?
You're lying in bed fully dressed,
with a stale Diet Pepsi,
smoking a cigarette, aren't you?
I wish you would see my therapist.
Sylvie, I can't talk now.
Because Ben, he's not even back yet.
I'm not leaving without him.
Because. I told you...
He has to take me to pick up my car, honey.
No, you can't take me.
I'll tell you why.
Because I don't have time
to hear about your marriage now, okay?
Listen, I'll call you in
between classes, all right?
Just work in the garden, sculpt,
and then sit by the phone
until I call you back, okay?
I love you, too.
Bye.
(BEEPS)
Hello?
Oh, hi, Luce.
I don't know why she misdials.
I have to go.
No, I don't think that you
should see her therapist.
Look, I have to go,
because I have to go search for Ben
who I am now furious at.
Because he's taking me to get my car,
and I have a 9:00 class to teach.
Are you smoking already?
Luce...
(CHATTERING ON RADIO)
Hello?
Excuse me.
Um, this is kind of embarrassing,
but I'm looking for my husband.
(CHUCKLES) He sometimes jogs on this road.
I think he may have been
wearing a blue sweat suit.
Have you seen anybody like that?
A jogger was hit by a car
about a half-hour ago.
They took him to the hospital.
(VOICE ON INTERCOM)
Mrs. Lott? Hi.
Hi.
I'm looking for my husband.
He may have been hit by a car.
He was out jogging near our house.
Where do you live?
Old Mountain Road.
(CHUCKLES)
Can we do this part another time...
I just need to be sure that it's him.
Tall, dark hair.
Yeah.
A blue running suit?
Yes. What happened?
'Cause you're starting to scare me.
The doctor will be right out.
No.
You tell me. What happened?
Your husband was hit very hard.
Yeah.
He didn't make it.
He didn't make it?
What...
What do you mean, he didn't make it?
What does that mean?
You mean, are you...
Are you telling me that, that he's dead?
(SORROWFUL MUSIC PLAYING)
(TELEPHONE RINGING)
Hello.
What?
(SHOUTS) What?
(TELEPHONE RINGING)
If you'll excuse me, gentlemen...
Yes.
Lucy?
Honey, slow down a minute.
I can't...
What about Ben?
No, listen.
Listen, Lucy,
Could I call you back?
I'm right in the middle...
What did you say happened to Ben?
I'm sorry. I was talking.
I couldn't hear you.
Shit.
Did you call my dad, too?
He lives in San Francisco.
I know.
He's taking the red-eye.
He'll be here in the morning.
You're driving too fast.
I'm only going 15 miles an hour.
Well, it feels too fast.
It feels too fast.
Well, I'm just trying
to get you home, Rebecca.
I told you about that at the hospital.
Didn't I tell you about
that at the hospital?
(VOICE SHAKING)
Don't say my name, Sylvie.
Let's not talk about
what just happened, okay?
Don't touch me, Sylvie.
Just don't.
Not now. Not yet.
I understand.
No, you don't.
(SOMBER MUSIC PLAYING)
(DOOR OPENS)
(EXHALES)
I can't touch anything.
It's okay.
I'll do it.
I'll do it.
It's okay.
Sorry.
Don't...
(TELEPHONE RINGING)
BEN: (VOICE RECORDING)
Hi. Ben and Rebecca aren't here right now.
But, leave a message
and one of us, the right one,
will get back to you. Thanks.
(BEEPS)
MARTHA: (ON MACHINE) Um, Rebecca,
this is Martha and John.
We just heard.
God, I'm so sorry.
If there's anything we can do,
please call us at the house.
(BEEPS)
I want to go in,
but I don't want to go in.
I completely get that.
I mean, my bedroom makes me sick.
Paul and I have not had sex
for three months.
We did.
This morning.
I cannot go in there. (CHUCKLES)
Okay.
I just realized that now I am the "W" word.
And that tomorrow morning
I'm going to wake up
and look exactly like
Georgia O'Keeffe at 85.
I'm picturing being shrouded in black,
with the sunken cheeks, the old hands.
That's how I always pictured the "W" word.
I don't want to appear dense or anything,
but I'm not following the "W" word thing.
Is that, like, for witch?
Widow.
Oh! Yeah.
(LAUGHING)
Well, what did you think that I meant?
I was still in Santa Fe
with Georgia O'Keeffe,
trying to figure out
what the hell was in the
desert started with "W."
I couldn't figure that out.
White-hot.
Whipsnake.
Wild weed.
See, I'm not a poetry professor.
Wilt...
Wither...
Weep...
Just because I'm talking
and making you laugh,
do not assume that anything
about me is the same.
Okay.
Lucy.
Great. Alberta. Shit.
Lucy, honey.
Lucy, wait.
I got to get this stuff
into the refrigerator.
Lucy.
Hi.
Hey, Luce.
Don't touch her.
Her skin hurts.
REBECCA: Lucy, touch me.
It's okay.
SYLVIE: It's okay.
Go ahead.
Except you're going to make me cry.
She doesn't want to cry,
because she's the "W" word now.
God, great jacket.
Is it new?
Yeah. I just got it at Charivari.
Fabulous.
It was on sale.
They also had it in smoky brown.
That would look great on you.
I definitely love the black.
You think so?
I can't believe that we're
talking about your jacket.
I know.
I can't believe I had to
add the Charivari part.
(VOICE SHAKING)
I'm so sorry, Becky.
I can't believe this happened.
Did you talk to Dad?
Yeah. Before he got on the plane.
What did he say?
Did he talk about Mom?
I mean, what did he say,
about, you know, when Mom died?
Did he feel it right away?
God, you went to Zabar's?
What did you get?
I have no idea what's in there.
Sylvie told me to bring food,
so... Food. (CHUCKLES)
She doesn't want to be touched right...
Alberta, you're not...
(REBECCA SIGHS)
Come here.
No!
REBECCA: Oh, Jesus Christ.
(WHIMPERING)
She doesn't want to cry yet.
You shouldn't have made her.
This is not crying.
Rebecca, honey...
Let it out.
REBECCA: No.
Well, maybe a cup of tea, then.
Would one of you make her a cup of tea?
I'll help you.
I got it.
It's okay.
But I want to make the tea.
Both of you...
Go make tea.
Come on.
(WHIMPERING)
Oh, man, what do we do?
We make tea.
We're jointly making tea.
I'm starving.
I haven't eaten anything
since dinner last night,
which I basically cried through
because my husband and I
are probably breaking up.
And, you know, I asked Rebecca if she
wanted tea, or food, or something.
She said no.
I'm glad that woman's here.
She's a pill, but she's highly effective.
How long was she married to your dad?
Ten years.
What?
But they've been divorced for four...
(TAP SQUEAKS OPEN)
Thank you very much,
because I can't believe
she's still in my life.
REBECCA: Thank you for doing that.
I'll take care of everything now, honey.
I'm here.
Listen, I talked to a
lawyer in New York City,
and I'm waiting for the police to call back
about the accident report.
I'm sorry to bother you, but do you want
something to eat with your tea, Becky?
No.
Thank you, Lucy.
ALBERTA: Lucy, if the
Riverside Chapel calls,
just buzz me up here.
We don't have things to
buzz with here, Alberta,
otherwise I would have buzzed
to ask what Becky wanted to eat.
Thank you, Lucy.
We're not on Wall Street.
Look where you are.
Why don't you just let me do
what I do best, all right?
There are certain decisions
that only Rebecca can make.
REBECCA: Well, she's right. You know?
What do you wanna do with the body?
Jesus Christ!
(BREATHING HEAVILY)
Honey?
(SOFTLY) Can't you be more
careful about how you say things?
If what just happened to her
happened to me, I'd kill myself.
Look, we're here for one reason
and for one reason only.
(SOFTLY) And that is to get
her through this first week.
Now, she can do it and we can do it.
I want to hear you say you can do it.
I'm not a cheerleader.
I'm not going to cheer.
I'm her sister.
Nobody's asking you to
break out the pompoms.
I don't feel so good.
(VOICE SHAKING) No place I go feels right.
I hate every single room in this house.
I'm making your tea.
Okay? Sylvie's downstairs...
I really need you guys
to convince me that I can do this.
You can do this, Becky.
I know you can.
Yeah.
Was that so hard?
Why do you have to be so glib?
I was not being glib.
"Pompoms" was glib.
What does she think?
We implemented an entire intercom system
since the last time we were here
and now we have things to buzz with?
Don't use this cup!
Why not?
It's psychotic.
Excuse me. I made this cup.
Why?
What kind of tea should we use?
Chamomile, peppermint, or regular?
I don't know, you know?
I don't know about tea.
Well, look, we have got to get this right.
This is going to be the first thing
she's had to drink since Ben died.
We have to get it right.
I know.
We will.
Should we have milk?
Should we put milk on the side?
In a little...
No, we should not,
because she probably doesn't
want to make choices now.
I know that it hasn't really started yet,
but I can feel it waiting for me,
and I'm scared that it's
going to get me while I sleep.
(EXHALES)
(BOTH MOANING)
Oh, God, Luce,
This feels so
different than when Mom died, you know?
I mean, she was sick for so long.
Mom was Mom, but Ben was my husband.
It took me so long to find him.
I don't know what to say to you, Becky.
I mean, I don't...
I don't know what to say.
I wish Mom were here.
She'd know what to say.
It's okay, Luce.
You don't have to say anything.
Your face always makes me feel better.
It brings me our entire childhood.
Right now I wish I was six years old,
where there's no future except
desserts and birthdays.
Six is where there's
only lunch and dinner...
(SOFTLY) And Daddy.
Yeah, Daddy.
(RUSTLING)
(CLANGS)
SYLVIE: Damn it.
(GRUNTS)
Syl...
REBECCA: Shit.
There are his parents.
What am I going to say to them?
His father has the same hands as he did.
I can't even look at them.
God, I'd hate to be them.
What do you say to someone like me?
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
I respected him, enjoyed his company.
He was very special.
You know, he never stole as
much as a theorem from me.
(CHUCKLES) Unlike this one here.
He steals everything.
Hey, come on. (LAUGHS)
Yeah, Ben was unusually
honest for an astrophysicist.
Cared more about ideas than credit,
and, boy, oh, boy, did he love you.
He used to read us your poetry.
Really?
Did you like it?
Mmm-hmm.
I didn't know that he did that.
ALBERTA: Yeah, Marc.
I want you to get a hold of somebody
at The New York Times.
I'd like to help make sure
Ben gets a good write-up,
not just one of those
box obituaries, you know.
Whatever happened to the Wongs?
They went to LA?
Hi. I Just wanted to say hello.
I'll be off in one second.
Uh, my ex-husband. (CHUCKLES)
I just need to give him a hug.
That's if he'll give me a hug.
I mean, you think maybe...
Who are you talking to?
You.
Oh.
Here's my kiss.
And you can fax me your hug.
Uh, no, Sunday's no good, honey.
(DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES)
You okay, Luce?
I can't take Alberta.
She has an odd way of coping.
I mean, really, Dad.
What is her problem?
She has intimacy issues,
obsessive-compulsive hostility,
attachment anxiety,
mood disturbance disorder.
God, I wish I could
dis her as good as you.
You must miss Mom a lot,
especially today.
I miss her most on my birthdays
and weddings,
whenever I eat ice cream.
(VOICE SHAKING)
I pretty much always miss her.
No matter what, you could
always count on your mom
to fix the bad things.
And appreciate the little things,
laugh at the stupid things... (CHUCKLES)
Right?
Yeah.
Not easy to find somebody like that.
REBECCA: There you are.
Becky's like that.
She is.
You okay, sweetheart?
It's weird in there, isn't it?
There's all these friendly people
walking around my house
telling me stories about Ben,
making him sound like
this fabulous stranger
that I'm never going to meet.
The driver that hit him
hasn't called me yet.
He's afraid to, honey.
(VOICE SHAKING) I can't, Daddy.
You know, I just got to...
I just got to hold on a little bit longer,
Till they all go home.
(SOBBING)
(OWL HOOTS)
ALBERTA: Why don't you eat something?
(EXHALES)
I didn't see you in here.
You know,
I think it's so interesting, Lucy,
how you deny yourself food
and wear only black.
(CAN OPENING)
It isn't that interesting, really.
Where's your joy, Lucy?
(GROANS) Oh, God!
Why are you always everywhere
with something to say?
I still don't understand
how you got so far
into this family, anyway.
Your father asked me.
Too bad you can't even remember his name.
You never called him
Thomas while he was here.
It was always, "May I speak with you?"
Or, "Please pass the Perrier."
Is that what happened in your marriage?
You forgot his name?
He probably would have
stayed longer if you'd...
If I'd what?
If I'd called him Thomas?
If I was still his wife?
Or if the sight of his
daughter in such pain
wasn't more than he could bear?
Which daughter?
(SIGHS)
At least you get to hang out at home.
I got to go back to school tomorrow
and write 301 papers
on the existential nature
of the relationships
in Jules and Jim.
So I'll see you Friday?
Yeah, absolutely.
What's Friday?
We're having dinner...
Alone.
I'll come by later and see you.
Yeah.
I'm planning on practically living here.
That's not a good idea.
Don't practically live here.
Call you tonight.
Yeah.
Thanks, you guys,
for everything.
It's been a best week, hasn't it?
(CHUCKLES)
I'm kidding.
I'm kidding.
I'm fine, really.
Go home.
