Thirtysomething (1987) s03e01 Episode Script
Nancy's Mom
1 [theme.]
[Nancy.]
TheUffington Press.
Doesn't that sound romantic? All cool and green and tweedy.
I mean, I was expecting Grace to be like that, but she wasn't at all.
She was wearing these really great shoes.
My idea of a children's book publisher is a woman in an apron with an office that's full of baby wipes and copies of Pokey Little Puppy.
You were going to tell us about the advance.
Oh, right, right.
So I go to her office, and she hands me this check.
You were expecting Small bills? No, but I thought it would It was so Ho hum, a check.
Like she does this all the time Which she does.
I thought it was going to be more I don't know, more ceremonial.
What? Have I been talking about my book all night? No.
There was a moment at the top of the evening where I believe we talked about nuclear disarmament.
The World Series.
Oh, you guys.
You're just jealous.
Sorry, I'm just so excited about this.
This is, uh - I know.
- Yeah.
Oh, I'll do that.
Forget it.
I'm practicing for my mother.
She doesn't care.
It's true.
She raised three daughters.
She has a very realistic conception of what a kitchen looks like.
Man, Ruth still lives in a Good Housekeeping fantasy.
She pulls out the stove twice a year so she can clean behind it.
Oh, man.
So when does Eleanor get here? Ah, tomorrow night.
She's taking the train.
Oh, you're so lucky.
When Ruth visits, the first thing I want to do is flee.
I like my mother.
I enjoy her.
I mean, we don't do anything spectacular or anything.
We just sit around and talk and laugh.
She gets along great with the kids.
They think she's magic.
Oh, boy.
When Ruth comes, it's like I have two kids, Ruth and Janey.
No, three.
Michael.
I mean, Eleanor still makes me crazy.
She wouldn't be a mother if she couldn't make me crazy.
See you soon.
Yeah, thanks.
Bye.
So I guess you drove? Yeah, I did.
My car's over there.
I see it.
Mine's, um - Oh, how are the plugs? - I got them changed.
Listen, why don't we go see Lawrence of Arabia tomorrow? - I haven't seen it yet this week.
- Elliot.
Oh, yeah.
Your mom will be here then.
No, that's not it.
You don't have to - What? - Push.
Am I pushing? Guess I was just trying to keep the ball rolling.
You know, that momentum thing.
- You don't have to.
- Yeah, okay.
All right.
Well, I Boy, this is really weird.
Why can't Grandma sleep in my room instead of Stupidhead? Ethan, the cord.
Would you get it? I'm going to drop this.
Please.
Thank you.
Grandma can sleep on the floor.
I'll move everything.
Ethan, Grandma is sleeping in Britty's room, and Britty is sleeping in your room.
End of discussion.
I went over the taxes and went over the receipts, and found he'd been forging orders for painkillers all over the place.
We never would have caught him, except Ethan, that suitcase is too heavy for you.
It is not.
Do you want me to take her? I'll just go put her to bed.
Nancy, I don't have to take Britty's room.
- I can sleep out here.
- Mom, we've already been through that.
I'll be right back.
I want to hear about that guy.
Looks different.
Where's the chair? Dad took some stuff with him.
He did? Mom taught me to play poker.
Can you play? Not very well.
I'll teach you.
Come on, E.
It's your turn.
- Aw.
- I know.
Grandma will be here in the morning.
Brush all your teeth, not just the top ones.
Come on.
Good night.
I love you, sweetie.
Ah, you must be tired.
Want me to get you something? I'm fine.
You look terrific.
I'm fat.
How's that hammer salesman you've been seeing? - Mark? - Matt.
Matt.
When do I get to meet him? Well, Matt and I have, um Well, actually, Elliot has been around a lot lately.
Around? Do you know what I have? What? Some very, very cold beer.
I put it in the freezer before I went to pick you up.
I'll take that beer, but I still want to know what around means.
Come on.
Nobody ever meets anyone on a train.
Was he married? I bet he was married.
No ring.
You checked? Of course I checked.
Oh, so where does he live? I don't know.
Did you get his phone number? No.
- I was a little - Did you give him my phone number? No, but I told him about your book.
Well, terrific.
Then maybe in six months to a year, he can go into a book store, and maybe he'll find my book, and get a hold of the publisher, and try to find out how to get in touch with me, so then he can try to get in touch with you.
He was probably married.
He had his ring in his pocket.
Mom.
He had bad teeth anyway.
[tooting.]
[toot.]
[toot.]
Decaf for you, Miss? Thanks a lot.
I don't remember that dress.
Oh, I got it a couple months ago.
That's nice.
I like it.
Thanks.
This whole thing is I mean, all this time It's not like I expected you to stop buying clothes or keep wearing your hair the same way.
You know that shirt you're wearing? I remember picking it up off the ground, putting it into the washing machine, taking it out of the dryer, hanging it up on the hanger, then picking it up off the floor again.
How can we have a date? There's no mystery here.
We can't ask each other those numbingly stupid questions.
Do you like jazz? How do you know Fred? Did you grow up around here? Do you ever think about having kids? Oh, Elliot, I wanted to ask you something about I have this idea about the book.
It might be really silly.
No, go ahead.
What? What? You know how kids all have these monster dolls? I mean, everyone's into monsters.
I was wondering if there was any way to market the book with a doll.
- A monster doll? - Yeah.
That's great.
Really? I wouldn't want it to be too slick or commercial.
No, it's good.
It's good.
Of course, it all depends on how you do it.
I don't want it to be exploitive.
I haven't even talked to the people at Uffington about it.
Yeah.
Do you know if they retain the merchandising rights? Merchandising rights? I guess I'm supposed to know about that, right? - Did Fran handle the contract for you? - Yeah.
All right, we'll take care of it.
I know people that are involved in this area.
- Really? - Oh, yeah.
We're talking Babar here.
Stuffed animals and rocking horses and records.
- Oh, yeah.
The movie.
- The musical.
No, I Are we going Dutch? No, I'll pay.
I can use the deduction.
Here you go.
Is this my own recipe? Tastes a little funny.
Oh, I used ground turkey instead of ground beef.
Ground turkey? Eleanor, you got any great plans for the visit? I could take you to an Eagles game.
Remember the last time? You ate, like, three hot dogs.
Last time I was here, you weren't around.
Yeah.
Must have been the time before.
Nancy, I want to see the art center.
Sure.
Pretty soon you won't have to work there anymore.
- Why? - When the book comes out.
No, I like it there.
I might even be able to teach a class there next semester.
That'd be great.
Oh, I started some sketches for the monster doll.
Monster doll? I'm helping Nancy develop a merchandising tie-in with the book.
It's going to be great.
It's so rad.
He has these big teeth.
Oh, yeah.
Uffington really loves it.
- And mushrooms on its head.
- Yeah, yeah.
I told Dad to put them on.
Yeah, and the lawyer, she's taking care of the contract.
She's fixing it all up so it's great.
Monster doll.
When you were growing up, a book was just a book.
You didn't have to put anything with a book to sell it.
It's not a giveaway.
It's not a giveaway at all.
It's a great idea.
It could help book sales, and it could do well on its own.
That's interesting.
I guess I just don't understand publishing.
[Brittany laughs and sings.]
Hey, I heard a rumor somebody made some chocolate mousse around here.
Moose, moose.
Mousse.
No, Ethan and I are going to clear the table.
Come on, guy, we got mousse in the bag.
It's hiding in the refrigerator.
Oh, might be a little dicey, then.
Be brave, boy, for your mom.
- Are you done? - No.
I'll help you, Dad.
- [Elliot brays.]
- Mousse, mousse.
[ticks.]
Oh, I know.
You never saw the pictures from Britty's pageant.
I got copies of them, but I never sent them to you, of course.
Like always.
There you go.
Oh, she looks like a little angel.
