01x21 - Wherefore Art Thou, Mike Baxter

[bunniefuu]

Hey, listen up. I'm only gonna ask this once.

Who messed with my rod and reel display downstairs?

Huh?

I can't tell a lie.

Believe me, I've tried, and there's no point.

It was me.

You messed with that display downstairs?

Well, I love it.

It says "sales" without being pushy.

Good job.

(Chuckles)

Please stop that.

This isn't a chorus line, and you're certainly no Tommy Tune.

He knows how to do that. He really swings his weight--

I did summer stock, you know?

To meet chicks.

Kyle, he's only saying you did a good job. That's all.

I can't help it. I love making Mr. B. Proud.

Oh, please.

I mean, after all, one day he could be my father...

In-law.

Kyle, every now and then, I just want to give you a compliment, without you reminding me what a poor provider you'll be for my daughter.

The thought of him being my son-in-law.

That's just what I need-- another kid to feel responsible for.

Just when I think these girls are leaving the nest, they pick up stray birds and bring 'em back home.

But this weekend, you don't have to worry about those needy dependents, because we're gonna escape to nature as we defeat Ted's tackle box in the grudge cup.

Yeah. God, I wish it was that easy.

It will be.

Look, 'cause I hired a new forklift guy. Okay?

Who's a master marksman.

He can sh**t a nut out of a squirrel's paw at 400 yards.

Can he operate the forklift?

Who cares? After we win, I'm gonna fire him.

So let me get this straight.

I might not have thought this all the way through.

There's potentially another hiccup, too.

Huh?

Eve's soccer tournament semis are today.

If she wins today, the championship is on Saturday.

Oh, Mike, come on. Our championship is Saturday.

This is my daughter's championship, Ed.

I know, I know. Obviously, we're rooting for Eve to win.

Right. I want her to win. I mean, I want her to win.

Winning. I want her to win, but you know, you...

Can't win 'em all.

If there's one to lose, this would be the one to lose.

Then we should-- should pray for Eve's team to lose.

Let's-- let's take a knee.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. You don't-- don't pray in public for your kid to lose.

Pray in the darkness of your heart, when you're sitting on the bleachers in the rain, staring down the barrel of a double-header.

Boy, 12th inning, 0-0.

Just swing at something!

All right, take a knee.

Okay.

Last Man Standing - S01E21 Wherefore Art Thou, Mike Baxter
Original air date April 10, 2011

Look at this.

They're putting up flyers all over the school for the school play. They're throwing it in my face.

Yeah, well, they may still want people to come to it even though you're not the star.

I shouldn't be the understudy. I should be playing Juliet.

I am so much prettier than Chloe Foster.

Okay. Well, maybe Chloe Foster is a better actress.

Okay, now you just sound like the director.

Aw, honey, the important thing is you guys did your best.

I did my best. Everyone else sucked.

All right, you know, we'll talk about your sportsmanship later.

Looks like no championship for me this weekend.

What a bummer.

Yeah. It's a real bummer, honey.

(Vanessa) It's a bummer.

Real bummer.

(Both) For her.

Hello, free Saturday.

It's like a lunar eclipse-- rare, but spectacular.

(Mike) I'm telling you what, it was hopeless.

We're up by two goals, not much time left.

I see my weekend slipping away.

Then, all of a sudden, by magic... we blow it.

You know, you're right. There is power in prayer.

Oh, yeah.

Good morning, ladies.

Sorry to break up your little sewing circle.

It's Ted. Maybe the prayer thing will work now. Take a knee.

(Both) Take a knee.

Oh, that's not necessary.

I just wanted to bring by the grudge cup.

What's it been? Three years since you b*at us?

Four.

Well, I just wanted to let you know that this year, your team has a fighting chance. I'm giving myself a handicap.

More than the ones God gave you?

No. No, I'm gonna be competing with inferior equipment.

I'm buying everything from your crappy store.

(Laughs)

We're doomed, Mike.

Nah, we're gonna be fine.

We lost the forklift guy.

What?

The guy that can sh**t the nuts off a squirrel at 400 yards?

No. No, th-th-the nuts out of a squirrel's paw.

Not only that-- he can also sh**t out a security camera in a bank lobby.