Yeah. I'm just going to wear a black shawl,
paint some skulls,
read a little Sylvia Plath.
(LAUGHS)
I'm kidding. Go home.
Really.
(CAR DOOR CLOSES)
(CAR STARTING)
(BREATHING HEAVILY)
(SOMBER MUSIC PLAYING)
(GRUNTING)
(PANTING)
(WHISPERS) "Dear God..."
(DOG WHIMPERING)
Go away!
Go away!
I'm sorry.
I'm not good with dogs.
SYLVIE: The Hermit.
That's obviously you.
Because you keep trying
to hide from everybody.
Where does it say that?
You're not doing it right.
Syl, you're not even following
the instructions. Listen...
It won't be accurate if you don't
do it right. Listen, listen.
If you don't stop picking at me,
the spirits are not gonna guide me.
All right.
Okay?
All right.
Death.
Obviously my marriage,
'cause the guy even looks like Paul.
Paul, after I've gotten done with him...
(REBECCA LAUGHS)
Me in remorse for what I've done to Paul.
And look.
Wheel
of
Fortune!
Look at that.
Oh.
"Wheel of Fortune.
Wheel of Fortune.
"Wheel of Fortune represents...
Mmm-hmm.
"...the ups and downs of fate."
It also says it depends
on where the cards are placed.
Look at this. You haven't even
done the spread thing here.
Well, we don't need to do
an official spread...
Well, yes, you do.
This is the spread that came up.
(CHUCKLES)
You know, you just have
to follow your intuition.
My intuition's fine.
It's yours that I'm worried about.
Well, you know, you'd be really boring
if I wasn't your best friend.
Oh, thank you.
You'd be home watching
Wheel of Fortune right now.
(CHILDREN LAUGHING)
PAUL AND CHILDREN: One, two, three, four,
I declare thumb war...
We're going to go over to the
Tompkins' and water some plants.
(ALL GIGGLE) Okay.
Bye, Mom.
Bye.
(PAUL CHUCKLES)
He really looks like Paul, doesn't he?
They all look like Paul.
I'm starting to look like Paul.
(BOTH LAUGHING)
You know what?
You're starting to look like Paul, too.
(CHUCKLES)
(RATTLES)
(DOOR UNLOCKING)
(SIGHS)
Can you feel it?
The love?
Oh.
Okay.
It's stronger on the sun porch.
Come on.
Look. Ah!
(SIGHS)
This is the Wheel of Fortune.
I mean, really.
Look...
I got the wrong husband,
you got the right one for not enough time,
and the Tompkins,
they got each other for 65 years.
I mean, come on.
Man.
Can you feel this?
Can you feel this love?
Not really.
I am really looking forward
to going back to work tomorrow.
Well, I still think it's too soon.
Sylvie?
What?
Where are the plants?
What plants?
The plants that we are here to water.
Where are they?
Oh, my God.
Are they even out of town?
They could come in here at any...
We're not even supposed to be here, are we?
Oh, come on!
If you came home and found
two gorgeous women
sitting on your sun porch
'cause they wanted a small
slice of your fabulous marriage,
what would you do?
I'd make them bouillabaisse
and teach them to tango,
I'd be so pleased.
(BOTH LAUGHING)
(SYLVIE HUMMING)
(HAPPY VOICE) Hi.
I'm not here right now.
Please leave me a message. Thanks.
(BEEPS)
(LOW VOICE) Why don't
you leave me a message?
I'll call you back.
Or maybe not,
because my voice is too low
to actually have a conversation with.
(SIGHS)
(BEEPS)
(NORMAL VOICE) Hi. This is Rebecca.
I'm not here right now.
Please leave me a message. Thank you.
(BEEPS)
(HONKING)
(CHATTERING)
(TALKING STOPS)
Well, I'm back.
(ALL CHEERING)
STEVEN: Thank God!
Professor Myers treated us
like this was an undergrad survey course.
We had to write haikus
and then ballads in couplets.
And we were in hell.
Well, I'm sure that Professor Myers
wasn't very happy about it either, Steven.
(ALL CHUCKLING)
Anyway...
Guys...
Back to French aestheticism.
Which, as you know,
or you should know,
talks about the
writing of a poem
for a poem's sake,
with a strict emphasis
on painstaking artifice.
But, really, what's the difference
what form the words take,
as long as the reader reacts?
Of course, if you ascribe
to the notion of affective fallacy
where you judge a poem by its affects,
the criticism,
and you should write this down,
ends in impressionism
and relativism.
It all boils down to...
Words.
Words to complain about other words.
Words to elevate the writer of the words
to heights that only words
can take him to...
(CHUCKLES) This is all bullshit, isn't it?
(ALL MURMURING)
But words don't
taste good,
they don't smell good,
they don't keep you warm at night.
Words don't even ever
leave the mind, do they?
So, my assignment to you
is to write a poem without words.
It doesn't have to conform to haiku
or sonnet form, Steven.
Free verse is fine.
But no words, okay?
By Friday.
(ALL MURMURING)
(DIAL TONE)
(TYPING)
(RINGING)
LUCY: (ON PHONE) Hello?
Lucy.
God, finally.
Listen, um, can I come over
and you can find something
really distracting for us to do?
LUCY: Yeah.
Are you okay?
Yeah. I'm fine. Really. Yeah.
LUCY: You sure?
Okay. I'll be over soon.
LUCY: Okay.
Okay.
Bye.
(MOVIE PLAYING ON TELEVISION)
REBECCA: Should I just eat from this tin?
Do you have a fork at all?
God. Nice shoes.
I mean, I wouldn't want anything obvious,
like a rose or a little heart.
Pass the rice.
I wouldn't want anything
nasty or mean either,
you know, like a skull or a dagger.
Lucy, this is Chinese rice.
So?
We're having Indian food.
Oh.
(SNIFFS) God, how old is this, anyway?
Sheesh.
Not as old as this sandwich.
You are so gross. Lucy.
(SQUEALS)
(CHUCKLES) God.
(GASPS) Oh, my God.
That's the tattoo I'd want.
You want a tattoo of
Marcello Mastroianni's face?
Oh, my God.
Wouldn't that be so cool?
I know you hate tattoos no
matter what they are, but...
No, I don't.
Yes, you do.
(TURNS PAGE)
I'm becoming one of those people
that everybody hates to be around.
Aren't I?
I'm not fun.
I'm just one of these sad,
drippy, unfun people
who doesn't like tattoos or,
old food or...
(SIGHS)
Becky, you just had an unbelievably
bad thing happen to you.
You're not supposed to be fun.
And anyway,
tattoos and old food are disgusting.
They're not good things to like.
I'm a total freak.
No. You're not.
How about
tomorrow we go over
to your house, and we
plaster ourselves in the sun,
and paint our fingers and toes?
(SOFTLY) Okay.
So where would you put him?
(INCREASES VOLUME)
(IN ITALIAN ACCENT) Marcello?
Yes.
I don't know.
I guess anywhere he'd fit.
(BOTH LAUGHING)
(DOG BARKS)
MAN: Come on!
(I CAN'T GET NEXT TO YOU PLAYING ON RADIO)
(SYLVIE HONKS HORN)
(HONKING)
ALBERTA: Oh, no.
We're not going in that.
We may even have to open our own doors.
MAN: Valentino!
Valentino!
(CAR DOOR CLOSES)
Valentino!
SYLVIE: Wait a minute, now.
Why don't you think his name's Valentino?
ALBERTA: Because,
why would he be standing there
shouting out his own name into the mist?
LUCY: What mist?
I still don't know
who you're talking about.
SYLVIE: Because, it's a beautiful name.
I mean, if it was my name,
I'd be shouting it from the mountaintop.
LUCY: You would not.
I would.
Who are you talking about?
The painter.
Valentino. Don't you just
know he loves beautiful women,
and their spirits live in his paintbrushes.
He paints them on all the
corner walls in big houses
and little houses,
and he'd stay married to you for 65 years.
I just know it.
LUCY: Definitely no.
How could you say such a thing?
LUCY: Because, Sylvie,
Valentino knows that marriage
ruins people's lives.
SYLVIE: Really?
Yes. But if he were to
fall for someone who was,
you know, new to relationships,
then he could teach her stuff, you know?
And everything about the two of them
would always be new.
Oh, Lucy, that's so sweet.
Tell us more.
I was kidding. God.
You believed me?
SYLVIE: Wait.
Here's the truth.
Chicken soup
is the most womanly thing...
(REBECCA LAUGHS)
...on the face of the planet.
This is the truth.
I'm telling you.
In the early days with me and Paul,
he could not resist me.
He's come in, I'd have a big bowl
of steaming hot chicken
soup waitin' for him.
He'd swoop us both upstairs to the bed.
Me and the soup, I mean.
ALBERTA: Unusual foreplay, Sylvie.
LUCY: Does it have to be chicken soup,
or does anything work,
like lentil or split pea?
Um...
Homemade is better.
Does it have to be hot?
I mean, would gazpacho work?
Is cold soup womanly?
Soup doesn't have a gender.
It's just nourishment.
SYLVIE: You're always
denying your womanhood.
No. I'm denying the soup its womanhood.
REBECCA: You know what I just realized?
We have all kinds of
womanhood here, right now.
We have a single woman,
a married woman,
a divorced woman,
and, of course, the ever-present widow.
(ALBERTA CHUCKLES)
They're just words
that describe your marital status,
not womanhood.
I don't think you ought to describe
yourself that way, Rebecca.
SYLVIE: Oh, why not?
I wasn't. I wasn't.
ALBERTA: Because it implies
that we change ourselves around men.
We are who we are,
irrespective of the company we keep.
Mmm-hmm.
Which is why ever since some painter
screamed for his idiot dog
with a stupid name,
we've been unable to utter
one intelligent word.
(SYLVIE GIGGLES)
It's the truth.
Here. Go girl.
It's insane.
ALBERTA: Hi. I'm so glad
I got your machine.
I really hate to give apologies live,
but I am sorry that I missed
dinner the other night.
Listen, I'll talk to you later, okay?
Or not. Bye.
(PHONE BEEPS)
You know, Lucy,
I really loved your Valentino.
I mean, the idea of a man
who teaches you everything
and with whom everything is always new.
Tell me more.
Didn't you just get through telling
me Valentino's this guy's dog?
Oh, come on.
Just play with me a little here.
For me, that painter
could never be Valentino,
however lovely he is.
No. I'm the kind who'd always rather
talk than touch.
Did you know that about me?
Even with your father...
Oh, my God.
I'd rather imagine the man
than know him for sure.
Once I know him,
I don't really want him anymore.
No, it's the possibilities
of who a man might be that excite me.
It's the possibilities
that really get my juices flowing.
(GROANS) Oh, my God!
Do you know the best
moment in a kiss for me?
It's right before the lips touch.
Mmm.
(GIGGLES)
(COUGHS)
Oh, come on.
Use your other hand.
I need both.
(COUGHS)
I don't understand how
you can continue to smoke.
Someone in your family had lung cancer.
You know, it's funny how you can never
say her name or what she was to me.
My mother. Joanna.
You act as if it were my fault she left.
LUCY: She didn't leave.
She died, Alberta.
(CHUCKLES) That's the same thing.
No, it is not.
(TELEPHONE RINGING)
(DOOR OPENS)
REBECCA: Syl?
SYLVIE: Yeah?
(DOOR CLOSES)
I got here as fast as I could.
What happened?
(BREATHING HEAVILY) Paul left me.
We had a really big fight last night.
I woke up this morning, he was gone.
He took all his stuff.
Where are the kids?
They're at day camp.
I took them to day camp.
(VOICE SHAKING)
How am I going to tell them?
But his clothes are still here.
No. That's not all of his clothes.
I swear.
All right.
(SYLVIE SOBBING)
It's a note from Paul.
(SOBBING)
He did leave you.
(GRUNTS)
He's gone to the gym to play racquetball.
You know, I...
What?
Syl...
What? What?
What does this say?
I can't see!
What does it say? (STAMMERS)
(SNIFFLES)
Um...
Well... (BREATHING HEAVILY)
It says he went to the gym...
And that he loves you
and hopes that you feel better.
(CRYING) He's so sweet!
Oh, Syl, Syl...
I don't know.
We really need to find
you a good therapist.
Are you mad at me?
No.
(SNIFFLES)
So you want to go have breakfast?
(ANNOYED) No, Syl.
I have to go to work.
What are you going to do?
Tompkins.
Tompkins.
(SOFT MUSIC PLAYING)
Hey, Luce.
Hey. Yeah.
LUCY: Ready?
Professor Lott.
Hi. I need you to read this poem for me.
I thought it was brilliant this morning,
but now I hate it. I'm confused.
Not now, Steven.
Steven!
(CAR HONKS)
LUCY: Okay, okay.
Got it. Got it.
You get the best body in the entire world
and no pimples for the rest of your life,
but...
You can never go to the beach again
or eat Chinese food.
No, way.
You would too.
I would not.
Pick something else.
I don't hate my body enough
to give up the ocean.
Um...
Your poetry gets compared to John Donne.
Hmm...
Wait. What do you mean
you don't hate your body?
I don't hate my body.
I'm not in my body.
I don't have a body.
(SIGHS) Okay. You.
You get the best body in the entire world,
no pimples for the rest of your life,
ten million dollars,
and your photography gets
compared to Diane Arbus.
