Family Ties (1982) s01e22 Episode Script

I bet we've been together for a million years and I'll bet we'll be together for a million more oh, it's like i started breathing on the night we kissed and I can't remember what I ever did before what would we do, baby without us? what would we do, baby without us? and there ain't no nothin' we can't love each other through ooh-hoo what would we do, baby without us? sha-la-la-la now, bernice, you have a list of all the councilmen who are in our corner and have come out against the construction of the high-rise, right? Right.
And, Phyllis, you have a list of all those who are on the fence? - Right.
- Okay.
I have a list of all the pizza parlors in the neighborhood.
I say we eat.
I'm starving.
Elyse, this re-zoning bill's got to be stopped.
If it passes, all the recreational land in town will be turned into condominiums.
Do you have a copy of the bill? Oh, yeah.
Right here.
You know, one thing in our favor is the opposition is incredibly disorganized.
They're sloppy, unprepared, confused Can't seem to find it.
I know, it's in my brown purse.
No.
No.
Wait.
I'll look upstairs.
Just a minute.
I don't know why you're fighting me on this, Jennifer.
It just doesn't sound right.
That's all.
Okay, let me try and explain it to you again.
You're what's called a consumer.
You buy gum, candy, a pair of wax lips every now and then.
Right.
Right.
Okay.
Now, you need money for all this, right? But I get an allowance.
That's true, but don't you remember? Oh, yeah.
I've been hard hit by inflationary pressures.
That's right.
Now, I am willing to supplement your income by 25 cents a week, in exchange for a service.
I mean, what could be more reasonable? Alex, I don't want to clean your room.
Why don't you clean your own room? I could do that, Mallory, but that'd be the easy way out.
By paying Jennifer to do it, I'm allowing her to participate in the American free-enterprise system.
Don't do it for me, Jennifer.
Do it for America.
You have no shame at all.
Hi, kids.
Where's your mother? Uh, in the living room.
What's the occasion? Kids, your father just won the midwest regional Murray award for outstanding pbs documentary.
- Yay! - Yay! Which documentary was this for, dad? Uh, the last one in our wildlife series, "the egret's regret.
" I can't believe it.
That documentary was so obviously biased, so slanted.
You did the whole thing from the egret's point of view.
Alex, your views on this subject are well-known.
We got your letter down at the station.
Personally, I thought "bleeding-heart bird-lovers" was a bit strong.
Okay, be real quiet.
I want to surprise her.
- But, dad - Shh! And now, the winner of the Murray award for outstanding locally produced public-television documentary.
May I have the envelope, please? The winner is Steven Keaton.
Is, um Elyse Keaton here? Steven! Elyse.
I won the Murray award for "the egret's regret"! Oh, Steven, that's wonderful! I know how hard you worked to get that on! Oh, I am so proud of you! I'm happy! I'm excited! - Elyse.
- I'm coming! I was hoping we could celebrate tonight.
Oh, I'm sorry, sweetheart.
I can't.
Any chance you'll be done soon? Well, let's see.
We have to write up the petition and coordinate the canvassing teams, uh, name the group leaders, and then make about 20 phone calls.
I think soon's a little optimistic.
I think June's a little optimistic.
Maybe we can celebrate tomorrow night.
Sure.
It's no big deal.
I just wanted some of your time.
We got the show on the air.
That's what counts.
- Yeah.
- We can celebrate any time.
Oh, we will, too.
What's an award, really? Silly way to encourage competition.
I'd like to thank my parents, of course, and my first scout leader.
That's right, guido.
The table by the picture window, tonight at 6:30.
Oh, and guido, it's a special occasion, so a bottle of your best champagne.
I won the Murray award.
"The egret's regret.
" I don't know.
I thought we showed both sides.
Okay.
See you tonight.
Good morning.
Sorry you weren't awake when I came up last night.
That's okay.
What would you say if I told you that I was able to wangle us the table by the window at guido's tonight at 6:30 for our Murray award celebration? Oh! I only have one problem with that.
I can't make it.
That's a tough thing to overlook.
Well, I have a late meeting at work tonight.
I have to do some drawings for a new building, and we're bidding on the project tomorrow.
Let me call guido right back, see if he can take us any later.
Oh, great.
Mom, Mallory says I can't go with you and her tonight.
Tonight? Where are we going? It's our first mother/daughter yoga class tonight, and she can't come.
Why not? She's a mother.
I'm a daughter.
I say we're in business.
