"Make sure you change the water in that vase every day." "Chrysanthemums make the water turn." "And when I call to talk to Mr. Kitteridge, make sure that you tell everyone to keep the receiver tight up to his ear." "Don't let them lay it on the pillow so I'm babbling like a fool into the air." "Don't worry, Mrs. Kitteridge." "We'll take good care of him." "You have yourself a wonderful time with your son." "Yeah, we'll see." "After three days, I stink like fish." "All right, Henry." "I'm off." "I'll give you a call when I get there." "If the plane goes down, just know I'll be thinking of you when I hurtle to earth." "Are you going to New York for business or pleasure?" "My son asked me to come down." "His new wife is three months pregnant and apparently has the pukes." "So I'm on a mission of mercy." "How nice." "You're gonna be a grandmother." "Yes." "This girl has two other children by two other fellas, but doesn't seem to bother my son, so I'm not gonna let it bother me." " It's the way things are these days." " That's right." "No point in being an old crank about it." "Going back to the view." "Oh, God." "Excuse me." "Mom!" "Over here!" "For God's sake." "I can't leave the car." "I'll get a ticket." " Hey, Mom." " Where were you?" "I thought you were meeting me at the gate?" "I was waiting for you there." "Ma, I told you nobody meets anyone at the gate." " They have security." " Well, you could have reminded me." "I was standing there, I didn't know where you were." "Well, if you get a cell phone, you could have called me." " No, you need to be more clear with me." " Come on." "Get in." "Get in." "Let's go, let's go." "Slow it down." "Just put this crap in the back." "I've been meaning to clean the car." "Don't worry about it." "I'm not the Queen." " Sorry, Mom." " Move, move." "I'm fine." " Come on, sir." "Let's go." " You got it." "Yeah." "Come on." " So how is Dad?" " His heart beats on." "His lungs are clear." "His eyes are blue." "And he still likes his aftershave." "I've forgotten what his voice sounds like." "It's still on the phone machine." "All you have to do is call." "Ann wants to meet him." "Well, anytime you want to come up." "Traveling with Ann's kids isn't easy, they're a handful." "The 1-year-old keeps us up all night, and the 4-year-old, frankly, Mom, Theodore is a little piece of crap." "Well, ducky, ducky soup." "I can't wait to meet him." "I know you think your father's not all there, but he listens, Chris." " He's still engaged." " Sure, I know." "Sorry." "You're still doing that." " What?" " The belching." "Does it annoy you?" "Not really." "And Ann won't care, she's easy." "Not like Dr. Sue, then?" "Nope." " You two still talk?" " Not really." "Can't really stand her, Ma." "Good to see you, kiddo." "Good God, Christopher!" "Is this it?" "Careful getting out." "Hell." " What's wrong?" " I stepped in dog mess." "Ah, Jesus." "People never pick up around here." "It's unbelievable." "This way, Mom." "Watch your step." "Ugh." "Go ahead, Ma." "I need to take off my shoes, so I don't track dog mess in your house." "Just leave it right there." "Ann and the kids are out in the yard." "You can just go on back." "I'm just gonna put your suitcase in your room." "Okay." "All right." "Good dog." "Yeah." "Okay." "Oh, God." "Hey!" "You made it!" "Hi, Olive." "Wow." "It's so nice to finally meet you." "You mind if I call you "Mom"?" "I've been dying to call you "Mom."" "You can call me anything you like." "Do you need to tend to that child?" "Yeah." "She's just getting over a cold." "I'm coming, cranky girl." "Blow." "Hon, I scraped the grill." " You want to get it started?" " Sure." " Who is she?" " That's your Grandma Olive." " Say hello." " Did you bring me a toy?" " No." " Why not?" " It slipped my mind." " You were supposed to bring me one!" "Grandma will be here the whole week." "She'll get you a toy later." "Mom, would you like a beer?" "No, water will be just fine." "I had to take off my shoes." "I stepped in dog mess out there." "Yeah." "It's all over the block." "Hon, can I get you anything?" "I'm good, babe." "Thanks." "Christopher, I've got a run in my stocking already." "Here, Mom, why don't you sit?" " Good grief, what was that?" " That's our tenant's parrot." "He has the floor above us." "A parrot?" "Sounds just like my Aunt Ora." "He's a fundamental Christian." " The parrot?" " No, the man." "He taught the parrot to say holy things every time