Fourteen (2019) - full transcript

It's all right,
I'll be right back.

So can I come over later?

I can't stay long,

I'm just gonna pick up
the manuscript and run.

I can come in for a little
while, I just can't stay long.

I have a date.

I think it's a date anyway.

No.

No, why do you think
I would do that?

I have I ever shown any signs

of getting back
together with him?



No, that would be you who
would do that, not me,

you're projecting.

Listen, I need to get
back in there, okay, bye.

Okay.

A friend of mine just
got here, I have to go.

Well, they're gonna
call me, right?

So there's nothing I can do?

Listen, I really have to go.

All right, see
you tomorrow, bye.

Who was that?

My supervisor.

It sounded like you were
talking to a telemarketer.

I wish, I wish she
was into telemarketing.

So where's the manuscript?



Oh, right.

Where is it?

Thought you said you found it?

I did, I just
pulled it out this morning.

So how did it get lost
if you just pulled it out?

Hang on.

It was under something.

Thanks.

So you got up to page 25.

I told you I wasn't
finished with it.

Yeah but,

okay, thanks.

I'll finish it if
you give it back.

Okay.

I'm going out for a
smoke, come with me?

Sure.

The landlady
won't let me smoke in here.

Can't blame her.

I tried it anyway,
she was up here instantly.

People have superpowers for
detecting other people smoking.

If I'd been selling a body
part, no one would bother me.

All your old landlords
will never be able

to get that smell out.

They have to tear the
building down to start over.

Some of that smell is from
your cigarettes, you know.

Yeah.

So what'd your supervisor
want to talk about?

Nothing.

One of my cases went
missing a week ago,

two weeks ago with
her whole family.

They followed the welfare checks

and found them in
a different area,

so another social
worker is taking over

and I need to do
knowledge transfer.

Was it so urgent she
had to call you at home?

No.

We found out about
this days ago,

I think this gal just gets
lonely and picks up the phone.

Really a sweet kid.

Family's a piece of work though,

I hope this new
caseworker's good.

So what's up with this date?

I can't tell if
it's a date or not.

You remember David Marshall?

Of course I remember
him, he's the date?

Yeah.

Well that's bizarre.

Where'd you run across him?

He gave one of the aides at
school a ride home from work.

Turns out he's a writer,

and he's a reader for
Electric Literature.

I told him I submitted
a story there,

so he wants to have
dinner and talk about it.

So, it's a date if he
was just pretending

to care about the story,

and it's not a date if
he was being honest.

Well, no one ever hook up

to say you had to
be honest about it.

What I really
want, is a dessert.

You're not interested in him?

I don't know, I
don't know him really.

You know him well enough.

Is that aide his girlfriend?

He asked me to dinner
right in front of her,

so I'm guessing no.

He is good-looking.

He looks better now.

Really?

Yeah, he lost
weight or something.

He was wearing a suit
with his tie loosened.

Did he seem nervous when
he asked you to dinner?

No.

As cool as a cucumber.

Yeah, of course he'd be cool.

I say he's trying to
get in your pants.

You know, you have this
tendency to think that,

people are insulting you
when they try and fuck you.

Just take it as a compliment.

The trouble is they like

actually, literally insult
you more often than not.

There's no such thing
as a literal insult.

It's just a phrase.

Don't use it,
you're destroying a perfectly good word.

You wanna come with me?

For what?

A dessert.

Where?

The diner, on Rogers.

I'll walk with you.

Jo says hi.

Jo Mitchel?

Mm-hmm.

You still see her?

Oh yeah.

How's she doing?

She's pretty good.

What's she up to?

She's a social worker.

Really?

Mm-hmm.

She works with adolescents.

She's working with
some state agency.

It's great that you
two are still in touch.

You two were always a
bit of an odd couple.

Really, how?

You know.

Jo can be a pretty
tough customer.

Yeah, I guess.

Cutting is the precise word.

She can be very cutting
in her comments.

Did she cut you?

Not me, per se.

How do you like your job?

I don't know,
it's a tough job.

It's kind of exhausting.

Jennifer is completely
exhausted all the time.

The gig is really
putting her through hell.

That's a good
description of it.

I guess I shouldn't
be talking to you

about how much
she hates her job.

It's cool.

I just assume in
advance that anyone

who has our job would hate it.

Everyone hates it?

Yeah, basically.

Teachers aide jobs
are a lot of work

and they hardly pay anything.

It's really hard to get a
full-time education position,

so people bounce around
in these aide jobs.

I'm working on getting
my Masters part-time.

I'm getting close to finishing,

and hopefully that
should expand my options.

So, so you guys
work on your degrees,

while working these killer jobs?

Yes.

And you do your writing
on the side, in your case?

Thank God for summers.

I liked your story.

Thanks.

I was expecting
something different.

How so?

It's very quiet, not a lot
of frills to the writing,

I like that.

Why'd you make the
central character a man?

It was just based on
a story a guy told me.

True story?

Kind of, there really was
a squirrel who got sick,

but the real life guy
didn't take care of it

the way the character does.

Was the little girl real?

No, I made her up.

What about you?

You're not a quiet writer?

I've been a bad boy.

I was always trying
to get attention

and people gave it to me.

Now I just want to communicate,
it's not that easy.

You haven't read
any of my stuff?

Don't read anything yet.

Give me another 10 years.

Thanks for dinner, it was
really nice to see you again.

It was nice to see you.

Let's do it again.

Yeah, that would be great.

Thanks for
everything, goodnight.

Goodnight.

Hello?

You've got the right number
Mara, this is Josh, Jo's...

Yeah, I've heard a
lot about you, too.

Yeah, I just grabbed her
phone 'cause she's asleep

and I didn't want to wake her.

She lost her job this morning.

Yeah, she was blindsided.

I was blindsided for sure.

She was pretty upset about it so

I just didn't want to wake her,

I wanted to let
her sleep it off.

