"Hello?" "You busy, Bob?" "No, I'm not, but I should be." "My 2:00 appointment hasn't showed up yet." "You know, I have a theory about cancellations." "Bob, we've got a bigger problem than cancellations." "Oh?" " Carol's not back from lunch yet." "Somehow, Jerry, I don't think that's a bigger problem than cancellations." "Bob, she has been gone for two hours." "The phone has not stopped ringing." "And did you know there's a guy sitting in the reception room waiting for someone?" "Hey, maybe that's your guy." " What does he look like?" "I don't know." "Every time I looked at him, he just stared at the wall." "That's Mr. Peterson." "I thought I was making progress with his inferiority complex... but I guess I'm not." " Uh-uh." "Yeah." "Hi, I'm back." "Anything new?" "Yeah, Carol, there's someone out there waiting to see me." "Oh, uh, you mean the guy looking at the wall?" "Yes." " Should I send him in?" "No, send you in." " Oh." "Good." "Bob, we can't let her get away with this kind of stuff." "Now we really have to chew her out." "Hi, Bob." "Hi, Jerry." "Well, I'd better get going." "I've got a patient." "Jerry." " What, Bob?" "I thought we were going to talk to mm." "I'd love to, but there's a kid in my chair." "I'm taking an impression of his teeth." "In three minutes, his whole mouth turns to cement." "Bye, Carol." " Bye, Jer." "Uh, what'd you wanna talk to me about, Bob?" "Uh, Carol, you know I don't want you to punch the clock." "I mean, I don't mind your being a few minutes late... but, I mean, over two hours." "You're right, Bob." "I mean, you've kept a man waiting out there... staring at the wall for over half an hour." "I sure can't argue there, Bob." "I mean, my time is valuable, you know." "I help people." "I can't help them when they're out there." "I can only help them when they're in here." "I'm really, really sorry, Bob." "Is that it?" "Carol, I don't want you taking this chewing out too hard, you know." "Bob, I know I was late, and it won't happen again." "I'll work late tonight if you want." "Oh, no, can't." "As a matter of fact, I was gonna ask you if I could leave a little bit early." "Carol, this job isn't interfering with your spare time, is it?" "Bob, I have met this man, and his name is Roger Dixon, Bob." "And he is-Oh, Bob, Bob-What can I tell you?" "He is just so wonderful." "Have you ever been to Yamamoto's?" "We drove there for lunch." "Roger has one of those new Japanese sports cars." "Yamamoto's parking lot attendants are the only ones he trusts." "Oh, it's so wonderful, Bob." "It's the most fantastic place." "I just" " Carol, excuse me." "I've had a shy man... staring at a wall for almost an hour out there." "Now, could we discuss Yamoto's later?" "Okay, Bob, I was just sharing some joy with you." "But from now on, I'll just try and separate what happens here... from the fun part of my life." "Carol" "Send Mr. Peterson in." " Right." "Oh, come, come in, Mr. Peterson." "I didn't mean to keep you waiting, but I didn't know you were out there." "Oh, it's my fault." " No, no." "It's not your fault." "It's somebody else's fault." "No, no, no, it was my fault." "I should have knocked." "But I didn't know who was in here." "I figured it was someone more important than me." "I would have been interrupting, and then you wouldn't like me." "No, Mr. Peterson, I like you, and I enjoy seeing you... and I get a lot out of these sessions." "But, unfortunately, our time is up." "You know, this is really very sweet of you, Howard... but I don't want you to feel you have to bring us a present... every time you come back from an overseas flight." "Well, truthfully, I hadn't planned to." "But it's pretty hard to talk to a beautiful Danish shopgirl all day without buying something." "Oh, I see." "It was more like an investment, huh?" "Yeah, one that didn't pay off." "I picked up the only religious fanatic in Denmark." "Where is Bob anyway?" "I mean, I've got this date waiting in this restaurant." "He'll be here any minute." " You know, I think Linda could be the girl." "I mean, she's perfect for me." "She's blonde, willowy, intelligent." "No roommate." "Ah, finally." "Bob, where have you been?" " Yeah, where have you been?" "I mean, you were supposed to have been home an hour ago." "Well, I know, but I had to reschedule a patient... because Carol was late coming back from lunch." "You mean she didn't call?" " No, she didn't." "Oh, great." "I'm gonna have to chew her out again." "Except I can't chew her out 'cause she's never around." "Look, the reservation is for 7:00." "Now get into something casual." "And please hurry, okay?" " Howard, do I have time to shave?" "You don't need to shave." "You look great the way you are-rugged." "At least I have time for a drink." "I've got this girl waiting