Original subtitles

- [Narrator] Tonight on Wiseguy.

- [Daniel] I told her not to marry the guy.

- When it's convenient for you to be a father

you preach fatherhood.

Most of her life, you weren't even there for her.

She's pregnant.

- I wasn't exactly stellar in the parenting department.

I wanna be better at this than I was at being a dad.

- We've got a lot of years ahead of us.

(dramatic music)

- I never thought about getting old.

- We are getting old.

Look at us.

We're getting old!

- You make it sound like being a grandfather

is some kind of a death sentence.

- Don't kid yourself.

This is nothing to look forward to.

(dramatic music)

(gentle music)

- I told her not to marry they guy.

I still can't believe I got a daughter

old enough to be married.

- You know, we went through all this in your cabin

eight months ago.

- 10 months, 10 months, all right?

10 months they've been married.

This is the first time they have me over the house.

- With that attitude of yours I'm not surprised.

Have you invited them over to your place?

- Come on, I'm her father, I don't have to do that!

- So where is that written?

You know, you better get used to the fact

that Lauren is married and she's married to Stephen.

(sighing)

- It's just such a big world out there.

She hasn't had a chance to see what it has to offer.

- You remember what it was like being in love, don't you?

- What, at 20?

All romance and no reality.

And with Sheila, the reality came too late.

You know, kind of like a hangover.

I am not ready for this.

- Stephen, are you ready?

Oh, great.

Stephen?

- Yeah?

I'm ready.

(blowtorch hissing)

- God!

Stephen?

(pan clanking)

(sighing)

- How do you feel about Mexican?

- I feel helpless.

I mean, my kid is living in some hole in the East Village.

Her husband, the sculptor, he doesn't make a dime.

Does he try to do something about it

and make his life better?

No!

He thinks his poverty gives him the right to stew

in his own arrogance.

- [Vinnie] Well, maybe what he ought to do is try

to sculpt that chip off your shoulder.

- You know, maybe someday you'll be a father pal,

and then I don't think you're gonna run around

giving out the advice quite so easily.

- Well, I'll tell you what.

Until then, no charge, okay?

What are you doing?

You're stalling here.

Come on, you're gonna be late.

Come on!

- All right, all right, all right.

Hey, maybe you can come with me.

- No, forget it.

- Here.

Why don't you just get dressed, okay?

Let's just try to get through this

evening without you two fighting.

- What's gotten into you?

- You know, it's always me.

It's always in my head.

If I ever get over my bad mood

and click my heels together three times

this'll all turn into corn fields and blue skies.

- I didn't think that's what you wanted.

- There's plenty of things you don't bother to think about.

- You're the one that said you understood about my work

and what it meant to me, Lauren.

The only one.

- Well, I'm not the only one anymore.

I'm pregnant.

(dramatic music)

Are you angry?

Are you happy?

Talk to me.

- I'm happy, I'm happy, baby.

I wasn't expecting it so soon.

It's gonna change things.

- For the better.

Because this baby comes from our loving each other.

People do it all the time.

(dramatic music)

(electricity shorting)

Oh, damn it! - Oh, damn it!

- So, nothing like a carton of cigarettes

after a great meal, huh?

How you two doing?

- Great. - Fine.

- This is just our weekday place.

Weekends we go to our estate in the Hamptons.

- You know, I remember what starting out is like.

Listen, honey, I was thinking.

I got all this furniture that's collecting dust

in a house in Jersey that I rent to a friend.

Maybe you guys could use a few things.

I'm just trying to help you out.

- We can take care of ourselves, Mr. Burroughs.

- No, it's dad, dad, all right?

Come on, Mr. Burroughs.

Now, I'm not threatening your pride.

- Daddy, Stephen only, only means--

- Yeah, I should mind my own business.

- You government guys just can't stand the idea

of right to privacy, can you?

Why don't you just bug our apartment,

and find out how we're doing?

- Your apartment's got enough bugs.

- Daddy!

- You know, this might come as a big surprise to you,

but you are not the first artist who's had to struggle

and I am not the first father who's been worried

about his daughter!

- She's my wife.

I'll worry about her.

- Yeah, well, she was my daughter before she was your wife!

- Please, stop it!

I feel like some piece of territory

and you're both trying to stake a claim.

