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********************************

		JACK
Arlie... why don't you sit right there (points
to one of the chairs) and Cosmo.. right there.

JACK and ARLIE sit down

JACK reaches out and touches the globe
light on the table - the lights dim - ARLIE
sees this and laughing touches the GLOBE - 
the lights come back up

	         JACK 
(touches globe - lights dim) Excuse me..
but thank you...  so let's eat.

		COSMO
Jack, shouldn't we wait for Rita.

		JACK
I'm sure she won't be down.

		COSMO
But Arlie said she would be joining us... and
she did make the dinner...


RITA appears on the staircase

		RITA
That was very sweet, Cosmo.  We're glad to
have both of you here.

RITA crosses and sits

		COSMO
Rita...

		JACK
Thanks honey.

		COSMO
Rita... we're going to eat quickly and be out
of here - half hour at most....

PAUSE as he looks around the table

		COSMO
I mean, tomorrow's a work day for
everybody...

		RITA
It is, isn't it?
		JACK
Oh, god, it's a schoolnight - I forgot to do
my homework.

ARLIE laughs

		RITA (to ARLIE)
I've learned to ignore him over the years.

		ARLIE (to COSMO)
I ignore you all the time, right Daddy?

She reaches out and takes COSMO's hand
and reaches out to ARLIE who looks at her
perplexed

		RITA
Why don't we join hands....

COSMO gives her a look to go along

JACK reaches out and takes ARLIE's other hand

RITA bows her head - COSMO follows - ARLIE looks around, 
JACK winks at her - she giggles - COSMO gives her a look

		RITA 
As I see into your heart - the ocean of life -
Shanti - Shanti - Shanti - peace - peace -
peace...

		ARLIE
Over the teeth, over the gums, look out
stomach, here it comes_____

		COSMO (cutting her off)
Oommmmm..

		ARLIE
What was that?

		COSMO
This looks great!

		RITA
Thank you....

		JACK
And Arlie made the salad.

RITA passes the main course to COSMO
who hands it on to JACK without taking any

ARLIE takes salad as JACK takes his main
course

JACK hands ARLIE the main course bowl -
ARLIE looks at it

		ARLIE
What is this?

		RITA
Bulgar.

ARLIE looks over at COSMO's plate

		ARLIE
You haven't taken any bulgar.

		COSMO
No, no, it looks really good.

		RITA
Cosmo, could I get you something else?

		ARLIE
Why don't you take your bulgar, darling?

		COSMO
It's just I ate so late...

		ARLIE
I'm sure you know my husband won't eat
anything I don't cook...

RITA looks at COSMO

		ARLIE
Oh, yeah!  See, I'm his little mommy, right,
honey. I feed my little baby.

		COSMO
That's a complete exaggeration.

		ARLIE
Exaggeration?  Once I got this great
casserole at a swap meet and I served it and
when Cosmo tasted it he said, "You didn't
make this did you?".  So I tried to lie for a
while___

		JACK
Andele, andele.

		ARLIE
And when he finally forced it out of me - that
it wasn't mine - he wouldn't eat it - just
refused.  Said he wanted his Mommy to
make him dinner.  He's so cute, isn't he?

LONG PAUSE

COSMO reaches and serves himself
BULGAR

		COSMO (tasting)
Um... that's just wonderful..

He labors chewing

		RITA
Bulgar's amino acid content centers around...
(looking to JACK)

		COSMO
Arginine and alanine.

		RITA
Arginine and alanine.

		COSMO
I didn't know you took such an interest in
cooking.

		RITA
I went to cooking school last year.

		JACK
We try to keep up...

		COSMO
Really, which one?

		RITA
Oh, it was this one that used to be up in___

		ARLIE
Yeah, I don't know.. sometimes you have to
live with someone to really get to know
them...  

PAUSE

		ARLIE
Sometimes not - who knows.

PAUSE

		RITA
So...

		JACK
Wine anyone.

		ARLIE
Well, I started with a beer but...

		RITA (significant look)
Um... I'm not sure, honey.

