Loving Leah Page #2

for you two to get reacquainted.

Hello, Leah.

Hi, Carmie.

Why do you have to go so far away, Benjie?

There are good colleges right here.

I just do.

I want you to have something.

This a Jewish thing?

It's a Hamsa, for each of us.

It protects against evil forces.

Bless these artifacts and make them holy.

Let them be a symbol of our bond.

We will always be there for each other,

no matter what.

No matter what.

Say amen.

Amen.

- Hey.

- Hey.

I'm right over here.

When does your train leave?

Not for another hour.

What is that?

My brother's prayer shawl.

Leah's note said Ben wore this

one on the High Holidays.

Really? Do you have to wear it for the ceremony?

I don't know.

"Be prepared" is my motto.

I'll definitely be needing one of these, however.

So, is Leah nice?

Is she pretty?

She's pretty religious.

She can still be pretty.

Do you think you'll keep in

touch with her after this?

I hadn't really thought about it.

It's not like we have much in common.

Except your brother.

Make an effort, Jake.

She's family.

Leah?

Leah?

Leah.

The new tenants are ready to hang the drapes.

You're still going through boxes?

I'm going away to college.

Okay.

I've got this figured out, Mama.

I'm sure you think you do.

Tell me.

Does running off to college

include a family, huh?

I'm not any good at marriage.

All right, this is grief talking.

- Mama...

- No, it is.

You were a good wife to Benjamin, Leah.

What do you think, every marriage

doesn't have its share of problems?

- He loved you, Leah.

- I know, Mama.

I just always...

...thought that...

a marriage could be something more.

You're living in a fantasy world.

Marriage is not like those movies

you're always sneaking off to see.

Before I married your father,

I lived in that world.

Everybody chasing crazy dreams...

looking outward inside of inside themselves

for a spiritual life.

Leah...

the answers you seek are not

to be found in a movie theater

or a college campus.

Well, maybe for you they weren't, Mama.

Leah...

you have got to erase

this meshugge dream from your head.

I can't.

Then I fear

God may grant it to you.

After you put on the Halizah

shoe, take a walk in it.

Make sure it fits.

Walk here, in front of the judges.

It fits.

Okay.

Now, Leah, repeat after me.

"My husband's brother refuses to establish a name

for his brother within Israel."

My husband's brother refuses to establish a name

for his brother within Israel.

"He does not consent

to perform the Levirate marriage to me."

He does not consent to perform

the Levirate marriage to me.

Do you prefer to marry your sister-in-law

or release her through this ceremony?

Release her.

All right, go lean against the wall over there.

Now press your foot down hard hard on the ground.

All right, now, Leah,

go over and put your left hand on Jacob's calf.

Go on, it's all right.

Go on.

Then with your right hand,

undo the loops

on the Halizah shoe.

Now raise his leg.

No, not so high.

Now, take off the shoe and cast it

across the room.

Put down his leg. Now, Leah...

spit on the floor in front of Jacob.

Now, repeat after me, Leah.

"That is what shall be done unto the man

who doth not build up his brother's house."

This is what shall be done

to the man that doth not build

up his brother's house.

Jacob, you deny your brother's existence?

You deny

your brother's existence?

We got to talk.

- Dr. Lever?

- We'll be right back, Rabbi.

I can't do this, Leah.

I thought I could,

but I can't.

You have to, Jake.

Because if you don't, then...

you will be obligated to marry me.

Then I'll marry you.

I can't go back in there and

let them finish this ceremony.

If I do, I'll be denying my brother's existence.

I did that, for years,

and now he's gone, and I... I j...

I can't.

I worshipped him.

He gave me one, too.

I kept it with me...

...since I was 11.

We can do this.

Not like what you and Ben had, but...

Uh, what are you suggesting?

We'll be roommates; separate bedrooms.

- Didn't you say you have a girlfriend?

- Yes.

But she'll understand; family's

very important to her.

My plan is to go to college...

is that gonna be a problem for you?

Not at all.

There's plenty of good colleges in DC.

My mother would have to

believe that we are married

in the traditional way... if we do this.

Absolutely.

But, then... really, we would...

have separate lives.

Is that what you mean?

Yes. Yes.

All right.

We'll start, uh,

- begin at, uh...

- We'd... actually like

to talk about the other ceremony.

What other ceremony?

Marriage.

I know Jake wasn't your choice,

or Mrs. Finkelman's, but I did as you wanted.

Maybe this is God's plan.

Only He commands

who shall be with whom,

Mama.

It's gonna be fine. Really.

He's not religious.

And this is far from fine.

No, I got it, I got it.

Thank you.

So, who lives there?

Are you serious?

No.

It's a joke.

- This is your home?

- Yeah.

Oh, but... only the first floor.

Sorry, I...

wasn't expecting company.

Or a wife.

Yeah, right.

It's nice.

Well, it's, uh, usually cleaner.

At least... tidier.

But don't worry, I have someone

who comes in and cleans

- once a week, so...

- I can't believe

I'm going to be living in Washington, DC.

It's actually Georgetown.

- It's not my mother's house.

- Come on,

I'll show you your room.

It's, uh, kind of a mess right now, but...

don't worry, I'm gonna... I'm

gonna clear it out for you.

There's a storage area in back.

This'll be just fine.

Great. Well, um, I'm gonna make some room for you

in the medicine cabinet... how

many shelves do you need?

One.

You must be hungry.

Here. One of these is probably kosher.

No. I'll shop tomorrow.

What do you want me to buy you?

Oh, no, don't worry about me.

You just take care of you.

Map. You're gonna need a map.

I fight my junk drawer just like the Maccabees.

Maccabees, right.

Um, I know you know that I'm not religious,

but I'm-I'm really not religious.

How you choose to live

is between you and Him.

All right.

Map. House key.

You know,

I just don't... I don't want

my lifestyle to offend you.

I'm in the middle of my fellowship,

and I work long, odd hours, I'm

not here that much, and...

when I am, I'm usually sleeping.

But you'll be in school...

you said you wanted to go to college, right?

Yeah.

Do you think...

that at my age, that's...

a crazy dream?

No, no. My first year of med school,

my roommate was 35.

Like I said, I'm never here.

I could, uh, drop you off somewhere

on my way to the hospital...

you could check out M Street.

No, I think I'll stay and unpack.

Hey, do you need any money?

No, thank you.

All my numbers.

So, I'll, uh...

I'll see you.

See you.

Yeah.

See you when?

Um...

I'm not sure.

But soon.

Tomorrow morning, maybe.

Will you do me a favor

and just let the machine

pick up if anyone calls.

I should first tell people what's going on here.

It is probably best to do in person.

Rate this script:4.0 / 2 votes