02x01 - On a Serpentine Road, With the Top Down

[bunniefuu]

♪ We face the music together ♪

♪ And throw our hats
in the ring ♪

♪ Facing all kinds of weather ♪

♪ And not afraid of anything ♪

♪ Hey ♪

♪ When the sun comes up,
we'll be on our way ♪

♪ And we don't care
where we land ♪

♪ And the waves are high,
but we won't turn round ♪

♪ 'Cause your hand
is in my hand ♪

♪ And, oh-oh ♪

♪ You make me feel invincible ♪

♪ 'Cause it's you and me ♪

♪ Through the wind and hail ♪

♪ Setting sail into the world ♪♪

[♪ Elvis Costello:
"Everyday I Write The Book"]

♪ Ooh, ooh...

- [coughing]
- [baby crying]

Mr. Hughes, will you get up
on the table for me?

- No, no.
- Would you do it for a lolly?

Good. Hold that very gently.

- Okay.
- There you go.

[coughing]

♪ Don't tell me you don't know
what love is...

- How's John?
- He's grand, thanks. Yeah.

- Oh. Spiked.
- Ooh. [laughs]

Well, only joking.

[phone beeps]

Yeah?

[receptionist] Dr. Curran,
I have a mom on the phone

with a four-year-old
with a temperature.

I know it's late. I said
I'd check, just in case.

Well, why me?

You're the only one still here.

I could put it off
till the morning.

I'm sure it's not serious.
It's not that high.

- Well, how high is it?
- Hold on.

Thirty-nine.

♪ Every day I write the book...

Send her in.

[Stephanie] Here's a script

for antibiotics, just for the
peace of mind for the weekend.

Only use them if you can't
keep his temperature down

- with paracetamol, okay?
- Okay.

And I'm around.
Just call me if you're worried.

You have my home number.
Goodbye, little chicken.

- Night, Lorraine.
- Good night, Dr. Curran.

Oh.

♪ But you were up
to your old tricks ♪

♪ In chapters four,
five and six...

[ignition sputtering]

Oh. Oh, no. Come on, girl.

Not now. Please.

[sighs]

f*ck my life.

We need to stop seeing
each other like this.

I can't stop calling you.

And I can't stop picking up.

I've got you on speed dial.

Well, it serves you right for
owning a -year-old sports car

and only driving it
when it tickles your fancy.

These cars want
to be driven, Dr. Curran.

Well, I only take it out
when the weather's nice.

- I mean, the roof leaks.
- Pull the bonnet.

How's your mom, Jerry?

Oh, you know. Same old.

- The new place is nice for her.
- Ah.

Send her my best.

Tell her I'll drop by
this weekend to see her.

Your visits mean a lot to her.

I like seeing her.

- So what do you think?
- [sighs]

I hate to break it to you,
Doctor. Your car is dying.

No. She just needs some TLC.

She's years old.
You know, she's younger than me.

You.

Yeah, in human years, maybe,
but in car years,

she's too young
to be truly classic,

and she's too old
to be practical.

She's just having
a midlife crisis.

I'm gonna give her some Xanax.

So, unfortunately, this car
needs to make its final journey

- to the scrap heap.
- Never.

You can really bring
these things back to life.

Yeah, and go completely broke
in the meantime.

You know, the best
two days you have

with a vintage car are
the day you buy it

and the day you sell it.

Everything in between
is just a heartache.

You need to give up
on her, Doctor.

She's not one of your patients.

Oh, let me see
if I have another fan belt.

[♪ The Doors: "Peace Frog"]

[engine revving]

♪ There's blood in the streets,
it's up to my ankles ♪

♪ There's blood in the streets,
it's up to my knees ♪

Oh, it feels so good out
on the road...

- [continues indistinctly]
- ♪ Blood in the street,
the town of Chicago ♪

That's the truth.
[continues indistinctly]

♪ Blood on the rise,
it's following me ♪

- ♪ Just about
the break of day ♪
- [muttering]

- No, that's not true...
- ♪ She came in ♪

- [muttering]
- ♪ And she drove away ♪

I do.

