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TRANSCRIPT:
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Scene: School yard at St. Angelica's
Jake Straka approaches, children are painting a mural on the brick wall. Sister Anne meets Jake.
Sister Anne: May I help you?
Jake: Uh—yeah—Ma'am, I'm Jake Straka. I'm an attorney from Allegheny Game and Toy. (hands her his business card)
Sister Anne: We got your letter asking us to paint it over.
Jake: Good—uh—because my client is pretty fanatical about Bunny-Buddy.
Sister Anne: Forget about it.
Jake: Excuse me?
Sister Anne: No, we're not going to do it.
Jake: (removes an envelope from his coat pocket) Uh—this is a letter of demand. If you ignore it, we're going to have to take you to court. (he looks at the wall) Heh! It's a nice mural.
Scene: Legal Services of Pittsburgh
Alvin Masterson is at a file cabinet in the main reception area. Nick Fallin walks into the area.
Nick: Excuse me. (walks past clients and into his broom closet office, notices clients in the office and turns to Alvin) Alvin, there is a family in my office?
Alvin: They were removed from their apartment this morning. You're representing them in an eviction hearing.
Nick: What are these? (holding up folders)
Alvin: Five new tenant cases. We're drowning in them.
Nick: Erik Nilsson?
Nilsson: Yes. Are you my lawyer?
Nick: Nick Fallin. Why are you being evicted?
Nilsson: The landlord claims I'm running a business out of the apartment.
Nick: Are you?
Nilsson: No, it's a hobby, a photocopied newsletter. You wanna know the real reason I'm being evicted?
Nick: Sure.
Nilsson: Herschel Matlin thinks he can get an extra fifty a month on my unit. You know how those people are.
Nick: Those people?
Nilsson: Landlords.
Nick nods. Barbara Ludzinski walks into reception area.
Nick: Morning.
She doesn't acknowledge him, hurrying by the clients and staff to disappear in an office. Nick watches her, looks at Alvin and Alvin follows her into the office.
Alvin: Barbara? What's the matter?
Barbara: My son Russell was arrested last night.
Alvin: What happened?
Nick walks in.
Barbara: He was out with a friend, driving my car. They were pulled over. His friend ran away from the cops and they searched the car. And they found drugs.
Nick: Okay, listen to me, Barbara, you get yourself the best lawyer you can afford and do everything he says.
Barbara: I can't afford a lawyer, Nick.
Nick: What you do now is going to make a huge difference the rest of your son's life.
Barbara: Don't you think I know that?
Alvin: Nick?
Nick: No—I—no—I've never done a drug case.
Barbara: But you've been there.
Nick: I've been there—yes—I've been there—I've been there as a defendant.
Barbara: So? What, Nick, because you're not the top expert in the western world, you're just going to blow me off?
Nick: Well, I'm not—I didn't say that, Barbara.
Barbara: So, help me then.
Nick: The best thing I can do is to give you a list of the names of the top drug lawyers.
Barbara: Nick, I'm not rich and the only connection I have is you.
Nick: Okay, I'll do what I can. But the next thirty hours for me are brutal. I am in the middle of a huge closing at my father's firm and on top of that you just gave me five of these eviction cases.
Alvin: Give them to me. I'll credit the hours toward your community service. At least you can help the Public Defender.
Nick: I'll do what I can.
Scene: Allegheny County Courthouse
James Mooney is standing by the board that displays the case dockets, Alvin walks into the area.
Alvin: James, how does your day look?
James: I got eight tenants scheduled for eviction hearings in one day. That must be some kind of record.
Alvin: Fallin is tied up. That left me with five more tenant cases to assign.
James: Don't look at me.
Alvin: Thirteen. Come on. Now that's a record.
Scene: Fallin & Associates
Mr. Pierce, Head of Allegheny Game and Toy Company, strides into Burton Fallin's office where Burton is in conference with Nick and Jake.
Burton: Mr. Pierce. We didn't expect to see you today.
Pierce: I wanna know why this closing's been delayed again.
Burton: Well, that's a pretty complicated deal.
Pierce: What's so complicated? We're talking toys here.
Burton: It's a two billion dollar corporation here—and they're Japanese—what are they buying, really? Trademarks. Seven hundred million dollars worth of trademarks.
Pierce: You knew that going in.
