Original subtitles

Previously on This Is Us...

I got the results of the PET scan back.

And the scan is positive

for plaques building in my brain.

NICKY: Girl who got away. I told you about her, right?

REBECCA: You want to go see Sally? Let's go see Sally. Pack a bag.

We'll leave in the morning.

Jennifer wants to be back in Janelle's life.

I'm really sorry you got upset about my talk with Malik.

Of course I'm upset.

My boyfriend's ex-girlfriend is coming back into his life.

I didn't tell anybody this, but I applied to Harvard.

[chuckles] I got into Harvard.

The beautiful, bountiful branches of my family tree.

- [horn honks] - Look who's here.

How was the drive up?

[exhales] Not bad.

Always goes by faster than you'd think.

["April Come She Will" by Simon & Garfunkel playing]

Oh, uh, don't forget to roll out the trash cans.

MIGUEL: I won't.

REBECCA: And then ask the gardeners

to please roll them back in when we're gone.

♪ When streams are ripe...♪

I will.

♪ With rain♪

♪ May, she will stay♪

♪ Resting in my arms again♪

♪ June♪

♪ She'll change her tune♪

♪ In restless walks, she'll prowl the night♪

♪ July...♪

RANDALL: Dej, you out of here?

You and Tiffany are staying in studying, right?

No egging boys' houses or going out clubbing?

You got my number, Commander.

You know I do.

[whispers] Good luck.

♪ April♪

- ♪ Come she will...♪ - [Nicky mumbling]

MIGUEL: A suitcase, Nicky?

We're gonna be gone one night.

I like to have clothing choices.

REBECCA: So, what's her deal?

Is she single, married, divorced?

You didn't give us any information

once you connected with her

- last night. - She's single.

Yeah, but I didn't pry or anything. Anyway,

- can we just go? - [car door opens]

Okay.

Fingers and toes.

♪ June♪

♪ She'll change her tune...♪

I'm heading up to see the grandkids.

What awaits you in Boston?

♪ September, I'll remember♪

My boyfriend. [chuckles softly]

♪ A love once new♪

♪ Has now grown old.♪

He goes to school there.

First time I'm going away to see him.

That's exciting.

Butterflies in the tummy, I...

I bet. [chuckles]

There's nothing like young love.

It changes you.

You'll see.

♪

[Janelle squeals]

♪

[Deja and Malik chuckle]

Uh, we got to hustle. Janelle's mom is taking her for the day

so we can be together. You get to meet Jennifer.

Oh.

Come on.

Oh, you talked to the gardeners about the trash cans, right?

- [Nicky mumbling] - This is not me forgetting.

This is me just confirming that youdidn't forget.

- I sure did. - Okay.

Nicky, what are you mumbling about back there?

Uh, it's, uh,

an opening line for-for when I see her.

Let's hear it.

- NICKY: Yeah? - REBECCA: Yeah.

Okay, fine. So...

Sally opens the door,

and I see her,

and I say, "Hey, Sal.

"It took 50 years,

but I finally made it to California."

Because we were going to, uh, drive to California,

but I... I... I suck.

- This whole thing sucks. Forget it. - REBECCA: No.

- Never mind. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. - REBECCA: It's perfect.

It's perfect.

Oh, we got to... we got to make a stop before we get there.

My mother told me

you never go to someone's house empty-handed.

Sure, man. We can do that.

REBECCA: Is it okay with everyone

- if I turn on the radio? - Oh, please.

- [man speaking indistinctly over radio] - Oh, goodness.

If Jack could see the three of us now.

- [chuckles] - NICKY: Yeah.

His head would go kablooey.

I think he would love it.

I think it would make him very happy.

And who knows? Maybe... Maybe Jack had a hand

- in how all of this played out. - [Nicky groans] - MIGUEL: Like he's up

- on a cloud watching us, pulling the strings? - [Nicky scoffs]

REBECCA: Okay, scoff all you want back there, Nicholas.

I am allowing myself to believe

that there are higher powers at play.

Be open to new ideas.