(Lauren crying)

This was supposed to be a nice dinner,

with three consenting adults.

We're two adults short!

(silverware clanking)

(Lauren crying)

(door slamming)

- You two fighting about my coming over?

Let me tell you something, that is my daughter

and I can see her whenever I want,

whether you like it or not.

I don't have to deal with you.

So you can strike that off your argument list right now.

- The world doesn't revolve around you.

This is great, you're, when it's convenient for you

to be a father you preach fatherhood.

For most of her life, you weren't even there for her,

and you couldn't make your own marriage work.

Don't come in here and mess up mine!

I'm in love with my wife.

- Shouldn't somebody go see if she's all right?

- She's not all right, she's pregnant.

(dramatic music)

(Lauren crying)

(blowtorch hissing)

- You know, she's still crying in there.

- She knows I'm here for her.

- You're miles away.

You know, you believe it or not, I know how that feels.

It's an obsession.

- It's just art for me.

- Be careful you don't get lost in it, Stephen..

You get dizzy from the lack of oxygen.

You start to lose touch with reality.

Other things, well,

other things aren't as important as they should be.

- What I do is important, Dan, and I'm not giving it up,

not like you did.

- I don't have to defend what I did with my music.

I'm just telling you you're gonna have to find a balance

between your artistic inspiration

and your practical obligations,

or it's gonna eat you alive.

There's room for both if you allow it.

- Yeah, I see how you made room for both.

- You do what you gotta do to get by, son.

You know, you've got a lot of talent,

and you've got guts.

And that makes it harder to ask for help.

But, listen, I know guys in business.

I'll make some calls.

Maybe I can find you a job.

- I got a friend in construction.

He's got connections down here.

I'm gonna give him a try first, but thanks.

- Fair enough.

Congratulations, dad.

- Thanks, gramps.

(gentle music)

- Patty cake, patty cake, baker's man, bake a cake

as fast as you can! (laughing)

Bake it, roll it, and, oh, I...

- Hi son, how are you?

- What's the matter?

He was just saying hello.

Come on, let's try it again.

Patty cake, patty cake, baker's man.

(equipment humming)

- Your friend Mike told me you were a welder,

but I need a bolting man.

You ever work the iron before?

- No, but I learn fast.

- You won't have time to learn.

Just do as you're told.

The city's breathing down my neck to guarantee

their schedule to the government.

Now I gotta make up time.

I got exposed skin out there, where I ought to have

concrete deck already, you get my point?

Good, because that sucker's gonna

get topped out in three months.

Pays 20 bucks an hour.

You'd make $1,000 a week on over time.

Now here's the deal.

I got these minority quotas shoved down my throat

with these government jobs.

But what are you gonna do?

Union doesn't like it either, but they play nicey

with the government when they need

their image airbrushed, huh?

I got a guy, Martinez, got hurt in his down time.

He's taking a breather.

If you can work under his name I'll cash his checks for you.

75 bucks a week, check cashing fee.

You got a problem with that?

- Nope.

- Good, because that's how you make nicey with me.

(gate clanking)

(elevator rumbling)

- Ready?

(drill buzzing)

- Hey!

You're moving too slow!

- I'm a welder, not a bolter.

I can't drive 'em any faster.

- Well, you better hurry up.

You're gonna be driving taxi.

Now, you finish with that one.

Move on down to the next one.

You don't have to tighten every one of 'em.

- What happens if I don't torque every bolt?

- I'm the foreman, pal.

Let me worry about that, huh?

- This new guy up here, that young fellow,

he's a bit of a eager beaver.

I think you ought to have a little talk with him,

you know what I mean?

- Hey, kid!

Come here.

You a structural engineer?

- No, but I know something about metal and tensile strength.

I can read your spec sheets.

If I don't torque every bolt those beams aren't gonna hold.

- They'll hold.

- For how long?

- I'm only worried about the first 100 years.

- If I don't torque 'em it's gonna put too much stress

on the steel.

- You know what stress is in this business?

It's bids and schedules and supplies and labor.

It's the city screaming about their precious pre-leases,

and cutting into your profit margins

with their penalty clauses.

You see that building?

Maybe one of 20 I put up in this city.

This building will last for as long as it has to.

Stop worrying.

'Cause worrying is for the unemployed.