Nick: Mr. Pierce, no disrespect, but your company's recordkeeping stinks. Every single trademark has been an ordeal.
Pierce: What's that mean?
Jake: Well, Freak Pile and Pink Pony Canyon never got their trademarks in Europe. Chess-Kers, Bug Eatin' Maniac, and Son of a Bug have no clear chain of title. Then there's Dart-Head—
Burton: Wait—wait—forget about Dart-Head. All the Japanese care about is Bunny-Buddy.
Jake: Well, Bunny-Buddy has the biggest problems of all.
Pierce: What kind of problems?
Nick: Your company bought Bunny-Buddy from a local toymaker back in 1971.
Pierce: Fulton Trout. Paid forty thousand a year, which then was a heck of a lot of money for a toy—and it was the best money we ever spent!
Nick: Mr. Trout's contract gives him approval over subsequent third party sales. He's withholding his approval.
Jake: This one guy has the power to spike a whole multi-million dollar merger.
Pierce: Look, the Japanese say if we don't close within forty-eight hours, they're going to walk.
Burton: We have that covered. We have a meeting scheduled with Trout this afternoon at two o'clock.
Pierce slams out of Burton's office.
Scene: St. Angelica's
Sister Anne and Alvin are walking in the schoolyard.
Sister Anne: Our school has spent the better part of two months painting that mural. And then these lawyers hand us a letter demanding that we paint it over.
Alvin: Try asking for permission?
Sister Anne: I had my kids write the creator—no, not THE creator. Fulton Trout, the guy who invented Bunny-Buddy. he said he can't help us. Do we really have to paint it over?
Alvin: Well, these corporations have unlimited resources.…
Sister Anne: Alvin, this isn't like you. I've seen you go to the mat in Children's Court.
Alvin: Those were custody hearings, sister. This is a painting of a rabbit.
Sister Anne: A dozen second-graders worked all summer and fall on this.
Alvin: Okay, okay. I'll talk to the lawyers. Who are they?
Sister Anne hands him the business card.
Sister Anne: You know them?
Alvin: Oh, yeah, I know them.
Scene: Allegheny Count Courthouse
Barbara: Nick—Nick.
Nick: Barbara, talk to me while I walk.
Barbara: This defender Russ drew, I have my doubts.
Nick: Who is it?
Barbara: Matt Purshkin. (Nick inhales sharply) Wh—wh—what? He's not good?
Nick: Pushover Pushkin. Well, he's a nice guy. Do you have any family that can pitch in and get you a lawyer?
Barbara: I'm raising Russell by myself. That's the family.
Nick: What about his father?
Barbara: He's broke. Mt. Aire Plastics laid him off in June.
Nick: Who's the prosecutor?
Barbara: Herb Connelly. (Nick winces and exhales) Nick—Nick, tell me the truth.
Nick: Herb Connelly. Connelly has political ambitions. He approaches each drug prosecution from the point of view of how it looks on his campaign flyer. He had my case.
Barbara: Yeah, but you got off with community service, right?
Nick: Yeah, but political ambitions cut both ways. Barbara, I'm Burton Fallin's son.
Barbara: Nick, he's downstairs in lockup. Talk to Russell. Tell him what to do. It'll take you ten minutes.
Nick: Okay.
Barbara: Okay.
Scene: Allegheny County Courthouse, lock up
Nick and Barbara are meeting with Russell.
Russell: They weren't my drugs.
Nick: They were in your car.
Russell: Somebody, I don't know who, put them in there. That's what happened. This lawyer says, if I name names, I might get a shorter sentence.
Barbara: Maybe avoid jail time altogether.
Nick: Pushkin's right. You turn over anyone you can.
Barbara: See, Russell? It's not worth going to jail over. Please.
Nick: I have to go. (walks out of room)
Russell: (crying, turns to Barbara) Are they gonna let me out, Ma?
Barbara: No matter what happens, I love you, Russ.
Russell: (blubbering) Are they, Mom?
Barbara: I don't know.
Russell: Mom, I love you.
Barbara, containing herself, picks up her purse and leaves.
Scene: Allegheny County Courthouse, main floor
Nick and Barbara meet.
Barbara: Russell's protecting one of his friends.
Nick: He has no friends now. Russell was driving. The drugs were found in his car. Unless he has a convincing story as to how they got there, he is guilty.
