Rhinebeck
A short time later. They hardly eat anymore.
JANE: I called Billy last night and told him about Adam. I keep thinking he’ll react like a kid, but he’s a grown-up. (To Marian) He sent his love to you. Unprompted.
MARIAN: And mine back.
JANE: He wanted to know if he should come—
MARIAN: No, no—
BARBARA (Same time): He doesn’t have to—
JANE (Over this): I told him that . . . And that you two were divorced and . . . So—he’s not going to come.
MARIAN: Good.
JANE: Not even to the funeral.
Are you really sure that’s okay?
(Marian nods.)
Billy asked if his dad were dying, would you all come. Because we’re divorced. (She eats) I told him of course you’d come. That that’s different.
(Then:)
(To Marian) Maybe, he said, you and John will come down and see him some time this winter. There’s some show at the museum . . .
MARIAN: I liked going to Philadelphia.
JANE: I didn’t tell him about you and John . . .
TIM (To Jane): Billy okay?
JANE: We talked for a while. I don’t know how we got started—except of course Adam— Billy said a friend of his died. Someone from Haverford. And he said there’s no easy way to destroy your Facebook page. No way to just update—“Jane is dead.” You just sit frozen in time until Facebook can somehow verify with a death certificate, a notarized letter from the parents, something like that—that you’re dead. So his friend’s page is still up, and someone somehow has gained access to it and is posting photos and videos via her name. Billy said, it is as if she is still living online.
TIM: Someone dies, you want to do something. That’s human. This is just human.
(Then:)
MARIAN: You’re very quiet, Richard. So unlike you.
RICHARD: Is it?
BARBARA: I’m sorry it’s such a trial hanging around with your sisters . . .
RICHARD: I never said—
MARIAN: We’ll let you go soon . . .
(Then:)
TIM (To say something): I was surprised that Adam chose Dapson’s and not Burnett and White. They’re right around the corner.
BARBARA: Dapson’s is just—
TIM: And wasn’t Adam good friends with the Burnett and White people?—
BARBARA: It’s complicated. Adam’s business has landscaped Dapson’s for . . . (To Marian) He couldn’t decide, could he? He didn’t want to hurt either. I don’t know how we ended up choosing funeral homes. I think it usually just happens . . .
JANE (About the funeral homes): Tim’s now interested in all the Rhinebeck gossip.
TIM: That’s not gossip.
JANE (To Richard): He’s even thinking of joining the volunteer fire department.
RICHARD: You told me. (To Tim) That’s—ambitious.
TIM: I’m almost too old.
RICHARD: I’ve seen guys sitting outside the station who—
TIM: To start. To take on.
JANE (Over the end of this): We live so close to the station, Tim told them he can just put the siren on his head and run there . . . (She smiles; to Tim) They didn’t find that funny, did they?
RICHARD (Trying to say something; to Tim): I’ve always thought that the Beekman Arms must be a nice place to work.
TIM (Shrugs): It’s a restaurant.
BARBARA: Years ago they used to make the waiters wear costumes. Like from colonial times? I just remembered this. I had a friend— He worked the bar—he had a funny three-cornered hat. He really hated wearing that hat.
TIM: They don’t do that anymore.
BARBARA (To Marian): Tim waited on Adam’s mother and the “baby sister” at breakfast today.
JANE: You didn’t tell me—
TIM: I’ve hardly seen you.
BARBARA: They didn’t know who he was. They’ve met a lot of people over the past two days.
TIM: I didn’t say who I was. I just waited on them.
(Barbara notices Richard checking his watch.)
BARBARA (To Marian): He’s checking his watch.
RICHARD: It is late, Barbara.
(Phone rings in the kitchen. Marian jumps.)
BARBARA (To Marian): I unplugged the phone upstairs.
MARIAN: It’s probably the “baby sister” . . . She was worried about the noise on Route 9 . . . (Mimics) “Oh how am I going to sleep?” (As she goes out) I don’t know what the hell she thinks I can do about it . . .
(Marian is gone.)
BARBARA: The sister’s upset. She wanted to stay too, but the mom . . .
(The phone has stopped ringing in the kitchen.)
TIM: Best to stay out of that.
