Dear Reader:
As usual, everyone is terrible, although in this case it's kind of a toss-up as to who is worst. Don't read if you don't enjoy humiliation, incest, or casual cruelty. Otherwise, enjoy!
Adam Lily
*****
Synopsis: An infomercial for the company LoveLock, which offers character adjustment services to keep your family in good shape. Or any shape you want, really.
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[Scene: Middle-class living room. Blue sectional sofa, hi-def TV, two chairs and ottomans in red leather, two end tables, one with large ceramic vase. Standing center are HUSBAND and WIFE, white, late 30s. He wears blue jeans and a polo. She wears a white sun dress and strappy sandals. Her long, sharp fingernails are painted fire-engine red. They are mid-fight.]
Husband [pleading]: Please, please, just listen to me—
Wife: No! Goddammit, I have had it! Get OUT!
Husband: Look, I just need you to listen to me—
[WIFE tucks her head and clamps her forearms over her ears.]
Husband: Aw, Christ, please don't do that—
[WIFE shakes her body left and right like an angry child.]
Husband: Dammit, honey, please can you just listen to me.
[HUSBAND lightly touches WIFE's wrist. WIFE jerks back.]
Husband: Honey, look at me. We can work this out. Our therapist—
Wife: Fuck our therapist. There is no "we." "We" are done. I want you out.
Husband: I'm not going. This is my home, too.
Wife: Get out of my house!
Husband [bristling]: You leave. It's you who wants out of this marriage. Not me!
Wife: You're the man. Be brave, and get out!
Husband: This is my HOME! And I didn't do anything wrong. Please—
Wife: No, it's not. And yes, you did. Now get out.
Husband [steps forward]: I'm not—
Wife [flinches]: I'll call the cops!
Husband [touches her arm]: Please just listen—
[WIFE slaps HUSBAND so hard he stumbles.]
Husband: Fuck!
Wife: I fucking warned you! [WIFE leaps on HUSBAND and claws his face.]
Husband [struggling]: Fuck! Fuck!
[WIFE plants her thumbs in his eyes.]
Husband [panicking]: No! FUCK!
Wife: Gonna kill you!
[HUSBAND throws WIFE onto couch. She gasps and gapes.]
Wife: Abuse! Abuser! I'm calling the cops!
Husband [incredulous]: You were gonna blind me!
Wife: You abusing fuck! I'm calling the cops!
Husband [takes enormous, calming breath]: Look, I just—
Wife: You sonofabitch, you're going to jail! You're gonna lose everything, me, our daughter, your job, everything—!
Husband: Are you even listening to yourself? Can you hear yourself? You're crazy!
Wife: Help! Help! Rape!
Husband [kneels and moves forward]: You're crazy! I just want to talk—
[WIFE kicks at him. HUSBAND fends off blows.]
Wife: This is the end!
[WIFE's face demonic. HUSBAND considers. Then he raises his arm in a fist. Scene freezes.]
[SPOKESMAN Voiceover]: Men, has this happened to you? You're reasoning with your loved one and she just won't let you get in a word?
[SPOKESMAN walks in, stands in front of still image of HUSBAND about to strike WIFE. The SPOKESMAN is in his early 50s, silver-haired, and black-suited.]
Spokesman: If you haven't experienced it yourself, you probably will. More than half of all marriages end in divorce. It puts a brutal strain on all family members. And sometimes—[gestures to image]—matters get violent.
[Scene switch. Three muscular BLACK COPS are in the living room. COP 1 is handcuffing Husband. COPs 2 and 3 are standing by WIFE. HUSBAND's face and neck are welted, and his eyes are swollen shut. WIFE holds an icepack to her face.]
Husband [to WIFE]: I didn't even hit you!
Cop 1: Man, shut the fuck up.
Wife [to HUSBAND]: You're a monster.
Cop 2 [grinning]: It's pretty open and shut.
Cop 3 [to COP 2]: We could take him the long way . . . .
Wife [to COP 3]: What would that mean?
Cop 2: We'd do to him what he was gonna do to you.
Wife [confused]: But he was going to . . . you know. Rape me.
Husband: No, I wasn't! This is bullshit—aggh! [COP 1 wrenches HUSBAND's handcuffed wrists up.]
Cop 3 [grinning]: Yep. You know. A little "brotherly justice."
[WIFE realizes what COP 3 means.] You'd do that?
[COP 3 nods]
Cop 2: We all would. Teach the man to respect his woman. All women. All women matter, you know.
Husband [freaking out]: Respect? What about me? Where's MY respect?
Cop 1: Shut the FUCK UP, bitch!
[The BLACK COPS roughly force HUSBAND toward the door. WIFE stands.]
Wife: Wait! Please!
[BLACK COPS turn. HUSBAND is relieved, certain that WIFE is saving him.]
Wife [coyly]: Can I watch?
Husband: Oh my God!
Cop 1 [chuckling]: We're sorry, ma'am. Against policy.