♪ Sunlight in her hair ♪

♪ Blood on the streets
runs a river of sadness ♪

♪ Blood in the streets,
it's up to my thighs...

- [engine revving]
- [tires squealing]

♪ The women are crying,
red rivers of weeping ♪

♪ She came in town
and then she drove away ♪

♪ Sunlight in her hair ♪♪

Woo-hoo! I'm back!

- [Melissa] Hi, Mom!
- Where are you?

- In the sitting room.
- Oh.

Did you draw a picture
of Daddy like I asked?

[Melissa] Yes, and I drew you
and the house, too.

- Did you give him big ears?
- Yes, I did. [giggles]

Good. Let me see.

Aw. I love that one the best.

That's you picking an apple off
the tree for salads. [laughs]

- Oh, you're like Eve.
- Apple for salads.

[giggles]

- Eve. You're like Eve.
- No.

- Well done
in your amazing painting!
- Oh, painting.

Here's to the cake,
here's to the painting.

To Melissa, the artiste.

[Shannon] Let's just see
how I get on

with his parents
first, shall we?

Oh, yeah. Sure.

How's my sister?

Well, she's destroying
the kitchen

"making a cake."

Hi, sis.

Hey, baby sis.

Send me a letter.

I'll send you some cake.

What kind of cake?

Okay, got to run. Me and Connor
are going for drinks.

Write me. I love you.

Oh, I love you.

And, oh, I want
to hear more about him.

- [computer chimes]
- Would-would you...? Oh.

All right.

[Niall] Gym membership,

gone. We hit the streets.

- Done.
- Which brings me to...

- The Stag.
- Oh, well, there's no expense

there 'cause
I hardly ever use it.

Honey, I've seen
your credit card receipts.

You've spent ,
this year alone

on breakdowns and parts.

Well, what are you doing going
through my credit card receipts?

You gave them to me
to do our taxes?

- You're welcome, by the way.
- Yeah. Thanks.

Well, what about your boat?

You know you could get
a couple grand for that.

Okay. Fine.

[engine sputtering]

Oh, no. No, no, no,
no, no, no, no, no, no.

Oh, come on. Come on.

Oh, no, not again. Please?

Please? Please?

[horn honks loudly]

[tires squeak]

God... damn it.

I'm changing my number
until you get rid of this thing.

[sighs]

[engine revving]

♪ ♪

[phone ringing]

Hello?

Yeah. [coughs]

Excuse me. [clears throat]

Yeah. Yeah, I'm selling it
for five grand.

Sure. Well, we're around all
weekend if you want to drop by.

Yeah?

Okay, I'll text you the details.

Thanks. Bye.

Maybe found a buyer for the car.

Another one? Great.

You could have sold that car
five times by now.

- Coffee?
- Yup. [sighs]

[Stephanie] The brakes are slow,

so you're alert, predicting
things before they happen.

The steering's rack-and-pinion,
the bushings are pretty worn,

so it's basically
like driving a go-cart.

I mean, you'd need
to get that fixed,

if you do buy it, but, you know,
you probably won't.

Well, you certainly know
your stuff, for a lady.

Yeah, well, you'll need to get
your blood pressure checked

'cause these cars were designed
for a much younger man.

Apologies.

Now, it's just that my wife and
my daughters have zero interest.

Whereas my son and I,

we'll tinker all afternoon,
every Sunday.

My husband taught me everything
I know about this car.

All right. He's a...
he's an enthusiast, too?

- Him? No. My first husband.
- Oh.

He bought this car
when he was a student.

He saved every penny, worked
two jobs through college.

He made sure I understood it
before he'd let me near it.

- Or anyone.
- [chuckles]

I mean, if you were to come down
to , , we could have a deal.

- What do you think?
- Really?

[laughs] Look, are you sure
you want to sell this car?

Yeah.

[man on TV] What's this heap
of old iron doing here?

- Old iron?
- I'll give you ten buck for it.

Don't be daft.
This was once a great car.

Is that a bit like the man
buying your car, Mommy?

Oh, no, honey.
That's the mean junkyard man.

The man buying the car
is actually pretty nice.

Oh, thank God.

You're selling your guys' Prius?

Oh, no. Um...

No, I'm actually thinking
about selling the Stag.

