"There was no one like Hal." "He met me at a party and swept me off my feet." ""Blue Moon" was playing." "You know "Blue Moon?" Sure." "I still remember that." "And one more year and I would have graduated." "But I quit BU to marry him." "I mean, what was I learning at school anyway?" "I mean, can u picture me as an anthropologist?" "Is that a joke?" "The sex was always great." "Well, he was nine years older than me." "He'd already made and lost a fortune." "But then he made it back, and more." "I mean, much more." "God, he was dynamic." "Taught me everything I know about real lovemaking, not that I care to get too graphic." "Believe me when I tell u." "They tried six medications on me." "Cocktails, they call them." "The only cocktail that helped was a Stoli martini." "I never trusted doctors." "Doctors put both my parents in early graves." "I have never been to San Francisco." "And Hal and I traveled everywhere." "I hear it's beautiful." "I'll be staying with my sister, Ginger." "She's divorced." "Biologically, she's not my sister." "She's adopted." "We're both adopted." "I couldn't stand her ex-husband." "He used to hit her." "That's mine." "The Vuitton." "My plan is to start a new life out here." "Hm." "Put everything behind me and start fresh." "Go West." "Was it Horace Greeley who said that? "Go West."" "Oh, there's my family." "It was really nice talking to u." "Oh, I'll call u, maybe for lunch." "I don't have ur number." "Who's that woman u were talking to?" "I was sitting next to her on the plane." "She was talking to herself." "I thought she said something to me." "I said, "What?"" "But she couldn't stop babbling about her life." "Where-?" "Where am I exactly?" "You said 305 South Van Ness." "Can u wait, help me with my bags?" "Sure." "Where she is?" "She expected me." "The plane was on time." "Yes, I'mI'm You all right?" "I'm fine." "I just sometimes get where I can't take a deep breath and when I can, it makes me panic and it makes it even worse." "Okay." "Could I have some privacy?" "Sure, sure." "Hello, Ginger?" "Yes, I'm here." "I'm right in front of the place." "It is 305?" "Ugh." "Well, how long?" "What?" "Where is it?" "No, no, I see it." "Okay." "Oh, okay." "JustWould u please hurry?" "My sister left the keys in the bar." "Can u wait?" "Sure." "Is that it?" "Thank u." "Oh, thank u." "Have a great day, all right?" "Bye-bye." "So, what do u think?" "I love it." "Make sure the fireplaces work." "I don't like when they're for show." "It's so light and airy and the ceilings are so high." "How can anyone breathe with a low ceiling?" "The view." "You wanted Fifth Avenue." "Central Park." "Superb." "Oh, this space is perfect." "We hardly have to do a thing." "You shouldn't spoil me so." "Well, why not?" "Who else am I gonna spoil?" "Did I tell u my news?" "What?" "Danny is gonna be living with us." "Oh, honey." "Oh, that's great news." "I worked it out with his mom, her lawyers." "Oh, he'll be so much happier when he's with us full-time." "Happy birthday, Danny." "Kids at school say we're really rich and that u give money to charity." "Sure I do." "You gotta remember as u go through life to share what u earn with the less fortunate." "Not everyone is as lucky as we are." "Domingo?" "Yes, ma'am." "Another bottle of the Margaux." "Sure." "Excuse me." "It would look perfect." "Wouldn't wash me out?" "No, not at all." "Not the way he" "Oh, isn't he sweet?" "This song was playing when Hal and I first met." "I fell in love with the name Jasmine." "Oh, so romantic." "I changed it." "Yeah, Jeanette had no panache." "This song was playing when we first met." "You know it?" "Yeah, we met at a party at Martha's Vineyard." ""Blue Moon."" "Come on, boys." "Okay, let's go, Augie." "I gotta get home." "Someone's waiting." "We helped Dad move the furniture today." "Oh, really?" "That's ur idea of taking the boys?" "Letting them help u lug somebody's furniture upstairs?" "They loved it." "Great exercise." "Yeah?" "TheyWe ate franks and beans." "Yeah." "Relax." "Let's go, Johnny, come on." "Come on." "Let's go." "Come on." "What's the rush?" "What's the rush, Ginger?" "You got a date?" "It's none of ur business." "It happens to be Jeanette, so..." "Jeanette?" "Jasmine?" "What is she doing in town?" "She's living with me till she gets back on her feet." "She's had a bad time." "Yeah." "Uh-huh." "When she had money, she wanted nothing to do with u." "Now that she's broke, she's moving in." "She's not just broke." "She's screwed up." "And it's none of ur damn business." "She's family." "She stole our money." "Okay." "Understand?" "We could have been set." "That was our whole chance in life." "For the last time, Augie, he was the crook, not her, okay?" "What the hell did she know about finance?" "Bullshit." "Don't stand there and tell me that." "She's married to a guy for years, up to his ass in phony real estate and bank fraud." "She knew nothing about it?" "Believe me, she knew, Ginger." "Okay?" "She knew." "But when all those diamonds and minks were flying in, she just looked the other way." "I don't think so, Augie." "You said it." "You said to me, "She's a phony and had to know."" "Jasmine, ur country house is so beautiful." "See?" "I'm sorry, but we need an answer on this." "I told u, u change the name of the corporation." "Operate under Global Innovations." "I don't know if we can." "I think we can, actually." "Pay out of the accounts in Amsterdam." "Amsterdam." "Whenever I hear them, they're one step ahead of the Justice Department." "Just hope ur house is not bugged." "Ha, ha, ha." "Oh, I never pay attention to Hal's business affairs." "I have no head for that sort of thing." "We transfer to the old corporation?" "We could." "Perfectly legal." "It would be a mistake under that name." "Definitely get in trouble for that." "Just don't file a joint tax return." "Ha, ha, ha." "Don't say that." "I sign anything." "I'm very trusting." "Famous last words." "It's called looking the other way." "Jasmine." "Oh, my God." "Oh." "Look at u." "Look at u." "Oh, I am so sorry for the wait." "Sorry, I think I'm in Paris." "It's okay." "No, it's fine." "Augie's day with the boys." "Well, no wonder u're late." "Hello." "Matthew, is it?" "Yeah." "Boys, say hello." "I told u about her, remember?" "Hi, I'm Jasmine." "Shake hands." "Okay, go play." "They're big." "I know." "I'm getting it first." "Quiet, u two." "Well, they're loud." "Stop running around." "Christ, this kid's gotWhat the hell is it?" "ADD?" "Yeah." "Your place is homey." "Are u kidding me?" "No, I mean, it's got a veryWell, it's casual charm." "God, knock it off, Jasmine." "I need to stay here for a while." "No, I do." "I'm out of cash." "Okay." "Couldn't pay my rent in Brooklyn." "Can u believe" "I had to move out of my home, take a place in Brooklyn?" "But I'm dead broke." "Really, the government took everything." "And the lawyers." "And I can't be alone, Ginger." "I really get some bad thoughts when I'm alone." "Well, u know, all I can say is, u look great." "Oh." "Now who's lying?" "You do." "You know, I was up all last night." "I was so anxious about moving here." "Yeah?" "I wasn't sure how angry u still were." "Oh, well..." "Another drink?" "We're celebrating." "Of course, yeah." "Oh, the flight was bumpy." "Uh-huh." "I didn't eat anything on the plane." "Oh, the food was awful." "Here it is." "I mean, u'd think first class, right?" "You flew first class?" "I don't know how anyone puts up with those airlines." "Isn't first class a fortune?" "Yes, I was quite shocked." "I thought u were tapped out." "I'm worse than tapped out, baby." "I've run up some serious debts." "So how did u fly first class?" "I don't know, Ginger." "I just did." "All I meant was, if u've got no money, to go first class..." "You know me." "I splurge from habit." "Would u stop staring at my luggage?" "Yes, it's Louis Vuitton." "You told me u had to sell everything." "Look, look, look." "These are used, old suitcases." "See, with my initials." "Who'd want them?" "I sold what jewels and furs I could hide from Uncle Sam." "God, I hate to tell u about that." "Jewelry is priceless, a great investment when u buy it at Graff or Van Cleef until u're desperate for money and forced to sell, and then it seems u can't give it away." "Kids, stop it, come on!" "Were u adopted?" "Yes." "We were both adopted." "Born to different moms and dads, but raised by the same morn and dad." "Could u stop doing that gun thing?" "Sorry." "Got migraine from the pressurized cabin." "Matthew." "Did u like the new mom and dad?" "Yes, of course Aunt Jasmine did." "I ran away from home as fast as my feet could carry me." "How come?" "Well" "Our mother liked Aunt Jasmine and not me." "Oh, stop." "How come?" "She had better genes." "Don't tell them that." "Well, am I lying?" "Dad said u're glad we lived far