"Love is a miracle." "It's like a birthmark." "You can't hide it." "When you see two people in love, somehow you feel a little bit of it yourself." "Somehow, Venice brings out the love in lovers." "People who might be a little shy back in America seem to lose their inhibitions here." "There's no age limit, either." "That man knows what love is." "Sure it's possible that he is thinking of bed." "But the feeling is more than just sexual." "You can tell by his eyes and hers." "That's love, too." "The feeling is the same in all of us." "It makes the blood rush, the heart beat faster, reason vanishes." "Passion reigns supreme." "You feel alive." "Espresso, to me, is the only real good coffee." "Of course, it has to be made properly or it's a bummer." "You need the best coffee, the best machine, and a good stomach." "It's a perfect way to start the day." "My name's Blume." "Stephen Blume." "I've got a tennis elbow." "I haven't played tennis in three months, so it must be psychosomatic." "Nina is blond." "She doesn't really look like her but she's the same type." "I'm in love with Nina." "That's my tragedy." "God, how I love her." "And that music isn't making it any easier." "To be in love with a woman who scorns you is a problem." "To be in love with a man who scorns you is a dilemma." "But to be in love with your ex-wife is a tragedy." "We were married for six years." "I was doing very well as a divorce lawyer in Beverly Hills, California." "It isn't very difficult to do well as a divorce lawyer in Beverly Hills, California." "Our waiting room is like a doctor's office." "Thank you." "You're welcome." "If I was Italian, he would have answered me in Italian." "Nina worked for the county welfare office in Venice." "Venice, California." "I don't think they have a welfare office here." "Frankly, I don't know if they need one." "The only welfare they need in Venice is for the water." "You know, Venice is sinking." "They say that in a few years the water's gonna destroy the city." "But they've been saying that for a thousand years." "It's a nice place to honeymoon but I wouldn't want to live here." "Okay, okay." "Just a second." "Wait right here." "You ready?" "The only other time I ever felt like this..." "Don't laugh." " When?" " The first time I ever had sex." " What would you like to have?" " Sex." "We spent a week in Venice." "Half the time in bed, half the time at the cafe." "We drank espresso and we made love." "We made love and we drank espresso." "And we fed the pigeons." "Then, our honeymoon was over." "And our marriage began." "Six years passed." "Excuse me." "Mrs. Greco, you'll have to take this over to the Bay Street office." "Again?" "Hey, where's the money?" "We'll have to have someone come out to your house to talk to you." "If your husband isn't home in a week or two, you'll start collecting it." "He's not coming home." "You take that over to the office on Bay Street and they'll give you some food stamps." "Okay." "Okay." "He's not coming home." "Here." "Stay together." "Do you have everything?" "Mr. Cole?" " Mr. Cole?" " Yes, ma'am." "Come with me, please." "Sit down, please." " Okay if I smoke?" " Yup." " You want assistance, Mr. Cole?" " Yes, ma'am." "You haven't been able to find a job in 14 months?" "Fourteen months in California." "Six-and-a-half years if you count Texas, New York and Tennessee." " You're a musician?" " Right." "Very hard to get work these days." "How hard have you tried, Mr. Cole?" "I go to the musician's union every week." "Read all the newspapers, The Hollywood Reporter." "There's no work." "You don't have a current address listed here." " Where do you live?" " In my truck." "I see." "It's good living quarters." "I got a mattress, bookshelves, table." "I even got a stove." " Are you married?" " No, ma'am." " Do you have any children to support?" " Not that I know of." "Any physical disabilities?" "It's kind of hard getting up in the morning." " I don't have time to play games, Mr. Cole." " I'm not playing games." "The State of California has to be very careful about who receives welfare." "There are needy people here and desperate people." "I'm needy and desperate." "Well, I'll have to send a social worker out to your truck." "Sure." "When?" "I have some paperwork to do and then I'll call you." "I got no phone in my truck." "Can I call you here?" "Yeah." "Yeah." "Call me in about a week." "You know, is there any chance of getting any food stamps before then?" "Here, try this." "It's snuff." "Really open you up." " No, thank you." " Imported from London." "You seem able to afford some expensive little items for a man who needs welfare, Mr. Cole." "I'll bet this job gets you down." "God bless you." "Excuse me." " Thank you, Gloria." " You're welcome." " Cream and sugar?" " That will be fine." "Both of them." "I'm very sorry that I flipped." "Oh, so you've been through a lot?" "Yeah, I wouldn't care..." "I really wouldn't care if we didn't have children." "Listen, I have to get some facts, Mrs. Cramer." "Does your husband know that you're seeing a lawyer?" "No..." "I don't know." "He's on his way to Peru." "A business trip?" "The girl is an airline stewardess for some South American airline." "I see." "I hope the plane crashes." "Oh, Mrs. Cramer, look, why don't we do this tomorrow?" "I'm sorry." "I'm sorry." "I didn't mean that." "I didn't mean that." "I don't want him to die." "Of course not." "But I want her to die." "Mrs. Cramer, we can just as leave do this tomorrow." "No, no, it's all right." "What is it you want to know?" "Well, just tell me what happened." " Well, it's all very simple." " Yeah." "My husband ran off with an airline stewardess." "A cockeyed airline stewardess." "Her name is Wanda Brophy." "From her pictures, she has an extraordinary body." "I don't know much about her mind." "I doubt if she has one." "She looks like the kind of girl who goes through 10 packs of bubble gum a day." " What does your husband do for a living?" " He's a psychiatrist." "He's going to need a lot of help when he gets back." "A lot of help." "Because I want the house, the children." "And I want the Jaguar, and I want the beach house, and I want all the money." " Yeah." " Am I being