But we're on, we're totally on.

Yeah, she's looking
forward to it.

Yeah, I see you know her well.

Yeah, don't worry, I
will get her there.

Yeah, it'll be great to
see you in the flesh,

at long last.

Do you know where we're meeting?

Never mind, I don't need to know

where we're going, she knows.

Okay great.

All right, I'll see you soon.

Yeah, I'm excited about it, bye.

Hey, what's
going on here?

We've been
displaced, man.

The goal is to violate
the spirit of the law.

The goes is load up on
as much risk as you can,

without getting caught.

So they're just
completely out in the open.

Completely out in the open.

They just openly talk.

Take your worst idea
about corporate culture,

and double or triple it,
that's what it's like.

It's a totally
different universe.

Do they know you're
a pinko democrat?

It doesn't come up.

I don't have a lot of
heartfelt conversations there.

The people I hang out with

are mostly the Indian
guys who do contract work.

What's it like being in
the middle of that, though?

Doesn't it get to you?

I guess I'm just used to it.

I've been working financial
jobs a long time now.

You just do what
you're paid for,

and hope these guys don't
bring the world down.

I know I'm not gonna show
up for morning meeting.

This is not gonna happen.

That's the whole
reason I picked a job

where I could set my own hours.

When's the last time they
spoke to you about anything?

They never spoke
to me about anything.

Well they spoke to you
that one time, right,

when you missed
that appointment?

Yeah, but they said
that wasn't a problem.

I mean at the time
they were fine with it.

What they really cared about,

was me missing the
dumb-ass morning meetings,

which lots of people
miss, not just me.

Well Jo it sucked they
didn't give you any warning,

but for future reference
you should make

a little mental note to yourself

that when people tell
you they don't care

about lateness and
no-shows, they are lying,

and they really do care,
no matter what they say.

I mean, you've
been here for how...

It wasn't about that,

I don't even think it
was about the meetings.

This supervisor and I
have been butting heads

the whole time I've been there.

You think she wanted you gone?

As far as she's concerned,

I was just put there to
make her life difficult.

She's a total stress-ball,

anything new or anything
challenging just freaks her out.

I tried to organize
regular group meetings

so we could compare notes.

She just wants to do
one-on-one supervision

because that's
what she's used to.

That's why I tried to
set up a support group

for the staff at my hospital,

because the doctors can
be so fucking insensitive

to women there, and
so on and so on.

How's the job market?

It's good, they're
desperate for social workers.

I just have to, I have
to file some paperwork.

What kind of paperwork?

My continuing education.

There's a form you can file.

You get an extra year if
you haven't completed it.

You mean you have
to take some classes

before you can work again?

No, I just have
to file this form,

and then I'll work while
I'm taking the classes.

You want to file that
form right away then, right?

Yeah.

You know where to find it?

No, I can ask someone.

I can help you with
it later on, okay?

You don't want to
leave this hanging.

I won't.

We'll do it later.

Your hands are
cold from the beer.

Warmer?

Yes.

This is hard to do with
your shirt and bra in the way.

Better?

A little.

You want me to take 'em off?

This girl is the
love of my life.

I don't care,
I'll take 'em off.

Keep your fuckin' bra on, Jo.

It's actually a really
nice, expensive bra.

But to him it's just
something in the way.

That would be an accurate
description of my priorities.

I have drawers
full of nice lingerie

that are going to waste
because he doesn't care.

What can I say?

It's not my thing.

Me neither, actually.

Not into the frills.

Fancy lingerie makes me feel

like I'm in a play or something.

What's wrong
with being in a play?

I don't know, I can't pull
it off, it makes me feel silly.

How do you feel about
lingerie, Jonathan?

Who me?

He's into it, I can tell.

Right?

Sure, I like lingerie.

I saw you perk up

when I mentioned that
drawer of underwear.

Just sitting here
minding my own business.

It's nothing
to be ashamed of.

It's not weird to
like lingerie, is it?

Don't mind her.

Of course not, of course not.

But all the incompatibility
in this room, so sad.

Lingerie incompatibility.

Everyone's with the
wrong lingerie partner.

Hey, no swapping,
I like this one.

Do you know the
name of the department

that wants the form?

It's the state

education department, isn't it?

Don't ask me.

Yeah, that's it.

Registration renewal.

There's an email address here
that you have to write to

to get a registration
renewal application.

I've got that already.

You've got the application?

Yeah.

Well, what do we want then?

I've got that,

but I need to file another
form with that form,

because I didn't do my
continuing education.

Yeah, okay I see it.

You can file a registration
renewal addendum.

That's it.

You can file it, but
then you have to do

all the continuing education
from the last three years.

Yeah I know.

And this year's too.

Yeah yeah, I know.

Okay, I'm sending you
a link to this form.

Did you fill out the
original form, the renewal?

I'll do it.

That form's online right?

That's what it says here.

They sent it to
me on a piece of paper.

Can you get it?

Let's get it filled out now.

All right, wait,
I have to find it.

I wish you had a
full-length mirror somewhere.

Sorry, I can get
one if you want.

You should get one,

just put it right here
on the bathroom door.

I make this big
embarrassing confession,

and then you go
off to the bathroom

and leave me here to stew.

I wanted to have a
clear mind to discuss it.

We do not need to discuss it.

I just said it because...

Because I asked you, right?

Right.

So go ahead, it's cool.

I don't know what
else there is to say.

I could give you
an origin story.

Okay.

It's not really
an origin story,

but it's the origin of
me thinking about it.

The origin story is,
one time years ago

I went to the movies with
two friends, female friends,

and they sat on
either side of me,

and I wound up holding
hands with both of them

at the same time,

and it was extremely strange.

It was totally different from
holding hands with one person,

and I got so distracted

that I couldn't pay
attention to the film,

and now I can barely remember
a single thing about it.

That's the origin?

Basically.

I don't think it had really
occurred to me before then.

