Qer
PROOF
BY DAVID AUBURN
DRAMATISTS.
PLAY SERVICE,
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PROOF premiered at the Manhattan Theatre Club (Lyane
Meadow, Artistic Director; Barry Grove, Executive Produce) in
New York Ciy om May 23, 2000. Ie vas directed by Daniel
Salvan: the st design’ was by John Lee Beaty: the lighting
design was by Pat Collins the orginal music and sound design
‘were by Jon Gromads; the costume design vas by Js Goldstein:
tnd the production sage manager was James Harker The cat war
and he 6 manager was)
ROBERT Lay Beyggman
CATHERINE... Conn Mary-Louise Parker
HAL Ben Shenkman
CLAIRE Johanne Day
PROOF wat subsequently produced on Broadway atthe Walter
Kerr Theate by the Manhattan Theatre Club, Roger Belind,
Carle Shorentein Hays, Jujamcya Theaues, Osa Enterprises,
Daryl Roth and Stuare Thompson on October 24, 2000. Ie was
liceed by Daniel Sullivan the set design vas by Jon Lee Bey,
the lighting design was by Puc Collins the orginal music and
‘ound design were by John Gromada; the costume design was by
Jes Goldreiny and the production stage manager was Jame:
iaker The cat was a follows
ROBERT.
CATHERINE.
HAL,
CLAIRE.(CHARACTERS
ROBERT, 50s
CATHERINE, 25
CLAIRE, 29
HAL, 28
SETTING
‘The back porch ofa house in Chicago.
PROOF
ACT ONE,
Scene 1
Nigh Catherine ssn acai. Shes nent fie, ected,
‘pacar dese. Ber cle. Roberti nding Behind
then He it Catherines father, Rumpled academic look
Caberine docs not kee bes there. Afr moment
ROBERT. Cant sep?
CATHERINE. Jesus you sired me
ROBERT. Sor.
CATHERINE. What are you doing here?
ROBERT. I thought check up on you. Why arent you in bed?
(CATHERINE. Your stden ill here. He up in your study
ROBERT, He can le hime out.
CATHERINE, Tight aswell wait up til hes done.
ROBERT. Hes not my mudent anymore. Hes teaching. now.
Bight ki, Best.)
CATHERINE. What ime isi
ROBERT. [es almost one
CATHERINE, Huh,
ROBERT. After midnight
CATHERINE. ‘so?
ROBERT. So: (He indicates omahing om the table behind him
dont of champagne} Happy birthday.
CATHERINE. DadROBERT Do Lever forge
CATHERINE. ‘Thank you
ROBERT. Twenty. cat ie
CATHERINE. Niter cin Should we have it now?
ROBERT. Itvup w you
CATHERINE. Ter
ROBERT. Yos want me open?
CATHERINE: Let me Lax tine you opened brie of cham.
fagne out her you brokes indo
ROERE: That wae slong ins Isnt your binging icp.
CATHERINE. Yase hacky you did lean oy ae eee
cat a he open.
ROBERT, Tweng-fve
CATHERINE: Tell
ROBERT. Yowie id
CATHERINE, Chane
ROBERT. Goddamn it, [frgo the glasez Do you man mew —
CATHERINE. "Nab. (She eink Som ibe Foe lag pal
Rober acer her)
ROBERT. Thope you lite. waa sure what get you
CATHERINE. "Tiss the wort campagne fone re ed
ROBERT. Tam proud sy I dost ke saying sien
"hate hse kind of people who are atvastakiogabeat ones
CATHERINE: tno ren champapre ot .
ROBERT The boule wat she righ toe,
CATHERINE. “Great Laker Vinge” I dda know they
made wine in Wisconsin
ROBERT. A gid wi’ dinking fom the bog souls com
plkn, Dont gua Ian eleant beverage, Se
CATHERINE (Ofiring wc be) Does
ROBERT. No, go ahead
CATHERINE’ Nou sre!
ROBERT. Yes, your bch
CATHERINE: Happy birthday ome.
ROBERT. What are yo going vo do on your birthday
CATHERINE. Dein thie Hive some
ROBERT, No. hope youre not spending your bithday lone
CATHERINE! Tm not slone man 70H ina
ROBERT. I dort coun.
CATHERINE: Why nod
ROBERT. Tim your ld man. Go ou ith some ind,
CATHERINE ge "
ROBERT. Your flee aret taking you out
CATHERINE” No.