a son of a bitch?" "I just destroyed the inside of my nose." "Why, is everybody going crazy?" "What's happening?" "A pair of tits, I don't understand." "His practice and..." "Everything is wrecked for the children." "They go to college." " I want you to make him come back." " Mrs. Cramer." "I want him back!" "Girls like that should be in jail." "I don't understand why he did it." "You make him come back!" "Do you know what?" "It seems terrible now, but believe me there is a light at the end of the tunnel." "Men!" "Hello?" "Is anybody there?" " Hi." " Hi." "What are you doing home?" "My cold got worse so I took the rest of the day off." "I see." "Me, too." "I'll make some tea." "But I brought my work home with me." "Hi, Mrs. Blume." "She kicked me out." "No talk." "No arguing." "Out." "Six years thrown away because of one turn in bed." "And the next morning I was handling my own divorce." "I'm not here to bore you with my opinion, Stephen." "Good." "Nevertheless, I think it would be dishonest of me if I didn't tell you how I feel." "I think of you as I would a brother, not just a partner." "I regard you as a friend." "Both you and Nina have been like family to Karen and myself." "I know." "Karen is deeply distressed." "Deeply." "What did Nina say?" "She wants a divorce and she wants it now." "It's a fait accompli." "Why the hell did you do it, Stephen?" "Only a fool goes to bed with his own secretary." "Only a fool plays in his own backyard, so to speak." " I didn't plan it, Curt." " Oh, nonsense." "Not consciously, anyway." "You expect me to believe you took Gloria home just to take dictation?" " I don't care what you believe." " You took her home to get laid." "Oh, what do you want me..." "You want me to quit?" "No, I'm just trying to understand you, Stephen." "Curt." "Curt, it was there, that's all." "Everywhere you look, it's there." "I come near to getting killed in the car just from looking at the teenyboppers." "They stand there without brassieres just begging for it." "Oh, it's very depressing." "Very." "Do you know what you are to me?" "Do you, Stephen?" "Do you know what you are to me?" "This is not..." "Very sorry, I really am." "It's very hard for me." "Gloria, get me some hot tea, will you, please?" "About Gloria." " Yeah?" " She's gonna have to go." "Why?" "What did she do?" "What did she do?" "What do you think she did?" "She took your whoopie and whoopied it." "It's all so sick, messy and stupid." "It's known as divorce." " Do you want something, Mr. Hellman?" " No, I don't want anything, Miss Tracey." " Gloria?" " Yes." "Remind me to talk to you later, will you?" "Thanks." "We'll probably have trouble with the NAACP but she has to go." " Will you let me handle it my own way?" " Fine." "Do it today, please." "I shouldn't be smoking with this cold." " You're not gonna die." " Yeah." "I'm sorry you had to get involved with all this." "I'm a big girl." "I still feel married." "You'll get used to it." "I don't know if I want to." "You know, if I were her, I would've scratched my eyes out." "I would've fought for my man." "Gloria, there's something I have to tell you." " You're pregnant?" " No." "Christ, this is hard." "I told you I was a big girl." "You're fired." "You son of a bitch." "We are on our final approach to Las Vegas International Airport." "On behalf of the flight crew and..." "Hey, wait a second." " What do you want?" " I want to say goodbye." "So?" "Well, if you ever need anything..." "I don't need anything." " I'm sorry." " For who?" "Stephen?" " Stephen?" " Hi, Arlene." " Hello." " How are you?" " It's good to see you." " Nice to see you." "Dori Derfner, Stephen Blume." " Hi." " Hi." "Hi, how are you?" "I didn't know you were a gambler." "Nina and I came down for a divorce." " Whose?" " Ours." " Oh, my God." "When did this happen?" " Today." " I'm very sorry." " So am I." " Oh, what a drag." " Yeah." "I thought I was gonna be depressed." "When I left Saul, I was depressed for three-and-a-half years." "Nice steady depression." "Comfortable." "Get up in the morning, wait for it to hit me." "Some mornings it wasn't there." "That really panicked me." "But I found if I waited long enough, I'd get nice and depressed." "Now I'm getting depressed." "I like Nina a lot." "She's an extraordinary person." "She's the only girl I know of who doesn't have any real ego hang-ups." "Yeah." "She's very giving." "Are you sure she left you because of that girl?" " Of course." "Why?" " I don't know." "I'm just surprised." " I thought you had a perfect marriage." " We did." "I don't think she would have left you because of that, then." "Arlene, that's why she left me." " We used to talk about things like that." " We?" "You know Helen?" "Helen Gardener?" "Remember when her husband ran away with that hitchhiker?" "I handled that case." "Well, Nina said she would have taken him back." "Arlene helped me through a bad time." "We enjoyed sex but it wasn't love." "I kept thinking of Nina, of moments we had shared, the first time I met her." "I appreciate all the support you people been giving us." "And, maybe you know about it, after the march to Sacramento" "Schenley signed a contract with the farm workers which it was a great victory for the farm workers." "But also is a beginner." "So we appreciate you people keep on helping and supporting us because we really, the farm workers, we need you people and we need your support till the growers approve and give us decent wages and better living conditions." "I thank you and..." "We don't have the money or any appreciation to give, so we give..." "We're gonna talk..." "Sing to you our song." "This is the huelga song is De Colores." "I think I need a shower." " I think I need a drink." " Okay." " I'm Stephen Blume." " I know." " You know me?" " I'm a friend of Bob Sarrison's." "Yeah, I haven't seen Bob in a month, or maybe two months." "Well, he's in Europe." "I just got a card from him." " Where in Europe?" " Paris." "Lucky Bob." " I'm Nina Cashman." " Hi." "What would you like to drink?" " Gin and tonic, please." " Scotch on the rocks, please." "You got it." "Yeah, Bob Sarrison." "Did we ever meet?" "No." "It was at tennis somewhere." "You were playing and Bob