Gilmore Girls (2000–2007): Season 7, Episode 22 - Bon Voyage - full transcript

Rory gets a job following the presidential campaign of one of the candidates running for president. While she prepares to leave in a mere three days, Lorelai adjusts to the idea that she may not see her daughter again for weeks, even months. Meanwhile, Luke is still trying to sort out how he really feels about Lorelai after they locked eyes at the karaoke jam. To see Rory off before she leaves for her new job, the entire town puts on a farewell party, despite the presence of rain.

- I'm telling you, it's her.
- Trust me, it's not.

- It is!
- Why would Christiane Amanpour

be hanging out at the Dragonfly?

- I don't know.
- She wouldn't!

- She is.
- You went up to her and said, "Hi,"

and she said, "Hi, I'm Christiane
Amanpour. Nice to meet you"?

No, I didn't go up to her at all.

I looked at her, saw that it was her,
and I went to get you.

So I could look at
a fake Christiane Amanpour?

She's real!

Yeah. Remember the time when you
thought you saw Sandra Day O'Connor?

Yeah, well, this is different.

- I haven't had any cough syrup.
- I guarantee you it's not her.

You doubt my ability
to recognize glamorous,

- international war correspondents?
- I guarantee you it's not her!

- Oh, my God! That's Christiane Amanpour!
- That's what I told you!

But I can't meet Christiane Amanpour
in my pajamas!

I tried to get you to change!
You wouldn't change!

- Well, how long has she been here?
- Well, I don't know!

I just saw her eating breakfast,
and I went home and got you.

Hey, Michel, Michel, how long has
Christiane Amanpour been here?

She checked in late last night.
Room seven.

She's staying here and you didn't tell me?

I wanted to avoid
yet another embarrassing incident.

What are you talking about?

You always embarrass yourself
when a celebrity stay at the inn.

I do not!

Jane Pauley, Harry Belafonte,
Marisa Tomei...

- He's right, you know.
- No, no!

Marisa Tomei's mother's best friend is
my hairdresser's cousin's roommate.

- That's just freaky!
- I'm just saying,

you make them uncomfortable.

I run an inn. These are my guests.
What am I supposed to do? Ignore them?

I think that might be best.

I'm going to go over and say hi
and see if she'll meet you.

- What? Okay. Wait. Don't be funny.
- Okay.

- Excuse me, Ms. Amanpour?
- Yes?

- Hello, I'm Lorelai Gilmore. I run the inn.
- Very nice to meet you. It's a lovely inn.

Thank you so much.

I'm sorry to bother you,
but my daughter is a huge fan of yours.

- She always has been.
- That's very nice to hear. Thank you.

Yeah, she just graduated from Yale,
actually, where she was the editor

- of the Yale Daily News.
- That's great.

Anyway, she'd love to meet you,
if that's okay.

I'd love to. Is she here?

- Yes, she is. Rory, come here.
- Yeah.

Come on.

Okay, here she is.

This is Rory Gilmore.
Rory, meet Christiane Amanpour!

- Hi, Rory. How are you?
- Hi!

- Nice to meet you.
- I'm fine. Nice to meet you, too.

I'm sorry to meet you in my pajamas.

- I don't usually walk around town like this.
- It's okay.

I just think you are so inspiring.
Your reporting is so bold and moving

and fascinating,
and I know you've won nine Emmys,

but I just don't think that's enough.

Not that you care about that kind of thing.

But I just want to say thank you.

Thank you. That's really nice of you.
And your mother says

that you've graduated Yale,
you're editor of the Yale Daily News...

That's not bad.

Thank you. Well,
I want to pursue a career in journalism.

That's good. Is it print you want?
Television? CNN, maybe?

- I'd love to work for a major daily.
- Do you know which one?

Any one that'll take me.

That's the spirit.
I mean, you just get in there,

do what you can,
show them what you've got,

and the rest will take care of itself.

That's my plan.

Listen, I don't often do this,
but I'm going to give you my card,

and if you want to send me some stuff,
I'll have a look at it, and,

- you know, stay in touch.
- Seriously?

- Yeah, yeah.
- Well, thank you!

That's my cab out there,
so I'm going to go now.

- It was really nice to meet you.
- Nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you.

- Good luck. Take care.
- Nice meeting you.

- Thank you so much.
- Thank you.

I can't believe I just met
Christiane Amanpour in my pajamas.

Well, I'm sure you made an impression.

All right, after Great Adventure,

the next roller coaster could be here
at Lake Compounce,

- home of the Boulder Dash.
- I love it!

"The number one choice
of wooden roller coasters,"

Oh, yes, the venerable Mr. Levine.
A legend in coaster criticism.

- So you've heard of him.
- Well, of course.

What coaster connoisseur hasn't?

"Great air-time," he says. "Smooth ride,
relentless speed from start to finish."

- You can admit it if you're scared.
- What? I'm not scared.