away." "What?" "They're perfect for the dress that I'm wearing to the Met Gala." "What's the matter?" "Your mind is a million miles away." "Oh, I'm sorry." "No, II just got a call from my sister, Ginger." "Oh, God, she's coming to New York for a week with her husband, Augie." "He is a piece of work." "I justI don't know, I guess I have to see them." "The one in San Francisco, the builder?" "Yeah." "Oh, no, he's a contractor." "I mean, he'sNo, he's a handyman." "No, don't get me wrong." "I love Ginger, I do." "She's a dear." "But our paths just went in totally different directions." "Okay, that happens." "It's terrible of me to say, but she was never too bright." "You know?" "And she was so wild and I, of course, was Miss Perfect." "Hi." "Oh, u made it." "How lovely to see u." "Hi." "Oh, my God." "Welcome." "Thank u." "Oh, this is my husband, Augie." "Augie." "This is Jeanette." "Jasmine." "I changed it." "Jasmine." "I'm finally getting to meet the sister." "I know." "I'm so sorry we couldn't make it to the wedding." "Just that Hal had some business in Saint-Tropez." "Couldn't get back in time." "Know what?" "You missed a nice little party." "My friend Dennis sang." "He's great." "Dennis Rackabuto." "I know." "Hey" "Hal!" "You remember Ginger." "Oh, my gosh." "How are u?" "How are u?" "This is Augie." "Augie." "How u doing?" "Awesome." "Hell of a place u got." "Thank u." "Why don't u come through?" "Told u." "Yvette, coffee?" "This is really..." "Yeah, she's got taste." "It's like what u see in the movies." "We have so much to catch up on." "Can't wait for u to show us New York." "Why don't u take our car and driver?" "Well, I hope u're gonna come." "I mean, how often am I here?" "No, no, I will definitely make some time." "Oh, good. ." "Where are u staying?" "Oh, well,We thought about asking if we could stay with u, but we don't wanna impose, so we got a room at the Marriott." "Oh, the Marriott's perfect." "Oh." "Yeah." "I'll have my office contact them and forward us the bill." "Oh, no." "No, no, no, it's not necessary." "Please, u're our guests." "I insist." "Oh, well, then we insist on taking u two to dinner tonight." "What?" "Tonight?" "Yeah." "We have dinner plans." "I don't think we canSomething we can't get out of." "I'm sorry." "There'll be time." "We stashed the kids with Augie's sister, we're here for a week." "It's gonna be great." "It is." "Okay." "Well, we don't have a lot of free time, but we'll definitely take u to Le Cirque, won't we?" "I mean, or Daniel." "I mean" "They'd get a kick out of that." "Yeah, absolutely." "I know ur birthday is this week." "Let us at least take u out for that." "I love how u're doing ur hair." "Oh, thanks. ." "You'll have to take me shopping." "You always could pick clothes." "And Augie's got some exciting business news he wants to talk to Hal about." "Oh?" "Don't worry, I don't need to borrow money." "We're flush." "Yeah, What kind of work do u do, Augie?" "Well, u know, I do, like, repairs, furniture moving, but I got plans to be my own boss." "We'll talk about it over dinner." "They're going out." "Hey, could we have a tour?" "Oh, yeah, of course." "Why don't u start in the kitchen?" "Is there a little girls' room?" "Just down the hall." "Five days." "I'll have to invite them to my birthday party now." "Where did she come up with him?" "I always feel so guilty around Ginger." "We've got to make sure we make their stay extra nice." "My God, five days." "Look." "It's so beautiful." "Oh, but where would I wear a Fendi bag?" "Oh, go ahead." "It's my treat." "No." "Yeah." "Really?" "Oh, my God." "I love it." "Look." "Look." "Take the other one off." "No, I like this." "Boy, this is some place u got here." "I mean, this is unreal." "It is." "Reminds me of when I was a kid." "I used to be a lifeguard." "Start ur own construction company?" "Great idea." "We came into some money." "Tell him how, Augie." "We've been saving this story." "What?" "Well, the first 10-, 12,000, I really worked for." "Put away a little each week." "But he's not telling u the big news." "Why we're in New York." "You tell them." "Okay, I will." "We always play the lottery, and we never even get two numbers." "Am I right?" "Uh-huh." "But last week, we hit it." "We got 200,000 bucks." "Oh, that's fantastic." "I thought I'd drop dead." "That's great." "I never held that kind of money in my hands." "I mean, ever." "He was shaking when we won." "Me?" "You had to see her." "I had to tell her, this is a once-in-a-lifetime." "Congratulations." "He wants to begin a business." "What do u think?" "Well, if u like, I think Hal could probably help u do better." "Yeah?" "You knowYou know, I'm no gambler." "I mean, not with my one chance to" "Hey, come on." "We don't know the first thing about money, but he does." "First thing is how not to give half ur money to the government." "Look, I know there's taxes, but, I mean, what can I do?" "There are ways." "You see, Augie?" "You see?" "Suppose I put u in a venture that was low-risk, but very high-yield." "I'm not talking about 6 or 7 percent." "I'm talking about 20 percent." "Profitable enough?" "20 percent?" "He's developing a group of hotels in the Caribbean." "You mean, not starting my own business." "No, we mean investing with Hal." "Jeez, investing what?" "You mean the whole thing?" "You need money to make money." "Am I right?" "Ginger." "Let them in on one of ur-?" "The hotel deal or something." "It'd be great for them." "Make a killing." "Pay attention, Augie." "I'm paying attention." "You will make money for them, won't u?" "I make money, they make money." "God, they're hard work." "Tomorrow I'm taking the day off." "I've neglected everything, my yoga, my Pilates." "I've got that luncheon to plan, the fundraiser for the Central Park Conservancy." "I've rented them a limo and a driver, and I've suggested they go to the South Street Seaport." "Can u imagine if they lived here?" "Here, for doing ur duty." "Happy birthday." "I'm giving it to u now so u can wear it to ur party tomorrow night." "Oh, sweetheart, it's beautiful." "Not bad taste for a philistine businessman, huh?" "I know, it's so extravagant." "Oh, look at that." "He surprised me in the tub, so to speak." "Corsica's a bore." "The weather's nice, but it's nothing like Sardinia." "This year u are coming to Palm Beach, no excuses." "Hey, Jasmine." "What?" "Who's that woman?" "Which?" "That one." "Oh, Raylene." "She's a friend." "I love Raylene." "We met in a yoga class." "Isn't she pretty?" "Yeah." "She runs a modeling agency." "How long have u known her?" "Few years." "Why?" "And u trust her?" "Trust her?" "Of course I trust her." "What kind of question is that?" "She just seems so cozy all night with ur husband." "I wouldn't worry." "Hal's not the roving type, nor is Raylene." "She's a very close friend." "I don't know." "If it was my husband, I'd keep an eye on him." "Goodness, u are a suspicious one." "I'm just saying." "Just relax." "I am relaxed." "You shouldn't drink so much, Augie." "Nobody wants to hear those stupid Polish jokes, u know?" "Oh, I had a drink?" "Yeah?" "Yeah." "Let me tell u, u were half in the bag the entire night, okay?" "Tell me about my drinking." "Give me that." "What's eating u?" "If u saw ur friend's wife kissing another guy, would u tell ur friend?" "What?" "Would u tell ur friend?" "I'm talking." "Tell him what?" "Are u listening to me?" "If u saw ur friend's wife kissing another guy, would u tell ur friend?" "Would u tell him?" "Yeah." "Bet ur ass I'd tell him." "But what if it causes trouble?" "Or maybe a divorce?" "If u don't say anything, it could've been a passing thing." "He never knows and he lives on happy with his wife." "You know, I would tell him, because that's what a friend's for." "You gotta have his back." "That's why I'd tell him." "It's a tough call, Augie." "I don't know." "Ginger." "What?" "What are we doing?" "Are we playing charades?" "I mean, come on." "Did u see something?" "Yeah." "On the street, by accident." "I saw Hal kissing that brunette who was at the party." "You saw Hal kiss Raylene?" "Raylene?" "You know her name too?" "My God, she gets around." "Oh, we were introduced." "Come on, u got nothing to worry about." "Yeah." "Nobody could ever take ur place." "Yeah, believe me, I wasn't thinking she'd look at u." "Heh." "Nobody would ever look at me, right?" "Right." "You looked at me." "Yeah, once." "It was a mistake." "All right, listen." "What?" "You think Hal's banging her?" "When Jasmine don't wanna know something, she's got a habit of looking the other way." "Thank u for my present." "I got so many comments." "I think everyone enjoyed themselves and that piano player was" "He was fantastic." "I got his card." "What were u, uh, talking to Raylene so intensely about?" "Oh, uh, her husband is thinking about getting his own plane." "I