01x22 - Mother's Day

Episode transcripts for the 2009 TV show "The Middle". Aired: September 2009 to May 2018.*
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"The Middle" follows the daily mishaps of a working class, middle-aged, Midwestern, married woman and her semi-dysfunctional family and their attempts to survive life in general in the city of Orson, Southwest Indiana.
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01x22 - Mother's Day

Post by bunniefuu »

I'm never doing that again.

What, Mother's Day?

Yeah, Mother's Day. It should be outlawed.

What? You don't mean that. The kids made you breakfast. (sighs)

You went to your mom's house. It was good.

I think you're confusing Mother's Day with Father's Day.

They are nothing alike. Were you not here this morning?

Sue: Axl! Get out here! Mom's food is getting cold!

Axl: so? She feeds us cold food. Now let me sleep!

Brick: I lost my present!

(gasps) Brick, you just had it! What is wrong with you?!

They don't really know.

(knock on door)

(Sue and Brick, singsongy) Happy Mother's Day!

Wow! (chuckles) what a surprise.

(gasps) thanks.

This looks yummy.

God, it's too early!

(sniffles) you woke me up in the middle of my rem.

Very dangerous time to wake someone up.

Could've k*lled me. (sniffles and groans)

(clatters)

(sue and Frankie gasp)

She--oh! Ohh. Ohh! Axl! You're so stupid! You've ruined everything.

Oh, yeah. It's all my fault. Blame everything on me. Classic.

Hey! I'm not gonna put up with that crap on Mother's Day.

Do I gotta bang some heads around here?

It's fine, Mike. Really. Everything's fine.

See? (crunches) fine.

I made you something, mom.

Oh, a macaroni picture frame.

That's great, Brick.

I love it.

And a card from Sue? (laughs) you guys are spoiling me.

It's gonna be hard going back to my regular old life.

Oh. Yeah. Right.

Uh... I'm going with a verbal card this year.

Dear mom, you're my mom. Pretty cool mom.

Uh, chick stuff here-- feelings, whatever.

Love, Axl.

So, mom, what do you want to do today? (giggles)

(chuckles)

(clatter)

(gasps)

My frame! Oh! (sighs) oh, it's fine. It'll be fine.

Great. Now it looks all thrown together. I'm trying to get some sleep here!

Have some respect for other people, people!

All right, I'm gonna go watch "Sportscenter"

And let you hang out with your kids. It's your day.

See, that's where Mother's Day and Father's Day are different.

On Father's Day, it really is his day.


(knock on door)

(Sue whispering indistinctly)

(Sue and Brick, singsongy) Happy Father's Day!

Sue: we made all your favorites--

Eggs, sausage, waffles...

And a mini-doughnut dad with bacon arms.

Well, I'll eat him first. Thanks. This looks great.

You kids really know how to cook.

Yo, pops! H.F.D.! How about a game of hoops later?

You got it. Bring your "a" game.

It's gonna be epic!

(clicks tongue) I made you a remote control caddy.

Mom got all the supplies from the store And then stayed up late last night To put it all together. But it was your idea.

Wow.

Okay. Let's let your father enjoy his breakfast And read his paper in peace. It's his day.

(Sue and Brick) we love you, dad.

My Mother's Day was right on course.

I had choked down some runny eggs, Burnt waffle and old fried bologna. (clicks remote)

(TV playing indistinctly)

Who would've thought Old Bologna would be the star of that show?


Oh, this is t*rture! Turn it down!

Mom, do you like your breakfast? You haven't eaten very much.

Yes, I did. When you weren't looking.

And you know, grandma's coming later For our lunch at Neptune's grill.

I have to save room for the peach pie.

It's my favorite.

Hey, Mike, can you bring me the stain remover?

Mike: don't know where it is.

Yes, you do. It's under the sink. (cabinet door opens)

I see dishwashing soap. Next to that.

Eh, we must be out of it.

No, no. Move stuff around. Are you moving stuff around?

(grunts)

(cabinet door closes)

Is this it?

That's drain cleaner. So you can't use it?

(sighs) I'll get it later.

Right now I gotta shower. (exhales deeply)

Well, thank you For the most wonderful Mother's Day breakfast.

I think this was my best one yet.

And when I get out, I'll open the rest of my presents.

Take your time. (door closes)

It's your day.

Grab the coupon drawer.

We got 20 minutes to hit the drugstore And get your mom something she'll treasure forever.

I could Te by the look in his eyes, Mike forgot to get me a gift.

So I decided to take an extra-long shower.

