(bluesy rock music playing
over car stereo)
(music stops)
I think that was it.
Well, that can't be it.
There wasn't a church.
That's 13 miles
past the turnoff.
I think that's it.
What's it?
Th-This can't be it.
There's no church.
Reverend Kinkirk?
Uh, yeah, that-that's me.
Welcome to Crossroads.
Thank you.
Um, this is my husband, Kevin.
Nice to meet you.
Hi, Kevin. Thomas Khan.
Or some people call me Dr. Khan.
Nice to meet you, too.
Dr. Khan.
Did you need to fill up,
or did you want to see
the church?
Oh. Did we pass it?
No.
It's right here.
Crossroads Bar and Motel.
Oh. I see.
Um, where's the church?
In the bar.
The church is in the bar?
Yeah.
And if you ever need
a doctor, my office
is here at the gas station.
But I'm only here one week
out of the month.
Fortunately, no need for me
to be here any more than that.
And who pumps the gas
when you're not here?
My dad.
That's how I got through
med school.
That's a lot of gas.
Oh, it's a grocery store, too.
Just the basics.
Okay, I-I'm sorry.
Um, back to the church.
The church is at the bar?
Yeah.
Oh, but they don't serve alcohol
during services,
other than communion.
Course you can do
whatever you want
if you take the job.
Whatever makes you happy.
Okay, well, nice meeting you.
Good luck.
The church is in the bar?
Maybe I would like to move here.
(engine starts)
♪ 7th Heaven ♪
♪ When I see
their happy faces ♪
♪ Smiling back at me ♪
♪ 7th Heaven ♪
♪ I know there's
no greater feeling ♪
♪ Than the love of family ♪
♪ Where can you go ♪
♪ When the world
don't treat you right? ♪
♪ The answer is home ♪
♪ That's the one place
that you'll find ♪
♪ 7th Heaven ♪
♪ Mmm, 7th Heaven ♪
♪ 7th Heaven. ♪
Hold it.
Good.
(sighs):
Okay.
Let's see.
(chuckles):
Oh.
All right, you ready?
Ta-da.
Awesome.
- And...
- Cool.
Mm-hmm.
And...
What do you think of that?
- It's cool, isn't it?
- Cool!
(chuckles)
- You like it?
- Awesome.
(Happy barks)
Ah...
(chuckles)
And a flag.
I don't see why the guy
who tattooed me
isn't responsible
for the tattoo.
Well, I imagine
you lied about your age.
Don't you think he knew
that I was lying?
Well, maybe, maybe not.
- I don't look 18.
- I don't know about that.
- Sometimes you do.
- Why can't they just let
the tattoo artist
take off the tattoos?
I mean, why does it
have to be doctors?
Well, obviously, it's harder
taking them off
than putting it on.
Surely you knew that.
Well, it's not like
I researched it.
Well, it doesn't take
someone researching
to know that a tattoo
is permanent.
Well, but it's not.
I mean, the doctor said
it would just turn white,
and then eventually
it would fade,
and then some day it would
become almost unnoticeable.
Then if you can afford to,
have the doctor take it off.
Mom, please.
Ruthie, please, please,
don't make stupid mistakes
and then think that I can
step in and make it all better.
There are some things
you can't undo.
Not even I can undo.
And this is one of them.
But you can; you can undo it,
if you'll just
give me the money.
But I won't.
I won't just give you the money.
This is a mistake that you are
going to have to live with.
And in order to be happy
in life, you're gonna
have to learn to live
with your mistakes.
Now, if you want to get a job
and earn the money
and pay for this tattoo to be
removed, then you should do it.
How am I ever gonna be able
to make that kind of money?
Hmm, let's see, you could get
a job that pays minimum wage
and work as many hours
a week as you can work
and save everything you make,
and then, in a few years,
you can pay to get rid of
"T Bone" forever.
Sorry.
I heard that.
Hi, T Bone.
I'll just let
the two of you talk.
I looked for you
after school today
for about an hour.
Then I just decided
to take the bus home.
Sorry, I forgot.
I had a doctor's appointment.
