The Humans
Page 10
huh . . .
(Wandering farther back)
. . . can I use a credit card
for . . . yeah, but I’m gonna
be paying her back so how
much is—[wow, that’s a lot]
. . . yeah . . .
Erik wanders away from Aimee to finish the call with some privacy. He finishes the call—including giving the car company his cell phone number—with his back to us, he’s half-audible, not decipherable. Aimee rolls her eyes at Erik ordering the van, she finds it amusing, she goes downstairs. Deirdre quickly recovers from her crying spell once she hears Aimee coming downstairs.
RICHARD
Dessert is on the way . . .
AIMEE
DEIRDRE
Thank you . . . so is a car . . .
Oh man, I can’t believe there’s more food . . .
Aimee helps bus some more dirty dishes to the kitchen.
AIMEE
(Sensing Deirdre’s a bit distressed)
Mom, don’t worry about it, it saves me a cab ride—I can hitch a ride with you guys to Penn Station . . .
ERIK
(Descending the stairs)
Okay, they’ll come at six . . . but we can change the time if you want . . .
DEIRDRE
AIMEE
Sounds good . . .
Okay, I can make a 7:05 train.
DEIRDRE
Thanks, Aimee, I’m embarrassed we had to do this—
AIMEE
Hey, first time for everything, right?
Erik hands Aimee her phone. Aimee returns to the kitchen to help.
DEIRDRE
(To Erik)
Are you too drunk to thank your daughter?
BRIGID
This is all from a local bakery . . .
DEIRDRE
(More pointed)
Hey, are you too drunk to thank your daughter?
This pisses Erik off, but he ignores Deirdre. Richard joins the table.
RICHARD
So what we’ve got is—this is rugelach, vanilla cupcakes, a chocolate croissant . . .
DEIRDRE
Wow . . . well today I officially fell off the Weight Watchers wagon, so . . . man, these all look good . . . hmm . . . I’ll have, uh . . .
ERIK
Give her the one with all the frosting, that’s the one she wants.
Beat. That was the one Deirdre wanted, but now she’s too stung.
DEIRDRE
I’ll have, the, uh . . . I’ll, uh . . . / I’m gonna . . .
RICHARD
Which one can I get you?
DEIRDRE
Just gonna / . . . [sit here for a minute] . . .
MOMO
(Waking, barely audible, mumbled)
. . . nairywheres do we blag werstrus, doll sezzer / big sussten back . . . sezz it whairidoll . . . er hairin sildern fernal garn ackening ery or loddinsezz . . .
DEIRDRE
. . . I’m gonna take her to the bathroom, yeah Erik? . . . / okay? . . .
BRIGID
ERIK
I can help you—
Yeah . . .
DEIRDRE
No I’m good.
ERIK
(To Richard)
Would you help her get Momo settled upstairs, / I don’t want her lifting her by herself . . .
RICHARD
Sure . . .
BRIGID
Dad, I said I’d help . . .
ERIK
No, stay here, will you? / Stay here . . .
Deirdre assists Momo into her wheelchair as Aimee returns to the table.
BRIGID
AIMEE
Why?
So hey, while everyone’s
wasted . . . I’m having my
intestine taken out next month,
when I leave my job, / so . . .
just FYI people.
ERIK
RICHARD
Oh man . . .
What?
AIMEE
Can I crash with you guys post-surgery? / . . . thought I’d let you guys take care of me?
ERIK
Yeah, God, we might . . . of course you can, God, / of course, Aimee . . .
Aimee notices Deirdre is on the verge of tears.
AIMEE
Mom, I’m gonna be fine don’t freak out—
DEIRDRE
ERIK
(Wheeling Momo out)
Yeah, yeah . . . just we might
I know, I know . . .
be moving soon if, uh—
AIMEE
Really?—I thought—the sewers won’t be in yet . . .
Deirdre continues to roll Momo toward the basement door.
DEIRDRE
MOMO
Yeah, tell ’em about the sewers. /
(Mumbling unintelligibly until she exits)
. . . wheres’ll her annear . . . do
you go hole in a wheres do you
go hole in a wheres do go hole
in a where to go hole in a
wheres . . . where do we go
hole in a . . .
AIMEE
BRIGID
What’s going on?
. . . Mom . . . [what’s wrong?] . . .
ERIK
DEIRDRE
Nothing, nothing stay here,
(To Brigid)
okay?—everyone’s okay . . .
I’m okay, stay here . . .
(To Richard)
Would you let them in upstairs?
Deirdre and Momo exit.
RICHARD
Sure . . .
Richard goes upstairs, opens the upstairs door and waits in the hallway for Momo and Deirdre to get off the elevator.
AIMEE
Are you sick?
ERIK
No no, no one’s sick, we’re good, just . . . we sold the lake property, okay? / To help with—
AIMEE
BRIGID
Okay . . .
What . . . when . . . ?
ERIK
[Not important] . . . St. Paul’s let me go, okay, so we’ve had to / tighten our belts and we’re figuring out—
BRIGID
Why would they let you go?
ERIK
—that’s not [important]—I’m not getting my pension now, they could fire me before it kicked in, all right / so now—
AIMEE
They can take away / your pension—?
ERIK
It’s [complicated]—they’re a private school so / they can do whatever—
AIMEE
But—why did they fire you?
ERIK
It’s [complicated]—they have this morality code, okay?, / St. Paul’s makes—
AIMEE
Okay . . .
ERIK
—you sign it / and if you—
BRIGID
Why would a morality code—were you, like, selling drugs on the playground?
ERIK
There was an incident and . . . all right?, so / they could—
BRIGID
What kind of—
ERIK
They could fire me . . . because of this incident, it’s—
AIMEE
What are you talking about?
ERIK
I cheated on your mom, with, uh, a teacher from school and . . . we’re okay but, I realize this is a lot to just [unload] . . . you guys okay?—
AIMEE
BRIGID
[Uh, not really . . .]
Just . . . [keep going] . . .
ERIK
—we worked through it, okay?, / we met with Father Quinn and . . .
AIMEE
Okay . . .
ERIK
. . . we’re good, but people talk and we don’t want you hearing from other people, okay? / We’d rather you hear it from us, okay? . . .
AIMEE
Okay, so . . . okay, so you guys . . . you just want us to . . . just . . . to know? . . .
ERIK
Yeah, and I’m already at a Walmart in Danville / just to keep money coming in—
AIMEE
God, Dad . . . for how long?—
BRIGID
Why the one in Danville?
ERIK
I don’t want kids from school seeing me there. Something full-time should open up this spring, so . . . / the trick’s been . . .
AIMEE
. . . so . . .
ERIK
. . . the cost of taking care of Momo’s been a surprise, / you wouldn’t even believe how much the [medical stuff costs]—
BRIGID
AIMEE
Are you guys . . .
. . . okay . . .
So you’re behind?
How much are you behind?
ERIK
Can Mom not retire now?—
I don’t want you [worrying about]—
AIMEE
Would I be able to help out? . . . or—is it too much for me to even—
ERIK
I think—you’ve lost your job / and’ll have your own medical stuff to [worry about]—
AIMEE
Okay, I know, I know but I still want to know how deep a hole you’re in.
Being buzzed almost makes things worse for Aimee and Brigid.
UPSTAIRS: Richard now holds the door open; Deirdre wheels Momo inside. She doesn’t get far before she begins to hear the argument downstairs; it stops her from taking Momo to the bathroom.
ERIK
The plan is to sell the house and rent an apartment, we don’t need space / anymore . . .
BRIGID
Are there even apartments in Scranton? / Who lives in—
AIMEE
ERIK
Of course there are—
Hey, getting a place on one
level will be good, Mom won’t
be climbing stairs—
AIMEE
It doesn’t sound good, Dad / —it sounds like you’re in a deep hole—
ERIK
I’m working it out, Aimee—
AIMEE
Do you have anything saved? Dad, do you have any / savings?—
ERIK
We don’t have savings, Aimee / we’ve been stretched—
AIMEE
—okay, okay well you’re telling us this when you’re drunk / so sorry if I’m getting frustrated . . .
ERIK
—well we haven’t had savings for years.
BRIGID
Have you asked Uncle John to help?
AIMEE
He lives in a trailer, / you think—
BRIGID
That doesn’t mean he has no money—
AIMEE
That’s exactly what it means, / grow up . . . [fucking baby] . . .
BRIGID
ERIK
Relax, I’m just . . . [I’m
Don’t get upset with her, hey
shocked, I don’t know what
this is on me—
I’m saying . . .] sorry I’m not
grown up like you and make
a ton of money—
AIMEE
Right, you’ve got no choice but to collect unemployment / while you try to—it’s not unfair for you to get some marketable skills—
BRIGID
ERIK
That’s not fair—I can’t get a
Hey easy, cut it out. Stop it,
break if I’m working
both of you, stop, this is on me
full-time . . .
and—
(Recognizing Brigid’s distress)
—hey, I’m working it out, /
I love your mom, we’re good . . .
Brigid isn’t sure what to do; something’s fallen apart for her, thoughts spinning . . .
UPSTAIRS: Hearing their argument, Deirdre heads for the staircase. Richard attends Momo.
BRIGID
No, I’m glad you’re working it out but—
you’re good but you’re not sleeping and Mom’s still eating her
feelings, / it’s freaking me out—
AIMEE
(Referring to Deirdre at the top of the stairs)
Brigid.
Brigid turns, sees Deirdre at the top of the staircase. She heads upstairs to apologize.
BRIGID
Mom . . . / I didn’t mean it . . .
ERIK
Stay here . . .
Aimee goes after Brigid.
ERIK
Would you stay down here, please? Brigid!
AIMEE
DEIRDRE
Dad give her some space,
Go talk to your father, please, /
okay, we’re doing our best—
I know you think something’s
wrong with me, it’s not a news
flash.
BRIGID
Mom—I will, but—I don’t [think that]—I think something’s wrong with everyone—please don’t act like a martyr / when I’m trying to apologize . . . you think I’m wrong to not wanna get married in a church so—
AIMEE
MOMO
Hey, hey, you’re sorry, don’t
(Barely audible)
yell at her, okay / . . . just
Nevery blacken where you come
chill out?
back do we go do we wheren
blezzick . . . blacken where you
come back do we go do . . .
ERIK
Can you guys come down and talk to me please!
Thud.
AIMEE
BRIGID
Dad you’re not helping, let
(To Richard)
me handle this . . .
Can you go up and tell that
lady how loud she’s being?
ERIK
RICHARD
Brigid!
I will, just relax.
Thud.
AIMEE
Dad, / please shuttup . . .
BRIGID
MOMO
I’ll do it myself . . . / I need
(Mumbled)
a breather—
Nevery blacken where you
come back do we go do we
wheren blezzick . . . nevery
where do we go back do we
never go, where do we go hole
you bitch . . .
Momo’s growing agitation captures Aimee’s attention.
Deirdre is massaging Momo’s hand, for herself as much as for Momo.
RICHARD
AIMEE
Hey, hey hey no, no—let’s
(Regarding Momo, to Deirdre)
go for a walk, okay?—
. . . is she okay?
ERIK
Brigid, please come talk to me.
BRIGID
(To Erik)
I’m gonna ask that woman to stop banging her fucking feet.
Brigid exits. This is worse than if she yelled at Erik.
Richard stops Erik from following her.
RICHARD
MOMO
Hey, let me . . .
. . . nevery where do we go
back do we never go hole you
bitch / . . . nevery hole
backenser he did thisserwe
go black, go black . . .
Deirdre walks to the staircase.
DEIRDRE
I’ve gotta . . . [go get some water downstairs] . . . I can’t hear her now . . .
ERIK
MOMO
Yeah, I got this . . .
. . . nevery where do we go
(To Aimee)
back do we never go hole you
Go with her? She’s okay, just
bitch . . . nevery black hole you
give us some room . . . . . .
do we you did this do we back . . .
go with Mom, okay?
(Fixed on Erik)
Go hole. Go hole! Go hole! /
Ohhhhhh God they’re every-
where! They’re coming to you
you bitch what’s wrong with
you . . .
Aimee has never seen Momo like this. Aimee heads downstairs to look after Deirdre.
Erik tends to Momo.
DEIRDRE
ERIK
(Descending the stairs, barely intelligible)
Hey, hey . . . shhh . . . shhhh . . .
. . . what’s wrong with me . . .
Momo is having her first real fit of the day. It’s terrifying. Erik has seen it before, but it’s still hard for him. It’s like she’s possessed.
MOMO
ERIK
. . . Go home to fuck you you
Okay, okay, okay . . . we’ll go
bitch! . . . Aaaaawwwwhhhh
for a walk . . . okay . . .