The Guardian (2001) s03e06 Episode Script

[Knock on door.]
Hey, Dad.
What're you doing here? I need to talk to ya.
Okay.
What's going on? Your mother and I are getting divorced.
We've talked about it for months.
Right.
Uhm It just seems it seems kinda silly to get a divorce I mean, at this point.
I mean, it's not like things were ever so romantic.
Not that simple.
Well, why don't why don't you try some counseling maybe? I don't want to get into all that.
Why not? It's not like we don't get along, it's just I'm seeing someone else.
Her name's Janice.
What? We've been together for sixteen years.
[Knock on door.]
Dad? I was hoping I could spend the night.
[Knock on door.]
- Hey.
- Hi.
- Sorry to just drop in.
- No.
Come in.
- Okay.
- You okay? Yeah.
I'm good.
Just wanted to come by and say hi.
Right.
Well, that's nice of you.
Can I spend the night? My dad just showed up at my house and Oh, he's back from the hospital? Yeah, he was just dehydrated, and so now he's spending the night and Well, that's okay.
Yeah? Yeah, you can stay in the guest bedroom.
I mean, if you think it's gonna be weird No.
We're friends.
I mean, we talked about this, right? - We're just friends.
- Right.
Yeah.
'Course.
Ah I gotta go to a hotel.
What? Uh Nick, I'm just not good at this "just sex" thing, you know.
I'm just not.
What're you talking about "just sex" thing? Well what is it, then? Well, you were the one who was gonna go to Berkeley.
Well, I'm here.
Right? I'm in Pittsburgh.
'Cause Alvin got fired.
No, because of you.
I didn't go because I stayed for you, Nick.
For us.
You don't have to get freaked out or anything.
No.
No.
No.
You're not you're not freaking me out.
And I'm not saying this to you to make you feel bad.
You're not making me feel bad.
Move in.
What? Move in with me.
~ Well, there is trouble ~ ~ In my mind ~ ~ There is dark ~ ~ There is dark and there is light ~ ~ There is no order ~ ~ There is chaos ~ ~ And there is crime ~ ~ There is no one ~ ~ Home tonight ~ ~ In the empire of my mind ~ ~ There is trouble in my mind ~ Hey, Ma.
Jakey.
- How ya doin'? - Fine.
Just watching Oprah.
Looks like she lost some weight.
Right.
I give her a lotta credit, working so hard to stay slim.
So, uh I, uh I spoke to Dad.
I wish he didn't bother you with all this.
You have enough to worry about.
Do you want to talk to someone or something? I went to Mass.
Father Kokot.
He's got these pretty blue eyes.
His mother's Irish.
Mom? Honey, I don't want to make a fuss.
You know, you do the best you can, and sometimes things work out and sometimes they don't.
This isn't your fault.
Whose fault is it? Oh, Ma.
Ma.
Look, don't blame yourself.
That's ridiculous.
How could your father She used to wait on us down at Clem's Diner.
Sat next to us in church.
I try to forgive, but last night, when your father called, I heard her talking and laughing.
That woman.
I think he's living with her.
I don't know what to do.
I was fifteen when I met your father.
I'm getting too old to I never lived alone.
You know, if you want, maybe, um maybe I can move back in for a little while.
Just keep you company.
Jakey.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Fallin? Yeah.
Hey.
Robert Bridge.
I'm Lulu's new assistant.
You're late, bro.
Meeting started twenty minutes ago.
Right.
After Penn, I worked at Belmont Price in Philly.
It was vile full of misogynistic Republican billing machines.
I left after six weeks, moved back to Pittsburgh, and I've been working with children ever since.
- Well, thank you, Amy.
- Sure.
Uh Oh, Nick.
Uh yeah.
Hi.
I'm sorry I'm late.
That's okay.
Would you, uh talk about yourself? What's that? Oh, well, we all, you know, work together every day, but most of us don't really know each other, so I mean, if you could just Uh sure.
Uh my name is Nick.
Uh I got arrested for possession a couple years ago, and instead of going to jail, I got sentenced to community service here.
