Short Cuts Page #13

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- Come to Papa.

- [Cello]

[Continues]

How long are you gonna do that?

Do you know what time it is?

[Continues]

Do you have to play so loud?

That's Chick's fault.

He was always hot for the string players.

[Scoffs]

I always thought they were weird.

String players and girl singers.

- How come...

- That was his weakness.

[Clears Throat]

I don't remember him?

Well, mainly because

he wasn't around that much.

Hell, he exploded

when you were barely six.

Get me another "Veggie Mary," will ya?

Talk-Talk more about Dad.

Not much more to tell, baby.

He was a prick.

That's the long and the short of it.

- Wanna get the door?

- Mommy, Daddy's here.

- Hey.!

- Go to your room.

Finish up what I told you to do.

What do you want?

I came to get my mother's clock.

- What's wrong with you?

- Well, it is my clock, isn't it?

- Finish. Do what I told you.

- [Sighs] Oh, Betty.

What you did to your son

is unforgivable.

What, he didn't tell you Daddy's been

flying nights, bombin' the dirty medflies?

Get it and get out.

- This house is half mine, you know.

- Liar.!

- I pay for it.

- Take what you think is yours...

and get out of my life!

New sheets.

Jungle theme, huh?

- Goin' somewhere?

- Yeah, I am.

- Yeah? Where?

- None of your business.

Your, uh, condom file drawer

is open.

Going with Gene?

Going somewhere with Jungle Gene?

Get your f***ing clock

and get out of here!

- [Glass Shatters]

- Oh!

Goddamn it, Zoe.!

What was that?

[Car Engine Starts]

Thank you.

- What was the patient's name?

- Eh, the boy's name is - is Finnigan.

Uh, h-his father is Howard Finnigan,

if that helps.

Excuse me.

I'm Claire the Clown.

I'm here to do

a party in the pediatrics ward.

- Yes. I'll call the head nurse.

- Uh - Uh, excuse me. Uh, Claire?

- Uh, do you do tricks in your, uh, routine?

- Yes. Uh-huh.

Oh, I've got something to show you.

I brought this stuff along.

I wanted to do this trick

for my grandson.

He's a patient in there. I used to do this

for his dad when he was just a kid.

Now, I am going to move that egg

from this glass...

into that glass

without touching it.

You say to me, "How could you

possibly do that?" Go ahead.

[Little Girl's Voice]

How could you possibly do that?

[Little Boy's Voice]

I'm going to show you.

L-Is that a touch of terrific?

It's yours!

Thanks. It's good for bars,

but I don't think it's a children's trick.

- [Woman] Claire.

- I'm here.

The Finnigan boy's

in Intensive Care, sir.

- But I think that's his mother over there.

- Oh.

Dr. Wyman, it's Claire.

Claire Kane. Remember?

From the concert.

Um - [Chuckles] This is what I do.

I'm doing a chil - I'm - I'm a clown.

[Chuckles]

I'm really looking forward to dinner.

- Stuart's bringing the fish. Remember?

- Right.

- Who's that?

- I have no idea.

Ann? Ann Finnigan?

Oh, good. Th-The girl said that

she thought you were -

Yeah, I just didn't want to walk

into the boy's room alone, you know.

- Do I - Do -

- Oh, I'm sorry. Paul Finnigan, huh?

Howard's dad.

- Howard's dad?

- Yeah. Yeah. Howard's dad.

I was just passing through L.A.,

and I, uh -

Well, actually, I've been living

in Riverside for a number of years.

Olla filled me in on

what was going on around here.

- Olla?

- Yeah, Olla.

How's the boy?

Well, he has a head injury-

a little clot and some swelling.

But they don't have to operate. We're

a little worried because he won't wake up.

- Oh.

- So you're Howard's dad?

- Yeah, yeah.

- Well, it was very thoughtful of you to come by.

Yeah. Oh, hey, hey.

I was gonna come by...

but I just heard about this now.

You know, I've never even seen him.

You know, uh, Kevin - It's, uh -

- Casey.

- Casey, yeah. Yeah, Casey.

- Howard's doing real good, isn't he?

- Well, we're -

We're very worried.

You know, he - he - he won't wake up.

Uh, but other than that, he doesn't

have any broken bones, so -

N-No, I mean,

Howard's doing real good.

- Oh.

- The TV editorials, you know.

Yeah.

[Horn Honking]

[Phone Ringing]

- Hello?

- [Gene] Who's this?

- Well, who's this?

- Let me speak to Betty.

- Give me that phone.

- No, she's not dressed right now.

- Give it to me!

- Honey, put your panties on!

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