Thirtysomething (1987) s02e10 Episode Script

[theme.]
Stay off my planet, you spaceman.
You're dead.
Poosh! Hey, don't leave me here.
I'm going to leave you in the cold.
Poosh! Flap's up.
Ready for take-off.
[whooshing noise.]
I spent so much time working on my book that the next time it's going to be so good that the publisher won't be able to turn it down.
Yeah, but don't you hate getting notes? Whenever I hand a piece in to Val I still feel myself getting defensive, you know.
Like, I mean, it's good, but-- Yeah, well, I'm in advertising.
I don't have this creative problem.
I really hate Star Wars.
Well, 30 years ago he'd have a coonskin cap, and you'd hate Fess Parker.
What's the craze going to be when you come out, Moe? See, I'd like to go into his room and throw away all his rocket launchers, all his macho action figures, and all his tiny-tot Uzis.
Mm, beware of backlash, Nancy.
Yeah, he might join the Marines when he's 16.
Or form a dance company.
[Ethan.]
Poosh.
Prepare to die.
Poosh! [Elliot.]
Hey, buddy.
- Dad, how come you're outside? - Oh, I don't know.
I thought I'd wait out here this time.
- Hi, daddy.
-Ah,baby doll, baby doll.
Landing gear.
- Come on, come on.
- Hi, sweetie.
Why don't you take your sister inside? - Hello, Nancy.
- Hi.
[Nancy.]
Come on.
[kiss.]
[Nancy sighs.]
There's nothing symbolic in this.
- You changed the locks.
- No, no, I changed one lock.
It was just the deadbolt.
It was coming out of the molding.
I mean, I've got one here for you.
I thought-- Look, I'm standing here locked out of my own house.
How do you think that makes me feel? Well, don't make anything more of it.
Here.
Thanks.
So listen, I got to pick up that insurance stuff.
Oh, come on in.
I'll get the papers, and I'll be right back.
"Redstone V2 classic, Saturn B.
" Hey, that's the one that took those guys to the moon.
- When? - A long time ago.
In a galaxy far, far away.
No, they left from Florida.
Ethan, look.
These kids in here-- These guys are a lot older than you.
That's what mom keeps saying.
I told her I'd be careful.
Well, I'm sure you would, but I don't know about this, pal.
You could talk to her, tell her you think it's okay.
Come on, Dad, please.
Please? All right, well, listen.
You couldn't use it without a grown-up, meaning me being around.
You understand? I promise.
I'm serious.
These things can be dangerous.
I double promise.
All right, let me talk to your mom about it so she'll understand.
Thanks, Dad.
Oh, listen.
I talked to an accounting friend about taking the Blue Cross Blue Shield to a private contract since the business, you know-- Anyway, it's going to be expensive, but you and the kids, you don't lose your coverage.
Oh, that's great.
It's just till I get another job, you know, and then, so you don't have to worry about anything.
You want something? Coffee? Yeah, that would be great.
Ah, wait a second.
I-- I got to meet my dad at the hotel.
We're supposed to go to Ruthie's for dinner tonight.
Oh, say hi to Ruthie from me, and your dad.
Okay.
Sure.
Listen, you know he's going to want to see the kids, so you got to tell me a good time.
- Okay.
- I'll call.
- Okay.
- All right.
Hey, oh, uh, these guys here, good job.
I love what they're doing.
It's really nice.
I'm sorry about the key.
The craftsmanship, it's just it's very nice.
- No, I'm just teasing you.
- Oh, goodbye.
- Okay, bye.
- Bye.
I'm sorry.
Oh, no, don't worry.
It's all right.
Hi, I'm looking for a Mr.
Charlie Weston.
He would've checked in this afternoon.
Sure.
[chatter.]
I'll check at the desk.
Excuse me.
Dad.
- Dad.
- Hey, oh, here he is.
- Hey.
Oh.
- Oh.
Let me have a look at you.
Yeah, oh, good.
- Ah.
- Oh.
- Got you.
Got you.
- Oh, you caught me.
Yeah, you know.
Have you been waiting here all day? No, no, no, you look great.
We stacked up over Dallas.
I tried to call you on one of those air phones.
They never work.
No, they don't.
Ooh.
It's been too long.
You know that, don't you? [bellhop.]