You okay?
Yeah.
Doctor's appointment?
Plastic surgeon.
Tattoo removal.
You're not really gonna have "T
Bone" removed forever, are you?
Thought you liked it.
No, I don't.
Oh.
But taking it off
is way too expensive,
and my mom thinks that
I should pay for it myself.
So...
if your mom and dad
would pay for it,
you would have my name removed?
Is there a message in that?
No, I just don't want
the tattoo.
Okay.
Oh, Daddy,
I'm so glad you're home!
I went to the doctor's today,
and they said
that they could
remove the tattoo,
but I don't have
enough money to pay for it.
So can you help me, Daddy?
Please?
It was stupid.
It was a really, really
stupid thing to do.
S-So can you, Daddy?
Can you help me?
Sure I can, Princess.
Really?
I can help you get a job.
Your mother called me.
That is one expensive process,
tattoo removal.
Ooh.
You need to work on
that crying thing.
(Margaret giggling)
I thought if they liked
fake tattoos enough,
they'd never want
to get a real one.
(chuckles)
That may be true.
Or not. Hi, guys.
Hi, Dad. You like our tattoos?
The Colonel sent them
to us in the mail.
Doesn't my dad just always find
the most wonderful things
for children to play with?
Well, hmm.
Yeah.
You know, as-as long as you can
wash them off, I love them.
Oh, they wash off. I swear.
And I have to get going.
I have to get to the library.
I need to use their computer.
I'm writing something.
You can borrow my computer
for the night, if you want.
- Really?
- Sure.
What are you writing?
Oh, it's nothing.
It's just a chapter in a book.
Isn't that usually an assignment
in an upper-level
English lit class?
Yeah, it is. I'm just...
I'm helping Mac out a little.
Ah. Maybe you should go
to college yourself.
No, really.
I'm not smart enough.
And even if I am,
I don't think I am.
Hmm. All right.
Thank you.
I really appreciate it.
- Let me pay you for babysitting.
- No.
Not after everything
you've done for me.
I'm happy to help
anytime you need me.
And I'll drop this off
first thing in the morning.
Okay.
You guys, will you keep an eye
on Savannah?
- Okay.
- Okay.
Working out some of
your frustration with Ruthie?
(sighs)
She faked crying to get me
to pay for her tattoo removal.
You know, we paid for
the doctor's appointment,
and that's it.
I-I agree.
I completely agree.
Well, she doesn't agree.
I am really tired of
talking to her about this.
Me, too.
Maybe Lucy can talk to her.
Have we heard from Lucy?
I tried to call her on her cell,
but I couldn't hear.
The reception was bad.
I couldn't find Crossroads
on a map.
- I couldn't, either.
- It's a teeny,
tiny unincorporated area
somewhere between here
and Tahoe.
Or at least that's what
Lucy said.
It's not going to be anything.
She's not going to leave Glenoak
to go off to
the middle of nowhere.
Not that she couldn't.
She doesn't have
to stay here for me.
I'm fine.
Yes, you are.
And if Lucy wants to leave,
then...
Then she decides to leave.
And we have to let her go,
if that's what she wants to do.
Otherwise, she might
always regret it.
I know, but shouldn't
we have told her
that we really don't
want her to go?
I don't think so.
It's her decision.
And I think I-I have to start
letting people,
even our people,
live their lives, 'cause
I have a life of my own to live.
(quietly):
Yeah.
I just have this feeling
that things are about to change.
What things?
Last minister we had ran off
with the choir director,
and now we don't have a minister
or a choir director.
Or a sheriff.
Uh, well,
I-I'm not a choir director,
but I could possibly put
a music program together.
Well, I think you could do
anything, I really do.
You sound like my dad.
No sheriff?
No, we have a highway patrol.
Used to have a sheriff.
I used to be a cop
in Buffalo, New York.
But then I met Lucy
and moved to Glenoak
to be with her
and join the force there.
We heard you almost got sh*t.
- You missed a b*llet, huh?
- Yeah.
And our daughter Savannah
was just a couple months old
at the time,
so I decided I'd rather
stay home safe with her
and let Lucy pursue her career.