Where'd you get that costume? It was something I had in college.
She stole the show.
She forgot her one line.
She's so cute.
Romeo and Juliet.
Of course I remember.
We flew in to see you in it.
Oh, look at Ethan.
Doesn't he remind you of your father? Oh, yeah.
All the time.
Oh, that picture.
Remember when you took that? Ethan had climbed up in the tree in the backyard and claimed zero gravity.
You said if he didn't come down, you'd call the fire department.
But he did come down.
Sure.
Nancy put a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on a stick and held it just outside his reach.
Yeah, he was always a sucker for [Elliot and Nancy.]
PB&J.
I think I'll just unwind before I turn in.
That's the thing about living alone Can't get to sleep without TV.
I know.
You got cable? - Oh, no, not yet.
- [TV turns on.]
I got cable.
24 channels, nothing to watch.
Except penguins There's always something about penguins.
- Can't I help? - No, no.
- I've got it.
- I'll do it.
Eleanor hasn't changed a bit.
Too bad.
Stop.
You know I love her.
I always did.
Isn't she ever going to go to bed? [Eleanor.]
Elliot? Yeah? I have some postcards for Susan and Deb.
Could you drop them in a mailbox on your way home tonight? Love to.
What are we going to do now? I guess I leave.
[gasps.]
[laughs.]
Are you okay? Yeah, sure.
Oh, Elliot, no.
Watch.
Oh, what? [loud clatter.]
Shh, shh! Oh, oh.
- Sorry.
- No, it's my fault.
Oh, no, it's all my fault.
What are all these notches? Notches? What [laughs.]
I guess it's like riding a bike.
What a beautiful sentiment.
A very good bike.
The best bike.
15 gears.
[Elliot.]
Oh, man.
Ooh, grapes.
Organic.
No pesticides.
Oh, my God.
Elliot said the look on her face Oh, poor Eleanor.
Would have killed Marjorie.
She thinks I'm still a virgin.
Excuse me, what was Elliot doing in your kitchen at 3:00 in the morning? He came for dinner.
And he stayed for dessert.
Was it weird? No, it was Ew, I hate painting.
Excuse me, Krieger, we want details.
There are no details.
Oh, man.
You know, we should call Eleanor.
I'm sure she was listening outside the door.
Yeah, let's do that.
He took the kids to the park.
I've got to tell her about Elliot.
I mean, Eleanor and I have always been so honest about everything.
Even sex? Yeah, even sex.
Wow.
Closest I ever got to talking to Marjorie about sex was when she asked me what necrophilia meant.
- No.
- Really.
I told her it was a large, leafy plant.
Oh, man, I remember Ruth preparing me for sex.
She was driving me to a swim meet, and I was, I don't know, 12, and I wanted this new bathing suit.
But she told me I couldn't have a new bathing suit because I was going to be growing breasts soon and then I would be getting my period.
And then she launched into this whole thing about sanitary napkins and belts and cramps, and I'm just sitting there thinking "All I wanted was a bathing suit.
" - I told Eleanor when I lost my virginity.
- You did not.
Yeah.
I mean, not the specifics or anything.
She was great.
She was so open and everything.
Wow.
I was aware of my parents having sex.
I could hear them.
Having sex? I couldn't hear them moaning or shrieking.
I could hear the bed creaking.
Must be hard for my mom.
My father's been dead for eight years now.
That is a long time.
Do you think Eleanor ever I mean, since Not a chance.
Eight years.
Eight years.
All right, Mike, this one right here I make this, the Eagles go to the Super Bowl this year.
All right, I make this one right here, my mother-in-law, she has a voodoo doll with red hair and a beard and she's about to stick a needle in its eye.
Elliot, would you pass me the folder, please? Come on, Mike.
I'm doing my bestOedipushere.
You're miles away.
Oedipus, Oedipus, Oedipus.
That might work.
What? Oedipus Oats You and your mother will love them.
God, Mike.
I thought Eleanor liked you.
She did, man.
When Nancy and I were together, we were like pals.
We'd watch wrestling and she'd eat buffalo wings together.
But now it's like Last night, she catches me sneaking around my own house.
What? Yeah, man.
It was a good thing I had boxers on.
You were in your boxers? What was Eleanor wearing? She was in a robe or something.
So you were at Nancy's.
You were in your boxers.
Eleanor was in her robe.
Yeah, forget it.
It's not really anything.
Okay, all right.
Just forget it.
What was Nancy wearing? She was She was [stutters.]
She wasn't there? Where was she? She was in bed.
Really? Sleeping? No.
Reading? Waiting breathlessly? Oh, my God, you're a jerk.
Come on.
Let's go.
Oedipus Oats.
Let's run with that.
[stammers.]
How was it? It was pretty great, actually.
It was, um See? This is a full house.
Oh.
Are you sure full house beats four of a kind? Mm-hmm.
Excuse me, Amarillo Slim.
I think it's your bedtime.
Tomorrow night, kid.
Same time, same place.
- Night, Grandma.
- Night, hon.
He's reallly the man of the house now.
He came into my room the other day and said he just wanted to make sure that I was tucked in.
Mom, about Elliot um, I'm seeing him again.
Do you have a problem with that? No.
No, really.
I want to talk to you about this.
I told you.
Come on, Mom.
You're barely civil to him.
So? He hurt you and the kids.
I don't like that.
How much he hurt me and how much I'm ready to forget, that is for me to decide.
You used to love Elliot, Mom.
And Dad Daddy and him were impossible together.
I used to be embarrassed if they went into a restaurant together, because they'd do weird things with the silverware.
Remember? Yeah.
I remember last year when you called and you couldn't talk, you were crying so hard.
That was last year.
It just seems to me, if it happened once, it could happen again.
That's all.
Things are different, okay? Okay.
I'm glad you're here, Mom, even though you are a pain in the butt.
Good night.
Takes one to know one.
Oh, yeah.
- Sleep tight, honey.
- Okay.
Well, this gives you an idea.
Yeah.
These are wonderful.
They're probably not exactly like your book.
I need to look at the proofs again.
How do you intend to do the face? I don't know.
What do you think? Um, you know, about the other night I wasn't thinking too clearly then, and I'm still not.
That's okay.
I never think clearly.
[chuckles.]
Um, you know, I was thinking silkscreen.
I like working with you.
Yeah, it's fun.
You know, I was thinking, you know, maybe one day the two of us, we could do a book.
I don't know.
My partner Ethan, he's pretty tough.
Oh, how about the four of us? We could write a book together, and then we'll become folk singers.
[both chuckle.]
- Dad.
Dad, look.
- Watch your feet.
Hey, bud.
I got new high-tops.
They're really cool.
Wait a second.
You used to make fun of me for wearing these.
Is Dad coming to dinner with us? I don't think so.
Not tonight, okay? Come on.
Let's wash up before we go out.
- Bye, Dad.
- Hey, honey.
Well, I guess I'll call you.
Right.
What do you feel like tonight? Kids are screaming for pizza.
Oh, pizza would be fine.
What did you and the kids do this afternoon? Well, I wasn't going to tell you, but now that the kids know Know what? I looked at a condo.
What? I'm thinking of moving here.
Are you kidding? I mean, what about Doctor Glick? Somebody else can run that office.
I've been there too long.
I can always get another job.
This is, um Wow.
You don't want me to? No, I mean, are you crazy? Of course I do.
It's just, you know, how and why? Well, my children are scattered all over.
I was feeling a little lonely, and I thought Yeah, I know, but you know, Debbie and Paul and the kids are so much closer.
And Susan and You think it's a bad idea? No, I think it's a wonderful idea.
I mean, I wish that we had more room here.
In your house? I'd never do that to you.
[Ethan.]
Mom.
Can I have extra onions, garlic, and pepper, please? Yeah, we'll see.
Okay.
[Elliot vocalizing.]
[Nancy.]
