Episode 2.03 transcript - “SHE WAS YOUR PURPOSE”

ADAM RAYMONDA: Forgive Me! Would not be possible without our generous parishioners.

We’d like to thank Jeremy Ellett for the rather, uh, enlightening seminar he gave this past Thursday night for parishioners on Flat Earth Theory. We got a little lost in the details once he brought up the history of the Freemasons, but are sure that everyone in attendance got a lot out of it. Plus, the pizza he brought for everyone was delicious, so I think we’re good either way.

We also can’t praise Emily Ruth Verona enough for her recent creative writing workshop for the children of the St. Patrick’s community. Some of the subject matter of the stories taught were, uh, a little more adult and, frankly, downright terrifying than we might have expected, but everybody seemed to have a good time. And at least we haven’t gotten any calls from parents to complain about it… yet.

Become a part of our community over at patreon.com/roguedialogue.

[MUSIC: The Forgive Me! theme song plays on church organ.]

INT. PATS ON MAIN - DAY

[SFX: The doors open and close with a ding as Fr. Ben and Klem enter, their coats rustling as they walk.]

PAT: Hello Fathers!

FR. BEN: Good Morning, Pat!

PAT: Can I get ya started on the usual?

FR. BEN: That'd be great, thank you.

[SFX: Ben and Klem walk a bit further into the diner, taking a seat at the bar. Pat walks over to them and sets two mugs down, filling them. There is a general din of conversation in the background.]

PAT: Two creams, one sugar for Father Ben and a decaf, black, for Klem.

FR. KLEM: Oh come on Pat what's this?

PAT: Sorry Father. Ben called ahead and put in your order. Did you want something else?

FR. KLEM: Oh come on, don't listen to my jailer Pat.

FR. BEN: You know this is what's allowed on the list we got from the doctor.

PAT: See Father, not about to give myself the reputation as the man who killed the town's favorite priest. No slight intended to you there, Father Ben.

FR. BEN: Oh don't worry, I get it.
(SARCASM)
I only hope to someday be as dedicated a spiritual leader as my mentor here.

[SFX: A bell dings in the background as Pat crosses the room and sets two plates in front of them.]

PAT: Order up, gentlemen. Two eggs, sunny side up, rye toast, and sausage for Ben, and one bran muffin for Klem.

FR. KLEM: Understandable mistake there Pat, but you must have our orders mixed up.

[SFX: The plates shuffle as Klem tries to switch their places.]

FR. BEN: Bah, bah, bah! Eat your muffin. Pat baked it fresh just for you.

PAT: That's right Father. Fresh right out the freezer. Only the best for you. You sure he can't have one piece of bacon Ben? I doubt it'll kill him. I'm not sure anything could.

FR. BEN: (SMILING) I thought we were in this together Pat! Don't let this man's helpless act fool you.

[SFX: The door opens and closes again with a ding. Bill Thompson walks in and stops at the counter.]

BILL: Hey, Pat. You've got a spare paper?

PAT: Sure thing, pal. It's already in your booth.

BILL: A man after my own heart.

FR. BEN: Bill, it's so good to see you.

BILL: (DISTANT) You too, Father.

FR. BEN: It's been a minute since we've seen you at mass.

BILL: Yeah...

[SFX: There's an awkward beat of silence. The din of the background conversation takes over.]

PAT: Go on ahead, Bill. I'll be right over.

BILL: Thanks, Pat.

[SFX: Bill walks across the room and the men sit silent.]

PAT: (QUIETLY) Things have been hard for him, since...

FR. BEN: I figured as much.

PAT: Takes a while for him to open up, but he might appreciate having somebody to talk to. His kid does her best, but she's not around here anymore, you know?

FR. BEN: You don't think that'd be too much of an imposition?

PAT: Not at all. Trust me.

FR. BEN: I'll do that then.

[SFX: Ben shifts in his seat and stands up, walking away. Fr. Klem obnoxiously clears his throat.]

FR. KLEM: (WHISPERING) Quick, while he isn't looking.

[SFX: Pat grabs another plate from under the counter and slides it in front of Klem.]

PAT: (AMUSED) I've got your crispy bacon, Klem. But you know the boy isn't stupid, right?

FR. KLEM: He certainly fooled me.

PAT: If he comes back and that isn't gone, I didn't give it to you.

FR. KLEM: Scout’s honor.

[SFX: Ben takes a loud, enjoyable crunch of bacon as the scene shifts to Ben walking over to Bill Thompson. He is happily turning the pages of his paper. Ben clears his throat.]

FR. BEN: You mind if I sit down?

BILL: (RUSTLING THE PAPER TO SEE HIM) Oh? Of course, Father, please. Feel free to join me.

