Original subtitles

Previously on Bob Hearts Abishola...

I would like to propose that we produce a series of commercials

for TikTok,

YouTube, Instagram, all of social media.

Or an infomercial for TV.

[chuckles] No one watches TV anymore.

- I do. - Then we should make an infomercial for TV.

I'm Bob Wheeler,

president and CEO of MaxDot.

When you buy a pair of MaxDot socks,

you're not just a customer--

you're part of the family.

Isn't that right, Abishola?

That's right, Bob.

We love our...

- MaxDot socks! - MaxDot socks!

BOTH: Married couples love MaxDot socks.

Medical professionals love MaxDot socks.

We rely on them every day.

So the next time we see ya,

don't be shy.

ALL: Show us your socks!

♪ MaxDot socks

♪ Socks that rock

♪ MaxDot socks

♪ Socks that rock

♪ MaxDot socks

♪ Socks that rock

♪ Show us your socks, show us your socks ♪

♪ Show us your MaxDot compression socks ♪

♪ Show us your socks, show us your socks ♪

♪ Show us your MaxDot compression socks ♪

♪ MaxDot socks

♪ Socks that rock!

Okay. Follow my finger with your eyes.

Try not to move your head.

You look familiar.

Ever play bingo at the church over on Belmont Street?

- No. - What about offtrack betting?

You play the ponies?

No ponies.

Dogs?

No.

I'm not gonna be able to enjoy my operation

till I figure this out.

If it makes you feel better,

I do not recognize you,

nor will I remember you.

Okay, let's put your feet back under the covers.

Oh. Feet! Socks!

You're from that sock commercial!

Yes, I am.

- Say it. - I'd rather not.

Say it.

♪ MaxDot socks, socks that rock. ♪

Maybe it's not you.

[grunts]

Show us your socks!

[chuckles] Thank you. Very nice.

I've been getting it all day, too.

Careful of the little dude in the wheelchair.

He showed me more than his socks.

[power tools whirring, indistinct chatter]

Can you believe all this?

Today I got pulled over for going 70 in a school zone.

Cop recognized me,

showed me his socks.

Wow! So no ticket?

Course I got a ticket.

It was a school zone, Bob.

[phone rings]

Abishola, I can't talk right now! It's crazy here!

I love you!

I love you, too, sir!

["Ifanla" by Sola Akingbola playing]

[shouting in Mandarin]

[speaking Mandarin]

That's not gonna work.

Our commercial aired before Blue Bloods.

Every old person in the country's ordered the socks.

Blue Bloods?

Yeah! Blue Bloods!

[speaking Mandarin]

Well, good for her.

Just get me the socks!

[speaking Mandarin]

I didn't know sooner.

[speaking Mandarin]

Well, I didn't.

[speaking Mandarin]

Wati!

[speaking Mandarin]

Wati!

[shouting in Mandarin]

How many times I got to say it?

- What are you doing? - It's 6:00. We're going home.

But there are more shipments to go out tonight.

They'll go out tomorrow.

I see.

Well, I guess this is goodbye.

See ya in the morning.

No, you will not.

Good luck on your future endeavors.

Dude, you can't threaten to fire me

just 'cause I don't want to work overtime.

You will not get fired. I will.

When thousands of customers do not get their orders,

they will want blood.

Supervisor blood!

Goodbye. Goodbye.

Until we meet again.

On the street.

Where I will be living.

Bob's not gonna fire you.

What choice does he have?

I have failed him.

[gasps]

But do not worry about me.

Go home to your families.

Hug them.

Hold them close!

Because your life can change in an instant!

I suppose we can help you out a little longer.

All of you?

Because it has to be all of you.

I'm sorry, honey. I-I don't think

I'm gonna make it home for dinner.

Oh, Bob, that is wonderful.

It is?

You are so successful,

you have no time for your family.

Mwah. [blows]

What was that?

I blew you a kiss.

You've never done that before.

You never earned it before.

Hello?

Abishola?

E kaale, Mummy.

Kaale.

Bob will not be home for dinner.

Because he's working late.

Congratulations.

May his success have you eating alone for years to come.

I approve of this marriage.

We're already married.

