Once and Again (1999) s03e08 Episode Script

~ bufgelfly ~
Mum, I need money for my field trip.
What?
Don't go through a person's
purse without asking.
- It's not a person, it's Mom.
- Thanks. How much?
Ten.
Grace! You didn't take out
the recycling
I'm still gonna do it,
I'm still gonna do it!
What's this?
What is that?
Grace, give that to me
No way.
Oh my God, is this Eli's?
- Let me see
- Give me that!
I've seen those before.
It's not like
we've never seen stuff like that.
- Where have you seen stuff like this?
- All over the place!
And at least that's honest.
It's models in the women's magazines
that are really pornographic.
Rick, can we talk about this?
You be quiet.
And get ready for school!
- I presume this is Eli's.
- Let me look at it
Yes, I presume it's Eli's.
- Will you talk to him?
- About what?
About this! He shouldn't leave it
in the recycling.
It was pretty well hidden
I hate these magazines.
Has anyone ever told you you're
beautiful when you're prudish?
I am?
Sex?
Sex is, uh incredibly
when you're having it,
which is usually not enough
because you don't make it happen,
but who wants to make sex happen?
- I miss you.
- You do?
Without question.
We have to do something about that.
Soon I hope.
It's supposed to just be there,
because two people are so incredibly
attracted to each other right?
Sex? I'm in favor of it.
How was your lunch with Sandra?
Lunch with Sandra was very good.
Where did you
have lunch with Sandra?
I had lunch with Sandra at a
restaurant. And then,
we went to her car
in the parking structure.
Of course you did.
She's very verbal.
We had a very interesting
verbal exchange.
Really? How fascinating.
I was not the initiator
of this conversation.
I hate you. What if Judy asks me
what's up with you?
She won't, my friend.
She's not very charitable
toward me at the moment.
- Why not?
- Because
she knows what's up with me.
Just separated, running around
with girls half your age?
I prefer to think of myself
as an archetype.
Alright.
Living out my deely imbedded
instinctual imperative.
To be an ass.
You know what, Ricky,
you're right.
What I've really been really doing
is acting out
my fear of my own mortality.
No. I couldn't get girls
when I was twenty
so I'm making up for lost time.
No. After being married
for twenty years
to a woman my own age,
I'm all of a sudden
mysteriously terrified
of women my own age.
So I can only handle
a younger woman.
Any pathologies I missed?
The terrible truth, my friend,
is that what I'm doing now
feels good.
It's the first thing that's felt good
in ten years.
And I don't know why
I should stop doing it, except that
it disturbs the universe of
every married person I know.
God! You scared me.
- What is this?
- Erotica.
- I see.
- I'm supporting the First Amendment.
And it's fun to see how everyone
glancing around furtively
as if no one else was
fascinated by sex.
In the beginning, Rick thought I was
less interested in sex than he was,
which was totally untrue.
I was
just less comfortable.
Later, of course, he got less
interested in sex than I was.
Well, we're a Puritan country,
aren't we?
Protestant guilt, Catholic guilt,
Jewish guilt
we're ecumenical.
Leo would like this.
He didn't know the meaning
of sexual guilt.
Good for him.
Good for me, too.
Have you seen him lately?
No, must be more than a year
The more you have the more you want,
the less you have,
the less you think about it.
I think I'm kind of like a guy
about sex, like,
if a certain amount of time goes by
without it, I start to go crazy.
What?
We should go out. Meet people.
I know a great place.
What? Like a bar?
Not unlike a bar.
Just the thought of meeting someone
in a place like that
- It's not a crack house.
- I know
We'll dance.
I'm used to dance.
It'll be very respectable.
We'll get dressed up, have a drink.
- Female bonding ritual.
- Exactly.
We'll stop by the crack house
on the way home.
Kids talk about sex
all the time, but
Truthfully, I still think
it's kind of gross.
- Hey, Tad.
- How you doing?
Good.
You know, you look really good
in your costume.
It doesn't even fit.
And dress rehearsal is in three days.
- At least you know your lines.
- Stegosaurus boy!
Jessie, this is Katie.
He dragged me to rehearsal yesterday.
You're incredible.
Thanks.
You should sing in a band.
- So, can she come over Saturday?
- I didn't ask her yet.
- Why not?
- 'Cause you're bothering me!
Saturday night, a bunch of us
are hanging out at my house,
and Tad wanted to invite you,
but he wasn't sure
if you has a good time
at the last party
Do you wanna come? I mean
Her house is really disgusting.
