Modern Family (2009–…): Season 4, Episode 24 - Goodnight Gracie - full transcript

We got some bad news yesterday.

Phil's mom died.
It wasn't unexpected.

He was with her and she went
very peacefully in her sleep.

She and I had
a special connection.

- We all did.
- But mostly me.

She said I was just like her.

Was she weirdly competitive too?

The whole family is
going down to Florida

tomorrow to be with Phil
for the service.

Such a relief.

I can feel how much
he needs me right now.



There they are.

Hey, guys.

Oh, you brought my neck pillow.

I missed you so much.

Phil, I'm so sorry.

Thanks.

Grace was such a kind
and whimsical soul.

The different animals she put
antlers on for Christmas cards--

inspired.

Not a single one
was photoshopped.

- Not even the alligator?
- Cost her the tip of her pinkie,

- but she had no regrets.
- Oh!

I'm so glad you guys are here.

I hope it wasn't too hard
to get away from work.



No. Please, anything for family.

Anything to get me
out of that office.

Ugh! It's all boring paperwork
and endless meetings.

Honestly, this funeral could not
have come at a better time.

Aw, that's sweet.
You should put that on the flowers.

Gloria, you must be so hot in that.

I am in mourning. In Colombia,
we take death very seriously.

Where don't they?

Can we lose the veil?
Nobody's looking for you, Gloria.

Who is Gloria?

I am a wanted woman in Florida.

I used to live there,
and when I left,

my roommate made our apartment
into a house of prostitution,

and my name
was still on the lease.

It's like a traffic ticket.

You walk into court,
pay a fine, it's done.

Quick and easy.

Yes, that was the name
of the whorehouse.

Mitchell, can you
go with her to court?

She's gonna need
some sort of lawyer.

Uh, you know, Jay,
Mitchell is so burnt out right now.

He is in desperate need of a break.

Bench warrants are a no-brainer.
And, I mean, come on.

Does Gloria really look
like the kind of woman

who would run a brothel?

- Yeah, I better go with her.
- You should go.

- Yeah.
- Mm-hmm.

There they are!

- Hey.
- Hi.

Oh, you look beautiful.
Hi, Claire.

How are you holding on, hmm?

Oh, well, you know...

We're getting through it.
Huh, dad?

Ah. I'm doing okay.
A little trouble sleeping.

I'm so used to her snoring,

I may have to borrow
the neighbor's bulldog.

Morning, Charlotte!

This is my family from California!

I can tell. They all
look like movie stars.

Ah. Oh, thank you.

That's nuts. I know that woman,
but I have no idea from where.

Yeah. This place is full
of stories like that.

Good morning,
Mr. Dunphy, visitors.

- Please, Shelley, call me Frank.
- No, sir.

That might be the way
they do things at Whistling Pines,

but we run a tight ship
here at Leisure Park.

As per your request,
I have reserved

the lakeside promenade
this evening for one hour,

beginning at 5:00 P.M.,
for your memorial service.

May I remind you that there's
no smoking on the grounds,

no glass near the lake,
no feeding the ducks?

And I'm sorry for your loss.

- Thank you.
- No feeding the ducks.

What are you looking at me for?

I love it here--

manicured lawns,

planned activities, early dinners.

What more does a kid need?

Oh, yeah. And everyone's
so polite and considerate--

nothing like the constant
catfights in my circle,

where every week,

somebody's mad at somebody
for God knows who what,

and I'm always thrown
into the middle.

You seem tense. You know,
they have a steam room.

- Wanna join me for a schvitz?
- Please, it's Florida.

If I wanna sweat more, I'll just
move my arms. You go have fun.

Hey, you.

Are you liking that book?

Well, it's not the worst thing
I've picked up at an airport,

but close.

What is this,

a book club or
a Miss America Pageant?

We're looking for our next book.

Oh, what are you reading now?

"Tempted by her innocent kiss."

I-I'm sure you don't know it.