you swear." " Shit!" " Praise the Lord." " Ass!" " Theo, cool it!" "I'm just showing her how it works." "That'll be enough." "Thank you, young man." "Here you go, Mom." " Did you want ice?" " No, that'll be just fine." "It's okay." "I just have one." "The hops in beer is supposed to be very healthy for women." " Didn't know that." " Yeah." "Promotes estrogen." "You learn something every day." "So, Christopher, I didn't know you had a tenant." " Does he give you any trouble?" " No, he keeps to himself." "Well, they can be a real nuisance." "When we were renting your house to all those summer people, they were always breaking things." "I'm sure." "Hey, Mom." "Did Chris ever have the chickenpox?" "He says he can't remember." "No." "He had the German measles, but not the pox." "Okay." "That's good to know." "He did have a lot of colds, though." "I would put that camphor rub on his chest, seemed to work." "I recommend that for your little one there." "Actually, I read that camphor rub can cause lung damage." " No." "I did..." "I never heard that." " Yes." "That could be why Chris has asthma." "But you shouldn't feel badly." "No one knew back then." "Well, I don't feel badly, because I don't believe it's true." "Hey, hon." "How's the grill?" "You can start getting the food ready." "Mom, I hope I didn't offend you." "There's just so much new information out there these days." "Yeah, sure." " I'm so happy you're here." " Okay." " Theo?" " Yeah?" " You wanna come help me with the food?" " Why?" "Because I have to carry your sister." "She's only my half-sister!" "Jesus, Theo." "Go help your mother, now!" "He listens to you." "I'm the bad cop." "I don't mind." "You were always a well-behaved child." "You were never a brat." "You wouldn't allow it." "Aren't you glad?" "Actually, I am." "My kid isn't gonna get away with any shit." "Ann knows how I feel, she's in agreement." "Yeah." "This one seems very agreeable." "Could you not refer to my wife as "this one"?" "I just said her name." "Ann." "Noted." "Ann is good for me, Mom." "Noted." "I know you're hurt that I didn't tell you about her sooner." "I'm sorry." "I take responsibility for that." "I don't even know how you two met." " How did you meet?" " In a therapy group." "I know you think headshrinkers are the devil." "I could care less, Christopher." "Does she complain about her childhood as well?" "She's getting over it." "Her mother is a raging alcoholic, and her father was a Marine who made her do push-ups every day." "Well, that should make your childhood look like a breeze." "How's your depression?" "Still have it?" "I take Prozac." " Does it help?" " Absolutely." "What about you?" "Have you ever thought about taking anything?" "No, I don't believe in using drugs." "Kind of a strange attitude, being that Dad was a pharmacist." "I don't believe in using drugs as a crutch." "Is that what you think I'm doing?" "Probably not." "Pill poppers don't run in our family." "No." "We're a moderate bunch." "Christopher, are you concerned that Ann is drinking while carrying your child?" " No, Mom." " Just saying." "Had to mention it." "Thank you." "I'm glad you did." "Excuse me, Ma." "I need to go get the meat." "You need anything?" " Nope, nope, nope." "Happy as a lark." " Okay." " Hell..." " Glory to God." "Hello." "Hello." "You're the mother." "Yes." "I'm Mrs. Kitteridge." " Mrs. Kitteridge." " Yes." "And do you have a name?" "I'm Mr. O'Casey." "How do you do?" "Fine." "Thank you." "Glory to God." "I just met your tenant." "He's a bit strange." "Sean, yeah." "He's a weird guy." " Says his name's O'Casey." " Yeah." "Any relation to Jim O'Casey?" "Who?" "Your old English teacher, Mr. O'Casey." "He used to drive us to school." "He and his wife had a shoe full of children." "This fella one of those?" "Haven't a clue." "You might want to ask." "Don't care to." "I never liked O'Casey." "He was a jerk." "Let me do something, Christopher." "Set the table or something." "Sure." "Go ask Ann." " Can I help?" " Yeah." "Great, Mom." "You wanna take Annabelle?" "I'll make the salad." "Okay, sure." "Cool." "Yeah." "It's okay." "Here we go." "In you go." "I know, I know." "I'm switching off because my beer got warm." "I only drank half of it, see?" "Well, that can't help with your nausea." "My nausea?" "I thought your pregnancy was giving you the pukes?" "Nope." "Healthy as a horse." "My son asked me to come down here to help you out." "I think he just