The View From Here Page #6

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- How late?

- Two weeks.

- How is it that you're...

Did you take a test?

- No.

- Well?

- Not yet, two minutes.

- Is it done yet?

- No.

- What does it say?

- Not pregnant.

- I wish you'd taken the

test before you'd said

anything to me.

- Right Mark, so I can

be all afraid by myself.

- What are you so pissed about?

I thought you'd be relieved.

- You know I don't know how I feel,

but I expect a little bit

more support from you.

- You don't think I support you?

- You could at least try

not to act so thrilled

when you find out you're not

gonna have a baby with me.

- Why would I not be?

Are you telling me you wouldn't freak out

right now if we were pregnant?

- I'd be terrified.

I'm not ready for that,

but I'm just saying

that the prospect of it.

- What, what?

- If I had to be a mom,

I'd want it to be with you.

And, I take it from your

silence, you don't feel

the same way.

(crying)

- [Mark] That's not fair.

We've never even had a

conversation about it.

- Well now's a good time as any.

- No, that is a bad idea.

Not when we're so emotional.

- You're right, Mark.

We should have this conversation

when I'm not emotional.

Yeah good luck with that.

- You've never even talked about it.

We've never had, you never

mentioned having a kid.

- Just because I've never talked about it

doesn't mean it hasn't crossed my mind.

10 minutes ago, I thought

I was gonna be a mom,

and now that I'm not, I just...

- What?

- I don't know.

I felt disappointed.

I just want you to talk to me.

I don't know if I want to have a baby.

I don't.

But, I wonder how you would feel about it.

- About what?

- About us being parents.

- I never wanted that.

- Never?

You've never wondered

what it'd be like to have

another person that's half

you, the best parts of you

running around in their

own little world, never?

- Who said they would have the best parts?

You know not everybody's

kid turns out to be

student of the month.

What if the kid was like your sister?

Is that what you want?

- Don't do that.

Don't bring our families into this.

You know lots of people

have troubled pasts,

and they still turn out to be amazing.

You can't use that as an excuse

every time you're scared.

- I'm not scared.

- Yes you are.

Your dad was a drunk, so what?

You're not like him.

- Is.

Is a drunk, present tense.

And, he's not my dad.

He was barely a donor.

Not that my mom was any better.

The only decent thing she ever did for me

was stay clean for nine months,

so I didn't end up broken.

The woman who raised

me didn't even want me.

I was forced upon her.

She didn't have a choice.

- But, you do.

- You're right, and

I'm not gonna apologize

for knowing what I want.

I have always known what I want

and playing dad on the

weekends was never a part

of the deal.

I mean is that really what you want

to be like your parents, To have a kid

who's genetically prone to alcoholism

and suicidal tendencies?

Sign me up.

- I'm sorry you think

the idea of having a kid

with me is so off putting.

- I thought we were on the same page.

- We were.

- So where does that leave us?

- God, I wish I could change you.

- Wow.

(sad music)

(crying)

(sad music)

(muttering)

(sad music)

- I have to talk to you.

Last night I got a phone call

from my friend from school.

She said that her firm's

taking on new designers,

and she asked me if I wanted an interview.

It's in Sacramento.

I think I'm gonna take it.

Are you not gonna say anything?

- I'm gonna take a shower.

I gotta go to work.

- [Narrator] Gillian had

graduated top of her class

from the Beryl School of Design.

Growing up it had always been her dream

to design for a major

firm in San Francisco.

But, as Gillian learned the night before,

dreams can change.

(sad music)

- [Sophia] Chef?

- Yeah.

- [Sophia] We 86'ed the sea bass.

- Okay.

(sad music)

I'm sorry.

I'm so sorry.

- They offered me the job.

I think I'm gonna take it.

So I think we should put

things on pause for awhile.

- Pause?

You're moving to Sacramento.

- I just think we need some time apart

just to figure some things out.

- Figure things out.

It sounds like you already

figured things out for us.

- I just need some time.

- Take all the time you need.

(sad music)

- I have to go.

(sad music)

- [Narrator] Two years can be a long time.

- A sandwich shop?

- Yeah I mean think about it.

The nail salon next door is closing.

It's a perfect time to get in.

Maybe I don't know do breakfast, lunch,

limited menu, nothing fancy.

- You sure you want to add extra work?

I mean we are busy enough.

- We wouldn't run it.

It'd just be our brand.

- So sandwiches?

- Yeah sandwiches.

Maybe on the weekends we do

Sunday brunch or something,

mimosas.

We could do my crab eggs benedict.

- Who would run it?

- How 'bout Sophia?

- You think she's ready?

- She's earned it.

- I can see that.

No way.

- What?

- You're not gonna believe who's here.

- Who?

- [Peter] That's Michele Leblanc.

- You're right it is.

I'm gonna go talk to him.

- No, don't do that.

Mark, what are you doing?

- Hey Leblanc?

- Oh hello Mark.

- Oh so you do know who I am.

- Well of course I do.

Well I just came over here to let you know

your little puff piece

you wrote two years ago,

it didn't work.

I didn't haven't had an empty table

at my place in nine months.

- Well congratulations.

That must be so great for you.

- Yes, it is great.

Are you trying to be funny?

- Did you actually think

I wanted you to fail?

- It would seem that way.

- That's ridiculous.

- That's what you critics do, right?

I mean you don't cook.

You don't make anything.

You just sit there and you...

- Criticize?

- [Mark] Yes.

- Thank God for that.

How would you get any better

if you were never challenged?

- You are unbelievable.

You actually think that review

made a difference to me?

- Well of course it did,

or you wouldn't have come

all the way over here after two years

to show me how big your

reservation list is.

- Well nobody cares about

your little opinions.

People have been lining

up around the block

to eat my food.

- They're not lining up to

eat your food, dear boy.

They're lining up because

you are Bruce Mathison's kid.

Look when your dad was still cooking,

he made people care about food.

Granted his life was a train wreck,

but in the kitchen, he was an artist.

Your diners only care about

what part of town they're in.

- Yeah he was pretty great.

Everyone keeps telling me.

It's a shame I must've missed that.

- Look I'm not his priest.

I didn't say he was a good person,

but when you ate his food,

Mark, it felt honest.

I wrote that review

because I still had hope

that one day I'll get to meet

the real Chef Mark Mathison.

Now this has been a nice chat, Mark,

but this feels a little inappropriate

given the circumstances.

- What circumstances?

- You don't know?

- Know what?

- You should go see your father.

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