01x01 - Repetition Compulsion

[bunniefuu]

Hi, everybody.

Okay, so today
I wanna talk about something

that could be maybe ruining
your current relationship as we speak.

Super important.

It is called repetition compulsion.

This is basically
a very fancy psychological term

for when you keep doing the same sh*t
over and over again,

even when you think
that you are doing different sh*t.

So have you ever wondered
why you can pick somebody

who's just, like,
totally, completely different

from anybody you have
ever been with before,

but then you wind up feeling
the exact same way that you always do?

Repetition compulsion.

That is why.

It starts in your childhood.

Because what doesn't?

You know, like I always say,

when we're talking about relationships,

parent and partner
are just one letter off.

How you got parented
is how you get partnered.

Finn!

Come on, sweetie. Let's go. Let's go.

You have 45 seconds.

Actually, 30 seconds, or right now.

School, buddy, let's go.

Why though?

Um, well, that is a great question.

In life, you really have two options.

You can go to school or you can
be a busboy at Parmesan Garden.

Okay.
Your choice.

Can you take me to Dark Lotus later?

I wanna try out my new deck.

Yes, of course. Absolutely.

Also...

...we did not get that house, Finn.

Sorry, Mom.

No, I'm sorry,
because you deserve actual walls.

Also, today is the day my dad--

Are you so hyped?

Hyped?
I think maybe I'm more terrified.

Cool.

Listen. So my dad is going
to try to make you like him.

He's gonna be charming
and funny and insightful and seductive.

- Okay.
- I'm sorry. It's a lot of words.

Am I supposed to call him "Grandpa"?

Uh... I don't know.

I don't even know
if I'm gonna let you two meet yet.

How you doin'?

Paige Renee.

You look good, girl.

Hmm. You too.

Come over here, come.
Give-give your dad some sugar now.

- Mm!
- Oh!

Ooh. You're so hyped.

You ready to be unprisoned?

Oh, yes, sir.

So... this mean I can do my thing
in privacy now?

Oh, my God.

It's just a joke, baby.
Okay.

You ready?
Yeah.

Ah!

Oh, hallelujah!

Whoo!

Once a week, check-ins
for drug testing and career counseling.

And I assume he'll be living with you?

That's a no-go.
Oh, absolutely not.

Well we do recommend parolees
live with family

to give them the best chance
of staying out.

Yeah, no, of course, that makes sense.

But I-I only have two rules,

and one of them
is that he cannot live with me.

- The other is don't ask for money.
- And don't ask for money.

But what my daughter doesn't know
is that I'm out for good this time.

And you, you're gonna see.

Free at last.

I have heard this before.

In 1986, 1992, 1998,
actually, December of '97,

and then most famously in 2005.

So, you know, I mean, what's different?

What's different is that
I mean it this time, Paige.

Plus, I'm staying with my boy Fox.

Now Fox and I, we go all the way back.

People you go all the way back with

are usually the same people
who got you here.

So this Fox person is not in the life?

No, sir, not anymore.

'Cause Fox is one of those
in-the-life names.

You know, your dad needs
a safe place to live.

Yeah, but my place is very tiny.

Well, you have a sofa, right?

And I also have
a very impressionable 16-year-old son.

Who your dad says
needs a male figure in his life.

And by male figure,
you were thinking career criminal?

I'm sure you want your dad
to stay out of prison, Miss Alexander.

Uh, call me Paige.

Okay. Paige.

Then maybe you should do

more than just put
a Black Lives Matter sign

on your front lawn,

because I'm sure you have one of those.

- Wow.
- Yeah, you know, it's Minneapolis.

Everyone has one.

Um, okay, well,
I feel like it's time to go.

Are we, are we done?

My job is to keep your dad outta prison.

I understand.

I take it very seriously.

My man Mal.

I'll see you next week.

Oh.
- Uh--

Uh, Mal?
Yes.

You were wrong about the BLM sign,

because it's not on my lawn,
it's in my window.

- He liked you.
- Oh, please.

Paige, you date any Black men yet?

Oh, God. Also, please.

I didn't think so.

You know, you are the one
who moved to Minnesota, right?

So don't blame me if my hormones came in

and I looked up and saw Peter Lindgren

in all his blonde, Scandinavian,
expressionless glory

and said, "Are you my boyfriend?"

- Man.
- Where to first?

- When do I get to meet my grandson?
- No. Not that.

Starbuck.

I ain't never been to Starbuck.
Can you believe that?

Okay. Yeah.
We will do better than "Starbuck."

You know, Mal is right about you.

You're kinda bougie, girl.

Good morning, Kaylee.