This everything, Miss? Uh, Roberta, I want you to meet my son Elliot.
- Oh.
- Smartest man in the business.
- Roberta Sessions.
- Hi, nice to meet you.
We kept each other from going crazy in business class.
- Very nice to meet you.
- You, too.
And now let me see how badly they screwed up my reservation, and we'll have a drink before we go out to Ruthie's, huh? That's my daughter.
Hey, get acquainted.
So Charlie tells me you're in advertising.
Yeah, more or less.
Mostly less right now.
Oh.
[Man.]
Here you are, Mr.
Weston.
Thanks a lot.
How are you holding up? Uh, beats me, but I am.
Oh, God, divorce.
That's something invented for the Inquisition.
You got a good lawyer? Yeah, I got somebody.
No, I mean, are they good? If she's gotten herself a real shark, you better have somebody with muscle behind you.
Yeah, we're being real civilized about it.
Civilized is fine, but you've got to have somebody watching your back.
Dad, listen, the business I stared with Mike Steadman, we need to close up the office.
Ruthie told me about it on the phone.
Yeah, I had my rugged year.
Next year's going to be a better one, huh? You can't go forward keeping your eye on the rearview mirror.
You got to keep watching the road, foot on the gas.
You're going to be great.
I know it.
Ooh, listen.
Maybe we ought to call Ruthie and beg off.
And you and I have dinner together.
I know where we can get the best steaks in Philadelphia.
Well, I haven't been there since 1956.
[laughs.]
Dad, I don't think so.
They're expecting us over there, and you haven't seen Ruthie and the grandkids in what? A year? Okay, okay.
You don't want to talk about it.
I understand, yeah.
It's too soon.
- Well, kind of.
- Yeah.
You'll get over it.
Yeah.
You keep thinking about it every day, and-- and you can't imagine you'll every forget it.
And then one day you just won't think about it anymore.
[Charlie.]
You kids keep switching daughters on me.
Every time I see them, they're prettier.
You got a couple of heartbreakers here.
I should take you two to California with me.
You'd-- You'd turn a couple of heads, I'm telling you.
So, Dad, did you come direct from California? Oh, no, I had meetings in Houston, Dallas-- Ooh, that's a place, isn't it? God.
Kids fresh out of college taking over the world.
I was there talking to a private investment consortium.
Well, you know, I'm always on the lookout for a good shelter situation.
Well, this outfit is putting up its own communication satellite.
And, like, that would cost a fortune, wouldn't it? Oh, yes.
Amazing, you know.
They talk in billions, you know, and never bat an eye.
Well, that venture capital stuff is a little too rich for my blood.
Uh, honey, I think that's enough business talk for right now.
No, that's all right.
Uh, this thing with venture capital or any business, it's knowing that sooner or later there's going to be a setback.
It's inevitable if you're going to take chances.
The trick-- The trick is to use these setbacks.
Try to find some way to turn them into opportunities instead of roadblocks.
Huh? Right? I guess so, yeah.
Definitely.
I just can't drink coffee anymore, you know.
- Oh, thanks, honey.
- Hi, Sweetie.
Why don't you go back in? Uncle Elliot will help me in here, okay? God, those kids are cute, huh? Yeah.
Listen, you and I need to talk, okay? What about? What about? About that man.
Oh, Ruthie, come on.
Not now.
Oh, just don't get involved with him, okay? Don't let him talk you into something.
- What? - And don't lend him any money.
Does he look like he needs money to you? I'm just-- Just a warning.
Don't let that man talk you into anything.
Why do you call him that man? He's our father.
Yeah, I know who he is, okay? Ruthie, you know, this was all a long time ago.
Well, so what? So what? Is there a statue of limitations on being a bad father? He's not a bad father.
He's no worse than anybody else.
No, he just walked out on us.
That's all.
Ruth, he did not.
He wanted us to come to California.
Mom wouldn't go.
Well, he didn't put up much of a fight, did he? Oh, give me a break.
Just give yourself a break, okay? I mean, he comes in here with all this charm, and you buy it.
Well, I don't anymore.
I shut that part of myself off a long time ago, and I don't forgive him for taking that away from me.
I don't think you're being fair.
Oh, fair.
Yeah, I don't think you're being fair.
