In Treatment (2008–2010): Season 3, Episode 11 - Jesse: Week Three - full transcript

So, how was your week, Jesse?

Anything out of the
ordinary happened?

Yes.

We got prank-called.

It was Nate.

Do you feel like
he's stalking you?

He wanted to see where I lived.

I'm gonna call Karen.

Your birth mother?

She owes me, I mean,
she's like really owes me.

Have you spoken about her
phone call to your parents?



I'll call Marisa right now.

What is she going to say?

She'll probably be relieved.

You know, what's hard though is, like

pretending my whole life
isn't just one giant mistake.

Whose are these?

My son's.

He's headed for
a world of pain.

It takes one to know one.

Jesse!

She came,

Just like you wanted.

Mrs. D'amato.

Hello, Dr. Weston.



Jesse, why don't you
come in first?

- Why?
- So that we can talk

About how to proceed
with the session.

It's cool, Paul.

I know you wanted her to come.

I'm fine with that.

Please.

So, Jesse, what...
what happened with the...?

He got beat up at school.

Jesse?

Somebody beat
the shit out of me.

So would you like
to tell me about it?

Not particularly.

He was jumped

In the men's bathroom
of the Whitney museum

While they were on a class trip

By some rich kid who doesn't
even go to their school.

Marisa.

Paul has something to tell you.

The school suspended Jesse

For defending himself
from attack.

Is that not just the most absurd
thing you've ever heard, doctor?

- It wasn't exactly an attack.
- Don't mumble, Jesse.

I said it wasn't
exactly an attack.

I'm sorry, but when a stranger

Starts hitting you
in a public bathroom

For absolutely no reason,
that is an attack.

- That certainly qualifies as an attack.
- I knew him.

For goodness sake, we can't
hear a word you're saying.

I said I knew him.

He wasn't a stranger, okay?

Are you getting this,
Helen Keller?

You knew him?

You didn't tell me that.

Well, who is he?

Nobody you know.

Was it Nate?

My art class took
a trip to the Whitney.

And Nate lives, like,
right across the street,

Right on 75th.

So I just thought
I'd call him

And leave him a message,
you know, because he's been

Leaving me so many lately
and, I don't know...

He picked up.

The fucker didn't
have school that day.

And he was like,
"where are you?"

And I was like,
"at the Whitney."

And he was like, "meet me in the
men's room on the third floor."

And I was like, "fine,"
because I didn't want

To go back to class
and spend the morning

Staring at those Georgia
O'keefe flower vaginas.

Those things
give me the creeps.

She doesn't even know
who Georgia O'keefe is.

So anyway, we, like,
go into one of the stalls

And we're kissing.

And he's like,
"you look hot."

And I'm like,
"then suck my dick."

What?

So he gets down on his knees,

Which, I have to admit,
was like

The hottest thing that's
ever happened to me.

And I'm, like, rock hard.

And all of a sudden
he starts talking...

"I've been thinking about you.

I've missed you.
I've been trying to call your house."

And I'm, like, not about
to have this conversation.

So I'm just like, "yeah well,
I didn't get those messages

Because we're living in a
shelter for the time being."

And he looks at me like
he doesn't believe me.

And I'm like, "what?"
and he's like, "nothing."

And then he tries to suck
my dick but he can't,

Because I've lost
my fucking boner.

So I, like, start
to pull up my pants

And he's like, "what the
fuck just happened?"

And I'm like, "you can't
suck dick for shit."

And that's when he hit me.

He, like,

Just kept hitting me
and hitting me

Until the guards came in
and took him off me.

It felt kind of good actually.

- You'll only make...
- don't touch me.

If I may, doctor...

I'm worried
the school overreacted

Because Jesse is, well...

- Gay?
- Yes.

Why can't you say the word?

I just wonder,
if he was straight

And got caught fighting
with another boy...

Do you see what I'm getting at?

Yes, I do.
I think it's a valid point.

No, it's not.
It's a ridiculous point.

I was fighting.
Fighting is illegal.

You get suspended for fighting.

But you weren't fighting so
much, darling, as being abused

- By this older, bigger... - did
you listen to a word I just said?

- I don't care... - I said I
told him to suck my dick.

I don't care if you told
him to go paddle a duck.

Words are one thing.

Physical violence is
something very different.

- Paddle a duck?
- Come on, Jesse.

No, that's good.
I'll have to remember that one.

God, you are sick,
Marisa.

I'm sick?
You're the one who...

Likes cock?

It's not a fucking
disease, Marisa,

No matter what they teach
you iv bible study.

That is not what
I was going to say.

- Oh, what were you going
to say then? - I...

You...

- Never mind.
- Say it.

I don't know what
I was going to say.

You are such a fucking liar!

- Jesse.
- What?

If you have to talk
to your mother like that,

You it outside my office.

Thank you.

We'll discuss what happened
with Nate in a minute,

But can I ask you,
Mrs. D'amato,

Why you came here
with Jesse today?

He said you asked me to.

Well, as long as you're here,

Is there anything that you
would like to say to your son?

What do you mean?

Well, this room
is a safe place,

So if there was
any conversation

That you wanted to have
that might be difficult...

Wait, isn't there something

That you want
to tell me?

Jesse?

How long is the suspension?

- Oh.
- It's just a week.

- So you'll be at home for a week?
- Yeah.

Why?

'cause it might be
an opportunity

To discuss certain things
with your parents.

What are we gonna tell
your father?

- You haven't told him?
- No, not yet.

What the fuck are you...?

I mean, why the hell...?

Why not?

He's been gone, Jesse.

- Where is he?
- He's on some job in Trenton.

- And when will he be back?
- Tomorrow.

Maybe you should
call him tonight.

- Yeah, not a fucking chance.
- Why not?

Because I don't want him
to rip out my ballsack.

Jesse!

Is that what
you're telling him?

Is that what he's telling you?

Jesus, Marisa,
take a fucking joke.

Roberto will be upset,
of course,

But he's not violent.

He's just worried

About Jesse
getting into college.

We both are.

And now that he's suspended...

I thought this might be
the one place

He wouldn't feel
like he had to lie.

They said maybe
if he came here,

If he talked to
a professional person...

Well, don't sweat it,
okay? If he came here,

I'll be out of your hair
long before all that.

- Oh really?
- Yeah, really.

- Where is your royal highness going?
- To Westchester.

Westchester?
Why not Paris?

Because Karen doesn't live in Paris.
She lives in Westchester.

- Who is Karen?
- My birth mother.

She called me.
And she wants me back.

This is why you wanted me
to come here today...

To tell me this?

You couldn't have just
called me on the phone?

I think that Jesse
wanted you to come

Because this would be
a safe place...

A safe place?
Safe for who?

When did she call?

No.

You know what?

I don't want to know.
I don't want to.

- Mrs. D'amato.
- No.

You two clearly have
much to discuss.

This is a major psychological
event for Jesse.

I'm sure you'll be
very helpful, Dr. Weston.

- I'd just be in the way.
- Mrs. D'amato,

I'd really appreciate it
if you stayed.

I'm sure Jesse would as well.

Thank you.

See?

See what?

I told you she doesn't
give two shits about me.

That's what you just
saw happening?

Yeah, she couldn't wait
to get out of here.

Is that the way you and your
mother normally interact?

- What do you mean?
- I mean, that dynamic,

The conversation
that just took place.

Would you say
that that was normal?

I don't normally tell her about
calls from my birth mother.

No, I'm not talking
about the content.

I'm more curious
about the tone.

- Tone? - You were angry.
You were abusive.

No, I wasn't.

I am angry.
I mean, what the fuck?

She can't handle anything.

Were you hoping is that I'd help her
handle to the news about Karen? Ay?

Dude, Ms. U. Made me
bring her.

She said it was a contingent
term of my suspension.

They wanted to expel me.

Why are you always
on her goddamn side?

You clearly wanted me

To tell Marisa about
Karen's phone call.

Yeah sure, but not so that
you could become besties.

Okay, then why?

Last week you were telling me
about some pictures

That you took
when you were younger

At a family reunion.

You said that you showed
the pictures to your mother

And she hated them.

What was in those pictures?

Why?

I'm just wondering
if there's a pattern here

In the way that your mother
responds to certain things.

We had to do this
family tree at school.

And the teacher said that I
could do mine in pictures

Because I had this new camera.

Where did you get the camera?

Roberto.

For my birthday.

So yeah, anyway,

I took a bunch of pictures
of, like, my cousins

And my grandparents
and shit.

And then we were all
hanging out at the beach,

So I started taking
pictures of other people.

And there were
these two older guys

In the lifeguard tower.

One of them was the lifeguard,

But the other one was
his friend or something.

And I watched them

Go into the water.
And I followed them.

I pretended I was taking
pictures of the waves.

When they came out
of the water,

I found a Rusty nail

And I stepped on it.

You deliberately stepped on it?

Yeah, it went
right through my foot.

And the lifeguard,
like, freaked out.

But the other guy was cool...

Peter.

He had me sterilize my foot
in the salt water

And he removed the nail.
He said he was pre-med.

And then we went
to the hospital together...

Peter and me.

We spent the whole day
together...

Until Roberto finally found me.

What do you mean,
he found you?

You didn't call him?

I told Peter I was an orphan.

An orphan?

Was that the first time you'd made
up a story about your parents?

Yeah, actually.

It was.

Anyway, we had to
do this, like,

Show-and-tell thing
at school

And a bunch
of parents came,

And I showed my pictures.

And Marisa

Asked the teacher
to take them down.

She said those men weren't
a part of our family.

But that was true, wasn't it?

I'm adopted. Peter could have
been my fucking brother.

I mean, look, they weren't,
like, crotch shots or anything.

They were really fucking
good... those pictures.

Even the teacher said so.

- She did?
- Yeah.

When she handed them back
she, like, pulled me aside

And she was like,

"stick with this."

Did your father
ever see the pictures?

No.

But I think Marisa
told him about them.

Why do you think that?

He changed.

In what ways did he change?

He got really busy
all of a sudden.

Um...

He used to, like,
take me to Coney island

Almost every other weekend,

And suddenly it was too far.

He used to drive me
to school every morning...

Suddenly I was old enough
to take the bus.

He hasn't really spoken to me

In four years.

So he shut you out.

Why do you think he did that?

Seriously?

Do you think
it had something to do

Maybe with your sexuality?

No, I think he got
abducted by aliens.

Listen Jesse,
I've never met your father,

So I'm just speculating,

But maybe you suddenly seemed
very different to him.

I mean
different from him.

Yeah, 'cause I'm gay.

That could have been
a part of it,

But also you're clearly
a very creative person.

You're an artist.

The pictures from the beach
made that clear.

I know... I know
a little about this

Because my son

Is an artist also.

And sometimes I...

I don't understand him,
you know?

I feel so...

Distant from him.

And sometimes, honestly, I feel
a little intimidated by him.

Well, Roberto is not
intimidated by me.

Well, like I said,
I don't know your father.

And I've only spent these 20
minutes with your mother.

But from what
I observed, she...

She's defending you, Jesse.

She's trying to make sure

You're not being discriminated
against because you're gay.

- It's bullshit.
- You think she's pretending?

Of course she's pretending.
She wants you think she's a good mother.

So it was a performance for me?

She's catholic.

I mean, as far as they're concerned,
I'm, like, Satan's spawn.

She hates me.
How can you not see that?

I didn't see a woman who
doesn't love her son just now.

But I did see a woman
who doesn't know

How to talk to her son.

I think your parents
let you down a long time ago.

You tried to tell them
something when you were 12,

When you tried to share
a part of yourself

That made you
different from them,

And they...
they reacted badly.

You felt they'd abandoned you.

Are now
here you are again,

With a call from
your birth mother...

Another piece of evidence,
you feel,

That separates you
from Roberto and Marisa.

I think you're
terrified, Jesse.

Of what?

That the same thing
is gonna happen again

And that they're going to
pull away even further.

Why are you acting like
this is all in my head?

She left.

You saw her leave.

I think you're really
upset that she left.

Where do you think... where
do you imagine she went?

How the hell should I know?

I spoke to Mrs.
Usich this morning before your session.

You said she wanted your
mother to join us in therapy.

But when I spoke to her,
she didn't mention

Anything about that at all.

I just want you
to recognize

That you invited Marisa
to come to therapy with you.

You wanted her here.

Jesse,

What's happening
in your head?

Static.

I bet she's at church.

When I was little,
she loved church.

She went every Sunday.

I would go with her
and get all dressed up

In my little jacket
and clip-on tie.

I remember falling asleep
against her in the pews.

She stopped going
after I came out.

She was too ashamed to go back.

Is it not possible
that she no longer wanted

To support an institution

That didn't have room
for her son?

- No. - You don't think
that's possible?

She was here for 15 minutes.

You think now you know her
better than I do?

No, of course I don't.

She looks at that church
every time we pass it.

It's, like, right on
the corner of our block.

And we have to walk by it
anytime we go anywhere.

And every time...

Every time,
she looks and she sighs.

She sighs, okay?

I mean, I bet she
went straight there.

She's, like, begging the priest

To take her back as we speak.

Have you heard
anything more from Karen?

Have you given any thought
to calling her back?

Uh, that's all
I ever think about.

Well, then we should talk
about your options next week.

Whatever, Paul.