Épisode Pas d'intru dans la famille S01E10

Prelude

Scene: Hanley Kitchen

JONATHAN HANLEY, a man in his mid-fifties, sits at the breakfast table, droning on and on. Behind him, his wife makes home fries and bacon at the stove, extremely bored.

Jonathan: So I say to this guy, "I can't do anything unless you give me an order number, and I don't appreciate your taking that tone of voice with me." He says he doesn't have an order number and I say, "Well, you should always write down the order number. Then he gets all pissy. Says he wants to speak to the person he ordered the Astoria Floral Lamp from...

His wife gives him a cup of coffee.

Jonathan: And I say, "Well, do you remember his or her--right, ya know--name?" (laughs) And he says, "Of course not," and I say then, "I'm sorry, I can't help you."

His wife brings him a glass of orange juice, and returns to the frying pan. She scrapes the food off the pan and puts it on a plate.

Jonathan: Then he says this isn't the first time he's had a problem ordering from us. Last Christmas, he bought a CD holder and it arrived all broken, so, when we told him, "Send it back," he couldn't because he'd thrown away the box it came in. (laughs) So I say--I say, "Boo hoo, Mister. Ain't you got it bad?" And he says, "I wanna talk to your supervisor." And I say, "Well, of course you can talk to him, but, unfortunately, his hours are only 8:30--"

His wife walks up behind him with the frying pan and, mid-sentence, clocks him hard on the head with it. He falls in a heap onto the floor, dead. She takes the plate of food to the table, where she sits in his chair and eats, ravenously. The screen fades to white.

"JONATHAN ARTHUR HANLEY
AUGUST 24, 1946 - MAY 4, 2001"

Act One

Scene One: Basement

NATE and DAVID are in the prep room. David is prepping a body.

David: ...so now the wife's in jail, according to the cousin who arranged the funeral.

Nate: Yeah, I bet he was abusing her or maybe he had some sick sexual thing he made her do.

David: Please, stop. And you're wrong. All she told the police was that he was boring.

Nate: That's it? That's all she said? (DAVID nods) The sick part is I understand it.

David: I do too.

Nate: Sometimes I'm boring.

David: I am too... So I should probably be at both intakes with you this morning, but you'll have to do the casket meeting people yourself, because I'm really backed up down here.

Nate: David, maybe we need to think about finding a replacement for Rico.

David: Why? We're doing just fine without him. Saving money, thank you very much. Is there something you'd like to say about my job?

Nate: Look, you do a great job... when it comes to the people who've had nice, peaceful farewells, but the big reconstructions, I mean, come on, David, you're a little out of your league.

David: I see, so those who can't do, criticize?

Nate: Look, we've got a body in there that's a page one rewrite, we've got two more coming in today from that nightclub fire in Vilincia...

David: How bad was that fire?

Nate: Well, this is where they ended up--

David: Well, maybe the families want--

Nate: Open caskets. They already put in their requests.

David: I'll put an ad in the paper today.

Nate: It's already taken care of. Scheduled some interviews for this afternoon.

Scene Two: Room Behind the Curtain

This scene is a montage of the different interviews that DAVID and NATE have throughout the afternoon.

Applicant #1: (Male) As you can see from my resume, I've had the good fortune to study under a variety of gifted restorative artists.

David: Oh, you worked over at Hope Valley! I've known P.T. for years.

Applicant #1: Oh, look, that lawsuit about the unenbalmed arm was not my fault. I took the fall for some bitch that was supposed to cover my ass for leaving early.

The next interview...

Applicant #2: (Male) Sometimes I wake up with a feeling of panic, like my heart's gonna beat right out of my chest. You know what I'm talking about. But after I spend a few extra hours in bed and do my chanting, the dark time usually passes.

Another interview...

Angela: (a woman in her early-to-mid-thirties) I know it sounds funny, but the first time I enbalmed someone, it felt like I was coming home. I just knew that this is what I was meant to do.

David: That doesn't sound funny at all.

Angela: There's something very intimate about it. I'm the last person on Earth who gets to know these people. Anyway, I guess I take what I do very seriously.

David: Well, I have no further questions.

Nate: Me neither. Uh, thanks for coming in, Angela. We'll be in touch.

They both shake hands with her.

Angela: Great. (She stands up and waits, they both jump up) It was very nice to meet you.

Nate: It was nice to meet you.

Angela: OK! (leaves)

Nate: I'll wait an hour before I call her.

David: We don't want to look desparate. Just find out if she can start tomorrow.

Scene Three: Hallway, nighttime

DAVID is vaccuuming. All of a sudden, he breaks into a musical number. He is surrounded by male dancers, dressed in black, dancing in Fosse-style. He sings "Got a Lot of Living to Do" from "Bye, Bye, Birdie."

DAVID: (sings) "Oh, I'm gonna break out, gonna go wild, have my way, find a break from harder days! Life's a ball, if only you know it, and it's all just waiting for you. You're alive..."

Ruth: (her voice invading the fantasy) David!

David: "...so come on and show it..."

Ruth: David!

David: "You've--"

Ruth: David! (DAVID snaps out of his fantasy.) Why are you standing there like that?

David: I was thinking. Isn't a person allowed to think?

Scene Four: Art Gallery, nighttime

BRENDA and NATE attend BILLY's photo exhibition at a local art gallery. It is a gala event, with people in suits and champagne. A sign reads "'Private/Public' by William Chenowith."

Brenda: (whispers, sing-song) You're gonna wish you'd gotten high with me.

Nate: I told you, I'm never getting high again.

Brenda: (pointing to BILLY, who's clean-shaven and all suited up) Oh, doesn't Billy look great? So handsome, confident. Yo, Billy!

BILLY is surrounded by a small group of people.

Billy: (to people) Would you excuse me for one moment? Thank you guys so much for coming. I really appreciate it. (He goes aside with BRENDA.) Thank God you're here, Brenda. My mouth is really dry. Is my breath bad?

Brenda: (smelling his breath) No, it's fine.

Billy: So, truth: is this show any good or is it just pretentious bullshit?

Nate: There are so many people, it's hard to see the pictures.