Oh.
[chuckles.]
Oh, wow.
Isn't it great? Elliot, I mean, I had no idea You did I mean, who did this for you? Yeah, a friend who owed me a favor.
Oh, I mean, I had no It is so cute.
Well, it's supposed to be scary.
Oh, but I mean, his face, It's so goofy and endearing.
I Wow.
I mean, I didn't realize that you were going to What? I mean, whoo.
I mean, it's been so fast.
No, no, it's your monster.
All I did was make it 3-dimensional.
No, I mean, I like it.
Oh, look at this, Nance.
Check this out.
Look, look, look.
Prince and Princess Stupidhead.
Huh? What do you think? Um, well, I don't know.
I think that, you know, we should keep it on the small.
Look at.
Look at this.
Look at this.
Look at this.
The Leaf Lady.
- Nance.
- What? The Leaf Lady.
Oh.
Are you okay? Yeah, sure.
Look, do you want me I mean, would it be easier with your mom if I stayed away? Oh, no.
She's got to deal with it.
Look, I'll make Eleanor like me again.
I promise.
Is that Cinderella? Brittany, would you like to see Cinderella? Ethan won't sit through it.
How about something with animals? Here's Old Yeller.
What? Are you kidding? I always lose it when the kid has to shoot the dog.
I got it.
What dog? Assault of the Killer Bimbos.
No way.
Shoot what dog? There's Cinderella.
Gross.
I want to see The Dirty Dozen.
No way.
Care Bears.
Care Bears are dumb.
Dirty Dozen.
Maybe this one time we can get them both.
Thank you.
Oh, you see, that's not the way You see, well, he's been seeing too many war movies.
- Grandma says I can.
- Ethan.
And she might live at our house all the time.
What? - Elliot, it's just a movie.
- That's not the point.
[Brittany.]
Ethan, stop it! [Elliot.]
Ethan.
[Brittany.]
No! What is going on here? Mommy, he hit me.
[Ethan.]
I can hit you if I want.
Don't hit me.
Is this the way that we act in a store? [Ethan.]
She always gets what she wants.
I never get any movies.
Ethan hurt me.
I did not.
- Hey.
- Hi.
Why didn't you go on inside? Eleanor's on the roof with a pot of boiling oil.
I actually came to tell you about New York.
What New York? The toy guy, he wants a meeting.
You're kidding.
No, Friday.
Your mom can watch the kids.
They want to see us in New York? Yep, now, we can go for the day or we can spend the night.
Spend the night? Separate rooms, separate hotel.
Your call.
They liked the idea.
They liked it.
I told you.
Oh, wow.
Will you have time to see any shows? It's just for one night, Mom.
I know you don't want me to go.
- I didn't say that.
- No, you don't have to.
I know you, Mom.
You're doing that thing that you do.
You know, you're pursing your lips together.
I know that that means disapproval.
What thing? You can be a little more honest, okay? I mean, this is a great chance.
If you say so.
Mom.
I just worry Elliot may be pushing you into a situation you're not ready for.
Would you make up your mind? Is it the Elliot thing you don't like or the doll thing? These people you're meeting, they're professionals.
People who know the business.
Look, I can learn the business, you know.
You're new to all this.
I just don't I don't want you to set yourself up for a big disappointment.
Look, I'm not going to be disappointed because I'm not expecting anything to come of this, okay? [Elliot.]
Wow, okay.
Are you all right? - [Nancy.]
I got it, yeah.
- Okay.
Here you go.
Thanks a lot.
[Nancy.]
Bye.
Thanks.
- This is terrific.
- Yeah.
When was the last time we were in New York.
Oh, it's been a long time.
But we were in our 20s.
[Nancy laughs.]
Oh, oh.
Drentell's secretary says Miles loves this place.
It's great.
Yeah, well, look around for the torture devices.
You know, the fingernail gouges in the walls.
Oh, I guess I Oh.
Yeah, it looks like somebody left some champagne and flowers laying around, Nance.
I don't know who this could be.
"Mazel tov, Joseph and Sarah.
" Oh.
You know, we still got a couple hours to kill.
Yeah, I guess we do.
Oh, I'm so nervous.
- Come on.
- Aren't you? Well, this will relax you.
I promise.
- Oh, you think? - Yeah, come on.
Just forget about everything, the book, the doll.
It's like the doll, it should've been bigger and softer, right? I blew it.
What we need here is a very large corn beef sandwich and two cream sodas.
I knew there was some reason I used to love you.
Oh, this seems like a waste of a perfectly good hotel room.
It'll be here later.
[giggles.]
Make yourself comfortable.
Now, I've looked at your proofs.
They're really, really terrific.
And your, uh Monster.
Your monster, really, really terrific.
The facial expression Can I get you some cake? Raspberry filling.
- Oh, no, thanks.
- No.
The facial expression, I sense a vulnerability.
There's a warmth to the beast.
Well, as you know, Mr.
Baer, most successful toy-book tie-ins have a simple track like ours.
You know, like you'll have a bath book with a rubber duck or the Beatrix Potter stuffed animals.
Of course, adults buy those for their kids, whereas this is the kind of item kids might choose for themselves, you know, whether they know about the book or not.
It's terrific.
This could be big.
Well, our dolls should be the kind of dolls that kids want to take to bed with them, to show them that even scary things can offer comfort.
Comfort, terrific.
Well, maybe we're thinking too small here.
I mean, the huggability factor, I think that's very important.
You know, no mechanics.
That's too false, you know.
You know where I'm coming from? Absolutely.
Let me be more specific.
I think that I think this is a terrific project, and if you'd brought it to me two, three years ago, it would've been a hit.
Absolutely.
Two or three years ago? Huggability is out.
Kids want mechanical.
But you're terrific people.
This is a terrific project.
I wish you the best of luck with it.
I really, really do.
Well, Mr.
Baer, I think I can prove to you that this is more than just A terrific project.
Really.
Thank you.
- Mm-hmm, bye.
- Thank you so much.
Oh, I really, really, really hate that guy, Nance.
I mean, what a complete jerk.
He brings us up here all the way from Philadelphia just to shoot us down, and he absolutely loved our I mean, he ate it up.
Oh, come on.
It was just a bad idea.
It was a great idea.
What are you talking about? Oh, Elliot, the guy understands the market.
I mean, he's this big guy, even if he's a jerk, and we were just making fools of ourselves.
We weren't.
Is that what you thought I was doing up there? 'Cause I was busting my ass for you on this thing.
And I didn't even open my mouth when I was up there.
I don't know why this should bother me.
My book is being published.
Most people dream about such things.
- Oh, maybe I pushed too hard.
- No, you didn't.
Listen, when we get back to the hotel I'll make a few more calls.
No, it just didn't work out.
I mean, it's just a question of being at the right place at the right time, right? - Taxi.
- Taxi.
Excuse me.
- Taxi! - Taxi! [Man.]
Hey, lady, out of the street.
Watch it.
Tax Thanks.
I'm sorry about New York.
Oh, well.
Maybe you just sort of pushed it too far.
Maybe.
What's this? Oh, that's from a condo I saw today.
Yeah? Looks nice.
Two bedrooms.
One's big enough for two twin beds for the kids.
It's right around the corner.
We wouldn't even need a car.
Well, I don't want you to move to Philadelphia and think you're going to be babysitting the kids all the time.
I love spending time with them.
We could even think about taking some trips together, you and me.
Trips? We can drive up in New England to see the leaves change.
It'll be good for you.
Yeah, but aren't you going to think about getting a job? Eventually.
New England.
I'll get some brochures from the auto club.
You said double or nothing, Grandma.
I did, didn't I? - Eleanor.
- Aah! Morning.
Good morning.
Is Nancy, uh I guess not.
She took the children to school.
Oh, well, she'll be right back then.
Ooh, you made your blueberry pancakes.