You don't even know what yoga is.
So what? I didn't know what sex was, and I went to sex-education class, didn't I? Well, this is different.
Well, I hope so.
That was really boring.
I don't know, sweetheart.
Your dad and I have plans.
Mom, you promised.
Let me talk to him.
Well, i-it took some doing, but we're in at 7:30.
We don't have the window table Is there a chance we can do it any later? Elyse, you kill me sometimes.
I'm sorry, sweetheart.
I-i completely forgot about this yoga class the girls and i signed up for.
It's at 7:00 tonight.
And we can't miss the first class.
They teach you how to breathe.
You already know how to breathe.
Inhale, exhale, keep alternating.
You won't have any problem.
Oh, please, daddy, can we go? Please, can we? Can we? Please? Oh, okay.
They love it when you beg.
I'll call guido and try to change the reservation.
Okay.
Mom, there's a call for you on the other line.
Oh, thank you, honey.
Okay, Jennifer, I'll tell you what.
I've been thinking it over, and I'm willing to raise the base pay for cleaning my room to 75 cents a week.
A quarter you see up front, the rest I put in a trust fund for you.
When do I get the money? When you're 18.
Forget it.
By then, I'll be too old to enjoy it.
Guido Take it easy.
I think we can discuss this as two intelligent adults.
What I'm trying to tell you is that any table will do.
N-now, come on, i don't mean any table.
Won't the cash register get in the way? Oh, n-never mind, I'll take it.
See you at 9:15.
Hmm.
Just got a call from Cathy speering.
She needs to see me tonight.
Tonight our tonight? She's a member of my women's support group, and we made a commitment to be available to one another.
We made a commitment, too, Elyse, remember? People threw rice.
You wore a white dress.
Do the words "for better or for worse" ring a bell? They're about to have a fight.
Is it over daddy's Murphy award? It's not a Murphy award.
It's a Murray.
And we are not about to have a fight.
I simply want to take your mother out to dinner to celebrate, and some conflicts have arisen due to your mother being somewhat overcommitted lately, and we're trying to resolve them.
That's all.
Isn't that right Dear? That's right Sweetheart Although your father has neglected to mention that all of this has happened at an unusually hectic period for me.
But I am sure he's mature enough to realize that although I'm doing everything humanly possible to be flexible, outside commitments must be fulfilled.
It's a fight.
We got to get to school.
Tell us who wins.
I'm sorry, sweetheart, but Cathy sounded really upset.
She's afraid her husband's gonna leave her for another woman.
What gives her that idea? He hasn't been home for dinner in eight months.
So maybe he's on a diet.
Couldn't you tell her you were busy tonight, that we had special plans? That you wanted to spend the evening with your husband? Look, I don't think she should be alone tonight.
She's called me in her hour of need, and I just don't feel like I can turn my back on her.
Well, when you put it like that, it's pretty tough to say no.
Okay, look.
You do what you have to do.
Go over there tonight.
I'll make a special dinner here, and we'll celebrate the minute you get home.
Thank you, sweetheart.
You're terrific.
Okay.
He-e-e-y, guido.
Good evening.
Or should I say good morning? I didn't realize it was so late.
Things got kind of heavy with Cathy.
Hope I didn't cause any problems.
Nah.
The recipe specifically says "allow veal to sit six hours before serving.
" Should be just about ready.
I'm sorry.
I just couldn't leave Cathy.
Well, are you home to stay now, or is this just a pit stop? Of course.
- Where would I be going now? - I don't know.
I'm sure there's someone in trouble somewhere in the world.
It's 8:00 A.
M.
in London.
Perhaps some English woman is completely out of tea.
Look, I know i said I'd be home early, but tonight was an emergency.
It's always an emergency, Elyse.
It's not just tonight.
I haven't spent 20 consecutive minutes with you all week.
Okay.
Okay.
I know I've been spreading myself a little thin lately, but you know how I am once I make a commitment.
And I think you could be a little more flexible! Oh.
Ah, ah, I see.
Yeah, my fault.
I'm not flexible enough.
Maybe if I were an undocumented alien with an overbite, or if they were planning to re-zone our bedroom, I would be able to get a little of your time.
Look.
I'm not in the mood for a fight tonight.
Not in the mood to fight? Not in the mood? Wait, I'll put on the theme from "rocky.
" Why do we have to fight now?! Because the odds are, when you are in the mood, you won't be here! Steven, it just so happens there have been a lot of demands put on me lately.
