Easy (2016) s03e06 Episode Script
Blank Pages
1 - Good morning, Jacob.
- How are you, Grace? - Doing well this morning.
How are you? - Nice to see you.
I'm all right, I guess.
All right.
- Seems like an okay day.
- Hm.
What do you call that around your neck? Is that a Is that a scarf or a kerchief? This is called an "ascot.
" - An ascot? - Yes.
Is that what, uh everyone's wearing these days? - Yeah.
Yeah.
- Ascots? Why are you wearing an ascot? What's goin' on in your neck? - What are you hidin'? - Oh, it's purely style.
- Mm-hm.
Mm-hm.
- I've got nothing to hide.
Can I get you anything other than a coffee? - Uh, no.
- Right.
That'll be $2.
50, please.
You know, bad marks or good marks? If there's anything goin' on, I'll be okay.
All right.
[PHONE VIBRATES.]
Hey, what's up? Uh Yeah.
Yeah.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, what? Wait Wait When was this? Who What A student? From what? From like, what 15 years ago? When I Who Wait, what? Who is it? So So you're just calling me 'cause you heard a thing and you have no Hold on, wait, what do you think her name is? Waitin' on my true love I just spent the entire day just racking my brain, just trying to remember you know, what happened.
- I'm happy she has a book coming out.
- What is she And God knows I've weathered these storms before.
I've been depicted in other people's narrative, but, like, now it just seems like it's - What is - a loaded time.
- What is she accusing you of? - I have no idea.
I just All I know is that there's a chapter in a book that suggests something.
So I have no idea.
Uh, there's no crime there.
There's no assault.
- Yes.
- There's no rape or anything horrible.
We had consensual sex in this situa where I was her professor.
- Okay.
- I was a teacher - Right.
- At the Art Institute, - doing a graphic novel class.
- Okay.
A semester.
Gradu Graduate level.
It's Okay.
So you're the hot teacher.
- Sure.
- Okay.
Yeah, maybe.
I mean, I don't know.
It's okay.
- Yeah, okay.
- But what happened? Oh.
Um She was just one of, like 12-13 students and you know, she she was cute, uh - And - You were attracted to her.
- Definitely, and like, she - She was attracted to you.
- Yeah, of course, but but it was - Sure.
Initially, it was about, you know, the art.
It was the about the thing.
- It was about - Do you remember her flirting with you? Well, it's hard for me to know even now.
- But, just - I don't even know.
With, like I don't know when women are flirting with me now.
Like, you know, I would assume that for the past, like, 20 years, you've been flirting with me, but you would say, what, no? - Right? I don't know.
- Oh, of course I'm gonna say no.
All right, that's the point.
Okay, what happened was, you know, over the course of the semester, I I was giving her a lot of attention.
Can I ask you something? Do you pretend that you don't know that I'm flirting with you when I'm flirting with you, or do you just really not know? What am I supposed to do? We have, like, a secret understanding that we're not just gonna, like I mean there have been times when you were like, with dudes, and I was like, "What is that? What is she with that dude for?" or whatever, and, like, back in the day when - we were both more fuckable.
- Can I ask, have you ever wanted to kiss me, but you just didn't? Yeah, like, just a minute ago, but you blew it.
- How did I - Well, you said no.
I'm out.
I know how it goes now.
No means no, right? - [SLURPS.]
- Whatever.
I don't know.
I I just I don't know.
I'm gonna find out, I guess, what she wrote, but, just, like, it could ruin what little career I have left if it's bad, 'cause what am I gonna do? It just becomes a he-said-she-said thing and she can do whatever she wants.
Fortunately, it's a very small world uh, the world I work and live in, but I'd rather not spend the rest of it ashamed and exiled, but I don't know what the fuck's gonna happen.
So like, nothing matters anymore, baby.
You know what I'm sayin'? Me and you - "Baby" - From here on out.
- Come on.
- I Do you really call women that you're with "baby"? - Does it sound like I do? - It's just a terrible - Did you hear how I say it? - It's just not I really Oh, God.
- What's the matter, baby? - You're looming over me again.
- Am I? - Why do you do that? Ugh! - What? Why don't we just - Don't.
You, like When you do the whole thing where you, like, gear up to it - it's so, like - What? - Come on.
- Just It's already happening when you just You don't have to be [LAUGHING.]
Sit down! You It's like It's so Like Good Lord.
[CAR HORN HONKS.]
- [PAPER RUSTLING.]
- [EXHALES.]
[SIGHS.]
[URINATING.]
[TOILET FLUSHES.]
[JACOB SIGHS.]
Hm I don't know.
I don't know.
It's fuckin' weird that during that time when I was teaching Like, I didn't I like, made hardly any sketches of anything.
Especially not anything about Beth, that woman.
And there's no real correspondence here.
Like, there's just a couple of polite, you know, professional, reasonable emails.
Isn't that fucked up? Isn't that weird that I, like - Like, this whole Like What was I - [SIGHS.]
I mean, when don't I sketch? I mean, I must have been, like just really, like I don't even know, like, underwater.
I don't know what the fuck was goin' on with me.
- But that's bizarre What? - Ahem.
I am so hungry.
[CHUCKLES.]
I'm really hungry, and I need orange juice.
Are you thirsty? I I just drank, like, a gallon of water.
Like, I feel like I I can't I don't think I can eat right now.
- My head's, like, in this thing.
- No, I get it.
What the fuck am I gonna do about this? I'm not sure what you're gonna do.
It's a kind of a It's a It's a bad situation, but it's gonna work out.
[CHUCKLES.]
- Where are you going? - Seriously, I'm No, I'm just - Dude, I'm starving.
I'm - What? All right.
I I I would go, but I'm just I'm not gonna be good conversation.
- Of course not.
- I'm just completely - Look, we're gonna - What? We'll talk.
It's not a big deal.
- What's not a big deal? - That we slept together.
I'm not even thinking about that.
I didn't think it was a big deal.
- Well, clearly, I don't either.
- All right.
I just I've lost a penny - What kind of shoes are those? - Penny loafers.
- No.
They're sneakers, platforms - Don't criticize me right now.
- My purse! - I'll get you - I got it.
- [SIGHS.]
Hold on.
Oh, God.
- Okay.
Yeah.