He's gonna miss the next 10 to 15 grudge cups.

Good background check, Eddie.

Yeah, yeah, let's try that new wine and cheese place.

Hmm? No, no, no, I got lucky.

Yeah, Eve lost the game.

(Kristin) Mom. Mom.

No, they had it won, and then they blew it.

It was awesome.

I know. (Chuckles)

(Raised voice) Hi, Eve.

Uh, you know what? Let me, uh, let me-- let me call you back.

"It was awesome"? What's that supposed to mean?

No, no, no. No.

I d-- I didn't mean "awesome." It didn't come out right.

Well...

What did you mean to say? "Whoopee! Eve lost!"

No, no, no, honey. Of course not. It wasn't-- did you want to do a little dance?

(Deep voice) "Whoo-whoo! Eve's a loser!"

Wow.

Please tell me that I was never like her.

Oh, no, no, no. You were the good one.

You only made me the world's youngest grandma.

Boy, we are scraping the bottom of the barrel now.

Yeah, okay. How about Willie in a*mo? Huh?

Yeah?

Do you remember when we had to reset the sign to "zero days without an accident"?

What are you guys doing?

We need a new guy for that, uh, grudge cup.

Yeah.

Oh, what's it been? Three years since you b*at Ted's tackle box?

Four.

Okay, how about Chuck from the warehouse?

Chuck from the warehouse.

How about Kyle from right here?

I've been practicing a whole lot.

Mm-hmm.

But if you want to go with someone else, I'm fine with it.

I want to go with someone else.

Ed. Ed, hey. Give us a minute, will you, Kyle?

Sure.

(Whispers) Mike.

(Normal voice) Mike, I like the kid, all right?

But I took him to a sh**ting range once, right?

Let's just say Castro wouldn't stick him in a book depository.

(Mouths words) I'm just saying.

Listen, listen, listen.

I've seen the kid during demonstrations, and he's getting pretty good with a compound bow.

But he's a rookie. He'll cr*ck.

But maybe underneath that lump of coal, maybe there's a diamond in there.

(Sighs)

Fine. We'll butch him up a little bit.

Hey, Kyle. You're in.

Sweet!

I gotta call my mom to let her know to feed my cats this weekend.

Wow, word on the street is you're taking Kyle to that grudge cup thing.

Yeah. He's pretty excited about it.

It's a good idea-- give him some confidence.

It's a good idea for me, too, 'cause now I got a pack mule to carry all my stuff to the campground.

Great news! You guys!

Chloe Foster fell off the balcony in rehearsal and broke her collarbone!

What?

How is that great news?

Well, not for her, but for me! I'm the understudy, remember?

Now I get to be Juliet. (Squeals)

Wow, honey. That's great.

When is it?

This Saturday.

"This Saturday"-- you mean the Saturday closest to today?

Yes. Tomorrow.

You guys, I'm so excited.

This is the culmination of everything I deserve, and I'm almost more excited for you guys. You know?

You're gonna get to sit there and watch me and applaud and then nudge the people next to you and be all, "yes, that's our daughter.

Oh, yes, yes, that is her real nose."

(Chuckles)

Wow. So, honey, there goes our free Saturday.

Yeah.

And we always said, as parents, it's important to be at these sorts of functions.

(Both) Mm-hmm.

I'll be in the woods, so let me know how things go.

No, no, no.

Dad, you cannot miss opening night, and you can't miss closing night.

You may miss the one performance in between those two.

What time is the show?

It's at 5:00.

All right.

We fish first thing in the morning, then it's a hatchet toss, then we're doing archery, then we're doing a sh**ting range thing-- you know what? I can make it back, because echo lake's only about an hour and a half away.

No, there's no way you're gonna make it.

Ooh. Better start learning my lines. (Giggles)

Mandy. No, you're the understudy.

You don't know your lines? What have you been doing?

Uh, pretty much been making fun of Chloe Foster 'cause she didn't know any of her lines. (Laughing)

Listen up. You do the work. You learn your lines.

Okay, okay, okay.

And actors-- they don't think with their head.

They feel with their heart.

Wow. Where's this coming from?

Maybe I did a little summer stock.

What? Why?

Meet girls until I met the...

