VINNIE: I am exhausted. Every part of me is wiped out. I need my bed. Do you understand that? I need my bed now! This is my bed!

CARTER: And then you went to see Rosie. Didn’t you? I know you did. I know you, Vinnie.

Pause.

VINNIE: Are you going to get out of my bed or am I going to have to get ugly?

Pause.

CARTER: I’ll give it a try.

VINNIE: Ata boy! What a trooper.

CARTER sits up slowly, shaking. He makes a great effort to swing his legs over the side and stand. VINNIE just watches him but makes no attempt to help.

CARTER (as he struggles): What’d she say when she saw you! That must’ve been something, huh? Quite a little shock. Did she recognize you?

VINNIE: Yeah. She did.

CARTER: After all these years?

VINNIE: She knew, right off the bat.

CARTER: Just like old times, huh?

VINNIE: Nothing’s changed.

CARTER: She’s—still looking pretty good, isn’t she? For a woman her age.

VINNIE: In the pink.

CARTER (struggling to stand): And she—She was glad to see you, I guess.

VINNIE: She was thrilled.

CARTER (shaky, trying to remain standing): Did she—throw her arms around you?

VINNIE: Yes. She did.

CARTER: Squeeze you?

VINNIE: She couldn’t get enough of me.

CARTER (still standing): But you didn’t—I mean, the kids were there. The nanny.

VINNIE: The kids were in school.

CARTER: But the nanny—Kelly.

VINNIE: She was there.

CARTER: So you didn’t—I mean you just hugged, right? You and Rosie—You just—

CARTER collapses back into the bed. VINNIE stands over him.

VINNIE: Are you going to get out of my bed or not?

CARTER: I can’t.

Pause. VINNIE suddenly grabs CARTER by the ankles and jerks him off the bed, onto the floor. CARTER just lies there in a heap. Pause. VINNIE takes his coat off and lies down on the bed. He stretches and clasps his hands behind his head, stares at the ceiling. Pause. CARTER is shivering.

CARTER (from floor): Could I—have a blanket?

VINNIE: No!

CARTER: I’m freezing.

VINNIE: You’re pathetic.

CARTER: I don’t know what it is—

VINNIE: You shouldn’t fool with bourbon, Carter. It needs respect. You’ve got no respect.

CARTER: It’s not that. It’s not just that.

VINNIE: Oh. What is it then? Are you having a breakdown? A general crack-up? Is that it?

CARTER: I’m freezing.

VINNIE snatches up one of the blankets and tosses it to CARTER. CARTER wraps himself up tightly in it and begins to roll slowly from side to side, lying on the floor.

CARTER: Thanks.

Pause. CARTER continues to rock slowly. VINNIE stares at the ceiling.

VINNIE: How long do you expect these symptoms to continue?

CARTER: I don’t know. It’s never happened to me before. If I—should suddenly die, Vinnie—