Webster Hall joins them.
Web: Barbara, my god, I was in Altoona interviewing for a refinery job when I got your message.
Barbara: Web Hall, this is Nicholas Fallin.
Web: Hey.
Nick: Hi. I really have to go someplace, so—
Barbara: Web is Russell's father.
Nick: I'll call you later. Okay?
Barbara: Okay.
Nick: Nice meeting you.
Web: Yeah, all right. (Nick leaves) Now—how's Russell?
Barbara: He's okay, but he won't tell the police anything.
Web: If he did?
Barbara: They'd lighten up on him, I'm sure, but for now, he won't tell them who was in the car with him or where he got the drugs.
Web: Barry Cook.
Barbara: What?
Web: Barry Cook was at the house before I went for the interview.
Barbara: That football kid?
Web: Yeah, where're you going?
Barbara: (walks away) Go see your son. I'm going to talk with Barry Cook's mother. Web?
Web: Uh—yeah?
Barbara: Did you get the job?
Web: No. Two-hundred-forty applicants for nine positions.
Barbara: I'm sorry.
Scene: In Nick's BMW, parking garage
Nick: Amanda, I need you to do three things: call Allegheny Toy and Game, tell them that I—Amanda—Amanda?—Amanda!—Amanda, can you hear me? (Barbara gets in the car with Nick) What are you doing?
Barbara: I won't get my car back from impound until Thursday. I'm only going a half a mile.
Scene: In Nick's BMW, driving
They drive on the city street, then pull up in front of a house.
Barbara: They used to be best friends. Then Barry kind of blew Russ off after he became this big football star. I could cream him. I'll try to be quick. Can you wait?
Nick: No, I'm gonna come with you. I gotta make a phone call.
They exit car, Nick presses remote security system activation on key fob. They go up to door. Barbara rings bell. No answer. They hear smoke alarm beeping. Barbara knocks, then opens door. They both walk in and see the smoke.
Barbara: Hello? Oh, my god, Nick!
Nick rushes to the kitchen, goes to the boy on the floor, wipes vomit from boy's mouth, listens for breathing.
Nick: He's not breathing—call 911!
Nick pulls flaming pan off stove, carries to sink, then goes back to the boy.
Scene: Hospital ER
Burton is with Nick who is on the phone.
Nick: Officer Bacharach, this is Nicholas Fallin, probation number 40385. I'm leaving this message because today I was with an associate and we found a boy who had overdosed on drugs. A young—I just wanted you to hear it from me first. (he hangs up the receiver) They want me to stick around and answer some questions.
Burton: Oh, god, do you know if you would had been across town sweet-talking that Bunny-Buddy man like you were supposed to, none of this would have happened.
Nick: Yes, I know that.
Burton: Nicholas, I gotta have somebody I can depend on. If Fulton walks, we are dead in the water. Now I gotta make Jake key man on Bunny-Buddy. Oh—ah—when you're done her, drop by the office and help Amanda with those closing documents. OKAY?
Nick: Yeah.
Burton leaves, Nick meets Barbara down the corridor at the nurses' station.
Doctor: (making an announcement to those in the area) Barry Cook was admitted at 10:51 a.m. suffering respiratory difficulties due to the ingestion of an unknown substance.
Nick: Unknown?
Doctor: It looks like badly made methamphetamine.
Nick: How is he now?
Doctor: Comatose and breathing with assistance.
Barbara: What's this going to mean for Russell?
Nick: Well you know it can't be good. Barbara, I think it's time you got yourself a good lawyer.
Barbara: I told you there's no money.
Nick: Well , Web seems to be doing okay.
Barbara: He's been out of work since June. He'd pay if he could. And when he's working he sends me a check every month.
Nick: Alimony.
Barbara: No, no, we've never married. It's for Russ.
Nick: Do you think he could borrow money?
Barbara: He's tapped, Nick, and there's no trust fund, either.
Scene: Allegheny County Courthouse, Judge Damsen's courtroom
Judge Damsen: Nilsson v Matlin. This complaint alleges that Mr. Nilsson's running a business out of his apartment. Who represents the tenant?
James: I do, Your Honor.
Matlin: You—you represent Nilsson? Why?
Nilsson: Nicholas Fallin is my lawyer.
