Nina Takes a Lover (1994) Movie Script
I'm writing a story
for the Chronicle
about marriage in the '90s.
I interviewed your friend,
and she thought you might have
some valuable insights.
Um...
This story is different
than what you might
have heard before.
Every story is a
little bit different.
Yeah, I imagine, but...
I think mine really is.
"He looked at her
with an inquisitive smile,
"and she knew they would meet
that night on the golf course,
"'on the links,'
as they called it in England.
"They might meet
on the seventh hole
"or maybe on the 14th,
for those had the sand traps."
Oh, God.
Hello? Hi.
Where are you?
Hmm. Reading.
Links of Love.
When are you coming home?
Three weeks?
You never stay that long.
Well, how come
you're going to stay so long?
Well, is it a job or a vacation?
Are you taking
an assistant with you?
Are you taking an--
That blonde assistant
that I met last--
I was just asking.
Fine.
We did over 1500 on Saturday.
You miss me?
"Just a little."
At least you're honest.
A lot.
I do.
Thanks for your note.
Yes, I love your notes.
Well, talk to me a little.
You don't have to go.
All right.
All right.
Talk to you later.
"He just kept surprising her,
"and that was
what she loved about him.
"It didn't matter which hole,
as long
as they could be together."
Do...
Do you want a bite?
Sure. Yeah.
Anything to help you
finish it.
Mmm.
Um...
excuse me. Where
are you from?
Oh. I'm British. I'm Welsh.
Oh, that. Yeah.
I'm from Wales.
Ah. Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.
Where are you from?
Me?
Yeah.
Well, I'm from here.
You're from--?
Well... Well, no.
I mean, I'm American.
Why? Do I have an accent?
No.
No.
Well, what made you think
that you had an accent?
I don't know. I was so nervous,
I don't know what
came out of my mouth.
Is this
the kind of thing
that you want to hear?
Yeah, of course.
Um, so should I just continue
telling you how it started,
or should I...
Just pick it up
wherever you like.
Okay.
So how were those?
These are a little loose,
actually.
Okay.
Why don't you try these?
Okay.
So where are you going?
I'm being interviewed
by a journalist.
What for?
You don't want to know.
Trust me.
You wouldn't
have told me
if you didn't
want me to know.
Hey, these
are cute, man.
What are you being
interviewed about?
About my affair.
What kind of affair?
An affair affair.
You know...
an affair.
Say something.
Who's the guy?
What was your name again?
Paulie.
You make a great cup of coffee,
Paulie.
Thank you.
There's some of me in every cup.
Why? Do you spit in it?
No, but sometimes I'd like to.
I think you did.
Oh, no. You caught me.
Mm-hmm.
How can I make it up to you?
Nah.
Yes.
You want that?
Mm-hmm.
Bigger.
- Bigger?
- Mm-hmm.
So I went back there
a couple of times
and I just kind of ignored him,
so he wouldn't think
I was coming to see him,
which, of course, I was,
and at some point,
I don't remember exactly,
but, um, he asked me out,
and I said
I'm married,
and he says,
"I know you are,"
just like that,
and I thought, my God,
this guy is so cheeky,
so I said, um, yes.
I have no idea why. I just...
I don't-- I just did,
and he leads me
to this booth in the back,
and he starts asking me
all these questions.
Then he starts making
all these judgments about me.
Like saying that I am,
by nature, unfaithful.
Nice.
What did you say?
Nothing.
I threw my drink at him.
Good for you.
Yeah, well,
then he threw his at me.
Yeah.
I went back to the bathroom
to towel off,
and he follows me back
to apologize.
He did?
Yes, he did,
and, well,
I won't go into details,
but, um, one thing
led to another, and, uh...
In the ladies' room?
We locked the door.
Come on.
I know.
Well, you asked me.
Didn't you feel
really guilty or--?
No.
Why should I
feel guilty?
You know, if anything,
it's helping my marriage.
I'm serious.
What about you?
Haven't you ever
thought about it?
Oh.
No, I...
I could never
handle that.
You'd be surprised.
Um, excuse me.
Sugar. You wanted.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
And?
God!
She doesn't know
how to make it right.
Listen to you.
Mr. Coffee.
Listen, she doesn't know
how to make it right.
You know how to make it right.
She doesn't.
What did I do wrong?
The key to making
good espresso is tamping.
You have to tamp.
I tamped.
Yes, but you didn't
tamp correctly.
I didn't tamp correctly?
See, if you don't
tamp the grounds right,
pack them down a little bit,
then the water will just go
drip, drip, drip, right through,
and it tastes runny.
You know, this coffee
just tastes runny.
Oh, God,
I've got to pee.
Every cup of coffee
is a work of art,
especially the way I make it.
What are you doing?
What do you
want me to do?
Behave.
I am. I'm behaving.
You let him kiss you?
Well, it wasn't a real kiss.
Did you tell
your friend?
No, I was too embarrassed.
I think you should
tell her.
I know, but what difference
would it make?
I don't suppose you're going
to tell your husband either,
are you?
I already did.
Oh, yeah.
Um...
What? What?
I bought you a present.
Wow. The Grays.
Do you like it?
Oh, yes.
I really do.
Oh.
You try it on.
Yeah.
Do you like it?
I really do.
Thank you.
That's okay.
I'll drink some coffee
and I'll work.
That's okay.
I'll just work.
That's all right.
I'll just work.
That's okay.
I've got a lot of work to do.
That's all right.
I'll just work.
So how do those feel?
Oh, good.
Well, why don't you
try and walk
around the store?
Get the feel of them
a little bit.
That might
help you decide.
Oh, I don't know.
I'm not sure.
Well, why don't you
look around
and maybe something else
will grab you.
Can I help you?
Uh, yeah.
I was just looking.
For-- For some shoes.
Yeah?
Alrighty,
and, uh, what size do you wear?
I'm, um...
I'm pretty big.
Pretty big.
Yeah.
I'd say about a 10 and a half.
Oh.
Maybe we should measure.
What are you
doing here?
You didn't come
to the park today.
It's raining.
It didn't stop me.
How did you find me?
I couldn't go two days
without seeing you.
Do you have these
in my size?
Um...
I'll go check.
Thank you.
You're a 10.
Whew.
You're not supposed
to be in here.
Oh.
I thought
you might need some help.
I can't seem to find
anything today.
Everything but what I need.
I'm sure it's
up here somewhere.
I'm scared I'll fall.
No, you won't.
I've got you.
I've got you.
You may find this
hard to believe,
but, um, nothing like that
has ever happened to me.
I know.
I mean,
I like to think of myself
as a spontaneous person,
but I'm really not.
I'm not either.
I'm really not.
What I'm trying
to say is...
I mean, what I really
want you to know
is that...
I've never...
Been unfaithful.
Yeah.
I know.
So.
So.
Um...
Let me see, we could...
We could just meet here.
That's all.
Just meet here.
No, that's not...
That's not...
What?
My husband
is only going to be away
for three weeks, so it...
It's not like
we would have that much...
time to be together anyway.
Um...
I should get back
to the shop.
Um...
I'm going to be home tonight
if you want to call.
I mean, I don't have any plans
or anything
like that.
Okay, I will.
You'll call?
