The Dinner

1

[static from recorder]

Paul:
At what point shall we expect

the approach of danger?

[kids laughing]

- [man talking indistinctly]

- [woman laughing]

[indistinct recorded speech playing]

["Los Awesome" playing]

[laughing]

[whistles]

Paul:

You know what I like?

Alexander the Great,

Julius Caesar, Cleopatra,

the Trojan Horse,

gladiators, chariot races,

But then the Middles Ages...

[girl speaking indistinctly]

- Girl:
And...

- Boy:
ls this over the summer?

A blip of a disgusting mess.

The Renaissance,

the beginning of the end,

And American history,

what is that?

I remember studying

in high school

Praying for the Native Americans

to slaughter the Pilgrims,

And then both World Wars

and, uh, and Korea and Vietnam

Neither do I, neither do you.

I'm not going.

I'm not going.

I'm not going.

I'm not going.

Like going to France.

Okay.

- In there.

- I know how.

- It's just...

- Here.

- You?

- Punished.

- Just don't want to be with these people.

- [chuckles]

- What's so funny?

- It's you.

"These people."

Let's cancel.

I want you think about tonight

as a date with me.

The two of us out on the town.

You know Michael has a girl over.

Is that a bad thing?

- She looks 25.

- She's 20

What? What's bothering you?

- He just tells me everything.

- Not everything.

Come on, let's go.

Get ready. I don't want to be late.

At least, you know, online.

Claire:
Love you.

Love you, too.

I mean, I really do.

It's pretty much unbearable.

Man, into phone:
No.

I have the spreadsheet, yes.

I know what he said.

I was there.

- Thank you.

- Congressman.

What?

[door closes]

No.

[engine starts]

- Rick:
Is this really happening?

- Michael:
It was so f***ing tense.

Michael:
Dad.

[door closes, footsteps approach]

- Why?

- You know...

The girl has a name, Dad.

Okay, where's, uh, Jennifer, Michelle...

Yeah, Anna. It's not like that.

We're just friends.

- You okay, Dad?

- Sure. Yeah.

- We'll be out of your way real soon.

- Anna:
Okay.

- Are you a smoker, Anna?

- What? No.

Good for you. That's...

Keep away from cigarettes.

If you kids are hungry,

there's, uh, plenty of food in the fridge.

Uh, I mean, we have a coffee machine,

- Mm. Yeah.

- That's it.

["Chatterton"

by Serge Gainsbourg playing]

[singing in French]

- Oh, here it is. For four?

- Mm-hmm.

- Mr. and Mrs. Lohman have not arrived.

- Oh, yes, we have.

You want to see our driving license?

- Watch your step.

- Stan:
Stay where you are, guys.

That's it for tonight.

All right, go home.

I'll see you tomorrow.

- I mean, seriously, boss.

- Okay.

But I don't want to be disturbed

during dinner.

[phone buzzing]

Wait, hold on, Congressman.

Mr. Speaker, before you say anything,

I want you to know

Uh, chantenay carrots,

breakfast radishes,

Uh, Oregon the state.

Oregonian rosemary.

- Mm, funny.

- Yeah. Timing.

- Oh, my God.

- There is a light dusting

Um, here's the wine menu

for your selection.

No. No, the campaign

is not slowing me down at all.

Yeah, I just need tonight

to tally everything up.

- Stan:
Yeah.

- [sighs]

Come on, Stan, we have to go.

Her love...

to you and Sabina.

Thanks.

- Jesus Christ.

- What?

Do you know how much this bottle

of pink sh*t we just ordered costs?

No, no, you can go.

You can go, thank you.

Hello, Congressman.

Good to see you again.

[indistinct conversation]

- Hi.

- I'm so sorry that we're late.

- [air kisses]

- Paul insisted. We were early.

Katelyn:
It's been a hell of a day.

- You look good, Paul.

- Thanks.

Not as good as my brother,

And you are your usual gorgeous self,

Claire, it goes without saying.

Very nice to see you.

Please, please.

Sometimes it's very hard

to avoid people.

Claire, Claire. Look at you.

You can stop smiling now, Stan,

it's just us.

Give it a rest, will you, Paul.

This is long overdue.

What were you talking about?

We

- We were just...

Not talking about anything.

We're gonna put it all on the table--

Claire:
Oh, something wrong?

I'm not.

Thank you, Antonio.

You're a real jewel.

All right, a toast.

To our beautiful wives.

To health.

Cheers.

[glasses clink]

For the gentlemen, we have a potage

of butternut squash,

The ladies are having

our young winter roots.

- That's the one.

- That's what you ordered?

Really, it's beautiful.

Please feel free to start in

on those appetizers.

This is gorgeous.

[sighs] Terribly sorry.

Always good for the nurse

to draw your blood,

I don't know what you mean.

Claire:
Eating very good food.

Excuse me.

Just a second.

I'll be right back.

You okay?

Okay, how's it looking?

We're 15 shy

and you need to flip them.

Okay. Just, just dial.

You're not yourself,

but what's up with Katelyn?

[chuckles]

Well, you've met my brother.

All the time that I've known you,

That's all you need to know.

After tonight, it...

it'll all be over.

I'd take a bullet for you,

you know that.

Don't ever-- Don't even talk like that.

I don't know why you just...

[sighs] This is my bullet.

Dial.

Please just dial.

- How are you doing tonight?

- Hey. Very well. Thank you.

Can I get you anything else?

Oh, God. I mean, I don't have enough

for all the way home.

What about you, Beau?

Wait, don't you have

your mom's credit card?

Ah, no. I mean,

it maxed out last month so...

- And the month before.

- It was for emergency but...

- Yo, what about your dad's driver?

- Yeah, no, he's out of town.

Anyway, Dad doesn't want us kids

being chauffeured around anyway.

- For the people?

- Okay, look, that's not funny.

I'm sorry, Jesus.

I'm just kidding.

I mean, everybody knows

God, you guys-

Come on, Beau, lighten up.

[chuckles]

Yo, that's pretty funny, huh?

Telling him to lighten up.

- Get it?

- You're an idiot.

That's what's most important.

[snickers]

Even if you can't handle your beer.

Beau:
That beer was bad.

- It's a shithole.

- Everything sucks tonight.

It's just a small health club

but, you know,

So, how's Beau?

What do you mean?

How's he doing?

You know... Don't you mean

how are the kids?

[chuckles] No.

I mean, how's Beau?

And then, how's Val

and then how's Rick and...

That's okay. It's okay.

So, how is Beau, you know?

Same as always.

I, I think that he's starting

to open up with me

But, um,

I have hope so...

I mean, he's always been

Barbara's boy.

- [chuckles]

- Oh, he loves ya.

Claire:
ls Val still going

to that special school?

I couldn't leave the kids there

in that filthy orphanage.

God, his smile

just warmed my heart.

[scoffs] You should've seen

the looks we got in the airport.

YUP. YUP-

lt's okay, baby.

- Mommy.

- Okay, Val, it's okay, calm down, honey.

She can be a bit much,

sometimes.

- She's done really well today.

- She's a good girl.

Ah, it's a book.

Two of the most common were...

- He's researching Gettysburg.

- shot-and-ball by Colt and Remington.

You should think about adopting, Claire.

You know, Michael's alone.

I don't... I don't think

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