Bill?
Are you in there?
Well, l feel l have a great deal of promise.
- Promise? - Yes, unlimited potential.
l graduated near the top of my class.
l see you've been out of school for a year already.
Well, okay. Yes. But l think that's a little misleading.
l mean, l look at this past year as a period of real growth for me
l mean, in terms of preparation for the future.
What are your goals?
Goals? You mean, in terms of architecture?
Where do you see yourself, let's say, five years from now?
Oh, well, it would be great to get this job, so l could get out of my mom's house.
No. Five years from now. l'd have to say...
Well on my way, sir. That's where l see myself.
l mean, l see a lot of room for me to grow here.
And l don't want you to concern Yourself with this past year. l mean,
l'm the first to admit l had a little difficulty,
just as far as...forward momentum.
But l've had a lot of job lnterviews recently.
And l don't want to say anything,
but l feel like l'm on the verge of a real breakthrough, l really do.
And l think... big things are gonna happen.
Well, l'm cectainly on your side, Tim.
- Tom. - Tom.
Tom Thompson.
Hello?
Tom?
Tom!
- Phone call. - Who is it?
lt's a girl.
- Hey. Hey, what's this frigging lock? - Not now.
Hey!
- Hello? - ls this Tom? Tom Thompson?
- Who is this? - lt's Ruth Abernathy. Bill's mom.
Bill's dead.
l have to talk to you.
- l'm... l'm, like, shaking. - Did you get the job?
Do you remember a guy named Bill Abernathy?
No. So you didn't get the job?
No. Forget about that. This has nothing to do with the job.
- Come on, think. From high school? - Look, l don't remember him.
- No? - What, are you okay?
- Wait, is that your Brooks Brothers? - l had to do some research at the firm.
You can't bowl in your Brooks Brothers.
- Where's Brad? - He's on the phone. He won't get off.
Glass. Brad Glass. Right, from Brooklyn.
No, no, no. United States.
Sorry to wake you. What time there?
He's been trying to reach this guy in Japan about that stupid dog breeding thing.
- We have to talk to you. Hang up. - Ms. Tsumaki?
- Hang up. - Ms. Tsumaki?
$6 a minute, this woman keeps putting me on hold.
- l'm sorry. - Did you get the job?
Get off. l have to talk to you.
ls that your Brooks Brothers?
Do you remember a guy named Bill Abernathy?
- Ms. Tsumaki? - Brad?
- So what happened at the interview? - They claim they're gonna call me.
Hello? Hello, listen.
Very impoctant. l need feedback from husband about business proposal.
Chihuahua?
- Okay. l call back. - Yeah, call back.
- l call back. - Call back.
- Okay. - Good-bye.
- Bye-bye. Bye! - Bye.
Listen. Okay? l'm trying to run a business here, okay? That's a business call.
Oh, well, l'm sorry to interrupt your business call, but Bill Abernathy is dead.
Who's Bill Abernathy?
Before l get the chance to tell this very mysterious-sounding woman
that l have basically no recollection of her son, she just stacts crying.
- She cried? - Jesus, who is this woman?
Well, l don't know. But there were these long stretches.
Nothing but crying for, like, minutes.
l feel really bad for the, for the lady. She sounds like a nice, warm person.
- So, l guess l'm gonna need a suit. - For what?
Hello? What have we been talking about here? l'm gonna be a pallbearer.
- What? - Wait, you didn't get out of it?
Good. Are you done laughing? This is my whole point.
- l'm in, l'm in, l'm in big trouble here. - But, Tom, how could you tell her yes?
Well, l told you there was crying. How am l supposed to respond to that?
Well, just call her up, tell her you got back trouble.
Look, look, it's no good. l am in. l am committed.
l am just gonna have to do this one little thing for her.
Oh, yeah, sure. lt stacts off as just one little thing.
All of a sudden, you're enmeshed in a situation.
He's right. This could be pact of a whole scam operation.
- What? - What?
One minute, you're carrying this guy's coffin.
The next minute, you're lying in a ditch, naked.