- [Vinnie ] We got you a subscription to a magazine

that comes along with a gift certificate

for sheep cell treatments for anti aging.

(men laughing)

- That is really funny guys.

- Hey gramps, lighten up.

We wanna help you celebrate.

You're taking this kind of hard, aren't you?

- You know, if you guys don't mind

I think I'd like to celebrate alone, okay?

- Yeah, sure, fine, okay.

(door clanking)

(upbeat music)

- I've got it.

- Hey, it's on me.

Anybody who tells the big Irish man how to do his job

better get real drunk.

- Thanks.

Salyut.

(bottles clinking)

- Who do you know to get work under Martinez's card?

- I needed a job.

Martinez got hurt on his down time.

Morgan needed a fill in.

- Martinez got hurt on the beam.

Security cable broke.

Hit the deck.

Now, Mr. Morgan and his bosses,

they don't want no trouble.

So they buy Martinez a nice little vacation in Florida.

- You mean they paid him off?

Why didn't you go to the authorities?

- Maybe they close us down.

I need work.

I got work.

- What about your friend Martinez?

That guy got hurt.

What's he gonna do when the money runs out?

- Martinez's name stays on the payroll.

Keeps all his benefits.

Union don't know.

Tax man don't know.

Martinez is getting a nice tan.

You're doing our friend a big favor.

- It sounds like we're all doing Morgan a bigger favor.

I don't like seeing people get taken advantage of.

- Amigo, that kind of thinking can make big problem.

Just be happy you got a job.

You got a baby to pay for.

- I don't know the first thing about being a father.

- Who does?

So you don't look too happy about it.

- No, it's great, it's great, it's just,

we didn't exactly plan it so soon.

- Well maybe not you.

- My wife would never do that.

- You know for sure?

- Yeah.

We talk about things like that.

- It doesn't happen by talking.

- How many kids you got?

- Four.

- Four?

- First a daughter, and then more daughters.

We had to keep trying for a boy.

(speaking foreign language) they make you feel like a daddy.

(Speaking foreign language) the boys,

they make you feel like a man.

- I gotta move my stuff and make room for the kid.

I don't even know what I need.

(upbeat music)

(gentle music)

- First of all you need a crib.

You need a changing table.

You need a chest of drawers for all this stuff.

This stuff is expensive.

Come on, take the money.

And how about toys?

A kid needs to play with some toys, right?

You know what diapers cost these days?

It's like throwing away a dollar every time the kid goes.

- How do you know?

- Well, I passed a store on the way over here.

- I appreciate the offer, but I can't.

We wanna make it on our own.

- Come on, this can be just between us.

- I don't keep secrets from my husband.

- What, are you gonna let his pride get in the way

of the child's well being?

- Nothing is gonna get in the way.

(door slamming)

Hi!

- Hi.

- How'd it go honey?

- Good, it was fine.

Are you gonna stay for dinner?

- No, can't.

Just came by to see my baby,

wish you congratulations on your first day of work.

- Thanks.

I have some work to do in the other room.

Excuse me.

- What about dinner?

- I'll eat later.

- Wow, he doesn't give an inch.

- It's a good thing I've had practice

with loving difficult men.

- You know, if you feel like you need me,

I want you to know you can come to me.

I wasn't exactly stellar in the parenting department.

I wanna be better at this than I was at being a dad.

- You don't have to apologize, daddy.

We've got a lot of years ahead of us.

- Bye sweetheart.

- Bye.

(door closing)

(piano music)

- Stephen?

(dramatic music)

(drill buzzing)

- Amigo.

You better get going out on the next beam.

(foreign language radio broadcast playing)

(drill buzzing)

- Come on, come on whaps, come on, let's go.

This ain't no party.

- Chico.

- Where's Morgan?

- He had no leave.

Said he'd take care of you on Monday.

- I worked all week.

I gotta sit with this 'til Monday?

- You can sleep with it for all I care, next?

(gentle music)

- [Sheila] I never used to think much about tradition.

Makes more sense as I get older.

- Mom!

Oh, it's beautiful!

- Your father and I brought you

home from the hospital in that.

You look wonderful, baby.

How's Stephen?

- Fine.

(laughing)

- Don't worry.

Men take this right of passage stuff very seriously.

God, your father went out and got dead drunk

when he found out I was pregnant.