ROBERT. Why noe :
(CATHERINE. Bec in des for your inde you ou
you general ave o have fends
ROMERT: (Dimiste) Oh ~
CATHERINE. I fay how cht works hte
ROBERT, You have fend What soo that cute Bone, wha
ase noel
CATHERINE. Wha :
ROBERT. She lier over on Elis Avenue — you wed to spend
very minute tgeie,
EAHIERONE Gi et
{OBERT Cindy Jb
EATHERINE. Tor wos nhc grade Dad Hera moved
Foe
ROBERT. What bout Chi
CATHERINE” Shot no ny end dh ny ster And she in
New York And dor ike he
ROBERT: {thought she was coming in
CATHERINE” Noval moto eae) :
ROBERT, My svc iyo find yours vale fea nights
{eit own and do some mates,
CATHERINE. Ob plese
ROBERT. WE could do some rogether,
CATHERINE. No.
ROBERT. Wy no
CATHERINE,” Teck chink of anything won. You sure you
dnt want any
ROBERT Ya, tanks
"ou ied ere
CATHERINE! Nov anymore.
ROBERT. Yo knew wha» prime umber wa before you sould
fed|
CATHERINE. Wel now tv forge.
ROBERT. (ord Dont wae your ent, Catherine, (ent)
CATHERINE. Tne youd sy something like hse
ROBERT, ral youve had aii ne
CATHERINE” Thanks,
ROBERT. Thacs nota excuse, Dost be ly.
CATHERINE. I havent been ly, ve been taking ce of you,
ROBERT. Ki, Ive sen you Yu sep il non’ you ct fos,
you dont wor, te des ile up in chek If ou po oat ats
buy magmines, You come bck witha ck of agaist high
{lent know how you ead that cap: Ar these ae the po
das Some days you dont gt up. you don pt ut oF be
CATHERINE. Those ae he good day
ROBERT. Bush. Those day rl You the thm away. And
youl never know what ele you thew aay wth hese woe
ov los the ideas you did have, dacoeris You neve tae
‘ecaute you were mopng in your bed at four ithe sernoon
(Beas) You know Us ig (Beat)
CATHERINE: Tve lon a few day
ROBERT. How many?
CATHERINE Ob, don koow
ROBERT. Tet you do
CATHERINE. Whae
ROBERT. The you count
CATHERINE: Koock eof
ROBERT. Waldo you know or ont you?
CATHERINE, I don't. ine
ROBERT Of couse you do, How many day have ou lo?
CATHERINE. A month. Atound amonths
ROBERT. Brac.
CATHERINE. Goddamn | dont —
ROBERT. HOW MAN?
CATHERINE. Thirty thie doy,
ROBERT. Exc?
CATHERINE Ton know
ROBERT. Be preci, for Chrisake
CATHERINE. Tp il noon today
ROBERT, Callethiy-thie and a quar days
8
EE Ae Tetra mnte
Senet eee ae
a
Se ee eee cre
a
ROBERT: You see? Even your depresion it mathematical, Sop
Oe een
Se
ee eee
one
Sie
a
Se tia wten
SE To
SS Sr a ag
oie
Seen ae
ee
°and did
TEL wanted o work problem all day long, i ie
JE1 want o lok for informacion — sre empex and
tantalising meses — Teo find themall around mecha
Ina pie of fallen eaves some nsighbor rake togechen In beg
score in the pape, writen i he tam coming tp ofa capo
Coffee The whole word was aking om
TEL jase waned close my eyes quel on che porch and
listen othe messes aid
teas wonderful (Bor)
CATHERINE. Tow old were you? When it ered
ROBERT. Mid-owentesenty-dhe, four ese)
le that what youre word about
CATHERINE. Te though about
ROBERT, Js geting» year older means ating, Cathrine.
CATHERINE. fs ots ping older
ROBERT. ks me. (ut)
CATHERINE. Tvs though about ic
ROBERT. Rely?
CATHERINE. How could Ino
ROBERT, Wal iftats why yee word yute no keeping
Wik he medial lire. "There a al hinds of ens a
sin samcting ou ne case wet bg doit
mean you wi
CATHERINE. Dad
ROBERT, Listen to me, Life change in your cry events
fod shales ou up Yu's ing om bee a
Nouveau nape yes no enews the beat thane
Bue youre gonna beak.
CATHERINE” Year
ROBERT. es I promie you Pash ourselé Dot el 0 many
‘mages, Sic down and ge the machinery going ad Ione
Goa youl fel fine The ipl fat that me ea alk aout he
together isa god sign,
CRTHIERINE A good sign
ROBERT. Yet
CATHERINE. How could ic bes goo sign?
