Original subtitles

Yes, I'm calling from the trip. I'd like to confirm.

Hey, I've been getting the alarm out for two hours. Tell me approximately how

much money was missing.

Was it over a thousand dollars?

Yes, ma 'am. Oh, what are you doing?

I know it's early and I know we're making noise, but the whole job's going

done in one day this way.

No, no, I'm not complaining. I just want to know what you're doing.

I'm marking the trees that are going to come down.

Why?

You're going to have yourself a nice wide street.

What?

Have a nice day, hon.

I don't want a nice wide street.

I want trees.

Couldn't you just spit?

Pardon my French.

Is this true? Are they going to be chopping down these trees?

Isn't it nice how they didn't bother us with making that decision?

How they just went ahead?

Well, I don't know about you, but... Mildred.

Billy. Well, I don't know about you, Mildred, but I'm calling Councilman

as soon as I get to the office.

Don't waste your time, honey.

We protested to the city council and he voted against us. Well, what about all

this pro -environment stuff he was promising before the election?

Are you kidding?

Don't you read the papers?

I try to, but my work gets in the way.

Well, I'm thinking of getting up some petitions.

Would you sign one? You betcha. I'd sign it, distribute them, paper Garber's

office with them. What do you say we go after that turkey? It would be a

pleasure.

I don't understand, Mary Alice. You haven't put in for any hotel expenses.

No, no, no, no. The olive people put me up.

The olive people? Yes.

Oh, the farmers.

Yes.

I had this picture of little pimento eyes.

Mary Alice, you and your role as food editor, you went to Italy for nearly two

weeks at the expense of the olive advisory board. Is that correct? Yes.

Don't you feel compromised?

Taking favors from the people that you're writing about? Supposing that

people did that city site? Oh, come on, Charlie. Our areas are totally

different. We don't play by the same rules.

Meaning you take freebies and they don't.

It sounds to me like you're questioning my ethical judgment.

Of course we are.

No more junkets, Mary Alice. No more freebies.

I don't think you understand how small my operating budget is.

I want the food section above reproach.

No more pork loin weekends.

No more cottage cheese under the table. Are we agreed?

I'll try.

Succeed.

Yes, ma 'am.

I sensed we had trouble when her recipe for fruitcake recommended chopped olives

as an economic alternative to candied fruit.

What did you want to talk to me about?

My people haven't taken a bribe for weeks.

He's kidding.

We laugh.

But this disturbing episode with Mary Alice is just one of many on this

newspaper.

I think it's time we took stock of ourselves.

I'm clean.

How about you, Charlie?

What kind of thing are you talking about? A code of ethics?

No, no. I want us to appoint an in -house critic.

Someone to scrutinize the Tribune.

Point out our weak spots.

Show us our conflicts of interest.

Listen to complaints from our readers.

Like a troubleshooter?

That's not a bad idea.

Remember Alf Rogers?

Sweet old guy who wore suspenders with horses on them?

He's up in Seattle now.

They gave him an assignment like that media critic.

He started to call them as he saw them.

And pretty soon, he didn't have a friend on the paper.

I'd hate for that to happen, Mr. Grant.

Maybe we can find somebody who doesn't have any friends.

Me? She picked me?

As far as I'm concerned, you were the only choice.

I don't know, Lou. I hate to be critical.

On the other hand, there is a lot of dead wood on this paper.

I suppose that may be true of most places, but... Hold it!

He didn't give you an axe and a black hood.

He's going to be a watchdog, someone to look closely at the trip.

Yeah, I do that anyway.

Lou, every day, I read it all.

Write memos to the editors involved when you think there's something wrong.

Yeah, like if a story has a wrong angle.

Constructive criticism.

I've been doing it all along. Now, maybe someone will listen.

Lou, thanks. You won't be sorry.

Did you want the job?

Oh, no.

I'm not good at criticizing people.

Even now, I can't think of a way to tell you what a bad decision you've just

made.

What's this?

It's all that one -for -all stuff that Pinton asked me to bring it down.

Oh. Is it one -for -all time of year again?

And who says L .A. doesn't have seasons?

And I'm supposed to pass the collection plate around the city room?

That's the idea.

We'll see.

Who does he think I am?

I'm the city editor.

I don't have time for this kind of stuff.

You got it, Mr.

Grant. Good.

Well, now, I expect some impressive contributions from Metro this year.

