08x01 - The Long Night

[bunniefuu]

[waves crashing]

Its the little things that make up the average woman's life.

Like the time she discovers putting orange

rine and pancakes gives them a pickup.

Or that a gopher has taken up residence in the backyard.

I guess to a man it all seems like so much small talk.

Not really important.

Though he may hear his wife speak, he doesn't always listen to him.

But it's the little things that add up to everyday living.

And when these little things suddenly stop.

Well, they leave a great big hole.

Changes are always hard to get used to. They upset the routine.

Now take the house next door. It had been empty for four or five months.

I'll bet. Almost every day I'd say to Chris

it'd be so nice if somebody would move in there.

And he'd say, as he always does when he isn't listening.

Chris, he's a moving van. Some people are moving in next door.

That's nice, honey.

-Really? -Wow, yeah.

We're going to have some neighbors again.

I hope there's a boy in the family.

Well, I don't see anybody so far. You better go back

and pinch your breakfast time. You'd be late for school.

They're nice, friendly people. So we could go and visit once in a while.

Don't you, Chris?

I mean, we could play a little bridge or poker or something.

Chris, I just put some poison in your coffee.

Okay, honey thanks.

[laugh]

I certainly did.

[laugh] What is going on?

Never mind their hurry up it's time to be off now.

Hurry up.

Bye. Bye, honey.

-Have a good day. -Bye, daddy.

Be up across the street.

-Take you books. -Bye.

Don't forget your book.

And for heaven's sake, don't bang the door when you go out.

[door opening]

There's the family.

[music]

huh.

Seems to have two children, boy and a girl.

The boy looks at about the right age for donny too.

She's pretty, dawn.

-Well. -Hmm.

I see some things I say you hear.

Well, little Darren.

Wonder what he does for?

I wonder.

Oh, gee I'm glad there going to be people moving in there again.

Something wrong about an empty house.

Seems such a waste to me.

I think house sold it to him.

-Well. -I wonder who did.

And you can't tell all of them. You do very well.

[music]

Uh-oh, I ought to get going. I'm going to be late

[laugh]

I bet that's just what he said because

he's looking at his watch right now.

[music]

Real big day. Real exciting, people moving in.

Well it is exciting.

I like people.

So do I. Have a living. Best kind of go.

Yeah, bye sweetie.

-Goodbye. -Have a good day.

-I love you. -Love you too.

[putting something down]

I guess they must be married about twelve or years.

I can tell by the way he kisses her.

It's that year married kiss.

Just the way Chris kisses me.

Oh, I like her.

I like the way she hugs her children.

As though she really enjoys them.

I wonder if their gas is turned on yet.

Maybe she'd like some hot coffee.

Maybe the kids would like some milk.

[door opening]

I think neighbors should be neighborly.

[door closing]

Hello.

-Hello. -How are you?

I am living right next door to you.

-I'm Mrs. Steward -Are they your children?

-Anne -Hello, Anne. How are you? Nice to meet you.

-And George. -Hello, George how are you?

I just want to know if you like some coffee?

I would love it.

What's thw waiting? Let's begin to our

-well you want to come home? -Thank you.

Any woman will tell you

That she liked the window over her kitchen sink.

A window with a view, either of a

garden, flowers, trees, or life going by.

For too many months, I had looked out on an empty house.

But now there was a family living there once again.



The family with children.

The weeks had gone by

and we were now on first name terms.

Her name was Laura and her husband's name was Al.

The children were Anne and George.

It was wonderful to watch her playing with them.

[music]

It made me wonder if I was enjoying my children as much.

And when my kids came home, I gave each one of them an extra hug.

Just to make sure they knew I loved them.

[door opening]

Wives get used to being taken for granted.

But kids don't always understand.

Hey, none of that now left along with you Go out.

You two out, I will call you at the dinner time bye.

[music]

And I always knew when it was time to set the table for dinner.

Because you could set your clock by Laura.

At . Every afternoon, she'd step out of her house, open

the garage door and wait for Al to come home from work.

Five days a week. Week in and week out, it never varies.

Laura was always there to greet him.

I'm sure that as they walked into the house together.

They must be saying the things Chris and

I always say when he comes home from work.

But so many wives and so many husbands in

so many cities must save every evening.

Hey, honey I am home.

Hi, dear.

