03x07 - Secrets

[bunniefuu]

-[soft music] -Would you?

- Would I what? - Come back to work.

If Karen wants me back

Karen will have to ask me.

Parkhurst asked me to organize this thing.

Richard, I thought this weekend was important to you, too.

[Richard] It is. But this is something I can't get out of.

If you weren't being audited on Monday

would you, uh, still be asking me back?

Eventually.

The answer is...no.

I'd like to see you sometime.

[theme music]

[Laura] 'I'm really looking forward to our weekend.'

- 'Get the plane tickets?' - 'Mm-hmm.'

[Laura] I'm going to pick them up on the way to work.

- Hotel all squared away? - Yep.

Twenty second floor with a view of the bay.

I made reservations at Fannie on Friday.

Bay Bridge Grill on Saturday

and Luscuriale on Sunday.

I called rent a car and we can pick the car up at the airport.

I'm extremely efficient, you know.

I'm sorry. I guess I'm kind of on edge.

- Is it something at work? - No. Nothing specific.

Nothing. A long weekend with a beautiful broad won't cure.

[chuckles] It sounds dirty.

I'm not making any promises.

I am.

[Gary] 'Well, I talked to all the dealers in the area'

'Mrs. Fleischman, and nobody's got medium font.'

What can I tell you? It's a very popular color.

Frankly, I prefer the red.

FEA.

- Well, it's your decision. - Gary, we need you.

Um, I'll tell you what, Mrs. Fleischman

why don't you come on down and take a look at it?

Yeah, right. Bye-bye.

Gary, what does FEA stand for?

Uh, FEA, uh, fender replacement?

No. Uh, front..

- Front end alignment. - Front end alignment.

Okay. How about TU?

TU, um..

Transmission overhaul.

Underhall.

Gary. Gary, we're being audited on Monday.

I don't have time to stand around

and play 20 questions with the Internal Revenue Service.

Sure beats going over the books.

Ah, and I can't figure this out either.

Well, there must be somebody who can.

- There is. - Somebody else.

Maybe you could hire a cryptographer.

You think that's very funny, don't you?

Karen, look, these are Abby's books.

She's the only one who can read them.

Now, I know how you feel about her.

I don't want to hear her more than you do.

She's a troublemaker. But I got to tell you

we haven't got much choice.

I fired her, Gary,

- That was premature. - I had to.

Well, now you got to hire her back.

She is not a forgiving person.

She's malicious, vengeful, vindictive.

- Want me talk to her? - No.

Just don't tell her I asked you.

[Andrew] 'The Matsuma Group. arrives tomorrow.'

[Richard] Yes, I know.

We are one of five firms they're considering to handle

their US securities investments.

I drew up a suggested portfolio.

You might want to look at.

[Andrew] Mr. Matsuma..

...is one smart fortune cookie.

Started right after the w*r.

Making those little paper parasols

that you put in Hawaiian c*ck.

Today, leads the field in microcomputers.

'And no doubt, uh'

his choice will be based on

sound financial analysis, Richard.

But I'd like you to throw a party.

Oh, you mean like a c*ck party?

Something a little more memorable, as they say.

My wife and I were planning to go to San Francisco

this weekend.

Sort of a second honeymoon.

We've got plane tickets, hotel reservations, everything.

Well, I am sorry, Richard, but we need you.

You did such a nice job for us when Mr. Franklin was in town.

You know, Mr. Parkhurst

I-I don't know a whole lot of..

I mean, the thing with Franklin, I just got lucky.

Get lucky again.

I don't want to make a habit of this, Mr. Parkhurst.

No, of course, of course.

This is the last time I'll impose on you a promise.

[Richard] Well, you might have a look at the list I drew up.

You bet.

- Ciao. - Ciao.

"Man's Navy cashmere pullover, hundred and fifty five dollars.

[Scooter] '"A pair of men's Lisle Hosiery'

"eighty nine dollars and twenty cents.

"Man's Green Silk Kimono, two hundred and twelve dollars.

Typewriter a pair, forty nine dollars."

He's a writer.

I don't care if he's F. Scott Fitzgerald.

F. Scott Fitzgerald is dead.

Well, I should be so lucky.

What a ghastly thing to say.

[Scooter] Muriel, I'm paying for your apartment.

I'm paying for your car. I'm paying for your food.

I'm paying for your clothes.

