7th Heaven (1996–2007): Season 5, Episode 6 - Broke - full transcript
Irresponsible 'adult' Mary fails to realize how deep she's sinking, but both parents and siblings piece together from various sources he's about to hit rock-bottom and wants to help, but how? Eric can barely keep Annie from intervening directly before they know everything. As even Simon is near-broke and Matt can't keep up pretending he's a lawyer, the kids decide to 'borrow' enough from the twins' full piggy-banks to advance her all due debts. But creditors seeing cash convince her to 'refinance' over longer, which means even more interest.
Lucy, will you take the boys
upstairs and get them dressed?
I'll help Lucy.
I'll help Simon.
So, are we going to finish
our discussion?
I've finished discussing Mary.
It's time to take action.
We should intervene.
She's just spiraling downward.
At some point,
she's going to hit bottom.
And the only question is, uh,
with Mary,
what exactly is bottom?
She doesn't have a job.
She doesn't have money.
She doesn't have friends.
Well, not any good ones.
You know, she quit her job
at the pool hall,
she quit her job
at Pete's Pizza.
She needs a job.
Yes.
Mary needs a job
and money and friends--
good ones.
But she has
bills to pay.
She also needs to take a
job to pay those bills.
And the job she takes
probably won't
be the job she loves
or even likes.
And then she'll see
how important it is
to have a job you love.
And jobs people love
usually involve
training and/or
education.
That'll force her to set
goals and move forward.
Are you just going
to will her
into this realization?
She's not on our schedule.
We need to give her time.
She'll realize it when
she realizes it.
Okay, and
in the meantime,
no job plus no money
equals no car, right?
I mean, if she can't pay
for the car, she'll lose it.
So, let her lose the car.
This isn't about losing
Mary's car,
this is about losing Mary!
You think I don't know that?
You know,
just because
I'm not a minister
or a therapist,
doesn't mean that I don't know
she's in trouble.
I'm her mother!
And I think she needs
to be the one to ask for help.
And she's not ready yet!
Well, I'm her father
and I say she needs help now,
whether she asks for it or not.
What you mean is that you're the
expert and what you say goes.
That's not what I said.
Okay, fine.
Let's say we do it your way.
We don't wait.
We do something.
What something so we do?
I don't know.
I don't know!
You help families
with problems every day
and yet when it comes
to our family, our kids,
you don't know
what we should do?!
No, I don't.
Oh...
So, we'll do it your way.
We'll... we'll wait.
How long are we going to wait
before we decide
to do something?
Till the first of the year,
like we decided when she decided
not to go to school.
Or we can redecide
and set another date,
or trust that we made the right
decision in the first place.
Like you said,
I don't know what to do,
and this conversation
isn't getting us anywhere,
so I'm going to go out
and run some errands.
Why are you
always the one
who gets out to
run the errands?
I have errands, too.
Maybe I want to get out!
So, get out! Are we going to
fight about everything today?
Yes.
Watch the kids.
Okay.
Your father and
I are going out.
Separately.
Oh, most definitely
separately.
Hello.
Mary Camden?
No.
May I speak to Mary Camden?
Mary isn't here.
I can take a message.
Mary isn't there, huh?
No, she isn't.
And, uh, who would you be?
Who is this?
Uh, I asked first.
It's for you.
Thanks.
Hello.
Hello, Mary.
This is for Mary.
Mary, Lucy,
what's the difference?
Look, I am not Mary.
I am her sister Lucy.
Sister, oh, that's original.
I am not Mary, okay?
Lying isn't really going to help
your situation, Mary.
Why don't we talk
about why you can't seem
to pay your credit card bill.
You're calling
from the credit card company?
No, I'm calling
from the credit card company's
collection department.
I'm the person that
the credit card company uses
when, uh, let's see
what's that...
official word I'm looking for?
Oh, yeah, uh,
they call me when, uh,
deadbeats charge but don't pay.
My sister is not a deadbeat.
You know, the bank may have been
stupid enough
to have given you a credit card
but I'm not stupid, so drop
the "sister" thing, okay?
It's really not working
and, uh, apparently,
neither are you.
I called your last known
work number
and they informed me
that you're no longer employed.
Is there anything I can do to
convince you that I am not Mary?
No.
Starting next weekend,
we're going to set up
DUI roadblocks
near the Crawford campus.
And I know this always seems
like a nuisance to you
and an aggravation to the
students, but I remind you,
that about 16,000 people
are killed every year
by drunk drivers.
Okay, that's
about it.
Check the duty roster
and let's get out there.
All right.
Let's go.
Uh, I think I
made a mistake.
A few weeks back, I...
I stopped a girl
who ran a stop sign.
And I let her go
with just a warning.
Well, it's certainly
within your discretion
as a police officer
whether you issue
a citation or warning.
I think she was drinking.
You're a good officer.
Why would you do something
like that?
I knew her.
Well, that's no excuse.
Well, you know
her too.
It was Mary Camden.
Reverend Camden's daughter?
Mary was drinking
and driving?
Yes.
I think she was.
Okay, what's wrong?
What do you mean?
Well, you've been
pacing back and forth,
back and forth
all morning.
Can't a man just walk
in his own home?
Yeah, not when the home
is also my home
and pacing is making
it impossible
for me to study,
which it is.
Come on, give me a break.
I have to work later and
if I don't study I'm not going
to pass my chemistry quiz
tomorrow.
Are you mad at me?
Did I do something?
No, you didn't do anything, but
someone you know did something.
And that something
affects me,
you, the universe... what?
Yes, it affects everyone.
Are you going to tell me
what that something is?
I promised
I wouldn't say anything.
Fine. Don't say anything.
Aren't you curious?
No, I'm annoyed.
It's about Mary.
Okay, I'm curious,
curiously annoyed.
I don't want to get her
into trouble or anything but...
What? What is it?
She tried to borrow money
from me.
A not-so-insignificant
amount of money.
Unbelievable.
You didn't give her anything,
did you?
No, she's your sister
and I care about her but... no,
I just couldn't do it.
At the same time,
though,
I felt terrible
about not helping her,
then I got a little worried.
Yeah...
Well, if she tried
to borrow money from me,
she must be pretty desperate.
Desperate isn't a good thing.
No, it's not.
There's more.
A couple of nights ago,
I was at the Promenade,
and I saw Mary, I saw her
with these two losers
who were drinking beer
and smoking.
That sounds like
Frankie and Johnny.
They're Mary's new friends.
Well, then, maybe they're not
as bad as they look.
My dad had to bail them
out of jail two weeks ago,
when they got arrested
for "possession."
Well...
Man, what is it with your sister
this year?
I wish I knew.
Thanks for telling me.
What are you going to do?
I have absolutely no idea.
Eric.
Good to see you.
Hello, Hank.
You look a little weary.
Good diagnosis.
Seven kids.
Yeah.
And I got kind of a busy day
outside the house, too.
Okay, well, you take it easy.
Okay.
Hurry it up.
I don't know.
Is the machine down
or something?
Come on, there's other
people here, you know?
Come on, lady, there are
people waiting, people who
have money to withdraw.
Look, I was here first, okay?
So back off.
Look, I'm in a hurry,
let's say I give you five bucks
to just walk away.
Okay.
Pleasure doing
business with you.
Uh... you're
Reverend Camden's wife,
aren't you?
It's Annie.
Hi.
You go to our church?
Yeah, Mark Johnson.
Oh, Johnson Insurance Company.
