Mercury in Retrograde (2017) - full transcript

Okay, who wants to go next?

Okay, you can read mine.

I'm a Leo.

Leo, okay.

A collaboration with your
enemies may be useful.

As the weekend begins
discovering what's negotiable

will surely top your agenda.

Yes, you could employ your lion's roar,

and to good effect.

You might also just as
easily disconcert someone

by taking in what they
have to say, processing it,



and then tentatively suggest a solution.

A major irritation may be
that you're asked to travel,

or find time for meetings

that you know will only be hot air.

This though could be a
necessary part of the process.

Note that Mercury is still in retrograde,

and that this could be thought
of as fact-finding time,

with answers found after its
direct station next month.

Within this time frame,

alliance with a Sagittarius,

or someone who really knows the legal ropes

should be useful.

Hm. Okay.

Well, I was asked to travel, obviously.



But, it hasn't been a
source of major irritation.

It's been delightful.

And well Richard is a Sagittarius,

so maybe that part about
alliance being useful,

it's probably true.

Yeah, yeah.

And that part about using
your lion's roar this weekend

is no doubt gonna be true, too.

Finally.

Okay, Richard.

Since I know you're a
Sagittarius now, you are next.

Oh Jesus Christ, no.

Okay.

Okay, Richard, think back

about three quarters of a year.

What ideas were set in motion?

How far have they traveled,

and what now needs to be rethought?

It may be that you are out
of step with someone close.

Holding your vision could
be a cosmic challenge.

It could be that operations
can't be carried out

quite as you thought.

What seems to be an obstacle
could yet prove a big plus,

as by reconsidering options,

you could attract something
that would work better.

In so doing, you may need to deal

with those from other
countries or cultures,

but perhaps decisions don't
really need to be made

until after Mercury turns
direct on June 16th.

This period should usefully be used

to let go of an outdated concept,

so leaving space for
something more workable.

Cosmic challenges huh?

That sounds about right.

But are you and I out of
step with each other, Izzy?

Of course we are, obviously.

Always.

Okay Golda, how about you go next?

What's your sign?

I'm a Cancer.

Cancer, okay.

Anxiety about what's
going on in the background

could increase, and yes this is good energy

if you're developing a marketing campaign,

or an artistic project.

Yet, it could also be that someone

born under one of the air signs,

Gemini, Libra, or Aquarius,

bugs you incessantly,
doing anything they can,

rather than arrive at a conclusion.

You might need to remind
yourself frequently

that whatever it is, is
their problem and not yours,

and that their internal operating
system differs from yours.

It may be that loss, or
perceived loss is a major factor.

As a result, you may need
plentiful sanctuary time.

As has been the case for sometime,

a shift in power base is apparent.

It may be that a certain person is unhappy

with the role they're being asked to play.

Well, I am developing an artistic project,

and Jack is the air sign that
is bugging me incessantly.

He's a Libra, so I believe this 100%.

Okay, well Jack the Libra, you're last.

Okay?
- Fine.

Taking part in a selections process

might not feel entirely comfortable yet,

yet it could be seen

as part of your professional development.

This process may lead to confrontation

with the other side arguing

voc... er...

What's that word?

Vociferously.

Vociferously?

Vociferously, in a way that
you just don't understand.

Note that Mercury doesn't
reach its direct station

until June 16th,

and that it could take until then

for full facts to become known,

and reasoned arguments to begin.

On a positive note, and
before the end of June,

your marketing vision
could be put to the test.

Using your considerable design skills,

you might also be asked to
assist with the development

of a project that would be good

to have launched around your birthday.

Whoa, are you sure that wasn't Sagittarius?

I'm the one with the
considerable design skills.

Maybe the astrologer
got her signals crossed?

You can have mine.

Peggy, you gotta read your horoscope.

Okay, well I'm a Virgo.

So, it could feel as though
the past is chasing you.

Emotional baggage probably needs

to be addressed, or readdressed.

It's quite likely you've reached

a significant turning point,

with regard to both family
and property issues,

all of which will surely have impact

on your romantic life.

It's likely to be a Gemini friend

who forces you to confront an issue

that's really holding you back.

Talking therapy will surely help.

Do remember that Mercury is in retrograde

in another of the air signs,

and that words could come out all wrong.

It may take a few days
for this air to clear,

and before resolution,

require much understanding and forgiveness.

Well, that sounds pretty heavy, doesn't it?

I have a photographic memory.

Do you know what
Beethoven's favorite food was?

No, I don't.

Ba na na na.

Ba na na na.

I can recall things

that happened 10 or 15 years ago,

as if they happened yesterday.

Friends and family members often say,

I wish I had your memory.

Aren't you scared

that with six people staying there,

we're all gonna be on top of each other?

You're missing the point, babe.

But the truth is,

having a near perfect memory is a curse

as much as it is a blessing.

Do not touch me.

What?

Wash your cat shit hands first.

Yes, sir.

When I ask someone

if they remember a time that I cherish,

and they say, no,

it feels like it never happened.

It can be lonely being the
only one who remembers.

Yeah, Izzy, but you always talk about

how much you prefer a
stay-cation to a vacation.

Don't call me Izzy.

Why don't you guys tell
me your meeting stories?

I think it will be a good way

for me to get to know you guys.

Jack and Golda, you want to go first?

Well, Jack and I met in college,

when he was looking for
a singer for his band.

Really?

Did you guys start a band?

Yeah, it was a very short-lived band.

We were called, The Crazy Cat Ladies.

I was the only female member.

Yeah, we played two
shows, one at a coffee shop.

And, one at this Earth Day parade,

or thing at DePaul.

We were terrible.

Well, I think that's awesome.

I always say, the band sucked,

but thankfully the relationship did not.

What about you guys?

Do you want to tell it?

No, take it away.

Okay.

Well, Golda, Richard, and
I, we used to work together

at the nature museum and,

Golda and I were friends,

but Richard and I were just kind of...

We admired each other from afar.

Right, and I think we were just

to scared to get too close at work.

You didn't want to mix
business and pleasure?

Exactly.

But one day Richard quit his job,

and we had this kind of going away party,

and we ended up talking all night,

and he finally asked me out.

I was afraid that if I
didn't ask her out then,

I was never gonna see her again.

Really?

That's romantical.

That's nice, I didn't
know you could be nice.

I guess I just forgot.

And all of you guys

have been to this cabin together before?

No, never, it's the first time.

Right, Wyatt.

You said that this is
your dad's cabin, Jack?

Yes, Jack Senior.

So we've been coming up
for the past 10 years.

We were just looking to have a reason

to bring some friends along.

And you guys are the lucky winners.

Well, here we are.

We made it.

My God, this is like a fairy tale.

Wait until you see the backyard.

Nothing but 12 acres of forest
before you get to the lake.

Okay.

This is really cute.

Home sweet home.

This place is awesome.

Yeah, so master bedroom here.

This is where Golda and I are staying.

This is the bathroom.

There's only one shower in the place.

But there's also one outside.

So I was thinking, guys take
outside, girls take inside.

And then,

the guest bedrooms are
on the wraparound porch,

and in the pavilion,

so if you guys want I can show you there,

get settled in.

