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: No.
MARIAN: Did you, Jane?
(Jane nods.)
BARBARA: Jane and Richard talk, Marian.
(Short pause.)
MARIAN: Because of Pamela??
RICHARD: Shut up.
MARIAN (To Jane): Because of her? Is this how you worked things out? You love your job. (To Barbara) He’s now worked for how many Attorneys General?
(Short pause. They eat.)
BARBARA (To Marian, as they digest this news about Richard): Jane and Tim got to Rhinebeck early and she showed him around town.
MARIAN (To Jane): Putting off coming here?
JANE: No. No.
TIM (To help Jane out): It’s a sweet village. I love the wooden signs.
MARIAN: We live here.
TIM (After a look at Jane): I didn’t mean—
MARIAN: On weekends in the summer, you New Yorkers come here and saunter in the middle of the street—like it’s some amusement park. And so we’re supposed to just stop our cars so you can walk . . .?
(Then:)
There are more registered Democrats than Republicans in this village now. That is a big change since I came here.
TIM: Is it . . .
MARIAN: We have the first openly gay elected official in all of Dutchess County. Kathy. She’s the town highway superintendent.
TIM: That’s—good.
MARIAN (To Jane): I thought Tim would be interested in that—being in the theater.
(Pause.)
TIM: So—then the Democrats will win—here?
MARIAN (Eating): There were a lot of old people in line to vote. That’s never a good sign. People aren’t thinking . . . There’s a lot of anger.
RICHARD: I’m angry.
MARIAN: Are you? I’m talking about the crazies, Richard.
RICHARD: I don’t think they’re crazy. I think they’re just pissed off. I think they’re looking at society—a government, and I’m not saying just this government, it’s been like this for decades, it’s just coming to a head. A government that’s always saying: “We’re here to give out things.” So everyone line up, push in line, cut in line, get your head in the trough! That’s not very inspiring!
TIM (To Jane): What is this?
JANE: Sh-sh . . .
MARIAN: So—that’s your excuse for quitting your job? You’re fed up? Do you even believe that yourself, Richard? Or is that just how you justify buying a bigger apartment so your wife would come home and leave that other guy?
BARBARA: Marian . . .
(Short pause.)
JANE (To Richard): Are you and Pamela getting a new apartment?
RICHARD: I don’t want to talk about this.
JANE: How did you know?
MARIAN: She complains about their apartment. She’s always after something else.
RICHARD: That’s not the reason.
MARIAN (To Richard, as she eats): So right now, it is very useful for you to be angry, Richard.
(They eat. The lights fade.)
American Manners
A short time later.
TIM (To the others, glancing at Jane): It’s all about manners. A kind of social history of American manners. (To Jane) Right? They’re interested.
BARBARA: She never wants to talk about her books.
TIM: She says—
JANE: Tim.
TIM: They want to know. She says that by studying manners—which after all are just customs—such as, say, how people greet each other, how— (Gestures around the room and to the table of food) they eat together. Their etiquette. That it’s a way of getting to the heart and soul . . . of us. Right?
RICHARD: I guess then it’s like—tell me if I’m on the wrong track, Jane.
JANE: Why is everyone suddenly so interested in my book?
TIM: It’s a very interesting book.
JANE: It’s not even a book yet.
RICHARD (Continuing): It’s like—a way of taking one element of behavior—which society has organized, the culture has, the country has organized—and if we look close enough,
