Boys on the Side (1995)

Anita Gillette: Elaine

Quotes 

• Elaine : I do the best I can, honey. I know it's not enough, and I'm sorry. But that's what you get in life, you know? You get whoever you end up with. Whoever is willing to stick by you, and fight for you, when everyone else is gone. And it ain't always who you expect. But you just have to make do.

• Jane : [Elaine is crying at Robin's bedside, the nurse thinks her sniffles are relative to a cold, and tells her she could aggravate her daughter's condition]  It's not a goddamn cold! Don't be such a hoo-hoo.

  Nurse : [apathetic]  And what's a hoo-hoo?

  Elaine : [kindly]  It's a cunt, dear.

  [nurse gasps] 

  Elaine : Now why don't you leave us alone?

• Holly : [while Abe munches on his cob of corn]  See this is her old problem. She creates a situation where she gets this rejection that everyone else sees coming.

  Robin : She just wasn't being honest.

  Holly : Well, I think it's a black thing too.

  Elaine : [more shocked]  Jane is black?

  Abe : [mouth full of corn from his cob]  Yes, Ma'am. She sure is.

  Robin : And you can't live a lie. You just can't.

  Holly : [glancing at Abe]  Well, there's lying and then there's... just not telling.

  [Munching on his cob of corn, Abe glances up at her] 

  Robin : Big diff.

  Elaine : She's a black Lesbian?

  Abe : [mouth full of corn from his cob]  Yes, Ma'am. That is right.

  Elaine : [looking at Robin]  And she was living here? With you?

  Holly : No, no, no no, no no. She was just living here. They weren't like fucking or anything.

  [Elaine gasps; Robin rolls her eyes. Abe laughs, nearly choking on his corn] 

  Holly : [seeing Robin's expression and reconsidering]  Were you?

  Elaine : [shocked]  Were you?

  Abe : [eager]  Were you?

  Robin : [indignantly disregarding them]  Ah - I'll get the coffee.

• Holly : Anyway, uhm... Jane called me at work, wanted to know how you are.

  Robin : I'm fine.

  Elaine : Who's Jane?

  Abe : [mouth full of corn from his cob]  Jane used to live here up until a few days ago.

  Robin : You stay out of this, Holly. It's between me and Jane.

  Holly : Well, she asked for my advice, so I told her she's anti-Lesbian.

  Robin : I am not.

  Elaine : [shocked]  Who's a Lesbian?

  Robin : Jane is.

  Elaine : [shocked]  And she was living here?

  Abe : Yes, Ma'am.

  Robin : [indignant]  I am not 'anti-Lesbian'!

  Holly : Not you, her.

  Elaine : Who?

  Robin : Jane.

• Elaine : [referring to Holly and Abe]  So what? She still should grab him. Believe me I know what she's gonna have to go through. You know, I'm a feminist too. I was a single mother after your father left. You think that was easy? I even voted for Carter twice. But you can't fight nature. God knows, you girls keep trying. Treating your men like *side* dishes. Stick a fork in when needed, just like men used to treat us.