Good decision.
Nice if one of the parents
is able to stay home.
Doesn't happen often
in today's economic climate.
Course everyone in Crossroads
works at least one job.
Uh, you know, Kevin,
I'm not just one of the deacons
of our little
barroom church here,
I'm also kind of the mayor.
Any chance I could
get you interested
in law enforcement again?
We'd love to have a sheriff.
Got money in the budget for it.
I don't know, I haven't
really thought about it.
Maybe.
Um, and we're planning on
having another child.
Just so you know.
I don't want you to hire
either one of us
without you knowing that.
You know, some employers like
to know those sort of things.
"Maybe"?
Well, congratulations.
I think that's just wonderful.
Good for you, the both of you.
We'd be pleased to have
a baby here.
What is your population?
I-I didn't see it posted.
Oh, it changes all the time.
Currently, about 27, I'd say.
Yeah, so, Kevin, how hard could
it be to wrangle 27 people, huh?
(chuckles)
But Kevin's been really
happy as a stay-at-home dad.
Haven't you, Kevin?
Well...
Most of the 27 are under 18.
And we boast of having
100% college graduates
in the area.
If you live in Crossroads,
you will complete high school
and you will go to college.
Then I should tell you that
I don't have a college degree.
Never too late to get one.
Ever considered going
to law school?
Law school? I don't know
if I'm cut out for that.
That sounds like a good subject
to discuss over target sh**ting.
Why don't we go
over to the quarry
and sh**t a few rounds?
Oh, I don't sh**t g*ns.
I'm a little afraid of them,
in fact.
Well, you just wait here then,
and make yourself at home.
My wife Christine will be
here soon to start supper.
Okay, yeah, sure, go guys.
You go play with your g*ns.
Yeah, I'll just sit here
and interview myself.
What are you doing?
I'm just waiting for T Bone
to leave for work.
He's late.
Oh. Well, I decided
to let him use my car,
you know, instead of
taking the bus.
That way he can have a few
minutes to do some homework.
Oh, that was nice of you,
to help T Bone.
Even if you don't want
to help me.
Oh, well, you know,
I also thought maybe
you could get a ride
in with him to work.
You know, if you felt like
filling in at
the Dairy Shack tonight.
If I did what?
I heard that Margaret has
the night off,
so I thought they might be
a little shorthanded, so I
called the owner, my friend.
He said if you wanted to,
you could come down
and work tonight.
And that could lead to
your getting a job after school,
and that could lead to your
saving up some money
so you can get
your-your tattoo removed,
if that's what'll
make you happy.
So you just decided
to get me a job,
whether I wanted one or not?
No, I'm not going
to get you the job.
You're going to get
the job yourself.
I just sort of asked
for the opportunity
for you to fill in.
Might be nice if
the two of us both had a job.
I mean, uh,
we could ride in together.
If I wanted to get a job,
I would have gotten one.
Are you on her side?
Hey, there are no sides here.
I'm not a side; I'm your mother.
And I'm just trying to help you
help yourself.
'Cause your dad and I
are not going to help you.
We're not going to spend
our money to get
your tattoo removed.
We don't think that is something
that we should do.
I don't think you should
do that either, Mrs. Camden.
Would you just stay out of this?
I wish I could.
I may not be responsible
for your getting
a gigantic tattoo of my name,
but I feel responsible.
So...
I'd like to offer to take
financial responsibility.
If you don't feel like getting
a job, Ruthie, or you can't
find a job you want,
then I would like to pay
to have the tattoo removed.
I can't pay for it right away,
but maybe the doctor's office
can set up some sort of
payment plan.
Or I can get a microloan
from a Third World country.
Something. I don't know.
But I will pay for it.
I should pay for it.
Yeah, I think you should.
You think he should what?
Ruthie?
It was your tattoo,
it was your idea.
You alone decided
to put his name
in big letters across your back.
So?
So T Bone is saving up
his money for college.
He needs every little bit
of money that he makes.
He pays for his clothes,
his school supplies
and anything else that he needs.
