VAN HELSING

YOU TOLD ME BEFORE THAT YOU GREW UP IN A GROUP HOME.

LARRY

THAT WAS AFTER THE ORPHANAGE.

VAN HELSING

RIGHT. YOU WERE ADOPTED.

LARRY

I WOULDN’T USE THE WORD ADOPTED.

SCOUTED, RECRUITED. SOMETHING MORE LIKE THAT.

VAN HELSING

YOU FELT FACELESS AMONG THE FELLOW CHILDREN?

AS IF YOU WEREN’T CHOSEN FOR YOUR TALENTS AND PERSONALITY.

LARRY

OH, I WAS CHOSEN FOR MY TALENTS FOR SURE.

VAN HELSING

ARE YOU ANGRY AT MYRTLE?

LARRY

NO, I DON’T THINK SO.

JUST CONFUSED.

I WISH SHE WEREN’T DEAD.

VAN HELSING

IT’S UNFORTUNATE THAT PEOPLE DIE.

ESPECIALLY THE FEW PEOPLE CLOSE TO US.

LARRY

I JUST WISH I’D BEEN THERE FOR HER.

VAN HELSING

WE’LL NEVER BE SATISFIED WITH OUR GOODBYES, EVEN IF WE GET THEM.

LARRY

I PROBABLY WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN SATISFIED.

THE HEADMISTRESS HAS DONE SO MUCH FOR ME.

VAN HELSING

WHAT DID SHE DO FOR YOU?

LARRY

SHE GAVE ME A HOME WHEN I HAD NONE.

A FAMILY.

GOT ME OFF THE MEDICATION AND TOLD ME I WAS NORMAL.

VAN HELSING

THAT’S WONDERFUL.

LARRY

I HATE HER SON THOUGH.

VAN HELSING

WE DON’T ALWAYS LIKE PEOPLE WE COME IN CONTACT WITH, FAMILY OR NOT.

LARRY

I CAN’T EVEN PLACE WHY I DON’T LIKE HIM, BUT I DON’T.

I DON’T THINK IT’S JEALOUSY BECAUSE MYRTLE’S FAVORITE WAS CLEARLY TZU.

VAN HELSING

OH?

LARRY

TZU WAS ANOTHER OF THE CHILDREN AT THE SCHOOL.

SHE’S A FAIR BIT YOUNGER THAN ME, FOR WHAT IT’S WORTH.

NO, I DON’T EVEN THINK KEVIN WAS HER FAVORITE.

I GUESS THAT’S A GOOD THING SINCE THERE WERE SO MANY OF US.

VAN HELSING

A GOOD TEACHER IS IMPARTIAL.

LARRY

I THINK THE HEADMISTRESS WAS AS IMPARTIAL AS SHE COULD BE.

IT WASN’T THAT.

KEVIN JUST STAYED IN HIS ROOM BASICALLY ALL THE TIME.

MAYBE THAT’S IT, THAT HE NEVER HAD TO TALK TO THE REST OF US.

VAN HELSING

DID YOU EVER FIND THE SOCIAL EXPECTATIONS TO BE OVERWHELMING?

LARRY

A LITTLE BIT.

I MEAN, I GOT MY TIME ALONE BUT I ALWAYS SHARED A ROOM.

VAN HELSING

DID YOU WANT YOUR OWN ROOM?

LARRY

WHO DOESN’T?

AND I SUPPOSE, TOO, THAT THE INSIDE OF HIS ROOM WAS FORBIDDEN TO ME.

THAT ALWAYS GOT ME.

OF COURSE, IT WASN’T THE ONLY PART OF THE HOUSE I WASN’T ALLOWED TO GO.

THE GIRLS’ ROOM…

THE BASEMENT.

VAN HELSING

IT MUST HAVE BEEN HARD, FEELING LIKE NOTHING WAS TRULY YOURS.

LARRY

I GOT USED TO IT.

VAN HELSING

DO YOU FEEL LIKE ANYTHING TODAY IS YOURS?

LARRY

MY CAR.

SHE’S BEEN WITH ME THROUGH THICK AND THIN.

VAN HELSING

TELL ME ABOUT YOUR CAR.

LARRY

STICK. VANITY PLATE.

DARK BLUE PAINT THAT LOOKS FLECKED WITH GLITTER.

VAN HELSING

HOW DID YOU LEARN TO DRIVE?

LARRY

I TOOK CLASSES.

THE SCHOOL PAID FOR IT.

VAN HELSING

DO YOU LIKE DRIVING?

LARRY

HELL YEAH, I LOVE DRIVING.

I FEEL CAPABLE BEHIND THE WHEEL.

NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT.

I’VE BUMPED A BUMPER A FEW TIMES BUT NOTHING MORE MAJOR THAN THAT.

VAN HELSING

NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT?

THAT’S SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF.

LARRY

I AM PROUD.

BUT MAYBE I’M JUST LUCKY.


And then he mumbles, under his breath.

LARRY

FIGURES I’D BE LUCKY IN SOME INCONSEQUENTIAL FIELD.

VAN HELSING

TELL ME MORE ABOUT YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR HEADMISTRESS.

HOW DID YOU FIND OUT SHE’D PASSED?

LARRY

OH, THAT PISSED ME OFF TOO.

KEVIN WAS HARDLY MOVED AT ALL BY HER DEATH.

NO TEARS, NO NOTHING.

VAN HELSING

IT CAN BE HARD WHEN WE DON’T SEE THE EMOTIONS WE FEEL.

LARRY

I GUESS PART OF ME WAS EXPECTING, OR AT THE VERY LEAST, HOPING, TO BE MENTIONED IN HER WILL.

I WAS WANTING TO FEEL THAT I WAS A PART OF SOMETHING.

VAN HELSING

LIKE YOU WERE HER SON?

LARRY

WELL, PART OF ME IS!

SHE’S MORE MY MOTHER THAN ANYONE ELSE.

KEVIN’S BLASÉ ATTITUDE REMINDED ME THAT I AM NOTHING.

I WORKED SO HARD TO BE RECOGNIZED BY HER. BUT NOW SHE’S GONE –

AND HE WILL NEVER BE MY BROTHER.