Looking for Alaska (2019) s01e04 Episode Script

[cover of Sufjan Stevens' "To Be Alone with You".]
SINGER: I'd swim across Lake Michigan I'd sell my shoes I'd give my body To be back again In the rest of the room To be alone With you ‐ [grunts.]
‐ Sorry.
[laughter.]
SINGER: To be alone with you ‐ Life's a beach, Pudge.
Enjoy the waves.
SINGER: Alone with you To be alone with you [scratching.]
To be alone with you [scraping.]
To be alone ‐ Whatever she did, it's not nice to call someone a name.
‐ In this case, it is accurate.
She did rat.
‐ Then why are you trying so hard to get it off? ‐ Thank you.
And thank you for taking care of me.
I'm sorry I ran off like that.
‐ Well, you did not end up in a coma, so that's good.
‐ I'm also sorry for not saying any of this sooner.
I was just embarrassed.
‐ It's okay.
SINGER: Whoo I've never known a man who loved me Whoo [video game characters grunting.]
ALASKA: Sorry, Pudge.
Did I wake you? Sound is an integral part of the artistic experience of this video game.
Ever bone snap has been carefully rendered for our listening pleasure.
Muting Mortal Kombat would be like only reading every other word of Jane Eyre.
‐ Where's The Colonel? ‐ He woke up half an hour ago.
When he saw it was me, he just, um, grabbed his things and left.
His loss, right? That's a rhetorical question, no need to answer.
[video game characters grunting.]
‐ Why did you do it? No one hates rats as much as you do.
So for you to do what you did ‐ I appreciate your concern, and I promise I will never do it again.
But that's all I'm gonna say about it.
In other news, are you staying here for Thanksgiving? Because I am.
‐ Thanksgiving? ‐ National holiday.
Native Americans gave us maize and yams, and we gave them smallpox.
Ring a bell? Jake has a lot of studying to do, and he says he can't concentrate while staring at me, so I'll be hereall alone, by myself.
I‐‐um, I was actually thinking you should stay here too.
In fact, I have composed a list.
"Why Pudge should stay at the Creek for Thanksgiving: "a list by Alaska Young.
"One: because he is a very conscientious student, "Pudge has been deprived of "many wonderful Culver Creek experiences, "including but not limited to "drinking wine with me in the woods, "going out late at night and lying in "the dewy soccer fields and reading "a Kurt Vonnegut book by moonlight.
"Two: while it will never be mistaken for "the fine dining experience you might have "in central Florida, Miss Anne's Diner serves a surprisingly tasty Thanksgiving meal.
" And three‐‐well, I don't really have a three, but one and two were awfully good.
[sentimental music.]
‐ I'm supposed to go home.
My parents are expecting me.
It's a pretty big holiday in the Halter household.
‐ Think it over once we wake up.
I'm not flirting.
I'm just tired.
TAKUMI: Tell your parents yet? MILES: Tell 'em what? THE COLONEL: That you ain't going home for Thanksgiving.
You ain't special, Pudge.
Alaska doesn't like to go home, but she also doesn't like to be alone.
Takumi stayed with her last year, and now it's your turn.
You think something amazing is gonna happen, and she gonna break up with Jake, and you're gonna experience sexual fireworks.
But really, you're just gonna drink shitty wine and melt candles.
‐ So many candles.
THE COLONEL: This is what Alaska does.
What Pudge does is still left to be determined.
‐ I think he's staying.
‐ He does that, he's a rat by association, and we'll have no choice but to cut him off as well.
MILES: I'm not staying.
Yes, Alaska invited me, but I didn't even consider it.
It's just crazy.
‐ Pudge, are you familiar with the Indian Springs Treaty of 1825? Because you staying here with Alaska is like those three rogue Native Americans who tried to make a deal with the white men.
Their own tribe executed them for being traitors, and the white men took their land anyway.
‐ That was dark, and I don't totally get it.
‐ Don't think with your dick.
That compute? ‐ That was not the moral of the story.
It was don't trust white people or alternatively, don't trust people who are known to be unreliable.
‐ Especially proven rats.
‐ Not to mention, she has a boyfriend.
