01x07 - Brotherhood

[bunniefuu]

Hi, mom...

And Paul, and Patricia.

Well, I'm here.

It's not exactly the holiday inn, as you can see.

Um, mostly, uh...

Mostly we're filling sandbags and cleaning vehicle filters.

In this particular w*r it's really important to keep the mechanisms clean because of all the sand, which can be as much of a thr*at as any m*ssile that S*ddam can send, Capt. Sommers says.

Uh, I can't say much, but pretty soon we're gonna get into the real action and we're well prepared, I tell ya.

( Loud music playing )

Guys, can you... do you mind?

I'm sending this home to my folks.

I'll be done in a minute!

Uh, what else?

Uh...

We're protecting your ass, folks!

I love you, America, thank you!

C'mon, I'm just...

Guys, you wanna say hello to Victor's folks?

Hi, mom!

( Victor ) C'mon, you guys, dammit!

Sorry, mom.

Some of these guys are kinda crazy.

They're good soldiers.

I'm getting a lot of responsibility here.

I think it's been very beneficial in terms of personal leadership skills and getting a job, a lot more than had I stayed at home.

Well, I've got a lot to do before lights out, so, until next time, this is private first class Victor Kovitch signing off.

( Male knocking ) Hey, buddy, brought you the latest "south park".

( Beeper vibrating )

f*ck, David.

Hey, sleepyhead.

You know, I had the weirdest dream.

Really.

Yeah.

This guy comes into my house, at like four A.M., he climbs into my bed, but, instead of having his way with me, he just passes out!

And all night long he keeps jerking.

That is weird.

And, he talked in his sleep.

Yeah, what'd he say?

It was completely unintelligible, but angry.

There was even teeth grinding.

That explains the headaches.

I was thinking that exposure to formaldehyde had given me a brain tumor.

Hey, would you like some caffeine with that tumor?

Okay.

David, I can't.

( David ) Why not?

Because last night I drove Mr. Senopolis' body all the way to San Jose, then straight back, I barely got four hours sleep.

And frankly, I'm getting tired of always getting the shitty jobs you don't want.

I'm half owner of this business.

You can't legally do intake without me.

You're not a licensed funeral director.

I'm getting my license next month.

If you pass the test.

Hey, thanks for the vote of confidence.

How am I supposed to study for that test on only four hours sleep a night?

Coffee and diet pills worked for me.

Nate, I can't pick her up, I've got a Deacon's meeting, and Rico's got Vanessa's ultrasound.

sh*t, the last time I had to pick somebody up at a nursing home, nobody had even told the roommate she was dead.

I had to.

Just be thankful we've got the business.

Just thankful I'm not you.

What?

Oh, it's Mr. Senopolis, sorry.

f*ck, I smell like a dead guy!

No, you smell fine.

Your life stinks, you complain all the time, and that's really dull.

Huh.

Didn't realize I was boring you.

Nate, you need to take a break, some major stress release that's not me.

It's too much responsibility.

I thought you liked being an undertaker's girlfriend.

Is that what I am to you?

Your girlfriend?

I like to think of you as my mistress.

Well, then, you better start buying me a lot more sh*t, mistah.

God, I love you.

Okay...

I said it, let's just move on.

Let's go to two bunch palms this weekend.

Uh, what?

f*ck it, yes, I'm gonna take the weekend off and David can just bite me.

This weekend?

Yeah, we'll sit in hot mud, we'll get massages, we'll eat like pigs, we'll drink a lot.

If we leave Friday night we can be naked for two whole days.

I got three clients this Saturday.

Well, postpone, cancel, lie.

C'mon, we've never taken a trip together, we need to do this.

Two whole days?

What if we drive each other crazy?

We don't.

Hovering.

Claire, I've invited a friend of mine over for dinner tonight.

Okay.

And I want you to be nice to him.

Is this the guy?

The guy that...

Yes.

Okay.

( Male ) Thanks for your Patience, everybody, I know we're running late.

By the way, I spoke to father Clark this morning.

He's holding up well.

He says you folks are the most thorough search committee he has ever encountered.

David, I understand you're the last one to meet with him.

This afternoon.

Good, we've been interviewing associate priests for three months.

It'll be nice to have an open mind.

Clark struck me as a player, man of god, wants to listen, but there's ego there.