[flipping through radio stations]

- ♪ Ooga-Chaka Ooga-Ooga♪ - [gasps] Oh, I love this song.

MIGUEL: Oh, let's hear it. Crank it up, crank it up.

[singing along] ♪ Ooga-Chaka Ooga-Ooga♪

♪ Ooga-Chaka Ooga-Ooga...♪

♪ I can't stop this feeling♪

♪ Deep inside of me♪

♪ Ooga-Chaka Ooga-Ooga...♪

♪ Girl, you just don't realize♪

♪ What you do to me♪

♪ Ooga-Ooga Ooga-Chaka... ♪

♪ When you hold me in your arms so tight♪

♪ You let me know everything's all right♪

♪ I-I-I'm♪

♪ Hooked on a feeling♪

♪ I'm high on believing♪

♪ That you're in love with me...♪

Don't we have to get your boss' car back?

Aw, it's fine. He said, "Have fun. Don't wreck it."

So let's not wreck it.

♪ Yeah, you turn me on♪

- ♪ I-I-I'm♪ - Whoo!

♪ Hooked on a feeling♪

♪ I'm high on believing♪

♪ That you're in love with me♪

[volume fades]

♪ Lips as sweet as candy♪

♪ Its taste is on my mind♪

♪ Girl, you got me thirsty.♪

[footsteps]

Mommy!

Hi, my cutie.

- Mommy. - Hi, sweetie.

Really, Malik?

Y'all are late, and Janelle's not even dressed

- for dinner with my parents. - I'm sorry.

- Uh, this is Deja. - Hey, girl.

- Hi. Nice to... - Is her blue dress clean?

It's my mom's favorite dress. She loves that dress.

Malik, come on.

Look, chill. She has clean clothes.

- Excuse me. - Sorry.

Go ahead, go play, go play.

JANELLE: Okay.

- Baby, do you want apples? - Yes.

Yes? Okay. Have a juice box.

- Huh? - Okay, what else? Do you want strawberries?

- Yes, strawberries. - Okay. This dress is clean.

Wait, are you taking all of her food?

Well, I was gonna go grocery shopping

before this dinner, but you got here late.

I know, my bad. I've just been really wrapped up in this paper.

[laughs] Yeah, okay, sure. The paper.

MALIK: Okay. Come on.

[laughs] Okay. Janelle, baby,

let's go, we gotta go. Come on, honey.

We gotta go. Here.

Okay, yes, put it on.

Gotta go. Let's go.

Bye, J.

It was really nice meeting you.

You-you, too.

- Bye, Janelle. - Come on, honey.

Come on. Let's go.

[Malik sighs]

[sighs]

It said online that you-- you sell old cameras.

Yes, yes. This way.

- A lot of stuff. - Mm.

- How old is it? - About 19... 1970.

Perfect! Perfect.

I think you're gonna be very happy with it.

Let me just see how much it is, though.

- There you go. - Well...

90 bucks? 90 bucks?!

Does this thing even work?

Well, yes. It's in pristine condition.

I mean, some things grow in value with age.

That is ridiculous, 'cause if that was true, this guy

would be worth a million bucks. I'll give you 50.

I'm sorry, sir, our prices are nonnegotiable.

- This is ridiculous. - MIGUEL: Well, then, let's just forget it.

You don't need to bring Sally a camera.

No, no, no.

No, the whole thing,

the whole idea is so crazy.

What was I thinking? I mean...

I mean, it's like tracking down some girl

from a long time ago, and thinking I'm gonna...

Let's go home.

- What? - Home?

- You've traveled nearly 200 miles. - No, no.

Okay, uh, we'll give you 70 bucks, and throw in some film.

Uh, okay, okay.

Wait. Hold on. What are you doing?

You said so yourself.

You don't want to arrive to Sally's emptyhanded.

Sally doesn't even know I'm coming.

I never reached out to her.

- What? - I...

I don't even know if this is my Sally Brooks.

I mean, she only has pictures of ducks and otters

on her Instagram page.

I ju-- I just know that she likes animals

and-and photography, so I...

I did a google search, and I found the address.

But I don't know that it's her.

