LITMIR.BIZ

      A short time later. All but Marian are sitting. Perhaps they have sat down in different chairs, with plates, drinks, eating. Marian stands, serving herself.

      MARIAN (Answering a question): Adam’s poll watching.

      BARBARA (Explaining to Tim): He runs the Democrats here.

      MARIAN: He doesn’t “run” them. But he’s busy tonight. He said he might try and drop in after the polls close. But I doubt it.

       (Short pause.)

      JANE: Is it going to be as bad as they say?

      MARIAN (About Richard): At least his boss is going to win.

      TIM: Do we think they’ll take both houses?

      RICHARD: I was telling them a funny story—

      BARBARA: Don’t. Please.

      MARIAN: What? What funny story? I think tonight we’re going to need all the funny stories we can get.

       (She smiles.)

      RICHARD: The punch line goes something like—“Fuck Kirsten Gillibrand and the horse—”?

      MARIAN (Upset): For Christ sake—when are you going to grow up?!

      BARBARA (Over this): I told you not to—

      MARIAN: Why is that funny, Richard?! You want her to lose? You want them to win everything?

      RICHARD (To himself): “And the horse’s name is Chuck.”

      MARIAN: I really don’t understand you. (To Barbara) Thank god Adam’s not here. (To Richard) You know he calls you a whiner.

      JANE (Smiling): Does he? (To Richard) Did you know that?

      MARIAN (To Jane): And you too sometimes.

      JANE (“Whining”): When do I whine?

      RICHARD: I think of myself as—objective. As—critical. A social critic.

      MARIAN (To Barbara): When did he give up?

      RICHARD: What have I given up? What is there to give up on? (Smiles)

      MARIAN (To Jane): Barbara said she didn’t even know you were spending the week up here. And if Richard hadn’t told her, we’d never have known.

      JANE: We were settling in.

      MARIAN: Bard College is just down the road.

      JANE: I know where Bard is. I’m working hard on my book.

       (Short pause. They eat.)

      MARIAN (To Jane): How’s Billy?

      RICHARD (Before she can answer): He’s lost. He doesn’t know what he’s doing. Helpless.

      JANE: He’s thinking of applying to law schools.

      BARBARA: You didn’t say that—

      JANE (To Barbara): I’m not “pushing him.” (To Marian) How’s Evan? Will we see her—?

      MARIAN: She might drop by. I told her her uncle was here . . . (Gestures to Richard)

      JANE: What about me?

      MARIAN (To Jane): Mostly she just goes in and out.

      BARBARA: That passes. (To Jane) Doesn’t it?

       (Jane shrugs.)

      MARIAN: If we don’t support people like Gillibrand, no matter what we may think of her—and I sort of like her . . . I’ve met her. She’s okay. But—we need to win, Richard. It’s not about “like” anymore.

      JANE: I’d have voted for Gillibrand.

       (Marian looks at her.)

       I’ve been up here. It was too late for an absentee ballot.

       (To Tim) Wasn’t it?

      BARBARA: I thought you said you voted for Cuomo.

      JANE: Did I? (To everyone) Did I? I guess I feel like I did. (Then)

       I would have . . .

       (She eats.

       Benjamin starts to stand up.)

      MARIAN: Where are you going, Uncle Benjamin?

      BENJAMIN: Where’s Oliver?

       (They all look at each other. Then:)

      MARIAN (Impatient): Oliver is dead. You put him to sleep. We couldn’t ask Barbara to keep cleaning that mess up—

      BARBARA: That wasn’t why we put him—

      MARIAN: He’s dead, Uncle.

       (Benjamin looks around, and sits.)

       (Calmly to the others) He forgets. You have to remind him.

      BARBARA (To say something): The bean salad and the dessert are Marian’s. She brought them over earlier.

      TIM: It’s very good . . .

       (Barbara looks at Tim; he buries himself in the eating.)

      MARIAN (To Richard): And how are your kids, Richard?

      RICHARD: They’re good. They’re not teenagers yet.

      BARBARA: And your wife?

      MARIAN: She has a name, Barbara.

      BARBARA: I didn’t mean—How’s Pamela?

      RICHARD: I just spoke with her. Before dinner. I called. She sends her best to all of my many many sisters . . . Tim, do you have sisters?

      TIM: No.

       (Short pause. The sisters wait for Richard to say something.)

      RICHARD: I’m not going to say anything. Certainly nothing that could get me hurt.

      MARIAN: We spoiled him, Tim.

      RICHARD (To Tim): I’ve got the scars to prove it. (Starts to pull up his shirt)

      BARBARA: Not while we’re eating. Where did you grow up?

       (This makes all the siblings smile.)

      JANE: He teased us mercilessly.

      RICHARD (To Tim): That is a complete lie—

      JANE: Shut up.

      MARIAN (To Tim): We taught him everything. (Beginning to name the things they taught him) To keep the toilet seat down.

      JANE: What else?

      BARBARA: I think that’s it. That’s all that mattered to us. (Smiles, then back to the subject; to Richard) Is Pamela home now for good?

      RICHARD: We’ve worked things out.

      BARBARA: Good.

       (Then:)

       (To Tim) She was away.

      RICHARD (Without looking at anyone): I’m going to be leaving the office. I’ve taken a job with a big firm. It’s time. The kids are going to be going to college . . .

      MARIAN: What? (To Barbara) Did you know about this?

      BARBARA:

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