THE COLONEL: And God help us if you unmoor her from the rock that is Jake, which ain't gonna happen.
'Cause she ain't gonna never get with you.
‐ Bad wine, many candles.
‐ I get it.
I got it.
I'm Orlando bound.
[phone ringing.]
[phone beeps on.]
‐ Miles, what's wrong? ‐ Nothing is wrong.
Every time I call, doesn't mean something's wrong.
‐ "Every time" you call implies you call all the time.
‐ Yeah, sorry.
I know I missed a call last week.
Uh, I'm just saving up some new material for when I see you in person.
WALTER: Yeah, about that.
Now, no pressure on Thanksgiving, Miles.
You don't have to fly in for the holiday if you don't want to.
‐ Oh, um [stammers.]
I don't? WALTER: No.
We can drive up and pick you up.
This way BOTH: Road trip! [both laugh.]
JUDY: We can't wait to see you, sweetie.
I've already started making the cranberry sauce.
‐ [chuckles.]
I hope you're making it with those golden raisins.
JUDY: For my golden boy.
Our son is coming home.
WALTER: We'll see you soon, bud.
[phone clangs.]
‐ [exhales.]
[phone rings.]
[sighs.]
Sorry, if I didn't sound excited enough.
I‐‐I can't wait for the cranberry sauce.
JAKE: Ugh.
I hate that shit.
What the hell is it? Is it a fruit? Is it Jell‐O? ‐ Sorry.
You're not my mom.
JAKE: Is this Miles? It's me, Jake.
‐ Jake, as in Alaska's Jake? ‐ Yeah, I'm not sure that's the case anymore.
I'm not sure about much, man, other than I've called this payphone, like, 40 times, and she still hasn't called me back.
‐ Did you get into a fight? It seemed like everything was great.
‐ Yeah, 'cause it was until she ran out on me when I was saying good‐bye.
And I haven't heard from her since.
She's totally blowing me off, and I feel like we're done, dude.
Can't think of a single reason why.
[Black Rebel Motorcycle Club's "Shuffle Your Feet".]
‐ Yeah, nothing comes to mind.
[phone rings.]
[phone beeps on.]
‐ Miles, what's wrong? ‐ I just spoke to you.
[chuckles.]
What terrible catastrophe could have befallen me since then? Um, actually, something has come up.
HAYES: See you again Time won't save ‐ Hey.
HAYES: Time won't save my soul ‐ What are you doing? ‐ Just cozying up with some Vonnegut since he'll be my only companion this coming week.
I'll tell you all about it when you get back.
‐ Or we could read it together.
HAYES: I'll see you again ‐ I'm staying.
HAYES: Who knows if I'll see you again MILES: Staying here at school, remaining focused, gives me the opportunity to catch up on my studies.
Plus, the peace and quiet is gonna be very restorative.
Orlando really is a city on the go.
That fast‐paced lifestyle can be very depleting.
I know what you're thinking, but it's not 'cause I wanna make out with her.
‐ Hold up.
I've been doing a little back of the napkin calculations in my head, and I've been able to determine that you're full of shit.
Yo, Takumi! My mom's here.
Last chance to get a free ride to the airport.
‐ Oh, that's your mom? I'd love to meet her.
‐ Hey, sweetie! How you doing? [smooching.]
‐ Pudge, I'm giving you 48 hours before Alaska breaks your heart or Jake breaks your face, and we will not help you pick up the pieces.
‐ Oh, actually, um, Alaska and Jake are kind of on the outs.
‐ It's even worse than I thought.
My condolences.
[Jet's "Are You Gonna Be My Girl".]
‐ [sighs.]
CESTER: Go So one, two, three Take my hand and come with me Because you look so fine And I really wanna make you mine I said you look so fine And I really wanna make you mine ALASKA: The Eagle's on vacation, but we take no chances.
Dig.
CESTER: When you look like that, do ya ‐ Dig? ‐ Dig.
CESTER: Big black boots Long brown hair She's so sweet with her get‐back stare Well, I could see You home with me Before I let you get away Yeah ‐ So, we're making candles? ‐ My reputation precedes me.
CESTER: I said, "Are you gonna be my girl" [thudding.]