- To him? - No, fair to me, okay? I am sure, look at.
He's no Aiath, you know, but who is? All right? I'm looking forward to being with dad, and I wish you wouldn't spoil it with a lot of very old news.
[sighs.]
You just remember it different, that's all? - You're a son.
That's why.
- Oh, come on.
I remember him promising me things and then never coming through.
I mean, he'd promise you anything, everything, and then when it didn't happen, it was never his fault.
And the apologies you'd get.
My God, they were Oscar-winning performances every time.
He-- He promised me that he was going to pay for my college education, and I bel-- Well, I know I shouldn't have by that point, but I did.
He didn't? Yeah, I worked two jobs through school because I'm an over-achiever.
I thought he did.
Well, he probably told you he did.
Well, then maybe he couldn't, you know.
No, I'm serious, you know.
There's two sides to things.
Maybe he just couldn't do it.
He couldn't afford it or the business was having problems.
Agh, with you it will never change, will you? What? Every time mom told us about something about what he'd done you would always stick up for him.
- That's not true.
- That is so true.
It finally got to the point where she finally just stopped telling you all together because she didn't want to lose you.
Elliot, look.
The only reason I am telling you this is because you are vulnerable.
Nancy, the business, and he can smell it on you.
Look, I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't talk about him like that, okay? I mean, he's our father.
Oh, and that's supposed to mean something, right? Well, it's supposed to.
Well, just don't look for something that isn't there, Elliot.
It isn't there.
[clears throat.]
[Elliot sighs.]
Think fast.
Whoa.
[chuckles.]
Ah, Dad, I'm glad you're here.
Lately, I don't know, it's been kind of like "Ten Little Indians".
Every time I turn around, I got fewer and fewer people I can talk to.
Uh, look, son.
I can't do anything about the past.
I wish your sister would understand that.
Yes, I've made a lot of mistakes.
But believe me, they didn't look like mistakes when I made them.
I wish I'd have been around a lot more.
I'm sorry about that, but the important thing is I'm here now.
We're together.
And we're not going to let the past weigh us down.
We got too much work to do.
You and I got to think about the present.
And we've got to start doing something about the future.
Right? The future, huh? Yeah.
Thanks, Dad.
So you're going to go out with the guy.
You changed the lock on the house - so Elliot couldn't get in.
- No, I did-- There's a lot of meaning there.
No, I didn't change the lock so that Elliot couldn't get in.
I changed the lock because it needed to be changed.
So you're going to go out with the locksmith? No, he's not a locksmith.
He owns the hardware store.
He owns several hardware stores, actually.
Hardware's very sexy, all those tools and pipes.
Oh, please.
So what's his name? Matt Enright.
And when's the big date? Tonight.
You need somebody to watch Ethan and Brittany? No, Elliot's taking the kids overnight because his father's in town.
Oh, yeah? Isn't he from California? Mm-hmm.
So what's he like, Elliot's dad? Oh, the kids love him.
I mean, you have never seen any grown-up get along better with kids than Charlie Weston.
I guess that's where Elliot gets it from.
But Elliot's sister Ruthie always seems so tense whenever he's around.
I don't know.
Elliot's parents got divorced when Elliot was about, uh Ethan's age.
Hey, Dad, what is all this stuff? What? All this stuff out here on the table.
What, are you going to space camp or something? What's space camp? Uh, it's a place where they send kids to train to be pretend astronauts.
Ethan wants to go there.
Uh-huh.
That's the Private Satellite Project.
It's damned ingenious.
What I'm going to do is broker the transponder time to small TV stations.
Oh, kind of like time-sharing condos in outer space.
Yeah, I've got to make a presentation to some station managers.
I've got the facts and the figures.
I'm on solid ground there, but it's-- it's kind of dry stuff.
I wish I had something to make the presentation more exciting.
You know, something high-tech uh, to go along with what I'm selling.
Well, tell me what you need.
Slides, videos? - Oh, no-- - No, no, Dad.
Come on.
This is what I do for a living.
At least, this is what I used to do.
Look, I can't take your time.
I don't have any budget for promotion.
Dad, please, I'm going crazy without anything to do.
No, I didn't come down here-- Dad, please let me help you with this.
It'll be easy.
It will.
We could do it together.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
There you go.