It's falling to pieces.
I sent you...

You're-you're selling Dad's car?

Well, I wasn't going to
until I had talked to you.

I mean, I'd keep it
for you if you want.

It's just, it breaks down
every time I get in it.

And I got to fork out thousands
to keep it on the road.

You know?
And we don't have a garage.

I guess.

Love, are you okay
with that? Come on.

I sent you a mail.
Uh, you obviously didn't get it.

Fine. I love that car.

But yeah, I completely get it.

I don't want it
to fall apart in the street.

Are you sure?

Yeah.

[Niall] Now, bedtime, Missy!

Hey, girl!

- Hey, Niall.
- [Niall chuckles]

Look at you two.
You little monkey.

Place sucks without you.

- Eight more sleeps.
- [Niall] Which reminds me.

- Come on. [groans]
- Ooh.

What do you say? Good night.

- [Stephanie chuckles]
- [Melissa] Good night.

[Niall] Good night, Shannon.

- See you in a few days.
- I'll be up to read you

- a story in five minutes.
- You're grand.

- I have an episode
of The Crown to watch.
- Not you.

- That's sure to knock me out.
- Yeah.

He's making me sell it.

No, he's right.
It's the grown-up thing to do.

Dad told me never to attach
too much meaning to things.

It's a car.

What we all did in it
that matters.

Those memories are seared
into us forever.

Yeah. I mean, you know...

it might not sell.

'Cause the fella said
he was gonna get back to me.

He's got to run it by his wife.

So it-it might not
even get sold.

Well, I mean,
you don't fully understand,

because it's years until
we send Melissa to college.

Yeah, but I can totally imagine
what you're going through.

But-but Skyping every night

and physically looking
at each other,

it just makes
the separation harder.

Phones were better.

For all these advancements,

the st century
just messes with things.

Well, I spoke to my mom

a handful of times
in four years of college.

It was better.

I don't know.

Maybe she was privately bawling.

[grunts] That generation

- was more robust.
- Mm.

If I miss Melissa
one percent as much

as I miss Shannon around here,
I'll be a wreck.

Really?

You don't show it.

Can't both be whimpering messes,
now, can we?

I haven't whimpered once.

I'm just hellishly lonely.

I'd never show the girls that.

I know. I'm... sorry.

Mm.

- God, no, don't do that.
- Mm...

- Don't. Please.
- [exhales]

All right. Sorry.
I was just...

trying to help. [grunts]

Sorry.

Now, you say
you're hellishly lonely.

Then I try to show you
you are not alone,

you bat me off, like a mosquito.

I see you. You're right there

next to me. Uh, I just...

don't feel you need
to be intimate. That's all.

If I can't fix you
with affection or intimacy,

- then what's the point?
- Fix me?

- It's not a pop song.
- [sighs]

I'm not broken. I'm just...

What?

You're making me do something
I don't want to do.

Is this
about that f*cking car again?

- Yeah. Maybe.
- [sighs]

I felt awful telling Shannon
that tonight.

So don't sell the f*ck...
[stammers]

I mean, Jesus, I was just trying
to keep the family

- from going bankrupt.
- Well, we're not going
bankrupt!

Oh, God.

- [grunting]
- Seriously?

You're gonna sulk?

I am not sulking.

I'm just thinking up
other things we can do

to make savings.

[inhales, exhales]

[man] And that was
the headline news

on Lunchtime Live
on Radio Dublin FM.

[Louise] Well, it's
a beautiful winter's day here,

and we are just loving
the change in the weather

and the colors finally coming
into the trees.

- [phone ringing]
- [man] Yeah.
Definitely warms the cockles

of the heart, Louise...

Hello?

[John] We have a deal,

if you haven't sold her yet.

O-Oh, great.

Well, my wife says
this is the last one.

She knows how long
I've been searching for a Stag,

so she's cutting me some slack.

Yeah. Uh, well, congratulations.

That's an early
Christmas present for you.

Um, do you want to come over
on Saturday lunchtime?

I'll have her ready for you.

Bank draft okay?

Yeah, bank draft's fine.

I'll text you the details.

- See you then.
- Okay.