Right.
I probably shouldn't
say anything,
but, uh, your husband
was very kind to my mom
last year, when she was in
the hospital and, uh...
Shouldn't say
anything about what?
Mary shouldn't be driving
her car without insurance.
She has car insurance.
She had car insurance.
We had to cancel
her policy
'cause she didn't
pay the bill.
And, if she gets
stopped by the police,
besides a ticket,
it could be a $1,600 fine.
And they could take
her license away.
Mary didn't pay her bill?
Where have you been?
Out.
Well, I hope you've been
out looking for a job.
The lady from the credit card
company's been calling all day.
They think I'm you.
That's funny.
They think I'm
you and they think
you're a deadbeat--
nothing about this is funny.
Sorry, what do you
want me to do?
I want you to pay your bill.
How did you get
a credit card?
It was easy.
I got a pre-approved card
in the mail.
I'm sorry.
You're right,
I need to pay my bill.
So loan me 50 bucks, okay?
I don't have 50 bucks and,
even if I did,
I wouldn't give it to you.
Great, thanks,
you're a true sister.
Grow up.
You got yourself into this
and you need to get
yourself out of this,
and you need to do it
before Mom and Dad get home
and before that lady from the
credit card company calls again.
I know where I can get 50 bucks.
No, no, no, no.
As in no way, no how.
I'm not lending you $50.
I will drive you on dates
or anywhere you
want to go, please?
Your car is a two-seater.
Where's my date supposed
to sit, the trunk?
Come on, you've got to
help me, just this once.
"Just this once"?
"Just this once,"
no, I don't think so.
What do you mean,
"I don't think so"?
I've given you over $30
in the past three months.
You're not being fair.
No, you're not being fair.
You work, you get paid;
you should have money.
It's not my problem.
Yeah, I should have money,
but I don't.
Not my problem.
They're going to take away
my credit card.
A credit card?
I thought this was about your
car payment or your insurance.
When did you get a credit card?
A while ago.
And what could you possibly need
so badly that you have
to use credit?
Things, there are things.
And I am out in the real world
and things are needed.
Well, I'm not giving you $50.
How much money
do you have?
Five bucks.
Well, I guess you'll have
to give up your credit card.
Well, I-I can get rid
of my credit card,
but they're still going
to want the money I owe 'em.
It's for you.
It's the
collection agency.
Take care of this.
Psst!
Over here.
I have some money
I can loan you.
You do?
I have $20
of birthday money
I haven't spent.
Do you have any more money?
$20 is a lot.
Yeah, to you.
I'm sorry.
I don't have any more.
That's okay, $20 is plenty.
Now you can pay back
the credit card lady.
Yes, that's what I'm going
to do right now.
Pay back the credit card.
Is anyone going
to answer the phone?
Mary should answer it,
it's probably that woman
from the credit
card company again.
I'm not answering it.
I'm outta here.
What are we going to do?
I'll get it.
Hello?
Okay, enough fun and games.
I'm not Mary.
It's not my bill,
I'm Mary's brother.
Well, then, you should
let Ms. Camden know
that if she doesn't pay
the minimum payment
by the end of business today,
the credit card company
may choose to take legal action.
You mean "legal" like lawyers?
Yes.
You can't just charge up
merchandise
and then not pay your bill,
there are laws.
And if we have to, we'll use
those laws to recoup our losses.
She said they're going to take
some kind of legal action
against Mary.
What are we
going to do?
We're going to let
Mary handle it.
It's her problem, not ours.
Don't let them put Mary
in jail again.
You say to let Mary handle it,
but she's not.
And we're the ones
getting the calls.
Sooner or later, Mom and Dad
are going to answer the phone.
In debt or not,
she's still our sister.
I only know one
person other than
Mom and Dad who might
be able to help.
Wow.
What bank would give
Mary a credit card?
We're going to have
to tell Mom and Dad.
I hate to think
what they're going to do.
They're already
pretty mad at her.
And mad at each other.
What does that mean?
Mom and Dad fight
about Mary all the time.
They do?
All the time.
Maybe we should bail Mary out.
She's trying to get
her life back on track.
She isn't trying very hard.
I gave her $20.
Mary took money from you?
I gave it to her,
and if she gives the money
to the credit card lady,
maybe she'll leave Mary alone.
If that's
the collection agency,
you're going to have
to talk to them.
Hello?
Oh, hi, Mom.
Don't tell her I'm here,
she'll know something's up.
Lucy, are you there?
Yeah, I'm here.
Let me talk to your father.
He's not home yet.
Is Mary there?
She was, but she left.
Do you know where she went?
I think she's out
looking for a job.
Okay, I'll call back later.
Mary doesn't have a job?
What happened
to the pool hall?
She quit.
Pete's Pizza?
Quit.
She had a temp job
for about a week,
but then she got
let go from that, too.
"Let go" as in fired?
We don't know.
All I can say is Mary
better be out looking for a job.
One, please.
Double feature?
Sure, why not?
I have the whole day.
Thank you.
Hello.
Hey, Mrs. Camden.
I'm looking for Eric,
have you seen him?
Afraid not.
If you do see him, will you tell
him I'm looking for him?
No problem.
Thanks.
How about a soda?
On the house, of course.
Okay.
So how's Mary doing?
She's okay.
It's too bad things didn't
work out for her here.
Why didn't things work out?
Maybe you should ask
the manager why he fired her.
Fired?
Mary quit.
No, she was fired.
She told us she quit.
I only know what I know.
And I know she didn't quit.
Maybe the manager
told her he needed to lay
someone off to soften the blow.
She worked real hard
the first week,
but after that, she
didn't seem to hustle.
Customers complained,
the kitchen complained,
the other waitresses were
always covering her station.
She just couldn't
keep up.
Oh, she was on the phone
all the time.
On the phone all the time...
talking to whom?
Sometimes
the car insurance people,
sometimes the car people.
I think she was
behind in her payments.
I know she asked
some of the waitresses
to loan her money.
I don't want to get it.
I don't want to talk to Mom
or the collection agency.
Hello.
Hey, it's me; why did it take
so long to answer the phone?
Is everything okay?
Yes.
Is your mother there?
No, but she called
and she's looking for you.
Where's Mary?
Out looking for a job, I think.
Well, if your mother gets back
before I do, tell her I called.
See ya.
Eric, you got a minute?
There's something
we need to talk about.
You know, today's
not a good day.
Can we talk later?
I need to find Annie.
I just stopped in
to use the phone.
It's about Mary.
Oh, what about Mary?
There's no easy way to say this,
so I guess I'll just say it.
I think Mary was
drinking and driving.
One of my officers
stopped her about a month ago.
And he wasn't sure...
but she ran a stop sign
and he thought he smelled
beer on her breath.
Eric, I'm sorry you're just
hearing about this,
but the officer knew Mary
was your daughter
and he thought he was doing
her a favor by letting her go.
Drinking and driving?
Yeah.
Or is it common?
It's 10:38-- now, at 10:41,
you rushed out...
Wait a minute.
10:38, 10:41,
three minutes are missing.
What do I do
with the three minutes?
Don't you think we need
a little time together?
All right, two minutes.
At 10:40, you...
Don't tell me, I know.
I have a nervous breakup.
Down...
Hello.
Hello, Mary.
It's the collections lady.
Do something.
I don't know what to do.
Make her stop calling us.
Hello.
Did you hang up on me again,
Mary?
I'm Bernie,
Mary Camden's attorney.
