"I don't understand." "Why can't I go to arithmetic?" "Mary Jane, that time's over." " Turn, turn, turn." " You're almost a woman now." "All right, last one." "Hannah Grace, bring your hand mop." "I'm a busy, busy businessman." "All of you poor people, out of my way." "Excuse me, young lady, how much is that hand mop?" "$3, sir." "I love my money so much, I wanna keep it all." "Golly, I do need a hand mop." "This is a $111-bill." "Change, please." "111 take away three." " 108!" " That's the number!" "All right, gather round and close your eyes, it's time for today's lesson from the Book of Daddy." "Once upon a time, a wise person said," ""Every day we must dance." ""If only in our minds."" "Why do we dance?" "Because we're happy to be alive." "So every day we must dance to say, "Thank you, God." "Thank you." ""For life."" "School's out!" "Everybody dance with your feet." "Daddy." "Vanessa." "Don't say it, I'm serious." "Your Mom's been dead for four months." "I get a year." "We spend every Sunday in a graveyard, it's not good for the boys." "Our sons." "What?" "They're happy, they like to visit her, too." " You know she's not here." " Don't." "You know what?" "Next Sunday, after church, let's have a party." "Come on, she loved parties." "I can't." "I miss her so much it feels like someone tore out my heart and fed it to dogs." "Fine." "Take them to Knutsberry Farm." "Just come back before dark." "Listen to me." "You know, you don't smile or laugh any more." "You don't act like you, you act like you're one of the Fishers." "Vanessa, I think you're depressed." "Why do you keep bugging me?" "I'm never gonna see my mother again." "This is normal." "I'm normal." "And your organisation is called The People?" "Organisation?" " I wish." " The family." "We were so happy." " And you are his wife?" " Yes." " Yes." " Yes." "Yes." "Not in a stupid paper way." "Those whom God has joined, no man can tear asunder." " Amen." " We make it so." "Let it be." "Would you like us to embalm..." " Daddy?" " What's that?" "We replace the blood with embalming fluid in order to preserve the body." "Yes, I want it." "I want it." "Abigail, it's just an old corpse." "We don't care." "Embalming will allow you to view the deceased one last time, which helps most people." "The Book of Daddy says, "The physical body is only..." ""tears, bones and desire."" "You transcend, you don't preserve." "Please, let's preserve his body." "We love that body." "Please." "All right." "Abigail's a new soul." " This is my first life." " Really?" "One of us will stay with Daddy's flesh till it goes in the ground." "We'll take shifts." "That won't be necessary." "Daddy is perfectly safe here." "There are government agents." "Space forces are always following us." "No one's allowed in the embalming room without legal permission." "Then get it." "Right." "Children." "Holy fuck." " Hello there." " Hello there." "Your washing." "Have you ever noticed your profile?" "You look like an emperor." "I mean it." "Your face has character." "It's not an everyday, bland face." "Stop!" "You'll give me megalomania." "Now, Ruth, pay attention." "For the last time, you don't have to take care of me." " I don't want you to do my laundry." " I know." "That's what makes it fun!" " My goodness!" "If I'd known you intended..." " Shit." "Language." "They want to hang around the body?" " Not all at once." " Eve, Abigail, Rachel, Rebecca." "Rachel and Rebecca are sisters." " Sick!" " I don't get it." "You could do like a Warhol series, only with polygamous concubines." "I'm just worried this place will be crawling with kids." "Man." "Why us?" "They live three blocks away, we're neighbours." "We're neighbours with Children Of The Corn." "I don't want to be alone with sharp things and a Manson chick." "Grow up!" "They simply subscribe to different spiritual and cultural beliefs." " Why don't you deal with them?" " No way!" "Tomorrow's gay paintball day." "Mom?" "Shudder." "Hi, do you have some cheese?" " Why didn't you invite us?" " Because you have jobs." "Hellol Sick days." "It's Keith's thing." "He's renewing ties with old gay cop buddies, I didn't think you'd want to." "What kind of a candyass do you think I am?" "Everybody loves guns." "What time?" "I'll let you know." "If we're showing skin, I have to go to the gym first." "This is supposed to be sexy?" "Only religious fanatics with frozen shit up their asses could produce such horror." "I.e. Americans." "What is it now?" "A teen fashion magazine." "This gauche repression, this adolescent exhibitionism." "No wonder you can't tell the difference between violence and passion." " You wanna kill those martyrs." " It's pop culture." "There isn't one person in this country who knows how