Episode Report Card Niki: B+ | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT It's The End Of The World As We Know It...
By Niki | Season 2 | Episode 19 | Aired on 04.10.2001
Cut to Judy and Lily leaving a café. Lily's saying that she "can't get him to tell [her] what's really going on." Judy asks whether Lily thinks Rick that is hiding something. Lily wraps her coat around herself and says that she thinks Rick is "terrified, ashamed, and doesn't want [her] to worry." Judy looks at her dubiously: "But he's not hiding something?" After a second, Lily admits that she doesn't know, and petulantly says, "Of course you're the one who thinks he's been a criminal the whole time." Judy tells her to stop it. Lily continues, saying that Judy didn't trust Rick, and conveniently overlooks the fact that she expressed the same feelings. Judy clarifies that she "didn't trust him emotionally" and people "don't get sent to prison for that." Lily stops and gives her foot a little stamp, her brows raised in horror. "Oh, god, don't even say that word!" she pleads. Judy assures her that everything is going to be okay. Lily wonders how everything can change in a day. This from a woman who's practically driving Formula One to the chapel. Judy tries to reassure Lily that it's probably just harmless business stuff -- like the way Phil used to bribe the health inspectors. Lily is shocked. Judy reminds her that it's how you stay in business. Lily asks whether Judy thinks that's what Rick did. Judy says she has no idea, but "it's a big project -- who knows how many people might want a piece of it?" Judy then makes a misguided attempt at a joke: "Don't worry. I hear those white-collar prisons are okay. You get to play golf with millionaires." She strolls off-screen while Lily turns everything over in her head, staring after her and not sharing the "humor."
We fade to a parking lot, where Rick's pulling up in his SUV. As he climbs out, he spots a black stretch limo parked a hundred feet away and seems to recognize it. The rear window slides open, and Miles's pasty gray head pops into it. He turns to gaze at Rick, staring at him pointedly, then retracts his head and raises the window again. Rick takes his cue and climbs into the limo.
Within, Miles groans that the "municipal waiting room is going to be so dreary." Rick snarks that he thought Miles had left town. Miles is all innocence, asking why he'd do that. Rick demands to know why he hasn't returned Rick's calls. "To protect the innocent," Miles says. Rick asks who that includes. If he has to ask, does that mean he's not among them? Miles answers, "Whoever you want it to." Rick's not in the mood for word games, and cuts to it, asking whether Miles knows how much he has riding on this deal. He further asks whether he has anything to worry about. "Did you do anything wrong?" Miles asks. It's not the answer Rick was looking for. He takes a deep breath, agitated, and says, "Okay, look, the second permit for the highrise, it was supposed to --" Miles holds up a finger and gives him a quick "shh-shh." He points to the radio controls on the ceiling above them and turns on some classical sounds to drown out their conversation. Clearly, the act of an innocent man. Rick continues by saying that the permit was supposed to take six weeks, but it only took ten days. He wants to know if he should have asked questions. Why is he angry with Miles about this? From the way he talked to the lawyers earlier, he knew full well there was something funny going on, and he chose to look the other way. How is that Miles's fault? Smiling his reptilian smile, Miles langorously says, "You know, I was once a boy scout myself..." Rick doesn't care about Miles's merit badges. He brings up the concrete, which they brought from Indiana. He says he doesn't remember there being a sales tax, and wants to know if there was one, "or was it made to dematerialize?" Again, his concern is a little late, and his anger's a little misplaced, isn't it? It's not like he's just hearing about these thing now, and that they went on behind his back. He starts to raise the number of mechanics, asking why the union would agree to waive their stipulations on this project, and Miles talks over him, saying loudly, "Why would I know any of this? Wasn't all this your job?" Rick says that somebody else made all these things happen, though, and he "tried not to ask who." "So you don't know," Miles says, staring at him intensely. He says that a lawyer once told him that "you can't be convicted of perjury for something you didn't say." He raises his eyebrows a little. Rick looks like the top of his head is about to pop off and dance around on the steam that escapes. He is astonished by the mention of perjury and asks what is going on. He asserts that he has to tell the truth about what went on. "And so you shall," Miles says, as if no other thought had crossed his mind. Rick studies his face. "And that's it?" he asks, in disbelief. He is shocked that Miles isn't offering him any warnings or help. Bet David's not looking so bad about now, is he, Rick? Speaking of David, I'll bet he'll be called to testify. That should be interesting. Miles sighs at Rick's naïveté, and turns to look out his window, his voice heavy with disappointment as he muses, "They really could have come up with a more attractive plaza to represent our city, couldn't they?" Oh, so they're actually about to go in to testify at the grand jury. Seriously, I just figured that out this very second. Rick makes an indignant face and storms out of the limo. Miles turns with a bemused smile, and before Rick can slam the door to the limo, Miles reminds him, "Where you're standing now used to be a mountain range. And before that an ocean. Keep that in mind." Rick looks as if he'd like to throw Miles off a mountain and into an ocean. "All things pass away," Miles says, in case Rick's soul isn't as poetic as his own. Rick slams the door. He strides away, his dress shoes making angry little taps on the concrete as Miles sighs and sits back against the plush seat, smiling and resting the tips of his fingers together. I'm waiting for the requisite, "Excellent," but then I remember that he isn't actually Mr. Burns.
Cut to Rick sitting on a bench in the hallway of the Municipal Building, pensively chewing his fingertip. Eli slowly walks toward him, looking hesitant. He softly sits next to Rick, who asks what Eli's doing there. With a small smirk, Eli says he ditched school. Rick asks again why he's there. Eli says that he thought Rick could use some company. My throat gets scratchy. Rick looks touched by the thoughtfulness, and rests his hand on Eli's leg. Eli's pleased by the gesture. Rick stares straight ahead and takes a deep, audible breath.