Do you really think it's an efficient use of your city editor's time having

pass the collection played around like this?

Well, I don't know.

There is certainly an argument to be made for efficiency, Mr. Grant.

On the other hand, how can one assess in hours the value of not ticking off

one's employer?

I take that to mean yes.

Okay.

I'll do it.

But I've got to tell you, I'm really turned off by this guy who's running the

campaign. Ronald Ferguson.

Yeah. Little publicity conscious, isn't he?

His face on every poster, every TV commercial.

I know.

Don't worry, Mr. Grant.

You won't be subjected to his face for very long.

Oh? Oh, that man.

Well, please instruct your reporters to do what they can for one for all.

I will.

Thanks.

That's telling their kid.

Yeah, Lou, I'll give, but no moral pressure, okay? I have a very low

pressure. No, no, I want you to do some digging on this guy.

Who is he? Ronald Ferguson.

He's running one for all in L .A.

And something's wrong.

I have it on the best authority.

Mr. Ferguson will be right out. Thanks.

This is quite an office. Have you worked here long?

Two years, but this is my last week.

I have to go back to school.

You're volunteering during semester break?

Yes, but I'm not doing this out of the goodness of my heart.

I'm planning to make fundraising my career.

You're majoring in fundraising?

No, business administration.

But my real education has been working for Mr. Ferguson.

He knows every angle of the business.

I keep forgetting it's a business. You wouldn't if you were around here very

long. You want to talk about it?

This is fine, Donna.

Billy Newman?

Ronald Ferguson?

Ron. Let me take you on a tour.

Is this a record room?

I had visions of kind of a storefront operation. I don't know.

Billy, the world has changed.

You have to spend money to make money.

Do you know, Billy, there are 35 good -sized companies right in this building

and another 500 or so within a block?

Now, I'm in competition with other charities for their dollars.

I keep myself near them to serve as a kind of a reminder.

It's the only way to get the big money that we need.

It's a dirty job, but somebody has to do it, right?

Where'd you find that new coach, Frank?

Glendale Parks and Recreation?

Glendale College, Lou.

This guy's got plenty of experience.

That isn't what I heard.

I heard that you hired him because he promised to let you sit on the bench.

Are you crazy?

Anybody can sit on the bench. This guy's going to let me suit up.

I don't know, pal.

You run your basketball team like you used to run that bunch of girl roller

skaters. Times change. That was 30 years ago.

Are you telling me?

I could use a couple of the old Kalamazoo kittens on the team.

Talk about somebody who could hit the boards.

Do you remember Weeper, the enforcer?

Only her roving eye.

Yeah, she was always on the prowl.

No, I meant her roving eye.

Boy, she was spooky.

Yeah, but she could bring in the fans.

Now, those were the days when a sports franchise could make you money.

Don't start poor -mouthing. You'll get me believing those rumors that you're

thinking of moving the starts of San Jose. How do those screwy stories get

started? Are they true?

If there were a story in it, wouldn't I tell you you're my best pal?

And I know equivocation when I hear it.

Lou, forget the rumors about me moving.

That's all they are, rumors.

L .A. is home for the stars.

Okay.

It's just that it's an awfully big story if it's true. You'll be the first to

know. Hello.

Hello. Charlie.

What's up?

Listen, I've been waiting out there for Marion. Have you seen her?

No. Oh, wait here till she comes.

Charlie Hume. It's me and my friend Franklin Nash. Charlie.

Franklin Nash.

Gee, this is great. This is great. You know, I have followed the stars since

days of Spud Watkins. You must be a loyal fan.

I think this town is full of loyal fans. Listen, I am so loyal.

I'm not even going to tell you how nuts you were to fire Johansson. He's a great

coach. I appreciate that, Charlie.

Charlie, I'm sorry, honey.

I got tied up at the office.

I love saying that.

Lou, hi.

Hi, Marion. Meet Franklin Nash.

Marion. Oh, a pleasure.

Why did you fire Johansson? That's crazy.

Oh, well.

Things, uh...

Pretty busy at headquarters, huh? Oh, we had a crisis.

The group that's been most critical of Reinhardt asked him to address them, and

we couldn't reach Reinhardt. And there was nobody to make a decision.

What happened?

I, uh, made a decision.

Is Dr.

Reinhardt the school board guy?

Yeah, except he's running for state superintendent of public instruction.

Maya's been doing great volunteer work at the school board for years, so

Reinhardt grabbed her. Good for him.