ALASKA: Hell of a day for you to decide to sleep in.
We're already behind schedule.
‐ Maybe next time don't have me consume large quantities of cheap wine.
‐ You had maybe one glass, and it's not cheap.
Given how it tastes, it's actually overpriced.
‐ Wait, behind schedule for what? ‐ I've long believed that the creek that runs behind the school is connected to Miss Anne's Diner.
Don't you wanna test out the theory? Come on.
Put your shoes on! Come on, let's go! [dramatic music.]
"In the beginning, God created the earth "And he looked upon it in His cosmic loneliness.
"And God said, 'Let us make living creatures out of mud, "'so the mud can see what We have done.
' "And God created every living creature that now moveth, "and one was man.
"Mud as man alone could speak.
"God leaned close to mud as man sat up, looked around and spoke.
" Whoo! Told you.
MILES: Yay.
ALASKA: "Man blinked.
"'What is the purpose of all this?' he asked politely.
"'Everything must have a purpose?' asked God.
"'Certainly,' said man.
"'Then I leave it to you "'To think of one for all this,' said God.
And He went away.
" Fucking love Vonnegut.
‐ Why don't you go home for vacations? ‐ Because I hate ghosts and home is full of 'em.
[Alaska laughs.]
[water rushing.]
I had a theory the creek would get us down.
I just never thought how it would get us back.
[Miles sighs.]
‐ I have a question for you, Pudge.
‐ I have an answer for you, Alaska.
‐ What's your favorite line from Auden? ‐ Retraction.
I don't have an answer for you.
Never heard of Auden, much less read him.
‐ Why'd you just assume he's a man? And how have you never heard of him? [sighs.]
You poor, illiterate boy.
‐ So, Auden is a man.
ALASKA: "You shall love your crooked neighbor with your crooked heart.
" That's my favorite.
MILES: It's pretty good.
ALASKA: Pretty good? Sure, and bufriedos are pretty good, and the sun is pretty hot, and this canoe is pretty heavy.
God, Pudge, it says so much about love and brokenness.
It'sit's perfect.
God, you're hopeless.
[exhales.]
‐ [groaning.]
‐ You wanna go porn hunting? ‐ What? ‐ You can't love your neighbors until you know how crooked their hearts are.
You don't like porn? Come on.
[Beck's "E‐Pro".]
BECK: See me coming to town with my soul Straight down out of the world with my fingers Holding onto the devil I know All my troubles will hang on your trigger Take your eyes and your mind from the road Shoot your mouth if you know where you're aiming Don't forget to pick up what you sow Talking trash to the garbage around you ‐ Found it.
BECK: Na na na na na Na na na na na na na Na na na na na na na ALASKA: Ooh.
What do we have here? [bottle cap snaps.]
BECK: Na na na na na ‐ Maui wowie! ‐ Aren't you worried we're gonna get caught? ‐ Oh, no, Pudge.
You're right.
Maybe they'll go to The Eagle and tell him someone stole their wine cooler.
BECK: Handing out a confection of venom Heaven's drunk from the poison you use Charm the wolves with the eyes of a gambler Now I see it's a comfort to you Hammer my bones on the anvil of daylight Na na na na ‐ Bingo! ‐ Bitches of Madison County.
‐ Hank is a cinephile, so this will be delightful.
BECK: Na na na na na [seductive music.]
[woman on TV moaning.]
MILES: She isvocal.
WOMAN: Oh, yeah, baby! ‐ Think we should turn it down? ‐ No, there's, like, one teacher on campus, and I highly doubt Madame O'Malley is skulking around with a glass to the wall.
They just don't make sex look fun for women.
That girl is just an object.
I mean, look at that.
‐ Oh, I am looking.
‐ God, Pudge, never do it that hard.
‐ Uh, no.
Pfft.
I would never.
ALASKA: That would just hurt, and that is torture.
That is not a man and a woman.
That is a penis and a vagina.
You know, what's erotic about that? Where's the kissing? [woman on TV moaning.]
‐ Well WOMAN: Harder, yeah.
‐ I think in their current position, they can't really kiss.
‐ Well, that's exactly what I mean.
Just by how they're doing it is objectification.
He can't even see her face.
