Roger Accompanies Delia to Look For an Apartment
(April 1977)(Both Alicia Nieves and Roger are dining at Lem's - at separate tables, of course - when Delia walks in and immediately goes to use the payphone. She does not notice either of them. Roger stops what he is doing - plotting to blackmail Seneca into rehiring him <g> - to watch Delia. She calls Pat at the hospital.)
DELIA: Yes, I'd like to talk to Dr. Pat Ryan, please? Yes, it's very, very important. Please, just look around for a little while, okay? (pauses, then smiles) Pat? Pat, I found the perfect apartment, and the guy's gonna hold it til 3 o'clock.
PAT: (looking annoyed) Okay, that sounds fine. We'll talk about it tonight, alright?
DELIA: No, you've gotta come see! You see, I said we'd leave one month's deposit, you know, if you like it.
PAT: Dee, I'm assisting in surgery at two o'clock and right now I'm waiting for Dr. Marley to get word on Jack.
DELIA: Jack's operation...I forgot all about it.
PAT: Yeah, well he's in the recovery room, and I promised Mary that I'd find out whatever I could.
DELIA: Well, maybe Mary can talk to the doctor herself.
PAT: Look, I can't get away; I'm sorry!
DELIA: Paddy, I've been spending all day going in and out of these different buildings, going up and down stairs, talking to these awful supers. Really, I just thought I would drop dead, and then finally I found this place and it is so great! (smiles) It's right around the corner from Lem's, five minutes away from the hospital, three minutes away from Ryan's - now, if we lose this apartment, I'm just gonna die!
(We see Roger watching Dee at this point.)
DELIA: Paddy!
PAT: So take it. It sounds great.
DELIA: I can't decide by myself!
PAT: Why not?
DELIA: Because I just can't take the responsibility! I mean, suppose there's some drawback I don't know anything about?
PAT: We'll live with it! Look, I've gotta go, Dee.
DELIA: Alright.
PAT: You take the apartment, okay?
DELIA: I don't know.
PAT: (as if about to explode) Well, whatever you decide. (pause) Dee? So long.
(He hangs up.)
DELIA: Yeah, so long!
(She hangs up the phone and sits down at a table. Mrs. Lem comes over.)
Mrs. LEM: Oh, Mrs. Ryan, would you like a menu?
DELIA: No menu, just some tea, please.
Mrs. LEM: Okay.
(Roger gets up, comes over, and sits down at her table.)
ROGER: What's the matter, little friend? You're not happy.
DELIA: Roger, please don't tease me. Okay? I think I'd rather be alone. I need some time to think.
ROGER: Think? Oh, no, is that all Paddy could suggest?
DELIA: (furious) Roger, were you eavesdropping?
ROGER: (smiles) Insofar as I was able, yes.
(Mrs. Lem brings over the tea, then goes over to Alicia's table.)
DELIA: Okay, you want to know what it is? See, I found this great apartment, and Pat is a little bit too busy to look at it. But he's got enough time to tell Mary all about Jack's condition. Now, this is very important! This is our home and it's gonna be our home for a lot of years!
ROGER: Second year residents don't spend much time at home, Dee.
(She shoots daggers at him.)
ROGER: It's true! Pat will have to be an absentee husband for quite some time. I'm sure you took that into consideration? I, on the other hand...
(He puts his hand on her arm, and she takes it away.)
DELIA: You, on the other hand - look, if you don't stop that, I'm not gonna talk to you! (points at him)
ROGER: (nods) I apologize. I know that you're promised to another, and I'm sorry that Pat can't see the apartment.
DELIA: You know, if I were a hospital, I bet he'd be here in two or three minutes!
(Roger laughs loudly, which causes Alicia to look at her table and notice Delia.)DELIA: Just what is so funny?
ROGER: (grins) You, as if you didn't know.
DELIA: You know, if you don't stop this, people are gonna start looking at us, and I don't want anybody to see...