Now, that is a beautiful name
for a beautiful girl,

on an especially beautiful day.

I love that.

What can I do for you two?

- Can I--
- You know what, Kaylee?

God is good.
Hmm.

Please excuse him.

He likes a lot of attention.

Can I get two double cappuccinos?
One with Oat milk.

Uh, can I get one of these?

- Yeah.
- Can I get a name?

Edwin.

That sh*t is expensive.

Okay.

We wait down here.

So who's the guy?

Uh, what makes you think
that there's a guy?

Because it's obvious
you can't go five minutes

without looking at your phone.

No one can go five minutes
without looking at their phone.

Ain't that a b*tch.

But there's a guy,
and his name is Bill and he's amazing.

That is a boring-a*s white man.

Wh--

I spent five years
living with a boring-a*s white family,

so maybe that's what
love looks like to me.

Now you know it don't make no difference
if the female's in love

if the man don't love her back.

Now women gotta be careful
with that sh*t, Paige.

Are you giving me relationship advice?

Because I am
the marriage and family therapist.

Licensed and everything.

That's just paper, girl.

You know, I understand the male psychology
and if I can prevent--

Edwin!
- Oh!

g*dd*mn. Do they call at you like that?

- You're okay.

Okay. Okay.
- Okay.

Uh, I-I think that you should
pick your underwear.

- Okay.
- Yeah.

Uh--

Have you thought about a job yet?

I drove a cab once.

Okay.

I'll do that, Paige.

Well, things are a little different now
because we have ride sharing,

and to do that,
you have to have a license.

And to have a license,
you gotta get a Social Security Number.

But to get a Social Security Number,
you gotta have a license and insurance.

And there's all these systems in place
that just want you to fail, so--

Oh, baby girl. Baby girl.

- Yeah.
- That's a lot of fear.

I told you,
I'm not going back to the joint.

Paige?

Never... ever.

There's some fine-a*s women up in here.

Yeah, I'm gonna go pick up some dinner.

Yeah, okay.

I'm gonna check the T-shirts here.
Okay!

How you doin'?

Come on, Bill.

Show me the bubbles.

Where are the bubbles?

Here you go.

Thank you.

Mm-hmm.

Okay.

Okay, some of you might know

that my dad is getting out
of prison after 17 years,

and today is the day.

So we're just at the store,
you know, picking up some stuff,

and he has disappeared.

And I have no idea where he is.

I don't know if he's in the bathroom

or if he's in the detergent aisle.

No. Or maybe he's in Leavenworth.

That is a prison if you did not know.

And I-- Oh.

- Hey!
- There he is.

I've been looking everywhere for you.

Where you been?

This is why I am like this.

Uh, meet Sandy.
Sandy, my daughter Paige.

Hi.
Hi.

- Edwin's told me so much about you.
- Okay.

Hi, Sandy.

More later.

Sandy and I struck up an acquaintance

and she very generously offered
to help me out.

Well, it's not right
what the system does.

Oh. Oh. Okay.
So what do you have in here?

We have some towels and some bath mats
and socks and condoms.

Cool.

Sandy and I are having lunch.

Uh, tomorrow?
Mm-hmm.

- Can we talk?
- Yeah.

Great. Excuse us.

Listen, Sandy, I'm not sure
what has happened to you in your life,

but you can do so much better than my dad.

No, it's true. Because he's not
taking you to lunch.

He has no money.
He also has no phone and no car.

And he is just a bad idea for you
or any woman, for that matter.

It's okay 'cause you're a winner.

I really think...

What are you--
...what you need...

Wh--

Yeah, I need to come back here
without you.

What?

You blocking my game.

Please choose a payment method.

Excuse me.
I need to choose my payment method.

Them m*therf*ckers,
they got you working for them, huh?

You just a checkout girl right now.

Okay.

Come on.
Okay.

That's some funny sh*t.

Come on!

You promise me you'll deal with
a real checkout counter from now on?

You're stealing jobs from people, Paige.

Okay, so it's not even lunch,

and you're already driving me crazy.

Well, now you're not the easiest
to be around either, darling.

Oh-h*!

Alright, Paige, alright.

I had a lot of time
to think about this in the joint.

I got one daughter,

you got one daddy.

We gonna have to work this out.

I really missed you.

I've actually done...
just fine without you.

Isn't that weird?

Totally fine.

No, I understand.

You had to think you were doing fine.

So can I, can I give you this?

Yeah, thank you.

Hold up. Hold up!

You're gonna need this.

Thank you, baby.

Wow.

They didn't have these
the last time I went in.

Mm-hmm.
- I kinda miss the flip.

Bill, are you there?

No.

Oh, Bill, where are you?