to fuck." "Cos real fucking would overthrow your government, it would send Americans screaming into the streets." "You think you're different?" "Look at this!" "Empty." " It's supposed to be empty." " It's about empty." "Bullshit." "You're 18, what's wrong with you?" "Where's sexuality?" "You should be consumed with sex." "Everything that happens should make you wanna fuck." "Your flesh should be on fire all the time." "It is." "Yeah." "I have an interview tomorrow so I'll meet you at paintball." "Look for the owner, Boo." "He'll tell you the rules and give you some practice." "I can't wait." "What?" "Don't kill me but Terry and Patrick are coming." "They invited themselves." "I would have checked with you but I didn't have a chance." "Sorry." "It's fine." " Really?" " Yeah." "I think it'll be a good opportunity for our friends to meet each other." "OK, wait." "I'm an asshole." "I lied." "I could have checked with you but I thought you'd rip my head off." "I should trust you more." "You know what, it's OK." "It takes time." "We're getting better and better." "Why did you and Brenda break up?" " Why?" " It's part of you." "I should know about it." "We were selfish." "She went nuts, I went nuts, we tried to keep it together but it wasn't meant to be." "So you just walked away from each other?" "Pretty much." "That's way too clean." "Break-ups are gory and humiliating." " Not always." " Yes, always." "I mean, you get dumped like you're nothing, like you're fucking garbage, then you crawl around with your guts hanging out crying all over total strangers on the bus..." "No, it wasn't me." "It was a friend." " That's all you're gonna say about it?" " What do you want?" "Tell me what happened so I can understand." "How can I?" "It's not like I have it all figured out, I don't." "It was seriously fucked up." "Did it hurt?" "Yeah, it fucking hurt." "I know." " Can't we just observe?" " No." "Keith was actually happy this morning." "I don't know about him." "He's hot but I see big footprints all over your back." " Shut up." " She's jealous." "Boo." "Hi, we'd like to play with the other gay children." "People, chose your comrades well." "They'll lead you to glory or they'll bury your ass in shame." "Five on five, two reds switch over." "Keith, you put on the wrong colour." " No, I didn't." " You did." "We're on different teams." " It'll be more fun." " Come on, they're newbies." "They're stupid and weak like a kitten." "Hurry up, Reds." "I'll go." " Do we need to talk?" " I'm tired of talking." "Don't you ever get tired of talking?" " Excuse us." " Fuck." " You're embarrassing me in front of..." " The leading ladies?" "I've been there." " I survived." " That was not my fault." "How could you forget Waterworld?" "It was three hours long." "I'm not thinking about that." "All I want today is a good time." "It was only a party game." "Exactly." "Welcome to my party... baby." "Bitch, you set me up." "Any changes?" "Nope." " No." " OK, then." " You, you're out." "See you next game." " Fuck." "Sarge!" " Who the hell's Sarge?" " He'll even things up." "OK, you got a few minutes for recon." "Game commences on the Delta at 1400 hours." " Keep it clean." " Yes, sir." " Is your hopper full?" " Oh, yeah." "Oh, yeah." " Sorry Keith wouldn't play on our team." " I'm not." "OK, hate this." " Where do we go?" " To Magic Mountain, like normal fags." " There's cover a few metres that way." " I can't do metric conversion in combat." "Goggles down." "Suck it up, Louise." "Get out there and lay some paint." "Come on." "Here." "What do you want me to do?" "Stop yelling like a fishwife." "Yikes!" "Smell this." "Think this is old humous or baba ghanouj?" "I think when they're old, they become the same thing." "You brought your shadow." " He's not my shadow." " You need to go to Azusa for me." " Why?" " You know what the name is?" "Azusa." "It's everything from A to Z in the USA." "That's how you guys name your towns." " What am I eating?" " I don't know." "Well, taste." "I think it's clay!" "Look, I can't go to Azusa for you." "Russell and I are going down town." "Find this person." "She's donating Visqueen for the alumni show." "She's a terrible sculptor." "It'll be interesting for you." "I'll call her and tell her you're on the way." "This is really unexpected." "Azusa's a really long drive." "Russell and I have plans." "It's like 115 degrees in the desert." "You're an assistant." "Assist." "OK, let's go." "No, Russell." "You could organise my monographs." "What would you do in Azusa anyhow?" "Fuck." "I love her, too." "Dude, move out." "Red at ten o'clock." "Cover." "Plug him, dude." "Terry, 12 o'clock." "Fuck!" " You idiot." " Sorry!" "I'm so sorry." "Oh, my God!" "Friendly fire." "I