Yeah.
I expect a bill.
No, no, no, no, come on.
Tell me what you need.
Well, first let me show you [Hope.]
This stuff is going to be great.
Oh.
I want to see mommy.
He's early.
I-I'm sorry.
[car door closes.]
Hi, Elliot.
- Oh, how are you, Mike? - Elliot.
You guys, I don't think you met my dad.
Dad, this is Mike and Hope Steadman.
- Hi.
- Hi, nice to meet you.
Hi, Mr.
Weston.
Uh, Charlie.
Hey there.
Hi.
- Hi.
- Oh, Nancy.
- How are you? - I'm fine.
- Yeah? - Yep.
Hey, where are my grandkids? They're inside.
E-Excuse me.
Excuse me.
I'll-- Let me help you round them up.
Uh, I better chaperone.
Where are my little rascals? So that's your dad.
Yeah.
Hm.
He's here for a visit, business, or something? Mostly business.
Hm.
So have you started with Pressman yet? No.
Um, Drentell tried to call me the other morning.
What about? I don't know.
He, uh-- He got the machine.
We've been playing telephone tag ever since.
I was wondering if he tried to call you.
No.
Oh.
Well, you still looking into this? Sort of.
You know, my dad, he's got some work he wants me to do with him.
Oh, that's great.
I mean, working with your dad-- Are we ready? Uh, yep, all set.
- Got to go.
Okay.
- All right.
See you.
Bye, Hope.
Uh, bye, Elliot.
Do you think you got enough toys? I got more stuff at my dad's.
Oh, you like having two places? Well, you got lots of rockets.
You know, there's a place that I'll bet you'd like, space camp.
You know about space camp? Oh, yes.
In my business, you have to know that sort of thing.
Your business? Yeah, satellites.
Satellites? You work for NASA? Uh, no, we launch our own hardware.
Cool.
Are you sullen or pensive? Oh, I was just thinking about Nancy.
What about her? Oh, I was thinking that I understand how she feels when Elliot comes around, or at least I feel something, you know, analogous.
Is that because you're both separated from him? Yeah.
Well, what does that feel like? You know, what's that thing? That pain that amputees feel in their leg even though they don't have a leg anymore.
The phantom limb.
Yeah, something like that.
Plus embarrassment.
The guilt, lots of guilt.
Have you ever thought about how the limb feels? Oh.
Who's that? Huh? Who's that? Listen, if we ever decide to get divorced, let's kill ourselves instead, okay? Oh, yeah, you got a deal.
- All right.
- Right.
All right.
Swoosh.
[makes engine sound.]
[chuckles.]
You spent too much, Dad.
Yeah, don't worry about it.
Yeah, but I was thinking about getting him this beginner thing, and Nancy says he's too young for that stuff anyway.
Uh, look, don't-- Don't take this the wrong way, but I don't think you should let Nancy decide what kind of a relationship you're going to have with your own son.
Hm? What do you got here? What do you think? A cartoon? No, no, no, no, no.
- Computer graphics.
- Hm? You see, what we do is instead of setting up art cards and slides and all that stuff, what you do is you put up a big color monitor and you run this animated graphics during your spiel.
Animated? Oh, yeah.
It makes for a very sexy pitch.
Anyway, we still got the system at the office.
We haven't returned our hardware yet, so-- How long-- How long does it take to set up something like this? No, no, just like-- No longer than it takes to set up art cards or slides.
[knock at door.]
- Oh, excuse me.
- Sure.
[Ethan.]
Poosh.
- Oh, hi.
- Hi.
Mr.
Weston? - This time already, huh? - I'm Katie.
Yes, uh, meet my son.
- Elliot Weston.
- Hi, nice to meet you.
Hi, hi, nice to meet you.
I asked the concierge to get us someone to watch the kids for a couple of hours.
The kids? Yes, yes, I'm taking you to dinner.
Pay you back for all this brainstorming.
Huh.
Dad, uh, that's-- Can you excuse me for just a second, please? - Dad.
- Hm? Listen, that's really swell and everything, but the kids, you see-- Oh, the kids have been with us all afternoon.
They're probably sick of the sight of us.
Yeah, I know, but you see, I only get the weekends with them anyways.
Been a long time since I had a weekend with you.
