1. It was my friend Abed's birthday.
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2. I had met Abed at community college
almost two years earlier.
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3. His obsession with pop culture
had always alienated him.
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4. He'd quote movies,
pretend his life was a TV show.
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5. He watched Cougar Town.
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6. It was as if he didn't want
people to like him.
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7. Then this year, around Christmas,
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8. he had some kind of...
I don't know...
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9. Mental episode, saying people
were made of clay, stuff like that.
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10. He'd seemed okay since,
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11. but when I asked him if he'd like
to do anything for his birthday,
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12. he told me we should have dinner,
just he and I,
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13. for an important conversation.
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14. It made me nervous.
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15. The restaurant Abed had chosen
wasn't his style at all.
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16. There were cloth napkins, no TV's.
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17. Abed liked chicken fingers,
video games,
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18. Quentin Tarantino.
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19. Babysitting him through a full meal
at a restaurant for grown-ups...
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20. I just wasn't up for it.
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21. But I loved Abed.
Everyone did.
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22. So I had come there
with a surprise plan of my own.
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23. Hey, could I get a Macallan, neat?
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24. Buddy.
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25. I like your sweater.
Did it come with a Golden Retriever?
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26. You look good too.
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27. I would like a...
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28. - Spritzer.
- Abed was being weird.
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29. And by that,
I mean he wasn't being weird.
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30. He was hugging, smiling,
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31. making eye contact,
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32. and in 30 seconds,
he hadn't made a reference to anything.
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33. I had come in worried about him,
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34. thinking he needed help.
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35. But seeing him like this
made me more worried than ever.
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36. Get it?
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37. Like Pulp Fiction.
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38. - It's a wallet that says "bad mother."
- Your table's ready, gentlemen.
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39. Actually, I had an idea.
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40. I saw a cool burger place a few...
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41. Nonsense.
I didn't come downtown for burgers.
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42. Come, come.
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43. I'll be right there.
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44. We're running a little bit late.
No big deal, just a small speed bump.
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45. Well, hurry up.
We're waiting.
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46. Surprise!
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47. Guys, no!
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48. They're running late.
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49. Jeff says there's some kind
of speed bump.
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50. Pierce, nobody can hear you.
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51. I'm hot,
and my balls are touching the zipper!
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52. - Feygnasse Team -
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53. La Fabrique ::.
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54. 2x19: Critical Film Studies
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55. Can you imagine the expression
on Abed's face when he walks in?
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56. Of course we can imagine it.
It's always the same.
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57. Yeah, but he's gonna say "cool"
at least five times.
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58. It's really great of Jeff
to put this together.
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59. I'm not jealous.
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60. Cool, someone got him a briefcase,
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61. like in the movie.
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62. - What's in it?
- Don't touch that!
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63. It's from Jeff, and he says nobody
but Abed can open it.
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64. Why? What's in it?
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65. What, I have 3D vision now?
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66. - Yes, you do.
- You don't know me!
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67. Everybody just be patient
and don't mess with anything.
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68. I am responsible for this diner
when my boss isn't around.
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69. She will not stop bragging
about that.
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70. I know.
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71. Anyone seen this movie we referencing?
Am I the hero or the love interest?
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72. Pulp Fiction?
I saw it on an airplane. It's cute.
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73. It's a 30-minute film about a group
of friends who like cheeseburgers,
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74. dancing, and the Bible.
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75. Jeff's not better than me.
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76. I said, "hmm."
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77. Boy, is this menu stuffy.
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78. I don't know about you,
but I'd rather have a nice...
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79. Rillettes de saumon,
to start, I think,
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80. and, the squab.
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81. - Very good.
- They don't have quail.
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82. Good to know.
Salad.
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83. - Excellent choice.
- Yeah, I nailed it.
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84. You forgot this in the bar.
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85. Ah, so I did.
I'm sorry.
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86. What a thoughtful gift, Jeff.
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87. I really was a man of singular taste.
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88. Was?
Abed, what's going on?
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89. Why are you dressed like Mr. Rogers
and talking like Frasier?
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90. - What happened to you?
- Where to begin?
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91. I mentioned in the past my fondness
for a TV program called Cougar Town.
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92. Here and there.
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93. I even started Cougar Town fan club
on Facebook.
