The Last Days of Disco Page #11

traumatized by a Radcliffe girl...

taking off her shirt,

suddenly revealing her largish breasts...

which he had never thought about before?

He tells that story all the time

to get sympathy and to justify himself...

as if he were the victim

of female aggressiveness and duplicity.

- That wasn't true?

- No, it was true.

He was the victim of female aggressiveness

and duplicity, but so was everyone else.

Not everyone then went on a rampage

exploiting the opposite sex.

He thinks his problem is

just that he falls in love a lot.

Well, a lot of people

fall in love a lot.

I'm really surprised

you'd be taken in by him.

You should notice I didn't answer

your original question.

My original question whether

you were absolutely committed to Des...

you didn't answer?

[ Alice ]

What does Ioon mean?

Des calls me that.

Loon. I sort of like it.

It's, uh, short for lunatic.

And also the lake bird

with the eerie call.

[ Imitates Loon Call ]

It's the other terms Des uses for me -

nutcase, freakazoid, et cetera - I kinda mind.

A lot of people like to say

they won't take no for an answer.

I just wanted you to know

that I'm not one of them.

I can be easily discouraged.

I will take no for an answer.

Okay. No.

- You don't mean that.

- No. [Laughs]

[ Woman]

I'm sorry. She's not in right now.

Okay, I'll have her call you back.

Thank you.

- Alice, sorry.

- What?

You'd better see Bob.

- [ Woman] Bob wants to see you right away.

- It's something bad?

The author of your Tibet book -

Doesn't exist. He's a fraud.

Carol thinks it could be worse

than the Clifford Irving case.

[Alice] Carol thinks it's as bad

as the Clifford Irving case.

Turns out the author isn't

the Dalai Lama's brother...

but a Los Angeles writer

named John De Simio.

It's a shame,

'cause it's a really good book.

Dan thinks it's one of the best things

ever written on Tibetan Buddhism.

- What a mess.

- I'm sorry I haven't been more of a help.

I've been a little preoccupied myself.

I'm late for my period.

- How late?

- A day.

- A day late, and you're worried?

- I'm sure I'm pregnant.

- Isn't that what you wanted?

- What do you mean?

I thought you said you wanted

to have Jimmy Steinway's babies.

Yeah, but not this way.

[ Disco]

I'm not an addict.

I'm a habitual user.

I'm sick of you and that nutcase

going around judging everybody.

Oh, he's an addict. He's basically honourable,

except for his treatment of women.

I am not a womanizer.

In fact, I hate womanizers.

In any case,

Alice completely changed all of that.

Shame, mmm

- Gonna love you just the same

- [ Charlotte ] isn't it a little morbid?

- Morbid?

- Why take on all that baggage?

Isn't he a bit of a sicko?

From the start

you know he's defective.

Usually you don't find that out

until much later.

And what if you have kids?

It can be hereditary.

One thing about Jimmy -

I know he'll make a good father.

There's always some problem,

some baggage.

Oh, my God. You're serious.

Well, not necessarily.

[ Intercom Buzzes]

[ Alice ]

Coming.

Tonight I'm gonna tell Jimmy.

Wish me luck.

You know, I think my father could have been

an undiagnosed manic-depressive.

Oh. Hi. Uh, do you know Josh

is downstairs waiting?

Yeah. Thanks. Bye.

- Bye.

- Bye.

Alice is so great.

- I've gotta be a better friend to her.

- Yeah.

Before leaving the D.A.'s office, I'd like at least

once the chance to use the expression...

Book this clown!

[Laughs]

I thought only police said that.

No, I think an A.D.A. could,

in certain circumstances.

Perhaps not very typical.

[Alice ]

Are you aware all your clothes are slightly big?

[Josh]

I'm still waiting for my growing spurt.

Both my father and brother

are over 83.

You can still grow in your 20s.

There are cases on record.

Tall people tend to have

great personalities -

this kind, compassionate comprehension

of the rest of the world.

My father and brother

are both that way.

- What's wrong?

- Just remembering something.

What?

It's kinda maudlin. It was here

my depression first descended.

Oh.

To the valiant seamen

who perished in the Maine...

by fate unwarned

and death unafraid.

Isn't this the strangest,

most forlorn monument?

[ Alice ]

Yeah. It's very sad.

What happened with your depression?

Nothing, at first. I just went back

to Cambridge very depressed.

Then there was the incident

at the Hayes-Bickford...

after which I was taken

to Mass. Mental for observation.

While there, I cut my hand

trying to open a stuck window...

and they put me on a suicide watch,

though I don't think I was ever really suicidal.

At least no more

than a lot of people that age.

But you're okay now.

Uh,yeah.

Actually, a lot of people spend

considerable sums of money...

to get the high I get absolutely naturally.

Now, with lithium, which is, in fact,

a naturally occurring salt...

I can stay on a perfectly even keel.

Perhaps too even.

Did they prescribe lithium right away?

Lithium wasn't so standard then. There was

a lot of muddling through various therapies.

Because my right hand was bandaged,

I used my left to write friends cards...

which was a mistake.

My handwriting looked weird

and really scared people.

I don't think I was ever that - that badly off,

but others might disagree.

Do you know the words to the hymn,

Dear Lord and Father of Mankind?

While I was in the hospital,

it became a sort of mantra.

Dear Lord and Father of mankind

forgive our foolish ways

Reclothe us in our rightful mind

In purer lives thy service find

In deeper reverence praise

Drop thy still dews of quietness

till all our strivings cease

Take from our souls

the strain and stress

And let our ordered lives confess

the beauty of thy peace

Breathe through the heat of our desire

thy coolness and thy balm

Let sense be dumb

Let flesh refine

Speak through the earthquake

wind and fire

Hold still, small voice of calm

What's wrong?

Think I'm a wacko?

[ Siren Wailing]

- [ Alice ] What's Wrong?

- I-l don't know.

Charlotte's in terrible pain.

It's her back.

[ Whispering]

No. Nothing happened. We were just talking.

About what?

Charlotte said she had something important

she wanted to talk to me about...

but before we got to that,

her period started.

Afterwards, I mentioned that it might be

a good time to start thinking about...

whether we were really right

for one another or...

we should start thinking about,

you know, breaking up.

[ Chattering ]

[ Alice ]

Josh hasn't called since that night.

- Of course he hasn't.

- What do you mean?

Oh, come on. You told me.

He sang a hymn or something.

You were totally weirded out.

I can't believe how intolerant you are.

Some of those old hymns are beautiful.

I've sung them on the street myself.

I didn't realize it was so controversial.

Amazing grace

How sweet the sound

That saved a wretch

Like me

I once was lost

But now

I'm found

Was blind

But now

I see

'Twas grace that taught

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