(She notices Alicia just then. Alicia smiles and waves, and Roger turns around to see her, as Delia gets a look of terror on her face. Finally, Delia attempts to hold her menu up to cover her face, a little too late to do any good.)
ROGER: Who is that? Someone after the same apartment you are? What did you do, trick her, Dee?
DELIA: Shhh... Please don't, please, just, talk to me, okay?
ROGER: Oh, is there anything in particular you'd like me to talk about? Maybe I can make a few choice guesses as to why that pretty lady affects you so?
(Alicia comes over to their table.)
ALICIA: Mrs. Brown?
DELIA: (feigning innocence) Oh, no. (as if having an epiphany) Oh! Oh! Hello! (smiles)
ALICIA: Hi. I was hoping that I would see you again. Did you realize that you...
DELIA: You know, why don't we talk about this outside?
ALICIA: No, no, sit down. I was just on my way back to work, anyway. I just wanted to give you your earrings.
(She takes them out of her purses and hands them to Delia.)
ALICIA: I've been carrying them around with me ever since...ever since the other day.
DELIA: Oh, thank you, thank you.
ALICIA: You're welcome. Take care now.
(Delia waves goodbye.)
ROGER: Why don't you have...
DELIA: Why don't you stay right here, okay? I'll be right back.
(She gets up and follows Alicia out, leaving Roger puzzled and amused.)
DELIA: Alicia, thank you very much for my earrings and thank you for treating me so nicely when I had the miscarriage. And I'm really sorry I left the hospital that way.
ALICIA: I'm sorry I scared you just now, but I wouldn't have said anything, especially not with your boyfriend there.
DELIA: Oh no, he's not my boyfriend! He's just someone I ran into.
ALICIA: Oh, well you go back and finish your lunch.
DELIA: Alicia, look, would you do me a favor? If you see me in the neighborhood or walking around, you know, just make like you don't even know me, okay?
ALICIA: Sure...
DELIA: I mean, it's nothing personal, it's just that nobody knows about the miscarriage, and I just want to tell them in my own way. Uh, you don't mind, do you?
ALICIA: No, not at all.
DELIA: Good.
ALICIA: Bye.
DELIA: Bye.
(Delia goes back to Roger's table and smiles as if everything is alright.)
ROGER: Mrs. Brown?
DELIA: (laughs) Oh, yeah, you know, she's a salesgirl and she just forgot my name.
ROGER: But she remembered your earrings?
DELIA: Just drop it, it's really not important.
ROGER: (grins) Delia, whatever have you been up to now?
DELIA: Uh, look I really don't want to talk about it. I've got some really big decisions to make, and I really can't make them alone, so I don't want to talk about it anymore.
ROGER: You can tell me.
DELIA: (staring at him) What did you do?
ROGER: Do what?
DELIA: Oh, your mouth! Did you change your moustache?
ROGER: Well, I trimmed it a little, but...
DELIA: Very nice! I mean, I really like it.
ROGER: (looking at her like he wants her) How much?
DELIA: (stretching out her hands) This much!
(They laugh.)
DELIA: Oh, I like it, it's very, very attractive!
ROGER: (laughs) Well, you were a foolish little girl to let it go.DELIA: (anxious) Yeah, well, I probably was. See, but right now what I really have to concentrate on is this marriage and getting this apartment, and I have to look at this apartment very carefully, and I have to do it all alone. Hey, are you busy for the next hour or so?
ROGER: No, no, not terribly.
DELIA: (smiles) Why don't you come over there with me? I just love it so much, I want to show it off to somebody.
ROGER: Funny, you know, you don't seem the least bit upset anymore.
DELIA: Come on! Are you gonna come with me or not? I mean, I'm really in a hurry, okay?
ROGER: How tasteless and insensitive of you, per usual. (grins) I'd love to.
DELIA: (smiles) Good. Don't make fun of me. I need you as a friend.
(They get up and leave. In the next scene, she is showing him the apartment.)
DELIA: What's so great is that the kitchen is all the way back there, so I don't have to worry if there's any mess when the doorbell rings.