James: Mr. Fallin is unavailable. He asked me to stand in.
Nilsson: No—no—I want Fallin.
Judge Damsen: And I want to be seventeen years old again. It looks like it's Mr. Mooney or you get no lawyer at all.
Nilsson: Okay, I guess, Your Honor.
Judge Damsen: Let us continue. Is he—running a business out of his apartment?
James: Mr. Nilsson publishes a photocopied magazine. Is that right? (James looks at Nilsson who nods)
Judge Damsen: Does he have any employees?
James: No.
Judge Damsen: Does he make a profit?
James: No, it's done for pleasure—a hobby, like sharing recipes. And he's been current on his rent since 1994.
Matlin: Your Honor, he's not been telling you the whole story.
Judge Damsen: Do you have an attorney, Mr. Matlin?
Matlin: No, Your Honor, I'm representing myself.
Judge Damsen: Then I'll tell you. This is your chance to rebut. Have you seen any employees in his apartment?
Matlin: No, no employees.
Judge Damsen: Then why do you say it's a business?
Matlin: Well, he's got a magazine.
James: It's not for profit.
Matlin: Have you seen it? (holds up White Power magazine) This—this is his magazine.
Judge Damsen: Is that what you're publishing, Mr. Nilsson?
Nilsson: Yeah. Um—that would be it.
James: The content is immaterial. The landlord alleged he ran a business. We've disproved that allegation.
Matlin: So, kick him out anyway. He's not printing recipes.
Judge Damsen: But it's not a business. Order to vacate is denied. (raps gavel) Next case.
James picks up papers. Nilsson leaves, smiling smugly.
Scene: Hospital
Herb Connelly, holding a bunch of flowers, walks down the corridor to Nick who is writing at the counter of the nurses' station.
Herb Connelly: Oh, jeez. I'm sorry. Did I startle you, Fallin, or was that just one of those drug flashbacks? You know, I have been racking my brain trying to imagine how on earth it was you who found Barry Cook?
Nick: (continuing to write) I was giving a friend a ride.
Herb Connelly: Barbara Ludzinski—whose son was arrested for drugs yesterday.
Nick: We work together at Legal Services of Pittsburgh.
Herb Connelly: No. She—she works there. You—you go there to—dodge prison time.
Nick: (removes cell phone from his breast pocket and slams it on counter) Why don't you talk to my probation officer?
Herb Connelly: Calm down.
Nick: What is your problem?
Herb Connelly: Excuse me?
Nick: I'm here with a clear conscience helping out a friend and you're making insinuations against my character. (deadly serious) If you'd like to take a shot at me, Mr. Connelly, then step up and take your shot.
Herb Connelly: You seem awfully cranked up today.
Nick: You don't have anything on me because I haven't done anything.
Herb Connelly walks away.
Various Reporters: Mr. Connelly—Right over here, sir—Can we get your picture?
Herb Connelly poses for photographers with Barry Cook's classmates and teammates. Nick looks over at flurry of photographers and reporters. Barbara walks up to Nick.
Nick: I don't think I'm your best asset at this point, Barbara.
Barbara: Why? Who was that?
Nick: That was your son's prosecutor. That was Herb Connelly.
Nick slaps his pen on his writing pad, grabs his phone and shoves it in his pocket.
Scene: Legal Services of Pittsburgh, Alvin's office
James knock and enters.
Alvin: Your defendant, Nilsson, called. They're trying to evict him again. This time on an emergency basis, citing health and safety violations.
James: I'm on it.
Alvin: Uh—James.…
James: Do you think this was the first chucklehead I've represented?
Alvin: No, of course not.
James: At least once a week I get a client who walks in and says (in a very white, Eastern speech pattern), "You know, I was wondering if it might be possible to maybe speak to one of the other lawyers." This is nothing new.
Alvin: Ah. That's your decision. Keep him or hand him off.
James: I started the case. I'll finish the case.
Scene: Fulton Trout's home
Fulton is "holding court" with Burton, Jake and Mr. Pierce.
Trout: You'd think because I created Bunny-Buddy, children would like me, but they don't. Even in my hometown. Last summer, some second-graders learned that Bunny-Buddy was born right here in Pittsburgh. Well, this excited them so much they gave up their Saturdays to paint a Bunny-Buddy mural right next to their playground. You see, these aren't rich kids who spend their vacations at Seven springs—these are inner city kids.