Yeah, I know, but you see, Ethan, he's having this problem with sitters right now.
- That-- - No, he is, Dad, and it has something to do with the separation.
I don't know what it is, but he gets resentful and he gets angry.
And I think to bring in someone new right now, I don't think it's a good idea.
Yeah, it looks like he's having real trouble.
really neat in the box.
See? See, there's the bottom.
[chuckles.]
Kids can really surprise you, can't they? Yeah, I guess so.
Uh-huh.
Well, now I won't have to cancel my surprise for you.
Surprise? Mm-hm.
No, no, you don't need me to tell you what it's like to travel.
Uh, how much time do you think that you and Helen spend every year traveling? Oh, a lot of time.
- Yeah? - Mm-hmm.
Well, I envy you in advertising.
You stay in one place.
The clients come to you.
Oh, that's the theory.
Oh, any suggestions? Um, no, I've never been here.
This place is new.
I complain a lot, but I do really love to travel.
- Well, I know what you mean.
- Yeah? I find it fascinating the way cities actually have different personalities.
Yes, yes, there's that, but I love the travel itself.
Not being in one place or another but moving, moving.
You know what I like? Being-- Being in an airplane late at night.
Midnight.
30,000 feet and when they turn out the cabin lights.
And outside isnothing.
Just the stars.
Moving along 400 miles an hour, and you feel like it's motionless.
That's a very rare feeling.
That'll trick you, yeah? - Very romantic.
- Yeah.
Um, you know, can we have a couple more minutes here? We're not quite ready.
Thanks a lot.
What are you going to have? Pasta looks really good, I think, hey? [chatter.]
- Either fish or-- - The chicken looks good.
- [Elliot.]
The advertising-- - I'll be back.
Elliot.
Small world.
- Hi.
- Where are the kids? I can explain, Nancy.
Elliot, where are the kids? They're at my hotel with a sitter.
They're fine.
Who's your friend? You left the kids at a hotel? Yeah, it's really not that big a deal, Nance.
- Which hotel? - They'll be fine.
No, look, Nancy, it's okay.
It's not what you think.
I mean, we went out to dinner, and after we eat, we're going to go back to the hotel.
We are going to go back? No, we, dad and I, the two of us.
Why did you take the kids if you didn't want them? - Of course I wanted them.
- Oh, yeah, of course.
- That's why you're here.
- No, Nancy, come on.
Why did you lie to me? Why didn't you just tell me-- I didn't lie to you.
We could pick them up if you-- Wait, they're fine where they are.
Really, Nance.
I don't know what to say to you.
ReallyI-I just don't know what to say.
I'm sorry, Matt.
Do you mind if we just--? Oh, no, of course.
That's, uh-- That's Nancy.
Damn small world.
[Elliot.]
Nancy, you're blowing this thing way out of proportion just like you do everything else.
[Nancy.]
I'm waiting for an explanation.
Maybe I'm tired of explaining things to you.
How about that? To abandon your children like that? I didn't leave them in a bus station, for God's sakes.
They were in a hotel room with a sitter.
Dad said he wanted to take me to dinner.
What was I supposed to do? Hurt his feelings? Did they see who you went out with? Nancy.
Did the children see those women? No, no way.
They were waiting at the restaurant when I got there.
Dad said he had a surprise for me.
I didn't even know they were there.
[sighs.]
Is the argument over now? Yeah, yeah, I suppose.
I mean, Ethan and Brittany, I mean, those kids are the most important thing in the world to me.
I just want them to be happy.
Oh, why should they be happy? What kind of thing is that to say? No, I mean, it's just a question.
What do they have to be happy about? Well, they're kids.
I mean, they're babies.
They're entitled to be happy.
Yeah, but I'm beginning to think we owe them more than that.
[footsteps.]
[knock at door.]
Hey, hey.
Hey, bud.
I got to go, okay? Okay.
Sure was nice of your granddad to buy you this rocket, wasn't it? Uh-huh.
I tell you what, next weekend we'll go to the park.
We'll launch it, I promise.
And after that, we'll go to a restaurant, you and Britty and I, a real restaurant, and we can get shrimp cocktail.
Huh? How does that sound? - Great.
- All right.
All right.
Well, listen, I got to go.
Give me a kiss.
Come on.