Brenda: This is Billy's best work ever. Very disturbing!

Billy: (flattered) Really?!

Brenda: I'm so proud of you! (hugs him)

Nate: (noticing RUTH and NIKOLAI) Why is my mother here?

Brenda: Oh, God, I invited her as part of my on-going campaign to get her to like me. I didn't think she'd actually show up.

Margaret Chenowith: (saunters on over to them, completely and sloppily drunk) You know that some stranger just grabbed my ass? Isn't this fabulous? Oh, Billy, darling! (kisses him on the cheek)

Billy: Thanks, Mom.

Margaret: (to BRENDA) You can't keep him to yourself all the time. (walks away with him)

Nate: OK, no offense, but your family is fucked up beyond comprehension.

Brenda: She's completely tanked.

Ruth: (approaching NATE and BRENDA) I brought someone. I hope that's OK.

Nate: (shakes NIKOLAI's hand) Hey, Nikolai!

Nikolai: Hello, Nate. How are you?

Nate: This is Brenda.

BRENDA and NIKOLAI shake hands.

Nikolai: Oh, good evening.

Ruth: (to BRENDA) Hello, dear.

Brenda: It's good to see you, Mrs. Fisher.

Nate: Where's Hiram?

Ruth: He's visiting his son in Portland.

The camera moves to BILLY and MARGARET, at another side of the room.

Margaret: I'm serious, darling, this new stuff is really visceral. Not at all left-brained like your father.

Billy: Yeah, hey, so where is Dad?

Margaret: Oh, honey, Bern sends his regrets. He's just heartsick. Unfortunately, he's treating one of his patients who's undergoing a complete psychotic breakdown at the moment.

Billy: Gee, that always seems to happen whenever there's something important in my life. I guess that's just typical Ber-nard. I'm sorry, I mean Bernerd Chenowith behavior. Pretentious dick!

Margaret: (laughs) Now, you just hush!

Camera goes to NIKOLAI and RUTH, who are looking at the photos.

Nikolai: I thought this was to be paintings! I could take photographs.

Ruth: That doesn't mean they'd be any good.

Brenda: (with NATE, walks up to RUTH) Mrs. Fisher, I've never seen you having this much fun. (RUTH gives a weird face.) Oh, no, no, it's great. (laughs) I am having fun just watching you. (feels like an idiot)

Margaret: (approaches them) Hey, Mr. Seattle Co-op Hippie Boy! (She hugs NATE and plants a huge kiss on his cheek. RUTH gives her a horrified face; to RUTH) Oh, Margaret Chenowith. Who are you?

Ruth: Ruth Fisher.

Brenda: Nate's mother.

Margaret: That explains why you're looking at me like I just took a giant dump on your front lawn.

RUTH and NIKOLAI walk away.

Brenda: Mom, if I'd known you were putting on a show tonight, I would've bought tickets for all my friends.

Margaret: Great, there's Dr. Feinberg! (waves to GARETH FEINBERG) Hi!

Upon seeing DR. FEINBERG, BRENDA is instantly horrified.

Brenda: (furious) What is he doing here?

Margaret: I invited him.

Nate: Gareth Feinberg, the guy who wrote the book?

Brenda: Yeah. He wrote Charlotte Fucking Light & Dark. He's a fucking evil dead fish-fucking Nazi fuck!

Margaret: Darling, don't try to act so adolescent. It only makes you look bad.

Brenda: As opposed to being drunk in public and slobbering all over my boyfriend, who, by the way, is completely not interested.

Margaret: Isn't this fun?

Dr. Feinberg: (a pampered, narcissistic man; walks over with BILLY) Billy, Billy, Billy, it's quite powerful stuff. It's--it's potent.

Brenda: (laughs) That's a word Dr. Feinberg likes to use a lot.

Dr. Feinberg: Uh--Brenda, I see a lot of you in these photographs.

Margaret: (flirts) Hello, Gareth. (gives him her hand)

Dr. Feinberg: Margaret. (kisses her hand)

Brenda: Ecchh!!

BRENDA walks away

Margaret: Does this have a theme, darling? I know you like your things to have a theme, don't you?

Billy: Mother, nothing is more tedious than when you look for meaning in my work. I don't need your fucking approval. (walks away)

Nate: (left by himself with the two) Excuse me. (walks away.)

Camera moves to NATE and BRENDA, admiring a photo of a woman sitting in her apartment, taken from outside.

Brenda: Isn't that beautiful?

Nate: Yeah, it is. He's good.

Brenda: Yeah, he is. Really good. I only wish he believed it.

BRENDA and NATE are shocked to see a photograph of NATE peeing against a brick wall.

Brenda: This one's got real attitude.

Nate: (horrified) Oh, my God!

Brenda: The light's spectacular.

Nate: Brenda, that is a picture of me urinating on a wall!

Brenda: I realize that.

Billy: (walks on over) Hey, what do you think?

Nate: What, so now you're stalking me?

Billy: No, no, no, I just happened to see you one day when I was out taking pictures, so I followed you for a couple of hours.

Nate: Oh, yeah, you were just out taking pictures! You live in fucking Venice! There's no reason for you to be in my neighborhood.

Billy: Wow, you really think the world revolves around you, don't you? Bren, would you tell him please this isn't about him?

Brenda: It's--uh--it's what Billy does. He takes pictures of people when they're off guard. He's got a talent. It's art.

Nate: (yells) No, it's fucked! (storms out)

Brenda: (to BILLY, angry) Thanks a lot. (leaves)

NIKOLAI and RUTH walk over to the picture of NATE. She is horrified.

Nikolai: (uproarious laughter) Look! That's your son pissing against a wall!

Scene Five: Brenda's house, later

BRENDA is smoking a joint.

Nate: Oh, so I should just let him humiliate me whenever he wants?

Brenda: Oh, God, Nate, don't make this about you!

Nate: Well, why the fuck not? This is about me! You certainly make enough stuff all about you!

Brenda: Oh, so what, there's a picture of you pissing on a wall! Who got hurt? Who died?

Nate: You don't think I have a right to not be spied upon?