ROBERT. Because! Crazy people dont st srund wondering if
0
CATHERINE. They done
ROBERT. OFcoume nor. They got bets things odo, Take
fiom me. A vy god sign that you're any an inal to sk
the quan, “hn cay?
CATHERINE. Even f the newer is yes?
ROBERT. Crany people dont ake You sce?
CATHERINE. ¥
ROBERT. Soyo aking
CATHERINE. Tn no.
ROBERT. But ifyou wry ie woud be avery good gn
CATHERINE. A'god ig
ROBERT. A goo sgn that youre fine.
CATHERINE. Right
ROBERT. You se Ve ju gots think thee sing though
[Now come on, what do you sy? Let lt night You go 8p
otc eet chen the eng yo can —
EXTHERINE. ‘Wie No
ROBERT. Whats he mae?
(CATHERINE! Te don work
ROBERT, Why noe
CATHERINE! Ie docs make sense.
ROBERT. Sure doer
CATHERINE” No
ROBERT, Whew the problem?
CATHERINE. The problem is you at crn!
ROBERT. Wha diftrence docs tht make!
CATHERINE. You amid — You js told me that you ae
ROBERT. So!
‘CATHERINE. You si crn pen would never admit.
ROBERT. Yeu, butts. oh Lue
‘CATHERINE.
ROBERT. Is pine
CATHERINE. So how can you adic i2
ROBERT. Well Because mals dead. (ost) Acne 2
CATHERINE. You died awedeagy
ROBERT. Hear file. Quick The fanesromorow
CATHERINE. Thats why Cac Bying in fom New Yor
nROBERT. Ye.
CATHERINE. You siting here. You giving me advice. You
‘brought me champagne, :
ROBERT Yer that)
CATHERINE. Wich means
ROBERT. Foc you
CATHERINE. Yes
ROBERT. For you, Catherine, my daugh, who I love ve
sch a Ke old be ads (hy af ger or a oes
‘aie aiff Hal enn nacre ship tothe He cao
Sept on je, ld Hed ge andi bg at
ihrine th jae)
CATHERINE, Whao
HAL. Oh, Go, sony — Did I wae you?
CATHERINE. ‘Wha? ie
HAL, Wer you acy? (Bat Rohr i gone)
CATHERINE. You scared me, fr Chisake, What ae you
doing? ™
HAL Ym sory ida elie chad gen slate. done for
the niga Leas
CATHERINE. Good
HAL. Deinkig alone? (She li shi bling tbe champagne
‘bore. She pus it down quickly) "
CATHERINE. Yeo
HAL Champagne, bot?
CATHERINE Yee
HAL Catering?
CATHERINE” No, jus ie champagne
HAL Ws fesive. aie
CATHERINE. ‘Wha
HAL, Festive, (He maker on akan pry" gee,
CATHERINE. Do you want some? cae
HAL. Sure,
CATHERINE, (Cie bi tebe) done. You can take the
few you
HAL, Ok No dae.
CATHERINE. ‘Take im done,
HAL. No.1 shoulda iden. (Bett)
2
Wl cane myo
cai. Ga
HAL "When shu Tome bck
CATHERINE! Cone bake
Tal Yan pothee new fil. Nk onan?
CATHERINE” Weave shel ono
HAL, Go. yout igh Fn soy 1 epg aed tae
sg
CATERIVE, Ys,
TA, ht sit Sd? Wi yo be ound?
CATERING oswhd teed
HALT veo gine re ie wp hee
CCATILRIE, “fo much lng doo nel
HAL Ante! As
EATIBRINE. repou ing?
HAL Noe yeu Low mich tal he
EATIRRINE "wel
HAL Tn you dort ned anybody in your bi sigh ow
Look Tape at cup ay pte od me
IEemordy pss Hind an at ow ha Be a nn
Inert dat uo wt he Ted we ome sl oe,
Sale hing ck
Gatien:
aL ibe cac
CATIERINE My ter woot want anything moved an
Sort van ny ting en ihe
HAL “They Thu woo ere a ot fhe wy
CATHERINE oie wang you es
AL Sonne nes sth your ad apes
EATIERINE. Ther ming ap epee
HAL The se humid ane bose
CATERING" hele tie I beth
HAL Soman oul ed te,
CCATIERINE Hea cy.