Where is you, Bill?

So your dear old dad
gets out of the joint today

and this Bill dude
ain't even hitting you back?

He ain't the one.
Stop it.

I'm telling you.
Stop.

He is probably with his children

or working

because he's very successful.

He's divorced though, right?
Yes.

Almost.

Listen, rich people's divorces
take a very long time.

But it's all amicable.

Amicable.
Mm-hmm.

Man, they the ones
you really gotta watch out for, Paige.

They haven't let go.

- Men vote with their feet...
- Okay.

...their fingertips, and their wallets.

Now if he's not
walking with you or calling you

or spending money on you,

he ain't really with you.

Put your seatbelt on.

- Okay.
- Yeah.

Mark my words.

- Men make time for what matters the most.
- Oh.

This from the man who was basically gone
my entire childhood.

I was always there for you.

Yeah.
If by always you mean--

"This call is from a federal prison.

"You will not be charged for this call.

This call is from... Edwin."

Yeah, you nailed it.

You are lucky I didn't press seven.

She knows you're coming
to get your stuff, right?

Nadine always was a moneymaker.

Okay, so you go ahead in
and I will wait right here.

Don't be like that.

The woman raised you.

Just come in and say hi.

No, thank you.

Nadine is like--

What is that? What is that?

She's-- You know, she's got nunchucks.

She's just swinging them around,
nunchuckin' her a*s off.

So I stay out of her radius.

Yeah, okay.

She not that bad.

She is exactly that bad.

You're really gonna wear that sh*t
from 2004, Edwin?

2004 and a half.

You know I got a new one every six months.

So how's Paige doing?

Fine. She's in the car.

Of course she is.

You know, I comment on her Instagram
and she ignores me.

Nadine, you did what you could.

Oh-h-h, yeah.

Here we go.

Girl, where are my rings at?

Oh.

Hey, baby.

Paigela. How's your day so far?

It's fine, I guess.

Oh, hey, did you hear back on the house?

Yes. They went with an all-cash offer.

Ah. sh*t. Well--

The real estate market right now,
cash is king.

But then when is cash not king?

Yeah. I can't believe I managed to save
20% down and it's still not enough.

You know what you need?

Some indigenous dumplings.

I am taking you to Owamni.

Owamni? When?

In like two months?
That place is booked solid.

I'll call in a favor for you
'cause you're special.

Okay. Really?

You know I don't like it
when you're not happy.

Plus, I had a dream
about their stuffed squash pasta.

Mm!

In your world, that's like a sign, right?

Um, okay, I gotta, I gotta jump.

Uh, count on Saturday.

Okay.

Oh, God, no!

See, this is what I'm talking about.

You'd think I feel different
after 30 years.

I have a Volvo SUV now
and an 800 credit score.

But the universe is like, "b*tch, so?"

Your dad is f*ck' this same hoe
from 1992.

Your boyfriend gives you fancy dinners
instead of actual attention

or emotional support.

But there's nothing you can do about it.

Talk about repetition compulsion.

These men are gonna keep you
feeling the same way

over and over

until you get a healing.

Makes me sick.

Wait. Does anyone know
where I can get a healing?

Whoo!

Christ on a crutch.

You scared the sh*t out of me!

Can you please close your robe?
- Oh!

Oh, God.

What are you doing? What are you doing?

Cool coat.

Yeah, okay, okay.

You can't do it, can you?

You can't just do what's right,
for me, for half a day, right?

'Cause you're so selfish and desperate.

Oh, relax. The man was horny.

I get my knees bent over here--

Okay, well, you know, real parents
know that even if you're horny,

you don't traumatize your child.

But you're not real parents.

Hold up.
Oh!

- No. Hold up now. Hold up now.
- f*ck you! I did a good job.

Oh, no. You don't get
to write your own Yelp reviews.

- Hey, Paige, stop now.
- I was there.

Nadine! Nadine!

- No--
- Paige, stop now!

How could you just leave me
with this woman

and her cluster B personality disorder?

That's what you think of me?

No. No, no. It's not a thought.
It's a diagnosis.

Baby girl, I had no other choice.

Oh, f*ck you!

Yes, f*ck me, f*ck me, f*ck me.

I did the best I could.

You could have left me with the Nelsons.

I'm so tired of hearing

about your sainted "foster parents."

Oh, no, don't--
No, don't do the thing with the quotes.

No, no. They are my actual foster parents.

Whatever.

Oh, speak of the saints.

It's my actual foster sister Esti.

f*ck.

Okay, get your sh*t.

Get dressed!

Welcome home.

Just sit here.

Be like the rest of America.

Be on your phone.