You think I'm going to pay for this guy's

entire wardrobe and his upkeep? You're crazy.

I'll end up with half anyway, so why be childish about it?

I thought you said this was an experiment.

It was.

You know, the man's half your age.

[chuckles]

How old is she?

She, you know, for the 498th time

I am not now, nor have I.

- I am not having an affair. - Even her husband knows.

- I've got work to do. - Don't worry I'm leaving.

[Scooter] Well, don't forget these.

What do you want me to do with it?

Don't ask.

[dramatic music]

You okay?

Yeah.

[sighs]

I'm going to be driving up to Santa Barbara

to see the Reezes stay on Friday.

You want to come along?

Does it have to be Friday?

Richard and I are going to San Francisco this weekend.

Oh. I'm sorry.

Oh, it's not important.

Well, we can take a later flight.

No. I can go up alone.

Is there anything else?

No.

[Abby] "Separate two large eggs."

[doorbell rings]

It's open.

This is disgusting.

- Hi, there. - Hi.

What, uh, what are you making here?

Cake.

Oh, it's alright.

There's coffee over there if you want some.

Uh, okay. Thanks.

[Olivia] 'You be the shark and I'll be the girl.'

- Hard day at the office, dear? - 'Uh, they're all hard.'

- How's business? - Not bad.

Karen's doing a lot better than I expected.

Sorry to hear it.

In fact, uh, the only place we're having any problems

is in the clerical end.

Uh..

"Mix the yolks into a cup of sugar."

[laughs] You know, uh..

...you really did a number on those books.

- Nobody can read them. - Except me.

[Olivia screaming] 'My leg. My leg.'

Alright, alright, that's enough.

Drown quietly. Please.

- 'Okay.' - 'Hey, mom.'

- Uh, Abby.. - Huh?

Just, um, just out of curiosity, uh..

...what is does stand for?

TU?

Boy, I don't know. I-I'd have to see it.

Would you?

- Would I what? - Come back to work.

Are you asking me, or is Karen?

Well, we both want you back.

Then why aren't both of you here?

[chuckling] What difference does it make?

Well, Karen is the one who fired me.

If Karen wants me back, Karen will have to ask me.

[Laura] You know, I wasted an entire morning

picking up tickets, calling restaurants, the hotel.

Look, there's nothing I can do.

Parkhurst asked me to organize this thing.

Why can't he hire a caterer?

[Richard] 'He wants me to do that.'

Richard, I thought this weekend was important to you, too.

[Richard] It is. But this is something I can't get out of.

I mean, there are times you've had to cancel.

Why don't we go up on Saturday?

I don't want to go for a day and a half.

- Why not? - Because I'd rather wait.

Till we can spend three days like we planned.

- And when's that going to be? - June 28th, 1991.

[door closes]

[female #1 on TV] 'County secretaries call it rug ranking.'

'Paying office workers according to the importance'

'of their bosses rather than according to the work they do.'

'When Los Angeles County opted to reclassify'

'some 1500 secretaries by the ranking.'

[phone ringing]

Hang on, babe. Hang on.

- Hello. - 'Hello, Kenny?'

Hey, Richard. How are you doing?

[Richard] 'I hope I'm not calling too late.'

No, I'm just feeding the baby.

I thought Ginger was breastfeeding.

She is, but she gets exhausted, so we switch off.

How do you manage that?

- With a bottle. - Oh.

Listen, Kenny, I wonder whether you could

help me out with something.

[indistinct chatter on TV]

[Richard] 'Blonde? Yeah.'

'No kidding.'

Should I mention your name?

Oh, sounds terrific, Kenny. Yeah.

'Thanks a lot. Kiss the baby for me.'

'Goodnight.'

What was that about?

[Richard] Oh, I was just asking Kenny about restaurants.

Kenny?

Yeah, well, when he and Ginger were separated

he ate out almost every night.

Look, I'm- I'm sorry I blew my top.

I-I'm just as disappointed as you are.

[Laura] Forget it.

[indistinct chatter]

[soft music]

Karen, this was really a lovely lunch. Thank you.

Oh, well

I'm glad we could do it. It was nice to talk.

Mm-hmm.

We covered a lot of subjects too, didn't we?

Uh, children, clothes

hair, makeup

men, movies, orgasms, even a little politics.

[laughs] We sure did.

Well, um, it's customary

to discuss business over brandy and cigars, so..

