Six Feet Under (2001–2005): Season 5, Episode 8 - Singing for Our Lives - full transcript
Pilar Sandoval attempts to Rollerblade a steep hill while walking her dogs but literally doesn't make it when she loses control and is hit by a car. Brenda is upset with Nate's fists-up ...
Season 5 Episode 8
"Singing for our lives"
Hey, Marita.
No, I'm working.
Another half hour and I gotta
go feed a cat off mulholland.
What kind of party?
All right, I'll call
you when I get home.
Oh, shit.
You should see this hill.
No, I'm on my rollerblades.
I should really take
them off and walk down.
It's really steep.
Really, really steep.
Call you right back.
Come on, pup, come on!
All right!
Oh my god! Now we're safe.
I need some help out here!
I need some help!
Did I tell you Nate's dragging me
to a quaker church service tonight?
- No.
- Yeah.
He thinks couples therapy
is a waste of time,
So this is his solution.
I thought you were
already going to therapy.
Oh yeah, we went once,
But he thought
That the therapist and
I were ganging up on him,
So that was that.
Well, who knows, maybe a little
spirituality will help, you know.
Quakerism?
Yeah, right.
I just wish he'd take half as
much interest in his own baby.
Hey, if it was important
to you to have him here,
You should have made that clear to him.
I didn't tell him.
Nate and I, we're 100
miles apart on this baby.
On everything, really.
I didn't want him here.
I mean, it's not good for me.
It's certainly not good for the baby.
Ha.
- Thanks for coming.
- Yeah.
- Hello, Brenda.
- Hey, dr. Melnick.
- How are you feeling today?
- Okay.
Yeah.
- Would you lie back for me please?
- No husband today?
- No, no. He couldn't get away from work.
This is my friend Jackie.
There's your fetus.
Oh.
Nice heartbeat.
Size looks good. Yeah.
Everything seems to be
developing normally at this point.
So the baby's healthy?
I'd still like to do an amnio.
No. No.
Do you want to know the baby's sex?
Here's my work number, my cell number.
I know those numbers, David.
Yes, but sometimes in
the panic of an emergency
It's helpful to have them written down.
I'll be driving Roger's limo
all day, so here's that number.
This is too many numbers, honestly.
We really appreciate
you watching the boys.
Durrell didn't tell us
until last night that
- It was teacher development day.
- You didn't ask me.
I'm glad to finally have some
time with my new grandchildren.
You've been hiding them from me.
We've been trying to keep
them to a regular schedule.
Well, we'll have fun today.
I brought the makings for
chocolate chip cookies.
- I thought I'd bake.
- I like chocolate chip cookies.
All boys do.
- I don't.
- You'll like mine.
Oh, we'll see about that.
Durrell, you do whatever
Mrs. Fisher tells you to do.
What if she tells me
to jump out the window?
They're allowed one hour of
television, one our of playstation
And they can take their soccer
ball down to the courtyard.
But they'd better not be kicking
the ball against the building.
- Or you'll whup us.
- I did not say that.
We'll be fine, really. You two go now.
Have a good day.
I'll be home by 5:00.
You look like a witch.
I assure you I'm not.
I didn't say you were.
I said you look like one.
This is what they made very efficient.
This is why the republicans
rely so much on this base.
This is a corporatized
christian cult situation
Where it's about personal empowerment
Which is part of the republican agenda
The neo-Contact cult agenda.
What Ray was talking about
Ray is obviously a
different type of christian
Who I offended
Oh god. Jesus.
Usted decidiro sobra
la señora de Guadalupe.
Sí. Perro con manguillos de cobre.
Amarillo pulido.
- ¿Qué?
- El cobre pulido.
Pulido, pulido what?
- Qué pulido?
- Con en el interior en seda rosada,
- En vez de marrón.
- Polished.
Pulido, polished.
Polished what?
I don't know what
you're talking about.
Qué dio.
Por favor, un momento.
If you knew they didn't speak english,
Then why did you even
try to handle the intake?
I'm trying to learn spanish.
By using our clients as a classroom?
I didn't plan this. It was a walk-In.
I was the only one available.
What am I supposed
do with this body now?
You wanna take over for me?
Oh, that's right. You can't.
I already did most of the work.
Great. I'm really in the mood for
dealing with a grieving widower.
It's her parents.
She's married, then her parents
don't have the right to make these decisions.
- To make these decisions Nate.
- I think she was divorced.
- You think?
- Yes, Rico, I think.
- Gracias.
- Gracias.
- Are you really sure about all this?
- What?
Didn't you overdo it
on the merchandise?
What are you talking about?
You sold them a casket for $4,000,
You added another $600
just to switch handles,
Three grand for the monument,
another $400 for doves.
It just goes on.
This is their youngest daughter
they're burying Nate.
The guy works in a machine
shop. He can't afford this.
Besides learning to mangle
a few words in spanish,
Maybe you should learn something
about latin culture as well.
We honor our dead, Nate.
- And end up broke because of it.
- That is so fucking racist.
How am I being racist?! You're
the one who said it's cultural thing.
Every single member of the family
pitches in at moments like this.
Everyone. We take care of each
other. No one's left broke.
I've got work to do.
As you can see we've got
a top of the line retort
To the primary and secondary chambers
Just we're lined last year. Feel
free to look over everything.
- You're asking 340,000?
Oh, it's worth every penny, David.
I get over 300 cases a year.
I could handle more if
I added another retort
Which is exactly what I would do
If I were 20 years younger.
Cremation is a growing
business, you know that.
Yes, I do.
You don't want fisher &
sons to get left behind.
Fisher & Diaz.
I've got another prospective
buyer stopping by in the morning.
- I see.
- I'm not trying to push you,
But I've had this place since 1972.
It's been good to me.
I'd be pleased to pass it on
to the sons of Nathaniel Fisher.
I'll talk to my partners.
Regular non-fat latte.
Oh! Steal us a bunch of splendas.
- Like a whole bunch.
- Splenda.
Yeah. A large mocha ice-Blended please.
I want a regular soy
pomegranate blueberry tea latte.
But in a large cup.
and then could you
just fill up the rest with soy?
Isn't that just a large soy
pomegranate blueberry tea latte?
No, it's a regular in a large cup.
Oh, and also...
A reduced-Fat...
Wholesome morning muffin.
Claire?
Hey, Anita.
Oh, someone's very thirsty.
And on her way to
bible class, I'm guessing.
Oh yeah. It's pretty awful, isn't it?
I'm kind of temping at this place.
Is that where you've been?
Shit, I've left you like 100 messages
- I thought you were dead.
- Sorry.
You were like my best friend
and then suddenly you were gone.
Well, how've you been?
Fabulous. You know.
School, sex, drugs, creating art.
- Well, that's good.
- Yeah.
I'm kind of on the clock,
so I should probably go.
Ah, here, let me give you this.
Lac-Arts junior show.
I got a piece in it.
Oh, wow!
Please promise you'll come.
Everybody'll be there.
Yeah, okay. Great.
Good.
Boys, the first batch is ready!
Anthony, Durrell,
The cookies are ready!
I really appreciate
you doing this for me.
Sure.
Come on, a quaker church service.
At the very least it'll be interesting.
I'm trying to keep an open mind.
There's no sermon or anything.
People just sit silently
And wait to be filled
with the presence of god.
Maggie says we can say
something if we feel like it, but
You don't have to.
It's not like a requirement.
Is there anything else
Maggie thinks we should know?
Melnick says the baby's
looking really good.
- When was this?
- This morning.
- I had a sonogram.
- What?
Why didn't you tell me about it?
Because I wanted to spare you the grief.
I'm sorry, but this is one of the
things that we talked about really.