[birds chirping]

[vacuuming]

[turns off vacuum]

- [grunts]
- [dogs barking in distance]

[grunts]

[sniffles]

[exhales]

♪ ♪

So, Shannon's seeing someone.

He's a rower.

Studying medicine.

He's good-looking, too.

But not so much
that she'd need to arm herself.

You know?

It's a personal triumph to me
that he might be a doctor.

She's coming home in five days,

and I literally cannot wait.

You know, Niall and I
were talking about that

the other day.

We're such lightweights,
our generation.

You know?
Crying at school gates.

Support group moms
messaging each other

about coping
with separation anxiety.

I mean, it is ridiculous.

Niall doesn't show any emotion.

That's just his way.

So, big news.

Um...

I'm selling the car.

And it's breaking my heart.

It's the bills, though.

It's getting older,
and I'm not getting any richer.

I can't talk to you back
at the house or at the office.

I mean, people would think
I'm crazy.

But here?

Who cares?

It's like I can feel
your presence.

So, I'm getting five grand
for it.

And I don't know
whether you would have k*lled me

for letting it go for that.

But, actually, it's pretty good

for what these models
are getting these days.

I know you put
a lot of money into it.

Man, we got a lot of use
out of it, didn't we?

[chuckles, sniffles]

I'll never forget the first day
you showed up in it.

I'd known you about a year,
and I thought

you were absolutely crazy
for buying a sports car.

[chuckles]

Two broke lately students.

Want to have lunch
in the canteen

or are we going into town?

Oh, no, the canteen
will k*ll you.

- So, town.
- [laughs] Yes.

[chuckles]

Will we drive?

Will we what?

Will we drive?

Will we take the car?

What?

You bought this car?

[chuckles] Yeah.

- You joking?
- No.

Now you're off
to buying a sports car?

Until I got in.

[young Stephanie] Oh, my God.

- [♪ Lir: "Traveller"]
- ♪ It's easy to say ♪

[engine revving]

♪ When I walk away ♪

♪ As we circle ♪

♪ Around the mountain ♪

♪ Smoke from the tower ♪

♪ Don't let us stop...

Can I have a sh*t?

No.

Nah.

♪ Is going on ♪

♪ I mean well
when I want to be ♪

♪ Alone again ♪

♪ 'Cause you know
I've never seen...

Don't change early.

Wait till it gets
to the red line.

♪ I mean well
when I want to be ♪

Yeah.

♪ Alone again...

That's good.

Should I change again?

Sure, change again.

♪ It's all right ♪

Now, that's the sweet spot.
That's .

♪ ♪

[Stephanie] We went everywhere
in this thing.

Ladies, I'm going
to take it to .

Oh.

[Michael] Headscarves ready?

♪ Today ♪

♪ And you came by my way...

[Stephanie] Seems like
she was witness

to all the good things
in my life.

[Michael] All
of my earliest memories of you

is you saying
you liked Battenberg.

[Stephanie] [laughs, sniffles]
I like it...

[Michael] Are you saying
I invented that?

[Stephanie] That I invented
Battenberg?

[Michael] No,
that I invented that memory.

[Stephanie] No.
I love Battenberg.

It's like a little,
tiny, mini chessboard.

[Michael] So why
are you complaining?

[Stephanie] Well, because
it's disgusting, obviously,

- but I like the way it looks.
- [both laugh]

[Michael] You see?
You just like the colors.

[Stephanie] I just like
the pink and the yellow.

[Michael] Is that a yes?

[Stephanie] Yes.

♪ ♪

[horn honking]

[horn honks]

Sorry!

Pregnant woman!

Well, don't slow down.

We never have the chance
to go this fast.

Man, you were a good driver
when you needed to be.

- Be careful
going down the slope there.
- Yeah. I know.

- I've got it. I've got it.
- Yeah?

Right. I think
the best thing is if...

- There.
- There. Hello.

♪ ♪

Do you want Joe Jackson
or Van Morrison, baby?

Wiggles.

- Van Morrison it is.
- She wants the Wiggles.

You're sure you don't want
"Days Like This"?

No. You want "Days Like This."

That's because we've only heard
the Wiggles ten times

this morning.

