- 3 months ago
The staff of a San Diego mortuary is a hard-working family; Shonna has a half-hour to get a body into its casket and to the funeral.
(Season 1, Episode 1)
(Season 1, Episode 1)
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TVTranscript
00:00Most normal families gather together for weddings, baptisms, well, not our family.
00:21Our family, once every six months at least, had to hang out in a funeral home for a relative's
00:27funeral. And the very first time I walked in, it just hit me. I thought, this is what I'm
00:32going to do. Dad, I don't want the casket to flip. You can't do that. My dad and I are
00:36like fire and water. Like if I tell him to do something, I'll say, hey, I'm your father.
00:42Respect me. We have our ups and downs, but we're all very close. Hi, Dad. My younger sister,
00:47Emily, is the secretary, and that job is very stressful. Excuse me. What? My other sister,
00:54Missy's engaged to Rick, the man that runs this place. I love you. Okay. We're not waiting
01:00for somebody to die so much as we are waiting for somebody to call us, because people are
01:04going to die.
01:24Did we get anything new? We got four new cases. Oh, Jesus. We are just busier than we've been in five
01:43years here. I'm trying to get this set up for David and John, and this man from New York wants
01:48his mother embalmed and ready to enroll by tomorrow at two. We just got a new one. David York.
01:54David York, where is he? There's been medical examiners also. Okay. I don't think we can book
01:58any more appointments today. We have too many families and not enough people to see them.
02:02Seriously, I'm behind. Prioritize your burials first. Okay. Then your shipouts,
02:08romacious last. Okay. What day is it? Tuesday? 10 o'clock. Okay. No way. Does anybody realize that
02:17we have a service in 20 minutes? Rick, do you know about that? Because I don't. What do you mean
02:22do I know about it? Well, I know, but I didn't know about it. Yeah, you need to load up and go.
02:31Dad, I need you to come here right now. What's going on? Right now.
02:38Gently help me put this right on the floor right now. Let's use the crate. Dad, just do what I
02:43ask you to do. Watch your fingers. You need to go over to Dearborn and take this casket,
02:47okay, in the next five minutes. This is one of my worst nightmares. Everything has to happen right
02:53now in under five minutes or less. Right now. Gently. Screw that. I'm not going to jump at
02:58something and hurt myself. Dad, I didn't say you had to. Just go drop it. Drop it.
03:03Family's standing there at the cemetery expecting the service to take place at 1030. We're not there.
03:07That's a problem. Listen to me. What? I hate to tell you this. What? You have a 10 o'clock and she's
03:14here. Tell her to wait a few minutes. I did. All right, Dad. What? I'll just get this open, will you?
03:20Is this your 10 o'clock? I guess. I didn't realize it was at 1030. I thought it was at 11. Chuck knew
03:28about it. We talked about it this morning. Yeah, but this is my responsibility to have this part done.
03:33Is she ready? No, but she's going to be.
03:37All right. Stop.
03:41Nuclear meltdown right now. Pull the hearse by the flower room door right now.
03:48Chuck, look, I'm supposed to. I'm not to church this damn place.
03:52Just do it, okay? Yeah, I'm doing it.
03:55Unfortunately, everything we do has a deadline. When something like this happens, my first instinct
04:01is to go in the parking lot and slit my wrists, but then I realized that I have a job to do.
04:08I was going to get it from behind. Go. That's all right.
04:10We got it, Dad. Just get the flowers. We've got to get going.
04:13Okay, I'm going to get a few more pieces.
04:16That's it. Dad, you got the permit on you, right?
04:19Yes. No.
04:20Where is it? It's in my pocket, I think.
04:22All right. Same difference.
04:23We're all set. We're going to make it.
04:30The pressure's still on, and it will be until he makes his destination.
04:34Nobody's paying attention to detail. You know, I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing.
04:41It's been on the board.
04:42It's been on the board, and for some reason, I thought that it was not taking place today.
04:51Then he says, well, Chuck knew. I was stunned. Like, you know what I mean?
04:55I knew. What am I supposed to do?
04:57I'm a little concerned because the traffic is so awful here in San Diego,
05:01so that's another thing that I'm going to be worried about here for the next half an hour.
05:06And these lights in California, they suck!
05:11See, family's already here.
05:19Let me see where the brief sight is.
05:22All right. That's it.
05:25How you doing, Father Mike?
05:27Hey, very well.
05:27Good.
05:28Do you have to card?
05:29Oh, my God.
05:30You know what?
05:32Everything was last minute, and they didn't give it to me. I'm sorry.
05:36That's all right.
05:37Do you know?
05:38It was Rose Shorts, yeah.
05:39Yeah, Rose Shorts, right.
05:40Okay, thanks, Father.
05:44It's amazing how sometimes everything goes haywire, and then all of a sudden it turns out fine.
