Interiors

1

I had dropped out of law

school when I met Eve.

She was very beautiful,

very pale and cool in her black dress

with never anything more than

a single strand of pearls.

And distant.

Always poised and distant.

At the time the girls were

born it was all so perfect,

so ordered.

Looking back, of course, it was rigid.

The truth is

she created a world around us

that we existed in,

where everything had its place, where

there was always a kind of harmony.

Great dignity.

I will say,

it was like an ice palace.

Then suddenly one day,

out of nowhere,

an enormous abyss opened up beneath our feet

and I was staring into a face

I didn't recognize.

Basic popularity and appeal of Mao

for so-called American Marxists.

This is supposed to go in

under the sequence in reel two

about South Africa.

What we want to do is get to examples.

But the idea is, Mao's style

was Marxist-Leninist,

but that he was accessible

to the lower classes

because of his use of homilies.

The example would be,

"The hardest thing is to act properly

throughout one's whole life."

What the hell does that mean?

Or even worse...

Eve.

I wasn't expecting you.

I hope I'm not disturbing you.

No. I just couldn't imagine who it was.

Is Joey here?

Joey's in the shower.

Can I get you anything?

Some coffee, if you don't mind.

All right. It's no trouble at all.

I think I found a very

nice vase for the foyer.

You'll probably think it's an extravagance,

but it's not, all things considered.

These pieces are becoming increasingly rare.

Isn't that exquisite?

I hope you like it, because it's perfect

for what I have in mind for the foyer.

We already have a vase in the foyer, Eve.

Yes, but this will never look

right when we redo the floors.

I've never understood why the

floors have to be redone.

We discussed all that, Michael.

Don't you remember?

You agreed.

You know, it costs money to have these

things done and redone three times over.

But it's such a large floor space.

That's why we agreed the paler tones

would make a more subtle statement.

The pale woods would be lovely.

I never agreed about anything.

I'm always being told.

I wouldn't put it that way.

How would you put it, Eve?

First the living room was

finished, then it wasn't.

Then the bedroom needed more work.

Now the floor has to be stripped again.

You picked the sofa, then you hated it.

It was lovely. It was just the wrong scale.

This is not an exact science.

Sometimes you just have to see it.

Then you get the feel of it.

You didn't like that in the bedroom?

I knew you were gonna say something.

I get better use out of it here.

Well, that's fine. It's meant to be used.

It's just that it's part of what

we were trying to do in the bedroom.

The shade and the bedspread set

each other off so nicely, I thought...

How much is the vase?

$400.

Give me a break.

All right, Michael, I'll return it.

Would you mind closing the window?

The street noises are just unnerving.

I hope you two aren't

having another argument.

I love that suit.

It's a unique color.

Renata calls it ice-gray.

It makes you look very beautiful.

Isn't she beautiful, Michael?

Very lovely.

I don't feel lovely. I'm exhausted.

I've been running up and down

Second Avenue all day.

Wow. Is this for us? It's exquisite.

I was just showing it to Michael.

It's too expensive, Joey.

Really? Well, that's too bad.

Eve, let's keep it.

Yeah, let's keep it. It's beautiful.

We'll work something out.

No, I was just carried away by it.

I don't know why.

I guess it's because it's so unique.

But it is an extravagance.

I'll just look for something along

the same lines at a better price.

But I have to point out, this

really belongs in the bedroom

because it's too insignificant

a piece for in here.

This shade is just wrong against

all these slick surfaces.

- I'll put it back.

- I'll do it.

I just want to try it in a different spot.

I'll pick something for you,

something more inexpensive.

I've seen some nice pewters.

I should have done that.

And I can make the shade in

smoother fabric, if you prefer.

But we should stick with

my beiges and my earth tones.

"My beiges and earth tones."

Stop picking on her.

Nobody's picking on her.

She's a sick woman.

That's great.

Yes, it's nice.

So, how do you feel?

I'm fine. I'm just

a little tired, that's all.

Coffee.

Thank you.

I'm doing so many jobs.

It's just exhausting.

Yeah, I know. I can't get over

how you jump right in and do it.

Well, I like it.

I like to be busy.

And I think by now I can say that

my comeback is over the shaky period.

- Wouldn't you say?

- I think so.

I think your work is better,

in fact, than it's ever been.

- Do you?

- Yeah.

Well, I have to admit I have received

some rather special compliments lately.

Yeah?

Yes, well, my spirits are high.

I'm feeling good about myself.

Not to say that I don't run

into an occasional setback,

but I haven't really felt so

confident in a long time.

I can see it. You look better

than you have in ages.

Have you talked to Dad lately?

No, he's still in Greece.

Well, when he comes back I hope he'll

corroborate the state of my well-being.

Of course.

I've certainly pulled myself together

in a way he never thought possible.

You're really impressive.

Well, maybe a reconciliation

could finally be discussed.

Think so?

I mean, it hasn't been that much time.

I really... I don't know.

Why are you always so negative about it?

I don't think that was negative.

You're always reluctant to encourage me.

I don't know why.

Mother, I know you're optimistic,

but it's important to be realistic too.

Is there something you know

that you're not saying?

Dr. Lobel doesn't think it's unrealistic

to hope that your father and I

might reconcile.

It's just a goal.

Fine. I didn't say anything

to get in the way of that.

You always make it sound

as though it's impossible.

I didn't say it was impossible.

Yes, you did.

You implied that a lot.

- Renata thinks it's going to happen.

- Renata.

- I'm sure she didn't say that.

- Yes, she did. She implied that.

- Maybe you read into...

- No, I didn't.

She just looks on the bright side.

Great.

That's wonderful. I just don't think

you should delude yourself either.

You don't think there's any chance your

father will want to live with me again?

I didn't say that.

Renata thinks there's a good chance.

Just wait and see.

You just refuse to encourage me.

Why don't you discuss it with Renata?

I will, thank you. I will.

Mother paced all the time.

She was an insomniac.

You could

always hear her upstairs,

pacing in the middle of the night.

But that was more when she

got back from the hospital.

I...

I saw her

the first day that they brought her back...

She had had all this

electric shock therapy,

and her hair looked gray.

I couldn't believe it.

It was like

she was a stranger.

After that, she was always sort of,

coming in and

going out.

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