You only ever play music
that you like.

You have to ask her
what she likes.

I think we've established
she likes the Wiggles.

I want to expose her to good
music, so she'll have taste.

But that never works.

She's gonna like the exact
opposite music to what we like.

That's just science.

That's probably true.

If we want her to listen
to Van Morrison,

we should probably play her
Michael Bublé.

Who's Michael Bublé?

- [♪ The Wiggles: "Toot Toot,
Chugga Chugga, Big Red Car"]
- ♪ We'll travel near ♪

♪ And we'll travel far ♪

♪ Toot toot, chugga chugga,
big red car ♪

♪ We're gonna ride
the whole day long ♪♪

[Stephanie] Shannon loved
those afternoons

you picked her up in it.

Cool dad.

[honks horn]

Oh. Uh, bye.

♪ ♪

- Should I drive? Okay.
- No. I want to.

[Stephanie] And the bad times.

The real, honest-to-goodness
awful times.

♪ ♪

[Michael] Merry Christmas.

That... Have you got it?

- Whoa, whoa. No.
- Have you got it?

- No, honey, honey,
we've got it.
- I've got it.

- We've got it...
- No. Let go.

[Stephanie] I'm so grateful
we had

that one beautiful Christmas
together.

I'm fine.

[grunts]

What a... what about me?

Shannon?

- Ah!
- [chuckling]

Bought a tree
with a monkey in it.

Sweet monkey face.

Sing us a song.

[Shannon] ♪ Have yourself
a merry little Christmas ♪

♪ Let your heart be light ♪

[all vocalizing]

[Shannon vocalizing]

[Stephanie and Michael laugh]

[Stephanie shudders]

You never get cold.

- What come you're cold?
- [chuckles]

♪ ♪

Here.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

[Stephanie] Shannon helped me
out so much after that.

Yeah.

[Stephanie] As best she could.

I'm making the dinner tonight.

- Great.
- [chuckles]

- What are you gonna make?
- Um...

- Lasagna?
- Okay.

And sometimes she couldn't.

♪ ♪

[tires screech]

[crying]

♪ ♪

So, my worry is
I'm not gonna be able

to talk to you again like this.

Do you think I will?

Do you think
it's like meditation?

That you can do it anywhere?

So, I'm gonna meet Shannon's
boyfriend over the holiday.

I want to tell you
all about him.

Anyway, I love you,
and I miss you.

We both do.

There's not a day
I don't wake up or go to sleep

without thinking about you.

- [brakes squeal]
- See, that's her song.

- Sorry I'm late. Here we are.
- Wow.

Gorgeous.

Now, uh, got the bank draft?

- Yes, indeed.
- Right.

Here we go.

- Thanks.
- It's all there.

- Oh, yeah. Okay.
- Forty-seven.

- Right, anything I need to...?
- Um, the-the brakes are slow,

- and, uh...
- [grunts]

She... She's sticky
between second and third.

Um, the sweet spot's,

- you know, not around here.
- [engine starts]

- Thanks again.
- Yeah, you're welcome.

- Okay.
- Away we go.

See you!

Oh, go on, why don't you
break down now, honey?

[Niall] So, I sold the boat.

- [water running]
- Good.

How much did you get for it?

- Three and a half grand.
- That's great.

- You okay?
- Yeah, I'm fine.

It was totally
the right thing to do.

- [water stops]
- I shouldn't resent you

for encouraging me
to sell the Stag.

You know, I should reward you

for keeping our family on track.

Right.

You know,
that car was holding me back.

What do you mean,
holding you back?

It's like a time machine.

You know?

Like, when...

I get in it,

it literally transports me.

And...

sometimes, I even talk to him.

And, you know, I'm-I'm...
I'm sorry about that.

How do you mean, talk to him?

It's like he's there beside me.

Uh...

Only happens
when, uh, I'm on my own.

Why didn't you
tell me this before?

Because I didn't want you
to think I was crazy

or that I was too involved

in my past life

or that...

I'm trying to keep him alive
or something.

I don't think you can control
things like that.

I have a sweater of his

in the back of my closet
that I keep in plastic.