- Yes.
- Any left? Did you heat up the syrup? That was always my favorite part.
So you're moving to Philadelphia.
I hope so.
Yeah, what's Dr.
Glick going to do without you? He'll survive.
Eleanor, you remember that time that Nancy brought me home to meet you for the first time? You and Jack had just got this new croquet set, and we had to play.
And I was trying really hard to make this good impression.
Jack, he kept staring at my hair and making all those barber jokes, you know.
Anyway, I hit your boss, so I got a free hit.
And I remember thinking to myself, "Geez, this is Nancy's mom.
I mean, I can't hit her ball into the next yard.
" And then I thought, "Well, if I just tap it, then she'll think I'm trying to suck up to her.
" Meanwhile, Nancy, she's up on the back porch sipping ice tea, and I'm sweating bullets.
Remember what I did? No.
I said I had to make a phone call, and I gave my mallet to Nancy.
If I had to do that again today, play croquet with you, I'd send that ball right into orbit.
What are you saying? That I want Nancy back, whether you like it or not.
Nancy has her own life now.
And I want to be a part of it again.
You don't really care about her.
You're wrong.
How can you hurt her like you have? Drag her down and then say you care about her? You don't understand everything, Eleanor.
I see Nancy alone with Ethan and Brittany.
I understand enough.
I've done some lousy things to Nancy, and I know it.
And I'm going to try to make it up to her.
And I'm not going to try to keep her from being who she is, from being out in the world the way you want to.
- I don't do that.
- Sure, you do.
You want a girlfriend to be lonely with.
You want her to be just the way she's always been.
You want her to be your second girl, Jack's favorite.
You don't want her to leave you behind.
Leave me behind? You're the one she needs to leave behind.
No, because I can't wait to see what she does next, but you, you're afraid of what she'll do next.
- Oh, that's cute.
You know - [Nancy.]
Hi.
What? Somebody, please tell me It's nothing, Nance.
Nothing? Elliot didn't mean anything.
Elliot - Nancy, I can Nancy - It's okay.
No.
Just stay out of this thing between me and Elliot.
Okay? Pink and red.
That's good, sweetie.
Did your mother used to make you make your bed? Oh, every day.
How about yours? Sure.
What about Ethan and Brittany? Are you kidding? Oh, is this that moment where we realize we're bad mothers? I always want to be just like my mother three daughters, a nice house, married to my father.
Yeah, I wanted to marry my father, too.
She was always there when I came home from school.
There was milk and cookies and my mom.
Oh, yeah, Ruth made Kool-Aid in a pitcher shaped like a very large lemon.
Oh, I love my mother so much, and I want her to be happy, you know, and pay her back for everything.
But I want I mean, I want to get on with my life, and she wants Well, she wants me to ride up to New England with her.
She doesn't want you and Elliot to get back together, does she? No.
That's not it.
I can handle that.
It's something else.
It's something else she does about wanting me to be exactly what I've always been so that she's safe, you know, so that her world is safe.
And I don't know.
I mean, I don't know if I can afford to give that to her anymore.
Pretty grim, huh? Oh, they're very beige.
Oh, I can make new ones.
Mom? Maybe chintz.
We really do need to talk.
Oh, I'm afraid there's no place to sit down.
I know.
That doesn't matter.
I just don't want to see you get hurt again.
Elliot No, no, Mom, it's not about Elliot.
I mean, you're going to have to make your peace with Elliot no matter what happens.
I mean, that's your business, you know.
Yours and Elliot's.
It's me moving here, isn't it? You don't want me to come.
No, I'd love you to come.
Just say it.
What is it? Your whole life is back in Indiana.
I mean, why do you want to give that up? My family isn't there.
I worry about you.
Well, you don't have to.
I see how hard it is trying to raise two kids on your own.
And work, keep your house Okay, okay, so you can worry a little.
And writing books, all this rejections.
What rejection? Mom, my book is being published.
That monster doll.
All right, so the book won't have a doll with it.
I mean, big deal.
I mean, I took a shot.
I don't want to see you set yourself up to fail.
I didn't.
I took a chance.
That's all.
But it's better to put yourself out there than than to meet a man on a train and not even get his phone number.
So now you're criticizing me, too.
Oh, so what if I am? I mean, I've learned just lately that I can do some things that I never thought that I could, and I'm pretty sure that you thought that I couldn't do them, either.
But I can.
I'm good.
In fact, some of the things I am really good at, like my illustrating.
And I don't want to go back to not trying again.
I mean, you and Daddy I miss him every day, you know.
I know.
I mean, we were all afraid to risk anything.
You know, to get excited about anything.
I mean, when Deb when she went to nursing school and she got really sick of it and wanted to go on to medical school, you discouraged her.
It would've been too much with the kids and I know, but she really wanted to do it.
She still does.
I mean, I hope she does.
I've learned that I like getting excited.
I mean, sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn't, but I like being excited.
Your father and I, we loved our girls.
Oh, I know you did.
It's just that we were all too afraid.
All of us.
Even Daddy.
I mean, he was the best.
And so are you.
But what do you want now? I want to know my family's happy.
I am.
We are.
But what do you want for you? Nothing.
Nothing? Not a million dollars? Not a wonderful man? I'm 63 years old.
Things change.
Oh, come on, Mom.
You talk like you're half dead.
I mean, you and Daddy, you always wanted to go and visit the Sistine Chapel.
Why don't you go and do that? They've cleaned it now, you know.
The colors are brighter.
So? Wouldn't be the same.
Because Daddy's not there? It's still the same Sistine Chapel, isn't it? [growls.]
[growls.]
Dad, I got so much to tell you.
Hi, buddy.
[Brittany.]
Hi, Daddy.
Hi, bunny rabbit.
Who's that little girl? Who's my little girl? Ethan wanted to use the Xerox machine.
Yeah, I'm going to xerox this dinosaur.
Well, that's great.
You know where it is, don't you? Be good.
Take your sister, okay? There's a kitchen back there.
Slow down.
Watch out! - [crash.]
- Sorry.
What kind of an office is this anyway? These colors.
Oh, we call it home.
I was sorry about you losing your company.
But you always seem to land on your feet.
Yeah, usually with both of them in my mouth.
So you going to take me on a tour? I hear you work for a real son-of-a-bitch.
Shh.
Eleanor.
You know, he's single, don't you? [Eleanor laughs.]
He lives up there.
Now, this is the torture chambers back in here.
Hand me that speaker wire, will you? Thanks.
Um, where are Mom and the kids? She dropped by DAA.
We slugged it out.
She took the kids to dinner at The Fish Farm.
The Fish Farm? That's like an hour from here.
Yeah, I know.
It was Eleanor's idea.
Listen, Nance, about the doll.
I didn't mean to push you or anything.
I mean, it's just such a great idea.
No, I know.
I'd just like to let it go for a while.
Why? Well, you really helped me out a lot.
It was great, and I really appreciate it.
But? [sighs.]
I think you got caught up in it not because it was a great idea, but because of that momentum thing.
You wanted to do that thing you do.
Overwhelm me again.
Is that what I do? That's not what I thought I was doing.
I'll ask you for help when I'm ready, okay? I mean, things are fast enough right now I mean, I was just trying to help.
- Oh, I know.
- I want you to be famous.
I want you to win the Caldecott.
I didn't write the book to be famous or to win the Caldecott.
This thing was taking up too much room at my place.
I'll see if I can get something a little more compact, you know.
You mean another stereo? Yeah, I mean, if that's okay.
I think we can afford it now.
No, no, I know.
I mean, I was just wondering.
Why? Well, why you'd need two.
I don't know.
And never got over Those blue eyes I see them Everywhere And I miss I miss Those arms that held me Baby, when all the love Was there Baby, when all the love Was there Baby, when all the love Was there Closed-Captioned By J.
R.
Media Services, Inc.
