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Uncle Benjamin. I know how much you love your bagel.

      BENJAMIN: Do I?

      BARBARA: We have bagels in Rhinebeck. We have a whole “bagel shop” on West Market.

       (Richard and Jane share a look.)

      TIM: I’m sorry I missed the fall foliage. I hear that’s spectacular up here.

      BARBARA: It’s very nice.

      JANE: Tim and I walked around the village a little. We got here early.

      BARBARA: You could have—

      JANE: He’d never been to Rhinebeck.

      TIM: What a beautiful village . . .

      RICHARD: The Beekman Arms—

      JANE: We went in. Where should we sit?

      BARBARA: Anywhere . . .

       (They hesitate.)

      RICHARD: Washington, Lafayette stayed there. (To Barbara) Who else?

      BARBARA: I don’t know.

      JANE: I showed him the sign. You could hardly read it. Don’t they clean it anymore? I’ll bet they cleaned it for Chelsea’s wedding.

      RICHARD (To Tim): Did she point out the muskets on the ceiling?

      JANE (Before Tim can answer): He loved Stickle’s. They don’t have five-and-dimes like that anymore . . .

      RICHARD: Barbara saved an article from the New York Times that called this “The Town That Time Forgot.” (To Barbara) Is it still on your refrigerator?

      BARBARA: Probably.

       (No one has sat down.)

      RICHARD: Maybe I should—Uncle Benjamin—why don’t you sit at the table? That’ll be easier.

       (Directing them to seats.)

       Jane and—Tim. And I’ll sit . . . Barbara—I don’t want to tell you where to sit in your own house . . .

       (Barbara sits.)

       And our sister, when she comes . . . (Another chair)

       (Then:)

       And we are sure she’s not going to be angry that we started without her?

      JANE: Do you care?

      RICHARD: No.

      BARBARA: It was getting cold.

       (Short pause.)

       (To say something) I didn’t tell you—Mrs. Stickle’s son-in-law—not the one who works in the store, the other one?

      JANE: I don’t live here. I’ve never even met Mrs. Stickle.

      BARBARA (To Richard): He wrote that vampire book about President Lincoln.

      JANE: There’s a vampire book about Lincoln? (Smiles)

      RICHARD: I don’t know it.

      BARBARA: It’s very—successful.

       (They begin to eat.)

      RICHARD: Good.

       (They eat.)

      JANE (To Tim): What does Lincoln have to do with vampires?

      TIM: I have no idea.

       (They eat.)

      BARBARA (To Tim): Mrs. Stickle has been here forever. Longer even than Marian.

      RICHARD: You are looking good, Uncle Benjamin. The country air is doing you wonders. (To Barbara) He does look better.

      BARBARA: The bean salad is Marian’s.

      RICHARD (Standing): Should I pour the wine? Who wants wine and who wants—water? Is that the choice?

      BARBARA (Starting to stand up): What else do you want?

      JANE: Sit down. Barbara, sit down.

       (Various responses: “Wine,” “Water,” etc.)

      BARBARA (To Richard): You know Marian worked for Gillibrand—so I wouldn’t . . . She might not find your story funny.

      JANE (Eating): What did she do?

      BARBARA: I think she made—phone calls? Her first campaign for the House. So—Marian thinks she was there in on the “beginning.”

      RICHARD: The “beginning” of what?

       (He shrugs.)

       They scared everyone else off. Is that what we now call an election?

      BARBARA: Marian likes her. So . . . (Looks at her watch) I’m sure Adam’s got Marian doing things. (The explanation) It’s election day.

       (They eat. The lights fade.)

       Oliver

      A short time later, in the same seats, eating.

      JANE: We’re just up for this week.

       (Then:)

       I was going to call . . . And we didn’t have a car. Today we had to borrow a car . . . Anyway, what a treat to be together. And to see you looking so well, Uncle Benjamin.

       (They eat.)

      BARBARA: How’s Billy? (To Tim) Billy’s her son.

      TIM: I know. We’ve met.

      JANE: Billy’s at Haverford. He doesn’t know what he wants to do.

      BARBARA: Nothing wrong with that. Don’t make him feel bad.

      JANE: I’m not doing that.

      BARBARA: Don’t push him. I see kids being pushed by their parents all the time.

      JANE: I’m not pushing.

      BARBARA (With difficulty): And Alfred? Can I ask about him?

      JANE (After a look at Richard and then Tim): Why not?

      BARBARA: He’s written me twice. And I’ve written him back.

      JANE: Then why ask me about him?

      BARBARA: Jane, you have nothing to be ashamed of . . .

       (Short pause. They eat.)

      JANE (To Benjamin, to say something): Tim’s an actor too, Uncle Benjamin.

      BARBARA (To Tim): Are you?

      BENJAMIN: What play are you in now?

      TIM: Nothing right now. I’m doing this workshop. For my friend, Joanne. Working with her students. (To the others) Bard has a beautiful theater.

      BARBARA: A very famous architect—

      BENJAMIN: What play are you going to be in?

      TIM: I don’t know. I do a lot of television. I’m in a—pause.

       (He “smiles.”)

      BARBARA (To Tim): We have a theater in town.

      TIM: I’m not really looking to be in a play.

      BARBARA: I wasn’t suggesting—

      TIM: I didn’t mean—

      JANE (Over): Barbara, Tim isn’t interested in—

      BARBARA: I know that. Of course I know. He’s . . .

      

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