This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:01] Brad Forenza: Hello and welcome to Around the Sun, an episodic audio drama created by me, Brad Forenza.

[0:08] Brad Forenza: This inaugural episode, Park Bench, stars Marsha Mason and Austin Pendleton.

[0:14] Brad Forenza: Where do you go to escape your busy world? Tell us by using the hashtag AroundTheSunPodcast.

[0:21] Brad Forenza: But first, welcome to Around the Sun.

[0:26] Brad Forenza: Around the Sun.

[0:36] Marsha Mason: It is winter in Central Park, near a bench found by the reservoir at West 87th Street.

[0:42] Austin Pendleton: It's so cold out here, Marge. Why do you always bring me out when it's cold?

[0:52] Marsha Mason: Because you like looking at the reservoir, Harry. Think about something warm.

[0:57] Austin Pendleton: It's too cold.

[0:59] Marsha Mason: Oh, you'd be cold in the ninth circle of hell.

[1:02] Austin Pendleton: What do you expect? I'm old.

[1:05] Marsha Mason: Here, this bench looks good. Sit.

[1:09] Austin Pendleton: Ladies first.

[1:11] Marsha Mason: My chivalrous husband.

[1:16] Austin Pendleton: Hey Margie, this bench belongs to someone.

[1:21] Marsha Mason: Oh, in loving memory of Madeline Kahn, a brilliant actress and beautiful soul who loved this city and this park.

[1:30] Austin Pendleton: Oh, that's very nice.

[1:32] Marsha Mason: Wait a minute. I know a Madeline Kahn.

[1:36] Austin Pendleton: Sure you do, Harry, from the Frankenstein picture.

[1:39] Austin Pendleton: You mean to tell me that Madeline Kahn from the Frankenstein picture is dead?

[1:44] Marsha Mason: This is the same Madeline Kahn?

[1:47] Austin Pendleton: Yeah, Harry. She died a long time ago.

[1:50] Marsha Mason: But she was such a young girl.

[1:52] Austin Pendleton: Oh, she was.

[1:54] Marsha Mason: I always liked her pictures. Why didn't you tell me she died?

[1:59] Austin Pendleton: I probably told you, Harry. You just forgot.

[2:03] Marsha Mason: Madeline Kahn gone too soon.

[2:06] Austin Pendleton: Much too soon.

[2:08] Marsha Mason: They're all dying now. Everyone we used to watch.

[2:12] Austin Pendleton: Phyllis Diller gone too soon.

[2:14] Marsha Mason: Joan Rivers gone too soon.

[2:16] Austin Pendleton: Jerry Stiller gone too soon.

[2:19] Marsha Mason: Ann Mira gone too soon.

[2:21] Austin Pendleton: Oh, you always do that, Harry.

[2:23] Marsha Mason: Who was?

[2:24] Austin Pendleton: You copy me.

[2:25] Marsha Mason: What do you mean copy you?

[2:27] Austin Pendleton: Well, if I say Jerry Stiller gone too soon, you say Ann Mira gone too soon.

[2:32] Marsha Mason: So those things go together.

[2:34] Austin Pendleton: But you have to think for yourself, Harry. What if I'm not around for the setup?

[2:39] Marsha Mason: All right. Try another.

[2:45] Austin Pendleton: Maya Angelou gone too soon.

[2:49] Marsha Mason: Oh, boy.

[2:52] Austin Pendleton: That's a toughie.

[2:54] Marsha Mason: Say what I mean?

[2:56] Austin Pendleton: I can't think of anyone that goes with Maya Angelou.

[2:59] Marsha Mason: Oh, just say someone. Anyone you care about that's dead. Go.

[3:07] Austin Pendleton: Aunt Ginny gone too soon.

[3:10] Marsha Mason: Aunt Ginny was 99 years old.

[3:13] Austin Pendleton: She wasn't finished.

[3:15] Marsha Mason: But are we ever? Are human beings really ever finished?

[3:20] Austin Pendleton: Margie, I don't want to get into this. Look out at the reservoir.

[3:24] Marsha Mason: If something happens to me, Harry, I want you to know that I lived a full life.

[3:30] Marsha Mason: I'm proud of our family. I'm proud of our work. I'm most proud of our time together.

[3:38] Austin Pendleton: Doesn't the reservoir look so barren in winter?

[3:44] Marsha Mason: You can see the skyline through all those naked branches.

[3:49] Austin Pendleton: And the water is all iced over.

[3:52] Marsha Mason: Picturesque, but very barren.