thought you were enemy ass." " Wipe it off." " That's cheating." "You'll be known as a wipe forever." "You're dead." "Put up your gun and walk out of bounds." "Those are the rules." "There are no rules in war." "Shit!" "Come on, you fa-la-la mimosa motherfuckers." "Give it up." "Fuck you, Ratso." " You're out!" " Damn." "Dudes!" "You're still alive." "David cheated." "He's our captain, he should know." " I'm a wiper." " Cool." "You smart-talk the other girl, she's sensitive." "I got something for you to try." "We can win." "No, I do not think that it's paranoid." "I researched Todd's ex-fiancée." "I spent $150 on the internet." "Did you find out why he loved her?" "No." "But I can tell you the serial numbers on her breast implants." "It's because I'm curious, not because I think Brenda's gonna take Nate away." "Nate adores Maya, he would never..." " He thinks about her." " How can you tell?" "He's twitchy and far away." "That's Todd with basketball." "And there's this Brenda vibe." "I know I'm being compared but I don't know what to." "That's what kills me." "Come on, Todd doesn't compare?" "No, he's not deep." "I love that." "I know where Brenda works." "I'm dead, don't shoot." "I'm dead." "See?" "Dead newbie walking." " Happy?" " Hell, yeah." "Damn it!" "You cheated, asshole." "Who's your daddy?" "Come on!" "Is that all you got?" "Get off the field, you flannel-shirt, mullet-head dyke, or fight like a man!" "You're a cock-sucking pansy." "I'd like to make an appointment for a traditional massage with Brenda." "I hear she's so good." "She's booked solid for this month." " Booked." " They always say that." "They try and give you an intern." "Just do a Carol." "This is totally unacceptable." "Cherie Lansing told me you'd help me out." "Shall I call her right now or shall I call your supervisor?" "You're in luck." "There's been a cancellation." " Can you be here in an hour?" " An hour?" " I got Maya." " Your name?" "Dana..." "Todd." "So how long have you and Keith been together?" "We were together for a few months, then we split up and he was with somebody else and I was..." "Never mind." "We got back together and it's been almost a year." "I've been talking with a couple of The People." "They have some interesting beliefs." "They certainly believe in dairy." "All the little ones beg for cheese." "Cows are sacred to them." "Did you know they only recognise the love of God?" "They don't believe in romance." "Where did all those children come from?" "We didn't get into it." "But romantic love wasn't even invented until the 14th century." "I never heard that." "Petrarch." "He was Italian." " The things you know." " This morning..." " We don't have to talk about it." " We do." " We can pretend it never happened." " That'd be a lie." "It was two seconds." "I didn't plan it, it was an accident." "Your friendship has so much value for me." " Anything more would be unprofessional." " I know." "Please, don't kiss me again." "I never will." "Never." " Friends?" " Friends." "You'll have to help yourselves." "I'm out of control." "What the hell are you doing back here?" "There's no action." "Let's go bust a move on Sarge." "Don't make me tell you twice." "I would have voted him off first." " You didn't think he was cute?" " No." "Not forever cute, just for the island cute." " What about that hot lawyer?" " He didn't fish." "True." "Jeanne Tripplehorn." "Federico Diaz speaking." "Mr Diaz, this is Nurse Raisky from Julio's school." "I've been trying to call your home but there's no answer and we have a public health situation here." "Is Julio sick?" "No, but someone needs to pick him up right away." "He has a raging case of head lice." " Are you Carmen?" " Yeah." "I'm Claire." "Olivier's assistant." "Didn't he call?" "Him?" "Of course not." "Tequila?" "No." "Thanks." "I'll just get the Visqueen and go back." "The traffic will get better in a while." "I really should..." "You're a really white person, the desert is dangerous to you." "It's like driving in a microwave." "Come on." "Are you hit?" "Let me check." "No, spray." "A couple of bouncers." "I saw your man out there." " Did you shoot him?" " Not yet." " Damn it." " I hear he killed one of his own." "Sounds like him." "We're all that's left." " I think I can get him but..." " One of us will have to die?" "Yeah." "Me." " You think you can put an end to this?" " I know I can." "Even if I'm shot, I guarantee I'll take him with me to hell." "Let's do it." "I really like your studio." " You work in so many different media." " That's because I can't find the right one." "So, what do you do in Azusa?" "I teach at a Christian Junior College." "And I art." " You're really good." " Oh, fuck you." "I was good for about five years