So, is that suit black?
No, it's a charcoal-grey weave with a, with a chalk stripe. Why?
- What are you, a 40 regular? - No, no. Tom, l, l...
- Scott, please. Scott! - l wear this suit to work.
- This is my main work suit. - Come on. Look!
l have a problem here. l have to look presentable.
- Okay? - This is a $600 suit.
You know what? Now l'm stacting to see you for who you really are.
- Oh, come... Please. - No, l'm serious.
What if it were Brad lying in the coffin?
What are you talking about, ''Brad?'' What are you talking about?
Hey, all the shit you eat? Your heact's a time bomb.
That's nice. That's a nice thing. l've had enough. l gotta go.
What do you mean? lt's... We're not done here.
Hey, it's 10: 30.
So? lt's Tuesday night. Can you believe him?
lt's 10: 30 already?
Come on, let's go.
Well, if you don't lend me the suit, Scott, l can't do it.
l can't go. l'll have to call her back.
That's good. You don't need this right now.
- And don't forget the wedding shower. - Oh, yeah. l'm not going.
- You're going. - No.
You're... You're going. You're the best man.
How could he marry her, Scott? She's like an albatross around his neck.
You don't understand. lt's called a relationship.
Oh, what? Cynthia's an albatross?
Bring some wine, okay? You better come.
- Cynthia? Hi. - Oh, hi!
Oh, my God. You'll never believe who's coming.
- How could you invite Jared Schneidman? - Now, just relax and you'll be fine.
- Why? - ls that what you're wearing?
Of course, it's what l'm wearing. We're here.
- Wait.. who's coming? - Now, don't panic.
- l'm not. - Oh, good.
l ran into her at D'Agostino's this morning.
- Cynthia! - Who?
Hi!
- Who? - Oh, God. l'll be right back.
- l'm sorry. - Oh, Cynthia, come on!
- There's a lot of single women here tonight. - Who's coming, Scott?
- What are you talking about? - Cynthia said someone is coming.
lt's not, it's not that Loretta person, is it? Because, you know, that did not work out.
- Sweetheact... - Shut up! That is not good dip!
- Oh, gee, there she goes again. - Do you see?
Do you see how she like, like, spits?
- ...before you listen to me, Brad. - Sweetheact...
- Shut up with the sweetheact. - l don't understand why..
Hey, isn't that Julie DeMarco?
- l have to borrow a shict. - How many times do l have to tell you...
- What are you doing? - That's Julie DeMarco out there.
Don't you have any regular shicts? You know, like, like, like, just a shict?
What are you talking about?
Just like that. That's a good shict. Don't you have any shicts like that?
- Yeah, l'm wearing it. - Take it off.
- What? - l have to borrow the shict, Scott.
No, no. What is this obsession with my clothes, Tom?
Look, l was in love with her, okay?
- So? - So? l haven't seen her since high school.
lmagine that she sees me and l'm wearing the same fucking shict!
l, l just got this shict.
Guys!
Yeah, hey... He wants to borrow my shict now.
Hey, whatever. Listen. We gotta do something about the dip, okay?
Lauren's having a frigging Conniption out there and,
did you leave your answering machine on? 'Cause l gave Tsumaki the phone number.
l got a... little line on a couple of prize-winning dogs here.
What's wrong with the dip?
Hey, Lauren's sisters are all lactose-intolerant.
Lactose? Don't marry her, Brad.
- He doesn't care. - Lauren, he cares.
Julie? Julie, am l wrong?
ls it too much to ask that l could have one dip for me and my sisters to enjoy?
- What about salsa? - Salsa! l love , l love salsa.
Tom! You remember Julie DeMarco? She's, she's back in Brooklyn.
Oh. Hi, sure, yes. Didn't you... move away senior year?
Yeah, Long lsland.
- Her father made a killing in real estate. - Really?
Julie's right. Julie's right. Salsa guacamole. lt is so obvious.
Yeah, you know what? l think l have some avocado in the kitchen.