was just weighing the pros and cons for her of a Challenger versus a, uh" "Gulf stream?" "Yeah, yeah, yeah." "She's so pretty." "Yeah." "Bill's out of town for a couple weeks and she'll be all alone." "I thought maybe we could take her out to dinner or have her over here." "Yeah." "Great." "Sure." "This is silly, Ginger." "Why?" "It's Sunday." "So?" "It's his day off." "He wants to spend it alone with u." "He's alone with me plenty." "If I'm gonna marry Chili, u're gonna meet him sooner than later." "I told him we'd show u the town." "Well, he won't want ur sister around." "Will u stop it?" "This city is so beautifully European." "Have u ever been abroad?" "At all?" "No." "We used to sail from Saint-Tropez to Cannes and up the coast to Monaco." "Hm." "It reminds me of the Mediterranean." "There's Chili." "Which one?" "There." "Who's that with him?" "I don't know." "Chili." "Hi." "Hi, hey." "You look beautiful." "Oh, thanks." "You smell good too." "You're late." "Eddie." "Nice to meet u." "Hi." "Ginger." "Hi." "This is Jasmine." "Jasmine, hi." "I'm Eddie." "This is Eddie." "Nice to meet u." "Eddie." "I'm Jasmine." "Hi." "Ginger told me about u." "Oh, all good, I hope." "I gotta tell u, I was all set to move in with ur sister." "Then she tells me that we gotta postpone because her sister's in town." "He's joking." "Well, I hope I didn't inconvenience u." "It was an emergency." "No." "Things happen." "Right, Eddie?" "They've told me about it." "Could've happened to anybody." "Told me u never been here, don't know anybody, so I brought along this sad excuse for a blind date." "Best he could do on short notice." "He works with me." "I gotta get a beer." "You want a beer?" "Can I buy u a drink?" "I have a drink, but thank u." "I'm dropping dead of hunger." "This place has the best clams." "You like clams, Jasmine?" "No, no, no." "I'm not hungry." "What the hell are u drinking?" "Let me see." "What is this?" "Is it vodka?" "Martini." "This place has the best clams in the city." "The best are at Manero's." "You're nuts." "They don't even compare." "Who cares?" "This place is good too." "They're fresh." "That's the thing with clams." "You get a bad clam, u'll wish u were never born." "So, what do u do, Jasmine?" "I told u, she just got here." "She's looking for a job." "Yeah?" "I know a dentist who's looking for help." "Oh, yeah?" "No, I'm actually thinking of going back to school School?" "Heh." "To study what?" "I don't know." "I mean, the biggest mistake I made was leaving college in my last year and not completing my education." "What would u be?" "An anthropologist." "Really?" "Like digging up old fossils?" "That's an archaeologist." "Ginger told me the whole story." "That must be terrible, right?" "One minute u're on top of the world, the next" "Guy turns out to be a crook." "." "Yeah." "Her husband, he owned racehorses." "Is that so?" "Yeah." "Oh, yes, yes, for a year or two," "Hal became quite obsessed with thoroughbreds." "So, what are u gonna study in college?" "Let me guess." "A nurse" "Is that how I impress u?" "A nurse?" "You got something against nurses?" "My sister's a nurse." "Nurses are very hot to go to bed with." "They have extensive knowledge of how the human body works." "Careful what u accuse my sister of." "Just saying, I know good nurses." "Chili, why don't u change the subject?" "You think u're being charming, but u're not." "You always stare into space like that?" "I had a friend who used to do that, but there was something wrong with him." "He was epileptic." "I'm not epileptic." "If u see the waitress, I'd like another Stoli martini." "What are u gonna study?" "Leave her alone." "It's like the third time u asked." "So?" "She hasn't answered." "I don't know, but I'll be sure to keep u informed." "Oh, okay, sorry." "I'll back off." "I'm sorry, I don't mean to be curt." "I just don't know what I'm gonna do with the rest of my life." "What do u wanna do?" "Why don't we take her to see the sights?" "Then back to my place." "She likes vodka." "My buddy's just back from Russia." "Brought me this incredible vodka." "Great idea." "You're gonna love my place." "Yeah, let's go." "Wait till u try this vodka." "You'll love it." "All right, man." "I wish my apartment had a garden." "We didn't take her inside Alcatraz." "Thank u." "They got tours in there, Jasmine." "Ginger said ur ex-husband did time?" "He'd still be doing time if he didn't hang himself in his cell." "Really?" "Like with a belt?" "Well, it had to be a belt." "Or a bedsheet." "Could be a bedsheet." "No." "He managed to get a piece of rope." "Plain rope." "You can get anything if u got juice." "That's some way to go, huh?" "Strangle urself to death?" "No, it wasn't strangulation." "When u hang urself, ur neck breaks." "I wouldn't feel sorry for him." "He hurt a lot of people." "Oh, yeah?" "Yeah, including me and Augie and her." "A lot of people are under the misapprehension u strangle, but ur neck snaps." "Okay, we got it." "He was a bad guy, u know?" "He lived like a big shot on other people's money." "And he played around behind her back." "No." "Jasmine, go and start ur cooldown." "Oh, good." "Hey, Jas." "Yeah?" "I know u don't wanna go to the Yankee game tonight." "I'd go to any sporting event with u, u know, but I just never got baseball." "I thought I'd ask Melanie." "She's a fan." "Oh, sure." "God, she'll be thrilled." "Hey, Mel?" "Yeah?" "You like baseball, right?" "I love baseball." "Why?" "I got two season tickets behind the Yankee dugout for tonight." "I don't have anybody else to go with me." "Are u free?" "Absolutely, if u're sure there's nobody else." "No." "No, no, u'll do just fine." "All right, thanks." "This is where u live?" "Nice." "Hey, grab the groceries for me." "Yeah." "I can get this one." "Get them." "You got it?" "All right." "I got it." "Oh, no." "That's okay, don't worry." "No more vodka for u." "I didn't have any vodka." "I didn't have no vodka." "I know about u." "Hey, hey, come here, come here, come here." "Take it upstairs?" "Yes?" "Yeah." "All right." "Eddie wants ur phone number." "Why?" "I think he wants to call u." "I think he wants to ask u out, u know, for dinner." "Look, I'm busy at the moment." "He's a terrific guy." "Look at him." "Well, why doesn't he ask me himself?" "Because he's shy, u know?" "He thinks he's short." "Look, I'm concentrating on school, okay?" "And getting a job." "That's perfect." "Right, he knows this dentist." "No, I have no interest in being a receptionist." "What did u have in mind, running a bank?" "Is this what u wanted to talk about?" "And how long u're planning on staying with Ginger." "Oh, right." "It's just till I find my feet." "We have a lot of big plans." "Don't worry, I'm not gonna ruin any of ur big plans." "No one wants to get out of here as fast as I do." "I'm sure this is a big comedown from what u're used to." "It's fine. it'sI'm grateful for her help." "So u don't want Eddie to call u?" "No, I'm not ready to go out at the moment." "Ginger said u had a nervous breakdown." "She tends to be quite dramatic." "Said u were in the street, talking to urself." "You know, I don't think that this is any of ur business." "No, but since I'm marrying her, we don't have any secrets between us." "What did Chili want?" "Oh, nothing." "His retarded boyfriend wanted a date, but he was too shy to ask." "What do u think of Chili?" "He's very anxious to move in with u." "Yeah, I know." "He's got the hots for me." "Can I speak frankly?" "You hate him?" "Yeah." "I could tell u two didn't hit it off." "He's another version of Augie." "He's a loser." "Hey, didn't I hear Eddie say he knows a dentist looking for help?" "Oh, forget it!" "Jesus, it's too menial!" "I'd go nuts." "I wanna go back to school." "I wanna get my degree and become, u know, something substantial." "I can't just do some mindless job." "Ugh." "I was forced to take a job selling shoes on Madison Avenue." "Oh, so humiliating." "Friends I'd had at dinner parties at our apartment came in and I waited on them." "I mean, do u have any idea what that's like?" "You know, one minute, u're hosting women and the next, u're measuring their shoe size and fitting them." "Erica Bishop came into the store." "She saw me and was so embarrassed for me, she slipped out thinking I didn't see her." "I saw u, Erica!" "Are u okay?" "Hey, u got great taste." "Maybe u could do something in fashion." "Or designing." "Yeah?" "Yeah, that's true." "Yeah." "Everyone used to say I'd make a good interior decorator." "There's courses, but, u know, they cost money." "No, Eve Logan got her decorator's license online." "On a computer?" "I guess u could, but" "Yeah, I'm so computer illiterate." "But I could take a class in computers." "And then when I can handle a computer, then I can study decorating online." "That sounds too