05:49Then there's other times where, you know, you're way on time, you get everything done,
05:53and something screws up, you know, just the way it is.
05:56Today we are going to give Rose her last place of resting, and we ask the angels of the Lord to watch over her.
06:07Yeah, there you go.
06:09That's a pretty one.
06:14Life is what it is, you know.
06:17Anytime you're above ground, you're ahead of the game.
06:19This gentleman's family's coming in tonight.
06:27They're having what is termed a visiting or visitation.
06:31It's stressful for me because this will be the last time that they see him.
06:36So it is very important that I do everything humanly possible to achieve just a natural, peaceful appearance.
06:45Making sure that the light cosmetics match the face, expression, facial expression.
06:52Eyes are very important.
06:54If you can achieve that, then you've won half your battle.
06:58My younger brother has always said, you know, Shauna, there's six billion people in the world.
07:05Not everybody's going to love you.
07:06And it's hard for me to accept that because I want everyone to think I'm great.
07:11But intellectually, I know that's not the case.
07:17Okay.
07:18Let's go grab some lunch.
07:22Hey, Dad.
07:24Yeah, real quick.
07:25Because I'm really not even supposed to be back here because I don't have anybody covering.
07:31Oh, yum.
07:32You want to sit, baby?
07:33Yeah, I'll sit real quick.
07:35We don't have any salt, huh?
07:37Just pepper.
07:38You're kidding.
07:39No, Dad.
07:40I'm a salt freak.
07:40Honey, this is not good for you.
07:42Who's got so much salt on it?
07:44Oh, okay.
07:44Mr. Diabetes, eat 10 pounds of cake every night.
07:47Okay.
07:49I'm going to talk to you.
07:51Okay.
07:51Don't talk to me.
07:54It's typical.
07:54Let's see.
07:56What elements do you have that I can talk about in public?
08:00Huh?
08:01Other than being mental.
08:04What's your problem?
08:06Why do you always say that?
08:08Say what?
08:09Just what I got through saying.
08:11What, you know, what you said to me.
08:14Why would you take something like that personally?
08:16Because I do.
08:17Well, too damn bad.
08:19Didn't mean to be mean about it.
08:20Don't be such a sissy.
08:21You've done this like three, four times already.
08:25In front of who?
08:26In front of people.
08:28Right?
08:28What do you mean?
08:29That's what I said.
08:31You know, Jesus.
08:33I'm trying to help you, you know.
08:36And I'm joking.
08:37Can you take a joke?
08:38No, it's not a joke.
08:40It's your little way of throwing a dig.
08:42I don't like that.
08:43You think I'm happy my father has diabetes?
08:46You're a jerk.
08:48You're a, you know what?
08:49You're an asshole, Dad.
09:00Missy, do me a favor, please.
09:02Yeah?
09:02Going back and pick up my pizza that I just threw and keep your father away from me, okay?
09:06Okay?
09:06I don't know what you're talking about.
09:12It was a joke.
09:13It's always, it's, we always joke amongst the family that Dad has diabetes and he'll still
09:18eat a half a gallon of ice cream every night.
09:20He still eats French fries, this, that.
09:22You know, he's just being weird because he just feels like being weird today.
09:25And that's how Dad is.
09:26It's nobody's business.
09:28You know what I mean?
09:29If I had cancer and I didn't want nobody to know, it's nobody's business.
09:33Chuck's a very giving, kind person with an extremely short fuse.
09:38And when he gets mad because of the fact that he is a boxer, he's ready to fight.
09:43I mean, not that he would actually strike somebody, but he might.
09:47He gets like that and that's not even worse.
09:50That was just mild for his behavior.
09:53My dad raised us like a bunch of boys because of the fact that he's a boxing trainer.
09:57So I don't fight like a girl, I fight like a boy.
10:00I've told Emily for years she's got to be a little more aggressive with him.
10:04Because unfortunately, that's the only thing my dad can understand.
10:08You think, you know, after being so sorry for being such a hard ass when we were growing
10:12up that now that we're older, he'd try to change.
10:15You know, she's my baby girl, my youngest daughter.
10:18I love her with all my heart, but she's got a hot temper.
10:22When I was growing up, Chuck was always very loving, but he was also very mean.
10:26And he's been sober, what, 18 years now, and I'm so happy for him.
10:31But along with sobriety, there's supposed to come some personal changes.
10:36In my opinion, I don't think he has reached that level yet.
10:41I want to stuff something in my face.
10:43I think if he cared, he would apologize.
10:46But he doesn't apologize to me, not ever.
10:48That's life at Paulie Bernardo Montreux, the house of pain, the house of nuts.
11:00We're going to be here in 30 minutes.
11:02I'll do that.
11:03Okay, again, just watch his face.
