Manhattan Page #4

pretty. It's all so subjective anyway.

The brightest men just drop dead

in front of a beautiful face.

When you climb into the sack, if you're

a bit giving, they're so grateful.

Yeah, I know I am.

- D'you have kids?

- Me, yeah.

He's being raised by two women.

I think it works.

They made some studies,

I read in a psychoanalytic quarterly.

You don't need a male.

Two mothers are fine.

Really? Because I feel

very few people survive one mother.

Listen, I gotta get my dog. Wanna wait?

I gotta walk it. Are you in a rush?

Oh, no, sure.

What kind of dog you got?

The worst.

It's a dachshund. You know,

it's a penis substitute for me.

Oh, I would have thought then

in your case a Great Dane.

So, you serious with Yale or what?

- Serious?

- Mm-hm.

Well, he's married.

Uh, I don't know. I guess

I should straighten my life out, huh?

Donny my analyst always tells me...

- You call your analyst Donny?

- Yeah. I call him Donny!

I call mine Dr. Chomsky, you know.

He hits me with a ruler.

Donny...'? That's first name.

Donny says I get involved in situations

and that it's deliberate...

...especially with

my ex-husband Jeremiah.

I was his student and, um...

- Really? You married your teacher?

- Yeah, of course.

That's very, uh...

He failed me

and I fell in love with him.

Oh, that's perfect.

I was sleeping with him

and he had the nerve to give me an F.

- Really?

- Yeah, really.

Not even an Incomplete, right?

Just a straight F?

You got a good sense of humor.

Hey, thanks! I don't need you

to tell me that, you know.

I've been making good money

off it for years,

till I quit my job to write this book.

Now I'm very, very nervous about it,

you know, but...

D'you wanna...?

Oh, you don't have to pay.

- Oh, that's OK.

- I'm serious! Wanna walk by the river?

- You know the time?

- What do you mean?

If I don't get at least 16 hours,

I'm a basket case.

I'd like to hear about your book.

I really would. I'm quite a good editor.

- Yeah?

- Uh-huh.

Well, my book is about

decaying values. It's about...

See, years ago I wrote

a short story about my mother

called The Castrating Zionist...

...and I wanna expand it into a novel.

I could talk about my book all night.

isn't it beautiful out?

Yeah, it's really so pretty

when the light starts to come up.

Mm, I know. I love it.

Boy, this is really a great city.

I don't care what anybody says.

It's really a knockout, you know.

I think I better head back.

I've got an appointment

with Yale for lunch later on.

Mm, hi.

No, no. No, I'm awake.

Jesus, what are you...

What are you doing? It's 7:15.

Oh, yeah.

Really?

You did? At the museum?

Yeah, well, she's very active

in the feminist movement.

Uh, so you're gonna go

apartment hunting with Tracy?

Yeah, well, you should be able

to find something. It's Isaac.

Yeah, I don't think

you'll have any trouble.

I knew you'd...

see she's a terrific woman,

if you spent some time with her.

You still feel the same way about her?

'Cause you hadn't

mentioned it in a while.

So you... Yeah. Mm-hm.

Yeah, mm-hm, right. I know.

She's great, I know. Great.

So, uh... No, I gotta go

apartment hunting today.

I have to get something cheaper.

I can't keep living where I do.

It's just...

- Isaac's terrific, isn't he?

- Mm, yeah.

Said he had a great time with you.

Really? That's good 'cause I always

think he's uncomfortable around me.

Oh, come on.

I missed you so much.

Yale, this is ridiculous.

You're married.

Listen to me. I'm beginning

to sound like one of those women.

It sounds terrible. I hate it.

- Why don't I just move out?

- No! I don't wanna break up a marriage.

Besides, I'm not looking

for any big involvement here.

It's just... I don't...

It's crazy. It's crazy. I think about

you when you're not around.

- What do you want me to do?

- Nothing. I don't know.

I just guess I should be seeing

someone who's not married.

You're so beautiful. You make me crazy.

Oh, Yale, please stop it.

We're in Bloomingdale's

and someone's gonna see us.

Did I tell you I may have

an interview with Borges?

I told you that we met before. He seems

to feel very comfortable around me.

- Let's go somewhere and make love.

- Not now! Not now, Jesus.

Anyway, you've got a writing class in

an hour. Your students are gonna know.

You're gonna have

this big grin on your face.

And I don't wanna go to your house

'cause I can't stand the dog

and the phone ringing.

Can't you hold me? Does your love for me

always have to express itself sexually?

What about other values like warmth

and spiritual contact? Hotel, right?

Jesus, I'm a pushover!

Oh, hi, Isaac.

- Hi. Is Willie ready?

- Yeah. Come on in.

He'll be right down.

- How you been, Ike?

- Good. How you been?

- I've been terrific.

- Yeah?

Yeah. Been getting a lot of work done.

Things are going really well.

- Want some coffee or something?

- Uh, no. How's Willie doing?

Willie's fine. He's beginning

to show some real talent in drawing.

Where does he get that?

'Cause you don't draw and I don't draw.

I draw.

Yeah, but there's no way that

you could be the actual father.

I'm hoping you'll take Willie

on the 16th

'cause Connie and I

want to go to Barbados.

Are you still gonna

write that stupid book?

I mean, are you serious about that?

I'm very serious about it.

It's an honest book.

You have nothing to be ashamed of.

- Excuse me.

- Can I talk to you a minute? Excuse me.

Here's what I still don't understand.

Where are you running?

I can't understand

how you can prefer her to me.

- You can't understand?

- No.

You knew my history!

I know. My analyst warned me, but you

were so beautiful I got another analyst.

D'you think we can be

ever just friends?

You're putting in all the details?

No, not the part where

you tried to run her over with the car.

Wha... I tried

to run her over with a car?

What are you talking about? It was late.

You know I don't drive well.

It was raining. It was dark.

Why were you lurking outside the cabin?

I was spying on you guys

'cause I knew what was happening.

You were falling in love.

So you felt you had to

run her over with the car?

Do I look like that type of person?

You know how slowly I was going?

Not slowly enough

that you didn't rip the front porch off.

Get the kid. I can't... I can't have

this argument every time I come over.

- You look funny in that jacket.

- I know.

I had hoped for something

in the gabardine.

- So, do you miss me?

- Yeah. Do you miss me?

Of course I miss you. I love you. That's

why I come and get you all the time.

- Why can't we have frankfurters?

- Because this is a Russian tearoom.

I mean, you wanna have a blintz or

something. Frankfurter gives you cancer.

Besides, you see those two women here?

They have very beautiful women here.

We could do well.

I think we could have picked up

these two, if you were quicker.

I'm serious.

I think the brunette liked you.

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