I've got this big presentation at work I've got to prepare, and it's put me under a lot of pressure.
Then this re-zoning thing came to a head, and then Cathy called, and i felt a little obligation to her.
But, hey, if I've been neglecting my better half, well, excuse me! I'm sorry I wasn't here to celebrate with you, but if you want to celebrate right now, hey, I'm all for it! Get out the hats! Get out the streamers! Get out your Murray! Let's celebrate! Just the two of us? Won't that be a little lonely for you? What would you suggest? I don't know.
Let's call amnesty international.
They've got a lot of guys with time on their hands.
I'm sure they can round up a fun crowd for us.
Steven, that's it.
I'm just exhausted.
I'm gonna go sleep in the other room.
Oh, no, you don't.
A lot of things may have changed, but it's always been the man's prerogative to sleep in the other room! Be my guest! I will! Elyse.
Yes, Steven? You know that pact we have Always resolve all our differences before we go to sleep, never go to bed angry? Oh, Steven.
Well, it's off.
You guys better get going.
Dad's gonna be here any minute.
I don't get it, mom.
Why do we have to leave because you and daddy had a fight? You don't have to leave because we had a fight.
You have to leave because we want to make up.
Daddy's gonna be really upset when he finds out it's just you and him tonight.
You want to bet? - Table's all set, mom.
- Oh, thank you, love.
This is a funny way of being mad at someone, isn't it? Making him a special dinner? Well, you see, your dad and I had a little misunderstanding last night, and we both said some things that I hope he's sorry for.
And tonight, we're just gonna celebrate his award with a nice, quiet evening at home.
Nice, quiet evening at home, huh? Is that why you're wearing "ravage me" perfume? I said quiet, not boring.
Ahh.
Hello, Steven.
Welcome home.
Hi, mal.
Alex.
Hi, Jenny.
Come on, Steven.
I think it's time we made up.
I may not be ready.
But after our, uh, discussion last night, i-i was thinking, and I was very tired and on edge, and I'm sorry that some things were said.
And I'd like to make it up to you with a special dinner, just the two of us.
Just the two of us? Yes.
I told mom you would be mad.
Well, you know, you weren't the only one who said some things.
I'm sorry, too.
Does that mean you're ready to make up? Sure, what the hell.
I'm easy.
He doesn't look mad.
He's covering.
Well, I'm going to go up and slip into something irresistible.
Stay out of my closet! Okay, now, Alex, you're gonna take Jennifer to Chrissy's and Mallory to Susan's and you're going to Peter's, and you'll be back here at 9:30, right? - Right, mom.
- Okay.
Have a good time.
You have a good time too, mom, uh, within bounds.
What are bounds? Phyllis! Hi, Elyse.
Sorry to barge in like this, -but we just found out from ed Phillips - Why are you here? That the opposition is gonna try to sneak through the zoning bill tomorrow.
Our only chance to save it is to call all the councilmen tonight.
Tonight? Why does it have to be tonight? Well, we haven't much time.
They've scheduled the session for 9:00 tomorrow morning.
Oh, you've got plans.
I'm sorry.
I didn't even notice.
Look at you.
You're all dressed, and That's "ravage me," isn't it? Yes, well, actually, Steven and I had a special dinner planned.
Now, that is powerful stuff, Elyse.
I don't think you'll make it to dessert.
W-well, hey, I'm really sorry that I can't help you, but this has been put off, and Let me help you with this stuff.
Elyse, which goes better with this jacket, the dark brown or the gray? Is Elyse Keaton here? Hi, Steven.
Hi, Elyse.
What's going on? They moved up the re-zoning vote on us.
It's tomorrow.
So? So, it's important we take action tonight.
Elyse, it's important we take action tonight.
Yes, i-i know.
You see, it's okay.
Everything's gonna be moved over to bernice's house, and they're gonna work there.
We'll be out of here in a second.
If we can carry all this stuff.
I have complete confidence in you.
It's really raining out there.
Come on! Don't be such a marshmallow! A little rain never hurt anyone.
It's good for the crops.
We're not carrying crops.
Ahh, it's just a sun shower.
Steven, we can't send them out in rain like that.
You're right.
Uh, ladies, there's an inflatable raft in the garage.
Steven! All right, all right, all right, all right! Ladies, ladies, stop.
Wait a minute.
Stop.
All right, uh, look, ladies.
Um I guess you can, uh Work here.
But we'll be in your way.
I know.
To Murray? - To you.
