10x01 - I Love a Parade

Episode transcripts for the TV show "Modern Family". Aired: September 2009 to April 2020.*
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"Modern Family" follows three different, but related families as they give us an honest and often hilarious look into sometimes warm, sometimes twisted, embrace of the modern family.
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10x01 - I Love a Parade

Post by bunniefuu »

Oh, no.

Has it been a year already?

♪ You're a grand old flag, you're a high-flying flag ♪

♪ And forever in peace may you wave ♪

We love the Fourth of July.

It's the perfect holiday.

You get to cook outside, blow stuff up, wear shorts.

Easter should be taking notes.

BOTH: ♪ Keep your eyes on the grand old flag ♪

That was longer than I remember.

[CELLPHONE BUZZES]

Hello?

Joe, you should be thankful that you live in this country.

I spent half of my childhood in a Banana Republic.

It was the only store in my village that had air-conditioner.

Yes, Mr. President.

Yes, sir, I'd be honored to, sir. Thank you.

- [CELLPHONE BEEPS]
- Amazing news.

The grand marshal for today's parade just got #MeToo'd, and they need me to fill in.

[GASPS] Oh, Jay, I'm so happy for you!

So, now the only thing left on your bucket list is to bare-knuckle fight a Russian!

- [LAUGHS]
- Ay!

Oh, and Manny's gonna be back home from his big road trip just in time for the parade.

He's been gone for so long.
I can't wait to see him.

That's great!

We'll have the whole family back together with me to ride in the convertible LeBaron.

Joe, how's your parade wave?

We'll work on it.

♪ Every heart beats true ♪

♪ For the red, white, and blue ♪

♪ Where there's never a... ♪

More!

Yeah. I've got time to help you.

Oh, look at your cousin being so sweet and helping out a friend.

Ugh! Such a weak little coward.
Are we done yet?

No. It's a really big bridge.

Or maybe you're just a really tiny man.

[CAR HORN HONKS]

Things were going great on my cross-country drive until I fell behind schedule after I developed a perfectly rational, fact-based fear

- of driving over bridges.
- [TELEPHONE RINGING]

I called Cam for support since he taught driver's ed,

- but he wasn't around.
- What?

Turns out a strong verbal lashing was exactly what I needed to get me across that bridge and the many others that cover this country like a cancer.

Okay, Cal. Let's say hi to Mommy.

- Say, "Hi, Mommy!"
- Whoa, whoa. if I'm in that sh*t, back up a-and turn the lights down.

We had Chinese food last night.
I look like a blowfish.

Okay, you know what, Mitchell?
It's not about you.

I promised we would send a video of Cal to my sister for her birthday, and that was a week ago, so we got to get it done.

We have been watching my big-for-his-age nephew Cal while my sister Pameron is... is back in Missouri paying off a little debt.

To society. She's in prison.

For a tiny parole violation.

She tried something on in a store and accidentally walked out.

It was another woman's purse.

The silver lining is,

Cal is benefiting from our parenting experience.

Mitchell is molding young Cal's brain while I handle the young boy's body.

It's a miracle we're not in prison.

Yeah.

Okay, let's sing the alphabet for Mommy.

Come on, you and I worked on this.

A, B...

!

You know, I think I put so much information in there, it's getting jumbled up on the way out.

Well, let's... let's do some of your stuff.

Throw him a ball or something.

Oh, okay, yeah. That's a great idea.

Okay, on the count of , Cal.

Are you ready? , , !

Oh. Okay.

All right, um... well, hugs!

Hey, how about a hug?

Aww. He is such a good hugger.

Okay, here's the thing...football camp started when Cal came.

Then I was laid up because of that dinner at Absolutely Crabulous.

Well, don't worry. I've been slacking on my end, too.

Yeah, but I've been telling Pam that Cal is thriving here.

We can't send her a video of him reciting his AB s!

- I wonder...
- Go on. I'm in.

Is it possible to sh**t him in a way that makes him look better than he is?

Oh, honey, are you kidding?
Vin Diesel's a movie star.

Anything's possible with editing.

What do you got there?

Oh, just choosing some classes for college.

This one looks interesting.

"In this intensive"... Nope.

Drop that!

Game day, buddy.

For the first time ever, Luke and I are taking part in the sport of kings, the savory science.