You're really going to take
money away from T Bone?
So? You use the money
that Dad earns.
It's the same thing.
Oh, your dad and I have been
married for 30 years.
We are a married couple.
Something that you
and T Bone are not.
And-And we share everything.
He works outside the home,
I work inside the home.
He makes the money,
I manage the money.
And I manage it
with great respect
for the hard work
that goes into getting it.
Not that I need to justify
my staying home to you
or anybody else.
You don't have to justify it.
It's just that
it's a promise ring.
T Bone has promised to marry me.
And we're going to be married
for 30 years,
just like you and Dad.
And although I do intend
to work outside the home,
we're still going
to share our money.
So why can't he share
his money with me now?
And who knows,
he may need to borrow money
from me at some point.
But we're going to be
together forever.
So this can't be the only time
that one of us may need
the other's help.
Why do you want the tattoo
taken off so badly
if you think you and T Bone
are going to be married forever?
I'm asking you
that question, too.
Oh.
What do you think, Mom?
We cleaned the bathroom.
I think you did a wonderful job.
You don't have to pay us,
'cause we live here.
And we can wash off our tattoos.
For nothing.
That's good.
Thank you for helping out.
I appreciate it,
more than you know.
She's still not happy.
No, she is not.
- I'm happy.
- Me, too.
Sorry, I thought
I'd try Lucy and Kevin
from a landline instead of
a cell phone and...
You know what needs
to change around here?
The way I deal with Ruthie.
- What happened?
- Nothing.
Nothing, nothing!
I'm fine.
And I-I don't want to k*ll you,
so just give me some time
to calm down.
You're not going to k*ll me,
and we're a team.
I'll help you deal with Ruthie.
How much?
I know it's a lot,
but it's really important to me.
And you're important to me.
Well, you're important to me.
Which is why I bought you
the promise ring
and promised to marry you.
But you would have gotten me
the promise ring and promised
to marry me anyways, right?
Even if I didn't have
the tattoo?
Bye, T Bone. Take the car.
We'll see you when you get home.
What?
Dad, your heart.
Eh, forget my heart.
You are sometimes
just incredibly selfish
and irresponsible
and disrespectful, and I'm...
I'm not going to allow that.
Is that understood?
No, you know,
I don't think it is,
so I'm going to explain it.
I am not going to allow you
to be disrespectful of
your mother, no matter how much
you don't like living
with that tattoo,
because you know what,
that's exactly what
you're going to have to do,
is live with that tattoo
until you, and only you,
pay to have it removed.
I'm not letting you take
any money from T Bone.
And you know what else?
You're getting a job,
whether you want one or not.
So start looking.
All right, I will.
I promise.
May I be excused?
Yes, you may be excused to go
and apologize to your mother.
Where do you get off implying
that your mother
takes the money that I earn?
There isn't enough money
in the world
to pay your mother for
what she does, for all of us.
And don't say, "In Scotland..."
because I am tired
of "In Scotland."
It isn't any different
in Scotland
or anywhere else in the world.
There is no culture
that allows children
to be disrespectful
to their parents.
You got it?
Yeah, I got it.
Really. I mean it.
I guess I just
needed a reminder.
I'll go apologize right now.
And tomorrow,
I'll go out and look for a job,
and if the best that I can find
is at The Dairy Shack,
then I'll work there.
I promise.
Now, you're not just saying that
because you think...?
No.
No, I forgot about that, honest.
It's not like I don't
listen to you.
It's just that you haven't
been saying anything to me.
You didn't even yell at me
when I got my tattoo.
So I guess now you're yelling
at me, you really are fine.
Ruthie, tell me the truth.
Do you want to get rid
of the tattoo
because you don't want
the tattoo
or because you don't want
T Bone?
Hey, we're going
to be late for work.
Where have you been?
Babysitting for the Camdens.
And I needed a disk
for the computer.
Oh, well, grab your Shack shirt
and let's go.
I'm off tonight.
That-That's why I borrowed
the computer and got the disk
and everything I just told you.
- You can't be off tonight.
- Yes, I can.
I asked off tonight.