Mary Camden can't afford
to pay a $50 bill,
but she has an attorney?
Yeah.
Fine, Mr...
do you have a last name, Bernie?
No, no last name.
Just Bernie,
Bernie the attorney.
Hey, I tell you
what we're going to do.
Mary's gonna send you, uh,
a dollar a month
until her balance is paid.
Well, her minimum payment
is $50.
She doesn't have $50.
So, she'll pay you
25 cents a month.
Uh, Mr...
Bernie, with all due respect,
that's just completely
unacceptable.
Fine.
You want to play hard ball,
she'll send you nothing.
She's already sending us
nothing.
Then why are you
bugging me, lady,
I got other clients.
You are totally mental.
I... I can't do that again.
Okay, so we're, uh,
either going to have to tell
Mom and Dad, or...
Get Mary the money.
Yeah.
I don't have $50.
I know where we can get
the money-- lots of money.
What happened to
the Bank of Simon?
The Bank of Simon is
in high school now, okay?
High school is expensive.
You have a job,
you have money.
Yeah, but I don't have
any to spare.
I know where
we can get the money.
Luce?
I have money,
but I spend it, too.
I'm broke.
Hello!
Am I invisible?
Sam and David have tons
of money.
They do?
Yeah.
I should go.
Yeah.
If there's anything
I can do,
don't you hesitate
to call.
Oh, no charge, Reverend.
Oh, thanks.
Um, I couldn't help
but overhear your conversation
with Sergeant Michaels,
and I don't want to make
your day worse but, uh,
I think you should know
the real reason I let Mary go.
The real reason?
Yeah, um...
she just got in with
some bad company,
mainly Frankie and Johnny.
They were all staying
after closing time
and helping themselves
to free beer.
Now, I don't know
if Mary was drinking
but I do know that
Frankie and Johnny were.
Why do you let Frankie
and Johnny keep working here?
Why didn't you let them go, too?
Well, Johnny's my nephew.
His father gave me the money
to start this place up
so, what can I do?
Johnny, he's never had to work
for a living.
He doesn't know what work is.
But he's family
and, uh, I know
that you helped Frankie
and Johnny out of a jam
a couple of weeks ago
with the police.
That was real nice of you,
Reverend.
And I thought
next time I see you,
I'll do you a favor
and tell you,
I think your daughter's hanging
out with the wrong people.
Now, they're family,
but still,
wrong people.
Mary's a good kid.
Johnny used to be a good kid
too, but not anymore.
The two of them are trouble.
Yeah. I know.
That's why I told Mary she can't
hang out with them anymore.
I... I forbid it
and I don't do
a lot of forbidding,
so I'm pretty sure
she's staying away.
Well, Mary was
in here just a couple
of days ago,
and the three of them took off
together.
Are you sure
it was just a couple
of days ago?
She gave me her word.
Frankie and Johnny
gave me their word, too.
I mean, they told me
they'd stay away from her.
Well, they lied.
Mr. Van Wormer, please.
Hello.
Hi, Mr. Van Wormer,
this is Annie; Annie Camden.
Oh, hi, Annie.
How are you doing?
How's your electric car running?
Oh, it's great.
Everybody loves it.
That's great.
So, what can I do for you?
Well, I'm calling
to check up on Mary.
You know, see if she's paying
her car payments on time.
She's been in and out of work
and I'm guessing
she may have fallen behind.
So I was wondering what
the status of her account is.
Look, I like you,
I like your husband.
But Mary bought the car
and she doesn't seem
to understand
that she's gotta make
the payments.
How far behind is she?
Uh, if she doesn't pay what
she owes in the next 72 hours,
the car is going
to be repossessed.
How much does she owe?
Well, the first payment
and the late fees come to $300.
Can we do this?
Yeah, I feel icky.
Don't wimp out.
We have to do this.
Mary needs
the money.
Piggy.
Desperate times call
for desperate measures.
But is it really worth it?
I mean, how much money
can Sam and David have?
Almost $500.
There's $500
in those piggy banks?
Mom's put ten dollars a month
in each of their banks
since they were born.
That's 20 months times $20.
That equals $400.
Plus, they have
their being born money.
Why hasn't Mom put the money
in a bank?
She's waiting
until it's $500 exactly.
Why?
I don't know.
You want me to ask her why?
Now,
we're sure there isn't any other
money in the house?
Nope. Coffee can's almost empty.
Hey, I know a lot more
than most of you
give me credit for.
It'll be okay.
We'll give Mary the money
and she'll pay her bills
and then
she'll put the money back
before anyone knows it's gone.
See, Sam and David agree
with us.
It's for a very worthy cause.
Hey,
maybe Mary's already
found a job,
then we could put the money
right back.
Mary won't let us down.
She won't.
Pass me the pig.
Hey.
Hey.
Hope you're out
looking for a job.
What are you
doing here?
Lucy and Simon
called me.
They didn't know
what to do
when your creditors
started harassing them.
Well, I am a
little behind.
What are you doing
strolling in here
like you don't have
a care in the world?
Calm down.
I will not
calm down.
Look, you are out of
control and out of money.
Um... it's
the collections lady.
She wants to talk
to Bernie.
Who's Bernie?
Your attorney.
I have an attorney?
Yeah, this
is Bernie.
Yeah, my client's had
a change of heart.
Yeah, against
my advice,
she, uh, she wishes
to pay what she owes.
Yeah, she'll come
down in person
and pay it.
Hey, no, thank you.
Have you gone crazy?
I am not crazy.
And you're going to pay
what you owe.
I don't have
the money.
We love you, so we're
loaning you the money
so you can pay back
all the people you
owe money to.
Actually, it's Sam and
David who love you.
Now, go straight to the bank
and the car dealership
and the insurance company
and pay your debts.
Thank you.
Thank you all so much.
Thank us by
getting a job
and paying your bills and
paying Sam and David back
before Mom knows
the money's missing,
all right?
You can count on me.
Have you seen my husband
Eric Camden?
Annie? Hello.
Oh, hi, Hank.
I saw Eric earlier.
I really need to talk to him.
Is there something wrong?
Is there something wrong?
No, there's not something wrong.
There's a lot
of somethings wrong.
And everything wrong has to do
with Mary.
Why don't we go into
my office and talk.
Hello.
Hey Ruthie. Is Mom there?
No.
Is Mary there?
Mary was here, but she left.
Um, if Mommy calls...
just tell her I called.
And if Mary comes home...
keep her there, okay?
Even if you have to have
Lucy and Simon lock her
in a closet.
Okay.
Well?
He said to lock Mary
in a closet.
Eric, what's wrong?
What isn't wrong?
She lied.
She lied about everything.
She looked Annie and me
in the face and just...
lied.
I didn't know one
of my kids
was capable of being that cold.
I think
she's been lying
to us for months,
and about everything.
Jobs, friends, bills.
Whom are you talking about?
Mary.
I'm talking about Mary.
Eric and I had a big
fight this morning.
I don't even know
why we fought.
We're both
on the same side.
We both want Mary
to get her life on track.
I'll tell you
why we fought.
Because we're both
frustrated.
We don't think we
can yell at her,
so we're yelling
at each other.
When it comes to Mary,
we both feel like
we're beating our heads
against the wall.
Then I found out
today that...
Mary's been
lying to us.
She hasn't been paying
any of her bills.
They're about
to repossess her car.
Her insurance has
been cancelled.
She's borrowing money
from anyone and everyone.