said he knew you." "Thank you." "How come you asked him?" "I didn't ask him." "He just said, "That's Stephen Blume."" "You were playing and he decided to tell me, I guess." " Was he putting down my backhand?" " No." "He should have." "I have a terrible backhand." "I know." "Are we making banal conversation?" "I think so." " Who do you know here?" " The Vickermans." "Are you involved with the Delano thing?" "Not enough." "I picket some supermarkets and I give a little money." " Who are you here with?" " Jack Morrison." "There he is." " Is he your father?" " I told you my name was Cashman." "You're very attractive and I'm trying desperately to be witty." "You're failing." "Do you want to dance?" "Yeah." "But what about Jack?" " He doesn't like these dances." " Oh, probably bad for his heart." "Within a month, we were seeing each other every day." "We were in love, completely." "Should we get married?" " I think so." " Think?" "I don't know many people who stay married." "Neither do I." "But there seems to be only one way to find out." "We could live together for a while." "The trouble with living together is that you're always thinking when are you gonna stop living together and get married and really start living together." " You think that's funny?" " That's hysterical." " Did that make sense?" " Don't be so silly." " I'm just asking about sex here." " You're getting chicken all over me." "Just asking." "That's all." "Who have you lived with?" "You wouldn't know her." "Her name was Miranda." "When was that?" "My last year in school." "We lived together for almost a year." "Well, what happened?" "How did it end?" "Nothing really dramatic." "It just stopped being interesting." " There must have been something." " No." "She was an English major." "That's what ended it?" "Yeah, well as much as anything else, it was very nice." "And she was..." "She was very bright and very pretty." "We were going to change the world." "Stuff like that." "Sounds like us." "Listen, if you don't want to get married..." "My parents were married for 32 years." "They hated each other." "It was terrible." "Well, my parents really love each other." "They get it on." "I don't want to be negative." "I just..." "If we get married, I would like it to last a long time." "I want it to last forever." "I want children." " Now?" " No." "But soon, very soon." "I was divorced from Nina about two months when the craziness began." "Thank you." "I like this place." "It makes me think I'm in Europe." "I wish we could get a drink." "Why don't you order two carrot juices and I'll run and get us some vodka." "Good evening." "Welcome to H.E.L.P." " Good evening." "Thank you." " Hi." " We have two dinner specials this evening." " Yeah." "The first is Asparagus Savory and the second is Zen Stew." "Soup of the day is mushroom and barley." " I think we'll start with two carrot juices." " I don't want any." " One carrot juice." " Small, medium or large?" " Medium." "Arlene?" " I don't know." "What is in this Zen Stew?" "Zen Stew is a variety of garden vegetables." "There's nine in all." "There's green beans, peas, carrots, mushrooms, potatoes, onions, shallots, and it's in a heavy gravy." " I'll make up my mind in a little while." " Very well." "Hi." "My name is Elmo." " Hi, Nina." " Hello, Arlene." "Hi." "Let's just get on past the awkward place." "Right?" "There's no rule that says we have to feel stupid just 'cause we showed up in the same place." "This is a nice place to eat." "You're here, we're here." "We can live with it." "Okay?" " Okay." " There's nothing to it." "Did I say Nina was an old-fashioned girl?" " I'm jealous." " It's normal." "Maybe." "Look, what do you want me to do?" "I'm sorry." "I should feel sorry for myself but I feel sorry for you." "I hope you're not in love with me." "You're good in bed and you feed my neurosis, but, no, I am not in love with you." "You're a nice lady, Arlene." " Hello, Cora." " Good evening, Mr. Blume." "Thank you." "The first time I saw Saul with another woman I wanted to kill him." "Literally." "I was eating a tuna fish sandwich in a cafeteria and I saw him walk in with some girl." "I picked up a fork and I squeezed it." "Squeezed it." "It left a welt in my palm." "I saw Saul the other day and I couldn't imagine what all the fuss was about." "There was this chubby little man with white hair, ridiculous sideburns, wife two feet taller than himself and I said to myself, "Is this the guy I was so jealous about?"" "Be right back." "Hello?" "Hello?" "Hello?" " What's the matter?" " Nothing." " You look sick." " No, I'm fine." "Are you gonna take your socks off?" "I think I'm gonna be impotent." "Is there anything I can do?" "I feel defeated." "I mean, the thought of starting this in again is almost as depressing as losing Nina." "I mean, I know she's lost to me." "And I know what she does now is her business." "It's just seeing her with someone else, that's weird, I guess." "In any case, I'm here and I know there are no easy answers." "And I know I'm into a real dilemma." "I mean, it is real, isn't it?" "I mean, if every time my seeing Nina with another man makes me impotent..." "Well..." "Has it happened before?" "Twice." "One, at the restaurant." "And once I just heard about them together." "Arlene told me that she saw Nina with this Elmo at a swap meet thing." "You know, they have this swap meets and they trade off furniture and clothing on Sundays, they go to a parking lot." "Anyway, I just heard about them together and I couldn't have intercourse." "Do you think that the impotence is just a symptom of something else?" "Something deeper?" "I don't know." "That it's just a momentary thing, and that it's trying to tell me that I'm guilty about the thing with Gloria?" "Have you been to bed with anyone other than Arlene?" "What does that mean?" "No, she's the only one." "I see what you mean." "Are you telling me to go to bed with another woman?" "Oh, I wasn't telling you to do anything." "But sometime after people get divorced or separated, they go through a period of sport fucking." "Sport fucking?" " Is that..." " I wasn't suggesting anything." "Remember, I was just asking for information." " Hi." " Hi." "I'm