ROGER: And you open the doorbell to a mysterious stranger.
DELIA: Oh, of course! And I say, "Well, come right into my living room," and he'd sit down on my...well, here would be the sofa, right over here, and of course it would be velvet, and I would say, "Would you like a drink?" And the bar would be just about over here, and I'd say, "Would you like some sherry?" In a decanter, of course - see, I learned that from you. That's one of the things I really loved about your apartment. And then I guess we would have terribly elegant chit-chat...
ROGER: And he would say, "Funny, I don't see a kitchen anywhere, but there's this overpowering odor of liver and onions."
DELIA: (mortified) He would not!
ROGER: Of course not. He'd probably tell you how beautiful you are, and ask you to lead him into the master bedroom.
DELIA: No, he wouldn't dare. I mean, after all, I'm a married lady, and I have a rich and famous husband who's a doctor, and all the neighbors know that the Ryans really love each other and they see us holding hands all the time - just like kids. Really romantic kids.
ROGER: A thoroughly charmed life.
DELIA: Well, it's just a dream. I mean, not all of it might come true.
ROGER: You don't have to explain to me about dreams, Dee. I've had them myself.
DELIA: I didn't mean to hurt your feelings.
ROGER: (smiles) No, no, I'm having a wonderful time. There's just one thing that strikes me that you've left out of your dreams and your apartment.
DELIA: Oh yeah? Uh, what's that?
ROGER: You and Pat are going to have a baby. Now where does he or she fit into this?
DELIA: Oh, that's gonna make it so much better! I mean, uh, see the baby's gonna stay in our room. Oh, we've got that all planned! (smiles) These windows over here - uh, what do you think we should do? Heavy drapes or not? See, you are such a good decorator! Maybe you could give me a little advice.
ROGER: You know, you don't seem very pregnant. How far along are you?
DELIA: Oh, uh, Dr. Wolfe says it's gonna be a small baby. You see, Little John was very small, too, and I didn't show until the end, and then, all of a sudden, overnight, pop! (smiles) You know, the more we talk about this, the more I think something's gonna be wrong with my baby.
ROGER: Alright, Dee, I'm sorry. (smiles)
DELIA: So what do you think about the apartment? You haven't told me yet!
ROGER: (grins) I think it's terrific! I think it's a real find.
DELIA: (smiles) Then I'll take it.
ROGER: Oh, that wasn't a very difficult decision, now, was it?
DELIA: No, but, you see, it makes a tremendous difference when someone else agrees with me. I really can't make up my own mind sometimes.
ROGER: (laughs) You made up your mind the minute you saw this place! But, I promise I won't tell a soul.
DELIA: Honestly, Roger, sometimes you always think that you see through me!
ROGER: Mmmm...not always, but amazingly often.
DELIA: Okay, I don't want to argue with you because I'm so excited, so, whether you believe me or not, I have to ask you for just one more thing, please?
ROGER: Maybe.
DELIA: Could you help me find the rental agent? See, maybe you could tell me what to say and make sure I don't sign the wrong places. (smiles)
ROGER: Sweetheart, I will take your little hand and make sure you don't tremble. Lead the way, I promise I'll be adorable. (grins)
DELIA: (escorts him out) Okay, let's go. (turns around and throws her hands up) Goodbye, apartment! Okay, I'll see you very soon, I'm gonna fix you all up, and Paddy's gonna love you cause you're so beautiful. (to Roger) Okay, let's go.
ROGER: At your service, Mrs. Brown.
DELIA: I don't like that!
ROGER: Now, Dee, I've been a good boy. Can't I tease you a little bit?
DELIA: No!
ROGER: Delia, you know how much I like secrets. Now, the earrings, that's a clue. And that young lady that called you "Mrs. Brown"? That's also a clue. Now Delia, why don't you tell me?
DELIA: (bats her eyes innocently) No secrets. No nothing. And that's all I'm going to say.
(She takes her coat and he follows her out, clearly intrigued.)