wanted me to meet you." "So he could prove what a rotten mother I am." "Not at all." "Listen, Olive." "I understand everything you've been through." "Dealing with your father's suicide and all." "My mother is self-destructive as well." "She's still alive, but she's slowly killing herself with gin." "So I'm already mourning her death." "I've got all these anger issues." "Of course." "But anger doesn't serve, you know?" "It's not something I want to pass on to my kids." "Yeah, sure." "But they're gonna blame you anyway." "Probably." "Hey, Mom." "Did you bring any photos?" " Photos?" " Family photos." "One of my projects is to put together a Kitteridge family book for the kids." "Be nice for them to have that, don't you think?" "Well, maybe for Christopher's child, but I'm not sure it'll mean much to your other two." "Sure it will." "They love Chris." "He's their dad." "Where are the other fathers, if I may ask?" "Theo's went back to Germany, and Annabelle's dad is still in L.A." "But they're both very comfortable with Christopher raising their kids." "Well, of course they are." "He's the one paying the bills." "I guess that's true." "Still, it's nice we all get along, don't you think?" " Want some apple, Mom?" " No, thank you." "Look, it's a snake." " Look, it's a snake!" " Yeah, isn't that neat?" "I'm coming to get you, Annabelle." "Look." "Honey, be gentle, okay?" "It's a gardener snake." " Where's your bathroom?" " It's just down the hall, Mom." " You okay?" " No, I'm feeling a little queasy." "Must be from the traveling." "Do you want me to hold your head for you?" "Oh, dear God, no." "Ugh." "Grandma Olive, it's dinner time." "I'll be there in a minute, thank you." " Are you throwing up?" " No." " Are you pooping?" " No." " What are you doing then?" " None of your business." "I need my privacy, please." "They put me up in the basement." "Not a lot of natural light down here, but it's the cleanest spot in the place." "Not impressed with the neighborhood." "I stepped in dog mess." "I've been walking around in my stocking feet." "Like a dope, I only packed one pair of hose." "Your new daughter-in-law is not the best housekeeper, and she's not the best cook, either." "But friendly as a horse, I think you two would get along." "Little dumb, though." "She had a beer and said it was good for her estrogen." "Smack, Henry, who says things like that?" "Chris seems happy, though." "Still goes on about that shrink business, but don't worry." "They always go after the mother." "You'll come out smelling like a rose." "But I think he's missed me, Henry." "I'm still here, I'm just gonna..." "I'm just gonna listen for a bit." "So, Mrs. Kitteridge, you gonna run away with me?" "Yes." "You gonna go home tonight and tell him?" "Yes." "Mom!" "You have to get up if you're taking Theodore to school." " Mom?" " Yes, I'm up." "I made coffee if you want it." "I don't wanna wear my clothes." "I wanna wear my PJs to school." "I can see you're having big feelings right now." "You don't love me." "What?" "Of course I love you." "I'm just getting very frustrated right now." " Hello, Theodore." " Hello, Sally." "And who's this?" "Is this your grandmother?" "No." "I am the wicked witch from the north." "Enjoy your day, young man." "Goodbye, Grandma." "That one's bright, but needs direction." "Okay, good to know." "Come on, girl." "You're a good old girl, aren't you?" "I saw your tenant in the park today." " Doesn't he work?" " No, he writes." " What does he write?" " I have no idea." "Bad poetry, no doubt." "Do you know where he's from?" "He's from Maine." "He is?" "Come to think of it, he told me that his father drove into a tree." "He said that?" "Yeah." "That's why he went born again." "Mom, it's a joke." "He's from Great Neck." "For God's sake, Christopher!" "I don't get the joke!" "Tell me it again!" "It's not a "ha-ha" joke." "Who drove into a tree?" "Never mind." " Did he get killed?" " It's just a story, sweetie." "Why don't we all go out for ice cream?" "Yes, yes, yes!" "Ice cream, ice cream, ice cream!" "Mom, you don't have to do that." "Come on, let's all go out." " Come on." " I'm fine." "Ice cream!" "Ice cream!" "Ice cream!" " Ice cream!" " Stop it!" "Theo, calm down." " Ice cream, ice cream, ice cream!" " Stop that." " Ice cream!" "Ice cream!" " Theo!" " I said stop that!" " Ow!" "Shit!" "Mommy!" "Mommy!" " Jesus, Ma!" " It's okay, sweetie." "Well, I'm sorry, but he was tugging at me." "I