Burbank, CA And dance by the light of the moon
[Nancy.]
TheUffington Press.
Doesn't that sound romantic? All cool and green and tweedy.
I mean, I was expecting Grace to be like that, but she wasn't at all.
She was wearing these really great shoes.
My idea of a children's book publisher is a woman in an apron with an office that's full of baby wipes and copies of Pokey Little Puppy.
You were going to tell us about the advance.
Oh, right, right.
So I go to her office, and she hands me this check.
You were expecting Small bills? No, but I thought it would It was so Ho hum, a check.
Like she does this all the time Which she does.
I thought it was going to be more I don't know, more ceremonial.
What? Have I been talking about my book all night? No.
There was a moment at the top of the evening where I believe we talked about nuclear disarmament.
The World Series.
Oh, you guys.
You're just jealous.
Sorry, I'm just so excited about this.
This is, uh - I know.
- Yeah.
Oh, I'll do that.
Forget it.
I'm practicing for my mother.
She doesn't care.
It's true.
She raised three daughters.
She has a very realistic conception of what a kitchen looks like.
Man, Ruth still lives in a Good Housekeeping fantasy.
She pulls out the stove twice a year so she can clean behind it.
Oh, man.
So when does Eleanor get here? Ah, tomorrow night.
She's taking the train.
Oh, you're so lucky.
When Ruth visits, the first thing I want to do is flee.
I like my mother.
I enjoy her.
I mean, we don't do anything spectacular or anything.
We just sit around and talk and laugh.
She gets along great with the kids.
They think she's magic.
Oh, boy.
When Ruth comes, it's like I have two kids, Ruth and Janey.
No, three.
Michael.
I mean, Eleanor still makes me crazy.
She wouldn't be a mother if she couldn't make me crazy.
See you soon.
Yeah, thanks.
Bye.
So I guess you drove? Yeah, I did.
My car's over there.
I see it.
Mine's, um - Oh, how are the plugs? - I got them changed.
Listen, why don't we go see Lawrence of Arabia tomorrow? - I haven't seen it yet this week.
- Elliot.
Oh, yeah.
Your mom will be here then.
No, that's not it.
You don't have to - What? - Push.
Am I pushing? Guess I was just trying to keep the ball rolling.
You know, that momentum thing.
- You don't have to.
- Yeah, okay.
All right.
Well, I Boy, this is really weird.
Why can't Grandma sleep in my room instead of Stupidhead? Ethan, the cord.
Would you get it? I'm going to drop this.
Please.
Thank you.
Grandma can sleep on the floor.
I'll move everything.
Ethan, Grandma is sleeping in Britty's room, and Britty is sleeping in your room.
End of discussion.
I went over the taxes and went over the receipts, and found he'd been forging orders for painkillers all over the place.
We never would have caught him, except Ethan, that suitcase is too heavy for you.
It is not.
Do you want me to take her? I'll just go put her to bed.
Nancy, I don't have to take Britty's room.
- I can sleep out here.
- Mom, we've already been through that.
I'll be right back.
I want to hear about that guy.
Looks different.
Where's the chair? Dad took some stuff with him.
He did? Mom taught me to play poker.
Can you play? Not very well.
I'll teach you.
Come on, E.
It's your turn.
- Aw.
- I know.
Grandma will be here in the morning.
Brush all your teeth, not just the top ones.
Come on.
Good night.
I love you, sweetie.
Ah, you must be tired.
Want me to get you something? I'm fine.
You look terrific.
I'm fat.
How's that hammer salesman you've been seeing? - Mark? - Matt.
Matt.
When do I get to meet him? Well, Matt and I have, um Well, actually, Elliot has been around a lot lately.
Around? Do you know what I have? What? Some very, very cold beer.
I put it in the freezer before I went to pick you up.
I'll take that beer, but I still want to know what around means.
Come on.
Nobody ever meets anyone on a train.
Was he married? I bet he was married.
No ring.
You checked? Of course I checked.
Oh, so where does he live? I don't know.
Did you get his phone number? No.
- I was a little - Did you give him my phone number? No, but I told him about your book.
Well, terrific.
Then maybe in six months to a year, he can go into a book store, and maybe he'll find my book, and get a hold of the publisher, and try to find out how to get in touch with me, so then he can try to get in touch with you.
He was probably married.
He had his ring in his pocket.
Mom.
He had bad teeth anyway.
[tooting.]
[toot.]
[toot.]
Decaf for you, Miss? Thanks a lot.
I don't remember that dress.
Oh, I got it a couple months ago.
That's nice.
I like it.
Thanks.
This whole thing is I mean, all this time It's not like I expected you to stop buying clothes or keep wearing your hair the same way.
You know that shirt you're wearing? I remember picking it up off the ground, putting it into the washing machine, taking it out of the dryer, hanging it up on the hanger, then picking it up off the floor again.
How can we have a date? There's no mystery here.
We can't ask each other those numbingly stupid questions.
Do you like jazz? How do you know Fred? Did you grow up around here? Do you ever think about having kids? Oh, Elliot, I wanted to ask you something about I have this idea about the book.
It might be really silly.
No, go ahead.
What? What? You know how kids all have these monster dolls? I mean, everyone's into monsters.
I was wondering if there was any way to market the book with a doll.
- A monster doll? - Yeah.
That's great.
Really? I wouldn't want it to be too slick or commercial.
No, it's good.
It's good.
Of course, it all depends on how you do it.
I don't want it to be exploitive.
I haven't even talked to the people at Uffington about it.
Yeah.
Do you know if they retain the merchandising rights? Merchandising rights? I guess I'm supposed to know about that, right? - Did Fran handle the contract for you? - Yeah.
All right, we'll take care of it.
I know people that are involved in this area.
- Really? - Oh, yeah.
We're talking Babar here.
Stuffed animals and rocking horses and records.
- Oh, yeah.
The movie.
- The musical.
No, I Are we going Dutch? No, I'll pay.
I can use the deduction.
Here you go.
Is this my own recipe? Tastes a little funny.
Oh, I used ground turkey instead of ground beef.
Ground turkey? Eleanor, you got any great plans for the visit? I could take you to an Eagles game.
Remember the last time? You ate, like, three hot dogs.
Last time I was here, you weren't around.
Yeah.
Must have been the time before.
Nancy, I want to see the art center.
Sure.
Pretty soon you won't have to work there anymore.
- Why? - When the book comes out.
No, I like it there.
I might even be able to teach a class there next semester.
That'd be great.
Oh, I started some sketches for the monster doll.
Monster doll? I'm helping Nancy develop a merchandising tie-in with the book.
It's going to be great.
It's so rad.
He has these big teeth.
Oh, yeah.
Uffington really loves it.
- And mushrooms on its head.
- Yeah, yeah.
I told Dad to put them on.
Yeah, and the lawyer, she's taking care of the contract.
She's fixing it all up so it's great.
Monster doll.
When you were growing up, a book was just a book.
You didn't have to put anything with a book to sell it.
It's not a giveaway.
It's not a giveaway at all.
It's a great idea.
It could help book sales, and it could do well on its own.
That's interesting.
I guess I just don't understand publishing.
[Brittany laughs and sings.]
Hey, I heard a rumor somebody made some chocolate mousse around here.
Moose, moose.
Mousse.
No, Ethan and I are going to clear the table.
Come on, guy, we got mousse in the bag.
It's hiding in the refrigerator.
Oh, might be a little dicey, then.
Be brave, boy, for your mom.
- Are you done? - No.
I'll help you, Dad.
- [Elliot brays.]
- Mousse, mousse.
[ticks.]
Oh, I know.
You never saw the pictures from Britty's pageant.
I got copies of them, but I never sent them to you, of course.
Like always.
There you go.
Oh, she looks like a little angel.
Where'd you get that costume? It was something I had in college.
She stole the show.