Brenda: You're talking to someone who was spied on her whole life.

Nate: Oh, God, Billy is severely fucked up, Bren! I don't like being stalked by a psycho!

Brenda: Billy is not psychotic! He has a disease. He's fine when he takes his meds.

Nate: Yeah? Well, when the fuck is that? Look, has he ever done anything weird?

Brenda: Yeah, he's bipolar! His whole life he's been weird.

Nate: Has he ever done anything dangerous?

Brenda: Oh, God, Nate, no! The only person Billy would ever be a threat to is himself.

Nate: Has he ever tried to--?

Brenda: Yes. When I was 18. I went to Europe for three months. It was this big reward for winning a scholarship to Yale. When I got back to LA, my mother was at the airport. She told me that Billy had committed suicide. My whole life just collapsed in on itself in that moment. Of course, she meant to say that Billy had tried to commit suicide. She was drunk or else it was a Freudian slip.

Nate: You never went to Yale.

Brenda: Billy was in a hospital in Pasadena. I took some classes at UCLA in the spring. Then, in the fall, he was diagnosed manic depressive, which kicks in in adolescence, so it probably had nothing to do with me getting the scholarship.

Nate: I can't believe they pressured you into sacrificing your life for your brother.

Brenda: Nobody pressured me. I wanted to stay.

Act Two

Scene One: Fisher Kitchen, next morning

Nate: (enters) Morning!

Claire: Morning. Pee on any walls lately?

DAVID laughs.

Nate: Shut up. So, Mom, what's with you and Nikolai?

Ruth: I don't know what you're talking about.

Nate: (suggestively) And Dave, what'd you do last night?

David: Nothing.

Nate: Saturday night. What happened to that g--(stops himself from saying "guy" before RUTH notices)--person you're seeing?

David: Uh--that person is no longer in the picture.

Nate: Sorry to hear that. (to CLAIRE) What about you? You dating anybody?

Claire: No.

Ruth: If you're dating someone, you don't need to hide him from us like we're lepers.

Claire: I'm not dating anyone. I've just been hanging out a lot with somebody.

Ruth: Who is this person?

NATE gives her a face.

Claire: Nobody!

NATE smiles.

Ruth: David, I'm ready to go to church. (she leaves)

Claire: (sarcastic) Thanks, guys!

Scene Two: Dimas House

CLAIRE and GABE sit in the living room and watch "Full House." Claire is playing on a Game Boy.

Gabe: That football game used to make this really obnoxious noise when he scored a touchdown.

Claire: Wanna show me how to play it?

Gabe: No... You know, there's this--there's this--uh--little kid next door, and--uh--I mean, the only toy he's got is like this stupid Mousetrap game from when his mom was a kid. Maybe, you know, he'd want some of these.

CLAIRE helps GABE assemble ANTHONY's stray toys into a box. VICKIE enters.

Vickie: It's a beautiful day. Why would you waste your Sunday in here watching television? (re: the toys) What are you doing?

Gabe: Um--I thought that Tony Rickman next door might want some of these.

Vickie: (grabs the box away) Just keep your hands off them! (leaves the room)

Gabe: She doesn't even look me in the eyes anymore.

Claire: Come on. I wanna show you something funny. Come on. Come on. (takes his arm and leads him out the door)

Gabe: Going on a field trip?

Scene Three: Basement, Outside Prep Room

Angela: This is like the first day of school. I am so excited! Oh, and I just want to apologize in advance, because I had calamari last night for dinner...

Nate: What do you mean?

Angela: Well, let's just say this is the one time where the strong smell of formelahyde really comes in handy.

NATE looks horrified.

Scene Four: Basement, Prep Room

ANGELA is prepping a body, while wearing tight, revealing clothing through which her underwear and breasts are very noticable. Around the prep room, ANGELA has placed photos and little knickknacks.

Angela: So, then, I said to him, "I don't care if you have a low sperm count." I mean, I'll just shove a turkey baster up there if I have to. I mean, I wanna have a child before I turn 40. That seems fair, right?

NATE has continued to look horrified throughout this entire speech. Now DAVID enters.

David: Hello, everyone!

Angela: Hi! How was church? Nate told me you're a deacon. That's adorable!

David: (horrified at what she is wearing and the knickknacks she's placed over the room) I see you've made yourself at home.

Nate: Angela doesn't like to feel constrained.

Angela: You know, my glands go double-time. I find if I wear too much while I work, I get all pitted.

DAVID gestures at NATE, who mouths the word "No."

David: Angela, we're sort of used to a more professional appearance around here.

Angela: Gimme a break, David. They're just nipples. I mean, we've all seen them, we've all touched them, we've all sucked on them! And it's not like this guy's lying in the casket, and people are gonna be saying, "Oh, my God, the enbalmer's nipples were hard!". They're gonna be saying, "Oh, my God, how did they put his face back together after he went through the goddamned windshield?!"

David: I told Father Jack I'd help him with the food distribution downtown. I just wanted to make sure that your first day was going OK.

Angela: Well, thanks! I'm all gassy, but that's not your fault.

Nate: Angela had calamari last night.

Angela: Hmm. (DAVID leaves, annoyed.) Boy, he's a barrel of laughs!

NATE laughs.

Scene Five: Brenda's House

BRENDA and BILLY sit in the living room.

Brenda: It's hard when a new person comes into a situation. It throws everything off balance.

Billy: Bren, I am not threatened by your boyfriend.

Brenda: Oh, yeah? Your behavior consistently communicates otherwise.

Billy: OK, know what? You wanna take the picture out of the show, fine! But please don't spout psycho-babble at me like fucking Margaret and Bernard! You're like becoming them!

Brenda: Fuck you! You know what you did was wrong! That's why you didn't show it to me before.

Billy: Why are you making such a big deal out of this?

Brenda: (yells) Because I love him! (she has shocked herself by letting this slip out!) You're fucking with my life, Billy. And it's not fair. You have to stop.

Billy: Or what?

Brenda: Goddammit, Billy, what is it with you? You like fucking with my brain like Feinberg?!

She goes into the bathroom and slams the door behind her.