- What? Are you scared?
- No, I'm not scared.

- But I'm not the one who screams.
- That happened once.

Nearly busted my eardrum.

You want to keep talking smack,

or you want to tell me
what comes after the Boulder Dash?

How about the Cyclone in Coney Island?

And then we can head west
to the Millennium Force in Ohio.

This calls it a "giga-roller coaster."

Do you know what I say?
No hands, eyes open.

- That's right, you heard me.
- I'll believe it when I see it.

- Well, believe it.
- Fine.

Okay. I am done.

Seventy-four résumés,
addressed and sealed.

Not at all excessive.

Well, I just wanted to make sure
I didn't leave a stone unturned.

Yes. Rocks, pebbles, boulders.
They have all been turned.

Well, I got it all done before our trip.
Can you believe it?

Oh, man, I have a lot of books!

Hey, there's a cool state fair coaster
in Springfield.

Fifty-mile detour. Worth it.

- The rocket.
- The rocket.

- Have you talked to him?
- No.

It comes in waves, you know?

Big ones. Really close together.

Well, the waves will get smaller,
I promise.

You just have to give it time, you know?
You have to feel sad and get through it.

Believe me,
I'm letting myself feel plenty sad.

That's good.
I mean, it's not good but, you know,

under the circumstances, that's good.

- I just can't imagine it feeling better.
- But it will someday, I promise.

Yeah? Do you feel better about Luke?

Yeah.
I feel better because I think we're done.

What?
Maybe you guys just need more time.

More time?
I've given him all the time in the world.

Every time I'm vulnerable or I say
something or do something like the song,

he doesn't do anything.

Well,
he's always been a little slow to respond.

Yeah, I don't want
to make any more excuses, you know?

- I just don't think he's over you.
- Well, it doesn't matter. I'm over him.

I need someone who can feel, you know?
Who can show me how he feels.

He can't do that.

I guess that makes sense.

Anyway, we're better as friends,
you know?

Don't you think?

Like, "Hey, Luke, can I get some coffee?"
You know, friends like that.

Like, "Hey Luke,
can you make all the burgers

"for Rory's reenactment
graduation party?" You know?

What reenactment graduation party?

It's just a graduation reenactment party
that we're going to have for all the people

who couldn't go to your actual graduation.

"Reenactment" how?

All you have to do is throw on
that cap and gown again, you know,

and go up on a little podium
that somebody's going to build

and listen to the high school band play
Pomp and Circumstance.

- Mom!
- What? It's a party! It's going to be fun!

- You owe me.
- Okay, I'll get you lots of cotton candy,

and I won't make fun of you
when you scream.

- I'm not going to scream.
- Once a screamer, always a screamer.

- I was seven.
- Like that counts.

All right, give me 300 hotdogs,
250 burgers.

- How about brats?
- No brats, okay?

And enough buns, obviously,
to go with all that.

Buns, got it. You know,
brats go over very big at outdoor parties.

Yeah, well, I know the woman
who's throwing the party,

and she and her daughter
are strictly dogs-and-burgers people.

All right, the party's Saturday,
so I want delivery on Friday, okay?

- No sweat. I'll give you half off brats.
- Somebody cancel a big order, Charlie?

I tried to tell her. I said, "Lady,
nobody eats bratwurst at a wedding."

Yeah, right. I'll see you, man. Thanks.

- Hey, Liz.
- Hey, Chuck!

- How are you doing?
- I'm good.

There's your Uncle Lukey.

- Say, "Hi, Uncle Lukey!"
- Hi, Doula.

When she just stares like that,
that's her way of saying hi.

Works for me.

- How you doing, Liz?
- I'm pretty good.

- How about you?
- Oh, God, I'm crazed.

- Do you want something to eat?
- Oh, no, thanks.

We just stopped by
'cause Doula misses her Uncle Lukey.

She really misses him.

- Yeah, look, I cannot baby-sit today.
- Please!

I just need a little break. Please.

Come on,
I'm really swamped today, all right?

Besides, I'm really trying to lay in
the stuff for Rory's party next week.

Please! I really want
to get something special for that party

and every item of clothing that I own
is covered in spit-up.

- Yeah, sorry.
- Okay! If you can't do it, you can't do it.

- So, did you give it to her?
- What?

The necklace.
Did you give it to Lorelai yet?

It was just a backup gift for Rory.

Come on! That was no backup gift.

And what about the song?

Forget about the song!

The song meant nothing.
We're friends. That's it.

And you're good with being just friends?

- Yeah.
- I don't buy it.

Well, then maybe you should give her
the necklace, then, okay?

- I'm really busy here.
- Fine. Fine.

Hey, could you mix a sweet potato
and a banana in a blender?

- It's Doula's favorite.
- Sure.

And don't slip out while I'm making it.

I don't see why Rory had to take this
meeting during our Friday night dinners.

- Emily.
- Well, it's not even an interview!

If it was an interview,
I would understand, but it's a drink.