I thought I'd give 'em time to find me something nice. Didn't we just do Valentine's day?


This whole thing's a racket.

They Tr*mp up these phony holidays Just so they can sell you a bunch of crap.

If we had any guts, we would just say no to this.

That'd be the best gift I could give your mom--

To teach you kids some backbone.

(sighs) all right. Let's find that gift.

Must get sleep.

Yay! Chair.

Ohh.

(thud)

Ahh.

(sighs)

Hey, Mike.

Bob.

You forgot Mother's Day, didn't you?

Well, you know, they Tr*mp up these holidays, And they expect people-- forget it.

Mike, let me help, okay?

(sighs) oh, these are great. You can record your own message.

You could do accents, anything you want.

(British accent) 'Ello, 'ello.

Happy Mum's Day, Frankie. (laughs)

Yeah, okay. I'm in kind of a hurry here.

Brick: hey, dad? Would mom like something called "condoms"?

Does she like pleasure?


No! Get out of that aisle!

Dad, look. We have to get this for mom.

"think of the thing you cannot do, and then do it."

That is so powerful. I know.

No. We got plenty of fridge magnets at home From the sewer rooter people, the pizza delivery guy.

Hey, this is that stain remover mom was talking about earlier.

We know she wants it.

(clicks tongue)

Okay, I know you said you wouldn't get it for mom, But what if you got it for me?

No.

But, dad... Please. I just love it so much.

Sue, I'm not spending $5 on a magnet we don't need.

We got a gift for mom. (sighs) what is with you kids?

Stop goofing around and get serious.

Your mom works hard, and she deserves a nice gift That shows her how much we care about her.

We thought of wrapping it, but then... Didn't.

Who needs wrapping?

Just takes longer to get to the present.

An inflatable foot bath.

Wow.

Wow. You're always saying your feet hurt, 'cause you're on 'em all day, and it's inflatable, So you can take it with you when you travel.

It's got sloughing bumps to remove dead skin.

(whispers) sloughing bumps.

And this is what Mike got for Father's Day last year...

Oh, my God.

No way!

Is this...

Yep! A certified piece of I.U. Hoosier gym.

Remember we read in the paper That they were replacing the floor in assembly hall?

Well, I called the campus To see if we could buy a piece of the old floor, And they gave me, like, a zillion numbers, But I eventually tracked down the right guy, And he told me he would sell me a piece, But I had to come get it that morning,

So I drove in this snowstorm to Bloomington, And, I swear, I had, like, almost two crashes, But it was so worth it just to see this look on your face.

Wow. I can't believe you thought of this.

Wow. (chuckles) I can't believe you thought of this.

All right. I'm gonna leave you alone. It's your day.

Okay.

I'm gonna just relax and read my "people" magazine.

Also, while we were at the drugstore, I got some glue, so now I can fix your picture frame.

Brick, what kind of pasta do you want At the top of my frame-- elbow or farfalle?

Whatever you want.

It's your day.

And if you can find a picture of yourself to put in it, That'd be good, too.

And this is what Mike was doing on Father's Day...

(clicks remote)



(telephone rings)

Could somebody get that?

(ring)

Hello? Anybody? Somebody I was just talking to, maybe?

(ring)

(sighs)

(ring)

(beep)

(sighs) hello?

God.

Hi, mom.

Okay, change of plans.

I'm going to grandma's.

What? Why? She always comes here. Yeah, well, Dad had to go to the shop 'cause of some possum problem, And since her sciatica's been acting up, Mom can't feel her feet, so she can't drive down herself.

So... I don't want her to be alone on Mother's Day.

I'm gonna have to just drive up and surprise her.

Oh, my God. This conversation is so boring, Yet just loud enough that I can't sleep through it. All right.

I'll try to switch our lunch reservations to dinner. (clicks remote)

Oh, good. That way I still get my peach pie.

"the octomom is looking forward to a nice brunch at home." oh.

Mom, can I come with you to grandma's?

Oh, thank you, Sue. That'll be fun.

A mother-daughter trip on Mother's Day.

The whole way we'll listen to music and gab.

(inhales deeply)

(sighs)

So you wanna listen to some music?

No.

You wanna talk?

No.

Sue, no offense, But if I wanted to ride in silence, I would've brought your dad.

What's going on with you?

Honey, what's the matter?

Never mind.

(sighs) Sue, something is obviously wrong.

Now tell me.

It'll ruin your Mother's Day!

Nothing you can say would do that.

I already got a foot bath.