This is what can happen to women, Pudge.
[woman on TV moaning.]
Please don't tell me this turns you on.
[moaning on TV intensifies.]
The answer's clear and not unimpressive.
‐ [clears throat.]
ALASKA: It's okay, Pudge.
I don't judge.
You have yet to unlearn your patriarchal ways of seeing.
WOMAN: Yes! [moaning.]
‐ I'm bored.
You finish taking care of business and find me later.
[man and woman on TV moaning.]
[leaves crunching.]
‐ Why haven't you called Jake back? ‐ You heard about that? MILES: I spoke to him, actually.
ALASKA: Well, you wouldn't understand.
It's complicated.
When you get older, I'll tell you all about the ups and downs of an adult relationship.
‐ He said that he called you 40 times, and you still haven't called him back.
Is that what adults do? [dog barks.]
[dramatic music.]
‐ [sighs.]
‐ Place is so nice.
MILES: Yeah.
Thanks for having us.
DR.
HYDE: Your apple juice is ready.
Quite delightful, full of the vitamins needed to keep bodies, both young and old, robust.
You didn't think I'd give you any of the hard stuff, did you? ‐ Maybe for a minute.
I always suspected you were a secret badass.
So all this hospitality, does that mean we're not in trouble? DR.
HYDE: It means you're fortunate I'm the resident advisor monitoring campus this weekend and not Mr.
Starnes.
He would not be so forgiving.
‐ The Eagle's a jerk, insecure and small‐minded the classic combination of a petty dictator.
‐ Mr.
Starnes is an admirable educator, strapped with the thankless task of protecting 200 self‐involved teenagers.
You can blame Sylvia for interrupting your indiscretions.
She needed to stretch her legs.
And that's how I stumbled upon the two of you imbibing whatever it was you were drinking.
[chuckles.]
Definitely wasn't wine.
‐ Couldn't agree more.
‐ Tastes better after the second glass.
DR.
HYDE: The damage to your palates are punishment enough, that and the fact that both of you are spending Thanksgiving at school.
Why aren't you with your families? ‐ For me, it's mostly catch‐up on homework like your essay question.
I really need to take time with that one didn't want any distractions.
DR.
HYDE: A foolproof plan, Mr.
Halter.
And you, Ms.
Young? ALASKA: Thanksgiving at the Creek is kind of my tradition.
Yours too it seems.
MILES: Yeah.
Got no place else to be, Dr.
Hyde? ‐ I'm old and a bachelor.
Don't have much family left.
MILES: No kids or grandkids or great‐grandkids? ‐ I have two brothers, but we haven't spoken in decades.
ALASKA: Dysfunctional family.
Well, that's a topic I can cozy up to.
DR.
HYDE: Never married, never wanted kids.
‐ And now you're surrounded by 200 of us.
Kinda ironic.
‐ But you must have been in love before, right? ‐ That's kind of personal, don't you think? ‐ It's the holidays.
We're sipping juice, and Dr.
Hyde is a nimble conversationalist, so he'll only answer if he wants to.
‐ Yes, Ms.
Young, I've experienced love once.
That person's not around anymore.
They ceased being around many years ago.
[tender music.]
‐ It's him, isn't it? The guy you were in love with.
‐ That was him.
‐ To love.
‐ To love.
‐ Ooh.
What'd those pie crusts do to you? Nobody wants a cracked pie, Chip.
You can't eat a cracked pie.
Filling just falls out and leaves you with crust, cracked crust at that.
Don't think I don't know you sassing me 'cause you're not using your words.
I need some allspice, some cinnamon, some nutmeg.
Thank you.
Hey, how are you? Thank you.
THE COLONEL: Is that all? [scanner beeping.]
‐ You gonna tell me what's wrong with you, Chip? I'm talking to you, young man.
Give me a straight answer.
Have a nice day.
Come on.
What's wrong? ‐ Everything just sucks, Ma.
Sara broke up with me because I didn't wanna believe Alaska was a rat.
Turns out, she is a rat, and I'm pretty sure Pudge is falling in love with her.
So I lost Sara, and I'm losing Pudge.
He's spending Thanksgiving with her alone at school, and I'm pretty sure I know exactly how that's gonna go.