Yeah.
I'll call you.
Okay.
Okay.
I was Nina's lover.
It's a funny word, that,
don't you think?
"Lover."
Because most people
who have a lover
don't really love them.
It isn't love
they're looking for.
At least,
I don't think so.
You don't think
Nina was looking for love?
I think Nina was looking for...
an experience.
Hello?
Nina?
Hi. Where are you?
I'm in my studio.
Well, sometimes I sleep here,
you know?
You should go home. It's late.
Your wife's probably wondering
where you are.
You want me to go?
No, not really.
Well, maybe
I should go.
No, no, um...
talk to me a little,
then you can go.
All right.
So, um,
what should we talk about?
Um...
I don't know.
Where are you?
I'm in my bedroom,
laying in my bed.
There's a light on
in my room.
It's the only light on
in the whole apartment.
What are you wearing?
A nightgown.
What color?
Black.
Silk.
A black, silk nightgown?
Yeah, why? You don't believe me?
No.
Why not?
You just don't seem like
the black, silk nightgown type.
Oh, really?
What type do I seem?
Tell me.
If you're alone...
Hmm.
I mean, if you're
going to bed alone...
Mm-hmm.
then, um, I think
you're wearing sweatpants.
What color?
White.
Gray.
Well, gray,
all right,
but I was right,
wasn't I?
How did you know?
I just guessed.
What are you wearing?
Hmm... Nothing.
I'm absolutely naked.
Oh.
I don't believe you.
Why not?
I just don't.
Look, ask Phyllis, okay?
My assistant.
Phyllis, what am I wearing?
Nothing.
You see?
Let me talk to Phyllis.
No, she can't come
to the phone now.
Why not?
She's putting
her clothes on.
Oh, no wonder
why you're there so late.
Yeah, well, Phyllis
has discovered,
you know,
that she works best
when she's in her birthday suit.
You know,
that's the name of a band.
What is?
The Birthday Suits.
I saw them once at
the Paradise Lounge.
Were they really
in their birthday suits?
Well, they had plungers
over their...
private parts,
but other than that,
they were
in their birthday suits.
The lead singer
had such a fine ass.
Oh, yeah?
What was his singing like?
Um...
I don't remember.
But you do remember
that he had a fine ass.
I have a selective memory.
Well, are you
going to remember me...
when this is over?
Depends on
what you do.
Mm-hmm, yeah, I do remember.
Mm-hmm.
Right, the size seven ones
that you were trying on
the other day.
Right, in the brown.
Yeah.
Well, I think Thursday.
We could--
I'm sure we could.
Yeah, well, why don't you
give me a call then?
Yes, okay, thank you
so much.
Okay. Bye-bye.
Hi.
Hi.
You're not going home
for any reason today, are you?
No, I'm swamped. Why?
Do you think I can borrow your
apartment for a couple hours?
For...?
Oh, man!
Why don't you go
to his place?
He lives
with his parents.
I know, I know.
Stop.
Oh...
I know.
Wait, why don't you
go to a hotel?
A hotel? Please.
Too impersonal.
Impersonal?
Yes. Come on.
You've been busy
today?
Well, we were really quiet
this morning,
then all of a sudden,
got really busy.
Thank you.
You owe me.
I know.
And, um, you know, don't
go in my bedroom.
I won't.
And could you...
not touch anything?
I won't. I promise.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Paulie,
we're not supposed
to touch anything.
Mmm.
Why am I
standing here?
Just a second.
Take this foot...
Mm-hmm.
and move it this way.
One...
and take that foot
and move it
to the side. Two...
and bring this one
over here. Great. Okay.
Now take this one
and move it that way.
Back.
One, two, three.
One, two, three.
One, two, three.
One, two, three.
It also has, like, a down
and then an up, up.
Down, up, up.
Down, up, up. Down, up, up.
Right, left, right.
One, two, three.
One, two, three.
One, two, three.
One, two, three.
That's great.
That's perfect.
Don't worry
about the people.
Yeah, well,
it's embarrassing.
I always wanted to
go ballroom dancing.
Oh, yeah?
Uh-huh.
Go with your husband.
No. No. I want to go
with you.
Why do you want
to go with me?
I'm clumsy,
I stand on your feet...
No, you're great.
It'll be fun.
We'll get
all dressed up.
Yeah, and then go
dancing in circles.
It's elegant.
It's insane.
Oh, fine.
I'll just find
another lover.
Yeah, someone
in his 80s?
Oh, come on.
Don't be like that.
Like what?
Just say maybe. Come on.
Just say
maybe you'll do it.
No, I don't
think I can.
Maybe you might
take me. Please?
All right. Maybe.
Thank you. When?
I only said maybe.
Ouch!
Oh!
The beginning
is exciting.
I was...
I was standing there,
cooking dinner for us,
and I just thought,
"God, I love this."
I just really
liked the idea of
making dinner for my lover.
And it wasn't, you know,
a meal that I wouldn't make
any other time.
I mean,
it wasn't anything special.
It was just some salmon, but...
But suddenly I had some...
special purpose.
And at that moment,
I understood
why people have lovers,
because it makes
the everyday things
all of a sudden seem sort of...
magical.
You can see the bridge
so clear tonight.
Come here.
No, I can see it
fine from here, thanks.
You don't like heights.
I love heights.
I just don't like falling.
Well, I'm not going to push you.
I haven't even finished
my glass of wine yet.
You know
why I don't like heights?
Because I'm frightened
I might jump.
Why would you jump?
Well, I could get
some self-destructive impulse,
and...
Come here.
What?
Come here and
give me a kiss.
I've got a better idea.
Why don't you come here?
No.
You come here
and give me a kiss.
All right.
Come on.
Another one.
Another one, huh?
Come on.
Whew.
Where are
you taking me?
I thought
you liked surprises.
I do,
but I don't like them
to be too surprising.
I mean, what if I don't bring
a bathing suit?
Can I still come?
No.
No, you need
a bathing suit,
and maybe some
sun block too.
I'm fat.
Better, better.
Soft, comfortable.
The stomach's not bad.
Um, where are we going?
Barbados.
Oh, come on.
We're not really
going to Barbados.
I mean it. Barbados.
Oh.
Is that fried bananas?
Did you peek?
No, I can smell it.
What are you doing?
Nothing.
I'm just, um...
Just getting ready.
You know,
getting dressed.
So...
Did you forget
your swimming costume?
Oh, right.
Can we see it?
Not till we get to Barbados.
Uh-huh.
Well...
we're almost there.
Wow.
That's great.
You hired a band.
Well, they're
friends of mine.
I shot their
album cover,
so, um, they
did me a favor.
I'll say one thing.
This affair really got
my imagination going.
I can see that.
This is great.
You are great.
I love this.
Mmm.
I can see why
you like to travel.
Why's that?
Oh, you get to wander
around places
you've never been,
by yourself.
It's so romantic.
Yeah.
Do you like
being on your own
when you travel
for your work?
No. Yeah.
Sometimes.
Hmm.
Do you ever
have romances
while you're away?
I've had thousands.
Would you make me
another drink?
Nina wanted to know
everything about me,
and yet, um...
she didn't
want to know.
I was never sure up
until the end
how much
she really knew.
