look at you, you're all better.
you know all my son's stuff, right?
no, no, no, i got a date tonight. i'm walking out the door this morning and he says to me, 'mom, i promise not to get one of my fevers or coughs during your date.'
little blonde angle. eat everything.
i owe you. i told you today.  them's the rules. oh, excuse me, melvin.
will you please take it?
"ready" is not my problem.
go sit down. you know you're not allowed back here.  spencer's more excited about it than i am.  he says, "mom, i promise not to get a fever or couch during your date."
i know. he's just the best.
it's not your table. it's the place's table. behave. this once, you can sit at someone else's station.
or you can just wait your turn.
bryan says he doesn't care how long you've been coming you ever act like this again you're barred for life. i'm gonna miss the excitement, but i'll handle it.
you're gonna die soon with that diet, you know that?
if you ever mention my son again, you will never be able to eat here again. do you understand? give me some sign you understand or leave now. do you understand me.  you crazy freak? do you?!?
okay. i'll get your order.
i.  i.  i don't know.  you got me.
let me just do whatever i do by myself.  i'll catch up to you someplace i promise. oh, no.  don't look like that. no. i'm sorry if i'm a goof.
kissing.  kissing boys. oh my.
like what did you think i was going to do?
don't be silly. how bad?
you can't smoke.  he can't take smoke.
oh, god.  i don't even notice anymore.
that'll teach you.
that wasn't an apology.
hey.  this is just a little throw- up -- it's nothing to be so embarrassed about. really. thanks for the dinner. let me write down which trains you take to get back.
okay.
what's with the plastic picnic ware? why not try ours.  afraid it isn't clean?
just give yourself a little pep talk. "must try other people's clean silverware as part of the fun of dining out."
what do you care?
he's gotta fight to breathe. his asthma can just shoot off the charts -- he's allergic to dust and this is new york and his immune system bails on him when there's trouble so an ear infection.  is this bothering you?
an ear infection can send us to the emergency room -- maybe five, six times a month where i get whatever nine-year-old they just made a doctor. nice chatting with you.
spencer.
spence.
so what are you doing with a dog?
you're not worried that someone might take him?
sorry.
you know he's a little dog. next time, if bryan's not here, you can bring him in.
oh, please.
and if i had to guess by your eyes. i'd say you were kind. so, so much for eyes. but as long as you bring up age.  how old are you?
okay, pal.  i accept the compliment, but go easy -- my knees start a-knocking when you turn on the charm full blast.
dawn patrol -- major dawn patrol. my son had a full blown attack. and this time, for extra fun, they gave us the wrong antibiotics, so i get him home.
you all set here?
what are you doing here?
are you totally gone? this is my private home.
what subject? that i wasn't there to take crap from you and bring you eggs? do you have any control over how creepy you allow yourself to get?
my son is sick, okay?
how do you know about my mother?
sorry, honey.  i'll be right there.
sorry. there is a limit, melvin, and i can't handle you teaching my son manners.
we are going to treat ourselves to a cab ride.
melvin, wait!
melvin.  give us a lift. we've got to go see our friends at the hospital.
brooklyn presbyterian hospital, please and quickly please.
i owe you three dollars.
no!!! stay away from me!
hello? hello?
what? please? now? tell me?!
not your name.  what are you telling me your name for!! where is he?
tell me how bad it is. i let him go out last night when it was so cool without an overshirt -- just and underone with just the straps and i know better.  and i let him talk me into it. he was whining and.  you don't need this. give me a second to catch hold.
no, i didn't. so why are you h.
huh?
stay out of this.  doctor?
i'm a waitress.
you're going to get the results today?!
since forever.
yes.
emergency room only.
no.
no. i asked. they said it's not covered under my plan. and it's not necessary anyway.
fucking h.m.o. bastard piece of shit.  i'm sorry.  forgive me.
once the tests come back, is there someone i can reach in your office for the results?
his home number.
do you want some juice or coffee or two female slaves?
no.
doc!!! so listen, you gotta let me know about the additional costs -- one way or the other we'll.
there is a seriously goofy man behind this. you are not allowed to block out that fact.
it lets a crazy man into our lives.
uh, udall?
yes.
the doctors had your billing address. i'm sorry about the hour.