My house is very tasteful.
I could pick you up.
Sure, I guess.
Cool.
Bye, Jess.
Nice meeting you.
She just told you to come down
with her to the car?
No excuses or anything?
Isn't this young generation brazen.
I sure would like
to be seduced like that.
I thought you guys were still all
over each other. Car magazines!
We are. We were.
We sort of still are.
I don't know. It's weird.
You move in, you have all these kids
And get married.
Marriage has nothing to do with it.
Shut shut shut up.
It doesn't. So you get to her car
and what exactly happened?
You degenerated or something?
Why don't you check on the pornography.
I can't, I'll get in trouble.
What?
I wasn't supposed
to call you so I didn't.
I wanted to.
I understand.
So, here we are again.
So, how are you?
Tired of answering that question.
I'm tired of asking it.
Let me ask you this.
I'm supposedly
I can't believe
I'm just jumping into this
It's OK.
I'm in this moment of my life,
yeah, blah, blah, blah.
We don't belong together, fine.
However
I'm think about you a lot.
And maybe I'm deluding myself,
thinking that
you might think about me
just a little bit.
Occasionally.
So I'm wondering
if there's any way we can
be in each other's presence,
lay eyes on each other,
you know, without being together,
you know, so it's not
a complete blackout?
Just a middle ground.
- I don't know what you mean.
- Neither do I.
Friends.
Who are unfortunately
very attracted to each other.
Right.
I could you know,
think about that.
I'll call you.
I'll make sure you're not home,
so you can decide
if you want to call me back.
Fantasies?
Geez. I fantasize about Lily.
I do!
It started when we were first dating
and she decided to stop seeing me.
Apparently I can only fantasize
about women I can't have.
God, I'm so tired.
I don't think I can crawl into bed.
You think something's wrong with me?
Definitely.
Maybe I'm anemic.
Oh my God.
- What?
- I forgot to call Claire.
- Who's Claire?
- Zoe's friend's mother.
Zoe's going over there
tomorrow after school.
What did I do with her number?
It's just a picture, really.
She's wearing
the shirt she had then,
with nothing else on,
and she's looking at me
Of course, it's downstairs.
What am I doing?
I'm too tired.
I'll get it tomorrow.
- What?
- Nothing.
And it's just this look on her face,
this totally
open look,
like she's gonna change my world,
turn it upside down,
and all I have to do is sit back
and enjoy it.
I think I should join the gym.
Why?
Because i've just been
so tired lately.
Oh, honey
- It's OK.
- Is it?
- Of course.
- Thank you.
I mean if you just wanna
No, no.
Thank you. I'm so tired.
I don't event think
I can say good night.
- You just managed.
- I did, didn't I?
Good morning, Eli.
- Do you need any reading material?
- Excuse me?
We wouldn't want you to be deprived
of stimulation.
What are you talking about?
Wow. This is a cool magazine.
Oh, I love this magazine.
Eli, you wanna look?
This girl is so cute.
Did I miss something?
They are gonna be missing something
if they don't get their rear ends
out of here.
Oh, I think she's adorable.
- You like her bod, Eli?
- She's really built.
What was that about?
They're just
acting like teenage girls.
Yeah, well bye Lily.
Are you gonna talk to him?
What is there to talk about?
It's strange, having
these magazines in my house.
Where's he gonna look at 'em,
out on the street?
It's just about the girls.
He didn't leave them out
for them to see.
But they did see.
Please, you have no idea what
pressure these girls are under today.
I'm gonna make this boy feel guilty
about his sexuality.
Does he understand real girls don't look
like the ones in the magazines?
- Of course he does.
- They're all airbrushed.
Of course, he understands that.
Do you?
Sometimes?
Boys You probably buy
these magazines yourself.
Wouldn't you like to know.
I wouldn't be upset.
Although I wouldn't wanna think
you have someone elses on your mind
You are more than enough for me,
thank you very much.
Coming!
Are you coming in?
I was thinking I could eat out here
in the hall, and then
Shut up.
Thank you for bringing lunch.
- I loved that game!
- You never played it
With the little plastic men
and the horse heads?
- Only guys played Camelot.
- I had an older brother.
You probably think
you could beat me.
I know I could.
I'm gonna find that game,
I'm gonna buy it
and show you
What're you gonna show me?
show you which of the two of us
mastered Camelot.
We'll see about that.
You got
Oh, come on now,
you gotta be kidding.
Sorry.
We have to be able to kiss.