complicated." "Why is ur reaction always negative?" "I'm just saying." "You know, first u gotta learn computers, and then go for a decorator's license online." "You're afraid I'll stay here too long." "No, u know" "Just all those courses, they cost money." "You'll work out here." "It's mostly phones and keeping my appointments straight." "There's the follow-up cards, which I explained, and the notices for cleanings." "Any questions?" "Tell Dr. Flicker it's an emergency." "Come on." "Come on." "Yes?" "Oh." "What?" "Yes, a cancellation." "Oh, u want to cancel." "When?" "Please." "Wait, wait, wait." "You said the 24th." "My husband has an abscess." "Can u just put someone on who speaks better English?" "The software interface is what provides u, the user, the ability to control the hardware, the computer." "Okay, that's the operating" "The operating system gives u that ability." "I need an appointment in two weeks." "Is the 10th good for u?" "The 10th." "Yes, fine." "Oh, better make it the 12th." "Oh, we're all booked on the 12th." "Okay." "Make it the 14th." "The 14th?" "Oh, no." "Is 3 good on the 9th?" "Or noon on the 11th?" "Can u just settle on a time, please?" "Just pick a time." "Remember the yoga class." "Deep breath." "Breathe deeply." "All right, deep breath." "If u take a deep breath, u can smell the honeysuckle." "Beautiful." "Make a great perfume." "It would." "I have plans all over that." "Your polo pony's in great shape." "Thank u." "No, I have never seen a polo match." "Really?" "My husband's a bit of fanatic." "Not to say he's good at it, but it keeps him busy." "We got be hurry." "We got a flight to catch." "Hal's taking Danny to Augusta for the Masters." "They're golf degenerates." "I'll be home alone." "We'll be back in three days." "Mm." "Did we tell u?" "Danny was first in his class at Harvard." "No." "Yes." "Congratulations." "Thanks." "He's a math genius." "He's the genius." "Dad did a guest lecture at the business school and everyone said it was the best lecture." "Naturally, I became an instant celebrity on campus." "Hey, I need ur signature on these, baby." "Be careful." "Don't get hit by a golf ball." "That's how Ray Becker died." "You know, a little blue bruise on his temple." "What are u always studying in ur spare time?" "Well, I'm trying to learn to use a computer." "I wanna study interior design online." "Oh, u wanna be a decorator?" "Yeah, it's where my strongest gifts are." "You know, I have a natural flair for space and color and an eye for choosing soft furnishings." "It's very commendable, but I can't really have u studying on work time if it interferes with the business at hand." "Yes." "I'm sorry." "It won't happen again." "Please, see that it doesn't." "I was gonna ask u a question." "Yes?" "Would u have a drink with me?" "A drink?" "I'd love it if u could." "Well, it would have to be a quick one because, u know, I'm meeting my boyfriend for dinner." "I was just saying u can tell awful lot about people when u look in their mouths." "Are they conscientious?" "Are they disciplined?" "Are they vain?" "Or careless?" "You have to know what to look for." "Do u have the time?" "I have to keep an eye on it." "I've got homework." "This computer thing is proving a little more difficult than I imagined." "It's funny, really, because I used to be a straight-A student in college." "You know, but they say every year, millions of brain cells just die off." "You have good teeth." "I'm sure u get many compliments on them." "Well, thank u." "Yeah." "You know, u're a very beautiful woman." "Are u serious with ur boyfriend?" "I don't mean to pry." "God, life is complicated." "Have u ever had any children?" "How do u expect me to react when my father is unmasked as a common thief?" "You can't just drop out of Harvard." "No, it's too humiliating." "I wanna die when I see what he's done." "How he lied, stole, ruined people." "I know" "He is a sleazy criminal." "But if u drop out, u will be throwing away ur whole future." "You think I could ever face anybody up at school?" "My father, who I bragged to everyone about?" "The financial genius, generous, the philanthropist?" "He's such a phony!" "He's a cheap crook." "His charitable contributions with stolen money." "Well, just think how he feels." "He was arrested in the street." "It's in all the papers." "How can u even look at him the same?" "Did u not suspect anything or did u not care?" "What does that mean?" "It didn't pay for u to ask questions." "Think I would have allowed him to set up corporations under my name?" "Sign accounts?" "This is no cake walk for me." "I could get indicted." "He's done nothing but lie over the years." "He is a con man and a hypocrite." "This is how u respond, by squandering ur life to get even with him?" "Don't try to find me, because u won't." "He's a fucking bum." "Let's go." "Let's go, let's go!" "Get out of the clinch!" "Hey." "Hey." "That's it, pop the jab." "Hey, guys, keep it down." "My sister's trying to study." "When can we stop tiptoeing around?" "Shh." "Pop the jab!" "She'll hear u." "Well, I don't care." "I work hard all week." "I wanna relax." "Let's go, come on." "Let's go." "Work the body." "The guy's just standing." "Look." "Her sister, she had millions." "Turned out she married a crook." "Look, where was she when she was loaded and u were tending bar, waiting tables?" "Now family's family?" "Yeah." "Nice." "You can see the money." "I know." "He's right." "Is it possible, without ruining any of ur fun, that u could lower the TV a bit?" "Hey, Jasmine, why don't u stop working for a bit?" "Have a beer." "Believe me, I wish I could." "What kind of work are u doing?" "I'm trying to, urn, work a computer, but it seems I have no aptitude for it." "Hey, listen, I justI want u to know, it's great when a grown-up continues with their education." "Not for nothing." "Well, my goal is to study interior decorating online." "Why don't u just go to decorator school?" "Well, I have to use my days to work and pay my way." "As Hal said, "it's not the money, it's the money."" "Yeah, okay, but, u know, life ain't all work and no play, right?" "Ginger says between work and school, u're cracking up." "Hey, why don't u shut up?" "No, no." "I'll admit, it's been very trying, but I'm determined to make something of myself." "You don't like working with the dentist?" "No, I do not." "Well, Ginger said u're not used to working a job." "Well, in that respect, I was very fortunate." "He was a handsome guy with money." "He was a smooth talker and pampered her." "What's she gonna say, no?" "I got it." "Why does it have to be a decorator?" "Why can't u pick something else?" "What would u want me to do?" "Do u want me to wait tables?" "Bag groceries?" "Hey, Ginger bags groceries." "Well, Ginger and I are completely different people." "Yeah, she got the good genes." "It's not genetic." "You can't always blame everything on ur genes." "If u're prepared to work hard and not settle" "What, u mean Augie?" "She means me." "Who do I have to sleep with around here to get a Stoli martini with twist of lemon?" "That's what I..." "What-?" "What-?" "Oh, Christ, I can't remember." "So Chili was telling me that u used to have a really nice collection of cars." "Oh, yes, my husband did." "He used to collect vintage Bentleys and Mercedes." "Wow, those are expensive cars." "Yes, they are." "You know, having wealth is nothing to be ashamed of." "We were very civic-minded." "Yeah, with other people's money." "This guy lost every penny of Ginger's money." "I tried to bring my sister and her husband in on a good thing." "I mean, what do I know about financial schemes?" "You'll be very happy to know that I lost every cent of my own money." "You know, every home, every stick of furniture, every fur, every ring and every bank account, and still it wasn't enough to placate the government." "Her husband was a slick operator." "I was there a week," "I knew he was hitting on her girlfriend." "I really need to study." "I need some peace, okay?" "Okay." "I'm not gonna make it if u turn this place into a nightclub." "I can't." "I just can't." "All right, all right, all right." "Everybody out." "The girl's got homework." "What?" "Main event's not on yet." "Out." "I'm not leaving now." "You know, she's right about u, Chili." "You drink, u become a jerk." "What about her?" "She's drink" "Jerk?" "Come here." "Heh." "I'm sorry I don't drive a Bentley." "Let's go to the bar." "Bye." "Thank u for coming." "Good night." "Jesus, it's a mess." "Oh, I'm sorry." "Ginger, I'm really I don'tI don't know what came over me." "But I have told u before, ur taste in men leaves a lot to be desired." "Yeah, I know these are not ur kind of guys." "I mean, God, don't u wanna meet some decent man?" "You know, someone who can take u out of this" "What?" "This hole?" "Yeah, I know