Shirl Terry." "My husband and I like to welcome first-timers." "Great." "Great." "I'm Babbit." "Steven Babbit." " Steve?" " Yeah." " Are you alone, Steve?" " Right." "Well, have fun." " What's your pleasure?" " Scotch and water, please." " It's him." " Him, who?" "Him, the lawyer." " Where?" " There." " Shirl said you were alone." " Yeah." " Cindy Chase." " Steve Babbit." " Is this your first time?" " Yeah." "I'm a regular." " Would you like a drink?" " Oh, no, thanks." "Booze brings me down." "Do you swing?" "I just got divorced." "Oh." "Did you swing with your wife?" " No." " That's why you got divorced." "I'm really sorry." "Forget it." "It's not at all unusual." "I'm still hung up on my wife, I guess." "Listen, before I started swinging, I was completely screwed up sexually." "Going to bed was like getting a tooth pulled." "Our entire society is screwed up sexually." "But one of these days, everybody will be swinging and everybody will be happy." "You think swinging will end war?" "Who are you calling?" "Oh, this couple I know." "Ed and Annie Goober." "We can have a foursome." "I don't know." "They have the best grass and the craziest sense of humor." "Annie will really freak you out." "And I love getting it on with Ed." "Well, why don't we give it another try, just you and me?" "Okay." "But let's try it with the television set on." "Do you remember what was on the news that night?" "All I remember is the usual war stuff." "Vietnam, Middle East, Northern Ireland." "What, you think there's some significance?" "You think there's some connection between war and sex?" "Well, what do you think?" "All I know is I came three times in one night and I'm still depressed." "That's all I know." "Front guard over to James McMillian." "Out to West, low pass." "Front guard pass from West to Hairston." "He's gonna shoot a 70-footer." "It'll be way short." "It is." "Air ball taken by Chet Walker." "Walker to Van Lier." "Van Lier, number two on his white uniform, out of the back court." "Left to right, across your dial." "Guarded by Jerry West." "Out in front to White, who hurts the Lakers." "The high post Clifford Ray..." "Up yours, Jack!" "He hit all nine shots in the first half and 13 out 15 for the game." "I guess more than Sunday night." "Two to two." "Jeff Walker from Bradley University, 11th year." "Giving the ball to Ray, back to Walker." "10 foot on the lane." "He missed an easy shot." "Boy, they had the shot..." " What do you want?" " I wrote you a letter." " Mail it." " Read it." " I don't want to read it." " Please." " Read it later." " Oh, I don't like you." "He's crazy." "I have to go to work." "I'll see you later." " Hey, hey." " Let go of me, Blume!" " Bastard!" " I don't know what you want, Blume," " but Elmo is very strong." " What is this Blume, shit?" "I don't want to see you and I don't want any trouble." " Now you leave me alone." " Just read the fucking letter." "Read it." "A lot of emotion gets you kind of weary." "I'm not weary." "I am." "Want a cigarette?" " I got my own." " What do you do now?" "Go to your office?" " Why?" " I don't know." " What do you do now?" " Go home and roll a joint." "Are you in love with Nina?" "What does that mean?" " Do you love her?" " She makes me feel good." "I make her feel good." "Is that love?" " Does she smoke a lot of grass?" " What's a lot?" " You're some cute guy." " You ain't no day at the beach." "I got to know what I'm doing when I get up in the morning." "I always know what I'm doing when I get up in the morning." "Go to the bathroom, roll me a skinny and have a cup of Yuban, black with lots of sugar." "So, you're a total dropout." "Yup, and it's hard work, too." "This is good grass." "It's Vietnam's finest." "You hungry?" "I could eat something." "I read where they give the boys an extra cash bonus to extend their tour in Vietnam" "and then they go out and buy grass with the bonus." "Them boys got all the luck." " Were you in the army?" " The hell I were." "They wouldn't take me." "I got a record." " You were in jail?" " About a year." "What for?" " Found two joints in my car." " Oh." " When was this?" " Eight years ago." "In Franklin, Tennessee." "Cop stopped me for a busted taillight." "You want some of this?" "And he could tell I was a musician." "He saw all the stuff in the back, you know, so he searched the car." " That's illegal." " Not in Franklin, it ain't." "He found the grass and they sent me up for a year." "Me and Louis Herman." "He played drums." " Was he in the car?" " Yeah." "Was it bad?" "That's a stupid question." "Louis killed himself in jail." "Hung himself." "Some stud raped him." "Louis never got over it." "I'm sorry." "You want some ice cream?" "This tastes like bait." " What is this?" " Hi, Nina." "Hey, hop in." " Get out of my car." " I paid for it." "You can both get out." "The man left his car in front of the house." "Let's drive him home." "You're both schmucks." "Let me drive." " Okay, I'll get in the back." " Good idea." "Hey, that's the way." "You're really light on your feet." "Now isn't this fun?" "Is it raining?" "Smoking is bad for you." "Oh, are we gonna get arrested?" "Did you read my letter?" "It's science fiction." " Can I read it?" " Sure." " This is beautiful." " Thank you." "I want you to move out." " Let me finish the letter." " Tonight." "It's my fault." "Don't take it out on Elmo." " You're very sick, Blume." " There you go with that Blume stuff again." "If you're gonna break up every relationship I have," "I'm gonna have to get a court order against you." "I'm sorry." "I'm really sorry." "The man's in love." "Why don't the two of you get married?" "I promise." "I will never bother you again." "I promise." "I promise." "I hope so." "But promise me that you won't kick Elmo out." "He's had a very hard life." "Did you tell her that stuff?" "Did you..." "Did you tell her the good stuff?" "Are you just telling her the other stuff?" "Did you tell her?" "I didn't understand anything the same way anymore." "I still loved Nina but I liked Elmo, too." "I was very confused." "I was ambivalent about everything." "I still saw Arlene." "But it was just sex." "She didn't seem to mind." "I started going to the shrink three