could have toppled over." "Jesus Christ, Mom." "I don't even know what to say." "Chris." "Olive, I think what needs to happen is for you to apologize to Theodore, and for Theodore to then forgive you." "I think that's the best thing to do right now." "I'm sorry." "Look at me." "That was a very..." "I'm sorry." "That was not a nice thing to do to a little boy." "In my day, children got hit." "But that's just the way people were raised." "It's true, Theodore." "Grandma's from another time, and she doesn't know any better." "Just like Grandma Lehey doesn't know any better when she drinks." "Well..." "You think you can forgive your grandma?" "Okay." "Go ahead, give her a hug." "Thank you, thank you." "You're a good little boy." "OW." "This isn't what I wanted." "It's what you ordered." "I didn't know I wouldn't like it." "What do you want, honey?" "I want what she's having." "Well, maybe Grandma Olive will let you have some of hers." "Oh, dear God." "Henry, it's happened." "I've turned into my old Aunt Ora who spills on herself." "And Chris saw." "They both saw me soil myself and they didn't bother to say a word about it." "They just let me sit there with slop down my front like I was nothing to them." "Henry, are you asleep?" "Is anyone there?" "Hello?" "Nurse?" "Hello?" "Oh, dear God." "Godfrey." "Hey, Mom." "It's time for me to go." "Didn't know you were out there, Mom." "What did you say?" "I said it's time for the damn old lady to go." " What are you talking about?" " It's time." "I stink like fish." "Hey, Mom." "How'd you sleep?" " She says she's leaving." " Mom..." "It's okay." "Everyone forgave you." "Theo is fine." "It was a good lesson." "I didn't come here for a lesson." "Okay, Mom..." "No, not okay." "Don't talk to me like a child." "Mom, he's just trying to have a conversation with you." "No, he's not." "I'm being patronized." "And will you stop calling me "Mom"?" "You're not my spawn, for God's sake." "Okay." "I was hoping that things had changed, but clearly they haven't." "And what's that supposed to mean?" "I can't take responsibility for these bizarre mood changes of yours." "You behave like a paranoid, you always have." "I don't need to sit here and be called a schizoid by my son." "Olive, please stay calm." "Chris is only trying to tell you that sometimes your moods change kind of fast, and that's been hard for him." "You know, growing up." "How would you know?" "Were you there?" "I suppose after all this shrink business, you two think you're experts now." " Olive..." " No, it's okay." "Let her go." "I'll call the car service." " You're not going to drive me?" " No, Mom." "I have to be at work in an hour, and Ann has to take the kids to school." "Do you remember the name of the service we used?" "I can find it, hon." "So you're kicking me out, just like that?" "See?" "There's an example." "You say you want to leave, and then you accuse me of being horrible to you." "Now, in the past, this would have made me feel awful." "But I am not going to feel awful, because this is not my doing." "I don't have to put up with it anymore." "You have not had to put up with me for years." "You broke your father's heart when you moved away." "That's what started his downfall." "I'm not even gonna touch that one." "Mommy, can you come here?" "Just a minute, hon." " You okay?" " I'm fine." "For God's sake, why does she keep asking if you're okay?" "I am fine." "Okay?" "I am perfectly fine having this discussion with you." "This is not a discussion." "You're on the attack." "I'm not attacking you." "As you can hear, I'm talking to you in a very calm voice." "Like a shrink." "I'm not a dope." "I know when I'm being handled." "I'm just trying to stay neutral, Mom." "You have a horrible temper, and I'm not going to engage." "I'm not going to live in fear of you." "Fear of me?" "What on earth have I done?" "You always made me feel horrible." "And you made Daddy feel horrible." "I mean, Jesus, I don't know what I hated more, when you went after me or when you sided with me and went after him." "Don't you talk to me about your father, Mr. High-and-Mighty." "You won't even talk to him on the goddamn phone." "He doesn't know who I am, Mom." "Okay?" "He is completely checked out." "And who could blame him, the way you treated him all these years?" "You don't know what marriage is." " You and your divorce." " Okay, Mom." "You don't know what it is to live with someone till death do