		COSMO
Oh, I don't think.... I mean it's late already...

		JACK (to ARLIE)
What do you think?

		ARLIE
It's a school night but why not?

		JACK
That's right, why not?

He exits to the kitchen

		COSMO (to RITA)
Sorry.

		RITA
No, it's fine.

		ARLIE
What are you apologizing for?

		COSMO
Oh, nothing, it's just so late and everything
and_____

		ARLIE
Can't we just have a good time for once.

JACK enters and crosses to the table with
two wine glasses, an open bottle of wine,
and RITA's glass of DC

		JACK (o.s.)
Somebody say 'good time'?

		ARLIE 
Oh, goody.

JACK hands RITA her DC and pours a glass
of wine for COSMO and ARLIE

JACK moves across the livingroom to the stereo

		ARLIE
I like this house.   I can see why you like it
here, MoMo.

		RITA
MoMo?

		COSMO
Just a little jokey name.  It's nothing.

		ARLIE
No, it's my favorite name for MoMo.

ROCK MUSIC comes on - JACK crosses
back to the table

He looks to RITA who hangs her head

		JACK
Is that too loud?

		RITA
Well... I can't...

RITA gets up and moves to the stereo

		COSMO (laughing, to ARLIE)
See, that's a little game they play - see, Jack
turns it up till Rita complains then he knows
it's loud enough.

JACK sits back down at the table as RITA
turns off music

		JACK
Did I miss anything?

		COSMO
Not really.

		ARLIE
We were talking about Cosmo's nick name.

		JACK
Nick name?

		COSMO
Oh, come on.

		ARLIE
Yeah - MoMo!

		JACK
MoMo?

RITA returns and sits back down

		RITA (returning to table)
I think we've given Cosmo a bad enough
time for now.

		ARLIE
No, let's really give it to him.

		COSMO
Arlie!

		JACK
We're just kidding around, MoMo.

		RITA
That's what he always says when he's being
cruel.

		JACK (to ARLIE)
So you like to cook?

		ARLIE
Well, I didn't used to love it but over time I
think I've gotten pretty good - you know
with Cosmo needing____

		COSMO
She's somewhat domestic but that sense is
decidedly misshapen - like a hardy fruit after
a rugged winter.

		ARLIE
What the fuck does that mean?

		COSMO
Just a joke.

		ARLIE
Yeah, we're all bustin' a gut, right.

		RITA (to COSMO)
So you were out doing some shopping
today?

		ARLIE
Yeah, I was looking for outfits. How do you
like it?

		RITA
It's...

		JACK
Very cute.

RITA looks at JACK

		ARLIE
Really, thank you... Yeah, CoCo likes to be
with me when I shop for my outfits.  

		JACK
CoCo?  I thought it was MoMo...

		ARLIE
Oh, I call him that when he's a bad boy...
Sometimes I sneak CoCo into the dressing
room with me____

		JACK
A bad boy, eh CoCo.

ARLIE looks at them impatiently

		JACK (notices)
Sorry, go on.

		COSMO
I caught him once trying to look into the
next stall - you know they have all those
mirrors___

		COSMO (interrupting)
We saw "La'aventura" the other night.

		ARLIE
What's...?

		COSMO
I rented it - that movie - remember?

		ARLIE
No.

		COSMO
They're on a boat, the girl disappears?

		ARLIE
Oh, yeah - that thing in Italian.

		JACK
Is that what they were speaking?  No
wonder I couldn't understand___

		RITA
Jack.

		ARLIE
Her hair was great - that blond.

		COSMO
Monica Viti.

		ARLIE
I just kept waiting for her to come on to see
her hair. (to RITA) You should see it.

		RITA
Right... we have.

		ARLIE
Oh, yeah, so you know.  Isn't she great
looking?

		COSMO
That's how I saw it - Jack and Rita showed it
to the group a few weeks ago.

		ARLIE
You watch movies during group?  Wouldn't
it just be cheaper to go to a theater?

		RITA
Sometimes a film will speak to a situation...