BARBARA: Should we make some coffee?
(No response.
Marian returns.)
MARIAN (To Richard): It’s Pamela . . .
(Richard gets up.)
She sends her condolences—to all of us.
RICHARD (As he goes, as a “joke”): She’s tracked me down.
(He is gone.)
BARBARA: Jane? Tell us how Albany was. How’s he doing?
(Marian sits to listen.)
BARBARA: What’s his apartment like?
JANE: Small. Tiny. But very clean.
MARIAN: Really?
TIM: Why is that—?
BARBARA: Does he have a cleaning lady?
JANE: No.
BARBARA (To Marian): Good for him.
JANE: I was there the whole week. He did the dishes. The grocery shopping.
MARIAN: Does he cook?
JANE: He tries. He got a book. And he follows the directions. I wouldn’t have believed that, if I hadn’t seen it. He doesn’t just make it up.
TIM: Why is that—?
BARBARA: Does he have any friends there?
JANE: I don’t think so. I didn’t meet any.
(Barbara and Marian share a look.)
(Again) He works. And spends almost nothing. There’s nothing on the walls. Not even a calendar. Like a monk.
MARIAN: Why is he punishing himself? He didn’t do anything.
JANE: He’s so angry.
BARBARA (To Marian): He tries to hide it.
JANE: He keeps telling himself: Pamela is going to want more money. “Nothing is ever enough.” His words. “She’ll never be satisfied. She never is.” He told me he “thinks” she’s going to sue him . . . Once he gets started on that, he doesn’t stop.
(The sisters share a look.)
BARBARA: Sh-sh . . .
(They listen.)
I thought he was coming. (Concerned) I don’t hear him talking . . .
JANE: Tim, would you stand there and warn us if he’s coming?
TIM: No.
JANE: He spoke to Pamela last night.
MARIAN: To Pamela? He called her?
BARBARA (To Marian): Pamela told me this morning.
JANE (To Barbara): After you called about Adam getting worse. To tell her he had to come here. It’s Richard’s weekend with the kids. He said they fought.
BARBARA (To Marian): She said—he just yelled at her. (Getting up) I don’t hear him . . . (Listens) Is he off the phone? I’m going to go see.
(Barbara goes into the kitchen.)
MARIAN (Sighs): Jesus . . . (She looks off toward the living room)
JANE: Adam seems quiet, Marian . . .
MARIAN (Getting up): I’m going upstairs. I’ll be right back. (She goes)
(Jane is alone with Tim.)
JANE (Sighs): What a night . . . Thank you for staying. I know you don’t want to.
TIM: It’s fine. I’m family. Aren’t I?
(Jane smiles at him.)
JANE: Now I want a drink . . .
(As he goes and pours:)
You know you are a wonderful actor, Tim. And you should still audition . . . Even from here. The train’s just . . .
TIM: I know . . .
JANE: And Karen’s going to get over this—whatever she’s going through. I was like this too at her age. It’s a good place for kids.
BARBARA (Returning): Richard’s out in the yard with Benjamin.
They’re—smoking cigarettes together.
JANE: Richard hasn’t smoked since college . . .
(As Barbara looks around:)
She went upstairs. (To Tim) You don’t smoke. You’d better not.
TIM: No, I don’t. I don’t.
(Barbara looks around the room.)
BARBARA: A woman who used to live here . . .
TIM: This is interesting.
BARBARA: She just appeared at the back door last Sunday. She said she’d lived here, in this house, first as a child, then, to take care of her mother. Her mother, she said, died here—in this very room.
They’d brought down a bed. They’d brought down a bed from upstairs. It was pretty much where this table is . . .
JANE: We thought of doing that for Adam . . .
(Then:)
(About the dinner) I think we’re done.
(Richard returns.)
RICHARD: Uncle’s out in the yard, looking—lost. I should go. Where’s Marian?
BARBARA: Don’t go yet.
JANE: Marian’s upstairs. She’s coming right back.
(As they wait for Marian:)
(To Richard) Are you smoking?
BARBARA (To Richard): How’s Pamela?
RICHARD: I’ll live. My cross: Pamela . . .
JANE (To say something): Barbara had a guest this week, someone who used to live in this house.