(HUSHED SCREAMING)
But, for the rest of your life,
you have to live with Alberta.
No.
And no one ever gets cancer ever again.
No.
The landfills are all empty.
No.
No more war.
Nope. No.
(LAUGHS) God!
You live with Alberta.
(BOTH LAUGH)
So, you want me to go
up there with you, or...
No. I think it's somethin'
I need to do by myself.
I've put it off for so long,
and besides, they need the office space.
(CHUCKLES) Whoa!
Call me later when you...
(SOMBER MUSIC PLAYING)
(KEYS JINGLING)
I really don't think
I want to keep any of it.
I think we should donate
it all to the library.
MAN: You sure?
(SOFTLY) Yeah.
Okay.
Take your time.
(DOOR OPENS)
(CHUCKLES) Chiclets.
I didn't know that he
(VOICE TRAILS) liked these.
(SOFTLY) I'll keep these.
It's my sister's first birthday
without her husband.
MAN: Oh, is it, now?
Yeah. He was hit by a car
last spring and killed.
I'm sorry to hear that.
Yeah. So I want to get her
something really special.
Well, how about the doggy here?
This is Ralphie.
She doesn't like dogs.
(CHUCKLES)
Ooh, gosh. This is beautiful.
Now, that frame is real silver.
Real silver.
(SIREN WAILING)
ALBERTA: Yes.
It's a gift for my daughter.
Good.
So, I'll put my assistant on
and you can tell him
where to send the deposit
and all that, all right?
Hold. Marc?
Handle the rest of this, would you?
Line two.
Sure.
(KEYS JINGLING)
(DOOR OPENS)
(DOOR CLOSES)
ALL: (SHOUTING) Surprise!
(SCREAMS)
(SHOUTS) Oh, God!
Happy birthday.
Oh! Your face.
Your face.
Oh, God!
This is for you.
What is it?
Open it.
(SYLVIE HUMS)
(REBECCA GASPS)
Oh, Luce.
LUCY: I made it.
Oh, thanks.
That's sweet.
Thank you.
Les fleurs.
Ooh. The pot is very nice.
Thanks, Syl.
Yeah.
You guys.
I've got a really big
surprise for you today.
(CAR APPROACHING)
And I think it is just arriving.
(DOG BARKING)
You got her a dog?
No. Wait.
Oh! 'Cause, you know,
I really don't know about dogs.
Everybody knows about dogs.
LUCY: Oh, my God!
It's the painter.
The painter?
What is he doing here?
He's here to paint your house, silly.
That's my surprise.
That's the big birthday present.
That's a big present.
Uh-huh.
I thought it'd be nice
to have something fresh
and new to come home to.
(DOORBELL RINGS)
Wow.
Listen. You stay here.
I will handle everything, okay?
Hey...
Oh, now, I understand he
doesn't speak any English,
but his boss says it's okay to point.
He's supposed to be fabulous.
Ah! Don't say a word.
We know you don't speak any English.
Your boss explained.
It's perfectly okay.
We like to point.
Actually, when it comes to men,
I prefer to point.
Come on in.
Oh. (SIGHS)
What a great ass!
LUCY: (SHOUTS) Alberta!
I can't believe you.
I really hope that he
understood that, Alberta.
So do I.
Uh...
Thank you.
Now, honey,
what I was thinking was a kind
of, um, cheery yellow.
Something like this,
only without so much green in it.
I don't really think the
house needs to get painted,
but that's a great color.
It's good.
ALBERTA: All right, then, um...
This color,
but with less, um, green.
I don't think he understands.
Sylvie, would you get some butter?
Butter. Stick or tub?
Doesn't matter none.
Alberta, I hope you're not planning to
do anything disgusting with the butter.
(SCOFFS) Lucy, don't be ridiculous.
(NERVOUSLY)
I really think this is kind of too much.
I would have liked a nice sweater or...
Butter. Butter.
He'll get it now.
(SPEAKING SLOWLY) So, this color,
but more like this.
Now, you go mix paints.
Bye-bye.
You know, I guess you guys
were expecting Alberto.
No, I was...
No, no, no.
Alberto was the guy on the schedule.
He's the one that doesn't
speak any English.
He got sick, you got me,
and here.
I think you chose a great color,
I'm flattered you like my ass,
and if it's okay, I'm gonna come
back first thing tomorrow morning
and get this going, all right?
Bye-bye.
(ALL LAUGHING)
LUCY: But admit!
Admit...
It's better to have wrinkles
than to have a face
that's stuck in like that G-force thing
that, like, has shellac on it.
No, no, no, no.
There is nothing worse than wrinkles.
Those saggy, hanging things
are definitely worse than wrinkles.
I think I'm going to take myself home.
LUCY: Yeah, I gotta get going, too.
I cannot believe that painter
guy's going to come back here.
That man makes me want to do wild things.
(CHUCKLES)
Like what?
I want him to get a
little skinny paintbrush
with a little tube of paint
and just run it up inside my thigh,
make a big ol' question mark.
(LAUGHS)
Uh-huh. What color?
SYLVIE: Fuchsia or aqua.
LUCY: Why?
It looks good on my skin.
Oh, yeah.
Well, why don't you do this with Paul?
Oh, now, come on.
ALBERTA: No, no.
It's a good idea.
It depends on what you want,
if you want to try and save your marriage.
Yeah, actually, I'd like to.
Why don't you take Paul to a hotel?
I don't think you should
do the painting thing
at home in front of the small children.
Why not? (ALBERTA CHUCKLES)
That's a great idea.
Go to a hotel.
My treat.
SYLVIE: Are you kidding?
ALBERTA: No.
Just call Marc.
You'll have a suite at the
Sheraton anytime you want.
Thank you.
Welcome.
(INHALES) Okay,
it's time to go.
Happy birthday, Rebecca, honey.
LUCY: Happy birthday.
(KISSES)
SYLVIE: I'm getting painted
In a hotel
Happy damn birthday
I love you very much
I'm getting painted
In a hotel
(SOMBER MUSIC PLAYING)
STEVEN: "Moaning, fucking Lisa.
"I thought you meant those moans.
"You left your lips in my ashtray
"and your smile in the head,
ready to be flushed,
"and I, red with waiting,
"look for a new smile."
(CLEARS THROAT)
Mmm-hmm.
Um, unfortunately, we have gone way over.
I'm really sorry,
but we're going to have to
do the critique next time.
In addition, Fiona...
What?
You can't do that to me.
REBECCA: Okay?
Thank you, everybody.
I won't make it
without knowing what people think of it.
It's good for you, Steven.
Really, it's part of the discipline
to wait for an opinion
without disintegrating.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
I liked your poem a lot.
You hated it.
I liked it a lot.
LUCY: Hi. Hi.
Um, Lucy, this is my student Steven.
Steven, this is my sister Lucy.
STEVEN: Hi, Lucy.
Nice to meet you.
Would you mind if we
skipped dinner tonight?
I'm really just in the mood
to be at home, you know?
LUCY: Yeah, okay.
You sure?
REBECCA: Yeah.
Okay. I should get going
because the traffic's
going to be really bad.
Okay.
Bye.
STEVEN: Bye.
LUCY: Bye.
(STAMMERS) You two look like sisters.
We are sisters, like she said. Hello.
Are you in school?
NYU.
We're on a blind date, aren't we?
I don't know. It happened so fast.
(NERVOUSLY) You know,
maybe this is just us talking.
No, this is us on a blind date.
So if we are, how unhappy are you?
How unhappy are you?
Not very unhappy.
I'm not either.
You want to...
You want to go do something?
Um...
(STAMMERS) I mean,
unless you have something else to do.
No. I mean, you know, yeah,
we could do something.
Great.
(CRICKETS CHIRPING)
(PAINTER WHISTLING AND HUMMING)
(OBJECTS CLATTERING)
Um... Excuse me?
Oh, hi.
Hi?
It's 10:00 at night.
What are you doing here?
Painting.
In the moonlight?
Actually, makes the job more interesting.
You see, I could be anyone.
Paint anything...
Anywhere.
You know?
Okay?
(SOFT MUSIC PLAYING)
You know, I'm having trouble sleeping
and I really think
it's better if you go back to
your normal schedule of painting.
Okay?
Yeah.
Yeah.
(WINDOW CLOSES)
(CANNONBALL PLAYING ON STEREO)
(TELEPHONE RINGING)
(SHOUTING) Hello?
Rebecca, honey. Is that you?
(MOUTHING) It's Alberta.
(IN FUNNY ACCENT)
I'm sorry. You have the wrong number.
Lucy? Don't hang up.
(SPEAKS GIBBERISH)
(GIGGLES)
Luc... (BEEPS)
(BEEPS)
(CAR DOOR CLOSES)
Hey.
REBECCA: Hey.
Aren't you gonna be late for work?
I have a few minutes.
Cool. What's goin' on?
Not much.
I like these, Syl.
Those are dream pots.
Damn!
Damn! (CLICKS TONGUE)
I got 'em filled with all kinds of stuff.
You know, little bones, and
pieces of feathers, flowers, broken glass.
You know that place we hate?
That gallery over on Seventh?
Mmm-hmm.
The guy with the mustache
made you move your car?
He wants to carry 'em.
(CHUCKLES) But, he wants
to put labels on 'em.
Warning labels.
You'll love it.
"Dream Pots by Sylvie"
with warning labels.
It's too delicious.
Do I smell different?
What?
I smell...
Shriveled. I do. (SCOFFS)
And I'm starting to look
like a Georgia O'Keeffe.
Georgia O'Keeffe.
I feel like I should be
living in the desert,
completely shrouded in black,
and surrounded by skulls.
I'm serious about this.
Widowhood happens on a cellular level.
It's happening in my face as we speak.
I swear to God, I smell different.
Smell me.
I don't wanna smell.
Smell me.
(ANNOYED) I don't wanna smell you.
God bless ya!
Could you just stop thinkin'
about yourself for one second?
I mean, your time
of self-absorption, it... It's up.
Excuse me?
You're telling me about self-absorption?
Ms. Self-Absorbed is telling
me about self-absorption?
Yeah, I am. Okay?
Hey! You're not the only one who's
lost a husband here, you know?
Mine didn't go in one fell swoop,
but it's taken Paul years
to disappear from this marriage.
But, I can't sit around
and think about that,
because I have three fucking kids
watching every move I make.
So, from where I sit,
I think you have it pretty good.
Because nobody is sending
me condolence cards
and divorce casseroles.
Nobody is lookin' out for me.
You understand?
Fine.
That's perfect.
That's wonderful.
(SHATTERING)
(CAR DOOR OPENS)
(CAR DOOR CLOSES)
(CAR STARTING)
(SIGHS)
Okay.
(CAR DOOR CLOSES)
I'm a jerk.
I'm an asshole.
No. I'm completely self-absorbed.
Yes, you are. But
it's understandable.
It's okay for you too.
All right.
All right. Enough.
You're lookin' good today. (SIGHS)
Syl, really.
And I like the pots.
Yeah?
Yeah.
Cool.
So, tell me. How come we're not married?
'Cause I still think it's
a bit too soon for me.
You're probably right,
but I'd still like it because
our worst fight is like
me and Paul's best day.
Mmm. (SCOFFS)
You know what I wish?
I wish you could jump into Paul's body.
Except during sex when I want Paul
to jump into that painter's body.
And I'd be left with
that Tompkins' porch feeling
and my life would be absolutely perfect.
(DANCE MUSIC PLAYING)
See, I'm not getting the shriveled thing.
To me, you look gorgeous.
Well, picture shriveled
and then give me the
exact opposite of that.
I-I wanna look like the
girl in the Guess jeans ad.
You want hair that just
got off a motorcycle
without a helmet.
Yeah.
(TAPPING)
(CLATTERING)
Hi.
Hi.
Hey, I'm sorry about last night.
Oh, it's no problem. Really.
(DOOR CLOSES)
Like to make it up to you if I could.
Uh, you don't have to
make it up to me.
You wanna get pizza or somethin'?
Uh... no.
Thank you.
You look different.
Really?
Well, I was just
driving with the window down.
You know.
You know, I could get a pizza.
Yeah?
Yeah.
All right. Come on.
Hop in.
Oh, hello.
Hi, there.
Hey, hey, hey.
Get in the back.
(SOFTLY) Crazy dog.
Wouldn't want that to happen to my hair.
(CAR STARTING)
(CASH REGISTER DINGS)
PAINTER: Wow.
Can you explain that look to me?
I mean, I've never understood that.
Well, secretly,
they'd like to be invisible.
They hate their bodies,
and their mothers,
and their hair, and their teeth,
and their lives.
But, they don't want you to know that,
so they spend all day,
every single day,
creating that look
so nobody ever asks who they really are.
You know?
Jesus! I'm almost afraid to ask.
What can you tell about me?
(CHUCKLES) Huh.
Well, nothing, really.
I'm only insightful about women.
How'd that happen?
I'm not really sure.
Oh. Well, try. Just make it up.
I mean, if you had to,
what could you tell about me?
You think...
Think I was ever married?
No.
Divorced.
Well. See?
Not good at men.
Come on. Try.
Not good at men.
Come on.
No. Mmm.
Okay. (CLEARS THROAT)
All right.
You're really an artist.
An oil painter.
(SOFTLY) Oil painter.
You just paint houses
as a sideline thing.
No.
(LAUGHS) I'm a house painter.
Well, of course, you are.
I paint signs as a sideline.