Or if she's married, or...

alive.

It doesn't matter.

We're not gonna let you wuss out.

We're 20 minutes away, so just get in the car.

You two idiots, you gotta...

you gotta walk with me to the door.

Okay? 'Cause I don't think I can do this alone.

Great. Great. Let's go. Hurry!

- We're the idiots. - Yeah.

Sags in the middle, but it was cheap.

Besides, I don't sleep much.

Yeah, I could tell. A lot of coffee cups.

Must get expensive.

What can I say? I love my dark roast.

[both chuckle]

I never really liked the taste of coffee.

Oh, it's just about the beans. I'll take you to my spot.

You look exhausted.

No, I'm-I'm fine.

Tell me what's up?

This place is no joke, Dej.

I mean, I knew it wouldn't be, it's Harvard, but...

it's on a whole 'nother level.

You know, if there's not a test one day,

there's a paper due the next Monday.

And I got Janelle half the time. Jennifer doesn't make it easy.

And if I'm not studying, I'm working.

'Cause scholarships, they cover tuition, but not books

and food and clothes and...

How much time do you need to finish your paper?

No. No way. No, you're only here for a day.

Look, Malik, how much time?

Like, an hour.

Take two.

- Are you serious? - I'm serious.

- You sure? - Very sure.

Oh, thank you, thank you, thank...

Mwah, mwah, mwah.

I'm gonna make it up to you tonight.

After my paper, we goin' out.

[door shuts]

NICKY: Okay...

Hello, Sally. Hi, Sally.

- [doorbell rings] - It's been... 50...

- It's been 50 years. - REBECCA: I hear someone.

Someone's home.

- MIGUEL: Really? - REBECCA: Uh-huh.

I don't think so.

- [Rebecca gasps] - Oh, okay.

MIGUEL: Here we go.

It's her. It's her. It's her.

Hello?

Say "Hi, Sally."

I finally made it to California,

and boy are my arms tired.

I'm sorry, do I know you?

Okay...

No, no, no, no, no, no. Hi, Sally.

This is, uh, Nicky Pearson.

In 1969, his path crossed with yours

in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on your way to Woodstock.

And he's been pining for you ever since.

Oh, and he, um, he got you this gift here.

It's an old camera, 'cause I remember

you used to take pictures.

Oh, my God.

[chuckles]

Hello, Nicky.

Hello, Sally.

♪

- Nice. - Mm-hmm.

You've got an eye.

Oh, no, that was taken by a friend of mine

in Cambria.

A pro.

No, I, uh, got a job at a pharmaceutical company

in the late '70s. Help yourself.

And, uh, well, photography became more of a hobby.

How was Woodstock?

[chuckles] Wet.

It rained a lot.

My friends told me I'm in Scorsese's

Woodstock documentary.

They say I'm dancing topless.

But I can't bring myself to watch it.

Oh, I could certainly bring myself to watch that.

Yeah.

[laughs]

Oh...

Oh, what do we have here?

Oh, hi, hi. Um...

Well, these are old friends of mine

from when I lived in Pittsburgh.

This is my husband Eric.

Nicky and Miguel and...

Rebecca. Hi.

- ERIC: Hey. Nice to meet you. - REBECCA: Very nice to meet you.

MIGUEL: You have a very lovely...

Yeah, well, uh, we should be going.

So, thanks for letting us use the can there.

Well, stay for dinner.

REBECCA: No, no, no, no.

We wouldn't want to impose.

Oh, come on. We have plenty of food.

Yeah, yeah, please.

Uh, yeah, please stay. Uh... insist.

- Sure. - Sure. Thank you.

- We'll... We'll stay. - SALLY: That's lovely. [chuckles]

Hey, Dej.

Wow, you, uh... Um...

You, uh...

Y-You look...

incandescent.

[laughs]

Okay, Harvard.

[both laugh]

Sure this isn't too much?

Babe, you sat on a bus

that I know smelled rank

- for five hours. - Mm-hmm.

And you had to deal with my messy Jennifer situation,

and you still gave me the two hours

I desperately needed to finish my Russian Lit paper.