I'll just put the groceries away.

Yeah. Thanks, babe.

Richard.

Okay, first bedroom here,

Peggy and Wyatt, this is for you.

This is awesome.

Yeah, so if you guys

want to go ahead and
settle in, get unpacked,

and we'll head down down to
the fire pit, have a drink?

Sounds good.

And, you guys ready to see your room?

Yes.

All right.

Let's do it.

Yeah, so Isabelle, I know Richard said

you were a little bit
worried about privacy, so.

Why would you say that?

So we put you guys in the pavilion.

You always make me sound like a diva.

Oh my God, this is so nice!

So I'll let you guys get to it.

Come on down to the fire pit

whenever you're ready, okay?

All right, man.

This is comfortable.

Oh yeah?

Yes.

Oh, my God. You scared me.

This is comfortable.

Well, you know what?

Now I'm not scared

of being on top of each other.

All I care about, is
that you are on top of me.

Oh really?

Oh really, yeah.

Stop making fun of me,

and I'll get on top of you right now.

I'll stop.

So Jack, what's the plan for the weekend?

Plan for the weekend...

Oh gosh, you know I'm thinkin' we gotta

drink some good drinks,

eat some good food,

go down to the beach,

but most importantly, book club.

I think I can do that.

Yep.

So when are we playing disc golf, Jack?

Tomorrow morning?

Is that good?

Yeah, I was thinkin' we
could do it tomorrow morning,

and then I know you wanted to
get to the farmer's market.

So we drive, we can give
you guys a ride into town,

and then we'll play disc
golf, pick you guys up.

Come back here, do some lunch.

Maybe go to the beach, maybe not.

I've got a better idea,

while you guys are doing your frisbee golf.

Disc, Golda, disc.

Okay.

While you guys are doing that,

the ladies and I can walk into
town to the farmer's market.

It's only about a mile.

And then when you guys are done,

you can pick us up from downtown
and give us a ride back.

Yeah, sounds good.

I'd still like to
go swimming in the afternoon.

Yeah, whoever wants to go can go.

Yeah, I mean I think that we want

to keep things kind of
like you know, loose.

The only two things that
I really want to do is

frisbee golf tomorrow morning,

and then cigars, whiskey,
wraparound porch, "Glass Key,"

me, Wyatt, Richard.

Girls are not invited.

Oh, okay so the women are not invited

to your little party?

The first rule of the RJW
Cigar and Literary Society

is that no women are allowed.

Boring.

We don't want to go to
your stupid club anyway.

Yeah ladies don't worry,

there's this really cool dive bar in town.

I figured we could do that

while the guys are doing their thing.

And that'll be our turn to use the car.

Peggy doesn't drink though.

No, it's fine.

I'd like to go.

I can have a coke or something.

Are you sure?

Because we could go to a coffee shop,

or somewhere else instead.

No, it's totally fine.

I don't mind being around people drinking.

My father's an alcoholic,

so I've never really seen the
appeal in drinking, myself.

I'm totally fine just like

going to a coffee shop.

No, seriously I am totally okay with it.

I'm actually kind of a
sleazy atmosphere enthusiast.

Oh, well good, 'cause this place

has sleazy atmosphere in spades.

It wouldn't screw you up

if I put beer in the pizza crust, would it?

Oh no, if it's in the
dough it's totally fine.

Yeah, okay.

Good, because,

beer in the pizza crust
is my secret ingredient.

- Oh?
- Yeah.

So, I'm gonna get started.

You guys hungry-ish?

In like an hour, or whatever.

You just told us your secret.

Oh no, you're right.

Well that's okay, you're all good.

We won't tell anyone.

Okay, good.

Gettin' tired of singin',

so puttin' in the cottage mix.

Okay, first we're gonna start
off with a cup of flour.

Next is a package of yeast.

Give me those scissors.

Just let me use that.

Okay!

Package of yeast.

And lastly, secret ingredient.

Beer.

I like to use a dark stout.

Most people like to use water,

but I find beer tastes better.

Uh uh uh, what are you guys doing?

First you look at each other in the eyes.

Otherwise it's seven years bad sex.

Seven years is a really long time.

Sorry, it's a French thing.

Golda, can I ask you a personal question?

Sure.

Have you and Jack ever
thought about having kids?

Yeah, yeah I mean kids would be nice.

I don't know, I just think
you'd have beautiful kids.

Oh, that's so sweet.

Thank you, thank you.

You're very nice.

Don't ask me. I'm already dating a baby.

I think he didn't pack any clothes.

Hope you're hungry.

It's here and it's beautiful.

Oh thank you.

This is so beautiful.

Thank you so much.

Paper towel?

Thank you.

Do you want one?

Thank you.

I'm good, thank you.

Yes please!

Thank you.

Richard?

I'm alright, thanks

Thank you so much for having us.

Oh absolutely, thank you
so much for coming, guys.

This is awesome.

You are welcome.

We doing this thing?

Yeah, let's do it.

Cheers

Wait, wait.

The looking in the eyes.

Richard?

Are you sleeping?

Mm-mm.

I can't sleep.

It's too quiet.

Can we talk?

You know what your problem is?

What?

You think too much.

You always think
I have a problem, thank you.

Well, I don't know.

What do you think about Peggy?

I think she seems like a nice person.

What do you mean, nice?

I don't know.

I think she's too nice.

Okay.

She's trying too hard, that's weird.

I think there is something
wrong with this girl.

You don't think?

I don't know.

You never know anything.

I don't know, like in the car,

she's like, how did you guys meet?

And then the horoscope,

and she's trying so hard to
be like a part of the group.

She's always like,

"hmm hmm,"

and Golda, she seems to love her so much.

And then she was like,

I think you guys are gonna
have beautiful babies,

that's what she said to Golda.

I'm talking to you.

Mm-hmm.

We had a nice talk, thank you very much.

Yeah.

We haven't talked all day.

That's great.

Oh my God.

Good night.

Hey, don't you think it's creepy

that these windows have no curtains?

We're in the middle of the woods.

Why do we need curtains?

Yeah, but it makes it hard to relax.

I keep imagining like the face

of some crazy backwoods
person pressed up against it.

There's no crazy backwoods people.

It's like a million times more possible

that someone would break
into your Chicago apartment,

then seeing anyone here.

I don't think I'm gonna be able to sleep.

I'm like actually scared.

Hey.

Hey.

I one million infinity promise you,

pinky swear, everything will be okay.

You can't promise that.

Maybe not,

but I can promise I'm not going anywhere.

Deal?

Deal.

There were like years

when Wyatt would be talking
about he was dating somebody,

and I think we all thought
it was like ghost girlfriend,

like he was just making it up.

Yeah, I know.

But she's, you know, she's real.

No, she's great.

She's really, really great.

They're really all over
each other, you know?

I know.

Do you remember when we
used to be like that?

Nope.

Jerk face.

Do you still find me desirable?

Of course I do.

You know,

in the Symposium, Plato talks about

love and desire being the same thing.

I know.

I read it in philosophy
class too, motherfucker,

he calls it Eros.

That's right, Eros.