She forgot her one line.
She's so cute.
Romeo and Juliet.
Of course I remember.
We flew in to see you in it.
Oh, look at Ethan.
Doesn't he remind you of your father? Oh, yeah.
All the time.
Oh, that picture.
Remember when you took that? Ethan had climbed up in the tree in the backyard and claimed zero gravity.
You said if he didn't come down, you'd call the fire department.
But he did come down.
Sure.
Nancy put a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on a stick and held it just outside his reach.
Yeah, he was always a sucker for [Elliot and Nancy.]
PB&J.
I think I'll just unwind before I turn in.
That's the thing about living alone Can't get to sleep without TV.
I know.
You got cable? - Oh, no, not yet.
- [TV turns on.]
I got cable.
24 channels, nothing to watch.
Except penguins There's always something about penguins.
- Can't I help? - No, no.
- I've got it.
- I'll do it.
Eleanor hasn't changed a bit.
Too bad.
Stop.
You know I love her.
I always did.
Isn't she ever going to go to bed? [Eleanor.]
Elliot? Yeah? I have some postcards for Susan and Deb.
Could you drop them in a mailbox on your way home tonight? Love to.
What are we going to do now? I guess I leave.
[gasps.]
[laughs.]
Are you okay? Yeah, sure.
Oh, Elliot, no.
Watch.
Oh, what? [loud clatter.]
Shh, shh! Oh, oh.
- Sorry.
- No, it's my fault.
Oh, no, it's all my fault.
What are all these notches? Notches? What [laughs.]
I guess it's like riding a bike.
What a beautiful sentiment.
A very good bike.
The best bike.
15 gears.
[Elliot.]
Oh, man.
Ooh, grapes.
Organic.
No pesticides.
Oh, my God.
Elliot said the look on her face Oh, poor Eleanor.
Would have killed Marjorie.
She thinks I'm still a virgin.
Excuse me, what was Elliot doing in your kitchen at 3:00 in the morning? He came for dinner.
And he stayed for dessert.
Was it weird? No, it was Ew, I hate painting.
Excuse me, Krieger, we want details.
There are no details.
Oh, man.
You know, we should call Eleanor.
I'm sure she was listening outside the door.
Yeah, let's do that.
He took the kids to the park.
I've got to tell her about Elliot.
I mean, Eleanor and I have always been so honest about everything.
Even sex? Yeah, even sex.
Wow.
Closest I ever got to talking to Marjorie about sex was when she asked me what necrophilia meant.
- No.
- Really.
I told her it was a large, leafy plant.
Oh, man, I remember Ruth preparing me for sex.
She was driving me to a swim meet, and I was, I don't know, 12, and I wanted this new bathing suit.
But she told me I couldn't have a new bathing suit because I was going to be growing breasts soon and then I would be getting my period.
And then she launched into this whole thing about sanitary napkins and belts and cramps, and I'm just sitting there thinking "All I wanted was a bathing suit.
" - I told Eleanor when I lost my virginity.
- You did not.
Yeah.
I mean, not the specifics or anything.
She was great.
She was so open and everything.
Wow.
I was aware of my parents having sex.
I could hear them.
Having sex? I couldn't hear them moaning or shrieking.
I could hear the bed creaking.
Must be hard for my mom.
My father's been dead for eight years now.
That is a long time.
Do you think Eleanor ever I mean, since Not a chance.
Eight years.
Eight years.
All right, Mike, this one right here I make this, the Eagles go to the Super Bowl this year.
All right, I make this one right here, my mother-in-law, she has a voodoo doll with red hair and a beard and she's about to stick a needle in its eye.
Elliot, would you pass me the folder, please? Come on, Mike.
I'm doing my bestOedipushere.
You're miles away.
Oedipus, Oedipus, Oedipus.
That might work.
What? Oedipus Oats You and your mother will love them.
God, Mike.
I thought Eleanor liked you.
She did, man.
When Nancy and I were together, we were like pals.
We'd watch wrestling and she'd eat buffalo wings together.
But now it's like Last night, she catches me sneaking around my own house.
What? Yeah, man.
It was a good thing I had boxers on.
You were in your boxers? What was Eleanor wearing? She was in a robe or something.
So you were at Nancy's.
You were in your boxers.
Eleanor was in her robe.
Yeah, forget it.
It's not really anything.
Okay, all right.
Just forget it.
What was Nancy wearing? She was She was [stutters.]
She wasn't there? Where was she? She was in bed.
Really? Sleeping? No.
Reading? Waiting breathlessly? Oh, my God, you're a jerk.
Come on.
Let's go.
Oedipus Oats.
Let's run with that.
[stammers.]
How was it? It was pretty great, actually.
It was, um See? This is a full house.
Oh.
Are you sure full house beats four of a kind? Mm-hmm.
Excuse me, Amarillo Slim.
I think it's your bedtime.
Tomorrow night, kid.
Same time, same place.
- Night, Grandma.
- Night, hon.
He's reallly the man of the house now.
He came into my room the other day and said he just wanted to make sure that I was tucked in.
Mom, about Elliot um, I'm seeing him again.
Do you have a problem with that? No.
No, really.
I want to talk to you about this.
I told you.
Come on, Mom.
You're barely civil to him.
So? He hurt you and the kids.
I don't like that.
How much he hurt me and how much I'm ready to forget, that is for me to decide.
You used to love Elliot, Mom.
And Dad Daddy and him were impossible together.
I used to be embarrassed if they went into a restaurant together, because they'd do weird things with the silverware.
Remember? Yeah.
I remember last year when you called and you couldn't talk, you were crying so hard.
That was last year.
It just seems to me, if it happened once, it could happen again.
That's all.
Things are different, okay? Okay.
I'm glad you're here, Mom, even though you are a pain in the butt.
Good night.
Takes one to know one.
Oh, yeah.
- Sleep tight, honey.
- Okay.
Well, this gives you an idea.
Yeah.
These are wonderful.
They're probably not exactly like your book.
I need to look at the proofs again.
How do you intend to do the face? I don't know.
What do you think? Um, you know, about the other night I wasn't thinking too clearly then, and I'm still not.
That's okay.
I never think clearly.
[chuckles.]
Um, you know, I was thinking silkscreen.
I like working with you.
Yeah, it's fun.
You know, I was thinking, you know, maybe one day the two of us, we could do a book.
I don't know.
My partner Ethan, he's pretty tough.
Oh, how about the four of us? We could write a book together, and then we'll become folk singers.
[both chuckle.]
- Dad.
Dad, look.
- Watch your feet.
Hey, bud.
I got new high-tops.
They're really cool.
Wait a second.
You used to make fun of me for wearing these.
Is Dad coming to dinner with us? I don't think so.
Not tonight, okay? Come on.
Let's wash up before we go out.
- Bye, Dad.
- Hey, honey.
Well, I guess I'll call you.
Right.
What do you feel like tonight? Kids are screaming for pizza.
Oh, pizza would be fine.
What did you and the kids do this afternoon? Well, I wasn't going to tell you, but now that the kids know Know what? I looked at a condo.
What? I'm thinking of moving here.
Are you kidding? I mean, what about Doctor Glick? Somebody else can run that office.
I've been there too long.
I can always get another job.
This is, um Wow.
You don't want me to? No, I mean, are you crazy? Of course I do.
It's just, you know, how and why? Well, my children are scattered all over.
I was feeling a little lonely, and I thought Yeah, I know, but you know, Debbie and Paul and the kids are so much closer.
And Susan and You think it's a bad idea? No, I think it's a wonderful idea.
I mean, I wish that we had more room here.
In your house? I'd never do that to you.
[Ethan.]
Mom.
Can I have extra onions, garlic, and pepper, please? Yeah, we'll see.
Okay.
[Elliot vocalizing.]
[Nancy.]
Oh.
[chuckles.]
Oh, wow.