times a week." " I'll see you on Thursday." " See you on Thursday." "Hello." "You having problems?" "I don't think you should have scheduled me right after him." "You canceled your regular appointment, it's the only other time I had." " I'm not embarrassed." " We'll discuss it on Thursday." "Okay." "Sorry if I caused you some pain." "Sexually, I feel fine." "I think the whole trouble was the diaphragm." "I think there was..." "Just couldn't get used to it at first." "I really like him." "Elmo." "I always call him "him," don't I?" "But I don't think it'll last." "I feel better about Blume." "I think it's really over now." "I just wish I could get over the anger I feel every time I see him." "Well, you have a right to be angry at him." "You know, I may be paranoid, but I think I hear him at the door." " You think he's listening?" " Yeah." "I have the feeling that he's out there listening." "Would you like to go and check?" " Yeah." " Why don't you?" " I'm sorry, Arlene." " For what?" "That was terrific." "I don't feel that I'm being honest with you." "I like you." "I really do." " I know we have this understanding." " You're in love with Nina." " Right." " I know." "I told you, it doesn't bother me." " Does it bother you that I'm using you?" " Does it bother you that I'm using you?" "Arlene, it's not the same thing." "You don't think of Saul when we make love." "You're making me nauseous." "Well, I think of Nina when we make love." " All the time?" " No, not all the time." "I have other thoughts going through my mind sometimes, too." " But some of the time..." " This time?" "Tonight?" "The whole time?" " The whole time?" " Part of the time." "I'm sorry, Arlene." "I'm crazy, I guess." "I'm obsessed." "I don't know what the hell to do." " You know what I'm thinking?" " Yeah." "No, you don't." "I'm thinking, in spite of everything that you just said, now, I'm willing to go on the same way." "What a terrible thing to know about yourself." "In spite of the fact that you see Nina when we make love," "I'm willing." "Willing." "I want to go on." "I promise." " I promise, I won't see her this time." " Okay." "But I did." "On the one hand, I wasn't really using Arlene." "But on the other hand, who was I kidding?" "Being with one woman and constantly thinking of another is using." "I thought of Nina." "I remembered our second honeymoon." " I want to adopt a baby." " Okay." "I think the first thing I'll do, when we go back to the States, is call an agency." "I feel good about it." " The only thing I'm not sure of..." " Yeah?" "...is what kind of baby?" " As long as it's healthy." " What if it's black?" "Well, I don't think it's fair to the kid." " Brown?" " I don't know." "Yellow?" "Nina, we can't save the world by adopting a black kid." "But you have to admit we're living a complete lie if we're afraid to do something like that." "Just be sure you're not trying to be hip." "Go fuck yourself." "You adopt a child to make it happy." "We never adopted a child." "Now and then we talked about it but I think we were afraid." "I kept thinking that that was what screwed up our marriage." "Time passed." "I started to grow a beard." " I'm sorry." " Oh, don't apologize." "Nothing makes me happier than not going through with a divorce." " Well, thank you so much." " My pleasure." "I can't tell you how I appreciate everything you've done." "Oh, listen, you send a bill to the house." "Jerry knows that I saw a lawyer." "Mrs. Cramer, there's no charge." "What are you talking about?" "I took up your time, I insist." " It's our policy." " Well, all right." "Tell me, do you think I'm a fool for taking Jerry back like this?" "No, no, no." " Do other women do what I'm doing?" " It happens all the time, Mrs. Cramer." " It does?" " Sure." "Good luck." " Oh, good luck to you." " Okay." "Oh, thank you." " I feel like a load is off my mind." " I'll bet." " Okay." "Bye-bye." " Bye!" "Louise, you want to destroy the notes on the Cramer case?" "I'll be with you in just a minute, Mrs. Ackleby." " Would you get me a cup of coffee?" " Yes, Mr. Blume." "Why could some women accept it and others not?" "Was my marriage falling apart before Gloria?" "I'd like you to sit with your eyes closed and let your spine be straight." "Also your shoulders relaxed." "And also relax your jaw so that you don't have any tension in your face." "And now, bring your awareness or your attention to the rhythm of your breath." "The in breath and the out breath." "Don't try to force it." "In and out." "And let the space between your eyes be relaxed." "No tension." "Just follow the breath." "In and out." "And stop the thinking which is about reality" "but not reality." " You want some tea?" " I'll make it." "I'll have the Yoga Herb tea." "That's not funny." "Are you angry?" "I don't like when you play games." " You were laughing at those people." " Well, it was funny." "Did you see that fat chick?" "She almost fell over." "Well, why do you go if you think it's so funny?" "Because you go." "Because I'm curious." " Well, stay home next time." " What?" " Stay home next time." " You're going again?" " It makes me feel good." " Oh." "Why don't we get into another encounter group?" "I don't want to." " Are you afraid?" " No, I just don't want to." "Curt told me that he and Karen are going to Esalen for a weekend." " Really?" " Probably finish the marriage." "I don't think Karen will last more than half an hour." "Now I'm doing it." "She probably won't last more than half an hour." "We're always putting people down." "No, we're not, Nina." "I don't know." "We have everything anybody could possibly want and we're both miserable." "I'm not miserable." "Are you happy?" "I'm just not miserable." "What more can anybody ask for?" "What's the matter?" "I don't know." "Maybe you should go back to the shrink." "A woman came into my office today to talk to me about her son." "He's a junkie." "She's already on welfare and she wants more money." "Do you know why?" " So the son can buy dope?" " It's getting very depressing there." "Let's go to Venice." "Let's go to bed." "Hey, how about if we gave that woman some money?" "We're not committed." "What the hell do you want me to do?" "You want me to