It's not about watching
two women do each other.

I mean, I wouldn't kick
them out of bed for that,

but it's really more about me.

What, about the
two women doing you?

Well yeah, about
the two at once angle.

So like, no personalities?

I don't know, I
wouldn't put it that way.

It's not my philosophy
of life or anything.

No, it's fine, I'm
just thinking out loud.

I would consider
doing that for you,

if we could figure
out some way that

wouldn't be like, catastrophic.

I really wasn't
trying to put it

on the docket or anything.

It's just not that
easy to pull off

from a social point of view.

Yeah, no shit.

Jo's the one person
I could think of

who would probably do it,

but I would totally never ever

do anything like that with her.

It seems pretty
awkward with anyone.

Yeah, maybe, but
definitely not with Jo.

I would feel as if I
weren't even there.

I thought you said she
was a bit of a basket case?

She is a basket case.

But she would make you feel
as if you weren't even there?

This is weirding me out
even to talk about it.

Okay, let's focus,
instead of Jo I swear,

this is making me
think about the right

qualifications for the job.

It has to be someone
who can play a role,

a secondary role.

I have a friend, Susan,

who has the exact perfect
personality for the job.

She would never do anything
like that, she's very straight.

All the people who are
non-threatening enough to work

are the ones you
would never ask.

That's really sweet of you
to be putting so much effort

into my little fantasy,

but really it's okay.

I'll keep thinking about it.

Thanks for service above
and beyond the call of duty.

Yeah, maybe later I'll
think about it and be like,

did you actually say
we were gonna do that?

Uh oh.

What?

Hi.

What's going on?

What's the matter?

Why are you crying?

I don't see what you're
so worried about,

what are you afraid
is going to happen?

My mom is in town, I have
a plan with her tonight.

Well, she's my mom.

I know, but she's still my mom,

and when did I ever not see
my mom when she was visiting?

Oh, he's okay.

Yeah, I mean he's all about

the deficit and the gold
standard, and that kind of thing,

but basically he's okay.

Okay.

Okay, if you really need me to,

I will cancel with her.

Should we meet somewhere?

All right, I'll come
over when I'm done here.

No, I can't, I'm tutoring.

I'll text you when
I'm almost there.

Okay, see you soon.

Hi.

Listen, I'm really
really sorry but,

yeah.

I really apologize, it's Jo,
there's some kind of emergency.

Yes.

Knowing her she might
cancel on me but,

something's wrong at least,
she's really in bad shape.

Yeah, I don't know.

Thank you so much.

You don't mind being
at my beck and call,

I don't want to hang
you and Paul up.

Okay.

Thank you for being so nice.

Maybe I'll see you later then.

Okay, bye bye.

Sorry about that, we'll
make up the time at the end.

You don't have to do that.

How's it going?

I can't get it.

- 25%.
- Yeah, I have that.

Of, what's of?

Times.

The budget.

What's the budget?

I don't know.

We don't know
what the budget it.

- So that's X.
- That's X.

Is.

Yeah, I know.

Fuck!

Hey.

Josh hi, is Jo home?

She's dead asleep.

Listen, I canceled
some important plans

because she basically begged me

on her hands and knees
to come over here.

I'll totally take responsibility
for waking her up.

She's not gonna
wake up, she's down.

Yeah, she's down, okay.

Leaving.

Listen, do you have any clue

what's going on with her lately?

I have no clue
what happened today.

The last I heard from
her was two weeks ago.

I got the same
call that you got,

except that she wanted drugs.

So she's been alone?

I just assumed she
was hanging with you.

I wouldn't say she's
been alone, exactly,

but she hasn't been
hanging with me.

What kind of drugs?

Oxies.

So that's what she just took?

Yeah, and she's
been drinking Wild Turkey.

You think it's a good
idea to give her drugs?

I don't see how
you're gonna stop her.

You think if I'd have said no,

she would have left it at that?

I don't think it's
a drug problem.

Well, they don't
seem to be helping any.

I've seen a lot
of drug problems,

and it's something else.

I'm not too so sure,

I can't tell what's
what anymore.

It's something else,

she needs to see a
doctor or something.

I'm backing off, I
can't deal with it.

She'll have to start
solving her own problems.

Or not.

I can't be the point
man on this anymore.

It goes in cycles, right?

Oh, thank you,
what a great idea.

I haven't finished
my last one yet.

What were we talking about?

You and Jo, you've had
a lot of ups and downs.

I guess.

I always feel like the last
time was the worst time.

My perspective is shot.

Are you following all this,

or do you need a scorecard?

Obviously, she
has some problems.

Can you get her to see
a doctor, a shrink?

She's seen lots of those.

She chews doctors
up and spits them out.

So a new guy?

Yep, new guy.

What, is something
wrong already?

No, nothing's wrong.

He drives me out of my
fucking mind half the time,

but he's a good egg.

What's he like?

I don't know,
what's anybody like?

He's like a big puppy.

Lots of enthusiasm, not the
most practical guy in the world.

Whoa, you always
draw these hot guys.

No I don't.

You most certainly do.

He does look good in
this picture actually.

You want to meet him?

When?

Tonight.

Tonight, I don't know.

What are you doing?

Nothing, just going out.

He won't mind people
barging in on his date?

He won't mind.

We'll go to JFK first,
then just stop by.

I don't know, I'll let
you know later, okay?

Sure.

Can I bring someone?

Of course, who's this?

The guy I'm seeing.

Why didn't you
mention this guy before?

I don't know, you didn't ask.

Hmm, I owe you money.

Oh.

and 80,

200, 90,

I have the other five somewhere.

Don't worry about the five.

Wait wait wait.

Thanks.

Thank you.

I told you I'd pay you back.

So what does Tim do?

He is an actor and a musician.

What's he do for money?

Works at some
bakery in Tribecca,

and another counter job
too, in Williamsburg.

What kind of
music does he play?