He always has to have an aim, you know.

He always has to be
moving towards something.

Hmm, like you always have
to be chasing after someone?

It sounds like it could be
a rationale for cheating,

when you put it that way.

I'm sorry your honor, but
my desire had to move,

toward some... get off of me!

Is that your impression of me?

Yes.

No, it's like,

they're doing their thing right now,

and it's new for them,
and that's cool, but like

I feel like

I still feel like our love
is moving towards each other,

even though I'm not chasing you anymore

and even though you're
not moving away from me.

Yeah, but love and desire
don't always go together.

I mean that's why platonic love
describes friendship, right?

I just don't want us to ever
feel like we're just friends,

like we've just become
roommates or something.

I don't want that either.

But lucky for you, I
love you inside and out,

and I always will.

I know, I'm so lucky.

I love you, too.

Good night messy hair.

How's my hair?

I jacked it up.

You me'd it up.

Hey Wyatt?

Yeah?

There's something that I want to tell you.

Okay, what is it?

I don't really know how to say this.

Want to thank me for being

so great in the sack last night?

Yep, that's it.

Now what is it though?

No.

Seriously, that's it.

What is it?

I told you, that's it.

Yo mama ain't never give you nothin' baby.

Look at this guy.

Watch your step, city boy.

You're way more of a city boy than I am.

Good one.

Is that an Irish coffee,
or a normal coffee?

It's always Irish with me.

This is my favorite place
in the world to do yoga.

It's beautiful.

Hey, how long have you
been a yoga instructor for?

For about three years, now.

Yeah, for a long time I
wanted to be a singer but,

it's impossible to make
a living doing that,

and I really loved doing yoga.

And it's one of the few fields

that's actually expanding right now,

so I thought, why not get certified?

Well, I have to tell you, I hate yoga.

I think it's really boring.

Maybe you never had the right teacher?

But I'm willing to try.

Well thank you.

So we're gonna bring
our hands to our heart,

as if we are praying.

And we're just gonna
focus on our breathing.

Inhale,

exhale.

You see this is supposed to be

the sixth highest rated disc
golf course in Michigan.

One website rated it an A minus.

It looks more like a C plus to me.

Anyway, you've played disc
golf before, right Wyatt?

Never, you're gonna have
to explain everything.

Shit, okay.

You guys know this is the only reason

I agreed to come here, right?

It has nothing to do with
my hospitality and friendship?

Fuck no.

Uh-uh, okay, so this game is super simple,

and it's just like regular golf.

I don't know how to play that.

Me neither.

Just shut up, both of you
shut your silly little mouths.

Okay, God, this is a really
perfect day to be doing this.

The grass is a little bit damp.

I don't like for it to be too dry,

I like for it to be a little damp.

I like a little bit of a challenge.

Now, the object of this game

is to get the disc into that basket,

in the least number of throws possible.

Oh like golf?

Yeah Jack, like golf.

Now the disc we're gonna
use first is the driver,

which you'll notice its sharp edge,

meant to bite through the wind.

This is your driver, here.

Notice its edge, the purple.

Got it? - Got it.

Okay!

I can't touch my feet.

That's not a problem whatsoever.

When you're ready, we're
gonna raise to a flat back,

and bring our gaze forward.

Make sure you're always doing

whatever's comfortable for you, actually.

It's very important.

We're gonna move to something
that you might like.

Okay, here we go Izzy.

Oh look, no you're ahead of the game, see?

You're a yoga genius already.

Do you like that stretch?

Uh, yes, love it.

Okay, so now we're
gonna go to your next move.

This is child's pose.

So open up your legs just a little bit,

and bring your forehead to your mat.

This one, I like.

That one's nice, right?

I could fall asleep.

This previous hole I did this

like rocking thing on my
putt, it was good luck,

so I'm gonna try it again,

and I'm gonna follow
through on the release.

That's what the fuck I am talking about.

Par for the course.

Alright!

I hold my destiny in the palm of my hand.

Shit!

That's sad.

Wyatt, this is the part of the game

that requires a little bit of finesse.

So if you want I can teach
you about throwing putts.

Fuck you man.

Wyatt, Jack is right.

This does require a little bit of finesse.

With putting, it's more of a wrist motion,

less of an arm motion.

Wrist, not arm.

Yeah, like jerkin' off.

Yes, yeah that's what I'm talking about.

That's the kind of spirit I like to see.

Do you guys want to go into the back nine?

Yeah.

Sure, let's make it interesting.

I think it's pretty
interesting already, actually,

'cause I'm winning.

20 bucks?

20 bucks to beat you?

Yes.

Not you, you're too good.

Wait, why don't you let me in on it?

No.

I'll give you guys a handicap.

You can give me a handy,
but you're not in on it.

Wyatt, I'll do whatever it takes.

Nope.

The wonderful sounds of nature,

with our eyes closed
and our palms facing up,

and we're gonna go back to our breathing.

And try not to think about anything.

Just try to detach
yourself from your cares,

about what you've got to do.

Just try to let all of that go,

and be present.

Just try to think about nothing,

and be present with your breath.

It's great isn't it?

That's crazy how they have
so many other vegetables

than they do in Chicago.

Oh yeah, and the sizes and
shapes are all crazy, too.

Like when it's all organic,
it's not so cookie-cutter.

That reminded me of the south of France,

where I grew up, Le Pradet.

They have the same farmer's market.

I cannot wait to make
ratatouille for you guys.

I can't wait to taste it.

Me too.

If I don't fuck it up.

Oh, hey do either of
you want to call the guys,

to see how long this
frisbee thing is going on?

I left my phone in Chicago.

But I'm sure Richard wants
to stay there all day.

Yeah, I'm just trying to figure out

how much time we're gonna have to kill.

I say screw it, let's just
have fun until they call us.

You guys want to grab a
cup of coffee or something?

You guys see anything?

- Nope.
- No.

It's the damnedest thing,

it looked like I threw it pretty straight,

you know, but who knows?

Maybe I didn't.

What's the color of your disc?

It's green.

Yeah.

I think it's gone, dude.

Same color as the grass.

Yeah, okay let's just move on without it.

It really sucks though,

to lose out on a good disc like that.

I could really trust that disc.

It was

an honest disc.

Okay.

Yo mama's so bald,

she blow dry her hair like this.

That's funny, right?

I don't understand.

You don't think that's funny?

Blow dryer, the blow dryer goes like this.

But she doesn't have any hair.

So, she uses her breath.

Oh, I thought that was
the reason why she was bald.

From using her hand.

Anyway.

I just saw that when you tipped the girl.

Her back was turned.

Yeah, so?

Well, she doesn't know that you tipped her.

It doesn't matter,

I tipped her because I
thought she deserved it.

Yeah but she doesn't
know that she deserves it,

because she didn't see it.

Well it doesn't matter
whether she knows or not.

She's gonna get her tip
at the end of the day,

when her and her coworkers
splits the tip jar.

She didn't see it, in
her mind, you didn't do it.

So that means that she
thinks you're a bitch.

So I would never tip someone,
if the person didn't see it.

I'm gonna have to go
with Peggy on this one.