You're not too much.

This dress is not too much. I love it.

I love you.

I don't know whether to keep you here or show you off.

- Show me off. - [both giggle]

I seem to remember you having a brother, Nicky.

Yeah, Jack. He's dead.

He was my husband.

And he was Miguel's best friend,

but he didn't, he didn't snake his widow.

I see. I think.

Nicky, help me.

It's so long ago. Where did we meet?

At the vet's.

Ah, okay.

We worked together one summer

at the veterinarian clinic in Pittsburgh.

Yes. In June of 1969.

And you were wearing a long,

red floral dress.

And I sort of asked you out on a date,

which we spent in the back of your Volkswagen van

you named Pearl.

And you, uh...

You deflowered me under a moon

that men had just walked upon.

Oh, my God.

Yes.

Yes, it's all coming back to me now.

The moon. Your parents.

- Salisbury steak. [laughs] - [laughs]

Oh, gosh.

For a minute there I thought I had

early onset Alzheimer's.

Or not just early. Plain old Alzheimer's.

- [laughs] - ERIC: Deflowered, huh?

Seems my wife defoliated much of the northeast.

You reaped the rewards.

ERIC: Oh, she could teach a master class.

SALLY: Ah. Cheers.

MIGUEL: This meal is excellent.

You know, Rebecca has a cold asparagus soup recipe.

JACK: Perfect end to a perfect day.

[chuckles]

I'm gonna get one of these sometime. Someday.

I mean, after we buy

a sensible family car, of course.

You know, maybe like a midlife crisis purchase.

- Just warning you. - [laughs]

I always thought the wind in my hair would be overrated,

but it is properly rated.

A car like this can make a person feel immortal.

I don't need a car to feel that.

I got you.

I'm not even a cold soup guy,

but hers is just some...

I do have Alzheimer's.

Yeah, I have, um, plaques

forming on my brain,

and no amount of medications or word exercises

will cure me.

First goes the short-term memory,

and then the longer ones, one by one.

Or is it a thousand each day?

I don't even know.

Sometimes I think about what my very last memory will be

before the candle goes out.

I am so embarrassed.

Rebecca, I'm sorry. I-I had no idea.

No, no, no, you wouldn't know.

You would think that this diagnosis

would help me sweat the small stuff less,

but not really.

I just, this morning,

rolling out the garbage cans before we left was something

that kept nagging at me.

Even during this dinner, this strange dinner,

I thought about them.

You'd think that we would stop sweating the small stuff

as we got older, when bigger things

started happening to us, but nope.

Not the case.

It's so strange, isn't it?

ERIC: The deck.

I-I worry about the deck we-we built out back.

Um...

it was built without permits,

and I'm afraid it's gonna collapse,

or the city's gonna find out and, you know, come after me.

It's stupid, I know, but I wonder

how many, uh, months I've spent

thinking about that day.

I still look at my hairbrush in the morning,

looking for fallout.

It's kind of my signature thing, my hair.

You have great hair.

- MIGUEL: You, too, Nicky. - Thank you. - [Sally chuckles]

I've only lost, like, seven strands in 30 years.

But still, I worry that I'm gonna lose all my hair.

The years that I have lost

worrying about something that never happened.

Hmm. Mm-hmm.

NICKY: [sighs] Oh, God,

I wonder how many years

I spent thinking about Sally.

I mean...

oh, like, decades maybe? I don't know.

But, uh, you know, uh, I d-- I don't regret that.

That, um...

those lost years.

I think... I think it got me through.

It gave me, uh, reason to hope

that, you know, one day something good might happen

to me.

Maybe it was all leading up to this, the...

most awkward meal of all time.

But not a waste of time.

No way.

Not for me.

That's lovely, Nicky.

ERIC: You know, the only true love is unrequited love.

So maybe it's better to love

an idealized version of your partner.

[laughs] I don't know.

I hope everyone saved room for dessert.

I regret buying our satellite dish.

When we got it,

our den became Eric's retreat.

Now we watch TV separately,

we eat our meals separately.