Oh, yeah? Why?
Because the energy necessary
to not kiss you could be
very very debilitating.
That's so sweet.
Kissing is inconsequential.
Then you won't miss it.
And if I kiss you,
I won't be able to stop there.
- Really?
- Yeah.
Who came up with this idea, anyway?
Tad really likes you.
But he likes different people
every week.
Not to diminish his liking of you.
Can I ask you something?
Do you feel like you fit anywhere
in this school?
Is that a totally rude question to ask?
I think that was a totally
rude question to ask.
No, it's just
I don't know
But the answer is definitely not.
I don't know why I thought
I could ask that.
Maybe because
I kind of knew the answer.
You fit in this school.
- I'm serious.
- You don't even know me!
But I see you. You're always talking
to a hundred different people.
A hundred different people
talk to me. In French I think.
Miss Singer? Are you preventing
Miss Sammler from doing her work?
Yes, Mrs. Lovatelli.
But I'll stop now.
When did you do this?
Just before I was indicted
for transporting minors
across state lines
for immoral purposes.
I didn't mean that.
They're lovely books.
They're beautiful.
I could use some of these books,
apparently.
Lily, what's wrong?
Nothing's wrong.
Absolutely nothing's wrong.
I need to embrace
my inner pornographer.
Wow. Nice work if you can get it.
Do you think men secretly
want us to be
like the women
in the pictures they look at?
I think half of them would die of
fright if we were.
Lily, it's fantasy.
Don't you have fantasies?
I don't know I guess
Fantasies?
Oh! I remember one
I used to have
I'm sitting on an airplane,
and this man gets on
But you at least forgive him when
he doesn't live up to your fantasies?
He has this voice,
this deep voice,
and I can feel it through the seat
Never mind.
Sweetie, is everything OK
with the two of you?
Yes. Of course. We're just having
a little, our first little
When you're dating
and you're in love,
and you only see each other
three days a week,
you pretty much know
when you're gonna have sex.
And
And when you move in together,
all of a sudden there's all
this stuff to figure out:
When do we have sex?
Who initiates it?
What if one person wants to
and the other doesn't?
- Sounds like too much work.
- Exactly.
Last night we were supposed
to have sex.
You were supposed to have sex?
But I forgot.
So?
But I really think I was avoiding it.
And I'm not sure why.
Were you mad at him?
No. I guess I
I want something from him,
some energy,
that takes me out of
all the life-stuff,
and I feel like I'm the one
who always has to make that happen.
And it feels like Jake and me.
And that's scary.
I don't wanna go down
that same path,
and I don't know
how to make it stop.
Well, tomorrow is always
another night.
Hey, there.
Hello.
I love your profile.
You do?
I think about your profile.
Do you?
What do you think about my profile?
What a great profile you have.
What?
What a great profile you have.
Just give me one second.
I just have to finish this,
just to be done.
Just be
- It's OK.
- No, I'll be done in two seconds.
All done.
I told you it'd be just two seconds.
It's OK.
I don't know why
I'm so tired these days.
Are you really tired?
Completely.
You should go to sleep then.
Good night, Lily.
Good night, Rick.
A hotel mean sex.
You're having an affair,
you're meeting a stranger,
you're stealing away with your wife.
Perhaps all three at the same time.
- You're very sick.
- Thank you.
Are you seeing Judy?
- Why do you always ask me that?
- Because I always think you are.
I am not seeing Judy
in the biblical sense.
No, given the current state
of my immaturity,
we think it's best thing
not to sleep together.
I'm shocked.
How are you and Lily doing
biblically?
- Who asked you?
- Me!
Well, I am not answering that.
Happens to everyone, man.
You marry a person,
and they're not the person
you chase anymore.
And since you can't chase them,
somehow
you can't want them the same way.
That's not true.
I do want her, I want her
I totally want her.
So what's the problem?
I just don't know if she wants me.
Or that she wants what I want,
or wants to know what I want.
What?
Now
which wife of Rick's does that
remind me of?
Jess, would you help me
tie this thing?
What are you wearing?
What's wrong with it?
I don't know. It's just weird.
What, I'm not allowed to look nice?
Well, I
I don't know if "nice" is the word.
You just shut your mouth
and let your mom make a
fool of herself once in a while.
Where are you going, anyway?
Out with some friends.
With who? On a date?
No, it's not a date.
I'm just going out with Judy.
You're the only one who has a date.
- It's not a date.
- OK, OK, OK.
A party. Excuse me.
That he's taking you to.
Mom!
I want you back by eleven.
Eli said he'd be home by then.
Yes, ma'am.
And when are you gonna be home?
You know what?
I have no idea.
- Where are you going?
- Lynn Strapoli's.
Are Lynn Strapoli's parents home?
No, they're in prison.
- What time are you
- Eleven.
Fine.
Bye
Listen.
What?
Silence.
Zoe's at her sleepover.
Your kids are at Karen's.
We're free.
What should we do about
this strange occurence?
Something really illicit.
Is it me or have these places
gotten louder?
What?
Doesn't it feel good to be out?
Everyone looks like they're fifteen.
Sorry.
Is it me or is everyone
in this room fifteen?
- She just said that!
- I know. I heard her.
This used to be a nice,
boring old mutual fund crowd.
What is it now?
The end of civilization?
I don't know.
They're just having fun.
Does your friend speak,
or does she have a medical condition?
I can speak, thank you very much
And really well, too.
Hi, I'm Steven.
- Judy.
- Karen. How are you?
- Can I get you guys a drink?
- No thanks.
- We'll have martinis.
- OK.
But not one of these Kool Aid/
apple/Cosmopolitan things.
Real martinis.
He's cute.
He's OK.
- Do you like him?
- I just walked in!
Will you like him in a half hour?
I think I'll have run
screaming in a half hour
Not if I can help it.
He is so cute.
I have a crush on him.
You almost finished?
Why?
Because I'd really rather
watch upstairs.
Why?
You wouldn't be cutting off
the circulation in half my body.
Oh, really?
Stop, stop stop it!
You're gonna mess up the couch.
You OK?
What? Sure, what do you mean?
So, she helps the downtrodden too!
- You should see her.
- Give me a break!
Are you like the most beautiful public
interest lawyer in Chicago?
OK, I'm going home now
Steven, she gets very upset
if you compliment her.
- I'm really tired!
- Come on!
- Come on!
- One more drink.
One more drink, then I'm going home!
- Oh, yes, ma'am.
- Yes, ma'am.
Where is everybody?
I don't know.
What do you like this?
It's good.
Do you wanna sit?
Sure.
Jess?
You know
You know I really like you, right?
I like you too.
Tad, wait.
Tad, wait!
We're taking a food run.
Jess, you want to come?
Sure.
Come on.
Tad, why don't you get a life
while we're gone?
Did you get your card?
Oh, you guys go ahead,
I'm in the lot
No, no, I'll wait with you.
You don't need to.
Steve will walk you to your car.
Yeah, Steve will walk you
to your car.
It was nice to meet you, Judy.
You too, Steve,
I hope to see you again.
And you, darling.
- Call me tomorrow.
- Yes, I shall.
Hey, sailor. What brings you
to a place like this?
I was gonna ask you the same thing.
Were you.
I ended up in Chicago by accident,
so I have no right to talk.
What about you, you like winter?
Nobody from Chicago likes winter.
You're sure about that,
you've taken a poll?
No, I just
Don't worry.
I only kid people I like.
I'm sorry. I'm not really I'm
not very good company tonight.
- I don't usually
- You're great company.
I haven't been to a place like that
in a while, and
This is my car.
Thanks for walking with me.
The air felt good.
Listen. Would you like to go
somewhere? Grab a cup of coffee?
I don't know.
I really should be getting home.
Of course. But you know
You could be getting home a half
hour later and it wouldn't be so bad.
You are absolutely
the most beautiful
public interest lawyer in Chicago.
I have to go home.
Wait. Just one second.
Are you OK?
Yeah, it just feels like you're
What?
I appreciate
what you're trying to do,
just sometimes,
it doesn't work that way.
I'm not trying to do anything.
You know what,
it doesn't have to be a goal, Rick.
Would you rather I not pay attention?
You're not paying attention to me now,
you're worried about the outcome.
I can't do anything right, can I?
Rick, I'm not saying that.
I just want to be with you.
That's all I even care about.
So be with me, I'm right here.
You're not here,
you're a million miles away.
I don't understand what's going on.
I don't know what you want, I don't
know what you're complaining about.
I'm not complaining about anything.
Then what is going on?
You're the one who stopped!
But I didn't stop to complain.
Do you have to make everything
so complicated?
We're alone one night
in almost a month
I don't know why
it has to turn out like this.
"A Wrinkle in Time."
I used to think it was a book about
Albert Einstein falling asleep
in his clothes.
- That's because you're stupid.
- I'm deeply stupid.
I'm gonna kiss you in a minute.
And this older brother of yours
who used to beat you up?
Until I was fifteen
and I got taller than him,
at which point I took my revenge.
Is this permissible to
talk like this all night?
I think it's kind of remarkable.
Thank you!
Oh, my throat is sore.
'Cause you talk so damn much
I couldn't get a word in edge-wise!
"Then, in third year of my
my senior year"
Tell me about the rabbits, George.
Right, well.
We can't be together because
I'm an immature, bad person
who's not ready
to be in a relationship
And we can't be completely
apart because, well
we're both idiots.
So we just have to keep doing this?
Friends.
Friends who want to tear
each other's clothes off.
- How long can we do this?
- A day?
- A day and a half.
- Maybe two?
- Maybe three.
- Maybe a week
Miracles are possible.
But you have to
You have to let me kiss you, though.
See, now, you're just a mean person.
Through and through.
- Mom? Are you up?
- What?
'Cause it's eleven.
You're kidding.
Did you have a good time last night?
I guess.
What does that mean?
I had a good time.
- Jess?
- Mom, it's OK.
- Did something happen?
- Nothing happened.
Did someone do something?
No! Why do you have to
make such a big deal of this?
Honey.
Jess? If somebody did
something
He kissed me, OK?
So, how did that make you feel?
I felt fine about it.
You know you can't let anybody
pressure you into doing
They've drilled that into us
since third grade.
Then what is it?
I'm supposed to want to, aren't I?
That's a really tough question,
isn't it?
I think you'll want to
when you're ready.
What if I'm never ready?
Am I just a freak?
Come here.
If you're a freak, I'm really worried
about the rest of the world.
You have to believe
in yourself, Jess.
You are amazing.
Trust me.
You have so much going for you.
And when the time is right,
this will go for you, too.
Mom?
It's OK, honey.
Moms have to cry sometimes.
Did you have a good time last night?
That was fine. It was boring.
Did you meet anybody?
Nobody that was worth
bringing home to you.
Did Tad find you?
No.
He wanted to apologize
for, you know, the other night.
Really?
Guys are so weird. They strut around
like they're so tough
but half the time
they're just chickens.
- I had to beat him up to ask you out.
- You did?
I should've saved us both
the trouble.
You didn't know me then.
I knew he liked you.
That was enough.
Hey, Dad I won't be late.
- Can I ask you something?
- Sure.
Do you, uh, do you buy those
dirty men's magazines?
- Yeah, you want to borrow one?
- No.
Lily found one in the recycling.
And I thought I hid it so well
Just hide it better next time.
Can you even see in here?
Come here.
I love having sex with you.
- You do?
- From the first time we were together.
So what is going on?
I don't know, I guess I
I get so scared when I feel
you pull away from me.
When you feel me pull away from you?
Yes, I come to bed and
I feel like you don't even see me
Wait a minute.
When you feel me
pull away from you?
- Lily, you pulled away from me.
- I did not.
I could see it on your face.
You think I've pulled away from you?
I come to bed and it's
like you don't even see me.
Can I ask you something?
Is there something
you're not getting?
I don't know. Is there something
you're not getting?
I think there might be.
Me, too.
- Why didn't you say so?
- Why didn't you?
Because
'Cause how can say something
when it seems
so small in the grand
scheme of things
So what is it?
I can't even say it. You tell me
what you're not getting.
It's nothing. I shouldn't even
I shouldn't even need it.
Listen to us.
All right, I'll tell you mine
if you tell me yours.
Go ahead.
I sometimes feel
like I need you
to make it happen.
You know? Like, to have
thought of it before and just
walk into the room
with a certain look on your face.
It doesn't even matter
what you're wearing,
well, sometimes it matters, but
but mainly it's just you know
that you're the sexiest
woman on Earth
and there's no possibility of my
resisting.
And you're gonna just treat me
Like a Like a king.
Like a naughty king.
Why are you laughing at me?
That's mean.
You idiot. That's I want!
- You do?
- Yeah, except the king part.
You want me to wear sexy lingerie?
No, I want you
to sweep me off my feet
with those incredibly
sexy arms of yours.
You do?
Intensely.
I can do that.
I bet you can.
What?
Isn't it a problem if
we both want the other to
to make it happen?
I guess we'll just have to
make a schedule.
Oh, really?
And I think you should
make it happen first.
Look, I didn't mean literally!
- Yes you did.
- I didn't!