Have there been any changes in the family in the last year or so?
[while Karin simultaneously nods "Yes"]
No, everything is pretty much exactly the same except Karin is pregnant and Lars is nuts.
You know, this isn't necessarily a bad thing. What we call mental illness isn't always just an illness. It can be a communication; it can be a way to work something out.
Fantastic. When will it be over?
When he doesn't need it anymore.
Oh, no. No, that's... No.
Oh, my. No, no, no. No. No, I mean, pretend that she's real? I'm not gonna do that. I mean, I can't. I'm just not gonna do it.
Right, right, I get that, but I'm just not gonna, you know...
You won't be able to change his mind, anyway. Bianca's in town for a reason.
It's not really a choice.
Okay. Okay, all right, we'll do it, whatever it takes.
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. And everyone's gonna laugh at him.
So, tell me about Karin. I don't know her very well.
Oh, she's wonderful. Gus and I are very lucky with women - she's wonderful. But she...
That's okay, let's find you something to read.
No, it's just... between us?
I'm worried about her. I think she has a little problem.
Oh, well, maybe you shouldn't tell me.
No, that's okay. It's just, and I think it's because she's insecure, it's just, she's just always trying to hug everybody. You know, some people don't like that. Some people don't like to be hugged. But she doesn't realize that. She takes it personally, and, it hurts her feelings. I don't know what to do about that. Do you?
It's such a comfort sometimes, just to have somebody's arms around you. Don't you think?
It does not feel good. It, it hurts.
Oh, like a cut, or bruise?
Like a burn. Like when you go outside and your feet freeze and you come back in and then they thaw out? It's like that. It's almost exactly like that.
Uh, not really with Bianca. But everyone else.
H Hazel
Well, that's how life is, Lars.
G Mrs. Gruner
Everything at once.
S Sally
We brought casseroles.
Thank you. [looks around the sewing circle. The three ladies are knitting and doing needlepoint] Um, is there something I should be doing right now?
G Mrs. Gruner
No, dear. You eat.
S Sally
We came over to sit.
H Hazel
That's what people do when tragedy strikes.
S Sally
They come over, and sit.
K Kurt
Listen up, Margo, those action figures are very important to me. They're worth a lot of money. And if I don't see every damned one back on my desk pretty soon, then, you can tell your teddy to watch his back.
M Margo
[returns one action figure]
I'll return them, one at a time... You going to Cindy's party?
M Margo
I was hoping you would. I really wish you would.
Do you think I could bring my girlfriend?
M Margo
Oh, um, yeah, yeah, I'm totally bringing somebody
I was talking to Bianca, and she was saying that in her culture they have these rites of passages and rituals and ceremonies, and just all kinds of things that, when you do them, go through them, let you know that you're an adult. Doesn't that sound great?
Ahhh. I couldn't tell ya.
Was it... Okay, was it sex?
Um. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's uh, yeah, yeah it's kind of— it's, uh— No. Well, it's kind of sex but it's not, uh, you know? I don't know. I don't know. It's— uh... good question, good question.
Yeah, but I have to know.
[the dryer buzzes]
Hold that thought. [goes into the basement, Lars follows] You know, you should ask Dagmar.
I did ask Dagmar. And she said that I should ask you.
Okay, you know I can only give you my opinion.
Well, it's not like you're one thing or the other, okay? There's still a kid inside but you grow up when you decide to do right, okay, and not what's right for you, what's right for everybody, even when it hurts.
Like, you know, like, you don't jerk people around, you know, and you don't cheat on your woman, and you take care of your family, you know, and you admit when you're wrong, or you try to, anyways. That's all I can think of, you know. It sounds like it's easy and for some reason it's not.