I mean, she saw me put my tip in the jar,

but I didn't do it in a calculated way,

so she could see it.

She just happened to be facing me.

But I think you should always tip well.

Yeah, and she might spit in your coffee.

Or worse, you know what they do in France?

They pee in your soup if you return it.

What?

Never return food in France.

That's a rule, we all know that.

Okay, it looks like the
boys are done with frisbee.

I'm gonna tell them that they
can pick us up from here?

Okay.

So Peggy,

how is it going between you and Wyatt?

It's going pretty great, actually.

We've only been dating a couple of months,

but we really like each other.

So I guess we will just see how it goes.

But I should be the one asking you

about relationships though,

since you both have been doing

the long-term thing for a while.

I don't know if I have any
advice that's worth giving,

but you should feel free
to ask whatever you want.

Well, how long have
you and Jack been together?

We went out on our very first date

about 11 years ago,

and we got married like a year after that.

Wow, that's impressive.

What about you, Isabelle?

How long have you and
Richard been together?

We've been together for five years.

Have you ever talked about getting married?

Interesting question.

I don't know, he gave me this
ring, after two years and,

I thought he meant that we were engaged,

but well, he never really asked so,

I'm not sure.

Well, what about like moving in together?

I don't know either.

It's very complicated.

Yeah I should have warned you Peggy,

that is sort of a sensitive subject.

Oh, I'm sorry.

I didn't mean to pry.

No, it's okay.

It's just that Golda and I
have very different views

on my relationship with Richard.

Okay, let's not air our dirty laundry

in front of Peggy, we don't
want to scare her off.

I don't think she's scared.

We should be honest, she's our new friend.

And it's all in the past, right?

Absolutely.

So Peggy, have you ever had
problems with your boyfriend,

and told your best friend about it?

Yeah.

And so, you were telling
her your problems and

she was very supportive.

She said horrible things
about your boyfriend,

that he was not good enough,

it felt good at the moment.

Okay, yeah.

The problem is that you're
still in love with the guy,

so you really want things to work out,

and you go back with the guy but

now everything is awkward because

you know that your best friend
doesn't like your boyfriend.

I can't say that I've ever
been in that exact position,

but I think I know what you mean.

Well, like you said, all of
that is in the past, right?

Yeah, it's in the past.

The boys are outside.

Let's go.

Richard, we disc golfing again tomorrow?

Well, that's up to Jack, he's our host.

You played all day, I
think that's enough, right?

Look, I think we can take into account

what the girls want to do, right?

We don't have to do everything
according to gender.

That's right.

I just want to win my 20 bucks back.

No no no no, you know, Jack's right.

We're already doing the
book club thing tonight,

that's enough bro-in'
it out for one weekend.

After lunch, I'd still like to go swimming.

Are you serious?

Yeah, I would definitely still go.

I can go swimming, what are you feeling?

Hmm, alright.

Yeah, I'm pretty exhausted from golf,

so I think that Izzy and
I might just stay here,

take a nap, if that's okay with you guys.

Yeah, you gotta listen to your body.

Absolutely.

Yeah, we're really tired.

You have mustard everywhere.

I'm like your mom.

So who's Tom?

Tom is,

I wish Isabelle was here
because then she'd be scared,

because Tom is like the, what did you say?

He's like the Boo Radley.

What's a Boo Radley?

Boo Radley was a character.

"To Kill a Mockingbird."

Oh yeah!

The guy next door.

I'm really excited
for that ratatouille tonight.

Yeah, me too.

Love those simple meals

where you just use whatever
you've got on hand.

I guess I've got the soul of a peasant.

I think you have the brain of a peasant.

Oh, you have the
brain of something smaller.

Oh Izzy.

God that was great, thank you.

Oh man, I needed that.

Wasn't that,

wasn't that good for you?

Izzy,

this is a state we've never been to before,

it's kind of exciting.

It's supposed to be more exciting

because we're in Michigan?

- Oh, yes!
- Ratatouille.

The ratatouille's ready.

This is a dish from
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,

is that correct?
- Yes, exactly.

So, let me try it first.

Yeah, I'm scared,

what if it's gross?
- Are you gonna finish

your meal before.

Por favor is Spanish,

it's not French.

So okay, you have to
learn, "s'il vous plaît".

S'il vous plaît.

Silver plate?

Doesn't that mean please?

Exactly!

Wyatt, you tell the jokes of a

high school math teacher

Thank you.

Why are you such a dick?

Didn't you say you make lasagna with this?

Yeah, you can make
lasagna, you can make pasta.

It's kind of like your base food...

Shut the fuck up.

What, I'm sorry.

You can do, it's a base, you know...

Yeah, so what you do is you can add,

you can put it in pizza
dough but you cover it.

Here you go.

I'm so sorry.

"Ratatouille."

So what do you guys
think you're gonna do tonight?

Did you end up deciding
what you all are gonna do?

We're not telling you.

We're not invited,

so you're not invited to know.

So what, it used to be Carol's and now it's

someone, some other girl's
name that I can't remember?

I though somebody said Frankie's

- Frankie's!
- Frankie's!

I can never make it even.

Let me help you.

Thank you.

Well, I do it every day so.

Want me to sit?

Very easy.

Um, no.

Okay.

Can I open?

Mm-hmm.

Very pretty.

Those pants, did you buy 'em like this?

Are you okay driving?

Yeah, Peggy's driving.

Peggy is the designated driver.

I'm. Sorry.

Umbrellas.

Thank you.

I love you.

I love you, too.

Have fun. Be safe. Okay

You don't kiss me goodbye?

Okay, bye, have fun with
your stupid book club.

I like to save these, I don't know why.

Yeah, it's cool looking.

yeah.

All right gentlemen,

to the one-year anniversary
of our book club.

Cheers.

Cheers.

You know, I don't know if this is the

correct environment in which to discuss

a Dashiell Hammett novel.

We need buildings and city lights.

And the shadows of the city.

Yeah.

Should have done Faulkner.

So I am the host,

so I will get things started,

as is tradition.

I've read a couple of
Dashiell Hammett novels,

and this is my third one.

I read "Maltese Falcon," I read "Thin Man,"

and it's kind of controversial but,

I actually think this was my favorite one,

because, and I'll tell you why,

I think because,

this is the first one I read of his

where the main character,
where Ned Beaumont,

the man, Ned Beaumont,

he's not actually...

He is a man, he's like
the definition of a man.

Yeah, he really is.

He's like who you want to be.

He is who you want to be.

Women want him, men want to be him.

This is the first time
where he's a gangster,

he's a henchman, he's a
right-hand man kind of dude,

and he's not built for this,

and he solved this mystery.

He's like a detective.

He's not a detective but he's a detective.

He's detecting.

He's detecting, that's right.

And I just think it's really interesting.

Dashiell Hammett worked for
the Pinkerton detectives,

he understands this world.

And so I think it's interesting

that he decided to make a character

that isn't a private detective,

but has to figure out this kind of mystery.

See, you said it, you said
that he's the right-hand man.

He's the guy who does all his dirty work.

