A Serious Man Page #14

He hasn’t told me.

Larry rubs his face, frustrated.

A last question occurs to him:

Larry

And what happened to the goy?

Rabbi Nachtner’s forebearing smile fades into puzzlement.

Rabbi Nachtner

The goy? Who cares?

EXTERIOR:
THE SYNAGOGUE

The modern synagogue grafted onto a patch of prairie.

An echoing voice rings out:

Voice

Sy Ableman was a serious man!

RABBI NACHTNER:

In close-up he gazes around, weighing the effect of the words just delivered.

After a beat during which he seeks to establish eye contact with as much of his audience

In close-up he gazes around, weighing the effect of the words just delivered.

After a beat during which he seeks to establish eye contact with as much of his audience

as possible:

Rabbi Nachtner

Sy Ableman was a man devoted to his community. . .

Wider shows Rabbi Nachtner and the congregation facing each other across a casket that

rests below the bema.

. . . to Torah study. . .

Larry sits among the congregants, his gaze fixed on a point off.

. . . to his beloved wife Esther until, three years ago, she

passed. . .

Larry’s point-of-view: Judith is visible from three-quarters behind. She sits a few rows

forward looking weepily up at the rabbi.

. . . and to his duty, as he saw it. Where does such a man

go? A tzadik—who knows, maybe even a lamid vovnik—a

man beloved by all, a man who despised the frivolous?

Could such a serious man. . . simply. . . disappear?

The words echo.

Again the rabbi gazes around, as if awaiting answer.

Then:

. . . We speak of olam ha-ba, the World to Come. Not

heaven. Not what the gentiles think of as afterlife. “Olam

ha-ba.” What is olam ha-ba? Where is olam ha-ba? Well:

it is not a geographic place, certainly. Like—Canada.

Murmured chuckles from the congregation.

Nor is it the eretz zavat chalav ood’vash—the land flowing

with milk and honey, for we are not promised a personal

reward, a gold star, a first-class VIP lounge where we get

milk and cookies to eternity!

-class VIP lounge where we get

milk and cookies to eternity!

More chuckles.

Olam ha-ba. . . is in the bosom of Abraham. Olam ha-ba is

in the soul of this community which nurtured Sy Ableman

and to which Sy Ableman now returns. That’s right, he

returns. Because he still inspires us Sy Ableman returns.

Because his memory instructs us Sy Ableman returns.

Because his thoughts illuminate our days and ways Sy

Ableman returns. The frivolous man may vanish without a

ripple but Sy Ableman? Sy Ableman was a serious man. . .

A sob echoes through the sanctuary.

Larry looks at Judith, who stifles further sobs with a handkerchief.

. . . As you know, the mourner’s kaddish does not mention

the dead. It praises Hashem; it praises what abides. And

Sy Ableman, whose spirit will continue to assist us in

tikkun olam, is with us even now, a serious man who would

say as we now say Yiskadal v’yiskadash sh’may rabah...

The congregation rises and chants along until it and Judith’s weeping are cut off by:

A HAND RAPPING AT A DOOR

The front door of the Gopnik home.

Larry, still in his suit and yarmulka from shul, opens the door. He recoils in surprise

edged with fear.

Reverse:
two uniformed policemen.

Cop 1

Arthur Gopnik?

Larry is momentarily dumb. Behind him, in the living room, we see a corner of a card

table upon which food has been laid out. Sarah sits with her back to us, head wrapped in

a towel-turban. Arthur, on the far side of the table, his balding head yarmulka-topped,

half-leans out so that he may sneak looks toward the men at the door while still somewhat

hidden. From somewhere down the hall come Judith’s muffled sobs.

. . . Are you Arthur Gopnik?

Larry

I’m. . . Laurence Gopnik.

Cop 1

Do you go by the name Arthur Gopnik?

Larry

No.

Cop 1

. . . Are you Arthur Gopnik?

Larry

I’m. . . Laurence Gopnik.

Cop 1

Do you go by the name Arthur Gopnik?

Larry

No.

Cop 1

Is that Arthur Gopnik?

Arthur ducks away.

From inside the living room:

Danny (off)

Dad? What’s going on?

Larry

Can you tell me what’s going on. We’re sitting shiva here.

Cop 1

You’re what.

Larry

A religious observance. We’re. . . bereaved.

The heretofore wordless second cop gazes in over his partner’s shoulder.

Cop 2

Who died?

Larry

My wife’s um. . . it’s a long story.

Cop 1

Look. Tell Gopnik—Arthur Gopnik—he’s breaking the

law. We’re not arresting him now but next time we will.

Gambling is against the law in this state. That’s just the

way it is. All right. Go back to your. . .

e law in this state. That’s just the

way it is. All right. Go back to your. . .

Cop 2

Sorry, sir.

LIVING ROOM:

A minute later. The family—except for Judith, whose weeping continues off—sits

around the card table. A long beat.

At length:

Danny

Dad, we get Channel 4 now but not Channel 7.

Larry

Arthur, how could you do that to this family. On Sy’s. . .

on Sy’s—

Arthur

It’s a victimless crime.

Larry

That doesn’t make it right! And you—

Danny

He won a lot of money, Dad! The Mentaculus really

works!

Larry’s gaze swings to his son.

Larry

You knew about it?!

Danny

Well, um. . .

Arthur

They must have finked me out. They knew I could just

keep on winning, so a couple weeks ago they blackballed

me, and now they’ve—

Larry

What did you do with the money you won? What did you do with the money you won?

Silence. Arthur sneaks a look at Danny.

Larry looks back and forth between them.

. . . What’s going on?

Arthur shrugs.

Arthur

I didn’t want it. Danny said he could use it—

Sarah

Unfair!

Larry

What have you been—

Arthur

What’s unfair is these guys saying I can’t play in their card

game!

Sarah

Why give him the money?! You know what he spends it

on?

Larry

(knowing nod)

I know about the records.

Sarah

Records?! You think he buys records from Mike Fagle?

Movement in Danny’s body; Sarah recoils from a kick.

. . . Ow! Little brat!

Larry

Hey! What’s going on!

Danny

At least I’m not saving up for a nose job!

Larry

What?!

Sarah

Brat!

Larry

Nobody in this house is getting a nose job! You got that?!

Danny

Ah!

Struck by a thought he leaps up and bolts from the room.

Larry

Danny! You weren’t excused! We’re still talking!

Sarah

What a brat.

Larry

What was this card game, Arthur?

Arthur

Some goys run a private game.

We hear the TV going on in a bedroom and the theme from F Troop.

. . . I think they’re Italians.

Larry

Danny, what’s going on!

He rises.

At least I’m not saving up for a nose job!

Larry

What?!

Sarah

Brat!

Larry

Nobody in this house is getting a nose job! You got that?!

Danny

Ah!

Struck by a thought he leaps up and bolts from the room.

Larry

Danny! You weren’t excused! We’re still talking!

Sarah

What a brat.

Larry

What was this card game, Arthur?

Arthur

Some goys run a private game.

We hear the TV going on in a bedroom and the theme from F Troop.

. . . I think they’re Italians.

Larry

Danny, what’s going on!

He rises.

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