- All right? - You all right, though? - So, I You all right? Look at me.
- Are you all right? I'm all right.
- Dude, I'm fine.
- I'm fine.
- I'm okay.
- Yes, it's fine.
- Wait, look! - What? - Hey.
We We can absorb this.
- You know what I mean? - I love you.
It's fine.
I love you, too.
I just don't want breakfast.
I I get it.
I'm just starving.
You know how I Fuck it.
Fuck it! Do you want me to come? - No! I have a blood sugar - I'll fucking come! I actually just wanna be by myself, thanks.
- No, you Wait! Hey! Hey! - No! Are you all right? Bye! [DOOR SLAMS.]
God damn it.
[UPBEAT POP MUSIC PLAYING.]
[SIGHS.]
Fuck.
[MUSIC CONTINUES OVER SPEAKER.]
[PHONE VIBRATES.]
[PHONE RINGS.]
Hi.
- [JACOB.]
Hey, how's it goin'? - Hey.
- Hi.
- What are you doin'? Taking a bath.
Okay.
Can I talk to you for a second? Yes.
Okay, so So I just talked to David, and my speaking engagement at that art school outside of Detroit next month, canceled, because of this fucking book.
They got wind of Beth's book, or they got a copy of it, I don't even fucking know, but five grand in the toilet.
That's one down out of, like, the four that I have to fucking make a living this year.
It's all fucking happening.
It's all fucking happening.
The worst case scenario.
- [TURNS MUSIC UP.]
- So One way One day [PHONE RINGS.]
Hi, is is this Beth? Beth, hi.
Uh, it's, uh, Jacob Malco.
I heard about this graphic novel that you're you're you know, that you've written and that they're putting out, and I just heard What? My agent heard it.
It's not private information.
But what what he also heard was that it doesn't necessarily portray me uh, in a very good way, and that it could be uh, trouble for me, and and I just wanted to I just wanted to talk to you, because I don't I remember I don't I remember it differently, I think.
Not that that matters, huh? I know, I've written memoirs before.
So it's exactly what happened from your side.
From your side.
Like, you know, like, I mean [SIGHS.]
I'm not coming down on you.
I don't know what you wrote.
But I mean, I don't rem Like, I don't know why we can't just talk as people.
Maybe Maybe we sit down and just let me, you know, read the book, let me process it, or let me, you know, try to get some closure, or or maybe offer, you know, some sort of, uh amends, if that's appropriate? Why can't we just talk about what's about to happen? Because it's it's gonna have big implications for me.
Half hour.
That Okay.
That's That's plenty of time.
We'll just have coffee, or somewhere Are you still, like, in the Chicago area? I mean Do Do you have a place that you like to go or do you wanna Uh Okay.
Well, how about a place you don't like to go? Let's just go to a McDonald's? We don't need to go to McDonald's.
What are you McDonald's? Let's go, I mean All right, you Look, I [SIGHS.]
All right, I'm sorry.
Wherever you wanna go.
[CHILDREN TALKING AND PLAYING.]
[GIRL.]
On your marks, get set, go! So now we gotta meet, like Basically, in broad daylight, somewhere public.
It seemed like she was implying that she wouldn't feel safe with me, I mean I don't get it, man.
Because, like, I liked this woman, I mean, we got along good and I had feelings for her.
And And now it's like, I don't know what the fuck happened.
Other than maybe She got weird, all right? After we After we had sex, she got weird, 'cause she was married, and I felt it and maybe I got weird, I don't know, but now, like, I'm a monster? What the fuck? You know what I'm sayin'? Do I know what you're saying? I mean, are you listening to me? Am I talking to the trees? Where we at? I'm [SCOFFS.]
Nothin'.
What the What the What do you What is wrong with you now? - I mean - Are you fucking Are you serious? What is wrong with me now? We slept together, and you're talking about some other woman, having feelings, about sleeping with you, and then it's weird.
What's happening right now? Are you not in here? Are you not Are we not Are we even on the same globe? Do I even exist? Of course you do.
Like, go talk to your therapist.
What? I thought you said you were okay.
I thought we were okay.
We're not okay? - Now this is a fucking disaster? - God, I can't.
I'm not a counselor.
- Leave me alone.
- I'm not asking you to be a counselor.
- You're my fucking friend.
- You're not? No, yes you are.
You ask everyone to be your counselor.
What does that even fucking mean? If someone's in your life, they're your counselor.
- Why are you losing your mind over this? - No, just - I'm not losing my mind.
- [GROANS.]
Fuck it.
All right.
- You know what? Get away from me.
- I will, for good.
- It's too much.
- Oh, yeah, too much.
You, too.
Go fuck yourself.
- Like you're a fucking walk in the park? - Oh, I - Yeah.
- Jesus Christ.
Fucking selfish.
Fuck you.
I was burning out desire So I needed a woman To put out this fire She said "Take it, take it, take it" Sitting by my window Watchin' the moonlight In my home Suddenly my mind Is bringing out desire In my home So I met a woman To put out this fire Burning in my soul Only you, baby Can put out this fire Only you, baby Can put out this fire Burning in my soul Only you, baby Can put out this fire You are wonderful Only you, baby Oh Only you Oh! - Hey.
- Hi.
How's it goin'? - Um It's good, fine.
- Okay.
Thank you for coming.
- Thank you for, uh, coming.
- Okay.
- It's - Okay All right.
- All right, I'm gonna - Okay.
Wow! Wait, how far along are are you? Yeah, I'm not pregnant.
[SIGHS.]
- [BARISTA.]
What can I get ya? - Hi.
Um Can I just have a latte? One latte.
That'll be $3.
75.
- There's your change.
- Thank you so much.
- [COINS CLINK.]
- Thank you.
- We'll have that right out.
- Great.
I'm sorry.
I I'm sorry.
- That's a great great start.
- Yeah.
But you you look you look good, though.
I Nice to see you.
I Uh, it's good - It's good - You just asked me if I was pregnant.
God damn it.
- Okay.
- What? I Thank you for - for meeting me.
- Yeah.
Do you feel safe here? Is this safe enough for you? - Come on.
- You come on.
What was that? Like I'm a monster? - I mean - I wasn't saying that you're a monster.