- l can take a look. - l just want to tell you one more thing.
Did you ever think of salsa guacamole?
- So, so you... Wow. You look, really... - Oh, God. Well, that's... really...
- Hey... Mary Lou. - My God! Jared Schneidman?
l... l know. Do you know he's engaged?
He is not! Oh, my God! Everybody's getting married!
- l know. lt's like a... a virus or something. - l know. l mean,
l was, you know, supposed to, but, you know, it didn't work out, but, yeah.
But, l thought for sure you would have been, snatched up by now.
Oh, so, you remember me?
Tom! What, are you kidding?
So, you, you think, l would have been snatched up, huh?
Well, you know, a lot of girls were, after you.
- No. - Yes.
- No. - Yes! What about that girl?
- Who? - Oh, you know, Shelley?
Shelley what's her name? She loved you.
- l have no idea who you're talking about! - Yes, you do.
Remember, you guys, did that play together, that musical together?
- Musical? - Yea, you were great. You had a great voice.
No, l don't sing
What do you mean?
l'm Tom Thompson. We were in band together.
You okay?
- Please, l'm fine. - Look, you know this is good.
l think...l think it's time you just let go of Julie DeMarco. Just, just move past her.
So, l've decided. You should ask Julie DeMarco out for coffee.
She's one of the sweetest people l have ever, ever known.
Yeah, Tom, did you see those legs? Forget about it!
You were staring at her legs?
- No, not for me. For Tom. - l can't believe you!
- What? - You should be staring at my legs.
What... l, l've been staring at your legs for nine years.
What are you saying? You're tired of my legs?
No, Cynthia! l'm agreeing with you. l'm just saying that...
l'm just saying that Tom should ask Julie DeMarco out for coffee.
Don't you think he should ask her out for coffee?
Yes!
- Are you okay? - Please. l'm fine.
How was the pacty?
lt was okay.
Gonna see your father on Sunday?
l don't know, Ma.
Anything new?
Good night, Ma.
See you tomorrow.
Tom.
l got in touch with Jimmy Gault.
He's coming down from Boston.
And then the cousins from Jersey.
Maybe, you know, a friend from the gym.
We might be one or two shoct on the pallbearers.
Mrs. Abernathy, l am really sorry.
l wish there was something l could do to help you out.
l know how you feel.
You do?
- l'm giving the eulogy. - What?
Ruth Abernathy came to my house!
Oh, Jesus! You didn't get out of it? You're getting enmeshed.
What, are you having a thing?
Oh, Tom, don't get upset. Brad and Lauren just stopped by.
- lt's not like a thing-thing! - ls that lasagna?
l can't believe you people. This just like a conspiracy.
- No, it's not a big... - Hey, hey, look, look!
- lf you must know, this was my idea, okay? - Oh, your idea?
Yeah, we're two couples having dinner, all right?
- Oh, l need to be a couple now? - Yeah, not.
- Not everything's about you, Tom! - lt's not, it's not... Oh, that's right.
lt's all about you and your sisters and all your dietary restrictions.
All right! That's it! l've had your shit.
- Let's go. l'm ready for you now! - Relax.
- Get you a drink, Tom? - Yes, yes you can, Cynthia...
- Take it easy. - and some lasagna. Thank you.
l don't know. l just...
What about the chess club? Can't we do anything with the chess club?
lt should be personal. l mean, you loved the guy.
l did not love the guy.
- Maybe you traveled together? - Yeah, excellent! Scott, read that back.
Okay, ''Chess, you loved him, traveled together.''
- Okay. We are on our way. - You traveled together playing chess.
- Yes! Yes! - Through China.
You played chess in China, and then... you fell in love.
See, that doesn't help. Okay?
You don't know this Ruth Abernathy person. l mean, she means business.
Well, so, Scott, you're coming with me, right?
- What? To the funeral? No. No. - Scott!
- How about giving a little moral suppoct? - Yeah, Scott. l need some moral suppoct.
Don't worry, we're going. l'll suppoct you, Tom.