( Female ) You didn't want Jack.

Connie, you say that so easily and you know it's not true.

I've never seen you so desperate.

Listen, you folks have to represent the whole congregation.

And believe me, if Clark's not right, I'm ready to start over from the beginning.

Let's vote right now.

You know him, David, he's been a visiting rector.

You got his resume.

All the deacons are here, there's no reason why you can't vote now.

I'll be happy to leave the room.

No, I wanna meet with father Clark myself so I can make the most informed decision.

This how it works, Jack?

You bring in the new generation Deacon, the new Deacon brings in the radical priest you want?

I can assure you there's no agenda here, Mr. Kriegenthaler.

Except yours.

Don't worry, Dave.

I had a parish in Ohio where punches got thrown.

Steelworkers.

St. Bart's doesn't even come close.

Actually, David, your father was against Jack here.

And as I said at the time, your father was wrong.

( Brenda ) Roll over.

( Brenda ) Okay, okay, there you go, there you go.

( Laughing and moaning )

Wow!

f*ck, Billy!

f*ck you!

I've seen pictures of this on the Internet, but...

The rule is you call before you come over, okay?!

I'm sorry, I was biking down the boardwalk, I didn't have my cellphone on me.

Good morning, Nate.

Bill.

Oh, Bren, I got some f*cking amazing sh*ts of these hookers on sunset I wanna show you.

Real human tragedy sh*t.

I think they're really good.

Well, your mom walked in on us once.

So, I guess we're even.

( Billy ) This chick has seen the f*cking worst life has to offer.

( Brenda ) Jesus, Billy, these are incredible.

( Billy ) And what is that thing on her neck?

She's got like this big tumor and she's still turning tricks.

And you just know there is some freak for whom that is a big turn-on.

I love the bank of America in the background.

Well, I have to go to work.

Bring out your dead!

They're great.

Don't forget, cancel those appointments on Saturday.

See you later.

So, what's Saturday?

We're going to California cactus world out on Rosemeade Boulevard.

I wanna get something really weird to plant out back.

Yo, Dave!

( Dave ) In here!

I'm sorry, there was an accident on the 405.

Both cars totaled.

I should've stopped and handed out cards.

This is Paul Kovitch, his brother Victor just passed away.

I'm sorry.

This is my brother, Nate.

Paul Kovitch, you went to Bonaventure High.

Yeah.

I was there when you pinned that huge guy from Eureka and won the state wrestling championship.

You were the man!

Me and my friends were so jealous

'cause we all knew how much you were getting laid.

You wrestle?

No, played a little baseball, but we always lost.

So, what are you doing now?

I run Kovitch Trucking up in Camarillo.

Why, so you know how expensive you can be?

No, uh...

Paul and I were just going over the options for his brother's funeral.

Okay, I run a business too, let's just cut right to it.

Of course.

I buried both my parents, and, no offense, but I hate you guys, I hate what you do.

The whole thing of "let's all gather, and look at this plastic dead version of our loved one."

It's really twisted.

I want Victor cremated.

No coffin.

Put him in one of those cardboard boxes you charge 100 bucks for.

I'll take him up to where our mother's buried up in Tehachapi, and let his ashes blow away.

I see Victor's a veteran, if you'd like we can research any death benefits he might be due.

No, Vic hated the army.

Me and him been fighting the army for seven years.

His unit cleaned up a place called bunker 73 in the Iraqi desert.

Chemicals all over, S*ddam's stuff we blew up.

As soon as he came back he got sick.

Lung cancer at the age of 29, never smoked a day in his life.

Still no one will say the words "Gulf w*r syndrome".

He just wasted away in and out of that hospital.

So, f*ck the army.

Let 'em keep their f*cking money.

I gotta fly up to Idaho falls to tell my stepfather.

He's got Alzheimer's, I don't know if he'll hear me or not.

You're absolutely sure you wouldn't like the opportunity to say goodbye to Victor before...?

I already said goodbye.

Just do it.

And as for a receptacle for his cremains...

A paper sack oughta do just fine.

900 bucks.

Well, he obviously doesn't know about the Poseidon society, or that's 900 we'd be out of.

That guy was the sh*t when I was in high school.

I never even knew he had a brother.