Pierce: Yeah?
Trout: And you—your company threatened them with a lawsuit unless they destroy their mural. Gentlemen, this is not the spirit of Bunny-Buddy.
Pierce: We just want every Bunny-Buddy to have Allegheny's stamp of quality.
Trout: No! No, you are greedy control freaks and every time you do something ugly, children blame me. They write me letters. Here—ah—they're like this one here— (reading)"Dear Mr. Trout, It's just a bunny picture. Why do you hate us? Love, Erica H." (he tosses other letters at Jake, Burton and Pierce) There—there—there—this is what children think of me!
Burton: Sir, I understand that you don't like Allegheny Game and Toy Company. Tell you the truth, I don't like them much either, but this is your chance to wash your hands of them forever. Just give them permission to sell Bunny-Buddy. (sighs heavily)
Trout: Who wants to buy them?
Burton: Golden Funcorp—a Japanese toy company.
Trout: Which toys?
Jake: Kitten Katy, Nobel Robot, Cha-Cha Choo Choo, among many others.…
Trout: Kitten Katy is an insipid affront to anyone who loves toys—and Noble Robot! That isn't even a toy—it's a weapon with a face. No.
Burton: Ah—they will kick in a handsome bonus.
Trout: No—no, no, no.
Burton sighs heavily.
Scene: Fallin & Associates
Jake greets Alvin and Sister Anne.
Jake: Mr. Masterson—Jake Straka.
Alvin: How are you doing?
Jake: Thanks for coming. sister Anne. Come this way.
Sister Anne: Fight the power, Alvin.
Jake: Can I get you anything?
Alvin: No, thank you.
Sister Anne: No, thank you.
Jake: Can I get you anything?
They sit in the F&A conference room around the table.
Alvin: As you know, St. Angelica's is one of Pittsburgh's oldest parochial institutions. It's a building block of the community.
Jake: Sure, but my client takes misappropriation of the Bunny-Buddy trademark very seriously.
Alvin: (scoffing) They're not commercially exploiting him—really—this is a testament to the children's love for Bunny-Buddy.
Jake: Intellectual property is the same as any other kind of property. They see it like—um—you build a house on their land? They'll sue you unless you tear it down.
Sister Anne: I dare you.
Jake: What?
Sister Anne: If you people sue my school, I will drag your name through a public relations nightmare like you have never seen. I have friends on Channel Nine.
Jake: Let me—um—show you something. (passes them a thick manual) This is Allegheny's play book. It's called, "Bunny-Buddy and the Law."
Alvin: They actually give this to all their lawyers?
Jake: They spend millions a year protecting Bunny-Buddy's honor.
Sister Anne: Fighting little parochial schools?
Jake: Appendix B is a list of all the schools and —ah—hospitals that have lost to them in court.
Alvin: All right. We'll let you know how we plan to fight this.
Jake: We await your response.
Alvin and Sister Anne leave the conference room and meet Nick in the corridor.
Alvin: Fallin, so this is the big closing? Toys.
Nick: Yes.
Alvin: Can you help Sister Anne? She wants to keep her Bunny-Buddy mural.
Nick: No. Bunny-Buddy is bigger than the both of us.
Scene: Hospital
Barbara walks down hallway to nurses' station, see crowd of high school football players and others, holding photos labeled "In Memoriam" of Barry Cook. Barry Cook's mother, drenched in tears, approaches Barbara.
Barbara: (shaken) Mrs. Cook, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry about Barry.
Ms. Cook: How did you raise your son? (crying anew) Why did you let him? Why did you let him take my boy? He took my boy away.
Barbara: (shaken and holding back tears) I'm sorry.
Scene: Erik Nilsson's apartment
He opens the door to find James there.
Nilsson: What do you want, Counselor?
James: I heard your landlord tried to evict you.
Nilsson: He tried, but I'm not moving. Herschel's scared of me.
James: He's asked the Court to evict you immediately for health and safety violations.
Nilsson: Why? 'Cuz I'm cooking bacon?
James: "Why" is not our concern. We just want to disprove the charge.
Nilsson: Come on in, I guess. How do you like my place, Counselor? (he indicates Nazi and anti-Semitic paraphernalia)
James: (ignoring him) May I see your refrigerator?
