:E6000
E / 6000 the tape continues
DR. BRODEY
Well. There are a considerable number of
other items, which are detailed in writing in
the documentation which accompanies this
videotape. What I want to do here mainly, now
that I've outlined the particulars of dividing
up my estate, is to explain myself.
First, to Helen.
He will warm into it now: obviously the whole reason for the
videotape is for the performance that follows. The
nitty-gritty over, it is the justification and even the
oneupmanship that keeps him going now.
DR. BRODEY
Surprised you, didn't I, dear? Thought I'd
leave you high and dry, I bet.
The thing is, dear, I've never been quite the
ogre you thought I've been. I haven't been
the easiest man to live with, I'm sure; and,
yes, we began to go our separate ways some
years ago; but I am not ungrateful for our
years together, particularly early on; and,
though you may find this hard to believe,
coming from me, I do believe in marital
responsibility. It would be outrageous if I
acted like the scoundrel you accuse me of
being.
So you have much to enjoy for your remaining
years, dear. The mansion, of course. Enough
income to keep you happy, I should hope. I
hope when you spend that income -- when you
take your little "shop til you drop"
excursions into the city, or into the
regentrified northwest neighborhood below the
west hills -- when you buy your perfumes and
jewelry and soaps and whatever -- think of
me a little bit, will you? I have been a good
provider, you can't deny me that. Even at the
end.
Goodbye, Helen. I have to admit one thing: I
hope you finally feel a little guilty for all
the bad things you've been thinking about me
in recent years. I hear about them, you know.
There's not much that you do, not much that
you think, that I don't find out about.
Goodbye, Helen.
He clears his throat: who to do next?
Watching:
SUSANNE
This is extraordinary.
JUSTIN
It gets better.
DR. BRODEY (on tape)
Trudy. No, Jack first. Jack.
What can you be thinking now? I haven't left
you high and dry, by the way. In the
documentation accompanying this videotape,
you'll see I've left you a few things to
remember me by: my hunting rifle, most
significantly. I still think if you learned
to hunt, you'd go far in taking the first step
in redeeming yourself.
A funny word, redemption. I don't know what
to say to you, Jack, how to explain to you how
much I expected from you and how much you
disappointed me. Not by not following in my
footsteps, for Christ's sake. I don't give a
damn that you didn't become a doctor. You
could've become anything, as far as I was
concerned.
JACK (over the tape)
Asshole.
DR. BRODEY (on tape)
Anything -- as long as you became SOMETHING.
The path you are on, Jack -- and I know I've
told you this a hundred times --
JACK
A million.
DR. BRODEY
-- the path you are on is going to destroy
you. And sooner than you think. I don't know
what I did wrong. I tried everything in my
power to rehabilitate you,
JACK
You never did shit.
DR. BRODEY
to give you direction, to help you find
meaning to your life.
I make one final offer. A part of the money
left to Trudy has been put in trust, a special
trust which will revert to you, not to Trudy,
if you undertake a full year in a drug
rehabilitation center I've learned about in
southeastern Washington. They've been working
wonders there, Jack, believe me -- it takes a
full year, all of it as an in-patient, but it
does the job. You enter that program, and
I've also made provisions to pay the
considerable fees involved, you successfully
undertake the program, and the trust money is
yours. Otherwise, at the end of eighteen
months -- so I'm giving you six months to
decide on this -- otherwise the money goes to
Trudy.
And finally, to Trudy. Oh, sweetheart, this
is the hardest part for me, because you're the
one it's hardest to say goodbye to.
JACK
Where are the violins?
TRUDY
Sshh.
DR. BRODEY
I almost left you everything. That's how much
I love you. But you'll understand that I have
obligations to your mother, I'm sure you will.
And I know you'll understand why I have to be
tough with Jack -- "tough love," that's what
we call it in the profession these days,
"tough love."
With you, I'm glad to say, love doesn't have
to be "tough." We've had a very, very special
relationship, you and I, in many ways the most
intense and special relationship I've ever
experienced.
Well, I'm not saying what I want to say.
Maybe I can say it to you in person, before I
. . .
He is almost losing it: he'll use Jack to get himself back in
focus.
DR. BRODEY
I don't want to become sentimental here.
Jesus. Maybe it's time to sign off.
One thing: Trudy, I don't know if you can do
anything to get Jack to seek treatment, you
two haven't always been close, but if you can
. . .
No, let the sonofabitch seal his own destiny.
Jack, you out there? You're a goddamn spoiled
wimp, do you know that? Jack? A GODDAMN
SPOILED WIMP! Everything's been handed to
you, every opportunity, and you-- . . .
I shouldn't even give you a last chance.
He's angry. Now he gets up, perhaps knocking something over
on the desk, and gropes toward the camera, which obviously is
self-run, his blurring massiveness taking up the screen now,
until the camera is turns off.
END OF TAPE. TIME CODE: 63:30
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