Cop 2 [laughing]: But tell you what. We'll wear our body cams. Give you the footage.
Husband: Oh my God!!
Wife [giggling]: Oh, thank you! [She pulls ice pack from her face.]
Husband: Look! Look! There's no bruising! Nothing! I didn't touch her!
[COP 3 walks over to inspect her eye.]
Cop 3: It's true, Sarge. Not a trace.
Wife [placing her hand on COP 3's crotch]: I've always healed fast.
Cop 3 [to COPs 1 and 2]: You guys deal with Mister Failed Rapist there. I need to take an . . . in-depth statement with the missus, here.
[HUSBAND screams and struggles. COPS 1 and 2 laugh and muscle him out the door. WIFE kneels in front of COP 3 and yanks at his belt. Scene freezes to a still.]
[SPOKESMAN appears in front of still image.]
Spokesman: Well, our friend is faced with a pickle! Two enormous ones, in fact! But you might face similar pickles if you try resolving a marital dispute yourself. So . . . consider using LoveLock, instead!
[Bottom of screen: LoveLock logo, url, and 1-800 number.]
Spokesman: LoveLock will resolve your marriage conflicts, permanently. Just watch how our friend's situation could have turned out differently.
[Scene change. Back to living room, at the very start of the fight.]
Husband [pleading]: Please, please, just listen to me—
Wife: No! Goddammit, I have had it! Get OUT!
Husband [breathes deeply]: . . . All right.
Wife [confused]: What?
Husband: Okay. You win. I'll go.
Wife: You're . . . you're leaving? You're not going to fight?
Husband [shrugs]: You want me gone. I understand. I'll respect that. I'll pack up and go.
[WIFE picks up huge vase and hurls it at HUSBAND]: You PUSSY!
[HUSBAND ducks]: Jesus Christ!
Wife: What kind of fucking pussy are you? You won't even fight for your home! [Storms out]
[HUSBAND exhales, shakes head, pulls smartphone from pocket, and dials]: Hello, LoveLock? Yes, I'm interested in your services. Uh-huh. Yes, that's right. I love my wife, but . . . .
[SPOKESMAN V.O.]: LoveLock is quick, professional, and confidential.
[Scene change. HUSBAND answers door to two LoveLock EMPLOYEES. EMPLOYEES 1 and 2 are white, tall, muscled, and wearing brown uniforms with a LoveLock seal on them.]
Employee 1 [brightly]: You called for us, sir?
Husband: God, yes. I just can't take it any more. I've tried, but— [gestures helplessly]
Employee 2: It's all right, sir. There's no shame. Some partners are just too far gone.
Husband: Got that right.
[SPOKESMAN V.O.]: LoveLock has already helped tens of thousands of marriages. But don't just take my word for it.
[Scene change. From the chest up we see a balding, middle-aged white NEBBISHY MAN sporting glasses, a mustache, and a sweater. He addresses the camera.]
Nebbishy Man: I tried everything to save my marriage. I lost weight, got a better job, bought her gifts, took those "get a personality" classes—everything. I even agreed to an open marriage. For her, not me. Nothing worked. She was still gonna divorce me. I was out of options.
[Camera pans back. NEBBISHY MAN is sitting in a chair. Kneeling next to him is a LOVELY WOMAN with long black hair in a collar, corset, and stockings. Before her is a bowl of silver and beige fluid.]
Nebbishy Man: But then I contacted LoveLock. In two days' time, they'd saved our marriage! [pets LOVELY WOMAN's head] Right, dear?
Lovely Woman [adoringly]: Yes, Sir. LoveLock saved us. May Bitchsnacks eat, now?
Nebbishy Man: Of course, Bitchsnacks. Eat up.
[BITCHSNACKS laps from the bowl. NEBBISHY MAN places his hand at her rear. Then come squishy sounds. BITCHSNACKS groans and grins.] Oh, thank you, Sir. Bitchsnacks loves it when you finger her.
Nebbishy Man: You love anything, don't you?
Bitchsnacks: Anything you want, yes, Sir. Bitchsnacks loves it all.
[SPOKESMAN V.O.]: LoveLock helped this man. Can we help you?
[Scene change. In the living room, EMPLOYEES 1 and 2 are wrestling a straitjacketed WIFE. She struggles and curses.]
Wife: FUCK YOU!
Employee 1: Ma'am, if you'd calm down—
Wife: EAT ME! YOU FUCKING FUCKERS!
Employee 2: Ma'am, language, please—
Wife: I WILL NOT BE SILENT! SILENCE IS CONSENT!
[EMPLOYEE 2 pulls a syringe from a pocket and plunges it into WIFE's neck.]
Wife: NO! NO! NO! [WIFE's screaming fades. EMPLOYEES 1 and 2 grip her until she's unconscious, then lay her on the couch.]
Husband: She picked up that stuff a while ago. I don't know where she gets it from.
Employee 1: It's probably because she can read or something. It's not your fault.
Employee 2: It's sinister, this stuff. It's everywhere.