But what's interesting,

and this is what I think
the heart of the book is,

because Paul, he's Ned's boss,

but Ned is the brains behind the outfit.

You know, it's like obvious.

He's just in control.

- Yeah.
- Absolutely.

Totally.

Like when he tells him like,

don't wear your silk
socks with a tweed suit.

Yes.

Oh yeah, and Paul's
response is just like, oh,

he's not like, hey you don't
have to tell me how to dress.

He is kind of an asshole most of the time.

Like, you know.

Like you said, Ned is
the brains, he needs Ned.

He's dependent on Ned.

And to me what's interesting though

is that even though Paul

is an asshole, kind of
treats Ned like shit,

that isn't the reason that
Ned leaves at the end.

He makes it clear, it's not about you.

It's called, "Wild Nights, Wild Nights."

Wild nights, wild nights, were I with thee.

Wild nights should be our luxury.

Futile the wind to a heart in port,

done with the compass, done with the chart.

Rowing in Eden, ah, the sea.

Might I but moor tonight in thee.

Wild nights, wild nights!

I'm toasting you girl.

Wild nights.

But why do you like it so much?

Well, I just always liked her.

I always thought that it was fascinating.

Most people think she's this
like recluse, death-obsessed

person who never left her house,

but she actually was really passionate.

Her stuff was passionate,
and she could be funny too.

So I just think she was misunderstood.

I think you can read the
book two different ways.

Okay.

One way is you can read it like Wyatt,

and you can say the whole
thing was for Janet, right?

And the book is about him, about Ned,

realizing, oh I'm in love with this person,

and I'm changing at the end.

I think you can read it one way,

and it's kind of almost like

a romantic comedy kind of thing,

where it's like, they were always

gonna get together the entire time.

You can read it that way.

Or, you can read it the
way you're reading it,

which is, he's just like id,

he's just kind of like fucking his way

through every single chapter of this book.

He ain't got no plan, he's
just kind of making it happen,

you know what I mean?

And I think that's interesting.

I don't know, I don't know what
the right answer is though.

Maybe there doesn't need to be one.

I just know that's what I would do.

Well the question comes down to then,

what would you do?

But the question comes down to like,

what is the writer doing?

Why is the writer saying this stuff?

What is he trying to get at?

It's a super masculine book,

like these guys are not flowery,

they don't speak in flowery,

and it's a male guy writing
from a masculine point of view,

and I don't know.

I think he's trying to say
something about women and men,

I don't know what it is, but
he's trying to say something.

Maybe he's just trying to ask a question.

What's the question?

Can I be honest, I'm sorry.

Can I be honest with you for a second?

I didn't really like you at first.

I thought you were trying
really hard to be nice,

and to be a part of our group,

and I didn't like that, but

I actually think you're
really cool, and I like you.

Well thank you.

I really like you guys.

I'm really happy I came on this trip.

She told me the same thing

when we met at the nature museum.

Are you saying I'm not original?

I'm just saying.

You gave me the same speech.

I'm just rude, I'm just a French girl,

a very rude French girl.

Okay, Isa.

Who's gonna go next?

I'll go next, I'll go next.

So since Peggy recited her favorite poem,

I'm going to recite for you
guys my favorite song lyric.

Yes, it's actually my very
favorite song to sing,

and once you hear it, I
think you'll agree that

it works really well as a poem as well.

It was written in 1929 by Mitchell Parish,

and it goes a little something like this.

And now the purple dusk of twilight time

steals across the meadows of my heart.

High in the sky, the little stars climb,

always reminding me that we're apart.

You wander down the lane and far away,

leaving me a song that will not die.

Love is now the stardust of yesterday,

the music of years gone by.

Sometimes I wonder why I spend the night

dreaming of a song.

The melody haunts my reverie,

and I am once again with you.

When our love was new, and
each kiss an inspiration,

but that was long ago.

Now, my only consolation is
in the stardust of a song,

beside a garden wall,

when the stars are bright,
you are in my arms.

The nightingale tells his fairy tale,

a paradise where roses bloom,

though I dream in vain, in
my heart it will remain,

my stardust melody,

a memory of love's refrain.

Thank you.

That was beautiful.

Thank you.

Why that lyric?

What makes you connect to it?

Well, I feel like it says so little,

but it means so much.

It's kind of like the Emily Dickinson poem,

it's minimalist, but each little line

is like this poetic fragment,

but when you put it all together,

it's just this one grand
beautiful painting almost,

I mean, my favorite line
is "beside a garden wall."

So you get this little line

that gives you all this
imagery of two young lovers,

kissing underneath the moonlight,

surrounded by nature
and flowers and beauty.

Beside a garden wall,

it's just so simple and yet so beautiful.

A beautiful song.

Now it's my turn.

Okay.

Okay, I know a poem,

but it's in French,

so I'll explain after.

And it's by Jacques Prevert.

So it goes like this.

So, I think this poem is about that moment,

I guess after you break up with someone,

and all of a sudden, no one
is talking, it's very silent.

And you start paying attention

to all the details around you.

She can see that he is drinking his coffee,

but he is not talking to her.

He's smoking a cigarette,

making round of smoke around him.

But he's not talking to her.

He's not even looking at her.

He took his hat and his
coat, it was raining,

he left, so she buried
her head in her hands,

and she cried.

My favorite part
is honestly the whole thing.

My favorite part the whole thing.

Fuck you.

So no, this is a guy who's got a full life

he's got going on here.

He's gotta run a business,

he's got gambling problems,
he's got women problems.

Probably got a mortgage.

Probably got a mortgage.

He's got laundry to do on Tuesdays,

and then also he's like,
oh yeah, by the way,

let me also solve this fuckin'
mystery murder thing for you,

and that's great, I
think that's super-cool.

I think the thing that is so
cool about this story is that,

I've read a lot of detective fiction.

I've read Agatha Christie and all that.

Like "Murder on the Orient Express."

Page one, someone dies,

and then Hercule Poirot is
just spending all the time

walking through the fuckin' train cars,

solving the mystery.

You don't learn anything about characters,

it's not about anything.

I think it's so interesting
about this novel,

is that the murder is almost
not even that important.

What's important is Ned,

it's like this examination
of who this guy is.

I just thought that was super
cool, and very interesting.

It makes it like the
anti-detective novel novel.

What's your favorite part.

Favorite part?

Okay, so,

all right my favorite part

is when they are at the
newspaper publisher's house

out in the woods, and Ned
seduces the guy's wife.

You know?

It's like, come on
Dashiell, come on, come on.

I didn't really like that part.

I liked that part.

All right fine, I got
this bookmarked hold on.

All right, okay, you know the part when

O'Rory and Whisky and Jeff have Ned

locked in that room with the bed,

and Jeff is just beating
the shit out of Ned.

So he knocks him out and he's on the bed,

but then Ned wakes up,

and he starts crawling towards the door.

And then Jeff has this line, he says,

"I never seen a guy that
liked being hit so much,

"or that I liked hitting so much."

Huh?

You liked that?

Yeah.

You liked that?

I liked that.

You liked that?

I liked that part.

You liked that part?

I liked that part.

Why do you like that part?

Okay, Ned has the shit beat out of him.