what u think of it here." "I mean, u've got two kids." "You can do better than Chili and his drunken loser friends." "If I thought I could do better, I would." "So far no one's beating my door down." "You know, he's sexy and he doesn't steal." "Okay, okay." "Do u always have to make those stupid sarcastic digs?" "I'm scared, Hal." "Paula said the reason Howard is leaving Global Innovations is he's not comfortable with business practices from a legal standpoint." "Howard Trask is such a pussy." "No, no" "What do u think I have lawyers for?" "He told her he didn't wanna wind up in jail." "Jail?" "Jesus." "Isn't that a bit dramatic?" "If I back out now, I hate to tell u how much money we'd lose." "It's like a domino effect." "One thing would follow the other." "Hey, let me deal with it, okay?" "Is there anything u want that u don't have?" "Is there?" "No." "So stop worrying and let me spoil u." "No, I agree." "I mean, Howard always was a prissy mama's boy." "Yeah, mama's boy." "That's the perfect phrase." "Okay, how about Tuesday the 22nd at 9?" "I can't make 9." "How about the afternoon?" "All right, 2, 3?" "I can't make the 22nd." "How about the 21 st?" "We have nothing open on the 21st." "Good night." "Well, he wants me in a week." "Well, another day or two won't matter." "How about the 24th?" "Fine." "Oh, wait, no." "Go for 9?" "That's my colonoscopy prep day." "That's always very special." "Why don't u think about it and call me?" "Before u go, can u call Dr. Girsback and tell him I read the x-rays and we can talk later?" "Sure." "No, no, no." "When u're done, when u're done." "When u're finished." "Thank u." "Are u feeling more comfortable in the job?" "I hope u're pleased, because I am determined to make it work." "It fits in perfectly with my class." "Are u getting better on the computer?" "Well, I'm sure I'm the worst student there, but another girl helps me, so..." "I'm glad u're relaxing more into this job." "I'm trying." "Heh, I must say, I like having u around." "Thank u." "Since u started working here, have u noticed I've been wearing more colorful neckties?" "I'm justJust joking." "Can I-?" "Can I make a confession?" "I don't know that I should be the one to hear a confession, doctor." "Ha, ha, ha." "Well..." "Ah." "The way u dress," "I sometimes find very... arousing." "Really?" "I don't think I dress in the slightest provocatively." "Does it upset u if I tell u that I, um, find u attractive?" "Dr. Flicker, where is all this talk leading?" "Well, I'm not the kind of person who likes to beat around the bush." "I find u a very alluring woman." "I'm flattered, but I certainly hope that's not why u hired me." "A certain elegance in a woman has always been enticing to me." "I shouldn't be hearing this." "No, don't be upset." "I'm not upset." "Can I just grab my coat?" "Don't be upset." "Really, I think if u get to know me, u'd come out of ur shell more." "I'm not in a shell." "Ever gotten high on nitrous oxide?" "No." "It would remove ur inhibitions." "I don't have inhibitions." "Stop." "Oh, Dr. Flicker." "Stop being standoffish." "I'm not standoffish." "You should be proud." "You've made a conquest." "Oh, Dr. Flicker." "This is so embarrassing." "I am never coming back here." "I don't have to put myself through this nonsense." "I gotta take a deep breath." "Oh, now look what u've done." "I can't breathe." "Oh, God, I can't breathe." "I don't blame u for being shaken up." "I'd have that dentist reported." "If I told my boyfriend that story, he would go to the guy's office and break every bone in his body." "You can sue him." "That's harassment." "No, I'm never going into another courtroom." "Ugh." "I don't blame u." "My boyfriend's a lawyer." "He's got court stories." "Sharon, do u know any men?" "Men?" "Men that would be good for me." "I just moved here, so I don't really know anybody." "If u can't fall in love in San Francisco, u can't fall in love anywhere." "Someone substantial." "Well, what are u doing Sunday afternoon?" "Not very much." "Tony and I are going to a party." "Come with." "Oh, no, no." "I don't think I'm ready for a big crowd of strangers." "Oh, come on." "It's a big bash someone's having." "There'll be all kinds of people." "Make an effort, otherwise nothing happens." "Then u blame everything but urself." "No, I want to." "It's not that I don't want to." "Can I bring my sister?" "For moral support?" "Absolutely." "And Tony and I will be there." "You'll have fun." "It's a huge party." "Maybe u'll get lucky." "But u have to come, otherwise I'm not going." "What the hell would I wear?" "Oh, we'll find u something." "Oh, God, I haven't shown my face socially in so long." "Sharon said there could be some eligible men there." "I haven't been to a party in years." "You know, Chili hates them." "Well, u know what I say to Chili." "It's hard to meet a man u can trust." "Hal." "Hey, Nat." "What are u doing out here?" "I was having lunch in Southampton and I wanted u to meet Amy Moore." "Oh, hi." "Hal Francis." "This is my wife." "Honey?" "Jasmine." "Hello." "Amy will be handling ur contracts for Empire Solutions and Global Innovations." "She's brilliant." "We couldn't have done any better." "We should get together on that Empire Solutions thing." "Free for lunch on Tuesday?" "I'll make sure I am." "That's great." "Are u having an affair with Amy?" "Amy, my lawyer?" "Don't give me that." "She's very pretty." "Of course not." "What makes u think that?" "Someone made a remark." "What remark?" "They saw u having lunch with her." "Taking her hand." "Oh, what crap." "Who told u that?" "I know who." "That vacuous troublemaker Lydia, right?" "Were u?" "I had a business lunch with Amy at the Four Seasons." "Lydia was there." "Did u take her hand?" "You think if I was having an affair, I'd be crazy enough to have it in public?" "Well, I don't know." "Sometimes u drink at lunch." "Maybe u were high." "It's obvious she's got crush on u." "You're building a case." "If u were having an affair, I would be pretty upset." "Well, I'm not, so don't get ur temper up." "I don't like that side of u." "I'm just jealous because I love u." "You should be flattered." "You know, I understand other women have a" "Find u attractive, but it's their hard luck." "I have u." "Yes, u do." "No." "So u're not?" "No, I'm not." "Good." "Let's make love." "You know, if u were having an affair, I'd be pretty upset." "Pretty darn angry." "I don't wanna be made a fool of, u know?" "You hear me, Hal?" "Excuse me." "Are u talking to me?" "Hey, Jasmine." "What?" "How are u?" "I'm so glad u came." "You must be Tony." "Yes, this is Tony." "A pleasure to meet u." "What do u think?" "Nice party, right?" "Beautiful." "It's kind of a mixed bag." "Did u bring ur sister?" "Oh, yes, she's dancing." "Hey, my name's Al, incidentally." "Oh." "Ginger." "Ginger?" "Yeah." "Ginger, u dance great." "Oh." "I never get a chance to, and I love it." "Yeah?" "I do, yeah." "You know Sally, the host?" "No, my sister brought me." "Yeah?" "Wherever the hell she is." "I don'tI don't know where she is." "But u're from San Francisco?" "Yeah?" "Yeah." "What about u?" "Marin." "Okay." "Great." "Yeah." "What do u do, Al?" "I'm a sound engineer." "I put in people's systems, u know?" "I did Mr. Lockman's." "Okay." "He's the husband of the host, in case u were wondering." "I do concerts and private, uh..." "Great." "I like slow dancing better, don't u?" "Yeah." "It's more romantic, right?" "It is, yeah." "Yeah." "It is." "Hey, u're really pretty." "Oh." "Yeah, u are." "You are." "Really?" "Really?" "I'd rather be someplace else too." "Do I look that uncomfortable?" "Almost." "I'm Dwight Westlake." "Jasmine French." "Jasmine French, that's a very exotic name." "Well, my parents named me after my mother's favorite flower." "Night-blooming jasmine." "Hm." "Come to life after it gets dark." "That's the best offer I've had today." "I didn't say it was an offer." "I saw u in the other room before, I was hoping I'd get to meet u." "Well, hope I don't shatter ur illusion." "You have great style." "Do I? VivierOh, my goodness." "Do u work in the fashion industry?" "No, but my former wife was." "She worked at a fashion magazine." "Right." "She passed away last year." "Oh." "Oh, I'm sorry." "I'm soAnd what do u do?" "Nothing as glamorous as fashion." "I work in the State Department." "Well, no, that's glamorous." "In the diplomatic corps." "Don't tell me u're an ambassador." "No, hardly." "But I wouldn't turn it down." "We knew the ambassador to Mexico." "My husband did." "Your husband?" "You have a husband?" "No, no." "Sadly, like ur wife, he passed away." "But, u know, we stayed overnight in the embassy in Mexico once." "I work in Europe." "Vienna." "Really?" "Oh, I love Vienna." "Oh, yeah?" "We were there once, Hal and I." "I remember it as being two weeks of ung wine