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94. Not to accomplish anything, mind you.
Simply to express my love for the show.
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95. It ended up being quite large,
this fan club, and,
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96. one morning,
I think it was maybe early March,
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97. I got this Facebook message.
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98. A very nice message from the people
who make Cougar Town.
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99. Looking for work?
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100. No, thanking me, Jeff.
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101. For all the support
I generated for the show.
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102. And in the last paragraph,
they said, "if you'd like,
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103. "you could come visit the set,"
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104. just like that.
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105. That's cool of them.
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106. I guess that kind of makes them
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107. the Pulp Fictions of people.
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108. How great was that movie.
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109. I sold a few of my action figures,
and I bought a round-trip ticket to L.A.
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110. - Wait, you went? When?
- Over Spring Break.
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111. What could I do?
Two days after I got that invitation,
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112. I was on the set
of Cougar Town, Jeff.
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113. If you want me to take it seriously,
stop saying its name.
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114. You laugh, Jeff,
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115. but the people were wonderful,
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116. not just the actors,
but the crew, everyone.
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117. There must have been 200 people,
each with a specific function,
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118. but all dedicated
to a single purpose.
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119. It was like a village
or like a living thing.
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120. I'm talking to the director,
and he says,
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121. "Why don't you jump
into the background?"
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122. I say, "Wait a minute.
Jump into the background of what?"
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123. And he says,
"Into the background of this scene."
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124. "Walk through it."
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125. "Walk through Cougar Town."
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126. Before I can react,
this girl takes me by the hand,
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127. and she stands me behind this patio
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128. where Courteney Cox and the actors
are doing their scene. And she says,
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129. "Now, when you hear action,
I want you to walk from here to there."
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130. That's when I really started to panic,
Jeff, because
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131. if I'm a person who watches Cougar Town,
how can I be in Cougar Town?
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132. And the more
I start thinking about it,
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133. the less any of it
makes any sense at all.
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134. I want to turn and run, but too late,
'cause the director's calling "Action."
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135. So before I take my first step,
I realize
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136. that I have to stop being someone
who's ever seen the show
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137. and become a character on the show.
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138. Become a man from Cougar Town...
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139. someone born there,
someone whose name, I decide, is Chad.
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140. I take my first step, as a child might,
learning to walk as Chad.
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141. And with each step,
it becomes easier.
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142. And with each step,
I remember things from Chad's life,
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143. like his first kiss under the big tree
at Cougar Town field...
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144. Playing soccer
at Cougar Town Junior High...
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145. Finding my first chest hair
in the shower,
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146. my first apartment,
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147. my first true love falling
for my best friend,
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148. birthdays, weddings,
car crashes, taxes,
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149. playing charades at Thanksgiving.
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150. Chad had lived, Jeff.
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151. Chad had lived more than Abed.
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152. And then they called "Cut,"
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153. and the scene was over.
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154. But I wasn't ready to stop being Chad,
so I said to the director,
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155. "Can we have one more take?"
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156. But they were already moving on.
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157. Courteney had nailed it.
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158. My lips started trembling,
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159. and my hands and my feet went numb.
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160. My knees buckled,
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161. and as I fell to the floor...
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162. I pooped my pants.
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163. I did...
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164. Because the truth is,
I had been Chad, and Chad was dead.
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165. But as Abed, I was still alive,
so someone helped me up.
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166. And the wardrobe lady came over.
She gave me new pants.
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167. I thanked everyone, I apologized,
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168. and I got on a bus
and went straight to the airport.
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169. Your food's getting cold.
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170. How silly of me.
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171. Wondering if Abed's new best friend
also got him the best gift?
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172. I got Abed the best gift.
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173. I'd tell you what it is,
but it's an even cooler secret.
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174. You promised that this private party
would be done by 8:00.
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175. You're doing this during the peak hours
for nostalgic-themed diners.
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176. - Is that true? Has been researched?
- It has, Annie.
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177. They get frightened by the evening news,
many seek the comforting foods
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178. and soothing music
of a pre-racial America.
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179. I'm sorry, Brian.
They're just a little late.
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180. I'll give you all of my tips
from my next shift.
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181. Your tips.
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182. All your tips?
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183. Wait, wait, all of them?
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184. Like, all the tips
the customers leave for you?