FR. BEN: Now, I don't mean to pry, so please stop me if I'm overstepping. How have you been holding up? Folks down at the Parish ask after you all the time.

BILL: (SIGHING) I know. You could rearrange a candle at St. Pat’s and it would be gossip for the next six months. I'm hanging in there.

FR. BEN: You sure, Bill? I know we haven't seen you in a while and I just want to make sure you feel supported.

BILL: Well, thanks for that but when Sue passed, it just felt like I lost my arm... you know? Part of me understands that, at some point, I'll, I’ll get used to it, but right now I'm just flailing around trying to even get the most simple things accomplished without her.

FR. BEN: I totally understand. That's how it was for my mom when my dad passed. But, Bill, you know that asking for help isn't a weakness, right? There are so many people in this town who'd come by at the drop of a hat.

BILL: I know that.

[SFX: Pat approaches slowly, setting Fr. Ben's plate back down in front of him and handing Bill a mug of coffee of his own.]

PAT: Thought you might like to have this before it got cold, Father.

FR. BEN: Goodness, of course. Thanks so much, Pat.

PAT: Can I get anything else for you, Bill?

BILL: Coffee and the paper are fine this morning, Pat.

PAT: Just holler if anything changes.

[SFX: Pat walks back away and Fr. Ben picks up a fork and knife, cutting into his eggs.]

FR. BEN: You mind if I eat?

PAT: Go right ahead.

FR. BEN: (MOUTH FULL) It just might be nice to be back around the community, you know? We had the Parish barbecue the other day and Mrs. Plimpton kindly suggested that my burgers were like hockey pucks compared to yours.

BILL: (SOFTENED, CHUCKLING) She really doesn't hold back, does she?

FR. BEN: No, she certainly does not. You're more than a little missed.

BILL: That's the thing, Father. And I hope you'll forgive me for being so frank here...

FR. BEN: I've got a thick skin. I can handle whatever you've got to throw at me.

BILL: I'm not entirely sure that my faith is my own, you know? So much of my life these past thirty years have been tied up in Sue's dedication to it: Sunday masses followed by cake and coffee, teaching youth religion classes, volunteering at St. Patrick's many, many fundraising events... it was all hers. I was happy to pitch in, anything to make her happy and all, but the Lord and I have never quite seen eye to eye.
(BEAT)
I kept that to myself for my wife's sake, but now that she's gone, what's the sense in hiding it? No offense.

FR. BEN: (WARM) None taken. Shannon really is her father's daughter, isn't she?

BILL: I don't follow you.

FR. BEN: She came by the day before the service with that girlfriend of hers. We had the chance to talk for a while. She told me a bit about what it was like, growing up with someone as devoted as your wife.

BILL: She's a good kid, that one.

FR. BEN: I could tell, even just speaking to her for a little while.

BILL: She's so much stronger than I've been. Was honestly embarrassing having her here, comforting her father. Should be the other way around. Felt like a fool.

FR. BEN: I understand that impulse Bill, but grief is an impossible thing.

[MUSIC: A melancholy note plays on a keyboard. It eventually builds to a melody.]

FR. BEN: Like you mentioned, your life was so built around Sue. I know this was a difficult time for both of you. Shannon told me a lot about her experience, but understand it's a testament to you as a father that despite it all Shannon was able to be strong for you in that moment. It's a beautiful thing.

BILL: I know. I know, I know that's true. I'm beyond proud of my kid. She's the best. Hell, I wish I had her conviction. Took real guts walking away from the church while her mom was still here. Thought about doing the same after talking to her about her reasons, just couldn't do that to Sue.

FR. BEN: Oh really?

BILL: Yeah, I mean, I realized at the time that if I spoke my mind and left too, it'd have been the last straw for Sue and she'd stop going. She got so much strength and, and purpose from the community and I didn't want to be the reason she lost that.
(BEAT)
You know, Sue would never say it, but we both knew Shannon was gay a long time before she ever told us. And to keep going to this ancient, stubborn, bigoted place every week? It just, it just lost the point of it after she was gone.

FR. BEN: If it's any consolation, not all of us agree with that Doctrine. Some of us even pray that someday, hopefully sooner rather than later, it could change.

BILL: That's very kind of you to say, Father, but at the time I think it was just an excuse. The real reason I wanted to get away was.. because without Sue and the Church, I had no idea who I was. Sure, I was a father and a husband. And I'd held down the same job for many years but... where was my passion? What mark was I leaving on the world?

FR. BEN: It can be difficult for all of us to answer that question, Bill.