It pisses me off when you do
stuff like this without telling me.
Ok, why don't you sit
there and allow yourself
To be filled with the presence of god?
- So what did she say?
- She said that the baby
was developing normally.
There's no sign of any irregularities,
All of which is very very encouraging.
So it's perfectly healthy.
Well, you know,
there are some things
That the sonogram can't tell.
What, so it could have
down's or Spina Bifida?
Oh, no probably not
downs because we did
this neck measurement test.
And at looked really good.
Wow. So, great!
We get to maybe check
this one thing off the list
And it could still have a million
other things wrong with it.
The baby's not an it, Nate, it's a girl.
We're having another daughter.
Mom, how could you let
them take off like that?
I had no idea they'd left.
- Why weren't you watching them?
- I was making cookies.
You said they could
play in the courtyard.
You never thought
once to check on them?
Don't talk to me like I'm an imbecile.
- I've raised three children.
- That's why I expected
A little more from you.
This just can't happen, mum.
Then you can take me off
your list of babysitters.
I'm taking my cookies.
You can wipe that smirk
right off your face.
You are grounded, mister.
And you cannot tell Keith about this.
You can't just shuffle
through the process
- and pretend I don't exist.
- It's nerve-Wracking enough
- For me without you being-
- What, the voice of reason?
Wow, you look great.
- Are we going out tonight?
- I am
I'm going to dinner with Angelica
And some of her friends.
We might go to a party
afterwards so don't wait up.
Oh.
Boys eaten?
This is wednesday. It's your
night to take care of dinner.
- Oh, right right.
- Don't give me that look.
You have one night
a week, I have six.
Order some pizza if
that's the best you can do.
- I can cook something.
- Don't forget to clean up.
That's not my job.
- Okay, I get it.
And do not make me
the bad guy here, please?
Vanessa...
I'm fine. Just
Just go.
I am.
So, friends... With the doctor saying
everything's in remission,
Kathy and I are feeling very...
Very blessed right now.
Friends... I have
been dizzy all week. And
I had to take the bus here.
I need someone to
give me a ride home.
Oh
Thank you.
I just wanted to say how
good it feels to be here.
All day long I deal with death...
And stress...
And it's nice to be
in a place of peace.
That's all.
Is it okay if I take some
of those cookies to work?
You made so many.
- Take as many as you'd like.
- Thanks.
- Do you want some help?
- No.
I think I've already
made a mess of it.
I don't know why I try
and cut my own hair.
Pamper yourself. Go to a salon.
It's not like we're
living on the prairie.
You want to give quaker church
another chance tomorrow night?
- Not really.
- One, two, four, three, five.
- Okay.
- Why?
Well, Maggie's car is in the shop
And I offered to
give her a ride, so...
It's 8:30 in the morning and
you've already talked to Maggie?
She needed a ride.
That place looked like
it was full of friends
Who just love to be her ride.
Do you want to come or not?
Are you really buying into this?
I'm not buying into anything.
So, when you went into
that church last night,
You really believed you
were in the presence of god?
What I said was that it
felt like a place of peace.
- Which it isn't here.
- Not a lot lately, no.
One, two, three, four, five.
Hey, sweetie. Can you
get your shoes for me,
Then I'll get you ready
for daycare, okay?
Thank you.
It was just nice, Brenda.
It was really nice to
be around some people who
didn't think they know everything
And who thought there might
be something more to life
Than what they can see and
feel and be right about.
Well, I feel sorry for you
That you have such emptiness inside you
That you need to fill it with
something so...
ridiculous.
- You really don't believe in anything?
- You know I don't.
Well, I feel sorry for you then.
And I don't understand
where you draw the line.
The service is basically
silent meditation. You meditate.
Yes, but I'm not waiting for
some mythical, historical ghost
With his shaming,
blood-sacrifice bullshit
To come and save my soul.
I meditate to see the world as it is
To accept the world,
To feel alive.
And you can't do
that with other people?
Not with those people, no.
So if I get involved with Quakerism
Or whatever because
it makes sense to me,
- Because it means something to me,
- Nate, you can't you're just using this
As a way to distance yourself
from me and your baby,
Because you're scared and
you don't know what to do.
How could I be distancing
myself?! I'm here every night!
Not tomorrow night! Apparently
you'd rather be with that sappy,
- Little ferret, Maggie.
- Hey!
- She is a deeply kind person.
- Oh.
Is that what you're looking
for now?
A deeply kind person?
Well, I know I don't want someone
Who makes me feel like shit
every second of the day.
If I'm so awful, why don't you leave?
Will you stop threatening me? It's like
you think you can win every argument
- By giving me some fucking ultimatum!
- No, it was a question!
Yeah? Well, I'm not leaving!
Maybe you want to leave,
but I'm here Brenda!
I am here, Brenda,
I m'not going anywhere
I gotta go to work.
Hey, Benny. What's up?
- Can you tell me what this is?
- A side mirror.
Can you tell me what
it's doing in my hand?
- You got me.
- It's in my hand because it's no longer
attached to my car. And it's no
longer attached to my car
Because your kid knocked it
off with your ginormous truck
- Trying to park last week.
- What, Durrell?
He's 12 years old, man.
Oh, fucking kid.
All right, I'll pay you for it.
$280.00
I'll, I'll write you a check.
So, was that you I saw crawling out
of a lime-Green hearse yesterday?
It's actually more of an avocado.
Ah. You don't seem
particularly goth and...
I don't think you have
your own band, so...
- My dad was a funeral director.
- Ah.
- Really?
- Yeah. I grew up in a funeral home.
- I still live in a funeral home.
- Wow.
- With dead bodies and everything.
- Yep.
- Isn't that kind of scary?
- Not compared to this.
"Lac-Arts junior show. "
- Tonight. You going?
- I don't know. I said I would.
But I think I might become
conveniently sick.
- Not into it?
- No, it's just these friends from school
- Who I don't see anymore.
- No way? I got the same thing
This get together with all
my old fraternity brothers.
I'm the only one who's not married
or in a serious relationship,
So I end up looking like a loser.
- Which you are.
- Beside the point.
How about I go with
you to your thing,
- And you come with me to mine?
- Are you serious?
Yeah. We'll take my car.
Cool.
- Just going to
- Please.
I think it's an opportunity
we can't afford to pass up.
- Did you start without me?
- No, I'm just reading David's proposal
- While we waited for you.
- Proposal? What proposal?
This. I think now
At the end of our corporate year.
Instead of taking
our traditional bonuses,
we should think
reinvesting in the company.
- I'm all for that.
- So I suggest we buy a crematory.
What? No. No. No way.
You haven't even read it yet.
People who want their
loved ones cremated
Are people who don't
wanna spend anything.
There's no money to
be made in cremation.
Of course, there is. There's no
overhead if we own our own.
Yeah, just a $340,000 mortgage.
No, here's another
number to think about.
35%. Do you know what that number is?
That is the percentage of our
clientele that was latino last year.
Do you know why it was so high?
I'm not saying anything.
I've already been called
a racist once this week.
Because the name Diaz
went up on our sign.
That's why we have all
this extra money, because
I'm bringing in
the latino community.
And there's no way that I'm
voting that we get a crematory.
So what is it you want?
Well, another spanish
speaking employee
To work exclusively
in community outreach.
Fisher and Diaz needs to be a
visible member in our community.
We should be sponsoring soccer teams
Rico, I'm gonna stop you right there.
We can't think of all the
fun things we'd like to do.
- We have to plan for our future.
- This is our future!
I don't think it's the
future of Fisher and Diaz.
Oh, I get it.
The fisher boys are ganging up
because you're afraid of
- losing a little control, huh?