HAL Ye bt be tem
ATEN iC popamai Ha De ou ow
war at
TIAL now He wae compu: Calle Ha
3CATHERINE hoa re eT
notebooks full ofbullkit.
aR No Tena ay
Seip eat aenalon ei tice
Care
Fa Ee she mene Thy a
Hest scar ge tet Th ly ot
Te ty ii ame
EAEERIE "gra ee
Yet my dove he
caheaine SS ete
Fal Okie fc ee ge t,o
Saat cetera t
Sniceditierwineiten ee
pegs ce wea 2h
Seen sche Soca ot
tee es
ae
CHTESINE. Notte
CATHERINE. Don't you have a job? ” ae
Ba ea Ths Rel quar pa oe
‘me. Beat.) loved your da ae
“4
snoments He had lid yet, whole yea four yeas ago
CATHERINE, Te wanes ye Ie war mor lik aie months,
HAL, A school yeat He was advising students. I was stalled 0
ry Ph.D. Iwas this dose to quiting I met with your dad and he
past me on the righ rack with my esearch, Tome hin
CATHERINE, Sony.
HAL, Look. Let me — Youve ewenty five, ight?
CATHERINE. How old are your
HAL. Te docat mater. Liste:
CATHERINE. Fuck you, how old are you?
HL, Tm twenty-cight alright? When your ded was younger
than both of us he made major contibutions to three fs:
fame theory algebraic geometry, and nonlinear operator theory.
Most of ur never get our heade around one. He basicaly
Jnvenced the mathematical techniquer for stadying rational
behavior, and he gave the astophysicsts plenty to work over too.
hay!
CATHERINE, Dont lcrure me
HAL. Tim not Tim telling you if I ame wp with one-tenth ofthe
sthicyour dad produced coud write my own ticket wo any math
Separment i the county (Best)
CATHERINE. Give me your backpack.
HAL. Whe
CATHERINE. Give me your backpack.
HAL Why
CATHERINE. 1 wane co look inside i
HAL. What?
CATHERINE, Open it and give ico me
HAL Oh come on
CATHERINE, You noe eking anything out ofthis howe.
HAL T wouldnt do that.
CATHERINE, You hoping to find something upstairs that you
«an publish
HAL, Sure
CATHERINE, Then you can te your own ticket,
HAL, Wha? No Ir would be under your dads name, It would be
for your dad,
‘CATHERINE. I dont believe you. You have notebook in that
15backpack
HAL. Whac ae you ring abou
CATHERINE Grete
HAL. You beings ile bi pana
CATHERINE. PARANOID!
HAL. Maybe ie
CATHERINE” Fuck ou, HAL. KNOW you have one of ny
roves.
HALT think you should calm down nd think abou wht youre
‘ing
CATHERINE. I'm saying you're ying to me and sealing my
Eas propery
HAL. Andi chink tht sounds paranoid,
(CATHERINE. Just because i parol doesn mean thet et
something inti ct
HAL, You jas sid youre he nothing wp thee. Didnt you?
CATHERINE. 1”
HAL. Dida you ay that
CATHERINE. Yer
HAL. So what would ke?
igh? eas)
CATHERINE” Youre right
HAL. Thank you
CATHERINE. So you dont need to comeback
HAL. (Sigh Pease Someone soul! know fr sure whether —
CATHERINE. TLiveD writ Hike
pent my ie wth in raked ohm ied
tea when he talked. "Tled to people who weet thee
‘Wacched him sfing around lik «ghost A very sly phos
‘He was hy Thad o mae sue he bathed. My vn Ete
HAL Tm sory Isl have
CATHERINE. Air my mosh didi was jut me et. ed
to ee him happy no mater wat loc pjethe mas doing He
Spee Gre paieriasieiediemrn a
took them out ofthe Hay by the cad. We had ones
sire Then Teale he wa eing ebleed alow ere
‘coding him messes though the dewey dasimal number othe
libeary books, Hie was: oyna work out the code.
16
HAL, What kind of megs?
CATHERINE, Beautifol mathematics. Answers ta everthing.
“The mos elegane proof perfect proof, prof ike mis
HAL, ‘Sound: good
(CATHERINE. Plus fishion tps, knock-knock jokes —{ mean it
sas NUTS, okay?
HAL. He was il eas tg.
CATHERINE, Lier the wing phase: scribbling, ninetcen,
‘oventy ours «days ondered him eae of notebooks and he
sed every one.
1 dropped out of school. a glad cs dead,
HAL. Tundestand why yl fa that way
‘CATHERINE. Fack you,
HAL. Youle right I cat imagine dealing with that emus ave
been afl know you — :
CATHERINE. You dost know me. [want tbe alone I dont
want him around,
HAL. (Covfaed) Him? I don't —
CATHERINE, You. I dot wane you here
HAL, Why?