Some kind of jazz.

I haven't heard him.

Seriously, you've never,

like you haven't seen
him practice or anything?

You just vanished.

I got a brownie.

You make me so mad sometimes.

What?

Here's this paper
you wrote in school,

and not only is your
writing style beautiful,

which I knew already,

but you can tell
just by reading it,

that you've gone
beyond the basics

and you have a whole
philosophy about whatever,

family therapy.

Structural family therapy.

I'd give my eyeteeth
to have that kind of,

a tab on things.

I think you're a
genius with kids.

Yeah I know, I'm
good with kids.

Is the 'support of
girlfriend' issue again?

No, I don't need support.

Well, I'm sorry
I make you angry.

I'm going out for a smoke.

Did I tell you I'm gonna quit?

No.

Waiting for Tim to get a
remedy from a friend of his.

Anyway, be right back.

So, she's a little
bit distracted, isn't she?

All right, go for it.

Oh yeah, you can tell?

Yeah, of course.

The way you talked about her,

I expected something different.

Different how?

I don't know, more
of a glamor girl.

You don't find her attractive?

God no.

I mean obviously she's pretty.

She seems like trouble.

She is trouble, she's
definitely trouble,

but guys usually like her.

Not my type.

It's funny, I've known
her for a long time.

I guess I see her differently.

Believe it or not we
have an actual supplier

for basic supplies.

This is why you
have like notebooks,

papers, pencils, pens.

I've had to buy so
many things like that

with my own money.

There's a lot of things
that aren't perfect

about this place,

but we're basically
really lucky.

There's an actual budget.

The administrators basically
care about teaching.

The told me they had
a budget for supplies,

but they told me that
at the last place, too.

And you were at
PS 261 before here?

Yes, I was an aide there.

This is actually my
first full-time gig.

Awesome, congratulations.

Thank you.

Yeah I was at PS 29,

and then I was an aide
for two years at 261.

You were at PS 29?

I was an aide there, 2012-13.

Oh wow.

I missed you by one year.

So glad to be out of there.

Oh my God, the kids
were so sweet though.

Yeah, but Helen Anderson?

Did she write you up?

Everyone got written up.

It was a badge of honor.

She even liked me
and she wrote me up.

Did she ever come
into your classroom

and yell at you in
front of the kids?

She yelled at the teacher,
all the time, never me though.

Mara, Tim, Jo's friend.

Uh huh, look, there's some
serious shit happening here.

I'm sorry to bother you,

but you're the only
person I could call.

A knife?

Oh my God, is she okay?

I don't know,

I didn't stick around
long enough to find out.

She's crazy enough
to use it on me.

I, oh I'm not going
back in there.

No no way, I'm not going back.

Well did you call the police?

Okay, okay.

I'll go over there.

Look, I'm sorry, really sorry,

but there's nothing
I can do with her.

Okay.

I don't know,

I don't know where,

I'm just going in the
opposite direction,

I don't know where
the fuck I'm going.

Okay, all right.

Bye.

Hey, it's me.

Listen, there's something
crazy going on at Jo's,

so I guess I'm going there.

Please call me
when you get this.

What are you doing here?

Tim called me.

He called you?

And you came all
the way down here?

What happened?

Nothing happened.

He was terrified, he said
you held a knife on him.

I did not, I was
nowhere near him.

If he thinks that was
holding a knife on someone,

he's got a lot to
learn on the subject.

He also said you were
holding it to your throat.

It was just a little feta.

He irritates the fuck
out of me sometimes.

Where is he?

I don't know.

He was far away from here
as possible it sounded like.

Okay, fuck him then.

You want some ice cream?

Yes, please.

Poor girl, what a night.

Do you think she
should be left alone?

I don't know.

She seemed fine.

I don't know what I
could do about it anyway.

So what do you
think is going on with her?

I have no idea.

She always said she would
never do anything to herself

no matter how unhappy she was.

It's like a tenet of
our weird relationship.

Anyway, I don't want to talk
about it anymore tonight, okay?

Okay with me.

Come here, I want
to show you something.

What?

No panties.

Yep.

That's what you
wanted to show me?

Yes.

Well.

Move forward a little bit.

No wait.

Okay, now come this way please.

Hello.

How have you been?

Hi Mister
Mitchel, I'm good.

It's nice to see you.

Sit down,
would you like a cup of tea?

Um, sure.

I think Jo's still asleep.

Do you want me to look in on
her and see if she's up yet?

No, let her sleep.

How's she feeling?

She's doing well.

She wants to go home already.

She's still sleeping
a lot though.

She slept all through last
night and most of today.

Sounds like
normal Jo to me.

Yes, she likes to sleep.

The doctors wanted her to
stay with us for two weeks,

but she's already
talking about leaving.

Has she said anything
else about what happened?

No, not since the hospital.

I don't like to ask about it.

That boy she was with

doesn't seem to have
been the best influence.

He hasn't been around
for a few weeks, though.

I don't know.

He gave her the
substances she said.

When's the last time
you two saw each other?

Last Monday, we
went to the movies.

Oh really?

You girls have kept in touch
all these years, haven't you?

Oh yeah, we keep in touch.

How did she
seem to you then on Monday?

She seemed fine.

Come in.

I heard you downstairs.

Yeah, we had a nice chat.

Did you tell her anything
about all that drama with Tim?

Good, the less she
knows, the better.

Wow.

Everything's
different now.

It's been a guest room
since I was in college.

Strange seeing
this room again.

You think it's strange for
you, I'm going nuts here.

Is your
mom getting to you?

Just average.

I really want to get
out of here, that's all.

But I'm supposed to stay
here a couple more days.

Big price to pay
for a dumb mistake.

How are you feeling,

I mean apart from wanting
to get out of here?

Back on the fuckin'
Lexapro of course.

They made you?

Basically.

Well maybe
that's a good thing.

Whatever.

Check back with me if I
ever get a sex life again.