- Wait, don't include me in this.
- Ruth Fisher.
- Hello, Hiram.
Have a seat, I'll be
with you in a moment.
Or if you'd prefer one
of our other stylists...
No, I'm here to see you.
I think the last thing we
need to do is buy a crematory.
- Thank you.
- But I don't agree with you either.
God, this whole business
is so screwed up.
Death used to be something
that happened at home,
It was taken care of by family
And all the undertaker,
did was build the caskets.
We were cabinet makers.
Okay, I'm not sure I know
how to build a cabinet.
It wasn't until the civil war. That
they needed to transport bodies
back home without them decomposing
That they started embalming them.
Of course, some asshole figured
out a way to make money off of it.
There is no real reason
for most of what we do.
We don't need to embalm bodies.
Well, there is a little
problem of smell.
So what?
That's a part of death.
And I think that's where
This business went wrong. We tried to
disguise it, make it look pretty, neat,
- And someone else's problem.
- Nate, do you actually have a proposal
Or is this just more
of a general lecture?
- Green funerals.
- Oh, brother.
No caskets, no toxic chemicals
to leach into the soil.
- And we make money on this how?
- This isn't about making money.
This is about making a better world.
I'm sorry, but a world that I'm broke in
- Doesn't seem better to me.
- All right, look,
We find a natural setting
that's worth preserving.
We get a conservation
easement so that it's protected
From being developed in the future.
Look who's doing his
homework all of a sudden.
I just know that when I die,
please, wrap me in a shroud,
Plant me next to
a beautiful tree so that,
Nobody could build
a mini-Mall there.
According to your pre-Need
you wanna be cremated.
- So I'll change it.
- Nate.
Really, I understand and it
all sounds very wonderful,
- But we don't have that kind of money.
- So we'll get some investors!
Jesus, David, can you
just try to be optimistic
Instead of always coming up
with reasons to never change?
If you want to pursue
this, you have my blessing,
But I'm not putting any
of our money into it.
Yeah, great meeting, guys.
- Hey, man!
- Jesus. Hey, man.
- How are you doing?
- Did you meet Claire?
No. Hey, I'm lauderback.
- Thanks. Claire here is just visiting.
- Oh!
She's actually the biggest
soap opera star in all of Holland.
Cool.
Welcome to America.
Danke.
It's good to see you.
Good to meet you.
Lauderback invented this game
Where we'd all put diapers on
under our pants, go to a strip club
And the first one who could take a
shit while getting a lap dance won.
- What was the point of that?
- We were in college.
And idiots and drunk.
- I never won.
- Good.
Strange to think that these were
My best friends for four years.
I have nothing in common
with them anymore.
They're all bmws and baby strollers.
And golf on the weekends.
I'm not ready to be my dad just yet.
So what made you decide
to become a lawyer?
That's what my dad is.
I know, I'm a complete hypocrite.
It's actually pretty good, though.
Maybe not my dream come true, but...
I like it.
I knew he did it once. I didn't
know it was a regular thing.
- Why the hell didn't you tell me?
- Because I took care of it.
You've got to stop babying him, David.
Grab the vegetables, please.
- You are grounded, my man.
- I'm already grounded.
But I wasn't supposed to tell you.
So are you gonna pay for that mirror?
It was $280.
I'm not paying for
nothing. You pay for it.
- You don't talk to me that way, you hear?
- I'll talk to you anyway I want to, bitch.
That's it.
Come on, big man
- Try me!
- What's wrong with you?
Let go! Come on!
This is Jimmy's.
He's sort of the star of our class.
Why?
Well... Well
His use of gigantism.
Sculpting his little cultural tokens
But on such heroic scale.
It sort of forces us to look
differently at the things that...
Surround us. Sounds
pretty stupid, doesn't it?
- I like this one.
- Really?
- Yeah.
- Yeah, this is Anita's.
It's funny. We always thought
her work was kind of surfacy.
I like it.
Russell, hey.
Claire, shit, hi.
Russell, this is Ted.
- Hey.
- Hey.
You her secret service agent?
Yes, actually I am.
Claire and I went out
for a very long time.
- Ah.
- Yep.
It ended horribly.
- How have you been?
- I've been, I've been good.
Really really good.
My work has gone to
some amazing places
Since I got hit by a car.
Oh my god. You were hit by a car?
What happened?
To be honest, I prefer to...
Process those emotions
Through my art.
Oh. But you're okay?
I hope to be. One day
Okay, yes.
- Good.
- And you?
Oh, I'm good. You know?
Yeah. Yeah.
So...
Hey, I'm gonna go find Jimmy,
because I think he's looking for me.
- Okay.
- And...
I think I saw some evil
ninjas down that hallway.
- I'll check it out.
- Okay.
So, you dated him?
He was sort of my
boyfriend for a while, yeah.
And then he went gay.
And then he ended up with Anita
And I switched to Jimmy, I think.
It gets kind of confusing.
- You probably think I'm a freak.
- I once dated a girl
who had a pet donkey,
So far be it for me
Let's get some wine or something.
Well well well. If it isn't
the queen of disappearance.
- Hey.
- Hey!
These are my friends Jimmy
and Anita. This is Ted.
Nice to meet you. Hi.
Are you rich? Please buy my stuff.
Actually, Ted was just
admiring your photograph.
Oh really? I got a whole
box of them in the car.
Really. Please, buy them.
I need clothes and drugs and shampoo.
So did you see the big review
of our show in "LA weekly. "
Oh, no, I guess I missed it.
They said the way Jimmy's
sculptures clashed with reality
Caused a frisson.
Oh! Russell was just looking for you.
Oh jesus! I gotta hide.
If he comes anywhere near me, please
tackle him and beat him unconscious.
Bye.
What's with him and Russell?
It's so great. Jimmy got
drunk and let russell blow him.
- Now russell's majorly in love.
- Oh god.
Yeah, it's my new favorite story.
I can't believe what idiots
you have to work with.
Tell me about it.
They don't listen to me.
They don't respect me.
You sure you're not talking
about someone else, baby?
Vanessa treats you like a dog.
She's never going to forgive you.
Yeah, well, I fucked up.
That's what men do.
They can't help it.
I'd forgive you.
I'd even forgive you a second time.
You need a nice mexican girl.
Not one of those puerto rican bitches.
They all got razor
blades in their pussies.
- Whoa.
- You know it's true.
A girl like me,
I'd let you be the man of the house.
I'd let you do anything
you wanted, Rico.
Anything.
Did you find Jimmy yet?
I'm such a mess, I guess.
I'm always falling in love
with people who hate me.
Not always.
Thing is, I'm not even
in love with Jimmy.
I want to be Jimmy.
And the paradoxical thing is
Underneath all of that...
I hate Jimmy.
He's...
He's so self-Absorbed.
He builds a seven-Foot sculpture
Of his penis.
It's a lollipop.
It's subliminal, Claire.
Hey, I'm sorry, you know?
About the collage stuff
And taking all the credit.
It was part yours.
It's good seeing you, Claire.
You too.
Avoid the shrimp rolls.
They seem to be covered
with fecal matter.
- Olivier.
- Claire.
One of my most brilliant students.
And the smartest. Which, of course
you know, is not the same thing.
God, shut up.
She smiles.
Do you know how long it's
been since I saw that smile?
Where's your self-righteousness?
I guess I lost it.
So, who's this young
man you're with tonight?
I'd introduce you to him, but
I don't want you to fuck him.
There's yourself
righteousness, Claire.
Speaking of ex-boyfriends of
mine whom you've had sex with,
I heard Billy quit.
Yeah, well, apparently you crushed him.
So you got anything hanging on the wall?
Nada.
I still paint, but it's all shit.
And the only person who buys my art
Is my rich patron of a mistress.
Do you know the humiliation
involved in that?
I'm sorry.
We all go through fallow periods
When we must let the soil rest
To prepare for new growth.
Really?
- You think that's true?
- Oh god, please let it be true,
Otherwise I'm doomed.
I'd have to stop teaching
and start driving a cab.
You don't drive.
Oh, well, then I'm
really fucked, aren't i?
What about you?
I haven't taken a
photograph in months.
Oh, fuck art. I mean
what have you been doing?
Working at a shitty job.
Feeling sorry for myself.
Going home every night
pretty much hating my life.
It sucks, doesn't it?
Ah, he's indestructible.
He's fucking indestructible.
Fucking bitch! I'll kill you.
Ah, theater.
Don't touch me!
This is going to be pretty
inconvenient when I want to butter
- My toast in the morning.
- Use a spoon.
Chopsticks?
You can kill a man
with a chopstick, David.
Don't you think this
is a little drastic?
- He pulled a knife on me.
- You scared him.
Gotta get a stronger
lock for his bedroom door.
That way we know when we put
him in there he stays in there.
- What if there's a fire?
- Let him burn.
I was nervous about
seeing everyone tonight.
Like they were all moving
forward with their lives
And all doing amazing things
While I was going nowhere, but...
God, they're all exactly
where I left them.
And that makes you feel?
I am feeling good.
I had a lot of fun tonight.
Yeah, me too.
So, I'll see you tomorrow.
9:00.
Yeah.
I had no idea eating dinner on
a pillow could be so much fun.
It makes me want to throw
away every chair in the house.
If you want to take
the full experience,
You'll have to let me
take you to morocco.
Where would you like
to enjoy our aperitif?
Your sun porch?
I was thinking we
could take it upstairs
to the bedroom.
What?
All the way back I was
practicing how to say that.
It sounded so silly.
I should have just done this.
He won't even consider
that what I'm saying
Might actually be valid. He
just wants me to agree with him
And say, "wow, Nate! Gee, yeah.
Quakers. I never
thought of it like that. "
He hates the fact that I'm questioning
Why he's being drawn to something
that he knows we can't possibly share.
Brenda, please shut the fuck up.
I can't do this anymore.
All day long I have to listen to my
students complain about their problems,
And when I finally get a break, I have
to listen to you go on about yours.
Okay.
Honestly, I should tape
one of your monologues
Because you say the same
fucking thing every time.
If you want to change the
dynamic of your relationship,
Then you need to change.
If you want him to open up to
you, you need to open up to him.
There, I've said it. Thank god.
Now can we please talk
about something meaningless
Like last night's episode of
"american idol"? Thank you.
I've never watched "american idol. "
Well, let me know when you have, okay?
That was delicious, Hiram. What a treat.
My pleasure. I'll clean up,
then I should probably get going.
Let's go camping.
Today?
Right now.
Okay.
You don't have to make us lunch.
Of course I'm gonna
make you lunches.
I don't want you eating
that awful cafeteria food.
I mean, if you're mad at us.
I'm not mad at you.
I'm mad at Durrell.
He only does bad stuff
because he wants to have fun.
Yeah, well, that's
not a very good reason.
You know, when you give us back.
- What?
- Everybody always gives us back.
- Who?
- Our foster parents.
So Durrell wants to have
fun while we're here.
Señor.
Muchas gracias, padre.
Gracias.
Ah, there you are.
- $400 for 50 doves.
- I'm throwing in an extra 20 doves.
- We appreciate your business.
- Thank you very much.
Thank you.
- Gracias.
- Por favor.
Hey, can you help
me with something?
I need a new cartridge for my printer.
Supply closet.
I think they're stacked up here.
- Hey.
- Hey.
- You're here.
- Yeah, sorry I'm a little early.
It's okay. Come on in.
Had to get out of the
office. Sometimes it's just...
Too fucking depressing, you know?
Rough day?
Yeah.
- You want something to drink?
- Water, thanks.
Okay. Make yourself at home.
So what happened?
Nothing.
Here.
Sit down.
It's...
Brenda and I lately, it just
feels like we're fighting
Even when we're not.
There's always this
underlying layer of...
tension
Resentment, whatever.
Well, being married isn't easy.
I know that.
Yeah, we just see the world
In such completely different
ways, you know?
Yeah?
I say I conveniently ignored
that fact when we got married.
I'm sorry. I come in here,
I start unloading all my shit.
It's okay.
It'll be nice tonight just to...
Go to the meeting and be quiet.
Yeah, I think of it as my landing strip.
You know, no matter
how weird the day gets
Or how much goes wrong,
I can always go to a friends meeting
And land.
- So how are you?
- Oh god.
You adjusting to L.A.?
Well, I...
I look out my window every morning
and I wonder how I got here.
And then I think,
I was on my way out
And my dad begged me to stay.
And, that is exactly how
I wound up back here.
After my dad died my
mother asked me to
To stick around.
Any regrets?
That becoming the one
thing I never wanted to be.
Oh yeah.
Or not. I don't know.
For a while I was thinking
I was really helping people.
Lately the whole business
just seems unnecessary.
I just feel useless.
Nate, you are far from useless.
I don't just mean at
work. I mean everywhere.
We may have this
handicapped child, right?
And there is not a damned
thing I can do about it.
I can't make the baby healthy.
I can't make myself feel any
more ready to deal with it.
I can't even make myself want to
deal with it. I can't do anything.
You're allowed to be scared.
Life is scary.
Yeah, it's fucking terrifying.
Nate.
No, this is
- Hey.
- Hey.
Where are the boys?
They're at your mother's. You can
pick them up tomorrow morning.
This used to be our pizza night.
There's a lot of
things that used to be.
You couldn't even wait
to have dinner with me?
Here. Finish it.
Vanessa...
I can't do this anymore.
Do what?
I feel like
I feel like I'm just
the guy who mows the lawn
And takes out the trash and
occasionally gets to have sex with you
While you lay there looking
bored out of your mind.
I don't know what you
expected when you came back.
I was expecting you to
try to make this work.
You know, if we're gonna be married,
Then let's be married.
But if you can't do that and
you don't love me anymore,
Then I don't want to
be here. I'll move out.
Rico, I do love you.
I really do, but I cannot
I can't get over this.
Ever?
- You can't ever get over this?
- Hopefully...
- Eventually.
- But why?
Why? You know I'll never
do anything like that again.
I know, but
Don't ask me to explain.
It's not a mental thing.
It's just this is how I feel.
- So what do we do now?
- I don't know.
It has too much salt.
I know, it's really bad.
You want to go out and
get something to eat?
Yeah.
My knife broke.
That's okay, Anthony.
We have a whole box of them.
I told Roger I'm gonna
want a couple of weeks off
- As soon as school's out.
- Oh?
I was thinking we'd go on vacation.
You know, go down to Mexico.
Go swimming in the ocean.
But who's gonna take care of us?
You're coming with us.
I don't want to swim.
I want to go to the mountains
and learn to snowboard.
We can do that in the winter.
All four of us.
We'll go all kinds of places.
Yes, we will!
It smells so good up here.
This is the way the world
is supposed to smell.
- And listen.
- What?
Did you hear it? There's a
river about a half mile down.
We can go fishing in the morning.
Oh, this is wonderful!
I feel so completely free!
There's no one waiting for me
Or expecting me to do anything!
- You can do anything you please.
- Exactly.
I guess we missed the
church service?
- Are you crying?
- No.
No, I'm okay.
You should get going.
- Are you sure you're all right?
- I'm fine.
You should go.
This wasn't planned, you know.
I know.
- What?
- My arm is numb.
Numb arm. Numb arm,
numb, numb
Nate!
What's the matter?
Oh my god.
"Singing for our lives"
Hey, Marita.
No, I'm working.
Another half hour and I gotta
go feed a cat off mulholland.
What kind of party?
All right, I'll call
you when I get home.
Oh, shit.
You should see this hill.
No, I'm on my rollerblades.
I should really take
them off and walk down.
It's really steep.
Really, really steep.
Call you right back.
Come on, pup, come on!
All right!
Oh my god! Now we're safe.
I need some help out here!
I need some help!
Did I tell you Nate's dragging me
to a quaker church service tonight?
- No.
- Yeah.
He thinks couples therapy
is a waste of time,
So this is his solution.
I thought you were
already going to therapy.
Oh yeah, we went once,
But he thought
That the therapist and
I were ganging up on him,
So that was that.
Well, who knows, maybe a little
spirituality will help, you know.
Quakerism?
Yeah, right.
I just wish he'd take half as
much interest in his own baby.
Hey, if it was important
to you to have him here,
You should have made that clear to him.
I didn't tell him.
Nate and I, we're 100
miles apart on this baby.
On everything, really.
I didn't want him here.
I mean, it's not good for me.
It's certainly not good for the baby.
Ha.
- Thanks for coming.
- Yeah.
- Hello, Brenda.
- Hey, dr. Melnick.
- How are you feeling today?
- Okay.
Yeah.
- Would you lie back for me please?
- No husband today?
- No, no. He couldn't get away from work.
This is my friend Jackie.
There's your fetus.
Oh.
Nice heartbeat.
Size looks good. Yeah.
Everything seems to be
developing normally at this point.
So the baby's healthy?
I'd still like to do an amnio.
No. No.
Do you want to know the baby's sex?
Here's my work number, my cell number.
I know those numbers, David.
Yes, but sometimes in
the panic of an emergency
It's helpful to have them written down.
I'll be driving Roger's limo
all day, so here's that number.
This is too many numbers, honestly.
We really appreciate
you watching the boys.
Durrell didn't tell us
until last night that
- It was teacher development day.
- You didn't ask me.
I'm glad to finally have some
time with my new grandchildren.
You've been hiding them from me.
We've been trying to keep
them to a regular schedule.
Well, we'll have fun today.
I brought the makings for
chocolate chip cookies.
- I thought I'd bake.
- I like chocolate chip cookies.
All boys do.
- I don't.
- You'll like mine.
Oh, we'll see about that.
Durrell, you do whatever
Mrs. Fisher tells you to do.
What if she tells me
to jump out the window?
They're allowed one hour of
television, one our of playstation
And they can take their soccer
ball down to the courtyard.
But they'd better not be kicking
the ball against the building.
- Or you'll whup us.
- I did not say that.
We'll be fine, really. You two go now.
Have a good day.
I'll be home by 5:00.
You look like a witch.
I assure you I'm not.
I didn't say you were.
I said you look like one.
This is what they made very efficient.
This is why the republicans
rely so much on this base.
This is a corporatized
christian cult situation
Where it's about personal empowerment
Which is part of the republican agenda
The neo-Contact cult agenda.
What Ray was talking about
Ray is obviously a
different type of christian
Who I offended
Oh god. Jesus.
Usted decidiro sobra
la señora de Guadalupe.
Sí. Perro con manguillos de cobre.
Amarillo pulido.
- ¿Qué?
- El cobre pulido.
Pulido, pulido what?
- Qué pulido?
- Con en el interior en seda rosada,
- En vez de marrón.
- Polished.
Pulido, polished.
Polished what?
I don't know what
you're talking about.
Qué dio.
Por favor, un momento.
If you knew they didn't speak english,
Then why did you even
try to handle the intake?
I'm trying to learn spanish.
By using our clients as a classroom?
I didn't plan this. It was a walk-In.
I was the only one available.
What am I supposed
do with this body now?
You wanna take over for me?
Oh, that's right. You can't.
I already did most of the work.
Great. I'm really in the mood for
dealing with a grieving widower.
It's her parents.
She's married, then her parents
don't have the right to make these decisions.
- To make these decisions Nate.
- I think she was divorced.
- You think?
- Yes, Rico, I think.
- Gracias.
- Gracias.
- Are you really sure about all this?
- What?
Didn't you overdo it
on the merchandise?
What are you talking about?
You sold them a casket for $4,000,
You added another $600
just to switch handles,
Three grand for the monument,
another $400 for doves.
It just goes on.
This is their youngest daughter
they're burying Nate.
The guy works in a machine
shop. He can't afford this.
Besides learning to mangle
a few words in spanish,
Maybe you should learn something
about latin culture as well.
We honor our dead, Nate.
- And end up broke because of it.
- That is so fucking racist.
How am I being racist?! You're
the one who said it's cultural thing.
Every single member of the family
pitches in at moments like this.
Everyone. We take care of each
other. No one's left broke.
I've got work to do.
As you can see we've got
a top of the line retort
To the primary and secondary chambers
Just we're lined last year. Feel
free to look over everything.
- You're asking 340,000?
Oh, it's worth every penny, David.
I get over 300 cases a year.
I could handle more if
I added another retort
Which is exactly what I would do
If I were 20 years younger.
Cremation is a growing
business, you know that.
Yes, I do.
You don't want fisher &
sons to get left behind.
Fisher & Diaz.
I've got another prospective
buyer stopping by in the morning.
- I see.
- I'm not trying to push you,
But I've had this place since 1972.
It's been good to me.
I'd be pleased to pass it on
to the sons of Nathaniel Fisher.
I'll talk to my partners.
Regular non-fat latte.
Oh! Steal us a bunch of splendas.
- Like a whole bunch.
- Splenda.
Yeah. A large mocha ice-Blended please.
I want a regular soy
pomegranate blueberry tea latte.
But in a large cup.
and then could you
just fill up the rest with soy?
Isn't that just a large soy
pomegranate blueberry tea latte?
No, it's a regular in a large cup.
Oh, and also...
A reduced-Fat...
Wholesome morning muffin.
Claire?
Hey, Anita.
Oh, someone's very thirsty.
And on her way to
bible class, I'm guessing.
Oh yeah. It's pretty awful, isn't it?
I'm kind of temping at this place.
Is that where you've been?
Shit, I've left you like 100 messages
- I thought you were dead.
- Sorry.
You were like my best friend
and then suddenly you were gone.
Well, how've you been?
Fabulous. You know.
School, sex, drugs, creating art.
- Well, that's good.
- Yeah.
I'm kind of on the clock,
so I should probably go.
Ah, here, let me give you this.
Lac-Arts junior show.
I got a piece in it.
Oh, wow!
Please promise you'll come.
Everybody'll be there.
Yeah, okay. Great.
Good.
Boys, the first batch is ready!
Anthony, Durrell,
The cookies are ready!
I really appreciate
you doing this for me.
Sure.
Come on, a quaker church service.
At the very least it'll be interesting.
I'm trying to keep an open mind.
There's no sermon or anything.
People just sit silently
And wait to be filled
with the presence of god.
Maggie says we can say
something if we feel like it, but
You don't have to.
It's not like a requirement.
Is there anything else
Maggie thinks we should know?
Melnick says the baby's
looking really good.
- When was this?
- This morning.
- I had a sonogram.
- What?
Why didn't you tell me about it?
Because I wanted to spare you the grief.
I'm sorry, but this is one of the
things that we talked about really.
It pisses me off when you do
stuff like this without telling me.
Ok, why don't you sit
there and allow yourself
To be filled with the presence of god?