Yes.

And now I approve.

You did not before?

No.

All right. I got a cargo plane full of socks on the tarmac

at Kuala Lumpur-- should be here by Thursday.

Attaboy, Bobby!

Careful with that thing!

Sorry. I'm excited.

Feels like the good old days.

When your father and I started this company,

there were times we'd work 48 hours straight.

How is that possible?

Easy. We were young,

and we had cocaine.

Mom!

It was the '70s. It's what you did.

Right off this table.

Mr. Wheeler, with our sales rising at an unprecedented pace,

your mother and I have been focused on the future.

We want to make sure the tracks are clear

so we can keep this gravy train chuggin'.

We have identified the following

as possible hindrances to our success.

Our limited dock capacity.

Outdated equipment.

And...

...the following individuals.

We're calling them the Feeble 15.

You want to fire people?

Well, not tonight, honey.

We need them to finish their shift.

We wouldn't be here without these guys.

They helped us get where we are.

And we will say thank you when we fire them.

These people

are holding us back!

I love this thing.

We can't fire Jerry. He has four kids.

I went to his wedding.

I sent a small gift but did not attend,

because I know how to set boundaries!

DOTTIE: Rule number one--

never name the animals on the farm.

Then you can't eat them.

Actually, my uncle named all his goats.

The best stew I ever had

was from a goat named George Michael.

We're not firing anybody, you hear me?

We're gonna stay loyal to the goats

that got us here.

Oh.

[sighs]

I think he's too soft for this.

Mm.

Shall I add him to the list?

Goodwin, he's my son.

I'll do it.

Bob's commercial - is everywhere. - Oh.

Today, someone recognized us - at Baskin- - Robbins.

We sang them the jingle.

And they turned our single-scoop cups

into double-scoop waffle cones!

It just goes to show you what a man can accomplish

when he has two strong women behind him.

Mm. Three, if you include Abishola.

TUNDE: And a loyal uncle.

I have always been Team Bob.

Me, too.

Yes, but I was first.

Now that you are wealthy,

the pastor will be expecting

bigger donations from you and Bob at church.

- Mm. - TUNDE: For enough money,

they will put your name on a pew.

Wouldn't that be fun, Dele?

Sure.

Now with these additional funds,

we will have to rethink the whole guesthouse.

What guesthouse?

The guesthouse you are building for me.

This is the first I'm hearing of it.

Because there was nothing to discuss

until the permits were approved.

OLU: Do not worry.

I have seen the plans.

It is going to be beautiful!

Have you told Bob how proud you are of him?

I tried, but he was too busy to talk.

Oh!

Oh, I'm glad I hugged him the last time I saw him.

Who knows when we will see him again?

Until then, this chair will sit empty in his honor.

To Bob.

- We are so proud of you. - Mm.

Finally.

It's nice to see you helping out on the floor, Kofo.

Teamwork makes for the dream work, Mr. Wheeler.

Did you miss being down here?

Not for one second.

Ever heard of a town called Surprise, Arizona?

- No. - Me, either, but a company there

just ordered 10,000 pairs of socks.

- 10,000? - Surprise.

Jerry, the orders are backing up.

I need you to get off the phone.

Yeah, I'm talking to my boy.

He just got his yellow belt.

That's great. Can you wrap it up?

Yeah, it'll just be a minute.

No, no, no, it's fine.

It's just Uncle Bob.

Yeah, Uncle Bob needs Daddy to get back to work.

Yeah, sure, put your mom on.

Hang up the phone.

Just give me a second.

I said hang up!

Everybody, listen. I don't want to be a jerk here,

but we don't have time for slacking off.

Okay, from now on, when you're at work, you work.

No more phone calls about karate.

- Jujitsu. - I don't care!

You all have no idea how close you are to being fired.

And the only thing standing in the way of that happening is me.

You want to be goat stew, Jerry?

- No. - No, you don't.

Everybody, get back to work.

He's so scary when he yells.

Yeah.

It's beautiful.

Three of these, two hours, okay?

Shall I remove his name from the list?

No rush.

[gasps]

- Are you okay? - Yeah, fine.

- What are you doing? - Coming home from work.