Nilsson: What?!
James: Your landlord alleged unsanitary food storage. I need to photograph it.
Nilsson: Be my guest. Right over here. (he opens the refrigerator)
James: (taking a photo) He also claims you're storing flammable liquid on the premises?
Nilsson: I know. That's bogus. You know what that is? Fluid for my lighter. (he pulls a lighter from his pocket)
James: Where do you store it? (Nilsson opens cabinet door and James takes photo) This is obviously not a health and safety violation, so no judge will accept this.
Nilsson: Wait! Wait! What about my posters? Don't you want photos of these?
James: No, don't need them. (he leaves)
Scene: Fallin & Associates
Amanda is consoling Barbara in the lobby as Nick rushes up.
Nick: Barbara? Thank you (to mute Amanda).
Barbara: Barry Cook died.
Nick: Oh, I'm sorry.
Barbara: Prosecutor's saying all kinds of things, but it wasn't my boy. I need you to talk to the public defender. I don't trust this Pushkin guy.
Scene: Mr. Pushkin's office
Nick: How does this change your legal strategy, Mr. Pushkin?
Pushkin: If they prosecute Russell for homicide, it's gotta be as an adult.
Nick: They can't link him to the death.
Pushkin: Herb just called. They have some new evidence. I'm going down to talk to him now.
Nick: I'm coming with you.
Barbara: Don't let him out of your sight.
Scene: Allegheny County Courthouse
Herb Connelly: This is the mass spectrometer reading from the drugs found in Barry Cook's apartment and this is from your client's glove compartment.
Pushkin: It's the same drugs!
Herb Connelly: Same poison.
Nick: Ask for an independent analysis.
Pushkin: Can we get our own analysis?
Herb Connelly: Be my guest if you can afford it. But if we go to court, and I'm kind of hoping that we do, we're not going to need to use all this confusing chemistry stuff because your client's drugs were wrapped in the same comics page as Barry Cook's. Juries love this kind of thing.
Nick: What do you want?
Herb Connelly: I need to put someone in prison for killing Barry Cook.
Scene: Allegheny County Courthouse, lock up
Nick is meeting with Russell.
Nick: Does anyone else have those drugs? They're trying to pin Barry Cook's death on you, but you're not naming names. You're stupid. Okay. I brought a cell phone. I'm not supposed to but I'm going to leave this phone here with you and I want you to make whatever calls it takes to take this crap off the streets. You can at least do that.
Nick leaves. Russell slowly picks up the phone and starts dialing.
Scene: Judge Damsen's courtroom
James: Mr. Matlin's claim is specious. The flammable liquid was only lighter fluid. The rotten food was a day-old salad.
Judge Damsen: Do you really think these are emergency health and safety problems?
Matlin: Maybe not—but can you tell me how to get this—man—out of my apartment?
Judge Damsen: Lawfully. This court will not endorse a fraudulent claim, Mr. Matlin. (raps gavel) Next case.
James: You win.
Outside courtroom
Nick: Hey, Jake.
Jake: Hi, I sued a nun.
Nick: It's only business.
Jake: Ahh—it's about as bad as it gets.
James: I just prevented a nice Jewish man from evicting his neo-Nazi tenant.
Jake: All right. I stand corrected.
Nick: Jake, James. James, Jake.
James: Hey.
Jake: Hi.
James: A nun? What she do?
Jake: She painted a mural of Bunny-Buddy. (the attorneys laugh) Remind me again of why we became lawyers.
James: It's nice to meet you, Jake.
Jake: Yeah.
James: All right. See you later. (he leaves)
Jake: Was he serious about that Nazi thing?
Nick: Oh, yeah.
Jake: Oh, man, now I feel stupid about feeling bad about my nun.
Camera pans out, Jake leaves.
Barbara: Nick? Your phone. Russell said you forgot it.
Nick: No, I didn't forget it. I left it there, so that—I thought he might call his dealer.
Barbara: Did he make any calls?
Nick: Yeah—one—one—do you know the number?
Barbara: Yeah, he just called his father.
Nick: They close?
Barbara: Pretty close.
Nick: Do you want to tell me about it?