you part." "You don't know!" "Things go on!" "I know that, Mom." "Jim O'Casey." "You treated Daddy like shit because of him." " You don't know what you're talking about." " Jesus Christ, Mom." "You don't think that I didn't see what was going on?" "Nothing happened, if you want to know!" "People hold back when they're married, that's what you do." "Well, maybe you should have gone off and screwed the guy, instead of screaming at Daddy and hitting me." "I never hit you!" "You slapped me, Mom!" "Many a time." "I have forgiven you, but it would be nice if you would acknowledge it for fucking once." "I would never, never, never, in a million years deliberately hurt a child!" "Mom, we're done." "Okay, I have nothing left to say." "Well, you have it all figured out." "Good for you." "Hope you have a damn nice life." "Babe, I can't find Theo's permission slip for his field trip." "Have you seen it anywhere?" "Yeah, I put it in his backpack." "I signed it already." "I'm sorry, Olive." "I'll call the car service." "I've got the number in my phone." "Why is she crying?" "Take off your shoes and put them in a bin." "Take off your hat, your jacket, your belt." "Place your laptop in the bin." "Take off your shoes and put them in a bin." "Take off your shoes..." "Ma'am, please?" "You need to take your shoes off." "I can't." "For security, you need to take your shoes off." "No, I won't take off my shoes." "My stockings got shredded, this is my only pair, and they're a mess." "You can't go through without taking off your shoes." "And I told you I won't." "Hey, what's going on here?" "Watch out." "Step aside." "Ma'am, step aside, please." "What seems to be the problem here?" "I won't take off my shoes." "I won't." "If you don't take off your shoes..." "I will not take off my shoes." "...you don't get on that plane." " I won't." " Do you understand that?" "Let's go, lady!" "No liquids above three ounces beyond this point." "Thank you." "Jackets Off." "Laptop computers in a separate bin." "Unbelievable." "Take off your belt, your hat..." "This one's nice." "All right." "That's good." "There we go." "Let me be your rockin' chair" "Rock me way from here" "Good looking, honey" "Come to me, baby" "Let me be your..." "Olive." "You're here." "Decided to come back early." "The place was full of dog hair, and the new wife is a terrible cook." "...back to center, and stretch, stretch..." "Mrs. Kitteridge." "You didn't get our message?" "Is he all right?" "I'm so sorry." "Mr. Kitteridge passed away last night." "We called your house several times, hoping you'd check in." "What time did he die?" "It was about 10:30." "I called at 10:00." "Why didn't someone tell me he was dying?" "No one knew, Mrs. Kitteridge." "He passed away in his sleep." " Would you like to sit down?" " No." "I should pack up his things." "You don't have to do that now, Mrs. Kitteridge, really." "Someone can help you later." "Our grief counselor is here." "Would you like to see her?" "No." " Did you change the water?" " The water?" "In his flowers." "I told you to change the water every day." "You didn't, did you?" "Mrs. Kitteridge..." "Was he asleep when I called?" "Well, he might have been, yes." "Why didn't someone wake him up?" "I don't know." "So you people just left the phone off the hook and walked away." "You couldn't be bothered." "You let the old woman babble on to her dying husband as he drifts." "You didn't give a damn about my husband." "He was just one more stupid old man to wash and change and fill a bed." "Well, you can go to hell." "I will slit my throat before I will end up in a place like this." "Olive." "Sweetheart..." "Oh, dear God, Angela." "Leave me alone!" "It's now 28 past the hour." "Here's something to brighten your day." "The Piano Concerto in E-flat major by Jan Dussek." "No." "Let's take a walk." "Go, go, go, go, go." "Come on, let's go." "Clancy?" "Come on." "Let's go." "Oh, dear God!" "Are you dead?" "Apparently not." "Have you been stabbed or shot?" "No." "Not that I know of." "Is it your heart, do you think?" "It could be..." " Can you move?" " I don't know." "I haven't tried yet." "Well..." "Try." "Move this one." "All right, try an arm." "I don't have one of those cell phones." "You?" "Yes." "But I didn't bring it." "Well, I'm gonna have to go back to my car and drive for help." "No, thank you." "Please don't leave me alone here." "All right." "Can you sit up?" " I don't know." " Well, let's