Ship's pretty much sailed on that one.


I broke a commandment.

Oh! Okay...

Which one?

I stole something.

I stole an inspirational fridge magnet.

A what?

A magnet, for the fridge, to hold papers and stuff.

I just loved it so much, and dad wouldn't buy it for me, And now I just feel terrible, And I never thought I would be the kind of person To steal anything, but the magnet said, "think of the thing you cannot do, and then do it."

So I thought about it, and then I did it!

Oh, my God. I'm a stealer. I stole! (sniffles)

(retching)

Sue! Honey...

(crying) see?

See, it's got a dolphin... And a kite.

(retches)

Oh!

(continues retching)

(exhales deeply) it'll be okay, honey.

Clearly, you know what you did was wrong.

We'll take it back to the store tomorrow And explain what happened, and you can apologize.

And about this time on Father's Day...

(retches) you know what? I'm not even gonna go there.

It's just gonna make me mad. (sighs)

After stopping at a do-it-yourself car wash And hosing down the car... And Sue, We finally made it to grandma's house.

(Barry Manilow) ♪ a true blue spectacle ♪
♪ a miracle come true ♪
♪ ♪ oh, oh, oh, oh ♪
♪ we're together, baby ♪[/i]

(knocks on door)

Oh, my gosh!

Hey, mom.

(turns stereo off)

(laughs) what are you girls doing here? (door closes)

(laughs) we just thought we'd come up and surprise ya.

Looks like we did. (laughs) oh, you know, just frosting my hair, Frying a steak and having a little glass of white zin.

Okay, o asses. You got me. (laughs)

(chuckle (laughs) oh, you're looking good out there.

Your leg must be feeling better.

Well, you know how sciatica . It comes and goes.

It helps to move around, And nobody gets me going like Barry. (laughs)

Oh, look at you, chop suey!

Oh, stop growing so fast and making me feel old.

(giggles) Happy Mother's Day, grandma.

Thank you, sugar.

But you didn't have come all this way. My gosh!

Are you kidding? We couldn't let you be alone on Mother's Day.

Oh. (gasps)

(Frankie chuckles)

Oh, you nut.

Ohh. Why did you do this?

Ohh.

Ohh!

Oh, my.

Look at th.

A food dehydrator.

Well, I know how much you love dried apricots and raisins.

So now you can buy apricots and grapes--make your own.

Oh, boy!

And it's so big!

Why don't I go and make room for this in the kitchen.

Come on, chop suey.

You can help yourself to the candy drawer.

Your grandpa's blood sugar's out of whack, So there's still some good stuff in there.

I don't serve treat.

I stole an inspirational fridge magnet.

(mouths words)

Oh... Honey, we all do stupid things, But we all deserve chocolate.

Come with grandma. Let's talk about what happened.

Ohh. Yea baby.

That's what I'm talking about.

So while a real mom with more experience than Was fixing Sue, I could finally catch a break.

What is it about being at your mom's house that lets you completely relax?


Mm.

(inhales deeply) mm.

(sighs)

(clicks remote)

(TV playing indistinctly)


Hey, mom. I'm thirsty.

Can you bring me a pop or something?

Man: ...Bunny! (woman giggles)

Oh, buy.


Mmm. Thank you.

Oh. Your hair looks nice.

Oh, yeah? Sue helped me finish it off.

I-it's not too frosted?

No, no. In a couple weeks, it'll be perfect.

(can fizzes)

(yawns) Oh, how long was I asleep?

I'm starving. Hey, you know what would be great?

One of your grilled cheese sandwiches With the potato chips in the middle. (sniffles)

I love the way you make 'em.

O-okay, could you not lean on my "people"?

You're making it all crinkly.

Sorry. (sniffles) Ahh.

(sniffles) and, mom, in triangles, okay?

I know. Triangles.



How do you guys survive with just basic cable?

(turns TV off)

Mmm! Thanks, mom.

Ooh. This looks good.

(whiny voice) aw.

No chips?

(smacking)

(normal voice) hey, how long do you think it would take To make some pudding, Hmm?

(slurps) Mmm.

HUD)

Are you mad?

No. Anything else I can get you on Mother's Day?

See, now you sound mad.

I mean, I just came all the way up here So you wouldn't be alone on Mother's Day. Well, I'm sorry, But did you ever think maybe I wanted to be alone?

You didn't want to be with your daughter on Mother's Day? Oh, I didn't say that.

Yeah, you did, mom. You said exactly that. You said, "sorry, but did you ever think maybe I wanted to be alone?"

