Correcting Christmas

Honey, you not driving up to

see us this year is one thing,

but why are you still

at work on Christmas Eve?

It's just like

any other day to me.

Come on, you? The Grinch

who loves Christmas?

Since when did you start

spending Christmas in the city?

Does everybody think

that Los Angeles

becomes some apocalyptic

wasteland during the holidays?

Of course not. LA's

like that all year long.

Ali...

nobody tees up those

one-liners for me like you do.

Anytime, Dad.

Now, now, listen, seriously, with

you staying down there all year,

does that mean I won't

get to see you till spring?

I miss you, too, Dad,

but it's

just like six weeks.

I'll be back

before you know it.

Yeah, spoken like a daughter

who's never been a father.

Someday.

All right,

I should get back at it.

I'll give you guys

a call tomorrow.

All right, great.

Oh, listen,

Mom and I sent you

a little care package,

and I'm hoping

it gets to you on time.

Thanks.

I love you.

I love you, too, Alison.

Merry Christmas,

sweetie.

Merry Christmas...

Daddy.

Exactly.

Last chance to join us

at the cabin

for wine, hot-tubbing, and

Jay's famous baby back ribs.

Ribs in a hot tub?

Completely eliminates

the need for moist toilettes.

- Genius, right?

- Close. You're insane.

So you're coming?

I think the two of you

will have a better time

without me watching you

pollute the hot tub.

Jay could always

call a buddy.

Ah,

that sounds awesome.

- Right?

- For Jay's buddy.

Ali, the thought

of you staying here

- in town for Christmas is just depressing.

- Do I look depressed?

The thought of you staying

here alone is depressing me.

Alone? There are four

million people in this city.

It's the worst kind of alone,

alone and surrounded.

It's Los Angeles,

where everybody spends

Christmas together,

just separate.

Go peddle that

someplace else.

You're not celebrating

Christmas. You're skipping it.

No, and I'm treating myself

to a deep-tissue massage

by a burly,

yet caring professional,

and I'm gonna

binge watch

every season of "The

Botox Ex-wives of Boston. "

Oh, that sounds so much

better than soggy ribs.

Aren't you supposed to

be talking me out of this?

I lost focus

at "burly professional. "

You know

what the best part is?

is that no one'll

be judging me

or incessantly asking

if I'm seeing anybody.

- Are you?

- Cherise.

It's been

a whole year, Al.

I'm so not having

this conversation.

Fine. I'm all done

trying to talk sense

into you.

Finally, the quitter

attitude I was counting on.

Well, thank you,

for, you know,

staying and helping me

with the Doyle project.

I know you were on your

way home for Christmas.

And I bought the coffee.

That, too.

Nicest Christmas bonus,

I think, I ever got.

Well, Ali, it was

the least I could do.

I mean, you were the only

person working Christmas Eve

other than me,

and I own the joint.

Not that working

Christmas Eve

and Christmas Day

is... is weird or bad

or a desperate cry

for help.

Nope,

none of the above, Mark.

I just... I wanted some

distraction-free work time.

You are amazing.

At least say

you'll have dinner

with Doris and the boys and me tonight.

Christmas Eve.

Oh, I can't.

It's because of my mistake, isn't it,

what happened at the

Halloween office party?

- No.

- I said I was sorry.

Come on.

I mean, who hasn't

had a little too much

to drink and just...

overreached?

That's what

I told Doris.

Now she has me

seeing a professional.

Oh. Fingers crossed.

Yeah.

It's not going well.

- Oh.

- No.

Listen, you want

to get out of here

and just have

a cocktail somewhere?

Um...

I was kidding.

I was totally kidding.

Did I get you?

- Yeah. I mean, yeah.

- Tempting, isn't it?

Um, look it. Thank you,

but I already have a date

actually for Christmas Eve.

- Wow.

- Yeah.

Lucky guy

Well, hug Timmy

and Malcolm for me.

I would, except now

they're teenagers.

They don't hug anymore.

They don't talk.

They don't hug.

They just want money

and the keys to your car.

Right.

But kids are great.

You know what I mean?

So I will tweet them

your regards.

- There you go.

- Okay.

- Merry Christmas.

- Merry Christmas.

You two have a great time on that date.

Yeah.

I'm a little bit

jealous!

I'm kidding.

Oh.

Yeah, I have a date

with a Dutch

chocolate cake.

Ohh!

Yeah, you'll love Aspen.

It has a super easy vibe.

Can't wait.

Ali? Is that you?

Cam, hey.

Merry Christmas.

Wow. How long

has it been?

A year, exactly a year.

You know, roughly.

Uh, Samantha,

this is Alison.

Alison and I

used to, uh...

Yeah, I...

I cracked the code.

Nice to meet you.

Hey.

Ali, how have you been?

Good, totally good.

Yeah, no,

really, really good.

So do you

live here...

in the park?

Me? What? Here?

Uh, I figured you would

probably be headed up north

to your folks by now

for the obligatory

Pennebaker

family Christmases.

No. You know, I decided

I was just gonna stay here

and do some work.

Ah, work through the holidays,

huh? That's dedication.

Can you go down memory

lane another time?

Kind of

running late.

We're, um...

we're headed to Aspen.

Oh! Enjoy.

Nice to meet you.

Likewise.

You... you have

a lovely park.

Honey.

Wow, I don't know

what happened to her.

She clearly lost you,

then lost her mind.

But who wouldn't?

I assume

anywhere is fine?

Yeah. No. Afraid not.

No shoes, no shirt,

no service.

- Seriously?

- Hey, I don't make the rules.

I just get paid an insulting

amount to enforce them.

I bet you wouldn't be such a stickler

for the rules if I took my shirt off.

- Please don't.

- I wasn't really going to.

Oh, no, no, no.

I'm sure you weren't.

You don't seem like the

desperate type at all.

Both of 'em.

So, we good?

Anywhere you like,

sweetie.

Big juicy burgers,

exactly the Christmas Eve

feast I need.

The roast beef sandwich

is to die for.

I'm sorry?

Roast beef sandwich.

Trust me.

And get the fries,

not the cop-out side salad.

It's Christmas Eve.

You don't mind,

do you?

On holidays, a lady

should never eat alone.

Who says I'm alone?

I'm talking about me.

Oh.

Sure, I guess.

French fries.

No one will know

except you and me

and the mean waiter.

Wait.

Didn't you used to...

Used to be over there,

yes. Now I'm over here.

No separate checks.

What, another rule?

Would you like to see

the whole book?

Two roast beef sandwiches with fries.

- Burn 'em.

- Okay.

Um, actually, I'll have

your juicy burger, well done.

You might as well

order a shoe.

- She'll have that medium.

- What?

I'm begging you here.

Medium.

Thank you.

Don't mind him.

His wife left him

for a short-order cook

at a nicer diner,

which wouldn't take much.

I'm Ginny, by the way.

Ali.

So what twisted reason

do you have

for eating fat and carbs

alone on Christmas Eve?

I was working.

I didn't feel like traveling

to see my family this year.

No guy or girl

or whatever?

So what? You think I need

a guy or a whatever?

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