‐ Wait, wait, wait.
They're alone? ‐ Yeah, and Alaska never goes home for Thanksgiving, and she convinced Pudge to stay with her.
I hate 'em both.
They deserve each other.
‐ Look, you don't hate anyone, Chip.
And what they deserve is a home‐cooked meal.
ALASKA: You spend six years in New York after graduating from NYU, contemplated Broadway, but ultimately decided that theater was too limited.
So you went to Berkeley to try and save the world, and that's where you meet him.
Was he a professor too or a student? ‐ His name was Diego.
He was a bartender.
‐ A student of life, even better.
‐ He knew everything about wine and whiskey.
‐ And how'd you meet? Was it love at first sight? DR.
HYDE: Love at first sound.
I was leading a march.
It was a "no nukes" rally.
I was a bit of a firebrand back in the day, came with teaching political science.
He was in the audience, liked what I said, and sought me out after.
MILES: So you were teaching politics at Berkeley.
When did you switch to religion? ‐ When he died.
[somber music.]
At the time, some people coined it the plague.
The plague it ravaged a generation, a whole generation.
I never thought I'd outlive him.
He was younger, so full of life.
Why would I? One day he was opening a bottle of Bordeaux for our anniversary.
Then he began to lose feeling in his fingers.
He couldn't hold a glass.
Then he couldn't hold my hand, and six months later, he was gone.
"I poured my soul into the dust by loving a man who was soon to die as if he would live forever.
" St.
Augustine from his Confessions .
‐ That's beautiful.
And so was he.
Diego was pure gorgeousness.
You were no slouch either.
‐ Our favorite thing to do together was read.
Well, actually, I'd read and he'd listen.
As much as he loved to read, he loved listening to my voice even more.
Ideas, Ms.
Young.
ideas bonded us.
‐ You should come with us tomorrow.
We're going to Miss Anne's Diner for Thanksgiving feast, involving a lot of tater tots.
MILES: If it sounds unhealthy and greasy, it's just because it is.
‐ [chuckles.]
Well, I appreciate the invitation, but I'm quite all right alone.
Sylvia is more than enough company.
‐ Well, thank you for the juice and conversation.
‐ I'm sorry about Diego.
DR.
HYDE: Oh, don't be sorry.
I wouldn't give up any of my time with him, not even the suffering.
Go.
ALASKA: That poor man.
He put up a good face, but I could see it.
MILES: See what? ALASKA: His eternal sadness, suffering.
Maybe that's what it is.
The labyrinth.
What if it's suffering? What if it‐‐you know, Bolívar wasn't talking about life or death, but that part in between? That part when you‐‐you love with all your heart and then your heart breaks and you have to keep living alone.
"How will I ever get out of this labyrinth" of suffering? ‐ Alaska Are you suffering? ‐ Aren't we all? It's kind of the human condition.
‐ I mean you, specifically.
‐ Sure, I guess.
Everyone thinks I'm a rat.
no one is talking to me completely fucking alone.
[melancholy music.]
‐ You got me.
And Hyde just poured his heart out to you.
And what about Jake and all of his unreturned phone calls? ‐ You're really worried about Jake.
‐ Aren't you? ‐ Jake will be just fine.
‐ He didn't seem fine to me.
‐ It's really fucking complicated.
‐ Well, then explain it.
I wanna understand.
‐ You can't, so there's no point in trying.
‐ I wanna know everything about you.
‐ You say that now, but if you knew the truth, you'd be running away.
‐ You asked me to come here with you and ride canoes and go porn hunting, and I did Because I'm all in.
No matter what you tell me, I would never walk away from you.
‐ I need to go.
‐ Wait, what? Alaska! ALASKA: Hi.
It's me.
JAKE: Hey, uh I was just heading out to my aunt's.
Glad you finally called me back.
‐ Yeah.
Yeah, I'm‐‐I'm sorry about dodging your calls.
I just I just didn't really know how to tell you.
‐ Tell me what? ‐ That I think we should break up.
‐ Yeah, kinda felt like that's where we were heading.
‐ I love you, Jake.
But I'm also kind of using you as an excuse forfor not dealing with things [sniffles.]