try." "Here." "You gotta help." "I can't handle you on my own." "You're too big." "I'm up." "Well, your color's a little better." "How'd this happen, do you think?" "I was walking." "And I started feeling dizzy." "And then I sat down on this bench, and the next thing, I'm lying on the ground and there's a woman squawking, "Are you dead?"" "Well, you seem less dead every minute." "You get used to it." "I'm Olive Kitteridge." "I taught at the junior high school." "My husband owned the pharmacy." "I think I've seen you and your wife around town." "Care to introduce yourself?" "I'm Jack Kennison." "I'm sorry for being rude, but who remembers names anymore?" "I make the effort." "Seems the polite thing to do." "Who's this guy?" "This is Clancy." "Come here." "He's a good old boy, aren't you?" "You should see a doctor." "I hate them myself, but you should get yourself checked out." "Well, I don't really care whether I croak or not." "Neither do I." "But you don't want to do it face-down in a bicycle path." "Your wife wouldn't like that." "She doesn't care." "She died in December." "Then you're in hell." "Yes." "I am in hell." "My Henry died six months ago." "He was in a nursing home for four years." "You'd think I'd be relieved." "You'd think." "My wife died of cancer." "It took much too long." "Give me a reason to wake up in the morning." "Don't have a clue." "I'm waiting for the dog to die so I can shoot myself." "What's your name again?" "I'm not gonna tell you if you won't remember." "Come on, I'll take you to the doctor." " No, thanks." " Then I'll walk you to your car." "I'm capable of making it on my own." "Let's see you do it then." "Fine." "Okay." "All right." "Not going to see the Queen, you know." "Shut up!" "Let's go." "Are you sure you're fine to drive home?" "Absolutely." "Well, I'm gonna follow you just to be sure." "Oh, dear God, is that your car?" "I don't know." "Let me see if this key works." "It's a little much for around here, don't you think?" "No, I don't." "It's an excellent car." "It starts." "For God's sake." "Showoff!" "Would you like to come in for lunch?" "I could probably find an egg or a can of soup." "No, I have things to do." "Go do them, then." "I'm gonna call you later, see if your heart's still ticking." "You in the book?" "No." "Here's my card." "You know how to get home from here?" "Lived here all my life." "Good for you." "Come on, Clance." "Come on." "Little boy!" "Don't do that!" "You'll poke an eye out." "Do you hear me?" "Run!" "It's a witch!" "She's a witch!" "Come on." "Blowhard." ""...beat these ingredients vigorously with a wire whisk..." ""...or a rotary beater for two or three minutes."" "Hello?" "Are you still alive?" "Hey, it's Olive." "Yes, I appear to be." "I could use a good meal." "Would you like to go out to dinner?" "That sounds great." "Well, it will have to be early." "I go to bed with the birds." "I'll call around, find a place, call you back?" "We're going Dutch, by the way." "Well, can I pick you up, at least?" "Do you think we'll both fit in that ridiculous car of yours?" "Shall I rent a van?" " Will there be anything else, ma'am?" " No, that's it." "Old jerk." "All right, then." "Right on time." "Yep." "This is a fine property." "How long have you had it?" "Henry and I bought it about 40 years ago." "We had the property next door, but I sold it." "Must have made a nice profit there." "Yeah, can't complain." "I'd invite you in, but we don't wanna be late." "So let's go, then." "You can relax, Olive." "I'm a very good driver." "I have no doubt." "Feminism was established so as to allow unattractive women easier access to the mainstream of society..." "Was that Rush Limbaugh?" "Yes." "Oh, good God, Olive." "What now?" "You, Mr. High-and-Mighty-Harvard, you listen to that idiot?" "He has some interesting opinions." "He's a liar and a hatemonger, makes me want to puke." "Are we gonna do this or not?" " Fine." "I'll shut up." " You don't have to shut up." "But try not to take personally who I am." "All we're doing is going out to get some dinner." "Fine." "Drive on." "And it's Yale." "I didn't go to Harvard." "I went to Yale." "I couldn't get into Harvard." "Was your wife a good cook?" "A wonderful cook." "Took classes at Cordon Bleu." "Lots of butter." "In her will, she left me this." "I cook like a peasant." "That's how I kept my Henry trim." "Right now, I don't have a taste for much of anything." "Well, that's what