Chronically Metropolitan Page #4

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Jessie, I see you.

All right? And I miss you.

And yet you never called.

- Come back again.

- Thank you.

I want you back, Jess.

That's really great, Fenton.

It's too late for that.

Yeah, I know that now.

And, also, even

without Victor, what?

You thought one apology would

eradicate you treating me like sh*t?

No.

I've spent time with you.

We've talked now, twice.

You know, I've had time to

process this whole thing.

You know, I've thought

a lot about this.

To hell with you, Fenton.

I'm still mad at you.

Wow.

Look at that.

What?

That...

That freckle right there.

That's extraordinary.

What... That tickles.

You have a freckle on your

breast, and it's ticklish.

Yes.

Maybe it's from your beard.

Maybe.

May I have it?

Have what?

May I have, um...

Have this freckle right here?

Can it be mine?

Someone keeps calling me.

Do you recognize this number?

That's Layla.

Well, aren't you

gonna answer it?

On September 12, 2001,

I bought her a phone.

Programmed it, told her

to keep it on her always.

In all the years since,

she hasn't called me once.

That is my husband.

Oh...

Try this.

I thought you were getting wine.

May I ask you a question?

If you must.

Who is this character,

Ahmed Hussein?

Hussaini.

Hussaini, huh?

And how the hell did you stumble

across that name getting wine?

Well, I was walking by your room

and the door was open, so...

Oh, my God. Did you

call him from my phone?

Yeah.

You really need to

set some boundaries, man.

I am concerned

about your safety.

Yeah, my safety from what?

People, Layla, people.

I saw that rather exotic

name, and I was worried.

You're f***ing nuts.

Who is he?

He's a friend of Mom's.

Ah...

Just what I thought.

Where did she meet him?

I don't know.

They met somewhere.

Does it matter?

He's nice to her.

Are they f***ing?

I didn't say that.

And how should I know?

All right, never mind.

Doesn't matter.

She'll be back.

She'll be back.

Give me one of those, would ya?

No, stop it.

Give me a cigarette!

You don't even smoke.

I do now.

Hello?

Oh, my God.

What happened?

What happened to you?

No one knows.

John found him on the

bathroom floor at a bar.

Jessie's getting

married Saturday.

God damn it!

That is enough!

No one's going to feel sorry

for themselves in this house!

What are we,

a bunch of sad sacks?

I'm taking us out to dinner.

Do something with your hair. Looks

like you combed it with a towel.

Stop smoking so much.

Well, so, San Francisco's

a terrible town.

You should've gone to Hollywood.

Thought you said a serious writer

should never go to Hollywood.

Who said you're a serious writer?

Dad!

Do you always have to be

such a douchebag?

Oh, come on, I'm joking.

I'm trying to cheer him up.

Mmm, it's not working.

Well, is the booze helping?

Yes.

No.

Another round?

Well, so who is this

girlfriend of yours marrying?

Her name is Jessie.

Well?

I don't wanna talk about it.

I heard he's rich.

Who is he?

Victor Dell.

The curator? Sh*t!

Fenton, you're in trouble.

Hmm.

He's loaded.

His father, Max, makes those

unwatchable giant extravaganzas.

Total bullshit.

But very successful.

His son's gotta be an a**hole.

It's never gonna last.

That's what I keep telling her.

And what about you? When are you

gonna get yourself a boyfriend?

Oh, gee, Dad, I don't know.

Wait, you're not

a lesbian, are you?

I mean, I'd be okay

with that if you are.

I'm not gonna dignify

that with a response.

Do I seem like a lesbian?

Yeah, sometimes.

I'm very sorry. I have to meet someone.

Completely forgot about it.

Need some cash? Cocktails, taxis.

This sh*t's expensive.

That Probably would

need one more.

One more? All right. Yeah. Hmm.

Fenton,

I don't want your sister

riding in the subway at night.

Oh, but, Dad, that's where

I meet all my girlfriends.

Well, no wonder Mom left him.

You know, someone should

really kick his ass.

I'll do it.

What's up, sexy?

Hannah. What?

This is going to hurt.

What is?

Chris, what's wrong?

We can't see each other anymore.

I wasn't exactly single

when I met you.

I know. I know,

but I love you.

I...

No, you don't.

I mean, you think you do.

Don't tell me what I

feel and what I don't.

Well, Hannah...

You teach me how to write,

but that's not how your

cock ended up in my mouth!

Little too much to drink.

F*** you! Don't treat

me like I'm your daughter.

Excuse me?

What is it?

I hate you so f***ing much. Shh.

You're Christopher Dillane?

Unfortunately,

at this moment, I am.

I just wanted to come

by and thank you.

Oh. I'm doing a dissertation

on your novel Wife-

Oh.

Anyway. Like I said, I

just wanted to thank you.

The novel inspired me to tell

my parents that I was gay.

Well, that's wonderful.

Thank you. Can I buy

you a drink? Anything?

No, no, no. That's great.

Thank you. Have a great night.

Hannah, sweetheart,

don't be upset.

I mean...

You're going to

meet someone else.

How about that guy,

Matt, from class?

I see the way he looks at you.

I can't believe you're

suggesting other men right now.

Are you f***ing crazy?

I'm just trying to

smooth the road for you.

"Smooth the road"? F*** you! Oh!

Hey.

Hey, I have fights all the time

like that with my daughter.

Yeah...

Yo, buddy.

Hey, what's going on?

Nothing. Just chilling.

It's kinda late for a pop-in.

No pop-in.

Hey, do you, um...

You know my buddy

Chad from Greenpoint?

No.

Really?

Coulda sworn you had.

You'd met him, I mean.

He's a good dude.

Uh-huh.

Well, um, Chad has

this younger sister.

Like, awesome girl.

Best, best chick.

And his boy Ralph sort

of had a thing for her.

And so, Ralph...

Wait, Johnny,

you're here to see Layla?

No.

Yes.

Yeah.

Is there a Ralph?

Uh...

No.

I'm Ralph.

For the story I changed my name.

I really like her, Fenton.

Uh, okay.

Is that okay?

Does she know about it?

Yeah. Of course.

John, I'll be out

in just a minute.

Oh.

Yeah.

You have my blessing.

It's all I ever wanted.

Yo, Fenton.

Let me ask you something.

Um...

Did you really mean what you

wrote about me in your story?

I didn't know you read it.

I'm not a clown.

John, it wasn't about you.

It sure felt like

it was about me.

I don't know what to say.

Look, people talk sh*t.

I know that.

You know, people couldn't believe that

Johnny Roth got a job at Goldman.

"Oh, Funny man becomes

a finance guy? What?"

I know they all had told-you-so

smirks when I got fired, though.

I know that.

I want to know that you're not going to be

disappointed with Layla for being with me.

Come on, man, I never

said anything like that.

But it's what you wrote.

Fenton, it hurt me.

You know, I've only ever

tried to be a friend to you.

Yeah, man, we are friends, John.

Good, then treat me

like it, all right?

Things got shitty

for you, I get that.

You know, I don't know anyone who

hasn't had to deal with shitty.

But you're the only one that peaced out

to California. F***ing disappeared.

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