quit the job and go to work for the Communist Party?" "I don't need a guilt trip about money on top of everything else." "What does that mean?" " It means I do the best I fucking can." " No, you don't and neither do I." "I do my job." "I give to the right charities." "I help the poor whenever I can." "I eat, I sleep, I worry." "We're both full of shit, just like the rest of America." "What has all this got to do with meditating?" "I don't know." "Do you love me?" " Yup." " Yeah?" "You're my cubby bear." "She's the only woman I will ever love, ever." "I will die if I don't get her back." "I do not want to die." "Therefore, I will have to get her back." "Hello!" "Bagels!" "Hello!" "Good morning." " What do you want?" " I brought bagels and lox." " Come on, Blume." " I came to see Elmo." "I like Elmo." "I asked you, in a nice way, not to bother me." "Well, it's like this." "See, you're in this place and I'm in this place." "And we're both in this place and let's not be stupid." "I like Elmo and Elmo likes me." "I thought I told you to quit bugging my old lady." " How's my man?" " Nothing to it." "You look like a freak." "Hey, can I come in?" "Why don't I feel hostile today?" "I think it's 'cause we have a wonderful head doctor." "What's crazy is how it all changes just when you think it'll never change." "I was positive it was gonna be the way it was forever." "I'm not being very clear, am I?" " How's Arlene?" " She's fine." "I thought that I was gonna be crazy forever." "I thought I was having a nervous breakdown." "I'm sorry I did what I did." "Whatever." "But..." "I'll never bother you again." "I just hope that we can be friends, that's all." " You hated me, didn't you?" " Yeah." "You hate me now?" "I don't have time for that." "This is nice." "I was lying." "It was terrible." "But maybe I was back in business." "Crass?" "Yes." "But desperation sometimes calls for crass measures." "Morning star, what's going on with your land up north there?" "I deeded the place to God." "It's really not mine anymore." "Now the curious thing is that you find yourself in the chorus trying to defend God's qualification..." "Could you give me a lift?" "I got to get out of here." "I can't breathe." "I've been here three days and I've got a rash all over." "I'm gonna get a drink." "Excuse me." "You should come to Hawaii." " Yeah?" " Yeah." "I mean, I'm originally from here but I'm from Hawaii now." "My old man is down in La Jolla opening a juice bar, and when he gets back we're going to split to New York and Europe and Morocco and then we're gonna go live in Hawaii where you can breathe." "Yeah." "I think LA is the center of the universe." " But, you know..." " Excuse me." "...there's so much garbage here they'll have to push it out of the way so people can breathe." "Okay." "He's omniscient, he's omnipotent, he's omnipresent, he's the creator of the universe, but he can't own land in California." "What would be the benefits of deeding your land to God?" "Oh, there's a lot." "Are you talking about being tax-free or other benefits?" "Tax-free would be part of it, sure." "God owned land in Turkey in 1925." "He owned 75% of the arable land." " Elmo." " Hey, Arlene." " Hi." " Hey, Elmo." " How's my man doing?" " Nothing to it." "How are you doing?" "Where's Nina?" "She's in there getting it on with some dude, dancing, boogalooing." " There you go." " Yes." "That is a nice looking dress." "Forget about him." " Where are you going?" " Well, anywhere." "I mean, I just got to get out of here." " I'm going to Berkeley." " Oh, okay." " Do you want to go there?" " Sure." " Are you Mr. Blume?" " Yeah." "I hardly recognized you with your beard." "I'm Bobby Phillips." "Remember me?" " Sorry, I can't say as I do." " You know my father, Conrad." "Oh, yeah." "Yeah, Connie Phillips." "Sure." "Sure." "Yeah." " How's your father?" " He sort of flipped out." "Not really flipped out." "He's living in a commune in Oregon." " His hair is down to here." " Is he all right?" "Yeah." "He had a lot of acid but he's okay." "I hope so." "I have to send him some bread now and then, but otherwise he's fine." " Well, listen, send him my love." " Yeah." " See you later, Mr. Blume." " All right." "They're only in Super 8." "She doesn't have much money." " I'd like to see them." " She made one." "It only runs about five minutes." "It's called Bread." " Bread, money?" " No." "Bread, bread." "She baked a loaf of bread, filmed it, then she shows what happens to the loaf of bread from start to finish." "It's very funny." " Hi." " Hi." "This is Lulu." "This is Stephen Blume." " Hello." " Hello." " Don't I know you?" " He's my ex-husband." "I got a couple of exes wandering around here somewhere." " This is Lulu's shop." " Oh, this is a nice place." "Where's Arlene?" "Oh, she's out there with Elmo." "Wanna dance?" "Okay." "Excuse me." "Do you have Jean's number?" "I'd really like to see those films." "Yeah, I have it in the back." "See you later." "Hello." "Remember me?" "Cindy." "Oh, sure, sure." "Yeah." "What are you doing here?" "Well, Ed deals in antiques." "Oh, Steve Babbit, this is Ed and Annie Goober." " They're the couple I told you about." " Right." " Far out party." " Why don't we get out of here?" "Do you wanna go?" "Well, I really can't." "I'm here with a date." "Five is okay." " I think maybe some other time." " Okay." " Bye." " Bye." "So long." "Thank you very much." "I began to see more and more of Elmo and Nina." "Nina had changed." "She was happier, freer, more her own person." "She accepted my presence without making me feel like an intruder." "All I know is that everyone who goes there comes back." "I miss the way of life." "It's just nice to have a café to sit at, you know." "Just watch the people." "You don't see people here." "If your head is good here, it's good there." "If your head is not good here, it's not good anywhere." "I don't agree." "We live in a community, or what's supposed to be a community, and we're affected by it." "And if everybody you know spends his life watching television and bullshitting about how bad the air is, you find yourself doing the same thing." "I'd like to go to Morocco." " I've never been there." " Me, neither." "The