Benny
Come on in. Come on in. So why’d you leave?
Ruthie
LA? I wasn’t that good of an actress.
Benny
Well that’s not how Sam tells it. He’s raving about you.
Ruthie
Yeah, well he’s sweeter than he is judgmental. How long have you known him?
Benny
Sam? Erm, seventy-two hours.
Ruthie
Be serious.
Benny
I am, serious.
Ruthie
Really?
Benny
I’m always serious. I’m too serious. Did you ever get to the point in your life when nothing makes any sense?
Sam
Brad? Brad? Quit kidding around. This isn’t funny any more.
Ruthie
Can we turn this off? Can we just turn this off?
Benny
No!
Sam
Why did you do this? You’re sick. You need help. Let me. . . Don’t. He was mine. He was mine! And if I can’t have him, no one can. Not even you. You didn’t have to buy that same dress. But you’re my sister, Cindy. I’m sorry about me and Brad. We didn’t mean to fall in love at the party. . .
Benny
Sssh.
Sam
. . . boys, other midnight swims, other prom dresses. Cindy, no Cindy!
Benny
Try it again. Now, see there’s only two reasons a car won’t start. Either you’re not getting fuel or you’re not getting fire. You’ve got fire. I think you’d better let me drive you home. Sorry.
Ruthie
Thanks. Here it is. It’s right here.
Benny
Second job, huh?
Ruthie
Yeah. Got to make those ends meet, you know.
Benny
This is just how I imagined your place. Well. . .
Ruthie
You wanna come in? Or you, you wanna. . .
Benny
Oh. No, I’ll come in, for a minute. Whoa! What is this? Nice porch.
Ruthie
Pretty nice fish Joon gave you.
Benny
Oh yeah, those fish. Yeah I was shocked I was. . . Nice fish, I mean, yeah.
Ruthie
I never had a fish.
Benny
What? Not even as a kid?
Ruthie
No. Under privileged childhood, I guess.
Benny
Down-right un-American, if you ask me.
Ruthie
Yeah.
Benny
You can have one of mine, if you want.
Ruthie
No, I couldn’t, I couldn’t possibly. I mean they were a gift.
Benny
But, you know, you could borrow it. You know, we could share it. Like joint custody. You could take it on the weekends, you know. What is this? Wow!
Ruthie
Sit down son, you’re making me nervous.
Benny
Oh.
Ruthie
Want a beer?
Benny
Yeah. You know what? I’d better not. I gotta get going. I better get going, okay?
Ruthie
Yeah, okay.
Benny
I’ll take a rain check on the beer.
Ruthie
Okay, I got the doors.
Benny
Do you want to go to dinner?
Ruthie
Ever been married?
Benny
No.
Ruthie
Yeah.
Benny
Yeah? Great. See ya.
Ruthie
See ya.
Benny
See ya.
Social Worker
See you next week.
Joon
Right, thank you.
Social Worker
Benny, would you come inside a moment?
Benny
Sure.
Social Worker
Who’s the new housekeeper?
Benny
The new. . . oh! This. . . friend, just came to stay with us for a while, but. . .
Social Worker
Joon tells me he’s a man.
Benny
Well you know Joon, how flowery she gets with words.
Social Worker
So. . . she’s lying? I mean, is it a man, or isn’t it?
Benny
Well, yes, technically. He’s really just a guy, a friend.
Social Worker
So where does this leave the group home decision? I take it you haven’t talked to her about it yet.
Benny
No, not yet.
Social Worker
The admission date is less than a week away.
Benny
But you see, the thing is she’s really doing fine. She seems content. Let’s just leave it at that for now.
Social Worker
Let me know when you want to talk to her about it.
Benny
I’ll let you know. Okay. Bye.
Store Owner
Hello.
Sam
I wanna help.
Store Owner
Ah, wonderful. Okay. If you’d like to fill out this application, I’ll be right with you.
Benny
Not so hard.
Joon
Wow. You actually have cuticles.
Benny
I know. It’s amazing. What the hell is he doing?
Joon
Mashed potatoes. So are you and Ruthie considering item-hood? Are you? Benjamin and Ruthamin sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g. First comes love, then comes marriage. . .
Benny
Get out of here.
Joon
. . . then comes little Ruthamins and Benjamins and a baby carriage.
Benny
I’m just taking her out to dinner.
Ruthie
That’s a good joke.
Benny
You like that?
Ruthie
Uh-uh. What time you got?
Benny
It’s eleven.
Ruthie
On the nose?
Benny
Right, exactly.
Ruthie
I don’t think I’ve ever asked anybody the time before and had it been right on the nose.
Benny
That’s weird, isn’t it? It’s, right on the nose.
Ruthie
Do you. . . Do you want to come in for a while? I erm, I got that beer waiting for you.
Benny
Erm. You know what? I should probably go.
Ruthie
Okay.
Benny
Listen, erm. Can I, can I tell you something?
Ruthie
What?
Benny
Erm, you see, my life is just real. . . complicated, and. . .
Ruthie
Give me a break Benny. I just offered you a beer, okay?
Benny
No.
Joon
Why don’t we pick up Ruthie, and get some ice-cream?
Sam
Yeah, let’s get her.
Benny
No.
Sam
Why?
Benny
‘Cos, she doesn’t want to talk to me.
Sam
Oh.
Benny
Come on, we should go. Knock it off. He is. . . He’s incredible. He’s amazing.
Joon
Did you have to go to school for that?
Sam
No. No, I got thrown out of school for that.
Joon
Really?
Sam
Oh yeah.
Benny
Hey, listen. Why don’t you guys go on ahead? I’m gonna. . . I’m just gonna hang here for a while.
Sam
Okay?
Joon
Really?
Benny
Yeah. Go ahead. I’ll see you at home, later. All right?
Sam
Okay.
Joon
Okay.
Benny
That was. . . that was great.
Sam
No, no, no.
Benny
Thank you.
Sam
Thank you. Bye bye. Joon?
Joon
What?
Sam
I, I love you.
Joon
Me, too. Don’t tell Benny.
Sam
Okay.