I just wanted a a place where What did you think was gonna happen? I mean, like I don't Maybe I don't know what happened between us, but when when I heard about this What did you hear about it? What have you heard? What did they tell you? Oh, thanks.
Well, first of all You know, I I haven't heard from you or thought about you for years.
And now my agent tells me that, out of nowhere, you wrote this - Yeah.
- He told me it's gonna make me look bad.
It's gonna be a problem.
Some sort of abuse of power situation.
So I'm going through my own memories Well, yeah, that's the situation.
But wh All of a sudden? What do you mean, all of a sudden? I've been sitting with it, thinking about it, - it impacted my life.
- Okay, I understand that, but you know, the timing's a little - Why now? - What do you mean, timing? "Why now?" Yeah.
I mean, like, culturally, it's a fucking nightmare out there for for for men.
Oh, I'm sorry.
[SCOFFS.]
Where was this book five years ago? Like, what what have you been doing for 15 years? That's interesting.
- That's an interesting question.
- What's interesting? Um I haven't really been working for 15 years.
I haven't had the easiest time.
I wasn't really in a position to get anything published.
I didn't have a lot of confidence in myself.
- Were you drawing? - Yeah, sometimes I was.
I was full of self-doubt.
I was looking at everything I was creating, and being like, "What a piece of shit.
" I finally - decided to just give it a shot - Okay.
and do my work, and I created something that I feel proud of, but I had to really check in with myself before I did that.
This book is not a book about you.
There's a section about you.
It's about me, as I've related to different - men in my life.
- Hm.
I got to the end of a relationship and I realized, "Fuck.
Every choice that I've made has been about something that a man has wanted.
" Hm.
I haven't made choices for myself.
I haven't done things based on my own happiness or my own good.
Okay, so I'm just one of many men in this book about men who somehow shut you down.
A few Hm? That's what That's what you just said.
But I I bet you I'm the only one that's got something to lose, right? I Did you tell all the other ones before What? I talked to some people.
Some people I'm still in touch with.
- Oh.
- Where was my call? - This is not - Why do I gotta wait? - What? - What is the point of this? What do you want? What do you wanna know? Okay.
Okay.
[SIGHS.]
I sat there, when I heard about this And, uh, obviously, you know, I've been around a long time.
I'm an old man.
I've made some mistakes in my life.
But I was, you know, going over what what our relationship was.
Mm-hm I I was just I was sitting there trying to remember, you know, what what we went through.
- Okay.
And what did you come up with? - And And That it was wasn't bad.
I I remember us having a lot of, you know, pretty - real conversations about stuff.
- Mm-hm.
I remember, you know, going over your work, enjoying your work.
- Mm.
- I thought you were great.
And And I remember us, like, having lunch.
You were unhappy in your marriage.
I had just gone through a divorce, and I was trying to somehow be helpful, and, like, we sort of commiserated a bit.
- Mm-hm.
- I did feel the connection.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
And And, like, I And then it got weird.
I know it got weird, but I I just couldn't, I I just couldn't, in my mind you know, see myself as somebody who like, did something terrible.
All of that is in my book.
That's the story that I'm telling.
We have the same story.
- Mm.
- This is my perspective.
It feels one way to you because you're in a position of power.
- You're my teacher.
- It's graduate school.
You're, like, 26 years old.
I mean, what Yeah, exactly.
I'm 26 years old.
It was a big deal for me to come all the fucking way over here to go to grad school, to have enough faith in myself that I could do it.
It was a big deal.
It took me to that point in my life, to feel like, "Oh, I deserve to to come over here and try to make something of myself.
" It was a really big deal.
It took everything that I had in the world.
- Yeah? - And then, I meet somebody who tells me I'm as good as anybody they've ever seen.
I mean, what kind of a fucking thing is that to say? - That was true.
- If it was true, then what happened afterwards? Did my work just start, like, sucking after we had sex? - I don't know - We had sex one time! I know! I di No! I don't know wha what your work did afterwards.
- Because I - You saw it.
I was still in your class.
- For two weeks.
- It was longer than that, and it was really painful and uncomfortable.
I felt that.
I felt that.
- Well, what happened? - I don't know what happened.
I mean, like, I We had sex, and then it was it was just fucking weird, because, like, I started to think, like, you were ashamed and mad because you were married, and maybe I thought you were gonna tell your husband, he was gonna kick my ass I told my husband before anything happened, first of all.
- What? - That's how seriously I was taking it.
I felt like we were in a relationship.
And the things that you were saying to me You were telling me you were gonna set me up with internships.
You were telling me you were gonna introduce me to people.
You were telling me how incredible I was and how like, groundbreaking my work is.
- It's so embarrassing to think about now.
- I - It's so embarrassing I fell for it.
- I believed that.
I believed it.
- Well - So So But I'm saying that I wasn't just some fuckin' monster who was conning you to get into your pants.
- I mean, you know - So then what - changed after you did? - I I don't fucking know.
I can't handle that we Sometimes I have Sometimes I've been in situations where I have sex with people and I have feelings for them, and then once we consummate them, I'm just sort of, like I I don't You know I'm emotionally hobbled, somehow.
I mean, after we fucked You know, it got weird and then you just dropped off.
I mean, was was I supposed to just chase you down and If you thought I was that talented, yeah.
Did you not think I was worth it? - I did, but I - Did you not think you were gonna be able to show me to people and be like, "Look who I've discovered"? - Yeah.
- That's how it made me feel.
Then, I started to think about it afterwards, and I was like, "Oh, God, that's so fucking unfair.
" That because you wanted to sleep with me, this whole course of my life has been impacted now.
- I - I don't know if it's because my work wasn't good enough that I didn't get an internship, that I didn't get introduced to people.
I don't know.
You made me feel like my work was good enough.
- It was.
- Then it didn't happen.
Okay, it didn't happen because, you know, I I bailed on you because I was uncomfortable.
- But the idea that - Why put yourself in that position? - Why put me in that position? - Because I was irresponsible.
- I guess.
- Okay.
That's all I'm saying.
That's the story that I'm telling.
But the idea that all I was doing was trying to fuck you, and everything changed because I fucked you, that I'd finally gotten what I wanted, and now I was done with you, is just garbage.
So, if that's also the story you're telling, it's not the right story.
It's insensitive.
But it's your it's your narrative.