We're teamed in a parent/child hot-dog-eating contest.

We've been training for weeks, and I'm proud to say that Luke, like his old man, is blessed with a dogger's mouth.

I felt something tear inside.

Push through it.

You'll thank me when you start to feel the gorger's high.

Ugh.

Aah! What the hell?!

Oh, is the hot dog making you angry?

An angry stomach is % larger. Boo!

I think we've got a real sh*t to take down Rhonda and Thandie Hodak.

But they're undefeated.

I guess that makes us "under-dogs."

Mm. How long you been sitting on that one?

Not as long as you've been sitting on that couch.

- Hm.
- Hey, hey.

Can I get in on that floor bagel?

Alex decided to take off some time earlier this summer, and, like everything else she does, she did it a little too well.

[CLATTER]

Who's there? Did you bring food?

Uh... tomatoes.

But they won't be ready for six weeks.

You have a backup?

Well, I fell asleep on my phone, and I think my face ordered another one.

Oh.

You know, do you want to join me?

You go back to work in a few weeks.

You'll regret it if you don't relax a little.

Uh, okay. Sure.

The... This can wait minutes

until I get him into the ground, right?

[TELEVISION PLAYS]

Can you scratch my nose?
I feel like you're closer.

Okay, up on the table for a little stomach massage and heckler prep.

Hey, gals, things haven't been going that great between me and Arvin, and he's stopping by to say goodbye before leaving for Switzerland.

Could you take off the onesies and make it look like we don't live in an insane asylum?

- You suck! You eat like a moron!
- [DOORBELL RINGS]

Oh, my God! It's like you want Arvin to throw his return ticket off an Alp!

Mm. No wonder she's so stressed.

She's wearing, like, a seven-sie.

[EXHALES DEEPLY]

Haley. Fancy meeting you here.

- [LAUGHS]
- Wait, why? I-I live here.

No, I-I know. I was...
I was making a joke.

It was stupid.

Oh, no, it... it wasn't stupid.
It was funny.

Well, you didn't laugh.

Well, do it again. I'll laugh this time.

I'd rather not.

Sorry. I'm just, um, a little...

I'm really nervous, and I feel like this goodbye has so much pressure on it.

So let's just relax and be with each other.

I actually have to go.

- [LAUGHS]
- No, seriously.

I misread my itinerary, and I have to get to the airport.

No! So, uh, this is it?

This is goodbye?

I'm afraid so.

I'm gonna miss you.

I'll miss you, too.

- Aww.
- [HORN HONKS]

That's my car. I should probably...

- [HORN BLARES]
- Okay.

Uh, well... goodbye, Haley.

Oh!

Love you.

[DOOR OPENS]

Love you, too.

Is he gone?

- Yeah?
- Oh, good.

No one wants old fuddy-duddy dad ruining the big romantic moment.

I'll be upstairs hiding in Luke's closet.

All right. There we go, Cal.
Chew the peanut butter.

See? Now, with editing, we can make it look like he's saying anything we want... numbers, the alphabet, a joke about Jewish people.

Pam loves those.

Movie tricks come easy to me... you know, clowns being naturals at deception.

It's true... a couple months into dating, Cam told me he was a clown, did a little performance for me, and I... I did feel deceived.

Okay, now, when I say "action,"

Cal's gonna throw me the ball.

You're gonna walk backwards, and then in editing, I'll reverse it to make it look like Cal's catching the ball and you're walking normally.

Why am I even in it at all?

Remind me of something, Mitchell... is the best art made by a million voices chiming in or one man with a single vision?

- [KEYS CLICKING]
- Okay, and we lay in the piano later.

♪ Twinkle, twinkle, little star ♪

♪ How I wonder what you are ♪

- I have to pee!
- He has to pee.

- Okay, he has to pee.
- Yep.

All right. Take five!

Lily, this is our first cut, so if you see anything wonky, let us know.

[CLASSICAL MUSIC PLAYS]

Oh. Hello, Mommy.

Happy birthday.

plus is .

- [PEN CLICKS]
- Simple math.

[DIFFERENT CHILD'S VOICE]
I can catch a ball.


How'd you miss the cat?

I didn't. That take was your best walk.