For not wanting to be alone.
Takumi says you're my rock.
‐ Yeah, which I take as a compliment.
I mean, a rock is something solid you stand on.
It supports you.
‐ Or it keeps you stuck in one place, 'cause you're too afraid to leave it.
JAKE: Also true.
I try to be one of the good rocks.
‐ You are a great rock, Jake.
And I'm sure happiness is waiting right on campus, like, three doors down.
‐ Wait, Alaska.
Is this about‐‐ ‐ Good‐bye.
I still love you, Jake [Matt Sharp's "All Those Dreams".]
[phone beeps off.]
[fire crackling.]
MILES: Hey.
ALASKA: These are for us.
We are sleeping outside.
Get comfortable, Pudge.
‐ [sighs.]
‐ I broke up with Jake.
SHARP: Into light, into day ‐ Wow.
Uhreally? It's probably for the best, right? SINGER: Sunny day on a train As a dusty record plays Music box fades into the rain Did all those dreams turn out The way they should be All the hopes you've had of what you could be Sorrows ALASKA: Don't ruin it, Pudge.
‐ I won't.
SINGER: Really make you happy Into the haze Your game The hideaway from shame Would you like to change your name Into the blame Drive my car for days From fear of second place As you rearrange your face Away from the race Did all those dreams turn out The way they should be All the hopes you've had Of what you could be Your sorrows and your sadness They shine brightly All those dreams really make you happy What makes you happy ‐ [groans.]
SINGER: Did all those dreams Turn out the way ‐ Colonel.
‐ Shit.
Looks like I got here too late.
‐ What are you doing here? ‐ I've been instructed to invite you to Thanksgiving at Chateau Martin.
Miles, please inform Alaska she is also invited.
SINGER: All those dreams Really make you happy ‐ Get your shit, and let's get going.
Dolores is waiting.
[upbeat music.]
NEIGHBOR: Hey, Dolores! ‐ Welcome to our home.
It's not much, but y'all gonna have a turkey the size of the kitchen.
Stop right there, Chip.
You have guests.
‐ That you invited.
DOLORES: We show hospitality at this house.
[car door slams.]
Don't mind him.
He's happy y'all are here.
You can get out now.
Chip will give you the tour, right, son? I gotta deliver Ms.
Wigfield her pie filling.
[dog barking.]
[door clicks open.]
THE COLONEL: This is the bedroom, kitchenette, TV.
Toilet's in the back to the left.
That's the grand tour.
Now you get why I hate rich people.
Sorry if this makes y'all uncomfortable.
I know this must be foreign to y'all.
‐ Not to me.
‐ You don't live in a trailer, so ‐ Poor is poor.
‐ I suppose.
THE COLONEL: But my mom paid for every single thing in here herself.
In addition to serving fine cuisine at Pancake Palace as a waitress, she also runs a store off the porch, just making sure the neighbors got canned goods, batteries And toilet paper.
‐ I trust you've seen the place.
‐ They can see the whole place from standing right here, Ma.
‐ You two take and put your stuff in my room.
I'm gonna take the sofa, and Chip is gonna‐‐ ‐ Wait, I gotta sleep in the store, Ma? ‐ Oh, no.
‐ I don't mind the store.
‐ That's not necessary.
DOLORES: Nonsense.
He's not surprised.
We always make room for company.
[water running.]
[faucet squeaks off.]
Now, it's tradition around here that nobody eats without working.
Everybody plays their part.
Oh, Miles, have you ever fried a whole turkey? [Jens Lekman's "Julie".]
LEKMAN: Oh, Julie Meet me by the vending machine Oh, Julie DOLORES: Huh? THE COLONEL: I'm doing the carving.
‐ Ah.
‐ Why, because you're a man? ‐ Because I know how to carve a turkey.
Do you? ‐ I made the mac and cheese.
‐ And Chip and Miles set the table.
It looks lovely.
ALASKA: Normally, I would not allow the cooking to be left to the women, but better to have good sexist food than crappy boy‐prepared food.
‐ Those pumpkin pies look amazing, Ms.
Martin.
THE COLONEL: Wrong household.
We eat sweet potato pie over here.
