i just heard the death of the salesman.
signal's good here, oddly. she pats her lap in a friendly manner.
i know! cell phones, they're crazy!
i keep reading the first line. it's a good line, i think. but i don't know much about literature.
i'm trying to better myself, caden. recommend me something. you're a genius; you must've read nearly a dozen books.
um, i've read his name. a lot! i swear!
okay, not his entire name. heinz?
if you say so, i will. can't wait till wednesday. i'm so excited to see it.
it's pretty impossible that i won't, you know. i mean.  she trails off, shrugs. they smile at each other. caden exits. hazel looks at her book, re-reads the first sentence.
the car crash?
sorry. so i'm reading the trial.
love. i'm such an idiot for not knowing about this book. it's famous, it turns out.
then you say, in fact, you're very bright, hazel. and i love your eyes.
i can't say what then you say.
cause it's dirty. a whistling noise turns their heads. in the distance a man with an unopened parachute is plummeting.
oh my god! jesus! they watch as the man falls behind a building. a scream. a screech of brakes.
he's gotta be dead. right?
i figured i'd better get in fast.
i loved it! and, by the way, claire is trouble. and not terribly bright. caden laughs.
just wanted you to know the word on the street.
are you kidding? i cried for like fifteen minutes after. i loved every minute of it. except claire. i thought she was weak.
oh, caden, not you, too. what i want to know is why she started crying in her last monologue, right after she had the line, 'i can't cry for you willy'?
where's el wife-o?
ah.
ah.
hooray! we've still got it!
you want to now? with me. in my car.
what does something mean?
and me with a station wagon and all. could be dangerous.
you're absolutely zero fun.
jesus, i like you. i'm going.
i know it's brilliant. i don't need some dope with elbow patches telling me. she smiles, gives him a hug, and heads toward the door.
you're not going to make it, baby.
i've always loved this house.
it's a scary decision. i never thought i'd buy a house alone. but, y'know, i'm 36, and i wonder what i'm really waiting for.
i like it, i do. but i'm really concerned about dying in the fire.
we should get a drink. be fun.
i like weird. i like you. see? he doesn't say anything.
anyway. i don't want to make you uncomfortable. i just thought it would be a fun diversion. okay, i do want to make you uncomfortable.
you can, cade. you can!
crease.
it's just a word. don't get all bent out of shape. jeez.
god, i'm delighted. thought you'd never ask. you did ask, right?
who does?
you want to tell me about it?
ok. tell me something else.
um, i bought this really nifty sweater today. on sale. fifty dollars reduced from three hundred!
i don't know. we fuck? we continue to sort of flirt? you divorce your wife and marry me and i make you happy for the very first time in your life and all your symptoms disappear?
no, i suppose not. choosing is not your strong suit. you want to come over to my place, cotard?
she hasn't called you since she left. you've left countless messages. it's been a year.
i'm going to buy you a calendar. caden rips a cocktail napkin into little pieces.
scraps for my scrapbook. caden watches her ass as she turns to leave.
caden's mysterious condition. well, have one sip, anyway.
would you like me to have? a little love potion, perhaps?
if that's what it takes, consider it done. poof! love potion number
does it make you want to kiss me?
tell me why?
hmm. beg a girl, why dontcha.
i'd like you to beg me on your knees for a kiss. just for fun. dumbly, caden gets down on his knees.
for fun, baby.
oh, kiddo, you don't even know.
you have me. and i adore you.
what? what is it?
yeah. i just thought this might change things. i hoped. ugh.
that is just the wrong thing to say right now, caden. you should go.
caden, i won't be yet another woman you feel guilty about.
here. take this. i got like five for christmas. goddamn christmas. she hands him a 2009 calendar. it features photos of adele.
huh. pause.
what are you doing?
huh.
in your box office?
i'm not sure i can work with you, caden. i'm kind of angry.
it's really disturbing.
you are so obnoxious!
yeah, well, you find it awfully charming. my obnoxiousity.
you don't want to cross me.
no. because you like me so much.
and my use of the word "obnoxiousity."
yes. you're delicious in your acquiescence. claire enters, looks for caden. she spots hazel first.
hi, claire.
hazel.
yes, i'm the box office.
wonderful! you?
yes, i recall mr. cotard. hazel looks around now, too. both spot caden at the same time. he smiles and waves and approaches.