RICHARD: Did they just knock on the door?
(Barbara nods.)
I’ve done that. Our house on the South Side. Years ago. They wouldn’t let me in.
BARBARA: She said that when they had the chimney removed—you know how you can still see the base of it in the basement? They found a bill from a store. Dated 1863. She said she’d send it to me. That it belonged here.
RICHARD: A bill for what?
BARBARA: She didn’t say. And here . . . Here . . . (She points to a place on the floor) I’ll show you . . . (She gets on her hands and knees and pulls back a corner of the rug) Here, look here. I covered this with the rug on purpose. She showed this to me. Over here . . . Look, she said, see these little cuts? See?
(The others go and look.)
They were made, she said, by one of her sons, showing off his new hunting knife. The knife slipped and the boy cut his foot and had to go to the hospital. The father gave him hell, she said.
(Marian enters, seeing Barbara on her knees and the others around her. Marian has a small baby monitor.)
(Marian nods.)
RICHARD (Getting off his knees): How long was she—?
BARBARA: Not long. Marian was out. I wanted her to meet her.
(To Marian) Things okay?
(Marian sets the monitor on a chair.)
(About the monitor) Good idea.
MARIAN (Explaining to Barbara): I thought— His mother falling asleep . . .
(She turns the monitor on—a little static and the ticking of a clock upstairs.)
RICHARD (In a whisper to Marian): I was just waiting for you to come back down.
MARIAN (Smiles): They can’t hear you, we can only hear them.
RICHARD: I wasn’t. I’ve had children . . .
MARIAN: He thinks they can hear us.
BARBARA: I was telling Richard about the woman who visited . . .
MARIAN: Did you tell him that they’d brought a bed down here? For the mother?
BARBARA: I told him. (To Richard) Sit, sit.
MARIAN: So she died, right here . . . We think pretty much where the table is—
RICHARD: She said.
MARIAN: She left. I never did meet her . . . We almost did that for Adam . . .
BARBARA: Such an interesting way of looking at your own house. Through—her eyes . . . For her everything was just different. Everything changed.
Who wants more to eat? Richard? Salad?
RICHARD: I’m done.
(On the monitor: “Marian, thank Barbara for the dinner.”)
MARIAN: “Thank Barbara for the dinner.” His mother. (Turns the monitor down) She didn’t thank me . . .
BARBARA: This is a mess.
JANE (Getting up): I’ll take some things in. And get the trays.
RICHARD (Standing): I should go now.
BARBARA: Sit, Richard. Just for a few more minutes. Please. And visit with Marian. She’s hardly even seen you . . .
(He hesitates and looks at his watch.)
Don’t look at your watch.
(He sits.
Jane picks up a few things and goes off.)
MARIAN (To Richard): I sat with Adam one night a few weeks ago and we talked about all that had changed in this village. He was already here . . . He wasn’t going back to his apartment.
(To Barbara) He never should have sold our house.
Barbara was so generous . . .
BARBARA: You live here too. It’s your house too. You were generous too.
MARIAN (Continues): We—in our imaginations, because he couldn’t even be moved by then—we “walked” down Market Street; first one side, then the other. And we told each other—what we remembered being there.
TIM: What do you mean? Jane might write a history of Rhinebeck.
MARIAN: There have been at least two already—
BARBARA: She always has so many ideas—
TIM: She just has to write one, Barbara.
MARIAN (Answering Tim’s earlier question): What’s no longer there or changed, Tim. The CVS—that was the grocery store. The A&P.
(Jane returns with trays; the sisters begin to pick up.)
The honey store was the hardware store . . . Moving the statue of that sexy soldier from the fire station to the parking lot.
Adam remembered the day a house, a whole one-hundred-fifty-year-old house on Mill Street, (To Richard) Route 9, they lifted it up, put it on wheels and rolled it down about a block and a half— That’s where it is now.
BARBARA (To Tim): Part of the Beekman’s expansion. That house in the back.
MARIAN (Continues): There was the pizza church. Adam remembers it being a sort of hippy art center in the sixties—that’s even before me . . . He did a performance there once—against the war . . . With a bunch of people he was living with at Rokeby.