["TWINKLE, TWINKLE, LITTLE STAR" PLAYS ON PIANO]

That is gold.

[BIG-BAND MUSIC PLAYS]

[TAPPING]

Why the giant bottle of wine?

It's for perspective, and nobody's asking that question.

- Didn't I just ask it?
- Cam.

Yeah, I know. It's certified rotten.

[TAPPING]

[LOUD CHOMPING]

Luke.

He's only getting / of the dog on his first bite.

Anything less than half, and you're playing for second.

Well, the good news is, the Fourth is weeks away.

Um...

it's... it's today.

Toda... June...?

- Yeah... gone.
- Oh.

[FOOTSTEPS APPROACH]

There you are!
It's almost time for our show.

- Wait... what are you wearing?
- ALEX: Clothes?

I got to get back into school mode before I lose my edge.

Mom, you might want to think about rejoining life before your brain freezes, too.

Yeah, don't you worry about...

- [THUD]
- me.

[LAUGHS]

What's that?

Oh. Um...

Listen.

No dad wants to have this talk with his son, but... you're just not eating enough hot dogs.

[SIGHS] I'm sorry.

For some reason, I just... I can't focus. I think what Luke is trying to say is, he's too old for this contest and he doesn't have the heart to tell you.

That's impossible. I'm an adult.
I'm still super into it.

Yeah. My s should be my prime hot-dog-eating years.

That was just my first attempt.

I'm gonna figure this out. Hang on.

Despite what Alex says, I have not lost my edge.

Something just clicked.

Fine. You're right... it's college.

- It is?
- Yeah.

I'm distracted because I'm feeling some pressure on which classes to take.

But don't worry.
I'm gonna figure it out.

Wow. How could you tell?

I'm just a... perceptive guy.

I wasn't talking about Luke.
The clicking was in my jaw.

My old TMJ injury was back, thanks to all the training.

I got it in college when I bet my roommate I could out-Frisbee-catch his golden retriever.

And guess who wo... Aah!

- Ugh.
- Aw.

Arvin and I had the worst goodbye.

It's been such a weird past couple months.

That long?

It feels like it all started in the hospital, after I told him I loved him.

There you go.

That's it. You pressured him.

- Too much, too soon.
- Maybe.

Something's not lining up.

Okay, you're right.

Seriously?!

Something happened in the hospital while Arvin was gone.

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

Lost again?

No. This time, I meant to come back.

I have some pretty big news.

You should probably be sitting for this.

O... kay.

[WHIRRING]

[WHIRRING STOPS]

I lied.

I'm not married anymore.

My wife left me for her ex-husband.

I'm a divorcé.

Why are you telling me this?

Because I'm back in town, I'm going to nursing school, and we might run into each other.

I don't want to spend the rest of my life pretending my wife is in the bathroom.

Yeah, I would start to worry about her after a while.

Well, I'm sorry it didn't work out.

It's okay. I don't think we ever really got each other.

Like, you know how when you and I used to go to concerts, we used to just look at each other and know...

It was time for me to get on your shoulders and throw my bra at the drummer.

- [BOTH LAUGH]
- Yeah.

Like, you probably have that with Arvin, right?

- Definitely.
- That's awesome.

With my wife, she's pretty and smart and a doctor.

But if you're always telling yourself how lucky you are, it's probably because you're afraid to ask yourself how happy you are.

Right?

I brought ice chips.

Or are they ice fries here?

Oh!

Ha.

I can't believe Dylan got into my head.

I can't believe he got into nursing school.

That's the biggest one they got?

Yes, and I'm not going back again.

Have you seen Manny? I've been looking all over for him.

I don't see him.

I've been here, busy inspecting the troops.

Young lady, could you straighten that hat?

Sir, that... that horn could use a shine.

Haircut.

Gloria, if this goes well, in a couple of months,

I'll be lighting the town Christmas tree.

- Take that, Dad!
- You know what is weird?

After so many years at Carnaval, to be at a parade with people fully dressed.

Gloria, focus.

You've got a big role in this.

After I cut the ribbon, it's your job to fire off the cannon.

That's the signal for everybody to start marching.

But isn't the grand marshal's job to fire the cannon?

So the ribbon cuts itself?

Gloria, what you don't know about parades...

- [CELLPHONE BUZZING]
- Wait, wait.