It's your point of view.
I understand.
I'm glad you wrote the book.
And, you know, and it-You know, I hope it does very well for you.
And I guess I'll just fuckin' see it when I see it.
Again, there's nothing I can do about it, and, uh, you know, my side of it I guess I I don't even know what's - I don't know what you have - What to lose.
You can't own your own behavior? You can't own that? Oh, yeah, I can.
I have.
I've lost things before.
I've made mistakes before.
But I guess on some level, I I, uh I control the narrative.
I have the pages that are about you with me.
I wasn't planning on showing it to you.
I don't know why I care.
I think it'll make you feel better, or understand, or something.
I feel really, really nervous.
- Can I see 'em? - Yes.
I'm I'm not gonna I'm not gonna lose my shit.
I understand.
Like, I'm ju I'm afraid.
I'm I'm preemptively defensive and angry, and, you know, I wanna see your work.
I wanted to see it then, I wanna see it now, at least, just I don't know if I can be here for All right, well Do you wanna take a walk - or go to the bathroom? - Yeah, I'll just go to the bathroom.
I'll wait for a minute.
[DOOR OPENS.]
[JACOB SIGHS.]
Um It's, uh It's really It's good.
It's really good.
Do you feel misrepresented? No.
It's just your story, you know? And I I just I don't think I ever really thought about, um the other side of it, really.
You know, I've been doin' this stuff a long time, and, uh And I always think that, like, you know, "This is it, this is the truth," you know? And I don't know that I honestly think about the people who I, you know I'm writing about.
But this is your story, and I, you know, I I I think it's, um I think it's honest.
I think the the art is great.
And, uh, you know I can't really defend my behavior towards the end of this.
I mean, I I think you're you're right.
But what's odd is that, like, um I'm not trying to explain anything, but, like Like, I see myself in this, and I and I I don't It's very hard for me to empathize with, uh anybody.
And, um, because I just am self involved, and especially women How You know, how do I know? [CHUCKLES.]
Thank you.
But, um you know during that time uh I couldn't find anything.
Any work that I was doing you know, when I was teaching that class, and having, you know and we were talking and stuff, you know? And, uh I just wasn't drawing.
And I always draw, you know? I And I I think there's like two things happening in the brain.
My brain.
I don't know if I can generalize.
But, you know, I felt a real connection to you and I was honest about it and then and then the sex did fuck it up, because, like that part of my brain kind of went out somehow.
I understand.
- Do you? - I do.
- I do.
- Did, uh Did your, um Did your marriage survive? I mean, it complicated it.
I did For a while.
For a while.
But, you know, it was kind of like a daily punishment for a few years.
- Wow.
- Which of course, you know Is that in the book? Yeah.
Well, good for you.
I told myself I wouldn't care whether you liked it or not.
[JACOB CHUCKLES.]
Here I am, like - [SIGHS.]
- It's good.
And, um And, like, I'm I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
And like, whatever Like, you know, it's, you know I'm not I don't know.
It's important that you know, these these conversations happen.
I I don't really know what's gonna happen.
[SNIFFLES.]
But, uh But like, I am, in this moment, able to take it in, and I and I'm sorry, honestly, for Thank you.
whatever I Well, for behaving like that, dismissing you, causing that stuff to happen, you know? [SIGHS.]
And I guess I'm, uh I'm I'm grateful that it got through.
Okay? I may be, uh, you know, out of work, but I'll I'll be What do they say? Woke? I'll be woke.
Woke and broke.
[BOTH LAUGH.]
It's not as bad as you thought, right? No.
Yeah.
[CLEARS THROAT.]
Well, I you know, good luck with it.
Thank you.
Thanks for talkin' to me.
Thank you for talking to me.
And it's, uh you know It's good to see you.
Yeah.
Care a little Care a lot Let me love you Let me not But that wouldn't change - [DOOR BUZZER SOUNDS.]
- The way I care for you That wouldn't make me think of - Hello? - Someone new Hey, it's Jacob.
Can I come up, please? Somehow I know I'd rather Live life through With this crazy feeling I've got [DOOR CLOSES.]
Care a little Care a lot - Hello.
- Hi.
I'm gonna sit in there.
[DOOR CLOSES.]
How's it going? Okay, so Hm.
I'm sorry about the park.
That was embarrassing.
Fucking ridiculous.
I'm ridiculous.
Mm-hm.
And, uh, you know, about the other night um I have been thinkin' about it.
It was nice.
It was nice.
It felt you know It felt comfortable.
It wasn't weird.
I mean, come on.
I love you.
I mean, you know, we've been together for a long time.
Why would that, you know, just I don't It just takes me a couple days, I guess.
You know? When you fuck your best friend, it takes a minute to process process, it takes a day or two.
You know, when you try to push her away and you know, fuck everything up and then, you know Yeah.
I don't need to do that.
What would it be like if you didn't? Um Am I challenging you too much right now? No.
No.
No.
- Are we - Oh I mean, come on.
[SIGHS.]
We're old.
We're so old.
- I'm so tired.
- [BOTH LAUGH.]
I'm so tired.
I know.
And I And I'm exhausting.
I'm exhausting.
But you know what's weird about me is like, not only do I exhaust you I exhaust myself.
[JACOB SIGHS.]
I really I'm experimenting with listening.
Gonna try that for a while.
I've, like, you know, I've gone my whole life without doing it.
I'm gonna try to be, uh, more um - open.
- [SIGHS.]
I mean, I'm I'm ready to relax.
- Oh, yeah.
- Right? Like, this feels good.
We're relaxing.
Like, you know, I don't know what's gonna happen, but I mean, come on, we we've been together so long.
- Shh.
- Okay.
- You know, you are you're - I know.
You're seriously - Dude, you're a pain.
- I know.
- You're such a pain in the ass.
- I know.
I know, but [SIGHS.]
I don't regret it.
- I don't regret it.
- No.
No, super pain in the ass.
I've always been that.
Come on.
I mean, I may need a place to live.
[BOTH LAUGH.]
Okay? [LAUGHING.]
I'm still here After telling you So long I'm still here, baby After saying that I'd be gone And now maybe, I was just Talkin' out of my head But baby, if I wasn't - Can I take back what I said? - Ooh 'Cause when I - Need someone to hold - Hey, baby You're right here to hold
- How are you, Grace? - Doing well this morning.