You know, till I met the love of my life-- you.

Yeah.

Nice save.

Just so you know, Mandy, mom wishes you fell off that balcony so she can have another day free for wine and cheese.

Oh, Evey. Honey.

W-what? Isn't that the way you roll?

No, no, of course not. That's not the way I roll.

Hey, you gals have some fun.

Scarfing beans out of a can...

Pine needles in my boxers...

You burning that tick off my arm...

This is the greatest night of my life.

Wow. His first night in the woods?

You guys brought a real ringer. What's next?

Telling ghost stories around the fire?

We're not gonna do that, are we?

Well, I'm gonna head back to the main camp, or as I like to call it, the winner's circle.

Oh.

I... Left you a little present behind the tent.

I hate that guy.

And not just because he's regular.

I haven't left a present in three days.

Hey, Ted was here. Where were you?

Putting a little present in his tent.

You know, I think that's great, how you guys exchange gifts the night before a competition.

Kyle, you got any memories of camping?

Oh, yeah, yeah.

I remember the first time I went camping with my dad.

He wasn't there.

Um, it was my uncle Phil, and he hated camping.

Well, Kyle, it... Sounds magical.

It's no big deal. It's just my dad was never there for me.

None of my business, but your dad sounds like a real S.O.B.

That's the same nickname my mom had for him.

I remember the first time my dad and I went camping.

That was during the depression. Everybody was "camping."

(Mouths words)

Going to Alex's house. I'll be back... maybe...

If mom even cares enough to ask.

All right, what the hell is wrong with you?

Mom hates me. That's what's wrong with me.

Okay, really, yes.

Mom hates you, just because she didn't want to go to your one millionth soccer game this month?

And by the way, have you ever been to one of your games?

They are horrible. Nobody ever scores.

That's because we play a 5-4-1 trapping defense with a lone striker.

Ugh. You know what is more boring than your soccer games?

Your description of your soccer games.

Look, mom goes to everything-- every game, every performance, every recital of every kid.

Why are you suddenly on her side?

I just sat through a pre-pre-k graduation last week.

I had to watch a bunch of 3-year-olds finger-paint their own diplomas.

That sounds rough.

Yeah, just a little glimpse into what mom has been doing for us for the past 20 years.

Hey, Kristin. Oh-- hey.

Oh, am I allowed to say "hello" to you?

Wa...

What is it? What's going on?

Thanks, mom.

(Sighs) Thanks for coming to my games, and thank you for always being there for me.

No, seriously, what is going on?

Kristin explained it.

I know, occasionally, my soccer games can get a little boring.

Oh, honey, no, I love coming to your games, but...

My curse is-- is, you girls, you have so many interests.

It's not like your-- your shiftless cousins who are smoking cloves in the mall parking lot.

Mom, you know those aren't cloves, right?

(Mouths words)

Eve, honey, look, you know...

I-I do show up for everything, and I don't mind, but...

But-- but there are times when I-I maybe wish that I was someplace else.

You know, like tomorrow night.

We-- we have to watch a bunch of teenagers do Shakespeare.

I mean, that is gonna be unbearable.

Thanks a lot, mom!

No, u-unbearably sad! It's sad! It's "Romeo and Juliet"!

Come on. Don't they k*ll themselves?

Yeah, because their parents didn't support them!

(Sighs)

You know, not since the new testament has one man produced this many fish.

Here. Come on.

(Mike and Kyle chuckle)

For a team total of 16.3 pounds.

Whoo!

Yeah! All right.

Hyah! We did it!

♪

Oh! Yeah!

All right!

Yeah!

Nicely done.

All tied up, one event to go, r*fle range is our bread and butter-- trophy's coming home, man.

Are you gonna be able to make it to Mandy's play, Mr. B.?

Yeah, as long as we get this final event done in, um...

90 seconds.

(Sighs) It's five minutes to curtain.

Your father's cutting it awfully close.

Yeah.

It's not often you get to see a show where the lead puts the play under her pillow to "absorb" the part...

Which is why I brought this.

You're up, Mike.

Oh. Here we go, buddy. (g*n clicks)

Looks like one hole, but it was five b*ll*ts.

All right, I gotta go.