Let me tell you
something. I...
I think I have
one main weakness.
Let me ask you
something.
What is infidelity?
I mean,
how would you define it?
I don't know.
What if you...
think about
another woman
while you make love
to your wife?
It seems to me
there's a real betrayal there.
Or if you fall in love
with someone else,
if only for a few days,
and never speak a word of it
to anyone?
Have you been unfaithful?
Probably.
The funny thing is,
you know,
I was never unfaithful...
until I met my wife.
How would you
explain that?
It never occurred to me
to have two girlfriends
at the same time.
Some of my girlfriends,
I later found out,
had two boyfriends,
but, um, that wasn't my game.
That's not me. You know?
What's the point?
Uh-huh.
I went along like this
for years,
then I met this girl in a cafe.
She was sitting at a table
by herself
when I came in.
She looked up at me and smiled,
and I just had this feeling.
I just thought, "That's her."
That's who?
That's the woman
I'm going to marry.
What happened?
We got married.
You just knew?
Yep, I just knew.
Well, if you just knew,
why would you find it--?
I know the question
you're going to ask,
It's a good question,
but, um,
I don't have an answer to it.
Maybe...
it's because, well...
now I had the fortune,
or the misfortune,
depending on how you look at it,
of meeting a woman
I knew I would never leave.
Is this totally twisted?
No. Not totally.
Well, if it makes sense to you,
then, um,
maybe you can explain it to me.
Is that better?
No.
Come on.
You said you would.
I asked you
not to touch anything.
We didn't
touch anything.
There was nothing
you didn't touch.
Okay, look,
I swear to you, this is it.
This is the last time.
And you fucked up
my espresso machine.
What, it doesn't work?
No, now it works.
Sign this.
"The last time."
Okay.
Don't go in my bedroom.
I won't even
go near it.
Thank you.
Don't break
the bed, Paulie.
I won't.
Here.
Actually...
I have to wear two again?
Only if you want to have sex.
Signorina!
You going to be
in there long?
Just a minute.
Aah!
Giorgio Armani! Oh!
Hi. Where are you?
I hope you haven't gone
to some far-off place,
or were you afraid
I was going to teach
you to waltz again?
Were you?
Um, call me, okay?
I want to see you.
No, I haven't left town.
I'll be
in the studio all day
if you want
to call me.
How come I miss you?
Hi again.
You said you would be there.
Where are you?
I'm home if you
want to call me.
How come I think
you're there
and you're just not
answering the phone?
Are you there?
Okay, I guess
you're not.
Call me if you
get back soon.
I think I'm going
to go back to sleep,
and you better not
wake me up, okay?
I was here
when you called before,
but I, um,
I couldn't come to the phone.
Well, I mean,
I could've come to the phone,
but I just sort of
liked listening to you
leaving a message live,
as it was happening.
Maybe you're doing
the same thing now.
Are you?
Hello?
You know, you should never do
anything I would do.
You'll get
into trouble.
Anyway, when are we
going to meet?
Don't go back
to sleep.
Come over here,
and bring a red scarf.
I'm sure
you've got one.
It's probably next to
your black, silk nightgown.
What's the red scarf for?
You were there.
You knew I was.
What's the scarf for?
Um, what do you think?
I don't know.
There's a lot you can do
with a scarf.
Oh, yeah?
Well, um, maybe you could
show me some of them.
Why does it
have to be red?
Oh, I don't know.
I just like red,
and it, uh...
It suits you.
Oh, so I'm going to wear it?
Maybe.
I'd love to know
where you get your ideas.
I don't have any ideas.
You're the one with the ideas.
I've got to go.
Wait.
You'll come over,
right?
Maybe.
I think you will.
Don't say that,
because then I won't.
All right. I think you won't.
That's better.
I once kissed a guy
for six hours.
That's a long time.
My face was chapped,
but I loved it.
What are you
looking at?
You.
Why?
Because I want to.
Am I a good lover?
Not bad.
And what would make me
a better lover?
If you kissed
my chest.
Now am I
a good lover?
You're getting better.
What else do I have to do?
Use your imagination.
What does that mean?
Why do you think
people close their eyes
when they kiss?
I think it...
It heightens
the sensation.
You think so?
Yeah.
I don't think so.
What do you think?
I think
so you can pretend
you're with someone else.
Nina challenged me.
It was like
she was saying, you know
"I'm capable
of what you're capable of."
So we, uh...
We both kept our eyes open
while we made love.
We were both stopping each other
from drifting away.
Like two thieves,
you know?
Staying up all night
so the other one
won't run off with the gold.
Stay with me.
I'm with you.
I loved making love to him.
I remember
lying next to him afterwards,
thinking,
and this is
going to sound weird,
but I wished that I could
share him with someone,
because I wanted someone else
to feel what I felt.
But, of course,
I didn't really
want to share him.
I wanted him all to myself.
We just...
connected.
I felt like I learned
more about my lover
in three weeks
than I learned about my husband
in three years.
How do you explain that?
It happens.
I mean, most of what I learn
about my husband
is from listening to him
have conversations
with other people,
like on the phone,
or when we're out
with another couple,
but my lover told me things.
He told me things.
Well, not everything.
He kept some things from me,
and I kept some things
from him too.
It's good to
have secrets.
Some secrets.
What are your secrets?
What?
If I told you,
they wouldn't be secrets,
would they?
Okay. Thank you very much.
Thanks.
Hi.
You can take
your shoes back.
Um,
what's wrong with them?
I don't want them.
Honey, you wore them.
So? What does that mean?
You're not going to
give me my money back?
You didn't pay for them.
Take them back anyway.
Okay.
What happened?
Why don't you tell me?
Come here.
What?
You're fucking him.
Uh! Paulie?
Oh, God, Nina,
you're an even better
actress than I am.
You could've
at least told me.
No, it never came
anywhere near that.
That's just him
shooting off at the mouth.
Hmm.
What are these?
I found them
in his car,
and he said
they were yours.
In his car,
for chrissakes.
"Why don't you two go to a
motel?" You're such a fucking--
That is not what happened.
He took them.
He took them the first time
you guys were at my apartment.
I'm supposed
to believe that?
Yeah, you're supposed
to believe that.
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Come on!
Look who's talking,
Miss Credibility.
At least I'm honest.
Yeah? To who?
To myself.
No, honey,
least of all
to yourself.
Mm-hmm.
What is that supposed to mean?
Forget it.
What is that supposed to mean?
Oh, man,
look at you.
Okay, look at me.
Look at you!
Your life is a mess.
I don't know
what you're doing
with this pseudo-
Italian slime bag,
but you're letting your marriage
slip through your hands.
What about you?
What's going on with you?
You never tell me shit anymore,
and I know something's going on,
because every time I ask
how you're doing,
you say, "Oh, we're fine.
No, everything's fine."
Everything's always fine
with you. So, what is it?
Talk to me.
Nothing.
"Nothing." Oh, God. Okay.
Everything is fine, right?
Great.
Yes.
Do you think
I'm beautiful?
Yes.
I think you're
beautiful.
Come on, be honest.
No.
You're not.
I said, "Be honest."
I didn't say, "Be candid."
Do you think I'm sexy?
