Party of Five (TV Series)

Summer Fun, Summer Not (1996)

Matthew Fox: Charlie Salinger

Quotes 

• [Kirsten is decorating a cake while Charlie is watching] 

  Kirsten Bennett : It's camp themed, see. A bonfire, a pine tree, and a canoe.

  Charlie Salinger : Uh-huh.

  [he goes to check mail] 

  Kirsten Bennett : Anything interesting?

  [he shows her a letter] 

  Kirsten Bennett : Anything interesting that isn't from my mother?

  [he shows her another letter] 

  Kirsten Bennett : Or my father?

  Charlie Salinger : You know, in a weird way you've kind of got to admire their persistence, though. I mean, how many people would continue to write and call on a daily basis without any response from you whatsoever?

  Kirsten Bennett : [reading the letters]  "Dear Kirs, he ruined your life once. It's gonna happen again." "Dear Poodle, the only thing this man has to offer you is heartache." File these with the others, would you?

• [Ellie is sitting alone in the bedroom and Charlie approaches to her] 

  Charlie Salinger : Did you have lunch?

  Ellie Bennett : What? Uh, uh, no. I'm not hungry.

  Charlie Salinger : Okay, so how about if I bring up something for you anyway?

  Ellie Bennett : Is there no one else in the house that you can have a conversation with right now? Is that why you're here?

  Charlie Salinger : No. This is called trying to be polite.

  Ellie Bennett : Yes, I see that. Why?

  Charlie Salinger : I don't know. All of a sudden it seems like we have a little bit in common. I mean, we both made some mistakes and hurt people.

  Ellie Bennett : I don't know what you're talking about.

  Charlie Salinger : All I'm saying is that I know what it feels like to... To want to just be forgiven, you know, for that one stupid mistake that you would take back in, like, a second.

  Ellie Bennett : I don't see how we have a thing in common.

  Charlie Salinger : You gotta be kidding me?

  Ellie Bennett : You know, just because I'm having a problem with my husband, don't look at me like you understand, like we are somehow the same. I don't make promises and break them, over and over again.

  Charlie Salinger : Cut it out, okay? I am trying here with you. And I'm the only one. Your husband's not and Kirsten's not, but I am trying. Doesn't that count for anything?

  Ellie Bennett : No, not in my book.

  Charlie Salinger : [sighs]  Man.

  [jaded, he leaves the room] 

• [while Charlie and Kirsten are ordering the living room, doorbell rings] 

  Charlie Salinger : How much do you want to bet it's the mailman with a letter bomb from your folks?

  [he goes, opens the door and sees Kirsten's mother standing in the doorway] 

  Charlie Salinger : Ellie.

  Ellie Bennett : I'm not talking to you.

  [she comes in] 

  Kirsten Bennett : Charlie, who is it?

  [she sees her] 

  Kirsten Bennett : Mom? What are you doing...

  Ellie Bennett : I thought about calling first, but I got tired of being hung up on. Don't I, uh, get a hug?

  Kirsten Bennett : Not if you've come to criticize.

  [he goes next to her] 

  Kirsten Bennett : Charlie and I don't want to hear it anymore. So you might as well get used to it. Because what you see here is the way it's gonna be. We love each other. And, okay, yeah, so we're not getting married, but we are together. So you just better get used to it.

  Ellie Bennett : That's not why I'm here.

  Kirsten Bennett : Then why are you here?

  Charlie Salinger : Yeah. Why are you here?

  Ellie Bennett : I'm here because I have no place else to go. Because my marriage is over.