- Well, daddy's trying to be a part of all this.

It's sweet.

I don't think he's very happy about the baby.

- Well, your father was always very talented

at hiding his feelings.

I'm sure he's happy for you.

(laughing)

Although, (laughing)

I can't see him thrilled about being called grandpa.

(laughing)

- No!

(laughing)

- Anyway, it's how you and Stephen feel that's important.

How'd your dinner go?

- Oh!

- That good, huh?

- They don't know how alike they are.

- Yeah, well, they may not know it, but they sense it.

That's why they fight.

Why do you look so tired?

- Oh, I've been interviewing for jobs.

I had to leave the print shop because of the fumes.

- Stephen has a job.

- Well, you worked when you were pregnant, right?

You worked during your whole marriage.

- The whole marriage was work.

And I,

I didn't wanna find myself a grieving widow

with no skills, trying to support myself

on a dead cop's pension.

Besides, in those days if a woman didn't espouse

independence she was an embarrassment to her species.

What's wrong baby?

- Did you ever do anything that you thought

was a betrayal of daddy?

I'm not talking about sex.

- Yeah.

I'd say the worst betrayal was being angry at Dan

for three years before I told him.

- And if you had to do something that you thought

would help him even though you knew he'd be angry about it?

- I'd do it, and then I'd tell him about it in bed.

But I'd try it out on your old mother first.

Well, Lauren's worried about Stephen.

He's getting paid in somebody else's name.

Lauren saw the check.

- Fraudulent impersonation doesn't exactly qualify

as an OCB investigation.

- Oh, don't give me your bureaucratic list of rules

and regulations.

This is your daughter.

- Don't tell me what my responsibilities to my daughter are!

- Somebody should.

- Well, not you.

- I earned that right.

I was there.

I raised her.

You were terrified of even holding her.

She was never a gift to you, she was a burden,

and you're doing the same thing now.

You're making her pay because your ego can't deal

with becoming a grandfather.

- It's not my ego I'm worried about, it's Lauren!

- Then help her find out what's going on.

Just don't bring her name into this.

I don't want anything to cause problems

between her and Stephen.

You know, the damage you really ought to be worrying about

is not the fact that you're getting older,

it's that you're 45 years old and you're still alone.

(gentle music)

- Got a gorgeous day, huh?

Where's your grandson?

I saw you playing with him the other day.

- He went home with his parents.

They live--

- You know, my daughter's gonna have a baby soon.

- You're too young.

(laughing)

- It's my first.

You know, I bet it's great becoming

a grandfather though, huh?

I mean, you get to teach them all the stuff

you didn't get right yourself.

- Yeah, and they never say thank you.

(laughing)

They come to your house for Thanksgiving.

My wife slaves over them.

The little brats sit in front of the TV like zombies.

They change channels all the time.

I can't even watch a ball game.

Oh, you'll find out.

(laughing)

When they get older, they'll wanna borrow the car,

they'll wanna borrow money.

Little ingrates.

They think you owe them.

- Well, I, I gotta get back to work.

You have a nice day.

(skateboards rolling)

- Nice?

Nice is when the family is gone.

Don't kid yourself.

This is nothing to look forward to.

- So long.

(dramatic music)

(playing acoustic guitar)

- Your son in law's working under false union documentation.

Probably the only way the kid could find a job.

- Yeah, this Tommy Morgan.

He's got Tommy Morgan Construction.

He works as his own general contractor

and it's mostly on federal HUD projects.

- Hmm, which in a significant number of cases these days

is considered a license to steal.

- Stephen's working under a false name

with a fake Social Security Number

for bogus union benefits that some deadbeat

named Hector Martinez is collecting.

You get anything on this Martinez yet?

- [Frank] I'm working on it.

- Guys, guys, please, will you?

You know, Dan you were bitching about this kid

when he didn't have a job.

Why don't you just leave him alone

and let him earn his bread?

- You know, I didn't ask for your opinion.

- No, but you wanted me to hold your hand

when you were nervous about seeing her in the first place.

You abandoned a right to run Lauren's life

when you left your family.

- Well, I'm trying to change that now.

- No you're not.

You're trying to take control.

She fell in love with somebody without your permission

and you can't stand it.

- Oh, come on, Vince!

- No, no, no, no, let him finish.

He's on a roll.