Sometimes.
When?
When you don't
try to be.
Yes.
Where were you
yesterday?
I was out
buying a present
for a woman I used
to live with.
Does this woman
have a name?
Yes, she does,
but, um,
I usually call her
"Mother."
Have you ever
been curious...
Um, have you ever...
thought about, um,
living with
another woman
besides your wife?
Is that a suggestion?
Oh, maybe.
Maybe.
Would you
want to live
with someone other
than your husband?
I might.
And what would
he be like?
Um, I don't know.
He would, uh...
He would ask me questions
about myself,
and, and,
and I would...
I would talk
about things
that I'd never
thought about before.
I know the kind of person
Nina would want
to live with.
Well, it's not really
a person at all.
It's more like...
an angel, you know?
Someone who
has the patience
to sit and listen
for...
hours.
Not like me.
Uh-huh.
I tried to be
like that,
but, uh, there's
a limit, you know?
Why is that?
I don't know.
Maybe it's because the...
the better
you get to know someone,
the harder it is to listen.
I don't know.
Uh, so, what happened?
Did you leave or did he
throw you out or what?
A little of both.
Oh, baby.
I don't know.
It was bound to happen.
Maybe I even
wanted it to happen.
What do you mean?
I was with Paulie
till, like, 1.00 in the morning.
Give me a break.
I went to tell him it was over,
but...
you know Paulie.
He has this way of making you do
things you don't want to do.
Hmm.
I kept thinking,
"Shit, it's getting late.
I have got to get out of here."
So I finally got home.
I snuck upstairs,
trying to be as quiet
as I could be,
and I get into bed.
He's not even home, thank God.
I was laying there
for about 10 minutes,
not even,
and the front door opens.
It's him.
I've got my eyes closed
so he'll think I'm asleep.
He goes into the kitchen
and he, um...
I hear the refrigerator
door open,
and he takes out
a beer,
and he throws
the metal top
in the sink,
like he always does,
then he comes
upstairs.
I've still got my eyes closed,
of course.
I was even breathing
real steady and regular,
like I'd been asleep
for a while.
I know, such an actress.
Then he comes over,
and he turns the light on
by the bed.
He lays down next to me,
and he says, "Hello."
I didn't answer.
I kind of stirred
like I'd been
in a deep sleep,
and I said, um,
"Oh, hi."
He says, "When did
you get home?"
"A while ago."
"How did you get home?"
I told him I took a cab.
"Oh, really?"
Then he takes
a long drink of his beer
like he has something to say.
"I saw you come home
with another man.
Why are you lying to me?"
Well, at that point,
we both just sort of lost it.
I started crying,
he started crying.
It was just, um...
So I told him
what happened.
I told him...
everything.
The next night,
I just
didn't come home.
I couldn't face him.
And that's when you
spent the night at Nina's?
Uh, yeah.
I just...
couldn't face him.
I was wondering once
how many days there are
in a lifetime,
and this number
popped into my head.
28,000.
How many years is that?
Almost 77.
Well, maybe
that's how long
you're going to live.
Oh, God, I hope not.
I don't want to be old.
Should we go to sleep?
Do you want me
to shut up?
Uh-huh.
Mmm.
Good night.
Good night.
Nina?
Hmm?
How many days have we
been together?
Tomorrow will be 18.
Uh, Nina?
Mmm?
I love you.
Who's she?
Just someone
I worked with.
Is she a model?
No, she's a...
She's a makeup artist.
Oh. She looks
like a model.
What's her name?
Alicia.
Looks like you guys
were pretty close.
Yeah.
Did you sleep with her?
What?
You heard me.
What makes you think
I slept with her?
Well, there was something
about the way
you were holding each other.
Sort of looks like you did.
You're not going to answer me,
are you?
Are you?
Why are you
so interested?
I'm interested
in everything about you.
What was
the question?
Did...
you...
sleep...
with...
her?
Yes.
You did?
Well, that's what
you want me to say, isn't it?
No. Did you?
What difference
does it make?
Then just say it.
I slept with her.
Okay?
Did she come on to you?
It just sort of happened.
Just happened?
I didn't expect...
What?
Nothing. Nothing.
You didn't expect...
I would care?
I knew you would care.
I didn't expect
you would ask.
Do you still...
see her sometimes?
Nina...
why do you want to know this?
Were there
any others?
There were
two others.
There were?
Yeah.
Wait.
Do you have
pictures of them?
I'd love to see
them too.
I don't have
pictures!
What do you
think I am?
All right.
Okay. Who were the other two?
One was, um...
a waitress I met in Martinique.
And the other?
The other one
was a photographer.
Where did you meet her?
At a show in London.
Are you still in touch with her?
No, not very often.
Do you love her?
No. Not at all.
What is
this photographer's name?
Her name is Simone.
And the waitress?
I don't remember.
You don't remember.
Wait.
Please, don't!
Nina...
And you go, and you go.
God.
Go. Go. Go.
Yes. Yes.
You go.
These go.
I don't get it.
Why were you so hurt?
He's my husband.
He's your husband?
He's...
uh...
my husband.
Nina?
Nina?
I had told you it was different.
Sorry.
Um...
what have other people told you?
Every story is unique.
Hmm.
There must be some...
patterns, or...
Yeah.
There's basically
two arguments
about infidelity.
One is that...
you're either born monogamous
or you're not.
And the other...
is that we're all capable.
Certain conditions in a marriage
provoke it.
What do you think?
I think it's
a little of both.
So how does
your story end?
You want to tell me?
Yeah.
You were in his studio?
Yeah. Um...
I was just in shock.
I didn't go home.
I didn't go to work.
I went to go visit my sister.
Of course,
I didn't tell her anything.
I was too embarrassed.
Why was I embarrassed?
How long
were you away?
Um...
couple of days.
It was like...
It was like I was floating,
and then
something snapped.
And that's when
you called Paulie.
Uh-huh.
Hi.
You want
some coffee?
Sure.
I've been practicing
my tamping.
Good.
Oh.
That is an old
machine, huh?
Yeah.
It looks much better.
I hope.
Much better.
Great.
Ahh.
You look great.
Thanks.
Okay.
Uh, wait. Coffee.
What?
I don't know.
Um, Nina...
I, um...
I've got to go.
What?
I've got to go.
What?
You all right?
What?
Are you a faithful husband?
I am.
And your wife?
Not exactly.
We've been married
about seven years.
A few years ago...
our love life
became so predictable,
you could set your watch
by the time
that we would make love.
And rather than do
anything about it,
I allowed her to think
that that's the way
I wanted it.
So she took a lover.
Took me about six months
to get up the courage
to say anything about it.
I'm sorry.
So the question is,
which is
the greater sin?
Taking a lover,
or putting your lover
in a position
where they need another?
Hi, Nina. It's me.
Um...
have you seen my hat?
Uh, I don't know where it is,
and, um...
if you've seen it,
maybe you can call,
but you...
you don't have to speak to me.
Just...
leave a message or something.
All right?
Bye.
Hi.
Hi.
So...
do you want to dance?
You've gotten better.
I practiced.
You didn't really.
I did. Really.
You like it?
I'm beginning to.
Who taught you
to dance so well?
A woman.
