The Art of Getting By Page #4

I was like a veal.

What were you like as a child?

I was such a better person than I am now.

- Come on.

- I'm serious.

I was happy, I was open, I was curious.

But I'll tell you this,

I knew when it was ending.

I was overwhelmed with sadness

when I realized that I was gonna change

and that it was all

most likely gonna get worse.

Like a nostalgia for the present,

I couldn't shake it.

What?

I'm weird, right?

No.

No, you're not.

It's weird not having a boyfriend.

It's been so long.

That's because it's the first year at school

nobody's older than you.

Your pool dried up.

- How do you know that?

- I'm a very insightful person.

Have you ever had sex?

Yeah, tons.

No, really. Have you?

Why are you asking me this?

You know I haven't.

Well, I don't know, I'm just wondering.

Have you ever thought about me?

What do you mean?

You know what I mean.

Have you ever thought about it?

Why are you doing this?

Will you have sex with me?

I'm just kidding.

Bad idea.

I mean, can you imagine

how weird that would be?

You're my only real friend.

Let's not ruin it.

(SALLY SIGHS)

Should we check in with Will and Zoe?

George?

George?

I have to go.

What?

I'm not feeling well.

Okay. Well, will I see you tomorrow?

I don't know.

This is wrong. It's a joke.

You think too much, George!

(WINTER LADYPLAYING)

Trav'ling lady, stay awhile

(CELL PHONE RINGING)

I'm just a station on your way

I know I'm not your lover

(SONG ENDS)

(SONG STARTS AGAIN)

Trav'ling lady, stay awhile

(KNOCKING AT DOOR)

Get out.

George? What is going on?

Why aren't you at school?

If you speak even the most rudimentary

form of the English language,

then you'll understand this,

leave me alone.

What did you just say to me?

Vivian, my voice is calm.

I'm a free-thinking individual

who chooses not to be engaged

in this discussion.

Please.

(SONG ENDS)

(SONG STARTS AGAIN)

Trav'ling lady, stay awhile

Until the night is over

(DOOR OPENING)

George, what are you doing?

I'm sorry, Jack.

I need to be left alone right now.

What about your work?

I just can't do it right now.

I'm going through something.

That's pathetic.

At least it's the truth.

What's that supposed to mean?

(CELL PHONE RINGING)

(PHONE RINGING)

(PHONE RINGING)

(SONG CONTINUES)

And why are you so quiet now

standing there in the doorway?

You chose your journey long before

You came upon this highway

Trav'ling lady, stay awhile

Until the night is over

- Hey.

- Hey.

- How are you?

- Good.

That's good.

Everything... Everything all right?

Yeah. Yeah, everything's all right.

How's George? He hasn't returned my calls.

Yeah, that's kind of

what I wanted to talk to you about.

He's not exactly speaking to me either.

- Why? What happened?

- I don't know.

You know George.

He's complicated, I guess.

Yeah.

I was wondering,

I'm not just George's friend to you, am I?

You and George should be together, Sally.

We're just friends.

There's no such thing.

I love this song.

You wanna dance?

Come on.

What?

We shouldn't be doing this.

- We're just dancing.

- Oh, yeah?

George.

Been looking forward to reading

your Hardy paper. Today's the day.

Sorry, I don't have it.

George, this was

your final project of the year.

After this, there's just exams.

How am I supposed to grade you?

I'll have it to you by next week, I promise.

That's not gonna be good enough.

Hey, pal.

I called this meeting because

your teachers have reported to me

that you continue to refuse

to do the course work.

You have made zero effort to turn

your career here at Morgan around.

Yes, I did.

I mean, I did struggle with it

at the beginning, but I just couldn't.

Well, you are out of time.

The moment to decide your future

has arrived.

Now, against the recommendation

of some in this room,

I'm giving you a choice.

First is expulsion.

It's yours if you want it.

Second option,

if you want to graduate, you make up

every single assignment you missed.

Every paper, every exercise.

Essentially, a year's worth of homework.

If even one is missing

on graduation day, no diploma.

You have a little over three weeks.

George, I used to believe you had

more potential than anyone else here.

But you never delivered, not once.

I wasn't gonna waste the time

getting mad at you.

I'm not gonna waste the time

defending you now.

Forget the lack of respect

you show, George.

This is the way we make our living,

how we spend our lives.

But you simply don't care

what goes on around here.

Why would we continue to reward that?

You're right.

You shouldn't reward it.

I honestly don't know what to say.

Maybe it should be expulsion.

(CLEARS THROAT)

Let us know on Monday.

All right. All right.

Thank you.

Did you tell my parents about this?

Yes, George, I had to.

Hey.

I don't know what to say.

Is it my fault?

I mean, I've had a lot on my mind and...

It's not your fault.

I don't think I can do it.

Well, what do you mean?

What other choice is there?

- Mom, I'm not sure that I can.

- You're just gonna have to do it.

You're just gonna have to sit down

and just do it!

Mom, I'm trying to speak to you honestly.

I don't care! I'm done listening to your lies!

Come on, that's really the way to fix this!

Hey, George!

This is your mess, and it's a disaster.

You're right, Jack. It is my mess.

I'll handle my mess, you handle yours.

- Okay, watch that tone.

- Wait, Viv.

What does that mean?

I mean, you wanna tell us

where you've been spending your days

for a couple of months this past winter?

What's going on with your disaster?

Phone gets shut off.

We can't pay the electricity.

Furniture is disappearing around here

piece by piece.

George, stop it. You don't understand.

Do you?

Do you know that Jack was wandering

the streets for weeks,

pretending to go to work?

Did you get that sorted out, Jack?

Or are you still working out of a coffee

shop booth like a homeless person?

Jack, stop!

Stop it!

Jack! Stop!

Get off!

(JACK GROANING)

VIVIAN:
George!

Sally!

Sally?

George!

What's going on? What happened?

What's wrong?

What is it?

George.

George, hey.

I just wanted to make sure you're all right.

I had a really hard time, George.

I swear. I promise, I...

I thought you were gonna leave it alone.

I'm not gonna say sorry.

Isn't it better that it's me?

As opposed to some douche bag

she just met

and wouldn't even let you look at her?

You want me to thank you?

I actually felt something.

That doesn't always happen.

It hasn't happened in a very long time.

And I've lived long enough to know

that when it does, you should act on it.

I didn't think you were ready.

I thought you were so cool.

I never meet anyone cool.

Hi.

Hi.

I didn't want to be up there.

Can't have been fun for you.

He broke his collarbone.

We were in the ER all night.

I'm so sorry.

That should have never happened.

Mom, I started it.

He's a 50-year-old man.

He's supposed to protect you.

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