- She may make a few mistakes,

but they're hers to make, not yours.

You know, you're putting your own guilt out on her marriage.

- You know, maybe someday when you're a parent

you'll figure out that understanding this Freudian crap

doesn't make the job any easier.

- I'm not looking at deep meanings here.

What I see is a kid who's trying to live up

to his responsibilities.

You can't force him to do it your way.

- But I can sure as hell try and protect my daughter

from the consequences of him doing it his way!

- Yeah, okay, all right, and why don't you tell me

what they are?

'Cause the only consequences I see is you missing out on

your last chance to be a caring father to your daughter.

You can't even take any joy in the fact that

she's having a baby!

You make it sound like being a grandfather is

some kind of a death sentence!

(sighing)

Man.

- You know, you're right.

All of a sudden I keep thinking about being closer to dying

than to being born.

I see myself sitting on a park bench,

watching the world go by.

- I never thought about getting old.

- You're getting old.

I'm getting old.

We're getting old.

At least you're gonna be able to grow up

with your grandchild.

By the time that happens to me,

he's gonna be screaming in my hearing aid,

wiping the drool off my chin.

- Yeah, at least your grandchildren will be able

to see their grandfather, 'cause mine never will.

- But what am I gonna say to this kid?

What do I do?

- You go to the store.

You buy a teddy bear.

You smile, he cries.

You coo, he smiles.

You're off to a hell of start.

- Is that what you did with your boy, Frank?

- If I was an expert on familial affairs

I would not be sleeping alone in a house

that I rent from you, I wouldn't be seeing my kid

every other weekend, and I wouldn't be sitting by the phone

waiting for the bitch to call, hoping she's asking

to get back together again.

- Oh man, oh, you guys, I'll give you both a glass

of hemlock, put you out of your misery.

Will you, please?

You're driving me nuts.

- Well, at least we're good at keeping

other people's houses in order, huh?

- Well, that along with the gold watch at retirement

should make sitting on the park bench

a real gratifying experience.

- Man.

(drill buzzing)

- Hey, I'm meeting my wife during lunch,

so if I'm late--

- No problem, we cover you.

(drill buzzing)

(tools clanking)

- Hey, that's the third time this week man!

These bolts are bogus.

Somebody's gotta do something.

- Go meet your wife.

Stop worrying about things that aren't your problem anymore.

(gentle music)

- Oh!

- What?

- Oh my God!

(laughing)

That's beautiful.

- What's it sound like?

- [Morgan] OCB, huh?

We rarely have such impressive visitors.

- Oh, no thank you.

Well, I understand you have some union problems.

- I don't have any problem with those boys

I can't negotiate without government help,

in fact, my real beef is federal watch dogs

slowing down my work.

- Yeah.

Well, the government always likes to know

where its money's going.

- I put up buildings of concrete and steel,

not $300 toilet seats in Washington.

- You wouldn't mind if I have a look upstairs, would you?

- Suit yourself.

(gate clanking)

- This whole place is crawling with OSHA inspectors.

- This is supposed to be pulled up to 355 foot pounds.

I show 240.

You boys didn't quite get it.

- Looks like we got some cheap welds that need replacing.

- I've got friends in Washington, important ones.

- I'll bet you do.

Florida too.

Remember Hector Martinez?

You know, failure to file an on the job accident report

with OSHA is a federal offense.

Hiring labor with false union documentations,

failure to make standard safety codes,

and if what Martinez says is correct

using inferior overseas bolts and then billing

the developer for the cost of the real thing.

Since you're a public altruist with a federal contract

that translates to government fraud, sport.

- Hey, hey!

I work here man.

- Not anymore, pal.

(men chattering)

- Looks like we're gonna have to red tag this job site.

- Gentlemen.

Federal officer.

Pending structural investigation the government

is closing this site down.

(piano music)

- Honey, I'm home.

(piano music)

Sweetheart?

(piano music)

- [Announcer] Passengers holding tickets for destinations

south, including Trenton, New Jersey, Philadelphia,

Baltimore, and Washington, please board your bus

at gate three.

Passengers holding tickets for destinations south,

including Trenton, New Jersey, Philadelphia,

Baltimore, and Washington DC, please board your bus

at gate three.

- Well, I really gave Stephen more credit.

He's behaving like a spoiled, petulant brat.