JANE: I can’t imagine Adam as a hippie.
MARIAN (Smiles): I’ll show you pictures. As long as I can cover up me. Tim, Adam reminded me—do you know what Mill Street, Route 9, becomes if you go south far enough? It becomes—Broadway. The Broadway in Manhattan. Route 9, our Mill Street . . .
TIM (Sort of a joke): So I guess I’m not that far from Broadway.
(Jane smiles and pats him.)
MARIAN: Barbara said her visitor was very happy that schoolteachers were living in her house. And not goddamn rich lawyers from New York City who crowd everything out on weekends. (She has looked at Richard)
RICHARD: I live in Albany.
JANE: Tim told me the other day—
TIM: What?
JANE (Over this): Above the pizza place? He heard this at Bard. The woman who heads the trust for the composer—John Cage? Do you know who that is?
JANE (Over this): Well she—the head of the trust—lives in Rhinebeck above the pizza place. I don’t know why, but that seems so fascinating . . .
(Then:)
RICHARD: Benjamin and I noticed that they’ve been building some sort of stage—behind your house, Barbara.
BARBARA: The back of the town parking lot.
TIM: For Sinterklaas . . .
BARBARA (Over this): The parade.
JANE: Tim’s been working on this year’s. With Karen. They’re making stars.
BARBARA (To Richard): They do a little show on that stage, Richard. St. George and the Dragon . . . (To Marian) Adam was St. George once or twice, wasn’t he?
MARIAN: Two years in a row. (To Tim) Evan and I did stars. For about three years, until we just had fights. I’m sure you’re having a better time.
JANE (To Marian): Karen and Tim have fights. (Turns to Tim) I can tell them that. We live here.
BARBARA (To Marian): You had some very good times together. You two. Come on.
(Short pause. They listen to the ticking from the monitor.
No one knows what to say.)
(Reaches and takes Marian’s hand) This woman, Richard—you should know this about your sister—what she has been doing for her ex-husband. These past few months. I can’t even begin to describe . . .
She stopped everything to take care of Adam. Gave up everything . . .
RICHARD: I know.
MARIAN: What did I give up?
BARBARA: She pretty much moved back in with him into his apartment. How much do you know?
RICHARD: I think we’re all proud of Marian for all she’s done.
BARBARA: How much do you know? You haven’t been here—
RICHARD: Jane’s told me.
MARIAN: His apartment was—not a place to die in. (To Barbara) That’s what you said.
I’ve learned I can do the “bedside thing.” I hadn’t thought before I could. Could I have a drink? Not that I’m going to feel it.
(Tim goes to pour Marian a drink. A small yawn from the monitor.)
The mother—yawning. (Continues) It finally dawned on me—he must really be dying from a broken heart. Evan, she broke his heart. When she killed herself. She broke my heart. (Looks up at Barbara)
BARBARA: We’re family. It’s just us. You’re safe . . .
MARIAN (Smiles, then): For some reason, it hasn’t killed me yet.
I sometimes wonder why.
Just three months ago—I don’t think I could even have imagined spending five minutes with Adam. He’d hurt me so much. But, at Barbara’s urging—
BARBARA: You didn’t need me.
MARIAN (Over this): Her insistence—we all know what that can be like . . .
BARBARA (A joke): What does she mean?
(Laughter, maybe too much laughter.)
Hey, hey . . .
MARIAN: What would we do without Barbara? We heard about Adam being sick, and she took me literally by the hand to visit him. And so I saw so clearly . . . what I just said. Once I saw that, and saw that him blaming me—that I could now forgive—because it is so obvious that he blames himself so much more. And in the past month, I’ve come to see that he is the last person on earth I have left to share—to share Evan with.
(Before Barbara can say anything:)
I know, you too. But . . . it’s different. So doing the bedside thing was easy. Even selfish. (She suddenly gets up) I should do some dishes.
JANE: They can wait.
BARBARA: She wants to do dishes . . .
(Marian starts to head off. She stops. Then:)
MARIAN (Trying not to cry): Adam and I sat up one night a few weeks ago. “Sat up.” He couldn’t sleep anyway. He was on his drugs. And together we counted up how many places in Rhinebeck Village there now were where you can eat. When we moved here, there were three. We counted—and came up with twenty-eight. Now there’s twenty-eight places to eat here . . .