Keep them flying, sport, all right? Okay.
I love you.
[Michael.]
Hello? Hello? Elliot? Hey, Mike.
I didn't expect to see anyone.
Yeah, well, there's some people that are interested in looking at the space.
I'm meeting them.
I'm going to show them around.
Okay.
I thought you were going to call Randy and see about selling him back the system.
Yeah, I am, I am.
I just thought I'd wait till the first of the month.
This is the thing I'm doing with my dad.
How's it going? Fine.
Well, actually, it's pretty good.
Is this an animation program? Yeah, actually I'm having trouble finding a color.
Mm-hm.
No, it looks good.
- Can I--? - Yeah, yeah.
Listen, I'm just going to do this one presentation with my dad.
Then I'll get on the horn with Randy.
The first of the month's plenty of time.
[beeping.]
That's it.
I guess I'll meet these people outside, so-- Okay.
But I'll see you later.
Good luck.
Thanks.
You, too.
Now, this right here, this is the last one, Dad.
Now you can hold on this as long as you want.
Right? And then dissolve to the logo.
Hey.
What do you think? What do I think? Elliot, son, I-I don't know what to say.
It's fantastic.
I've never seen anything like that.
Oh, you've done a tremendous job, really.
- Thanks, Dad.
- Oh, no, I mean it.
We're going to knock their socks off.
Oh, well listen, I can tighten up some of these transitions if you want.
It's perfect.
No, no, no, it's exactly what I needed.
You came through.
You really did.
Yeah, yeah.
Thanks, Dad.
Oh, this will-- This will really help me sell them.
I'd never thought of a thing like this.
I've been doing business all my life in kind of a certain way, and it's-- it's very hard to see a different approach.
Oh, there's computers and the satellites and the video.
You know, every morning I wake up, and it feels like someone's changed the world on me while I'm asleep.
Made it faster.
Made it, uh, younger.
It's-- It's hard to keep an edge.
It's hard to keep up.
Dad, um-- It's hard to keep up.
Dad, do you ever think about retiring? To do what? You don't do anything.
That's the point of retiring.
Oh, no, thank you.
I got to keep moving.
Yeah, but don't you get tired? No, I don't.
I don't have time to get tired.
Yeah, but, Dad, I think-- Well, what are you trying to talk me into? I'm not trying to talk you into anything, Dad.
I've been taking care of myself since I was 15 years old, and I don't need somebody like you to tell me to slow down, right? If you're not doing something, if you're not going some place, you're dead, you're not alive.
[chuckles.]
Staying in one place might be all right for a tree, but not for me.
Not for a man.
Remember that.
I'm sorry, Dad.
I didn't mean-- That's okay.
Forget it, forget it.
Now, how about running the show again? I'll try-- try it with my pitch.
All right.
And we'll see how it times out.
Okie dokie.
[Nancy.]
Ethan! Come on, let's roll.
Come on, sweetie, we got to go.
Come on, let's go.
You coming? You going to bring that with you? - Over at Opie's? - Yes.
That's okay.
Come on, let's go.
Get your brother, okay? Ethan! [Brittany.]
Ethan! [Nancy.]
Come on.
I'm coming, Mom.
Satellite Partners puts you in the lead with the network affiliates, but without their overhead, you don't need me to tell you how television is changing.
That's why flexibility is so important.
Flexibility and global access, that's what we're offering.
And we offer both with a price tag that will surprise you.
Minimum outlay, minimum on-site hardware, unlimited prospects-- [Ethan.]
Come on, come on, follow me out here.
I am embarrassed.
I mean, this-- What have you got to be embarrassed about besides the usual? Are you--? I had no idea you were this good.
I mean, these are great.
These are absolutely great.
I mean, they have resonance.
- I mean, they're epic.
- Thanks.
You're definitely going to get a publisher.
Yeah, I-I think I will.
And make lots of money.
Lots of money writing a children's book? No, I doubt it.
Well, maybe it'll be a miniseries, Nance.
You know, with Morgan Fairchild-- Please, please.
This woman is not interested in crass commercialism.
She's interested in art.
Yeah, but I wouldn't mind making a little money.
I mean, I don't want to be greedy or anything, but oh, I would love to take a trip all by myself.
Where would you go? - Ireland.