in a restaurant bar." "Now will you please hurry?" "Howard, if we're a little late, she'll still be there." "Are you kidding?" "She won't last there I 0 minutes." "That's where I picked her up." "Bob, we only have an hour to eat dinner and still make it to a movie." "Oh, this is great." "We gotta rush across town and shovel food in our mouth... and then we gotta rush to a restaurant to have a very relaxing evening... ..all because of Carol." " Yes, dear." "Would you hurry, please?" "I'll call her and tell her we're on our way and to hold on." "Oh, I hate to call her and call attention to her by paging her." "Well, that's all right." "I'll just describe her to the bartender." "No, that'd be worse." "Oh, well, I'll just risk it." "You know, Bob, you wouldn't be rushing like this ifCarol had only called." "We could have met you at the restaurant." "I know." "You know, she's really starting to tee me off." "I mean, first a two-hour lunch and now this." "I mean, when she's going with a guy, she's irresponsible." "And when she's not going with a guy, she's depressed." "Why do people have to bring their personal problems into my ofﬁce?" "Because if they didn't, you wouldn't have an office." "So, Carol's got a new guy, huh?" "What's he like?" "All I can tell he's a slow eater." "Bob, you can take your time." " Did you get ahold of your date?" "No, I missed her by three and a half minutes." "She left with the bartender." "Well, it's hard to believe, isn't it, Ronnie." "Your last visit, six years, it seems like yesterday." "Not to me it doesn't." "You got a great smile now, Ronnie." "And I got the braces off just like I said... ..right before you had to leave for college." "I really appreciate it, Dr. Robinson." "Okay." " Bye." "Bye, Ronnie." "Makes you kind of sad to see him go, I guess." "Yeah." "Well, it's not just that." "He's going to the University of Michigan... on a hockey scholarship." "All that beautiful work... and one puck." "Yeah." "Have you seen Carol?" "No, not this morning, Bob." "She's probably out to lunch." "It's 9:30." "Well, maybe she got an early start just so she could get back by 1:00." "Bob, we've really got to do something about her." "Yeah, as soon as I see her, I'll call you." " Right." "Oh, uh, Bob, not today I'm really booked up solid." "Maybe you better handle it" "Carol." "Hi, Bob." "I wanna talk to you." "And I wanna talk to you." " I got here first, Bob." "What'd you wanna talk to me about?" " Well, Bob, it's very personal." "Now, at first I thought I'd talk to Emily, because she's a woman... but then I figured- Why be chauvinistic?" "And anyways, since you're an expert, why waste my time with amateurs." "Well, what's your problem?" "My new boyfriend." "He wants me to move in with him." "Oh." "What does that "Oh" mean?" " Just "Oh."" "Well, do you think I should?" "Now, I'm really talking about really moving in and living with him, Bob." "You know, all my stuff-a hair dryer, sterling silver service for one-everything." "What do you think?" " It's being done, Carol." "I know it's been done, Bob, but not by me." "It's a whole new experience, a guy just asking you to live with him." "When did he ask you?" "Oh, well, he really surprised me." "He just blurted it out right at the breakfast table this morning." "What did you decide?" "It's such a big commitment." "We decided to sleep on it." "But how do you feel about it, Bob?" "Well, the best answer I could give you is" "How do you feel about it?" "Confused." "You know, I'm stuck between two generations here... and I don't get the good parts of either one." "You know, when it comes to something like this... a part of me says no, and part of me says yes." "And the part that says no, that's the old morality." "That, and the fact that he's married." "Uh-huh." "Now, Bob, he's not married married." "No, he is separated married." "Oh, it's all over." "Bob, there are no kids." "He's got his own apartment." "He's really a bachelor." "The tan has even grown back where his wedding ring used to be." "So, what do you think, Bob?" "Well, a lot of people go with their feelings... ..and, uh, and do it." " Uh-huh." "And a lot of people go with their feelings and don't do it." "Uh-huh." "I think you should get in touch with your feelings, you know." "Examine them, search for them." "Why don't you sit on the couch and we'll talk about it and search?" "Uh, Bob, I don't have time for the regular treatment." "See, we're gonna have to wrap this up in one session." "Why?" "The rent on my apartment is due tomorrow." "Well, what do you want me to say, Carol?" "That, uh, it's great?" "Everything's gonna work out fine?" "You're not gonna feel guilty about it?" "Oh, that would be terriﬁc." "I mean, no psychologist in the world is gonna tell you that." "You've got