Oh, yeah?
Yeah.
See that "Free Delivery" back there?
That's me.
Early me.
But, you know, me nonetheless.
I've gotten better since.
That's nice.
A nice sign. (CHUCKLES)
(PAINTER LAUGHS)
You're eatin' that pizza like a mouse.
Oh, yeah?
I mean, this is Mama's Pizza.
The best thing about it is you get
the grease to run down your hands.
You grab it with both hands,
you stuff it in your mouth.
Watch.
Mmm.
(LAUGHS)
Here.
You're a real pig.
I know.
All right.
Let me tell you about you now.
Uh-oh.
Needless to say, you're a neat freak.
You're the type that's
never had a pizza delivered,
'cause that big box doesn't fit
in your trash can, right? (LAUGHS)
Mmm. That was very good.
Very good.
And, um...
You just dumped your boyfriend,
so now you're goin' through one of those
"I hate all men" periods too, aren't you?
Yes.
That's it exactly.
I told you I'm good at this.
(ROMANTIC MUSIC PLAYING)
Lucy?
Yeah?
Take off your clothes.
We don't even have to do anything.
I mean, we can just, you know,
snuggle.
Absolutely not.
Okay.
I first have to show my sister.
She'll tell me the truth
before I humiliate myself.
I don't know what we're dealing with here.
It could be very bad.
Wait. You... You don't know
what you look like naked?
No.
What about when you take a shower?
(CLICKS TONGUE) I never look.
Okay. Show me.
I'll look.
I... I know I'll love it.
(GROANS) No!
(SOFTLY) Okay.
Luce?
Yeah?
(CHUCKLES)
How 'bout just the jacket?
(GIGGLES)
STEVEN: "Lucy.
"Lucy.
"Lucy.
"Lucy. Lucy.
"Lucy."
It's wonderful, Steven.
But, it's not a poem.
It's more like
your own personal ode
to Gertrude Stein.
What are you saying?
It's redundant?
No. I'm saying that it's not a poem.
Well, you weren't really listening.
You weren't really paying attention.
Okay. I'm sorry.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
LUCY: Just don't laugh
when I open the door.
REBECCA: I won't. I promise, Lucy.
LUCY: It isn't exactly a new outfit.
Come on already, Luce.
What do you think?
Oh, God!
You're absolutely gorgeous.
(GASPS) Really?
You're a total knockout.
(SIGHS IN RELIEF)
Really? (CHUCKLES)
But, do you mean it?
Oh, wait. Turn around.
It's still great.
(LAUGHS)
I'm so happy!
No, I'm serious.
I mean, you should never
wear clothes, ever.
Let's not get crazy.
Come here. (CLICKS TONGUE)
(SQUEALS) Look at you!
So, I'm taking it that
you and Steven
are liking each other, huh?
Yeah.
Oh, that's good.
I think that's good.
I'm glad.
Are you...
Um, have you?
No. No.
No?
I need your advice...
Oh?
...on moaning.
Moaning.
Yeah. Now,
is it better to moan,
or act like you're stifling the moan,
or just not to moan at all?
Just be natural. Don't act.
Just be yourself.
Becky!
We're not on a talk show, you know.
You can tell me for real.
Well... (CHUCKLES)
...it's been a long time.
But, in my experience,
um, the best thing
(EXHALES) is to breathe.
(BREATHING HEAVILY) Very deeply, at first.
That way, you
bring him inside you.
At first, through his smell,
and then through the rhythm
of your own breath.
Until
those places inside you
start to tighten, and to tingle,
until you hit the change.
The change is where things really
start happening on their own.
(MOANS) That's where I do the moaning.
No. That's where you let go.
Let go of what?
(SIGHS) You're being too vague.
Start from the beginning,
and don't use phrases like,
"places inside"
and "hitting the change."
What is that?
Be specific, okay?
When do I moan?
I mean, how long should I
do that breathing thing?
Mmm.
Should I open my eyes?
Should I... (LAUGHING)
(BOTH LAUGHING)
(ROMANTIC MUSIC PLAYING)
(SYLVIE LAUGHING)
What? Wait.
(STAMMERS) Stop for a sec...
(LAUGHING HYSTERICALLY)
Wait. Just... Yeah?
Sylvie.
Don't be nervous, baby.
I'm not.
Sylvie.
Relax.
This was a great idea.
(PAUL CHUCKLES)
What is it?
What?
I just figured out
that it wasn't you who didn't wanna.
It was me, wasn't it?
It's me who kept saying no.
Yeah.
It was.
(KNOCK ON DOOR)
PAINTER: Hello?
Anybody home?
Rebecca?
Hey.
What? Are you movin'?
Uh, no.
Just some cleanin'?
Yeah.
Who's Ben?
Uh, Ben
was my husband.
He died last spring.
I'm sorry.
I didn't know. Nobody told me.
I knew there was something
very different about you.
There's nothing different about me.
I'm not different.
Okay.
You want me to help you move these?
No.
You sure?
Yes.
Listen, I got a lot of work to do today.
I better...
Better get goin', all right?
Hey.
There's nothing different
about me.
I know.
(MOANS)
(BREATHING HEAVILY)
(VOICE SHAKING)
It's okay to do this.
It's okay to do this.
SYLVIE: And in broad daylight?
I mean...
It's too delicious.
I know.
It's too delicious.
The most amazing thing about it is...
...that halfway through...
Hi, Mom.
SYLVIE: Hi, baby.
Oh, God!
It's okay. What?
Halfway through it, um...
I opened my eyes.
And I really
watched him and he really watched me.
And I should've watched you both.
I'm serious. We both watched everything...
Oh, my God.
...as it was happening.
And it was so amazing.
I mean, I've never done that before.
I always end up hiding my head,
or turning away,
or getting under the pillow or something.
It was, um...
It was amazing.
Yeah. Well...
Did you think about Ben?
No.
I didn't. Not once.
(LAUGHS)
Oh, my God!
How did he know that your legs
would bend back like that?
Men like that just know these things, Syl.
Oh, man.
Oh, man.
(SIGHS)
(CAR APPROACHING)
LUCY: (VOICE RECORDING)
Hi, Becky. It's Luce.
I'm seeing Steven tomorrow night
and I'm still not clear
on the moaning thing.
Call me.
(MACHINE BEEPS)
ALBERTA: (VOICE RECORDING)
Hello, love. I've tentatively scheduled
you, me, and Lucy on a wilderness trek.
We need to talk about
dates as soon as possible.
Oh. Also, would you please
run this by Lucy?
I think she's unplugged her phone again.
(MACHINE BEEPS)
PAINTER: (VOICE RECORDING) Hi, it's me.
Just callin' to see how you're doin'.
Guess you're not home.
Okay. Bye-bye.
(MACHINE BEEPS)
(MACHINE CLICKS)
(MACHINE BEEPS)
(GRUNTS)
(SHATTERING)
(DREAMER PLAYING)
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
I love when you sleep with me, Mommy.
Me too, baby.
LUCY: (VOICE RECORDING)
Hi, it's Lucy's machine.
Leave a message if you're in the mood.
(MACHINE BEEPS)
Hi, Lucy's machine.
Listen. Your sister
wasn't in class yesterday
and she didn't show up today, either.
I just thought you should know.
Anyway,
hope to see you tonight.
I really can't wait.
(PHONE RINGING)
(DREAMER CONTINUES PLAYING)
(PHONE RINGING)
Did you get ahold of Sylvie?
She went right over.
What happened?
I don't know.
SYLVIE: I can't get you
something to drink like water?
and I, uh, can't make the bed for you.
Are we back in the Georgia O'Keeffe thing?
Okay. (FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING)
What brought this on?
She slept with the painter.
You did?
(VOICE SHAKING) Oh, shit.
(SOBBING) I can't.
I can't hold this in any more.
I can't. I just can't.
God damn it!
(SOBBING)
I've been holding this in for so long.
Like it was my virginity or something.
You know, after it was over, I could never
not know again.
Not know what?
(SPUTTERING)
(SOBBING) The last time I saw Ben,
we had this really huge fight.
We had this fight because...
I didn't... I...
Didn't wanna have a baby.
You both didn't wanna have a baby?
No. It was me, okay?
He wanted to for years.
I was the asshole who kept saying no.
And I keep thinking, you know,
what if he had this inner time clock
that was just ticking
faster than other people's?
(HYSTERICALLY) What if he knew
that he was never gonna get old?
(SHOUTING) What if he just wanted to
leave this little part of himself behind
and I was the one who said no?
ALBERTA: Why didn't you want a baby?
(SHOUTS) Because I was mean!
Because he always got
everything he ever wanted.
He wanted this house, so we lived here.
He wanted to teach at that university,
so that's where I went.
Because, he was the goddamn
center of everything.
Including me.
And it was a well-known fact
that he was gonna be the greatest
goddamn father that ever lived.
And that I
was gonna be the worst mother.
LUCY: That is not true.
Look at me!
Everything always has
to be just so, with me,
doesn't it?
God! I'm not even good with dogs!
Can you imagine the kind
of mother that I would be?
(CRYING) You would've been a great mother!
REBECCA: (SOBBING) No, I wouldn't.
You took really good care of me
after Mom died.
Lucy!
I would've made so many mistakes
with that little baby,
it would only have loved Ben.
(HYSTERICALLY)
it would only have loved Ben.
So, I didn't
have it.
(SOBBING) And now they both hate me.
ALBERTA: Who?
(SHOUTS) Ben!
Ben and his stupid goddamn baby
that I'm never gonna have.
(SORROWFUL MUSIC PLAYING)
(SOBBING CONTINUES)
(SPUTTERING) I just don't wanna let go.
I just don't want...
(HYSTERICALLY) Oh, God!
I don't wanna let go.
(SOBBING)
SYLVIE: I think we should go
somewhere really special.
REBECCA: If you think I'm
doing Tompkins' porch tonight,
you're wrong.
I mean, all of us.
We should go and
let go.
ALBERTA: Isn't this fun?
You know, I've read about men's
groups doing this kind of thing,
and I've always hated to be excluded.
LUCY: Sylvie,
I don't understand what we're doing here
at 5:00 in the morning.
ALBERTA: Oh, this is like
wilderness bonding,
or Outward Bound.
When a group of people come together
and they get to know
each other really well.
Only, you can't force this sort of thing.
It has to happen naturally.
What are you talking about?
SYLVIE: Come on, now. You ready?
Come on. Come on.
Okay. Let's make a circle.
Just breathe deep, and...
And we'll say why we're here.
Each of us, individually.
Okay? I'll start.
Okay.
I'm here
first, to say thank you to some
pretty great women.
Yeah.
And to ask them to
give me the strength to stay on the path
I seem to have chosen.
I don't know if I can do it,
but I'd like to try.
So, thank you.
Alberta.
Uh, I'm here...
You're here to say hello to someone
who you've never met.
Oh, no. Not now.
Oh, yes. Now.
This is the perfect time.
This is the only time, Alberta.
Say hello to my mother.
Say it.
All right.
Hello.
Say her name.
Say Joanna, please.
Hello, Joanna.
Ask her how she's doing.
Your daughter wants to know
how you're doing, Joanna.
LUCY: And please tell her that I miss her
and that I love her very much.
Stop it, Lucy.
You're being cruel.
You know what?
If Alberta wants me so badly,
she has to do this.
Joanna,
your daughter Lucy misses you
very much
and loves you very much.
I know, because every
time I reach out to her,
it only makes her miss you more.
I envy you, Joanna.
It would be such an honor
if she would let me
complete the job you started.
I would do anything
for that honor.
Even this.
You don't have to say anymore.
ALBERTA: I need your help, Joanna.
I need
your help to open a door to Lucy,
Tell me what words you use
to chase away her nightmares.
Or how you
held her so she didn't squirm away.
Whisper to me
the secrets of your motherhood.
(VOICE SHAKING) I can't hear you, Joanna.
You can stop.
What are the secrets of motherhood, Sylvie?
Do you have to give birth to know them?
No. It just takes practice.
You're doin' fine.
(THUNDER RUMBLING)
(EXHALES)
SYLVIE: Lucy?
When I was younger,
I used to have
this list that I had made
describing my perfect man.
He had to have
humor, wisdom,
compassion
and beautiful hands.
Like Ben.
(VOICE SHAKING)
I really loved my husband, you guys.
He was everything to me.
And it all got
ripped away.
Ripped apart at this one moment.
And suddenly I was alone.
I don't know.
Maybe that's why I held on
with this grip so tight,
because if I let go,
(CRYING) he would be gone forever.
(CRYING)
But, he is gone.
Forever.
And it's okay,
because I loved him.
Because he knew that I loved him.
And that's all there really is.
And I guess what I have to say
is really simple.
(SOMBER MUSIC PLAYING)
Ben,
with all of my heart
and with everything that I am,
my love,
goodbye.
(SHELTER PLAYING)
(THUNDERCLAP)
(ALL LAUGHING)
(SHELTER CONTINUES PLAYING)
(MUSIC PLAYING)
Ben?
Ben!
Why do people jog?
Coffee.
(CAR HORN HONKS)
GIRL: Let's go.
PAUL: Come on, Sylvie.
Sorry.
Sorry, you guys.
PAUL: Seat belt.
Okay. I love you
and I love you...
And I love you.
And I love you.
(ENGINE STARTS)
Bye, Mom.
(TELEPHONE RINGING)
LUCY: Hello?