Barbara: Well, in high school, Web and I were both hellraisers and we'd drive two hundred miles to the middle of nowhere just to feel like something was happening and then, uh—he straightened out and he went off to college. And I had just three things in my life: Russell, work, and white zinfandel. (they both chuckle) And then when he came back from college, Web helped me get it together.
Nick: Do you think that Russell might have told his father who his dealer was?
Barbara: He might.
Nick: Well, I'd like to talk to him.
Barbara: Okay.
Scene: Parking garage
James walks up to his car only to find it spray-painted with obscenities. He opens the trunk and removes some rags. Nilsson walks up, whistling.
Nilsson: Let me help you.
James: I'm okay.
Nilsson: I don't mind.
James: I'm fine, thank you.
Nilsson: Now you know how I feel.
James: I defended you because I believe in the righteousness of the law. And I believe that all people deserve a good lawyer. BUT I DO NOT KNOW HOW YOU FEEL, Mr. Nilsson. and YOU AND I have nothing in common. If you fell off the face of the earth, I'd then throw a party, every year, to mark the anniversary. Now get your HAND OFF my car.
Nilsson walks away, snapping the rag in his hand.
Scene: The Incline
Nick is meeting with Web.
Web: So how's it look for Russ?
Nick: It's not good.
Web: How bad could it be? I mean he's sixteen years old. It's a possession charge, right?
Nick: He's gonna be bound over. They'll try him as an adult for homicide.
Web: You're exaggerating. These kids, I see it all the time. They send them to work camp or Shuman Center.
Nick: Mr. Hall, the public defender told me he'd be lucky to get a deal for ten years for your son.
Web: What can I do?
Nick: Well, he has to give up the dealer. And maybe you can help. You can tell him that he is defending someone that hasn't lifted a finger to help him.
Web: I know who his dealer is.
Scene: Allegheny County Courthouse
Nick, Pushkin and Herb Connelly are meeting.
Herb Connelly: Boy's gonna do some time— twelve months, adult prison.
Nick: No. Juvenile court and probation.
Herb Connelly: A kid died. He has to do some time. Six months.
Nick: You listen to me. I will give you the top guy, who will cop to making the bad batch and distributing it, in exchange for three months at the Shuman Center.
Connelly nods.
Pushkin: Then it looks like we have a deal.
Connelly and Pushkin shake.
Pushkin: Who is it?
Nick: It's his father, Webster Hall.
Scene: Allegheny County Courthouse, later
Nick and Web are standing several feet away from a seated Barbara.
Nick: Just say the words, Web, tell her.
Web sits beside Barbara, Nick stays several feet away.
Web: Hey.
Barbara: Hey.
Web: Russell was always closer to you than he was to me.
Barbara: No, he's close to you. In different ways.
Web: Yeah.
Barbara: What are we gonna do?
Web: Barbara—
Barbara: He's all I've got.
Web: I know. Barbara—when I went to Altoona for that job interview, there was no job interview. I haven't had an interview for two months.
Barbara: What were you doing there?
Web: They have these parties, the kids, they have parties called raves. They were having one in Altoona that night.
Barbara: Web, I—
Web: This guy I used to work with at Mt. Aire Chemical, he—his name's Gil—he asked me if I have any experience with P-to-P reactions, and I said, "Sure, of course, it's a standard thing we use to make mothballs, deodorants, all this stuff we used to make, but he wants me to make him up a batch of MDMA—ecstasy—he says a smart guy with five hundred dollars' worth of ingredients can make five thousand.
Barbara: No, no.
Web: Sometimes it comes out wrong. Sometimes the batch is too hot or too cold and you gotta test it before you sell it. So I had this run that I had to test but I didn't have time. So I wrapped it in the funny pages and I shoved it in the wall behind the water heater. My brilliant hiding place. I never—I never thought Russ knew what I was doing.
Barbara: What were you thinking?
Web: Honey, I wasn't—I wasn't—I was poor—for the first time in my adult life I was poor.
Barbara: You weren't worried about Russ?
Web: He's everything to me. I was doing this for him.
Barbara: No, don't blame him. Don't you even dare put this on Russell. This—you did!
Web: You're right. I'm gonna pay for it.
Scene: Allegheny County Courthouse, lock up
Barbara and Nick are meeting with Russell.
Barbara: You were protecting your father. He did the right thing. Nick talked to the District Attorney.