- Would you like a brandy? - No.

- Cigar? - Mm-hmm.

[chuckles]

Abby...I, uh..

...would like you to come back to work at Knots Landing Motors.

[Karen] 'I shouldn't have fired you in the first place'

but, it was..

...difficult for me after Sid's death.

'I had a lot to contend with.'

And I didn't, I suppose.

Sid was gone. My children were missing.

All I really did have... was that job.

Well, there was so much bad feeling between us

I thought it would be better for both of us

if we weren't working.

That's a lot of baloney, Karen.

You blamed me for a lot of things.

That was your way of evening the score.

Well, now we're even.

Tell me, if you weren't being audited on Monday

would you still be asking me back?

Well, um, maybe not today

'but, uh, uh, eventually.'

Yes, yes, uh, it's- it's been on my mind.

But you're in a bind right now, so you have to.

[chuckles] Yeah. That's right.

Well, the answer is...no.

Yes. Right away.

Well, they're here.

Ah, Mr. Matsuma.

I'm Andrew Parkhurst. Welcome to Los Angeles.

I hope your flight wasn't too tiring.

Oh, not at all.

My plane is quite comfortable.

Just like home.

Well, Richard, since you seem to know everyone

why don't you make the introductions?

Uh, Mr., uh, Mr. Grayson

Mr. Crowell, this is, uh, Mr. Matsuma.

Mr. Oshu. Mr. Konokogi

and Dr., forgive me.

Yoshida. It's quite alright.

You know, I always forget my children's names.

[laughter]

How many children do you have?

Oh, two.

[laughter]

Well, gentlemen, shall we make ourselves more comfortable?

Is this your first time in Los Angeles, Mr. Matsuma?

Yes, it is for all of us.

We thought, we'd have a drink, give you a little tour

of our operations, and then, uh

let you go back to the hotel, okay?

So what can we fix you to drink?

Would it be rude of me

to ask for tea?

No. No, not at all.

Richard.

I picked up some fancy tea at Thornton's.

Ask Miss Darts to brew up a pot of it

and bring it in with those fancy

little porcelain cups, will you?

You want me to bring in the investment portfolios?

No, no no, no, we don't want them to feel like

they're being rushed.

But you might stop by the hotel

and start going over the party arrangements.

Oh, I thought I'd do that when I dropped them off

after the meeting.

I don't need you here, Richard.

- The man to see is Raymond. - Raymond?

Yes. He's the banquet manager.

Oh, and, uh..

...how are you coming with the ladies?

Oh, I've lined up four so far.

All highly recommended.

Oh, great. Great.

I really appreciate your doing this.

Well, I hope we get the account.

So do I.

Oh, and, uh, don't forget the tea.

To tell you the truth, Scooter, I wasn't surprised

when he left me.

I never thought he'd give up his garden.

Well, thank you.

Mrs. Kaplan, this garden is spectacular.

Did you do it all yourself?

Mm. Harry and me.

Every weekend, every vacation.

After a while, I got sick of it.

I used to say, "Harry

why don't we go to- to Europe this August?"

And he'd say, "who'd take care of the garden?"

You know where he is now?

Europe with her.

Rose, maybe you shouldn't be so quick to sell.

I can't keep up the payments myself

and I'm damned if I'll let him have it.

Oh, I mean, you sure the situation

isn't just temporary?

Twenty-seven, Blonde, a lawyer with legs up to her neck.

Does that sound temporary to you?

Yeah.

You can say that because Muriel's kept her figure.

Hey, you've never looked better, Rose.

[Rose] Well, I haven't been eating.

Mrs. Kaplan, those are birds-of-paradise, right?

Mm-hmm. Harry's favorite flower.

- Rose, when is he coming back? - Next week, I think.

I'm gonna have a little talk with Harry.

- About her? - About the house.

I'm not going to have you living in some condo off

of Wilshire while he pleads temporary insanity.

You're a nice man, Scooter.

[birds chirping]

- Goodbye, Mrs. Avery. - Goodbye Mrs. Kaplan.

I-I'm sorry I wasted your time.

Oh, no, no.

I-it's so beautiful here. I wish we didn't have to go.

Well, thank you. Please come back.

- Bye, Rose. - Goodbye, Scooter.

You are a nice man, you know that?

Thirty-one, blonde

writer with legs like Bruce Jenner.