-Have a good day? -Oh, as usual.

-You? -Not as usual.

Where are the kids?

Their room. homework.

Any of you see mail?

It's a telephone bill.

Something smells good.

You always say that, even when it's cabbage.

-What's tonight? -Cabbage.

Corn beef, I hope.

With carrots.

I could have to rest.

It's supposed to be good for your eyes or something.

I think.

[putting down spoon]

Notice anything different?

What'd you do? luther first roll again?

It's not the room, silly. It's me.

Oh, yeah, sure. You're wearing your hair before.

Chris. I wore my hair this way for years.

Honey I'm hungry.

Oh.

Okay.

For your information that's a new dress.

Oh, sure. Oh, it's very pretty too.

What color is it?

Chris?

What are we going to eat, dear?

[music]

Chris, I wish you'd help donny with his arithmetic.

He's having trouble, and I've forgotten

almost everything I know about it.

Wasn't very much in the first place anyway.

Right after dinner.

Right after?

Don't argue with your daddy. [door bell ringing]

Hey, are you expecting someone?

Maybe laura, dear. She wanted a recipe for my lemon pie.

Hi, Al. Come on in.

Dina here.

Sure We're just finishing dinner. Would you like some coffee?

No, thank you.

Hi, Al. Come on in.

Hello, dina.

I didn't mean to interrupt anything.

Oh, you're not. Sit down. Has ice cream with us.

No, thanks. dina, I was wondering if you'd mind keeping

eye on the kids for a few minutes when you're finished.

Of course I wouldn't mind. Where is Laura?

Well, that's just it. She went to the market over an hour ago,

She likes to shop but.

But I'm kind of worried. I thought I'd

better take a look at her. Did she drive?

No. Hold on. Just a couple of blocks.

Don't worry about Laura. For heaven's sake,

she could spend all day at that market.

Police car coming into my driveway. Excuse me.

What's a matter

honey. I think I'll better see what this is all about.

Yeah, go ahead.

Wow, a real police car.

Police is talking to Mr. lovett.

-I see. Honey, -What happened? Black and white car.

I don't know dear.

We got to get arrested?

Oh, of course not. Danny, be quiet. And you, don't jabber too much.

Look at the police house.

I don't know.

(())

[music]

Now, finish you ice cream.



[music]

-What it is? What's the matter? -It's Laura

[music]

But what about Laura?

[music]

A hit run. Drive.

[music]

Oh, no.

[music]

Honey.

She's dead.

[music]

Oh, jesus.

What happened?

Oh, no.

[music]

It was just two months since Laura had been k*lled by

a speeding car at the corner of Madison and Grant.

Down at the hall of Records. She was

just a vital statistic in the past tense.

But she wasn't a mere statistic to Al.

Or to her children.

Al's sister came to live with him and look after the children.

My kids went over a lot to play, and I read to them.

Take their favorite cakes, chocolate.

But all of us together couldn't take their mother's place.

That's a big gap to fill.

[music]

[door closing]

And every night at , I'd see al's car drive in.

He'd sit there in the car. Hesitating for a moment.

Almost as though he expected Laura to be there waiting for him.

And then he'd get out of the car and open the garage door for himself.

This must have been the toughest moment of his day.

He could fill his mornings and afternoons with work.

But the night the night must have been terribly long.

[music]

Oh, dear I am home.

Oh, hi.

So early?

Yeah, it was hot and the hastings didn't show.

-Oh. -Where are the kids?

They're out playing.

Any Interesting mail?

Well, there's a letter from mama.

That is good, what's for dinner?

Chris.

- I want to talk to you. - sure, honey.

Now, please put the paper down, will you?

What it is?

Well, it's about Al lovett next door.

You know, his sister told me that she hasn't

seen him shed one tear since it happened.

But that she knows he doesn't sleep nice, either.

Yeah. I'm sorry for the guy, but what can we do?

Well, you know, it's been over two months now.

I think he ought to start trying to take an interest in things again.

But for the children's sake.

As well as his own.

Dina, it's still none of our business.

-Hey, Al's got his sister. -Yeah, I know.

She's very nice. She does the best she can, but she's not very lively.

Just seems to me that.

Al should be around another family once in a while.

People who are

-whole, Happy. -Like us.

That's what I had in mind. Yeah.

No, honey, we've tried.