[GASPS] Papi! Hello.

Are you coming?
The parade is about to start.

Hey! Jay!

Hey, Tom! How's it going?

Great, actually.
My wife and I, we're back together.

I... Well, not exactly.
I mean, we're going on dates.

- We're hoping to recapture...
- Yeah, yeah.

I want to hear all about it, but I think the local paper needs a photo.

Oh. O-Of course. Yeah.

Gloria, get in the sh*t.

- [SIGHS]
- Gloria.

But you promised that you were going to come.

Just sh**t. No, go ahead... sh**t it.

What? Okay.

No, no, not yet!

[MARCHING BAND PLAYS]

Damn it, Gloria! It's not cutting!

These aren't lefties!

Grand-marshal. Take that, Grandpa!

You must be on top of the world.

Well, I'm putting on a brave face for the good of the country, but the truth is, we did not get off to a great start.

Gloria is not on her game today, and I'm afraid she's gonna forget to lead the standing ovation after my speech.

- Hm.
- In fact, I'm tagging you in.

Your cue is "pursuit of happiness."

And if you could sell it, a "bravo" would be nice.

Okay. I-I know what's wrong with Gloria.

This is a big day for you, and she's feeling left out.

No, that's not it.

Damn it.

You're not getting here till tomorrow?

How does your name even have the word "man" in it?

Something just clicked.

- Jaw trouble?
- No!

She was just on with Manny, who's not coming.

Don't Gloria and Manny have some Fourth of July tradition?

Come to think of it, they share a slice of apple pie and watch the fireworks.

They've been doing that every year since he was born!

Until this year, which is why Gloria is upset.

- Yes!
- You're right!

- Mm-hmm.
- I let the sash go to my head.

I never should have brought it!

Oh, I can help you out, but you're gonna have to give up on your little speech thing.

Hey, kid. Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Where'd you get the fireworks?

- You a cop?
- Oh, co...


There's a stand in the grocery store parking lot.

But he's closing up.

You get the fireworks and the apple pie.

I will take care of Manny.

I am back. I am really back!

My car's blocked in.

All this traffic, I'll never make it.

Look at that... right there.

[HORN BEEPS]

Check out! I'm a Shriner. [LAUGHS]

Cool! Listen, I need to borrow your car.

It's kind of an emergency.

But my dad's excited to see me in the parade.

He was a Tuskegee Airman.

Maybe the minute you stop trying so hard is the minute he'll start loving you.

Now hop out of there and go clear a path for me through those lawn chairs.

- Come on. I'll help you out.
- But... I don't...

Oh, how about this one, okay?

Maybe we'll get lucky and he'll be good at this.

Okay, don't you think this is a little hateful...

- waterboarding a clown for a prize?
- Oh, come on.

You guys spray each other with seltzer all the time.

That's between two consenting clowns.

All right, one second. Let's get this.

Okay, go ahead. Okay.

- No. No. Wrong way, wrong way.
- Oh, okay, all right, you got to...

- Okay, it's fine.
- You know what?

Maybe it's just time we admit to Pam we haven't taught him a thing.

You know, I just...
I don't want to let him down.

I-I've come to really enjoy having him around.

I know, I know. Me too.

But it's not like we're bad at parenting.

I mean, Lily turned out to be a smart, sensitive little girl.

Ugh! You're a disgrace to this family!

MANNY: I don't think you heard me.
I'm over the bridge.


I know. Now we're just catching up.

Sorry I didn't win.

Oh, no, no, no. You don't have to apologize, okay?

No, no, you did just great.

Oh! We're the ones who need to do better.

And you know what? You give great hugs.

Hey. We taught him that.

Well, too bad it isn't exactly a skill.

[CHUCKLING] Yeah. Or is it?

[SHEEP BLEATS]

Mutton busting?!

Why? What is that?

It's a sheep rodeo for kids.

It's like you didn't even have a childhood.

Come on!

ANNOUNCER: The hot dog contest is about to begin.

Sorry I'm not in worse shape for this.

Don't worry about it, buddy.
You've had a lot on your mind.

Any luck choosing your courses?

Not yet.

I don't really want to talk about that right now.

Maybe you're putting too much pressure on...

It's more than just picking classes, okay?

Can we just drop it and focus on what we're doing here?