How are you? - Nice to see you.
I'm all right, I guess.
All right.
- Seems like an okay day.
- Hm.
What do you call that around your neck? Is that a Is that a scarf or a kerchief? This is called an "ascot.
" - An ascot? - Yes.
Is that what, uh everyone's wearing these days? - Yeah.
Yeah.
- Ascots? Why are you wearing an ascot? What's goin' on in your neck? - What are you hidin'? - Oh, it's purely style.
- Mm-hm.
Mm-hm.
- I've got nothing to hide.
Can I get you anything other than a coffee? - Uh, no.
- Right.
That'll be $2.
50, please.
You know, bad marks or good marks? If there's anything goin' on, I'll be okay.
All right.
[PHONE VIBRATES.]
Hey, what's up? Uh Yeah.
Yeah.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, what? Wait Wait When was this? Who What A student? From what? From like, what 15 years ago? When I Who Wait, what? Who is it? So So you're just calling me 'cause you heard a thing and you have no Hold on, wait, what do you think her name is? Waitin' on my true love I just spent the entire day just racking my brain, just trying to remember you know, what happened.
- I'm happy she has a book coming out.
- What is she And God knows I've weathered these storms before.
I've been depicted in other people's narrative, but, like, now it just seems like it's - What is - a loaded time.
- What is she accusing you of? - I have no idea.
I just All I know is that there's a chapter in a book that suggests something.
So I have no idea.
Uh, there's no crime there.
There's no assault.
- Yes.
- There's no rape or anything horrible.
We had consensual sex in this situa where I was her professor.
- Okay.
- I was a teacher - Right.
- At the Art Institute, - doing a graphic novel class.
- Okay.
A semester.
Gradu Graduate level.
It's Okay.
So you're the hot teacher.
- Sure.
- Okay.
Yeah, maybe.
I mean, I don't know.
It's okay.
- Yeah, okay.
- But what happened? Oh.
Um She was just one of, like 12-13 students and you know, she she was cute, uh - And - You were attracted to her.
- Definitely, and like, she - She was attracted to you.
- Yeah, of course, but but it was - Sure.
Initially, it was about, you know, the art.
It was the about the thing.
- It was about - Do you remember her flirting with you? Well, it's hard for me to know even now.
- But, just - I don't even know.
With, like I don't know when women are flirting with me now.
Like, you know, I would assume that for the past, like, 20 years, you've been flirting with me, but you would say, what, no? - Right? I don't know.
- Oh, of course I'm gonna say no.
All right, that's the point.
Okay, what happened was, you know, over the course of the semester, I I was giving her a lot of attention.
Can I ask you something? Do you pretend that you don't know that I'm flirting with you when I'm flirting with you, or do you just really not know? What am I supposed to do? We have, like, a secret understanding that we're not just gonna, like I mean there have been times when you were like, with dudes, and I was like, "What is that? What is she with that dude for?" or whatever, and, like, back in the day when - we were both more fuckable.
- Can I ask, have you ever wanted to kiss me, but you just didn't? Yeah, like, just a minute ago, but you blew it.
- How did I - Well, you said no.
I'm out.
I know how it goes now.
No means no, right? - [SLURPS.]
- Whatever.
I don't know.
I I just I don't know.
I'm gonna find out, I guess, what she wrote, but, just, like, it could ruin what little career I have left if it's bad, 'cause what am I gonna do? It just becomes a he-said-she-said thing and she can do whatever she wants.
Fortunately, it's a very small world uh, the world I work and live in, but I'd rather not spend the rest of it ashamed and exiled, but I don't know what the fuck's gonna happen.
So like, nothing matters anymore, baby.
You know what I'm sayin'? Me and you - "Baby" - From here on out.
- Come on.
- I Do you really call women that you're with "baby"? - Does it sound like I do? - It's just a terrible - Did you hear how I say it? - It's just not I really Oh, God.
- What's the matter, baby? - You're looming over me again.
- Am I? - Why do you do that? Ugh! - What? Why don't we just - Don't.
You, like When you do the whole thing where you, like, gear up to it - it's so, like - What? - Come on.
- Just It's already happening when you just You don't have to be [LAUGHING.]
Sit down! You It's like It's so Like Good Lord.
[CAR HORN HONKS.]
- [PAPER RUSTLING.]
- [EXHALES.]
[SIGHS.]
[URINATING.]
[TOILET FLUSHES.]
[JACOB SIGHS.]
Hm I don't know.
I don't know.
It's fuckin' weird that during that time when I was teaching Like, I didn't I like, made hardly any sketches of anything.
Especially not anything about Beth, that woman.
And there's no real correspondence here.
Like, there's just a couple of polite, you know, professional, reasonable emails.
Isn't that fucked up? Isn't that weird that I, like - Like, this whole Like What was I - [SIGHS.]
I mean, when don't I sketch? I mean, I must have been, like just really, like I don't even know, like, underwater.
I don't know what the fuck was goin' on with me.
- But that's bizarre What? - Ahem.
I am so hungry.
[CHUCKLES.]
I'm really hungry, and I need orange juice.
Are you thirsty? I I just drank, like, a gallon of water.
Like, I feel like I I can't I don't think I can eat right now.
- My head's, like, in this thing.
- No, I get it.
What the fuck am I gonna do about this? I'm not sure what you're gonna do.
It's a kind of a It's a It's a bad situation, but it's gonna work out.
[CHUCKLES.]
- Where are you going? - Seriously, I'm No, I'm just - Dude, I'm starving.
I'm - What? All right.
I I I would go, but I'm just I'm not gonna be good conversation.
- Of course not.
- I'm just completely - Look, we're gonna - What? We'll talk.
It's not a big deal.
- What's not a big deal? - That we slept together.
I'm not even thinking about that.
I didn't think it was a big deal.
- Well, clearly, I don't either.
- All right.
I just I've lost a penny - What kind of shoes are those? - Penny loafers.
- No.
They're sneakers, platforms - Don't criticize me right now.
- My purse! - I'll get you - I got it.
- [SIGHS.]
Hold on.
Oh, God.
- Okay.
Yeah.
- All right? - You all right, though? - So, I You all right? Look at me.