We've asked him over for dinner three or four times.

-I know. -You've done everything you could.

Honey, the guy just wants to be left alone.

Well, maybe it's just that he didn't

want to spend the whole evening with us.

Maybe we just asked him over for a drink.

And then that way we could well, you could kind

of pick things up again where they stopped.

-For the accident. -I know.

-What would we talk about? -Honey, Just normal things

that's all.

Well, if you want to ask him sometime, go ahead.

Yeah well I meant today.

Today?

Honey, are you sure we aren't just buddy in?

No, I don't think so.

Okay. When he comes home, I'll ask him.

No.

I'll ask him.

And I know just how I'll do it and when.

What do you mean?

When his car pulls in that driveway at .

I'll be waiting there for him. Just where laura used to wait.

Do you think that's a good idea?

Well, I think that's probably his hardest moment.

When he needs help the most.

-What time is it now? -It's a little after .

-I better get going. -What are you going to do?

-To change my dress. -Why you're fine.

Oh, no. This is just a house dress.

I won't look nice for him. Maybe it'll cheer him up a little bit.

Why should you go to all the bother?



People should bother once in a while.

It would make life a lot easier.

Honey.

I'm putting on my flower print with a blue belt. What do you think?

Chris, did you hear me?

Anything you say, honey. You're running the show.

What time is it now?

Oh, you better hurry. It's .

Oh, I'm almost ready.

Do I look alright?

You look wonderful.

Well, it goes.

Good luck.

Yeah.

[music]

[car door closing]

[inaudible]

No, thanks.

Oh, Al now come on.

I will fix you one little drink for you and him it's alright.

Alright, just one i will see you soon.

Okay.

he'll be right over. I'll fix some drinks for us.

Yeah, do that.

Hi, Al how are you?

Come on, man.

Good to see you.

Sit down, Dina's is fixing us some drink.

Dina just wouldn't take notes for an answer.

She never does.

Well, I better see if I can hurry your lungs. Excuse me.

Al, here we are.

If it's not strong enough, just let alie

yelling. It's not a very good bartender.

Thanks.

Nothing like a long, cool drink on a hot day.

Helps me to forget all the real estate I should have sold and did.

Thank you.

Al.

Yeah.

I suppose you must be

waiting for her.

All the time.

Waiting for her?

Would you know, like expecting to

bump into her right around the corner or

having her walk in from another room.

Must think about her all the time.

Don't you?

No, I don't think about it.

I don't think about it.

Dina, there are other things we can talk about.

Are there?

Al?

I should think trying not to remember would be a

constant reminder.

Isn't it?

Yeah.

I'm really a very good bartender.

Please.

Sure why not.

It isn't champagne, but why not?

Here's a toast.

There's a toast to the most beautiful.

The most wonderful.

Most.

Most.

[music]

-Al. -I know.

I know you feel sorry for me.

Al, open it up.

Well, don't. Don't be a hypocrite.

Wait. I get it towel.

I don't get it.

Of course you don't get it.

Because you don't know what it's like.

I'm sorry I.

No, I do anything. No, Chris,

you're not sorry. You're glad.

That's why everyone tries to be so kind to me.

Because they're glad that it happened to me instead of them.

They're glad that it happened to Laura instead of dina.

They're glad that it's not you who gets into the empty bed.

They're glad that it's not you.

And anything else is a lie.

[music]

I know you wouldn't, even if you could.

Give me back my wife in exchange for yours.

I'll tell you what you can do.

I'll tell you what you can do. If you really feel sorry for me.

If you really want to help,

You can all do it.

All my grieving, sympathetic friends can do it.

It's the easiest and it's the best.

And it's the only thing that is left that you can do for me.

[music]

Laura

I love you, Laura.

[music]

You can treasure your own happiness together.



It's the only good thing, the only real

thing that ever happens to any of us.

But when it does and we got it.

We let it go.

But when it's lost, we're different.

You hardly notice her, Chris. You don't even know what she looks like.

It may happen to you someday.

You'll go on hating yourself for all the times

that you could have kissed her and you didn't.

So if you really feel sorry for me, I mean, really feel sorry for me.

Love, her.

Love her now, while you've got the chance.

Take a look at her.

Take a good

long look, my friend.

Because it may be one of the few you'll ever have.

[music]

Dina.

I do love you.

Dear.

[music]