It's time you introduced yourself, he's at the V.A. Hospital.

Alright, first I just gotta talk to you about something.

Nate, it's out of the question, I cannot spare you.

We have three bodies right now.

What is the problem?

Mr. Jacobsen's going into the ground tomorrow, and Vic Kovitch will be toast by the weekend.

What if we get another body?

Or two?

We cannot afford to turn down business, no, I'm sorry.

I don't need your permission.

Do you know how long it's been since I've had two days off?

See, here's the difference, you're willing to live like that, I'm not.

I've invited my friend Hiram Gunderson over to dinner tonight.

You're welcome to join us.

Wouldn't a restaurant be better?

This is our home.

This is my home.

Oh, the camping guy.

Okay.

Can I bring Brenda?

Hiram will be cooking.

He spent 17 years as a top chef in Chicago.

The food critic of "the sun times" called him "the father of the new rustic cuisine".

And then, he gave it all up to become a hairdresser.

And he has never been happier!

( Female ) You're multiplying differing variables, so, you have to simplify.

Okay, and then finally, oops, look at that, same variable, okay?

Four and four gives us what?

Eight!

And finally, these two binomials, right here, are exactly the same, so, we what?

Combine!

Two, x to the third, y to the fourth.

Okay?

Any questions?

Claire Fisher.

What?

Can you explain this formula to the class?

Not really.

Maybe if you paid attention in class instead of reading.

Maybe if you talked about something that was actually gonna be useful to me I would.

Oh, algebra is useless, mm-hmm.

I know a lot of physicists who'd beg to differ.

Well, I don't want to be a physicist.

Algebra forces your mind to solve problems logically.

It's one of the only perfect sciences in the world...

You think the world runs on logic?

C'mon, open your eyes.

Okay, I'll see you after class, miss Fisher.

What are you doing?

Ow!

Now, let's try another one, and I'm gonna make this a little tougher.

( Teacher ) Okay, x to the a power, times y to the b power.

Okay, now we've got two...

Of course we have catalogs for wedding package.

But you have to come in and look, I can't show you over the phone.

Website? What website?

We don't have website.

Mister, you have to come into my shop and look at my work.

"Website."

Ah, the day just gets brighter.

Hush.

So, who's dead now?

And what you need?

Nobody's dead.

I came to return these vases.

You should recycle them, save a little money.

So thoughtful, I am touched.

Don't be silly, it's wasteful, that's all.

Here.

You still have that sign in the window.

Yes, you know somebody good?

I do...

Me.

You?

I am interested, let's talk.

Robbie, I going to lunch.

I'm not going to lunch with you, Nikolai.

I'm seeing someone.

So what? This is business.

I hope so.

Because otherwise I withdraw my offer.

Tell me, why I should hire you?

I've been working with people for over 30 years, and I know how to treat them with respect.

I respect people too.

You're pompous and arrogant and you're full of yourself.

You act like the customer needs you.

Of course the customer needs me.

I have what he wants.

You'll never build a business that way.

I'm better with people and I know about flowers.

And if you don't think so you can fire me.

Fire you?

How I can fire you, you don't even work yet?

My parish in new Mexico, I think they were afraid of me.

They recommend you highly.

They always do after I'm gone.

I won't lie to you, David, I'll push for some change at St. Bart's.

This is one of those congregations that thinks sitting through church once a week absolves them of all moral responsibility and they can ignore the plight of others.

Don't get me wrong, they're good people.

They're just lazy.

I don't think that's entirely fair, Clark.

We have a homeless outreach...

You know you're the swing vote.

I've been a Deacon three weeks, I'm still getting used to how political the whole thing is.

Religion is politics, David.

Jesus was a revolutionary.

He threatened those in power and they had him assassinated, and they'd do the same thing to him today.

I'm not sure how much luck you'll have getting St. Bart's to stage a coup.

The last thing that god wants from us is complacency.

Maybe you should be in the peace corp.

Already done it.

Three years in Nicaragua, fresh out of divinity school.

That's where I lost my wife.

I'm sorry.

The hardest part about my work is the fact that most people don't want a real relationship with god.

Sure, they'll pray to a man nailed to a cross, but they'll ignore a gay kid who gets strung up, or the black man who gets dragged behind a car, or someone's mother living in a box.

