Empathy No. 163

05/11/03, In the car, 2:30 PM (approx)

RODERICK: You know, you shouldn't be treating me to anything on Mother's Day.

ELEANOR: Don't be silly.

RODERICK: I have money. I can pay-

ELEANOR: You know I'm not letting you buy anything for me, right?

RODERICK: I just had to ask.

ELEANOR: My present isn't ice cream, it's spending time with you.

RODERICK: I know, I know.

ELEANOR: So you'll give me your time? And not make me drag every question out of you?

RODERICK: I can do that, yes.

ELEANOR: Okay. You haven't brought me any stories in a while.

RODERICK: I haven't been writing, I've been busy.

ELEANOR: Because you know I still get to be your first reader.

RODERICK: Of course.

ELEANOR: Do you still use that old tape recorder I got you last year?

RODERICK: The, uh...the recorder?

ELEANOR: Right, I used to hear you talking in there sometimes, but not in a while. Did you just outgrow it?

RODERICK: It's...it's not working so well. Some kind of glitch, I guess.

ELEANOR: Okay. Because you know that your birthday is coming up, and before you say you don't want anything, I can get a replacement for cheap that's a lot smaller. Maybe it's something you can use down the line.

RODERICK: Mom, I don't-

ELEANOR: You know I'm going to get you something. It's your birthday, I'm not going to pass it up.

RODERICK: I don't need anything.

ELEANOR: Okay, what do you want?

RODERICK: I don't want anything, either.

ELEANOR: Then what do you want to do for your birthday? And remember what you just promised me, that you wouldn't make me fight you over these questions.

RODERICK: I'm not trying to fight you, I really don't know. I like things quiet.

ELEANOR: We can go to a restaurant, someplace we don't normally go.

RODERICK: I can't think-

ELEANOR: You could invite Carlie, maybe your friends from the band.

RODERICK: I can't think of any place I'd want to go.

ELEANOR: You've never really had a real birthday party, you know. Not since you were very little.

RODERICK: They're not my thing.

ELEANOR: That's not how you thought when you were in elementary school. Honey, I know how you felt back then, just like I know now.

RODERICK: Well, I was a kid. I felt left out.

ELEANOR: Okay. So Roderick, if you could do anything for your birthday - anything at all, no matter how ridiculous - what would it be?

RODERICK: I'd have to think about that.

ELEANOR: No thinking. Right now, your most self-indulgent dream, what do you do?

RODERICK: I guess I could tell you what I wanted when I was a kid. I always...I wanted to be the popular one. Just for a day, not forever. I would have brought the whole class out to...I don't know, a park, an arcade, it doesn't really matter. Get pizza for everyone, ice cream cake. And I'd just walk around and the other kids would talk nicely to me, every single one of them. You know, just an ordinary party, but bigger, and all for me.

ELEANOR: I wish I could have given that to you. You know I would have.

RODERICK: Of course. Uh...there's gonna be this party after school lets out, Allison's going-

ELEANOR: I know about that. If you're asking permission, then of course you can go.

RODERICK: Just didn't want you to be worried if I didn't come right home after school let out.

ELEANOR: I appreciate that. I appreciate everything, you know that, right?

RODERICK: Of course.