Isn't it great? Elliot, I mean, I had no idea You did I mean, who did this for you? Yeah, a friend who owed me a favor.
Oh, I mean, I had no It is so cute.
Well, it's supposed to be scary.
Oh, but I mean, his face, It's so goofy and endearing.
I Wow.
I mean, I didn't realize that you were going to What? I mean, whoo.
I mean, it's been so fast.
No, no, it's your monster.
All I did was make it 3-dimensional.
No, I mean, I like it.
Oh, look at this, Nance.
Check this out.
Look, look, look.
Prince and Princess Stupidhead.
Huh? What do you think? Um, well, I don't know.
I think that, you know, we should keep it on the small.
Look at.
Look at this.
Look at this.
Look at this.
The Leaf Lady.
- Nance.
- What? The Leaf Lady.
Oh.
Are you okay? Yeah, sure.
Look, do you want me I mean, would it be easier with your mom if I stayed away? Oh, no.
She's got to deal with it.
Look, I'll make Eleanor like me again.
I promise.
Is that Cinderella? Brittany, would you like to see Cinderella? Ethan won't sit through it.
How about something with animals? Here's Old Yeller.
What? Are you kidding? I always lose it when the kid has to shoot the dog.
I got it.
What dog? Assault of the Killer Bimbos.
No way.
Shoot what dog? There's Cinderella.
Gross.
I want to see The Dirty Dozen.
No way.
Care Bears.
Care Bears are dumb.
Dirty Dozen.
Maybe this one time we can get them both.
Thank you.
Oh, you see, that's not the way You see, well, he's been seeing too many war movies.
- Grandma says I can.
- Ethan.
And she might live at our house all the time.
What? - Elliot, it's just a movie.
- That's not the point.
[Brittany.]
Ethan, stop it! [Elliot.]
Ethan.
[Brittany.]
No! What is going on here? Mommy, he hit me.
[Ethan.]
I can hit you if I want.
Don't hit me.
Is this the way that we act in a store? [Ethan.]
She always gets what she wants.
I never get any movies.
Ethan hurt me.
I did not.
- Hey.
- Hi.
Why didn't you go on inside? Eleanor's on the roof with a pot of boiling oil.
I actually came to tell you about New York.
What New York? The toy guy, he wants a meeting.
You're kidding.
No, Friday.
Your mom can watch the kids.
They want to see us in New York? Yep, now, we can go for the day or we can spend the night.
Spend the night? Separate rooms, separate hotel.
Your call.
They liked the idea.
They liked it.
I told you.
Oh, wow.
Will you have time to see any shows? It's just for one night, Mom.
I know you don't want me to go.
- I didn't say that.
- No, you don't have to.
I know you, Mom.
You're doing that thing that you do.
You know, you're pursing your lips together.
I know that that means disapproval.
What thing? You can be a little more honest, okay? I mean, this is a great chance.
If you say so.
Mom.
I just worry Elliot may be pushing you into a situation you're not ready for.
Would you make up your mind? Is it the Elliot thing you don't like or the doll thing? These people you're meeting, they're professionals.
People who know the business.
Look, I can learn the business, you know.
You're new to all this.
I just don't I don't want you to set yourself up for a big disappointment.
Look, I'm not going to be disappointed because I'm not expecting anything to come of this, okay? [Elliot.]
Wow, okay.
Are you all right? - [Nancy.]
I got it, yeah.
- Okay.
Here you go.
Thanks a lot.
[Nancy.]
Bye.
Thanks.
- This is terrific.
- Yeah.
When was the last time we were in New York.
Oh, it's been a long time.
But we were in our 20s.
[Nancy laughs.]
Oh, oh.
Drentell's secretary says Miles loves this place.
It's great.
Yeah, well, look around for the torture devices.
You know, the fingernail gouges in the walls.
Oh, I guess I Oh.
Yeah, it looks like somebody left some champagne and flowers laying around, Nance.
I don't know who this could be.
"Mazel tov, Joseph and Sarah.
" Oh.
You know, we still got a couple hours to kill.
Yeah, I guess we do.
Oh, I'm so nervous.
- Come on.
- Aren't you? Well, this will relax you.
I promise.
- Oh, you think? - Yeah, come on.
Just forget about everything, the book, the doll.
It's like the doll, it should've been bigger and softer, right? I blew it.
What we need here is a very large corn beef sandwich and two cream sodas.
I knew there was some reason I used to love you.
Oh, this seems like a waste of a perfectly good hotel room.
It'll be here later.
[giggles.]
Make yourself comfortable.
Now, I've looked at your proofs.
They're really, really terrific.
And your, uh Monster.
Your monster, really, really terrific.
The facial expression Can I get you some cake? Raspberry filling.
- Oh, no, thanks.
- No.
The facial expression, I sense a vulnerability.
There's a warmth to the beast.
Well, as you know, Mr.
Baer, most successful toy-book tie-ins have a simple track like ours.
You know, like you'll have a bath book with a rubber duck or the Beatrix Potter stuffed animals.
Of course, adults buy those for their kids, whereas this is the kind of item kids might choose for themselves, you know, whether they know about the book or not.
It's terrific.
This could be big.
Well, our dolls should be the kind of dolls that kids want to take to bed with them, to show them that even scary things can offer comfort.
Comfort, terrific.
Well, maybe we're thinking too small here.
I mean, the huggability factor, I think that's very important.
You know, no mechanics.
That's too false, you know.
You know where I'm coming from? Absolutely.
Let me be more specific.
I think that I think this is a terrific project, and if you'd brought it to me two, three years ago, it would've been a hit.
Absolutely.
Two or three years ago? Huggability is out.
Kids want mechanical.
But you're terrific people.
This is a terrific project.
I wish you the best of luck with it.
I really, really do.
Well, Mr.
Baer, I think I can prove to you that this is more than just A terrific project.
Really.
Thank you.
- Mm-hmm, bye.
- Thank you so much.
Oh, I really, really, really hate that guy, Nance.
I mean, what a complete jerk.
He brings us up here all the way from Philadelphia just to shoot us down, and he absolutely loved our I mean, he ate it up.
Oh, come on.
It was just a bad idea.
It was a great idea.
What are you talking about? Oh, Elliot, the guy understands the market.
I mean, he's this big guy, even if he's a jerk, and we were just making fools of ourselves.
We weren't.
Is that what you thought I was doing up there? 'Cause I was busting my ass for you on this thing.
And I didn't even open my mouth when I was up there.
I don't know why this should bother me.
My book is being published.
Most people dream about such things.
- Oh, maybe I pushed too hard.
- No, you didn't.
Listen, when we get back to the hotel I'll make a few more calls.
No, it just didn't work out.
I mean, it's just a question of being at the right place at the right time, right? - Taxi.
- Taxi.
Excuse me.
- Taxi! - Taxi! [Man.]
Hey, lady, out of the street.
Watch it.
Tax Thanks.
I'm sorry about New York.
Oh, well.
Maybe you just sort of pushed it too far.
Maybe.
What's this? Oh, that's from a condo I saw today.
Yeah? Looks nice.
Two bedrooms.
One's big enough for two twin beds for the kids.
It's right around the corner.
We wouldn't even need a car.
Well, I don't want you to move to Philadelphia and think you're going to be babysitting the kids all the time.
I love spending time with them.
We could even think about taking some trips together, you and me.
Trips? We can drive up in New England to see the leaves change.
It'll be good for you.
Yeah, but aren't you going to think about getting a job? Eventually.
New England.
I'll get some brochures from the auto club.
You said double or nothing, Grandma.
I did, didn't I? - Eleanor.
- Aah! Morning.
Good morning.
Is Nancy, uh I guess not.
She took the children to school.
Oh, well, she'll be right back then.
Ooh, you made your blueberry pancakes.
- Yes.
- Any left? Did you heat up the syrup? That was always my favorite part.