I cook chickens for the week because

I don't know when he is going to want his dinner.

Sal, that wasn't keeping

in the spirit of the topic.

We were talking about not sweating the small stuff,

not airing your bigger issues with me in front of strangers.

They're not strangers, Eric.

Nicky is an old friend...

...who has pined after me for 50 years

while you have treated me

like a line cook.

I've known him longer than I have known you.

The only reason I don't

bring up the small things

is because the big things leave me no room

to worry about anything else.

Bourbon, gentlemen?

Yes, please.

I'm an alcoholic.

Yeah, he is.

We were inseparable when we were young.

First two years we were married, sex every day.

Twice on Saturday.

- My. - [laughs]

He couldn't get enough of me.

- I was something else back then. - I can see that.

I bet you turned heads, too.

Well...

I had my days.

[chuckles]

My first husband got the showroom model of me.

Miguel... got the...

used classic with a ton of miles.

Well, he seems to worship you.

I struck gold twice.

I stopped taking pictures of myself.

That was my thing:

completely open self-portraits.

- Hmm. - Then it stopped.

When is it that it changes, Rebecca?

When is it that we stop wanting

to see reflections of ourselves?

Mm.

[clears throat]

Miguel is from Puerto Rico, and...

[grunts] for, uh, our wedding we took salsa lessons

so we could salsa dance at our reception.

And then, even after we were married, you know,

we, um, we'd find a club or some rec center

that had salsa nights; I loved it.

And then this one time we were dancing--

and we were older, you know, in our 60s--

and there was this young girl in a pink dress--

I'll never forget her face--

pointing at me like I was some novelty act.

Like it was so brave of me to be dancing at my age.

[Sally scoffs]

- I never salsa danced ever again, that was it. - Aw.

- Mm. - [chuckles]

I blamed it on my sciatica.

Now I cover my liver spots on my hands with makeup,

and I will not leave the house without a scarf to hide my neck.

[sighs heavily]

- My friend Bernadette, she's our age. - Mm-hmm.

She quit coloring her hair and went totally gray.

She said it was so liberating,

like throwing away the crutches and being able to walk again.

[laughing] Sure.

Bernadette is full of crap.

[both laugh]

Just saying.

♪ You see what it is♪

♪ Step in the room, watch how they mood change♪

♪

[Malik chuckles]

Malik, I'm ready.

Ready for what?

I want to go back to your place.

Why? We just got here.

- Oh. - Mm-hmm.

Oh.

Oh, word?

[laughing] Bet, we out. We out.

[door opens]

- Hey. - Hey.

My heart.

My heart is beating so fast right now.

You nervous?

You're not?

[stifled chuckle]

[insects chirping outside]

No! Pearl was stuck in the mud,

and I had all of Creedence Clearwater...

Miguel says it's time to go.

Oh, well, what about dessert?

Sheet cake from Costco.

It's time.

- Okay. - Okay. Yep.

Well, this was so much fun.

It was.

Oh...

Oh, here, take one.

Take a bunch.

- Oh, I love that one. - Aw.

I have a Haitian painting I wanted to show you.

♪

This was so fun, though.

Thank you for having us.

- Yes. Oh, yes. - Lovely to meet you.

Um, we'll, we'll give you two some privacy.

MIGUEL: Pleasure meeting you.

- Yeah, drive safely. - Thank you.

Thank you for coming, Nicky.

I can't tell you how much it meant to me.

Well, I don't know how true that is, but...

- No, it is. - It doesn't matter.

I made your wall.

That's me. That's me sitting in your van,

looking at the moon.

I remember my jacket, I-I remember

when you took the picture. [sighs]

♪ I will still be dreaming♪

Aw.

♪ I have no thought of time♪

It's a full moon.

Yeah.

♪ For who knows♪

♪ Where the time goes?♪

♪ Who knows...♪

See you in 50 years?

I'll save the date.

♪ Goes♪

♪

I want to feel this way forever.

♪ I have no fear of time♪

Just like this, with you.

♪ For who knows♪

♪ How my love grows?♪

You did not get the best version of me.

What?