‐ And it's Dolores.
I think you're supposed to drink white with turkey, but I don't suppose I give a shit.
[all laugh.]
And for you.
THE COLONEL: Come on, Ma, it's a holiday.
‐ Okay.
‐ Oh.
[chuckles.]
[Dolores laughs.]
DOLORES: Alaska.
‐ Thank you.
‐ And Miles.
MILES: Thank you so much, Dolores.
DOLORES: You're welcome.
Let's say grace.
LEKMAN: Moving to London While the cherry trees are still in blossom Oh, Julie DOLORES: Father, you are mighty and strong LEKMAN: Oh, hold me Hold me through the sweet hereafter THE COLONEL: Oh, man.
ALASKA: Hoo.
[laughs.]
THE COLONEL: Oh, man.
‐ Oh, that meal was nothing short of art, Dolores.
‐ Best Thanksgiving ever.
Please don't tell my parents I said that.
THE COLONEL: Ma, you are way too good for the Pancake Palace.
‐ Unless you're gonna pay me to feed you, I think I'm going into work Monday.
[Miles laughs.]
‐ Hey, where you going? We haven't said gratitudes yet.
Sit, sit.
It's good to say thanks out loud.
Just name something in particular that makes you feel blessed today.
Really? ‐ Uh, I can go first.
‐ [whispers.]
Thank you.
‐ Um I'm thankful for this amazing food and good company.
And I'm also thankful to have a real home for Thanksgiving.
‐ [whispers.]
We're happy to have you.
Alaska, you're up.
‐ I am Thankful for just having had the best Thanksgiving in a decade.
‐ I'm thankful that I am the smartest person I know from the trailer park to Culver Creek.
‐ That dog won't hunt, Chip.
[laughter.]
Nope.
[dramatic music.]
THE COLONEL: The Weekday Warriors may be rich, but I got brains and a mama who will take me further than they'll ever go.
You're the best thing on this planet, even if you are forcing me to sleep outside.
‐ [laughs.]
Shut up.
‐ I love you, Ma.
‐ What about you, Dolores? ‐ Well, I am grateful for my home For steady work with decent people For getting the phone turned back on last week, and most importantly A boy who loves memy son.
As it says in Psalm 95: "Let us come into His presence with thanksgiving "Let us make a joyful noise unto Him "with songs of praise.
"For the Lord is a great God and a great king above all gods.
" [Alaska clears throat.]
MILES: Do you wanna dry these or would that be anti‐feminist? ‐ In this context, I'll say it's acceptable.
[door shuts.]
[Bill Withers' "Lovely Day".]
DOLORES: Do you know what time it is? It is Martin mother‐son dance time! ‐ Ma, not right now.
‐ Come on.
WITHERS: And the sunlight hurts my eyes DOLORES: You got it.
Look how nice that is.
WITHERS: And something without warning, love [Dolores laughs.]
Bears heavy on my mind ‐ [laughs.]
‐ Okay! [Alaska and Miles laugh.]
WITHERS: And I know it's gonna be [Dolores laughs.]
DOLORES: That's good.
WITHERS: A lovey day ‐ Dance with me, Pudge.
WITHERS: Lovely day Lovely day, lovely day Lovely day, lovely day, a lovely day Lovely day, lovely day Lovely day When the day that lies ahead of me Seems impossible to face When someone else instead of me Always seems to know the way Then I look at you And I know it's gonna be A lovely day Lovely day, lovely day Lovely day, lovely day, lovely day Lovely day, lovely day A lovely day Lovely day, lovely day Lovely day, lovely day Lovely day, lovely day, lovely day A lovely day When the day that lies ahead of me Seems impossible to face And when someone else instead of me Always seems to know the way Then I look at you And I know it's gonna be A lovely day Lovely day, lovely day Lovely day, lovely day, lovely day Lovely day ‐ [coughs.]
‐ Do you know that Chip built this whole store for me on his own? It was supposed to be a father‐son project, but that didn't quite work out.
Hmm.
Chip has a lot of his dad's ways, I know.
His temper, stubbornness with one difference.
He has a big heart, always has.
I know things aren't right with you two, but he'll come around.