Hello?
Oh, Rebecca, honey, is that you?
LUCY: It's Lucy, Alberta.
Have you noticed yet
that every time you misdial the phone,
I'm the one who answers?
Dad would call that a boundary issue.
Well, as my ex-therapist
as well as my ex-husband,
he should know about boundary issues.
Listen, darling,
I need you to call your sister for me.
We were supposed to have lunch today,
but there's no way I'm gonna find the time.
Are you smoking again?
You're lying in bed fully dressed,
with a stale Diet Pepsi,
smoking a cigarette, aren't you?
I wish you would see my therapist.
Sylvie, I can't talk now.
Because Ben, he's not even back yet.
I'm not leaving without him.
Because. I told you...
He has to take me to pick up my car, honey.
No, you can't take me.
I'll tell you why.
Because I don't have time
to hear about your marriage now, okay?
Listen, I'll call you in
between classes, all right?
Just work in the garden, sculpt,
and then sit by the phone
until I call you back, okay?
I love you, too.
Bye.
(BEEPS)
Hello?
Oh, hi, Luce.
I don't know why she misdials.
I have to go.
No, I don't think that you
should see her therapist.
Look, I have to go,
because I have to go search for Ben
who I am now furious at.
Because he's taking me to get my car,
and I have a 9:00 class to teach.
Are you smoking already?
Luce...
(CHATTERING ON RADIO)
Hello?
Excuse me.
Um, this is kind of embarrassing,
but I'm looking for my husband.
(CHUCKLES) He sometimes jogs on this road.
I think he may have been
wearing a blue sweat suit.
Have you seen anybody like that?
A jogger was hit by a car
about a half-hour ago.
They took him to the hospital.
(VOICE ON INTERCOM)
Mrs. Lott? Hi.
Hi.
I'm looking for my husband.
He may have been hit by a car.
He was out jogging near our house.
Where do you live?
Old Mountain Road.
(CHUCKLES)
Can we do this part another time...
I just need to be sure that it's him.
Tall, dark hair.
Yeah.
A blue running suit?
Yes. What happened?
'Cause you're starting to scare me.
The doctor will be right out.
No.
You tell me. What happened?
Your husband was hit very hard.
Yeah.
He didn't make it.
He didn't make it?
What...
What do you mean, he didn't make it?
What does that mean?
You mean, are you...
Are you telling me that, that he's dead?
(SORROWFUL MUSIC PLAYING)
(TELEPHONE RINGING)
Hello.
What?
(SHOUTS) What?
(TELEPHONE RINGING)
If you'll excuse me, gentlemen...
Yes.
Lucy?
Honey, slow down a minute.
I can't...
What about Ben?
No, listen.
Listen, Lucy,
Could I call you back?
I'm right in the middle...
What did you say happened to Ben?
I'm sorry. I was talking.
I couldn't hear you.
Shit.
Did you call my dad, too?
He lives in San Francisco.
I know.
He's taking the red-eye.
He'll be here in the morning.
You're driving too fast.
I'm only going 15 miles an hour.
Well, it feels too fast.
It feels too fast.
Well, I'm just trying
to get you home, Rebecca.
I told you about that at the hospital.
Didn't I tell you about
that at the hospital?
(VOICE SHAKING)
Don't say my name, Sylvie.
Let's not talk about
what just happened, okay?
Don't touch me, Sylvie.
Just don't.
Not now. Not yet.
I understand.
No, you don't.
(SOMBER MUSIC PLAYING)
(DOOR OPENS)
(EXHALES)
I can't touch anything.
It's okay.
I'll do it.
I'll do it.
It's okay.
Sorry.
Don't...
(TELEPHONE RINGING)
BEN: (VOICE RECORDING)
Hi. Ben and Rebecca aren't here right now.
But, leave a message
and one of us, the right one,
will get back to you. Thanks.
(BEEPS)
MARTHA: (ON MACHINE) Um, Rebecca,
this is Martha and John.
We just heard.
God, I'm so sorry.
If there's anything we can do,
please call us at the house.
(BEEPS)
I want to go in,
but I don't want to go in.
I completely get that.
I mean, my bedroom makes me sick.
Paul and I have not had sex
for three months.
We did.
This morning.
I cannot go in there. (CHUCKLES)
Okay.
I just realized that now I am the "W" word.
And that tomorrow morning
I'm going to wake up
and look exactly like
Georgia O'Keeffe at 85.
I'm picturing being shrouded in black,
with the sunken cheeks, the old hands.
That's how I always pictured the "W" word.
I don't want to appear dense or anything,
but I'm not following the "W" word thing.
Is that, like, for witch?
Widow.
Oh! Yeah.
(LAUGHING)
Well, what did you think that I meant?
I was still in Santa Fe
with Georgia O'Keeffe,
trying to figure out
what the hell was in the
desert started with "W."
I couldn't figure that out.
White-hot.
Whipsnake.
Wild weed.
See, I'm not a poetry professor.
Wilt...
Wither...
Weep...
Just because I'm talking
and making you laugh,
do not assume that anything
about me is the same.
Okay.
Lucy.
Great. Alberta. Shit.
Lucy, honey.
Lucy, wait.
I got to get this stuff
into the refrigerator.
Lucy.
Hi.
Hey, Luce.
Don't touch her.
Her skin hurts.
REBECCA: Lucy, touch me.
It's okay.
SYLVIE: It's okay.
Go ahead.
Except you're going to make me cry.
She doesn't want to cry,
because she's the "W" word now.
God, great jacket.
Is it new?
Yeah. I just got it at Charivari.
Fabulous.
It was on sale.
They also had it in smoky brown.
That would look great on you.
I definitely love the black.
You think so?
I can't believe that we're
talking about your jacket.
I know.
I can't believe I had to
add the Charivari part.
(VOICE SHAKING)
I'm so sorry, Becky.
I can't believe this happened.
Did you talk to Dad?
Yeah. Before he got on the plane.
What did he say?
Did he talk about Mom?
I mean, what did he say,
about, you know, when Mom died?
Did he feel it right away?
God, you went to Zabar's?
What did you get?
I have no idea what's in there.
Sylvie told me to bring food,
so... Food. (CHUCKLES)
She doesn't want to be touched right...
Alberta, you're not...
(REBECCA SIGHS)
Come here.
No!
REBECCA: Oh, Jesus Christ.
(WHIMPERING)
She doesn't want to cry yet.
You shouldn't have made her.
This is not crying.
Rebecca, honey...
Let it out.
REBECCA: No.
Well, maybe a cup of tea, then.
Would one of you make her a cup of tea?
I'll help you.
I got it.
It's okay.
But I want to make the tea.
Both of you...
Go make tea.
Come on.
(WHIMPERING)
Oh, man, what do we do?
We make tea.
We're jointly making tea.
I'm starving.
I haven't eaten anything
since dinner last night,
which I basically cried through
because my husband and I
are probably breaking up.
And, you know, I asked Rebecca if she
wanted tea, or food, or something.
She said no.
I'm glad that woman's here.
She's a pill, but she's highly effective.
How long was she married to your dad?
Ten years.
What?
But they've been divorced for four...
(TAP SQUEAKS OPEN)
Thank you very much,
because I can't believe
she's still in my life.
REBECCA: Thank you for doing that.
I'll take care of everything now, honey.
I'm here.
Listen, I talked to a
lawyer in New York City,
and I'm waiting for the police to call back
about the accident report.
I'm sorry to bother you, but do you want
something to eat with your tea, Becky?
No.
Thank you, Lucy.
ALBERTA: Lucy, if the
Riverside Chapel calls,
just buzz me up here.
We don't have things to
buzz with here, Alberta,
otherwise I would have buzzed
to ask what Becky wanted to eat.
Thank you, Lucy.
We're not on Wall Street.
Look where you are.
Why don't you just let me do
what I do best, all right?
There are certain decisions
that only Rebecca can make.
REBECCA: Well, she's right. You know?
What do you wanna do with the body?
Jesus Christ!
(BREATHING HEAVILY)
Honey?
(SOFTLY) Can't you be more
careful about how you say things?
If what just happened to her
happened to me, I'd kill myself.
Look, we're here for one reason
and for one reason only.
(SOFTLY) And that is to get
her through this first week.
Now, she can do it and we can do it.
I want to hear you say you can do it.
I'm not a cheerleader.
I'm not going to cheer.
I'm her sister.
Nobody's asking you to
break out the pompoms.
I don't feel so good.
(VOICE SHAKING) No place I go feels right.
I hate every single room in this house.
I'm making your tea.
Okay? Sylvie's downstairs...
I really need you guys
to convince me that I can do this.
You can do this, Becky.
I know you can.
Yeah.
Was that so hard?
Why do you have to be so glib?
I was not being glib.
"Pompoms" was glib.
What does she think?
We implemented an entire intercom system
since the last time we were here
and now we have things to buzz with?
Don't use this cup!
Why not?
It's psychotic.
Excuse me. I made this cup.
Why?
What kind of tea should we use?
Chamomile, peppermint, or regular?
I don't know, you know?
I don't know about tea.
Well, look, we have got to get this right.
This is going to be the first thing
she's had to drink since Ben died.
We have to get it right.
I know.
We will.
Should we have milk?
Should we put milk on the side?
In a little...
No, we should not,
because she probably doesn't
want to make choices now.
I know that it hasn't really started yet,
but I can feel it waiting for me,
and I'm scared that it's
going to get me while I sleep.
(EXHALES)
(BOTH MOANING)
Oh, God, Luce,
This feels so
different than when Mom died, you know?
I mean, she was sick for so long.
Mom was Mom, but Ben was my husband.
It took me so long to find him.
I don't know what to say to you, Becky.
I mean, I don't...
I don't know what to say.
I wish Mom were here.
She'd know what to say.
It's okay, Luce.
You don't have to say anything.
Your face always makes me feel better.
It brings me our entire childhood.
Right now I wish I was six years old,
where there's no future except
desserts and birthdays.
Six is where there's
only lunch and dinner...
(SOFTLY) And Daddy.
Yeah, Daddy.
(RUSTLING)
(CLANGS)
SYLVIE: Damn it.
(GRUNTS)
Syl...
REBECCA: Shit.
There are his parents.
What am I going to say to them?
His father has the same hands as he did.
I can't even look at them.
God, I'd hate to be them.
What do you say to someone like me?
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
I respected him, enjoyed his company.
He was very special.
You know, he never stole as
much as a theorem from me.
(CHUCKLES) Unlike this one here.
He steals everything.
Hey, come on. (LAUGHS)
Yeah, Ben was unusually
honest for an astrophysicist.
Cared more about ideas than credit,
and, boy, oh, boy, did he love you.
He used to read us your poetry.
Really?
Did you like it?
Mmm-hmm.
I didn't know that he did that.
ALBERTA: Yeah, Marc.
I want you to get a hold of somebody
at The New York Times.
I'd like to help make sure
Ben gets a good write-up,
not just one of those
box obituaries, you know.
Whatever happened to the Wongs?
They went to LA?
Hi. I Just wanted to say hello.
I'll be off in one second.
Uh, my ex-husband. (CHUCKLES)
I just need to give him a hug.
That's if he'll give me a hug.
I mean, you think maybe...
Who are you talking to?
You.
Oh.
Here's my kiss.
And you can fax me your hug.
Uh, no, Sunday's no good, honey.
(DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES)
You okay, Luce?
I can't take Alberta.
She has an odd way of coping.
I mean, really, Dad.
What is her problem?
She has intimacy issues,
obsessive-compulsive hostility,
attachment anxiety,
mood disturbance disorder.
God, I wish I could
dis her as good as you.
You must miss Mom a lot,
especially today.
I miss her most on my birthdays
and weddings,
whenever I eat ice cream.
(VOICE SHAKING)
I pretty much always miss her.
No matter what, you could
always count on your mom
to fix the bad things.
And appreciate the little things,
laugh at the stupid things... (CHUCKLES)
Right?
Yeah.
Not easy to find somebody like that.
REBECCA: There you are.
Becky's like that.
She is.
You okay, sweetheart?
It's weird in there, isn't it?
There's all these friendly people
walking around my house
telling me stories about Ben,
making him sound like
this fabulous stranger
that I'm never going to meet.
The driver that hit him
hasn't called me yet.
He's afraid to, honey.
(VOICE SHAKING) I can't, Daddy.
You know, I just got to...
I just got to hold on a little bit longer,
Till they all go home.
(SOBBING)
(OWL HOOTS)
ALBERTA: Why don't you eat something?
(EXHALES)
I didn't see you in here.
You know,
I think it's so interesting, Lucy,
how you deny yourself food
and wear only black.
(CAN OPENING)
It isn't that interesting, really.
Where's your joy, Lucy?
(GROANS) Oh, God!
Why are you always everywhere
with something to say?
I still don't understand
how you got so far
into this family, anyway.
Your father asked me.
Too bad you can't even remember his name.
You never called him
Thomas while he was here.
It was always, "May I speak with you?"
Or, "Please pass the Perrier."
Is that what happened in your marriage?
You forgot his name?
He probably would have
stayed longer if you'd...
If I'd what?
If I'd called him Thomas?
If I was still his wife?
Or if the sight of his
daughter in such pain
wasn't more than he could bear?
Which daughter?
(SIGHS)
At least you get to hang out at home.
I got to go back to school tomorrow
and write 301 papers
on the existential nature
of the relationships
in Jules and Jim.