So you're moving to Philadelphia.
I hope so.
Yeah, what's Dr.
Glick going to do without you? He'll survive.
Eleanor, you remember that time that Nancy brought me home to meet you for the first time? You and Jack had just got this new croquet set, and we had to play.
And I was trying really hard to make this good impression.
Jack, he kept staring at my hair and making all those barber jokes, you know.
Anyway, I hit your boss, so I got a free hit.
And I remember thinking to myself, "Geez, this is Nancy's mom.
I mean, I can't hit her ball into the next yard.
" And then I thought, "Well, if I just tap it, then she'll think I'm trying to suck up to her.
" Meanwhile, Nancy, she's up on the back porch sipping ice tea, and I'm sweating bullets.
Remember what I did? No.
I said I had to make a phone call, and I gave my mallet to Nancy.
If I had to do that again today, play croquet with you, I'd send that ball right into orbit.
What are you saying? That I want Nancy back, whether you like it or not.
Nancy has her own life now.
And I want to be a part of it again.
You don't really care about her.
You're wrong.
How can you hurt her like you have? Drag her down and then say you care about her? You don't understand everything, Eleanor.
I see Nancy alone with Ethan and Brittany.
I understand enough.
I've done some lousy things to Nancy, and I know it.
And I'm going to try to make it up to her.
And I'm not going to try to keep her from being who she is, from being out in the world the way you want to.
- I don't do that.
- Sure, you do.
You want a girlfriend to be lonely with.
You want her to be just the way she's always been.
You want her to be your second girl, Jack's favorite.
You don't want her to leave you behind.
Leave me behind? You're the one she needs to leave behind.
No, because I can't wait to see what she does next, but you, you're afraid of what she'll do next.
- Oh, that's cute.
You know - [Nancy.]
Hi.
What? Somebody, please tell me It's nothing, Nance.
Nothing? Elliot didn't mean anything.
Elliot - Nancy, I can Nancy - It's okay.
No.
Just stay out of this thing between me and Elliot.
Okay? Pink and red.
That's good, sweetie.
Did your mother used to make you make your bed? Oh, every day.
How about yours? Sure.
What about Ethan and Brittany? Are you kidding? Oh, is this that moment where we realize we're bad mothers? I always want to be just like my mother three daughters, a nice house, married to my father.
Yeah, I wanted to marry my father, too.
She was always there when I came home from school.
There was milk and cookies and my mom.
Oh, yeah, Ruth made Kool-Aid in a pitcher shaped like a very large lemon.
Oh, I love my mother so much, and I want her to be happy, you know, and pay her back for everything.
But I want I mean, I want to get on with my life, and she wants Well, she wants me to ride up to New England with her.
She doesn't want you and Elliot to get back together, does she? No.
That's not it.
I can handle that.
It's something else.
It's something else she does about wanting me to be exactly what I've always been so that she's safe, you know, so that her world is safe.
And I don't know.
I mean, I don't know if I can afford to give that to her anymore.
Pretty grim, huh? Oh, they're very beige.
Oh, I can make new ones.
Mom? Maybe chintz.
We really do need to talk.
Oh, I'm afraid there's no place to sit down.
I know.
That doesn't matter.
I just don't want to see you get hurt again.
Elliot No, no, Mom, it's not about Elliot.
I mean, you're going to have to make your peace with Elliot no matter what happens.
I mean, that's your business, you know.
Yours and Elliot's.
It's me moving here, isn't it? You don't want me to come.
No, I'd love you to come.
Just say it.
What is it? Your whole life is back in Indiana.
I mean, why do you want to give that up? My family isn't there.
I worry about you.
Well, you don't have to.
I see how hard it is trying to raise two kids on your own.
And work, keep your house Okay, okay, so you can worry a little.
And writing books, all this rejections.
What rejection? Mom, my book is being published.
That monster doll.
All right, so the book won't have a doll with it.
I mean, big deal.
I mean, I took a shot.
I don't want to see you set yourself up to fail.
I didn't.
I took a chance.
That's all.
But it's better to put yourself out there than than to meet a man on a train and not even get his phone number.
So now you're criticizing me, too.
Oh, so what if I am? I mean, I've learned just lately that I can do some things that I never thought that I could, and I'm pretty sure that you thought that I couldn't do them, either.
But I can.
I'm good.
In fact, some of the things I am really good at, like my illustrating.
And I don't want to go back to not trying again.
I mean, you and Daddy I miss him every day, you know.
I know.
I mean, we were all afraid to risk anything.
You know, to get excited about anything.
I mean, when Deb when she went to nursing school and she got really sick of it and wanted to go on to medical school, you discouraged her.
It would've been too much with the kids and I know, but she really wanted to do it.
She still does.
I mean, I hope she does.
I've learned that I like getting excited.
I mean, sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn't, but I like being excited.
Your father and I, we loved our girls.
Oh, I know you did.
It's just that we were all too afraid.
All of us.
Even Daddy.
I mean, he was the best.
And so are you.
But what do you want now? I want to know my family's happy.
I am.
We are.
But what do you want for you? Nothing.
Nothing? Not a million dollars? Not a wonderful man? I'm 63 years old.
Things change.
Oh, come on, Mom.
You talk like you're half dead.
I mean, you and Daddy, you always wanted to go and visit the Sistine Chapel.
Why don't you go and do that? They've cleaned it now, you know.
The colors are brighter.
So? Wouldn't be the same.
Because Daddy's not there? It's still the same Sistine Chapel, isn't it? [growls.]
[growls.]
Dad, I got so much to tell you.
Hi, buddy.
[Brittany.]
Hi, Daddy.
Hi, bunny rabbit.
Who's that little girl? Who's my little girl? Ethan wanted to use the Xerox machine.
Yeah, I'm going to xerox this dinosaur.
Well, that's great.
You know where it is, don't you? Be good.
Take your sister, okay? There's a kitchen back there.
Slow down.
Watch out! - [crash.]
- Sorry.
What kind of an office is this anyway? These colors.
Oh, we call it home.
I was sorry about you losing your company.
But you always seem to land on your feet.
Yeah, usually with both of them in my mouth.
So you going to take me on a tour? I hear you work for a real son-of-a-bitch.
Shh.
Eleanor.
You know, he's single, don't you? [Eleanor laughs.]
He lives up there.
Now, this is the torture chambers back in here.
Hand me that speaker wire, will you? Thanks.
Um, where are Mom and the kids? She dropped by DAA.
We slugged it out.
She took the kids to dinner at The Fish Farm.
The Fish Farm? That's like an hour from here.
Yeah, I know.
It was Eleanor's idea.
Listen, Nance, about the doll.
I didn't mean to push you or anything.
I mean, it's just such a great idea.
No, I know.
I'd just like to let it go for a while.
Why? Well, you really helped me out a lot.
It was great, and I really appreciate it.
But? [sighs.]
I think you got caught up in it not because it was a great idea, but because of that momentum thing.
You wanted to do that thing you do.
Overwhelm me again.
Is that what I do? That's not what I thought I was doing.
I'll ask you for help when I'm ready, okay? I mean, things are fast enough right now I mean, I was just trying to help.
- Oh, I know.
- I want you to be famous.
I want you to win the Caldecott.
I didn't write the book to be famous or to win the Caldecott.
This thing was taking up too much room at my place.
I'll see if I can get something a little more compact, you know.
You mean another stereo? Yeah, I mean, if that's okay.
I think we can afford it now.
No, no, I know.
I mean, I was just wondering.
Why? Well, why you'd need two.
I don't know.
And never got over Those blue eyes I see them Everywhere And I miss I miss Those arms that held me Baby, when all the love Was there Baby, when all the love Was there Baby, when all the love Was there Closed-Captioned By J.
R.
Media Services, Inc.
Burbank, CA And dance by the light of the moon