happens." "How long did it take you to get your appetite back?" "Never lost it." "Once they're gone, their flaws disappear, don't they?" "There were times that I couldn't stand my Henry." "But now, he seems like the perfect man." "I imagine our children will feel the same about us when we kick it." "It's not likely." "My son hasn't talked to me for six months." "Called once, after his father died." "Upbraided me for sending a note." "A note about what?" "That his father had died." "You sent him a note?" "Does he live overseas?" "No, Brooklyn." "You couldn't call?" "I'd just gone down there for a visit." "We had a dreadful fight." "He didn't call to apologize to me, so I saw no reason to call him." "That's pretty harsh." "He never bothered to tell me that he had gotten married until two months after the fact, and I'm still waiting to find out whether or not I'm a grandmother." "Why should I call him with pertinent information?" "That's childish, Olive." "Do you call your daughter?" " That's a different story." " Why?" "What's she done to you?" "I disagree with her lifestyle." "What does that mean?" "Does she live in a teepee?" "I Wish." "She lives with another woman, the way others would live with a man." "Gay." "She's gay." "Yeah, that's what they like to call it." "And that offends you?" "It doesn't make me happy." "Get over it." " It's time to get over it." " Be honest." "If your son were sharing a bed with a man, do you really believe you wouldn't mind?" "Not in the least." "Not in the least." " No grandkids?" " I would still love him with all my heart." "Now you're just being sentimental." "You don't know how you would feel until you're presented with the actual situation." "And you are intolerant." "I suppose that you don't trust black people, either." "You probably think they're shiftless." "No." "Not all of them." "Good grief." "I don't believe in coddling people who don't want to work." "Do you?" "I don't have much sympathy for rich old flubdubs who can't put themselves in other people's shoes." "No, you can't throw that bleeding-heart crap at me." "You're just as intolerant as I am." "Really." "Judgmental, stubborn, petty." "And no, your son is not going to miss you when you're dead." "He'll be deeply relieved, and you have to get ready for that." "Ducky, ducky, ducky soup." "Well, I am done here." "I'd like the check." "Well, I think I'd like some dessert." "Where are you going?" "I'm going to pay my half of the bill, and I'm gonna call myself a cab." "Put your goddamn money away." "No, I won't." "Well, I won't take it." "Jesus Christ." "Leave me some dignity." "Well, I tried." "Make sure you can drive." "I'll be fine." "I'll order some coffee." "Yeah." "Well, don't kill yourself." "Clancy?" "Clance." "Are you all right?" "Calling to say that he got home safely, no doubt." "Stupid man." "I could care less." "This is Olive Kitteridge." "Not home." "Leave a message." "Hello, Olive." "It's Ann." "Chris doesn't know that I'm calling, but I wanted you to know that we had the baby." "His name is Kyle, and he was born on March 28th." "Anyway, I thought you'd like to know." "Bye." "Mrs. Kitteridge?" "We're ready for you." "What are you doing?" "Are you having a picnic?" "Yep." "Where's your food?" "I ate it already." "These are our woods, you know." " Are they?" " Yes." "Well, I'll be on my way, then." "You can stay, lady." "But don't litter." "Will do." "Hello?" "Are you here?" "Hold on, Olive." "I'll be right there." "I'm just lying down." "No, stay put." "I'll find you." "Are you feeling poorly?" "Just soul-poor." "The body keeps banging on." "I brought you some of my tulips." "I don't normally give them away." "They're beautiful, Olive." "Thank you." "I'll go put them in some water." "No, come." "Sit." "I'm a grandmother." "They left me a message on my machine." "I suppose I have to call them back now." "Yes, you should." "It'll be an easy call." "It's my fault my son can't stand me." "I haven't spoken with my daughter in two years." "Can you imagine that?" "My husband loved me dearly, and I was a horror to him." "My wife was a saint, and I had an affair." "I had an affair." "Almost." "I held back, but I made my husband suffer for it." "And now you feel terrible." "God, I'm scared." "Stop." "I hate scared people." "Well, that's too goddamn bad." "Do you hear anything?" "Am I still alive?" "Still banging' on." "Baffles me, this world." "I don't want to leave it yet."