Oh, hey, you can't leave yet. The kid needs you.

He'll crumble without you. No, he won't.

Yes, I will.

I can't wait for these lollygaggers to go through their rotation. This is gonna take forever.

Okay, wait a minute. Priorities, Mike.

Now you're not gonna choose your family over the grudge cup.

As odd as that sounds, yes, that's exactly what I'm gonna do.

The kid needs you. He's practically an orphan.

Kyle, you don't need me.

That's what my dad used to say.

(Lowered voice) Look at this guy.

We can b*at him.

He couldn't hit that tarp with an R.P.G.

Let's win this.

That thou overheard'st, ere I was ware, my true love's passion-- therefore pardon me...

Methinks...

Me...

Mayday, mayday, pull the chute.

Shh.

M-methinks...

Usually, Juliet doesn't commit su1c1de till the end of the play.

Methinks I should have stayed away from that Romeo guy...

Because now I'm totally into him, and our families are, like, seriously bummed...

Oh, no, no, no.

And it is tearing me apart... Ith.

(Door opens)

Hey, listen.

(Door closes)

Sorry I missed the play.

I know you're angry with me, and I know I smell like trout.

(Sighs) Well, you do, and, uh, I'm not mad.

Why not?

Because i am the good parent today, and you are deep, deep, deep in the doghouse with our daughter.

Three "deep"s, huh?

Three, yeah.

Hey. Oh, yeah, right on time.

Well, you gals have fun.

Mandy, look, I'm real sorry I missed your play.

Yeah. I'm sorry, too.

Really could have used your support there, dad.

Yeah, well... H-how'd it go?

(Scoffs) It was a complete disaster.

Well, it is a tragedy.

Yeah.

Sure is. Not many Juliets get laughs during the death scene.

Why were they laughing at you?

Because I didn't know any of my lines, and then I started making stuff up, and then...

I got so nervous, I pulled out one of my hair extensions.

Why don't you know your lines?

I mean, you're the understudy. That's, like, your job.

Really?

You didn't even bother to show up, and you've got the nerve to criticize me?

I'm just, you know, sticking up for those people that did show up.

I don't know. I thought I could wing it. You know?

You do the work.

That's what we do around here. Your mom and I do the work.

When I wanted a BB g*n as a kid, I didn't ask my parents.

I went and sold seeds door to door. I did the work.

Got the BB g*n, wanted to be the best sh*t, so I practiced on targets, on windows, on-- on people's lampposts, and finally, I sh*t your grandma.

You sh*t grandma?

Well, she dared me to do it.

She-- she kept saying, "you couldn't hit the broad side of a barn."

Have you ever seen her walking away?

She looks just like the broad side of a barn.

I took a ping at her, going down the stairs.

I dropped her right there at the top of the stairs.

I'm not proud of that, you know?

Are you gonna do this again?

There's another show next Saturday.

You do the work, I'll be there in the front row.

Dad, what if I do the work, and then they still laugh at me?

Well, Shakespeare did comedies.

You'll be good. I'm sorry I missed this. I really am.

Thanks.

You bet.

Oh. What the hell?

Come on. Come on.

You were deep, deep, deep in the doghouse.

I did the work.

Yeah, mom. He did the work.

No, i did the work. I sat through the whole play.

And I didn't even laugh, even with that death scene, and it was hysterical.

Now to be clear, that's "t-e-d-apostrophe-s"... (Chuckles)

Mm-hmm. I know how to spell "Ted's tackle box," all right?

Whose idea was it that the loser had to pay for the engraving?

Oh, that was your brainchild, Ed.

Uh-huh.

Well, it seemed like a good idea when we were winning.

Well, I'll tell you, when that kid started to land those bull's-eyes, I began sweating-- whoo-- but then the old man choked.

Yeah. Yeah, well, I lost my focus.

I wanted to win that trophy so badly.

But listen, it wasn't a complete loss.

We may have made a man out of Kyle.

What? That blonde chick you brought along? (Laughs)

Hey. Lard-ass.

Your piece of crap's parked in our loading zone.

Move it in the next 30 seconds, or your windshield's gonna have an accident.

Oh, Ed, put a leash on your Pomeranian.

Okay. Wait, is he serious?