You know, it's not much consolation, but I can

drive to Santa Barbara on Friday if you still want me to.

Do I? Well, what happened to your weekend?

Richard's got a business party that he has to go to.

Well, I wouldn't want you to miss the party on my account.

It's okay, I wasn't invited.

Hundred and twelve bucks for lunch?

- What'd you order? - She.

She ordered two champagne c*ck

caviar, a $32 bottle of Chablis

to wash down the lobster, and a Grand Marnier soufflé.

Now, what are we going to do on Monday?

Uh, I look, there's only one solution.

- What? - We go through the books.

And what we can't figure out, we make up.

Do you really think the IRS is that stupid?

Well, it is a government agency.

I should have strangled her in the parking lot.

Gary, could you give me a hand with this?

[Karen] What the hell are you doing here?

I changed my mind.

Let's see now. Full bar, champagne.

Vintage, bartender, one waiter.

Sir, are you sure, one of our small banquet rooms

might not be more accommodating?

Quite sure.

The focus of the evening is not going to be the food.

[male #1] 'Sir.'

I was thinking of a cold buffet.

If I might make a suggestion, sir

we have an excellent sushi chef who's available after nine.

No, thanks. Cold poached salmon

crack crab, fillet of beef.

Maybe a couple of quiche. Salad.

[playing piano]

You get somebody to play this?

Other than yourself, sir?

This c*ck, music, atmosphere

something to set the mood.

And what would that be, sir?

The entertainment will be arriving separately.

There'll be six of them.

They shouldn't have any trouble finding the room.

I'll talk to the man at the desk.

We're entertaining some important people.

This is to be a private party.

[Richard] I'd like to keep it that way, both during and after.

I'm relying on you to ensure the discretion of your staff.

That's what I'm here for, sir.

[telephone ringing]

[exhales]

Great. Terrific.

[telephone ringing]

Hello.

[female #1] 'Hi, is Richard there?'

'Hello?'

Uh, Mr. Avery no en casa, at work.

[female #1] 'Well, I tried him at the office.'

'They gave me this number.'

[speaking in foreign language]

Message for Mr. Avery?

[female #1] 'Uh, no. Gracias.'

[speaking foreign language] 'No message.'

[speaking foreign language]

What time do you have to get back?

Oh, there's no rush.

I'm sure Richard won't be home till late.

Well, what's the party?

Something for the firm.

Well, then we can have dinner.

But that's the only reason I came up.

You really like this color?

It's so, so bright.

Well, it's red.

- Where do you want these? - Oh, anywhere.

Is that April or May?

Do you want it May?

- I'm going to need April to. - Sure.

Could I have a cup of coffee, Karen?

- Want some coffee? - Yeah.

- Okay. - Thanks.

- Sugar? one. - Mm.

- No cream? - Right.

There you go.

- Thank you. - Mm-hmm.

You know, you'd make a terrific secretary.

[dramatic music]

Is Larry meeting us at the house?

- Larry? - Larry Bergman.

- Isn't it his listing? - Yeah.

Well, what time are we meeting him?

Oh, no, we're not meeting him.

Oh, no. He just left us the key.

So why are you driving so fast?

I've had it.

She's only going to be here a couple of months.

I have been up and down those stairs nine times.

She's appropriated my desk.

She has me serving coffee and donuts.

You want me to run interference for you?

Is that a football metaphor?

Look, I'll tell you what? You talk Mrs. Fleishman

into taking the bread. And I'll wait

on Lucretia Borgia for a while, okay?

[Abby] 'Karen.'

I won't give her the satisfaction.

[Abby] 'Karen, I need you.'

Coming.

- Bye now. - Bye.

[instrumental music]

[Laura] Thank you.

Where did he leave the key?

Somewhere in this bush.

Uh, hanging on something, and I've got it.

[Scooter] Wait till you see this house.

Eighteen rooms, two swimming pools

guest house and two tennis courts.

Two tennis courts?

That's what the man said. Two tennis courts.

Not one, but two, huh?

- Okay. How much? - You want a guess?

Mm..

- Two-four. - That's a very good guess.

Come on here.

- Where are the owners? - In Austria, skiing.

[Scooter] They own a house there, too.

[Laura] Oh, that is not fair.