All right.
Uh, lastly, Alvin.
Unless you don't want to talk.
It's okay.
No.
No, it's fine.
I started this place twenty years ago.
My hope was to create a sanctuary for the disadvantaged.
A place where people could find help and more importantly hope.
And, I don't run the clinic anymore because I punched some ass named Roger Green in the face.
Okay.
Uh thanks everybody.
Just check your in-boxes for memos and case assignments.
Have a great day.
Nick.
Nick.
I need you to handle a relocation hearing.
- Sure.
- Guy named Pete Akins.
He's, uh, he's actually right over there.
It's a messy divorce.
Custody issues.
The ex-wife is trying to move to Boston with their son and her new husband.
Okay.
And he's very agitated about it, though.
All right.
Hey, uh How's your father? Uh good, I guess.
He was sleeping on the couch when I got home this morning.
Are you sure you're comfortable having him in your house? - It's just for a few days.
- Yeah.
You were serious about what you said last night, right? About moving in? Yeah.
Yeah.
You? Yeah, I was.
Good.
I just want to live near my kid.
I don't see what's so crazy about that.
Uh-huh.
I don't understand how she can just move.
There's nothing in the custody agreement that allows for it.
I don't I don't understand.
Your ex-wife's husband got offered a good job in Boston.
So? Well, they don't want to turn it down because of you.
Well, screw that.
Screw his job.
- Evan is my son.
- Right.
It's not like I wanted the divorce.
Okay? I come home one day, and Tina says to me, "By the way, I'm in love with your best friend.
" The next thing I know, she's gone.
Evan's gone.
I'm just some jerk-off who's got two weekends a month.
- I mean - If she can show, uh, substantial economic and social improvements in your son's life She took my kid! She left me.
I didn't ask for any of this.
Court's gonna look at pros and cons.
Your son living in a house with money is a pro.
The fact that you're currently unemployed and on probation, it's it's definitely a con.
The probation thing? It's a DUI.
Ah it's probation.
[Sighs.]
The hearing is tomorrow at noon.
Uhm well, what do I do to fix this? I used to work at Montgomery Freight.
Loading docks.
And made good money, too until they closed it down and moved to New York.
And I was gonna go with them.
They were gonna pay for my moving expenses and everything.
Tina wanted to stay here.
She didn't want to move.
She wanted to stay in Pittsburgh.
Right.
Well, I'll see you tomorrow at noon.
I want you to get the status of each case at the end of every day, and I want you to input that data into one central file.
Okay? I want to know what's going on at all times.
Information plus knowledge equals power.
What? That's just one of my mantras.
I'm not so sure the whole "get to know thy neighbor" thing really worked out.
Huh.
Come in.
Sorry to bother you, sweetie.
I just wanted to tell you how appreciative I am for letting me stay at your house.
Felt real good.
Sure.
You've, uh done well for yourself.
You really have.
I'm proud of ya.
Sleep at your boyfriend's house last night? Uh yeah.
You always sleep there? Dad, you know, I'm kinda busy and I got some good news today.
Oh, yeah? Went to the hospital for some follow-up stuff, and they told me about this clinical trial for bladder cancer.
They think this new pill, when they mix it with some other things, might keep the tumors from coming back.
That's great.
So, uh I guess I need to stay in Pittsburgh for a while.
Oh.
Anyway, I, uh I'll see ya later.
Hi, it's Jake Straka.
Yeah, I'm not gonna be able to make it tonight.
And, I'm sorry, it's just, uh you know something came up.
Yeah.
Okay, well I'll call tomorrow to, uh, reschedule.
Okay.
Thanks.
My dad got into this clinical trial over at County for his cancer.
- Well, that's great.
- Yeah.
It's, uh it's like a three-month thing.
It's supposed to be very effective.
So you know he'll need to stay in Pittsburgh.
Right.
I was, uh I was thinking of offering him my place.
Really? Yeah.
Just, you know, while he's undergoing the treatment.
Yeah.
Think that makes sense? Maybe.