There's nothing left
for me in this town anymore,

like I was erased
from the town history.

That's a privilege.

Let's go get a really
nice dinner or something,

as soon as I get back.

Sure.

Hi, Mara?

Hi, yes.

Hi, I'm Conor.

Nice to meet you.

Come on in.

Jo's just getting dressed.

Do you want me to take that?

Yeah, thanks.

Excuse me, I just gotta
keep an eye on this fish.

Do you want to sit in there?

Jo should be out in a second.

Okay.

Can I get you
something to drink?

Sure.

Should we open the
wine you brought?

What are you drinking?

Scotch.

Can I, that sounds good.

Of course.

The wine can go with dinner.

Indeed it can.

Did you know what I was making?

I did, a little bird told me.

- Hi.
- Hey.

Damn, I should have
worn something nicer.

Well great.

Can you do the bow?

You're giving away my
favorite part of the job.

Girls do it faster.

Come on, leave the
maestro to his work.

Jo, can
you get her a scotch?

I'm gonna have a beer.

Okay.

So, why couldn't Adam make it?

He's out of town, I thought
he might still be here,

but didn't happen.

Where is he?

He has a job out of
state, didn't I tell you?

Oh, where's he working?

Boise.

In Idaho?

Wow, is everything okay?

Yeah, we didn't
break up or anything.

He had a job offer
he couldn't refuse.

Geez.

You know what People Soft is?

No.

He does a particular
kind of programming.

It's this pretty famous software

that companies use for
human resources and stuff.

But most of the jobs he's
offered aren't in New York.

Literally none of the jobs
he's offered are in New York,

so he's in Boise for four
days, back here for three days.

For how long?

Six months, maybe
a little more.

Yeah, it's a rough
commute, but it's...

Where is it?

Glen Oaks, way out in Queens.

Just take a subway and
then a bus to get there,

which is a drag but,

it's no trouble
once I get there.

The clientele's pretty good,
workload's pretty light.

Have you been
getting there on time?

They don't care
too much about that.

They're just so glad to have
someone in that position,

it's been vacant for
like five months.

What time do you
have to be there?

I have a lot of leeway,

unless I have an appointment.

Let's hope their
idea of leeway

is the same as your
idea of leeway.

When did you start?

Monday.

Monday, like two days ago?

Yep.

Sorry.

Excuse me, I've
got to take this.

Hi Corey, what's up?

No, there's absolutely no reason

that she should need more time.

The longer this goes
on, the less.

He's sweet.

He's a good guy.

I like that he's older.

Guys our age are so exhausting,

they're just like
all over the place.

Do what you want
to do, but I'm telling you...

You usually prefer those
exhausting types though.

Really?

Anyway, this is nice.

He's amazing in bed.

Exhausting in a good way.

But does he like you enough
to let you smoke in the house?

No, no, no fucking way.

He'd kick my ass
right out the door

if I ever lit up in here.

He wouldn't do that.

He does not like cigarettes.

Does he like you?

Not that much.

Sorry, I had to take that.

He's never done anything.

Is that right?

I wouldn't say I've
never done anything,

but I have never done any drugs.

- Not even marijuana?
- Nothing.

He's done nothing.

Not even marijuana.

You know what this says
about you, don't you?

What?

That you're more uptight
than you come across.

That's probably true,
but how do I come across?

But, you drink?

Yeah, sure.

You don't smoke?

No, I tried cigarettes
in my youth, and cigars.

So that's not
completely a trope

out of an uptight person.

That's more of a...

I don't think of
myself as uptight.

No one thinks
of themselves...

A civic-minded profile,
a law-abiding profile.

Were there policemen
in your family?

No, my father was
a criminal, actually.

What?

No, not really.

He ran a hardware store.

My mom was a high
school teacher.

Ah darn, that would
have been a nice,

tidy little psychoanalytic
profile of your personality.

We knew some
cops if that helps at all.

It might help,

if they were like surrogate
father figures or something.

No, not really.

You're Irish, you grew up in
Boston, you know some cops.

But you were a
good kid, it sounds like.

Yeah, basically.

And now I wind up with
a girl who smokes cacti.

You haven't wound up yet.

Smokes cacti?

Of course you
don't smoke cacti.

He just likes to say that,
I'm tired of correcting him.

I didn't know you ever
did anything with cacti.

I had some cuttings.

You're growing them?

Mm-hmm.

Got them from John, he used
to work down at Mount Sinai.

We'll see how it goes,

there's a lot of work to
trip that way, I'm too lazy.

John's way into it though.

I have a lot to discuss
with this John guy,

if I ever meet him.

He's a jealous guy.

You have nothing to worry
about, believe me, ask her.

It's true, she
is very monogamous.

And we also thank John

that I'm being irresponsible
with those.

What?

I didn't say anything.

You want the rice too?

Okay, sure, thanks.

I'm going
out for a smoke.

I'm leaving too,
I'll walk out with you.

I'm going out,
follow me out there.

I guess she couldn't wait.

She's not a big
fan of waiting.

With you too?

With anyone.

It's definitely not about you.

Thanks so much
for coming over.

Thank you for having me,
I had such a nice time.

I really appreciate all the
things you've done to help Jo.

Sure, no problem, I
haven't done much for her.

I hope that
you'll stand by her.

Of course.

I'm not going anywhere.

Goodnight.

Goodnight.

Hey, where are you?

I'm here, where are you?

Sorry.

Yeah, like.

No, I have to go too.

I really do have to go.

Do you want?

I'll call you, bye.

Hello, I need a ride to
JFK airport tomorrow morning.

177 Kingsland Avenue.

The plane leaves at 6:55 a.m.
so I would need to be there

5:55, six o'clock or so.

Okay.

Okay thanks, how much is it?

Okay let me get
right back with you.

Okay.

Have you talked to George?

No.

You know they're in town.

I'll call
when I get back.

Here you go.

