The Commuter

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This is 1010 WINS.

Good morning. Sixty-two degrees at six o'clock.

- Tuesday, August 23rd. - Go back to sleep, baby.

All news, all the time.

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Good morning. Sixty-eight degrees at six o'clock.

It's Wednesday, August 24th.

All news, all the time.

This is 1010 WINS.

Good morning. Seventy-two degrees at six o'clock.

It is Thursday, August 25th.

Chris, here's what's happening.

A six-alarm fire burns down seven house...

Two members of the US Olympic swim team being held in Brazil...

wind with a shower and thunderstorm in a few places, a high of 90.

Clinton campaign's unleashing a new campaign ad today.

NYPD still hasn't given a motive for the killing, so...

immigrants, but with election day closing in...

Danny boy.

The pipes, the pipes, the pipes...

- Danny? - I was up all night.

Hello? Hello?

What are you doing?

It's almost 7:00.

- Got a showing at noon today. - Yeah.

Did you ever get hold of her?

- Morning. - Hey, kiddo.

Why did I get a license if I can't get a car?

School starts next week, right?

Syracuse application. Early admission's due.

I spoke to Chris Simpson about a referral.

Most of my friends are going to State.

What? Danny, you worked your butt off for this.

This is your next assignment.

Okay, what chapter are you on?

Halfway through five.

The part where they almost kill that kid.

You know that I can get through on my own now.

We made it this far, kid.

You wanna write the book report too?

Couple thinks 350 buys the keys to their dream home.

- Yeah. - Can you show it to us at midnight?

- Midnight? - Midnight.

And the school we saw yesterday, yes,

it was private, but it's worth it.

Have you seen these estimates for tuition?

And that doesn't include room and board.

What?

We'll find a way. We always do.

- It's got to be. - Okay.

- Wednesday? - Wed...

Unless it's written on a piece of paper that she can hand...

- I listen. I listen. - You don't! You don't! You...

I will not forget the look on your...

I'll try.

- I love you. - I sort of like you.

- Hey. - Hey.

Please watch the gap between the train...

Now leaving Tarrytown.

Eighteen grand a year?

Sweetheart, it ain't MIT. It's preschool.

- What now? - Wuthering Heights.

- Charlotte Bronte. - Emily.

- Emily. - Yeah.

I would not forget that face.

I think we locked eyes one time.

It was like, boom, you know?

You know, my son's on me to retire.

I don't know. Maybe. Every day's a grind.

Begins to feel like a countdown.

This way in the morning, that way at night.

And then one day it's done with you.

- What's that? - Life.

All right, see you on the next go-round.

Take it easy.

My father died when he was 43.

Left me, my mom, my brothers with mountains of debt.

- Thank you. - I moved here from Ireland with nothing.

Made a life for myself, my family.

That's the reason I do what I do.

To protect young families like yours.

I will tell you this.

My wife Karen and I,

we worked hard, did everything right.

401k, investments,

my son's education fund.

In 2008...

we lost it all, second mortgage was due.

We liquidated our assets, cut every piece of fat

while the banks on Wall Street got rich.

The one thing we didn't cut was our life insurance policy.

With the high rate.

But I know you too well.

Twenty may not even cut it.

Hey, Jeanie, would you pull Jared Carlson's LTC policy?

Sure.

I'll look over it and give you a call later today, okay?

Alex Murphy called,

confirmed drinks at Paddy O'Brien's on 44th.

Thank you.

You can always reach out to Webber and Finch.

Yes...

Hey, Mike. Can I talk to you a sec?

- Sure, yeah. - My office.

John, listen, I'm gonna have...

Ten years.

Just like that.

Your severance package.

Corporate is switching from a financial buyout

to a medical extension.

You're giving me insurance, Frank?

Medical's covered for your family.

Unemployment should subsidize.

Karen and me, we're hand-to-mouth.

You call HR anytime.

They'll answer any questions you have.

I've got two mortgages, a son who's going to college.

I'm five years from retirement.

I'm 60 years of age, Frank.

It isn't personal, Mike.

Your salary, benefit package, it's too much against your return.

You work hard, you play by the rules, you're a good soldier,

and you don't deserve it.

But the reality is sometimes soldiers end up casualties.

- Hey. - Hi, honey. How's your day going?

Good. What's going on, sweetheart?

I didn't wanna bother you, but did you happen to go by the bank today?

No. I thought we were gonna wait.

Yeah, until this week. We talked about this.

Danny has to register for classes.

If we don't get an extension on the mortgage, neither check clears.

I mailed the tuition check this morning.

Is everything okay?

Yeah, yeah. Just in the middle of it, you know.

Same old, same old.

Okay, honey. I'll see you tonight.

Yep. Bye.

- Sorry I'm late. - Hey, hey. There he is.

How you doing? How long you been at it?

Only since security escorted me from my building.

- Cheers. - Oh, no.

Hey, two more for him.

So, how did Karen take it?

You haven't told her?

- What am I supposed to say? - I don't know, man.

That some asshole suit just fired me.

She doesn't know how bad it is.

We've got nothing to fall back on.

Ten years.

You build a home, a life, a career.

And then one day they sit you down.

It's been a good run. Thanks for playing.

See you at the eulogy.

You want proof you're a good man, take a look at your family.

- That's what matters. - Yeah, yeah.

You gave up the job for them. Don't forget that.

Those seven years we were partners,

you always had my back.

So, let someone else have yours for once.

All right.

Well, you could have ended up like me.

Forty-five, divorced, kids hate my guts.

Wish I was 45 again.

It's a good thing you got out.

It ain't just cops being cops anymore, you know?

It's politics, favors, choose a goddamn side.

- Sergeant Hawthorne? - No, Captain Hawthorne.

- What? - Yeah, he made captain.

Guys like you and me, Mike,

we work hard, we do it right, it doesn't matter.

A city planning official commits suicide after the DA announces an investigation

amidst swirling accusations of illicit payoffs for the approval...

It's a corrupt world, my friend. No good being the little guy.

He's coming over.

- Here we go. - Michael.

- David. - Been a while.

- Yeah, yeah. - Captain David. Congrats.

Well, I spend more time in City Hall than I do on the job.

- That goes with the stripes. - Yeah. Yeah.

- Still selling insurance? - Yep.

- Sorry to interrupt. - No, no.

Lieutenant, a word?

Cap, I just pulled a 12-hour back to back. Can it wait?

Sure.

- Anyway, good to see you, Mike. - Yeah, you too, David.

- Be careful with this one. - Yeah, I will.

You prick.

Listen, the Michael I know, he doesn't hide things from his wife,

and he isn't too proud to ask a friend for help.

I'll be fine. I'll be fine.

That's your Irish pride talking.

- You should know. - I gotta go pick up my kid.

Don't you have a train to catch?

- Yes. Jim, what's the damage? - No, no, no, I got it.

Promise me that when you get home, you'll tell Karen.

What, that you finally paid for something?

What's the old Irish saying?

If you wanna know what God thinks about money,

- look at who he gives it to. - Yeah.