♪ Your looks are laughable ♪

♪ Unphotographable ♪

♪ Yet you're my favorite work of art ♪

♪ Is your figure less than Greek? ♪

♪ Is your mouth a little weak? ♪

♪ When you open it to speak ♪

♪ Are you smart? ♪

♪ But don't change your hair for me ♪

♪ Not if you care for me ♪

♪ La la la la la la ♪

♪ Stay little valentine stay ♪♪

So, are you from Pomona?

No, I just went to school there.

Oh. Did you graduate?

Summa c*m laude.

Hey, Alfred, isn't your daughter at Pomona?

- Huh? - No, I don't think so.

Right now, I'm working on my master's.

Oh. In what? Biology?

Economics.

[chuckles] Excuse me.

You know what I'm nuts for?

- Sushi. - You like sushi?

Crazy for it. It's so healthy.

My favorite is a thing called, uh, California roll.

Rice, crab, avocado and sesame seeds

all wrapped up in seaweed.

California roll.

Do you get avocados in Japan?

Avocados?

In this kind of market, the main thing

is to spread your bets.

What is spread your bets?

Diversify.

Ah.

Real estate. That's the ticket.

It's the gamblers who get hurt.

They're the ones who have all the fun.

[laughs]

You are very pretty girl.

You like American girls, huh?

Oh, very much.

You better watch your step.

- I take karate. - Karate?

- Which style? - Shotokan.

No kidding. And I just got my black belt.

Black belt? That's a very high rank.

You bet. And my thighs are registered

with the police department.

[laughs] Oh.

I hate the market. I once knew this guy from Vegas

and he-he turned me on to some-some gaming stock.

It was one of those big hotels

you know, he said he had an inside track.

I watch your stuff go from 23 and up to forty

and then back down to 17 in three months.

A lot of people got hurt on those issues.

Stay out of the market.

- You want to dance? - Uh-uh.

I like some more champagne, though.

This is fantastic champagne.

Why don't we dance first?

Oh, okay.

T-bills. You should put all your money in T-bills.

T-bills?

[Scooter] Do you have any ideas?

I don't think we're going to sell this place

to any multiples.

[Laura] Well, why don't we discuss it over dinner?

Sure. What would you like to eat?

Oh, I don't know. Nothing particular.

- How about Italian? - Sure.

Oh, I just remembered I have a whole case of wine

in the trunk of the car I forgot to unload.

Should I bring it in here?

We can open a bottle and drink it here.

Then what?

Dinner.

[chuckles] I'm really very bad at this.

You shouldn't try so hard.

- I shouldn't? - No.

I feel like a high school kid on his first date.

Oh. That's nice.

It's not nice. It's ridiculous.

I mean, we're not exactly strangers.

Sometimes that's easier.

You said you had a bottle of wine in the car?

Yeah. Do you want some?

Sure.

I have to admit something else.

This house isn't even for sale.

It's owned by some friends of mine.

They asked me to look after it.

So this whole trip up here and the wine

in the car was all planned.

Why didn't you just ask me?

I was afraid you'd say no.

You're so beautiful.

[instrumental music]

A most enjoyable evening, Mr. Avery. Thank you.

Well, I'm glad you had such a good time.

Will you ladies make sure Mr. Matsuma

gets safely back to his room?

- Oh, sure. - We'll tuck him in bed.

And tell him a story.

[laughter]

[door closes]

[clanking]

Marni.

Marni, party's over. Time to go home.

Marni, wake up.

Marni.

Up. Wake up.

You got to get out of here. I got to get out of here.

Marni.

[tense music]

[clapping] Wake up.

Leave this.

- Am I doing something wrong? - No.

No, it's just so long since I've necked on a couch.

Is it the wrong place? Is it the wrong time?

It's the wrong reason.

Richard didn't go to a party.

He's with some girl.

Are you saying that's why you came here?

- I led you on. - You led yourself on.

Will you stop being so damned understanding?

I wouldn't want this, Laura.

I wouldn't want it this way if you're just doing it for spite.

Why not?

Ego. I know you weren't doing it for me.

Maybe I just better take you home.

[Scooter sighs]

Um..

...okay.

Are you, uh, are you hungry?

Yeah.

Well, we could still have some dinner, couldn't we?

[door opens]

[soft dramatic music]

[sighs]

Ah!

[music continues]

[indistinct]

[door closes]

Okay, Marni.

Come on, sweetheart, wake up.

Wake up.

I got you home, but now you gotta wake up.

Come on.

Wake up. Come on.