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185. Is there any way we can go ahead
and spread that out over two years
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186. so I don't get slammed on my taxes?
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187. My goodness.
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188. I know.
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189. Everyone hates Britta.
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190. - You know the real point of that story.
- I don't, but that's okay. Chew.
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191. I'd been a fool.
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192. Everybody poops their pants.
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193. I was a fool long before that.
I think, "Who was that?
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194. "Why cares about things
that didn't matter?"
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195. Who needs this show?
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196. Who needs any pop culture?
TV, movies, to hell with all of it.
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197. You know what I was?
I was that wallet.
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198. On the surface,
a reference to some cinematic drivel,
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199. but on the inside, empty.
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200. - But you love Tarantino.
- No, not anymore.
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201. That's why I wanted to have
this dinner.
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202. The first birthday of my new life.
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203. The wallet's cute,
but I'd like a better gift.
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204. I'm not leaving until you've given me
my first real conversation.
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205. You want a real conversation?
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206. Here's as real as I get
under the circumstances.
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207. It's nice that you've learned
to dial back your love of TV.
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208. But I'd like you
to come have a milkshake with me.
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209. But before you do,
I'd like you to remember
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210. how much you enjoy Pulp Fiction.
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211. That's as far as I can go
without defeating the purpose.
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212. I'm really tilting the bean can here.
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213. Pulp Fiction, milkshakes, bean cans?
Listen to how we talk to each other.
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214. We're like robots exchanging
catchphrases and references.
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215. You think pointing that out counts
as a real conversation?
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216. How many fake people are talking
about how fake the world is?
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217. I'm new at this,
can you start our real conversation?
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218. It doesn't exist.
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219. Conversation was invented by humans
to conceal reality.
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220. We use it to sweet-talk
our way around natural selection.
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221. You know who has real conversations?
Ants.
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222. They talk by vomiting chemicals
into each other's mouths.
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223. They get to brass tacks.
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224. "Which way's the picnic?"
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225. "That way."
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226. Humans are more evolved.
We lie.
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227. - Not all the time.
- Lie.
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228. - We don't lie when we're alone.
- Biggest lie ever.
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229. Nine of ten lies occur six inches away
from the bathroom mirror.
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230. We do most of our lying alone.
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231. How lie when you're alone?
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232. You can call a phone-sex line.
That's lying to yourself.
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233. That's being honest
about being lonely.
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234. What if you lie
about why you're lonely?
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235. What if you're a nice guy
who calls a sex line
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236. and tells them he weighs 400 pounds,
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237. just so he can hear a woman say
she's attracted to him anyway?
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238. - I don't believe that happens.
- Wrong. That's me.
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239. I did that last week.
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240. Why would you do that?
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241. I'm scared that if I were overweight
that no one would like me.
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242. That feels good to admit.
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243. The point being...
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244. The point being,
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245. you don't have to worry
about being normal
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246. or real or whatever this is tonight.
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247. The world is a sick place
full of sick, sick people.
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248. Can I tell you something
I've never told?
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249. It's got to be so cool,
whatever he got him.
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250. You know what I'm saying.
Winger's a man of means.
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251. He's with your boy right now
having a fancy dinner.
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252. Baby chickens, diamond forks,
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253. brand-name sodas.
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254. Then he's gonna bring him back here,
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255. give him whatever is in there,
and that's that.
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256. Troy who?
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257. Is that what I think it is?
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258. It is.
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259. Certificate of authenticity.
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260. He must have got it on eBay.
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261. Jeff got Abed the actual briefcase
from the movie Pulp Fiction!
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262. What are you doing?
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263. Chang's fault!
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264. He seduced me
with his dark Chinese powers.
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265. Why do you leave him alone with me?
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266. I'm putting my job on the line
for this stupid party.
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267. The least you can do is not ruin it.
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268. I know I'm preaching to the choir,
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269. but you are a bad friend.
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270. I'll kill you!
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271. And I said,
"No, that's a girl's costume."
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272. My mom said,
"Indian have long hair and braids too."
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273. There was 45 minutes left
to trick-or-treat,
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274. so what could I do?
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275. I put the damn thing on,
and I went door-to-door.
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276. And everyone was going,
"What a pretty little girl."
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277. And by the third house...