Scene Six: Park

DAVID is once again distributing food to the homeless. A blonde HOMELESS MAN walks up to the table. DAVID hands him a bowl of soup.

Homeless Man: Thank you.

David: You're welcome. Can I get you anything else?

Homeless Man: I could always use a good blowjob... blowjob... blowjob... blowjob.

DAVID has not yet given the man his food. He snaps out of his fantasy.

Homeless Man: HEY! Can I get my fucking lunch or not?!

DAVID hands him the bowl of soup.

David: (to another volunteer) I'm going to get a drink of water.

Volunteer: Yeah, sure.

Scene Seven: Church Van

DAVID gets a drink of water from the cooler in the van. Meanwhile, TRACY walks by talking on her cell phone and crossing names off a list. She has gotten a new haircut and dyed her hair blonde.

Tracy: (speaking into phone) Belinda Danner, Mark Whitman, uh huh, Daryl Hines, Keith Charles... (DAVID hears and jumps up) OK, well, just tell them we'll meet them at the usual corner on Tuesday. (hangs up.)

David: Tracy!

Tracy: Oh-- (preoccupied) Hi, David. How've you been?

David: Fine. I love your new hair. What are you working on?

Tracy: Uh-- St. Stephen's is sending over some volunteers to help out next week. Someone told me that you used to go to St. Stephen's-- Not that I've been asking around about you. It just came up naturally. (accusatorily) So did you? Go there, I mean?

David: Yeah, just for a few months last year.

Tracy: They're a very-- progressive church.

David: Yes, they are.

Scene Eight: Art Gallery

CLAIRE and GABE are standing in front of the "NATE peeing" picture, laughing.

Claire: The guy who took these is a total psycho.

Gabriel: It's good.

Claire: Well, we should probably get going if we wanna see that movie.

Gabe: I should probably get home and check on my mom.

Claire: I'm sure she's doing fine.

Gabe: I'm sorry.

Claire: It's not like I was dying to see a movie.

Gabe: That's not what I'm talking about. I'm sorry about what happened between us. I never meant for those assholes to write shit on your car. I shouldn't have told Andy about us. I was just being stupid. That was me being really, really, really stupid, and I'm sorry.

Claire: Well, thank you.

They clasp hands.

Scene Nine: Basement

ANGELA is on the phone, while prepping a body. NATE is standing behind her, annoyed.

Angela: (speaking into phone) Look, I don't wanna make a big deal out of this. All I'm saying is I sat around last week in that stupid getup you wanted me to wear, and had to say all this, you know, Daddy this and Daddy that bullshit. And when I tell you I keep reading these articles about having this one hour orgasm, the least you could do is at least try to help me have one! (beat) Well, I'm sorry that men can't have it, but since you guys get to have everything else on the planet, it seems like a fair tradeoff. (beat) Fine. Goodbye. (hangs up)

Nate: You know, Angela, my brother likes a certain decorum when you're working with someone's loved one.

Angela: (not comprehending) Yeah?

Nate: Well, the personal calls are probably a little uncool.

Angela: Oh, right! Got it! I won't do it when he's around.

NATE's cell phone rings.

Nate: (answers it) Hello? Hey! (beat) Really? Why don't you want me to come over? (beat) Goddammit, Brenda, you always do this. No, you're shutting me out! No, look, the pissing thing is no longer an issue! I swear! Look, maybe you'd feel better if I came over. (beat) Alright, fine! Whatever! Fine! (hangs up)

Angela: Woo! Girlfriend trouble?

Nate: Not really trouble.

Angela: Just tell me what the fight was about, and I'll tell you what to say to try to fix it. I mean, trust me. This is my thing.

Nate: (annoyed) We didn't have a fight. She just pulls away from me at the weirdest times.

Angela: Hmm, well, maybe she senses that you're pulling away. So she just does it first.

Nate: (more annoyed) Hmm, well, maybe you should mind your own business!

Angela: Shoot! I guess this means I can't ask about the pissing... Cause I had an ex who wanted to pee on me and I wasn't grossed out. I mean, I just thought it was kinda silly! But that's me. (NATE leaves.)

Scene Ten: Nikolai's Flower Shop

Nikolai: Thank you for taking me to the art gallery last night.

Ruth: I thought you hated those pictures.

Nikolai: No, no, it's just that I don't like them, that's all. (RUTH laughs.) It was nice to be spending time with you-- I mean outside of working together.

Ruth: Would you like to go to dinner sometime?

Nikolai: Is that like a date?

Ruth: Of course not!

Nikolai: Good. I pick you up tomorrow night 8 o'clock. (RUTH laughs warmly.)

Scene Eleven: High School Hallway

GABE is standing by his locker, talking to ANDY.

Gabe: I don't want to go, OK? Just stop asking me.

Andy: OK, fine. I was only inviting you to be nice. Besides, nobody even wants you there, because you've been acting so fuckin' weird lately.

Claire: (overhears and approaches them) Gabe? We have to be some place...

Andy: Get lost, Morticia!

Gabe: Hey!

Claire: Shut up, peanut testicle!

GABRIEL starts to laugh and ANDY gets red in the face and runs off.

Andy: Fuck off, the both of you!

Claire: What's his problem?

Gabe: Nothing. He wants me to go to this party tomorrow. I'm just not in the mood.

Claire: Well, we can do something, if you want.

Gabe: Actually, I gotta go to Barstow tomorrow and spend the night at my dad's. I gotta ask him for money for my mom, not that he's gonna give it to me, but--

Claire: Well, do you want company?

Gabe: Look, Claire, you don't have to keep taking care of me.

Claire: I'm not. I just like hanging out. We can just go for the drive, and you can go see your dad and I'll staty in some, like, creepy motel and read a Stephen King book.

Gabe: OK. Meet me after fifth period by the gym.

Scene Twelve: Dr. Feinberg's Office

DR. FEINBERG walks up to his office to find his door unlocked. Upon opening the door, he finds his office completely trashed. Files are spread all over the floor in messy heaps. On the wall there is graffitti spray paint, saying "Nathaniel & Isabel."

