The Savages Page #4

Hill Haven. This looks nice.

It's in Vermont. I really wish

you hadn't brought that down.

- Jon.

- What?

- What is it?

- Theatre of the Absurd.

You gonna stop?

Yeah.

Sorry.

Sorry.

We're doing the right thing, Wen.

We're taking better care of the old man

than he ever did of us.

I know.

Good night.

We know this is one

of the toughest decisions of your life.

What to do when the parent

who took care of you...

can no longer take care of themselves?

That's why here, at Greenhill Manor...

we are committed to providing

the highest quality of care...

for your loved ones.

Our board-certified physicians

are dedicated...

to maximizing both the physical...

and emotional well-being

of your elder.

Come celebrate 100 years

of award-winning care.

Heaven

I'm in heaven

And my heart beats so

that I can hardly speak

And exhale.

And I seem to find

the happiness I seek

And breathe it up.

And breathe up wonderful, good energy.

Fill yourself with it.

And let go of everything you don't need.

Ahh.

Good. Reaching for the person

in front of you, stretch... forward.

I'm in heaven

Well, his Medicaid

seems to be squared away.

And as far...

as the advance directive...

Hey, I take that.

On your pen, for anxiety.

Not all the time.

Just when I need it.

Here's the, uh, health care proxy

we talked about...

and the living will material.

We'll need these signed

by both you and your father.

The only thing missing here

is the paperwork regarding...

the funeral arrangements.

We'll need to know your father's

burial or cremation plans.

See, if you switch

this little thing here...

you can change the volume...

and turn it off.

- Okay?

- Mm-hmm.

There you go.

H... He's got it. He's got it.

How's that?

- Good level?

- Yeah. Yeah.

Dad, we need to talk

about a couple things.

- But we... we don't want you to take it in the wrong way.

- Okay.

Yeah, it's just, uh...

it's a couple questions...

that'll make everything easier

in the long run.

- Okay?

- Mm-hmm.

Okay.

In the event...

In the event

that something should happen...

Um-

Mm-hmm?

How-

- Dad-

- How do you want us to, um...

Dad, what if you were in a coma?

Jon.

Would you... would you... would you want

a breathing machine to keep you alive?

What kind of question's that?

It's a question we should know, in case.

In case what?

In case something happens.

Nothing's gonna happen.

Right now. Nothing new.

Right, it's... it's just procedure.

It's something they want

for their records.

- Who?

- The people who run the place.

The Valley View.

What the hell kind of hotel is it?

Dad, it's not a hotel,

it's a nursing home.

Unplug me.

What?

Pull the plug!

Okay, Dad. So now,

um, once we unplug you...

- I'm dead.

- Right.

- And then, we...

- What?

What do we do with you?

Bury me!

What are you, a bunch of idiots?

You bury me!

Christ.

- Oh, Jesus!

- Sorry to scare you.

You just gave your sister heart attack.

She didn't expect to find Polish woman

in her brother's home.

- I told you.

- No, you didn't.

- Yes, I did.

- No, you didn't.

- Yes, I did.

- No, you didn't.

- I'm taking Kas to the airport in the morning.

- Early flight, right?

We have to leave at 6:30 at latest.

Okay.

It's back to Krakw for Kasia.

Yeah, Jon told me. I'm sorry.

Your brother won't marry me...

but when I cook him eggs, he cries.

I should take cab to airport

like self-respecting feminist woman...

but here I am.

See you in morning.

- How'd it go at the airport?

- It was fine.

Good.

- Was it emotional?

- No, not really.

She loves you.

Yeah, well, there are

practical considerations...

that love has nothing to do with.

- Oh, yeah?

- Yeah.

Like what?

Do you have any idea how many

Comp Lit critical theory PhDs there are...

running around this country

looking for work?

Even if Kasia and I did get married

and she stayed...

she could end up teaching

at some university...

that's farther away from here

than Poland.

And then we wouldn't be together either.

See what I'm saying?

You're an idiot.

Can we just play the game?

- I got us an interview.

- For what?

For a really nice alternative

to the Valley View.

- But we just got him in there.

- Just hold your judgments until you see it.

It's very beautiful.

It's called Green Hill Manor.

Sounds like an insane asylum.

Aah! Oh!

Are you okay?

- No, I'm not okay.

- Are you having a heart attack?

No, I'm not having a heart attack!

Wendy, f***!

- How much do I fill it up?

- 18 pounds.

What do I do with it?

Just hook it to this.

Okay, further down.

- What, am I gonna pull it?

- No, that's it, that's it, that's it... good.

Ow, ow.

What, it's not funny.

It's not.

- Really, it's not.

- What-

It's not funny.

- What's it supposed to do?

- It relieves the pressure.

I'm supposed to stay like this

for 30 minutes.

- Oh.

- And...

All right, Wendy. Go get my mail.

Just go get my mail.

Stop staring.

This is for you.

Larry Mendelssohn.

Who's Larry Mendelssohn?

A friend of mine,

forwarding me my mail.

Is it the married guy?

I'm starving.

Want something to eat?

I thought you were going to stop

seeing that creep.

- How about tuna melts?

- Whatever.

- Here you go.

- Thanks.

Look, I need you to spend

Thanksgiving with Dad.

We're not doing it together?

It's the only time I can get away

for research.

- Well, I have things to do, too.

- Like what?

Like my life, for instance,

in New York City.

Maybe it's time to stop

being so self-involved...

and think about someone else's life

for a change.

Yeah, like you, who can't put his book aside

for a minute while Dad dies.

I've got to get this thing finished, Wendy.

My editor thinks it's a good time for it.

Everyone's really itching for a book

about Berthold Brecht this holiday season.

Wendy, I'm working.

I'm working.

I know you are.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

It's just-

It's just I got a lot riding on this book.

And-And your life's

much more portable than mine.

What is that supposed to mean?

What, like-like a toilet?

What, like a porta-potty?

No, it's just, you know,

you don't have a job, I do.

I have obligations.

You're- You're freelance.

Couldn't you just hook up

with a temp agency around here?

Actually, Jon...

I'm being funded right now,

to work on my plays.

And that-that might seem

a little self-involved to you...

but I also have obligations

to a prestigious foundation...

that has put a lot of faith in me...

and, frankly, has given me a hell

of a lot more support than he ever has.

You got it?

What?

The Guggenheim?

Yeah.

Really?

Yeah, really.

- Why do you sound so surprised?

- I'm not. I'm just...

It's just a really hard thing to get

is all.

- I applied for it a half dozen times.

- I never got one.

Well, I did.

Why is that so hard for you to believe?

- No,

- I believe it. I just can't believe you've been keeping it a secret.

- I just found out.

- Just now?

Oh, my God. It's... amazing.

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