Were you this forthcoming with the other deacons?

Hardly.

What did you and Walter Kriegenthaler talk about?

Golf.

So, why did you decide to be so honest with me?

Because I can tell that right and wrong actually matter to you.

This thing is f*cking medieval.

We gotta get it fixed before somebody loses a finger.

You never cared until it was your finger.

Rico, a little help?

Why should I?

It's because of you I'm gonna be working double shifts this weekend.

Okay, that's just David being dramatic.

We'd have to get at least two new bodies for that to be necessary.

They come in bigger numbers than that.

Just forget it, I know the score.

It's never gonna be "Fisher & sons & Diaz", I know that.

Let's see what we got.

This one's a direct cremation, nothin' for you.

Oh, f*ck, what is that?

Shouldn't just burn people like they're garbage.

What the?

Look, it came with fries.

Look at this.

Doesn't even look like the same guy, does it?

This says he applied to be buried at the national cemetery.

Here's signed requests for a flag-fold, m*llitary escort.

Oh, man, then you can't burn him.

I can make him look like that again.

Well, almost.

( Male ) You can ace algebra, Claire, and we both know it.

Power rests on the kind of knowledge one holds.

What's the use of knowing something that's useless?

Don't quote Castaneda at me.

Why not? You quote Bob Dylan at me.

You need algebra for college.

See, you're just assuming I'm going to college.

I know you're taking the P.S.A.T. Tomorrow afternoon.

That means you're thinking about it.

Is that the only option?

Go to college, get a job, so you can be a good consumer, until you drop dead of exhaustion, I don't want that!

So, what do you want?

I just want something to matter.

Maybe I should wander around the desert and eat peyote and see god.

Yeah, be a homeless drug addict.

You'd get bored with that pretty fast.

Hey, have you heard of the Sierra crossroads program?

What's that, like bungee jumping for Jesus?

No, it's not affiliated with any religion.

It's actually a great program.

I spent a couple of years there as an instructor.

You might really like it.

Why?

Because it would get you out of yourself, get you out of your head.

Now, I'll warn you, it's hard, but exhilarating.

I think it might just give you the challenge you're looking for.

There's an expedition going out over spring break, I could pull some strings, see if I could get you in.

Why do you care what happens to me?

Because I like you.

And I wanna see good things happen for you and I know they can.

We had to dig his service records out of St. Louis.

Then there's the big question of whether his cancer was service related.

That means finding a doctor who thinks it was.

It took me four months to get all the approvals, but it means a burial allowance of up to 1500 from the V.A.

Might as well take that stuff too.

I packed it up for him.

That's too bad nobody told his brother what he wanted.

I did.

Oh, yeah, I gave Paul the forms.

I found them later in the trash.

It's mostly somebody else's writing on the forms.

It doesn't match Victor's signature at all.

I filled them out for him.

He tried to do it himself, but, those boxes are pretty small, and he shook a lot.

"Gulf w*r victory parade".

Victor said marching in it was the proudest moment in his life.

Why would he keep it and watch it over and over if he hated the army?

Did Paul visit him much?

Yeah, three or four times a week.

He was really good about it.

So, how come...

He couldn't.

Paul would say, "the f*cking army stole your life, Vic."

And Vic would keep his mouth shut.

I can tell you this, Victor wanted to believe that what he did in the Gulf meant something, that his life was not a waste.

But, hey, I only counsel the veteran, I'm not supposed to interfere with what the family wants.

So you taped his medals to his chest, fished his files out of the trash and passed them onto me.

Well, you can always blow it off.

I mean, you didn't even know the guy, right?

What are you doing?

There was a form that said he's getting a m*llitary funeral.

Who authorized this, Nate?

Uh, yeah.

Goddamnit, how many times have I told you, when Nate gives you instructions, you are to check with me first.

Turn him off.

I'll drive him to the crematorium right now.

Do I have to do it myself?

f*cking Nate.

Paul Kovitch is who our contract is with, and if he finds out about this he will either sue us or break our legs.

Tomatoes right there.

Wow.

Look who's here.

Hello, Mrs. Fisher.

Hello, dear.

Hello, I'm Brenda.

Hiram Gunderson.

I understand you like to camp.

Why, yes, I do.

I wish I could tell you where Nate is, but I have no idea.