Nick, for God's sake.
More than one word, please.
Be careful.
Morning.
Hey.
Oh, I, uh spoke to a realtor yesterday.
Right.
Mm-hmm.
About renting out my house.
Great.
Can you please listen to me when I speak? I just feel like if we're gonna do this Uh, yeah.
I'm sorry.
I, uh I'm sorry.
I'm not used to all this.
All this? Having someone else here.
I just It's a new thing and and I will try to listen more and and I'll try to be more aware.
- Okay? - Mm-hmm.
Thank you.
Muffins and Ma, we have plenty.
Just sit.
How ya doin', Mo? Sit.
I'll get you some coffee.
I ate already.
Ma Ma sit.
Please.
Will ya? I've got a lot to do today, so let's just, uh I need you both to sign this.
It just says that you know I have a conflict, blah, blah, blah.
No big deal.
And then I'm gonna need to figure out what your assets and liabilities are.
Uh I wrote up a list last night.
Assets.
Debts.
All that.
It is what it is.
Okay.
Well, I'll look it over and, uh, draft an agreement and, uh, file the affidavit.
Good.
That is unless unless you think maybe you want a little bit more time to think about it.
No.
Let's just get it done.
Okay.
Well that's it for now.
Good.
I know this is I want you guys to get to know Janice.
Excuse me? She feels bad about all this.
Wants to apologize.
If she even comes near me Don't get so emotional, Mo.
Emotional? She's been sneaking around like a tramp Just let her apologize, for God sake.
She's in the car.
She just wants to She's a good person.
Dad, I'm sure she is.
It's just that it's just kind of inappropriate to bring her around right now.
I mean, you understand that, don't you? Yeah.
I'm sorry, I didn't You what? You staying here? Yeah, for a couple days.
Nice of you to take care of your mother like this.
Yeah, well, someone has to.
You sure you're okay with doing the legal stuff? I know a lawyer who can do it for about a thousand dollars.
You don't have a thousand dollars, Dad.
If you need something, Mo, just call, okay? I still love you.
You know that, don't you? Your bed's uncomfortable.
- What? - I don't like it.
Okay.
Can we get a new one? - Hey.
- Hearing's not for another two hours.
I just wanted to give you this.
My kid made this for me last Father's Day.
Inside it says, "Dad, promise we'll always watch Steelers games and promise you'll never die.
" I just thought you could maybe use it in court.
Okay? Anyway, uh I'll see ya later.
Well, yeah, I guess we can just we'll get a new one.
Okay, great.
Didn't see ya this morning.
Oh.
I I stayed at Nick's again.
Oh, good.
How's that going? Well, we're, uh I'm moving in with him.
Great.
That's really great.
How ya doin'? Uh, good, yeah.
Feeling better? Well, not too bad.
They got me drinking lots of fluids.
Right.
I want us to all have dinner this week.
I should get to know the man my little girl's so in love with.
- Dad.
- Oh, no.
That sounds like a great idea.
Just let me know when, Mr.
Archer.
Dad.
- Not a bad guy.
- Yeah.
Been meaning to tell ya.
I, uh I'm starting a painting company.
Painting? Like houses? Bigger than that.
Like schools.
City buildings.
Hospitals.
I did it in Akron.
Made good money.
Great.
I was thinking, you know, that, uh you might want to get involved.
Well, I'm not much of a painter.
I mean like as an investor.
It would be good for both of us.
- Oh, well, Dad, I'm sort of - Won't cost you a nickel.
I need your name more than anything.
If you're a part owner, I can apply for government contracts for, like, minorities since you're a woman.
Mr.
Fuller's been offered a job that pays him nearly twice what he was making before with room for advancement.
More money does not necessarily mean a better life, Your Honor.
It does, however, mean more opportunities, Your Honor.
Private schools.
Music classes.
Things Mr.
Akins can't provide.
It also means robbing Evan of a chance to have a relationship with his father.
How can you tell Mr.
Fuller he can't take the best job he's ever been offered? Mr.