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278. I stopped correcting them.
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279. Why draw attention to it?
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280. And, honestly,
once the shame and the fear wore off.
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281. I was just glad
they thought I was pretty.
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282. This is incredible.
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283. To be able to talk this openly.
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284. Why can't people be like this?
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285. What's wrong with this world?
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286. What do you want?
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287. This is what you're doing
while we wait.
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288. Just go home.
The party's canceled.
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289. Pretty gay.
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290. Pretty gay.
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291. Why is Pierce dressed
as the gimp from Pulp Fiction?
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292. The wallet,
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293. milkshakes...
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294. A surprise
Pulp Fiction birthday party?
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295. At the Greasy Fork,
but that doesn't matter now.
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296. What matters is this talking.
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297. Is everything okay?
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298. Just the check, please.
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299. So you're ending early?
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300. - Because in My Dinner with Andre...
- Check.
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301. What's My Dinner with Andre?
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302. It's just a movie
about two guys talking at a restaurant.
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303. This wasn't...
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304. a real conversation?
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305. - You were doing another movie?
- It's about a real conversation.
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306. Did you poop your pants
on the set of Cougar Town?
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307. No matter.
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308. This is why we don't hang out!
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309. Thanks for getting me fired, jerks.
The party's over.
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310. Yeah, it is.
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311. Do you guys know
where Abed's really cool present is?
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312. Because I'm returning it.
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313. It's back at the diner, it's fine.
It probably needs some detailing.
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314. I really wish
you two got along better.
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315. No-no juice.
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316. That's good no-no juice.
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317. I give you 1200$ for the damages,
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318. if you promise
to give Britta her job back.
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319. $800, and she stays fired.
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320. Deal.
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321. Annie told me about the briefcase.
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322. What a waste.
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323. Not really.
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324. Did you buy it from Willy on eBay?
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325. Willy exaggerates.
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326. I got Indiana Jones'
real whip from him.
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327. He moves about 70 of those a year.
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328. I thought I flushed money
down the toilet.
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329. It's great to know
the real Pulp Fiction briefcase is safe.
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330. You're mad at me.
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331. I spent a week planning a party
just to make you happy.
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332. I bailed on the party and ruined it,
again, just to make you happy.
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333. While I was wasting my time
trying to make you happy,
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334. you were making yourself happy
all over everyone else
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335. by doing yet
another stupid movie spoof.
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336. I prefer the term "homage."
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337. It wasn't about making me happy.
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338. I chose My Dinner with Andre,
because it's about a guy
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339. who has an unexpectedly
enjoyable evening
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340. with a friend
he's been avoiding lately.
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341. You think I've been avoiding you?
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342. You and I hung out more last year.
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343. It makes sense.
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344. Everyone's changing all the time,
and that's not really my jam.
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345. I'm more of a fast-blinking,
stoic, removed,
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346. uncomfortably self-aware type,
like Data.
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347. Or Johnny-5 or Mork.
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348. Or Hal or KITT, or K-9.
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349. Or Woodstock and/or Snoopy.
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350. Of course,
Spock probably goes without saying...
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351. I don't need you to grow or change.
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352. And take it from someone
who just had a meaningless one,
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353. sometimes emotional breakthroughs
are overrated.
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354. And seriously,
I need you to keep a tight,
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355. heavy lid
on the "little Indian girl" story.
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356. - Sure.
- Tight, heavy lid.
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357. Cool, THL.
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358. Still friends?
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359. Because nobody paid for dinner
at the restaurant,
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360. and I do not have this kind of money.
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361. I went back to pay the bill.
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362. The restaurant was closed.
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363. Surprise!
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364. Surprise.
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365. It was Abed's idea.
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366. The group had stayed behind
to salvage the party.
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367. The waiter had felt bad
for spilling the beans
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368. about Abed's homage,
so he let us stay.
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369. As parties go,
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370. it was quiet, dark,
and a little lame.
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371. We'd had better parties,
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372. and we'd had worse parties.
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373. But I doubt I'll ever forget
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374. My Dinner with Andre
dinner with Abed.
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375. - Allow me.
- Thanks.
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376. Let me see.
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377. Not good.
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378. They said "market price."
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379. What market are you shopping at?
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380. I'm going to run.
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381. Me too. On three.
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