- I wasn't honest with him.

- You were only trying to help him.

I mean, we were just concerned for his safety.

- Don't try and justify it.

I lied.

- You didn't lie to him.

You just didn't tell him.

- The sin of omission doesn't make me less a liar.

It's like you not telling daddy about how you used to feel.

I don't want my marriage to end up like yours.

I'm sorry.

Stephen and I just don't wanna make the same mistakes.

That is, if we still have a chance.

- No, no, no, no, no, come on now, don't worry.

You'll make up.

He'll come back.

- You don't know Stephen.

- Well, no, but we both know somebody just like him.

A man with the soul of the artist

and the responsibility of supporting a family

is a man at war with himself.

- I want Stephen to succeed.

His art means everything to him.

He needs my help and I wanna give him that.

- Yeah, I know, I wanted to be mother, muse, mistress,

and a feminist.

It's a very tall order for one woman.

You end up getting caught between supporting his dream

and easing the burden of his inevitable compromises.

But you gotta think of yourself,

'cause one day you can wake up

and say to yourself not even what do I want but

what's left?

(gasping)

- You heard anything from him yet?

(people chattering)

(upbeat music)

- The boys, they say somebody spoke to the federals.

Funny thing.

You were missing when the trouble went down.

- Well, I didn't do it, but I am sort of responsible.

And I want you to know that I'm sorry.

But if you guys wanna kick my butt,

in all honesty I wouldn't blame you.

- Where we come from telling the truth can make you dead.

Which is why a lot of us don't have the nerve to apologize.

(laughing)

Come on, I'll buy you a drink.

So what's happening, man?

- I gotta get out of the city.

- What about (speaking foreign language), the baby?

- That's not gonna work out.

- If I had a dollar for every time my wife and I

had a fight, I'd be one rich man.

(laughing)

- We didn't have a fight.

It was a mistake.

- Did you find out about another man?

- No.

She lied to me.

- That's all?

There are plenty of things my wife don't tell me.

She don't think I need to know.

(laughing)

- Well, that's not the way it's supposed to be.

We're supposed to be able to talk about everything.

- You talk too much.

You're the man.

She the woman.

Amigo, you got a problem?

You go home.

You take her to bed.

You raise the iron.

(laughing)

(gentle music)

- I didn't know they were gonna shut the place down.

- I should have known you'd drag the government into this.

- Well, what did you expect me to do?

You come to me for help.

- I expected you to be discreet.

- I involved other people.

I can't control everything!

- Oh no?

Isn't that what you think you're so perfect at?

Spending all your time with machines,

talking to faceless voices, managing people's lives

you know nothing about?

- You're treading water, Sheila.

- And you're treading on this kid.

(sighing)

(rapping at door)

- Stephen?

- I'm sorry baby, I didn't mean--

- No, it's my fault.

Please forgive me!

- I'm sorry for what I said.

(sighing)

- You're tough, Sheila.

But you're probably right.

I'm awful sorry.

I really screwed things up.

- It's okay, it's not your fault.

- Well, it's gotta be somebody's fault.

(classical music)

You know, you run the bass that high

you're gonna blow these speakers.

- You know, I'm trying to enjoy my relaxation here.

- Man, it's cold in here.

Don't you pay the heating bill?

- I thought the heat was included in the rent.

Well, Tommy Morgan found a new career,

testifying before the ethics committees

about federal building contracts.

- Defective bolts, the old boy politics, huh?

- The public likes to call it influence peddling.

Oh, please toss it.

You know, I got a weekend off from crime and corruption

and I'm trying to enjoy a good book, a good beer,

a good Beethoven, a man's castle!

- Frank, you know,

I was thinking about what you told me.

You know, about enjoying my grand kid.

- Well, thanks, uncle.

- You're absolutely right.

- You know, I think you're gonna make a swell grandfather.

(laughing)

- Yeah, I wanna be close to that kid, you know?

I wanna give him the very best of me,

like you do with your son.

- Drake's a good kid.

- And I want that baby to have things,

a nice home, happy parents, fresh air.

- Well, fresh air never hurt anybody.

- Good schools, and a backyard to play in.

Kind of like this one.

You know Frank, you really helped me figure this out.

And you've been a great tenant.

- Eh?

(piano music)

(dramatic music)

(upbeat music)