- Are you all right? I'm all right.
- Dude, I'm fine.
- I'm fine.
- I'm okay.
- Yes, it's fine.
- Wait, look! - What? - Hey.
We We can absorb this.
- You know what I mean? - I love you.
It's fine.
I love you, too.
I just don't want breakfast.
I I get it.
I'm just starving.
You know how I Fuck it.
Fuck it! Do you want me to come? - No! I have a blood sugar - I'll fucking come! I actually just wanna be by myself, thanks.
- No, you Wait! Hey! Hey! - No! Are you all right? Bye! [DOOR SLAMS.]
God damn it.
[UPBEAT POP MUSIC PLAYING.]
[SIGHS.]
Fuck.
[MUSIC CONTINUES OVER SPEAKER.]
[PHONE VIBRATES.]
[PHONE RINGS.]
Hi.
- [JACOB.]
Hey, how's it goin'? - Hey.
- Hi.
- What are you doin'? Taking a bath.
Okay.
Can I talk to you for a second? Yes.
Okay, so So I just talked to David, and my speaking engagement at that art school outside of Detroit next month, canceled, because of this fucking book.
They got wind of Beth's book, or they got a copy of it, I don't even fucking know, but five grand in the toilet.
That's one down out of, like, the four that I have to fucking make a living this year.
It's all fucking happening.
It's all fucking happening.
The worst case scenario.
- [TURNS MUSIC UP.]
- So One way One day [PHONE RINGS.]
Hi, is is this Beth? Beth, hi.
Uh, it's, uh, Jacob Malco.
I heard about this graphic novel that you're you're you know, that you've written and that they're putting out, and I just heard What? My agent heard it.
It's not private information.
But what what he also heard was that it doesn't necessarily portray me uh, in a very good way, and that it could be uh, trouble for me, and and I just wanted to I just wanted to talk to you, because I don't I remember I don't I remember it differently, I think.
Not that that matters, huh? I know, I've written memoirs before.
So it's exactly what happened from your side.
From your side.
Like, you know, like, I mean [SIGHS.]
I'm not coming down on you.
I don't know what you wrote.
But I mean, I don't rem Like, I don't know why we can't just talk as people.
Maybe Maybe we sit down and just let me, you know, read the book, let me process it, or let me, you know, try to get some closure, or or maybe offer, you know, some sort of, uh amends, if that's appropriate? Why can't we just talk about what's about to happen? Because it's it's gonna have big implications for me.
Half hour.
That Okay.
That's That's plenty of time.
We'll just have coffee, or somewhere Are you still, like, in the Chicago area? I mean Do Do you have a place that you like to go or do you wanna Uh Okay.
Well, how about a place you don't like to go? Let's just go to a McDonald's? We don't need to go to McDonald's.
What are you McDonald's? Let's go, I mean All right, you Look, I [SIGHS.]
All right, I'm sorry.
Wherever you wanna go.
[CHILDREN TALKING AND PLAYING.]
[GIRL.]
On your marks, get set, go! So now we gotta meet, like Basically, in broad daylight, somewhere public.
It seemed like she was implying that she wouldn't feel safe with me, I mean I don't get it, man.
Because, like, I liked this woman, I mean, we got along good and I had feelings for her.
And And now it's like, I don't know what the fuck happened.
Other than maybe She got weird, all right? After we After we had sex, she got weird, 'cause she was married, and I felt it and maybe I got weird, I don't know, but now, like, I'm a monster? What the fuck? You know what I'm sayin'? Do I know what you're saying? I mean, are you listening to me? Am I talking to the trees? Where we at? I'm [SCOFFS.]
Nothin'.
What the What the What do you What is wrong with you now? - I mean - Are you fucking Are you serious? What is wrong with me now? We slept together, and you're talking about some other woman, having feelings, about sleeping with you, and then it's weird.
What's happening right now? Are you not in here? Are you not Are we not Are we even on the same globe? Do I even exist? Of course you do.
Like, go talk to your therapist.
What? I thought you said you were okay.
I thought we were okay.
We're not okay? - Now this is a fucking disaster? - God, I can't.
I'm not a counselor.
- Leave me alone.
- I'm not asking you to be a counselor.
- You're my fucking friend.
- You're not? No, yes you are.
You ask everyone to be your counselor.
What does that even fucking mean? If someone's in your life, they're your counselor.
- Why are you losing your mind over this? - No, just - I'm not losing my mind.
- [GROANS.]
Fuck it.
All right.
- You know what? Get away from me.
- I will, for good.
- It's too much.
- Oh, yeah, too much.
You, too.
Go fuck yourself.
- Like you're a fucking walk in the park? - Oh, I - Yeah.
- Jesus Christ.
Fucking selfish.
Fuck you.
I was burning out desire So I needed a woman To put out this fire She said "Take it, take it, take it" Sitting by my window Watchin' the moonlight In my home Suddenly my mind Is bringing out desire In my home So I met a woman To put out this fire Burning in my soul Only you, baby Can put out this fire Only you, baby Can put out this fire Burning in my soul Only you, baby Can put out this fire You are wonderful Only you, baby Oh Only you Oh! - Hey.
- Hi.
How's it goin'? - Um It's good, fine.
- Okay.
Thank you for coming.
- Thank you for, uh, coming.
- Okay.
- It's - Okay All right.
- All right, I'm gonna - Okay.
Wow! Wait, how far along are are you? Yeah, I'm not pregnant.
[SIGHS.]
- [BARISTA.]
What can I get ya? - Hi.
Um Can I just have a latte? One latte.
That'll be $3.
75.
- There's your change.
- Thank you so much.
- [COINS CLINK.]
- Thank you.
- We'll have that right out.
- Great.
I'm sorry.
I I'm sorry.
- That's a great great start.
- Yeah.
But you you look you look good, though.
I Nice to see you.
I Uh, it's good - It's good - You just asked me if I was pregnant.
God damn it.
- Okay.
- What? I Thank you for - for meeting me.
- Yeah.
Do you feel safe here? Is this safe enough for you? - Come on.
- You come on.
What was that? Like I'm a monster? - I mean - I wasn't saying that you're a monster.
I just wanted a a place where What did you think was gonna happen? I mean, like I don't Maybe I don't know what happened between us, but when when I heard about this What did you hear about it? What have you heard? What did they tell you? Oh, thanks.