She ran a stop sign.
She was drinking
and driving.
Pete fired her from his pizza
place because she was
hanging out after hours
with Frankie and Johnny
drinking beer.
She's been lying to me, to us,
for... for weeks.
I don't know, maybe months.
I feel like I don't even know
my own daughter.
Have you noticed anything?
How was she
when she baby-sat last week?
I need to take off.
I'm working at the hospital
this afternoon.
Everything's
going to be okay.
How are we going to
pay back Sam and David,
if Mary doesn't?
She'll pay them back.
How can you be so sure?
Look, she has to pay them back.
It's not like owing
a bank or a car company.
They're family;
she won't let us down.
Do you really believe that?
I want to believe that.
It's going to be okay.
Of course it is.
I mean, Mary's a good sister.
She would never take money
from Sam and David,
if she knew she couldn't
pay them back,
because that'd
be like stealing,
and she would never
steal from us;
we're her family.
I wish I had her faith in Mary.
Me, too.
Now, if you're
having trouble making
your minimum payment, we
could adjust your credit line.
More credit?
Yes, and your monthly
payment will go down, too.
Sign me up.
Although we'll be
increasing your credit line
and lowering
your monthly payment,
we will be significantly
raising your interest rate.
Is that okay?
So if you do this thing
to my account, I'll pay less.
Yes, monthly,
you'll pay less,
but in the end,
you'll be paying more.
Well, the end is
a long way away for me.
Make the adjustment.
So that will be
$30 instead of $50.
So I just made $20.
I just thought of something.
What if Mom and Dad
rattle Sam and David's
piggy banks and hear nothing?
Lucy!
Shh! You'll wake the babies.
What if Mom and Dad
pick up the piggy banks?
Good question--
what's today's date?
Uh... the sixth.
When does Mom put
their money in the banks?
On the fourteenth
of every month.
So Mary has a week to replace
the money, no problem.
If you're having trouble
making your monthly payment,
we could extend the
term of your loan.
That would significantly
lower your monthly payments.
Of course, you'd be paying
more for the car, but...
How much will it
lower my payment by?
Seventy-five dollars.
Sign me up.
Hello.
Hold on.
It's Annie.
I'm so sorry.
I'm sorry we fought.
No, I'm sorry,
you were absolutely right.
Mary is out of control.
You have no idea how much.
I'm afraid I do.
I'm leaving Julie's now.
Okay, I'll meet you at home.
I'm sorry that Hank and
I didn't tell you sooner
about Mary and the
night she baby-sat.
I just didn't think she
was in that much trouble.
None of us knew.
Not a single one of us.
We trusted her.
And we were wrong.
Okay.
This brings you current,
but you have another payment
due at the end
of the month.
I'll get your receipt
and then you can be on your way.
Now, is there any way to spread
out the money I owe over
a longer period
of time, so my monthly
payment is less?
Insurance payments are made
over a 12-month period.
There is no stretching it out.
Now if the calendar
ever changes,
and we have 13 months a year
instead of 12,
come on back
and I'll see what I can do.
Is this my lucky day or what?
That's a lot of jobs
for just three months.
I'm still in search
of the perfect one.
Maybe this is it.
Maybe.
So, uh, what kind of salary
would you like to get?
Twice what I made waiting
tables-- that would be good.
Twice as much?
You got spunk, I like that.
Yeah, I got spunk.
Like Mary Tyler Moore.
I loved that show.
It's my mom's all-time favorite.
You know what?
You're hired.
I am?
You can start tomorrow night.
Double my salary?
Why not?
Great.
What exactly is the job?
Counter person.
Okay, I'll see
you tomorrow.
Who was that?
The new counter person.
Uh, in your dreams.
Oh, not another pretty
little high school student
who knows nothing about books.
She's not in high school.
She graduated.
Well, goody for her.
You're still not hiring her.
But I already told her
she had the job.
Then I guess you
have to call her
and tell her
your wife said no.
Is your father home?
Is Mary home?
You look funny--
is there something wrong?
Stop it.
What's going on?
Did something happen?
No.
Matt came by.
Why did Matt come by, laundry?
No.
Food?
No. No laundry, no food.
He just stopped by
to visit.
Yeah, visit.
And Mary's not here?
She was but she left.
She left to go where?
I think she went to pay bills.
Where did she get
the money to pay the bills?
I think someone owed her
one last paycheck.
Maybe Pete's
or maybe the pool hall?
I'm not sure.
Okay, who loaned her the money?
We didn't loan her anything.
We don't have
anything to loan.
Hey, do I ever
have money?
I'm so sorry about today.
No, I'm the one
who's sorry.
Mary's behind on her car
payments and insurance
and she got fired
from the pool hall.
She didn't quit,
she lied.
More than once.
She was let go
from Pete's Pizza
because she was drinking beer
after work
with Frankie and Johnny.
And she's still
hanging out with them.
And if that's not enough,
Sergeant Michaels told me that
she was stopped
for running a stop sign
and the officer thinks that
she might have been drinking.
What happened?
How can Mary be doing this badly
and without our knowing
about it?
I don't know.
I was wrong.
We need to do something
and we need to do something now.
We're going
to confront her
with the facts,
the cold, hard scary facts
that we ourselves have been
dealing with all day.
She can't run away
from the truth
and neither can we.
Truth is, she's in trouble.
Oh, thanks, I
didn't have time
to get back home
to get my books
before I had to get to work.
Where were you all day?
Pretending to be Mary's
attorney, Bernie.
Bernie the attorney?
Yeah, hi, this is Bernie,
Mary Camden's attorney.
She can't pay her
bills, so go away.
That's pathetic.
Yeah, well, it's the best I
could do on such sort notice.
Mary's really gotten herself
into a jam, hasn't she?
Yeah.
She going to be okay?
You know, honestly at this
point, I don't know.
You have one last
paycheck coming.
Where have you been
all day?
I was catching up
with my bills.
Where'd you get the money?
I had one last paycheck.
And it was enough
to cover all your bills?
Yes, and I got a job.
I'm the new
counter person
at Margaret's Bookstore
on the Promenade.
Cool, huh?
Sounds like a day job
and, uh, as I recall,
you like the nightlife,
you like to boogie.
Not anymore.
Look, I came
close to getting
into some real trouble,
and I don't care
how hard this job is
or how bad it is
or how much I hate it,
I going to make it work.
This time it's going
to be different.
I mean, I have to
make it work.
I have responsibilities.
I have a car,
I have room and board.
I'm going to
show you guys
how incredibly
responsible I can be.
You are looking
at a brand-new Mary.
She's lying about the paycheck.
Is she lying about the job, too?
Since she's been
lying to us
for months, I don't think I can
tell the difference anymore.
Well, why didn't we confront her
with everything we know?
Everything
we found out today?
We need more information
before we can come up
with a battle plan.
The Art of War.
This is war?
I think it is.
Did you pay your bills?
Good.
When you pay back
Sam and David,
we can forget this
day ever happened.
No problem--
I got a job on my way home.
Now the trick isn't getting
the job, it's keeping the job.
Why are you acting so snotty?
Considering I spent the day
dodging your creditors
and breaking into piggy banks,
I think I'm entitled
to be a little snotty.
Well, I have a job
and everything is
going to be okay.
I've heard that before.
I've heard
a lot of things before.
I'm sorry.
I know I haven't been
100% honest with you.
But that's going to change.
And from now on,
no more secrets.
Honesty is my new policy.