And sometimes I take it out,
and I smell it,

and it's like
he's in the room with me

and he's got his arms around me.

Is that wrong?

I mean, do you want to leave me?

For some folks who lose people,

it can be a real challenge
to keep them alive.

They heal quickly
and get on with their lives

and feel terrible for it.

For others, it's almost as hard
to keep them dead.

They won't leave them alone
the rest of their life.

It's love and grief, baby.

There are no rules.

Does it bother you that Michael
is still so present in my life?

You loved him
at the time he d*ed, right?

Love sets at moments like that.

Grief hopefully fades,

and memory, eventually,
but love?

I knew how much you loved him
going into this.

I'm a grown-up.

But I also know
how much room there is in there.

That's what drew me to you.

That your heart
was the biggest place

I had ever been in the world.

I knew that from the way
you are with people.

My parents. Patients. Daughters.

And if I got
one little part of that,

well, that was way more
than I ever expected in life.

You mean that?

I have a cup,

chipped and broken
in the office,

belonging to my mom.

I can see her
at the window at home,

refilling endless cups
of peppermint tea

when I was a kid.

I don't know why,

but it just, well,
transports me.

Sometimes
I like to drink from it.

It's like kissing her.

How did I get so lucky
twice in my life?

I'm grateful I did once.

Can I tell you something?

You remember that day
when I said I was driving and...

...closed my eyes
and let go of the wheel?

Pretty sure
someone grabbed the wheel

and steered me
back onto the road.

So I could come to you.

Okay.

- [doorbell rings]
- [dogs barking]

- How are you? [chuckles]
- How are you?

Great. Um, do you have a minute?

I do.

Hi! Hi! Happy Christmas!

Happy Christmas, baby!

What's going on?
I-I thought you'd sold her.

Ah, it's a long story.

So, what happened?

Niall sold his boat,

and he used the money
to buy the car back.

[chuckles]
You're such nutcases.

Yeah. Come on, strap in.

Let's go.

- You in?
- Yeah.

[tires squeal]

I was all set
for a boring train ride.

This is the best surprise ever.

Yeah, screw trains.

The open road, right?

You might want
to put on a wooly hat

'cause it's gonna be chilly.

And, you know,
we're probably gonna break down.

And we might get lost.

Remember what your dad
always used to say?

I do.

We get lost together.

Here we go.

Been listening to this all term.

[♪ Van Morrison:
"Days Like This"]

Do you know this album?

♪ When it's not always raining ♪

[singing along] ♪ There'll be
days like this ♪

♪ When there's
no one complaining ♪

♪ There'll be days like this ♪

♪ When everything
falls into place ♪

♪ Like the flick of a switch ♪

♪ Well, my mama told me ♪

♪ There'll be days like this ♪

♪ When you don't need to worry ♪

♪ There'll be days like this ♪

♪ When no one's in a hurry ♪

♪ There'll be days like this ♪

♪ When you don't get betrayed ♪

♪ By that old Judas kiss ♪

♪ Oh, my mama told me ♪

♪ There'll be days like this ♪

♪ When you don't need
an answer ♪

♪ There'll be days like this ♪

♪ When you don't meet
a chancer ♪

♪ There'll be days like this ♪

♪ When all the parts
of the puzzle ♪

♪ Start to look like they fit ♪

♪ Then I must remember ♪

♪ There'll be days like this ♪

♪ There'll be days like this ♪

♪ When everyone is up-front ♪

♪ And they're not
playing tricks ♪

♪ When you don't have
no freeloaders ♪

♪ Out to get their kicks ♪

♪ When it's nobody's business ♪

♪ The way
that you want to live ♪

♪ I just have to remember ♪

♪ There'll be days like this ♪

♪ When no one steps
on my dreams ♪

♪ There'll be days like this ♪

♪ When people understand
what I mean ♪

♪ There'll be days like this ♪

♪ When you ring out
the changes ♪

♪ Of how everything is ♪

♪ Well, my mama told me ♪

♪ There'll be days like this ♪

[vocalizing]

♪ Oh, my mama told me ♪

♪ There'll be days like this ♪

♪ Oh, my mama told me ♪

♪ There'll be days like this ♪♪