It's a contact, Mom. She's just trying
to remind him who she is.

- As if anyone could forget.
- I know.

You know Rory. She wants to make sure
she's got all her bases covered

before we go out of town
so that she can relax and have fun.

But I don't think this drink
should eat into our time.

Well, maybe we'll stay later.

- For after-dinner drinks?
- Maybe.

- So how long will you two be gone?
- A couple weeks, a month.

- You're riding roller coasters for a month?
- As long as our stomachs can take it.

This is what Yale graduates do?

Mother, she's tired. She needs a break.
Plus, this might be my last shot.

Your last shot?
What are you talking about?

Well, she's going to get a job and...

Who knows where, you know?
She's going to move on.

This might be the last time
I can really spend time with her like this.

Honestly, Lorelai.
Must you be so maudlin?

I'm not being maudlin. I'm being realistic.

- So how are things at the inn?
- Good! Busy, but good.

- I have an idea for you.
- Oh, no.

Oh, no, don't stop there. Go on.

I think you should add a spa to your inn.

- A spa?
- Yes. Spas are exploding.

Sounds dangerous.

All of our friends are trading
their island vacations for spa holidays.

I don't know, Mom.

When I was at the Ballantyne Resort,
it got me thinking.

This is really something
I think you should do.

Small country inns are old news, Lorelai.

Destination spas
are what everyone's talking about.

Mom, I told you. Business is good.

I don't need to start rubbing people with
hot rocks or wrapping them in seaweed.

Well, the travel market is fickle.
Wouldn't hurt to stay ahead of the curve.

I don't have the money
for that kind of expansion.

Here she is.

Will you at least think about it
before you say no?

Yes, I will think about it.

- Hi! Sorry I'm late.
- Hi!

- Rory!
- How were the drinks?

Good. I got a job.

- What? Tonight?
- Tonight?

I leave in three days.
I can't leave in three days.

- Leave where?
- What's the job, honey?

Well, I was having drinks
with Hugo Gray, right?

Who is this Hugo Gray?

He runs an online magazine.
Rory's been writing pieces for him.

So, we were just talking about different
opportunities that might come up

and where I've already applied,
and he mentioned that the reporter

that was covering the Barack Obama
campaign for him dropped out

because his fiancée got a job in Dubai,
so they're moving.

Wow!

So then Hugo asked me
if that was something I'd be interested in,

and I said, "Yes, I would be interested."
And he told me more about it

and, apparently, I would be on the
campaign trail with the other reporters.

The planes, the buses, the whole deal!
And I mean, it's only an online magazine,

so I wouldn't be staying where the Wall
Street Journal people stay at night, but...

- Who cares?
- But I would be traveling with them.

I'd be filing stories from the road
right up until the convention.

- So, have you talked salary yet?
- Yeah.

It's next to nothing, but all my meals
and travel and hotels would be covered,

so I wouldn't have that many expenses.

Well, that's fine. You're just starting out.

Plus, it sounds like you'll be making
excellent contacts.

I would be.

It could be quite grueling, Rory.

All that constant travel,
the seedy motels...

- She can handle it.
- I hope so. I said yes.

It's great!

It is, right?

You're going to be working
on a presidential campaign.

I know! But that also means
that in three days, I'd be leaving

for who knows how long.

It could be two months,
it could be two years, if Barack does well.

And what does that mean?
I'm only going to come home on holidays?

That's crazy!
And I need some transition time.

And the roller coasters.

How am I going to go
on all the roller coasters if I have to leave

and I have to be in Iowa on Monday

at the town hall meeting at the
Quality Inn Suites ballroom in Sioux City?

You're going to be fine.

What about the roller coasters?

We'll do it another time.

This is what you've been working for.

Yeah.

I guess it is.

I would have credentials.
Real press credentials. Isn't that crazy?

It's not crazy.

So this is it.

This is the last time we'll see you
for who knows how long.

Oh, yeah. I guess it is.

After-dinner drinks for sure.

Hear, hear.

But this list they gave me is
just ridiculous.

I mean, where am I going to find
a laptop car adapter by tomorrow?

A 24-hour laptop car adapter store.

- Seriously, Mom!
- Well, honey, that's our mission today.

We'll buy or borrow.
Hey, Caesar. Is Luke around?

- Sure! How are we today, ladies?
- We're fine.

- We'll be finer with a little coffee.
- Two to go, please.

With pleasure.
Hey, Luke! You got company!

- Here. Let me take that.
- I got it.

- Let me!
- I'm fine!

- It's not a problem!
- It's becoming one!

- Sorry!
- Yeah, take it. All right.

- Hey. Hey, Rory!
- Hi.

Hi. What was all that about?

He's just trying to show me
he can handle things, you know, if I leave.

- If?
- Well, the boat trip's been canceled,

but Caesar's got it in his head
that I'm going to leave at some point

so he can prove he can... Whatever...