You have such an ordeal ahead of you, Miguel.

[sighs]

I'm so sorry.

[sighs sharply]

"In sickness and in health."

I said that, didn't I?

I think so.

But in fairness, most of your vows were in Spanish,

so I don't know.

I'm pretty sure that I said it.

[chuckles]

Here.

Here.

I bought that for you

at the, uh, antique store.

[gasps]

What a beautiful brooch.

Yeah, a lot of people don't know that the yellow-naped

Amazon parrot is a migratory bird

that uses the Crux as a GPS

to fly from Central America to the Arctic to mate.

No matter how dark the night, the Southern Cross

guides the lovebirds on their journey

to one of the most desolate places on Earth.

- That is a sweet story. - Mm.

You definitely made it up.

- Yes, I did. - [Rebecca laughs]

We have a journey ahead of us.

But I am gonna be up to the task.

And I'm going to be amazing for you.

Every step of the way, I promise.

We'll get through this together.

I want to start salsa dancing again.

Absolutely.

[footsteps approaching]

[rapping on car window]

- Oh. - Locked.

- Dead end. - Sorry.

[laughs]

Don't mind me.

You're welcome to finish what you started.

[laughing] No, no, we're okay.

- [Miguel chuckles] - REBECCA: Whew.

You know, uh...

I think it's about time

for me to go back East.

- What? - I mean, they're breaking ground

on the new cabin,

and your meathead son

is probably gonna need an adult there, so...

Are you sure, Nicky?

Yeah. I'm sure.

["Right on Time" by Brandi Carlile playing]

♪ Come back now♪

♪ Even if you call me out♪

- ♪ You might be...♪ - Hey, Nicky.

I know that things didn't really work out the way

that you wanted, but I really believe

the universe will put the right person in your path.

- "Universe," now, huh? - Mm-hmm.

Yeah, first it was my brother, now it's the universe?

Oh, boy.

- Ha. See you later, Nicky. - Goodbye.

♪ I always do♪

♪ You're the strongest person in the room...♪

I refuse to believe that the universe or...

my brother had anything to do with this,

but I think he would have really liked that, um,

that you two found each other.

Okay, I'm gonna leave before I throw up.

♪ It's not too late♪

♪ Either way♪

♪ I lose you in these silent days♪

♪ It wasn't right♪

♪ But it was right♪

♪ On time♪

♪ Come back now♪

♪ Even if you call me out...♪

Feeling a little rusty.

- Uh... you sure about this? - Mm-hmm.

- ♪ Of course you are♪ - [fading] Okay. Ready?

♪

♪ I'm scared, too♪

♪ Didn't mean to take it out on you♪

♪ I know I always do♪

♪ You're the strongest person in the room♪

[Rebecca laughs]

♪ Turn back time♪

♪ Help me to rewind, and we can♪

♪ Find ourselves again...♪

FLIGHT ATTENDANT: Excuse me, sir?

I'm gonna need you to put the seat up.

Question, Edie.

[sighs]

Is...

Is the purpose of putting the seat up,

is-is that to save me

in the case of an emergency water landing?

'Cause I don't think this is gonna do it.

[horn honks lightly]

RANDALL: Hey.

Look who's here.

How was the drive up?

[exhales]

Not bad.

♪ I can feel it...♪

Always goes by faster than you'd think.

♪ It's beyond your control♪

♪ You know it is...♪

How's your mom doing?

They say it won't be long now.

Everyone's just trying to get here in time.

♪ I never held my breath for quite this long♪

♪ And I don't take it back, I did what I had to do♪

Thanks for coming, Edie.

♪ It's not too late...♪

EDIE: Deja. Oh, my God.

- Can you get any more beautiful? - [chuckles]

Oh, look at you.

Are you going to be a problem, sir?

Absolutely.

Well, I'm glad that I brought my duct tape.

Seat up.

- Now? - Please.

Sure.

All you had to do was ask.

♪ Either way♪

♪ I lose you in these silent days♪

Oh, I missed you.

♪ It wasn't right...♪

I missed you more.

♪ But it was right♪

♪ On time.♪

Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH