Original subtitles

Jesus fucking Christ.

Do you want me to stop?

Yes, if you don't mind.

Can you get the light?

Fucking... What are you looking for?

I'm getting very tired of this.

It happens. Don't make it into a big deal.

Do you want to do something low-key, like... No penetration?

No, I don't feel like doing anything. Don't you get it? So it's not just a...

No, it's not just a physical thing. I don't know what it is.

It could just be stress.

No. No?

I mean, it could be, but it's not.

I've been super stressed at work. I wouldn't rule it out.

Maybe.

You're a really nice person, you know that?

You're nice too.

I'm not nice.

I think you're nice. I'm definitely not nice tonight. Just take the fucking

compliment on you.

Okay.

Can we just go to bed? I know I should offer you like a consolation prize or

something.

It's okay.

Don't worry about it.

Okay, I'm just gonna go to sleep.

Do you have time for coffee?

Yes, I have time.

Actually, I don't have time, but I don't care. I can't let the job wind me up

like this.

Morning coffee is important.

Yes. Let's draw a line somewhere.

What's up? All good? Yeah, all good.

We didn't go in the water, but it was beautiful.

Walking weather.

You really love it out there, don't you?

Yeah, we love it.

I felt 100% less stressed about everything when we were out there.

If only the commute were more practical.

If it were an hour, even an hour and a half, I'd live out there very happily.

An hour and a half commute wouldn't work for me.

Then three hours definitely wouldn't work for you.

So... So...

I wanted to ask you about this new client.

Okay, but before we start with that, tell me first, how's it going with John?

I actually think you might have helped me get a handle on that situation, so

maybe we can talk about it more in the next session.

Okay. I know, I pushed back a little bit last time, but I think maybe you're

right, and I'm not very tolerant of that personality type.

And that's on my mind now when I'm seeing him, so I think maybe I'm a bit

more focused.

So you thought about it more after we spoke.

Yeah. I mean, I was talking complete horseshit to you last time, so that's

always a clue.

You mean about you and your father?

Yeah. As if there's any shortage in life of authority figures to rebel against.

So, we'll discuss John again next week. Yeah, thanks.

So, about this new client.

Yes. More counter-transference.

I think it's fine, actually.

But that's the topic heading.

The patient's name is Jocelyn Allen.

She's 42, a mother of two, a girl named Ella, 12 years old, and a 10-year-old

boy named Grant.

She's been divorced for five years.

Happily divorced, she says. Is that the countertransference, the boy and the

girl? Wait.

It gets better.

She works as a legal secretary in Lower Manhattan, and her hours have been

variable lately.

So on a good day, the kids get home a few hours before she does. And on a bad

day, they're alone until nighttime.

And she worries pretty hard about leaving them alone. She worries about

Ella. She says she can be a little devilish.

Her words, a little devilish. And she worries she'll be a bad influence on

Grant. And when I ask her what she's afraid of, she doesn't answer me

directly.

But I get the feeling that sex is on her mind.

She says things like they're getting to be a certain age or they're almost

adults now.

So why did she come in?

She's got a lot of anxiety about the situation, about not being more present

as a parent.

She's yelled at the kids a few times about other things, unrelated things,

inviting friends to stay over, not doing homework, that kind of thing.

How do you feel about that?

I mean, obviously, I can feel my sympathies flooding over to the kid's

side.

But I'm playing it cool, just asking questions, trying to understand where

she's coming from.

Yes. What does devilish mean?

Yeah, and what can she do about it anyway? I mean, kids have a lot of

autonomy at that age, whether she likes it or not.

Do you think she's projecting negative feelings onto the daughter?

Yeah, I just don't know yet.

Things are still good between you?

Yeah, I've been keeping it chill.

Okay.

Let's keep talking about this.

And if we're through with that, anyone else on your mind?

Well, Gregory Frank, but I don't know what to do about it. Gregory Frank, the

narcissist. The narcissist.

Yeah, well, just... Yeah.

Was she nice about it?

Sure. She's always nice.

I wish she weren't so nice sometimes.

Yeah?

If she weren't so nice, maybe we could get somewhere.

Like, really talk about what she's thinking.

You said she's honest with you, though.

Yeah, she's honest.

As far as it goes.

As far as it goes.

I mean, who's really honest all the time?

You wouldn't really like it if people were.

You're saying that you don't want her to be honest all the time.

No, I just mean... Maybe she wouldn't say what she was thinking if she thought

she would hurt me.

I do want to know what she's thinking about me.

And you don't...

really know what she's thinking or what she wants?

Well, most of the time I do.

What about the relationship?

Whether she wants the relationship, you don't?

People don't always tell each other things like that, do they?

I don't think it's weird to not be sure about things like that.

Sometimes people think they're sure and they get surprised.

I don't think it's weird.

Have you been surprised like that in past relationships?

Do you mean... Um...

You don't feel

comfortable talking about it.

It's hard.

It's hard to just, like, talk about things.

I was in the same situation as you once.

What do you mean?

You mean counseling?

And I did not want to talk.

What did you do?

After a while, I talked. It got easier.

The easy part is talking, it turns out. The hard part is actually making

changes.

What didn't you want to talk about?

No, this isn't about me.

I just want you to know...

I know how hard it is at first.

It's a big step.

I can joke about it, but...

Okay.

Okay?

No, it's not okay.

Do you want to stop today?

Think about it.

I won't charge you.

And I'll see you next week.

Are you sure?

It's totally up to you.

Will you explain it to my dad that it's okay?

I'll explain it to your dad. Don't worry.

Okay.

It's the OPC.

It's...

And then just like, you know, fucking down on the A string until you get to G,

inevitably.

It's good to see you again.

Yeah.

Hey. Hey there.

Hey, Jackie.

What's up?

Hey, Dave.

Nothing much, really. Are you guys working on something?

Not really. Nothing that doesn't suck.

Not yet.

I better leave you guys. I have a ton of work to do.

Later, dude.

Later.

Are you going to bed soon?

No, not yet. I have all these left to finish. No worries.

Sorry. No, it's okay.

How was your week?

Fine.

How was yours?

Let's keep this about you.

Sorry.

It's just funny to be talking about personal things with someone who looks

so young.

You mentioned this before.

Maybe it's a problem for you.

No. I'll deal with it.

Maybe your time is better spent dealing with other things.

With the things you came here to deal with.

Would you like a referral to another therapist?

No. It's okay.

I just said that because it's what I was thinking.

You told me to say whatever was going through my mind, right?

Right. But we have to deal with the things that are going through your mind.

Let's leave things the way they are.

You sure?

Yeah.

Let's leave it this way.

You seem pretty good.

Alright.

Why don't you walk me through your week and tell me how you felt along the way?

But I want him to say that, don't I? Of course, ideally.

But he's not saying it.

He might.

I feel as if he has it in him. He's not completely unanalyzable.

Well, it's your call.

If you think there's progress, go ahead.

Okay. For now.

It's just you have to weigh the risks and benefits.

Directing a session a little bit is not the end of the world. I mean, sometimes

it's better than a logjam.

Not making progress is a risk, too.

Yeah, of course.

I know I'm not the most... pragmatic.

It's a balance.

You have to find the right balance.

If we're done with that, I wanted to ask you about John.

Jesus. I tried to get him to let me refer him, but he doesn't want to. He

doesn't? I think he likes me.

There you go. You have an admirer.

As long as you stay on therapeutic terms.

Yeah, yeah.

Do not! What?

Do not try to go in.

Why are you yelling?

I'm sorry, I don't know why I yelled.

You don't know why?

I'm sorry.

That was kind of weird.

I said I was sorry.

Do you think maybe it's time to think about seeing a therapist?

We can go together if you want.

This has nothing to do with you.

How do you know?

What?

How do you know that it has nothing to do with me? You didn't even know why you

were yelling.

I don't want to see a therapist.

What do you want to do?

I've seen a therapist.

Aren't you, in fact, a therapist? Yeah.

But you wouldn't recommend it?

Oh, it's fine.

For some people.

Like my clients.

A therapist is just going to give us, like... Sex

exercises and shit. A sex therapist, you mean?

That's where we'll end up.

Have you done sex therapy before?

No.

Let me talk to Linda about it.

Sure.

Maybe can we just go to sleep?

We'll talk about it tomorrow, I promise.

Really?

Truly.

You can remind me.

Our sex life used to be really good.

It was really good?

Well, not really good, but... But what?

It was fine. It wasn't like a romance novel or anything, but it was always

nice and sweet.

That's an interesting way of putting it.

What?

Like a romance novel?

Yeah, you know what I'm saying.

I always felt pretty lucky to be in a relationship this nice.

We never had any real problems in bed until now. Why now?

All of a sudden.

Weren't there some problems earlier on?

Really? Did I say there were problems?

I seem to remember you telling me there was a problem. Oh, yeah.

But I didn't have the same reaction those times.

How do you respond when these problems occur, Anthony?

I think usually I just let it go.

You let it go, meaning?

I'll talk to her and ask her how she is, but I don't try to make anything happen.

And you don't feel frustrated or try to satisfy yourself, ask her to satisfy

you? No.

It's not going to happen anyway. When she stops, she feels too bad for that.

He's always very good, very understanding.

Really, this is 100% not his fault. It's all inside of my head. He's basically

been a saint about the whole thing.

Let me follow up on something Anthony just said, Jackie.

Does it ever happen that you give him pleasure some other way, even if you're

not lubricated?

It happens sometimes.

When I freeze up like that, I just want the whole world to go away. Sex is the

last thing I want. If I force myself... If

you force yourself?

It doesn't work so well.

angry at herself.

Is that right Jackie?

I guess.

I get angry period.

Does this sort of thing ever happen to you Anthony?

Like a loss of desire?

Yes.

Sure it does.

Usually if that's the case I won't even start.

Does it ever happen that you do start and then find that you're not aroused?

Sure.

Not often, but it's happened.

He's trying to take the fall for me, but really... He's fine in bed. He's in

touch with himself.

Do you agree with that, Anthony?

Usually I feel good in bed with her.

I know it's your job to treat this as some complex interaction between us, but

it's just not.

Okay. Okay, I am a therapist too. I know how these things go. I'll just shut up

about it. Jackie, please say whatever you want. I know.

Okay.

It's fine.

Well, shall we?

Do we have to be naked for this?

I think that's the general idea, but...

She

said we could skip the first exercise.

The first exercise again?

Communication.

I don't know. We can skip this, right?

When do you feel the sexiest? When do you feel the least sexy? What do I do in

bed that you really like?

We're skipping this, aren't we? Yes.

I like everything you do in bed.

Oh, thank you.

But remember, we're supposed to be specific.

Right. What's the next one?

For 30 minutes, explore your partner's head from the shoulders up.

Yeah. Try to keep eye contact as best you can.

I'll bet that'll be easier for me than it is for you. Especially if you're

naked.

Why do we have to be naked for this?

For this one, it's optional. You may do this exercise fully clothed in your

undergarments or naked.

Undergarments. Underwear. I know what undergarments are.

This whole therapy, it's so proper. I really wanted to say tits or cunt or

something like that in her office.

You're in rebellion. I have to convince America that sex therapy isn't some kind

of prostitution or something.

Okay. let's focus on the exercises so we're keeping the undergarments on after

this it's all naked all the time but for this one it is optional okay let's keep

the undergarments then no sense being more catholic than the pope

okay let's go

Why are you laughing? Don't do that with your eyes. What?

No, never mind.

All right, let's get serious.

It's okay to laugh. I just read it. They said it's okay to express your emotions.

Yeah, they also said no talking. Minimal talking.

Okay, let's go.

I met her two or three times.

Maybe four.

Do you like her?

She's okay.

She's totally not good enough for him, but I'm probably not being fair.

Matthew and I were super close all through our childhoods, like

inseparable.

Somehow we let that slip away.

You seem pretty close to me.

Yeah, but it's not the same.

What do you think? I'd really like to go there for a visit.

You should definitely go.

For like a week.

Sure.

But what about... It's good timing at work. I can see some patients remotely.

I'll have to do a report while I'm there.

What about the couples therapy?

Oh.

We'll just skip a week.

I do not think she'll approve.

Fuck her.

It's our therapy.

We'll just continue being fucked up for an additional week and we'll buckle down

when I get back. I'm not even seeing her that week. I am.

Just don't tell her.

How am I not gonna tell her?

Okay, tell her then.

Blame it on me.

I'll deal with her when I get back. You can't let these people lead you around

by a ring through the nose. These people?

Takes one to know one.

Come on, come on, group hug.

So what do they advise these days about pregnant women and alcohol?

They just tell you not to do it. Yeah?

The idea is that the baby's basically drinking too and its liver isn't working

yet.

But in Europe they drink, right?

Do they?

I mean, why take the chance?

I really don't even feel like having a drink.

If I were pregnant, I'd drink to forget.

Really? Well, it's not something I ever really wanted.

It's not something I thought you ever wanted.

Did we ever even talk about it? I don't remember, but... It's a good time for

it, actually.

I mean, aren't you curious, though?

About what?

Having babies?

Yeah, I mean, there's this big mechanism inside of us that's just there to do the

baby thing.

If I didn't, I feel like I'd always wonder.

I mean, I wonder what it's like to be in a car crash, too, but... Okay, I'll keep

my mouth shut.

Always a good option.

Are you making fun of me?

Not at all.

You tell me everything, don't you?

I don't ever want you to not tell me something because... Because it's no

use?

Okay. Okay.

Now I'll go back to my wine.

Do you want some more?

No, I have to get up tomorrow.

I'll probably be gone before you get up, but I'll be back pretty early.

How early?

Noon, maybe?

I'll never even know you were gone.

And then I go out again in the afternoon.

Have you talked to Mama lately?

No, have you?

No.

I talk to Will, though. He keeps me up to date.

Mom is not much of a phone person.

She's a phone person with Will. Well, yeah.

She's always so sweet to me.

Oh, she's extremely nice.

People don't often get past the surface with her, but once you get to know

her... More wine?

I'm really not much of a drinker these days. I used to drink a lot more.

So how's your job?

Oh, it's fine.

It's a job.

It's nice to be making money again. I was getting very tired of not working.

What do you write?

Oh, whatever they need.

Proposals, mostly.

Letters. Basically whatever they want.

Matthew told you about my job?

Yeah. The business world is so easy to please.

Whatever I write, they love it.

So unlike literary world or school.

Will they miss you when you go on leave?

Yeah, they'll be fine. They'll just write their own stuff for a while.

That's what they did before they hired me.

So now you got your degree?

Yeah, you can't see patients without a degree.

I'm working on a psychopharmacology degree in my off time, even though it

can't be used yet in New York, but there is a bill that is crawling through the

state senate.

Crawling?

Crawling on all fours. But I hear it will pass someday.

And then you can prescribe.

Not yet.

But when the bill passes... That's what the bill is for.

Did I say that already?

So a Freudian like you still wants to prescribe medication?

Of course.

It's uninspiring, but you do need it sometimes.

There are other ways to do it, even if you can't prescribe, but it'll be a lot

easier if that fucking bill passes.

Well, let's toast to the passing of the bill, though I'm not drinking at the

moment. To Senate Bill S66A.

So you're a Freudian?

You can't not be a Freudian.

Can't not.

That works.

You can not admit it, but it's there.

Then what's the difference between a Freudian and a non-Freudian?

What's the difference?

Beauty.

Beauty? Beauty.

Psychoanalysis is beautiful.

What about results?

Results are overrated.

If you're suspect, if you're... Susceptible? Yes, if you're susceptible

to beauty, then psychoanalysis has power.

But you don't claim it gives results.

Fuck them if they can't take a joke.

What do they want for a few bucks a week? Miracles?

Results aren't so easy no matter what your methods are. And people will say

this or that about different methods.

But it's hard.

It's just hard.

And beauty is part of it. If you're that kind of a person, beauty can be a guide.

Beauty can be a motivation.

Maybe I better get to bed.

Yeah, I think we'd all better.

Oh, oh, okay. Wait.

Wait.

Okay. Oh, stand up.

Hey, stand up. Have you got her? Yeah, yeah.

I'll take her.

Okay.

How is she?

I think she's sleeping already.

What is going on with her?

Nothing, I don't think.

She certainly knows how to make a dramatic entrance.

Welcome to my family.

Your other family members aren't like her.

That's true.

She's actually kind of rude to me.

The first time we met, and the next time she was totally nice.

What, you don't think she can be rude to me?

I believe you.

I can't tell if you're humoring me or not. I totally believe you.

What I think about it isn't the point. What do you think about it?

You're basically fine with it?

But then when you went to bed... Maybe.

It sounds like you weren't as fine with it as you thought.

You're all done with your client?

Yeah, done for the day.

How was it?

It was okay.

This girl is very nice, maybe too nice.

You mean too polite for therapy?

Yeah. She's getting the idea, though.

And this kind of teletherapy feels okay?

It feels like the same kind of connection?

I don't know. They say it's supposed to be as effective as in-person therapy.

Really? Which sort of raises the issue of how effective the in-person stuff is.

But anyway, it makes everything a lot easier for everybody if remote's an

option.

Would you like some?

I'm okay, thanks.

I keep forgetting you're pregnant.

Oh, even if I weren't, I'm working, theoretically.

And my work is done.

Mine is too for the moment, but I'm on call.

Okay, have fun.

Bye.

Hey there.

Keep yourself busy?

Oh, yeah.

Hungover? Not much.

Does he have a day job?

Kind of.

An afternoon job. He does bookkeeping for some friends of his who started a

business. Lawyers.

They started a law firm?

Yeah. He's not a lawyer, though. He wants to see what'll happen with his

music. So he's home a lot? Yeah.

So are you.

Yeah. Not a great situation.

We were home together a lot until recently. I think we did okay.

Yeah, well, it's different with Matthew.

Why is Anthony so hard to live with?

Sometimes.

Really?

Sometimes.

Are there good things about the relationship?

Yeah, he has his good points.

What are some of his good points?

Well, he is very intelligent.

Okay. He has a degree in physics from Princeton.

Sounds kind of intimidating.

No, not really. He's not like that. He has a gentle personality.

Okay.

He's the quiet, thoughtful type.

Is he nice to you?

Oh, yeah.

He's a caretaker, much more than I am.

Are you attracted to him?

It varies.

He's a good looking guy.

Do you have a picture of him?

He's definitely attractive.

Yeah.

Well, the fellow certainly sounds good on paper.

He's a great guy. You'd like him.

He's a good guy.

Well, I hope things are okay between you two.

How about you guys?

How are you doing?

How are we doing?

I think we're doing great, actually.

Is the pregnancy like a source of stress?

Between us?

No, I'd say the opposite.

If anything, we're closer.

Does it get in the way of like sex and stuff? Feel free to tell her to back

off.

Whatever. I'm just asking. Oh, I don't care.

My parents were hippies. Talking about sex is like talking about the laundry.

The so-called morning sickness, which for me was basically nausea 24-7,

definitely killed the mood.

But, you know, now that's over, so sex is back on the docket.

Is it fun, though?

Do you get tired?

No, it's fine.

They say you actually get kind of horny second trimester, and it's true.

I'm sure it'll be tricky once the baby is bigger, but for now it's, like,

doomy.

The doomy trimester.

Exactly.

Maybe I should get knocked up to fix our sex life. Maybe you should. Go for it.

You might like it.

I'm just joking.

Good sex is too high a price to pay for... Wait.

No, no, no. It's the other way around.

So, having a baby is too high a price to pay for good sex, right?

Matthew, how you doing over there?

Yeah, honey, feel free to join right in.

I kind of expected this sort of thing, actually.

Oh, come on. I'm not always this bad.

It's the synergy, right?

He knows me well.

He knows both of us. Yeah, but I'm his sister.

You never know your girlfriend, your wife, as well as your sister, right?

What are we, competing?

Right, right, right, sorry.

So, your parents were hippies.

Still are.

Right, right. Sorry, I didn't mean to get rid of them prematurely. What was

that like? Having hippies for parents? It was great. They're my favorite

people. I mean, the sex.

I mean, talking about sex.

Did they, like, like... Were they, like... I mean, they didn't do anything.

They just treated it like a normal, everyday topic.

Did they give instruction?

No, nothing like that.

That's what non-hippie parents do, actually.

They pick a time and they give nervous, awkward instruction, and then afterward

the kids are like, what the fuck was that?

Is that what your parents did?

No. No, but I've heard it lots of times.

Not lots of times, but more than once.

Mama totally neglected her duties as a sex instructor. We were on our own.

Did they, like, walk around naked?

It was no big deal. We saw them naked. We saw them with clothes on.

Did you see them have sex?

No, but we knew it was happening. It's no big deal.

Oh, come on. Sex is always a big deal for kids.

Yeah, but it wasn't mystified.

It was a normal thing.

I wonder if there's studies on that.

Studies on children of hippie parents.

Maybe I should go to bed.

No, no. I can get myself to bed tonight.

I'm sorry I was such a mess last night.

Good morning.

Good morning.

How are you feeling?

Fine. Better than yesterday.

I'm going to walk into the store for a few things. I'll be back in a few

minutes. Oh, can I go with you?

Wait just a second. I'm ready to leave. Drink your coffee. I'll be right back.

I'll finish it when I'm back. Let me get dressed. Just wait a second.

Don't you have work?

Today? Yeah, but I'll do it.

My calls are in the afternoon.

Do you like it here?

It's okay.

More of a suburban lifestyle than I'd imagined.

Well, you're kind of in the suburbs.

Not really.

This place has been colonized, but we're not taking advantage of it.

Do you work a lot?

Yeah, usually.

I hope I'm not screwing that up for you. It's okay. I blend around it.

So what do you think about all that hippie stuff?

What do I think about it?

I mean, doesn't it get kind of hard to take after a while?

I generally never hear anything about hippie stuff.

She's a pretty level person.

Maybe hippies know what they're doing when it comes to child rearing. Yeah?

Parents would get arrested for that kind of stuff nowadays.

Come on.

I just heard about these parents in California who got charged with

corrupting a minor.

What do they do? I don't know exactly but they might have just talked to their

kids about sex That's ridiculous Lily's parents didn't do anything weird. I

agree personally, but I'm just saying

She's

new isn't she I haven't seen her before very hot

Are you, like, into women?

No, not for a while, no.

But you used to be?

Yeah, sure.

Did you know that?

Of course he knows that.

So have you, like... I've had girlfriends, not as many as I've had

boyfriends, but I consider myself bisexual.

But you don't do it anymore.

I don't do anything anymore.

I'm a married woman, five months pregnant, but I can look.

Yes, I don't really look.

I don't really look at men, but with women I'm more the aggressor and

looking is a part of that.

With men I'm more aggressed upon.

Are you the aggressor in this relationship?

You don't think I can be an aggressor?

You're like a Joe Cool.

You make us beg for it.

I wouldn't say Matthew is particularly aggressive, but I guess I'm talking more

about who's the object and who's the subject.

Like, when I'm interested in a woman, I'm the one doing the admiring.

And when it's a man, I enjoy being admired. I enjoy the attention paid.

In other words, in both cases, it's basically all about the woman.

I don't know if that's right, but when I'm interested in a woman, I'm playing a

bit of a role.

Yeah, a male role.

Like saying, very hot.

Yeah.

Everybody good?

Yeah, we're good. Thank you.

Do you think she maybe has a little alcohol problem?

No, I don't think so. She just...

She just likes to cut loose sometimes.

She'll be fine when she's back home.

Do you think she's maybe gay?

Or bi?

Nah, she's totally straight.

She's been kind of provocative with me.

Kind of in my face.

I don't know if you've noticed.

I noticed it.

Don't get me wrong, I like her. I'm just not all sure she likes me, but...

I don't know how you can be so sure about her sexuality.

People hide it from the people closest to them all the time.

I don't know, maybe you're right.

But you don't think I'm right.

Believe me, she's not gay.

So how long ago is the last one?

The last girl? Yeah.

Like five years ago.

Before Matthew?

Yeah.

Are you still in touch with her?

No. Because you got married?

No, it had nothing to do with that.

Things were getting a little weird, I guess.

She was maybe not the nicest person in some ways.

We had words once or twice. Once, really.

And then we talked after, and everything seemed fine, and then it just stopped.

And you never heard from her again?

No, and that was fine.

Well, maybe she was, like, waiting for you to call.

She probably found someone else. She was good at that.

Whatever.

Do you have any photos of her?

I don't even have a photo.

The occasion never arose.

Do you want to see another photo of a woman I was with for much longer? Yeah,

absolutely. Matthew, do you mind us talking about this?

Although, he doesn't care.

Oh my god.

What was her name?

Sheila.

Sheila.

She looks like me. A little bit.

Don't you think?

She was taller than you.

Yeah, but apart from that.

Can't you see it?

Maybe a little.

The shape of the face.

My hair were longer.

Her hair was shorter when we first met.

eyes are so much better than mine.

No way. Your eyes are your best feature.

Yeah, but still.

It's totally just makeup.

Wait a second. Wait a second.

It's overkill, really, but that was her in a nutshell.

Oh, wow.

Does it look like her?

I don't know if I did it perfectly, but kind of.

She used to wear this bright red lipstick.

Fire engine red.

Really?

Do you have any?

Yeah.

Wait a second.

I'm going to leave the two of you to this.

Oh.

Do you want to see the final result?

No, thanks.

I'll probably be gone before you get up, so I'll see you in the afternoon.

Are you guys done?

Yeah, she's taking out the trash.

I already took the trash out.

I don't know. She had it back.

Are you adopting this new makeup style?

I'll take this off later.

I know you're not the jealous type, but doesn't it even bother you she's talking

about her ex right in your living room?

Yeah, I wonder how that happened.

I feel as if you're avoiding me.

I'm not avoiding you.

You're avoiding me mentally.

I'm not doing that. I'm not sure it's possible to avoid you mentally.

Is that a compliment or a criticism?

I feel like if we don't talk about things, our closeness will go away

or just become superficial.

What? Aren't we talking about?

Well... The phase, for instance.

If you want to talk about it, go ahead.

Do you expect me to bring it up?

No.

But... Well... I guess it is kind of silly

to be talking in this makeup.

You don't know the baby's sex, right?

No.

Can you find out?

Uh, we just had an ultrasound last week, but we said we didn't want to know.

Oh, that's very interesting.

Why is that interesting?

That you don't want to know.

What's so interesting about that?

Lots of people don't want to know.

Yeah, maybe.

If I were to guess, I'm just going to go out on a limb here and guess it's you

who didn't want to know and not Matthew.

Yeah, so?

Am I right about that?

I don't even think it came up.

Do you know what she's talking about? I do not.

Do you want to know the baby's gender?

Not especially.

But if you were on your own and they asked, do you want to know the gender,

what would you say?

The point is pretty much that I wouldn't be on my own in that situation.

But yes, I probably would have let them tell me the gender.

Really?

It's not a big deal.

We can find out if you want to.

No, it's absolutely fine this way.

What are you grinning about?

Nothing.

I just couldn't imagine Matthew saying, no, don't tell me, don't tell me. You

obviously could imagine that.

I wasn't imagining anything.

I just thought it'd be nice for it to be a surprise.

Obviously.

Maybe it's bedtime?

It's like 9 o'clock.

Um, it's 10.15 actually and it's never a bad time to end a hostile conversation.

Hostile?

I'm not hostile. What makes you think I'm being hostile? Matthew, do you think

I'm being hostile? I just, I don't understand your position here.

Never heard of someone waiting to find out a baby's gender.

If I were in your place, if I were in your place, and Matthew were the father,

I'd be happy to know the baby's gender. What are you talking about?

I thought you didn't want to have kids.

Yeah, but that's besides the point. I'm saying I don't think she appreciates-

First of all, you wouldn't be having your brother's baby, right? And second

of all, you think it's weird for someone to wait to decide whether or not they

want to know the gender of their baby? Just the other day.

Just the other day.

All this talk of sexual freedom. Sexual freedom? What are you even talking

about? Girls with girls and boys with boys. And that's fine.

That's fine. There's nothing wrong with that.

Maybe I should go to bed, actually.

But all this talk about sex.

It was just titillation, right?

It was just fun?

No one had any intentions of doing anything about it.

So many things.

So many things we never do. It takes courage.

But I was okay with it. I liked the idea.

Like with you, I personally have no interest in women.

Zero. But I would have tried if you wanted.

It doesn't do any harm.

It doesn't hurt anyone.

Or if you wanted to try a threesome, which I realize isn't something... I

don't know.

There are so many rules.

There are too many rules.

I think we're so liberated, but... I don't... I mean...

I'm not in a position to make that mistake.

I'm so sorry.

Good morning.

Good morning.

You want some pancakes?

That'd be great, thanks.

I didn't think you'd be up so early.

Oh, I handle alcohol pretty well.

I mean, physically.

Orange juice?

Uh, yeah, thanks.

I want to apologize for being such an asshole last night.

Obviously everything I said was ridiculous.

You can't go around doing whatever you like. I was just really, really drunk.

It's fine. Don't worry about it.

Here you go.

Aren't these for you guys?

No. Go ahead.

Go ahead. Start.

Mmm, these are great

Well... Well... Here,

I want to read you something.

What?

This is Robert Musil.

The Man Without Qualities.

Ever read it?

No. You should definitely read it. It's a great, great book.

This guy Tutsi is a bureaucrat. He's a husband of one of the main characters.

This is part of his introduction.

Such a life sets definite bounds and fits love into its proper place among

all other activities.

Like all men whose imagination has not been seared by eroticism.

Like all men whose imagination has not been seared by eroticism in his bachelor

days, Tootsie frequented body houses and transferred the regular rhythm of this

habit into his marriage.

I think that category fits me, more or less, of men whose imagination has not

been seared by eroticism. Everything is a little more everyday.

and a little bit more manageable for me than it is for you. I don't think you

realize that because your imagination has been seared by eroticism

and you project that onto me.

Does that feel nice?

Yes.

Good.

How about when I touch your ear?

It's nice. Minimal talking.