He's unconscious.

When he wakes up, the first thing he does,

the first thing he does
is try to escape again.

He knows full well he's
not gonna get out of there.

He knows Jeff's sitting there watching him

with his ape mouth.

That's what he says.

And he knows he's not gonna
get out the door, but he tries.

You know, that tiny second
of hope, he's got it.

Even though he knows it's gonna get

beaten out of him in five seconds,

and he can't get to the door.

Fuck you guys, what's your favorite part?

My favorite part is

where he hides the hat.

Hid the hat?

Yeah, the guy he,

the guy that owes him money.

Bernie.

Bernie.

So he goes to Bernie,

he's trying to get his money from Bernie,

Bernie won't give him the money,

and he's like, he tells him,

that he hid what's-his-name's hat.

Wyatt?

Did you read the book?

I read the book.

I read through it quickly.

Did you mean your
friend Cliff read the book,

and you got his notes from you?

That costs money, so no I didn't do that.

Did your friend Wiki read the book,

and you pedia'd them?

That's incredibly lame.

He goes and tells Bernie,

that he hid Taylor Henry's hat,

underneath the couch
cushions in Bernie's room,

and he's gonna tell the police

to just go look there,
frame him up for the murder.

If Bernie doesn't give him the money.

Whose hat is it?

Genius.

The hat apparently, allegedly,

belongs to a man named
Taylor Henry who was killed.

Wyatt, I think this might help you out.

It's in there somewhere.

Hmm, what is this?

That's "The Glass Key,"
by Dashiell Hammett.

I never liked a guy so much that,

and I like that.

Maybe the problem is

that you don't know how to read.

I know how to read, I just don't like to.

Then why the fuck are you in a book club?

I read the book.

Did you read the book?

Mostly.

Excuse me?

Can I have three of the same, please.

Wait, why three?

Because you're gonna have a drink with us.

I have water.

No no no no, your water is depressing me,

so I'm gonna put it here.

And you're just gonna have a sip,

just so we can cheers together.

I can cheers with water.

No, it's bad luck.

We all know that, right?

Okay that's true, but you really

don't have to take a drink.

Can't we just have a little bit of fun?

One sip, that's it.

Please?

Uh oh, thank you.

Just a little sip.

Okay okay okay, I'm gonna have one.

I'm gonna have one sip.

Okay, thank you. Thank you.

That's it, okay?

Thank you.

Okay.

Awesome.

Cheers.

Hey.

Hi.

Hi, yeah. Sorry to interrupt, I just,

a few of our friends,

and we saw you ladies were hear alone,

and thought maybe you'd like some company.

Maybe.

I mean I don't want to
pressure you all into nothin',

you just looked like lovely people

and maybe I could buy you a beer.

That's very nice of you to say that.

You're not from around here, are you?

No.

Where you from?

I'm from France.

France, what part of France?

The southeast, at the border of Italy.

Border of Italy, okay.

Anywhere near Paris?

What?

Anywhere near Paris?

No, very far from Paris.

Sorry.

You know what they call
Detroit, Michigan right?

The Paris of the Midwest.

Oh, that's interesting.

I'll be over there
drinking with my friends.

You're welcome to come over.

You all have a nice night, okay?

He's cute.

Is he?

Yes?

What are you doing?

What do you mean?

You know you wouldn't talk to that guy

if Richard were here.

Yes, but Richard is not here.

Yeah, but how do you think he would feel

if he saw you flirting
with that guy like that?

And how do you think I feel

about him not being here with us?

Okay, I don't wanna,

do whatever you want to do.

You always do.

Yeah, exactly.

I always do, and I'm gonna
do exactly that right now.

So I'm gonna go over there, bye.

Hello!

Hello.

Janet.

Janet, she's kind of a dick.

She is writing all these letters about...

Wait, I thought you said.

I thought you said he loved her the whole-

I'm changing my fucking mind.

She's lying, she's lying.

And, that's not cool.

And she's writing all these letters,

saying, maybe this happened,
and maybe this happened.

It's like, some people say
this, blah blah blah blah blah.

By, like

going with her in the end,

and like,

she's a dick.

I agree with you though,

but if you're looking for reality,

it's not really on target.

Janet is the type of girl, okay,

this is a world where the
damsel in the distress,

is also a femme fatale,

she wants the smart guy to get her.

She wants the guy who
outwitted everybody else

to be the one who saves her.

And that's a fantasy.

Just, like, fuckin' say it.

What do you think?

I don't think that that happens.

That doesn't happen in real life.

But that's the point, that's what you want.

Yeah, that's what I want,

that's what I'm fuckin' saying I want.

No no, I'm saying that I want

the relationship that doesn't exist.

Oh yeah, yeah that'd be great.

Then you don't have a relationship.

No, because this guy,

he gets to do whatever he wants.

They're both doing what they want to do

and it just so happens
that, that's being together.

What they want to do is each other.

Right.

So maybe it goes away
from that at some point,

but from the time being everything is cool.

What other way is there to live?

Are you fucking serious right now?

Are you a character in a folk tale?

I don't think you guys
understand, because...

Please tell me.

You could die tomorrow.

You could die, tomorrow.

Wait.

When's the earliest I could die?

Maybe tomorrow.

It could be in the next couple of seconds.

I don't know what's gonna happen.

Is that a threat?

No, I'm not threatening, Wyatt.

Oh God.

Yeah baby.

You're trying to over-psychoanalyze

a fake-ass character,

a character that doesn't exist.

And you're in love with a
character that doesn't exist.

Yeah.

Janet's awesome.

Janet is pretty awesome.

I'll be she's the hottest.

She might be hot, but she's a dick.

I feel like you want women to be logical.

Do you think that Isabelle is logical?

I don't know.

She sometimes maybe is.

I think Peggy's a very logical person.

But that doesn't mean I understand

her logic.

I want to be Ned.

Why dude?

This guy he does everything he wants to do

when he wants to do it,

and all these women love him for it.

That's the dream.

You don't think that's great?

I think it's unrealistic.

Unrealistic.

You can have it, it's not like...

Say it.

Why do you have to live in this world

that is like,

these rules.

This reality.

If those people can't subscribe

to what it is you want to do,

then why the fuck are they there?

What do they do for you?

The only reason people make sense

to be in your life if for
them to do something for you?

I realize now, that saying that,

it sounds pretty bad,

but if you just take a step back

and think about it for a
second, it's pretty great.

It's great.

In the short term, yeah.

That's like, "I think, therefore I am,"

you know, Descartes.

It's all about, no one else exists,

except for you in your life.

Like everyone else are projections
of your own experience.

Is that what you're saying?

That I'm just here to serve you?

No, you're my pal.

We're pals.

Hello?

Wyatt, is there?

Hello?

Hey, that phone hasn't worked since 1986.

It works for me.

Talking to your mom.

Okay, I don't want to sound
like mother hen yet again,

but you really don't have to finish that.

I just don't want you to feel bad about it.

I actually want to finish it.

And I'd want another one.

You okay?

Can I tell you something?

Yeah.

I lied to Wyatt.

My father's not an alcoholic.

