Episode Report Card Niki: B | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Won't Someone Please Help George Bailey Tonight? (2)
By Niki | Season 2 | Episode 20 | Aired on 04.17.2001
Cut to Karen's place, where The Conscience of Chicago is airing. Karen listens to it from the dining room, while Eli sits fuming in front of the TV. Jessie joins him and swears, "I'm going to kill that guy." Eli wonders how a guy "could get up in the morning with a nose like that." Rick's on-screen, and Jessie asks if Eli thinks he's upset. Eli reminds her that Rick got off, "he didn't do anything." Karen appears to be eavesdropping.
Rick's watching the show at his office, with a little help from Johhny Walker. The phone rings. Lily asks him whether he's watching. He lies that he's not. She says she can hear it in the background. He claims that someone else must have it on. Lily asks why he's working so late. He mutters, "That's a good question," then sees the bottle on his desk and remembers the answer. Lily whines, "Come hooooome." Mmm, that's enticing. He says, "I can't. I have to finish," but neglects to add, "my bottle of scotch." Lily catches herself nagging and says, "We're not even married, and I'm already hounding you to come home." Because that's what married women do, as a rule. Rick says that she shouldn't wait up, and that he'll probably go home, referring to his place. He says it's because he doesn't want to wake her, but we all know it's because he's withdrawn to an emotional Siberia. She reluctantly agrees, sensing that there's more to it than he's admitting, and they end the call with a couple of flat goodbyes.
Soliloquy Rick shares that his father died of a heart attack when Rick was fourteen. His father died so suddenly that "his affairs were a mess" and "he left [them] with nothing." Rick looks a little dazed as he remembers that his dad was forty-four when he died. Rick looks straight into the camera and says, "I'm forty-three."
At his desk, Rick takes another slug of scotch and pulls out the brass turtle Miles gave him around Valentine's Day. He holds it up in the foreground, studying it, and probably remembering that Miles promised it would bring good luck and longevity. Great -- more time for Rick to lie in the bed he's made. Although I'm sure he sees Miles as his chambermaid, because lord knows none of this is Rick's fault. We fade to commercials.
After the break, we find Rick and Lily strolling through a cavernous flower shop. Lily's a half step ahead of him, admiring the blooms while Rick trails after with his hands jammed in his pockets. She asks what he thinks of daffodils for the tables, and Rick, distracted by a couple of women staring at him and snickering, absently answers that they'd be great. Lily points to some gerbera daisies and asks what he thinks. He glances back at his peanut gallery and asks, "About what?" Lily figures out he's not exactly into smelling the flowers today and gives him a playfully sarcastic answer. She says that her father used to tune out her mother just like that, and we all wonder who could blame him. Rick says that there are women staring at him, and points out a couple of ladies standing by the case of cut flowers. One glances over with a wilting glare. Lily's unfazed and asks if he wants to get some lunch. He glances at his watch, then back at his fan club, and says he has to get back. "To do what?" Lily asks. "What's that supposed to mean?" he demands. That you're a loser, obviously. Lily realizes she flubbed and quickly says, "I just thought things had slowed down, now that the project is ..." 'Kay, not helping, Lily. Rick gets defensive and asks whether she has any idea how many loose ends he has to deal with: "paperwork, contractors wanting to get paid, vendors threatening to sue [him]." Lily spins around and quickly apologizes. He apologizes too, and Lily asks if she'll see him tonight. He half rolls his eyes and says, "I'm having dinner with Arnold." Huh. I don't know "Arnold." Jack, Johnny, José -- sure. Arnold? Oh, Arnold is actually a person. I guess he's Rick's accountant, from the way Rick glumly adds, "So he can tell me I have no money." Lily smiles wryly and says she guesses she won't see Rick, then. He says he'll call her later and gives her a quick kiss before dragging his half-eaten carcass off to feed the rest of the wolves. Lily looks sad and a little wizened as she watches him go.