- Java one, java two.
- Thanks.

So, Luke,

remember all the burgers and hotdogs
I ordered for Rory's party...

- Yeah.
- ...a week from Saturday?

- I have to cancel them.
- Why?

- Well, the party's canceled.
- Wait a second.

Did you just say
Rory's graduation party is canceled?

Oh, no, it's good news. Someone got a job.

What job?

I'm going to be a reporter
for an online magazine.

No, it's better than that.

She's going to Iowa and she's going to be
on the campaign bus with Barack Obama.

No party at all?

- Babette!
- Congratulations! That's great news!

Thank you. Yeah, I'm really excited.
But I don't know. I'm nervous.

- I have to be a real reporter. Yikes.
- Well, you'll be a great one.

She will. So, sorry, but, no Rory, no party.

- But you promised us a reenactment!
- We can still do the reenactment.

Remember my suggestion?
Lulu plays Rory?

It's not the same, Kirk.

And I was so looking forward
to having a good cry at the reenactment.

Okay.

You want a reenactment?
We can give you one right now.

Come on, Rory.

Okay. So, watch this.

Okay. And everybody,
the graduate Lorelai Leigh Gilmore!

- Here you go.
- Oh, yeah.

Shake the hand. Thank you.

And you are
one of tomorrow's future leaders today.

I am so happy.
I am so glad to have graduated

- summa cum Luke.
- And then your thing.

- Oh, yeah.
- Okay. Yeah!

It's not how I imagined it.

I'm sorry, guys.
I wish we could do the party. I really do.

We just don't have time.
She's leaving in two days.

Two days?

- I know. It's really soon.
- We just have a lot to do.

So this is goodbye?

No, this isn't goodbye.

I'm going to come by tomorrow
and visit everybody.

I'm not ready for this
to be the real goodbye.

Nah, this is more like a, "See you later."

- Yeah, I'll see you guys later.
- Okay?

So, see you later.

Okay.

- Bye.
- See you.

Bye, doll faces.

Isn't that interesting?

No party.

If I could get this to go...

Hey.

- Hey, Luke! How's it going?
- Good, it's going good. How are you?

Oh, good, good.
Hey, I apologize for the smell in here,

but I'm making bouillabaisse.

It's kind of at the stinkiest part,
a lot of uncooked fish and garlic.

- It smells good to me.
- Well, you're very kind.

You looking for Lorelai?

'Cause she's out and about
and I don't know when she's coming back.

- Yeah, I know. I saw her in town.
- Oh!

- Yeah.
- Yeah. So, what's up?

Well, you know she canceled
Rory's graduation party?

Yeah. I mean, I knew that kid wouldn't last
a whole summer at home

before landing some kind of amazing job
but, God, it happened so lightning fast!

You know, I was thinking maybe
we should throw it anyway.

- Oh, yeah?
- Yeah! I mean,

it's a week sooner than we planned
but there's no reason we can't do it.

I guess not.

And I think
we should make it a surprise party.

Who doesn't love a surprise?

You know,
I got all the hotdogs and the hamburgers,

and the buns
are on their way today anyway.

- You know, that's a very sweet idea, Luke.
- Yeah, I think Rory would really love it.

- I think Lorelai would love it.
- Yeah, Rory and Lorelai.

Yeah, Rory and Lorelai.
I think we should do it!

- Yeah.
- Yeah! Yeah, yeah.

- All right, I'll start telling everybody.
- Okay, what do you need from me?

- Desserts.
- Aha! Well, I'm all over it.

- Okay.
- And give Jackson a call.

- Okay.
- He'll help you with whatever you need.

- All right. Okay. Thanks, Sookie.
- Okay.

All right. Bye.

I don't know.
I think it would have made more sense

to get a regular-sized shampoo bottle
instead of 20 tiny ones.

With a big bottle,
you've got to lug it off and on the bus.

Lug? How big do they make them?

Look, the little bottles give you
just as much shampoo without the weight.

- Perfect for travel. Plus, they're cute.
- All right.

I want to stop by the post office.
I want to get tons of blank postcards.

- You are going to get so many postcards.
- You could just e-mail me.

Yeah, but postcard-sending
is a dying art form, right?

- And it's nice to, like, get mail.
- Sure.

- Plus, we'll talk all the time.
- Yeah, what else do you need?

A mini book-light.

Oh, man, I had a mini book-light
but I lent it to Paris.

And by "lent," I mean she totally stole it.

I think we have a mini book-light
in the lost and found at the inn.

- It's been there, like, a month.
- Poor rejected book-light.

Maybe you should adopt it
and give it the love it needs.

All right. Check.

What else do we need? Hey.

- I have a great idea. Come here.
- What? Where are we going?

Remember last year
when Miss Patty hurt her back

during rehearsal for Spring Fling?

Oh, yeah, she should've never
demonstrated the jetés

for the little daffodils.

She had one of those back-support things

that you put on top of chairs.
I bet she'd loan that to you.

Yeah, but do I really want to be known as
"back-support thingy girl"?

Hello. Two-hour speech?
Metal folding chairs?

- "And now I'll take questions for an hour."
- Just call me "back-support thingy girl."

That's weird. She never locks this.

- Miss Patty?
- Miss Patty?

Oh! Hello, girls!

- Hi, is everything okay?
- Oh, yes. Everything is fine.

I'm consulting with my muse.

- Your muse?
- Yes.

Whenever I want to think up
a new dance routine,

I come in here all alone,
lie down on the floor in the dark,

and I let the muse inspire me.

Did you want something?

No, its okay. We'll come back
when you're not with your muse.

- Okay, good.
- Okay. We'll see you later.

- Odd.
- Very odd.

- Okay, they're gone.
- Good, let's get this meeting going.

Once again, this is not a "meeting," per se.

We have already broken several
Robert's Rules of Order.

So don't tell Robert.

Yeah, besides, Taylor,
isn't it worth breaking the rules over?

It is Rory, for God's sake.

So let's start divvying up the duties.
Who's going to do the food?

I got hotdogs and hamburgers
on a couple of big grills in the square

and Sookie's got the rest covered.
Right, Jackson?

She's at home baking right now.

You name the fruit,
it'll be in one of her pies.

Can she make a sour-cream peach pie?

- I'll put it on the list.
- I'd like a blackberry.

She makes a wicked blackberry.
And cranberry.

- But...
- What about cherry? Cherry is a classic.

Please, could we stay focused, people?

This gathering is unofficial and, as such,

I would like to have it over with
as soon as possible.

Now, Luke,
I assume you have obtained permits

to use two large grills with open flame
on our town square?

No, I don't... I don't have any permits.

I just started this whole thing
a couple of hours ago.

Outdoor barbecuing sans permit
is a violation of town codes.

- As selectman, I can't approve that.
- Hey, Taylor!

If this meeting is unofficial,
then whatever you say is unofficial,

so Luke's barbecuing. What else?

Music. There's got to be music.

- Yeah, who's got a good sound system?
- Yo.

I believe I can also be of some help
in this area.

I'd gladly donate my time
and expertise as DJ.

Did a little DJ work back in college.
Went by the moniker Kap'n K.

- He's really good at scratching!
- Yeah, we've all seen that.

Okay, what about decorations?

I have a bunch of stuff left over
from a school birthday party.

Mylar balloons, streamers...

There are not going to be
any Mylar balloons.

They are infamous for floating up
and catching on power lines.

It could cause an outage
for the whole town!

Closest power lines
are six miles out of town.

- Nonetheless.
- Nonetheless,

Lulu, why don't you bring
those balloons and whatever else you got?

You people are violating
town ordinances left and right!

- This is highly irregular!
- Dude, you're who's highly irregular!

- Yeah!
- That's right!

- Yeah.
- Excuse me?

I don't know what your problem is,
but the town wants to throw this party,

and you're either going to join us

or you're going to stay home
and comb your beard.

- Yeah!
- Okay, all right.

All right, we're going to need
chairs and tables

and volunteers
to set them up around the gazebo, okay?

We're all going to get started
in the square tonight after dark, okay?

- Okay!
- Okay!

You are aware that this will remain
an unofficial party. You hear me?

Unofficial!

You should come along. It would be fun!

No, you need some alone time with Lane.

Yeah, but it's cutting into our you-and-me
time, which there's just isn't enough of.

There's plenty of time.

- Thirty-six hours is not plenty of time.
- That's not true.

Imagine if you had a 36-hour flight.

- That would seem like a long time, right?
- Yeah.

All right, plus, I have to go to Sookie and
Jackson's and get you that fanny pack.

- Really?
- What "really"?

You honestly think
I'm going to wear a fanny pack?

All I know is it's on the list.
And if it's on the list, I'm getting it for you.

You think Tom Brokaw's mother
sent him off to his first campaign

with no fanny pack?

When? When in my right mind would I...

Well, perhaps the Senator
might like a piece of gum

and no one has any

and then they say, "What about that girl
with the lime green fanny pack?"

Lime green?
I would be "lime green fanny pack girl"?

And they bring you over to him

and he says, "Hello, young lady.
What is your name?"

You say, "My name's Rory Gilmore.
Here's your gum." And bam!

Like that, you are gum buddies with
the future president of the United States!

Oh, when you put it that way.
Gum buddies.

All right.
Look, I'll meet you back at home, okay?

Okay, but take a nap, 'cause
we're staying up really late tonight.

- I don't need a nap to stay up really late.
- Okay.

- Give my love to Lane and the boys.
- I will.

- Bye.
- Bye.

- Billy Fink.
- You did not!

- I did.
- But Dave Rygalski!

Not technically my first kiss.

How did I not know this?

I was too ashamed to ever tell you.

I mean, how would you feel
if your first kiss was Billy Fink?

Well, just 'cause he didn't come out
of the gate strong,

it doesn't mean he didn't turn into
a very handsome, dashing billionaire.

He didn't. I ran into him a few years ago,

and he's living with his mom
and sells shoes in Norwich.

Oh. Well, maybe he'll sell billions of shoes.

How weird is this?

Yesterday we're sitting on your porch
playing jacks

and praying to grow boobs,
and now look at us.

I have a husband and two babies in there

and you're about to go off
and conquer the world.

Or at least write about it.

- We've come a long way, baby.
- I'll say.

- Babe?
- Yeah?

- Can I talk to you a sec?
- Sure, what's up?

In private.

- Oh, well, I'll be right back.
- Okay.

- Sorry, Rory.
- No problem.

- The kids okay?
- Sound asleep.

Then what's going on?

I just got a call from Luke,

and they want to start
setting up the square

- for the party tomorrow.
- Yeah, so?

So, the honoree is sitting out on our
porch looking out onto the square,

and they can't start setting up
until she goes home.

- It's my last night with my best friend.
- Well, could you kind of move it along,

because it's getting late
and we were just trying...

Hey, I'm just the messenger.

You're done when you're done.
I'll let them know.

Sorry about that.

- What's wrong?
- I don't know.

In the past two minutes, sitting here,

I've managed
to completely freak myself out.

The call, I haven't really had a chance
to stop and think about it,

but I just stopped and thought,
and I am really nervous.

- Totally understandable.
- But I'm, like, panic-attack nervous.

Rory, you're going to do an amazing job,
okay? You always do.

- But, see, I hate that!
- What?

Everyone thinking I'm going to do
an amazing job all the time,

like it's a given. It's not a given.
What if I am a terrible reporter?

Then you'll figure out how to get better.

Rory, the reason why everybody knows
you're going to do an amazing job

is because everybody knows you.

Hey, you're going to be nervous.

I mean,
I was nervous before I had the babies.

- I was throwing up all the time.
- You were pregnant.

True. But that was 30% pregnancy,
70% fear of being the world's worst mom.

I don't know. I just don't know
about just picking up and leaving

until who-knows-when.
And leaving my mom, I...

See? I'm not ready.

What reporter freaks out
about leaving their mom?

The lucky kind.

It's embarrassing.

- How is she holding up?
- She's fine.

She's not freaked out at all.
She's making lists and buying fanny packs.

She's not even a little bit sentimental.

- Your mom?
- Yeah. She's really fine.

- I'm sure she's freaking out on the inside.
- I don't know. Maybe.

- Lane...
- Yeah?

I just...

Your friendship means so much to me.

It's so...

Me, too.

I mean, I don't know what it's like
to have a sister,

but I feel like I do, you know?

Yeah.

- Mrs. Van Gerbig.
- Ms. Gilmore.

- Hey.
- Hey!

You're ironing?

The flatter the clothes,
the more will fit in your suitcase.

How was Lane's?

- It was sad saying goodbye.
- I'll bet.

Sookie wants you to come by
tomorrow and say goodbye to her.

- I made her a promise that you would.
- Sure.

And I got that fanny pack from Jackson.
I think you're right.

You're never going to wear it

unless you want to be relentlessly
teased by the other reporters.

Not so much.

But who knows?
Maybe you should take it, you know?

Maybe they're teasing reporters
who don't have fanny packs.

Who knows what their
reporter-teasing etiquette is these days.

- Mom.
- Yeah?

- I don't get it.
- What?

How can you be so okay with everything?

Ever since I've told you that I'm leaving,

you're just all busy with shopping
and packing and you seem fine with it.

It's too soon.

What?

If I stop to think about you leaving now,
I'm going to fall apart.

We still have time left.

It's too soon.

Here. I'll iron, you fold.

Hey, guys. Only six chairs to a table.

I think we can go eight if we grab
some more from the high school.

The door's chained but I can slip through.
I'm skinny like that.

Six is fine. And not everybody's going to
be sitting down at once.

- We found enough tablecloths.
- Great.

Turns out that Eastside Tilly
had a stash down in her basement.

Woke her up out of a dead sleep.
She couldn't have been more annoyed.

- It was fantastic.
- Thanks.

Hey, Luke. Got the turntable. What's next?

Why don't you help Kirk and Lulu
with the lights?

Will do.

Kirk, careful stringing those lights, okay?

One of those light bulbs blows
and the whole thing is useless.

- Luke, what do you think about these?
- What do I think about what?

- The centerpieces.
- Oh, nice!

- Sookie's idea. My vegetables.
- Yeah.

All right, great! Thanks.

Luke! Luke!

- Yeah, Babette, over here!
- Oh, Luke!

My ankles!

- Look at my ankles!
- Should I ask why?

- Bad news, doll! It's going to rain.
- What?

Oh, yeah, look at these ankles.

They haven't been this swollen
since Hurricane Bob.

So then I checked the Weather Channel
and, sure enough,

Nick Walker confirmed it.

There's a storm front
moving in over Connecticut.

- It's going to rain tomorrow?
- First thing in the a.m. Nick Walker.

- You a Nick Walker fan?
- No.

You should be! He's just terrific!
Always dead on! And so charming.

Of course,
I've always had a thing for meteorologists.

They're kind of like astronauts
crossed with fortunetellers.

Very intriguing men.
Anyway, he says it's definite.

- Oh, God.
- Yeah.

So I thought you'd want to know.
Sorry for the bad news,

but you know my ankles.

No, that's true. They're never wrong.

No, no, my hair's only 50-50,

but my ankles,
you can take them to the bank.

- What are we going to do?
- We could have it in the diner.

Now, how are you going to fit
200 people in the diner?

- In shifts.
- What a shame!

Maybe we could break the party up
into individual people's houses.

Like little party stations?

Are you going to wake up
the whole town and arrange that?

It sounded dumb while I was saying it.

I can't believe it's going to rain tomorrow.

You don't suppose anybody has any idea

where we can get a big wedding tent
at one o'clock in the morning?

It was a nice idea, man.

Why is no one picking up their phones?

I want to be sure
I can say goodbye to everyone.

We'll track them all down. I promise.

Rory. Look.

I think you're going to get to say goodbye
to everybody.

- Did you...
- No. I didn't do a thing.

Bye!

- Yeah!
- We love you, Rory!

So proud of you! What a good girl you are!

- Wow.
- Wow.

Rory, in my official capacity
as town sash-presenter,

I would like to present you with this sash,

which I also happened to make in my
official capacity as town sash-maker.

- Well, thank you.
- Kneel before me.

All right, could you at least
bow your head a little bit?

- Wow! That's quite a sash!
- Yeah! Yeah!

I got the material
from one of Mother's nighties.

We wouldn't let you go
without a party, sweetheart!

All right, no shoving. Let's make a line.

- Everybody gets a chance to hug Rory.
- I know.

I see Mom and Dad. I'll be right back.

Hey!

- This is quite a party.
- I know. It is, isn't it?

We had to cancel a lunch
with the Stuttgarts

because we only heard about it
from Sookie last night.

Emily, that hardly matters.

I didn't say it mattered.
I was merely relaying the facts.

- Well, anyway, I'm glad you're here.
- We wouldn't miss it.

Of course we wouldn't.
We're her grandparents.

- I just can't believe they did this for her.
- I don't think this is all for Rory.

I think this party is a testament to you,
Lorelai, and the home you've created here.

- I regret that you needed to...
- Richard.

I... Now, let me finish, Emily. I regret it.

And we've... Recent experiences

- have taught...
- Oh, please don't become one of those

"I had a heart attack,
let me express my every thought" types.

Not every thought, dear. Just this one.

It takes a remarkable person
to inspire all of this.

Thanks, Dad.

Okay, that's enough. It's not as though
the two of you are saying goodbye.

May I have your attention, please?

I'd like to welcome you all
to this bon voyage party

in honor of one of Stars Hollow's
favorite daughters, Ms. Rory Gilmore!

Brava! Brava!

I have known Rory, as have most of you...

Have you given anymore thought
to my spa idea?

Oh, yeah.
I don't think I'm interested, though.

...glorious spring day, pregnant
with pride and anticipation,

preparing to birth you
from our collective womb,

fully gestated and nourished.

And so, we breathe deep, and with
these last painful contractions

we push you out into the world,

spank your bottom, and wipe
the amniotic fluid from your eyes

as you issue your first independent breath.

- Is this speech making you a little queasy?
- A little bit.

Rory, would you like to say a few words?

Thank you, Taylor,
for that very unique tribute.

I love this place.
I just loved growing up here

and I love all of you

and thank you so much
for doing all of this.

It's amazing. I just... It's so...

I'm on the verge of gushing,
so I'm just going to stop myself here.

I don't want to gush.
Except one more thing.

To my mom, who is just everything to me

and everything I am
and who I'm going to miss so much.

- Hi.
- All right, let's get this party started!

- No bratwurst?
- No bratwurst.

- Just corn, then.
- What can I get you?

Can't decide.

I think I'll have two hamburgers,
medium rare.

- Hold on a sec.
- Lorelai, we really should be going,

but I want to say goodbye to Rory.

I guess I'll eat later.

- Okay, now, what can I get you?
- Now, listen.

Instead of a spa,
what about a tennis court?

People love tennis.

- You could put a bubble over it.
- Oh, God.

Outside the inn. You could use it
during the summer and winter.

There's really no downside.

Now, it's a little expensive,
but your father and I have discussed it

and we are willing to loan you the money.

- Oh, Mother.
- Standard terms. No interest.

Mom,
why do you want to loan me money?

All it would require is the three of us
sit down and hash out the details.

