[joe-frank-list] 'Bitter pill'

[russellbell at gmail.com]

	Larry talks with Joe about what to write for his mother's 80th
birthday, how he doesn't want to talk about decline, which Joe thinks
is unavoidable.
	2:30: Joe tells us about Danny, whom he knew in high school;
Danny was a brilliant musician.  Joe plays a tape of his girlfriend,
Donna, singing along to Danny playing the piano when they were 16.
(Joe says Donna fashioned herself after Chris Connor,
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Connor) She sings 'Like someone
in love'
	5:30: Joe says that Danny and he went to the same college.  He
was brilliant, wrote musicals every year for the college.  After
college he wrote songs recorded by Andy Williams and Tony Bennett, for
TV and film, but not the Broadway musicals he wanted to write.  He
married Linda, but had a rocky relationship.  Despite agreeing not to
have children Linda got pregnant; Danny wanted her to get an abortion;
she didn't.  Danny was afraid and angry with Linda.  After the child,
Jenny, was born Danny loved her deeply, was irrationally afraid that
something would harm her.  Danny and Linda separated when Jenny was
young, had joint custody.  Jenny displayed OCD behavior, became
depressed.  Danny's health failed.
	12:50: Maude Gaines (20) tells Joe about high school, how
terrible it was: 'everyone was a speed addict, everyone had to go to
rehab, everyone I knew had divorced parents...'
	13:20: Larry tells Joe about his mother's birthday party.  It
was at the Middle Bay country club (This exists where Larry says.).
Joe says his parents belonged to the much-better North Shore country
club (Which is near Chicago, not where Joe says it is.).  They slang
each other's country club.
	18:10: Larry describes his mother's birthday party.  They
recur to the Middle Bay/North Shore argument.
	21:40: Joe says he was married and divorced years ago; it
seems remote.  He says he's happy with his life now, has friends,
doesn't covet marriage and parenthood.  He talks about misbehaving
children.  He expects all relationships to fail.  He looks at decrepit
old people, wonders if that's the fate of all of us.
	26:20: Maude Gaines can't wait to have children and a house,
be an artist - all sorts of great things.  Her actual relationships
never work out, she tells Joe.
	28:30: Larry tells Joe about the blown-up picture of his
mother.
	31:40: Maude Gaines says she's never made love, or even
kissed, someone she loved, only people she didn't.  She recounts her
first time.
	35:40: Larry tells Joe about his sleepless night before his
mother's birthday party, worried about what to say.  He read 'The
runaway bunny'.  (Also mentioned in 'Karma crash')
	41:40: Joe tells us that his mother has grown more dependent
on her cat, Prince, since the death of everyone in her generation,
including her husband.  (Theodore Frank, 'Freddy', died in 1995.)  She
spoils Prince; Prince abuses her.  Joe hates Prince, imagines the
cruel death he'll inflict on him after his mother dies.
	47:40: Larry tells Joe about how his mother was.
	49:30: Maude Gaines says she's still young enough to manage
her life without professional help; Joe suggests therapy.  She claims
to understand herself completely.
	51:40: It sounds like more of Danny and Donna, performing 'I
remember you'

	From the broadcast, 'You've been listening to Joe Frank "The
other side".  This program was called "Bitter pill" with Larry Block,
Maude Gaines, and Joe Frank - production by J. C. Swiatek and Bob
Carlson, production assistance: Esme Gregson, music consultant: Thomas
Golubic'

	http://jfwiki.org/index.php?title=Bitter_Pill

	I find Donna's singing more impressive than Danny's playing.
	Maude Gaines is almost a parody of a 20-year-old (almost).
	He had to wonder?

russell bell