but right now I'm shit." "And I'll get good again, I have to be patient but..." "Oh, Jesus." "I want it so bad." "Yeah, me too." "So, what's the devil man working on?" "Now he's negotiating with a couple of museums." "For work he did in his twenties?" "Do you like being his assistant?" "Yeah." "He's such a brilliant teacher." " I want to be more involved with his work..." " I know!" "I was his assistant, too." "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!" "That was a very creative time." "I'm not fucking him." "Is he having a boy year?" " Dude, you're trapped." " It's over, man." "Fuck that shit, I can take you both." "You know what, sometimes I do get tired of talking." "Aw, shit." "OK, move it out." "Next game commences at 1600." "Yes." "I'm sorry." "I thought you were already on the table." " What?" " The robe." "They should have given you a small." "I think it is a small." "Never mind." "They size those things for egos, not for people." "I'm not really a spa lady." "Neither am I." " I can come back." " No, I'm ready." "I'm Mary Jane." "I remember." " Sorry you lost your daddy." " He's not lost." "Well, right." "His body died in this place but not in every place." "He's fine if you step a little this way and squint." "Know what I mean?" "Yeah." "He was Daddy but he wasn't my daddy." "Excuse me?" "If you meant human." "Yeah." "Do you like cheese?" " Yeah..." " What kind of cheese?" " Cheddar." " Yeah!" "Me, too." "Colby, muenster." "Monterey Jack with jalapeno." "No." "Brie." "What's brie?" "Does that taste like blue cheese?" "Because I hate blue cheese." " I know your name." " Yeah?" "I'm almost a woman now." "All right?" "Yeah." "No, I'm sorry." "I was working on your hara." "That's the seat of mind-body power." "If you believe in that sort of thing." "I do." "There are places we store trauma, tension." "Our selves know what we go through." "Our bodies remember." "Sometimes just a little pressure then tears." "My life has never been so good." "I have a beautiful baby." "I'm happily married." " You're lucky." " I know." "Happy stuff, it's pretty new." "Maybe you just needed a good cry." "Yeah." "Are you OK?" "I'm fine." "You look sad." "I'm not so lucky." "Not lately." "But I wouldn't change anything." "No?" "If you change one thing, that changes everything." "And some things are the way they should be." "Yeah." "Come on, sweetheart, let's go find Mummy Abigail." "It's beautiful." " May I?" " Certainly." "Ruth Fisher." "Eve." "It was my mother's pattern." "It would have been mine." "Another name, another life." "The silver was a wedding present." "That was another life, too." " You're a widow?" " Yes." "Yes." "May I ask you something?" " The other three?" " How on earth?" "I was grateful." "Honestly?" "You didn't know Daddy." "Sometimes less than one man is more than enough." "But when your husband proposes to other women..." "He never did." "Never once." "They all came to him, the same way I did." "We all chose him." "Poor guy, he never had anything to say about it." "Weren't you jealous?" "Didn't it hurt your feelings when he'd go upstairs?" "If the people around you were dying of cold and you had a fire, wouldn't you share?" "I did worry at first because they were younger and I thought I had nothing to offer that could compare." " But I feel young." " So do I." "Because we are young, Mrs Fisher." "Time doesn't tell the truth about our souls." "Only love." "We're all children when we truly love." " Even Daddy?" " Especially Daddy." "That man..." "They don't know what they want, that's why you have to choose." "Find your brother, go into the bathroom and close the door." "I'll be there in a minute." "Poppy loves you." "Just go sit in the tub, OK?" "Sleep all day, I don't give a shit, but do not fuck around with my kids." " I didn't do anything." " You didn't do anything." " Do you know why Julio's home?" " No." "Because he has lice, Vanessa, like some dirty convict." "And we probably have it too because you have stopped being his mother." "I had to hear it from the school nurse." "You don't even know what's on the heads of your children." "If he has lice, then we're just gonna have to move." "No, we don't have to move." "I bought the shampoo but you have got to change." "You're right." "I'm a shitty mother, my own mother would have killed me." "What am I doing?" "I need help." "We'll get you the help." "OK?" "I love you." "Can you forgive me?" "Of course I forgive you." "Our kids have bugs." "Hello?" "Are you deaf?" "I've been out there 20 minutes yelling for help." "I had to drag all that Visqueen in." "Hello." "Everything go smoothly?" "Absolutely." "Can we leave now?" "Your Visqueen is in the garage." "You were supposed to take it to