You like it, huh?

Well, I keep trying to be blase.

But when that paycheck comes every week, I can't keep myself from grinning ear

to ear.

I don't even care that it's next to nothing. I can't believe what I'm

grateful employee.

Marion, if you can slam dunk, I think we should talk.

How's it going, Rossi?

Oh, Lou, Lou, it's incredible.

The report is sitting on a gold mine here. In this room alone, there are so

stories, it's like Naked City.

Do you want to try controlling the glee?

Conflict of interest, self -serving reporting, and enough homegrown

populate the gong show for a year.

Good, Rossi, good.

Lou? Yeah?

I'm starting a memo for you, too.

Oh, I'm looking forward to it.

I'd rather not say what it is, so I can write better than I talk.

All I can say right now is watch the tendency to tabloid elite, okay?

Right.

Hey, Rock?

Yeah? That's your memo on how I use too many inflammatory acids?

Oh, well... For whatever it's worth.

Right.

Lou Grant will continue in a moment here on A &E.

The important thing is to have a lot of different kinds of people at the rally,

a real cross -section. That'll look good on the tube.

What if we all wore T -shirts with trees on them or something?

Well, I don't think so, Mildred. See, the trick is to not look too slick or

organized. That puts people off.

We'll just let people wear whatever they want to wear and no professionally made

signs.

But we've got a problem, Billy.

I don't think Councilman Garbers is going to show at the rally.

He's gotten word that we're out to get him. Now listen, I've covered Garbers a

lot. Let me call him.

Great. We'll really nail him if he shows.

But I don't think it's going to be easy to get him. We'll find a way.

Billy Newman.

Oh, thanks, operator.

Hi, Ike.

Yeah, have you got this stuff on the one for all for me?

Great.

Just let me get it down.

Okay, shoot.

That's good stuff.

Also, Ferguson ran one for all in Atlanta.

He talked them into giving him a house, use of a car, and I love this,

membership in a country club and private discotheque.

Maybe he took some of the underprivileged people from the

fresh air of the country club.

Plus, my friend in Philadelphia, where Ferguson also made his mark, said that

they've been investigating and are about to press charges.

What'd he do?

Well, basically, he was so good at hobnobbing with the wealthy, he forgot

only made $35 ,000 a year.

All right. Well, it wasn't enough for the life he was leading. Mm -hmm.

So charity began at home.

Lou. Hmm? Who ticked you off to this?

A sweet, gray -haired widow who can go for the jugular like Jack Anderson.

I kind of had the feeling last time I was here that you hadn't told me

everything you wanted to.

Well, it was a little difficult with Mr. Ferguson right there.

There are all these doors he's not allowed keys to.

Like where the small cash collections are kept. No kidding.

Listen, they don't let him near any money.

Well, isn't that kind of standard?

This man can't even get into the box we keep stamps in.

He needs an okay from two other people on everything.

No credit cards, no check signing.

This ever since he got here?

Well, not for the first couple of months.

He kids about it. Says he's always losing keys.

Do you think he's a crook?

I couldn't say that for sure.

I will say that nobody can get blood out of a corporate turnip like Ferguson.

I just make sure I take my purse with me whenever I leave my desk.

He's your pal, though. What's the story with Franklin Nash?

What about him? Is he going to move the stars to San Jose?

That's what I guess.

Because the story I've heard is that not only are they going to build him an

arena up there, but some businessmen are going to cut him in on some commercial

development in the area.

Sounds like quite a story.

It would be if it were true.

An awful lot of talk.

And the more talk like that, the better his bargaining position down here.

Finally found a use for Rossi's memos.

Is this your idea, Lou?

Setting up the watchdog position. That came straight from the tower.

No, no, Lou. Was choosing Rossi your idea?

Well, yeah.

Listen, he's got the best intentions.

He's second -guessing. Our leads are too long. My leads are too short. Too many

boring stats.

Too much unnecessary color.

If we spend our time reacting to these memos, there'll be no national or

news in the paper.

You're not behind all this, are you, Lou?

You guys really sound bothered.

Well, aren't you, Ben? Nope.

I haven't heard from Rossi. I guess he likes my work.

Well, he doesn't know what you do.

What do you do, Ben?

Come on, Charlie. I'm sorry I'm late.

Stop. One more time, Charlie. We'll tell Rossi.