Scene Thirteen: Chenowith Pool

MARGARET and BERNARD approach BILLY, who is crying and tearing up files and papers and throwing them into the pool.

Margaret: Oh, this is just what I need today!

Bernard: I see this is payback time for my missing your opening.

Billy: (yells) Just shut up! Both of you, for once, just shut your fucking mouths! All that ever comes out of you is garbage, garbage, garbage!

Bernard: OK, good, we have a dialogue. Where did you get this?

Billy: From his office. There's every piece of data Feinberg has on Brenda, and it's all destroyed, so now he can go back to wherever the fuck he came from before he fucked her up.

Margaret: You're off the hook, Bern. Obviously, this has nothing to do with your missing his show.

Billy: Don't fucking talk about me like I'm not here! Even though I'm not and never have been.

Bernard: Son, what's wrong? Just tell us.

Billy: Oh, there's nothing wrong with me! No, I didn't sell my daughter to some smug, starfucking psychiatrist so he could pick her apart like a goddamned cadaver and turn her into shit and garbage just like everything else you touch!

Margaret: Billy, sweetheart--

Billy: You bitch! You're the fucking nurse! You wanna tie us up, you wanna lock us in a room, leave us to die! Well, you're the one who should die-- you and him! You don't get to touch the children!

Bernard: He appears to need an audience for this.

Scene Fourteen: Basement

DAVID works on a horribly and grotesquely burned female body. The body's skin is almost green.

Angela: (looks at the body DAVID's working on) Oh, boy, you can juice her, but you'd better let me take care of that skin. (points to the male body she's working on) This guy has a real sinewy neck. Sinewy. I love saying that word, don't you?

David: I don't know.,

Angela: I went out with this guy once. He had a really sinewy neck. A total animal in bed. I mean, the things he could do with his tongue! (makes slurping noises) Of course, he thought he was God's gift to women. I guess in that one respect he was. Do you like sinewy necks, David?

David: (extremely uncomfortable) I never really thought about it.

Angela: Hey, I'm just trying to figure out your type. Believe me, I can tell you're single, and I know about a million people I can set you up with. So, uh, what kind of guys do you like?

David: What makes you think I like men?

Angela: Oh, please, let's not play that game!

Scene Fifteen: Fisher Kitchen, nighttime

NATE, DAVID and RUTH are seated at dinner.

David: I think we should fire her.

Nate: I've been thinking the same thing.

Ruth: Has she made a lot of mistakes?

David: No.

Nate: She's, uh, a little hard to take.

David: She's a lot hard to take.

Ruth: Sometimes people are hard to take. But only because the first side they present to you is annoying or aggressive because they're nervous, and it's only after you spend some time with them you realize that, maybe, there's another side to them that's worth knowing. (The boys give her strange looks.) Or not. I have no idea what I'm talking about--

Claire: (enters and sits down) Sorry I'm late.

Ruth: And, by the way, I won't be here for dinner tomorrow, so everyone's on their own.

David: Actually, I'm going to be volunteering with the food distribution.

Nate: Well, that leaves you and me, Claire. Do you wanna go to the Apple Pound?

Claire: Can't. I have to do this astronomy overnight thing at the observatory for school.

Ruth: I didn't hear about this.

Claire: I told you. You probably weren't listening.

Ruth: That's the type of thing I would listen to.

Claire: (giving her brothers a conspiratorial look) David and Nate did it when they went to Balventure.

Ruth: David, you did this?

David: (lying for CLAIRE) Yeah, I had to.

Ruth: You too, Nate?

Nate: Yup. Back then we thought Pluto was a planet.

David: When did Pluto stop being a planet?

Nate: A few months ago.

Ruth: Well, I suppose it's OK for you to go.

Scene Sixteen: Chenowith Kitchen, next morning

MARGARET and BERNARD talk to BRENDA.

Bernard: Luckilly, Gareth isn't going to press charges, but I did promise him that steps would be taken to remedy the situation.

Brenda: I wish I'd been there to see the look on Feinberg's face! I'm sure he started with his whole blinking thing.

Bernard: Brenda, we have a serious problem.

Brenda: OK, I'll talk to Billy's doctor, see if he needs to be on different medication.

Margaret: Actually, we were thinking of something a little more involved.

Bernard: Your mother and I feel that he needs to go away for intensive therapy, and there's a very good facility in Colorado.

Brenda: You wanna put Billy in an institution?

Margaret: Oh, please, let's not turn this into a 1950's B-movie.

Bernard: Now, this place is run by excellent psychiatric specialists who may have some creative solution to help Billy.

Brenda: You wanna give Billy shock treatment!

Margaret: Darling, really! This dramatic streak! Aren't you a little old for it?

Bernard: And just for the record, electroconvulsive therapy's had a real resurgence in the last 10 years with very impressive results.

Brenda: You can't do this.

Bernard: Your mother and I think it's best.

Brenda: Well, it certainly makes your lives easier. God forbid Billy should embarass you in front of your stupid, fat, celebrity friends! Unfortunately, he's an adult, which means you can't have him committed unless he does something dangerous.

Margaret: Darling-- we were thinking that if you talked to him, explained how it could help him--

Brenda: Fuck you both! You're out of your minds!

Scene Seventeen: Fisher Kitchen

RUTH sits by herself, eating lunch. Suddenly, ANGELA enters and sits at the table with a wrapped-up salad. She opens it. RUTH feels uncomfortable with ANGELA sitting there.

Angela: Hi! I'm Angela! You must be Ruth!

Ruth: Yes.

Angela: I spilled some beet salad on someone's wig, so David said I should eat up here. I got the stains out. Everyone in my family gets cancer, so I know tons about taking care of wigs. Is that yours? The hair, I mean?

Ruth: (laughs) As far as I know.

Angela: Well, it's beautiful.

Ruth: (genuinely flattered) Thank you.

Angela: I don't want to be one of those menopausal women, ya know, that goes all dykey with a butch haircut. So, Nate says that you're datiing a hairdresser. That is so lucky! If he's any good, I'd love to know if he could do anything with this mop. (indicates her hair) Does your boyfriend come around?