best place..." "The best place I ever lived was Brownsville, Texas." "We got it together there, man." "That was when I was a kid." "Jeez, we had a porch, we had a big yard all the way around the house." "We had trees, a goat." "We had a goat." "Fucking goat was beautiful, man." "His name was Chester." "Chester the goat." "Named him after my Uncle Chester who grew grapefruits." "Chester the uncle." "But in the evening, man," "about 6:00 or whenever it's going down, the sun is, we would sit around on that porch." "And it was such a together scene." "Old folks'd be rocking and nobody'd be talking." "Nobody." "And you watch it getting darker and the lightning bugs are coming out." "They got no lightning bugs out here, which I sorely miss." "I love lightning bugs." "Look at your old lady, she's a folk singer." "I'm taking over her job at the welfare office." "And she's gonna do all my gigs from now on." " You do it." " No, come on." " I didn't mean..." " No, you do it." "We'll get it together, then we'll go on the road, Nina and the Fools." "What?" "Rocking." "Something about..." " Was it me?" " That was your line." "That's the heaviest line." "Madness." "How the hell can she accept me and not feel something?" "Before she stopped, what'd she say to you about me?" "Stephen, you know I won't answer that kind of a question." "I'm gonna wonder why you ask." "Maybe I should quit, too." "Well, what are your feelings about that?" "I don't know." "I want to." "I'm not sure." "Well, let's finish out the month and see how it goes." "You know sometimes I think this is a waste of time." " That it doesn't really do any good." " Sometimes it doesn't." " Then why do you do this?" " Sometimes it does." "And until we find something better, what else is there to do?" " Who is it?" " Stephen Blume." " Elmo isn't here." " Oh, I should have called." " Where'd he go?" " He went to the movies." " Can I come in?" " I'm practicing my guitar." "Where's the Scotch?" "In the kitchen, over the sink." " You want one?" " No." "You're getting good." "So, what's new?" " What do you mean?" " How's the job?" "The State's cutting down on some of our funding." "Some of our programs may be zilch." "Has the devaluation affected things?" "Same mess." " What movie did Elmo go to see?" " Gone with the Wind." "You mean he hasn't seen it?" "He has seen it 11 times." "He says he knows it's good, that's why he goes to see it over and over." "You know, I think I like Elmo as much as any man I've ever known." " He's a card." " Do you love him?" "Yes." "Sometimes." " Sometimes I love him a lot." " When don't you love him?" "When he runs out of dope, he can be crazy." "And when he's selfish." "I didn't think Elmo could be selfish." "I don't know anyone who isn't selfish sometimes." "Norman Mailer." "The Pope." " The Pope's not selfish." " No, he isn't selfish." " He's just misunderstood." " Like me." " Oh, you are not misunderstood." " No?" " You are perfectly clear." " Am I?" "I see right through you, Blume." "What do you see, kid?" "I see a man who is trying to worm his way back into my good graces." "And who, parenthetically, will not ever really succeed." "Then why do you permit me to be here, my little chickadee?" "If I knew why I did all the things I did," "I would have saved $30,000 at the analyst." "You mean, I would have saved $30,000." "I want to be free and open and clear about all my relationships." "I don't want to have hatred for anyone if I can help it." "I want to be my own person." "You're part of my past, Blume." "No." "No, no." "You're part of my present, too." "So we were married and we got divorced and you're here now." "And I don't hate you anymore." "And I don't love you anymore." "And I feel good about myself." " You want to hear how I feel?" " No, not particularly." "I think I'm gonna have another drink." "You want one?" "Scotch and water." "When I come back, I'll tell you how I feel." "Of course, I'm still in love with you." "That you know so there's no point in going over that." "Just let me say that I love you now in a way that is completely different from the way that I loved you before." "Maybe it's because you're not mine anymore." "Not that you were really mine." "I mean, you didn't belong to me." "I guess, in a way, you did." "That's what was wrong." "It was wrong." "You shouldn't have belonged to me." "Of course, it wasn't just my fault." "I mean, you must have wanted to belong to someone or else you would've done something about it." "You know, all the chicks..." "All the chicks who claim we made them slaves have been digging the slave trip." "Now they're waking up and it's a good thing." "I guess." "So, anyway, my little chickadee, I love you." "Totally, completely, every second, every day." "When I fuck Arlene, I see you." "Oh, yeah, always." "You come in loud and clear." "Arlene knows about it and has come to accept it as a way of life." "Arlene's a slave." "She says she can't help it." "She feels sorry for herself." "I feel sorry for her, but that's the way it is." "Do you ever see me when you're with Elmo?" "Never." "Funny I couldn't bring myself to say "fuck" about you and Elmo." "You don't really do it, do you?" "Don't answer." "So, the real question is, am I going to bed with you tonight?" " Go home, Blume." " This is my home." "Please." "You have nothing to be afraid of." "You're not a slave." "The only thing to fear is fear itself." "I want to kiss you." "No." "What difference does it make?" "If you don't love me anyway, what difference does it make?" "It's just one kiss." " The difference is I don't want to." " Oh, yes, you do." "Or you wouldn't have me over here in the first place." "I knew you were a tricky bastard." "I love you so much my heart is breaking." " Please go home." " Just one kiss." " Now I want it all." " Don't be crazy, Blume." "There's the rub." "I am crazy." "Get the fuck out of my house!" " It's my house!" " I love you." "God, I love you." "I love you." "I'm a statue!" "Oh, your skin is like velvet." " You're a sick man, Blume." " It has to be, baby." "It has to be." "You don't know how much I love you." "Oh, this is good." "Do you know how much I love you?" "Y'all sure missed a good movie." "He