11:05I wouldn't know anything about this man just by looking at him, other than, you know,
11:10he's just a well-dressed, older gentleman.
11:12We're going to go right where you're at.
11:14But I always just wonder about the person.
11:18I wonder what kind of life they led.
11:22Most of all, I just wonder if they feel they had a good life.
11:25I think that's crooked.
11:26And, of course, I'd always be dying to know what they would do differently.
11:31You know, somebody that truly is gone and can look back and say,
11:34look, no matter what you do in life, do A, B, and C.
11:38At least do A, B, and C.
11:40And, you know, but I guess that's the big mystery, you know?
11:43You just, you don't know.
11:48I'm sorry.
11:49Yeah, okay.
11:51Yeah, okay, what?
11:52Fine, that's fine.
11:53I accept your apology.
11:54Oh, well.
11:55I'm glad you're overwhelmed.
11:59She's still pissed off like a mom.
12:03Yeah, that's fine.
12:04I'll forget about it easier now, sure.
12:06But I don't have time to even think about his stuff right now, so.
12:13Our goal is to create a peaceful memory picture,
12:17more so than presenting a body that's made up to look good.
12:22It's got to be as perfect as it can be
12:24in order for me to feel satisfied with it for every family,
12:28because they deserve it.
12:29And that's how I would want it to be for my family.
12:35Damn shit.
12:37Shit.
12:37Mother.
12:39Oh, my God.
12:39We blew a fuse.
12:41Does anybody realize we have a service in 20 minutes?
12:43The power is out, so I don't know what's going on.
12:54Well, we need to get it fixed.
12:56Look, completely blank.
12:58As if it's not even working.
13:00Let me go back and look at those circuit breakers.
13:06We just want no one to call comes in.
13:10Looks like all the circuit breakers are engaged.
13:13All the phones are plugged in.
13:16What do I know?
13:18Do we have any technical data here?
13:21Is it on, David?
13:23Yeah, I didn't do anything.
13:24Somehow or another, we blew a circuit breaker
13:29and couldn't get it to reset.
13:32And then, of course, that caused the PBX system to go out,
13:35and we had to have that fixed.
13:36And the heat was broke.
13:38Yeah.
13:38And I didn't tell him that.
13:40Welcome to our world.
13:42Everything that can go wrong does go wrong,
13:44and it always gets fixed one minute
13:45before it has to be fixed.
13:46That is so true.
13:47There's no stress here, though.
13:51I'm with that group out there.
13:52Oh, okay.
13:53Nice to meet you.
13:54Okay.
13:55I'm Melissa.
13:55Nice to meet you.
13:56Are you family members?
14:04I think he looks wonderful.
14:07The viewing process truly is their last opportunity,
14:11if you will, to see their loved one,
14:14to say goodbye or spend a few moments
14:17or a few hours.
14:20When I come in through these doors,
14:22I instantly say, you know what?
14:24My problems don't mean a thing
14:25because these people have lost somebody
14:27that they dearly love,
14:28and I need to be focused on their needs,
14:31not our needs.
14:34I don't know that you ever really get used
14:35to that kind of sorrow,
14:37but what I've come to develop in myself over the years
14:40is a realization that if I get down in the trenches
14:46with those people, I can't help them.
14:48Somebody has to remain above it
14:50and direct what's going on.
14:54I remember distinctly,
14:56I was here about three months,
14:57and we buried a little girl that was like 17,
15:00and she was all dressed up to go to a party.
15:02She had blue finger painting on her nails and her toes,
15:07and her hair was real pretty and long,
15:08and just a beautiful little girl.
15:10All I could think about was my daughters
15:12when they were teens and that,
15:13and it just took my heart out, you know?
15:15And then one day I was in here,
15:17and I said, boy, that still hurts me,
15:18and Sean, I said, hey, you know,
15:20you either got to let that go or get another job.
15:25Yeah, Dad, get me an abombing report out.
15:39Okay.
15:40We're stressed for time here
15:41because Chuck has to go across the street
15:45and teach his boxing.
15:47This man has to make an 8 o'clock flight.
15:49She wants to get everything done and done right,
15:52plus the nature of the way Shauna does things.
16:02I was a professional fighter.
16:04I was a stud, you know.
16:06I was championship material,
16:07but God had a different plan.
16:09You got a unique guy.
16:11Now I train young kids how to box.
16:14Let's go, Jenny boy.
16:17He's got a body in the back,
16:19and he's going to have four kids sitting with a body.
16:21Don't worry.
16:21I'd just tell them it's a bunch of luggage in there.
16:23They don't know.
16:24There's a name on it, Sean.
16:26Yeah, I know.
16:29I think closing up is my specialty.
16:32Especially after a day like this,
16:34I am so ready to close up.
16:37Brush it out, man.
16:38Shauna, I have to wear it up.