So I'll see you Friday?
Yeah, absolutely.
What's Friday?
We're having dinner...
Alone.
I'll come by later and see you.
Yeah.
I'm planning on practically living here.
That's not a good idea.
Don't practically live here.
Call you tonight.
Yeah.
Thanks, you guys,
for everything.
It's been a best week, hasn't it?
(CHUCKLES)
I'm kidding.
I'm kidding.
I'm fine, really.
Go home.
Yeah. I'm just going to wear a black shawl,
paint some skulls,
read a little Sylvia Plath.
(LAUGHS)
I'm kidding. Go home.
Really.
(CAR DOOR CLOSES)
(CAR STARTING)
(BREATHING HEAVILY)
(SOMBER MUSIC PLAYING)
(GRUNTING)
(PANTING)
(WHISPERS) "Dear God..."
(DOG WHIMPERING)
Go away!
Go away!
I'm sorry.
I'm not good with dogs.
SYLVIE: The Hermit.
That's obviously you.
Because you keep trying
to hide from everybody.
Where does it say that?
You're not doing it right.
Syl, you're not even following
the instructions. Listen...
It won't be accurate if you don't
do it right. Listen, listen.
If you don't stop picking at me,
the spirits are not gonna guide me.
All right.
Okay?
All right.
Death.
Obviously my marriage,
'cause the guy even looks like Paul.
Paul, after I've gotten done with him...
(REBECCA LAUGHS)
Me in remorse for what I've done to Paul.
And look.
Wheel
of
Fortune!
Look at that.
Oh.
"Wheel of Fortune.
Wheel of Fortune.
"Wheel of Fortune represents...
Mmm-hmm.
"...the ups and downs of fate."
It also says it depends
on where the cards are placed.
Look at this. You haven't even
done the spread thing here.
Well, we don't need to do
an official spread...
Well, yes, you do.
This is the spread that came up.
(CHUCKLES)
You know, you just have
to follow your intuition.
My intuition's fine.
It's yours that I'm worried about.
Well, you know, you'd be really boring
if I wasn't your best friend.
Oh, thank you.
You'd be home watching
Wheel of Fortune right now.
(CHILDREN LAUGHING)
PAUL AND CHILDREN: One, two, three, four,
I declare thumb war...
We're going to go over to the
Tompkins' and water some plants.
(ALL GIGGLE) Okay.
Bye, Mom.
Bye.
(PAUL CHUCKLES)
He really looks like Paul, doesn't he?
They all look like Paul.
I'm starting to look like Paul.
(BOTH LAUGHING)
You know what?
You're starting to look like Paul, too.
(CHUCKLES)
(RATTLES)
(DOOR UNLOCKING)
(SIGHS)
Can you feel it?
The love?
Oh.
Okay.
It's stronger on the sun porch.
Come on.
Look. Ah!
(SIGHS)
This is the Wheel of Fortune.
I mean, really.
Look...
I got the wrong husband,
you got the right one for not enough time,
and the Tompkins,
they got each other for 65 years.
I mean, come on.
Man.
Can you feel this?
Can you feel this love?
Not really.
I am really looking forward
to going back to work tomorrow.
Well, I still think it's too soon.
Sylvie?
What?
Where are the plants?
What plants?
The plants that we are here to water.
Where are they?
Oh, my God.
Are they even out of town?
They could come in here at any...
We're not even supposed to be here, are we?
Oh, come on!
If you came home and found
two gorgeous women
sitting on your sun porch
'cause they wanted a small
slice of your fabulous marriage,
what would you do?
I'd make them bouillabaisse
and teach them to tango,
I'd be so pleased.
(BOTH LAUGHING)
(SYLVIE HUMMING)
(HAPPY VOICE) Hi.
I'm not here right now.
Please leave me a message. Thanks.
(BEEPS)
(LOW VOICE) Why don't
you leave me a message?
I'll call you back.
Or maybe not,
because my voice is too low
to actually have a conversation with.
(SIGHS)
(BEEPS)
(NORMAL VOICE) Hi. This is Rebecca.
I'm not here right now.
Please leave me a message. Thank you.
(BEEPS)
(HONKING)
(CHATTERING)
(TALKING STOPS)
Well, I'm back.
(ALL CHEERING)
STEVEN: Thank God!
Professor Myers treated us
like this was an undergrad survey course.
We had to write haikus
and then ballads in couplets.
And we were in hell.
Well, I'm sure that Professor Myers
wasn't very happy about it either, Steven.
(ALL CHUCKLING)
Anyway...
Guys...
Back to French aestheticism.
Which, as you know,
or you should know,
talks about the
writing of a poem
for a poem's sake,
with a strict emphasis
on painstaking artifice.
But, really, what's the difference
what form the words take,
as long as the reader reacts?
Of course, if you ascribe
to the notion of affective fallacy
where you judge a poem by its affects,
the criticism,
and you should write this down,
ends in impressionism
and relativism.
It all boils down to...
Words.
Words to complain about other words.
Words to elevate the writer of the words
to heights that only words
can take him to...
(CHUCKLES) This is all bullshit, isn't it?
(ALL MURMURING)
But words don't
taste good,
they don't smell good,
they don't keep you warm at night.
Words don't even ever
leave the mind, do they?
So, my assignment to you
is to write a poem without words.
It doesn't have to conform to haiku
or sonnet form, Steven.
Free verse is fine.
But no words, okay?
By Friday.
(ALL MURMURING)
(DIAL TONE)
(TYPING)
(RINGING)
LUCY: (ON PHONE) Hello?
Lucy.
God, finally.
Listen, um, can I come over
and you can find something
really distracting for us to do?
LUCY: Yeah.
Are you okay?
Yeah. I'm fine. Really. Yeah.
LUCY: You sure?
Okay. I'll be over soon.
LUCY: Okay.
Okay.
Bye.
(MOVIE PLAYING ON TELEVISION)
REBECCA: Should I just eat from this tin?
Do you have a fork at all?
God. Nice shoes.
I mean, I wouldn't want anything obvious,
like a rose or a little heart.
Pass the rice.
I wouldn't want anything
nasty or mean either,
you know, like a skull or a dagger.
Lucy, this is Chinese rice.
So?
We're having Indian food.
Oh.
(SNIFFS) God, how old is this, anyway?
Sheesh.
Not as old as this sandwich.
You are so gross. Lucy.
(SQUEALS)
(CHUCKLES) God.
(GASPS) Oh, my God.
That's the tattoo I'd want.
You want a tattoo of
Marcello Mastroianni's face?
Oh, my God.
Wouldn't that be so cool?
I know you hate tattoos no
matter what they are, but...
No, I don't.
Yes, you do.
(TURNS PAGE)
I'm becoming one of those people
that everybody hates to be around.
Aren't I?
I'm not fun.
I'm just one of these sad,
drippy, unfun people
who doesn't like tattoos or,
old food or...
(SIGHS)
Becky, you just had an unbelievably
bad thing happen to you.
You're not supposed to be fun.
And anyway,
tattoos and old food are disgusting.
They're not good things to like.
I'm a total freak.
No. You're not.
How about
tomorrow we go over
to your house, and we
plaster ourselves in the sun,
and paint our fingers and toes?
(SOFTLY) Okay.
So where would you put him?
(INCREASES VOLUME)
(IN ITALIAN ACCENT) Marcello?
Yes.
I don't know.
I guess anywhere he'd fit.
(BOTH LAUGHING)
(DOG BARKS)
MAN: Come on!
(I CAN'T GET NEXT TO YOU PLAYING ON RADIO)
(SYLVIE HONKS HORN)
(HONKING)
ALBERTA: Oh, no.
We're not going in that.
We may even have to open our own doors.
MAN: Valentino!
Valentino!
(CAR DOOR CLOSES)
Valentino!
SYLVIE: Wait a minute, now.
Why don't you think his name's Valentino?
ALBERTA: Because,
why would he be standing there
shouting out his own name into the mist?
LUCY: What mist?
I still don't know
who you're talking about.
SYLVIE: Because, it's a beautiful name.
I mean, if it was my name,
I'd be shouting it from the mountaintop.
LUCY: You would not.
I would.
Who are you talking about?
The painter.
Valentino. Don't you just
know he loves beautiful women,
and their spirits live in his paintbrushes.
He paints them on all the
corner walls in big houses
and little houses,
and he'd stay married to you for 65 years.
I just know it.
LUCY: Definitely no.
How could you say such a thing?
LUCY: Because, Sylvie,
Valentino knows that marriage
ruins people's lives.
SYLVIE: Really?
Yes. But if he were to
fall for someone who was,
you know, new to relationships,
then he could teach her stuff, you know?
And everything about the two of them
would always be new.
Oh, Lucy, that's so sweet.
Tell us more.
I was kidding. God.
You believed me?
SYLVIE: Wait.
Here's the truth.
Chicken soup
is the most womanly thing...
(REBECCA LAUGHS)
...on the face of the planet.
This is the truth.
I'm telling you.
In the early days with me and Paul,
he could not resist me.
He's come in, I'd have a big bowl
of steaming hot chicken
soup waitin' for him.
He'd swoop us both upstairs to the bed.
Me and the soup, I mean.
ALBERTA: Unusual foreplay, Sylvie.
LUCY: Does it have to be chicken soup,
or does anything work,
like lentil or split pea?
Um...
Homemade is better.
Does it have to be hot?
I mean, would gazpacho work?
Is cold soup womanly?
Soup doesn't have a gender.
It's just nourishment.
SYLVIE: You're always
denying your womanhood.
No. I'm denying the soup its womanhood.
REBECCA: You know what I just realized?
We have all kinds of
womanhood here, right now.
We have a single woman,
a married woman,
a divorced woman,
and, of course, the ever-present widow.
(ALBERTA CHUCKLES)
They're just words
that describe your marital status,
not womanhood.
I don't think you ought to describe
yourself that way, Rebecca.
SYLVIE: Oh, why not?
I wasn't. I wasn't.
ALBERTA: Because it implies
that we change ourselves around men.
We are who we are,
irrespective of the company we keep.
Mmm-hmm.
Which is why ever since some painter
screamed for his idiot dog
with a stupid name,
we've been unable to utter
one intelligent word.
(SYLVIE GIGGLES)
It's the truth.
Here. Go girl.
It's insane.
ALBERTA: Hi. I'm so glad
I got your machine.
I really hate to give apologies live,
but I am sorry that I missed
dinner the other night.
Listen, I'll talk to you later, okay?
Or not. Bye.
(PHONE BEEPS)
You know, Lucy,
I really loved your Valentino.
I mean, the idea of a man
who teaches you everything
and with whom everything is always new.
Tell me more.
Didn't you just get through telling
me Valentino's this guy's dog?
Oh, come on.
Just play with me a little here.
For me, that painter
could never be Valentino,
however lovely he is.
No. I'm the kind who'd always rather
talk than touch.
Did you know that about me?
Even with your father...
Oh, my God.
I'd rather imagine the man
than know him for sure.
Once I know him,
I don't really want him anymore.
No, it's the possibilities
of who a man might be that excite me.
It's the possibilities
that really get my juices flowing.
(GROANS) Oh, my God!
Do you know the best
moment in a kiss for me?
It's right before the lips touch.
Mmm.
(GIGGLES)
(COUGHS)
Oh, come on.
Use your other hand.
I need both.
(COUGHS)
I don't understand how
you can continue to smoke.
Someone in your family had lung cancer.
You know, it's funny how you can never
say her name or what she was to me.
My mother. Joanna.
You act as if it were my fault she left.
LUCY: She didn't leave.
She died, Alberta.
(CHUCKLES) That's the same thing.
No, it is not.
(TELEPHONE RINGING)
(DOOR OPENS)
REBECCA: Syl?
SYLVIE: Yeah?
(DOOR CLOSES)
I got here as fast as I could.
What happened?
(BREATHING HEAVILY) Paul left me.
We had a really big fight last night.
I woke up this morning, he was gone.
He took all his stuff.
Where are the kids?
They're at day camp.
I took them to day camp.
(VOICE SHAKING)
How am I going to tell them?
But his clothes are still here.
No. That's not all of his clothes.
I swear.
All right.
(SYLVIE SOBBING)
It's a note from Paul.
(SOBBING)
He did leave you.
(GRUNTS)
He's gone to the gym to play racquetball.
You know, I...
What?
Syl...
What? What?
What does this say?
I can't see!
What does it say? (STAMMERS)
(SNIFFLES)
Um...
Well... (BREATHING HEAVILY)
It says he went to the gym...
And that he loves you
and hopes that you feel better.
(CRYING) He's so sweet!
Oh, Syl, Syl...
I don't know.
We really need to find
you a good therapist.
Are you mad at me?
No.
(SNIFFLES)
So you want to go have breakfast?
(ANNOYED) No, Syl.
I have to go to work.
What are you going to do?
Tompkins.
Tompkins.
(SOFT MUSIC PLAYING)
Hey, Luce.
Hey. Yeah.
LUCY: Ready?
Professor Lott.
Hi. I need you to read this poem for me.
I thought it was brilliant this morning,
but now I hate it. I'm confused.
Not now, Steven.
Steven!
(CAR HONKS)
LUCY: Okay, okay.
Got it. Got it.
You get the best body in the entire world
and no pimples for the rest of your life,
but...
You can never go to the beach again
or eat Chinese food.
No, way.
You would too.
I would not.