to get in touch with your feelings." "Yeah." "Thanks a lot, Bob." "I think I really learned something from you just now." " Well, thank you, Carol." "I learned I should have gone to Emily in the first place." "And he cannot do enough for me, Emily, really." "And I really like him a lot." "And I just realized that I've been talking nonstop for about an hour." "Well, what do you think?" "Carol, I think I forgot the question." "The question is:" "What do I have to lose if I move in with him?" "Well, from what you just told me, absolutely nothing." "Emily, I can't wait for you and Bob to meet Roger." "Well, we can't wait to meet him." "How about dinner tomorrow night?" "Oh, he can't make it tomorrow night." "He's having dinner with his wife." "His wife?" "Darn, I always forget to mention that part." "Well, Carol, that does seem like an important part." "But it's really not, no." "I mean, he's getting a divorce." "And they're only meeting tomorrow night to divide the dishes." "Oh, I hope he doesn't get the dirty ones." "Well, I mean, if he's getting a divorce" "You're absolutely right." "Uh, have you decided yet?" "Yes." "I'm going to move in with my boyfriend." "Hello?" "Hello?" "Hello?" "Oh, uh, Dr. Tupperman?" "I don't know if he's in." "I haven't seen him today." "Yeah, you see, my secretary hasn't come back from lunch yet... and, uh, I don't know how to work this thing." "Emergency?" "All right." "I'll take a message." "Yeah." "Dr. Benton has the ﬁu... and can Dr. Tupperman replace him tomorrow?" "If he can, tell him to meet with the other doctors... at exactly 9:30 at the first tee." "I'll give that emergency to him, yes." "What, still no coffee?" "I almost fell asleep in a kid's mouth just now." "Where is Carol?" " I don't know, Bob." "I think we'd better have another talk with her." "Jerry, the next time we have a talk with her, you be there, all right?" "She better have a pretty good excuse." "Oh." "Oh, hi, jer." "Hi, honey." " Hi, jer." "Carol, you're late and you'd better have a pretty good excuse." "Oh, now, honey, don't blame Carol." "We were talking about some very personal stuff... and I guess we had a little too much wine." "We just kind of lost track of the time." "That's not a bad excuse, Bob." "It's a little late." "What smells so good?" "Well, I was wondering what you serve a man... who isn't quite unmarried... and a girl who's a close friend." "I don't know." "I kind of thought spaghetti." "Yeah, that seems right." "Bob, when they get here, don't steer the conversation in that direction." "In what direction?" " Well, you know... discussing his wife, his divorce, Carol moving in with him." "Honey, that's gonna leave a big lag between "Hi." "How are you?"" "and "We gotta do this again sometime."" "I'll get it." "Oh, hi." "I'm sorry we're late." "This is Roger." " Roger, I'm Bob." "Oh, don't touch me-grease." "I just blew an oil pump." "I don't wanna stain anyone." "Can I use your washroom?" "Oh, sure, it's right in there." " Thank you very much." "Can I use your other washroom?" "My hair's a mess from driving in that stupid open car." "Oh, sure." "Well, nice party so far." "Bob, what do you think of Roger?" "I never like to judge a man until after he washes up." "Well, I think I got rid of most of the dirt." "Uh, listen." "I really would like to pay for those guest towels." "Oh, don't be silly." "That's what guest towels are for." "Maybe we better start all over again." " Okay." "I'm Bob." "And this is Emily." " Hi." "Hello." "Please sit down, Roger." " Thank you." "Well, uh, Carol's told me all about you." "Yeah, Carol's told us all about you too." "Actually, not everything.just... surface things." "Listen, uh, there's something I wanna say before we start talking." "I know that you know I'm separated." "Oh, we didn't know you knew that." " Uh-uh." "I mean, we knew you knew you were separated... but we didn't know that you knew that Carol had, uh" "Well, I knew that you knew because, uh, Carol told me she told you." "Well, I wonder why Carol didn't tell us she told you." "Oh, because she told me not to tell you." "Oh, please, don't tell her I told you." "Where is Carol?" " Thank you." "She'll be right out." "Oh, you have two, huh?" "Nice place." "Yeah, two and a den." "Carol sure is a great girl." "Oh, and a terrific sport." "She's game for anything." "That's Carol." "Well, like my sports car." "She loves it with the top down." "My wife always complained that it messed up her hair." "I couldn't stand that about her." "Oh, there." "I feel like a person now." "Oh, you look lovely, honey." " Oh, Roger, go on with you." "All right, I will." "Well, I mixed a batch of martinis." "Is that all right?" "Oh, great." " Well, not for me." "I don't drink, Bob." "Oh, could I get you something else?" "Do