Hello?
Hi, is this Mary Camden?
Yes, it is.
This is Stan
from Margaret's Books.
I'm sorry, but I have
to rescind my job offer.
What?
I didn't realize my wife
had already filled the position.
Sorry.
Who was that?
Oh, uh, wrong number.
upstairs and get them dressed?
I'll help Lucy.
I'll help Simon.
So, are we going to finish
our discussion?
I've finished discussing Mary.
It's time to take action.
We should intervene.
She's just spiraling downward.
At some point,
she's going to hit bottom.
And the only question is, uh,
with Mary,
what exactly is bottom?
She doesn't have a job.
She doesn't have money.
She doesn't have friends.
Well, not any good ones.
You know, she quit her job
at the pool hall,
she quit her job
at Pete's Pizza.
She needs a job.
Yes.
Mary needs a job
and money and friends--
good ones.
But she has
bills to pay.
She also needs to take a
job to pay those bills.
And the job she takes
probably won't
be the job she loves
or even likes.
And then she'll see
how important it is
to have a job you love.
And jobs people love
usually involve
training and/or
education.
That'll force her to set
goals and move forward.
Are you just going
to will her
into this realization?
She's not on our schedule.
We need to give her time.
She'll realize it when
she realizes it.
Okay, and
in the meantime,
no job plus no money
equals no car, right?
I mean, if she can't pay
for the car, she'll lose it.
So, let her lose the car.
This isn't about losing
Mary's car,
this is about losing Mary!
You think I don't know that?
You know,
just because
I'm not a minister
or a therapist,
doesn't mean that I don't know
she's in trouble.
I'm her mother!
And I think she needs
to be the one to ask for help.
And she's not ready yet!
Well, I'm her father
and I say she needs help now,
whether she asks for it or not.
What you mean is that you're the
expert and what you say goes.
That's not what I said.
Okay, fine.
Let's say we do it your way.
We don't wait.
We do something.
What something so we do?
I don't know.
I don't know!
You help families
with problems every day
and yet when it comes
to our family, our kids,
you don't know
what we should do?!
No, I don't.
Oh...
So, we'll do it your way.
We'll... we'll wait.
How long are we going to wait
before we decide
to do something?
Till the first of the year,
like we decided when she decided
not to go to school.
Or we can redecide
and set another date,
or trust that we made the right
decision in the first place.
Like you said,
I don't know what to do,
and this conversation
isn't getting us anywhere,
so I'm going to go out
and run some errands.
Why are you
always the one
who gets out to
run the errands?
I have errands, too.
Maybe I want to get out!
So, get out! Are we going to
fight about everything today?
Yes.
Watch the kids.
Okay.
Your father and
I are going out.
Separately.
Oh, most definitely
separately.
Hello.
Mary Camden?
No.
May I speak to Mary Camden?
Mary isn't here.
I can take a message.
Mary isn't there, huh?
No, she isn't.
And, uh, who would you be?
Who is this?
Uh, I asked first.
It's for you.
Thanks.
Hello.
Hello, Mary.
This is for Mary.
Mary, Lucy,
what's the difference?
Look, I am not Mary.
I am her sister Lucy.
Sister, oh, that's original.
I am not Mary, okay?
Lying isn't really going to help
your situation, Mary.
Why don't we talk
about why you can't seem
to pay your credit card bill.
You're calling
from the credit card company?
No, I'm calling
from the credit card company's
collection department.
I'm the person that
the credit card company uses
when, uh, let's see
what's that...
official word I'm looking for?
Oh, yeah, uh,
they call me when, uh,
deadbeats charge but don't pay.
My sister is not a deadbeat.
You know, the bank may have been
stupid enough
to have given you a credit card
but I'm not stupid, so drop
the "sister" thing, okay?
It's really not working
and, uh, apparently,
neither are you.
I called your last known
work number
and they informed me
that you're no longer employed.
Is there anything I can do to
convince you that I am not Mary?
No.
Starting next weekend,
we're going to set up
DUI roadblocks
near the Crawford campus.
And I know this always seems
like a nuisance to you
and an aggravation to the
students, but I remind you,
that about 16,000 people
are killed every year
by drunk drivers.
Okay, that's
about it.
Check the duty roster
and let's get out there.
All right.
Let's go.
Uh, I think I
made a mistake.
A few weeks back, I...
I stopped a girl
who ran a stop sign.
And I let her go
with just a warning.
Well, it's certainly
within your discretion
as a police officer
whether you issue
a citation or warning.
I think she was drinking.
You're a good officer.
Why would you do something
like that?
I knew her.
Well, that's no excuse.
Well, you know
her too.
It was Mary Camden.
Reverend Camden's daughter?
Mary was drinking
and driving?
Yes.
I think she was.
Okay, what's wrong?
What do you mean?
Well, you've been
pacing back and forth,
back and forth
all morning.
Can't a man just walk
in his own home?
Yeah, not when the home
is also my home
and pacing is making
it impossible
for me to study,
which it is.
Come on, give me a break.
I have to work later and
if I don't study I'm not going
to pass my chemistry quiz
tomorrow.
Are you mad at me?
Did I do something?
No, you didn't do anything, but
someone you know did something.
And that something
affects me,
you, the universe... what?
Yes, it affects everyone.
Are you going to tell me
what that something is?
I promised
I wouldn't say anything.
Fine. Don't say anything.
Aren't you curious?
No, I'm annoyed.
It's about Mary.
Okay, I'm curious,
curiously annoyed.
I don't want to get her
into trouble or anything but...
What? What is it?
She tried to borrow money
from me.
A not-so-insignificant
amount of money.
Unbelievable.
You didn't give her anything,
did you?
No, she's your sister
and I care about her but... no,
I just couldn't do it.
At the same time,
though,
I felt terrible
about not helping her,
then I got a little worried.
Yeah...
Well, if she tried
to borrow money from me,
she must be pretty desperate.
Desperate isn't a good thing.
No, it's not.
There's more.
A couple of nights ago,
I was at the Promenade,
and I saw Mary, I saw her
with these two losers
who were drinking beer
and smoking.
That sounds like
Frankie and Johnny.
They're Mary's new friends.
Well, then, maybe they're not
as bad as they look.
My dad had to bail them
out of jail two weeks ago,
when they got arrested
for "possession."
Well...
Man, what is it with your sister
this year?
I wish I knew.
Thanks for telling me.
What are you going to do?
I have absolutely no idea.
Eric.
Good to see you.
Hello, Hank.
You look a little weary.
Good diagnosis.
Seven kids.
Yeah.
And I got kind of a busy day
outside the house, too.
Okay, well, you take it easy.
Okay.
Hurry it up.
I don't know.
Is the machine down
or something?
Come on, there's other
people here, you know?
Come on, lady, there are
people waiting, people who
have money to withdraw.
Look, I was here first, okay?
So back off.
Look, I'm in a hurry,
let's say I give you five bucks
to just walk away.
Okay.
Pleasure doing
business with you.
Uh... you're
Reverend Camden's wife,
aren't you?
It's Annie.
Hi.
You go to our church?
Yeah, Mark Johnson.
Oh, Johnson Insurance Company.
Right.
I probably shouldn't
say anything,
but, uh, your husband
was very kind to my mom
last year, when she was in
the hospital and, uh...
Shouldn't say
anything about what?
Mary shouldn't be driving
her car without insurance.
She has car insurance.
She had car insurance.