Throw me to the watchdog, you wouldn't.

Okay, Lou, what do you got?

Billy has worked up something very nice on the One for All campaign.

Not only is the chief fundraiser about to be indicted in Philadelphia, but the

local board here knows it.

They're definitely dumping him after the current campaign.

One for all, should we check this with Mrs. Pinchon first?

It is her charity.

But I'd rather not put her in the awkward position of having to decide

or not to run this.

It'd be a lot easier for her if she's able to say, I didn't know anything

it.

Well, then we'll lead with it, page one. Tell Billy, nice work.

Mr. Rossi.

Oh, Mrs. Pinchon, hi.

Good work, truly.

Oh, thanks.

Very much.

You want to sit here?

Well, I usually make a point of avoiding people who eat sugar puffs for dinner.

But I'd like to, yes.

Can you scoot down? Sure.

Do you bowl?

Well, I used to. But my nights are really kind of tied up.

Oh, Mr. Rossi, I only ask for the sake of an analogy.

Oh.

I feel that, as media critic, I have made you number one, Ken. You're right

there in front, and as a result, extremely vulnerable.

How rough are things for you downstairs?

Oh, it's okay.

How are the editors taking your criticisms?

Fairly well.

Oh, Mr. Rossi.

Well...

Some of them don't read the memos, and the rest don't take them too seriously.

Oh, I see.

Mrs. Pinchon, I've been thinking.

I love this job, but... Maybe if you gave it to a guy who has more seniority

the paper, someone with more clout.

What if I gave you clout?

What? Now, I feel we've only taken half measures here.

Let's go public with your memos.

Let's publish your criticisms in the paper. I'd like to demonstrate to our

readers that we're not afraid to take a good hard look at ourselves.

Yeah?

Mr. Rossi, if I could assure you a column opposite the editorial page, how

soon could you have one ready? Are you kidding? In an hour. I've got material

for 50 columns.

We've got an editor whose wife's on the paid staff of a political campaign.

Another editor who's in the back pocket of a local team owner.

A reporter who's using political muscle on a city councilman and a guy who's so

close to a senator he can probably read her mind.

Really? Yeah.

Well, write it up.

I'll see to it. It's in the home edition tomorrow.

Here you go, Mrs. Pinchot.

Thank you, Leon.

Maybe now they'll see we mean business.

Oh, my Lord.

What's this?

One parole chief living high while needy wait.

Now, there's a good example.

That's a corny headline.

That's unforgivable.

You're quite right.

Tell Mr. Grant to see me in my office immediately.

Boss, you said you wanted to see me?

Yes, Mr. Grant.

Listen, I don't want to be coy about this. Yes, I know it's because of the

Ferguson story.

That's right.

And I want you to know, as far as your being our source is concerned, our lips

are sealed.

You used me to get the gospel.

I told you something in passing I had no idea would appear on page one, and

right now I am so angry with you, I don't think I can control myself.

Listen, I'm sorry there was a misunderstanding.

No, I think... Get out!

Lou Grant will continue in a moment here on A &E.

Morning.

Morning, Nick.

Listen, I got permission to take those carpet pieces home. I didn't do anything

wrong. What are you talking about?

Those scraps from the new offices.

I make little scratching posts for cats.

It's not really a business. I just do it for some friends. I hardly break even

on it. Nick, why are you telling me this?

Well, I've been reading what you did to Mr. Hume and Donovan and Billy and all.

I figured I was next.

I just want to let you know about the carpets. I'm clean.

Oh, thanks, Nick.

You own a cat?

No. Well, they make kind of colorful doorstops.

Cats? The posts.

I could get you one.

Uh, thanks, Nick. No.

I'd let you pay for it.

Good morning, Donovan. Can I pour you a cup?

In the late winter of 1972, I rode a plane with Helen Emanuel.

She'd just decided to run for the Senate, and she asked me to be her media

liaison.

I liked her.

I thought she'd make a good senator.

I quit work here and went with her.

We won.

I came back to the Trib having learned a lot about politics, about the mutual

dependency of candidates in the press, about how to shut off the air

conditioning and holiday inns.

You never asked me, but I think those months made me a better newspaper man.

Is that a yes or a no?

That's a pour it in your shoe, Rossi.

Want in on the pool?

Still got some spots open.

What is this?

Well, there are three factors.

Time of the injury to Rossi, which limb is involved, and which Trib employee

delivers the first punch.