What are you, a court reporter? I'm sorry if I drove an hour and a half To be with my mother on Mother's Day.

I had no idea it would be an inconvenience.

I just thought it would make you happy.

Frankie, I am never alone in this house.

Your dad is always here--

Asking me about this, asking me about that.

"Can I eat this?" uh, "where's my raincoat?"

Now he's out with his possums, And I just wanted a minute to frost my damn hair And drink my damn wine and listen to my damn music Without getting anyone anything.

With potato chips in the middle!

Oh, my God.

I'll bet your sciatic nerve isn't really acting up.

I'll bet you just made that up as an excuse to not see me!

Oh, come on. You know how sciatica is.

It comes and goes.

Oh, I don't know.

You were boogying down pretty hard there, lady flash.

It comes and goes! Forget it. Just forget it.

I don't expect you to understand.

I don't understand?!

You think I wouldn't want to have a house all to myself?

You think I wouldn't love to be alone on Mother's Day,

Sucking down a glass of white zinfandel?!

You don't want to be with your daughter on Mother's Day? Sue, I didn't say that.

Yes, you did! You said exactly that.

Sue, come on. Well, I'm sorry.

If you guys wanted to be alone, why didn't you just say so? It's really hard, Sue.

It's really hard to say you don't want to be With your family on Mother's Day.

It's really hard to say You don't want to dry your own fruit.

You didn't like your dehydrator? It's ridiculous!

I'm gonna go buy $4-a-pound grapes And spend hours turning 'em into 99-cent raisins?!

Use your head!

You think that's a horrible gift?

I got an inflatable foot bath!

You don't like your foot bath? It's ridiculous!

What about me says I'm the kind of person That wants to blow something up and stick my feet in it?

(crying)

Ohh.

(crying)

Ohh.

It took three hours And two trips to the candy drawer To undo everything that had been said.

(crying) I don't want us to be fighting on Mother's Day. Mwah.

(crying) oh, I'm sorry, mom.

I know, honey.

I'm sorry, Sue.

(crying) I know, mom.

(sobs)

Ohh.

By the time we were done, There was no way I was making it home for Neptune's grill, So I told Mike and the boys To bring me back some peach pie.

And my Mother's Day dinner... I'll have a number seven


With double-fried dark meat and monster fries, A number four with x-treme cheese tots And two diet root beers.

And as for Mike's father's day dinner... Here it is. Your favorite dinner--

Steak and a mashed potato dad with bacon arms.

Mmm.

Brick: ohh. (chuckles)

Ooh. (chuckles) ohh.

Woman: pull around.

Hey, everybody.

We're back.

(door closes)

Oh, come on!

(sighs)

Aw, Brick.

(thud)

Oh, come on!

Hey, you're back.

How's your mom?

Good. (sighs) how was my Mother's Day dinner?

Not bad. The waitress thought I was a widower.

She gave us free shrimp balls.

So? What?

My pie?

I'm going back. (sighs)

I'm going back right now. Sweet. Get me more shrimp balls.

Oh, forget it.

Some days, from start to finish, Just blow.

I'm never doing that again.


What, Mother's Day?

Yeah, Mother's Day. It should be outlawed.

What? You don't mean that. The kids made you breakfast.

You went to see your mom. It was good.

Yeah, you're confusing mother's day with Father's Day.

Father's day is great, and you know why?

'cause a mom is running it.

You know what you need? (sighs)

A foot bath. I'm gonna blow you up a foot bath.

(exhales deeply)

I'll tell you one thing-- I'm never having kids.

What?

Why would you say that?

It just seems hard.

I couldn't handle it the way you do.

You're good at it.

See, now that's why you'll love having kids.

Same reason I do--

'cause after a rough day, one of 'em will come in, Give you a hug and say something like that.

But aren't we the cause of the rough day?

Well, you can't overthink it.

We cleaned up the kitchen.

Ohh. See?

That was exhausting.

I'm b*at. (groans)

Oh. Come on.

Aah.

I'll get it.

I just gotta poke a tweezer in the valve to open it up.

(cabinet door opens)

Mike: where are the tweezers?

Move stuff around.

Mike's right. Mother's Day is sort of a made-up holiday.

It doesn't always live up to the hype.

And that's what led me to create a new holiday, One that's turned out to be one of my favorites.

I call it "the day after Mother's Day."


Can I get you anything else?

No. M so good.

Mother's Day is for them.

The day after Mother's Day is for me.

It's kinda like Father's Day for mothers.
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