[3:57] Marsha Mason: Harry, I need to know that you're going to be okay when I die.

[4:03] Austin Pendleton: I don't want you to think gone too soon.

[4:07] Marsha Mason: Don't be ridiculous. Everyone knows that the man dies first.

[4:12] Austin Pendleton: That's not always true, Harry.

[4:15] Marsha Mason: It's how it's supposed to be.

[4:17] Austin Pendleton: Why? Why do men die first?

[4:20] Marsha Mason: Because men go to war. Men play football. Men can't make it on their own.

[4:25] Austin Pendleton: Oh, you would be fine, Harry. The kids would make sure of it.

[4:31] Marsha Mason: I wouldn't be able to cook or use that asinine remote control.

[4:38] Austin Pendleton: You know how to order takeout, don't you?

[4:41] Marsha Mason: And you get all your news from Channel 13 anyway.

[4:44] Austin Pendleton: But there are a bunch of socialists on that channel.

[4:48] Marsha Mason: I don't have any choices.

[4:53] Austin Pendleton: Hey, did you see this bench belongs to someone?

[4:57] Marsha Mason: I did, Harry.

[4:58] Austin Pendleton: In loving memory of Madeleine Kahn?

[5:02] Marsha Mason: I think I went to school with a Madeleine Kahn.

[5:06] Austin Pendleton: Harry, I want to talk with you about our apartment.

[5:11] Marsha Mason: What about it?

[5:13] Austin Pendleton: I think it's getting to be too much for us. I think we need to consider our options.

[5:19] Marsha Mason: I thought you wanted to look at the reservoir.

[5:21] Austin Pendleton: I want to talk about assisted living.

[5:25] Marsha Mason: We already discussed this, Margie.

[5:27] Austin Pendleton: When I got home from the doctor's office today, all four burners were on.

[5:33] Marsha Mason: We can't keep ignoring the facts.

[5:36] Austin Pendleton: Did you want to look at the reservoir or did you want to have a fight?

[5:39] Marsha Mason: I've spoken with the kids.

[5:41] Austin Pendleton: Both of them think assisted living is a very good idea.

[5:45] Marsha Mason: And it's easier for them if it's our decision.

[5:52] Austin Pendleton: There's a facility in Riverdale and there's another in Jersey.

[5:56] Marsha Mason: I'm not moving to Jersey.

[5:58] Austin Pendleton: Well, it's a lovely facility, Harry. More expensive than Riverdale.

[6:03] Marsha Mason: But they have an early Alzheimer's unit that we could benefit from.

[6:07] Austin Pendleton: We, we. Why do you always say we when you mean me?

[6:12] Marsha Mason: Harry, Harry, who at our age isn't a little forgetful?

[6:20] Austin Pendleton: We can't move. It's too much work.

[6:24] Marsha Mason: So we'll pay someone. That's why we have a savings.

[6:32] Austin Pendleton: The reservoir gets so barren in winter, so iced over.

[6:38] Marsha Mason: And that dusting of snow that sits on top of the ice, it makes you wonder what's going on underneath.

[6:45] Marsha Mason: It's time we face the music, Harry.

[6:49] Marsha Mason: If something happens to me, the last thing I want is for you to be fighting with the kids.

[6:54] Austin Pendleton: I don't want anything to change.

[6:56] Marsha Mason: It'll change, sweetheart, whether we want it to or not.

[7:01] Austin Pendleton: Even the reservoir in a few months, it'll be beautiful again.

[7:06] Marsha Mason: The snow and the ice will melt.

[7:09] Austin Pendleton: The ducks will come back and all the trees will have nice green leaves on them.

[7:15] Marsha Mason: I just want to stay here with you, and I want you to stay here with me forever and ever.

[7:23] Austin Pendleton: I saw the doctor today.

[7:26] Marsha Mason: He said it metastasized and there's nothing they can do.

[7:29] Austin Pendleton: It's just a matter of time.

[7:31] Marsha Mason: So let's do what we can while time is on our side.

[7:38] Austin Pendleton: It's so cold out here, Marge. Let's go home. I'll make you some cocoa.

[7:44] Marsha Mason: I have never been this cold in my life.

[7:47] Austin Pendleton: But it will get warm again, Harry.

[7:50] Marsha Mason: In good time, it'll get warm again.

[7:55] Marsha Mason: All the great ones have gone too soon.

[7:59] Austin Pendleton: All the great ones have gone too soon.

[8:29] Brad Forenza: Join the conversation by using hashtag AroundTheSunPodcast.