		COSMO 
I think that is one of the most misunderstood
movies ever.

		JACK
What did you think, Arlie?

		ARLIE (to COSMO)
I probably misunderstood it then.

		COSMO
No, I didn't mean you didn't understand__

		JACK
What did you mean, Cosmo?

		COSMO
I think people...  I don't know I shouldn't say
'people' like that - It's just that it was so
strong - so resonant - not some obscure...

JACK looks at COSMO unnerving him

		COSMO
But I thought you loved it, Jack.

		JACK
I liked it OK.

		RITA
It's one of his favorites.

		JACK
Yeah, right, it's her hair - that blond's.

		ARLIE
Yeah!

		RITA
Well, I think deep down___

		JACK
That's the only way to think about
something.

RITA stares at him

		JACK
No, deep down is good.
	
	        RITA
Jack..

		JACK
What is it, lover?

	        RITA
Lover?  What do you mean by that?

JACK looks away smiling

		RITA
I'm asking you what it was you meant?

		JACK
Why?

		RITA
You hurt my feelings.

		JACK
Really?  I'm sorry.  Go on.

RITA looks away

		JACK
Oh, come on, I was just kidding.

		RITA
I'd rather not, thank you.

PAUSE

		COSMO
Well, I'd like to hear what you were going to
say.

PAUSE

		COSMO
I know Jack was just joking and the film was
fascinating___

		ARLIE
It's her house - if she doesn't want to talk she
doesn't have to.

JACK smiles

		RITA
Well, for me -  DEEP DOWN - the characters 
in that film were an expression of
the eternal conflict between the upper and
lower shakras.  I don't presume any wisdom
though you know I do subscribe to Hindi
principles - the hero's hedonism and the
power grabbing shakras and the upper heart
expressive___

		JACK
There's no conflict between shakras___

		COSMO
But___

		JACK
There is no conflict... they are all one - there
is no hierarchy.

		RITA
I wasn't positing a hierarchy.

		JACK
Not overtly - but we all know your agenda,
Rita.

		COSMO
I don't know if that's really fair____

		ARLIE
They all seemed the same to me.

		JACK
Really?

		ARLIE
Yeah, they were all these typical, insecure
types - running these numbers in their heads
- like Geraldo, you know.

		COSMO
Geraldo?

		ARLIE
Or the fucking President - I don't know, I
was just talking.  That's what we're all doing
here anyway.  Don't get so excited.  The
world is full of jerks!

PAUSE

		RITA
So where'd you go shopping?
	
	        COSMO
That new mall, over on 27.

		RITA
Is that a good one?

		ARLIE
Boy, did we see some real types today.

		RITA
Really?  At the mall?

		ARLIE
Christ, sometimes I wonder how people have
the nerve to go outside

		RITA (laughs)
Oh, Arlie, that's terrible.

		ARLIE
Admit it - most people have such pathetic
little lives.

		JACK 
Oh, I don't know, Cosmo does pretty well
for himself.

		RITA
JACK!

		JACK
It's just a joke.

		ARLIE
So we were at the supermarket___

		RITA
Cosmo are you OK?

		JACK
He's fine... Right, Cosmo?

		COSMO
I understand Jack's sense of humor___

		ARLIE
Hey, I was talking here, you know!

		JACK (laughs)
Sorry, go on.

		ARLIE
Thank you.  So were waiting on line and
there's this smelly, weird, bent-up guy who's
buying lottery tickets - I mean he's holding
up the whole line while he tries to figure out
his lucky number.  Like people are starving
and their kids are getting nuts and this
SCHMENDRAKE is asking this stacked
fifteen year old girl - I mean you should have
seen CoCo staring at her tits!

		COSMO
I was not!

		ARLIE
Oh, it's no big deal - you always do it.

		COSMO
She's making that up!

		ARLIE
Oh, god, everyone does it. (to RITA) I mean
doesn't everybody?

		RITA
What number did he pick?

		ARLIE
Who?

		RITA
The smelly, bent-up guy.

		ARLIE
Oh, yeah... I don't know!  Christ what a
scene.