Just Scott.
- How are you? - lt's Julie DeMarco.
Julie? What, she just comes over now?
Hi! l'm sorry l missed the lasagna but l got... Anyway.
Here are the magazines we were talking about.
So, what's going on?
- We're writing a eulogy. - Oh, l'm, l'm sorry.
Don't worry. We didn't know the guy.
Well, l don't...
You guys are going to someone's funeral who you don't know?
Actually they're not going. l'm going.
Well, Scott and l are going. Hey, Julie!
Why don't you come too? lt'll be fun.
- You're inviting me to a funeral? - Yes.
Well, it's... Wait. lt's not like it's a real funeral.
lt is! lt's a funeral!
Hey, wait! lf she's going, l'm allowed to go.
- Am l right? - She is not going.
- Typical bullshit! - Tom!
- What? - lt's okay.
Look, you know, obviously Tom does not want me to go
to this funeral thing and that's fine.
No. l have nothing against you going, personally.
- All right, we're all going, then. Huh? - No, no, no. l only if it's okay with Tom.
- Tom, is it okay? - ls it okay, Tom? Come on.
That's the dead guy's mother?
Jesus.
Thank you.
Excuse me, please. My condolences. Who will perform the eulogy?
Oh, the tall young man with the, dark suit and dark hair. Tom Thompson.
Thank you so much. Please.
Ring any bells?
No.
Mr. Thompson, if you would, please, sir.
Good luck.
Who is Bill Abernathy?
This is not an easy question to answer.
l could spend countless hours recounting my personal experiences with Bill.
The chess club.
lt's okay. lt's okay, it's okay.
lnstead l ask,
Who is the real Bill Abernathy?
What is the single...
elusive, intangible, inner quality that makes... made
Bill
Bill.
Well, folks, l don't...
l don't have that answer.
Who really does?
You guys, l don't think this is funny, all right? l really don't.
We don't think it's funny, either.
- You do think it's funny. - We weren't laughing. l coughed.
Yes, you were. l can't... You know...
- That was a sneeze. - l just don't think it's funny.
- l just don't understand. - We weren't laughing.
- l'll see you all later. - lt's okay.
l just don't feel like staying. l'm very... No. l'm gonna go.
Julie!
- Can we walk this way for a sec? - Julie!
- Julie! Julie! - Come on! l'm losing him.
- What are you doing? - Where are you going, Julie?
- What are you doing? - Where are you going?
- l'm leaving. This isn't funny. - l know. l felt terrible.
- So, you remember him? - What?
l saw you in the chapel. You were crying.
- Hey buddy, you kidding with this? - Do you mind?
Hey, we're about to bury this guy. This is a person! This is a person's life!
l don't remember him.
lt was just... it was so sad.
Do you want to get some coffee?
Unbelievable! He's picking up chicks!
- Coffee? - Yeah. lf you wouldn't mind.
Yeah, all right. Why don't you call me, okay?
- Call you? - Yea. - Get him off.
- All right, let's go, all right, all right. - Come on, back it up.
l never should have asked you to be a pallbearer.
lt was too much for you.
- There's a will. - What?
You're in the will.
- Hello? - Julie, hi!
- Hi! - Hi, it's Tom. Thompson.
- Oh, Tom! - Hi! How are you?
Hi! l'm fine.
So, listen, l was calling because we talked about... didn't...
What did we talk about? Didn't we at the... funeral...
- talk about doing this... - Right! Right! The, the coffee thing.
Yes!
Listen, l was thinking... what if Scott and Cynthia come along?
- Scott and Cynthia? - Yeah.
- Oh, you mean, like a, - Yeah, you know, like the four of us.
Tom!
'Cause, l'm, l'm seeing Cynthia on Tuesday anyway.
- Tue... on Tuesday? - Tom!
Who is that?
Huh? Oh, it's... this crazy woman. God, this, Jesus, this neighborhood is...
Hey, lady! You wanna keep it down? l am on the phone here.
- Are you on the phone? - Hello?
- Hello?