Thanks.

You're welcome, enjoy.

I guess I should eat, too.

She's not coming.

I just talked to
her a few hours ago.

I'm sorry you have
to deal with this.

I needed to eat anyway.

Your back's gonna
hurt you again.

It'd be easier to sit straight

if you could raise
that computer.

I'll sit straight.

Who is it?

It's me.

I'm really really sorry,

we were supposed
to meet for dinner.

Are you okay?

- Hi.
- Hi.

I'm really really
sorry about dinner.

It's okay.

Can I come in?

I was all ready to leave, and
then I stupidly fell asleep.

Did you wait a long time for me?

We waited and then we ate.

I'll be back in a while.

Jo, see you later.

Where are you going?

We have to talk.

Doesn't look like that's
gonna happen, anyway.

We have to talk, there
won't be time tomorrow.

We'll talk, goodnight.

What's going on?

We're having some problems.

Oh God.

I'm sorry.

I didn't know if I
should come tonight,

but I really needed company.

Jo.

I didn't know about
you two, I'm really sorry.

Honestly, if I'd known I
wouldn't have butted in.

You would have known
if you called before.

Showing up at like
12:30 in the morning.

I'll go.

It doesn't matter now.

I'm sorry if I messed
things up for you, I'm sorry.

I know you're sorry,
you're always sorry.

Let me apologize.

Jo, what does it matter?

It's always the same.

Some shit happened to you,

and then the people
standing near you

- get shit all over them.
- Stop it!

I need you to be nice to me.

I know but you need
something all the time.

It gets difficult.

Did something happen?

My agency won't
return my calls anymore.

You sure?

You sure it's not
something else?

Yeah I'm sure, it's because
I fucked up too many times.

When's the last time
you tried calling them?

It doesn't matter, even
if they call me back,

it doesn't matter.

- What do you mean?
- It doesn't matter

because I fuck things up.

Even if they call me back,
or I get a different agency,

I'll just fuck it up again.

Why am I telling you this?

You're the one who tells me,

you're the who says I
should go on disability.

Are you thinking about that?

For a while now you've
been going in this circle.

I know, I know, I
know, I'm a fuck up.

Stop saying that.

I'll say whatever I want,

if you don't like it
you can throw me out.

Disability is a big doctor trip.

I can't stand dealing
with them anymore,

they're so arrogant,

and they're always wrong,
they're always wrong,

every single time.

I know I need to get my
medications straightened out,

I know I can't keep
going this way.

Maybe I'll find,

maybe I'll find a doctor
who'll actually let,

who'll listen to me when
I fucking tell them.

You know you give
doctors a hard time.

Oh I feel just awful for
them, they are so delicate.

You get locked
in these death struggles,

everyone loses.

What do you mean,
death struggles?

What do you want me to do?

I don't know, they
prescribe something,

you unprescribe it,
someone's gotta be in charge.

I want someone
to be in charge.

I would be so happy to
have someone in charge.

That is all I want.

But they're just so...

You said, you try to
talk to them, and then

somewhat really early
in the conversation,

their eyes glaze over.

And that's it, everything
you say is wasted.

They've made up their minds.

I've been watching their eyes
glaze over since I was 14.

14? I knew you then.

Of course
you knew me then.

Why do you say 14?

I don't know why 14, I
wasn't always like this.

My life wasn't always
this fucking hard,

I was always good at stuff.

I was good at school.

Why am I telling you
this, you know that.

You missed a whole month
of school that one time.

That was when I was 14.

What happened?

Nothing happened.

There's no thing that happened.

I don't know what happened.

It was your dad then.

Do you remember that?

You were so miserable, it was
totally ruining your life.

No, why would
that ruin my life?

It's been fucked up since
the beginning of time,

that's not any sort
of breaking news.

Damn it!

There's so many things
that could be reasons,

but they're not, they're not,

they only all are,
which is the same thing.

It was the time we started
drinking, doing drugs,

but I stopped, I stopped
doing them a million times,

and if being sober
made any difference

I would know that by now.

And then they started
medicating me,

but I stopped that
too, a million times.

Was it just puberty?

You can't,

you can't do
anything about that.

The only thing that I want,

the only thing I
would think about.

What?

My cat.

What cat?

My cat, the one who died.

Cindy?

Why did she have to die?

Everyone has to die.

I don't care, I wish
she wouldn't have.

I'm sorry, I didn't
mean to be hurtful.

It's okay, you
weren't hurtful.

I sound so crazy.

I just want people to see past

my eccentricity and my anxiety,

and see me for what I am.

Your eccentricity and anxiety
aren't part of who you are?

No, they're not.

You want to hear
something heavy?

What?

I'm pregnant.

Oh my God.

How far along?

Like a month and a half.

So it's still in the
miscarriage zone but.

Should you be
drinking that beer?

Oh my God.

I wish I had a
recording of that.

I think it's okay.

Is it a good thing?

Yeah.

Look who it is, Lorelei.

Hi Lorelei.

Were you sleeping?

No, she's very
into literature.

Oh your literature, are
you reading all your books?

Mm-hm, and then she
has.

Poor Lorelei.

Does she have her food?

Hang on, I'll get it.

When did she eat?

A couple of hours ago,

so she should be
hungry again soon.

Where are you going?

We're going to see my dad.

How is he doing?

He's a little weak, actually.

The doc wants him to
do physical therapy,

but I don't really think
that's gonna happen.

He's very excited to
see Lorelei though.

How's work?

Exhausting, I'm
so out of shape.

I feel like I'm running
a marathon every day.

Do you have her toys as well?

I put a drawing pad in
her bag in the stroller.

Okay.

I think that's everything.

All right Lorelei.

I'll have her back before six.

Whenever, it's no problem
if you're a little late.

Okay, Lorelei
coming with daddy?

How's everything with Clarissa?

I gave her the check
for last month.

Yeah, she told me.