ARLIE laughs

		ARLIE
And did you ever notice how everyone on
that side of town is fat or limps or is
cross-eyed?

		COSMO
Arlie, don't be stupid.

		ARLIE
STUPID!?  Talk about stupid.  No, I mean
it.  What are they thinking about - that's
what's stupid.  Unbelievable.

		COSMO
Arlie, I don't know if anyone's interested___

		ARLIE
Did you ever wonder what's behind those
pinched up little mugs.  Those swollen about
to explode faces that come sprouting out of
those fat pimply necks.

She looks to RITA

		ARLIE
You should have seen this kid they had.  He
was so angry - he had little pointy teeth, like 
a vampire - he was a channeler for their
unhappiness - a conduit for their anger - a
hostile little weed choking off my air.

		RITA
You must have felt sad for the child...

		ARLIE
I wanted to slap the sad little fuck.

		JACK
How lyric.

		ARLIE
What?

		JACK
Oh, I just thought your description was so
beautifully apt.

		ARLIE (to RITA)
Yeah, I mean that kid's going to be raping
you in an alley ten years from now.  You
know it's true.  That's where creeps like that
come ___

		COSMO
I don't think___

		ARLIE
I mean what are these people think they're
doing?  It just makes me nuts - and then they
always want to get onto the 6 item or less
line when they have about 50 things - like
where are they going that they're in such a
rush?  To go home to stuff their faces and
limp around the house.

JACK laughs

		ARLIE
And the shit they eat - can you believe it -
you can see why they sleep with their kids
and shoot each other at those things they call picnics.  
Sometimes it makes you think Hitler
wasn't so misguided.

		COSMO
Arlie, you don't know what that sounds  like!

		ARLIE
Oh, come on, most of them aren't even
Americans!

		COSMO
We don't really feel that way.

		ARLIE (laughing)
No, no, it's so true - it's so true.  And did you
ever listen to them talk - it's unbelievable -
talk about aliens from outer space - Christ. 
And the kids - like deformed little greasy
clones - and they look at you like you're
some kind of freak.  It's amazing.  Why do
they have kids?

		JACK
Maybe so they have more ugly people
around so they won't feel so bad about
themselves.

		ARLIE
Exactly!  I mean sometimes you wonder if
they should let some people reproduce.  Like
they should have some board of people to
give out licenses...

She laughs and laughs then suddenly stops

		ARLIE (serious)
The whole thing is sick.

She dives in eating - Uncomfortable pause

		ARLIE
This is pretty good.  Eat, Cosmo.

ARLIE knocks back the rest of her wine

RITA smiles at COSMO

		ARLIE
I THINK THAT PEOPLE SHOULD BE
SLAPPED ON THE SPOT IF THEY____

		COSMO
Every human being is of equal value no
matter where they came from or how badly
they've been brought up. In their souls___
	
	ARLIE
Those people don't have souls!

		COSMO
I beg to differ!  I think every person has the
potential to overcome their backgrounds,
their past.

		ARLIE
Right, rich people!

		COSMO
People recover, they heal.  They can evolve
past___

		ARLIE
Oh, get serious.  Some of those people are
less evolved then Chico!

		RITA
Chico?

		COSMO
Chico is her dog.

		ARLIE
Chico is not a dog - I've told you___

		COSMO
She won't permit me to say "dog" in
connection with Chico.

		RITA
What is Chico then?

		ARLIE
Chico is CHICO!

		JACK
To Chico!

He toasts, ARLIE clinks his glass

		COSMO
She thinks more of her dog than me!

		ARLIE
Coco hates his little brother Chico.

		COSMO
He's not my little brother!

		ARLIE
I mean seriously... Look at people - some are
more valuable than others.  Certain
experiences expand you.  Do you have any
idea what it must be like to be Mick Jagger. 
Every night he goes on stage and tens of
thousands of people cheer and cry and send
their hopes and dreams into him,  I mean
after a while you live in another way when
you're like that.  I know only a little bit
because of my experience on stage..

		JACK
When were you___?