Uh, it's okay, I can exist without him.

Toasted sesame seeds in the salad?

Yes, that would be lovely.

There's my little girl.

Claire, honey, this is Hiram Gunderson.

Pleasure to meet you, Claire.

Hi.

This is delicious, Mrs. Fisher.

Hiram is a chef.

I can't get enough of his cock!

Mom, I need $1200 so I can go to Sierra crossroads over spring break.

And I need you to sign this form in case I die or something.

Is this a school trip?

No, you go to the mountains and confront fear, and get in touch with your most basic self.

It looks good on your college application.

( Nate ) Sorry I'm late, there was this major accident on the long beach freeway.

You always seem to hit the bad traffic.

Hi, I'm Nate.

Hiram, I've heard a lot about you.

Don't believe a word of it.

Hey, I'm sorry.

Don't be, I'm having fun.

So, what did I miss?

I wanna go to Sierra crossroads.

We'll talk about it later, Claire.

Oh, mom, you should let her go, crossroads is great.

( Claire ) You went?

Yeah, we went kayaking down the Colorado river the summer I was 17.

I don't think you were even born yet.

I don't remember this.

Ah...

That's because I lied to you and dad.

I knew dad would never let me go, so I told you I was going to Sacramento for three days to witness state government in action.

Oh, by the way, everyone, I got a job.

Cool.

I'll be working at Nikolai's flower shop.

I start tomorrow.

It's just part-time.

You didn't tell me about that.

Didn't I?

Need some help?

Incidentally, Nate, I dropped Victor Kovitch off at the oak valley crematory.

I need you to pick him up first thing tomorrow.

Oh, f*ck, David, he wanted a m*llitary funeral.

He filled out the forms.

Is he paying our bill?

You were there with his brother.

It was clear he did not want the body embalmed.

He could sue us and we wouldn't have a case.

Okay, you know what?

When you talk to me like this it makes me wanna not listen to a thing you say.

You and I could lose everything.

Mom could lose her home.

You know, Vic is eligible for a much bigger burial allowance from the V.A. Than we thought.

Really?

Uh, I'm leaving.

I'll walk you down.

Bye, David.

Bye.

Why don't you come over, spend the night.

I can't, I've gotta be in Pasadena tomorrow morning, it'd add an extra hour to my trip.

Okay.

Give me five minutes, I'll follow you.

Tonight wasn't so bad, was it?

I suppose not.

I don't know why I was so nervous.

I mean, for heaven's sake, I gave birth to those people.

You know what occurred to me tonight that's really strange?

I wish you'd known my husband.

I think the two of you would've liked each other.

Oh, Ruth.

Who would get me a gift basket?

It's probably some Hollywood bigwig you work on that secretly wants to sleep with you.

It's from my brother.

And it is addressed to both of us.

"Sorry about this morning, have fun at cactus world".

Who knows?

This is nice, we can take it with us this weekend.

I cannot wait to get out of here.

I'm in dire need of some serious relaxation.

( Gasping )

Oh, fabulous.

Smoked oysters.

Really, is there any caviar?

Ah, no, but there are condoms.

And, okay, edible underpants.

That's a little scary.

I'd say this whole thing's a little scary.

No, it just means he likes you.

Believe me, there are guys Billy didn't like, it's much better this way.

I've been meaning to ask you, what's up with those matching tattoos you and he have?

We were in Vegas, we were very drunk, and...

Oh, dear.

These things always struck me as kind of ridiculous.

Would you just stop that?

What does he think we're gonna do with this?

Brenda, this is like, hostile.

Look, Billy's bipolar.

He's medicated.

His sense of what's appropriate can be a little off at times.

Look, you have no idea what he's been through.

Don't judge him, please.

Alright.

Alright.

Thank you.

( Male ) You're never gonna work your way out of this one, soldier.

I was nowhere near the latrine, sir.

I promise.

Give it up, private, your ass is busted.

Yeah, you're in big trouble.

But my father's on the joint chiefs of staff.

Well, maybe we can't court Marshall you, but there is something else we can do.

Yeah, come on, private, yeah.

( Phone )

You love that, don't you?

( TV shuts off )

Hello?

David, Walter Kriegenthaler.

Did you meet with father Clark?

Yes, today.

We'd like to meet at 9:30 tomorrow and vote.

