jerry? where did that car come from? jerry looks over his shoulder and they all take a moment to appreciate the slab-sided lincoln in the drive.
jerry, i don't understand. what happened to the chevy-nova?
nick, do you know anything about this? she points out the window and they all take in the chevy and the sailors' oh-so-subtle note on the hood.
what are you going to do, jerry?
you're leaving? what happens when the sailor comes back for his nine- hundred dollars?
don't hurt him! nick, call 911!
jerry, what are you talking about? we need to call the police!
then for god's sake, jerry, just sell the lincoln and pay them!
what code? the vehicular code?
then what are you planning to do? jerry takes a seat at the kitchen table and adopts the thinker pose. he strokes his chin as nick and estelle await his brilliant solution with breathless anticipation.
goodbye, everyone! we're going on vacation!
jerry? you said it was a cabin. in the back, nick removes his sunglasses to regard the long, green, turd of a trailer. some concrete dwarves in the grass. a dusty canvas awning over a small cement patio. a decrepit picket fence with a sign that reads: my green haven. estelle looks as if she's about to cry. jerry puts his arm around her.
nick, how many men do you think there are who'd be interested in a forty-one year old woman with two brats, no money, and stretch marks? and with that she excuses herself, leaving nick to ponder.
nick, honey, meet sheeni saunders.
sheeni needs to go to the grocery store. i've offered her your help in carrying her bags. nick regards sheeni and her mischievous smirk.
so what's this sheeni girl like?
jerry! jerry chuckles. nick stares at him, perhaps resolving to murder the trucker in his sleep.
there are mouse droppings in all the closets, jerry.
nick, honey, say goodbye to sheeni. it's time to hit the road. nick watches sheeni kiss albert. he looks less than enthused at the thought of sloppy-seconds. finally sheeni hands nick the dog. nick and sheeni stand there an awkward beat. sheeni leans in and gives him a peck on the cheek.
how did they ever get it in here? my front door can't be more than three feet wide.
but it would take an army of mechanics to do all that! jerry slams down the hood.
nick, your sister came all the way from la for a weekend visit! nick and joanie meet eyes. she lifts a quizzical eyebrow.
i don't know, jerry. can someone do something about the monstrosity dripping oil in my living room?
i think joanie looks very nice. and she has a new boyfriend too.
nick met a nice girl in ukiah.
collect calls? and just who do you expect to pay for that? jerry kicks the dog away from his sock. albert growls and prepares for another charge.
nick, put the dog in the basement.
nick, that was your father on the phone. he lost his job.
watch your smart mouth. this means the end of child support.
you'll have to start going to.
kids? this is officer lance wescott. he has some bad news. after a beat, nick rolls down the window.
will they be sending his belongings?
his.  his wife?!? she bursts into tears and collapses into officer lance wescott's arms.
she's sleeping in.
no, lance! nickie, go to your room. nick flings down his napkin and heads for the front door.
where do you think you're going?
what the in god's name has gotten into you?!? jerry paid good money for that trailer!
who the hell else would write such a thing? estelle gestures to the trailer, which we can see has been defaced with the words god's perfect asshole.
and just how do you explain this? she holds up a semi-nude polaroid of lacey.
and just who the hell is lacey?
his girlfriend? what are you doing with a picture like this of your father's girlfriend?
when i want your opinion on raising my child, i'll ask for it. (to nick; morbidly
you are confined to your room until school starts, you sick pervert. she stalks off. joanie glances over at nick with amusement.
perverts! she hurls the tray of food at them. lefty bolts. nick hastily tries to pull up his pants as his mother chases him around the room, grabbing up objects and hurling them his way.
friggin' goddamn perverts!
you won't get away! i'm calling your parents! perverts! nick bursts from the room, desperately trying to buckle his pants. estelle is hot on his heels, wielding the hardbound sex manual as they round the bannister.
in my house! how dare you! she catches up to nick at the top of the stairs and cracks him upside the head.
nick, i just want you to know that i've thought about it, and i've accepted that you are gay.
that sounds more like a job for your father. here, he wants to talk to you. nick takes the phone from her hands and she closes the door.
lance and i are walking down to the movie theater. there's tv dinners in the freezer. oh, and nick - your father got a job in ukiah.
nick, that just wouldn't work. i depend on that child support money to eat.
watch your smart mouth. she slams the door.
nick! they have a description of the arsonist! lance flips through his notebook and reads.
what am i going to do? my only son will be sent to prison! lance takes estelle in his arms and smirks at nick.
oh, lance, can't something be done?
oh, lance! you're wonderful! how can i possibly repay you?
he can go make his father's life miserable! nick suddenly brightens.
you're going, buster! she snatches up the phone and dials. george's groggy voice can be heard answering. estelle screams into the phone.
you're son just burned down half of berkeley! come and get the little brat!
(cupping the squawking
hello?
where are you, nick?
wally was a friend of jerry's. he came to help me in my time of mourning.
lance is busy training to be a detective. he isn't around as much as he used to be. nick nods and goes back to eating.
mr. rumpkin is very smart. ask him a question, nick.
that's nothing. you should see what he did with the living room.
go ahead, wally. show them. wally blushes before he flips a switch and the tail lights come on, giving the living room a warm, flattering glow.
nick?
nickie, i have some bad news! nick sighs.
i'm afraid lance and wally got into a terrible row. he tried to arrest wally and wally broke lance's jaw.
the berkeley police know you started the fire. lance told them where you are. nick glances up and sees the black and white patrol car pulling up outside.
nick, they're coming to arrest you! he slams down the phone.