We had to cancel
her policy
'cause she didn't
pay the bill.
And, if she gets
stopped by the police,
besides a ticket,
it could be a $1,600 fine.
And they could take
her license away.
Mary didn't pay her bill?
Where have you been?
Out.
Well, I hope you've been
out looking for a job.
The lady from the credit card
company's been calling all day.
They think I'm you.
That's funny.
They think I'm
you and they think
you're a deadbeat--
nothing about this is funny.
Sorry, what do you
want me to do?
I want you to pay your bill.
How did you get
a credit card?
It was easy.
I got a pre-approved card
in the mail.
I'm sorry.
You're right,
I need to pay my bill.
So loan me 50 bucks, okay?
I don't have 50 bucks and,
even if I did,
I wouldn't give it to you.
Great, thanks,
you're a true sister.
Grow up.
You got yourself into this
and you need to get
yourself out of this,
and you need to do it
before Mom and Dad get home
and before that lady from the
credit card company calls again.
I know where I can get 50 bucks.
No, no, no, no.
As in no way, no how.
I'm not lending you $50.
I will drive you on dates
or anywhere you
want to go, please?
Your car is a two-seater.
Where's my date supposed
to sit, the trunk?
Come on, you've got to
help me, just this once.
"Just this once"?
"Just this once,"
no, I don't think so.
What do you mean,
"I don't think so"?
I've given you over $30
in the past three months.
You're not being fair.
No, you're not being fair.
You work, you get paid;
you should have money.
It's not my problem.
Yeah, I should have money,
but I don't.
Not my problem.
They're going to take away
my credit card.
A credit card?
I thought this was about your
car payment or your insurance.
When did you get a credit card?
A while ago.
And what could you possibly need
so badly that you have
to use credit?
Things, there are things.
And I am out in the real world
and things are needed.
Well, I'm not giving you $50.
How much money
do you have?
Five bucks.
Well, I guess you'll have
to give up your credit card.
Well, I-I can get rid
of my credit card,
but they're still going
to want the money I owe 'em.
It's for you.
It's the
collection agency.
Take care of this.
Psst!
Over here.
I have some money
I can loan you.
You do?
I have $20
of birthday money
I haven't spent.
Do you have any more money?
$20 is a lot.
Yeah, to you.
I'm sorry.
I don't have any more.
That's okay, $20 is plenty.
Now you can pay back
the credit card lady.
Yes, that's what I'm going
to do right now.
Pay back the credit card.
Is anyone going
to answer the phone?
Mary should answer it,
it's probably that woman
from the credit
card company again.
I'm not answering it.
I'm outta here.
What are we going to do?
I'll get it.
Hello?
Okay, enough fun and games.
I'm not Mary.
It's not my bill,
I'm Mary's brother.
Well, then, you should
let Ms. Camden know
that if she doesn't pay
the minimum payment
by the end of business today,
the credit card company
may choose to take legal action.
You mean "legal" like lawyers?
Yes.
You can't just charge up
merchandise
and then not pay your bill,
there are laws.
And if we have to, we'll use
those laws to recoup our losses.
She said they're going to take
some kind of legal action
against Mary.
What are we
going to do?
We're going to let
Mary handle it.
It's her problem, not ours.
Don't let them put Mary
in jail again.
You say to let Mary handle it,
but she's not.
And we're the ones
getting the calls.
Sooner or later, Mom and Dad
are going to answer the phone.
In debt or not,
she's still our sister.
I only know one
person other than
Mom and Dad who might
be able to help.
Wow.
What bank would give
Mary a credit card?
We're going to have
to tell Mom and Dad.
I hate to think
what they're going to do.
They're already
pretty mad at her.
And mad at each other.
What does that mean?
Mom and Dad fight
about Mary all the time.
They do?
All the time.
Maybe we should bail Mary out.
She's trying to get
her life back on track.
She isn't trying very hard.
I gave her $20.
Mary took money from you?
I gave it to her,
and if she gives the money
to the credit card lady,
maybe she'll leave Mary alone.
If that's
the collection agency,
you're going to have
to talk to them.
Hello?
Oh, hi, Mom.
Don't tell her I'm here,
she'll know something's up.
Lucy, are you there?
Yeah, I'm here.
Let me talk to your father.
He's not home yet.
Is Mary there?
She was, but she left.
Do you know where she went?
I think she's out
looking for a job.
Okay, I'll call back later.
Mary doesn't have a job?
What happened
to the pool hall?
She quit.
Pete's Pizza?
Quit.
She had a temp job
for about a week,
but then she got
let go from that, too.
"Let go" as in fired?
We don't know.
All I can say is Mary
better be out looking for a job.
One, please.
Double feature?
Sure, why not?
I have the whole day.
Thank you.
Hello.
Hey, Mrs. Camden.
I'm looking for Eric,
have you seen him?
Afraid not.
If you do see him, will you tell
him I'm looking for him?
No problem.
Thanks.
How about a soda?
On the house, of course.
Okay.
So how's Mary doing?
She's okay.
It's too bad things didn't
work out for her here.
Why didn't things work out?
Maybe you should ask
the manager why he fired her.
Fired?
Mary quit.
No, she was fired.
She told us she quit.
I only know what I know.
And I know she didn't quit.
Maybe the manager
told her he needed to lay
someone off to soften the blow.
She worked real hard
the first week,
but after that, she
didn't seem to hustle.
Customers complained,
the kitchen complained,
the other waitresses were
always covering her station.
She just couldn't
keep up.
Oh, she was on the phone
all the time.
On the phone all the time...
talking to whom?
Sometimes
the car insurance people,
sometimes the car people.
I think she was
behind in her payments.
I know she asked
some of the waitresses
to loan her money.
I don't want to get it.
I don't want to talk to Mom
or the collection agency.
Hello.
Hey, it's me; why did it take
so long to answer the phone?
Is everything okay?
Yes.
Is your mother there?
No, but she called
and she's looking for you.
Where's Mary?
Out looking for a job, I think.
Well, if your mother gets back
before I do, tell her I called.
See ya.
Eric, you got a minute?
There's something
we need to talk about.
You know, today's
not a good day.
Can we talk later?
I need to find Annie.
I just stopped in
to use the phone.
It's about Mary.
Oh, what about Mary?
There's no easy way to say this,
so I guess I'll just say it.
I think Mary was
drinking and driving.
One of my officers
stopped her about a month ago.
And he wasn't sure...
but she ran a stop sign
and he thought he smelled
beer on her breath.
Eric, I'm sorry you're just
hearing about this,
but the officer knew Mary
was your daughter
and he thought he was doing
her a favor by letting her go.
Drinking and driving?
Yeah.
Or is it common?
It's 10:38-- now, at 10:41,
you rushed out...
Wait a minute.
10:38, 10:41,
three minutes are missing.
What do I do
with the three minutes?
Don't you think we need
a little time together?
All right, two minutes.
At 10:40, you...
Don't tell me, I know.
I have a nervous breakup.
Down...
Hello.
Hello, Mary.
It's the collections lady.
Do something.
I don't know what to do.
Make her stop calling us.
Hello.
Did you hang up on me again,
Mary?
I'm Bernie,
Mary Camden's attorney.
Mary Camden can't afford
to pay a $50 bill,
but she has an attorney?
Yeah.
Fine, Mr...
do you have a last name, Bernie?
No, no last name.
Just Bernie,
Bernie the attorney.
Hey, I tell you
what we're going to do.