Yeah. Of course.

[EXHALES SLOWLY]

[BOTH EXHALING]

Exciting to be in the competition, huh?

Instead of sitting up in the bleachers, like the last three years?

I guess.

Scary, sure, but it does feel good

putting our butts on the line.

You lose % of the hot-dog-eating contests you don't enter.

Dad, I know what your bumper sticker is, and I know what you're trying to do here.

But college is different.

I mean, you screw up at community college, you're out of options.

You're not gonna screw it up.

I've messed up a lot of things in my life.

I'm scared I'll do it again.

- Good.
- What?

Being scared means you care.

Maybe... Maybe that's what's been missing in the past.

It's the biggest thing I've ever tried to do.

Contestants, ready position.

Just take it one step at a time.

Don't worry about the to hopefully hot dogs you're gonna eat.

Just worry about the dog in front of you.

And wet the buns.

Eat!

[SHEEP BLEATS]

Are we sure this is safe?
Oh, my gosh, yes.

The kids love it, the sheep love it.

[BUZZER]

And I'm pretty sure it's too late.

- Whoa!
- Hang on, Cal! Keep hugging!

Oh, my gosh. Pam is gonna be so excited.

He's already busting at a first-grade level.

[INHALES SHARPLY] Ow. Ow!

Better get an X-ray.
You got trampled pretty bad.

Looks like that ankle's broken.

[TROMBONE PLAYS SAD NOTES]

Really, Jerry?

Haley? What are you doing here?

Well, you tweeted you were working, the water tower's in the back of your Instagram story, and you just left a Yelp rating for that falafel place around the corner,

so I figured out where you were.

Could you please stop being so obsessed with me?

Wait... what?

That thing that you said at the hospital?

How if a person felt lucky to be in a relationship, that means that they couldn't really be happy?

Obviously, you did that to try and ruin what I have with Arvin, because you're not over me.

I seriously don't know whether to laugh or check you for a spider bite.

I'm sorry that you're questioning your relationship, but it's not my fault.

Just admit it!

You said that to try and get back with me.

Look, in my heart of hearts... which does not exist, by the way...

yeah, I still think about us. We were great.

- Aha!
- Nuh-ha!

You're the one who drove across town, paid $ for parking and then an additional $ for the yellow wristband for beer and medical tent access.

It sounds like you're the one who's into me.

You're crazy.

There's no crime in wondering if we might still be good together.

I still see us together in my mind's eye...

- which, by the way, doesn't exist.
- I can't hear it again.

Diagnosis... nothing.

[GRUNTS]

How was the parade?

I had something more important to do.

Apple pie?

I got a few weird looks at the drive-through, but it was worth it to help keep your tradition alive.

You mean Manny and me?

It's not gonna happen, because...

I've got that covered, too.

Mm-hmm.

♪ Ta-da! ♪

Hi, Mom! I miss you!

Oh, Jay! That's perfect!

Oh, it's not perfect yet.

[WHISTLES]

Should we really give the dangerous job to my only smart one?



- [FIREWORKS BURST]
- [GASPS]

Ohh!

Happy Fourth of July, Papi!

I'll be home soon... before you know it.

JAY: "Thomas Jefferson,

who was sort of the grand marshal of his time,

believed this country should be a place where people are free

to pursue happiness and a better life,

where we can set our sights on the stars

and, with hard work and determination...

[AIR HORN BLARES]

...make the impossible a reality.

[MUFFLED] No!

Because Americans don't run from challenges.

We embrace them.

[MUFFLED CHEERING]

God bless America.

Hold for applause."

That would've k*lled, right?

Bravo!

You know, I gave up a lot today.
You could mean it.

Never too late to start training for next year!

Let's loosen up first with some exercises.

Lamalick. Dizzy Gillespie. Tiffy pop it.

- [BLOWS]
- Hold it.

- And out. Tiffy...
- Dad, I don't think I can ever eat

another hot dog again.

Yeah, I thought you might feel this way.

- Hey, you there?
- What?

We're having some trouble getting these bad boys down.

I'm not surprised, you pathetic losers.

You two disgust me more than what's in those hot dogs.

What's the hold up?

Are we saving our bodies for bikini season, ladies?

- She's good.
- She better be. She's expensive.
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