16:41We are going to maybe a club or two
16:44to have a little dinner and try and relax
16:46and not have a bunch of crazy people bug us all the time,
16:49namely my family,
16:51other members of my family.
16:53Shauna, do you want me to wear my hair up
16:54and let your hair down?
16:56No.
16:56Let me tear your hair up.
16:57Leave not going out with you.
16:58Exactly how it is.
16:59Us girls, we've always been each other's best friends.
17:02I wish better for my sisters
17:04than I wish for myself,
17:05and vice versa.
17:06Will you do my fake eyelashes for me?
17:08We're not competitive on a very serious basis.
17:11There's been a couple fights over men,
17:13I'll tell you that,
17:14and a couple times that sisters ran off
17:17with boyfriends behind sisters' backs.
17:19Usually Emily wins.
17:21Yeah, what is the reason for that?
17:22Well, because she's a size three and we're not.
17:26Yeah, I hate my hair like this.
17:28Will you do my butt?
17:29I can't wear this.
17:30Look, I'm going to Hooters.
17:32This is the kind of crap that we need every day
17:35because we drip with sweat.
17:38How would you like to get a splash
17:40with body fluids like I do all day, girls?
17:42It depends on what kind of fluids
17:44you're talking about.
17:44Don't put that on camera, you guys.
17:47Emily, I'm going to...
17:48I'm sick of it.
17:49I'm appalled by that.
17:50Yeah.
17:51Oh, please.
17:54Hey.
17:54What?
17:55For real now.
17:56Be damn careful, okay?
17:58And keep your eye on each other.
17:59Shana, drive absolutely.
18:01Dad, you know what?
18:02I'm an excellent driver.
18:05I want to go.
18:06I want to go.
18:07All right, Emily, we're going right now.
18:08All right, goodbye.
18:10All right.
18:13Emily came up to me
18:14and she came and gave me a kiss and a hug
18:16and said, I love you.
18:18So what are you going to do, eh?
18:20She caught me at a wrong time, I guess.
18:22I just, ooh, I got peeled.
18:25But it's okay.
18:27On de le, on de le.
18:28Let's go, man.
18:29Chop, chop.
18:30Whoa, listen.
18:31Just get in there.
18:33Oh, man.
18:33Don't be afraid of him.
18:36Be afraid of me.
18:38This is Mr. Jones.
18:39This is the boys.
18:46This is a trip.
18:48This is nuts.
18:50Oh, man.
18:51Chuck, how did this guy die?
18:53Uh, he got strangled.
18:55That's why you better learn how to fight, man.
18:57Somebody come up and grab him around the neck
18:58and you choke your butt out.
19:01All right, let's go.
19:01My car's up front.
19:03Well, sister, drive around, because I'm not walking.
19:05Yeah, drive around, because I got stuff to do.
19:07It's totally nice to get out of there.
19:09You guys suck.
19:11Over the years, I've really tried to let it go
19:13and to not worry about everything at the mortuary
19:16because you're never going to get it all done.
19:18What am I drinking tonight, though?
19:20Careful now, careful now.
19:21They're making right turns here.
19:23I am fully aware of what is going on around me.
19:25It's you guys that are clueless.
19:27Now, shut up.
19:29Jesus.
19:30The blonde's calling the brunettes clueless.
19:33Yeah, okay.
19:34Or like Dr. Evil says, right.
19:41Let's see your stuff, baby.
19:42Go.
19:43Work.
19:43For me, this is relaxation.
19:46This gets a lot of my steam off.
19:48Come on, man.
19:49I want you doing this.
19:52Beautiful, Junior.
19:53That's it.
19:54These kids, listen.
19:55My daughters, well, you know how it goes.
19:57You've already been there.
19:57You've seen and heard what goes on.
19:59It's crazy.
20:02I'm going to take that body down to the airport.
20:04When I first started bringing bodies to the airport, I used to feel real sad about it.
20:12Now it's given me a better take on my life.
20:16You know, none of us is getting out here alive, and we're all going to be someday either being
20:20shipped somewhere or carried someplace.
20:23This guy, of course, you know, he's going home, so that's the best part of it, you know?
20:30And usually what I just say is take his soul to heaven and forgive him for it.
20:34For his sins, I mean, I'm telling God that.
20:37He made me a break.
20:40Missy, step on it.
20:43Jesus.
20:44Emily calls me a bad driver.
20:47We have our ups and downs and our problems, but we're family, and that's one thing Chuck
20:52has always said.
20:52Blood is thicker than water.
20:55It's taken me many years to realize that it is true.
20:58When it gets down to the wire, you need to remember that your family are the people that
21:03really love and care about you.
21:04All right, let's go.
21:05Come on.
21:06Oops.
21:07Pull.
21:07Pull.
21:07Pull.