I have a paper due.
What do you mean you have
a paper due? What paper?
I... told Mac I'd help him
with his paper.
Why would you do that?
Oh, no, no, no,
no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
- What?
- Mac?!
You don't "like him"
like him, do you?
No.
(chuckles)
You do.
You like him.
What are you talking about?
- (chuckles)
- Okay, Margaret,
answer this very carefully.
Do you think that he likes you,
or do you think that he's just
taking advantage
of your friendship by
asking you to write his paper?
I don't care if
he "likes me" likes me.
I just want to write the paper.
Because you "like him" like him.
You don't like him, do you?
No, I don't like him.
What makes you think
I like him?
Well, why are you so dressed up
to go to work
at The Dairy Shack?
I'm not dressed up.
Yes, you are.
You have makeup on,
and your hair's different.
You're wearing perfume.
(gasps)
Oh, no.
You're not seeing Martin?
So what if I am?
You're not my mother.
And you're not my mother.
What does that mean?
That means we don't
have mothers.
And so we can do
anything we want.
And I want to write
Mac's paper,
and that's what I'm going to do.
Hi.
No boyfriend today?
No. He's working.
Seems like a nice guy.
Yeah, he is.
So what, did you quit school?
You're down here all the time.
No, I'm down here to
get credit at school
for working with Lucy
and Reverend Camden.
And I taught Lucy's class today
by myself.
Lucy and Kevin took
the day off together.
Yeah, I know all about
the job offer--everybody does.
So what do you chicks talk about
in that class, anyway?
Chick stuff.
I thought so.
Then you thought right.
So I thought, if you were
gonna get off work soon,
we could go grab a bite to eat
or get a cup of coffee
or just take a walk.
I wanted to talk to you.
And not about chick stuff,
about guy stuff.
Well, not guy stuff, but my guy.
I just want us to be friends,
and I don't want another
awkward situation
like when you met Jonathan.
I don't know.
Martin might not like that.
You should probably
grab a burger with Martin
and ask him
if we can be friends--
you, me and your boyfriend.
But Martin has nothing
to do with this.
And Martin's not around
to talk today; he has a game.
A baseball game?
Yeah, he was supposed
to babysit,
but he forgot he had
a game, so I had
- to take Aaron with me.
- He didn't have a game today.
Why did I say that?
I don't know.
Why did you say that?
I don't know. It just came out.
I don't even know
his schedule or anything.
Honest. I swear.
Okay.
I believe you.
I think.
I wish we could have dinner.
And talk.
I like to talk.
Even though I really don't even
have anything to tell you
and we're not even
really friends.
But I have this
paper due tomorrow.
And it's not just any paper,
it's a whole chapter in a book.
See, I have to write
the first chapter
of this novel
for this English class,
and I have to leave the instant
T Bone gets here--
and there he is.
Bye, Sandy.
Bye.
Hi.
You don't look happy.
What's wrong?
You don't look
that happy, either.
I'm happy.
I'm very happy.
Most of the time.
So am I, most of the time.
How would I find out if Martin
had a baseball game today?
Guess you could call his school.
I think Martin lied to me.
I think he told me he had a game
so he didn't have to babysit.
What's wrong with you?
How did I get committed
for the rest of my life
before I'm even
out of high school?
Do you mean committed to Ruthie?
I don't know what happened.
When did making out
lead to getting a tattoo?
It could lead to things
that are more life-altering
than getting a tattoo.
It is just a tattoo.
No, it's not.
It's her new reason
for not being happy in America.
I'm living with her family.
I can't get out of this.
I mean, not that I want to.
Do you want to?
I don't know.
So instead, I offered to pay
to have her tattoo removed.
So I can either pay Ruthie
to have her tattoo removed,
or I can go to college.
I'm an idiot.
Yeah.
Jane.
Hide.
From?
Sandy's here with the baby.
She thinks Martin
had a game today.
Oh.
Exactly.
Okay, well,
before I hide, or not, um,
let me ask you something.
Do you like Margaret?
Of course I like Margaret.
"Like" like her?
Or are you just
using her to write your paper?
