NEAL
                          That is if I make it alive.

                Chip looks around the room.  Edward looks sharply at
                Neal.

                                      NEAL (CONT'D)
                          I'm going to get a beer.  Ed, what can I
                          get you?

                                      EDWARD
                          A beer is fine.

                Neal kisses Chip quickly and then exits towards the bar.

                                      CHIP
                          So...welcome to San Francisco.
                                (slight awkward pause between
                                 the two)
                          I'm sure Neal told you about how he
                          resurrected me from the dead.

                                      EDWARD
                          Something like that.  I've never known
                          Neal to talk about someone the way he
                          talks about you.

                                      CHIP
                          He likes to over kill.  But it was like
                          something out of SOPHIE'S CHOICE.  Love
                          at first sight over the death bed.
                                (Chip imitates Meryl Streep's
                                 Polish accent.)
                          "Do U hav Emil Dickens?"

                Edward and Chip laugh.  Edward then turns his head
                slightly and spots a man his own age, DAVID, chatting
                with a group of people.  David turns and looks right
                directly at Edward.  The two lock eyes.  David smiles. 
                Edward smiles back.  Neal approaches with two beers and
                breaks Edward's trance by slapping his back.

                                      NEAL
                          Here you go, bro.

                                      EDWARD
                          Thanks.

                                      NEAL
                          Did Chip tell you that he is now a
                          published writer?

                                      EDWARD
                          No.  But he does do a mean Meryl Streep.
                                (to Chip)
                          Congratulations.

                                      CHIP
                          Thanks.  ~Neal kept pushing me.  And, low
                          and behold, a small publishing company in
                          Florida picked it up.

                                      NEAL
                          He's going to be the biggest gay-writer
                          of the new century.

                                      EDWARD
                          The old gay grammar rule of "gay before U
                          and I except when ending with a swish"?

                Chip and Neal look oddly at Ed.

                                      NEAL
                          You're getting stinky in your old age.
                                (To Chip)
                          Ed doesn't think it's necessary to
                          announce ones sexuality.  It's part of
                          his "who cares" philosophy.

                                      EDWARD
                          Why do gays have to add gay to every
                          title.  "He's a gay painter.  She's a gay
                          grave digger." Who cares?

                                      NEAL
                          For your information, I go around telling
                          everyone I meet that I have a GAY older
                          brother.

                                      EDWARD
                          You know Chip, I will admit to the older
                          part.  But I'm not so sure that I can
                          proudly hold up the gay end of such a
                          stellar title.

                                      NEAL
                          His friends back home call him "the bad
                          fruit."  The eternal High School jock
                          idea of high art is a Chicago Bears
                          Helmet lamp.

                                      EDWARD
                          I'm a non-conformist.

                                      CHIP
                          I have to agree with you, Edward.  Ones
                          sexuality shouldn't be an issue.  Unless
                          you're fighting for the same rights as
                          the rest of the world.

                                      EDWARD
                          You would do Ellen Degeneres proud.

                The three are interrupted by APRIL, late forties and very
                effected.  She is with two men.  One of them is DAVID
                JOHNSON.

                                      APRIL
                                (Kisses Neal on the cheek.)
                          Neal, my sweet.  You must be locking
                          yourself up in that tower of yours and
                          painting like a mad Van Gogh.

                                      NEAL
                                (Kissing her cheek.)
                          April, my lovely!  Wonderful to see you. 
                          And yes,  I have been painting like a mad
                          man, but with both ears intact.

                                      APRIL
                          Delightful to hear.  It is important to
                          keep ones head in balance and not
                          slightly off to the right.  Or was it the
                          left?
                                (The two laugh.)

                                      NEAL
                          April, this is my...gay brother.  Edward. 
                          He just arrived in town this morning from
                          Chicago.

                                      APRIL
                                (She extends her hand. Edward
                                 takes it.)
                          I hope you hold on to your mid-western
                          wholesomeness, dear.  I've always found
                          farm people so refreshing.