The Prince of Tides Page #9

You don't wanna miss your train.

My father hates you, Coach Wingo.

Yeah, but he loves you.

Come here.

Goodbye, Bernard.

- I'm gonna miss you.

- Me too.

- I'll write to you, okay?

- You better. You better!

And don't smoke.

You might be needing this.

I thought classical pianists were...

...supposed to be pinched

and anemic-looking.

I'll sit you next to her

in case you wanna make a pass.

No, thanks. She's not my type.

Good.

Why do you say that?

I think she's having an affair

with my husband.

You've met everyone?

I'm intimidated.

Madison Kingsley's my favorite writer.

Talk to him.

I'm gonna check on dinner.

Thank you.

I'm delighted you're here.

I'm delighted I got to hear you

play in person again.

What? Again?

Yes, I saw you at the Charleston

Music Festival last summer.

Brahms' violin concerto.

Bartk.

You ever seen a Stradivarius up close?

This is the finest instrument

ever made.

Everyone, I'm going to play something

in Mr. Wingo's honor.

It's not that often we have

Southern guests, huh?

What would you like to hear?

I'm afraid I don't know many...

...football songs.

Anything's fine with me.

Damn it all, Herb, that Mozart

sure cranked out some snappy tunes.

Could you do me a favor and fix me

a Scotch and soda, please?

Yes, sir. Yes, sir.

Who is he?

That's a friend of Susan's.

Some football coach.

Charming.

The food is wonderful.

Is it the same cook as last year?

Yes. I'm glad you like it.

A minor artist.

How can you dismiss his work

as unimportant, Spencer?

It's hanging in the goddamn

Metropolitan.

Well, Madison, so is toilet paper.

Tom, talk to Madison. He's a great

admirer of Southern authors.

Faulkner, Flannery O'Connor,

Eudora Welty.

I love all those

renegade Confederates.

You mean you love

excess and eccentricity.

It's true. They're all mad

as hatters, aren't they?

I suppose you know a few things

about madness.

A bit.

Tom's sister is Savannah Wingo.

Are you familiar with her work?

Yes. She's good.

Very good.

She's Susan's patient.

I don't think that's appropriate.

Everyone knows you're the great psychic

healer of the literary community.

I'm surprised you don't get a share

of their royalties.

What have you been drinking?

You should ask Tom. He poured it.

Were you trying to poison me?

Not intentionally.

But you know how

the subconscious mind works.

I like you, Tom.

I like your feistiness,

your Tara-like pride.

You said you wouldn't do this.

You're right.

I shouldn't pick on Tom.

I should pick on you for turning my son

into Quasimodo in a football uniform.

I can't believe you'd let Bernard play

a game that can hurt his hands.

I can't believe you'd come here. We

all know you're f***ing my husband.

I think you owe Monique an apology,

Susan.

I think you owe me an apology,

you son of a b*tch.

Darling, where's your sense of humor?

Madison, what's the name of the

character in your new play?

I'm calling him S.B.

And he's modeled after a character

sitting right at this table.

Not me, I hope.

Yoo-hoo, Herbert! Southern boy's got

ahold of your fiddle!

What'd he say?

Better hurry, now!

It's getting heavy!

Herbert, what's taking you so long?

What do you think you're doing?

Darling, where's your sense of humor?

That Stradivarius is worth

over $1 million!

Well, if I drop it,

it won't be worth sh*t.

Don't do it, Tom.

Apologize to your wife.

You're bluffing.

I may be. But it's a powerful bluff,

isn't it, a**hole?

I'm sorry, Susan!

Sincerity becomes you, Herbie.

Apologize to me for your unforgivable

breach of etiquette at the table...

...you possum-breathed cocksucker.

I'm very sorry, Tom.

You all sure know how to give a party

up here in New York City.

Tom, wait!

Now I know why you always seem so sad.

Please take me with you.

Let me warn you...

...the thought of falling in love

terrifies me.

Then let's just be friends.

Very good friends.

I think I like adultery.

That's why they made it a sin.

Repent, sinners!

Cast your lot with the Lord!

After last night,

I'll need some repenting.

Oh, I'm in trouble.

What? What?

Tell me. Why are you in trouble?

I'm starting to like this city.

What made you change your mind?

You have to ask?

I'm neurotic. I need reassurance.

Lowenstein, you could make me

change my mind about anything.

Hi, Tom. Hot baked goods.

Did I interrupt something vile?

Well, hello, Susan!

You look fabulous this morning.

I'm so glad you both got laid.

Hi, Eddie.

Do you like a little butter on your

croissant, darling?

Ask him.

Guess what?

I spoke to Bernard today...

...and he asked me to come

visit him next weekend.

I couldn't believe it.

That's great. That's fantastic.

I'm so grateful to you, Tom Wingo.

It was nothing, nothing.

Come on, cut it out.

This is the property.

It goes all the way around.

All the way over there.

Isn't it beautiful?

Not as beautiful as you.

Oh, sweetheart.

This is it. Herbert never liked it,

you know. It made him sneeze.

I miss the fresh smell

of carbon monoxide, myself.

I can't believe we're

only an hour from New York!

South Carolina's not the only

state with trees.

In my next life,

I wanna be you, Lowenstein.

I'll make lots of money from crazy

people, have a penthouse in the city...

...a great country house

and a guy like me.

- Come on. I wanna show you around.

- All right.

Look, isn't it pretty?

Darling, you just broke a dozen eggs.

I don't care.

You know what I thought

when I first saw you?

I thought, "Jesus, she hates me.

Why does she make me feel

so damn stupid?"

What do you think now?

Right now?

I'm thinking, "Why does she make me

feel so damn good?"

Because she loves you.

Lowenstein, Lowenstein.

Maybe I should be

calling you "Susan" now.

No, I love the way you

say "Lowenstein. "

You know...

...before I met you, I was in

a deep sleep...

...and I didn't even know it.

I'm afraid.

Of what, sweetheart?

What's gonna happen

when Sally wants you back?

She wants you back, you know.

What makes you so sure?

I've sampled the merchandise.

Oh, my God!

Spread them wide.

You dirty thing!

I'm not being dirty.

Spread them this way.

Now, you gotta tackle me.

Go on, tackle.

Catch it!

Ready.

- I'm too old for this game.

- Me too.

This is the best part.

If we stay together, do I have to

become Jewish?

Of course not. Herbert's not Jewish.

I don't mind.

Everybody in my family's doing it.

There's Luke up there somewhere.

You stupid a**hole!

When I was a kid,

he seemed like a god to me.

How do you see him now?

Like a man...

...with limitations,

like the rest of us.

Except you, Lowenstein.

You're perfect.

I am far from it.

I look back on my life,

and I realize that I've been...

...paralyzed for the last...

...God knows how many years.

How could I have stayed

in a marriage like that?

Well, you had a son.

Oh, yeah, there were reasons...

...but none of them good enough.

I just never thought...

...that this was possible.

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