Can you make it?

Absolutely.

Let me ask you a question, David.

Do you think Clark is gay?

Uh...

I don't think so, he mentioned something about having a deceased wife.

I mean, I don't care if he is.

I just don't want him to push that agenda.

You know, marriage, that whole thing.

I have a cousin in D.C. whose church split because of that.

Literally half the congregation left.

I don't wanna see that happen to St. Bart's.

I've been going there for 40 years.

Well, it's late, I'll see you tomorrow morning.

Goodnight.

Okay, I got Victor, but I called the national cemetery from the car and you know what? They can Bury an urn.

They call it in-urn-ment, we can do it today at three.

Why are you so determined to sabotage our business?

I don't think Paul ever knew how his brother really felt.

Nate, why do you even care?

Because it's what Victor wanted.

And he deserves it, he got a raw f*ckin' deal.

I'm tellin' you, Victor Kovitch did not hate the army.

You just watch these tapes he made in the Gulf.

( Male ) Yes, sir, f*ck me, sergeant.

Give it to me.

Oh, come on!

Come on, that was funny!

I have some place I have to be.

Dave, Dave, it's okay, I watch p*rn too!

( Whispering and giggling )

So, you guys taking the P.S.A.T. this afternoon too?

Uh... yeah.

So, what happens to you guys?

I go to U.C. Irvine and Northwestern Law, meet a totally great guy, he's a triathlete, we get married and I practice law for eight years, and we get really rich, and then I have two great kids.

So you're, like, unbelievably happy?

Kind of.

I get a master's in French and then live in Paris for six months, and hate it, so, I come back, become a TV development executive, and I work out all the time.

I'm fairly miserable and have a slight substance abuse problem.

But you look great.

Thanks.

I start an interior lighting design firm with my college roommate, and it totally takes off.

And then I die of ovarian cancer before I'm 30.

Oh, that sucks.

Tell me about it.

Well, good luck.

What a freak.

Father Jack?

David.

Come in, sit.

And call me Jack, we're beyond that.

Meeting over already?

Yes.

Damn.

We all admire Clark's energy, but there is some concern that he may end up being divisive.

As you said yourself, if we have to go back and start over from the beginning...

And find some conservative lapdog who won't challenge anybody?

Yeah, that's what we need here.

Scotch?

No, thank you.

Clark thought he came on a little too strong with you.

I liked him, Jack.

I think the world would be a better place if there were more men like him.

I just don't think that he's a good fit for St. Bart's.

Do you really think that father Clark would be happy here?

Why should he be happy?

How happy are you?

You're right, I'm not happy.

My life is very complicated and confusing.

I've experienced a lot of loss recently, my father and my...

And the one thing that helps me to deal with it is having a place that hasn't changed, like everything else in my life.

There's a reason they call it a sanctuary.

I think the majority of our congregation feels the same way.

And my responsibility is to them, not you.

Well, I've got a business to run.

( Phone )

Yo.

Speaking.

Yes...

What can I do for you, Mr. Gilardi?

Here, this is good choice here.

I don't like yellow.

The bridesmaid's dresses are lilac.

If the flowers are yellow it's gonna look like an Easter egg hunt.

How about white tulips?

Very simple.

Just bunched together with a ribbon.

I was kinda thinking I would be the only one with white flowers.

Or, you could be the only one holding a gorgeous bouquet of color against your white dress.

People do that?

It's your day, you can do whatever you want.

Don't you think that would be pretty?

Mm-hmm.

I love the tulips thing.

Tulips are one of my favorite flowers.

So graceful and classic, like little ballerinas.

The only reason I even met Victor was I jumped off a Humvee and broke my feet.

Here I am in the hospital with this guy who's dying, it turns out, listening to me complain.

Playing cards, giving me his dessert.

I wish he didn't die.

It sucks.

Thank you.

Have you heard from Paul yet?

Not since I told him his brother was ready to be picked up.

Well, without his consent in writing, I cannot allow this funeral to take place.

Fine.

At least we'll know we made an effort.

When we were in the Gulf Victor used to make these videotapes to send home to his family.

We were always giving him a hard time.

Messing him up.

He was a real good sport.

The perpetual optimist.

So, my brother ready?

Yes, he's right in here.

What is this?