Was she your lover?
Yes, she was.
for the Chronicle
about marriage in the '90s.
I interviewed your friend,
and she thought you might have
some valuable insights.
Um...
This story is different
than what you might
have heard before.
Every story is a
little bit different.
Yeah, I imagine, but...
I think mine really is.
"He looked at her
with an inquisitive smile,
"and she knew they would meet
that night on the golf course,
"'on the links,'
as they called it in England.
"They might meet
on the seventh hole
"or maybe on the 14th,
for those had the sand traps."
Oh, God.
Hello? Hi.
Where are you?
Hmm. Reading.
Links of Love.
When are you coming home?
Three weeks?
You never stay that long.
Well, how come
you're going to stay so long?
Well, is it a job or a vacation?
Are you taking
an assistant with you?
Are you taking an--
That blonde assistant
that I met last--
I was just asking.
Fine.
We did over 1500 on Saturday.
You miss me?
"Just a little."
At least you're honest.
A lot.
I do.
Thanks for your note.
Yes, I love your notes.
Well, talk to me a little.
You don't have to go.
All right.
All right.
Talk to you later.
"He just kept surprising her,
"and that was
what she loved about him.
"It didn't matter which hole,
as long
as they could be together."
Do...
Do you want a bite?
Sure. Yeah.
Anything to help you
finish it.
Mmm.
Um...
excuse me. Where
are you from?
Oh. I'm British. I'm Welsh.
Oh, that. Yeah.
I'm from Wales.
Ah. Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.
Where are you from?
Me?
Yeah.
Well, I'm from here.
You're from--?
Well... Well, no.
I mean, I'm American.
Why? Do I have an accent?
No.
No.
Well, what made you think
that you had an accent?
I don't know. I was so nervous,
I don't know what
came out of my mouth.
Is this
the kind of thing
that you want to hear?
Yeah, of course.
Um, so should I just continue
telling you how it started,
or should I...
Just pick it up
wherever you like.
Okay.
So how were those?
These are a little loose,
actually.
Okay.
Why don't you try these?
Okay.
So where are you going?
I'm being interviewed
by a journalist.
What for?
You don't want to know.
Trust me.
You wouldn't
have told me
if you didn't
want me to know.
Hey, these
are cute, man.
What are you being
interviewed about?
About my affair.
What kind of affair?
An affair affair.
You know...
an affair.
Say something.
Who's the guy?
What was your name again?
Paulie.
You make a great cup of coffee,
Paulie.
Thank you.
There's some of me in every cup.
Why? Do you spit in it?
No, but sometimes I'd like to.
I think you did.
Oh, no. You caught me.
Mm-hmm.
How can I make it up to you?
Nah.
Yes.
You want that?
Mm-hmm.
Bigger.
- Bigger?
- Mm-hmm.
So I went back there
a couple of times
and I just kind of ignored him,
so he wouldn't think
I was coming to see him,
which, of course, I was,
and at some point,
I don't remember exactly,
but, um, he asked me out,
and I said
I'm married,
and he says,
"I know you are,"
just like that,
and I thought, my God,
this guy is so cheeky,
so I said, um, yes.
I have no idea why. I just...
I don't-- I just did,
and he leads me
to this booth in the back,
and he starts asking me
all these questions.
Then he starts making
all these judgments about me.
Like saying that I am,
by nature, unfaithful.
Nice.
What did you say?
Nothing.
I threw my drink at him.
Good for you.
Yeah, well,
then he threw his at me.
Yeah.
I went back to the bathroom
to towel off,
and he follows me back
to apologize.
He did?
Yes, he did,
and, well,
I won't go into details,
but, um, one thing
led to another, and, uh...
In the ladies' room?
We locked the door.
Come on.
I know.
Well, you asked me.
Didn't you feel
really guilty or--?
No.
Why should I
feel guilty?
You know, if anything,
it's helping my marriage.
I'm serious.
What about you?
Haven't you ever
thought about it?
Oh.
No, I...
I could never
handle that.
You'd be surprised.
Um, excuse me.
Sugar. You wanted.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
And?
God!
She doesn't know
how to make it right.
Listen to you.
Mr. Coffee.
Listen, she doesn't know
how to make it right.
You know how to make it right.
She doesn't.
What did I do wrong?
The key to making
good espresso is tamping.
You have to tamp.
I tamped.
Yes, but you didn't
tamp correctly.
I didn't tamp correctly?
See, if you don't
tamp the grounds right,
pack them down a little bit,
then the water will just go
drip, drip, drip, right through,
and it tastes runny.
You know, this coffee
just tastes runny.
Oh, God,
I've got to pee.
Every cup of coffee
is a work of art,
especially the way I make it.
What are you doing?
What do you
want me to do?
Behave.
I am. I'm behaving.
You let him kiss you?
Well, it wasn't a real kiss.
Did you tell
your friend?
No, I was too embarrassed.
I think you should
tell her.
I know, but what difference
would it make?
I don't suppose you're going
to tell your husband either,
are you?
I already did.
Oh, yeah.
Um...
What? What?
I bought you a present.
Wow. The Grays.
Do you like it?
Oh, yes.
I really do.
Oh.
You try it on.
Yeah.
Do you like it?
I really do.
Thank you.
That's okay.
I'll drink some coffee
and I'll work.
That's okay.
I'll just work.
That's all right.
I'll just work.
That's okay.
I've got a lot of work to do.
That's all right.
I'll just work.
So how do those feel?
Oh, good.
Well, why don't you
try and walk
around the store?
Get the feel of them
a little bit.
That might
help you decide.
Oh, I don't know.
I'm not sure.
Well, why don't you
look around
and maybe something else
will grab you.
Can I help you?
Uh, yeah.
I was just looking.
For-- For some shoes.
Yeah?
Alrighty,
and, uh, what size do you wear?
I'm, um...
I'm pretty big.
Pretty big.
Yeah.
I'd say about a 10 and a half.
Oh.
Maybe we should measure.
What are you
doing here?
You didn't come
to the park today.
It's raining.
It didn't stop me.
How did you find me?
I couldn't go two days
without seeing you.
Do you have these
in my size?
Um...
I'll go check.
Thank you.
You're a 10.
Whew.
You're not supposed
to be in here.
Oh.
I thought
you might need some help.
I can't seem to find
anything today.
Everything but what I need.
I'm sure it's
up here somewhere.
I'm scared I'll fall.
No, you won't.
I've got you.
I've got you.
You may find this
hard to believe,
but, um, nothing like that
has ever happened to me.
I know.
I mean,
I like to think of myself
as a spontaneous person,
but I'm really not.
I'm not either.
I'm really not.
What I'm trying
to say is...
I mean, what I really
want you to know
is that...
I've never...
Been unfaithful.
Yeah.
I know.
So.
So.
Um...
Let me see, we could...
We could just meet here.
That's all.
Just meet here.
No, that's not...
That's not...
What?
My husband
is only going to be away
for three weeks, so it...
It's not like
we would have that much...
time to be together anyway.
Um...
I should get back
to the shop.
Um...
I'm going to be home tonight
if you want to call.
I mean, I don't have any plans
or anything
like that.
Okay, I will.
You'll call?
Yeah.
I'll call you.