		COSMO
You know it's really getting late...

		RITA
I can't accept that some pop star is more
valuable than a woman teaches school or
scrubs floors___

		ARLIE
Oh, you don't believe that.

		COSMO
Don't tell her what she believes.

		ARLIE
Women never get to do anything!

		RITA
So you believe that women are generally less
valuable than men - I mean if you follow
your logic.

		ARLIE 
That's a tough one... you know, being a
woman myself...

		JACK
I always wanted to be a woman.

		ARLIE
Really?

		JACK
Utterly.

		ARLIE
I think men and women are two different
animals - two different species.
	
	JACK
What do you mean?

		ARLIE 
You know the difference between men and
women...?  A man will get hurt once and
give up forever but a woman gets hurt and
will continue to search in hope - only to be
hurt and hurt again.  You know...

PAUSE

		RITA
We see alot of sad cases at St. Jeromes.

		ARLIE
St. Jeromes?

		RITA
The clinic... in town?

		ARLIE
Oh, yeah, right.  That must be a scene -
when they turn on each other.  Those kind of
people do that kind of thing every night. 
You see it on those TV shows.  (holds up
wine bottle) Do you have any more of this?

		RITA
Um..

		COSMO
I think we better start thinking about getting
home___

		JACK  
They're right on the counter - near the coffee
maker.

ARLIE jumps up and rushes out to the
kitchen

		RITA
The homeless situation in this city is just
infuriating.  At St. Jeromes____

		ARLIE (o.s.)
Oh, and those homeless people - don't get
me started..!  Talk about evolved!

		COSMO
I'm sorry.

		JACK
Sorry?  What do you mean?

ARLIE comes bopping back past the table
puts down bottle

		ARLIE
I'm going to pee - be right back.

ARLIE runs off up the stairs - the bathroom
door closes

		COSMO
Do you understand now?

		JACK (opening bottle)
I don't think I'm the one who needs to
understand.

ARLIE searches through the bathroom cabinet

She finds the BOX - and opens it - a pill
bottle rolls out - she holds it up

		COSMO
I mean, now you've seen her.  Was I
exaggerating - you always thought I was
exaggerating - that there was another side to
the story - I think there is just one story here!

		RITA
These things are complicated and I don't
really think this is the time or place.

JACK laughs

		RITA
What?

		JACK
Oh, nothing, I was thinking about something
completely different.

		COSMO (to RITA)
I need your help.

		RITA
Listen, Cosmo, it's really getting late.  We all
have to go to work tomorrow.

		COSMO
She doesn't work, she doesn't have to go to
work tomorrow.

		RITA
If you'd like I could give you a name -
somebody down at the clinic might see her.
		JACK
The clinic!?

		COSMO
She wouldn't talk to anybody.  She doesn't
even have friends.  You know what it's like
not to have friends.  She doesn't want me to
have friends.  She couldn't talk to anyone. 
You've seen her - tell me you don't see what
she's like now.

		JACK
You're giving her alot of power.  Why can't
you just say what you're feeling?  Just take a
breath and say what you're feeling.

ARLIE enters from the hallway talking

		ARLIE
There's this couple who live across the
courtyard from us - they never turn the lights
on at night.  The only time you can see them
is when they open the refrigerator.  It's
amazing.

		RITA
That must be fascinating...I mean they must
be...

		ARLIE
No, they're just fat.

LONG AWKWARD PAUSE

		ARLIE (to COSMO)
Right, honey?

JACK takes a deep breath and smiles at COSMO who 
responds closing his eyes taking a breath

PAUSE
		COSMO 
(quietly dark, almost to himself)I remember
when I was seven or eight at the time - I was
very protected child you know.

ARLIE sighs, bored - pours wine and slams
down bottle

PAUSE

		COSMO
My mother....  So I don't remember how - I
guess when you look back you think you
invented all these things.  I mean somebody
probably showed me this or I saw someone
doing it - I mean how is it possible that I
couldn't____

		ARLIE (laughing)
Oh, Christ, we get it - you're really
interesting - get to the fucking point, would
you?