When I was in high school,

my dad left my mom.

It really messed her up.

She got really depressed for a while.

A lot of the responsibilities fell on me.

I had to take care of her.

I had to be the adult,

even though I was just a kid.

One day I met this guy,

he was older than me.

He made me feel good.

He made me feel loved.

He made me feel taken care of.

He would take me to parties,

and it was really fun for a while.

The music,

the alcohol, the drugs.

I would come home totally fucked up,

and my mom wouldn't even notice.

I would go in my room and lie in my bed,

and stare at the ceiling,

and think,

and try not to think.

And hold my breath for as long as I could,

just trying to make myself pass out.

I would vomit into the toilet,

shoving my fingers so far down my throat,

trying to get rid of my insanity,

trying to purge my hate,
my sins, my negativity.

The Bush administration,

they didn't just profit from 9-11,

by having a reason to invade Iraq,

but they engineered 9-11.

That's crazy, but it's really
comforting in a twisted way.

Conspiracy theories are comforting.

- Right?
- Yes.

Because, and I think what it is

about a detective novel,

you're reading the novel,

and it doesn't make any fucking sense,

doesn't make any fucking sense,

and then at the end...

(overlapping

Bored!

Wyatt.

Sorry.

Dude, we were getting somewhere.

I know, but I was bored.

You sound like Izzy.

Oh, I'm so bored right now.

- Is that after sex?
- Is that how I sound?

No, it's not after sex.

After sex it's like...
- During sex.

It's like, fuck, what's the word?

Foreplay, it's like foreplay.

I can't believe I forgot that word.

It's like foreplay.

I can believe you forgot it.

Hey, when you've been married for 10 years,

you forget the word, foreplay.

Let me tell you that.

That's so sad.

Yeah, well, it's something
to look forward to fellas.

When you and Peggy get married,

or you and Isabelle get married,

in 10 years, or 12 years.

We'll give you a two-year engagement.

In 12 years when you get married.

If everything in life is easy,

then nothing would be hard, brother.

Good one!

I like the struggle.

I think it's imperative to your way,

that you, you just gotta have a fight.

I think it's imperative to your way.

Yeah man, Isabelle, she's
a handful, right, at times?

She's a handful?

I said rude, and then I said true.

Listen, Ned, all right, Ned Beaumont,

even when he's caught in a trap,

even when he misses a beat,

he's always smarter than everybody else.

You know what I mean?

He's always a step ahead of
everybody else in the book.

That's because does
50 pushups every morning.

That could be it.

All the women in the book gravitate to Ned.

They just love him immediately.

Yeah, it must be nice.

That's awesome.

Ah dude.

But they don't
fuckin' communicate with him.

On a scale of one to Ned,

how badly do you want to be Ned Beaumont?

Ned.

Ned.

That's the reason you read books

is so that you fucking see,

you realize things about your life.

What did you realize about your life

reading this book?

That I need to do everything I want to do,

and that I can have it all.

I stopped going home.

I started moving around with him,

doing anything he wanted.

He would choke me until
I nearly passed out.

As he stuck his penis down my throat.

He started to control me.

He made me have sex for money.

Their seedy smiles.

Their smell.

Their sweaty hair.

Chain-smoking cigarettes.

I remember five 100-dollar bills

falling to the floor,

taking off his pants,

taking off mine.

Mounting on top of me and thrusting,

his weight crushing me,

finishing on me.

I liked self-destruction.

But then I overdid it.

Popping Somas and Percocet,

blacking out,

not knowing where I am or who I'm with,

missing chunks of time,

passing out behind the wheel,

flipping my car, being rushed to the ER.

Fighting off nurses,

trying to hurt them,

scratch them, punch them.

Just keep them away from me.

Waking up in a psych ward.

Detox.

Rehab, sobriety.

Doing normal things again.

Pretending like everything's okay.

Where the fuck did all the time go?

Alcohol, drugs, sex,

rape, violence.

Vomiting sickness.

Just forever sick.

I'm sorry.

If someone is trying to
communicate something to you,

and they can't just come out and say it.

You talking about Janet?

Yeah, talking about Janet.

How frustrating is that?

Like how, isn't that like...

What's going on with Peggy?

She's at a bar with her friends.

Is Peggy short for something?

Pegadina?

No it's good.

It's good?

Yeah.

It's really good?

Sometimes it's very good.

Other times?

I was trying to make a sex joke.

Yeah, it was a good one.

Sorry.

What?

What is the deal with dried fruit?

That's not where I thought you were going.

You thought I was going about foreplay?

I thought you were going somewhere else.

Yeah, dried fruit is nuts.

Jesus Christ.

You know what I think?

You know what I think about this book?

The book we've been reading?

Yeah.

"The Glass Key."

I think that the appeal of...

Do you get a nickel every time

we say, "The Glass Key"?

Yeah.

The glass key?

"The Glass Key."

"The Glass Key."

Have you read it?

I read it.

By Dashiell Hammett.

It's by Dashiell Hammett.

Listen, no, honestly, the
appeal of detective fiction,

is I think the exact same

as the appeal of conspiracy theories.

They both make everything
seem interconnected.

This book, "The Glass Key,"

all these characters are
connected to each other

in ways that are not
apparent on the surface,

but ultimately everything
is connected somehow.

And that's the opposite of life.

In life, nothing is connected.

And everything is random.

Hey, seven years bad sex.

What about kissing me now?

Alright.

Okay, stop thinking about it.

French kiss.

What about a French kiss?

Oh nothing.

The person that you are,

the person that I met this weekend,

is such an incredible person.

I'm so glad that I got a chance to meet you

and that you were willing to
share who you are with me.

I mean I hope it's okay if you consider me

to be your friend,

because I want to be your friend

and support you in any way that I can.

You don't have to pretend
anything's okay with me.

And I also want to say that,

there's something inside of you

that's yearning to be loved,

for who you are in an unconditional way,

and you deserve that.

And more.

And I don't know if that's
gonna come from Wyatt,

or somebody else in the future but,

as your friend, I'm not gonna
let you bag yourself up,

and have to deny all of who you are

when you meet somebody.

There's something that I haven't

really been able to tell anybody,

and if it's okay I'd like
to share it with you.

Jack and I are trying to get pregnant,

but I don't think that we can.

About 10 years ago,

right after we got married,
we did get pregnant.

But it wasn't planned,

and Jack was wanting to keep the baby,

but I just felt like we weren't ready.

So I convinced him to
let me have an abortion.

About a year ago, we
started trying again and,

I found out that I have endometriosis,

and I haven't told Jack.

And nothing's been happening,

and I don't know how to tell him because

he seems to want it so bad.

So I don't know if it's
gonna crush him, or crush us.

Please don't tell anybody that, okay?

Not even Isabelle.

I won't, I promise.

Thank you.

Thank you for letting
me share that with you.

Thank you.

Peggy, you're so strong.

I can't believe that you've
been through all of that,

and you're still able to walk around

with light in your eyes.

You're a beautiful person.

From now, I'm gonna call
you 'warrior woman'.

Oh my God, do not look now,

but Isabelle is making
out with Mister NASCAR.