Well, first of all You know, I I haven't heard from you or thought about you for years.
And now my agent tells me that, out of nowhere, you wrote this - Yeah.
- He told me it's gonna make me look bad.
It's gonna be a problem.
Some sort of abuse of power situation.
So I'm going through my own memories Well, yeah, that's the situation.
But wh All of a sudden? What do you mean, all of a sudden? I've been sitting with it, thinking about it, - it impacted my life.
- Okay, I understand that, but you know, the timing's a little - Why now? - What do you mean, timing? "Why now?" Yeah.
I mean, like, culturally, it's a fucking nightmare out there for for for men.
Oh, I'm sorry.
[SCOFFS.]
Where was this book five years ago? Like, what what have you been doing for 15 years? That's interesting.
- That's an interesting question.
- What's interesting? Um I haven't really been working for 15 years.
I haven't had the easiest time.
I wasn't really in a position to get anything published.
I didn't have a lot of confidence in myself.
- Were you drawing? - Yeah, sometimes I was.
I was full of self-doubt.
I was looking at everything I was creating, and being like, "What a piece of shit.
" I finally - decided to just give it a shot - Okay.
and do my work, and I created something that I feel proud of, but I had to really check in with myself before I did that.
This book is not a book about you.
There's a section about you.
It's about me, as I've related to different - men in my life.
- Hm.
I got to the end of a relationship and I realized, "Fuck.
Every choice that I've made has been about something that a man has wanted.
" Hm.
I haven't made choices for myself.
I haven't done things based on my own happiness or my own good.
Okay, so I'm just one of many men in this book about men who somehow shut you down.
A few Hm? That's what That's what you just said.
But I I bet you I'm the only one that's got something to lose, right? I Did you tell all the other ones before What? I talked to some people.
Some people I'm still in touch with.
- Oh.
- Where was my call? - This is not - Why do I gotta wait? - What? - What is the point of this? What do you want? What do you wanna know? Okay.
Okay.
[SIGHS.]
I sat there, when I heard about this And, uh, obviously, you know, I've been around a long time.
I'm an old man.
I've made some mistakes in my life.
But I was, you know, going over what what our relationship was.
Mm-hm I I was just I was sitting there trying to remember, you know, what what we went through.
- Okay.
And what did you come up with? - And And That it was wasn't bad.
I I remember us having a lot of, you know, pretty - real conversations about stuff.
- Mm-hm.
I remember, you know, going over your work, enjoying your work.
- Mm.
- I thought you were great.
And And I remember us, like, having lunch.
You were unhappy in your marriage.
I had just gone through a divorce, and I was trying to somehow be helpful, and, like, we sort of commiserated a bit.
- Mm-hm.
- I did feel the connection.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
And And, like, I And then it got weird.
I know it got weird, but I I just couldn't, I I just couldn't, in my mind you know, see myself as somebody who like, did something terrible.
All of that is in my book.
That's the story that I'm telling.
We have the same story.
- Mm.
- This is my perspective.
It feels one way to you because you're in a position of power.
- You're my teacher.
- It's graduate school.
You're, like, 26 years old.
I mean, what Yeah, exactly.
I'm 26 years old.
It was a big deal for me to come all the fucking way over here to go to grad school, to have enough faith in myself that I could do it.
It was a big deal.
It took me to that point in my life, to feel like, "Oh, I deserve to to come over here and try to make something of myself.
" It was a really big deal.
It took everything that I had in the world.
- Yeah? - And then, I meet somebody who tells me I'm as good as anybody they've ever seen.
I mean, what kind of a fucking thing is that to say? - That was true.
- If it was true, then what happened afterwards? Did my work just start, like, sucking after we had sex? - I don't know - We had sex one time! I know! I di No! I don't know wha what your work did afterwards.
- Because I - You saw it.
I was still in your class.
- For two weeks.
- It was longer than that, and it was really painful and uncomfortable.
I felt that.
I felt that.
- Well, what happened? - I don't know what happened.
I mean, like, I We had sex, and then it was it was just fucking weird, because, like, I started to think, like, you were ashamed and mad because you were married, and maybe I thought you were gonna tell your husband, he was gonna kick my ass I told my husband before anything happened, first of all.
- What? - That's how seriously I was taking it.
I felt like we were in a relationship.
And the things that you were saying to me You were telling me you were gonna set me up with internships.
You were telling me you were gonna introduce me to people.
You were telling me how incredible I was and how like, groundbreaking my work is.
- It's so embarrassing to think about now.
- I - It's so embarrassing I fell for it.
- I believed that.
I believed it.
- Well - So So But I'm saying that I wasn't just some fuckin' monster who was conning you to get into your pants.
- I mean, you know - So then what - changed after you did? - I I don't fucking know.
I can't handle that we Sometimes I have Sometimes I've been in situations where I have sex with people and I have feelings for them, and then once we consummate them, I'm just sort of, like I I don't You know I'm emotionally hobbled, somehow.
I mean, after we fucked You know, it got weird and then you just dropped off.
I mean, was was I supposed to just chase you down and If you thought I was that talented, yeah.
Did you not think I was worth it? - I did, but I - Did you not think you were gonna be able to show me to people and be like, "Look who I've discovered"? - Yeah.
- That's how it made me feel.
Then, I started to think about it afterwards, and I was like, "Oh, God, that's so fucking unfair.
" That because you wanted to sleep with me, this whole course of my life has been impacted now.
- I - I don't know if it's because my work wasn't good enough that I didn't get an internship, that I didn't get introduced to people.
I don't know.
You made me feel like my work was good enough.
- It was.
- Then it didn't happen.
Okay, it didn't happen because, you know, I I bailed on you because I was uncomfortable.
- But the idea that - Why put yourself in that position? - Why put me in that position? - Because I was irresponsible.
- I guess.
- Okay.
That's all I'm saying.
That's the story that I'm telling.
But the idea that all I was doing was trying to fuck you, and everything changed because I fucked you, that I'd finally gotten what I wanted, and now I was done with you, is just garbage.
So, if that's also the story you're telling, it's not the right story.
It's insensitive.
But it's your it's your narrative.
It's your point of view.
I understand.