(She picks up the monitor and heads into the kitchen with it.
Benjamin passes her as he enters.)
BENJAMIN: Why is Marian crying?
BARBARA: She’s losing Adam, Uncle. They’d been married for thirty years.
BENJAMIN: That’s a long time. I’m sorry.
BARBARA: The grass must still be wet. Are your shoes wet?
BENJAMIN: A little.
BARBARA: Did you get cold outside?
BENJAMIN: I did get cold.
BARBARA: Please wear your coat.
RICHARD: I’m sorry it’s been so hard on her. I hadn’t completely . . .
JANE (Noticing Benjamin watching): You know Adam, Uncle?
TIM (To Benjamin): You and I talked a lot about Adam today.
BENJAMIN: Adam’s upstairs. He’s dying.
JANE: That’s right. (To Tim) That is right.
RICHARD: I should head back.
BARBARA: Do you have to?
RICHARD (Standing up, ignoring her): Benjamin, always good to see you.
BARBARA: You know who he is, Benjamin?
BENJAMIN: Richard.
RICHARD (To Barbara, making a point): He knows who I am. (To Benjamin) I’m so glad you’re safe at that “inn.” I’m so happy all that worked out . . . For everyone. And now maybe Barbara’s getting out more too . . . And doing things for herself . . . (Turns to Jane) Jane, thank you for visiting me in Albany. I had a really nice time with you. Tim . . . Thank you for loaning her out. (Turns to Barbara) I’ll say good-bye to Marian in the kitchen. Barbara . . .
(He goes to kiss her good-bye.)
BARBARA: Can we talk for a minute, Richard?
RICHARD: About what? I have to go . . .
BARBARA: About that. About going.
RICHARD: Barbara—
JANE: Tim . . .
TIM: Benjamin, I’m going to check out that stage in the parking lot. You want to come?
BENJAMIN: No.
TIM: I’ll take some of these into the kitchen.
(As Tim heads off with a tray:)
RICHARD (To Tim): What do you know that I don’t know?
JANE: Maybe he just wants to have a smoke, Richard.
JANE: No. He isn’t.
(Then:)
RICHARD: Barbara, what do you want?
BARBARA: How are the kids? Still angry at you?
RICHARD: I’m trying to buy them off. Tickets to shows, ball games. I’m trying . . .
BARBARA: It takes time. So I’m told. Kids . . . So Samantha’s the toughest on you?
(He nods.
Marian returns with the monitor.)
I guess girls usually are with their fathers. And Baby Mike is . . . okay?
RICHARD: I guess. And he’s not a baby, Barbara. He’s now a teenager.
BARBARA: Sorry, an aunt thing.
MARIAN: We all do it.
JANE: We do.
BARBARA: I’ve never said it to his face.
MARIAN: No . . .
RICHARD: Don’t. Please . . .
BARBARA: Are you all right, Richard?
(He looks at her and his sisters.)
Maybe this isn’t the right time to ask. Tonight. But when have we had the chance to ask? We haven’t seen you in months. I call—and we talk for a couple of minutes—and then you’re busy, or you have another call— Or you’re outside and your hands are cold.
RICHARD: I’m busy. I have a new job.
BARBARA: Why have you been avoiding us?
RICHARD: I just spent a whole week with Jane. Jane?
(No response.)
What is this?
I’ll try and call more often. You’re not going to make me feel guilty, Barbara. You’ve done that enough for one night. So just stop.
MARIAN: Richard, we’re worried about you in this “Albany.”
RICHARD: Is that what you’re worried about? Jane? You just visited me. Tell them. I’m fine. Tell your sisters I’m fine.
(No response.)
(Smiles) “Albany”? Marian, trust me, I know what I’ve gotten myself into. My eyes are wide open. I’m ready to be terribly disappointed by Andrew Cuomo. We all better be prepared for that. (Smiles) I’ll be fine. I’m fine. I appreciate the concern. Thanks for the talk . . . (Stands) Now my dear sisters I really need to go.
JANE (Stopping him): Richard . . .