Fuller's good fortune should not be turned into my client's misfortune.
Remember, Your Honor, Mr.
Akins did not ask for any of this.
Thank you, Mr.
Fallin.
You may be seated.
- Show her the card.
- No.
Evan, what do you want? I don't know.
Do you enjoy spending time with your dad? Yeah.
Do you want to move to Boston? - Show her the card.
- Be quiet? I don't know.
I'm going to grant Mrs.
Fuller's motion.
What? I believe, on the whole, moving to Boston will be best for Evan.
As for visitation, Mr.
Akins will get two weeks every summer and one weekend a month.
Hey.
Hey.
Hey.
Why didn't you show her the card? It says right there that he loves me.
He wants to spend more time with me.
You screwed this whole thing up.
- If the judge would have seen that - Mr.
Akins The card I need a retrial or an appeal or something.
Okay? Because Why didn't you show the card, like I told you to? The card wouldn't have done a damn thing.
It's just a card.
Just a card.
Hey, you suck! You know that? Yeah.
You suck! I just lost everything! Everything! What can you do? Men are the new women.
What was that? Thirty's the new twenty.
Brown's the new black.
Men are the new women.
When it comes to the law, anyway.
We used to get all the breaks, and now we get none.
The pendulum has swung.
Not that it's bad, just not always fair.
The lady at the desk said it was okay to come back.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Sure.
Come in.
Sit.
You eat lunch yet? Oh, yeah.
Just a little while ago.
I was gonna say, we should have lunch at the Gateway Clipper.
My dad used to take me there when I was a kid, for special occasions.
So you're feeling better.
Yeah.
I made peace with a few things.
Great.
I think I might visit the Warhol Museum.
Never been there.
Yeah.
Definitely.
Have some fun.
And I'm making lasagna tonight.
How's 7 sound? Sounds great.
Great.
Hmm Oh, does this does the wine make you uncomfortable? No.
Are you sure? Because I usually have a glass with dinner, but No, it's fine.
Fine.
Okay.
Oh, so my dad has this idea to start up a painting company.
Good.
Yeah.
He wants me to be part owner.
Really? I guess if I'm an owner he can apply for minority contracts or something.
That's right.
I looked into it at work today.
That's not illegal or anything.
I mean, as long as I'm involved in the the day-to-day operations of the business.
My dad's never had any kind of a career, so I don't know, part of me really wants to help him with this.
What do you think? You think I should get involved? Well, I think it's between you and your father.
Well, I know that.
I just want to know what your opinion is.
I wouldn't do it.
Oh.
Mm.
This is great.
You always love lasagna.
I don't really eat it anymore.
- Why not? - Makes you fat.
Oh you look great.
I'm trying.
Still need to lose a few.
Mm What ever happened to that girlfriend of yours? - Who? - Uh, the Polish girl, Barbara.
Oh, yeah.
She she got married.
Oh.
Sorry.
Oh, it's no big deal.
I mean, she We were never really serious.
Well, there are a lot of women out there, especially for a handsome, successful attorney.
Right.
But you're happy, right? I guess.
That's what really matters.
It's strange being a mother.
One minute you have this baby and you love him more than anything in the world and he loves you.
And you think about him every minute.
Protect him.
And gradually he grows into a man.
He looks for affection elsewhere.
But he's still your son, only it's different.
I don't really know you as an adult and I want to.
I'd love you no matter what.
I know, Ma.
And you'd love me no matter what? Of course.
Of course.
[Car drives off.]
He's got a nice car.
Yeah.
Beemer.
Saw him drop you off.
He's a fancy dresser, too.
First thing I noticed about him.
Your mother was a hell of a dresser.
Loved clothes, shoes, and all that stuff.
Yeah, I, uh I'm running a little bit late, Dad.
Gotta be careful with people who dress nice.
They're selfish, vain.
Or maybe they just like nice clothes.
You thought about the painting business? Uh yeah.
Well, if you're worried about my cancer, it's not that big a deal.
I'm gonna beat it.
So I'll be strong enough to work.