It's maybe how much of our
conversation's about money.

Terrific, I don't know what
I'd be doing without her.

Good, I was a little
worried there for a while.

She's amazing,
thank you so much.

Lorelei, time to go.

Moving out mama.

I know here, we'll
take it with us.

Take the blues, and purples.

Okay, you're gonna have
some clean up problem.

You go back, we're going up.

I will not stab
you, you know this.

Does he want to
move out on his own?

No, he wants me
to move with him.

He doesn't want any roommates,

he just wants a bigger place.

There's something
in your hair.

Does he work in the city?

He works in downtown Brooklyn.

So it'll be a longer
commute for him too,

but he doesn't care.

I really don't want
to move out there.

I feel like we live
too far away already.

But I don't want to leave him.

Does he know how you feel?

I think so, we've
never talked about it.

He has a girlfriend.

I have a girlfriend.

It's all so fucked up,
jealous girlfriends.

But she's jealous of everyone,

she's an equal opportunity
jealous person.

She has this special radar
to pick up on the things

that she should actually
be jealous about.

Sounds exhausting.

It is exhausting but,

there's a lot of wonderful
things about her.

Maybe I should just
just let him leave,

and find a new roommate.

Finding a new
roommate is so hard,

even without all
that mushy stuff.

I know, I never had a
roommate that worked out before.

I went through three roommates
in that one apartment.

I wish I could just
fuck his brains out,

just once, and get
it out of my system.

I don't know, I don't
think it works that way.

No, you don't think.

I think that if I just
had one good long...

I believe 'fuck' is the
word you're looking for.

I used 'fuck' already though,

there's nowhere
to go from there.

Oh God.

Holy crap.

What?

My friend, Jo.

Hey.

Where have you been?

I don't know, where you
haven't been, I guess.

This is Thomas.

How are you doing?

Nice to meet you.

This is Leah.

Hi, you're the teacher, right?

Yes, I'm the teacher.

It's nice to meet you.

She says the nicest
things about you.

So how's the baby?

She's great, she's
almost two years old.

Wow, that's awesome.

You should
come and see her.

Yes, please.

I'm gonna call
you tonight, okay?

Sure.

I go to bed pretty
early these days,

so I'll call after I
get her to lie down.

Bye.

Bye.

Nice to meet you.

So that's your friend

that you've known
since middle school?

Yeah.

Oh my God.

I didn't expect
her to be so nice.

I'm really sorry I'm late.

Hey can I borrow
some money from you?

Sure, how much?

Like 200.

Could go to the bank for it.

There's an ATM here, just
remind me before we go.

I don't owe you
anything right now do I?

Nope, you paid me back.

Awesome, I'll get
you back for this too,

I've got some money
coming in from my brother,

it should be here
in a week or two.

Your brother?

Yeah, my parents
bought some property,

and they wanted to give
us the money from it.

My brother's handling
all the legal stuff,

and distributing the money.

It's been dragging on,

but should be done by
next week at the latest.

Have you
been okay for money?

Mostly okay, I don't
need much right now.

Thomas and I got a place
with Arthur and Jason,

who you didn't meet.

The cost is practically nothing.

Belongs to a church,
believe it or not.

And Jason's brother does
repair work for the church.

I'm getting a new agency.

A headhunter who is helping me

is on vacation until
the end of the month,

but when she gets back
she says she can place me.

There's all kinds
of demand right now.

I told her I don't
want to work mornings,

she said it's no problem.

How'd you meet Thomas?

I met him on the internet.

Not on a dating site,

on a wiki where he's
one of the admins.

What'd you think of him?

I don't know, I
don't think he liked me.

He's like that with everyone,
it doesn't mean anything.

He'd like you if
he got to know you.

What does he do?

He's really
brilliant actually.

He's a deejay, kind
of a famous deejay,

but he doesn't really do
very much of it lately.

He's working on this
like huge, incredible,

design project.

Him and Jason and Jason's
brother, and this one other guy,

building a three-dimensional
model of the Pyramid at Giza.

They've been at it for
years, they're almost done.

Pyramid at Giza?

It's a spiritual thing.

I don't understand the
philosophy to be honest,

but apparently pyramids are
sources of spiritual energy.

If you have about five hours
of free time, ask Thomas,

he knows everything there
is to know about it.

I don't
think I ever heard you

use the word 'spiritual' before.

I don't even know what
they're talking about

half the time, I just sit
there and listen and nod.

He's incredibly smart though,
he's a lot smarter than I am.

I doubt that.

How's Adam?

We broke up.

Oh wow, I'm sorry.

It was coming for a while.

How you doing with it?

I don't know.

I think maybe I'm
one of those people

who isn't supposed to
have relationships.

Sounds like
depression talking.

I don't think I'm depressed.

Here.

Oh, the baby.

So when should I
come see Lorelei?

Here.

Oh my God.

It's me and Cindy.

Where'd you find this?

In a photo album.

I don't remember
this photo at all.

No, this is for you.

Really, you don't want it?

I scanned it.

Thanks.

So when should I
come over tonight?

I mean, no wait I can't tonight.

Not tomorrow either.

How about a Tuesday
or a Wednesday?

Yeah, this Tuesday or
Wednesday should work.

Early is better for
Lorelei, like five or six.

Okay, thank you.

Bye.

I'm so sorry Johanna.

I have to pick up
Lorelei, she got sick.

Oh no, what's wrong with her?

I don't think it's anything,

I'm so sorry to
miss the meeting.

- Go on, get.
- Okay.

Thanks.

Fan fan fan fan.

Can I?

Yeah, of course.

Here, here I go shrinking.

And should I shrink
something for Horsey?

Does Horsey want something tiny?

What horsey?

This horsey, yeah.

Shrink something for horsey?

She said, and then
growing up she said.

Yeah yeah, okay, do
you want a tiny apple?

She said.

Okay.

Do you want any hay?

Okay, she's not hungry.