this is derek.
hi, derek.
great, cade. en.
yeah, okay. thanks. derek and i --
whitrow says, "if a mind is regarded to be a memory-based process of integration"
caden! i was wondering if i was going to bump into you! she gives him a hug, notices his shaking leg.
um, yeah. for a while now.
oh. i㬄m here with derek and the boys. mini-vacation! you know.
yeah. i thought you knew.
five. twins. robert and daniel and allan.
oh. derek took them to natural history. so i could shop.
nice to see you, caden. how are things?
good. the kids are wonderful. i have a great job at lens shapers.
it㬄s so good to see you. i should run. i want to get some shopping in. we㬄re meeting back at the hotel at three. then sushi!
caden?
oh no. oh, caden. i'm so sorry.
yes, i got that.
you thought you should say something. that's lovely. that's what makes our relationship so special. the obligation.
yeah, i guess that's what happens when you have a kid with somebody else. you having sex with her?
i have to go. i'm sorry about your dad. that's awful news.
i have to. i'm going out. i have to get ready. everything's fine.
oh, honey, i can't anymore.
it's okay. i'm okay.
i'll always be your friend. i'll help you through any way i can.
caden, i'm fine. i have derek.
they fired me. i caused an outbreak of conjunctivitis. i didn't wash my hands. i had pink eye hands! pink hands!
i didn't wash my hands! i'm a stupid cow! i don't have anything to show for being on this planet. and this fucking private christian school is killing us. it's not cheap. it's derek's thing. i don't believe in that shit. y'know? try to be a good person. that's all there is. i'm sorry. i'm talking too much. do you have anything for me, caden?
sammy barnathan? sammy barnathan stands. he is the gaunt man we've seen following caden. hazel leads him to caden. caden stands.
he's good, caden.
i only have eyes for you, dear.
i get to be a character? hooray!
already put out a call for a claire replacement. would you really clean my bathroom?
god, caden, it's all so fucked.
yup. june 9th? caden nods, rushes out the door of the warehouse set.
eh. caden this is millicent weems.
kind of. he reminds me of you.
don't worry, caden. i like you more. i do. sammy's just fun.
oh, sweetie. no, you're not. caden's cell phone rings. he answers it.
caden. i don't want to say things that are going to make you sad.
you want me to be sad that someone's taking me out to dinner? i don't know how to do that.
it just happened, caden. i didn't plan it. you were with claire. this probably isn't going to go anywhere, sweetie. i'm still your girl.
caden, i know everything about you and it's all adorable. i love you and i always will. so don't worry. i gotta go, i'm there. hazel hangs up. caden stands there for a minute.
is there no end to your pussy kissing?
whatever. i've got work to do. tell your girlfriend to get out here if she wants a ride back.
give it a rest, caden. i can smell her on your breath.
that didn't happen, caden.
but hazel hasn't done it, tammy.
he's nice. he's available. he fucks me without crying.
yes! and you and i only fucked one time that's why you only cried one time! i give you endless opportunities.
derek left. because of you!
i don't know, caden. how come a lot of things? it's not like we can start fresh, like sammy and i can. there's all this pressure on us. we're finally both free and there's all this fucking pressure.
that's such a romantic response. i'm touched.
ugh. forget it. derek is played by joe --
yes. was it good?
did you cry?
you're making progress.
��what?㬝
i㬄m sure i would㬄ve remembered that. no. the shower turns on. caden grabs the key from millicent.
caden, there's no one in there. you've got to let go of her. she's not here anymore. i'm here.
yeah, we'll get the right key.
oh my god! it's an exact replica of the tethered maiden terrace! derek and the kids and i had so much fun on that trip!
come over tonight? please?
god, caden, that sounds nice. i miss my daughter. maybe she could come live with us.
i'm a bad person.
i'm so ashamed of myself. caden walks over to her and touches her shoulder.
oh, caden. i wish we had this when we were young. and all the years in between. so many years, so fast.
we're here, caden. i'm here.
yeah. the end is built in to the beginning. what can you do?
i'm a mess. but we fit, don't we. they kiss, then hazel climbs into bed.
i don't care. it's okay.
it's okay. it's different crying this time. i can tell. i'm crying, too. and i cried last time. after you left. i never told you. but i cried, too. caden kisses her again.
i think it might be too much.