Look, we gotta get you walking.

You got to walk. Come on.

Walk. Walk.

Come on. Walk.

Walk. Move your leg.

I thought you told me things were getting better.

They were for a while.

This Parkhurst job was like a new lease

on life for Richard.

He was finally working with people who appreciated him.

That's very important to him.

He'd come home at night full of talk

about gold prices and mergers and jokes he heard over lunch.

He was even interested in my work.

For a few months things were wonderful.

We even talked about having another baby.

And then what happened?

I don't know. I really don't know.

At first I thought he was just coming off a high.

He stopped talking about work.

He refused to talk about work, in fact.

And when I pressed him, he'd snap at me.

Started in how I was neglecting Jason.

All the old stuff.

Lately we don't talk at all

except to fight

and we've even lost our enthusiasm for that.

Marni, please.

You're young.

You're not walking the streets.

You're not walking at all.

Come on.

[Richard] Let me get a part in a movie.

But first you have to wake up.

I'm going to call home, okay?

[line ringing]

No answer?

I really didn't think there would be.

Marni, I can't hold you up anymore.

If I put you down, you're never going to wake up.

Marni!

Alright.

Okay. You asked for it.

Let me do this. Come on.

- Laura. - Hi, there.

Where is this?

This is my place.

Marni. Remember from the party?

Oh, yeah. The party.

[Richard sighs]

Uh, Marni, did you tell me something?

How much do you weigh?



You carried me up all the stairs, didn't you?

I'm real sorry about that.

I popped a couple loose before I came.

I shouldn't do that.

I thought you'd never wake up.

Oh, it was the shower that did it.

That was real smart of you.

I'm awful sorry about your suit, too.

I'll pay for the dry cleaning.

Unless, uh..

Unless there's some other way I can make it up to you.

I'll tell you what.

I'll pay for the dry cleaning.

Um...what time is it?

It's around eleven.

Eleven? Got to be later than that.

I mean, the party didn't break up till after midnight.

It's 11 in the morning, silly.

Oh, my God.

[Marni] 'You told me to wake you up when your suit was dry.'

Hope I didn't get you in any trouble.

Here.

Where are my shoes?

Um, oh, I put them in the microwave.

What?

Here.

- Where's your socks? - Forget about my socks.

Just get my shoes on.

You want me to call your wife?

I mean, pretend I'm a secretary or something.

- I'm a very good actress. - No, no, no.

Listen, that was really nice of you to do what you did.

- Oh, forget it. - I don't want to forget it.

Most guys would've left me in the hotel, you know.

I'd like to see you sometime.

And not because I owe you, I want to.

- Will you call me sometime? - Sure.

- Promise? - Promise.

[instrumental music]

- Here. - Alright. Bye.

Morning, darling.

- Hi. - Hi.

Did you take a little, uh, little dip this morning, huh?

Oh, you don't know.

How was the party?

Brutal. We ended up at Parkhurst

tossing down hot Saki.

I fell in the pool.

Oh. Poor baby.

I took the phone off the hook when I got home.

It was so late.

Did you try and call?

I passed out.

- How was Santa Barbara? - Dull.

Why don't you go upstairs and change

and I'll make you some breakfast? You look miserable.

Yeah, I guess I'll take a hot shower.

Okay. Scrambled eggs alright?

- Fine. - Good.

Uh, what does, uh, VJ mean?

Hmm?

Right here.

McDowell 21055, VJ.

- Valve job. - Valve job.

And OP?

[female #2] 'Service desk. Line 2.'

- Oil pump. - Oil pump.

If you don't mind me saying so, Mrs. Cunningham

your bookkeeping methods are a bit unorthodox.

I know. I do everything that way.

It's been three hours already. Wow.

Yeah, they do take their time.

I wonder how it's going.

All I know is she's wearing a silk blouse and no bra.

[knock on door]

[door opens]

[Laura] Hi.

Uh, just spoke to Muriel.

Her young Hemingway just cleared out

so come on and all, and she wants to come back

and I told her I wasn't ready.

- Scooter, please. - No, no, no, no.

It's not just you. Sit down.

I mean, you're part of it

but, it's really more.

Uh, when Muriel walked out on me

I-it really threw me for a loop.

[Scooter] 'I guess I'd been married so long'

I didn't think there was any other way you could live.

Or anyone else to live with.

- Scooter. - No, no. Please hear me out.