		COSMO
Yes, dear.  (to JACK and RITA) Don't you
just love her?

		ARLIE
They could give a shit.  It's just a dinner
party, man, we leave, they talk about us -
dissect our lives, we get in the car and trash
them - it how it's done, right...

JACK laughs

		ARLIE
OK, OK, just tell the fucking story, OK?

		COSMO
Oh, forget it.

		JACK
Go on, Cosmo.  What are you feeling___?

		RITA
What are you___

		JACK (interrupting)
Just let it go. (to COSMO) Go on...

COSMO takes a breath and goes on

		COSMO
Well, I realized you could take a pee
outdoors.  It was like the world had opened
up to me.  It was so incredible.  I would go
outside every chance I could.  I felt like
Marco Polo or Einstein or someone.  I
understood the world.

		ARLIE	
Wow, how fascinating.

		COSMO
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT HOW I FEEL. 
HOW I FEEL.

		ARLIE
Christ....

JACK puts his hand on COSMO's arm -
breathes deeply

		COSMO
Then my family put in this outdoor shower
were we could wash off the sand when we
came home from the beach - it was right
outside the back door.  And I would go out
there at night - and take showers in the dark. 
You know late at night in the summer - in
the dark - the stars and everything.  Without
my clothes on.  And then I would walk
around the yard - you know without my
clothes.  Like Alexander the Great or
something.

		ARLIE
I bet you were touching yourself all over
weren't you?

		COSMO
Why are you doing this?

		ARLIE
I'm just being a good little wifey.  

COSMO stares at ARLIE coldly

		ARLIE
Go on tell everyone how you touched
yourself.  Who did that make you feel like -
Bela Fucking Lugosi or some other great
inventor or conqueror___?

		RITA
No, I think that's great, Coz.

		ARLIE (laughing)
Oh, me too.  Really.

COSMO looks at JACK for a long moment

		RITA
Things like that must have happened to you,
haven't they Arlie.

		ARLIE
What do you mean?

		RITA
There must have been seminal events in you
life - things that formed you.

		ARLIE
Is this how you people sit around  over here
- talking about "seminal" events?  Man, this
is really out.

		COSMO
It's called sharing - some people do it.

		ARLIE
Yeah, yeah, yeah...

		RITA
You don't believe in sharing, Arlie?

		ARLIE
I guess it seems cool if you trying to really
say something....

		RITA
Yes...?

		ARLIE
I mean nobody really wants to ever hear
anything.  I mean you come here - who
knows why people do this kind of thing - this
dinner party shit - but it's hardly to find
anything out.  I mean do Joe and Sally sit at
home with some kind of problem and say,
Hey, lets over to Jack and Rita's house for
dinner - we could really talk this out.  I mean
that's kind of absurd, you know.  I mean the
fucking people on TV might but not in
America.

		JACK
What do you mean?

		ARLIE
I mean poor Cosmo here.. he such a sad fuck
he has to pay people to listen to him - he has
to pay to have friends like your little group.

		RITA
You sound very angry, Arlie.

		ARLIE
Hey, relax Doc, I'm just talking here.

		RITA
Maybe if you owned your feelings it might
help___

		ARLIE
You're going to "help" me?  Is that what this
is all about?

		RITA
We just thought... I mean I thought maybe
you wanted to talk things out.  I think
Cosmo is saying he would like to hear what you might have to say.

		ARLIE
Yeah, right.  Like you're going to listen to us
carry on and make some kind of.. diagnosis
or some shit.

		RITA
Arlie, we're not here to judge you - I just
thought with some facilitation___

		ARLIE
Right... see.  It's not where this is at.  I mean
it might be helpful even sometimes to hear
how you come off to the world.  I mean do
you think most people would go around
acting the way they do if they had any idea
how it looked - how people saw them.  Most
time you go out to these things, the people
come - they dance around, have a few
drinks, see how other people live - I don't
know....

		JACK
Maybe we could all become friends -  I mean
I haven't really talked this over with Rita
completely but I was sitting here thinking -
we should have you two over for the
holidays - you know skip the family for once
- spend your time with people you really care
about.