- To the three of us.
Elyse, uh, we can't find the environmental-impact report that was done in 1981.
Oh, uh, the third drawer to the left, brown folder.
Uh, we can't find the coffee, either.
Second cupboard to the right, red bag.
Isn't this romantic? It could be.
Elyse Let's face it.
This isn't working.
Of course it's working, sweetheart.
Just relax.
Let's talk about your award.
I really don't want to talk about the Murray.
I just want to have a nice, romantic dinner with you.
Coming through! I forgot to ask who wanted decaf, who wanted regular.
Still think it's working, Elyse? I'm not saying there are no bugs in the system, but let's make the best of it.
Two decaf, four regular.
That is a surprise, huh? I mean, you would think that more people would want decaf.
It just goes to show you.
You never know.
Go on with what you were saying.
Elyse.
Not being able to spend time with you these past few days No! No trouble at all! Don't be silly.
None.
Go.
Look.
The fight we had last night reminded me how much you mean to me.
It's made me understand that we have to take better care of us, of our relationship.
Sometimes the world is too much with us, and we forget the really essential things.
But But some things never change.
And no matter how much time goes by.
we must remember this a kiss is just a ki Excuse me.
I-i didn't mean to interrupt.
It's just that we are two votes short of defeating the bill.
Can you think of any other councilmen that might be swayed? Uh, m-Max Try Max blumenthal.
Blumenthal.
Right.
a sigh is still a sigh I'm sorry, Steven.
All I'm trying to say is that you're very important to me.
Last night, alone in the guest room, i-it felt so strange not having you next to me.
And I realized that There would be a terrible void if I suddenly found myself without Ralph jetland.
No, not him.
No, no, I think Ralph jetland could be talked into voting with us.
Elyse! Well, I'm sorry, Steven.
I've got to tell bernice.
I'll be right back.
Just a second.
Okay, Steven.
Now we're alone.
Oh.
Hello.
Hello.
Hello, bernice.
Hello, Phyllis.
Oh, stop it, Steven.
They're gone.
How'd the vote count go? We think we have enough to win.
We'll know for sure tomorrow.
Steven! You're soaking wet! I've been walking around since I left.
For three hours, in the rain? My goodness! I didn't say I enjoyed it.
Well, come on upstairs and change.
No.
Well, Steven, you're going to catch cold.
Elyse, I have some things to say to you, and I'm not changing my clothes until I say them.
You have every right to be angry.
I am angry.
I'm just not sure if I'm angry at you or at me or at condominiums.
I'm confused.
Part of me feels selfish, and part of me feels neglected.
All of you looks wet and soggy.
Won't you come up and change? I'm trying to explain something to you a-and to myself.
Look all of the things which have been taking up your time this past few days have been wonderful.
Your career, spending time with the kids, helping distraught women.
Even though part of me wants you around the house all the time, I love the fact that you're never here.
That didn't come out right.
I think I know what you mean.
It's just that i can't help feeling that at some point during the past few days, you could have said no to someone besides me.
It seems like you're just taking me for granted.
It's because I'm taking you for granted.
So I was on the right track.
But don't think I'm taking for granted the fact that you let me take you for granted.
If I understood that, would I be happy? Oh, I meant it as a compliment.
You see, i-i was brought up to think of a husband as the be-all and end-all of my existence, that a man should be the center of my life and that I should learn to live in his shadow and sublimate my ambitions to his and wait on him hand and foot and satisfy his every need, answer his every desire.
Well, you can see how ridiculous that is, can't you? Can't you, Steven? Oh, Steven.
Sorry.
A momentary lapse.
But of course i don't want that.
No, you'd hate it.
Well, maybe "hate" is too strong a word.
Steven, it's been your support and encouragement that's allowed me to grow and become the woman I am.
I don't know another man that I could be fighting with right now.
I'm flattered.
But when things get hectic and I'm being pulled in all directions, I find that I'm shortchanging you because I know that you'll always be there for me.
I want to be there for you.
But I know I haven't been there for you, that I wasn't there to share your award because I was doing things.
I know I've got to learn to say no to other things so that there'll be time for us.
So from now on, if it's between clean air and you, clean air's got to go.
Don't do that, Elyse.
Clean air is important.
All right.
Clean air stays.
Let's see.
What about I know Planned parenthood.
You can't give that up.
Okay.
Okay.
I know Pets without partners.
There's one.
That can go.
Though I hate to think of all those lonely pets.