JANE: We can clean up later.
RICHARD: You really don’t have the right to judge her. Maybe I was at fault too. Could that be possible?
MARIAN (To her sisters): I think she’s got him into therapy.
RICHARD: Shut up!!
MARIAN: The party of Javits is long gone, Richard. Don’t kid yourself. You’re being used. Who’s being naive now? Who’s going to be hurt now?
RICHARD: You don’t understand.
MARIAN: And there’s going to be a new Attorney General. He seems fine. We just voted for him.
JANE: I didn’t.
RICHARD: He’s an Albany politician.
MARIAN: Give him a chance. Maybe he’s different.
RICHARD: The politicians like him. Because he’s a politician. I don’t owe you this, but . . . let me try to explain.
(He hesitates.)
MARIAN: We’re listening.
RICHARD: When Eliot—resigned? That was a god-awful week. I’d almost gone to the governor’s office with him. I went up two, three times in the transition? You can’t believe the jokers who are up in Albany. You can’t imagine the incompetence, greed, the stupidity . . . Eliot maybe came on a little too strong, sure. True. But all of us—we’d have walked off a cliff for him.
(Then:)
It was worse for those who went to Albany of course. But it was bad for the rest of us too. We were crushed. Betrayed? (Shrugs) I don’t know. And then Andrew—(Smiles) For Andrew everything is politics. Celebrity politics. What gets noticed. What makes the impression. And so, he couldn’t forgo the opportunity. And he denigrated Eliot. Just sat on his carcass and ate . . . I’ll never forgive him for that. (Shrugs)
MARIAN: Spitzer’s got a TV show now. Have you watched it?
RICHARD: I can’t.
But then, I suppose they’re all shits. Remember Grandpa always telling us—they are all crooks.
MARIAN: He was talking about Chicago. Everything was always crooked in Chicago.
JANE (To Tim): Tim, another uncle, not Benjamin, he got a job in the parks department—and everyone in the family had to promise to vote for the Democrats. To get his job, and then keep it. (Shrugs, to Marian) How did they know how everyone votes?
MARIAN: Rhinebeck for one is not Chicago.
(Short pause.)
RICHARD: No. But the whole thing—it needs something. Something to happen. To change where we’re headed . . .
MARIAN: Another Republican? Is that what’s needed, Richard? If that’s the case, then let’s just wait another— (Looks at her watch) Forty-five minutes and we’ll have a whole lot more of “them.”
(Doorbell rings.)
BARBARA: That’s probably Benjamin back from the vote. (She hurries off)
JANE: Must not have been any line. Is that a good sign?
(She is gone.)
RICHARD (To Marian): So our enemy is “them”? You love to say that, don’t you? “Them.” As for me, I always get a little suspicious when it’s “them.” “Them” tea partiers. (Smiles) “Them” crazies. “Them”—
MARIAN (Upset): Don’t you fucking condescend to me, Richard!
RICHARD: What have I done? (“Innocently”) Tim, what have I done?
JANE (To a confused Tim): Stay out of this.
RICHARD: I’m just trying—perhaps foolishly—to get you to open your goddamn small town self-righteous closed “liberal” mind!
MARIAN: Fuck you.
RICHARD: Language.
MARIAN: Fuck you. I’m so sick of your smugness, Richard. It’s not cute anymore.
RICHARD: I didn’t think it was—
MARIAN: Get off your fucking ass and quit smirking at everything.
RICHARD: I’m smirking? I didn’t think I even knew how to smirk.
MARIAN: Fuck you!
RICHARD: You should have been the lawyer with that gift for argument.
MARIAN: Fuck you! Fuck you!
RICHARD (To the others): And she teaches second graders?!
(Barbara enters with Benjamin behind.)
BARBARA: I leave for one second. We could hear you on the porch.
If I want to hear stupid arguing I can watch television.
Not here.
(Short pause.)
RICHARD (Under his breath): “Them” . . .
JANE (To Benjamin): How was the voting? Did you color in the right bubbles?
BENJAMIN (In a sudden panic): The “right” ones?
JANE: I mean the correct ones.
RICHARD: Did you vote Democrat, Uncle?
BENJAMIN: I don’t know . . .
(He sits, looks at Barbara for help.)
BARBARA: I wasn’t there.
(Short pause.)
RICHARD (To Barbara): How’s Toby?
BENJAMIN: Who’s Toby?
BARBARA (Stops): I think we closed the kitchen door.
RICHARD: I better check . . .
TIM (To no one): I can check!
(As Richard heads off:)
RICHARD: Don’t people close doors in the country?
(He is gone.
Short pause.)
BARBARA (Calls): I’m sure we closed it!
(They look at each other. Then:)
MARIAN (To say something): It was very crowded earlier. The town hall. A lot of old people . . .
JANE: So you said . . .
MARIAN: At least we have Benjamin’s vote.
(Then, as they watch Benjamin eat:)
Maybe.
(The lights fade.)
Clearing the Table
A short time later. Richard has not returned. All except Benjamin have finished eating; their plates rest on their laps or on the floor or one of the tables.
JANE (To Benjamin): Do you remember playing Gaev? In The Cherry Orchard?
BENJAMIN (Eating): No. I don’t remember that production at all, unfortunately. I have a poster of it.
BARBARA: I put it up in his room.
JANE: That was a good idea.
BARBARA: Might help him—
JANE: Yes.
BENJAMIN: I’ve met people who