What are you, my mother?
If she wants to write my paper,
she can write my paper.
She volunteered
to write my paper.
She wants to be a writer,
so I presented her
- with an opportunity.
- What?
Was your mother an idiot?
Would she have believed
something like that?
Did you call my mother an idiot?
No.
Good.
I-I know that
she really didn't want
to get back with my dad, but...
Look, I think
that Margaret likes you.
No, she doesn't like me.
She doesn't
"like" like me, either.
Mm-mm.
Are you okay?
Oh, I'm... I'm fine.
I'm very much alive and well.
Thank you. How about you?
Did you get an apology?
I did.
Mm.
Was it a sincere apology?
Yes. And a promise from Ruthie
to start looking for a job.
Yeah, that's what
she said to me.
It was a pretty heated
confrontation.
Yeah... but I'm fine.
- Yeah, I can see that.
- Yeah.
It-It did me good to get upset.
Maybe.
I've been trying to enjoy
my life and be happy,
and I forgot that what
makes me happy is work.
- Oh. -Being a parent is...
it's hard work.
It is.
Maybe you should
take a little break,
go lie down, take a nap.
I'll start dinner.
Ah, I was thinking
just the opposite.
It felt really good
to be out of control.
Really good.
Like, invigorating.
Well, you know,
maybe it's that tea.
Green tea is caffeinated.
Mm. Yeah, I'm going out.
- Out?
- Yeah.
You did say earlier
that people should
make their own decisions.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
You didn't have a game.
You didn't have a game.
You lied to me.
Uh... oh.
I-I did.
Um, but the other team--
they-they forfeited.
Oh.
No, they didn't.
But they should have
forfeited yesterday
when you b*at them 9-3...
yesterday.
Okay, look. Uh...
Hey, Aaron.
Hey.
He's, uh, such a happy baby.
Let's keep him that way
by having happy parents.
Look... I'm happy.
You're the one who isn't happy.
Yeah, because you lied to me.
I had things to do today,
and you were supposed
to babysit and you...
And why'd you even
come down here?
Mac's home.
He has a paper to write.
So you didn't come here
to hang out with Mac.
He has a paper to write?
After I drove all the way
down here to hang out.
That's, uh... What a waste.
Well, now you can hang out
with Aaron and me.
Except you're lying.
You came down here
to see Jane, didn't you?
Jane?
Really, Martin,
you're the worst liar.
The worst.
Why can't you just
tell me the truth?
All right.
We didn't have a game today,
and I thought it would be safe
to drive down here and see Jane
because you would be
driving back home
right after class
if you had Aaron with you.
Shouldn't you be
on the road by now?
So it's more important
to come and see Jane
than to babysit your son?
I babysit all the time.
Okay? And I go to school.
And I'm on
a baseball scholarship.
And I work part-time.
So sometimes, yes,
it is important to me
to do something fun,
like seeing Jane.
Okay. Well, I work
and I go to school,
and I volunteer my time
at the teen mothers' home,
and I'm a mother,
and I have Aaron 24 hours a day,
and it's important for me
to have fun, too, you know.
Well, you've been having plenty
of fun lately, haven't you?
Yeah, I have.
Then you'd think you'd be happy.
Are you happy?
- Hi.
- Hi.
I thought you were
driving home after class.
Yeah, I was,
and then I decided to stop
and get dinner.
And I had a feeling that
Martin would show up here,
because I knew he lied to me
about having a game today,
and I also had a feeling
that he's been calling Jane
and the two of them
are dating or something.
I see.
How's the rest
of your life going?
Rest of my life?
Well, I didn't get
a chance to ask you
when you came by the office
for your class,
but, you know, how's school?
How are you liking
the change in your classes?
You still want to be a minister?
I don't know.
Well, maybe you'd like to just
go up to one person at a time
and tell them
what you think of them,
- on an informal basis,
- (laughs)
kind of a hobby.
I don't know why I did that.
I don't know why I waited around
just so Martin would know
that I knew
that he was lying to me
about babysitting.
Because not being
the eternal victim
requires a lot
of conscious thought.