Hey, we should probably
get out of here, yeah?

Yeah, let's go.

Jack,

when you asked Golda to marry you,

how'd you know?

How'd I know that she was the one?

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

No I mean,

how did you know that the
relationship was gonna last?

I didn't. Don't.

It's impossible to know that.

Impossible?

That's depressing.

My dad gave me a really
good piece of advice.

He was like,

the relationship is never
as good as it's gonna be

than at the beginning.

Well, that's depressing.

He also said people don't change.

And so, here's the advice, he said,

"look at the person you're with,

"look at your relationship,

"and realize like,

"it's not gonna get any better than this,

"in fact this is probably
the best it'll ever get.

"Can you live with this,

"for the rest of your
life, forever, whatever?"

Forever.

So I...

Whatever.

For the rest of your life, whatever.

So I looked at Golda,

looked at me, looked at what we had,

where we were at, and
I said, I asked myself,

can I live with this?

And I looked at us, and I said,

I can live with this.

Hey, hey, hey.

Welcome back, welcome back.

Did you guys have fun?

Yeah, did you guys have a good discussion?

Yeah, we just talked about
this book, the whole night.

Well, just so you know,

we had our own little book club tonight.

Oh yeah, how'd that go?

It's top secret, we're not telling you.

If you're staying
up late then I'm going to bed.

Yep, I'm ready.

You okay?

Yeah, I'm fine.

Did you drink something?

I had a beer.

Don't give her a hard time, okay?

She just wanted to have
a little bit of fun.

No, I'm just surprised.

So we should probably go to bed too, huh?

Sure, I don't know.

Izzy, you're drunk, right?

You drunk?

I'm not drunk.

Glad to see you had a good time tonight.

What do you mean?

You know I hate
it when you drink this much.

Who said I was drinking?

Izzy?

Yes?

We both know you drank.

Oh, because you didn't
drink with your friends?

You're such a hypocrite.

I know when to stop, okay?

I get a good buzz going...

I know when to stop!

Thank you.

You never know when to stop,

and you end up embarrassing yourself.

I'm embarrassing myself.

I don't know why you're saying that.

I'm not embarrassing myself.

You seem to have a problem.

Will you keep your voice down, please?

No, I'm not keeping my voice down!

I can speak louder if I want,

I don't give a fuck about what they think.

Shhh.

Don't shush me.

You're so annoying.

I don't want to have this
conversation right now.

Of course you don't want
to have this conversation,

because you never want
to have a conversation.

We're supposed to be down here on vacation

having a nice time.

Okay.

Let's speak about us getting
married, for example.

What do you want to say?

What do you have to say about it?

I never said we were
never gonna get married.

You never said we would
get married, either.

Life comes in phases, okay?

And you and I are not ready

for that particular phase right now.

You're so boring with your phases.

Just stop.

No, I'm not stopping.

You're not gonna pull this shit right now,

not while we're down here, okay?

I do whatever I want.

You're not telling me what I can do,

and not what I cannot do.

Just shut up.

- Don't...
- Shut the fuck up.

Shut up, shut your goddamn mouth.

Shut the fuck up.

You're crazy.

This conversation

is over.
- You're fucking crazy.

I don't care.

I hate you, and you make me hate myself.

With everybody around us?

It'll be like college.

We have to be quiet.

Okay.

That's what'll make it fun.

Did you know that people in Afghanistan

don't use this little finger?

They don't use it at all?

Nope.

And do you know why?

No.

Because it's mine.

Good one.

Who's making all the racket?

Sounds like someone's making breakfast.

We should go investigate that,

at some point.

I woke up that morning in a dark place.

But the arrival of an unexpected guest

allowed me to hit the reset button.

Good morning.

Good morning.

You must be my guests.

Hey guys, this is my dad.

I don't mean to crash your party.

I just wanted to stop by,

make sure that Jack hadn't
burned my cabin down.

I think we did a pretty
good job keepin' it.

And since I'm here, why not enjoy

some of Jack's famous cinnamon rolls?

But one catch,

everybody has to work.

In my house there is no free roll.

That's fine by me.

Speak first, get to work first, come on.

Peggy, I would like you
to take this saucepan.

We're going to add one cup of milk,

and three tablespoons of butter.

Jack Senior taught us

how to make cinnamon rolls.

Maybe his absurd presence
allowed the others

to hit the reset button, too.

I want to help, can I?

You absolutely can help darling.

Flour over here, we need
half a cup of flour.

It's hot, hot.

Careful, slow, slowly.

Okay, here we go.

You get the best part, Goldie.

The frosting.

So come over here,

sugar, milk, mix it up, darling.

Hey, how long have you been baking?

Actually started when Jack's mother

was pregnant with Jack.

She developed this crazy craving

for fresh baked bread.

Three a.m. in the morning.

Okay, I'd already done
my job, guys, you know,

so I figured the least I
could do was learn to bake.

Right?

That's sweet.

And then it turned into this wild passion.

I just baked all the time.

I'd take my goodies to work,
church functions, bake sales.

You name it, I was there.

There was even a local reporter.

He did this piece in
the newspaper that said,

"Jack Tilden dreams of his own bakery."

Sadly, it was just that, a dream.

Yeah, I worked for this plastics company

another 35 years, as a salesman,

and then retired.

I never really gave a shit about that job.

You know, if I had to do it all over again,

I would absolutely have my own bakery.

Needless to say.

Let's bake.

Everybody to work, let's go.

That was the best cinnamon roll

I ever ate.

Wyatt.

You want to hear this story?

We don't have to hear this story.

Story, story, story.

The story.

Didn't he hitchhike here from Chicago?

Excuse me!

We should go for a hike, I think.

That would be nice!

I think we should go for a hike.

You want to go for a
hike in your Jimmy Choos?

Yes.

This is interesting!

We could go for a hike.

That's one thing we haven't done yet.

We drove back to Chicago

later that afternoon,

and everyone seemed to be in a good mood.

Even Isabelle.

But when we got back to
Chicago, things changed.

Our trip to Michigan was supposed to be

the beginning of something,

but it ended up being
the end of many things.

It turned out that Jack and Golda

did get pregnant on that trip.

Hey Jack?

And that's when

the little circle of
friends started to dissolve.

Richard's landlord kicked
him out of his apartment.

He moved in with Isabelle,

by telling her he thought they were ready

to take their relationship
to the next level.

They broke up a month later.

Isabelle moved to Paris.

The last I heard she was studying

library science at the Sorbonne.

I hope everything works out for her.

I never told Wyatt about my past.

We grew more distant after that trip,

and he eventually broke up with me.

He started dating one of his coworkers.

Jack, Richard, and Wyatt never had

another book club meeting

after their discussion of "The Glass Key,"

but I stayed friends with Jack and Golda.

In fact, I became their
favorite babysitter.

I still have insomnia.

My therapist suggested
I try sleeping pills,

but I don't think I will.

I've grown to enjoy lying awake at night,

staring at the ceiling and just thinking

of a million different things.

Every once in a while I even think

about that cottage by the lake in Michigan.

In my mind, it always seems

so beautiful and so peaceful,

in the middle of all those woods.