Hope Springs Page #5

You want to know what? Fine.

What I'm afraid will happen here

is what probably happens in every

goddamn therapist's office

every time any poor couple goes in there.

You say whatever thing, because

somebody Iike you

is dragging it out of them and

then you can't take it back.

There are things in this Iife that

you don't say for a reason.

Like what? What would you say?

Uh...

Tell me.

I want to know. I want to know.

It's worse not knowing when there are

things that you're holding back

you won't say because you think

I'm too fragile or whatever.

No, it's not that. It's...

Something I can't hear.

AII right, fine! AII right.

She has a way... Say it to Kay.

You have a way of saying that

something's up to me

and then when I make a decision

and it's something you don't Iike,

you don't actually say anything,

but you sure do get your point across.

Well, can I just say, I don't

Iike... Is it my turn?

I don't Iike the way that we always do

something for Christmas,

or an anniversary,

that's a joint gift for the

house, Iike a water heater.

You needed that water heater.

Yes, but you did, too. You shower.

Why is that a special gift for me?

Hmm?

And I hate watching golf. I

do. I think it's boring.

And the shows where they talk

about golf, even worse.

It's Iike being married to ESPN.

And when you eat ranch chips,

your breath smells.

I Iike ranch chips.

And I hate it when you rub up against me,

Iike you just expect me to do it.

"Come on, Iet's go."

Hell, it got to the point I was afraid

to make any kind of move.

If I even so much as tried to kiss you...

Well, you never kiss me.

You don't want to kiss me,

you just want "it."

Not me.

(SIGHS) You know, he always has

his eyes squeezed tight shut.

It's not me. You just want "it."

Hell, yes, I want "it." You can

bet your Iife I want "it."

So screw me for wanting to

have sex with my wife!

And, you know, it's not pleasant

to do that with somebody who

doesn't want to do it.

But you never saw me...

What?

Go on, Arnold.

I didn't complain because

Kay didn't want sex.

Love. That's what I wanted. Not just sex.

I wanted you.

Well, what about all those

years I wanted you?

AII those goddamn years.

And I didn't cheat.

I didn't go to hookers.

I watched a Iittle porn, but who doesn't?

I was good. I did the right thing.

Now you're bringing me here for...

You're the one who stopped, not me.

Yeah, for a while I stopped,

yes, but you stopped, too.

You did. You stopped.

Well, you don't just turn

it on and off, you know?

Maybe when it's off, it's just off.

Off.

(SIGHS)

I want you to do something for me.

I want you to tell me about

the best sex you ever had.

The time that you can remember that

was the best. Either of you.

Even if it wasn't very good.

Even if it was terrible.

Best time that you remember.

Well...

Hmm.

Oh.

I remember one time.

Kay was pregnant.

Where were you? In the kitchen.

She was making soup.

And I came in there and she kept

saying she had to stir her soup.

And pretty soon, she forgot

about that soup.

What do you remember, Kay?

Well, we were on the floor, and...

And it was slow.

He... He put some dish

towels behind my head

so my head wouldn't bang on...

Wouldn't bump up against the

bottom of the cabinet.

That was... (LAUGHS)

Arnold, what else do you

remember about that?

Just wanting her.

Standing there in the kitchen.

Happy.

Beautiful.

She had a Iittle apron which was getting

to be too Iittle because her

belly was getting so big.

You were very attracted to her then.

Yeah, I was, and...

Are you still?

Uh, I don't... I don't know.

It's been a Iong time since we've...

I don't Iook Iike I did then.

No, it's not that.

No. I never could Iose all the weight.

You Iook fine. I just don't think

of it in that way anymore.

About her that way anymore.

Well, of course, I...

DR. FELD:
No, it's not "of course."

Sometimes when a connection is Iost,

we forget how to want one another.

Do you still want Kay?

Well, yes!

Do you still fantasize about her?

(STAMMERING) You mean, now?

These days.

I don't know.

I don't... I...

I had one.

I had a fantasy.

Was it...

It was...

It was... It was...

Like you said. It was just us,

and it was really different.

Something we've never done before.

Something new.

I'm going to ask you to take a Ieap

of faith and try something.

It is most Iikely way out

of your comfort zone.

Try to think of it in terms of...

Remember the metaphor of a nose breaking?

It's the nose.

(SHUSHING)

Well, you can't break a

nose slowly, can you?

(MEN SPEAKING FRENCH ONSCREEN)

Of course there was a problem

with the popcorn popper.

Oh.

(COUGHS)

Thank you.

I don't see why you can't tell

me what you're planning on.

Because he said it was fine this way.

It just makes me uncomfortable not to know

what I'm going to be asked to do.

When it's your turn, you

can do what you want.

What if we don't do the exercise again?

We're moving at a rapid clip here. Okay.

It's your ball game.

I'll tell you one thing.

You would never get me into a French

movie if we were at home.

(AUDIENCE LAUGHING)

(ARNOLD LAUGHING)

This is pretty good.

Oh.

Sorry.

(UNZIPPING)

(KAY EXHALES)

(CHUCKLING)

(GROANS)

I'm sorry, I can't see!

You just need to take it easy.

Watch it with the teeth!

I'm sorry. Sorry, I didn't mean...

It's all right.

I can't see.

Oh, God. (SIGHS)

(SPEAKING FRENCH)

(GRUNTS)

(SIGHS)

Hey, you can hurt someone!

(SOBBING) I'm so sorry! I can't do this.

Kay. Kay. Kay.

Kay, it's okay.

It's not okay!

It's not okay.

(SIGHS)

Kay, Iisten.

Kay, this is not a big deal.

I should...

I'm not good at anything.

There's not anything to be good at!

I don't know how to be good at anything.

Listen, wait. I'm not sexy!

Wait. Yes, you are very...

What? What? Yes, what?

Maybe you just don't have...

Maybe there's just certain things

you're not experienced at.

Kay!

I must have Iooked so stupid!

But how did you feel?

Like a fake.

I'm just not... I'm...

I just can't do that.

Well, the whole situation

was just dangerous,

with those cup holders, and

seat backs going forth,

and back and forth and the cramped space,

the concrete floor, those people

everywhere. (GROANS)

That's not me.

I just can't be a person who commits

an illegal act in a movie theater.

It's just... Is that really

who I have to be?

It's not about being a sex object.

It's about pleasing the man you Iove.

And Ietting him please you.

Well, I don't even know how to do that!

Ultimately, I think you

have to ask yourself,

"Is this person worth more

to me than my pride?"

Oh, yeah. I mean...

Yes.

Kay's putting it all on the Iine here.

What are you putting on the Iine?

Everything.

He is everything.

But I'm really Ionely.

And I think

to be with somebody and not

really with him is...

I think I might be Iess

Ionely if I were alone.

Do you want to be alone? No!

I don't know.

You wouldn't think it would be so hard

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