What about multiple fractures?

Severest injury takes precedence.

Sounds good. I'll take Lou, two o 'clock. No, if I'll lose booked solid, I

give you Charlie.

Oh, I don't know.

Listen, the smart money's on Billy, and there are plenty of good openings.

You're here.

Hi, Mrs. Pinchot.

I figured you'd be getting fitted for a suit of armor.

Now you tell me.

the record, Mr. Hume.

I happen to know Rossy is dead wrong.

Morning, Mrs. Pinchot.

Thanks.

Calling you and Marion strange bedfellows. You're one of the least

couples I know.

Oh, in print.

Does this typeface look bigger to you, just that part, Rick?

I'm sorry for your embarrassment.

But Marion is going to have to quit her job.

Yeah, I know.

Besides, I'm really delighted with Mr. Rossi's work.

Oh, I'd like to see the opposition try it.

Let's offer them Rossi.

Don't blame him, Mr. Hume.

It was my idea.

Right.

Doesn't all that diplomacy wear you down after a while?

What do you mean?

We've known each other for 12 years.

Right now, you're probably as angry at me as you are at Rossi.

You always know when to speak out, when to bite your tongue.

It's a valuable gift, Mr. Hill.

I appreciate it.

I think it was dumb giving Rossi a free hand like that.

Surprise.

Hey, Rossi.

Rossi.

Pretty good, Rossi. I'm sure all of Los Angeles is stunned to find out I don't

like watching the trees in my neighborhood get chopped down.

You've done a great public service. Hey, Billy. Which is worse, Rossi, the fact

that I publicly hate what Garbers is doing or that you keep your feelings

politics private. We'll never know how the hell you stand on anything, will we?

Just calm down. Oh, I hate it when people tell me to calm down.

You think the issue is not having opinions. That's not it.

It's not letting opinions screw up your story.

I know what you're thinking.

You're thinking that the men's room is not the place for this conversation.

Well, I'm sorry to have inconvenienced you, Rossi, or anyone, but I just felt

that you should know how I felt about this issue.

Is she gone?

Come in.

Feeling better, Mrs. Pinchot?

It's scrambled eggs again. I'm sorry.

Don't apologize, honey.

Yeah, you're right.

I'm working.

You're working.

And neither one of us wants to eat out because we already have our shoes off.

Right. So, good for me.

Good for you.

If I got one of those slow cooking things, you know, I could put a pot

it in the morning.

And some carrots and potatoes, and you can have a decent meal for a change.

A decent meal?

It's just that... Eggs are great.

Oh, boy, this is a killer, Mary.

Did you see today's trip?

No, I was in Ohio all day. Oh, what a day.

Rossi did a piece on conflict of interest within the paper.

His lead item was the managing editor and his wife who works for a politician.

And the possible benefits to the candidate.

I feel terrible, Marion.

I know what the job means to you.

And I have to give it up.

Well, don't feel bad, Charlie.

I have no intention of giving it up.

So, I said, well, what kind of idiotic question is that? My job is more

important.

I suppose once that diplomatic touch is gone, it's gone for good.

What's going on here? I mean, she is comparing a job that she has had for one

month with 30 years of work on newspapers, a career.

I understand, I think, what Marion's feeling.

Before she took that job, she wasn't sure she could handle it.

Well, that's ridiculous. I mean, she had been doing practically the same thing

as a volunteer for years. Oh, but there's a tremendous difference.

Before, if she wasn't doing a good job, she could just walk away from it.

But now suddenly she's an employee.

People could not like what she's doing.

She could be fired. She could fail.

That's frightening.

Yeah, but she didn't. That's right. She's won.

So she's feeling strong and capable and full of energy.

And suddenly her husband tells her she has to give it all up.

Yeah, no wonder she came after me.

is a pinch on your very understanding.

You're welcome.

I only hope that Marion is understanding about my position.

I cannot have a managing editor of this newspaper whose wife is an employee of a

political candidate.

Oh.

This issue is not negotiable.

Huh.

Which am I?

Mr. Hugh, the rock or the hard place?

Lou Grant will continue in a moment here on A &E.

Big three is a charm.

Mr. Grant, come in.

Please.

I would like to apologize for my behavior toward you in recent days.

It's okay, Mrs. Pinchot. No, it's not okay.

It's out of the question for me to lose my temper.

Why?