Nick: You'll serve three months at the Shuman Center. You'll be on probation until you're twenty-one. At the end of that time, if you behave, your record will be expunged.
Russell: And what about Dad?
Nick: They're still negotiating. But he's gonna serve time. I'll be outside. (he leaves)
Barbara: Tell me what really happened, Russ?
Russell: I found Dad's hiding place back in August when I was looking for the circuit breaker.
Barbara: Why didn't you just leave it there?
Russell: 'Cuz I'm not a football player, and I'm not at all popular, but when people thought I had "E", everybody wanted to be my friend, Mom, everybody.
Barbara: You gave the drugs to Barry Cook.
Russell: Yeah, but Mom, I'm sorry—I'm sorry—I'm sorry.…
Scene: Fallin & Associates, Burton's office
Burton: Well, I don't think he's gonna sign.
Pierce: This bunny freak is jerking us around just because he can. If we don't close today, we don't close.
Nick: What did you offer him?
Pierce: Fifteen million, but he claims it's not the money.
Nick: What is it then?
Pierce: (laughing derisively) He wants to be loved, like some kind of Walt Disney Junior.
Nick: So what's wrong with that?
Nick goes to the conference room where Fulton Trout is seated at the conference table.
Nick: Nick Fallin. (they shake) Well, Mr. Trout, what is it that you want?
Trout: I want people to know that Bunny-Buddy was never about the money.
Nick: Well, if it's not about the money, then, what is it about?
Trout: I want them to stop making crap out of my Bunny-Buddy.
Nick: Every Bunny-Buddy that is made can have your stamp of approval.
Trout: I'm a toymaker, not a bureaucrat.
Nick: Well, someone that you trust. They can make a hefty wage just to say no.
Trout: It's not enough.
Nick: You want credit?
Trout: Yeah.
Nick: Every Bunny-Buddy product can have a tag on it that says "Fulton Trout invented Bunny-Buddy."
Trout: Ah—ah—you see it's "created"—"invented" sounds like the mad scientist. (he chuckles)
Nick: (chuckling with him) Yeah—you're right—"created"—done. Can we close?
Trout: I want a museum.
Nick: A what? (sits back and laughs)
Trout: A museum.
Nick: Honoring you.
Trout: A toy museum.
Nick: With your toys in it and a family history.
Trout: A recreation of my house.
Nick: That would be very interesting. (they both laugh)
Trout: What about the mural?
Nick: Well, you know, the mural—the mural is a problem. It's a problem because the Japanese are paying for the trademark. They're buying the trademark. They are well within their rights to protect it.
Trout: I'm tired of children hating me.
Nick: Well, maybe we could let this one mural stand.
Trout: All right.
Nick: Okay, great.
They shake hands, Nick leaves.
Scene: Legal Services of Pittsburgh
Barbara: This morning, I put two bowls on the table, and I started making oatmeal with grape jelly—that's how Russell likes it—and—ah—I just stopped—he's not there.
Nick: He's gonna be all right, Barbara. The first couple nights are scary. He's gonna be fine. He'll be fine.
Barbara nods, walks to her desk.
Nick: Alvin.
Alvin: (coming out of his office, coat on) I'm ready.
Nick: Good.
They leave.
Barbara: Legal Services of Pittsburgh. Can you hold, please?
Scene: St. Angelica's school yard
Nick and Alvin are waiting by mural, children are playing, Sister Anne eyes Nick and Alvin and heads over to them. A limousine pulls up, Trout gets out and heads for Nick.
Trout: Good morning. (they shake)
Nick: Good to see you.
Sister Anne: Hello, Mr. Trout, I'm Sister Anne.
Trout: Yes, we spoke on the phone.
Sister Anne: I'd like you to meet the children. (they walk over to the middle of the mural) Children! I want you all to come and meet Mr. Fulton Trout. He was the man who created Bunny-Buddy. He'll tell you anything you want to know. (the children gather around Trout)
Trout: Hi—hi, everybody. Hi—how are you?
Children: Good!
Trout: Good. Thank you so much for drawing this. This is so beautiful. How long did it take you to do this?
Children: Two seasons!
Trout: Oh, my gosh, that's a long time. You know, he didn't always used to look like this. Right at the beginning, he had some overalls and some funny shoes and he had a hat … so his ears.… (audio fades)
END OF EPISODE
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