Okay.
Okay.
I was Nina's lover.
It's a funny word, that,
don't you think?
"Lover."
Because most people
who have a lover
don't really love them.
It isn't love
they're looking for.
At least,
I don't think so.
You don't think
Nina was looking for love?
I think Nina was looking for...
an experience.
Hello?
Nina?
Hi. Where are you?
I'm in my studio.
Well, sometimes I sleep here,
you know?
You should go home. It's late.
Your wife's probably wondering
where you are.
You want me to go?
No, not really.
Well, maybe
I should go.
No, no, um...
talk to me a little,
then you can go.
All right.
So, um,
what should we talk about?
Um...
I don't know.
Where are you?
I'm in my bedroom,
laying in my bed.
There's a light on
in my room.
It's the only light on
in the whole apartment.
What are you wearing?
A nightgown.
What color?
Black.
Silk.
A black, silk nightgown?
Yeah, why? You don't believe me?
No.
Why not?
You just don't seem like
the black, silk nightgown type.
Oh, really?
What type do I seem?
Tell me.
If you're alone...
Hmm.
I mean, if you're
going to bed alone...
Mm-hmm.
then, um, I think
you're wearing sweatpants.
What color?
White.
Gray.
Well, gray,
all right,
but I was right,
wasn't I?
How did you know?
I just guessed.
What are you wearing?
Hmm... Nothing.
I'm absolutely naked.
Oh.
I don't believe you.
Why not?
I just don't.
Look, ask Phyllis, okay?
My assistant.
Phyllis, what am I wearing?
Nothing.
You see?
Let me talk to Phyllis.
No, she can't come
to the phone now.
Why not?
She's putting
her clothes on.
Oh, no wonder
why you're there so late.
Yeah, well, Phyllis
has discovered,
you know,
that she works best
when she's in her birthday suit.
You know,
that's the name of a band.
What is?
The Birthday Suits.
I saw them once at
the Paradise Lounge.
Were they really
in their birthday suits?
Well, they had plungers
over their...
private parts,
but other than that,
they were
in their birthday suits.
The lead singer
had such a fine ass.
Oh, yeah?
What was his singing like?
Um...
I don't remember.
But you do remember
that he had a fine ass.
I have a selective memory.
Well, are you
going to remember me...
when this is over?
Depends on
what you do.
Mm-hmm, yeah, I do remember.
Mm-hmm.
Right, the size seven ones
that you were trying on
the other day.
Right, in the brown.
Yeah.
Well, I think Thursday.
We could--
I'm sure we could.
Yeah, well, why don't you
give me a call then?
Yes, okay, thank you
so much.
Okay. Bye-bye.
Hi.
Hi.
You're not going home
for any reason today, are you?
No, I'm swamped. Why?
Do you think I can borrow your
apartment for a couple hours?
For...?
Oh, man!
Why don't you go
to his place?
He lives
with his parents.
I know, I know.
Stop.
Oh...
I know.
Wait, why don't you
go to a hotel?
A hotel? Please.
Too impersonal.
Impersonal?
Yes. Come on.
You've been busy
today?
Well, we were really quiet
this morning,
then all of a sudden,
got really busy.
Thank you.
You owe me.
I know.
And, um, you know, don't
go in my bedroom.
I won't.
And could you...
not touch anything?
I won't. I promise.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Paulie,
we're not supposed
to touch anything.
Mmm.
Why am I
standing here?
Just a second.
Take this foot...
Mm-hmm.
and move it this way.
One...
and take that foot
and move it
to the side. Two...
and bring this one
over here. Great. Okay.
Now take this one
and move it that way.
Back.
One, two, three.
One, two, three.
One, two, three.
One, two, three.
It also has, like, a down
and then an up, up.
Down, up, up.
Down, up, up. Down, up, up.
Right, left, right.
One, two, three.
One, two, three.
One, two, three.
One, two, three.
That's great.
That's perfect.
Don't worry
about the people.
Yeah, well,
it's embarrassing.
I always wanted to
go ballroom dancing.
Oh, yeah?
Uh-huh.
Go with your husband.
No. No. I want to go
with you.
Why do you want
to go with me?
I'm clumsy,
I stand on your feet...
No, you're great.
It'll be fun.
We'll get
all dressed up.
Yeah, and then go
dancing in circles.
It's elegant.
It's insane.
Oh, fine.
I'll just find
another lover.
Yeah, someone
in his 80s?
Oh, come on.
Don't be like that.
Like what?
Just say maybe. Come on.
Just say
maybe you'll do it.
No, I don't
think I can.
Maybe you might
take me. Please?
All right. Maybe.
Thank you. When?
I only said maybe.
Ouch!
Oh!
The beginning
is exciting.
I was...
I was standing there,
cooking dinner for us,
and I just thought,
"God, I love this."
I just really
liked the idea of
making dinner for my lover.
And it wasn't, you know,
a meal that I wouldn't make
any other time.
I mean,
it wasn't anything special.
It was just some salmon, but...
But suddenly I had some...
special purpose.
And at that moment,
I understood
why people have lovers,
because it makes
the everyday things
all of a sudden seem sort of...
magical.
You can see the bridge
so clear tonight.
Come here.
No, I can see it
fine from here, thanks.
You don't like heights.
I love heights.
I just don't like falling.
Well, I'm not going to push you.
I haven't even finished
my glass of wine yet.
You know
why I don't like heights?
Because I'm frightened
I might jump.
Why would you jump?
Well, I could get
some self-destructive impulse,
and...
Come here.
What?
Come here and
give me a kiss.
I've got a better idea.
Why don't you come here?
No.
You come here
and give me a kiss.
All right.
Come on.
Another one.
Another one, huh?
Come on.
Whew.
Where are
you taking me?
I thought
you liked surprises.
I do,
but I don't like them
to be too surprising.
I mean, what if I don't bring
a bathing suit?
Can I still come?
No.
No, you need
a bathing suit,
and maybe some
sun block too.
I'm fat.
Better, better.
Soft, comfortable.
The stomach's not bad.
Um, where are we going?
Barbados.
Oh, come on.
We're not really
going to Barbados.
I mean it. Barbados.
Oh.
Is that fried bananas?
Did you peek?
No, I can smell it.
What are you doing?
Nothing.
I'm just, um...
Just getting ready.
You know,
getting dressed.
So...
Did you forget
your swimming costume?
Oh, right.
Can we see it?
Not till we get to Barbados.
Uh-huh.
Well...
we're almost there.
Wow.
That's great.
You hired a band.
Well, they're
friends of mine.
I shot their
album cover,
so, um, they
did me a favor.
I'll say one thing.
This affair really got
my imagination going.
I can see that.
This is great.
You are great.
I love this.
Mmm.
I can see why
you like to travel.
Why's that?
Oh, you get to wander
around places
you've never been,
by yourself.
It's so romantic.
Yeah.
Do you like
being on your own
when you travel
for your work?
No. Yeah.
Sometimes.
Hmm.
Do you ever
have romances
while you're away?
I've had thousands.
Would you make me
another drink?
Nina wanted to know
everything about me,
and yet, um...
she didn't
want to know.
I was never sure up
until the end
how much
she really knew.
Let me tell you
something. I...