Ruth: He's not exactly my boyfriend.

Angela: Oh, come on! You're blushing! Must be pretty serious. Is it? Is it serious? Or is it just hot sex?

Ruth: I'm really not in the mood to discuss my personal life.

Scene Eighteen: Outside the High School

CLAIRE stands outside, waiting for GABE. He hasn't showed up, so she checks her voice mail.

Voice Mail: You have one new message.

CLAIRE listens to the message.

Gabe's Voice: Hey, it's me. Look, it's better if I just go by myself. You should probably just not worry about it, OK? Thank you for trying to-- to-- Look, just thank you. So that's um-- that's it, I guess. Goodbye, Claire.

CLAIRE hangs up and looks deeply upset.

Scene Nineteen: Brenda's Bathroom

BILLY is checking the pipes under the sink in BRENDA's bathroom.

Billy: God, this is disgusting! You have crap in here from the Eighties.

Brenda: Billy, I'll get a plumber. Somebody who actually knows what they're doing. Would you look at me? I'd really like to talk to you.

Billy: I take it you spoke to Mom and Dad. Hey, look, I don't know what happened that other day, you know, I was on new meds. They weren't working-- it wasn't my fault. But don't worry, I've already been to my doctor, and he changed my dosage. I already feel more even.

Brenda: Billy, I need to know if I should be worried about you.

Billy: You shouldn't. I swear.

Brenda: Yeah?

Billy: Yeah.

She kisses him on the head.

Scene Twenty: Fisher Kitchen

RUTH gets a tray ready, with a bottle of sherry and two goblets. She picks up one goblet to find that the top has been broken off.

Scene Twenty-One: Slumber Room

DAVID and NATE admire the body that ANGELA prepared.

David: My God, you could eat off this skin. Angela does her job perfectly.

Nate: What about those hairs and her mole? Rico would have never left those there.

David: Angela had a long philosophical debate about it and decided the nieces would want to remember her exactly as she was.

Ruth: (enters, angry, holding the broken goblet) I'd like to know the meaning of this. Nikolai is picking me up to go to dinner, and I was planning to serve him sherry beforehand. I wanted to use the goblets I got from my cousin Hannah's trip to Dresden. Now I can't because someone broke this and hoped I wouldn't notice it! Which one of you did this?

Nate: It wasn't me.

David: Well, it wasn't me... (totally making it up) It was Angela!

Nate: Oh, it was definitely Angela!

Scene Twenty-Two: Park, nighttime

KEITH is packing a table away and DAVID approaches him.

David: Hi.

Keith: David! What are you doing here?

David: I volunteer with these guys a couple of things a week.

Keith: Oh, I just started.

David: You need some help?

Keith: Yeah, sure.

Suddenly, a HOMELESS MAN comes up behind DAVID and stabs him in the stomach. Melodramatic music plays in the background as DAVID falls to the ground in slow-motion and the HOMELESS MAN starts to run away. KEITH chases the man and shoots him dead with his gun. He then runs back to DAVID, gets down on the ground, and holds him in his arms.

Keith: David... David... David.

David: (weakly) I'm dying!

Keith: No, you can't! Not before we've made love one last time.

David: (looks at him weird) OK!

DAVID snaps out of it.

Keith: I thought you were gonna help.

David: (starts to help) So, how have you been?

Keith: Good. You?

David: I'm OK.

Scene Twenty-Three: Russian Restaurant

RUTH and NIKOLAI are on their date, eating dinner.

Ruth: I've driven by this mini mall hundreds of times, but I never knew this place existed.

Nikolai: Oh, it's the best restaurant in all of Los Angeles! And not have outrageous prices, too.

Suddenly, two Russian women, IRINA and LOTTE, call out to NIKOLAI.

Irina and Lotte: Niki! Niki!

Nikolai: Irina! Lotte!

The two women approach the table.

Irina: What a surprise this is! You usually don't come in on Tuesday night. Could we join you?

Ruth: Please.

Nikolai: Maybe another time.

Irina: No, no, she said it's OK. (They sit.) So, you must be Niki's special friend who we all keep hearing about.

Ruth: Oh, you must be thinking of someone else.

Irina: No. You who lost your husband. You work for Niki. You used to fix dead people.

Ruth: Oh, I suppose that is me. (laughs.)

Nikolai: This is Ruthie, yes.

Scene Twenty-Four: Park, later

David: So, that guy I saw you with at the club, is that a serious thing?

Keith: Eddie? Uh, not really. Not yet. Those drugs I saw you taking, is that a serious thing?

David: No. No. I just tried them once. I don't think I'll be trying them again.

Keith: I'm glad to hear you say that. You know what that shit has done to my sister. Can seriously fuck up your life, David. I'd hate to see that happen.

David: It was stupid. I know. I was just-- Rico left, it was just Nate and me-- not that it's an excuse.

Keith: So, what's up with that kid I saw you with at the club?

David: Let's just say it was a learning experience.

TRACY approaches them, and eyes them oddly and scrutinizingly. Although it is not stated outright, one gets the feeling that she knows or suspects about their relationship.

Tracy: Everyone else has gone home. I don't know what you two are waiting for. David, this isn't one of your regular shifts. Is there any special reason you showed up here tonight?

David: No.

Tracy: Oh, well. (gives another look) Well, good night, you two.

Keith: Good night.

TRACY leaves.

David: You hungry?

Keith: I'm always hungry.

Scene Twenty-Five: Russian Restaurant

RUTH dances with NIKOLAI. She is clapping, laughing, and is obviously having a ball.

Scene Twenty-Six: Restaurant's Ladies' Room

RUTH enters the ladies' room and looks at herself in the mirror. Suddenly, LOTTE emerges from one of the stalls, with a look of hatred on her face.

Lotte: You fucking bitch! I would like to tear your heart out, like you have torn out mine!

Scene Twenty-Seven: Outside the Art Gallery

The art gallery is closed, but DAVID and KEITH peer in through the window, to try to see the picture of NATE.

David: There's supposed to be a picture of Nate peeing on a wall.

Keith: I see it.

David: I don't.

Keith: Four from the left.