Who's this?
Hello? Jesus!
- Tom? Tom? - Julie?
- Hello? - Julie!
- Julie! Julie! - Hi!
Hi! That was weird! What was that?
That was really creepy! She just kept saying ''Hello''.
- Did you hear her? - Ye... No! Didn't you hear me?
- Ye... No! - No? l... well, l was calling you. l...
- Were you trying to contact me? - Yeah! l, l kept, l kept saying, ''Julie''.
lt must have been the weird pacty-line thing.
That has never happened before.
So, listen... Tuesday is bowling night.
- How about Thursday? - Great.
- Oh no, l can't take his car. - Look at this mess.
Mrs. Abernathy...
- Take it. He wanted you to have it. - No really. l can't.
l've got to get it out of here. Please!
25-year-old kid makes out a will. l should have known right then.
l... brought you some, nut-clusters.
They're my favorite.
Oh, Tom.
l'm sorry about the funeral.
So, how are you doing?
Oh, l'm fine.
l'm gonna be. Thank you.
Maybe l should just have them take it all away.
Oh, here. Here. Let me, let me help you with this.
Thanks. l gotta get it all out of here, 'cause l'm gonna sell this place.
Oh, you're, you're gonna sell the house?
Yeah, well, you know, maybe. l mean, it's too big for one person.
lt's too quiet.
l mean, it's like l have the TV on all the time now.
Thank you. lt's very nice to have someone around to help out around here.
Oh, sure.
Who knows? You know, l was thinking maybe of going to one of those,
computer schools.
- Oh, yeah. Computers. That's good. - You think so?
l'm gonna have to go through Bill's stuff in his room.
- l wish l could help you out. - Oh, no, no.
No, it's just that l'm very busy. l mean, l've got a job interview.
- Oh, a job interview? - Yeah. Actually, it's a second interview.
l bet you get it.
Thank you. l hope so. l'm a little worried.
- Do you mind if l make a suggestion? - Sure.
Why don't you try pushing your hair back off your forehead, you know,
like the other afternoon? Like... yeah, like that. Just...
You don't let 'em see your face. You're a good-looking man.
Well, maybe l'll let you know how the interview goes. l mean,
- lf you're interested. - Sure. You know, if you have enough time.
- You can drop by. - Yeah. lf l have the time.
- My God! Look at you! - He's turned a corner!
Oh! Very impoctant. l soct of mentioned that l live on my own, okay?
- So, you just... Just don't blow it. - You lied to her?
No. She seemed to have a thing about it. l don't know.
So what are we supposed to say at the end?
- Ah! This is it! - Wait, wait, wait!
What are we supposed to do at the end? Cynthia and l are going for cocktails?
Okay. A late movie. You guys say that you have plans to go see a late movie...
- and then you just go. - Hey, wait a second.
How are we getting home?
Deal with it. l need... l need the car.
Yeah, l mean, he's got to... He's got to drive her home.
That's the whole point.
Cynthia, maybe you could give me an opening for the story
about Brad and the oranges, hm?
- Tom, just be yourself. - Yeah, you're right. Your right.
Scott, you set me up with the orange story, all right?
- Yeah, you got it. - Okay?
No, no. Wait. Wait, wait, wait. What... What... What was it?
- ''Mean to Me'', maybe? - No, no!
Louis Armstrong did a great version of it, too. Come on!
- lt goes like 'DA-DE-DA-DE-DA' - Wait, wait, wait, wait!
Tom, you-you've heard of Django Reinhardt, right?
No, Scott.
Oh, my God. He is so amazing. Do you know he only had three fingers?
- Really? - That's too bad.
So, anyway...
Julie, did you know Tom's got a second interview tomorrow?
- Oh! That's great! - Yeah, well...
- ''l Surrender Dear.'' - You what, honey?
l love that song.
Oh, you know what? l think that's on Decca.
l think l've seen it in the bins.
What, you have that record?
- Yeah. - l need that record desperately.
Yeah. Yeah, so they seemed to really like my poctfolio.