A lot of work.
Every day, you have to decide
who you are.
You're right.
And yet I still fall back on
who I used to be.
You know, it's easy to be
angry and think
Martin ruined my life,
instead of thinking that
I'm happy being who I am.
You know,
my life is really nice.
I'm very lucky.
Uh, I'll have a burger.
Did you want a kiss with that?
Come on. I know you didn't drive
all the way from school
for a burger.
Well, not from
this place, anyway.
It was just pointed out to me
that I'm not a very good liar.
Uh, so I'll admit that, yes,
I was hoping to kiss you.
Now?
You're late.
I had my break already.
I don't get another one.
So it's now or never.
I'm sorry.
Did you want fries with that?
Really, Christine,
can't I help you with something?
Oh, you can help with plenty,
but not with dinner.
Go sit down.
Get out of my way.
Oh, I called Don.
They're still giving Kevin
the tour, but he'll be back.
Well, if I can't help, then...
You can't help.
Okay.
Hi.
(sighs)
- Oh, hi!
- Okay.
I'm taking off to the airport.
Want a ride?
Oh, no, thank you, Doctor.
Hey, good sign.
Oh, I'm just waiting for Kevin.
We'll be going
to the airport together.
(sighs)
So?
- What do you think?
- About?
The church, the bar, the school.
You use this as a school, too?
Oh.
Well, uh, it's certainly
an interesting place,
this Crossroads.
Um, how many people do you say
come on Sundays?
I'd say 75, a hundred maybe.
Maybe more on Christmas
and Easter.
75 or a hundred people...
in here?
Yeah.
Four different counties
worship here.
What?
Yeah, there used to be
quite a few churches
in the general area,
but one by one
they've all fallen off,
and everyone just comes here.
There are Baptists,
Methodists, Presbyterians,
atheists, agnostics.
You name it, we got it.
My parents were Buddhists--
are Buddhists--
and they come occasionally,
depending on
who's speaking about what.
There's a Hindu gardener
who has a nursery
a couple hours from here.
He's been known to show up
on occasion, too.
- And a retired rabbi.
- But it seems...
There's not many people here,
mostly just teenagers.
Oh, they're just
getting off work.
Dinner's at 8:00.
D-Didn't the guys tell you?
If you live in Crossroads,
you have to work.
They didn't mention it.
Work where?
Anywhere.
And you have to go to school.
Or be in the process
of learning something--
anything.
Uh, so if I came here...
You'd work as the minister
and you could explore
any new field you want.
Or advance your studies
in theology,
take up a new hobby,
learn to two-step, sing a song.
Million different options.
So when you say
that everyone has
to work and go to school,
by "has to," you mean...?
Town ordinance.
You have to work
and be involved
in some learning process,
or you can't live here.
The usual, Doc, to go?
Yes, thank you.
So I guess that's why
there's so few people
that live here.
They just don't want to work
and go to school.
Well, it's a growing community.
Uh, why do I get the feeling
that I'm missing
a big piece of information?
I don't know.
Did anyone tell you
that this is a town
where all the children
are foster children
and all the parents
are foster parents?
Uh... no.
Yeah.
And their parents are...?
In prison.
Ah.
Well, of course it's romantic.
What's wrong with that?
I-I don't know.
I-I just didn't picture myself
writing a romantic novel.
Are you kidding?
You're totally romantic.
I am?
You could have written this.
Y-You think?
Sure.
I don't know.
I don't even know how to cook.
Oh, you should learn.
Women find that very romantic
when guys cook for them.
They do?
Of course.
I don't know.
You eat a big, heavy meal,
and you try to seduce someone
with food between your teeth,
and you're all full.
I-I think it should just be
the other way around,
you know?
You have dinner after
you do whatever it is
that you're gonna do,
and then you can just relax
and enjoy the food.
Yeah.
You may have a point.
Should we change it?
Change?
The chapter we wrote.
I don't know. Maybe.
Maybe we could...
see which way is best.
You mean, write from experience,
as opposed to imagination?
That's what I mean, yeah.
(knocking)
ERIC:
Hey, anybody home?