Just don't touch anything.

And where are you going?

Whoa!

Finneas.

Finneas James.

Edwin.

Your granddad.

Obviously.

You know, I kept every single card
you ever sent me.

Boy! Look at you.

Good-looking kid.

Aren't you supposed to be
at school right now?

Sometimes I skip my last two classes.

When I see my mom is out.

Your phone tells you
when your mom is out?

It does.
If you activate Family Sharing
on her phone.

Isn't she supposed to be
doing that with you?

She's not that mom.

Are you gonna tell on me?

Oh, no, man.

School's very important,
but there are other ways to learn.

Now, your mom is not gonna tell you that.

I will.

Man, this has been a day.

I'm hungry. You hungry?

Well, let me see what you got over here.

Kale and wild rice salad.

Curried chicken "quin-oa."

Salad.

What is this sh*t?

Y'all don't have, like, a turkey sandwich?

Dude, same.

Is this what she cooks for you?

She doesn't really cook.

She more like heats up.

So they're taking my offer?

Almost. You have to sign this.

Two-week escrow.

No loan contingency
and no inspection contingency.

What does that mean?

If anything goes wrong,
you're on your own.

Oh, well, that's the story of my life.

So how is your dad?
It's today, right?

Uh, you know, my dad is my dad.

I will never forget him
walking into church,

wearing an all-white suit and a fur coat.

Oh, my God!

I thought Mom was gonna drop her hymnal.

I was in love.

How are your mom and dad?

Fine.

Yeah, they're still
your mom and dad too, you know.

Why doesn't it feel that way?

'Cause you don't
have us over for dinner.

Uh, yeah, you've got 16 minutes.

It's perfect, right?

- It's actually kind of a mess.
- What?

Yeah, but, you know,
you're a foster child,

you just want a home
no one can ever make you leave.

I feel qualified to say that
having spent six years...

...in a Korean orphanage...

And having shared a room with you,

so, I feel you, sis.

Yeah, I feel felt.

Good.
Mm-hmm.

Thank you.

Are we celebrating something?

No, no, no, no, no.

These are casual flutes of champagne.

I should sign, right?

Yeah.
I should.

You know--
Here she goes.

- For Finn.
- For Finn.

And for me.

For you.
Okay, ready?

Oh, yeah.

Whoo!

- Congrats.
- Thank you.

You're a homeowner.

Homeowner.

One kale and wild rice omelet.

Dig in.

Yeah. Your grandfather
used to cook for hundreds of people.

I bet you didn't know that.

What did you do?

I mean, to go to jail.

I wasn't in a jail, boy.

I was in the penitentiary.

It's a... federal lockup.

Does that mean you were,
like, lording harder?

Yeah, that's exactly what that means.

I was lording harder.

Mom says you're just gonna go back.

Oh. Is that what Mom says?

Mama's wrong.
Different this time.

Why?

Because I have you.

I'm getting me a straight job.

Maybe I could cook somewhere.

Parmesan Garden.

I used to take your mom there
all the time when she was young.

Mm-hmm.

I think I'm gonna go to math class.

The f*ck?

- Edwin!
- Fox.

Lookin' good.

My man.

You lookin' good too, bro.

- Paige. Booger.
- Yeah.

Bring it in.
Oh!

Ah!

Ribs are just about done.
Let me fix you a plate.

Oh, thanks, Uncle Fox, but I can't.

I have to--

Is that a g*n?

Yo, Edwin.

Fox.

God damn, player. You work fast.

Hey, she fine.

That's my daughter, youngblood.

I gotta go.
- My bad.

- Okay.
- Okay. Ok--

Paige?
- Yeah.

It's gonna be alright.

Yeah. I'll call you later. Maybe.

Hey, what the f*ck, man?

My bad.

I didn't know.

So you can just forget about the past

not repeating itself

because your unconscious mind
wants a do-over

and what it wants it gets.

Your mind just wants you to grow.

You... you want you to grow.

You wanna wake up and know

maybe this time he will show up for me.

Or maybe this time
he won't go back to prison.

And that's when you start to realize

that maybe this sh*t
isn't happening to you.

Maybe it's happening for you.

- Sadiiq.
- What up?

Why would a b*tch send me
a little picture of an eggplant?

Because ultimately

what you really, really want is a healing.

And all you have to do to get it...

is say yes.
Mom?

Mom?

Mom!

What? sh*t. Oh, I'm so sorry, baby.

- I was supposed to--
- There's somebody at the door.

Hey, baby girl.

What are you doing here?

I thought about it.

And I really, really
want things to be different.

So I'm being different.

Hi, Grandpa.

Hey.

Woo-hoo!