What? Oh, 'cause... Oh, that's so exciting, Tom!
Yeah, you should really see Tom's stuff.
- Oh, go on. - lt's so great.
Well, it's a really good firm, and they seem to have room to grow.
And you can maybe, finally, move out of your mom's house.
Don't you have...? What was that...? That story about Brad and oranges?
Didn't you have a story about Brad and oranges?
No, Scott.
Cynthia and l have to, we have to go get some cocktails.
l... l cannot believe you.
l'm sorry. That thing about your mother just slipped out!
Oh, no! The whole evening! What were those topics?
You were supposed to be feeding me openings,
so l could jump in with the zingers.
Yeah, well, l was feeding you. You weren't zinging.
Oh! Bullshit! How am l supposed to...
- zing on-on Jingle, Jangle... whatever. - No, Django Reinhardt.
Look, l'm sorry. She told me she was working in this record store...and...
Listen, you told me to keep things flowing.
- Oh, flowing. - Yes, flow...
You know, you're making me sick, Scott.
Look, you still have the drive home.
The drive... The drive home? The drive home is useless, dope. You know?
- Yeah. - Yeah.
You know, we really didn't get much of a chance to talk tonight.
l wanted to tell you something.
l remember you.
We shared a music stand, didn't we?
Yeah.
l used to talk to you about that guy l went out with. Kenny.
That's right.
Anyway...
what l remember is you were a really nice guy.
Julie!
- l am so... Oh, okay. - Oh, my God.
l should have warned you l was going in.
- God. You know, it's my fault. l just... - Are, Are you...
l, l do this, you know. l, l give out the wrong signals.
l... l'm... l'm really sorry, Tom.
l'm going away.
You're going away?
- lt's soct of a... lt's soct of a long story. - But you just moved back.
Well, l'm not really here.
lt's like a temporary arrangement until l'm ready to go.
l needed a place to stay, and my dad, you know, owns the building and l just...
l mean, if, if l wasn't going away...
Well, l'm very sorry.
l mean, your work is very strong. l fought for you.
But the pactners felt, and l had to agree with them,
you just don't fulfill our needs at this time.
l want to thank you for coming in.
l didn't get the job.
l'll get the boxes.
He loved the Mets.
Thank you for doing this.
l got something you might want.
Come here.
There might be 1 or 2 of you in there. You can take one.
lt's hard to believe.
- You're a beautiful boy. - Oh. No, no.
- Yes, you are. - Well, thank you, Ruth. Thank you.
Bill Senior, on the other hand, he had to get by on his wits. No chin.
l met him one night... this pacty at Aunt Lucille's.
l was 16. l fell for him like that.
Next day, he left for Vietnam.
Two years.
So... what, you just waited for him?
Oh, sure. l, l mean, there were plenty of other suitors.
l'm sure.
But Bill Senior, you know, he just...tickled my fancy.
And those letters he wrote.
Holy cow!
l would have waited a few lifetimes.
You know what l mean?
Yeah.
- Please, Tom. - Ruth, l'd... really rather not.
l need you to do this.
l mean, he never talked to me about things like this.
lt's... it's impoctant to me. Please.
What do you want to know?
Girls.
Well, l think... there was one girl Bill liked.
Really?
What was her name?
- Julie. - Julie.
- Was she pretty? - Oh, yeah.
He did everything he could, but he just couldn't stop thinking about her.
Even when he tried really hard not to.
She haunted him.
She haunted him?
So, what happened?
Well, she told him she was planning on going away, but l don't know.
He couldn't let her go.
l mean, he'd been in love with her for so long.
And l guess no one tickled his fancy the way she did.
So, this Julie...
do you think that's the reason he...
No, Ruth. See, l knew we shouldn't have gotten into this. No.
- Could be the reason. - No. Ruth, no.
- Did she go to Yale? - What?
There were all these toll receipts in the car. New Haven. Did she go to Yale?
She didn't go to Yale. No, Ruth. lt...
l don't think it had anything to do with her. l know it didn't.