No problem.
Okay, well, can we just talk about this later? So we're on we're on for dinner tonight me, you, and Nick.
Right? [Door closes.]
Okay, just wait right here.
Hey, I'm glad I caught ya, man.
You know, I can't talk right now.
I'm late for a meeting.
I have like thirty minutes left until I gotta give him back to his mother.
We're sorta doing a goodbye thing right now.
There's gotta be something you can do to fix all this.
It just doesn't seem right to me.
Can we file some sort of emergency appeal or something? No.
Can you call somebody, like a judge? No.
It's over.
I'm sorry.
Yeah, man.
I'm sure it's just killin' you, too, huh? Uh, wait.
I'm sorry.
I didn't mean it like that.
It's just that I know this is hard for you, but you have to get Evan back to his mother on time.
Okay? Yeah.
So when I drop him off they can just move to Boston whenever they feel like it.
Yeah.
You think maybe I can get just one or two more days so that Evan and I can spend a little more time together? Court's already ruled, Mr.
Akins.
Right.
It's important that you get Evan home on time.
Okay? Let's go, buddy.
So what're you doing today? Going to Mass.
You know, maybe you should talk to someone other that Father Kokot, huh? Like a psychiatrist? Somebody.
I'm gonna need you to sign this.
It just says you're not contesting the divorce.
"Irretrievably broken"? That's just a legal phrase.
So tonight I thought maybe we'd do a double feature.
I'll bring in your favorites Place in the Sun and How Green Was My Valley.
I'll pick up some Dominick's pizza and three pints of ice cream.
We'll get fat! It'll be fun! Jake, you really don't have to stay tonight.
I'm fine.
- You sure? - Uh-huh.
Okay.
Jakey.
I love you, sweetie.
I love you, too, Mom.
[Elevator dings.]
I need to talk to you.
All right.
All right.
Come back in my office.
Can he stay out here? Excuse me.
Can you look after him for a second? Thank you.
What can I tell ya? I love her Tina.
I do.
But now she looks at me like I'm a I I mean, she used to say "I love you" four or five times a day.
Why is Evan with you? Are you drunk? No! I was gettin' ready to drop him off at home, and before I knew it, we were in Ohio driving to the Football Hall of Fame.
I mean, we'd always discussed doing that, and it just seemed like today's as good a day as any.
But then he got scared k wanted to turn around and asking for his mother.
So I yelled at him.
And I I sorta sorta snapped.
What do you mean, you snapped? Lost my temper.
I I got emotional.
Did you hit him? No.
No.
All right.
Well, I'm gonna have to call Evan's mother.
Do you have the number? I screwed up, didn't I? He knows we're having dinner tonight? Yeah.
I told him twice.
Kinda rude to just not show.
Thank you.
You don't want to help me, do ya? What are you talking about? My business.
And you're not talking to me about it because you don't want to get involved.
You're right.
I'd rather not.
Talk to Nick about it? What? Nick tell you to stay away from me? Let's just eat.
Okay? All right.
No need to get upset.
I'm not upset.
That, uh that shirt's a little tight, honey.
People might get the wrong idea, if you know what I mean.
No, I don't know what you mean.
Well, I just think, as a lawyer, you might be better off wearing something that isn't so revealing.
That's all.
Then again, I'm I'm a little protective, being your father and all.
[Chatter.]
~ 'Cause I can't stop believin' ~ ~ And I want you again in my arms ~ ~ And I can't stop the feelin' ~ ~ That you've gone away ~ ~ To come back some day ~ ~ To my heart ~ - Hey.
- Hey.
I'm sorry.
I got held up with that Pete guy.
I went down to the restaurant.
You guys had already left.
Supposed to call when you don't show up.
Yeah.
Uh yeah.
But it was an emergency.
Uh, still should've called.
Maybe they didn't teach you that in prep school.
Dad! Nick had to work.
Just stay out of it.
Stay out of it? Like he stays out of my stuff? Dad! Knock it off! He doesn't want us to be together.