BILL: Not for my wife, it wasn't. And do you know how that feels? To measure yourself up against someone who is absolutely sure of the reason they were put on this earth? Someone who not only talks a big game but brings home the receipts? I look around our home, especially now that she's gone, and I see her mark everywhere, everywhere I look. Newspaper clippings of successful fundraiser's past and religious tchotchkes galore.

FR. BEN: She was an incredible woman.

BILL: She absolutely was. Don't get me wrong Father, I'm not saying this out of some misplaced jealousy or anything so petty as that. I'm proud of my wife for living the exact life she was put on this earth to live. I just wish some of that certainty had rubbed off on me is all.

FR. BEN: There's nothing wrong with that, Bill. There is no correct way to mourn or to move forward from grief. I didn't sit down here to tell you how you should feel or process Sue's passing. I just wanted to let you know that St. Pat's is here if you need us.

BILL: And I truly appreciate that, Father. I do. But right now, I think I need anything but St. Pat's, if that makes sense.

FR. BEN: It does.

BILL: I just want to find the things that bring me joy, now that Sue isn't here to share them with me. Right now, that means coming down here to Pat's on Saturdays for a coffee and the morning paper. It means waking up at the crack of dawn on Sundays and instead of putting on my church suit, making a bologna sandwich and picking up a case of Busch so I can go fishing with my brother.

FR. BEN: Bill, that sounds wonderful.

BILL: You mean it?

FR. BEN: Absolutely, I do. We're only given this one life. And for as long as you were with Sue, she was your purpose. She was why you woke up in the morning and why you dedicated yourself to a community that wouldn't have been a part of your life if she wasn't. And now that she's gone, it's okay for you to separate yourself from that. To find joy and purpose, wherever you can find it.

[MUSIC: The melody finishes as the last note rings out.]

[SFX: The background sounds of the diner begin to creep back in.]

BILL: (RELIEVED) I appreciate you saying that. It's kind of hard not to feel like I'm disappointing her up in Heaven by staying away. I was worried you might feel that way too.

FR. BEN: Not even a little bit, Bill. While I know that Catholic guilt is very real, I'm not one to dole it out to folks who are just doing their best to get by.

BILL: You're a good one. You know that?

FR. BEN: That's very kind of you to say.

BILL: I mean it, Father. I know people in this town gave you a hard time when you took over for him, but I could tell from the, the very beginning that your heart was in the right place. It's good for these folks to hear a new perspective for once.

FR. BEN: Speaking of Klem, I should make sure he's not getting himself into trouble. We wouldn't want another Doughnut Festival incident now, would we?

BILL: (LAUGHING) We certainly wouldn't.

FR. BEN: Uh, but if I could say one last thing?

BILL: Shoot, Father.

FR. BEN: Just because you might not want to wake up for mass, doesn't mean you're not welcome at any of St. Patrick's community events. It's good to be around people who know and care for you. Even when you'd rather be alone. Maybe, even, especially then.

BILL: I just might take you up on that.

FR. BEN: I hope you do.

[SFX: Father Ben lets out a deep breath and stands to leave.]

FR. BEN: I'll get out of your hair now, Bill. But don't forget what I said.

BILL: I certainly won't. And Father?

FR. BEN: Yeah?

BILL: Would you maybe like to go fishing sometime?

FR. BEN: I'd like that, Bill. I'd like that very much. Just so long as it isn't on a Sunday.

BILL: (SMILING) I think I can make that work.

[SFX: Fr. Ben crosses the diner and we hear his jacket rustle.]

FR. BEN: Ready to go, Klem? Have enough time to scarf down your secret bacon?

PAT: (FEIGNING SURPRISE) Bacon? Now how on earth could he have gotten bacon when all I brought him was a bran muffin?

FR. KLEM: Call the Vatican, it’s a miracle!

PAT: You two have a good day now, Fathers.

FR. BEN: Same to you, Pat!

PAT: And thanks for talking to him. It means a lot more than he'd ever let on.

FR. BEN: It was my pleasure, truly.
(BEAT)
C'mon, Klem. If we hurry, we might be able to make it over to the home in time for social hour.

FR. KLEM: You really suck kid, you know that?

[SFX: The Forgive Me! end credits song begins to play.]

ADAM RAYMONDA:

Forgive Me! is a Rogue Dialogue production. This episode was written and directed by Bob Raymonda and Jack Marone.

Here’s our cast in order of appearance: 

Graham Rowat Pat
Casey Callaghan Father Ben
Josh Rubino Father Klem
David S. Dear Bill

Script editing by Jordan Stillman.

Dialogue Editing by Bob Raymonda.

Sound design, score, and mixing by me, Adam Raymonda.

All of the graphic design comes from Sam Twardy.

Find out about we’re up to by following @forgivemeshow on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter

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