and chocolate cake." "Lovely." "My ambition is to come back after a few years and enter politics." "I'd like to run for office in California." "Oh, how exciting." "Yeah, it might just be an inflated ego, but I think I'd make a good congressman." "I grew up in San Francisco." "I know California." "I like challenges." "You from out here?" "New York." "Park Avenue." "You know, when my husband passed away," "I mean, naturally I was very upset, so I decided to come out here and start a new life for myself." "What did he do?" "He was a surgeon." "Hm." "God, that must be incredibly stressful." "No, I mean, he had a heart attack." "I'm sure that's what gave it to him." "You have children?" "No, no." "No, there really wasn't time." "And what about u?" "Hm?" "What do u do?" "I guessed u were in the arts." "Am I right?" "Well, u're close." "I am an interior designer." "I really have hit the jackpot." "Really?" "I meet this exotic creature, not only is she charming and elegant and single, but I just bought a new house." "Really?" "One I've been looking at for year." "It's in Marin." "Overlooking the Bay." "My dream house." "Beautiful." "I meet this woman, and she turns out to be an interior designer." "Written in the stars." "You have to look at it." "I would love to." "Maybe u can help me with it." "Absolutely." "I never slept with anyone the first night before, u know?" "Yeah, that But dancing with u got me all hot and bothered, so, u know..." "Well, u were so sexy." "I mean, I knew right away that u were gonna be good in bed." "I knew it." "Did u?" "I said to myself, u know..." "Heh." "You know, I thought for sure we were gonna get caught." "I didn't care." "I mean, I" "I couldn't wait." "There's no way I wasI had to have u right then and there." "You know..." "You know what clinched it for me?" "What?" "Because u were so smooth." "Really?" "Yeah." "Oh, yeah." "Well, that'sI just But, u know, I" "I don't want u to think I'm just easy, because I'm not." "No, IYou know what I think?" "You're a fun-loving person." "I am." "That'sYeah." "Yeah." "And that's what I am." "I can see that." "That's" "I'm easygoing by nature." "Yeah." "That's what II bring music to people's lives." "You're very sweet, u know?" "I never had a sweet guy before." "I hope I Never." "I hope I didn't get u in trouble with ur boyfriend." "No." "You know, it's not like we're engaged, so..." "You know, I'm free." "I'm free." "I'm glad to hear that." "Oh, God, I'd better get back." "My lunch hour's almost over." "But weYou know what?" "We have time, though." "For what?" "Let's go in the back seat." "Again?" "Yeah, come on." "Jesus, what are u?" "It's just..." "Are u one of those sex addicts?" "I am for u." "Come on." "Ha, ha." "Are u?" "I thought so." "One more." "Nobody's around." "Not many people." "We gotta make this quick." "I got tinted windows." "It's perfect." "What time is it?" "Seven thirty." "My turn." "It's my turn!" "God, he told me he'd call me yesterday." "I wanna play with it!" "Can't u two stop fighting for a second?" "I've got a throbbing headache." "You gave him both here and ur cell number?" "Of course I gave him both numbers." "Unless he's been delayed in Washington." "Still, he could have phoned." "Don't think he figured u were lying and bailed out?" "Look, could u stop saying I was lying?" "God." "Okay, I may have dressed up a few facts, omitted a few unpleasant details, but in the main, I mean, my feelings, my ideas, my humor" "I mean, isn't that who I am?" "Christ." "People reinvent themselves, don't they?" "Do I have ur permission?" "You better take more of those pills." "You're shot." "Jesus." "Would u please-?" "Matthew, turn off that pounding." "Please, Matthew." "Can't stand it." "Were u at a party Sunday afternoon?" "Who says?" "I got a friend who's a bartender." "He saw u at a party." "So?" "So u were dancing with a guy." "So what?" "I asked her to come with me, okay?" "I was nervous about going to a party where I didn't know anyone." "Is that so?" "So the two of u were in the corner playing kissy-face." "Give me a break." "We couldn't go to the ballpark because u weren't feeling good." "Hey, don't treat me like property." "I had a headache when u called." "And then I decided to keep my sister company at a party." "I don't buy that." "Since when am I taking orders from u?" "Can u please not fight in here?" "I don't think I can take it." "For some reason, my Xanax isn't kicking in." "Who's this guy u're fooling around with?" "I told u, I didn't like u rushing me into anything, okay?" "Is seeing other guys her idea?" "No, it's my idea." "I don't think it is." "She thinks I'm a bum, like ur first husband, right?" "You told me." "Guys, give me a break." "By all rights, I should be living here." "What do u mean?" "Didn't u want a guy here for the kids?" "So they grow up with a father?" "I need to clear my head." "We're talking about getting married." "Now she's taking u to parties and telling u I'm not good enough for u." "If I catch u..." "Give her some space." "with somebody else Get out!" "You keep out of this, okay?" "It's got nothing to do with u." "You beat it, Chili." "You've been drinking." "Hey, maybe that's for u." "Ginger, she's not somebody u can count on." "I am." "Don't pick it up." "I don't want him to think I'm waiting for him to call." "What the hell's going on?" "It's Al." "Hey, give me that." "That's the guy, Al." "Hi." "Yeah, but u're calling at aget off!" "Give me that." "You call here again, I'm gonna bust u in ur fat fucking face!" "Hello." "No!" "No!" "Give me that." "Give me that." "Look what u did, u drunken asshole!" "You were right, he's no better than Augie!" "Don't drag her to parties to meet men." "Get out!" "I didn't drag her out to meet men, but if she has a brain, she'll dump u in the garbage and find someone she deserves for once." "When are u moving out?" "Get out!" "I'm sorry I don't come from Park Avenue, but I don't steal people's money." "I am not some lying jailbird!" "Get out or I'll call the cops, okay?" "She doesn't care about u." "She's a phony!" "Get out!" "She didn't care about u until she fucking needed u!" "Get out!" "That's my cell phone." "Okay." "Where is it?" "Oh, God, the kids were playing with it." "Oh, where is my goddamned cell phone?" "Hello?" "Dwight?" "Yes, can u just hang on a moment?" "I'm just in the middle of something." "Hello, how are u?" "No, no, no, it's just some business I had to attend to." "Oh, no, no." "No, that's fine." "I know how hectic things can get in the nation's capital." "When?" "UhWell, I'm actually meeting a client for a drink in the Fairmont, so why don't u pick me up in the lounge?" "Great." "No, no, no, 3 is perfect." "Okay, bye-bye." "I'd like to make this wall higher." "Oh, well, it's lovely." "I knew u'd like it." "Oh, and the garden is so established." "Oh." "It's beautiful." "Yeah, it's all right." "The porch is so charming." "I can see why u love it." "I have to get someone to take care of it." "The orchids, oh." "Oh, this..." "This is spectacular." "Right?" "I think it's incredibly cheerful." "Oh, look at the flow, and the light." "I mean, it it goes a ways that way as well." "I have a million ideas immediately." "Oh, yeah?" "Oh, the fireplace." "Reminds me of those places in the Hamptons." "So delightful." "You've done work in the Hamptons?" "We have friends out there." "Yes." "All right." "Yes, I've done a number of beach houses." "Let me show u the view." "Well, I can see" "Oh, my God, it's enormous." "Right?" "I had no IYou could have 3or 400 people out here." "I don't have that many friends, but sure." "The view, it's just breathtaking." "Andrea and I used to do a lot of entertaining." "I bet u did, living in New York." "Well, now u're talking about my specialty." "You know, I gave the best dinner parties in the city." "Come here." "I'm shocked." "Oh, yeah?" "What's ur reaction, really?" "Well, my reaction is u can do it again if u like." "Oh, yeah?" "I've always wanted a canopy bed." "Look at this." "Oh." "Yeah, that looks interesting." "It is, right?" "Is that mid-19th century?" "I have no idea." "Yeah." "Well, no, all the pieces are here." "I doi love the posts, but these beds, they're just" "Well, they're not very wide." "Oh, yeah?" "Well, we're not very wide." "Oh, Dwight." "We could do the top in a muslin or linen" "Yeah, yeah, whatever u think." "Well, it's not" "You know, last night when we were making love," "I realized how removed from the world" "I've been since Andrea died." "I know, I know." "I..." "I think when something's right, u just..." "You know it immediately." "Oh, yeah?" "Do u-?" "Do u hear that?" "Wow." "Can u hear the bass, though?" "Yeah." "Like, the bass and then the high-end definition." "I'm definitely gonna get one." "Yup." "I'm giving u this one." "No, u're not." "Yeah, I am." "Oh, my