Pick something else.
I don't hate my body enough
to give up the ocean.
Um...
Your poetry gets compared to John Donne.
Hmm...
Wait. What do you mean
you don't hate your body?
I don't hate my body.
I'm not in my body.
I don't have a body.
(SIGHS) Okay. You.
You get the best body in the entire world,
no pimples for the rest of your life,
ten million dollars,
and your photography gets
compared to Diane Arbus.
(HUSHED SCREAMING)
But, for the rest of your life,
you have to live with Alberta.
No.
And no one ever gets cancer ever again.
No.
The landfills are all empty.
No.
No more war.
Nope. No.
(LAUGHS) God!
You live with Alberta.
(BOTH LAUGH)
So, you want me to go
up there with you, or...
No. I think it's somethin'
I need to do by myself.
I've put it off for so long,
and besides, they need the office space.
(CHUCKLES) Whoa!
Call me later when you...
(SOMBER MUSIC PLAYING)
(KEYS JINGLING)
I really don't think
I want to keep any of it.
I think we should donate
it all to the library.
MAN: You sure?
(SOFTLY) Yeah.
Okay.
Take your time.
(DOOR OPENS)
(CHUCKLES) Chiclets.
I didn't know that he
(VOICE TRAILS) liked these.
(SOFTLY) I'll keep these.
It's my sister's first birthday
without her husband.
MAN: Oh, is it, now?
Yeah. He was hit by a car
last spring and killed.
I'm sorry to hear that.
Yeah. So I want to get her
something really special.
Well, how about the doggy here?
This is Ralphie.
She doesn't like dogs.
(CHUCKLES)
Ooh, gosh. This is beautiful.
Now, that frame is real silver.
Real silver.
(SIREN WAILING)
ALBERTA: Yes.
It's a gift for my daughter.
Good.
So, I'll put my assistant on
and you can tell him
where to send the deposit
and all that, all right?
Hold. Marc?
Handle the rest of this, would you?
Line two.
Sure.
(KEYS JINGLING)
(DOOR OPENS)
(DOOR CLOSES)
ALL: (SHOUTING) Surprise!
(SCREAMS)
(SHOUTS) Oh, God!
Happy birthday.
Oh! Your face.
Your face.
Oh, God!
This is for you.
What is it?
Open it.
(SYLVIE HUMS)
(REBECCA GASPS)
Oh, Luce.
LUCY: I made it.
Oh, thanks.
That's sweet.
Thank you.
Les fleurs.
Ooh. The pot is very nice.
Thanks, Syl.
Yeah.
You guys.
I've got a really big
surprise for you today.
(CAR APPROACHING)
And I think it is just arriving.
(DOG BARKING)
You got her a dog?
No. Wait.
Oh! 'Cause, you know,
I really don't know about dogs.
Everybody knows about dogs.
LUCY: Oh, my God!
It's the painter.
The painter?
What is he doing here?
He's here to paint your house, silly.
That's my surprise.
That's the big birthday present.
That's a big present.
Uh-huh.
I thought it'd be nice
to have something fresh
and new to come home to.
(DOORBELL RINGS)
Wow.
Listen. You stay here.
I will handle everything, okay?
Hey...
Oh, now, I understand he
doesn't speak any English,
but his boss says it's okay to point.
He's supposed to be fabulous.
Ah! Don't say a word.
We know you don't speak any English.
Your boss explained.
It's perfectly okay.
We like to point.
Actually, when it comes to men,
I prefer to point.
Come on in.
Oh. (SIGHS)
What a great ass!
LUCY: (SHOUTS) Alberta!
I can't believe you.
I really hope that he
understood that, Alberta.
So do I.
Uh...
Thank you.
Now, honey,
what I was thinking was a kind
of, um, cheery yellow.
Something like this,
only without so much green in it.
I don't really think the
house needs to get painted,
but that's a great color.
It's good.
ALBERTA: All right, then, um...
This color,
but with less, um, green.
I don't think he understands.
Sylvie, would you get some butter?
Butter. Stick or tub?
Doesn't matter none.
Alberta, I hope you're not planning to
do anything disgusting with the butter.
(SCOFFS) Lucy, don't be ridiculous.
(NERVOUSLY)
I really think this is kind of too much.
I would have liked a nice sweater or...
Butter. Butter.
He'll get it now.
(SPEAKING SLOWLY) So, this color,
but more like this.
Now, you go mix paints.
Bye-bye.
You know, I guess you guys
were expecting Alberto.
No, I was...
No, no, no.
Alberto was the guy on the schedule.
He's the one that doesn't
speak any English.
He got sick, you got me,
and here.
I think you chose a great color,
I'm flattered you like my ass,
and if it's okay, I'm gonna come
back first thing tomorrow morning
and get this going, all right?
Bye-bye.
(ALL LAUGHING)
LUCY: But admit!
Admit...
It's better to have wrinkles
than to have a face
that's stuck in like that G-force thing
that, like, has shellac on it.
No, no, no, no.
There is nothing worse than wrinkles.
Those saggy, hanging things
are definitely worse than wrinkles.
I think I'm going to take myself home.
LUCY: Yeah, I gotta get going, too.
I cannot believe that painter
guy's going to come back here.
That man makes me want to do wild things.
(CHUCKLES)
Like what?
I want him to get a
little skinny paintbrush
with a little tube of paint
and just run it up inside my thigh,
make a big ol' question mark.
(LAUGHS)
Uh-huh. What color?
SYLVIE: Fuchsia or aqua.
LUCY: Why?
It looks good on my skin.
Oh, yeah.
Well, why don't you do this with Paul?
Oh, now, come on.
ALBERTA: No, no.
It's a good idea.
It depends on what you want,
if you want to try and save your marriage.
Yeah, actually, I'd like to.
Why don't you take Paul to a hotel?
I don't think you should
do the painting thing
at home in front of the small children.
Why not? (ALBERTA CHUCKLES)
That's a great idea.
Go to a hotel.
My treat.
SYLVIE: Are you kidding?
ALBERTA: No.
Just call Marc.
You'll have a suite at the
Sheraton anytime you want.
Thank you.
Welcome.
(INHALES) Okay,
it's time to go.
Happy birthday, Rebecca, honey.
LUCY: Happy birthday.
(KISSES)
SYLVIE: I'm getting painted
In a hotel
Happy damn birthday
I love you very much
I'm getting painted
In a hotel
(SOMBER MUSIC PLAYING)
STEVEN: "Moaning, fucking Lisa.
"I thought you meant those moans.
"You left your lips in my ashtray
"and your smile in the head,
ready to be flushed,
"and I, red with waiting,
"look for a new smile."
(CLEARS THROAT)
Mmm-hmm.
Um, unfortunately, we have gone way over.
I'm really sorry,
but we're going to have to
do the critique next time.
In addition, Fiona...
What?
You can't do that to me.
REBECCA: Okay?
Thank you, everybody.
I won't make it
without knowing what people think of it.
It's good for you, Steven.
Really, it's part of the discipline
to wait for an opinion
without disintegrating.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
I liked your poem a lot.
You hated it.
I liked it a lot.
LUCY: Hi. Hi.
Um, Lucy, this is my student Steven.
Steven, this is my sister Lucy.
STEVEN: Hi, Lucy.
Nice to meet you.
Would you mind if we
skipped dinner tonight?
I'm really just in the mood
to be at home, you know?
LUCY: Yeah, okay.
You sure?
REBECCA: Yeah.
Okay. I should get going
because the traffic's
going to be really bad.
Okay.
Bye.
STEVEN: Bye.
LUCY: Bye.
(STAMMERS) You two look like sisters.
We are sisters, like she said. Hello.
Are you in school?
NYU.
We're on a blind date, aren't we?
I don't know. It happened so fast.
(NERVOUSLY) You know,
maybe this is just us talking.
No, this is us on a blind date.
So if we are, how unhappy are you?
How unhappy are you?
Not very unhappy.
I'm not either.
You want to...
You want to go do something?
Um...
(STAMMERS) I mean,
unless you have something else to do.
No. I mean, you know, yeah,
we could do something.
Great.
(CRICKETS CHIRPING)
(PAINTER WHISTLING AND HUMMING)
(OBJECTS CLATTERING)
Um... Excuse me?
Oh, hi.
Hi?
It's 10:00 at night.
What are you doing here?
Painting.
In the moonlight?
Actually, makes the job more interesting.
You see, I could be anyone.
Paint anything...
Anywhere.
You know?
Okay?
(SOFT MUSIC PLAYING)
You know, I'm having trouble sleeping
and I really think
it's better if you go back to
your normal schedule of painting.
Okay?
Yeah.
Yeah.
(WINDOW CLOSES)
(CANNONBALL PLAYING ON STEREO)
(TELEPHONE RINGING)
(SHOUTING) Hello?
Rebecca, honey. Is that you?
(MOUTHING) It's Alberta.
(IN FUNNY ACCENT)
I'm sorry. You have the wrong number.
Lucy? Don't hang up.
(SPEAKS GIBBERISH)
(GIGGLES)
Luc... (BEEPS)
(BEEPS)
(CAR DOOR CLOSES)
Hey.
REBECCA: Hey.
Aren't you gonna be late for work?
I have a few minutes.
Cool. What's goin' on?
Not much.
I like these, Syl.
Those are dream pots.
Damn!
Damn! (CLICKS TONGUE)
I got 'em filled with all kinds of stuff.
You know, little bones, and
pieces of feathers, flowers, broken glass.
You know that place we hate?
That gallery over on Seventh?
Mmm-hmm.
The guy with the mustache
made you move your car?
He wants to carry 'em.
(CHUCKLES) But, he wants
to put labels on 'em.
Warning labels.
You'll love it.
"Dream Pots by Sylvie"
with warning labels.
It's too delicious.
Do I smell different?
What?
I smell...
Shriveled. I do. (SCOFFS)
And I'm starting to look
like a Georgia O'Keeffe.
Georgia O'Keeffe.
I feel like I should be
living in the desert,
completely shrouded in black,
and surrounded by skulls.
I'm serious about this.
Widowhood happens on a cellular level.
It's happening in my face as we speak.
I swear to God, I smell different.
Smell me.
I don't wanna smell.
Smell me.
(ANNOYED) I don't wanna smell you.
God bless ya!
Could you just stop thinkin'
about yourself for one second?
I mean, your time
of self-absorption, it... It's up.
Excuse me?
You're telling me about self-absorption?
Ms. Self-Absorbed is telling
me about self-absorption?
Yeah, I am. Okay?
Hey! You're not the only one who's
lost a husband here, you know?
Mine didn't go in one fell swoop,
but it's taken Paul years
to disappear from this marriage.
But, I can't sit around
and think about that,
because I have three fucking kids
watching every move I make.
So, from where I sit,
I think you have it pretty good.
Because nobody is sending
me condolence cards
and divorce casseroles.
Nobody is lookin' out for me.
You understand?
Fine.
That's perfect.
That's wonderful.
(SHATTERING)
(CAR DOOR OPENS)
(CAR DOOR CLOSES)
(CAR STARTING)
(SIGHS)
Okay.
(CAR DOOR CLOSES)
I'm a jerk.
I'm an asshole.
No. I'm completely self-absorbed.
Yes, you are. But
it's understandable.
It's okay for you too.
All right.
All right. Enough.
You're lookin' good today. (SIGHS)
Syl, really.
And I like the pots.
Yeah?
Yeah.
Cool.
So, tell me. How come we're not married?
'Cause I still think it's
a bit too soon for me.
You're probably right,
but I'd still like it because
our worst fight is like
me and Paul's best day.
Mmm. (SCOFFS)
You know what I wish?
I wish you could jump into Paul's body.
Except during sex when I want Paul
to jump into that painter's body.
And I'd be left with
that Tompkins' porch feeling
and my life would be absolutely perfect.
(DANCE MUSIC PLAYING)
See, I'm not getting the shriveled thing.
To me, you look gorgeous.
Well, picture shriveled
and then give me the
exact opposite of that.
I-I wanna look like the
girl in the Guess jeans ad.
You want hair that just
got off a motorcycle
without a helmet.
Yeah.
(TAPPING)
(CLATTERING)
Hi.
Hi.
Hey, I'm sorry about last night.
Oh, it's no problem. Really.
(DOOR CLOSES)
Like to make it up to you if I could.
Uh, you don't have to
make it up to me.
You wanna get pizza or somethin'?
Uh... no.
Thank you.
You look different.
Really?
Well, I was just
driving with the window down.
You know.
You know, I could get a pizza.
Yeah?
Yeah.
All right. Come on.
Hop in.
Oh, hello.
Hi, there.
Hey, hey, hey.
Get in the back.
(SOFTLY) Crazy dog.
Wouldn't want that to happen to my hair.
(CAR STARTING)
(CASH REGISTER DINGS)
PAINTER: Wow.
Can you explain that look to me?
I mean, I've never understood that.
Well, secretly,
they'd like to be invisible.
They hate their bodies,
and their mothers,
and their hair, and their teeth,
and their lives.
But, they don't want you to know that,
so they spend all day,
every single day,
creating that look
so nobody ever asks who they really are.
You know?
Jesus! I'm almost afraid to ask.
What can you tell about me?
(CHUCKLES) Huh.
Well, nothing, really.
I'm only insightful about women.
How'd that happen?
I'm not really sure.
Oh. Well, try. Just make it up.
I mean, if you had to,
what could you tell about me?