I'm glad you wrote the book.
And, you know, and it-You know, I hope it does very well for you.
And I guess I'll just fuckin' see it when I see it.
Again, there's nothing I can do about it, and, uh, you know, my side of it I guess I I don't even know what's - I don't know what you have - What to lose.
You can't own your own behavior? You can't own that? Oh, yeah, I can.
I have.
I've lost things before.
I've made mistakes before.
But I guess on some level, I I, uh I control the narrative.
I have the pages that are about you with me.
I wasn't planning on showing it to you.
I don't know why I care.
I think it'll make you feel better, or understand, or something.
I feel really, really nervous.
- Can I see 'em? - Yes.
I'm I'm not gonna I'm not gonna lose my shit.
I understand.
Like, I'm ju I'm afraid.
I'm I'm preemptively defensive and angry, and, you know, I wanna see your work.
I wanted to see it then, I wanna see it now, at least, just I don't know if I can be here for All right, well Do you wanna take a walk - or go to the bathroom? - Yeah, I'll just go to the bathroom.
I'll wait for a minute.
[DOOR OPENS.]
[JACOB SIGHS.]
Um It's, uh It's really It's good.
It's really good.
Do you feel misrepresented? No.
It's just your story, you know? And I I just I don't think I ever really thought about, um the other side of it, really.
You know, I've been doin' this stuff a long time, and, uh And I always think that, like, you know, "This is it, this is the truth," you know? And I don't know that I honestly think about the people who I, you know I'm writing about.
But this is your story, and I, you know, I I I think it's, um I think it's honest.
I think the the art is great.
And, uh, you know I can't really defend my behavior towards the end of this.
I mean, I I think you're you're right.
But what's odd is that, like, um I'm not trying to explain anything, but, like Like, I see myself in this, and I and I I don't It's very hard for me to empathize with, uh anybody.
And, um, because I just am self involved, and especially women How You know, how do I know? [CHUCKLES.]
Thank you.
But, um you know during that time uh I couldn't find anything.
Any work that I was doing you know, when I was teaching that class, and having, you know and we were talking and stuff, you know? And, uh I just wasn't drawing.
And I always draw, you know? I And I I think there's like two things happening in the brain.
My brain.
I don't know if I can generalize.
But, you know, I felt a real connection to you and I was honest about it and then and then the sex did fuck it up, because, like that part of my brain kind of went out somehow.
I understand.
- Do you? - I do.
- I do.
- Did, uh Did your, um Did your marriage survive? I mean, it complicated it.
I did For a while.
For a while.
But, you know, it was kind of like a daily punishment for a few years.
- Wow.
- Which of course, you know Is that in the book? Yeah.
Well, good for you.
I told myself I wouldn't care whether you liked it or not.
[JACOB CHUCKLES.]
Here I am, like - [SIGHS.]
- It's good.
And, um And, like, I'm I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
And like, whatever Like, you know, it's, you know I'm not I don't know.
It's important that you know, these these conversations happen.
I I don't really know what's gonna happen.
[SNIFFLES.]
But, uh But like, I am, in this moment, able to take it in, and I and I'm sorry, honestly, for Thank you.
whatever I Well, for behaving like that, dismissing you, causing that stuff to happen, you know? [SIGHS.]
And I guess I'm, uh I'm I'm grateful that it got through.
Okay? I may be, uh, you know, out of work, but I'll I'll be What do they say? Woke? I'll be woke.
Woke and broke.
[BOTH LAUGH.]
It's not as bad as you thought, right? No.
Yeah.
[CLEARS THROAT.]
Well, I you know, good luck with it.
Thank you.
Thanks for talkin' to me.
Thank you for talking to me.
And it's, uh you know It's good to see you.
Yeah.
Care a little Care a lot Let me love you Let me not But that wouldn't change - [DOOR BUZZER SOUNDS.]
- The way I care for you That wouldn't make me think of - Hello? - Someone new Hey, it's Jacob.
Can I come up, please? Somehow I know I'd rather Live life through With this crazy feeling I've got [DOOR CLOSES.]
Care a little Care a lot - Hello.
- Hi.
I'm gonna sit in there.
[DOOR CLOSES.]
How's it going? Okay, so Hm.
I'm sorry about the park.
That was embarrassing.
Fucking ridiculous.
I'm ridiculous.
Mm-hm.
And, uh, you know, about the other night um I have been thinkin' about it.
It was nice.
It was nice.
It felt you know It felt comfortable.
It wasn't weird.
I mean, come on.
I love you.
I mean, you know, we've been together for a long time.
Why would that, you know, just I don't It just takes me a couple days, I guess.
You know? When you fuck your best friend, it takes a minute to process process, it takes a day or two.
You know, when you try to push her away and you know, fuck everything up and then, you know Yeah.
I don't need to do that.
What would it be like if you didn't? Um Am I challenging you too much right now? No.
No.
No.
- Are we - Oh I mean, come on.
[SIGHS.]
We're old.
We're so old.
- I'm so tired.
- [BOTH LAUGH.]
I'm so tired.
I know.
And I And I'm exhausting.
I'm exhausting.
But you know what's weird about me is like, not only do I exhaust you I exhaust myself.
[JACOB SIGHS.]
I really I'm experimenting with listening.
Gonna try that for a while.
I've, like, you know, I've gone my whole life without doing it.
I'm gonna try to be, uh, more um - open.
- [SIGHS.]
I mean, I'm I'm ready to relax.
- Oh, yeah.
- Right? Like, this feels good.
We're relaxing.
Like, you know, I don't know what's gonna happen, but I mean, come on, we we've been together so long.
- Shh.
- Okay.
- You know, you are you're - I know.
You're seriously - Dude, you're a pain.
- I know.
- You're such a pain in the ass.
- I know.
I know, but [SIGHS.]
I don't regret it.
- I don't regret it.
- No.
No, super pain in the ass.
I've always been that.
Come on.
I mean, I may need a place to live.
[BOTH LAUGH.]
Okay? [LAUGHING.]
I'm still here After telling you So long I'm still here, baby After saying that I'd be gone And now maybe, I was just Talkin' out of my head But baby, if I wasn't - Can I take back what I said? - Ooh 'Cause when I - Need someone to hold - Hey, baby You're right here to hold