‐ I think things are better already, thanks to you.
‐ You don't worry about Chip.
You need to focus on that Miles.
He sees you.
Girl, he likes what he sees.
[laughs.]
And look, you just give Chip a piece of that sweet potato pie usually does the trick.
[bright music.]
Let's get this stuff done.
‐ I know we just ate, but Dolores insisted.
‐ I'm stuffed.
Maybe The Colonel wants mine.
Hey! If‐‐if you want, I can sleep in the store tonight.
He's not as mad at me and‐‐and you can have the bed.
‐ It's not necessary, Pudge.
The Colonel and I will be just fine.
I'll be back.
‐ She wants to sleep in the same bed Together.
Be cool, Miles.
‐ Small trailer, son.
‐ Got it.
‐ I think Pudge prefers pumpkin.
‐ This ends tonight.
‐ What, our fight? THE COLONEL: Détente.
When we pull up to Culver Creek tomorrow, things go back to the way they were.
You're still a rat.
‐ I know I broke our code, but‐‐ THE COLONEL: Honor is everything, Alaska.
And people like us, we gotta have each other's backs.
‐ I have your back, Colonel.
THE COLONEL: Do you? Or would you sell me out too just to save your own ass? ‐ I would never do that to you.
‐ Is that so? ‐ You know me, Colonel.
We have a bond in family fucked‐upness.
We're the same.
‐ We are not the same.
'Cause I would never do what you did.
‐ You have to understand, I didn't have a choice.
Paul and Marya, they have each other.
They have their family.
They have their money.
They're fine.
They're fucking fine.
I had to do it! ‐ We can't be friends, Alaska.
And if you give two shits about Pudge, you'll cut him loose too, because his life will be a living hell at that school if you're in it.
You wanna make things better? Leave him alone, and leave me alone.
Start there.
[dramatic music.]
‐ [exhales deeply.]
[door clicks open and closed.]
Hey.
Are you okay? ‐ I'm fine, Pudge.
Never better.
‐ I didn't say it earlier, but the thing that I'm most grateful for Is you.
ALASKA: The fuck, Pudge? MILES: Ow.
Fuck.
[groans.]
Why did you do that? ‐ What do you mean? ‐ You said you wanted to sleep here together and maybe I misread the situation, butI just want to make you feel better.
‐ You thought fucking me would make me feel better? You sleep with me and everything is perfect, is that what you think? MILES: No.
It's just you broke up with Jake yesterday, and then tonight, I just felt like maybe things were different.
I don't know.
I'm sorry.
‐ I told you not to ruin it.
I'm sleeping outside.
[cover of Sufjan Stevens' "To Be Alone with You".]
SINGER: I'd swim across Lake Michigan I'd sell my shoes I'd give my body To be back again ‐ Can you stop the car, Ma? STEVENS: In the rest of the room ‐ Here? ‐ Alaska needs to get out.
Can't be seen with her on campus.
DOLORES: I am not putting that child out.
‐ It's fine.
I'm okay.
‐ I‐‐I'll come too.
ALASKA: No.
Thanks for everything, Dolores.
STEVENS: To be alone with you ‐ This has gone too far over some silly rat business.
‐ Serious business, Ma.
No offense, it ain't yours.
‐ Chip, I did not raise you to put some juvenile honor code over treating people right.
Jesus never gave up on a soul and neither should you.
The possibility of forgiveness is what makes hope available to anyone at any time.
‐ Yeah, well, every time you forgave Dad, he left a bruise to prove why you shouldn't have.
SINGER: You gave up a wife DOLORES: I'm not driving any further.
Get out.
Alaska walks, you walk.
‐ I think that means I should walk.
Thank you so much for everything, Dolores.
[door closes.]
[seat belt clicks.]
DOLORES: You listen to me.
I gave you all of me.
And your dad, he gave you what he had left.
And this isn't me making any excuses for him.
I know what he is.
That's why he's not around anymore.
[sniffles.]
You got some ugly in you.
That's for sure.
But unlike your daddy, you got space for more.
I know you care about people in need That girl right there, she needs you right now.
She's lonelier than you think.
STEVENS: Whoo [dramatic music.]
[singer vocalizing.]