David: (sees it, laughs) Oh, my God!

Keith: What'd your mom say when she saw that?

David: She was kind of horrified, I think.

Keith: How is your mom?

David: She's dating-- it's weird.

Keith: Why?

David: Because she's my mother. She's not supposed to date.

They sit down on the sidewalk. KEITH is eating a taco.

Keith: People should be people.

David: Yeah, sometimes people are just too stupid to know it. How's your taco?

Keith: Disgusting!

They both laugh.

Scene Twenty-Eight: Ladies' Room

Ruth: I had no idea about you and Nikolai.

Lotte: For six years, every Saturday night, I cook for him dinner, and then he take me to two dollar, five cent movie in Fairfax. And, then, you come along, and he stop calling. I have to see every goddamned film this Freddie Prinze, Jr. does, and what do I have to show for it?

Ruth: I'm sorry.

Lotte: Do you want to marry Niki or not?

Ruth: Marriage is the last thing I would ever want again. Maybe I have an amusing flirtation with Nikolai, but (laughs) he scares me! Best of all, I have this job, something I never would have predicted for myself, and I love it, because it's mine (laughs again, joyously). I would never do anything to jeopardize that, which means I should probably just finish dinner with Nikolai and go home. (She laughs again and then hugs LOTTE, who smiles back.) Thank you! I've had the best time, coming to this funny restaurant and having you yell at me in the bathroom!

Scene Twenty-Nine: David's Bedroom

This is the first time we can tell for sure that David's bedroom is a separate apartment from the main house. DAVID enters with KEITH.

Keith: Do you realize that the whole time we were going out, I was never in your bedroom at night?

David: (unzips his jacket) Well, you're hear now, aren't you?

He impulsively starts to kiss KEITH and leads him down to the couch.

Keith: Whoa, this is not the David I know!

David: Maybe this is the real me. (kisses him some more)

Keith: Well, I'm not sure we should--

David: Why not?

Keith: Well, I'm kinda seeing somebody right now.

David: I don't care. (continues to kiss)

Keith: Well, I do. (DAVID tries to unzip KEITH's pants.) Come on, David!

David: Please, why did you even come up here if you weren't into something happening?

Keith: To talk to you! To see how you were doing! Be friends.

David: I don't wanna be friends. I wanna fuck!

Keith: Well, I'm not into that.

David: Can't we just have sex? It doesn't have to mean anything!

Keith: (gets ups) It's getting late. I should just go. You take care of yourself.

KEITH leaves and DAVID throws a pillow across the room.

Scene Thirty: Laundry Room

NATE enters the room to find CLAIRE staring at a sock with a hole in it.

Nate: Claire, what are you doing here? I thought Dave and I covered for you so you could be out having fun. What's wrong?

Claire: (begins to cry) Shit! There's just this really big hole in my sock.

She hugs him and sobs.

Scene Thirty-One: Laundry Room, later

NATE and CLAIRE sit on top of the washing machine and dryer.

Nate: Maybe Gabe just wanted to be alone.

Claire: (cries) I know.

Nate: Is he your boyfriend?

Claire: No. Just-- he needs me. For the first time in my life, I felt important. Like someone needed me, you know, like not just like some annoying extra person lumped in with everyone else. No one's ever needed me.

Nate: I need you.

Claire: Right. I felt this really intense connection, and now it's just gone (cries), and I want it back. I want him back. Is there something wrong with me? Is there something bad about me that makes me deserve something like this?

Nate: Deserve what?

Claire: Just feeling really close to someone and then having them just disappear, like I mean nothing!

Nate: Claire, Gabe just went to visit his father for a day. I think you're talking about Dad. Look, we never talk about him, and that's OK. That's what you want. But, at some point, you're gonna have to deal with how you feel.

Claire: Oh, God, can't I just get upset without having to focus on what's really making me upset?

Nate: (laughs) Well, it worked for me for 34 years. Hey. (He hugs her.)

Scene Thirty-Two: David's Bedroom

DAVID sits in front of his computer, drinking a beer. He's watching a gay porn site, with a hotline, and is talking on the phone with another guy, named Steve, who's online.

Steve: Hey, who's this?

David: Jim. Who's this?

Steve: Steve. So what do you look like?

David: I'm 6'2", 190 pounds. I'm a professional boxer.

Steve: Yeah? What's your dick like?

David: 9 and a half inches, uncut. So what are you looking for?

Steve: A nasty top to fuck my brains out.

David: Found him. Now get on your knees and suck my cock, boy!

Steve: Oh, fuck, yes, sir! Oh, yes! Yes!

Scene Thirty-Three: Brenda's Bedroom

BRENDA is lying in her bed. NATE is sitting beside her, in a chair.

Nate: I don't care what time it is. I need to be with someone.

Brenda: Someone? That's comforting!

Nate: OK. I want to talk to you.

Brenda: If this is about Billy, I can't. I've done nothing but talk about Billy for 2 days.

Nate: Well, what's happening with him?

Brenda: (turns away) Mmmm...

Nate: Look-- I know this is really hard for you, but I've had some time to calm down about the picture, so you can just spill your guts to me, OK? I promise not to make it about me.

Brenda: (smiles) I'm too tired. (closes her eyes)

Nate: You know what? I love you and I need you. And it's OK for you to need me too. I want you to need me.

She smiles, then he does.

Brenda: I'm doing the best I can.

He kisses her on the cheek.

Act Three

Scene One: Basement, next morning

DAVID enters the prep room, to find ANGELA working on a body. DAVID's clothes are unkempt and he is in the process of putting on his tie.

Angela: Rough night, stud?

David: YOU'RE FIRED! (walks out)

Angela: Fuck! (starts to cry)

Scene Two: Brenda's Bedroom

BRENDA and NATE are lying together in bed. Suddenly, they hear a knock on the door and MARGARET's voice.

Margaret: Yoo hoo, Brenda! Brenda! Brenda, I know you're home. Your car's out front.

BRENDA opens her eyes and looks annoyed.

Scene Three: Brenda's Kitchen/Upstairs Room in Fisher House

BRENDA's in the kitchen, with her mother, who is taking bagels and cream cheese out of a brown bag.