you have any bottled water?" " Oh, I'm sorry." "We don't." "How about from the tap?" "No, thanks." "I went swimming in Lake Michigan last summer... and I saw what that water looks like close up." "How about ginger ale?" "You ever gone swimming in ginger ale?" "That's fine." "Thanks." "What do you do, Roger?" " Well" "Oh, Roger is in the medical supply business." "Bob, Roger sells in our very own building." "Is that right?" "That's interesting." "Yes, cotton swabs, gauze, tongue depressors." "If it's for sick people, we've got it." "You know your Kleenex is mine?" " Is that right?" "Yeah." " It pops up every time." "Well, here's to you two, uh" "Here's to ya." ""B" and" " What?" ""B" and Bob and Emily." "We had "B " and "E" glasses just like this." "Only, of course, our "B " and "E" glasses... were "R " and "D" glasses for Roger and Dolores." "Oh." "Would you excuse me?" "I just wanna check the dinner." " Sure." "I'll help." "I'll do anything to get away from that dip." "You know, Bob, I noticed something the minute I walked in here tonight." "You and Emily, you're so much like Dolores and me." "It's almost scary." "Actually, we're pretty happy." "No." "I know that, Bob." "I meant when Dolores and I were happy." "I mean, we had some good times too, you know." "Carol's been telling me about good times you and she have been having." "Oh, yeah, we've had some great times together." "But it's a different kind of great time, you know." "I mean, there's nothing like sharing... that early struggle and coming out of it together." "It sounds like your marriage wasn't too bad." "Well, the first eight years were okay." "How long were you married?" " Eight years and two months." "You know, Roger, I've had a lot of experience in this sort of thing... ..and what you're going through is fairly common." " Oh?" "Yeah you see, when someone runs into a problem... the immediate impulse is to just separate, you know." "But if you get back together, usually you can work it out." "Nuts?" "What I'm trying to say is, uh... if you want a marriage to work, you have to give it time and effort." "Uh, ah, Bob... could I talk to you in the kitchen for just a moment, please?" "Sure." "Excuse me." " Thank you." "Sure." " Here, munch." "What are you doing?" " What do you mean?" "What are you doing to Roger?" " Just talking." "Do you realize you're going to drive him back to his wife?" "Well, that's a decision Roger's gonna have to make." "I can't make it for him." "I mean, he has to get in touch with his feelings." " Oh." "He has to examine them and he has to feel whatever it is" "Bob!" "You are not at the office." "Punch out." "Roger is gonna do whatever he's gonna do regardless of what I tell him." "I mean, I didn't bring up the subject of Dolores." "If you wanna change the subject, go ahead." " Glad to." "Roger, time to eat." "Oh, terrific." "I'm ready." "Well, I hope you like spaghetti." "Oh, I love it." "I'm used to eating spaghetti twice a week." " Oh, good." "Yeah, Dolores is Italian, you know." "Emily, it was just great." " Oh, Roger." "Bob, I don't know how to thank you enough." "I mean, you've changed my life." "Listen, it was fun, Roger." "Well, good night." "Carol." "Carol." "I mean, what can we say?" "Carol, I just wanna say two things." "It was not my idea to go for a walk with Roger after dinner." "I can believe that." "And secondly, it was just a coincidence that when he came back here... he had decided to go back with his wife." "Now that's a little hard to believe." "I can see how you'd have trouble with that, yeah." "Bob, look, don't feel bad." "I knew I lost him at the spaghetti anyway." "Oh, Carol, maybe it's my fault." "I mean, maybe I shouldn't have served spaghetti." "Maybe I should have served something more neutral like Swiss steak." "All right, Bob, can I have a ride home?" "Being a good sport's wearing me out." "Carol, why don't you stay with us tonight?" "Oh, that's a good idea." "I can open the sofa bed in the den." "Hey, how about that?" "Now that's the second time in two weeks..." "I've had an invitation to live with somebody." "This one I'm taking." "What a great lunch." "I really wanna thank you guys for treating me." "Oh, we just wanted to show you there's no hard feelings, Carol." "Oh." " So, when's my next appointment?" "Oh, I think it's- Yeah, it's 1:30, Bob." "But, Carol, it's 2:00 now." "Guess we were having such a great time, we forgot to look at the time." "Who's it with?" "Mr. Peterson." "Mr. Peterson?" "Dr. Hartley, I've had it up to here with your being late." "This is the last time I'll stand for it." "That's wonderful, Mr. Peterson." "Did you hear yourself?" "You stood up for your rights and you bawled me out." " I did?" "Yes." " Oh, I'm sorry." "I didn't mean it." "It's all my fault."