school." "I'd help but I'm dining with a provost at Patina." "Well, I'd help but I'm dining with my boyfriend at Taco Bell." " Take it after." " No." "And I really don't wanna be your assistant any more." " Why is that?" " All I do is run personal errands for you and it's taking too much time away from my own work." "Fine." " Are you ready?" " Yeah." "Have a good night." "No, on that field you gotta get around back." "You cheated your ass off." "I was robbed." "Jeez, totally illegal." "Totally!" "Are you going out later?" "You know, you look like... a leprechaun." "Am I right?" "Never mind." "They may be hell on the battlefield but they have no party stamina." " How did they make it through the '80s?" " And they call us choirboys." "My God!" "We were supposed to meet James and Katie an hour ago." "They're married, he's not gay." "I'll walk you out." "Be right back." "Love you all, soldiers." "That was fun today." "Ever been in real combat?" "No." " I wouldn't want to." "You?" " Fuck, no." "Let's get stoned." "Yeah, sure." "I like David." "Yeah, me too." "A lot." "Careful, somebody might take him away." "Yeah, go ahead and try." "Dude..." "You and me, we're the same." "Maybe." "I live down La Habra." "Look, I didn't mean to, but I'm too wasted to drive." "You could have pulled out the couch." "He was already asleep on the floor." "I'll get him another blanket." "Shut up and get over here." "No." "You killed me today." " You loved it." " Not as much as you did." "You tried to kill me." "Can we help you?" "It's cold out there." "Do you have room for me?" "Yeah." "How do you like your eggs?" "I'll just have juice, thanks." "Morning." "Morning." "So, Sarge, will you be paintballing today?" "No." "I gotta get going soon." "Working on my uncle's car." "Scoot over." "I left my number next to the bed so if you're ever in La Habra, you could find me." "Thanks." "Will you pass the funnies?" "Daddy's Book is where he put everything he found that was true." "This is why we live by the Book of Daddy, which says there is no death, there is only birth." "And birth and birth and birth." "The Book of Daddy says, "Consider the trees" ""that allow the birds to perch" ""and fly away without calling them back." ""If your heart can be like a tree, you'll be close to the way."" "The Book of Daddy says," ""When the multitude laughs at you, you are blessed."" "And this is what Daddy wants us to know." ""I depart as air." ""I shake my white locks at the runaway sun," ""I bequeath myself to the dirt" ""to grow from the grass I love." ""If you want me again," ""look for me under your boot soles." ""You will hardly know who I am or what I mean" ""but I shall be good health to you nevertheless." ""Missing me one place?" "Search another." ""I stop somewhere." ""Waiting for you."" "I hate to see The People go." "I just hope the cheque clears." "Of course it will." "Daddy worked in hospitals, he was a clown." "Why am I not surprised?" "There's a big market for hand mops and they're on welfare and social security." "Yeah, that's where I want my tax dollars to go." "I'd rather buy them cheese than build bombs." "At least they practise what they preach." "The People won't kill any living creature." "They've all had lice for years." "I've had to boil everything but I don't mind." "Mom, that's disgusting." "Oh, God." "What are you dressed like that for?" "I'm going to a funeral." "So are you." "Yeah?" "Who died?" "Walker Stevenson." "Give me a break." "I think these are people we know..." "Did Olivier make a move on you?" "What?" "Since I got back from Azusa you've been all quiet and weird and he really likes you." "Did he make a move on you?" "Cos he really likes you, too." "No, but he flirts." "Well, he flirts with everything." " Well, did he?" " No." "Jesus." "We smoked a joint and we watched TV." "And even if he did make a move, hello, I'm not gay." "I'm your fucking boyfriend." "Come here." "Come here." "Look, if he ever does anything, you have to tell me." "Yeah." "So, we're gonna have to boil everything." "If Maya gets lice..." "Don't worry." "I'll take care of it." "You're looking good." "Thanks." "Feel like I haven't seen you lately." "What's been going on?" "Wouldn't you like to know?" "Right now, I could fuck you where you stand." "What's different?" "Is it hair?" "Perfume?" "Maybe nothing's different." "Maybe it's just me." "Maybe." "You're lucky I love you." "You're lucky I do." "I care for you, Arthur." "I care for your music." "I care for your hankies." "I won't pretend I don't." "That would be a lie." "If you want me to leave you alone, I will." "But that's your choice because I choose you." "There's something I didn't tell you about Petrarch." "He started the Renaissance." "English"