Oh, please. Devon Carter
was Ashley's first,

she wants their passion to last,

but her hopes of true love
are crushed when she finds out

their marriage is just another one
of daddy's business deals.

I'm gay.

Oh! My grandson is gay.

His name is Daniel Schulman.
Uh, do you know him?

Oh! Is he about this tall,
dark hair, circumcised?

Terrible.

Don't be nervous, all right?

I'll explain your situation.

We'll have you
out of here in no time.

30 days in county jail.

What?
Ooh, she's tough.

Next.

Anita Menchaca.
Petty theft.

Si.

Mister, you're a lawyer?
Help me, please.

Oh, I'm sorry.
I'm her lawyer.

No, no, help her,
so this will go faster.

And she reminds me of my abuela,

with her head scarf and
her petty theft charges.

Here, your honor.

I'm Mitchell Pritchett,
attorney to Miss Manchego.

- Menchaca.
- Ah, yeah...

Are you ready to enter a plea?

Absolutely.

I see no reason why
this matter should

take up any more
of the court's valuable time.

Not guilty, your honor.

Why?

Gonna need a minute.

Look what my dad just gave me.

Please tell me that's not your mom.

No, no. She picked out her own urn.

My dad keeps saying

it's a size too small but
she squeezed into it.

No, this is stuff
she left for the kids.

- Can I... open it?
- Yeah.

Wow. There's a note for you.

I can't read it.

- Okay.
- Would you?

All right.

"Dear Phil,

"you've always been
the most wonderful son,

and now I need you to do
one last thing for me."

Oh, no!

She's gonna ask me to throw
her ashes in the Pope's face.

"Don't say anything to your father

"because he'll just resist,

"but there's a woman
named Annie Fitzsimmons

"who lives a few streets over.

"We don't know her very well,
but I've always admired her,

"and I think she'd
be perfect for your dad.

So before you go home,
I want you to fix him up with her."

That is crazy!

"I know this sounds crazy,

"but single men are
in short supply here.

"And a lot of scheming
harpies will swoop in

"before your father
knows what hit him.

I love Frank, but he'll follow
anything with a casserole."

I don't believe this.

It's too soon, and
my dad's not a cartoon bear.

He's perfectly capable
of making intelligent decisions.

Hey, guys? I made cookies.

Oh, good. I thought
that was a neighbor.

Hey, kids, your grandma
left each of you something.

Cool! Rockports!

It's just the box.

Oh, my God.
There's a letter.

I don't know if
I'm ready for this.

Although if grandma wrote it,

she must have sensed
I was ready.

Because you had such a bond?

You felt it, too?

Haley, why don't you
tell us what yours says?

Well, it's so sweet.

It's about how beautiful
I am inside and--

score! Jewelry

Whoa! Check it out!

Oh, look at that.

Your grandma loved pocket watches.

- Aw!
- She said they made a man look dignified.

Is this chain in case
you swallow it?

No, but suddenly
I'm glad it's there.

- A lighter?
- Huh. What does the note say?

"This is a lighter."

I don't understand.

How much clearer
could she have been?

I wouldn't read too much into it.

Your grandma loved you very much.

She just did a couple of
bizarre things towards the end.

Here, Alex, I can
help you out with that.

You are getting very sleepy.

A crappy old lighter
is not a sucky gift.

Honey, hey, hey. So you're not
gonna do what your mom asked?

Marry off my dad
to a complete stranger

on the day of her funeral?
I think not.

It was her last wish.

When my dad is ready,
he gets to pick his own girlfriend.

That's the big upside
to your wife dying.

Also, not having to think
before you speak.

Yeah.

Your honor, it all
boils down to this.

The motel owes
Miss Menchengo--

- Menchaca.
- Damn it. Every time.

More in wages than
she ever could've taken

in soaps and tiny shampoos.

Fine. Case dismissed.

Yes!

Oh! Gracias! Muchas gracias!

- De nada. De nada.
- Muchas gracias.

Did you see that? I won!
I-I can't believe it!

Yeah. It scares me that winning
is such a surprise for you.

Next! Matthew Plonkser.
Parking violations.

I thought I'd be a little rusty,
but apparently not.

Oh! Really? Sweet.

Yes! Go make your
mistakes with him.

I don't want to go
to jail for prostitution.

Like you could afford me.

It seems to me
it wasn't only the meter

that was broken
that fateful afternoon.

Nay!

It was the entire
criminal justice system.

Therefore I submit to you,

the only "influence" my client
was under that night

was his love of boating.

Shame!

I just don't get it.
Why would she give me a lighter?

Maybe she wants you
to burn all your clothes.

Is it possible we didn't have
the connection I thought we did?

I don't know.
You heard dad.

She was on all that medication
towards the end.

People do weird things
when they're on drugs.

When Dylan was on Vicodin
after his root canal,

he bought the complete DVD set
of "Dr. Quinn medicine woman."

Get going, ladies.
The pool's for residents only.

Oh, okay. Sorry. We'll leave.

Uh, no, we won't.
There's nobody here.

- Haley!
- Why can't we use the pool?

Because those are the rules.

Are we gonna have a problem here?

You don't scare me
I've been in real jail.

Oh, you two are
pretty smart, aren't you?

No. Only she is.

North.

Flowers.

Red.

One dot.

Two bam.

I have mahj!

- Hee hee!
- Again?!

Wow, you're really
on some streak, Edith.

Luck of the tiles.

Anyone else want some punch?

Yeah. I'll join you.

- You are very good.
- Well...

Where'd a farm boy like you
learn to play mahjong?

Oh, well, one summer,

I worked at the central
Missouri b'Nai b'rith.

It's the nation's smallest chapter.

Listen, Marilyn,

I don't mean to stir things up,

but I just saw Edith take the winning
tile out of her jacket pocket.

I knew it!

Nobody's that good!

Listen, I'm as shocked as you are.

It just doesn't seem like Edith.

Yeah, well, it goes to show,
you think you know someone...

Hey. What happened
to all the cookies?

Oh, well, you know
I hate to stir things up...

- Excuse me.
- Yes?

Jay Pritchett. Frank Dunphy's son
is married to my daughter.

Oh, I'm so sorry.

Ah, he grows on you.

Oh, you're talking about
the death. Thank you.

You look very familiar to me.
Did you ever live in Ohio?

No. I'm from Pensacola.

And then it hit me.

I had done my basic
training in Pensacola.

She was my first.

I'll never forget her--
Charlotte somebody.

I was 18, and she was 31.

And we fell pretty hard
for each other.

I always felt bad
I never called her

when I got back from Vietnam.

Especially because by then I had,
you know...

learned a few things.

I'm sorry.
You'll have to forgive me.

My memory isn't what it used to be.

I was in the Navy.
Jay Pritchett.

Little more up here,

little less down here.

I'm sure you're a very nice man,

but I-I think you may have
mistaken me for someone else.

I was shipping off to Vietnam.

You had the ass of
a young Ann-Margret.

Yeah, that was me.

Grandma looks so happy here.

Yeah. We were pretty hammered.

That was last 4th of July--
grandma's favorite holiday.

The Plimptons had a barbecue,

and gram and I got a little tipsy
on ginger margaritas.

We came home for a catnap

and slept right through
the big fireworks show.

First one she ever missed.

Boy, was she mad.

I made it up to her

with a little fireworks show
of our own later.

Grandpa!

A couple of glow sticks and
a slingshot in the backyard.

Which led to some pretty
memorable lovemaking.

Not to change the subject,

but I don't really get
the gift grandma left me.

Well, didn't she explain
it in the note?

No. The note's four words.

You know it opens, right?

It does?

Sure. Look, it's Florida.
Everything sticks together.

It's all so weird.

- Mm. - This thing you dread
in the back of your mind

suddenly becomes real.

I know.

I feel better having
you here, though.

Oh, I'm always here for you.

Look at that house.

That is a cute house.

I wonder who lives there.

I don't know.

Claire, what are you doing?

I love this house.

I bet you anything I would love
whoever lives here.

Wait a minute.

That lady from my mom's letter
lives here, doesn't she?

Annie Fitzsimmons.

Phil, listen to me.

You may have your reasons
for not wanting to do this,

but your mother was
a very wise woman.

She believed that whoever
is behind that door

would make your father happy
for the rest of his life.

Yeah. What can I do for you?

She's perfect.

I thought Annie Fitzsimmons
lived here.

She does.
Annie, honey!

There's people here to see ya!

- Hi.
- Hi.

Can I help you?

We're selling vacuum cleaners.

Wow. That is strange.

I know.

Because just this morning,
my vacuum cleaner broke.

- Huh.
- That's on me. I shed like a collie.

Let's see what you got.

Yes, Claire,
let's see what you got.

I didn't bring it.

- You didn't bring it?
- No.

You had it when we left
the vacuum cleaner office.

I guess it's fair to say
you've made a huge mistake.

- Mm.
- No. Say it.

I'm sorry to do that.
It's part of the training.

I've made a huge mistake.

I don't think she's gonna work out.

- That's mahj again!
- Oh! Well, shocker.

- That's it. You're cheating.
- I am not.

Oh, please! You've stashed more tiles
than Marilyn has cookies!

Oh! O-okay.
Uh, let's just take a breath.

Who cares about tiles or cookies

or whatever Hattie's
slipping into her coffee?

I knew you were drinking again!

- That's how she lost her license.
- You shut your traps!

- Drop dead!
- Screw you!

- Yeah, you, too!
- Ladies.

- And you!
- Ladies.

- Stop it! Stop it.
- You--

You have been friends
for 20 years.

What on earth has
gotten into you all?

Why does drama keep
following me everywhere I go?

It just keeps popping up
out of nowhere.

Like Crispin's hair plugs.

And so we went
to your apartment.

It's still embarrassing.

I told you I had never
been with a woman.

And you took me by the hand
and you led me into the bedroom.

You were so sweet and beautiful.

I thought I'd gone to heaven.

- Jay Pritchett.
- Yes! Yes!

Oh! I remember that.

You were so handsome.

Ohh! I don't know about that.

I mean, cute, maybe. I--
People talk about my eyes.

But I always regretted
not getting in touch with you

when I got back,

because you had given me
something that I cherished

for almost 50 years.

You gave me something, too.

I did?

You wait right there.

I'm down there for a funeral--

it's such a sad event--

and I end up finding something
that I thought was lost forever.

This beautiful moment that meant
so much to both of us,

set against the backdrop
of fighting commies.

There's your movie.

I remember exactly where I was
when you gave it to me.

You said, "wear this bec--"

No, no. This isn't mine.

And I never went
to Jefferson High.

Oh. My mistake.

Ah! Here it is.

- You said, "pin this--"
- No, no. N-no. Never got a medal.

And, uh...

this is the wrong
branch of service.

Of course.

These are th--

Never wrote.

Why don't you look through here?

Turns out she sent more men
off to war than Lyndon Johnson.

Well, we're here.

You wanna try to sell
my dad a vacuum?

Tease me all you want.

I am glad that we at least tried.

I know you mean well,
but he's gonna be fine on his own.

So funny.

Ooh! Here.
Try mine, Frank.

- Oh! I bet it's delicious.
- Mmm.

If your taste buds are dead.

Dead? Real sensitive, Myra.

The woman's not even cold...
unlike your eggplant parm.

What is going on?

Oh, it's a feeding frenzy.
They're all over him.

They're practically measuring
the windows for new drapes.

It's disgusting.

I must get this recipe, Myra.

Oh, sure.

You want the recipe?
It's thaw, heat, and serve.

My mom was right.
They're gonna eat him alive.

Do you think we can break up

- Annie Fitzsimmons and her boyfriend?
- Boyfriend?

Oh, you mean Marv?
Oh, that's hilarious. Oh!

Marv's her brother,
visiting from Pompano.

He's here for the week,

slept with half
the women in this place.

She's single? This is fantastic.

Cam, how do you know that?

This place is lousy with gossips.

Next.
Gloria Delgado?

I'm here!

Conspiring to promote prostitution.
How do you plead?

- Not guilty, your honor.
- Oh, good. It's you.

Your majesty.
I didn't do anything wrong.

But I will say that I am guilty

if I can just pay
the fine and go home.

No, you won't.

You're innocent,
and I can prove it.

Your honor,
this document here shows

that my client was a resident
of California at the time.

And these canceled checks prove

that she was legally subletting
the apartment in question.

I might be a simple man,
but I do know one thing...

If a dog don't bark--

Okay, I can't listen
to him anymore.

Case dismissed. Court adjourned.

- Oh!
- Ah! Gracias, Mitchell! You're wonderful!

You know what? We got lucky because
I had no ending to that dog thing.

If you don't have
anything to do next week,

maybe you can go with me to Texas.

Hello again.

Oh, no. You're alone.

Did you fire that nice girl?

No. She's not a nice girl.
She's my wife.

And we don't sell vacuums.

Thank God. You'd starve.

U-um, I-I-I'm actually Phil Dunphy.

I-I'm Frank and Grace Dunphy's son.

Oh, I heard about your mom.
I'm--I'm so sorry.

Thank you.

I only met her a few times,

but she seemed like
a lovely woman.

Mm, but I'm still confused.

Well, this probably
won't help, but, um...

Her last request was for me
to fix you up with my dad.

Oh, my.

Yeah. I really wish
I sold vacuums.

So earlier...

We were thrown when your brother
answered the door.

We thought he was your boyfriend.

I don't know what to say.

Really? This is such
a-a normal request I'm making.

Please, by the way,
don't feel pressured at all.

My dad doesn't even
know about this.

I-I just--I had to tell you.
It's what she wanted.

She was always doing
crazy stuff like this...

Going out of her way
to take care of us.

I coughed on the phone once,
and she overnighted me soup.

When I wanted to learn how to ski,
she knit me a sweater.

When I wanted to be
a marine biologist,

she knit me a sweater
with a whale on it.

Who does that?

That's just the kind
of person she is.

Was.

Oh, sweetie.

You're a good son.

She was right.
You are very nice.

It's a beautiful service.

It really makes you think about
how you wanna live your life.

I wanna quit my job and
get back into the courtroom.

What?

Yeah. Just--just don't say
anything to anyone.

Well, who am I gonna tell?

Thank you, Mel.

That was beautiful.

Um, before we say good night,

my daughter Alex
would like to pay tribute.

Thanks, sweetie.

My grandmother and I
had a very special bond.

Seriously? Again?

This may not make
sense to everyone,

but I'm pretty sure
she would've loved it.

"This is a lighter.

"It belonged to my favorite actor,
Paul Newman.

"One day, he came into the restaurant
where I was waitressing

"and accidentally left it behind.

"For the first time in my life,

"I did something
I wasn't supposed to

and slipped it into my pocket."

"One of the customers saw

"and said, 'don't worry.
Your secret's safe with me.

"That customer turned out
to be the love of my life,

"your grandfather.

"So, my Alex,
who I love so dearly,

"who is probably too much
like me for her own good,

"every once in a while,

"don't be afraid to break the rules.

You never know what can happen."

How 'bout this weather?

Yep. They say
it's supposed to rain.

We need it.

Muriel.

Hey! Are you two packed up
and ready to go?

Yep.

Where does the time go?

Darned if I know.

Everyone's always in such a hurry.

And why? We're all gonna
end up in the same place.

Well, I guess we better mosey.