You think...
Think I was ever married?
No.
Divorced.
Well. See?
Not good at men.
Come on. Try.
Not good at men.
Come on.
No. Mmm.
Okay. (CLEARS THROAT)
All right.
You're really an artist.
An oil painter.
(SOFTLY) Oil painter.
You just paint houses
as a sideline thing.
No.
(LAUGHS) I'm a house painter.
Well, of course, you are.
I paint signs as a sideline.
Oh, yeah?
Yeah.
See that "Free Delivery" back there?
That's me.
Early me.
But, you know, me nonetheless.
I've gotten better since.
That's nice.
A nice sign. (CHUCKLES)
(PAINTER LAUGHS)
You're eatin' that pizza like a mouse.
Oh, yeah?
I mean, this is Mama's Pizza.
The best thing about it is you get
the grease to run down your hands.
You grab it with both hands,
you stuff it in your mouth.
Watch.
Mmm.
(LAUGHS)
Here.
You're a real pig.
I know.
All right.
Let me tell you about you now.
Uh-oh.
Needless to say, you're a neat freak.
You're the type that's
never had a pizza delivered,
'cause that big box doesn't fit
in your trash can, right? (LAUGHS)
Mmm. That was very good.
Very good.
And, um...
You just dumped your boyfriend,
so now you're goin' through one of those
"I hate all men" periods too, aren't you?
Yes.
That's it exactly.
I told you I'm good at this.
(ROMANTIC MUSIC PLAYING)
Lucy?
Yeah?
Take off your clothes.
We don't even have to do anything.
I mean, we can just, you know,
snuggle.
Absolutely not.
Okay.
I first have to show my sister.
She'll tell me the truth
before I humiliate myself.
I don't know what we're dealing with here.
It could be very bad.
Wait. You... You don't know
what you look like naked?
No.
What about when you take a shower?
(CLICKS TONGUE) I never look.
Okay. Show me.
I'll look.
I... I know I'll love it.
(GROANS) No!
(SOFTLY) Okay.
Luce?
Yeah?
(CHUCKLES)
How 'bout just the jacket?
(GIGGLES)
STEVEN: "Lucy.
"Lucy.
"Lucy.
"Lucy. Lucy.
"Lucy."
It's wonderful, Steven.
But, it's not a poem.
It's more like
your own personal ode
to Gertrude Stein.
What are you saying?
It's redundant?
No. I'm saying that it's not a poem.
Well, you weren't really listening.
You weren't really paying attention.
Okay. I'm sorry.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
LUCY: Just don't laugh
when I open the door.
REBECCA: I won't. I promise, Lucy.
LUCY: It isn't exactly a new outfit.
Come on already, Luce.
What do you think?
Oh, God!
You're absolutely gorgeous.
(GASPS) Really?
You're a total knockout.
(SIGHS IN RELIEF)
Really? (CHUCKLES)
But, do you mean it?
Oh, wait. Turn around.
It's still great.
(LAUGHS)
I'm so happy!
No, I'm serious.
I mean, you should never
wear clothes, ever.
Let's not get crazy.
Come here. (CLICKS TONGUE)
(SQUEALS) Look at you!
So, I'm taking it that
you and Steven
are liking each other, huh?
Yeah.
Oh, that's good.
I think that's good.
I'm glad.
Are you...
Um, have you?
No. No.
No?
I need your advice...
Oh?
...on moaning.
Moaning.
Yeah. Now,
is it better to moan,
or act like you're stifling the moan,
or just not to moan at all?
Just be natural. Don't act.
Just be yourself.
Becky!
We're not on a talk show, you know.
You can tell me for real.
Well... (CHUCKLES)
...it's been a long time.
But, in my experience,
um, the best thing
(EXHALES) is to breathe.
(BREATHING HEAVILY) Very deeply, at first.
That way, you
bring him inside you.
At first, through his smell,
and then through the rhythm
of your own breath.
Until
those places inside you
start to tighten, and to tingle,
until you hit the change.
The change is where things really
start happening on their own.
(MOANS) That's where I do the moaning.
No. That's where you let go.
Let go of what?
(SIGHS) You're being too vague.
Start from the beginning,
and don't use phrases like,
"places inside"
and "hitting the change."
What is that?
Be specific, okay?
When do I moan?
I mean, how long should I
do that breathing thing?
Mmm.
Should I open my eyes?
Should I... (LAUGHING)
(BOTH LAUGHING)
(ROMANTIC MUSIC PLAYING)
(SYLVIE LAUGHING)
What? Wait.
(STAMMERS) Stop for a sec...
(LAUGHING HYSTERICALLY)
Wait. Just... Yeah?
Sylvie.
Don't be nervous, baby.
I'm not.
Sylvie.
Relax.
This was a great idea.
(PAUL CHUCKLES)
What is it?
What?
I just figured out
that it wasn't you who didn't wanna.
It was me, wasn't it?
It's me who kept saying no.
Yeah.
It was.
(KNOCK ON DOOR)
PAINTER: Hello?
Anybody home?
Rebecca?
Hey.
What? Are you movin'?
Uh, no.
Just some cleanin'?
Yeah.
Who's Ben?
Uh, Ben
was my husband.
He died last spring.
I'm sorry.
I didn't know. Nobody told me.
I knew there was something
very different about you.
There's nothing different about me.
I'm not different.
Okay.
You want me to help you move these?
No.
You sure?
Yes.
Listen, I got a lot of work to do today.
I better...
Better get goin', all right?
Hey.
There's nothing different
about me.
I know.
(MOANS)
(BREATHING HEAVILY)
(VOICE SHAKING)
It's okay to do this.
It's okay to do this.
SYLVIE: And in broad daylight?
I mean...
It's too delicious.
I know.
It's too delicious.
The most amazing thing about it is...
...that halfway through...
Hi, Mom.
SYLVIE: Hi, baby.
Oh, God!
It's okay. What?
Halfway through it, um...
I opened my eyes.
And I really
watched him and he really watched me.
And I should've watched you both.
I'm serious. We both watched everything...
Oh, my God.
...as it was happening.
And it was so amazing.
I mean, I've never done that before.
I always end up hiding my head,
or turning away,
or getting under the pillow or something.
It was, um...
It was amazing.
Yeah. Well...
Did you think about Ben?
No.
I didn't. Not once.
(LAUGHS)
Oh, my God!
How did he know that your legs
would bend back like that?
Men like that just know these things, Syl.
Oh, man.
Oh, man.
(SIGHS)
(CAR APPROACHING)
LUCY: (VOICE RECORDING)
Hi, Becky. It's Luce.
I'm seeing Steven tomorrow night
and I'm still not clear
on the moaning thing.
Call me.
(MACHINE BEEPS)
ALBERTA: (VOICE RECORDING)
Hello, love. I've tentatively scheduled
you, me, and Lucy on a wilderness trek.
We need to talk about
dates as soon as possible.
Oh. Also, would you please
run this by Lucy?
I think she's unplugged her phone again.
(MACHINE BEEPS)
PAINTER: (VOICE RECORDING) Hi, it's me.
Just callin' to see how you're doin'.
Guess you're not home.
Okay. Bye-bye.
(MACHINE BEEPS)
(MACHINE CLICKS)
(MACHINE BEEPS)
(GRUNTS)
(SHATTERING)
(DREAMER PLAYING)
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
I love when you sleep with me, Mommy.
Me too, baby.
LUCY: (VOICE RECORDING)
Hi, it's Lucy's machine.
Leave a message if you're in the mood.
(MACHINE BEEPS)
Hi, Lucy's machine.
Listen. Your sister
wasn't in class yesterday
and she didn't show up today, either.
I just thought you should know.
Anyway,
hope to see you tonight.
I really can't wait.
(PHONE RINGING)
(DREAMER CONTINUES PLAYING)
(PHONE RINGING)
Did you get ahold of Sylvie?
She went right over.
What happened?
I don't know.
SYLVIE: I can't get you
something to drink like water?
and I, uh, can't make the bed for you.
Are we back in the Georgia O'Keeffe thing?
Okay. (FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING)
What brought this on?
She slept with the painter.
You did?
(VOICE SHAKING) Oh, shit.
(SOBBING) I can't.
I can't hold this in any more.
I can't. I just can't.
God damn it!
(SOBBING)
I've been holding this in for so long.
Like it was my virginity or something.
You know, after it was over, I could never
not know again.
Not know what?
(SPUTTERING)
(SOBBING) The last time I saw Ben,
we had this really huge fight.
We had this fight because...
I didn't... I...
Didn't wanna have a baby.
You both didn't wanna have a baby?
No. It was me, okay?
He wanted to for years.
I was the asshole who kept saying no.
And I keep thinking, you know,
what if he had this inner time clock
that was just ticking
faster than other people's?
(HYSTERICALLY) What if he knew
that he was never gonna get old?
(SHOUTING) What if he just wanted to
leave this little part of himself behind
and I was the one who said no?
ALBERTA: Why didn't you want a baby?
(SHOUTS) Because I was mean!
Because he always got
everything he ever wanted.
He wanted this house, so we lived here.
He wanted to teach at that university,
so that's where I went.
Because, he was the goddamn
center of everything.
Including me.
And it was a well-known fact
that he was gonna be the greatest
goddamn father that ever lived.
And that I
was gonna be the worst mother.
LUCY: That is not true.
Look at me!
Everything always has
to be just so, with me,
doesn't it?
God! I'm not even good with dogs!
Can you imagine the kind
of mother that I would be?
(CRYING) You would've been a great mother!
REBECCA: (SOBBING) No, I wouldn't.
You took really good care of me
after Mom died.
Lucy!
I would've made so many mistakes
with that little baby,
it would only have loved Ben.
(HYSTERICALLY)
it would only have loved Ben.
So, I didn't
have it.
(SOBBING) And now they both hate me.
ALBERTA: Who?
(SHOUTS) Ben!
Ben and his stupid goddamn baby
that I'm never gonna have.
(SORROWFUL MUSIC PLAYING)
(SOBBING CONTINUES)
(SPUTTERING) I just don't wanna let go.
I just don't want...
(HYSTERICALLY) Oh, God!
I don't wanna let go.
(SOBBING)
SYLVIE: I think we should go
somewhere really special.
REBECCA: If you think I'm
doing Tompkins' porch tonight,
you're wrong.
I mean, all of us.
We should go and
let go.
ALBERTA: Isn't this fun?
You know, I've read about men's
groups doing this kind of thing,
and I've always hated to be excluded.
LUCY: Sylvie,
I don't understand what we're doing here
at 5:00 in the morning.
ALBERTA: Oh, this is like
wilderness bonding,
or Outward Bound.
When a group of people come together
and they get to know
each other really well.
Only, you can't force this sort of thing.
It has to happen naturally.
What are you talking about?
SYLVIE: Come on, now. You ready?
Come on. Come on.
Okay. Let's make a circle.
Just breathe deep, and...
And we'll say why we're here.
Each of us, individually.
Okay? I'll start.
Okay.
I'm here
first, to say thank you to some
pretty great women.
Yeah.
And to ask them to
give me the strength to stay on the path
I seem to have chosen.
I don't know if I can do it,
but I'd like to try.
So, thank you.
Alberta.
Uh, I'm here...
You're here to say hello to someone
who you've never met.
Oh, no. Not now.
Oh, yes. Now.
This is the perfect time.
This is the only time, Alberta.
Say hello to my mother.
Say it.
All right.
Hello.
Say her name.
Say Joanna, please.
Hello, Joanna.
Ask her how she's doing.
Your daughter wants to know
how you're doing, Joanna.
LUCY: And please tell her that I miss her
and that I love her very much.
Stop it, Lucy.
You're being cruel.
You know what?
If Alberta wants me so badly,
she has to do this.
Joanna,
your daughter Lucy misses you
very much
and loves you very much.
I know, because every
time I reach out to her,
it only makes her miss you more.
I envy you, Joanna.
It would be such an honor
if she would let me
complete the job you started.
I would do anything
for that honor.
Even this.
You don't have to say anymore.
ALBERTA: I need your help, Joanna.
I need
your help to open a door to Lucy,
Tell me what words you use
to chase away her nightmares.
Or how you
held her so she didn't squirm away.
Whisper to me
the secrets of your motherhood.
(VOICE SHAKING) I can't hear you, Joanna.
You can stop.
What are the secrets of motherhood, Sylvie?
Do you have to give birth to know them?
No. It just takes practice.
You're doin' fine.
(THUNDER RUMBLING)
(EXHALES)
SYLVIE: Lucy?
When I was younger,
I used to have
this list that I had made
describing my perfect man.
He had to have
humor, wisdom,
compassion
and beautiful hands.
Like Ben.
(VOICE SHAKING)
I really loved my husband, you guys.
He was everything to me.
And it all got
ripped away.
Ripped apart at this one moment.
And suddenly I was alone.
I don't know.
Maybe that's why I held on
with this grip so tight,
because if I let go,
(CRYING) he would be gone forever.
(CRYING)
But, he is gone.
Forever.
And it's okay,
because I loved him.
Because he knew that I loved him.
And that's all there really is.
And I guess what I have to say
is really simple.
(SOMBER MUSIC PLAYING)
Ben,
with all of my heart
and with everything that I am,
my love,
goodbye.
(SHELTER PLAYING)
(THUNDERCLAP)
(ALL LAUGHING)
(SHELTER CONTINUES PLAYING)