Victor's friends wanted to say goodbye.

The hospital referred them, it's no problem for us.

And no charge to you.

Excuse me, are you his brother?

Yes, I'm Paul.

This man here, I don't know if you people know it, was like a lion for Victor.

He made federal waves over Victor's disability case.

I found a couple of pictures of us playing baseball.

Vic was a lousy batter but a pretty good infielder.

He's grinning like such a fool in these.

I thought you might like 'em.

Is that you?

Yeah.

You sick?

No.

Never got sick, I don't know why.

A lot of guys I knew over there did.

Thanks.

Thank you for letting Victor have his m*llitary burial.

Even though I know you were against it.

I'm sure this means a lot to him.

What the f*ck is this m*llitary burial sh*t?

It's an option that can easily be canceled at no charge to you.

Victor didn't want a m*llitary funeral, I told you that.

You think I'm lying to you?

I think he was afraid to tell you what he wanted.

He filled out those forms, Paul, he kept the videos.

They filled out those forms.

This is all f*cking army P.R.

And I threw those forms in the trash.

I'll call the service off right now.

He kept Saudi Arabian candy for 10 years.

You just want to Jack up your price.

No, it's paid for.

I just want your brother to have the funeral he wanted for himself because that's his right.

Victor wanted to believe he d*ed for something, you really wanna take that away from him?

Jesus.

He's the only family I had left.

And he can't even tell me what he wants when he's dead?

He thought I would've talked him out of this.

And he's right, I would've.

Why don't you sit with his friends?

( Male ) Glad to have you here.

( Loud clock ticking )

Where is Ruth?

She's in the back.

Crying.

( Sobbing )

What is wrong?

It's the smell of the flowers.

You'll get used to it.

I am used to it!

Today I helped people choose flowers for weddings, for anniversaries, for new babies.

I can't remember being surrounded by so much happiness.

I'm used to the smell of flowers meaning something completely different.

I'm used to people crying and being exhausted.

People being shattered!

Do not worry.

We get funerals too.

I'm so happy, I can't wait to come back tomorrow.

You're not going to be like this everyday though, right?

( Bugle playing "taps" )

This flag is presented on behalf of a grateful nation as a token of our appreciation for honorable and faithful services rendered by your loved one.

Give it to one of his friends.

I love you, David.

I always will.

I could get hit by a bus on the way to the desert tonight.

Just wanted to make sure you knew that.

I love you, too.

You did the right thing today.

I know, feels kinda good, doesn't it?

Hello.

She can't go.

Why not?

She has to help me pick prints for my show.

Does she have to do it tonight?

Yes, she has to do it tonight.

Billy's got a show coming up at a gallery in Westwood.

Sometimes she gives me her eyes because sometimes I go blind.

46 hours I've been looking at these pictures and sometimes I see amazing things, and sometimes I just see shapes and that's when I go blind.

Because what if I lost the ability to tell the difference?

For real?

For good?

You won't.

You say that and then you give me your eyes.

But what if one day I can't give them back to you?

Well, that won't happen, we won't let that happen.

Ah, god, this is crap!

This is pretentious, derivative crap!

Then that's one less you have to consider.

Right?

Right.

Billy, I'm gonna talk to Nate on the porch, okay?

Then he's gonna go away.

We'll be right outside.

Pick out five you like and you can show 'em to me when I come back.

Only five?

Or 10, or 20.

And I'll look at them and I'll tell you what I see.

Okay.

You can f*ck her some other time.

Sorry.

He's obviously off his meds.

Intentionally?

No, it happens occasionally.

It's been a while.

Brenda, come on.

Sorry, Nate, I can't.

I'm all he has when he's like this.

You are letting him manipulate you.

You don't know him.

You don't know what he's doing.

I know he didn't like me, and I have a feeling he doesn't like any man in your life.

Am I right?

Answer me!

What, you think I f*cked my brother?

Jesus, I never said that.

Nate, he's sick!

He's my brother and he's sick!

And he needs me.

This is who I am, this is what you get.

f*ck you.

You have no idea how much I wanted to go with you.

Can I do anything to help?

Yeah, you can go to the desert and sit in mud and relax and forget about everything.

Including us.

Ah, sh*t.

Just go, okay? Goddamnit.

( Door closing )