.
fast food other than that now. Or the Old Country Buffet.
NICK: Oof, no thank you. (Pulling out his wallet) Here, lemme pay you for the food we / ordered—
EDDIE: Oh, you don’t have to / do that—
NICK: Seriously, I’d feel bad.
(Nick hands him some cash. Eddie takes the money.)
And listen, uh—we’re actually not gonna see you later if that’s okay. Kelly and I are gonna head to Sun Valley for a couple of nights?
EDDIE: Oh. Really?
NICK: Yeah, she’s never seen it, so.
(Pause.)
EDDIE: I was sort of hoping we could— . . . My apartment complex has a few grills in the courtyard, I thought I could pick up some meat and / we could—
NICK: Crap—sorry, buddy, we’ve just been— . . . I promised I’d show it to her this time around, and she— . . . (Pause) Look, Eddie, I’m sorry. Kelly and I were both looking forward to seeing you today, felt like we’ve barely had a chance to catch up.
EDDIE: Yeah, right?
NICK: It’s just—I don’t know, being back home . . . I feel like once I’m back in Pocatello for more than a couple days, I just get— . . . It’s just too much. And this is the only vacation time that we’re both going to have for a while, so we just—. And our room at the La Quinta is sorta—not great, the bed / has this—
EDDIE: I mean you guys are welcome to stay at my apartment? I mean it’s kinda tight but the futon’s pretty comfortable actually—
NICK: Oh nah, we—. We wouldn’t want to put you out. (Pause) But I mean it really is good seeing you, and we’ll swing by the restaurant before we head out. And seriously, don’t worry about Mom.
EDDIE: Yeah, she—. I feel like I don’t even know how to talk to her anymore.
NICK: Did you ever know how to talk to her?
EDDIE: I mean, yeah, when I was in high school, it was just / different, it—
NICK: Yeah, well. That was a long time ago.
(Pause.)
EDDIE: Sure.
(Pause.)
NICK: Eddie, you—? You sure you’re okay?
(Pause. Eddie looks at Nick.)
EDDIE: No, Nicky, actually I— . . . I’m sort of—in trouble? I don’t know what to—. (Pause) They’re saying I’m gonna have to shut down the restaurant at the end of next week.
(Pause.)
NICK: Wait—next week?
EDDIE: They’ve been warning me for a while now, our profits haven’t been—. We’re just losing money at this point, and corporate’s given me chance after chance—
NICK: And you haven’t told your employees yet?
EDDIE: I mean I don’t want them to give up, or— . . . I’m still hoping I can save it somehow, or—
NICK: Eddie, you have to tell your staff, if they’re all losing their jobs, you have to— . . . (Pause) Well, what about Rexburg? Mom said there’s one opening up there?
EDDIE: Yeah—
NICK: Maybe it’s time to get out of Pocatello, buddy. Kelly and I were downtown earlier, it’s looking pretty grim compared to the last time I was here.
EDDIE: Yeah lately it’s been—. It’s been bad for everyone.
NICK: Exactly, so maybe you should just—leave. Rexburg is fine, right?
EDDIE: Sure, it’s—.
(Pause.)
NICK: Or hell, move somewhere else. Boise, or Portland, or— . . . Don’t you think you’d be happier somewhere else? I mean you have options, you went to college.
EDDIE: I majored in Pacific Northwest History.
NICK: Yeah, well, you—. (Pause) Look, you’ll land somewhere. You’re a smart guy. And I can help you with your resume if you want, I’d be / happy to—
EDDIE: Nick, I’m feeling sort of—. I’d really appreciate it if you could stick around a few more days?
(Pause.)
NICK: Eddie—
EDDIE: Can’t you just change your flight?
NICK: Buddy I really just can’t take more time off, this month especially it’s / really—
EDDIE: It’s just that—I don’t really know what to do, I don’t / really—
NICK: Kelly has work too, we can’t / just—
EDDIE: I could pay to change your plane ticket if you—
NICK (Aggressive): Eddie c’mon, just— . . .
(Max enters, begins to clear the dishes off of a table. Nick stops himself, calms down. Pause. He lowers his voice, moves closer to Eddie.)
(Soft) Eddie, it’s just—a restaurant. It’s not even yours, it’s a chain restaurant. I know you’ve been here a while, but it’s—. You just need to find somewhere else, that’s all. And for God’s sake, tell your employees. (Pause, normal volume) Look, we’ll—. We’ll see you in a couple days, and you—. You’re gonna be fine. Okay?
(Pause. Max has begun to listen.)
EDDIE: Sure. (Pause) Thanks, Nicky.
(Nick starts to exit.)
EDDIE: Bye to Kelly?
NICK: Sure.
(Nick is gone. Eddie stares at the food. Max grabs the last dish, approaches Eddie.)
MAX: You okay?
(Pause.)
EDDIE: Yeah.
MAX: You sure?
(Eddie looks up at him. Isabelle enters.)
ISABELLE: Max that fucking ravioli app has been sitting under the heat lamp for ten fucking stupid minutes.
MAX: Sorry. Geez.
(Max exits. Isabelle goes to Eddie.)
ISABELLE: Should I—? You want me to cancel the food?
(Eddie looks at her.)
EDDIE: Yeah, I guess you should.
Scene Two
Later that night.
Eddie sits at one of the tables with receipts and a deposit bag, counting cash from the day. Isabelle sits with him. Eddie desperately tries to maintain his line of thought.
ISABELLE: Gemini?
EDDIE: No.
ISABELLE: Taurus?
EDDIE: No, Isabelle, I’m—
ISABELLE: Don’t tell me! I’m really good at this. Pisces.
EDDIE: No. You were at my birthday, you sang to me.
ISABELLE: Well I don’t like know what dates they correspond to, I just do it by feeling. Aries.
EDDIE: No.
(Troy enters.)
TROY: I’m not cleaning the bathrooms anymore. Eddie can’t we get people to do this stuff again?
EDDIE: We can’t afford cleaning staff