Uh, about a week ago

I stopped feeling so panicked

I began to get my bearings.

And you just sharpened my perspective.

[Scooter] 'I mean, believe me, I am not looking for a replacement.'

[knock on door]

- Hi, Richard. - Hi. I don't mean to butt in.

I mean, if I'm interrupting anything.

No. Come on in.

Richard, what are you doing here?

I thought maybe we could have lunch.

I already have a lunch date.

Is-is there someplace we could talk?

I mean, just-just for a few minutes.

Listen, I'm just leaving. You're welcome to stay here.

Richard, can't this wait till tonight?

I'll see you later.

What is it, Richard? I've really got to leave.

Well, uh..

I didn't fall in a pool.

I fell in a shower.

I really don't want to hear about it.

I-it's not what you're thinking.

T-the party I arranged, Parkhurst has asked me to do it

because he wanted some girls there.

And he doesn't like doing his own dirty work.

- So you did it for him? - I didn't have any choice.

- Could have said no. - I tried.

He was very insistent. This is a big account.

He hired you as a lawyer, Richard

not to do his pimping for him.

- Laura, that is not the point. - It is the point.

One of the girls passed out.

I found her behind the couch after everyone left.

I couldn't wake her up, so I took her home

carried her home, three flights of stairs

'and I found some pills in her bag.'

She'd had a lot to drink, and I-I was afraid

if I couldn't wake her up..

Anyway, I put her in the shower

but she kept falling over, so I-I propped her up

and held her under the spray.

And was that enough, or did she require mouth to mouth?

[sighs] I was soaked.

I didn't want to go home in wet clothes.

So you- you took them off to dry?

That's right. And then I fell asleep.

And what happened when you woke up?

- Nothing. - Oh, but you saved her life.

- Wasn't she grateful? - Nothing happened.

I wouldn't blame you, you know.

All those stairs, you earned it.

Laura, I ran out of there.

Nothing happened, I swear to God.

You really expect me to believe that?

Do we owe Uncle Sam any money?

Well, I haven't finished my final computations

but I believe it to be in the area of a few hundred dollars.

You know, it might be nice to treat Mrs. Cunningham

to an accounting course.

Double entry bookkeeping is really a thing of beauty.

Oh, well, we'll do that.

- Alright. - Well, so long.

So long.

[both laugh]

We passed.

That guy wasn't even tough, believe me.

He was overmatched.

Well, I bet you're going to be real sorry to see me go.

I missed my desk.

Well, to tell you the truth, four days

is about all I can take anyway.

I mean, I like to work. But a car dealership?

[chuckles]

No, I think maybe an advertising agency

or a public relations firm

or maybe even buying for some fabulous store.

And I've forgotten just how dull this place was.

Nothing but mechanics and salesmen.

Well, it's different for you, of course.

I mean, you have your whole life here.

It's a challenge to you.

I don't intend to spend the rest of my life

however, selling cars.

I want something a little more glamorous.

[cup shatters]

[tense music]

[Abby] Sid gave me this cup.

He had it made for me. A little..

...little place down in Venice.

He gave it to me the first day I started to work here.

Oh, well..

...it's just a cup.

Abby.

How would you feel about staying on?

I mean..

Well, you know, until, till something

interesting comes up.

[chuckles]

After what I put you through, are you kidding?

I'm willing to call it a draw. Are you?

[inhales and exhales] Point, set, match.

Well, the whole thing was an enormous success.

Exactly what I had in mind.

Oh, and the piano player.

That was a nice touch, Richard. Nice touch.

Wonderful food, champagne and the ladies.

My God, Richard, where did you find them?

Did we land the account?

Well, they're making a decision this week

but I'd be very surprised

if they didn't throw some business our way.

[phone buzzes]

Excuse me.

[clears throat]

Yes, Miss Darts.

No. I didn't realize it was that late.

Uh, tell him I'll be just a moment.

Sorry, Richard, I have to cut it short.

Oh, that's okay.

Listen, if, uh, if we get this account

it's-it's something I'd like to work on.

Well, fine. Fine.

Let me talk it over with Grayson.

- Great. - But in the meantime..

- Thanks. - What's this?

Well, open it, Richard, open it.

- Ciao. - Ciao.

[soft music]

My God.

Can I watch TV now?

Sure, go ahead.

[crickets chirping]

[music continues]

[theme music]