Obviously, we'd want to get together
with you from time to time

to see how things are progressing,
but we wouldn't become pests about it.

Mom, why don't we just talk
about it Friday night at dinner?

So our Friday night dinners
are going to continue, then?

Well, we might as well.
I've kind of gotten used to it.

All right. That sounds fine.

- But don't be late and don't wear jeans.
- When have I ever worn jeans to dinner?

Well, I don't know. It could very well be
Rory who enforces the dress code.

I'm just saying that I don't think
that jeans are appropriate.

Fine. Spandex and a tube top it is.

- Hey.
- Hey.

- My dear.
- Oh, thank you.

Now, listen.

You keep in touch. And not just postcards.
Phone calls as well.

Of course.

It's an honor to be your grandmother,
Rory Gilmore.

Well, thank you, I...
Thank you for everything.

Oh! Oh, dear.

I'll walk you guys to your car.

- Hey.
- Hi!

It's beautiful, isn't it?

So beautiful.
I can't believe you pulled it off.

No. I just did all the baking.
This was all Luke.

What?

He made me promise not to tell you,
but I don't care.

This was all Luke. He did all of it.
I mean, he's the one that came to me

and said, "Let's do the party."

And then he planned
the secret town meeting. Everything.

- Really?
- Yeah.

I mean, and then, last night,
when we thought it was going to rain

and we'd have to cancel the party,

he went around and collected everybody's
tarps and tents and raincoats and...

I don't know how he did it.

I mean,
he must've stayed up all night doing this.

Can you believe that?

Yeah.

- I'll be back.
- Okay.

- Hey, Kirk.
- I can't hear you! My eardrum popped!

Lorelai, if you see Luke,
tell him that he, and he alone,

- is responsible for all party cleanup.
- Okay.

Lorelai, you want to make
a Morey sandwich?

Maybe later, Babette.

- Hey.
- Hey.

Thank you.

It's no big deal.

Luke...

I just like to see you happy.

Okay.

Got these.

Honey, let me help you with that.

- No, I got it.
- Oh, no, I got it, I got it.

- I know how to work a zipper, Mom.
- Okay.

- That's it, huh?
- Yep.

- Got everything?
- I think so.

- What about this?
- That's for the plane.

How about these?

Those are old and kind of broken.
I have new ones.

- I just feel like I need more time.
- I know.

I really just feel ambushed, you know?

I mean,
I thought I had so much more time.

I thought I had all summer
to impart my wisdom

about work and life and your future

and I just feel like I had
something to tell you.

Oh! On the bus, make sure
you choose a good seat, you know?

Because people are creatures of habit
and the seat you pick in the beginning

could be your seat
for the rest of the year, you know?

Get a window seat, honey,
'cause there's so much to see.

And you might want to sit
in the back of the bus

because people there just tend to be
more chatty and friendly and...

I don't know what it is
about the front of bus, you know,

but people there just tend to be
a little more bossy and uptight.

It's just been that way since first grade.

And, honey,
I know what you're going to say,

but just, don't wear shorts, okay?

No matter how hot it is.
It's not professional

and all that heat
and those sticky vinyl seats...

It'll be like ripping a giant Band-Aid
off your thigh every time you stand up.

Don't be too shy. Don't be too forward

but don't be too shy,
'cause you make a lovely first impression,

- but you really grow on people, too.
- Mom...

You need Ziploc bags.
You should have them all the time.

- They're so handy.
- Mom...

And I'm going to give you
that orange sweater.

I know you've wanted it
and you know what?

- I'm finally going to give it to you.
- Mom...

You've given me everything I need.

Okay.

Okay.

Shall we?

What's the rush? It's like 5:00 a.m.

Got a stop to make.

The coffee smells good.

- Hello, old friend.
- How is it?

- Your first pot is always your best.
- Good.

Thanks for opening up the place.

Hey, I got to take care of
my best customers.

- So, you guys know what you want?
- I have no idea.

- Looks like a delightful menu.
- It does look delightful. Charming.

- Very charming. Adorable fonts.
- I wish there were pictures.

You know, I'm going to need a minute.
I can't decide.

Take all the time you need.

But in the meantime,
can we get some eggs and bacon

and hash browns to tide us over?

- Coming up.
- And pancakes?

- Hey, I like your necklace.
- Oh, you do?

- Suits you.
- Thanks.

Hey, you got to be careful when you
drink coffee on the bus. It's bumpy.

- I can handle it.
- I should've gotten you a sippy cup.

Maybe I should get a flask.

- Do they make flasks for hot beverages?
- Yeah, they're called Thermoses.

Right! I'll get you a Thermos that says
World's Greatest Reporter,

to match your cap.

Oh, yeah. About that. I meant to tell you
that I left that cap at home.

- What?
- Well, it wasn't very flattering.

Well, how will people know
you're the world's greatest reporter?

I don't know.

- I guess they'll just have to read your stuff.
- I guess so.