- Oh.
I would rent a car and drive around the countryside with my sketchbook and my portable James Joyce.
I've always wanted to do that.
- All by yourself.
- Oh, man.
All by myself.
[laughs.]
You definitely should do that.
You should definitely go, and you should bring me back a sweater.
- Okay.
- And lace, lots of lace.
You know what? My friend went to Dublin, but all I got was this lousy T-shirt.
[laughs.]
Look at this.
Look at this.
Honey, don't slam the door when you're in other people's houses.
Mommy.
Britty? Ethan! Come here, Britty.
Come here, Britty.
It's okay, sweetie.
Hey, buddy.
It's okay.
Are you all right? Are you okay? - Let me see, sweetie.
- I got it, Nancy.
Nancy, let me pick him up.
[phone ringing.]
Uh, Elliot.
[humming.]
Hello? Mike.
What? Daddy.
Hey, baby, come here.
Where's Nancy? She's with the doctor.
How is he? It blew up in his face.
Nancy, I'm so sorry.
Do not say you're sorry.
Are you the father? Yeah, can I see him? Of course.
How is he? The burns on the forehead and hands are minor.
He does have a bad corneal abrasion.
Wait, a what? A scratch over the surface of the eye at the pupil.
How this affects his vision will depend on the amount of scar tissue.
We'll just have to wait and see.
He's a very lucky kid.
He's probably asleep right now.
[knock at door.]
Oh, Elliot, I'm glad to see you.
How is he? Okay? He caught a piece of plastic in his eye.
What did they say at the hospital? Well, I guess he's all right.
They want to keep him overnight.
They keep saying it could've been a lot worse.
Ah, well, come on.
Sit down, sit down.
Uh, let me get you a drink.
- All right.
- Yeah.
If those people from the station hadn't been so close to signing, I would've come to the hospital with you.
I probably should have.
You happy with the doctors over there? You think I should make a couple of phone calls for you? You haven't lived here in 25 years.
Who would you call? I'm just trying to help.
Are you leaving? Oh, I was hoping you'd call from the hospital.
You know, it hasn't been a completely bad day.
We have an appointment in Boston.
We do? The group that we saw today has got a station up there.
They want us to make the presentation to them tomorrow.
Oh, Dad, I can't leave town, not with Ethan in the hospital.
Well, I could maybe move it a day.
We can't let it cool down.
Oh, Dad, I don't know.
We're talking about a trip to Boston, not China.
It's a milk run.
You'll be back the next day.
I should be here for him.
What you should be is a success for him.
You said he's okay.
You said you trust the doctors.
Nancy's right there, I have no doubt.
What's important now is for you to get back on the track.
Get up on your own two feet so Ethan can be proud of you.
And if that means being away for a couple of days, that's a sacrifice you'll have to make.
This is an adult world.
He'll understand.
He's a kid.
Yeah, he's a kid, but you're not.
So I expect you to understand your responsibilities.
Look, Elliot, we got a chance to do something.
Uh, no.
Dad, I have to stay here.
You're upset.
I sprang this at you.
Okay but I don't think you know what's at stake here.
Oh, Dad, listen.
Dad, this system right here, I can teach you how to run this system by yourself.
It'll take like a half hour.
No, no, that's not the deal we had.
You said you were going to help me.
Now you're using this to back out.
This is not going to do anybody any good.
Oh, Dad, I'm not trying to stick you.
It's not what you're doing to me.
It's what you're doing to yourself.
Dad, come on.
Listen, this system right here, it's a snap.
Oh.
I see.
You're going to behave yourself, hm? And then some day, somebody might forgive you, take you back.
Forgive you for what? Being yourself? You want to make your son proud? You want to teach her a lesson for letting you go? Then come with me to Boston.
Dad, that's not what Ethan needs.
That's not what I need.
It's Ethan-- Ethan had an accident.
A million kids have accidents every day.
How could you know something like this would happen? I could've read the side of the box.
I could've used some common sense.
Well, what are you supposed to do? Deny your son a thing that will make him happy? Dad, that's not the point.
You got this thing all twisted around.
I've got it twisted? Dad, if you really want to help me, you'll understand that I have to stay and stop giving me excuses to run away.
I'm not giving you excuses.
I'm giving you reasons.
