STEPH Then say it!/ What?! What’re you saying?!

GREG I am!/ Why should you care who I’m with?! It’s none of your business … so just …

STEPH I don’t! I don’t give a fuck, Greg, who you’re with … as long as it’s not one of my long-time girlfriends, because then I do care, then it starts to feel creepy and like … when cousins marry and maybe that’s just the way I was brought up but I’m not the only person from our lives that feels that way, trust me …

GREG … then … I don’t care …

STEPH Well, that part I do believe! That is the very first piece of truth that has come outta your mouth in the last ten minutes! “I don’t care.” (Beat.) No shit, Greg, I’m completely aware of that simple fact, you don’t care about very much at all … about other people or the messes you make or … the trail of shit you leave behind!/ Fuck you, Greg, you fucking piece of … (Hitting him.) / FUCK!

GREG Steph, stop!/ Please, just …/ Stop this!

He reaches out and grabs her by the shoulders. She shakes him off like his hands are on fire.

STEPH Don’t you fucking touch me! Get off me!!/ You prick!!

GREG I’m not!/ I am not touching you!

STEPH Yes, you are! You put your fucking hands on my shoulders, what do you call that?!

GREG I’m trying to …/ … just …

STEPH Stop it!/ Get off me, fuckhead!

GREG Steph, you stop it! Stop shouting!

STEPH Then quit holding onto me!

GREG I’m not! (GREG lets go.) See?! I am not anywhere near you, okay, so just stop! Stop the screaming thing!

STEPH I’M NOT SCREAMING!!

GREG Okay then!

STEPH Okay is right!! Shut the fuck up and back away from me!/ Further!!

GREG … Stephanie, just …/ Stop it.

GREG backs away, holding up his hands in mock surrender.

STEPH Fuck off, Greg, don’t pull your shit with me. I have got zero tolerance toward you and your bullshit ways now, so just fuck right off. You hear me?

GREG Yes, I hear you …

STEPH Yeah? Ya sure?

GREG Ummmm, yes, Steph, I do … Helen Keller could hear you, so I’m pretty sure that I can …

STEPH Who?!

GREG Nothing. No one.

STEPH You mean the little blind girl? Do you mean that Helen Keller?

GREG … yes …

STEPH Why the fuck would you bring her up now?! I really don’t get you sometimes …

GREG Doesn’t matter.

STEPH It does to me. When you say stupid shit it bothers me, especially when you think it’s smart stupid shit … so go ahead and explain yourself. (Beat.) Go on. Make your point.

GREG She was deaf. That’s why.

STEPH Helen Keller was blind, Greg.

GREG Yeah, I know, but she was deaf, too./ And dumb …

STEPH … no …/ What?

GREG “Dumb.” Meaning unable to speak … (Beat.) That’s what they used to call it, before people made other people change it, to … like … (Beat.) They called it dumb.