God. , heh." "Come here." "You're so sweet." "You're sweet." "You're sweet." "You wanna dance?" "Yeah." "Isn't this dancing?" "Yeah, this is slow dancing, which is really..." "What?" "Ha, ha, ha." "Well, it's the key, I always say to good lovemaking." "Is that right?" "Yeah." "Where do u think Mom is tonight?" "Oh, she's got a date tonight." "Oh, that's cool." "I wonder where she is." "Well, I don't think she's at Chuck E. Cheese." "I'm gonna babysit u." "I'm a good babysitter." "You know?" "You should babysit." "I used to babysit when I was a teenager." "It's how u make extra money." "Mom said u never did any work, because u were so rich." "Well, I didn't know what I wanted to become." "And Hal, my husband, he swept me off my feet." ""Blue Moon" was the song that was playing." "You know the song "Blue Moon."" "Yeah, but I always wanted to do something with my life." "You know, I had energy." "I didn't just shop and lunch and go to matinees." "You know, I ran charities for poor people and, u know, raised some money for museums and schools." "You know, with wealth comes responsibilities." "I wasn't just some mindless consumer like so many of my so-called friends." "Though I won't say I dislike buying pretty clothes." "Tip big, boys." "Tip big, because u get good service and they count on tips." "You know, someday when u come into great wealth, u must remember to be generous." "Mom said u used to be okay, but u got crazy." "Yeah, and then u talked to urself." "Well, there's only so many traumas a person can withstand until they take to the streets and start screaming." "That's right, boys, they picked me up on the street talking to myself and gave me something called Edison's Medicine." "Why Edison?" "Because they use electricity to get u thinking straight." "See, everything unraveled so quickly." "You know, I started experiencing anxiety and claustrophobia and this acute fear of death." "You know, I had nightmares and a nervous breakdown." "I mean, u must have heard of Prozac and lithium." "Well, all those drugs just made me worse." "Of course, u know, I probably did suspect that not everything Hal did was always 100-percent aboveboard." "Christ, I mean, u'd have to be an idiot not to think his phenomenal success was too good to be true. , heh." "But a cheat is a cheat." "And when he had other women, I just flipped out." "You know, and one thing led to another and..." "But that's all history, boys." "I met someone." "I'm a new person." "Get everything?" "Yes." "These in the kitchen?" "Sure." "I can't believe how much u paid for it." "I know it's ridiculous and it's old." "God knows if it even works." "We have the terrace for a telescope." "Watch the stars over San Francisco Bay." "Mm." "And the moon will look incredible through it." "Ever seen the moon through that?" "Oh, I can imagine." "Hey, can I ask u something?" "Sure." "You ever think you could see urself married to me?" "Married?" "I have it all planned, but obviously u can say no if it sounds terrible." "All right?" "But u come with me next month to Vienna." "We live there for a few years and I can teach u to waltz." "And u can have all the chocolate cake and wine u want." "And then we come back and I get serious about my political dream." "And then we adopt kids and we live in the house that u're gonna do such a fantastic job making beautiful." "What do u think?" "Downside for u is u have to stand next to me and smile at photo ops when I throw my hat in the ring." "So u're saying u love me." "Can't u tell?" "I hope I didn't cause u to become ill over the prospect of being my wife." "You know, sometimes I get these headaches." "You always take Xanax for a headache?" "I'll admit, my heart's beating a little fast." "Yeah." "Ooh, ur hands are shaking." "I wanted u to want me and now u do." "Thank u so much." "Have a nice day." "You got it?" "Okay, I'll take that." "What are u doing here?" "You know why I'm here." "I told u not to bother me." "You're sleeping with Al." "You're not gonna make a fool out of me." "Chili, this is not the place to discuss this, okay?" "Sir, is there a problem?" "Sorry." "No, there's no problem." "Ginger, Ginger, I love u." "Ginger, what's going on?" "What happened?" "Nothing." "No, I just need aJust need a break from everything to think." "All right, look, I blame this on Jasmine." "No, she's just looking out for me." "Look, I'm not gonna lie to u, okay?" "I don't like her." "You meant nothing to her until she needed u." "I'm working, Chili." "I'm nuts about u, Ging." "I'm nuts about u." "We're gonna do all these things together, big things." "What great things, huh?" "You're a grease monkey." "And I'll be bagging groceries all my life." "She's cuckoo, baby." "She talks to herself." "You told me that urself." "I need space." "Just give me some space, okay?" "I can't sleep." "I'm a nervous wreck." "Oh, for chrissake." "I can't get u off of my head." "Stop it." "Will u stop crying?" "There's people around." "I don't know what I'm gonna do without u." "Oh, my God." "I don't." "Stop it." "Stop it, please." "I got this, okay?" "Would u like to sit in my office?" "No." "But I appreciate it." "Look, who's this guy, Al?" "What does he do?" "You know what he doesn't do?" "He doesn't make scenes where I work in public." "Come on, brother." "Would u like a Kleenex?" "I love her so much." "It's okay." "There's nothing to see, okay?" "Great." "Hello." "Hello." "Hi." "You seem up." "He's taking me to pick out an engagement ring tomorrow." "Wow." "How great." "What's that smell?" "Did u break a bottle of perfume?" "Oh." "Al doesn't call it perfume, he calls it a fragrance." "That's sweet." "But if I may say, u may have doused urself a little over-abundantly with it." "God, I'm always nervous it will wear off." "He's taking me to his favorite jeweler." "You think Al is a step up from Chili?" "Anybody is a step up from Chili." "He's such a gentleman." "Well, then he's definitely a step up." "But in bed, he's no gentleman." "Wait till he takes a whiff of my new fragrance." "It's French." "You're late." "Oh, God." "I'm still shaking." "What-S the matter?" "I think Hal is having an affair." "With Lisette Boudreau?" "Who is she?" "That French girl." "The Jordans' au pair." "What do u know about this?" "You're the only one who doesn't know." "I've known about Hal's affairs for years, but it's not my business." "How did u find out?" "The Ritz Hotel in Paris called." "Hal left his Rolex there." "But he told me that he was going on a business trip to Chicago." "If he'd said Paris, I would've gone along, and I didn't know what they were talking about, so I did some checking and..." "I knew this day would come." "I'm surprised it took so long." "Who else?" "Victoria Alter." "Raylene." "This au pair." "That personal trainer he used to take to baseball games." "Oh, my God." "You know how many people have said to me he's doing his lawyer, the Chinese dragon lady?" "Can we get the waiter?" "I need a drink." "Yes." "Waiter." "Yes, ma'am?" "This again." "Right away." "Thank u." "Absolutely." "Hello?" "Yeah, is Al there?" "Al Munsinger, yeah." "Yeah, uh" "I know he works in the Audio Department, yeah." "Yeah, I'll hold." "Hello?" "Al Munsinger, yes." "Al, where the hell are u?" "What?" "What?" "I don't get it." "Why couldn't u come?" "Who found out what?" "Who's Ellen?" "Yeah, I" "I didn't understand u had a wife." "No." "No, u never said." "My mother was very impressed with u." "Really?" "Yeah." "You two had a discussion about her collection of pewter." "Yes." "I love pewter." "Hal used to have his beer out of a pewter mug." "And ur dad?" "My dad can be very critical sometimes, but he was very taken with u." "Well, don't worry, I won't pick out too big a stone." "Yeah, nothing larger than the Hope diamond." "Hey, Jasmine." "What?" "You don't remember me?" "Of course I remember u." "What a surprise." "Yeah, surprise, surprise, huh?" "This is Augie." "Dwight." "Dwight." "Hi." "How u doing?" "I was married to her sister." "Okay." "Years ago." "Years." "Wasn't that many years." "She makes it sound ancient." "Congratulations." "Ginger said u got a new job up in Alaska." "I could've had my own company if it wasn't for u and that crook u married." "I don't think it's the time and place." "Oh, really?" "You think I wanna lay oil pipe way the hell up there in Alaska?" "I got no money." "Christ, can't u put this behind u and move on?" "I've moved on." "Take it easy." "I don't know who u are Right, u don't, so stay out of it." "I saw ur son." "Yeah, that's right, Danny." "Remember him?" "Lives across the bridge in Oakland, works at a music store." "Antonio's." "He's doing pretty good." "He's married." "I think he's finally over Hal's suicide." "Danny's in Oakland?" "Let me tell u something, Jeanette, Jasmine, whatever it is u call urself these days." "Some