Dad, they're excuses.
They're easy outs and rationales.
And they don't work for me anymore.
Not anymore.
Look, all I'm trying to do is help you.
That's not true, Dad, and you know it.
This isn't a one-way deal.
You're getting something out of this, too.
Why can't you admit that? I'd love to go with you, Dad.
I would, but I can't.
My son needs me.
Don't you know what that feels like? Yeah.
Your son needs you.
I need you.
Ethan is in the hospital.
It's my fault.
My responsibility.
She's got you really whipped.
Heavens.
Nancy and I were married for 13 years.
That's longer than you and Mom were together.
So don't say another word about my wife because you don't know the first thing about her.
I know what she's done to you.
You can't possibly know what she's done for me.
I should never have left you with your mother and sister.
You wouldn't be acting like this if there was somebody there to teach you how to act like a man.
What's that, Dad? I mean, what is that? Someone who walks out? Someone who walks out on their wife and kids and ends up in hotel rooms? That's not what I want.
Not for me.
[knock at door.]
[Charlie.]
Yeah? Uh, bag's in the, uh, bedroom.
Dad.
I hope Ethan's all right.
Thanks.
I'll send him something.
I'll give him your love.
Dad? Dad? Huh? Oh, hi.
How are you? My hands itch, I got a headache, and you look funny.
Well, you got a bandage over your eye.
You and I have to talk, pal.
Am I in trouble? Well, we both are.
Is Mom mad? Well, she's glad you're okay.
I think she's mostly mad at me.
What did you do? Well I allowed you to have that rocket.
You-- You're in trouble because we had a deal.
You weren't supposed to play with any of that stuff without me around.
Now, what happened to that promise? I guess I forgot.
Oh, pretty convenient forgetting, huh? I'm sorry.
You know what? I'm sorry doesn't change anything, pal.
It's too easy.
Look at me.
Ethan, I'm sorry I let you down.
Does that change anything? Does your hand stop itching? Your head feel better? Your eye? No.
I'm sorry doesn't change anything.
So I'm not sorry, okay? No, not okay.
It hasn't been okay for a long time.
Now we're going to start doing something about that, and we're going to start by discussing your punishment.
My punishment? That's right.
You can't punish me.
You don't even live at our house anymore.
[laughs.]
It doesn't matter whether I live on the moon, pal.
I'm still your dad, and you bet I can punish you.
Now, listen.
You've been getting a pretty free ride lately, which has mostly been my fault.
If it's your fault, how come I'm getting punished? Because I don't want you making the same mistakes I made.
And you know what? When you got a family and you're my age, you'll understand.
I don't want a family.
Well, sure you do.
You'll find somebody.
You'll fall in love.
You'll have kids.
They just get in the way.
Ethan, when I came in here, I was set to make you all kinds of promises.
But that's what I've done all along, isn't it? And now I can't apologize.
I can't apologize to you anymore.
I can't make any promises anymore.
Okay? I don't have my usual moves.
Ethan? I owe you so much.
And I owe Britty.
And I owe your mom.
And I want to pay all of you back.
I do.
I want to pay all of you back.
It's just I don't know whether I'm going to get a chance because I may have blown it with-- You know what? I'll deal with that.
That's my thing.
You, you know what you need to deal with? Huh? You need to worry about getting better.
All right? When you get out of here, then we'll discuss your punishment.
- Okay.
- And listen, you don't give your mom any trouble about it, all right? - Okay.
- Okay.
- Dad? - Yeah? Will I have to wear an eye patch? I don't know, pal.
We'll talk to the doctor.
You shouldn't feel too bad about that.
It might be neat.
Neat? Yeah, then I could be a pirate.
Oh, a pirate.
Yeah, then I'll get an eye patch.
We can be a couple of buccaneers.
Space pirates.
Space pirates, yeah, that would be great.
Hey, then we'll get a starship.
We'll paint the Jolly Roger on the side of it and take off.
Everybody will be afraid of us.
We'd be the worst pirates ever.
Oh, way.
I'll tell you what, it sounds kind of lonely.
Maybe we should ask Britty and your mom to come along.
Maybe.
Yeah, I think that's a good idea.
Closed-Captioned By J.
R.
Media Services, Inc.
Burbank, CA And dance by the light of the moon