CATHERINE, Hes dead
‘CATHERINE. HE’ dead I dont need any protégé around
HAL. There will be cher,
CATHERINE. What
TIAL. You think I'm he only one? People ae already working
cove hie safe Someones gonna tea those notebooks.
CATHERINE, Til do it
HAL, No, ou —
CATHERINE, Fes my father, doit
HAL, You cant.
CATHERINE. Why not?
HAL. You dont have the math. I all just squiggles om page
You wouldst know the good su fiom dhe junk
CATHERINE. Teal jal,
HAL 16%ee not we ca afford to mis any dough carelessness.
CATHERINE, I know mathematic,
HAL. If here were anything up thre ie would be prety high
7ES LELEILE AC ST |
coder I would eke profesional to ogni it
CATHERINE. I think I could ecognae
HAL. Paton) Cay
CATHERINE. WHAT?
HAL, Tow your did ugh you sme bse tu bu come on.
CATHERINE. You dont ein I could do
HAL. Tim sore I know hat you couldnt (Bost. Catherine angrily
‘nats hs bhp) Hey! Ok come on. Give ne» brake fe
‘pens the baciack and rife, tough it) Tha ae 0 spre
Circe ee oo by ne wae bre Sone wes
lt. n vege Drank, Nahing ce Sh put everyting back
‘nand ge bck, Bete)
CATHERINE. “You cin come tomorow (et They are both
‘nbarraned)
HAL"The Univers heath serie sub, vey good
My Mo ded» cope yess ago ad I wan ety broken up.
‘Ale my work want ging tht wel went ver and ale to
‘hi dover [sw es foe couple onthe ad tly helped
CATHERINE. Tm fine. Bet)
HAL. Alt exerci great unalog the ake coupe of mom-
ings awk If oe oo cold yx Ifyou waned co come some
Teal pick you wp, We wo ave oe
CATHERINE. No dun
HAL. Allg.
Tin gonna be at fo the how I ter go
CATHERINE. Oley er.)
HAL. Ieseiouly ie rweny mites upto dhe cub, We go on
swe pay, ete tebe but we buy everyone drinks afterward fo
mae up fori Youre home by four, out, tope
CATHERINE. Good night
HAL. Good sigh (Hastars text. He hit iach)
CATHERINE. ‘Wait, your com
IAL. No, you don be 13] — (She pick up is jacket. Arte
shes comprion ook tha we fled wp inte cu fil the
loo Bea Csbrine pcs itup, oblige)
CATHERINE. Tin PARANOID?
HAL. Whi
(CATHERINE You think I should go JOGGING?
18
HAL, Just hold on
CATHERINE. Get out
AL. Can please jst —
CATHERINE, Get the fick ou of my hows.
HAL. Linen to me fora mite
CATHERINE. (Wing the bn) You soe eis
HAL. Le me explain
CATHERINE. "You sole i from ME, you stole it fom sy
FATHER — (el mache the boo)
HAL. Lancto show you something, wil you calm down?
CATHERINE. Give i back
HAL. Jus waica minut
CATHERINE. Ti cing hep he ph poe and
lak)
HAL. Dont, Look, hrromed he Bok, light? Im so jst
poked it up before I came downs and hough
CATHERINE. (On phone) Hell?
HL. [id efor a reon
CATHERINE, Hello, Poze? I — Ye, like torpor robbery
HALT nove something — something your Sher wrote. All
Sigh Noc mah, someting be wioe: Heel me show you
CATHERINE. A ROBBERY.
HAL. Will you put the fucking phone down and listen to me?
CATHERINE. (Ox phone) Yom 35724 South —
UL. es about you Se YOU. lewas wien abou you. Hers
yout name: CATHY. Se?
CATHERINE. South (Ste pans She emt be ltening)
HAL (Reds) °A good diy. Some very good news fom
Catherine”
ikaw wt ht redo bu hough you nih
CATHERINE. When did he write thst
HAL, Think four yt ag The handwstng ited I nse
fave ben diigo.
Theres more (4 moment Catherine hangr np the phone)
“cnr nt woking yer beam pene
{Themachiney” vache cll mind is ail do
19CATHERINE. 1 kno
HAL. fade) "I know I get there. am an ao mechanic whe
afer yar of prea workonshopeles wrod tens the inition and
heats a fain cough. Tam aot driving yor bo there cau for opt
‘nism. Talking with students hepe So doe beng out, eating
‘meas in estauran, siding busses, ll he active of normal ie
“Most ofall Cathy. The years she has lose cai for me. 1
almost wrote Wasted” Yer her refusal to let me be instctional-
ined — her keeping me at home, cating for me herself has ex
tainly saved my life Made writing this posible. Made ie possible
to Imagine doing mach again, Where doce ler seengch come
from? Tan neve epay ber
“Today is her birch: She i eweary-one. Vin taking her to
Aino
‘ated September fourth
Thats tomorrow
CATHERINE, Tes today.
