Saving Face Page #2

---

Take this.

Oh, my God! Are you sick?

Do I look sick to you?

Pick up that bag.

Did Wai Po's heart give out?

Don't be ridiculous.

She'll outlive us all.

Are you crying?

Do I look like I'm crying?

I can't tell.

You're wearing those sunglasses.

Ma, what are you doing here?

You're just going to let me

freeze to death here?

Ma.

Ma!

Tell me what happened.

Ma!

All right. I'm calling Grandma.

Is that how you speak to your ma

who worked nights so you could eat?

Who stayed in labor

without painkillers...

...so you wouldn't turn dim-witted

like your cousin Jimmy?

Had I known

you would grow so ungrateful...

...I would have held you in.

Has she eaten?

What is she doing here?

She'll need better nutrition now.

She's not that old.

One night without Chinese food

isn't gonna kill her.

Wait, I can't hear. Ma.

Can you pipe down?

It's good for her to stay with you.

You're a doctor.

You can help her...

...maybe get free drugs

from the hospital.

Can you please...?

-Okay.

-You'll pick up her things tomorrow.

-I'll bring her back tomorrow.

-I'll prepare herbs from Old Yu.

They'll help her with the baby.

Baby?

-Pregnant!

-At her age!

-It's a scandal!

-A disgrace!

-It's better than the soaps!

-More drama!

-More intrigue!

-More eel!

Don't eat so much eel!

It gives you gas.

Who's the father?

Who is the father?

-Father.

-Don't call me Father!

You are the biggest disgrace,

the ultimate shame.

What kind of example are you

for your daughter?

-You're not pregnant too are you?

-Me? No. No.

No daughter has shamed her parents

more than you.

What have we done

to deserve this?

Do you have any idea

who the father is?

Can't bring it up.

She just cries and goes on

about how ungrateful I am.

How did you find out she was...?

The receptionist

at the Manhattan clinic...

...is married to one

of Grandpa's former students.

One billion Chinese people,

two degrees of separation.

He's going to banish her

from Flushing. Where will she go?

He can't do this to her.

She belongs here.

Who is the father?

You won't tell us? Fine.

Take all the ones

with your mother in them.

She is no longer

a part of this family.

Father. Don't be like this.

When I think of all we've sacrificed

in the old country...

...to give you kids a better life

in the new one.

Had I known, I would have left you

behind in the mainland.

Father, please don't feel shamed.

How can I not feel shame?

My own rotten flesh has gotten

pregnant without a husband.

You don't think people

will laugh at me?

The professor speaks big words...

...but can't control his own daughter?

Old man, this situation won't improve

with yelling.

She wasn't even going to tell us.

She can throw her own reputation

away, but it still comes back to me.

Still crying?

Get out of this house.

Don't come back until you have

a husband to match the child.

How long?

Who knows?

Till my grandfather takes her back in,

I guess.

-When's that gonna happen?

-When she gets married...

...or proves immaculate conception.

Inspiring prospects.

Look how cheerful this red is.

We'll put some up here...

...there and there!

That black is just depressing.

You have no oyster sauce.

I don't use oyster sauce.

Since when do you drink beer?

Can we just...?

Who's the...? The....

How long do you plan on--?

You shouldn't keep this stuff

unless you plan to use it.

Do you plan to keep the...?

What kind of vegetable is this?

I see you just let my face masks

waste away.

-What's this?

-Herbs from Old Yu.

Every week, he has his son

Little Yu give them to me...

...to improve my marriage chi

or something.

I don't know why he bothers.

Don't be rude,

just hiding them here.

I want to have a look.

Why can't she get

her own apartment?

Are you insane? Do you know

what kind of karmic hell...

...l'd pay as a Chinese daughter

who didn't take in her own mom?

No, the woman

could never live alone.

''Pull this knob''?

Wow, I only ever see you smile

like that during surgery.

-Please don't hold the door....

-Two?

The big one is for your mother.

Morning sickness.

Ma?

You're home.

Turn up the TV.

It's just getting to the good part.

She's dumping him.

What is that smell?

Smells great, right? Stinky tofu.

We'll never get the stench

out of here.

Is that what's for dinner?

No, that's just a special treat.

We have chicken, sweet pea stalks,

and fish with bean sauce.

Great. Jay loves fish.

Is he coming?

Ma, you can't give him a paper plate.

Safer this way.

Throw it out afterwards.

It's rude.

I'll give him two.

His shoes! His shoes!

Hi, Mrs. Pang.

You remember my neighbor, Jay.

His shoes!

You don't have to talk so loud.

And leave your shoes by the door.

So I get a call from....

Your neighbor is loud and dark

and eats too much soy sauce.

Americans like soy sauce.

I'm going to start eating less

soy sauce...

...so it won't stain the baby too dark.

Ma, that's ridiculous.

You eat less too,

so you don't grow spots.

Thanks.

Too late for him anyway.

Let's keep her.

-So good.

-Thank you.

Thank you for coming.

So, what did you guys think?

You were wonderful. So, so fantastic.

-Bye.

-I'll see you.

-Bye.

-You did a great job.

Where to now, doctor?

-My dad used to come here.

-Mine too.

This one he'd wear.

What does he do?

Judge me, fail me.

I can't tell you how pissed

he was when I wasn't promoted...

...to principal this season.

And now he's just praying I'll get

that gig with the Paris Opera Ballet.

Paris? Wow. Sounds impressive.

Gives him something to hope for.

He must be proud of this new show.

He thinks modern dance

was created by...

...a bunch of wild-haired

hippie dropouts.

Yeah, there were some

freaky moments.

But on the whole it was....

I'm sure if he just saw the show.

Maybe you could tell him.

He's your boss.

Relax. He's too consumed

by his own life...

...to pay any attention to mine...

...as long as he can trot out

his daughter, the prima ballerina.

The modern gig is just for fun

while I'm on sabbatical.

I kind of love it, but....

Yeah, whatever.

Maybe he's right. Most girls

would kill for my spot at City...

...and here I am

trying to express myself.

I should chuck the distractions...

...focus on being a bunhead.

That would really suck.

So...

...how come we never met

before now?

We did meet. Nineteen years ago.

I was 8, you were 9.

Outside the temple.

I don't remember.

The Wong boys were taunting me

about my parents' divorce.

You beat the crap out of them.

You were wearing

a Kristy McNichol T-shirt...

...tan cords and a pageboy.

You spilled your mom's groceries.

We scooped them into a bag.

That's right, and then....

And then I kissed you on the nose.

And you ran.

Excuse me.

Do you have Chinese movies?

China.

My view.

It's nice.

I teach down at Arts Alliance.

-You like kids?

-No. City Ballet outreach.

I'm teaching them how to fall

without hurting themselves.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes