Essex County (2023) s01e03 Episode Script

1
Claire's will gave
you temporary custody.
We need to file a court
order to make that permanent.
But we cannot move on that
until the biological
father signs the notice.
Just remember to just
keep it between us, yeah?
It's getting late.
I was getting worried.
LESTER: Yeah. I was
just down by the creek
with some of my friends.
These are frickin' awesome, kid.
MAGGIE: I don't know. I'm
just a little bit nervous.
- ANNE: You'll be fine, Mags.
- MAGGIE: Are you gonna be okay?
ANNE: Of course.
We know who you are.
I thought I'd regret
it if I didn't meet you.
Joy. How long has it been going on?
DOUG: It doesn't mean anything, Anne.
PUDGE: Look who it is!
Hey, your brother looks like
he's about to shit himself.
Fuck off, Pudge.
I just came to wish you guys good luck.
PETER: I'm just out at your Uncle Lou's.
I don't think he's okay.
ANNE: I will take him on as my patient.
- I am here to help you.
- I don't need a nurse.
OFFICER: He was pretty
confused when I found him.
This is where my mom had her accident.
Why here?
♪
♪
Hey, honey.
♪
♪
So, for this next one,
I'd like you to pick
any three objects in the room,
and write their names down
on a piece of paper for me.
What is this, pre-school?
Three objects
A hooker
a bottle of whiskey, and
ten thousand dollars.
Lou, you drove your
tractor into a ditch.
We need to make sure you're okay.
Yeah, okay. Fine. Three things, yeah.
A couch, TV lamp. Happy?
DR. BYRNE: Good. Great. Now, just
okay, just write those
down for me, please.
LOU: Couch.
TV
Lamp.
Now, can I get you to,
please, draw the clock,
with all the numbers,
and the hands pointing
at the current time.
- LOU: The clock.
- DR. BYRNE: Yes, sir.
LOU: Oh, yeah. Okay.
Yeah, twelve-thirty. Perfect.
Right down the middle there.
- There you go.
- DR. BYRNE: Okay, that's terrific. Thank you.
- (CLATTERING)
- Hey, come on!
What are you doing?
I was just making some space.
LOU: Yeah, but that's my stuff.
Later, we'll just look and see
what you want to do with it.
- Okay?
- Oh, yeah, yeah.
We can figure
Okay, now, Lou, can you tell me, please,
the names of the objects that
you wrote down just before?
Yeah. Of course, I can.
The clock.
No, you just drew the clock, Lou.
That was not one of the objects.
(RUSTLING)
- Hmm.
- (RUSTLING)
- Chair?
- DR. BYRNE: Okay, Lou,
no, the chair was not
one of the objects.
Hey!
No. Stop going through my stuff.
- Sorry.
- You guys are just trying to confuse me!
All right, couch
same goddamn thing. Come on.
DR. BYRNE: Lou, it's okay. Just relax.
- I mean, it's only a small part
- No!
Don't tell me to relax
in my own goddamn house.
Well, I think we're good, anyway.
♪
Recon, report!
Enemy spotted near the north perimeter.
Defensive measures have been taken.
Mars Rover 2.
Perimeter clear.
(CHIMING)
DR. BYRNE: Well, the
worry now, of course,
is that, you know, he
he wanders off again,
gets lost, maybe gets
confused, hurts somebody.
ANNE: Do you really think it's that bad?
It's really in the grey area right now,
so it's kind of up to you.
I mean, I know you've
already been through this,
taking care of your dad
and you've got your own life
now, Anne, other patients.
I mean, it's not like you
can be here all day, and he
he may need that.
Okay, well, I'll talk to him.
- Okay.
- All right. Thanks for coming out.
- No worries.
- Okay.
Are the men in the white
coats coming for me?
(ENGINE STARTING)
You know, I am doing my
best for you, Uncle Lou.
- Mm
- Come on.
Self-pity doesn't suit you.
Boy, you know, one minute,
you think you've got
everything in front of you,
and then the next,
they'll give you a little test.
It's actually just a routine test.
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
I still feel the same age inside
as I've always felt.
I'm about to turn the age
my mom was when she died.
What?
No.
Yeah, I always thought of it as
some kind of, like, an end mark.
I never thought beyond it.
But here I am.
How come you stayed away so long?
You didn't come back
here until after Dad died.
What happened between you two?
Hmm
Man, that that's so far in the past.
Anyway, um
We still got a lot to do.
- Yeah.
- We gotta get this house together.
I, um I got a lot done
this week, but not enough.
I get that you don't like
me touching your stuff.
No.
So, why don't you help?
I will.
Okay. I'll see you tomorrow
or the next day, okay?
And we'll talk about it all then.
- Okay.
- Bye.
(LOU SIGHING)
(GLASS CHIMING)
Used to be one of the rotten ones ♪
And I liked you for that ♪
Used to be one of the rotten ones ♪
And I liked you for that ♪
Used to be one of the rotten ones ♪
And I liked you for that ♪
Now you're all gone,
got your make-up on ♪
And you're not coming back ♪
Can't you come back? ♪
Used to be one of the rotten ones ♪
- And I liked you for that ♪
- (CHIMING)
Used to be one of the rotten ones ♪
And I liked you for that ♪
♪
CLAIRE: Hey, monkey.
The anti-anxieties are
only as needed, right?
Yeah.
I can't refill it this often.
I don't take them as
much anymore. I, uh
Well, these should get you through,
and I'll get Dr. Byrne
to call in your refill.
Your headaches?
They come and go, you know?
When they're bad, they're pretty bad.
Maybe if you didn't drink so much?
Can we not?
Uh
Kiddo left, eh?
Yup. It's, uh It's an adjustment.
But I'm pretty busy, so
Dougie on the road?
Uh, yeah, on and off.
So, I've been seeing Uncle Lou.
What does he want?
They want to put him at home.
Well, he never gave a shit about us.
Put him wherever, put him out there.
Christ sake
Why the hell did he come back, anyway?
Why did you come back?
Where else was I supposed to go?
I got you here, you and, uh
and my kiddo.
You've seen him?
Jimmy
You do this, you
put yourself in situations
where you don't think about
how it affects other people.
He's just a little kid.
You know, maybe I haven't been the
greatest dad or whatever, but
it was it was tough.
You know, when I got hurt, I
No, you've always been like this.
People can change, right?
I mean what if, uh
What if I did right by him, you know?
Yeah, I
I'm gonna buy the garage, house selling,
I'm looking into a loan.
You know what, that's that's
That's why I have to
ask you a a favour.
- I I know.
- (SIGHING)
I know, but
my credit is shot to shit,
so I just need someone to co-sign.
I don't know.
I'm seeing the guy
at the bank next week.
Oh, you made an appointment?
Yeah.
Okay. I'll think about it.
Huh? Let's go!
Ahh! (LAUGHING)
♪
Hello?
Anybody home? (VOICE ECHOING)
Red Vesper.
Hey!
What are you doing over there?
Nothing. Just playing.
Oh. (CLEARING THROAT)
Did you finish your homework?
I didn't have any.
That's good, I guess.
Um
Oh. How how's, uh
how's the drawing
going?
The
You have to show me your work sometime.
Yeah.
So, what what do you got planned
for the rest of your day?
I I don't know.
Well, I, uh I got a lot of work to do
with the combine today.
Do you do you want to drive it?
Really?
Just gotta gotta keep
it straight, you know.
You pick a spot, keep
the nose of the tractor
always pointed at it.
You got it.
Yep.
Give it some gas.
Whoa, whoa, whoa! Okay, okay, okay.
- Sorry.
- That's okay. It's okay.
LESTER: Uh, I don't
think it's very straight.
KENNY: It's good. It's good. It's fine.
That's good.
- (LAUGHING) Follow the
- Follow the line.
Hey, uh
I figured we'd get cleaned up
and I'll take you down
to the Dairy Freeze,
we'll get some ice cream.
Um, actually, I was going
to go down to the creek
with some of my friends from school.
Oh. Yeah, okay, that's fine, too.
- All right.
- Uh, just be home before dark.
I'll make burgers tonight.
Sounds good.
(HAMMERING)
(HAMMERING)
Oh!
(BREATHING HEAVILY) There you are.
I, uh I was afraid that they got you.
Whoa, here you are.
It's so nice to see you.
Okay, look.
Look, I, uh, built some
more traps down here
by the creek bed, you know,
just in case they decide
to launch another attack,
you know, we'll see them coming.
- Oh, yeah.
- Yeah.
Look at that. That'll stop a laser.
- I think so. I think so.
- (BIRD CHITTERING)
- That'll stop like 20 lasers.
- (GASPING) Oh, jeez.
- What?!
- Oh, jeez! Oh, jeez! Oh, jeez!
We got incoming! We got incoming!
Okay, I'll tell you what,
- you get down by the creek.
- Yeah.
And I'll hold them off,
okay? Let's go! Let's go!
(MAKING LASERS SOUNDS)
(LASERS SOUNDS)
(MAKING LASERS SOUNDS)
Aah!
No! No!
(JIMMY BREATHING HEAVILY)
Come on. Stay with me.
- Come on.
- (BREATHING HEAVILY)
I'm done for.
Plus, I really need a smoke, eh?
I'm hungry and exhausted.
You want to go get some lunch?
- Could do.
- Yeah?
Okay, all you got to do is pick me up
and carry me up over that
hill over there. Okay?
- Yeah.
- All right, let's go. One, two, three.
One, two, three, and up.
Oh!
- Teamwork!
- Teamwork!
(DOOR OPENING)
Hey.
Late lunch.
There's coffee in the pot.
No, I'm good.
But thanks. Um
I got your text.
You were, um, on the road.
No, that's not where I was.
I don't want to lie anymore.
I came back for a reason
- 'cause I've been thinking a lot.
- Doug, I am
so tired.
♪
(SIGHING)
I wish we hadn't let things get so
Nothing. So nothing.
It was good once, though.
Don't you remember?
Of course I remember.
Well
We We can get that back if we try.
Were those different people?
Yes and no.
When I think about
that young woman, I
I don't even know who she is anymore.
Deep down, we're always who we are.
And I love who you are.
Hey, I love who you are.
Don't be stupid.
We're still us. Come on.
♪
Take care of me ♪
Who's side are you always on? ♪
And bring sound sleep ♪
The wind undoes me ♪
Pulls me past ♪
The way you hold me brings me back ♪
(CHATTERING)
You coming or what?
(PATRONS CHATTERING, LAUGHING)
(COUNTRY MUSIC PLAYING SOFTLY)
(PATRONS LAUGHING)
BARTENDER: Look who it
is, the famous Mr. Lebeuf.
- Back already?
- Well, you know how it is.
(CHUCKLING)
Hey.
BARTENDER: You old enough to drink, kid?
Got ID?
No.
I'll take a beer and give me
one of those menus for him, okay?
Hey, boy, you want a pop?
- Sure.
- JIMMY: Yeah? Yeah, and a Coke.
Thanks, bud.
- Here's your menu for you, too, pal.
- All right.
Who's that?
That's my boy. It's it's Lester.
So, you play hockey too, Larry?
No, not really.
JAKE: You know, your
dad was a real star, eh?
- All right.
- Talk to you later, Jake.
All right, come take a seat here.
All right.
(SIGHING)
(SIGHING)
- What's wrong?
- Nothing.
You don't like this place or?
We can go somewhere else, if you want.
No, it's it's nothing.
Hey.
Hey.
You can tell me, okay?
Where were you?
Where was I when?
When I was younger,
where were you?
Where did your mom tell you I was?
She never talked about you.
Yeah? (CHUCKLING MIRTHLESSLY)
Um
I remember you, though.
You were at my mom's funeral.
I saw you.
Yeah, I saw you, too.
When I heard that, um
Claire was, um
Claire was sick,
I came back, but I was too late.
You know?
Why didn't you stay together?
That's That's complicated.
What do you, um
You want some fries or something?
Anything you want.
I want to live with you.
Well, I'm, uh
I'm looking into buying the garage.
I mean, um
maybe we could work something out.
Really?
Yeah. Yeah, sure, kid. You know
LOU: Oh, yeah.
(SIGHING)
♪
Ahh
Yeah okay.
BETH: You played good today, too.
YOUNG LOU: Sorry, what's that?
You said you played great today, too.
One more time. Just just
You were good.
You're you're sweet,
though. But, um
it's Vince's night, so let him enjoy.
♪
- (SIGHING CONTENTEDLY)
- (PHONE VIBRATING)
(PHONE CONTINUES VIBRATING)
Oh, it's Mag.
(PHONE VIBRATING)
Hi. Hi, honey.
- MAGGIE: Hi, Mom.
- How are you?
MAGGIE: What's going on with your hair?
What? Oh, I was just
trying something new.
(MAGGIE CHUCKLING)
Now, just hold on.
Okay, hi.
Where are you?
Um, I'm just in my room.
Everything all right?
Yeah. I don't know.
Hey, what's going on?
- I made the wrong choice, Mom.
- Did something happen?
I don't like it here.
Hang on, hang on. Listen,
change is hard, honey.
MAGGIE: No, no, no. It's just that
(SIGHING)
I want to come home,
and I think I just need
to take the year off
and make more intentional choices.
What? Maggie, I
No, I can't let you
waste this opportunity.
Why don't you try being
intentional about sticking it out?
Okay, thank you for understanding, Mom.
- Well, I think it's
- (PHONE BEEPING)
Maggie.
♪
(THUNDER RUMBLING)
(ETHEREAL VOICES CHATTERING)
(ETHEREAL VOICES CHATTERING)
(ETHEREAL VOICES CHATTERING)
(ETHEREAL VOICES CHATTERING)
BOY LOU: How come you
can skate faster than me,
and shoot harder than me,
but I still have to take
off your skates for you?
BOY VINCE: Don't know.
Yeah, well, that's the last time.
You gotta learn how to do it yourself.
Did you see Teddy's face when
you scored that last goal?!
He shouldn't have crosschecked you.
YOUNG LOU: Yeah, well, next time
♪
(CAR WHOOSHING PAST)
(ROCK MUSIC PLAYING IN DISTANCE)
(CAR WHOOSHING PAST)
(ROCK MUSIC PLAYING IN DISTANCE)
YOUNG LOU: I don't think I've ever seen
Vince play that hard before.
It's probably because you showed up.
You seem to be a good luck charm.
- BETH: I don't know about that.
- YOUNG LOU: I noticed.
('60S ROCK PLAYING)
♪
(WHOOPING)
Beth!
- Bethy, no.
- Yes.
No, no. No, don't go.
- I'm tired.
- No, no.
No, you should stay.
- What?
- Yeah. Yeah.
VINCE: Not without you.
I can't stay without you.
- BETH: You can.
- Hey, hey, hey, you guys
- you guys aren't leaving.
- What? No, just me.
No, I'll get us a cab.
No, I'll walk. It's around
the corner. I'll be fine.
- It's Toronto; you can't walk.
- You stay.
- Listen, I'll walk her home.
- VINCE: No.
- LOU: Let me walk her home, come on.
- VINCE: No. Uh-uh.
- LOU: I'm happy to walk her home.
- You sure?
- Yeah?
- No, I'm happy to do it.
- VINCE: Yeah?
- LOU: You're a superstar, buddy.
You're a superstar.
How many goals you get?
VINCE: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
All right, baby. Mmm. Mmm.
Love you. All right.
Be good. (WHISTLING)
Huh? Get home safe.
Can you smell that?
What?
That's snow in the air.
Yeah. Oh, I love it,
sense of anticipation.
He's gonna be suffering tomorrow.
Oh, yeah. Oh
But he deserves it. I mean,
he won the game for us.
Hey, did he, um
Did he ask for that raise?
Oh. I don't know. What about you?
Come on, I'm not I'm not that guy.
- I'm just a filler.
- Don't say that.
It's okay.
I know who I am.
Well, that's more than
a lot of people can say.
You think?
Most people are just
doing what's expected, without
having any idea who they actually are.
Have you have you been
doing any more writing?
Oh, here and there.
You know what I'm gonna say.
You got to believe in yourself, Beth.
Life is short.
I know.
You're talented. Don't waste it.
Um
Well, this is you.
Okay.
- Good night, Beth.
- Good night.
Hey, Lou?
Can I come in?
Yeah. Yeah, yeah.
Come on in.
- And so, it begins.
- BETH: Mm.
God, I've always loved
the first snow of the year.
Me too.
LOU: I'm sorry.
- We promised.
- LOU: I know.
You know, when he was back
at the farm over the summer
it seemed like we were in
a dream.
You know?
Hey.
Hey.
Beth, what is it? What's wrong?
I'm pregnant.
LOU: What the hell are we gonna do?
It would destroy him
if he knew.
I'm sorry.
♪
I know. Just let us have tonight.
Please.
♪
♪
Lester?
(KNOCKING)
(SIGHING)
JIMMY: Wah!
There we go, buddy.
Oh, I forgot my smokes. Be right back.
(CAR APPROACHING)
(BRAKES SCREECHING)
(CAR DOOR OPENING)
Lester, get in the truck.
I'm not going with you.
- Get in the truck, Lester, now. Come on.
- LESTER: No, I'm not going with you.
This isn't how you do things, Jimmy.
He came looking for me, bud.
Claire wanted you away from that kid.
Yeah, well, what she wanted
isn't the only thing
that matters, Kenny.
As soon as I heard you were back here,
I knew you would fuck
everything up, man.
Is that so?
You know, I seem to remember
you picking a fight with me
back in the day, and, uh
didn't work out so good for you, did it?
Hmm?
He's my dad. I can do what I want.
- Lester, you don't understand.
- JIMMY: No, no, no, no, no, no.
It's you that doesn't
understand, Kenny. Hmm?
You think I need your
permission for everything?
I don't need your fucking permission.
Stay away from him.
Look, I talked to a lawyer and
he told me that, if I wanted to,
that I could take you to court.
Eh? So, who do you think
they're gonna go for?
They're gonna go for you
or they're gonna go for his real dad?
- What do you think?
- Stay away from him.
- Lester, get in the truck.
- Or what?
- LESTER: No!
- Or what?
- Get in the truck, Lester, now.
- I'm not going with you.
Come on, Lester.
- Lester, come on.
- No!
- Come here, buddy.
- No, I'm not going with him.
No, just come here. Come
here. Come here. Come here.
Look, why don't you
just go for now, okay?
LESTER: No.
Look, you don't have to worry, okay?
I'm gonna figure this out, eh?
Go ahead. Come on. Go.
Come on, buddy.
I'll see you soon!
See you soon!
- Okay?
- (ENGINE REVVING)
(CHATTERING OVER EMERGENCY RADIO)
Uncle Lou, are you okay?
(GRUMBLING)
What happened?
Bethy
I'm so sorry
for all of it.
♪
And here she is.