We ran an expose on your fundraiser and bruised the One for All campaign. Why

shouldn't you be sore?

Because it's inefficient.

And it's often hurtful to the other person and...

It certainly is a sign of weakness on my part.

I've seen you mad lots of times.

You have seen out of sorts.

You have seen indignant.

What I've been feeling toward you is more along the lines of blind rage.

Okay. Let me have it.

Unfortunately, it has passed.

Listen, I'd feel a lot better if we got it over with. You know, got it all out.

You're taking this all very well, Mr. Grant.

Well, after all, Mrs. Pinchot, it has been two days.

Yes. And in less time than that, you managed to destroy a year's hard work by

thousands of people. Mrs. Pinchot. To say nothing of thousands of others whose

chances for therapy, three square meals a day, counseling and rehabilitation

have been destroyed.

All for the sake of 24 Colin Minches.

Did you ever think of them?

While you were chasing after Ronald Ferguson and one for all with your

tar? Sure I did.

Did you think about them when you found out Ferguson was a crook? Oh, we were

handling that.

If any other organization had done that, we'd have called it covering up.

People who give their money to charity have the right to know it's not being

wasted. But what about our campaign? All the money we stand to lose.

Won't you stand to lose a lot more if people think the whole operation is

crooked and not just Ferguson? All right.

What about me?

My humiliation?

The charity I represent being attacked by the newspaper I own.

What about me?

How do you expect me as the city editor to go after any story wherever I find

it, no holds barred, if I have to worry that my publisher might be involved in

that story? We're talking about a charity, Mr. Grant. I don't do this for

myself. My father helped to found one for all.

It was my way to be of service to the public.

I think your way to be of service to the public is to run the best, freest, and

toughest paper in town. If you're doing that right, that's service enough.

Mr. Grant, you are absolutely right, and I will thank you not to rub my nose in

it. That is all. You may go now.

I thought you said your anger had passed.

It was a lot better a couple of days ago.

This wasn't bad.

Are we ready to go?

Where's Lou?

He's on the phone.

Well, will you go out and drag him in here? I want to get started.

He's coming.

Sorry, I had to take a call.

Now, look, we have all been called to task, one way or the

other, by Joe Ross's column, and I thought that we should clear the air.

And thanks for agreeing to this, Joe.

Well, it beats not being talked to at all. Don't count on it.

We're all here, so... I know it's going to be tough to sort of get the ball

rolling. You know what I resent?

I resent never being asked for my side of the story.

Well, Adam, to tell you the truth, sometimes a record speaks for itself.

the financial editor, and you've got a list of stock holdings as long as your

arm. First of all, I have the right to invest my money any way I want. But to

use your position at the paper. And second, if you'd done any checking,

see that I own one share of stock in all those companies.

It's a good way of keeping in touch with what they're doing.

It gives me access to meetings and records I wouldn't otherwise have. I do

for my work. You wrote about Adam like he was using the trip to play the

That stinks, Rossi. Look, I'm not saying he did anything wrong. I'm just telling

you what it looks like.

In this business, even the appearance of something wrong is enough to destroy

credibility. And credibility is all we've got going for us. Sure. And with

column, you've done a job on everyone's credibility.

Make it look like a normal life is suspicious.

I've got kids. I belong to the PTA.

According to your standards, I'm probably too involved to be handling

stories. I think so, yes.

So once we actually start caring about a story, we've got to disqualify

ourselves. That makes no sense.

Sure it does. Sure it does.

Look, I don't belong to any organizations, any political parties.

driver's license and a library card, and that's it.

When Lou assigns me to a story, he knows I don't owe anyone anything. That's

because the only thing you've got going in your life is your clip file and your

portable typewriter.

Rossi, there's another kind of reporter.

The guy that gets a story because he lives in this world.

He's raising a family. He's part of the community he's covering. You may not

think so, but there are some stories where he'd have the edge on you.

And whoever he is, he's got to be easier to work with than you are.

Lou, you haven't said a word.

I agree that he's carrying it too far.

Plus, I'm steamed that he didn't ask me about my friendship with Franklin Nash

before he told our readers about it.

But I'm the last one who should pop off.

Because in my case, Rossi was right.

How's that?

I was steering us away from a good story.

Nash was just playing with our city council to get a better deal from San

Lou, that's a good story.

I thought so, too.

So I asked him, and he assured me as a friend that it wasn't true.

I just got a call from San Jose. The deal's been made.