people, they don't put things behind so easily." "You have a son?" "Yes, I have a son." "He's notBiologically he's not my son." "He's my step" "Hal's suicide?" "I can explain it all later." "Can we just-?" "Not until u tell me what's going on." "Not in the street." "I want to know." "I know." "We'll go somewhere quiet." "Get in the car." "Don't talk to me in that tone of voice." "Okay." "Of course we can't get married." "You lied to me up and down the line!" "No, I wanted to tell u." "Are u delusional?" "Didn't u think I'd find out?" "What were u thinking?" "I don't know what I was thinking." "Everything happened in the past." "You and I loved each other" "What?" "That it would just vanish?" "Didn't u think I would find out, if not today, eventually?" "Like after we were married?" "Is that what u wanted, to wait until it was too late?" "For ur future plans where u needed the appropriate wife?" "I won't say it wouldn't be an issue, but that u could stand by, deceive me until I married u No, u mean till I trapped u." "Your ethical behavior is equal to ur ex." "I wasn't deceiving u." "I loved u." "I found out by chance, by sheer chance." "Okay, if it's over, it's over." "I get it." "You're not marrying me." "I brought everything on myself." "I've only got myself to blame." "I did it to myself again, as usual." "You and ur stupid little French whore." "I have no idea what u're talking about." "Let me out of the car." "Let me out of the car." "How are u gonna get home?" "I'm not going home." "Let me out." "Let me out of the car!" "Hey, remember to tell her when she gets here, okay?" "Believe me, she won't care." "She is half out the door." "Yeah, well..." "I didn't start out not liking her." "I think she had it in for me from the moment she met me." "Well, I like u." "Now, that's what counts, not how she feels about u." "You know, I'm sick of her calling u a loser, or always pushing me to find a better man." "You know, in my book, u're no loser." "You're twice the guy I met at the party she dragged me to." "Oh, yeah?" "Yeah." "Well, I love u." "I know." "I love the boys." "I think they love me too." "They do." "When I thought I lost u You didn't lose me, baby." "I almost lost u." "Is this what u gave up everything for?" "To sell secondhand musical instruments?" "I asked Augie not to tell u where I was." "Why?" "What happened?" "Why did u disappear like that and never contact me?" "I couldn't find u when I needed u." "I know the whole story, I found it out, so don't act so surprised." "Are u having an affair with Lisette Boudreau?" "Oh, Jasmine, I can't do this without a drink." "No, don't tap dance." "You never went to Chicago." "You took the Jordans' au pair to Paris." "I know what's been going on." "Can we talk about this, please?" "You bet we can talk about it." "Can u do it calmly?" "I wanna talk to u about what's going on, but u're always so" "How do u expect me to react?" "You've been sleeping with other women for years." "I mean, Raylene, ur secretary, our trainer." "Amy." "This is different." "This is serious." "Lisette and I are in love." "Wha-?" "What?" "Are u crazy?" "I'm sorry, but I need u to hear what I'm saying." "Lisette and I are in love." "What does that mean?" "What does that stupidity even mean?" "It means that we are making plans for the future together." "I'm sorry." "I'm having trouble understanding." "I know this comes as a shock, but I have to be honest with u." "You wanna be honest." "That's the biggest joke of all." "I've had casual flirtations in the past." "They didn't mean anything until now." "This is different." "Are u out of ur mind?" "She is a teenager, for chrissake." "She's an au pair." "I mean, are u crazy?" "Christ, this is hard for me to tell u!" "It's hard for u?" "What about me?" "This is so humiliating for me." "I mean, it is bad enough that everyone knows u've been unfaithful." "But to throw me away for this stupid-looking little French" "I will take very good care of u." "I'm sorry." "I can't breathe." "I can't breathe." "I don't know what I'mWhat am I doing here?" "Oh, God, this is unacceptable." "This is not gonna happen." "You're not going anywhere." "This is unacceptable." "Jasmine, u're having a tantrum." "Don't u touch me!" "Don't u touch me!" "You are having a tantrum." "Stop, stop." "What am I doing here?" "Pull urself together." "I can't Jasmine." "When u calm down, we can talk like two civilized adults about the arrangements we have to make." "Until then I'm gonna check into a hotel." "What am I doing here?" "What am I doing here?" "Hello." "Yes, I want the number of the FBI." "Can u connect me?" "The FBI." "Mr. Francis?" "Yes?" "Hal Francis?" "Yes." "I'm sorry, sir, we have a warrant for ur arrest." "What?" "We have a warrant for ur arrest." "Is this some kind of a joke?" "No, sir." "It's best if u come with us now." "Under arrest for what?" "Sir, come with us now." "We'll settle this downtown." "Do u have a warrant?" "I do." "Gonna handcuff me?" "We are." "I wanna talk to my lawyer." "You'll be able to call ur lawyer." "But we'll warn u, u have the right to remain silent." "Anything u say can be held against u in court." "Okay, okay, let's go." "Let's go." "Jesus Christ Almighty." "What am I being arrested for?" "We can discuss this downtown, sir." "As disillusioned as I was with him, I hated u more." "The moment I did what I did, I regretted it." "I don't wanna discuss it." "It's past." "It's over." "You can't take back that phone call." "I need u, Danny." "I don't wanna see u, Jasmine." "I want the past past." "I've become a different person, thanks to my wife." "I'm off drugs." "Just, please, don't spoil everything." "Just get out of my life so I can move on." "Definitely." "Hey, have some champagne." "Chili brought some over to celebrate." "We're back together. , heh." "I'm sorry, I'm not in a celebratory mood." "I don't think I'd find that news anything to celebrate about." "Hey, come on, Jasmine, let's not dig at each other, okay?" "I'm moving in, and she tells me u found a rich husband." "Gonna be a big shot in Washington." "We made up." "She begged for my forgiveness." "And he cried like a baby and apologized." "I didn't cry." "Bullshit.You cry all the time." "But we're moving in." "It's something we planned for a long time and maybe if we'd just done it" "Oh, for chrissake." "What's wrong with ur self-esteem?" "There's world of men who'd never think about ripping the phone out of the wall." "Hey, leave him alone." "You're always picking on him." "No, u choose losers, okay?" "Because that's what u think u deserve." "That's why u're living like this and that's why u'll never have a better life." "I'mI'm living" "I'm living like this because u married the biggest loser of all and went ur own sweet way while he pissed away my one big chance to make a better life." "Come on, let's not ruin our celebration, okay?" "Come on, she's happy, we're happy." "Let's let sleeping dogs lie." "He's right." "I'm not gonna be drawn into defending myself when all I wanted to do was bring u in on a good deal." "I'm moving out of this place today." "I just gotta get myself together." "Dwight asked me to move in with him, as I expected he would." "He wants me to finish decorating his home." "Then we'll marry and we'll move in together." "He's one of these men who's lost without a woman." "It has to be the right woman, who's a plus for his career." "And I have the social skills required for his future in politics." "For the next few years, we'll be living in Vienna." "Now, if u'll excuse me, I'm gonna take a shower." "I'll send for my luggage." "I was pretty angry at some of the things she said, but I kept it on the inside." "I'm tired of her knocking u." "You know?" "Don't even think about taking that last slice of pizza." "What?" "Why?" "That's my slice of pizza." "Don't take it." "Oh." "Is it really?" "Last slice belongs to the man." "You're putting too much on the hips." "Is that so?" "Yeah, if u wanna keep me around This slice is urs?" "Don't touch it." "Ginger, I swear to God." "Is this urs?" "Is this urs?" "Ah!" "Ah!" "That slice of pizza is mine." "That's mine." "That's mine." "That's mine." "Oh, that's mine." "Those are definitely mine." "Is that urs?" "Yeah?" "Yeah, that's urs, okay." "It's fraught with peril." "They gossip, u know, they talk." "I saw Danny." "Yes, did I tell u?" "He's getting married." "A weekend in Palm Beach means I can wear..." "What could I wear?" "I can wear the Dior dress I bought in Paris." "Yes, my black dress." "Well, Hal always used to surprise me with jewelry." "Extravagant pieces." "I think he used to buy them at auction." "It's so obvious what u're doing." "You think I don't know." "French au pair." "This was playing on the Vineyard." ""Blue Moon."" "I used to know the words." "I knew the words." "Now they're all a jumble."