I think I have
one main weakness.
Let me ask you
something.
What is infidelity?
I mean,
how would you define it?
I don't know.
What if you...
think about
another woman
while you make love
to your wife?
It seems to me
there's a real betrayal there.
Or if you fall in love
with someone else,
if only for a few days,
and never speak a word of it
to anyone?
Have you been unfaithful?
Probably.
The funny thing is,
you know,
I was never unfaithful...
until I met my wife.
How would you
explain that?
It never occurred to me
to have two girlfriends
at the same time.
Some of my girlfriends,
I later found out,
had two boyfriends,
but, um, that wasn't my game.
That's not me. You know?
What's the point?
Uh-huh.
I went along like this
for years,
then I met this girl in a cafe.
She was sitting at a table
by herself
when I came in.
She looked up at me and smiled,
and I just had this feeling.
I just thought, "That's her."
That's who?
That's the woman
I'm going to marry.
What happened?
We got married.
You just knew?
Yep, I just knew.
Well, if you just knew,
why would you find it--?
I know the question
you're going to ask,
It's a good question,
but, um,
I don't have an answer to it.
Maybe...
it's because, well...
now I had the fortune,
or the misfortune,
depending on how you look at it,
of meeting a woman
I knew I would never leave.
Is this totally twisted?
No. Not totally.
Well, if it makes sense to you,
then, um,
maybe you can explain it to me.
Is that better?
No.
Come on.
You said you would.
I asked you
not to touch anything.
We didn't
touch anything.
There was nothing
you didn't touch.
Okay, look,
I swear to you, this is it.
This is the last time.
And you fucked up
my espresso machine.
What, it doesn't work?
No, now it works.
Sign this.
"The last time."
Okay.
Don't go in my bedroom.
I won't even
go near it.
Thank you.
Don't break
the bed, Paulie.
I won't.
Here.
Actually...
I have to wear two again?
Only if you want to have sex.
Signorina!
You going to be
in there long?
Just a minute.
Aah!
Giorgio Armani! Oh!
Hi. Where are you?
I hope you haven't gone
to some far-off place,
or were you afraid
I was going to teach
you to waltz again?
Were you?
Um, call me, okay?
I want to see you.
No, I haven't left town.
I'll be
in the studio all day
if you want
to call me.
How come I miss you?
Hi again.
You said you would be there.
Where are you?
I'm home if you
want to call me.
How come I think
you're there
and you're just not
answering the phone?
Are you there?
Okay, I guess
you're not.
Call me if you
get back soon.
I think I'm going
to go back to sleep,
and you better not
wake me up, okay?
I was here
when you called before,
but I, um,
I couldn't come to the phone.
Well, I mean,
I could've come to the phone,
but I just sort of
liked listening to you
leaving a message live,
as it was happening.
Maybe you're doing
the same thing now.
Are you?
Hello?
You know, you should never do
anything I would do.
You'll get
into trouble.
Anyway, when are we
going to meet?
Don't go back
to sleep.
Come over here,
and bring a red scarf.
I'm sure
you've got one.
It's probably next to
your black, silk nightgown.
What's the red scarf for?
You were there.
You knew I was.
What's the scarf for?
Um, what do you think?
I don't know.
There's a lot you can do
with a scarf.
Oh, yeah?
Well, um, maybe you could
show me some of them.
Why does it
have to be red?
Oh, I don't know.
I just like red,
and it, uh...
It suits you.
Oh, so I'm going to wear it?
Maybe.
I'd love to know
where you get your ideas.
I don't have any ideas.
You're the one with the ideas.
I've got to go.
Wait.
You'll come over,
right?
Maybe.
I think you will.
Don't say that,
because then I won't.
All right. I think you won't.
That's better.
I once kissed a guy
for six hours.
That's a long time.
My face was chapped,
but I loved it.
What are you
looking at?
You.
Why?
Because I want to.
Am I a good lover?
Not bad.
And what would make me
a better lover?
If you kissed
my chest.
Now am I
a good lover?
You're getting better.
What else do I have to do?
Use your imagination.
What does that mean?
Why do you think
people close their eyes
when they kiss?
I think it...
It heightens
the sensation.
You think so?
Yeah.
I don't think so.
What do you think?
I think
so you can pretend
you're with someone else.
Nina challenged me.
It was like
she was saying, you know
"I'm capable
of what you're capable of."
So we, uh...
We both kept our eyes open
while we made love.
We were both stopping each other
from drifting away.
Like two thieves,
you know?
Staying up all night
so the other one
won't run off with the gold.
Stay with me.
I'm with you.
I loved making love to him.
I remember
lying next to him afterwards,
thinking,
and this is
going to sound weird,
but I wished that I could
share him with someone,
because I wanted someone else
to feel what I felt.
But, of course,
I didn't really
want to share him.
I wanted him all to myself.
We just...
connected.
I felt like I learned
more about my lover
in three weeks
than I learned about my husband
in three years.
How do you explain that?
It happens.
I mean, most of what I learn
about my husband
is from listening to him
have conversations
with other people,
like on the phone,
or when we're out
with another couple,
but my lover told me things.
He told me things.
Well, not everything.
He kept some things from me,
and I kept some things
from him too.
It's good to
have secrets.
Some secrets.
What are your secrets?
What?
If I told you,
they wouldn't be secrets,
would they?
Okay. Thank you very much.
Thanks.
Hi.
You can take
your shoes back.
Um,
what's wrong with them?
I don't want them.
Honey, you wore them.
So? What does that mean?
You're not going to
give me my money back?
You didn't pay for them.
Take them back anyway.
Okay.
What happened?
Why don't you tell me?
Come here.
What?
You're fucking him.
Uh! Paulie?
Oh, God, Nina,
you're an even better
actress than I am.
You could've
at least told me.
No, it never came
anywhere near that.
That's just him
shooting off at the mouth.
Hmm.
What are these?
I found them
in his car,
and he said
they were yours.
In his car,
for chrissakes.
"Why don't you two go to a
motel?" You're such a fucking--
That is not what happened.
He took them.
He took them the first time
you guys were at my apartment.
I'm supposed
to believe that?
Yeah, you're supposed
to believe that.
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Come on!
Look who's talking,
Miss Credibility.
At least I'm honest.
Yeah? To who?
To myself.
No, honey,
least of all
to yourself.
Mm-hmm.
What is that supposed to mean?
Forget it.
What is that supposed to mean?
Oh, man,
look at you.
Okay, look at me.
Look at you!
Your life is a mess.
I don't know
what you're doing
with this pseudo-
Italian slime bag,
but you're letting your marriage
slip through your hands.
What about you?
What's going on with you?
You never tell me shit anymore,
and I know something's going on,
because every time I ask
how you're doing,
you say, "Oh, we're fine.
No, everything's fine."
Everything's always fine
with you. So, what is it?
Talk to me.
Nothing.
"Nothing." Oh, God. Okay.
Everything is fine, right?
Great.
Yes.
Do you think
I'm beautiful?
Yes.
I think you're
beautiful.
Come on, be honest.
No.
You're not.
I said, "Be honest."
I didn't say, "Be candid."
Do you think I'm sexy?
Sometimes.
When?