that's not why i'm here.  .  though you have no idea what it's like to have a real conversation with a doctor about spencer.
why did yo do this for me?
but you do have some idea how strange that sounds??? i'm worried that you did this because.
i don't think i can wait until tomorrow. this needs clearing up.
i'm not going to sleep with you. i will never, ever sleep with you. never. not ever.
i'm not kidding.
just how grateful i am.
yes.
i'm on the last page. how do you spell conscience?
i still don't feel safe leaving spencer with someone. how do you spell it again?
i don't need one 'cause i know what's really going on here. i have to finish this letter or i'll go nuts. this can't be right -- con- science.
i don't know.  it's very strange not feeling that stupid panic thing inside you all the time. without that you just start thinking about yourself -- and what does that ever get anybody. today, on the bus there was this adorable couple and i felt myself giving them a dirty look -- i had no idea everything was.
 moving in the wrong direction.  away from when i even remembered what it was like to have a man to.  anything.  hold fucking -- sorry -- hands with, for christ's sake. i was feeling like really bad that dr. bettes is married. which is probably why i make poor spencer hug me more than he wants to.  like the poor kid doesn't have enough problems. he has to make up for his mom not getting any. oh, boy. who needs these thoughts?
leave me be! why are you doing this? why are you picking at my sores.  what is it that you want?.  you want what? what's with you? i hope getting me thinking of everything that's wrong when all i want is to not do this has some purpose. what is it, mom? no kidding.
what is it you want? what?
okay.
we're going out.
okay -- we're out of here. i love you.
do you love me?
don't get it wet.
so it's okay?
i wanted him to know how much he'd done. can you believe he's eating with someone.
melvin.
a thank-you note for what you did for me.
getting loud, getting loud.
i want your life for a minute where my big problem is someone offers me a free convertible so i can get out of this city.
so. anything else?
okay.
what you did changed my life.
well, part of what i said in this entire history of my life which you won't read is that somehow you've done more for my mother, my son and me, than anyone else ever has.  and that makes you the most important, surprising, generous person i've ever met and that you be in our daily prayers forever.
i also wrote one part.  i wrote i'm sorry.  i was talking about i was sorry when i got mad at you when you came over and you told my son that he ought to answer back so i wrote that. i was sorry for busting you on that.  and i'm sorry for busting in on you that night.  when i said i was never.  i was sorry and i'm sorry every time your food was cold and that you had to wait two seconds for a coffee filler.
 and i'm sorry for never spotting, right there at the table in the restaurant, the human being that had it in him to do this thing for us.  you know what, i'm just going to start from the beginning.  i have not been able to express my gratefulness to you.  even as i look at the word "grateful" now it doesn't begin to tell you what i feel for you.
thank you.
oh, i'm sorry.  didn't i say, "what?" i thought i said, "what?".  what?
no, sir.
the stiff one eye?
i can't. i work.
my son.
melvin, i'd rather not.
funny, i thought it was a strong point.
are you saying accepting your help obligates me!?
no.
well, here's a little suitcase shocked that it's been used.
there's not way to pack for this trip.  well, i'll tell you -- i'm not packing the camera.
hello?
yes.
melvin.  i'd like to know exactly where we are going.
there's.  there's no need to bring anything dressy.  or.  i mean -- i didn't know if we'd be eating at any restaurant that have dress codes.
okay, gotcha. what did you think i was going to ask?
oh. okay, then -- melvin. good night.
stop treating this like i'm going away with a man. he's just going to say those crappy, sick, complaining, angry things to me. i hate this, mom -- i hate this. he's a freak show -- the worst person i ever met.
you stand there and i'll wave to you from the back window.
i love you.
sensitive, huh?!
hi.
hello.  oh, my god, who did that to you?
it's okay. no problem. where should we sit?
let me go in back. you look like you need all the room you can manage.
thanks, melvin.
hey, i like this music.
i don't know the last time i've been out of the city.  hey, my arms are tanning. i used to tan great. we gotta stop soon so'se i can check on spencer.
i'm sure, simon, they did something real off for you to feel this way.  but when it comes to your partners -- or your kid -- things will always be off for you unless you set it straight. maybe this thing happened to you just to give you that chance.