Mary's gonna send you, uh,
a dollar a month
until her balance is paid.
Well, her minimum payment
is $50.
She doesn't have $50.
So, she'll pay you
25 cents a month.
Uh, Mr...
Bernie, with all due respect,
that's just completely
unacceptable.
Fine.
You want to play hard ball,
she'll send you nothing.
She's already sending us
nothing.
Then why are you
bugging me, lady,
I got other clients.
You are totally mental.
I... I can't do that again.
Okay, so we're, uh,
either going to have to tell
Mom and Dad, or...
Get Mary the money.
Yeah.
I don't have $50.
I know where we can get
the money-- lots of money.
What happened to
the Bank of Simon?
The Bank of Simon is
in high school now, okay?
High school is expensive.
You have a job,
you have money.
Yeah, but I don't have
any to spare.
I know where
we can get the money.
Luce?
I have money,
but I spend it, too.
I'm broke.
Hello!
Am I invisible?
Sam and David have tons
of money.
They do?
Yeah.
I should go.
Yeah.
If there's anything
I can do,
don't you hesitate
to call.
Oh, no charge, Reverend.
Oh, thanks.
Um, I couldn't help
but overhear your conversation
with Sergeant Michaels,
and I don't want to make
your day worse but, uh,
I think you should know
the real reason I let Mary go.
The real reason?
Yeah, um...
she just got in with
some bad company,
mainly Frankie and Johnny.
They were all staying
after closing time
and helping themselves
to free beer.
Now, I don't know
if Mary was drinking
but I do know that
Frankie and Johnny were.
Why do you let Frankie
and Johnny keep working here?
Why didn't you let them go, too?
Well, Johnny's my nephew.
His father gave me the money
to start this place up
so, what can I do?
Johnny, he's never had to work
for a living.
He doesn't know what work is.
But he's family
and, uh, I know
that you helped Frankie
and Johnny out of a jam
a couple of weeks ago
with the police.
That was real nice of you,
Reverend.
And I thought
next time I see you,
I'll do you a favor
and tell you,
I think your daughter's hanging
out with the wrong people.
Now, they're family,
but still,
wrong people.
Mary's a good kid.
Johnny used to be a good kid
too, but not anymore.
The two of them are trouble.
Yeah. I know.
That's why I told Mary she can't
hang out with them anymore.
I... I forbid it
and I don't do
a lot of forbidding,
so I'm pretty sure
she's staying away.
Well, Mary was
in here just a couple
of days ago,
and the three of them took off
together.
Are you sure
it was just a couple
of days ago?
She gave me her word.
Frankie and Johnny
gave me their word, too.
I mean, they told me
they'd stay away from her.
Well, they lied.
Mr. Van Wormer, please.
Hello.
Hi, Mr. Van Wormer,
this is Annie; Annie Camden.
Oh, hi, Annie.
How are you doing?
How's your electric car running?
Oh, it's great.
Everybody loves it.
That's great.
So, what can I do for you?
Well, I'm calling
to check up on Mary.
You know, see if she's paying
her car payments on time.
She's been in and out of work
and I'm guessing
she may have fallen behind.
So I was wondering what
the status of her account is.
Look, I like you,
I like your husband.
But Mary bought the car
and she doesn't seem
to understand
that she's gotta make
the payments.
How far behind is she?
Uh, if she doesn't pay what
she owes in the next 72 hours,
the car is going
to be repossessed.
How much does she owe?
Well, the first payment
and the late fees come to $300.
Can we do this?
Yeah, I feel icky.
Don't wimp out.
We have to do this.
Mary needs
the money.
Piggy.
Desperate times call
for desperate measures.
But is it really worth it?
I mean, how much money
can Sam and David have?
Almost $500.
There's $500
in those piggy banks?
Mom's put ten dollars a month
in each of their banks
since they were born.
That's 20 months times $20.
That equals $400.
Plus, they have
their being born money.
Why hasn't Mom put the money
in a bank?
She's waiting
until it's $500 exactly.
Why?
I don't know.
You want me to ask her why?
Now,
we're sure there isn't any other
money in the house?
Nope. Coffee can's almost empty.
Hey, I know a lot more
than most of you
give me credit for.
It'll be okay.
We'll give Mary the money
and she'll pay her bills
and then
she'll put the money back
before anyone knows it's gone.
See, Sam and David agree
with us.
It's for a very worthy cause.
Hey,
maybe Mary's already
found a job,
then we could put the money
right back.
Mary won't let us down.
She won't.
Pass me the pig.
Hey.
Hey.
Hope you're out
looking for a job.
What are you
doing here?
Lucy and Simon
called me.
They didn't know
what to do
when your creditors
started harassing them.
Well, I am a
little behind.
What are you doing
strolling in here
like you don't have
a care in the world?
Calm down.
I will not
calm down.
Look, you are out of
control and out of money.
Um... it's
the collections lady.
She wants to talk
to Bernie.
Who's Bernie?
Your attorney.
I have an attorney?
Yeah, this
is Bernie.
Yeah, my client's had
a change of heart.
Yeah, against
my advice,
she, uh, she wishes
to pay what she owes.
Yeah, she'll come
down in person
and pay it.
Hey, no, thank you.
Have you gone crazy?
I am not crazy.
And you're going to pay
what you owe.
I don't have
the money.
We love you, so we're
loaning you the money
so you can pay back
all the people you
owe money to.
Actually, it's Sam and
David who love you.
Now, go straight to the bank
and the car dealership
and the insurance company
and pay your debts.
Thank you.
Thank you all so much.
Thank us by
getting a job
and paying your bills and
paying Sam and David back
before Mom knows
the money's missing,
all right?
You can count on me.
Have you seen my husband
Eric Camden?
Annie? Hello.
Oh, hi, Hank.
I saw Eric earlier.
I really need to talk to him.
Is there something wrong?
Is there something wrong?
No, there's not something wrong.
There's a lot
of somethings wrong.
And everything wrong has to do
with Mary.
Why don't we go into
my office and talk.
Hello.
Hey Ruthie. Is Mom there?
No.
Is Mary there?
Mary was here, but she left.
Um, if Mommy calls...
just tell her I called.
And if Mary comes home...
keep her there, okay?
Even if you have to have
Lucy and Simon lock her
in a closet.
Okay.
Well?
He said to lock Mary
in a closet.
Eric, what's wrong?
What isn't wrong?
She lied.
She lied about everything.
She looked Annie and me
in the face and just...
lied.
I didn't know one
of my kids
was capable of being that cold.
I think
she's been lying
to us for months,
and about everything.
Jobs, friends, bills.
Whom are you talking about?
Mary.
I'm talking about Mary.
Eric and I had a big
fight this morning.
I don't even know
why we fought.
We're both
on the same side.
We both want Mary
to get her life on track.
I'll tell you
why we fought.
Because we're both
frustrated.
We don't think we
can yell at her,
so we're yelling
at each other.
When it comes to Mary,
we both feel like
we're beating our heads
against the wall.
Then I found out
today that...
Mary's been
lying to us.
She hasn't been paying
any of her bills.
They're about
to repossess her car.
Her insurance has
been cancelled.
She's borrowing money
from anyone and everyone.
She ran a stop sign.
She was drinking
and driving.
Pete fired her from his pizza
place because she was
hanging out after hours
with Frankie and Johnny
drinking beer.
She's been lying to me, to us,
for... for weeks.
I don't know, maybe months.
I feel like I don't even know
my own daughter.