When you don't
try to be.
Yes.
Where were you
yesterday?
I was out
buying a present
for a woman I used
to live with.
Does this woman
have a name?
Yes, she does,
but, um,
I usually call her
"Mother."
Have you ever
been curious...
Um, have you ever...
thought about, um,
living with
another woman
besides your wife?
Is that a suggestion?
Oh, maybe.
Maybe.
Would you
want to live
with someone other
than your husband?
I might.
And what would
he be like?
Um, I don't know.
He would, uh...
He would ask me questions
about myself,
and, and,
and I would...
I would talk
about things
that I'd never
thought about before.
I know the kind of person
Nina would want
to live with.
Well, it's not really
a person at all.
It's more like...
an angel, you know?
Someone who
has the patience
to sit and listen
for...
hours.
Not like me.
Uh-huh.
I tried to be
like that,
but, uh, there's
a limit, you know?
Why is that?
I don't know.
Maybe it's because the...
the better
you get to know someone,
the harder it is to listen.
I don't know.
Uh, so, what happened?
Did you leave or did he
throw you out or what?
A little of both.
Oh, baby.
I don't know.
It was bound to happen.
Maybe I even
wanted it to happen.
What do you mean?
I was with Paulie
till, like, 1.00 in the morning.
Give me a break.
I went to tell him it was over,
but...
you know Paulie.
He has this way of making you do
things you don't want to do.
Hmm.
I kept thinking,
"Shit, it's getting late.
I have got to get out of here."
So I finally got home.
I snuck upstairs,
trying to be as quiet
as I could be,
and I get into bed.
He's not even home, thank God.
I was laying there
for about 10 minutes,
not even,
and the front door opens.
It's him.
I've got my eyes closed
so he'll think I'm asleep.
He goes into the kitchen
and he, um...
I hear the refrigerator
door open,
and he takes out
a beer,
and he throws
the metal top
in the sink,
like he always does,
then he comes
upstairs.
I've still got my eyes closed,
of course.
I was even breathing
real steady and regular,
like I'd been asleep
for a while.
I know, such an actress.
Then he comes over,
and he turns the light on
by the bed.
He lays down next to me,
and he says, "Hello."
I didn't answer.
I kind of stirred
like I'd been
in a deep sleep,
and I said, um,
"Oh, hi."
He says, "When did
you get home?"
"A while ago."
"How did you get home?"
I told him I took a cab.
"Oh, really?"
Then he takes
a long drink of his beer
like he has something to say.
"I saw you come home
with another man.
Why are you lying to me?"
Well, at that point,
we both just sort of lost it.
I started crying,
he started crying.
It was just, um...
So I told him
what happened.
I told him...
everything.
The next night,
I just
didn't come home.
I couldn't face him.
And that's when you
spent the night at Nina's?
Uh, yeah.
I just...
couldn't face him.
I was wondering once
how many days there are
in a lifetime,
and this number
popped into my head.
28,000.
How many years is that?
Almost 77.
Well, maybe
that's how long
you're going to live.
Oh, God, I hope not.
I don't want to be old.
Should we go to sleep?
Do you want me
to shut up?
Uh-huh.
Mmm.
Good night.
Good night.
Nina?
Hmm?
How many days have we
been together?
Tomorrow will be 18.
Uh, Nina?
Mmm?
I love you.
Who's she?
Just someone
I worked with.
Is she a model?
No, she's a...
She's a makeup artist.
Oh. She looks
like a model.
What's her name?
Alicia.
Looks like you guys
were pretty close.
Yeah.
Did you sleep with her?
What?
You heard me.
What makes you think
I slept with her?
Well, there was something
about the way
you were holding each other.
Sort of looks like you did.
You're not going to answer me,
are you?
Are you?
Why are you
so interested?
I'm interested
in everything about you.
What was
the question?
Did...
you...
sleep...
with...
her?
Yes.
You did?
Well, that's what
you want me to say, isn't it?
No. Did you?
What difference
does it make?
Then just say it.
I slept with her.
Okay?
Did she come on to you?
It just sort of happened.
Just happened?
I didn't expect...
What?
Nothing. Nothing.
You didn't expect...
I would care?
I knew you would care.
I didn't expect
you would ask.
Do you still...
see her sometimes?
Nina...
why do you want to know this?
Were there
any others?
There were
two others.
There were?
Yeah.
Wait.
Do you have
pictures of them?
I'd love to see
them too.
I don't have
pictures!
What do you
think I am?
All right.
Okay. Who were the other two?
One was, um...
a waitress I met in Martinique.
And the other?
The other one
was a photographer.
Where did you meet her?
At a show in London.
Are you still in touch with her?
No, not very often.
Do you love her?
No. Not at all.
What is
this photographer's name?
Her name is Simone.
And the waitress?
I don't remember.
You don't remember.
Wait.
Please, don't!
Nina...
And you go, and you go.
God.
Go. Go. Go.
Yes. Yes.
You go.
These go.
I don't get it.
Why were you so hurt?
He's my husband.
He's your husband?
He's...
uh...
my husband.
Nina?
Nina?
I had told you it was different.
Sorry.
Um...
what have other people told you?
Every story is unique.
Hmm.
There must be some...
patterns, or...
Yeah.
There's basically
two arguments
about infidelity.
One is that...
you're either born monogamous
or you're not.
And the other...
is that we're all capable.
Certain conditions in a marriage
provoke it.
What do you think?
I think it's
a little of both.
So how does
your story end?
You want to tell me?
Yeah.
You were in his studio?
Yeah. Um...
I was just in shock.
I didn't go home.
I didn't go to work.
I went to go visit my sister.
Of course,
I didn't tell her anything.
I was too embarrassed.
Why was I embarrassed?
How long
were you away?
Um...
couple of days.
It was like...
It was like I was floating,
and then
something snapped.
And that's when
you called Paulie.
Uh-huh.
Hi.
You want
some coffee?
Sure.
I've been practicing
my tamping.
Good.
Oh.
That is an old
machine, huh?
Yeah.
It looks much better.
I hope.
Much better.
Great.
Ahh.
You look great.
Thanks.
Okay.
Uh, wait. Coffee.
What?
I don't know.
Um, Nina...
I, um...
I've got to go.
What?
I've got to go.
What?
You all right?
What?
Are you a faithful husband?
I am.
And your wife?
Not exactly.
We've been married
about seven years.
A few years ago...
our love life
became so predictable,
you could set your watch
by the time
that we would make love.
And rather than do
anything about it,
I allowed her to think
that that's the way
I wanted it.
So she took a lover.
Took me about six months
to get up the courage
to say anything about it.
I'm sorry.
So the question is,
which is
the greater sin?
Taking a lover,
or putting your lover
in a position
where they need another?
Hi, Nina. It's me.
Um...
have you seen my hat?
Uh, I don't know where it is,
and, um...
if you've seen it,
maybe you can call,
but you...
you don't have to speak to me.
Just...
leave a message or something.
All right?
Bye.
Hi.
Hi.
So...
do you want to dance?
You've gotten better.
I practiced.
You didn't really.
I did. Really.
You like it?
I'm beginning to.
Who taught you
to dance so well?
A woman.
Was she your lover?
Yes, she was.