anybody here who's interested in what melvin has to say raise their hands.
yes. i really would.
no, let me pull over so i can pay full attention.
now go ahead.
hey -- you let him.
go ahead, simon. your father walked in on you and was yelling and.  really, come on.
well, you know -- i still stay what i said. you've got to get past it all when it comes to your parents. we all have these horror stories to get over.
no.
no answer.  maybe we should just drive there tomorrow. can i have that one?
hello.  hi, spencer.  why are you out of breath? you did?!? that is great.  so great.  so -- no, wait a second, spence.
my son was outside playing soccer. i never saw him playing ball. come on, you guys -- take me out for a good time.  take me out dancing.
i don't blame you.  this is a monumental first day out.  you sad or anything?
what a nice compliment.
i'm happy. and you're my date. let's get dressed.
stop asking everyone.
you promised a nice place -- can't you just.  you have these dry cleaned all the time, don't you?
my drink is following me.
you look s.
you look great.
you wanna dance?
and?
melvin, pay me a compliment.  i need one and quick.  you have no idea how much what you said just hurt my feelings.
that's not compliment, melvin.  that's just trying to sound smart so i feel stupid.  a compliment is something nice about somebody else.  now or never.
and mean it.
fries.
i am so afraid you're about to say something awful.
i don't quite get how that's a compliment for me.
that's maybe the best compliment of my life.
so how are you doing with those pills? well, i hopahopahopa.
have you ever let a romantic moment make you do something you know is stupid?
here's the trouble with never.
that wasn't payment. when you first came into breakfast, when i saw you -- i thought you were handsome.  then, of course, you spoke.  so now that your soft li'l underbelly is all exposed. tell me, why did you bring me?
tell me even if you're scared. tell me why you wanted me here. it's okay.
if you ask me.  i'll say, "yes."
sex with simon?
that's why you brought me? look at me! is that really why you brought me.  like i'm a what and i owe you what?!
i'll never forget you said it.
our room. i don't want to see him and he's not going to come knocking on your door.
i don't think so. you need help with the pants?
i'm going to take a big bath and order a big meal.
i'm sorry.  are you okay?
why? what have you been thinking about?
can you believe in our little mix you're the good roommate.
good night.
no.  absolutely not. i'm shyer than you think. i give the wrong impression sometimes and.
stop staring. do a vase.
thanks. but i just want to take a bath and.
all right, cut me a break.
i don't care how you put it -- we're being naughty here, pal.
to hell with sex.
we held each other. it was better than sex. what i need he gave me great.
but what about.
one night with me!
i got a gift for you.
let me see.  ahh, gorgeous!
i don't want to hear that music right now.
i don't.
it's your car but i don't want to hear it. if that means anything.
i'll take a bus.
i don't care what you did for me. i don't think i want to know you anymore -- all you do is make me feel badly about myself. you have my number.
don't want to. i love you.
yeah.  well.
i can trust my brain.
i don't know whether i'm being sensible or hard on you.
see. there's an example. i don't know whether you're being cute or crazy now.
you don't have to answer everything i say. just listen to me. okay?
it's really something that you're looking after simon. and what i said on the street. that was a bad thing to say. and it made me sick to my stomach. it was a bad thing to say. and i'd be lying if i didn't say that i enjoyed your company.  but the truth is you do bother me enormously and i know -- think -- that it's best for me to not have contact with you because you're just not ready and you're a pretty old guy to not be ready.  and i'm too old to ignore that. but there were extraordinary kindnesses that did take place. so thanks for the trips.
go ahead.
okay. good-bye.
what do you want, melvin?
what do you want?
grouchy?
what job?
what are you doing here?
i wasn't asleep!!
is it a secret what you're doing here?
because.
stop it!! why can't i have a normal boyfriend??? why? get out of here. just a regular boyfriend who doesn't go nuts on me.
oh, come on in and try not to ruin everything by being you.
maybe we could.
see. it's four in the morning. a walk sounds a little screwy to me, if you don't mind.
okay.
i'm sorry, melvin -- but whatever this is -- is not going to work.
melvin, even though it may seem that way now -- you don't know me all that well.  i'm not the answer for you.
you know what? i.
no! it's certainly not. no -- i don't think so. no.
warm rolls.