But it is 7:00 in the morning.

Oh, then I guess I'm leaving for work.

[engine starts]

- It was nice to see you. - Nice to see you, too.

Are you sure you're okay to drive?

You bet.

Sorry! Forgot it was Tuesday!

[line ringing]

RILEY [over phone]: Christina Wheeler's office.

It's her brother Bob. Is she in?

Can I say what this is regarding?

Uh, I'm driving to work

and wanted to call and talk to my sister?

"Not business-related."

One moment, please.

Hey, Bob.

Hey, how's it going?

Good. How's it going with you?

Good. Just busy.

Mm, I heard. Congratulations.

Yeah.

What's going on?

Nothing. Can't a guy just call his sister

and get some reassurance that...

he's a good boss and not a monster?

Did you yell?

Yeah, I kind of lost it.

You're very scary when you yell.

I know.

You yelled at me once at the Deerfield Mall.

I never went in there again.

You never went in there again

because you got caught shoplifting.

Funny, I can't remember what I took,

but I can remember you yelling.

It was two lip glosses and a Spice Girls CD.

It was a cry for help and no one answered the call.

Okay, I should get going.

I'm glad I could be here for you.

Sure.

Bob, don't worry.

Everyone at work will forgive you.

Thanks, Christina.

Forgive... but never forget.

All right.

Morning, everybody.

[all groan]

Brought in a little treat

to show I appreciate your hard work.

We've all been under a lot of stress. I know I have.

But nothing helps you start fresh like hot doughnuts.

Come and get 'em.

Douglas, help me out here.

Have a doughnut.

Is this a test?

How would this be a test?

Whoever stops working to have one of those doughnuts

ends up on your Feeble 15 list.

- No, you won't. - So there is a list.

Jerry, you were right.

I was just trying to do something nice.

Jerry, I got you a bear claw, your favorite.

Connie.

Oh, don't be scared. - Th- - They got sprinkles.

Nobody?

Nobody's gonna eat these doughnuts

I spent 30 minutes standing in line for?

To show my thanks.

For all your hard work...

and dedication.

Well, fine. You're gonna be like that?

I will forgive you for being on your phone, but I will

never forgive you for making me throw away doughnuts.

Any of you. Get back to work.

Congratulations, sir. The workers are terrified.

Move!

Magnificent.

Yes, it is me.[laughs]

♪ MaxDot socks, socks that rock. ♪

What are you doing?

Acknowledging my fans.

You should get Bob to do another commercial.

No more commercials.

Perhaps my face on a bus bench.

Or on a bus.

My face works anywhere, really.

Bob is busy enough.

He is already never home.

Can I tell you a secret?

Of course.

Late at night, alone in bed... Mm-hmm.

I find myself wishing that Bob...

[softly]: worked less.

No.

Yes.

You would trade money and success

for more time with your husband?

I know, it is ridiculous.

Don't worry, your secret is safe with me.

Thank you.

Until we have a falling-out, of course.

Of course. Yeah. Mm.

[grunts softly]

You made it out of your car.

Barely. Sorry to wake you.

It's okay. I wanted to see you.

Principles of Geriatric Medicine.

How could you fall asleep reading that?

How was work? [groans]

I'm sorry.

How was your day?

[groans]

[laughs]

Hospital or mom?

[groans]

Got it. Mom.

But it does not matter now.

Yeah.

This... this right here is what got me through my day.

Yes, now that you're here, it does not matter

that my mother has looked into dual citizenship.

[groans]

It's okay. Everything is okay.

It's perfect. Mm.

- It is 8:00. - I know.

Our shift was over two hours ago.

- I know. - When can we leave?

I don't know!

Look at that.

The hum of activity and the smell of fear.

I love it.

[laughs]

Well, we are down to a Feeble Five.

We can thank Bob for that.

Why is it so much more effective when Mr. Wheeler yells at them?

Mm, they expect it from you or me.

Bob's a sweetheart.

And now he's a monster.

Our monster.[laughs]

Do you think he can keep this up?

Of course he can. He's a Wheeler.

- Ah. - We work till we drop dead.

It is what makes America great.

Ah... [laughing]

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Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org