The Big C

Oh!

Crap.

Well, hello.

I'm not talking to you.

I need my socks

and my razor.

If I'm gonna be forced to live with my sister

instead of in my own house

because my wife suddenly wants to be alone,

then the least I can have is my socks.

Angela says you're holding me emotionally hostage.

Who's Angela?

My shrink.

Used to be our shrink, remember?

Oh, why would you?

You were only there for five minutes.

Well, tell Angela she's kind of a bitch.

That makes two of you.

Hey. I bought that.

For me, for my birthday...

When you gave a shit about us.

Call me when you give a shit again.

Thomas?

Come on, Tom.

Come on, here we go.

Here we go.

Good boy.

Good boy.

Good boy.

Go on.

You should watch your dog.

He was on my porch.

You should watch your husband.

Evel knievel there almost took out my mailbox.

What's going on over there?

He losing his marbles?

Like I said, watch your dog.

Adam!

Adam.

Hey, Adam, Adam.

I have a surprise for you.

Is, uh, dad moving back in?

No. No, he's not, not... not right now.

Yeah, well, then I'm going to Brent's.

Adam...

I know you hate my guts right now.

I get it.

But since you're stuck with me,

we might as well make the best of it. Look.

Look-it!

Look! Do you remember this?

Do you remember how we rode it for soft serve

every day that one summer?

Yeah, I was, like, ten.

Why don't we take it out for another spin, hmm?

Take it out on the road, really open her up, chillax?

What do you say?

No way.

I can't ride it myself.

Well, then you shouldn't have kicked dad out of the house,

'cause you're high if you think I'm riding that with you.

I'd rather die. Don't say that.

Yeah, well, you shouldn't say "chillax."

It's gay.

Don't use "gay" like that.

Oh, oh.

Hey.

You shouldn't sit out in the sun like that.

All right, while I give kudos for the green transport,

you shouldn't ride that alone.

It's kind of pathetic.

How about you take a bike ride with me

for soft serve?

- Huh. Me and my middle-aged sister

riding a tandem bike for all the world to see.

I don't know what could be more embarrassing.

Oh! I do know.

Could we sport matching tyrolean hats while we do it?

You wear baggies for shoes, Sean.

You are so not allowed to say I'm embarrassing.

Oh, bike with your offspring.

I can't.

He hates me.

And this is surprising to you?

I am perfectly likeable.

Come on, Cathy, wake up and smell your $10 latte.

A barrel of laughs you are not.

You're a closed system,

shut down!

That's why you were so constipated as a kid.

You're an asshole.

I'm surprised you know what one looks like,

since you didn't take a shit through most of high school.

For your information, people like me,

and I have plenty of friends.

Oh, yeah? Is that why you're, uh, trying

to get me to go "doublies" with you?

Oh! You are disinvited for soft serve!

Well...

Aww!

Enjoy your swirly chemicals!

Mmm!

Whoo!

That was good!

That was great. Thank you.

Oh, I'm sorry. I'm interrupting.

No, no, please. I'm Sheila.

Cathy.

Welcome, Cathy. How you doing?

We're glad you're joining us.

Why don't you tell us a little about you?

Well, I'm Cathy, uh, Jamison.

I'm 42.

I...I have a husband and a child,

neither of whom are speaking to me.

So there you go.

Cathy, do you have cancer?

Wow, really buried the lead there.

Yes. Yes, I do...

uh, melanoma, stage four.

Well, since you came alone,

why don't you partner with Leon there?

Just pull up a chair.

Sorry.

Leukemia, stage two.

Well, good for you for coming, Cathy.

As we say, cancer is a gift.

It allows you to speak up in your life and say,

"hey, life, this is what I want."

But before you speak up,

you have to find your voice, right, Mitchell?

Right.

So let's do a mirroring exercise.

I want you to listen to your partner

and tell them what you think they're feeling.

Okay.

I'll go.

This morning I was thinking how great it was

when Carl brought me my cappuccino in bed,

how lucky I am to have him,

and how kind he has been to me since I got sick.

And it's just really opened us up as a couple.

You're... you're supposed to mirror me.

Oh.

Shit, sorry.

Um...

Uh, well, o-okay.

You... you seem happy?

Yes, I am!

I'm... I'm happy. Cancer's made me happy.

That's ironic.

Okay, now you go.

- I-I don't really know what to say.

You seem anxious.

The truth is I...

I haven't told anyone that I'm sick,

I mean, besides this roomful of strangers.

So I think that's why I'm here,

just to try and...

Just to try it out.

I don't think anyone I know could handle it.

You s...

you seem really sad.

Actually, Leon, you seem sad.

Yes. Thank you for validating that.

I am sad for you.

You shouldn't go through this alone.

Everyone needs a friend.

Just buck up, Leon.

I'm fine, really.

No, I'm happy,

just like you.

Uh, u know, I'm gonna...

I'm gonna go.

What...

Adam!

Scrambled eggs!

This is for you, friend.

Nutrition is very important to your fight.

How did you people find me?

Well, it wasn't easy, I'll tell you that.

There are, like, three Cathy Jamisons

in the phone book.

I have plenty of food, but thank you very much.

You don't have a choice in the matter.

We are gonna care about you,

even if you don't care about yourself.

We're team Cathy.

I don't need a team.

I have plenty of people, my own people.

Sorry. You're stuck with us.

Have a positive and light-filled day.

350 for an hour... Ohh!

I made breakfast.

Um, not hungry.

Sean!

Sean...

I want you to come for dinner tomorrow.

I have a big casserole that is most likely organic

and not tasty.