raped me." "That the truth?" "You know, I've been polite for a week, Stephen." " Yeah." " Now I get personal." "What happened to your face?" "If I tell you the truth, does a lecture go with it?" "What happened?" "I raped my ex-wife and her boyfriend beat me up." " You've become a very sick man, Stephen." " I know, Curt." "I know." " Maybe you should take a vacation." " No, no, I need my work." " Maybe I should take a vacation." " Why, what's the matter?" "Karen and I have been picking at each other." " Is it serious?" " I don't know." "I don't think so." "I think Karen's just a victim of too much exposure to a sick society." "You want to talk about it?" "I was brushing my teeth the other night, getting ready for bed, when I smelled something burning." "I went into the bedroom." "It was Karen, smoking pot." "That's not so serious." "I will not have my wife smoking pot in my house." "Curt." "Curt, I don't think you've got much of a problem." "We'll talk about it later?" " Oh, hi, Mrs. Cramer." " I have to see you right away." " What's the matter?" " He did it again." "Jerry." "He ran off with another airline stewardess." "Oh, I'm so sorry." "Listen, I've got some calls to make." "But if you just take a seat I'll be right with you." "Okay?" "Several weeks passed." "My bruises healed, but my heart was broken." "Even Arlene couldn't help." " What you got to read?" " I don't know." "Have you read the new Updike?" "This place looks like a used car lot." "I don't wanna read." "I think I'll go." "Arlene, go home." "Find yourself a good man." "You really do love her, don't you?" "And you really feel sorry for yourself, don't you?" "Goodbye, Blume." "Why do they always call me Blume when they get pissed off?" "Arlene." "I didn't use you." "We used each other." "And it was fun." " See you in the morning, Mr. Blume." " Good night, Louise." " How are you doing?" " The old lady is pregnant." "How can she be pregnant?" "Well, some guy held her down and knocked her up." "You got a baby cooking in the oven." "Don't mind if I do." "How do you know it's mine?" "Because only Catholics and rapists don't use birth control." " Is she gonna have the baby?" " She can't wait." "Does she know you're here?" "No." "It's okay, I'll tell her." " I'm shaking." " I'm splitting." " Finish your drink." " I'm splitting to LA." " Why?" "What about Nina?" " She knows." "I just don't see, you know, Nina and a kid living in a truck." " Thanks for the whiskey." " Oh, yeah." "Yeah." "Hey." "Does she have a belly yet?" "If you put your head down there and listen, you can make something out." "Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Blume." "I thought you were gone." "Oh, no." "No." "That's all right." "Come on in." "Come on in." "Hey, Carl, I'm gonna be a father." " Oh, that's wonderful." " Yeah." " Congratulations." "Congratulations." " Thanks a lot." "Thanks a lot." "Hey," " what's she gonna do if you go?" " It's time to split." "What's gonna happen?" "I'm going north to see what evil lurks in the heart of man." "You go see your old lady." "She's your old lady." "So long, partner." "I'll send you a postcard." " Hey, why are you going?" " It's time to split." " How will you live?" " Nothing to it." "What's up, Blume?" "I think I came on the wrong day." "The baby is due October the 19th and it is definitely yours." " I know." " So, what do you want?" " How are you?" " I feel good." "Yeah?" " I'd like to support the baby." " No." " Let me at least pay for the doctor's bill." " No." "See you later, Blume." "Mrs. Rosella." "Yes, sir." "They will have a nice concert today." "Thank you." "Right away, sir." "I started to drive to the house to see her several times, but I felt it would blow things." "So I wrote her letters, love letters." ""If you're a boy, kid, better learn to respect women." ""And if you're a girl, kid, I'm gonna teach you to respect yourself."" "Good night, kid." "What do you want?" "I wanted to see how the baby was getting along." "And I don't believe you." " I wanted to see you." " Why didn't you say so?" "I'm not feeling too confident around you anymore." "I've been wanting to talk to you anyway." "You high?" "I think you have a right to be in on the kid's name." "I never thought of that." "I like Molly for a girl and Chester for a boy." " Chester?" " After Elmo's uncle." "I like it." "I like Molly, but I don't know about Chester." " Would you prefer Elmo?" " It wouldn't bother me." "You better go." "You're remarkable." "No, I'm not." " Where are we?" " Nowhere." " Not even in limbo?" " We're where we are." "Good night." "Good night." "I didn't see her again for a month." "I called her once to say Chester was okay." "I was just waiting for something to happen but I didn't know what." " Mr. Blume?" " Yes, Louise." "Your wife wants to see you." " My wife?" " Yes." " Is that what she said?" "Wife?" " No, no." "She just said, "Tell Mr. Blume that Nina Blume's here to see him."" "Oh, she's not my wife, Louise." "She's my ex-wife." "I see." "You write a lot of letters." "I'm in love." "I'm beginning to believe you." "I still think about you." "You talk, Blume." "What should we do?" "I'm beginning to want to see you again." "I'm not sure why but that's how it is." "Maybe we shouldn't have ended it the way we did." "I did." "I don't know." "But I still think about you." "Sometimes I don't want to but I do." "Elmo knew about it." "He said you were part of my memory bank." " Why don't you go away for a little while?" " I want to be here when the baby's born." "You will." "Just for a little while to give me sometime to think without any pressure." " You know what I mean?" " I do know what you mean." "Okay." "I'll talk to you in a couple of weeks." "Okay." "Hiya, Blume." "Hiya, Blume." " Let's get married." " I don't want to get married." " That'll make the kid a bastard." " There's no such thing." "It's nice to see you with your wife, signore." "She's not my wife." "She is the mother of my child." "What would you like to have?" " I don't understand." " Oh, come on, you understand." "My wife's having a baby." "Where is the hospital?" "Hospital?" "It's over there, sir." "San Giovanni e Paolo." "I'm not your wife, Blume." "English"