[MARLA has begun a meditation practice that has her first
kneeling, then making a full prostration onto the floor every
time she takes 2 steps, which JOEY says makes her "look
like a caterpillar inching up a leaf". After storming out
over an argument, JOEY reenters to apologize.]
JOEY
So I am going to give you the benefit of the doubt, Marla.
MARLA
You are?
JOEY
Live and let live.
MARLA
Thank you.
JOEY
And I am going to try to curb my natural paranoia and not
assume that you are doing this in order to torment and torture
me. I am going to try not to assume that it is some kind of passive-aggressive
vengeance you are taking upon me for my habits, that it is not
some spiteful version of "turnabout is fair play" that
is motivating you.
MARLA
That's very nice of you, Joey.
JOEY
Thank you.
MARLA
It's a very big step for you.
JOEY
Yes it is.
MARLA
I really appreciate this.
JOEY
But I don't like it, okay! I don't have to like it.
MARLA
No, you certainly don't.
JOEY
Good.
MARLA
Would you like some salsa and chips?
JOEY
God, yes. I'm starving.
MARLA pulls over the tray of salsa and chips. Throughout
the next dialogue they settle in and chomp on the salsa and chips.
MARLA
Here.
JOEY
You can crawl around in here all you want. And I am going
to try to deal with it in my own way.
MARLA
What way?
JOEY
I don't actually know. (a beat, as they chomp) I'll
probably just try to ignore it a good deal of the time.
MARLA
Okay with me.
JOEY
These are surprisingly good.
MARLA
For low-fat chips, I agree.
JOEY
Are there any more?
MARLA
Over in the bag.
MARLA gets up and prostrates her way over and back with
the bag of chips while JOEY speaks.
JOEY
It's surprising what you can get used to. I mean, six months
ago you'd never have had these in the house and I never would've
eaten them either.
MARLA
True.
JOEY
So change is possible. It creeps up on you, incrementally.
MARLA
Uh-huh.
JOEY
I mean, I had a girlfriend once who smoked these nasty little
cigars with the wooden tips.
MARLA
Yukko.
JOEY
I never liked it, she was always fumbling around for matches
at inappropriate moments, I hated the smell on her clothes and
in my car, but it was part of her -- so eventually I accepted
it.
MARLA
But you're not still with her. (a beat)
JOEY
True. Perhaps that wasn't the most uplifting example. (a
beat)
(CONTINUES)
