Life During Wartime Page #5

- Chloe is studying karaoke after school.

- Her teacher thinks she has a lot of potential.

- Oh, I'll bet.

Would you like to sing

for Harvey after dinner, Chloe?

Sorry. It's the Klonopin.

She's on a new dosage.

Mm-hmm. I see. Yeah. Oh, yeah.

So, Mark, what do you do?

Systems analysis.

That sounds interesting.

It is to me - moderately.

Like intermediate-level Sudoku.

But I have no illusions that what I do

is of any interest to anyone else...

even amongst specialists.

I'm something of a functionary,

but without ambition...

or even hope of ambition.

I plateaued in grad school,

then lost interest...

except in maintaining a base salary adequate

to financing a low-overhead subsistence.

Are you seeing anyone?

No, I'm more focused on China.

Everything else is history.

It's just a question of time.

Talk to him.

So, Timmy...

your mom tells me you're gonna

be bar mitzvahed soon.

- Yeah.

- Hmm.

I remember my bar mitzvah.

You remember yours, Mark?

Timmy's preparing a special speech -

a D'var Torah. Isn't that right?

- Oh.

- Yeah.

Mmm. What's the topic?

It's on becoming a man.

Oh. Interesting.

Actually, it's mainly about the story

ofJoseph and forgiveness.

Like when you're supposed to forgive

someone, even if you don't want to...

and how that makes you a man -

things like that.

Like ''forgive and forget''?

Well, like for example...

say I...

punched you in the face.

If I said I was sorry,

would you forgive me?

Well, of course he would,

but why would you do such a thing?

- That's not the point, Mom.

- No. I understand.

Yes, I would forgive you.

[ Chuckles ]

I think, uh, I would ask for an explanation.

So that you believe I'm really sorry?

Well -

Look, um, like I told you,

I'm sure I would forgive you, but...

well, I'm not sure that I would forget.

[ Laughing ]

But let's say, for example, a terrorist

blows up your office building.

- Do you still forgive?

- God forbid.

But what if that terrorist

had a good reason?

Terrorists, by definition,

do not have good reasons.

But what if your family

were killed and tortured?

Wouldn't you want to do something

about it, to protect others?

Timmy, these terrorists are evil.

And cowards.

They're not like you and me.

They don't believe

in freedom and democracy.

Your mother's right.

Timmy, are you saying

you would forgive the 9/1 1 terrorists?

Well, of course you can't

forgive those terrorists.

They're dead.

[ Sighs ]

If it's possible to forgive and forget...

or to forgive and not forget...

when would you forget

but not forgive?

[ Dog Barking In Distance]

I think it's possible

someone does something...

really terrible to you -

like, really horrible -

something that hurts you so bad,

and it's so painful.

Maybe then it's better to forget...

and live without all that pain...

instead of forgiving and remembering.

[ Birds Chirping ]

Gumdrops?

See, like, my dad

had this drinking problem...

which is, like, totally genetic.

His father died at, like, 43 or something

from alcohol poisoning.

So, anyway, anytime something

would go wrong at work...

he'd go out, get plastered,

come home, punch out my mom...

like it was all her fault.

- [ Woman ] Are they still married?

- Mmm.

Yeah. Still in love.

- Oh, my God.

- [ Man ] Even though he -

Yes.

[ Chuckling ]

Whoa. That's, like, totally f***ed.

- [ Man #2 ] Yeah.

- [ Woman #1 ] I know.

Man.

[ Woman #1 ]

Okay, Billy. It's your turn.

- Oh, I don't know.

- Come on.

Yeah, everyone else has.

[ Woman #2 ]

Who comes from the most f***ed-up family?

[ Man #1 ]

Whose parents are the most f***ed up?

[ Billy ]

Really, I can't compete.

[ Woman #1 ] Billy, you're so weird. Don't tell me

you don't come from a f***ed-up family.

Really.

My father died. That's about it.

[ Man #2 ]

Was it suicide?

No.

[ Woman #2 ]

Then how did he die?

I forget.

- [ Woman #2 ] Right.

- [ Man #1 ] So lame.

[ Woman #1 ]

All right then. Looks like I win.

[ Man #1 ]

Yeah. Best vaginalogue.

[ Man #2 ] No, but really, her family

is the most f***ed up.

[ Woman #2 ] Yeah, but it's only because

she was a foster child.

- Otherwise, I'd so win.

- [ Woman #1 ] Uh, I don't think so.

[ Woman #2 ]

Uh, you weren't molested by your step-dad.

[ Woman #1 ] Oh, boo-hoo. Sorry, Sarah,

but child molestation has been, like, so done.

And he only used his fingers anyway.

Get over it.

[ Others Laughing ]

- Billy, where you going?

- [ Man #2 ] Yeah, don't leave.

- [ Man #1 ] Hey, come on, Billy.

- Please stay.

- Come on, we're just kidding around. Billy!

- Come on!

[ Door Closes ]

[ Sighs ]

[ Knocking ]

[ Knocking ]

Billy.

Co - Come inside.

[ Door Closes ]

[ Inhales ]

I needed to see you.

How'd you find me?

Stopped by your mom's.

She was out.

The house was empty.

[ Exhales ]

Do you want some water?

Thanks.

[ Cap Twists ]

[ Exhales Sharply ]

One more?

Yeah.

[ Cap Twists ]

[ Exhales Sharply ]

Thanks. I needed that.

So how's school?

Okay.

What's your major?

Anthropology.

You planning on grad school?

Probably.

- Get into research?

- Yeah.

Maybe.

I'm doing a paper on homosexuality

in the animal kingdom.

I've done a lot of reading

on the bonobo monkey.

They share, like, 98%?

of the human genetic profile.

But they substitute sex for aggression...

and regularly engage in incest -

father/daughter, father/son...

mother/son.

It's a very peaceable lifestyle.

Are you gay?

No.

Sure?

Yeah.

So you like women?

Yeah.

I mean, really like women?

Yes.

Do you fantasize stripping them,

f***ing them...

raping them?

Well, not -

Not rape. Not really.

No rape fantasies?

No.

No, I - I don't think so.

[ Inhales ]

Got any more gumdrops?

Uh -

Why didn't you ever write?

We didn't think it would be a good idea.

- Your mother and I -

- She told everybody you were dead.

Well, she was right.

I went along.

Good.

That's good.

It's good you didn't write.

It's good you were dead.

I tried to forget.

And then I tried to remember.

And I couldn't.

Me too.

Forgive me.

[ Scoffs ]

There's nothing to forgive.

I mean, it -

It's all unforgivable.

I have no sympathy for you.

They did a lot of work on me.

''Work''?

Rehabilitation.

And?

I take medication.

And-And that works?

Nothing works.

It just goes on... forever.

I just had to come and see

that you wouldn't...

become me.

[ Breathing Quavers ]

Cases - people like me.

Genetically speaking, I'm lucky.

I mean, we're lucky.

It's a recessive thing.

I tried to stay the course.

Three kids.

You should have cut and run.

But, you know, when you were born...

and I held you -

So tiny.

The future seemed so... possible.

[ Bottle Clatters On Table ]

No, please don't go.

Just keep pretending...

like before.

If you pretend enough -

[ Voice Breaking ]

Thanks for the gumdrops.

- [ Door Opens, Closes ]

- [ Breathing Quavers ]

?? [ Orchestra..Hymn ]

? He shall feed his flock ?

? Like a shepherd ?

? And he shall gather ?

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