		ARLIE
Care - you care about us?  Are we really the
best you could do - that's so sad.  We hardly
know you and tonight we are all friends. 
Where did everyone go?  What happened. 
This isn't the way they told me it would be.  I
mean life is not supposed to be this way. 
Something gone really wrong here and I'm
not going to take the___

		COSMO
I think... 

		ARLIE
WHAT!!!?

LONG PAUSE as COSMO looks to JACK
who takes a breath

		ARLIE
What?

		COSMO
I need to talk about how I feel.

		ARLIE
Cosmo, why are you talking like this?

		COSMO
Something is happening to me.

		ARLIE
You don't talk like this.  This is not you.

		COSMO
I think you're right.

		ARLIE
What does that mean?

		RITA
Is there something that he's saying that's...
hurtful?

		ARLIE
What?

		RITA
I thought maybe there was something that he
was saying that was... was painful.

		ARLIE
What the fuck are you talking about?

		COSMO
Arlie!

		ARLIE
Well, where does she get off?  I mean 
she's been pushing me and pushing me - doing this
thing to you___

		COSMO
I think she's just trying to help us.

		ARLIE
Who says we need help?

		RITA
I'm sorry if I intruded but I didn't___

		ARLIE
Yeah, you did - so butt out.

		RITA (exploding)
WELL, I AM SAYING I'M SORRY!

		COSMO (to JACK)
I just can't do this.

		JACK (huddling with COSMO)
I know you can.

		ARLIE
What are you two talking about?

		COSMO
It's.. I...

		ARLIE (soto voce)
You're a little weasel.

		COSMO
What?

		ARLIE
You heard me.  You're a little sneak.

		COSMO
Help me - anybody.

		ARLIE
You are such a worm.

		RITA (to ARLIE)
Why don't we calm down for a minute...

		ARLIE
You fucking people.  Setting me up.

		RITA
Us?  (to JACK) What did____?

		ARLIE
Oh, you pump sad old Cosmo here for his
life story so you can feel superior.  Who
knows what he hasn't told you about me. 
And then you sit around and play with us...  I
can tell he's told you all kinds of shit about
us -  I think it stinks.

		COSMO
See, this is exactly why I never wanted you
to meet Jack and Rita - (to RITA) You
know she was so upset that I had something
in life apart from her, she wanted me to get
her into our group - can you believe that -
imagine her in the group - 

		ARLIE
Hey, I didn't___

		COSMO
It wouldn't work - you wouldn't get it.  You
just don't get it - We don't even speak the
same language.  I'm sorry but we don't -
that's our problem - your life is over there
and my life is over here - we don't... it
doesn't... it isn't happening anymore...
Sometimes I wonder if it ever did.

		ARLIE
You're different since you've been coming
over here to your little group.

PAUSE

		RITA
Jack, Arlie is a dancer - or well she used...  
I mean, that's what she is.

COSMO looks at ARLIE

		ARLIE
Yeah...

LONG PAUSE 

		COSMO
I WANT TO DO WHAT I WANT - WHY
CAN'T I DO WHAT I WANT?

		ARLIE
Oh, christ!

		JACK
What do you want, Cosmo?

		COSMO
I am so afraid... I don't even have the
courage to know what I want.  I'm afraid to
find out what's inside me.  That it will take
over my life and take everything away from
me.

		JACK
Like what?

		ARLIE
Is therapy what we're doing now?

		RITA
Jack, I think we ought to let this__

		JACK
I think Cosmo needs to say what he feels.

		COSMO
Oh, God...
	
	JACK
What?

		COSMO
My feelings... they...

		JACK
What are you feeling?

		COSMO
Bloated...

JACK reaches out and touches COSMO's arm

		JACK
Bloated?

		ARLIE
You hardly ate anything.