- So what did she say?
- She said that the baby
was developing normally.
There's no sign of any irregularities,
All of which is very very encouraging.
So it's perfectly healthy.
Well, you know,
there are some things
That the sonogram can't tell.
What, so it could have
down's or Spina Bifida?
Oh, no probably not
downs because we did
this neck measurement test.
And at looked really good.
Wow. So, great!
We get to maybe check
this one thing off the list
And it could still have a million
other things wrong with it.
The baby's not an it, Nate, it's a girl.
We're having another daughter.
Mom, how could you let
them take off like that?
I had no idea they'd left.
- Why weren't you watching them?
- I was making cookies.
You said they could
play in the courtyard.
You never thought
once to check on them?
Don't talk to me like I'm an imbecile.
- I've raised three children.
- That's why I expected
A little more from you.
This just can't happen, mum.
Then you can take me off
your list of babysitters.
I'm taking my cookies.
You can wipe that smirk
right off your face.
You are grounded, mister.
And you cannot tell Keith about this.
You can't just shuffle
through the process
- and pretend I don't exist.
- It's nerve-Wracking enough
- For me without you being-
- What, the voice of reason?
Wow, you look great.
- Are we going out tonight?
- I am
I'm going to dinner with Angelica
And some of her friends.
We might go to a party
afterwards so don't wait up.
Oh.
Boys eaten?
This is wednesday. It's your
night to take care of dinner.
- Oh, right right.
- Don't give me that look.
You have one night
a week, I have six.
Order some pizza if
that's the best you can do.
- I can cook something.
- Don't forget to clean up.
That's not my job.
- Okay, I get it.
And do not make me
the bad guy here, please?
Vanessa...
I'm fine. Just
Just go.
I am.
So, friends... With the doctor saying
everything's in remission,
Kathy and I are feeling very...
Very blessed right now.
Friends... I have
been dizzy all week. And
I had to take the bus here.
I need someone to
give me a ride home.
Oh
Thank you.
I just wanted to say how
good it feels to be here.
All day long I deal with death...
And stress...
And it's nice to be
in a place of peace.
That's all.
Is it okay if I take some
of those cookies to work?
You made so many.
- Take as many as you'd like.
- Thanks.
- Do you want some help?
- No.
I think I've already
made a mess of it.
I don't know why I try
and cut my own hair.
Pamper yourself. Go to a salon.
It's not like we're
living on the prairie.
You want to give quaker church
another chance tomorrow night?
- Not really.
- One, two, four, three, five.
- Okay.
- Why?
Well, Maggie's car is in the shop
And I offered to
give her a ride, so...
It's 8:30 in the morning and
you've already talked to Maggie?
She needed a ride.
That place looked like
it was full of friends
Who just love to be her ride.
Do you want to come or not?
Are you really buying into this?
I'm not buying into anything.
So, when you went into
that church last night,
You really believed you
were in the presence of god?
What I said was that it
felt like a place of peace.
- Which it isn't here.
- Not a lot lately, no.
One, two, three, four, five.
Hey, sweetie. Can you
get your shoes for me,
Then I'll get you ready
for daycare, okay?
Thank you.
It was just nice, Brenda.
It was really nice to
be around some people who
didn't think they know everything
And who thought there might
be something more to life
Than what they can see and
feel and be right about.
Well, I feel sorry for you
That you have such emptiness inside you
That you need to fill it with
something so...
ridiculous.
- You really don't believe in anything?
- You know I don't.
Well, I feel sorry for you then.
And I don't understand
where you draw the line.
The service is basically
silent meditation. You meditate.
Yes, but I'm not waiting for
some mythical, historical ghost
With his shaming,
blood-sacrifice bullshit
To come and save my soul.
I meditate to see the world as it is
To accept the world,
To feel alive.
And you can't do
that with other people?
Not with those people, no.
So if I get involved with Quakerism
Or whatever because
it makes sense to me,
- Because it means something to me,
- Nate, you can't you're just using this
As a way to distance yourself
from me and your baby,
Because you're scared and
you don't know what to do.
How could I be distancing
myself?! I'm here every night!
Not tomorrow night! Apparently
you'd rather be with that sappy,
- Little ferret, Maggie.
- Hey!
- She is a deeply kind person.
- Oh.
Is that what you're looking
for now?
A deeply kind person?
Well, I know I don't want someone
Who makes me feel like shit
every second of the day.
If I'm so awful, why don't you leave?
Will you stop threatening me? It's like
you think you can win every argument
- By giving me some fucking ultimatum!
- No, it was a question!
Yeah? Well, I'm not leaving!
Maybe you want to leave,
but I'm here Brenda!
I am here, Brenda,
I m'not going anywhere
I gotta go to work.
Hey, Benny. What's up?
- Can you tell me what this is?
- A side mirror.
Can you tell me what
it's doing in my hand?
- You got me.
- It's in my hand because it's no longer
attached to my car. And it's no
longer attached to my car
Because your kid knocked it
off with your ginormous truck
- Trying to park last week.
- What, Durrell?
He's 12 years old, man.
Oh, fucking kid.
All right, I'll pay you for it.
$280.00
I'll, I'll write you a check.
So, was that you I saw crawling out
of a lime-Green hearse yesterday?
It's actually more of an avocado.
Ah. You don't seem
particularly goth and...
I don't think you have
your own band, so...
- My dad was a funeral director.
- Ah.
- Really?
- Yeah. I grew up in a funeral home.
- I still live in a funeral home.
- Wow.
- With dead bodies and everything.
- Yep.
- Isn't that kind of scary?
- Not compared to this.
"Lac-Arts junior show. "
- Tonight. You going?
- I don't know. I said I would.
But I think I might become
conveniently sick.
- Not into it?
- No, it's just these friends from school
- Who I don't see anymore.
- No way? I got the same thing
This get together with all
my old fraternity brothers.
I'm the only one who's not married
or in a serious relationship,
So I end up looking like a loser.
- Which you are.
- Beside the point.
How about I go with
you to your thing,
- And you come with me to mine?
- Are you serious?
Yeah. We'll take my car.
Cool.
- Just going to
- Please.
I think it's an opportunity
we can't afford to pass up.
- Did you start without me?
- No, I'm just reading David's proposal
- While we waited for you.
- Proposal? What proposal?
This. I think now
At the end of our corporate year.
Instead of taking
our traditional bonuses,
we should think
reinvesting in the company.
- I'm all for that.
- So I suggest we buy a crematory.
What? No. No. No way.
You haven't even read it yet.
People who want their
loved ones cremated
Are people who don't
wanna spend anything.
There's no money to
be made in cremation.
Of course, there is. There's no
overhead if we own our own.
Yeah, just a $340,000 mortgage.
No, here's another
number to think about.
35%. Do you know what that number is?
That is the percentage of our
clientele that was latino last year.
Do you know why it was so high?
I'm not saying anything.
I've already been called
a racist once this week.
Because the name Diaz
went up on our sign.
That's why we have all
this extra money, because
I'm bringing in
the latino community.
And there's no way that I'm
voting that we get a crematory.
So what is it you want?
Well, another spanish
speaking employee
To work exclusively
in community outreach.
Fisher and Diaz needs to be a
visible member in our community.
We should be sponsoring soccer teams
Rico, I'm gonna stop you right there.
We can't think of all the
fun things we'd like to do.
- We have to plan for our future.
- This is our future!
I don't think it's the
future of Fisher and Diaz.
Oh, I get it.
The fisher boys are ganging up
because you're afraid of
- losing a little control, huh?
- Wait, don't include me in this.
- Ruth Fisher.
- Hello, Hiram.
Have a seat, I'll be
with you in a moment.
Or if you'd prefer one
of our other stylists...
No, I'm here to see you.
I think the last thing we
need to do is buy a crematory.
- Thank you.
- But I don't agree with you either.
God, this whole business
is so screwed up.
Death used to be something
that happened at home,
It was taken care of by family
And all the undertaker,
did was build the caskets.
We were cabinet makers.
Okay, I'm not sure I know
how to build a cabinet.
It wasn't until the civil war. That
they needed to transport bodies
back home without them decomposing
That they started embalming them.
Of course, some asshole figured
out a way to make money off of it.
There is no real reason
for most of what we do.
We don't need to embalm bodies.
Well, there is a little
problem of smell.
So what?
That's a part of death.
And I think that's where
This business went wrong. We tried to
disguise it, make it look pretty, neat,
- And someone else's problem.
- Nate, do you actually have a proposal
Or is this just more
of a general lecture?
- Green funerals.
- Oh, brother.
No caskets, no toxic chemicals
to leach into the soil.
- And we make money on this how?
- This isn't about making money.
This is about making a better world.
I'm sorry, but a world that I'm broke in
- Doesn't seem better to me.
- All right, look,
We find a natural setting
that's worth preserving.
We get a conservation
easement so that it's protected
From being developed in the future.
Look who's doing his
homework all of a sudden.
I just know that when I die,
please, wrap me in a shroud,
Plant me next to
a beautiful tree so that,
Nobody could build
a mini-Mall there.
According to your pre-Need
you wanna be cremated.
- So I'll change it.
- Nate.
Really, I understand and it
all sounds very wonderful,
- But we don't have that kind of money.
- So we'll get some investors!
Jesus, David, can you
just try to be optimistic
Instead of always coming up
with reasons to never change?
If you want to pursue
this, you have my blessing,
But I'm not putting any
of our money into it.
Yeah, great meeting, guys.
- Hey, man!
- Jesus. Hey, man.
- How are you doing?
- Did you meet Claire?
No. Hey, I'm lauderback.
- Thanks. Claire here is just visiting.
- Oh!
She's actually the biggest
soap opera star in all of Holland.
Cool.
Welcome to America.
Danke.
It's good to see you.
Good to meet you.
Lauderback invented this game
Where we'd all put diapers on
under our pants, go to a strip club
And the first one who could take a
shit while getting a lap dance won.
- What was the point of that?
- We were in college.
And idiots and drunk.
- I never won.
- Good.
Strange to think that these were
My best friends for four years.
I have nothing in common
with them anymore.
They're all bmws and baby strollers.
And golf on the weekends.
I'm not ready to be my dad just yet.
So what made you decide
to become a lawyer?
That's what my dad is.
I know, I'm a complete hypocrite.
It's actually pretty good, though.
Maybe not my dream come true, but...
I like it.
I knew he did it once. I didn't
know it was a regular thing.
- Why the hell didn't you tell me?
- Because I took care of it.
You've got to stop babying him, David.
Grab the vegetables, please.
- You are grounded, my man.
- I'm already grounded.
But I wasn't supposed to tell you.
So are you gonna pay for that mirror?
It was $280.
I'm not paying for
nothing. You pay for it.
- You don't talk to me that way, you hear?
- I'll talk to you anyway I want to, bitch.
That's it.
Come on, big man
- Try me!
- What's wrong with you?
Let go! Come on!
This is Jimmy's.
He's sort of the star of our class.
Why?
Well... Well
His use of gigantism.
Sculpting his little cultural tokens
But on such heroic scale.
It sort of forces us to look
differently at the things that...
Surround us. Sounds
pretty stupid, doesn't it?
- I like this one.
- Really?
- Yeah.
- Yeah, this is Anita's.
It's funny. We always thought
her work was kind of surfacy.
I like it.
Russell, hey.
Claire, shit, hi.
Russell, this is Ted.
- Hey.
- Hey.
You her secret service agent?
Yes, actually I am.
Claire and I went out
for a very long time.
- Ah.
- Yep.
It ended horribly.
- How have you been?
- I've been, I've been good.
Really really good.
My work has gone to
some amazing places
Since I got hit by a car.
Oh my god. You were hit by a car?
What happened?
To be honest, I prefer to...
Process those emotions
Through my art.
Oh. But you're okay?
I hope to be. One day
Okay, yes.
- Good.
- And you?
Oh, I'm good. You know?
Yeah. Yeah.
So...
Hey, I'm gonna go find Jimmy,
because I think he's looking for me.
- Okay.
- And...
I think I saw some evil
ninjas down that hallway.
- I'll check it out.
- Okay.
So, you dated him?
He was sort of my
boyfriend for a while, yeah.
And then he went gay.
And then he ended up with Anita
And I switched to Jimmy, I think.
It gets kind of confusing.
- You probably think I'm a freak.
- I once dated a girl
who had a pet donkey,
So far be it for me
Let's get some wine or something.
Well well well. If it isn't
the queen of disappearance.
- Hey.
- Hey!
These are my friends Jimmy
and Anita. This is Ted.
Nice to meet you. Hi.
Are you rich? Please buy my stuff.
Actually, Ted was just
admiring your photograph.
Oh really? I got a whole
box of them in the car.
Really. Please, buy them.
I need clothes and drugs and shampoo.
So did you see the big review
of our show in "LA weekly. "
Oh, no, I guess I missed it.
They said the way Jimmy's
sculptures clashed with reality
Caused a frisson.
Oh! Russell was just looking for you.
Oh jesus! I gotta hide.
If he comes anywhere near me, please
tackle him and beat him unconscious.
Bye.
What's with him and Russell?
It's so great. Jimmy got
drunk and let russell blow him.
- Now russell's majorly in love.
- Oh god.
Yeah, it's my new favorite story.
I can't believe what idiots
you have to work with.
Tell me about it.
They don't listen to me.
They don't respect me.
You sure you're not talking
about someone else, baby?
Vanessa treats you like a dog.
She's never going to forgive you.
Yeah, well, I fucked up.
That's what men do.
They can't help it.
I'd forgive you.
I'd even forgive you a second time.
You need a nice mexican girl.
Not one of those puerto rican bitches.
They all got razor
blades in their pussies.
- Whoa.
- You know it's true.
A girl like me,
I'd let you be the man of the house.
I'd let you do anything
you wanted, Rico.
Anything.
Did you find Jimmy yet?
I'm such a mess, I guess.
I'm always falling in love
with people who hate me.
Not always.
Thing is, I'm not even
in love with Jimmy.
I want to be Jimmy.
And the paradoxical thing is
Underneath all of that...
I hate Jimmy.
He's...
He's so self-Absorbed.
He builds a seven-Foot sculpture
Of his penis.
It's a lollipop.
It's subliminal, Claire.
Hey, I'm sorry, you know?
About the collage stuff
And taking all the credit.
It was part yours.
It's good seeing you, Claire.
You too.
Avoid the shrimp rolls.
They seem to be covered
with fecal matter.
- Olivier.
- Claire.
One of my most brilliant students.
And the smartest. Which, of course
you know, is not the same thing.
God, shut up.
She smiles.
Do you know how long it's
been since I saw that smile?
Where's your self-righteousness?
I guess I lost it.
So, who's this young
man you're with tonight?
I'd introduce you to him, but
I don't want you to fuck him.
There's yourself
righteousness, Claire.
Speaking of ex-boyfriends of
mine whom you've had sex with,
I heard Billy quit.
Yeah, well, apparently you crushed him.
So you got anything hanging on the wall?
Nada.
I still paint, but it's all shit.
And the only person who buys my art
Is my rich patron of a mistress.
Do you know the humiliation
involved in that?
I'm sorry.
We all go through fallow periods
When we must let the soil rest
To prepare for new growth.
Really?
- You think that's true?
- Oh god, please let it be true,
Otherwise I'm doomed.
I'd have to stop teaching
and start driving a cab.
You don't drive.
Oh, well, then I'm
really fucked, aren't i?
What about you?
I haven't taken a
photograph in months.
Oh, fuck art. I mean
what have you been doing?
Working at a shitty job.
Feeling sorry for myself.
Going home every night
pretty much hating my life.
It sucks, doesn't it?
Ah, he's indestructible.
He's fucking indestructible.
Fucking bitch! I'll kill you.
Ah, theater.
Don't touch me!
This is going to be pretty
inconvenient when I want to butter
- My toast in the morning.
- Use a spoon.
Chopsticks?
You can kill a man
with a chopstick, David.
Don't you think this
is a little drastic?
- He pulled a knife on me.
- You scared him.
Gotta get a stronger
lock for his bedroom door.
That way we know when we put
him in there he stays in there.
- What if there's a fire?
- Let him burn.
I was nervous about
seeing everyone tonight.
Like they were all moving
forward with their lives
And all doing amazing things
While I was going nowhere, but...
God, they're all exactly
where I left them.
And that makes you feel?
I am feeling good.
I had a lot of fun tonight.
Yeah, me too.
So, I'll see you tomorrow.
9:00.
Yeah.
I had no idea eating dinner on
a pillow could be so much fun.
It makes me want to throw
away every chair in the house.
If you want to take
the full experience,
You'll have to let me
take you to morocco.
Where would you like
to enjoy our aperitif?
Your sun porch?
I was thinking we
could take it upstairs
to the bedroom.
What?
All the way back I was
practicing how to say that.
It sounded so silly.
I should have just done this.
He won't even consider
that what I'm saying
Might actually be valid. He
just wants me to agree with him
And say, "wow, Nate! Gee, yeah.
Quakers. I never
thought of it like that. "
He hates the fact that I'm questioning
Why he's being drawn to something
that he knows we can't possibly share.
Brenda, please shut the fuck up.
I can't do this anymore.
All day long I have to listen to my
students complain about their problems,
And when I finally get a break, I have
to listen to you go on about yours.
Okay.
Honestly, I should tape
one of your monologues
Because you say the same
fucking thing every time.
If you want to change the
dynamic of your relationship,
Then you need to change.
If you want him to open up to
you, you need to open up to him.
There, I've said it. Thank god.
Now can we please talk
about something meaningless
Like last night's episode of
"american idol"? Thank you.
I've never watched "american idol. "
Well, let me know when you have, okay?
That was delicious, Hiram. What a treat.
My pleasure. I'll clean up,
then I should probably get going.
Let's go camping.
Today?
Right now.
Okay.
You don't have to make us lunch.
Of course I'm gonna
make you lunches.
I don't want you eating
that awful cafeteria food.
I mean, if you're mad at us.
I'm not mad at you.
I'm mad at Durrell.
He only does bad stuff
because he wants to have fun.
Yeah, well, that's
not a very good reason.
You know, when you give us back.
- What?
- Everybody always gives us back.
- Who?
- Our foster parents.
So Durrell wants to have
fun while we're here.
Señor.
Muchas gracias, padre.
Gracias.
Ah, there you are.
- $400 for 50 doves.
- I'm throwing in an extra 20 doves.
- We appreciate your business.
- Thank you very much.
Thank you.
- Gracias.
- Por favor.
Hey, can you help
me with something?
I need a new cartridge for my printer.
Supply closet.
I think they're stacked up here.
- Hey.
- Hey.
- You're here.
- Yeah, sorry I'm a little early.
It's okay. Come on in.
Had to get out of the
office. Sometimes it's just...
Too fucking depressing, you know?
Rough day?
Yeah.
- You want something to drink?
- Water, thanks.
Okay. Make yourself at home.
So what happened?
Nothing.
Here.
Sit down.
It's...
Brenda and I lately, it just
feels like we're fighting
Even when we're not.
There's always this
underlying layer of...
tension
Resentment, whatever.
Well, being married isn't easy.
I know that.
Yeah, we just see the world
In such completely different
ways, you know?
Yeah?
I say I conveniently ignored
that fact when we got married.
I'm sorry. I come in here,
I start unloading all my shit.
It's okay.
It'll be nice tonight just to...
Go to the meeting and be quiet.
Yeah, I think of it as my landing strip.
You know, no matter
how weird the day gets
Or how much goes wrong,
I can always go to a friends meeting
And land.
- So how are you?
- Oh god.
You adjusting to L.A.?
Well, I...
I look out my window every morning
and I wonder how I got here.
And then I think,
I was on my way out
And my dad begged me to stay.
And, that is exactly how
I wound up back here.
After my dad died my
mother asked me to
To stick around.
Any regrets?
That becoming the one
thing I never wanted to be.
Oh yeah.
Or not. I don't know.
For a while I was thinking
I was really helping people.
Lately the whole business
just seems unnecessary.
I just feel useless.
Nate, you are far from useless.
I don't just mean at
work. I mean everywhere.
We may have this
handicapped child, right?
And there is not a damned
thing I can do about it.
I can't make the baby healthy.
I can't make myself feel any
more ready to deal with it.
I can't even make myself want to
deal with it. I can't do anything.
You're allowed to be scared.
Life is scary.
Yeah, it's fucking terrifying.
Nate.
No, this is
- Hey.
- Hey.
Where are the boys?
They're at your mother's. You can
pick them up tomorrow morning.
This used to be our pizza night.
There's a lot of
things that used to be.
You couldn't even wait
to have dinner with me?
Here. Finish it.
Vanessa...
I can't do this anymore.
Do what?
I feel like
I feel like I'm just
the guy who mows the lawn
And takes out the trash and
occasionally gets to have sex with you
While you lay there looking
bored out of your mind.
I don't know what you
expected when you came back.
I was expecting you to
try to make this work.
You know, if we're gonna be married,
Then let's be married.
But if you can't do that and
you don't love me anymore,
Then I don't want to
be here. I'll move out.
Rico, I do love you.
I really do, but I cannot
I can't get over this.
Ever?
- You can't ever get over this?
- Hopefully...
- Eventually.
- But why?
Why? You know I'll never
do anything like that again.
I know, but
Don't ask me to explain.
It's not a mental thing.
It's just this is how I feel.
- So what do we do now?
- I don't know.
It has too much salt.
I know, it's really bad.
You want to go out and
get something to eat?
Yeah.
My knife broke.
That's okay, Anthony.
We have a whole box of them.
I told Roger I'm gonna
want a couple of weeks off
- As soon as school's out.
- Oh?
I was thinking we'd go on vacation.
You know, go down to Mexico.
Go swimming in the ocean.
But who's gonna take care of us?
You're coming with us.
I don't want to swim.
I want to go to the mountains
and learn to snowboard.
We can do that in the winter.
All four of us.
We'll go all kinds of places.
Yes, we will!
It smells so good up here.
This is the way the world
is supposed to smell.
- And listen.
- What?
Did you hear it? There's a
river about a half mile down.
We can go fishing in the morning.
Oh, this is wonderful!
I feel so completely free!
There's no one waiting for me
Or expecting me to do anything!
- You can do anything you please.
- Exactly.
I guess we missed the
church service?
- Are you crying?
- No.
No, I'm okay.
You should get going.
- Are you sure you're all right?
- I'm fine.
You should go.
This wasn't planned, you know.
I know.
- What?
- My arm is numb.
Numb arm. Numb arm,
numb, numb
Nate!
What's the matter?
Oh my god.