MARIAN: You’re hurt. And you’re just doing what you’ve always done, Richard, when you get hurt.
RICHARD: Which is—?
BARBARA: You run away. And you hide . . .
And bury yourself in something . . .
MARIAN: We’re worried, Richard, that you’ve buried yourself in Albany.
RICHARD: I have a job. I’m trying to do something good. What am I supposed to do? What do you want me to do?
BARBARA: We’d like you to move here.
RICHARD: You’re joking. (He smiles)
MARIAN: No . . .
BARBARA: Go and work there. Try and do some good. Maybe you can. Who knows? And it’s less than an hour away. So then every night, come home here . . . Please don’t smile. We hate that smile. What?
RICHARD (Smiling): Pamela warned me—probably the only true thing she ever said to me—the only honest thing—Your sisters, she said, will never be happy, Richard, until you’re living in fucking Rhinebeck. Well, I guess she was right. Unbelievable.
BARBARA: Pamela’s worried about you too.
RICHARD: What? What are you talking about?—
MARIAN: She’s called us. Calls us.
JANE: A lot.
(Then:)
RICHARD: You can’t understand.
BARBARA: Try us, Richard. We want to understand.
RICHARD: The three of you have done nothing but criticize her since the day you met, and now—
MARIAN: And now we’re not defending her, except to say she’s not the monster, Richard, that you need her to be.
BARBARA: Marian—
RICHARD: Jane?
JANE: I agree with them, Richard.
BARBARA: But Pamela’s sorry. And she’s worried about you too . . . Like us. Your sisters . . .
MARIAN: She’s not going to “sue” like you told Jane. And you know that, Richard.
RICHARD (Over this): What?
BARBARA (Over this): She’s not trying to keep you from the kids. And you know that too. She knows she’s hurt you. And she’s very sorry, Richard.
RICHARD (Over the end of this): If Pamela could hear this . . . She must have said to me a hundred times—watch out, Richard, your sisters don’t have lives of their own up there in Rhinebeck, and once Benjamin . . .
They’re not going to rest until they find someone else’s life to run.
MARIAN: Meaning yours?
BARBARA (Same time): I don’t think that’s true.
RICHARD: “I don’t know why can’t they just live their own fucking lives.”
BARBARA: We have lives.
RICHARD: The three of you have done nothing but make fun of her.
JANE: That is not true.
RICHARD (Over this): Nothing she has ever done has been good enough. You think she didn’t know that? You think that didn’t hurt her? That didn’t hurt me? I guess it’s no wonder she left me . . .
JANE (Over this): No. No, Richard.
BARBARA (Same time): No. Richard . . . Pamela left you—because she fell in love with someone else.
(Short pause.)
And we’re sorry . . .
Please, think about what we’ve said. But now, stay the night. It’s late. You’re upset. You shouldn’t be driving back upset.
JANE: How about a drink, if you’re not driving now . . .? You’ve been making yourself drink seltzer all night.
(Then:)
BARBARA: If you want, until you find something better, you could stay here. There’s a full bath downstairs. Even has its own entrance. It’s blocked now, but we can open it up. I can move into Benjamin’s room.
MARIAN: Only when you’re not here, Benjamin. And Jane and Tim are just down the street . . .
(Short pause.)
JANE: Everyone ready for dessert?
(On the baby monitor there is a static noise of the monitor being picked up, and a woman’s voice whispering: “Marian . . .”)
MARIAN: I thought this might be a mistake. She always tried to get me to wait on her . . .
(And Marian goes out into the living room and upstairs.)
JANE: You having dessert, Richard?
(Richard doesn’t say anything.)
(To Barbara) Richard never says no to ice cream.
BARBARA: The church ladies brought pies.
JANE: What church ladies?
BARBARA: At Marian’s church.
JANE: That’s who those ladies were . . . Any ice cream? Richard likes ice cream.
BARBARA: I don’t know. Marian buys the ice cream.
JANE: Let’s look.
BARBARA: I know Marian has chocolate sauce . . .
(Jane and Barbara go to the kitchen.
Then:)
BENJAMIN: It will be all right, son. That’s what I always try and tell myself . . .
(The lights fade.)