HAL. You right. (She tks se book.)
ehoughe you might want tose [shouldnt have tied to
sneak it out. Tomorrow I vat going tit sounds pid nov [
svar ping 10 wep i
Happy bith. (alexi. Cerin ilone. Sb pt er head
inher bands She wes Evensualy she tps, wipes her gen From off
{police sien dewing eloser)
CATHERINE, Shi.
Scene 2
The news morning. Cire, sith auativedrink ef fiom
tong She ha broghe bagel: and eat nt tthe porh on.
‘nay She notices the champagne ete Hing om the flor. Se
plc ip and set tbl, Cathrine entre Her hair
‘nut fom a shower
CLAIRE, Better Much
CATHERINE, Thanks
CLAIRE. Fed beter?
CATHERINE, Yeu.
CLAIRE. You look a milion timer beter. Have sme cof.
CATHERINE. Olay
CLAIRE. How do you tke i?
CATHERINE. Block.
CLAIRE, Have litle mil: (Sbe pours) Wane a banana? I 2
food thing | brought fod: There was nothing inthe hows
CATHERINE. Te been meaning to go shopping.
CLAIRE, Have s bagel,
CATHERINE. No. hat brea. (Besr,)
CLAIRE, You didrs put onthe dees.
CATHERINE. Dist ely fel iki
CLAIRE. Dorit you want tte ton? See if fis?
CATHERINE, Til putiton later (Beet)
CLAIRE. Ifyou want to dry your air havea hair die
CATHERINE. Nak.
CCLAIRE. Did you use tha conditioner I brought you?
CATHERINE. "Noy hic foe
(CLAIRE. sy ort. Youll lve it, Katie. want you to ey it
CATHERINE. Tl wef exe ie,
CLAIRE, You! like Ie has oobs
CATHERINE. Whac is "jojoba?
CLAIRE. 1 omething they put in for healthy hat
aEE A Oe ee |
CATHERINE, Hai is dead,
CLAIRE. Wha?
CATHERINE. Its dead sue, You cat make i “healthy.
CLAIRE. Whatever, something chats good for your hit
CATHERINE. Wht, s chemical”
CLAIRE, No, i onan
CATHERINE. Wellic can be organic and sil be a chemi,
CCLAIRE, I dont know what tie
CATHERINE, Havent you ever head of organic chemistry?
CLAIRE, Ie makes my hai fe look, and smell good. Thats che
‘extent of my information about it You might like tif you decide
CATHERINE, ‘Thanks, I ey
CLAIRE. Good
If che dress docs fi we can go downtown and exchange it
CATHERINE. Otay.
CLAIRE. Tl se you t lunch
CATHERINE. Greut
CLAIRE. Maybe Sunday before I go back. Do you need any-
‘hing?
CATHERINE, Like doches?
CLAIRE. Or anyehing. While Tin here
(CATHERINE. Nab Fin col, (Beat)
CLAIRE. I choughe weld have some people oer tonight If youte
Fein olay
CATHERINE. I'm feling oay, Clair, stp saying tha.
CLAIRE, You dont have any plans?
CATHERINE. No,
CLAIRE, Tonderd some food. Wine, bot.
CATHERINE. We ate burying Dad thie aexnoon,
CLAIRE. think ie will be all ght. Anyone whol been co the
funeral and wants to come over for something oe, cn. And its
the ony ime I can ste any old Chicago frend, Tl be nice Isa
funeral bat we dont have to be completly grins about i If its
okay with you.
CATHERINE. Yes sue.
CLAIRE, Te beens sel time, Ie would be good to ela in a
lowly way
2
Mitch sys bi,
(CATHERINE. Tl, Mich
CLAIRE, Hel eal sory he could come,
(CATHERINE. Yeah, hes gonna miss ll he Fun
CLAIRE, He wanted to sce you. He sends hi love 1 old him
you ee him soon enough
‘Were getting marred
(CATHERINE. No shi.
CLAIRE, Yes! We just decided,
CATHERINE. Yikes
CLAIRE. Yes!
CATHERINE. When?