Margaret: I don't know what's so strange about a spontaneous brunch. I think it's fun.

Brenda: It's weird. You don't do things like this. You pay people to do things like this.

NATE enters.

Margaret: Oh, hello, Nate.

Nate: Hey.

Margaret: Now I see why you're so upset that I'm here.

Brenda: My mother has come over to see if I talked Billy into committing himself.

Margaret: (laughs) She just loves saying that. Makes her father and I sound more like monsters.

Brenda: Well, I didn't do it, and I'm not going to.

Margaret: (yells) Goddammit! (covering, indicates cream cheese) I ask for chives and they give me this veggie crap! (to BRENDA) Brenda, there's something you don't know about Billy.

Brenda: Oh! Here we go!

Margaret: You know when you were in Europe that summer? Billy didn't try to kill himself.

Brenda: What?

Margaret: Your father and I had gotten back from a conference to find our house on fire. (Nate gives her a look) It started right below the family room. Remember, we had it redone when you were away?

Brenda: Yeah, but, uh, Billy was-- I went to visit him in the hospital. He was there all summer.

Margaret: Your father and I put him there. We had no choice. That fire wasn't accidental, Brenda. He was making a bomb.

Brenda: God, this is getting really fucking desperate, Mother. What, now Billy's the Unabomber?

Margaret: He had written things. Ugly, violent things about your father and me... about you! He was dangerous.

Brenda: You let me believe for all these years that Billy tried to kill himself.

Margaret: We were only trying to protect you, honey.

Brenda: Get out of my house! Get out of my house, you fucking lunatic!

NATE'S cell phone rings. He picks it up and whispers into the phone.

Nate: Hello, Dave, this is a really bad time--

Brenda: It's a wonder I'm even alive, considering the mothering skills you have! You're like fucking Medea! You know what the really sick thing is, Mother? You have no idea what you've done to me. (heads for the door)

Nate: (looks up from phone) Brenda, Brenda, hang on!

Brenda: I'll call you later, Nate. When that fucking asshole's out of my house! (slams the door and leaves)

Nate: (into phone) Dave, I've gotta go... What, you fired her already?! Oh, for Christ's sake! You should have lined somebody else first. And why are you whispering?!

We see DAVID in an upstairs room, crouching on his knees, whispering into the phone.

David: I'm hiding up here until she finishes Mrs. Sarno. So, which of those other people did you like the best?

Nate: Look, let's not make any quick decisions.

David: I guess I could probably live with the panic attack guy.

Nate: Uh, I've got a better idea.

Scene Four: Kroehner Prep Room

FEDERICO is prepping a dead man's body when NATE approaches him. PAM is nearby, working on another body.

Nate: Rico! Bad time?

Federico: No, no, everyone's at lunch except for me and Pam.

Pam: You're one of the Fishers, arencha? (starts to laugh, evilly; FEDERICO nods her away) Cigarette break. But I gotta be back in 10, cause I told Gilardi I'd have this one done when he got back. (She leaves.)

Scene Five: Outside the High School

CLAIRE calls GABE again, but gets the operator.

Operator: The subscriber you called is outside the service...

CLAIRE hangs up.

Scene Six: School Hallway

CLAIRE approaches GABE's locker, to find it unlocked and empty.

Scene Seven: Fisher Front Hall

RUTH comes downstairs, to find ANGELA leaving with a huge bag filled with all of the things she brought to work.

Angela: (dropping bag) Oh, holy fucking Hell!

Ruth: Here, let me help you.

Angela: (picking up things that fell out of bag) Shit! (RUTH helps.) I don't know why I brought so much stuff here. Guess I'm just a nester. I should have told you that I broke that goblet. (starts to cry)

Ruth: It was a gift from my cousin.

Angela: Yeah, trip to Dresden. I heard. I don't know why I didn't just tell you. It's totally unlike me. I usually just say whatever I'm thinking.

Ruth: I noticed.

Angela: When I saw that broken glass, I just was overcome with this feeling that it was better to just ignore it, just pretend it didn't happen. (cries) I get that feeling from all of you here. Everyone is so fragile and can't be heard to hear anything.

Ruth: (re: her stuff) Is that everything?

Angela: I mean, you know, all I did was try to fix David up with this guy, and I thought he was gonna kill me! I mean, I never met anyone who's so uptight about being gay! (RUTH hands her a thing that fell) Thanks. You know something? I never worked in a funeral home that was this depressing.

ANGELA leaves, and RUTH stands still, completely shellshocked by the news.

Scene Eight: Kroehner Prep Room

Nate: Tell me you're happier here, I'll go.

Federico: It's not perfect. These body farms are a fuckin' assembly line. And I've got like 12 idiots breathing down my neck.

Nate: Well, at Fisher & Sons, you'll only get two of those at the most.

Federico: (laughs) Gilardi lied to me. My hours are nothing like he said they'd be and the work here is not even as challenging. Ya know, Nate, it was Kroehner who burned down the house across the street, and Gilardi's told people that he's not done trying to drive you guys out of business.

Nate: Does that mean it doesn't make sense for you to come back?

Federico: No, but, if I do, you have to match what I'm making here. Plus, guarantee me flexible hours for picking up Julio and helping out when the baby comes.

Nate: Done.

Federico: And if I do decide to come back, it's not for good. (NATE nods.) I'm never gonna become a partner, am I?

Nate: I can't offer you that. Unless you want to marry Claire.

Federico: (laughs) Uh-- no, thank you! OK. I can start in a couple of days.

Nate: Thank you. (they shake hands) That makes me very happy. And it'll make David very happy.

Federico: Yeah. Hey, I heard there's some picture of you at a gallery peeing. Is that true?

Scene Nine: Dimas Front Porch

CLAIRE knocks at the front door and VICKIE answers.

Claire: I just wanted to get Gabe's father's number so I could talk to him.

Vickie: Well, why would Gabe's stepfather know where Gabe was?

Claire: No, his father. The one who's in Barstow.

Vickie: Yeah, Gabe's fatherdied when he was four.