		COSMO
Did you ever - I mean you know when you're
hungry - well if you're never hungry
because... well, you know the feeling of
eating when you're not hungry - you get that
disgusting feeling but you go along - I don't
know why... don't know... it's just sometimes
I don't know if I can take anymore in... It's
killing me in some way - something's in there
calling for me to stop... It's like eating... I
don't know anymore when I'm hungry... but I
guess everyone has trouble with their weight
- I mean you two don't seem to but...

		JACK
Go on.. stay with the feeling.

		ARLIE
Cosmo, you're an asshole.

		COSMO
I know Arlie doesn't mean it - she... I don't
know... I feel so guilty I told you so much
about us.

		ARLIE
What did you tell them?

		RITA
Oh, just the high points.

		COSMO
Oh, I know.   How could you have anything
against Arlie.  You hardly know her... It's
just...

JACK laughs

		ARLIE
What?

		JACK
Oh, nothing... nothing... go on.

PAUSE

		COSMO (to JACK)
How do you go on.  I don't how anyone
does it.  They're everywhere... 

		JACK
Who?

		COSMO (exploding)
ALL THE GIRLS OUT THERE - ON THE
STREET - YOU'VE SEEN THEM.  IT'S
INSANE!

		ARLIE
What the hell___?

		COSMO
I don't think I can go on.

		RITA
Listen, why don't we_____

		ARLIE
I think Cosmo has something to tell us, don't
you Cosmo?

		COSMO
Oh, Arlie....

		ARLIE (mocking)
Oh, Cosmo....

		RITA
I better get cleaning up...

		ARLIE
I heard what you were all saying about me
when I went upstairs, Cosmo.
	
	        COSMO
Arlie, I... this is really hard.

		ARLIE
Oh, really?

		RITA
Or maybe we should just leave everything till
tomorrow after work.

		JACK
People need to talk sometimes, Arlie...  You
must have friends to talk to - share things
with - work things out.

		ARLIE
No, I don't.  Cosmo and I work things out
just fine.  We used to, at least.

		COSMO
I can't do this anymore.  I really can't go on.

		ARLIE (to RITA)
What does he mean, he can't go on?

RITA looks to JACK

		RITA
Right, it really IS late here.  We're all over
tired.   Why don't we get some sleep____

		JACK
THEN GO TO BED.

RITA starts to get up - COSMO grabs her hand

		COSMO
Oh, Rita, please, don't leave me now!

		ARLIE
WHAT?!

		COSMO
It's just too much for me.  There's nothing in
this for me anymore.

		ARLIE
What is "THIS"?  (points to COSMO holding RITA's hand) 
What the fuck does "THIS" mean?

		COSMO
Arlie....

		ARLIE (to RITA)
Do you have anything else to drink?

		RITA
No, I think we finished our last bottle.

JACK stands and hobbles into the kitchen

		JACK
I think I can dig something up.

		RITA
Jack!

JACK turns on BLACK LIGHTS
(everything on the set glows)

		JACK
Free for all, anyone?

JACK opens a cabinet and takes out a bottle

		JACK
How's scotch?

		ARLIE
Great.

JACK enters with the bottle of Scotch

		RITA
Jack, why are you doing this?

		JACK
It's called living, honey.

JACK pours ARLIE a drink -  she downs it

		ARLIE
So, Cosmo, everyone wants to hear what
you have to say.  All your friends...

		COSMO
I think I need to be my own person___

		ARLIE
Let me tell you about Cosmo... Do you
know how I met Cosmo?

		COSMO
Arlie, that's not important....

		ARLIE
I think it is.

		COSMO
Nobody wants to hear about that.


		ARLIE
Oh, you mean you didn't tell them about
this?  You told them everything else about us
and not this?

		COSMO
Please!

		ARLIE
I don't know if you could tell but I'm not like
the rest of you,  I didn't go to college.  I was
kinda of a hippie.  I mean the hippie thing
was dead but I lived in this commune kind of
thing - we got high alot and partied all the time.   
And I worked in a bar.  DANCING.

		COSMO
Oh, please, I want to talk about now.

		ARLIE
Does anybody want to hear this?

		JACK
You know, I'd love to hear it.

*********************

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