Lorelei, should I shrink
something for you?

Okay.

Well that's good, because
it's bedtime anyway.

Horsey ready for bedtime?

I know.

Lorelei, are you
ready for bedtime?

Yeah?

What bedtime story
do you want to hear?

The one about Jo.

You want to hear the one about

the girls picking on me, okay.

So, I have just
moved to a new town,

and I only knew my mom.

I didn't know anybody
else in the whole town.

I didn't have an Aiden,
and I didn't have a Gavin.

Did you even know your dad?

Well, my dad, my dad was
living in a different town.

So I knew my mom.

And, I had to go
to a new school,

where I didn't know anybody.

I had gone to school at
kindergarten with all my friends,

but I had to go to a new school.

And when I got to this school,

I thought people were
going to like me so much,

but only the teacher liked me.

There were some girls there,

and one of them
was really pretty,

and one of them
was really skinny.

They were so mean to me.

They made me feel so bad,
I would get to school,

they would find me and
they would make me cry.

I did not like going there,

but I had to go because
I had to go to school.

And one day I was
in the lunchroom,

and everybody else
was sitting at tables

with their friends,

and they were all
sharing their sandwiches

and they were sharing
their desserts,

and I was sitting at my table.

I didn't have any friends.

And the other people would
see these girls be mean to me,

and so they didn't
want to talk to me.

They thought maybe there
was something wrong with me.

So I had to eat
lunch all by myself,

and the mean girls came over,

and they took my book bag,

and they took my stuff
out of my book bag,

and they were using it.

They used my pencils
and my paper,

and they took my
food away from me.

And they were making fun of
the food I brought from home.

And I was so sad,
but Jo was there,

and Jo was the tallest
girl in the whole school.

And she was so cool,
and she didn't know me,

and she could have
been mean to me too,

but she saw the
girls picking on me,

and she got really
brave and she came over.

She came over and she said,

"You need to leave her alone.

"Stop picking on her,"
to the mean girls.

And the mean girls said,
"Why would we listen to you?"

And they were arguing with her.

And one of the girls who
was sitting in a chair,

Jo reached down, she
took the girl's chair,

and she pulled it out from
underneath her so fast,

that the girl fell
on the ground,

and she made a sound
that was so loud

that everybody looked over,
and the teachers came over.

Jo got in big trouble.

Do you know how she fell?

Show me, show me.

Make a big fall.

- Like this.
- Yes.

Exactly, and she cried,
she was like.

Like that.

Jo got in big trouble,

but then she was my best friend
because she stood up for me.

We were together all the time.

And other girls were
still very scared of Jo,

because she could be so,

Jo could be really
mean sometimes.

She would say cruel things to
people that she didn't like,

but she was always
so nice to me.

And then, nobody picked
on me anymore after that.

Hello, my God.

Yeah, I know, your name's
on my phone, how are you?

Something wrong?

Oh no.

How did it happen, do you know?

I guess it was always coming.

No, it's been more
than a year I think,

even longer than
that since I really...

I don't know, it got
harder and harder.

How are you, are you okay?

Were you in touch?

How did you?

That's so good of you.

I really appreciate
your thinking of me.

Oh my God.

I guess I'd better
call her parents.

Thank you so much
for calling me.

Is there going to be?

Yeah.

Yes, of course, so
I'll see you there.

Thank you so much
for calling me.

Goodbye, I'll see you soon.

So when we go to
the funeral home,

you'll wear your black dress.

I'll wear a black dress,

and there's going to be a dead
person in the room with us,

and we're gonna be
able to look at her.

You'll be able to see her too.

Even for grownups it's a funny
thing to see a dead person,

and it's all anyone's
going to be thinking about,

that we're in the same
room with a dead person.

Why?

You know, it's just,

it's just to remind us that

we're important and that
people are important.

It's important when we die.

This is Mara, Jo's friend.

This is my sister, Rose.

We're
sorry for your loss.

Thank you very much.

Oh hello.

This is your little girl.

This is Lorelei.

Hello, Lorelei.

Is there anything I can do
to help, do you need anything?

No dear, thank you.

I'm going to call you.

Thank you.

Jack.

I haven't seen you
since that Monopoly game.

You have seen me since
then, several times.

You know I won that game.

Oh are you still
high about that?

Okay, you won, geez.

Sorry that game
marked you for life.

They put makeup on her.

Why?

To make her look nice.

This is Lorelei.

Hello Lorelei.

Hi.

It's very nice to meet you.

It's
nice to meet you too.

How are you, what
have you been up to?

Not much, just working.

Been doing a lot of traveling.

My girlfriend and I
actually just got back

from San Francisco yesterday.

Oh that's so nice, I've
never been to San Francisco.

Yeah, it's a great town.

Hello.

That's Mara's little girl.

Do you remember Mara?

Jo's little friend
from grade school?

Did I know her?

We saw her a hundred times,

they went around
together for years.

Come with me, I'll
introduce you.

No, don't, I'll meet
her on some happier occasion.

You won't meet her
ever again on any occasion,

happy or not.

No don't, I
don't want to intrude.

You won't
go out of your way.

Does your mother
still live up here?

No, she left a long time ago.

She lives in
Washington state now.

Where in Washington state?

Bainbridge Island
on Puget Sound.

Yeah, my ex-boss
lives up there I think.

- My father used to live...
- Excuse me.

Honey, what's wrong?

Don't worry, nothing
bad'll happen.

It's Jo, Jo from the story.

Yeah I told you that before.

She's dead.

I know, I know
that she's dead.

I'm sorry, I tried everything.

I tried everything and
I couldn't save her,

I couldn't do anything.

I'm sorry!

Here you go.

Thank you very much.

Do you need anything else?

No thanks, we're fine.

I'm sorry I made a
spectacle of myself.

Can I have some
pads and pencils?

Yes.

Where is your bag?

It's right here.

Oh, thank you.