CLAIRE. January
CATHERINE. Fh,
CLAIRE, Were not gong to do a huge thing. His flks are gone
too, jst City Hall, hen a big dinner at our favorit esturant Fr
allour fiends. And you, ofcourse, [hope youl bein the wedding
CATHERINE. Yeoh. OF course. Congraclaions, Chie, in
seal happy for you
CLAIRE. ‘Thanks, me ro, We jst decided ic was time. His job
igre. I just gor promoted
CATHERINE. Hub,
CLAIRE. You wil come?
CATHERINE, Yes sure. January? mean I dost have to check
my clenda of anything Sr
CLAIRE. hac rtkes me very happy. (Bet) How ate you?
CATHERINE. Otay.
CLAIRE, How ate you feng about everything?
ATHERINE. About “everything”?
CLAIRE, About Dad
CATHERINE. ‘What abou him?
CLAIRE. How are you feeling about his death? Are you ll gh?
CATHERINE, Ye, 1am,
CLAIRE. Honest?
CATHERINE, Ye
CLAIRE. chink in ome ways twas the
‘vera ight time
Do you know what you wane do now?
ime,” Use ie
23CC OSSSSS— ED SL |
CATHERINE. No
CLAIRE, Do you want ro say her?
CATHERINE” T dori know
CLAIRE, Do you wane to go back ro schoo
CATHERINE. Thavert thought about ie
CLAIRE. Wel hee let thiakabout
How do you fh
(CATHERINE. Phyilly? Gret. Except my hie seems kind of
‘nhealthy wish there were something cout do abou ha
CLAIRE, Come on, Cathrine,
CATHERINE. ‘What ithe point ofall de guestons? (Beat)
GLAIRE Ks, sme pletnn sane bywhle ou et he
CATHERINE. Yak?
CLAIRE. They sid they were “checking up on things here
Seog how eveything wat dis morning, |
CATHERINE. (Nene) That wen
CLAIRE, They me hy pond ol a igh and
CATHERINE” Yan?
CLAIRE. Did you cal he pole a night?
CATHERINE. Ya.
CLAIRE, Why?
CATHERINE. I thought ch house was being sobbed.
CLAIRE. Bus i war
CATHERINE. ‘No-T changed my mind. (Beat)
CLAIRE, iat you call 11 with am emergency and then you
ang upon thers
CGAPHERINE. 1 dds rely wan hem o come
GLARE, So wy i yo
RINE. Twas tying ge thi guy ot of he house.
CLAIRE. Who? ce
CATHERINE: One of Da students
AIRE. Dad Baar had any student fo eas
CATHERINE. No, be WAS Dad wae, Now es — he
CLAIRE. Why was ein the house in she firs plac?
CATHERINE” Wallies ben comingere a lans Da’ not
u
books.
CLAIRE, In che middle ofthe ight?
(CATHERINE. Test lite, wer wsiting fo him to finish and ase
righ thought he might have beon stealing them.
CCEAIRE. Stelng the notebooks
(CATHERINE. YES. So I wid him co go,
CLAIRE, War he stealing them?
(CATHERINE. Yes. Thats why I alled the police —
CLAIRE. What i hie mans name?
(CATHERINE. Hal, Harold. Harold Dobbs.
CLAIRE. The police sid you were che only one here,
CATHERINE, He let before they go here
CLAIRE. With the noebools?
CATHERINE, No, Cite, dn be stupid there ae over a hun-
died notebooks. He ws oly stealing ONE, but he was sein it
‘oe could give it BACK to me sof let him go she could play
with his band on the noch sid
CLAIRE. His bond?
CATHERINE. He ws late. He wanted me o come with him but
Tas like Yea, sight: Bee.)
CLAIRE. (Gent Ie "Harold Dobbs" your boyiend?
CATHERINE. Not
CLAIRE. Are you sleeping with hin?
‘CATHERINE, What Euughht Nol He a mach gckt
CLAIRE. And he in a band? A rok band?
‘CATHERINE. Noa marching band, He plays trombone, Yes «
rock band!
CLAIRE, What isthe name of his band?
CATHERINE. How should I know?
CLAIRE, "Harold Doki” did ell you the nae of his rock
band?