It's me.
Eric.
Eric Camden.
No one's here!
(door opens)
Talk to them, will you?
I can't do anything with them.
How's that
English assignment going?
Margaret's been a big help.
Did you come over here just
to keep anything from happening
between the two of us?
We're-We're just writing.
I came by because I wanted
to tell you
that I really think that
you should try to go to college.
I think you can do anything
you set your mind to, Margaret.
Do you?
Yeah, I do.
And you drove all the way
over here to tell me that?
And to remind you that it's
difficult for men and women
to share an apartment
without being tempted
to get involved with each other.
Right.
Let's never speak
of this again.
See ya.
Wait, uh...
what were you saying
in regards
to the writing assignment?
I'm saying that, uh,
you have ten hours
to write a chapter in a book.
You know, I-I have parents.
I know, but Margaret doesn't.
Good night.
Reverend Camden thinks
I could go to college.
I think you could, too.
And you know what else I think?
I think I "like" like you.
I think you just
"like" like my writing.
I love this place.
Kevin, it's really just
a group home
spread over the entire town.
Not that there is
much of a town.
I know. I love it.
We would have
to work and go to school
and be parents to all
the teenagers who live here.
I know. I love it.
Well, I mean, it's an
interesting place, I'll admit,
and it is a little tempting,
but I think it's too big
of a challenge for us.
We've got to raise Savannah,
we want to have more children.
And I know that these children
didn't do anything wrong,
but it's not, it's not
an ordinary community.
That's why I love it.
You'd really be willing
to move here?
I would.
But you'd want
to think about it
for a while, uh, a long while?
I don't have to think
about it at all.
I'm ready to go.
You just say the word.
I can't just say the word.
I mean, this is
a-a life-altering decision.
And it's really so much more
than I was ever expecting.
Your dad's fine.
(sighs)
I know.
(door closes)
He's a great sh*t.
And a solid citizen.
And they both appear
to be very healthy.
And I think they'd make
good group parents.
I don't know.
She seems slightly unstable.
In a good way.
Oh, hi.
I thought you'd
all be in bed by now.
It's so hard to sleep
when a teenager has the keys
to your wife's car.
I was, uh,
looking for a gas station.
Didn't want to bring the car
back without any gas in it.
I see.
Uh, thought maybe you might not
want to come back at all.
What?
Can't be easy
promising a young woman
that you'll marry her
when you're only 17.
You got your whole life
in front of you.
Only now, you have a girlfriend
with a tattoo of your name
on her back
and a diamond ring on her finger
and a promise
that you'll marry her
and be with her for
the rest of your life.
There are times
when, uh, it's not easy.
This being one of those times?
I was, uh,
riding around thinking
about Ruthie and me.
Yeah, I kind of figured.
I love her.
I mean, I do.
But?
But I can't seem
to make her happy.
I mean, I seem to be the source
of her unhappiness.
Old habit, I imagine.
You were told
for most of your life
that you were the source
of your mother's unhappiness.
By my mother.
Your mother is the source
of her own unhappiness.
And the same thing
goes for Ruthie.
Yeah, but Ruthie is
nothing like my mother.
Ruthie is the same as any person
who blames everyone else
when she's unhappy.
Is there a cure for that,
other than breaking up?
I believe there is.
It's called a job.
You didn't do
anything wrong, son.
Ruthie wanted a tattoo.
Now she doesn't want a tattoo.
You're under no obligation to
remain in this relationship
if you don't want to.
You can change your mind
at any time.
You can take that ring back.
You can let Ruthie
worry about the tattoo,
because you're not
responsible for
another person's happiness.
You're only responsible
for yourself.
But she's your daughter.
And you took me in
off the streets.
Do you...
really want to be with Ruthie
for the rest of your life?
Look, no matter what you decide,
everything's gonna
be fine... eventually.
11x18 - Inked
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Eric Camden is a reverend, husband and the father of numerous children who faces everyday challenges of raising a family during permissive times.
Eric Camden is a reverend, husband and the father of numerous children who faces everyday challenges of raising a family during permissive times.