Have you noticed anything?
How was she
when she baby-sat last week?
I need to take off.
I'm working at the hospital
this afternoon.
Everything's
going to be okay.
How are we going to
pay back Sam and David,
if Mary doesn't?
She'll pay them back.
How can you be so sure?
Look, she has to pay them back.
It's not like owing
a bank or a car company.
They're family;
she won't let us down.
Do you really believe that?
I want to believe that.
It's going to be okay.
Of course it is.
I mean, Mary's a good sister.
She would never take money
from Sam and David,
if she knew she couldn't
pay them back,
because that'd
be like stealing,
and she would never
steal from us;
we're her family.
I wish I had her faith in Mary.
Me, too.
Now, if you're
having trouble making
your minimum payment, we
could adjust your credit line.
More credit?
Yes, and your monthly
payment will go down, too.
Sign me up.
Although we'll be
increasing your credit line
and lowering
your monthly payment,
we will be significantly
raising your interest rate.
Is that okay?
So if you do this thing
to my account, I'll pay less.
Yes, monthly,
you'll pay less,
but in the end,
you'll be paying more.
Well, the end is
a long way away for me.
Make the adjustment.
So that will be
$30 instead of $50.
So I just made $20.
I just thought of something.
What if Mom and Dad
rattle Sam and David's
piggy banks and hear nothing?
Lucy!
Shh! You'll wake the babies.
What if Mom and Dad
pick up the piggy banks?
Good question--
what's today's date?
Uh... the sixth.
When does Mom put
their money in the banks?
On the fourteenth
of every month.
So Mary has a week to replace
the money, no problem.
If you're having trouble
making your monthly payment,
we could extend the
term of your loan.
That would significantly
lower your monthly payments.
Of course, you'd be paying
more for the car, but...
How much will it
lower my payment by?
Seventy-five dollars.
Sign me up.
Hello.
Hold on.
It's Annie.
I'm so sorry.
I'm sorry we fought.
No, I'm sorry,
you were absolutely right.
Mary is out of control.
You have no idea how much.
I'm afraid I do.
I'm leaving Julie's now.
Okay, I'll meet you at home.
I'm sorry that Hank and
I didn't tell you sooner
about Mary and the
night she baby-sat.
I just didn't think she
was in that much trouble.
None of us knew.
Not a single one of us.
We trusted her.
And we were wrong.
Okay.
This brings you current,
but you have another payment
due at the end
of the month.
I'll get your receipt
and then you can be on your way.
Now, is there any way to spread
out the money I owe over
a longer period
of time, so my monthly
payment is less?
Insurance payments are made
over a 12-month period.
There is no stretching it out.
Now if the calendar
ever changes,
and we have 13 months a year
instead of 12,
come on back
and I'll see what I can do.
Is this my lucky day or what?
That's a lot of jobs
for just three months.
I'm still in search
of the perfect one.
Maybe this is it.
Maybe.
So, uh, what kind of salary
would you like to get?
Twice what I made waiting
tables-- that would be good.
Twice as much?
You got spunk, I like that.
Yeah, I got spunk.
Like Mary Tyler Moore.
I loved that show.
It's my mom's all-time favorite.
You know what?
You're hired.
I am?
You can start tomorrow night.
Double my salary?
Why not?
Great.
What exactly is the job?
Counter person.
Okay, I'll see
you tomorrow.
Who was that?
The new counter person.
Uh, in your dreams.
Oh, not another pretty
little high school student
who knows nothing about books.
She's not in high school.
She graduated.
Well, goody for her.
You're still not hiring her.
But I already told her
she had the job.
Then I guess you
have to call her
and tell her
your wife said no.
Is your father home?
Is Mary home?
You look funny--
is there something wrong?
Stop it.
What's going on?
Did something happen?
No.
Matt came by.
Why did Matt come by, laundry?
No.
Food?
No. No laundry, no food.
He just stopped by
to visit.
Yeah, visit.
And Mary's not here?
She was but she left.
She left to go where?
I think she went to pay bills.
Where did she get
the money to pay the bills?
I think someone owed her
one last paycheck.
Maybe Pete's
or maybe the pool hall?
I'm not sure.
Okay, who loaned her the money?
We didn't loan her anything.
We don't have
anything to loan.
Hey, do I ever
have money?
I'm so sorry about today.
No, I'm the one
who's sorry.
Mary's behind on her car
payments and insurance
and she got fired
from the pool hall.
She didn't quit,
she lied.
More than once.
She was let go
from Pete's Pizza
because she was drinking beer
after work
with Frankie and Johnny.
And she's still
hanging out with them.
And if that's not enough,
Sergeant Michaels told me that
she was stopped
for running a stop sign
and the officer thinks that
she might have been drinking.
What happened?
How can Mary be doing this badly
and without our knowing
about it?
I don't know.
I was wrong.
We need to do something
and we need to do something now.
We're going
to confront her
with the facts,
the cold, hard scary facts
that we ourselves have been
dealing with all day.
She can't run away
from the truth
and neither can we.
Truth is, she's in trouble.
Oh, thanks, I
didn't have time
to get back home
to get my books
before I had to get to work.
Where were you all day?
Pretending to be Mary's
attorney, Bernie.
Bernie the attorney?
Yeah, hi, this is Bernie,
Mary Camden's attorney.
She can't pay her
bills, so go away.
That's pathetic.
Yeah, well, it's the best I
could do on such sort notice.
Mary's really gotten herself
into a jam, hasn't she?
Yeah.
She going to be okay?
You know, honestly at this
point, I don't know.
You have one last
paycheck coming.
Where have you been
all day?
I was catching up
with my bills.
Where'd you get the money?
I had one last paycheck.
And it was enough
to cover all your bills?
Yes, and I got a job.
I'm the new
counter person
at Margaret's Bookstore
on the Promenade.
Cool, huh?
Sounds like a day job
and, uh, as I recall,
you like the nightlife,
you like to boogie.
Not anymore.
Look, I came
close to getting
into some real trouble,
and I don't care
how hard this job is
or how bad it is
or how much I hate it,
I going to make it work.
This time it's going
to be different.
I mean, I have to
make it work.
I have responsibilities.
I have a car,
I have room and board.
I'm going to
show you guys
how incredibly
responsible I can be.
You are looking
at a brand-new Mary.
She's lying about the paycheck.
Is she lying about the job, too?
Since she's been
lying to us
for months, I don't think I can
tell the difference anymore.
Well, why didn't we confront her
with everything we know?
Everything
we found out today?
We need more information
before we can come up
with a battle plan.
The Art of War.
This is war?
I think it is.
Did you pay your bills?
Good.
When you pay back
Sam and David,
we can forget this
day ever happened.
No problem--
I got a job on my way home.
Now the trick isn't getting
the job, it's keeping the job.
Why are you acting so snotty?
Considering I spent the day
dodging your creditors
and breaking into piggy banks,
I think I'm entitled
to be a little snotty.
Well, I have a job
and everything is
going to be okay.
I've heard that before.
I've heard
a lot of things before.
I'm sorry.
I know I haven't been
100% honest with you.
But that's going to change.
And from now on,
no more secrets.
Honesty is my new policy.
Hello?
Hi, is this Mary Camden?
Yes, it is.
This is Stan
from Margaret's Books.
I'm sorry, but I have
to rescind my job offer.
What?
I didn't realize my wife
had already filled the position.
Sorry.
Who was that?
Oh, uh, wrong number.