CATHERINE. No. I dost know. Lok inthe papes, They were
plying las night. They do a song called “Imaginary Nurnber™
that docs ext. (Bea)
CLAIRE. Tm sory, Tim just eying to understand: Is "Harold
Debbe'—
CATHERINE. Stop sying “Harold Dobbs
CLAIRE, Ie his. pena
2CATHERINE, HAROLD DOBBS EXISTS,
CLAIRE, Tim ste he dos,
CATHERINE.” Hes + mathematician at the Univenity of
Chicago, Call he fucking math department
CLAIRE, Don't get ups in just ying ta understand! T mean
if you found out some creepy gad seudene was eying to take some
‘of Dads papers and you called the police Td understand and if
you were out here parsing, drinking with your boyfriend, Td
Understand, But the owe stories dont go together,
‘CATHERINE. Because you made up che "boytrend” story. Iwas
here ALONE.
CLAIRE. Harold Dobbs was here?
CATHERINE. No, he — YES, he was here, but we were
pasting":
CLAIRE, You were drinking with him?
CATHERINE. Not
CLAIRE, (She bald up the champagne bot) Tie was siting
right here, Who were you dining champagne with? (Catherine
estates)
CATHERINE, With no one
CLAIRE. Are you sre?
CATHERINE, Yes. (eat)
CLAIRE. The police sid you were abusive. They sid youre
lucky they didathaul you i.
CATHERINE. There guye were athole, Chit, They would
sp aay, They wanted me co fl out cepore
CLAIRE. Wee you abusive?
(CATHERINE. This one cop kep spitingon me whe he ale
Teas disgusting
CLAIRE. Did you use the word “diekbead"?
CATHERINE. Oh doit member
CLAIRE. Did you tell one cap. o go fuck the other cops
rather?
CATHERINE, NO.
CLAIRE, Thats what they sd
CATHERINE. Not with that phrasing
CLAIRE. Did you srike one of them?
CATHERINE. ‘They were tying to come in the hous!
26
CLAIRE. Oh ay God.
‘CATHERINE. T might have pushed im its
CLAIRE. They sid you wee either drunk or dstuebe.
CATHERINE. They wanted to come in here and SEARCH MY
HOUSE —
CLAIRE. YOU called THEM,
CATHERINE. Yes but I didsitacuslly WANT hem eo come.
Buc they did ome and then they started acting lke they owned
the place — pushing me around, calling me “piel” smieking at
tne laughing’ They were asholes.
CLAIRE. These guys seemed pefely nice. They were off-duty
tnd they took the rouble to come back here a the end oftheir
shift chec up on you. They were very polit
CATHERINE. “Well people are nicer to you. Best)
CLAIRE. Katie, Would you lke to come to New Vouk?
CATHERINE. Ye, 1 od you come in January.
CCLAIRE. You could come soonee, Weil love ro have you. You
ould ty with us. 1d be fun.
CATHERINE. I don want 0
CLAIRE. Mitch has become an exellent cook ike his hobby
row. He buys all these gadgets. Gallic pes olive oll sprayer
Every night theres something new: Dlicios, wonderful mea,
“The other day he made vegeatian chill
CATHERINE. What the fuck ae you aking about?
CLAIRE, Seay with us fora while. We would have o much fn,
CATHERINE. Thanks, Tm okay her.
CCLAIRE. Chicago is dead: New York sso much mote fan, you
cat baie i
CATHERINE, The “hu hing telly aot where my focus iat
the moment
CCTATRE” I think New York would be a telly fan and ..sfe
place for you to —
CATHERINE, I dont need a safe place and I dont want to ave
sty fan! Tm perfectly fine ere
CLAIRE. You loo tired. Think you could ute some downtime,
CATHERINE, Downtime?
CLAIRE, Kaci, please. Youve had avery aed time
(CATHERINE. T'm PERFECTLY OKAY.
”CLAIRE, | think your upset and exhausted.
CATHERINE, I tas FINE cil you go here
CLAIRE, Yes but you —
HAL. (From off) Cathet?
CLAIRE, Who is hat (A bear Hal ener)
HAL. Hey 1 (Cenhrine sande and pins srumphanly a bi)
CATHERINE. HAROLD DOBBS!
HAL. (Confived) Hi.
CATHERINE. OKAY? I relly dont need tis, Chive. Pm fine,
you know, in otal ine, and then you swoop in herewith these
‘uestions and “Are you okay?” and your soathing tone of vice
{nd "Oh, the poor policemen” —I think the police can handle
themelvst-—and bagels snd bananas and jojoba and "Come co
[New Yor” and vegetarian chili, T meas ic lly pises me of 50
jst SAVE IT. (Bas)
CLAIRE. (Snooth 1 Hal) Ym Cite, Catherine’ sites.
HAL, Ob, hi. Fal Nice eo meee you. (Uneomfireable beat)
Ihope isnot too ary. 1 wat just going fo Uy fo get some work