Huff

He'll be with you in a minute.

You said that 5 minutes ago.

I'm sorry. It's been one of those days.

One minute.

Promise.

I fantasized about killing your secretary.

Office manager.

Because I hated the way she ate her food.

It's... it's getting worse,

and I have no idea what to do about it.

- Fuck! - Ok, Darren, please.

If you can't calm down, we can't talk, all right?

Hey, Darren, I'm not kidding.

All right. Last time we spoke,

anytime I mentioned your family, you got really upset,

even for you.

I was talking about pastrami.

And I was talking about your wife,

and you flipped over my coffee table and ran out of here.

Me and Linda are fine. The kids are fine. Everybody's just fine.

That's not what I asked you.

You asked me if ever hit my wife and I said no.

No, I asked if you ever felt like hitting your wife.

Jesus Christ! No, of course not!

- Never? - No!

So you're perfectly calm and happy at home?

Yeah, pretty much.

Ok. Then please explain to me why you turn into a walking time bomb

every time you leave your house.

I think you're scared, Darren.

Of what?

- Of the truth. - Oh, really? What's the truth?

I don't know. You tell me.

I used to like my life.

I-- I mean, I enjoyed my job, I laughed with my wife,

I-- savored every moment I spent with my 2 girls,

but now, I mean...

everything just feels like another responsibility.

Another fucking burden.

Nothing makes me happy.

I'll drive my car around the block...

20 times before going in.

I mean, asking me to take out the garbage was--

you know, it's just another thing I gotta do that day and it's--

it's like the air is being squeezed right out of me.

I don't want this life anymore.

I want out.

I mean, if I don't get out, I'll die.

So you left like 50 gosh darned messages?

I left 100 messages. I called his dorm room, I tried his best friend.

What about his dad? Did you try his dad? His dumb fuckin' dad?

Yes, and he hasn't seen him all week, either.

That's a shock.

This is really not good, Russell.

Tell me about it.

You've got a depo at 9 a.m. with the dead girl's parents and no client.

You're being awfully casual.

Oh, honey, ok, stick a G.P.S. up his ass.

I don't know, sweetie. Stake out his dorm room.

Drive up and down Alameda avenue.

You're good at this. This is your specialty.

You can do it. You can find him, I know you can.

I know, listen.

Call him on your cell phone. Not the office line, your cell phone.

It'll say Margaret Del Rosario on the caller I.D.,

he'll think some foxy chick is trying to pick him up, which is kinda true, isn't it?

Yep, do that. Do that right now.

You owe Knippers. She left 2 messages.

No, she owes me. She's the one who wants to have a baby.

So what is it now? Are you guys in a no-talking stage?

Darling, find me that sweaty little tweaker, ok? Thanks.

The tweaker?

Yeah, tweaker. He's a speed freak.

You didn't get that?

You see the guy in my office like, foaming at the mouth,

scratching his fucking skin off?

Don't give me that look.

No, no, honey, I don't play in that league.

I know I like to have my fun, but, you know, I still have all my teeth.

You know, I don't own a motorcycle yet.

So don't give me that fucking look.

Hello, Jake? Hi, honey!

Um, listen. Somebody wants to talk to you.

Jakester? Hey, buddy!

What are you doing, man? Where you been?

I've, uh... been arou--around.

Ok, good. Well, listen.

Just, um, seeing how you're doing, checking in.

Want to make sure that, you know, we're all systems go for tomorrow.

No, no, I'm good. Really good.

Ok. It would probably be a good idea you know, we catch a little rehearsal.

Ok. Uh, I'll call you?

No, no, now, buddy. I need you to do that right now, actually.

No--I can't-- I can't have--

Jake, Jake, Jake, calm down!

I'm your bestest, bestest, bestest buddy,

and I'm gonna make all this nasty shit go away,

but in order to do that, I need 10 minutes of your time right now, ok?

So that we can be all good for tomorrow.

All right?

You know that I'm on your side, right, pal? Do you know that?

Yeah. Yeah.

Good.

Where are you?

Beth?

Yeah, I'm in the kitchen.

Oh, sorry I'm a little late.

Hi.

Oh, this is lovely.

I mean, really. Oh, my goodness.

This is lovely, but it's just for a prayer group of 5 women,

not a fundraiser of 500.

I thought the goal was to cut this shit out.

I know, I know. I just--I heard that prayer makes you hungry.

It's the other way around.

Hunger is what leads you to prayer.

Oh, shit! The lemonade. I forgot to squeeze the lemons.

Oh, no, no, no. Let me. I'll do it, I'll do it.

Oh, thank you.

Ok, so, it's Dayna, Lois, Demitria, and--

don't tell me--Nina!

Nancy. Our token white girl.

And, um... and you're sure that everybody's ok with this?

I mean, it's gotta be kind of a big deal to pray in a stranger's home.

Beth, I have prayed in nosebleed seats at Laker games,

airplane bathrooms, and at my ob/gyn's office.

Doesn't matter where you find god.

As long as you find him, right?

Exactly.

Oh, hey, listen, do your friends like pesto?

Whole foods had this great sun-dried tomato pesto.

Maybe I should-- I'll put that out with some french bread.

Beth, would you please stop?

Now, I know you want to explore faith,

and I'm more than happy to be your eager christian guide,

but you--you gonna have to calm your ass down.

What? No--I'm calm!

Listen, you are gonna do just fine.

It's not like a little prayer ever killed anybody.

Ok?

Hello?

Dad?

Didn't mean to startle you.

Jesus!

Can't show my face during business hours. It's just not safe.

You ever hear of picking up a phone?

We need to talk. It's important.

Right. Well, you know, I'm sure it is, dad, but I had a really long day,

and I can't do this right now.

Call me like a human being, and we'll set something up, all right?

I only have 10 hours, then I'm out of here, permanently.

10 hours?

Where you going? You going back to China?

I was never in China.

You know what? Doesn't matter.

Never mind.

There are things I can't tell you, things you would not understand.

Dad, I am sure you're right, I would not understand.

But you know what? I'm kinda done trying to figure it out.

So whatever you're mixed up in, I am really sorry, but it's your deal, all right? Not mine.

- You know what your problem is? - I don't have a problem, dad.

You create drama where there isn't any.

Drama, drama, drama.

This coming from a man doing a deep throat impression in my hallway.

Look, I came here to apologize, to make amends

with your mother, with Theodore, maybe even you

if you can crack open that airtight mind of yours.

But time is running out, son.

So you can stand there yammering about how I wronged you,

or you can help me make things right. It's your call.

Either way, 0400 tomorrow, I'm out of your life, permanently.

Dad--the thing is, dad, how do I know that you're telling me the truth?

You don't. You go on faith.

Yeah, 'cause that's worked so well for me in the past.

Fine.

Dad. Dad!

Dad, really? 10 hours?

9 hours 33 minutes and counting.

Now, I tried Theodore, but he's not where he's supposed to be.

Yeah, we moved him to an assisted living home by the beach.

But, dad, I don't think he'll see you.

He'll see me, I'm his father.

- And your mother? - No.

Dad, you know where to find her. I'm not being the go-between there. No way.

Fair enough.

All right, uh... well, come in the office.

I have to make a couple of calls and rearrange a couple of things.

The beach. Good.

Theodore always loved the ocean.

Stop!

I don't want this.

I don't want this.

Please, stop.

- Oh, hi. - Hi.

Do you want to look at some of this stuff?

'Cause I was just gonna go, but I don't have to. I made this great jade one today.

I love jade. I love the--the color, the weight.

It's beautiful, isn't it?

Yeah.

Beautiful.