Can't you see that? Wait I'm not doing anything to come between the two Nick.
Nick.
Nick.
It's okay.
You know what? Maybe you should just go home.
- Are you sure? - Yeah.
I have to deal with this.
Right.
Sorry.
Listen, you can stay here, but do not get involved in my personal life.
This guy's a prick.
He's gonna screw ya.
I don't care what you think about him, okay? I don't care.
And and you know what? I'm not getting involved in that painting business of yours because what you're asking me to do is it's you know, it's fraud.
All right, fine.
But you don't have to look at me with all that hate.
I'm your father.
You're my daughter.
That's something that's pretty special.
At least I think so.
[Man on TV.]
And you won't like it, and I won't like it, - and Mrs.
Moody, she won't like it.
- How do you do, Mrs.
Moody? I need a good manager, Mr.
Moody.
You used to be tops around town.
Everyone says so.
I think you can develop me.
I can [TV shuts off.]
Ma.
Ma, hey.
Wake up.
Ma.
Ma.
Ma.
Ma! Wake up! For God sakes, wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Ma! Ma! Wake up! Wake up! Come on! What the hell's going on? Get her outta here.
Oh, for God's sakes, Jake.
What happened? Get your whore outta here.
You got no right talking to me that way.
Mom took some pills.
She what? Is she okay? I don't know.
They think she might They don't know.
- She took pills? - She tried to kill herself, Dad.
Okay? - You get it? - That's crazy.
I don't - Hope she's worth it.
- Jake.
For God sakes, Dad.
She's just another broad from Blawnox.
This is not about Janice! This is about you! You and your lies and your cheating! - You selfish bastard! - Shut up! Shut up! Shut up.
Okay? My wife just tried to kill herself, so just shut the hell up.
Dad? I saw Tina this morning.
Okay.
You and Evan, uh drove into Ohio.
Just to Youngstown.
Right, but you crossed the state line.
Yeah.
Have a gun in your car? Yeah.
But I Did you threaten to shoot yourself in front of your son? I didn't mean it.
I just I got a little bit crazy.
I would never do something like that in front of my son.
It's just I I just, like I said I just snapped.
I just kinda snapped.
What the hell is this? Tina wants you to let her husband adopt Evan.
If you don't agree to it, she's gonna call the police.
For what? You're in breach of your custody agreement.
Kidnapping.
Child endangerment.
Possession of a firearm.
Crossing a state line.
She can go to hell.
If you get convicted, you're gonna go to jail.
I'm not giving up Evan.
No way.
That's your choice.
Give me back the Father's Day card.
The one that Evan made for me! I shoulda gone to New York when I had the chance.
But Tina she wanted me to stay here.
Isn't that funny? She wanted me to stay here.
Hi.
Hey.
How's your father? Oh huh he left.
Where'd he go? He didn't say.
I never should've let him stay in my house in the first place.
Well, what can you do? He's your father.
Yeah, I guess.
You know, I can I can come by your house tonight and help you pack some things if if you need.
Okay.
That's if you still want to to do this.
Is that your way of saying you don't want to do it? No.
No.
- So you do? - Yeah.
Yes, I do.
I just, you know, I hope it works out.
What do you mean? Well, if it doesn't, I don't want you to hate me for not going to Berkeley.
I'm a big girl, Nick.
That painting business is going to work.
It is.
I guarantee it.
I'm gonna make some good money, too.
I hope you do.
Wouldn't hurt you to make a little cash, either.
That way, you wouldn't have to Well, you'd be more independent.
What does that mean? Well, you wouldn't have to jump every time Nick snaps his fingers.
You're drunk.
You don't need to give yourself away to a guy like that.
- What? - For money.
For money? What do? A guy like that.
He wants to own ya, do what he wants to ya when he wants.
Wait a minute.
I am not some some It's my fault.
I left you with your mother, and you learned everything wrong.
You don't see it in yourself.
But I can see it in you.
Get out of my house.
Oh, thanks for helping with that.
Sure.
Well, here we are.
Well, here we are.
I'll get your other bags.