Are you going to say I told you so?

Well, not in those words.

Blue Grant will continue in a moment here on A &E.

8 ,000.

Want some company?

Yeah.

How you doing?

Oh, they're cutting down our trees today.

I'm dreading going home to it.

I heard.

Sorry.

Also, the Garbers thing.

Rozzy really did a number on me.

He turned what I did into something so sinister, and now I'm all defensive.

I know.

You go along doing what you think is right, and then suddenly somebody points

finger at you and says, shame on you.

Instant guilt.

Exactly.

Well, you got to put all that behind you, Billy.

Look to the future.

Oh. Oh.

Little pine trees.

Art. They're Douglas fir, I think.

Uh -oh.

Not a word of this to Rossi, okay?

Oh, come on. I don't want to read a headline in the Trib that says, reporter

compromised by gift of first.

I don't think we have to worry about that.

I'm not going to get anything out of this.

Unless you want half a cheese sandwich.

I won't tell Rossi.

Come on, Lou, don't take this so hard.

There's no way I could have leveled with you. If word had gotten out, we would

have blown the deal. You lied to me to take my newspaper out of the play.

Well, what else could I do? I figured as a friend you'd understand.

Well, you figured exactly right.

I remembered I was your friend and forgot I was a newsman.

You remembered I was a newsman and forgot I was your friend.

Listen, send one of your boys around and I'll give him an interview.

One -on -one.

I'll give him some great quotes.

No more favors, Frank.

Okay? You overreacting to this, Lou?

Yeah, probably.

Listen, I gotta get across town in 20 minutes. We're playing Denver.

Wanna come?

No, it's been a long day. I'm just gonna go home.

Thanks, Tim. Right. Say hi to Laura.

What happens to newspaper guys who live for their work?

What?

They end up with two furnished rooms in Long Beach eating macaroni dinners,

wearing white shirts and suit pants that are baggy in the seat.

Don't end up like that, Rossi.

Okay, Lou.

You two have a nice talk?

I suppose.

You tell him you're going to put somebody on the basketball story?

I told him he'd been using me to kill a story.

He said he had no choice.

I think you were right, Lou.

At the moment, I don't give a damn who was right.

All those years.

I knew him when he was booking carnivals in Michigan.

My little one used to call him Uncle Frank.

Didn't take much to erase all that.

You got lots of friends, Lou.

You're not going to end up in Long Beach.

You better write one hell of a story about him moving the team.

Me? Really?

Yeah.

Congratulations.

Well, I am.

How was your day?

My day?

My day was less than perfect.

Mrs. Pension as much as told me to kiss my job goodbye if you kept working for

Reinhardt.

She says, by the way, she totally understands how you feel.

I'm sure the world is on your side over this.

I'm clearly the villain here.

Well, you win.

I'd be happy to turn over the house payments to you.

And how was your day?

You know, all of my adult life I've adjusted.

Not just to you, Charlie, but to the kids, too.

Where we live.

What I do.

Even a little bit what I look like.

And who my friends are.

I didn't know I had a choice.

Well, I do.

I don't owe it to you to give up my job.

You don't owe me anything.

But I will give up my job.

Because I love you.

Oh, boy.

Tell Joe Rossi to keep an eye on me.

I'm going to look for something else.

Okay, good.

Can you get me something at the trip?

You're kidding.

Maybe, uh, assistant managing editor.

You're kidding.

Now, this isn't funny. We're talking about a reputation here. Rossi, what are

you saying?

It was you.

Hell hath no fury, right?

I don't know what you mean.

It could have been any one of you or it could have been all of you. You're

crying out loud, Rossi. What's your beef?

Membership. Someone bought me memberships in all these organizations.

Young Socialist Alliance.

National Rifle Association.

Member in good standing.

Very sharp looking car.

I don't even belong to the auto club.

Yeah, you do.

Seems like some serious conflict, Steve. That's not all. The Sierra Club, the

John Birch Society, Granada Hills Hadassah, Daughters of the American

Revolution.

That's just an application for membership. You don't have to worry

one. Sean Cassidy Fan Club. Hey, this one's a lifetime membership.

No, no, no. How am I ever going to undo all this?

Well, at least we know we can count on your forgiveness.

Yeah, well, don't be so sure, Lou.

Reverend Rossi.

Oh, no.

Yep. Eternal blessings, mail order ministry.

No one deserved it more.