Diane

What's wrong?

Are you okay, honey?

- Oh. - You look all tuckered out.

I'm fine. Oh, my God, I'm so sorry.

- I fell asleep. - It's okay, sweetie. It's okay.

What time is it?

- Hello. - Well, look who's here.

I can't stay, but just a minute.

- I brought you some chicken. - Aren't you a love?

And it's in the casserole dish of yours

that I've had for six months.

Oh.

Hm.

- What's this? - I made you some galumpkis.

And that's your old casserole dish.

I've had it for a year.

Isn't that funny?

Sit down. I'll pour you some coffee.

What are you doing making me food?

You're the one with the invalid.

Oh, don't I know it. He's been driving me bananas.

"Did you call Jerry?"

"Did they put the new snowplow on the truck yet?"

What are you gripin' about?

- How's he doin'? - Well, he's hobblin' around.

He wanted to go out and cut the damn wood the other morning.

Don't listen to her.

- How are you feelin', Al? - Ah, still a little lame.

Well, you're probably goin' a little stir-crazy too.

He wanted to get on the goddamn tractor the other morning.

I says, "What are you tryin' to do?

"Throw your other hip out of joint?

Get back in that chair."

You gotta take it easy, Al.

- Just a little bit longer. - Yeah.

Listen. How's everything with Brian?

Fine.

I don't know.

Well, we're prayin' for him.

Oh, hi. I can only stay a moment.

I just wanted to bring by some "Agatha Christies."

She was chattering away with her daughter this morning.

She usually takes a nap around this time.

Yeah.

- I think she looks pretty good. - She's a trooper.

I'm gonna bring her mom by later this week.

- She is a pip, that one. - Yeah.

Gets us laughing so hard, we practically wet our pants.

She's somethin', alright. Alright, bye.

Bye.

Thanks for coming.

Dorie took the car.

No problem.

- Here, let me get that. - How's Donna?

Well, she was napping, but she looked pretty good.

Her levels are all good

and she's gettin' her appetite back.

John brought her some Friendly's the other day

and she just wolfed it right down, so..

Yeah, that's what you want when you're in the hospital.

What you loved when you were a kid.

Yeah.

So how much longer is Bill in town?

He's leaving Thursday.

Oh, we better get over there tomorrow then.

- I'm bringing Mame. - Hm.

Good. He asked about her.

Um, do you have time to stop by for a coffee?

No. I have some errands to run. Thank you.

Oh, wait a minute.

I know. You don't have to say a thing.

Brian?

Wake up.

Get up.

- Mom, what the fuck? - Come on. Get up.

What are you doing?

You can't lie around and sleep all day.

- What are you doing here? - What am I doing here?

I'm making sure you're alive, that's what.

Yeah, well, I don't know what you think I'm doin'

but you can't just show up like this.

Look at you. You are filthy

and you don't even know what time it is.

I told you, I've been sick.

Didn't I tell you I've been sick like 90 times?

- Yes. That you have bronchitis. - Yeah.

Look. Here's the medication to prove it.

It takes time.

- Brian. - I was cleanin' up before.

Brian.

Just let me put myself together.

Brian, you need to listen to me.

You've been saying that you're sick with bronchitis

for five weeks now, and I just don't believe you.

Well, if you don't believe me, that's your right.

I went out at night and I forgot a jacket.

But you don't believe me.

Sweetie, you've got to go back to the clinic.

What?

- You think it's that? - Yes.

After everything that we have been through.

And if you think I could look you in the eye

and lie about that?

How could you even think that?

- Honey -- - It just kills me.

It kills me because it means that

you know, I've lost your trust.

It means that you don't trust me

even after we talked everything through.

Brian.

I need you to know how awful it is for me.

To think you think that I could ever do that again.

- I.. - Please.

Please what? Stop doin' something I'm not doing?

- What can I say -- - Sweetheart --

Don't come near me.

I don't wanna get you sick.

Even if you don't believe me.

Oh, what about her?

If -- If you're sick, why is she here?

She's sick too.

She's sick, too, mom.

Brian.

Look at me.

You need to go back to the clinic.

I just..

I just need you to trust me, please.

- Okay. - Thank you!

Okay. But take a shower and get cleaned up.

I will.

And your clothes are in there on that chair.

Okay.

And please take care of yourself.

- Please! - I will.

I don't think I'm gonna have a salad.

Okay.

Oh, my God.

There's only one piece of pie left.

I'm sorry. My friend got there first.

I am sick and goddamn tired of these kids

who keep piling food on their plates

just because they're kids.

I was at the Country Buffet last week

and this little shit, he grabs the last pork chop off a pan

and he plunks it down next to three cheeseburgers.

And his parents say, "Oh, how about that appetite? Ho, ho, ho."

And I says, "Yeah, how about those manners?"

- That shut 'em up. - Mm-hmm.

How's your cousin?

Pretty good. Pretty good.

Boy, she's had it about as rough as they come.

And she's as cheerful as ever.

How's Mario's shoulder?

He's in a lot of pain.

And it serves him right. He won't listen to me.

I keep saying, "Why are you lugging that stuff

up and down the back steps? Let Dave Milch do it."

But no. "I'm gonna carry my own goddamn firewood.

Thank you very much."

I was at the Rymanowski's earlier. - Yeah,

Al's going through the same thing. He had surgery.

He's luggin' this, pickin' up that, carrying this.

Yeah, I said, "Mario, what happens if you take a spill

"and then it's up to me to waddle out there

"and help you off the ice?

Yeah, that would put you in a spot, wouldn't it?"

Mm-hmm.

You heard about Tom McConnell?

- Yeah. - Goddamn PCBs.

I know it. I can't believe it.

Let's see. There was my Dave

Dave Goggins, Howard Boyce

uh, George Bulgarelli, Mike Gizzy and Bobby Angelo.

That's right.

All within three years of each other.

How about Pete Arlos

and the Wittlesey brothers, both of 'em?

It's a wonder Mario is alive and kickin'.

Yeah.

So what else is goin' on?

I'm just waiting for the call to start planning the funeral.

Listen to me, honey.

There hasn't been a time in the last ten years

that you haven't gone to pieces over this kid.

You know I love him to death, like he's my own.

But he's a grown man.

Something got ahold of him.

He's the only one that can shake it off.

I've known him for fucking ten years, Cor..

- What are you doin' here? - I brought you some food.

He knows me.

It's simple.

What?

Okay. What the fuck am I supposed to do, huh?

Yeah?

Why don't you shove it all up your fucking ass

along with your faggot partner

and your fucking cunt girlfriend?

Brian!

I just really need that job, mom.